logo
Direct flights connect Abu Dhabi to three culturally rich Indian cities

Direct flights connect Abu Dhabi to three culturally rich Indian cities

Al Etihad17-05-2025

17 May 2025 15:47
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi will soon be connected to three culturally rich cities of India — Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Madurai — with direct flights.IndiGo, India's largest airline, announced the launch of new direct flights linking the UAE capital to Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Madurai, three culturally significant Indian cities that have long awaited improved international access.The direct flights to Bhubaneswar will operate three times a week starting from June 12, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while Visakhapatnam will be connected four times weekly from June 13, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights to Madurai will also begin on June 13 and run three times a week — on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.The expansion comes as part of IndiGo's strategic push to enhance regional international connectivity and offer time-saving travel options for passengers. Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, is renowned for its ancient Kalingan temples and its emerging status as a hub for IT and education.Visakhapatnam, also known as Vizag, is a key port city in Andhra Pradesh known for its industrial importance, naval base, and scenic coastal attractions such as Araku Valley and Kailasagiri. Madurai, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and a centre of Tamil culture and devotion, is home to the iconic Meenakshi Temple and serves as the second most important city in Tamil Nadu after Chennai.'By introducing these direct flights, IndiGo is enhancing travel convenience for passengers, expanding international access to regional markets, and catering to the growing demand from both business and leisure travellers,' the airline said in a statement.Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, added: 'We are pleased to announce direct flights to Abu Dhabi, further growing our international network. With the addition of these flights, IndiGo now operates over 100 weekly flights to Abu Dhabi from 15 cities in India. This also increases our frequencies to the UAE to 275 flights a week from 18 cities in India. As demand for direct international travel grows, we're committed to connecting India with global economic centres, ensuring on-time, affordable, and seamless travel across our expanding network.'The new connections are expected to ease travel for the large Indian diaspora in the UAE, as well as promote two-way tourism, trade, and educational links.Bookings for the new flights can be made via IndiGo's website or mobile app, and the move reinforces the airline's role in bridging India's Tier-2 cities with global destinations through reliable, cost-effective, and direct air links.Bhupesh Akkineni, a software engineer based in Abu Dhabi, welcomed the direct flight between the UAE capital and Visakhapatnam, the commercial capital of Andhra Pradesh. 'It will save us a lot of time wasted on layovers and changing flights. It comes as a big relief for families from the region,' he said.Amiya Mishra, President of Odisha Samaj UAE, also welcomed the move. 'We are delighted with the news of a direct flight from Bhubaneswar to Abu Dhabi. Now it is almost a daily flight from the UAE to Bhubaneswar except Sunday, which will be of great help to all Odias in the UAE.' IndiGo is already running a three-times-a-week service from Dubai to Bhubaneswar — on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry also hailed the launch of direct flights from Madurai to Abu Dhabi. In a statement, Chamber President N. Jagatheesan said the body had long emphasised the need for increased international flight services from Madurai to benefit the business community, international travellers and the general public.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

GCC banks with Turkish subsidiaries set to gain as inflation eases in Türkiye: Fitch Ratings
GCC banks with Turkish subsidiaries set to gain as inflation eases in Türkiye: Fitch Ratings

Al Etihad

time8 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

GCC banks with Turkish subsidiaries set to gain as inflation eases in Türkiye: Fitch Ratings

12 June 2025 17:39 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Gulf banks with subsidiaries in Türkiye are poised to benefit from improving macroeconomic conditions in the Turkish market, according to Fitch Ratings. Easing inflation and signs of greater financial stability are expected to soften the financial drag these subsidiaries have imposed in recent the affected institutions is Emirates NBD, which owns DenizBank in Türkiye. Like its regional peers, Emirates NBD has suffered from what are called "net monetary losses" — accounting hits that stem from Türkiye's persistently high inflation. Under international accounting rules (specifically IAS 29 for hyperinflation), these banks must adjust the value of their Turkish assets, leading to large losses on their noted that since 2022, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) banks have reported more than $7 billion in such losses, equivalent to about 5% of their combined equity by the end of 2024. In 2024 alone, $2.5 billion in net monetary losses were recorded. Qatar National Bank (QNB) and Kuwait Finance House (KFH) were among the hardest hit, with their profitability ratios reduced by 60 to 70 basis there is now cautious optimism. Quarterly losses shrank by about 20% in Q1 2025, thanks to Türkiye's inflation cooling to around 40%, down from 67% in the same period last year. Fitch expects total losses to fall further to $1.1 billion in 2025 and $920 million in 2026, assuming continued disinflation, with inflation forecast to drop to 28% by year-end 2025 and 21% by 2026.'If disinflation continues at least in line with our expectations after 2025, GCC banks will probably stop using hyperinflation reporting from 2027,' Fitch Ratings said. Furthermore, profit margins at the subsidiaries may improve once Türkiye's central bank begins cutting interest rates, expected to fall to 33% by end-2025 from the current 46%, and then to 24% in this progress, Fitch maintains a cautious view. The agency said it still treats exposure to Türkiye as a credit-negative factor. These exposures result in a one-notch deduction from their viability scores — a key measure of a bank's intrinsic financial health — due to the relatively higher risks in the Turkish market compared to the more stable GCC region. While these Turkish subsidiaries account for only between 3% and 21% of the parent groups' total assets, any material improvement in Türkiye's economic environment could gradually ease the strain. Fitch signalled that in the long run, this might contribute to upgrades in the affected banks' ratings — but only in conjunction with other supportive factors.

Boeing shares tumble after Air India plane crash
Boeing shares tumble after Air India plane crash

Al Etihad

time10 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

Boeing shares tumble after Air India plane crash

12 June 2025 16:45 LONDON (PA Media/dpa)Shares in Boeing tumbled in pre-market trading on Thursday after one of its planes crashed shortly after taking off in US-based airplane manufacturer, which has been blighted by safety issues in recent years, saw shares drop as much as 8%.A Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft bound for London's Gatwick airport, carrying 242 people, appeared to explode after crashing shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Air India said 169 passengers are Indian nationals, 53 are British, one is Canadian, and seven are Portuguese.A Boeing spokesman said: "We are aware of initial reports and areworking to gather more information."

Air India plane crash: Indigo passengers offered full refund
Air India plane crash: Indigo passengers offered full refund

Khaleej Times

time10 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

Air India plane crash: Indigo passengers offered full refund

[Editor's Note: Follow KT's live blog for all the latest updates on the Ahmedabad plane crash.] An Indian airline has offered a full refund to passengers impacted by the Ahmedabad Airport closure after an Air India flight bound for London crashed on Thursday. Indian carrier Indigo on Thursday said affected passengers can claim a full refund or rebook flights due to the closure of Ahmedabad airport after the crash. 'Following the incident near Ahmedabad Airport and the resulting runway restrictions, flight operations are impacted. Our thoughts are with the families of those affected. We seek your kind understanding, as these are truly challenging times for everyone. If your flight is impacted, you may rebook or claim a full refund via our website. Our teams remain on standby across all channels to support you,' the budget carrier said. 'We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident near Ahmedabad airport. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, and their families. We stand united in spirit with Air India in this very difficult time,' it added. Multiple people are reported to have died in the plane crash involving the Air India flight which took off with 242 people on board. Check flight status Reacting to the unfortunate incident, the Indian carrier SpiceJet advised that passengers travelling to Ahmedabad check their flight status as the airport had been closed. 'All operations at Ahmedabad Airport are suspended until further notice due to an aircraft incident. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status through its website,' the carrier said. Meanwhile, Akasa Air, another low-cost carrier, said it was 'deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident in Ahmedabad. Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers, crew on the flight, the people affected on the ground and their loved ones.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store