CM flags off direct flight from city to Abu Dhabi
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Bhubaneswar: In a boost to international air connectivity, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday inaugurated direct flight service from Bhubaneswar to Abu Dhabi on the first anniversary of his govt.
The service, operated by IndiGo Airlines from Biju Patnaik International Airport, will run thrice a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The new route, on which the flight can accommodate 180 passengers per trip, will reduce travel time to just four hours between the two cities.
Speaking at the event, Majhi said this service, launched under the state's New Destination Policy with support from the Union govt, will strengthen Odisha's ties with middle-eastern countries in trade, tourism, investment, and cultural exchange.
With commencement of the flight service to Abu Dhabi, Bhubaneswar is now connected with five international destinations through flight services. These are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Bangkok. Flights from Biju Patnaik International Airport also operate to 20 Indian cities.
During the inaugural ceremony, Majhi handed over boarding passes to select passengers. The inaugural flight also marked the beginning of cargo services, with 50 tonnes of Amrapali mangoes being exported among other goods.
Also, a new domestic route connecting Bhubaneswar to Visakhapatnam was also launched on Thursday. "The state govt has been actively expanding air connectivity, with successful launches of flights from Bhubaneswar to various domestic destinations," a govt statement reads.
It says that new flight services recently commenced to cities like Dehradun, Ghaziabad, Goa, Indore, Kochi, Lucknow, and Port Blair from Bhubaneswar.
Besides, Jharsuguda airport has also been connected to major cities like Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Raipur recently.
"This development will significantly benefit travellers from Odisha. The service will offer both time and cost advantages while strengthening the state's position in international air travel," it said.
Flyers welcome the move. "A lot of people from Odisha travel to foreign destinations. The absence of direct flight services affected us a lot in the past. Now we can save a lot of time and energy with this new service," said Sashank Tripathy, a frequent flyer.
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