Indian budget airline announces new Dubai route

IndiGo has launched its new Bhubaneswar-Dubai service, scheduled for three times a week.

The Indian carrier's maiden flight between Dubai to Bhubaneswar arrived at Biju Patnaik Airport (BBI) at 16:00 local time with 174 passengers onboard. The aircraft was greeted by state ministers Aswini Kumar Patra and Tukuni Sahu, along with a water cannon salute.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday flagged off the maiden flight from Bhubaneswar to Dubai at the Biju Patnaik International Airport.

The return flight to Dubai International Airport (DXB) departed at 18:00 with 170 passengers, each of which were gifted with a 'Uttariya' - a type of traditional long scarf - along with sweets and flowers.

The flight services will be run by IndiGo Airlines thrice a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The flight will depart Dubai at 11.25am and reach Bhubaneswar at 5.20pm. In the return journey, it will depart the Odisha capital at 6.30pm and reach Dubai at 9.45pm, the official said.

Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said aligning Odisha with a global tourism destination such as Dubai will bring in industrial development by facilitating investments, promote tourism and increase connection with the Odia diaspora.

He said Dubai, being a major tourism junction in West Asia, provides a gateway to European and American markets.

Besides people who had booked their tickets after Utkal Dibasa on April 1, various sportspersons and delegates from Mission Shakti, World Skill Centre, Special Development Council and Panchayati Raj, who were felicitated at Naveen Nivas, the CM's house, earlier in the day, boarded the Dubai-bound flight.