Air India announced on Thursday night the restart of its scheduled flights to and from Jeddah and Muscat, as airspaces over Saudi Arabia and Oman were determined safe for operations.
The airline will also provide additional special flights to Dubai, Muscat, and Ras Al-Khaimah on March 6 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers to India. Flights to Europe and North America are currently running smoothly via alternative routes deemed secure by aviation authorities.
Earlier in the day, the Tata Group-owned airline revealed plans to enhance its Asian network with the introduction of new non-stop services between Delhi and Hanoi, as well as Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda), set to start in the June quarter.
Air India indicated that the five-times-a-week service from Delhi to Hanoi would begin on May 1, complementing its existing daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City. This addition aims to offer travelers more flexibility through “open-jaw” itineraries, allowing entry through Hanoi and exit via Ho Chi Minh City, or the other way around.
The new Hanoi route will utilize Airbus A320neo aircraft configured in three classes — business, premium economy, and economy — contributing an additional 7,028 seats to and from Vietnam each month.
In addition, Air India will commence four weekly non-stop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda) using Boeing 787-8 aircraft, enhancing its current Delhi–Tokyo services.
“Japan and Vietnam have both emerged as key destinations for Indian travelers, while India’s economic and commercial ties with both countries continue to grow,” stated Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India.
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The airline further mentioned that it has significantly broadened its Southeast Asia and Far East network since privatization, bolstered by partnerships such as its codeshare agreement with All Nippon Airways for connecting flights from Tokyo to major Japanese cities.
(With Agency Inputs)
