On Saturday, budget airline IndiGo declared that it would begin operating flights to Dubai from Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport on May 15. It also revealed future plans to connect the capital of Odisha with Singapore and Bangkok. The airline announced in a statement that reservations are now open for the three times weekly flights between Bhubaneswar and Dubai.
IndiGo said it is "working in close collaboration" with the Odisha government to commence international operations from Bhubaneswar which will strengthen air connectivity from the state capital. The maiden international flight from Bhubaneswar will take off from Biju Patnaik International Airport on May 15, IndiGo said in the statement.
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International flight operations will also commence from Bhubaneswar to two more destinations - Singapore and Bangkok for which slots and other operational requirements are being finalised, it stated, reports PTI.
According to the airline, direct connectivity to aviation hubs like Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok will help channelise the huge potential for economic growth through enhanced accessibility. IndiGo said it recently won the bid to operate direct flights to these three gateways.
"Connectivity is key to development, and it has been a focus area of our government. Direct connectivity with Dubai which is one of the biggest aviation hubs will open up a direct gateway to the world," Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was quoted as saying in the statement, as per PTI's report.
Not only will it provide seamless connectivity but, it will also have a huge multiplier effect on investment in Odisha in sectors like IT, manufacturing, and tourism, Patnaik added. Also known as "The Temple City of India", Bhubaneswar attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Besides, being a tourist hotspot Bhubaneswar is also a major industrial city of the state, with a number of iron and steel manufacturing plants, IndiGo said in the statement.
"The new direct flights between Bhubaneswar-Dubai will reduce the need for travellers to connect to international destinations through metro cities only. "This will not only enable faster connectivity, and enhanced accessibility but also encourage trade and tourism in the state," said Vinay Malhotra, Head Global Sales at IndiGo.
