AI reintroduces direct flight to Dammam

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 7. Air India has reintroduced its direct weekly flight from the international airport here to Dammam in Saudi Arabia, besides introducing additional flights to and from the capital and increasing the capacity of the existing Gulf flights from Thiruvananthapuram.

The national carrier's reinstated direct flight to Dammam will operate from May 21. The AI 959 flight will operate every Monday departing from here at 12-40 a.m. to reach Dammam airport at 2-40 a.m. local time, according to Air India.

In the return direction, the AI 812 flight will operate every Tuesday leaving Dammam at 4-50 a.m. local time to reach Thiruvananthapuram international airport at 11-55 a.m..

With this, the number of flights from Thiruvananthapuram to Dammam has been increased by AI to three per week. Already, AI operates weekly flights on Wednesday and Sunday via Mumbai. This is the first flight being operated by AI after 10 p.m from here once the round the clock operations from the airport began.

The decision of the national carrier to reintroduce the direct flight to Dammam comes in the wake of the demand and representations from the passengers, especially the labour class hailing from the southern districts of the State and adjoining Tamil Nadu, bound to Saudi Arabia and the travel trade.

The direct flight will fulfil the demand of the passengers and the convenient timing will be of tremendous benefit to the Gulf passengers bound for Dammam, according to Air India.

AI will operate additional flights in three sectors, including one in the Gulf sector. The AI 812 Thiruvananthapuram-Mumbai will depart from Thiruvananthapuram every Tuesday at 1 p.m to reach Mumbai at 3 p.m.

The AI 904 Muscat-Thiruvananthapuram additional flight will operate on Sundays. The flight will depart from Muscat at 4-45 p.m. local time to proceed via the Cochin International airport to reach Thiruvananthapuram international airport at 11-40 p.m. hours.

The AI 959 Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram flight will also operate on every Sunday. It will depart from Kochi at 11 p.m. to reach Thiruvananthapuram international airport at 11-40 p.m.

The national airline will introduce Airbus 300 AB-4 aircraft to meet the demand for more seats on other sectors on the following days/flights.

As per this, the additional seats will be provided in AI 673 Mumbai/Dammam and other cities and AI 945 to Abu Dhabi on Wednesdays. AI 697 to Mumbai/Riyadh and other cities and AI 947 to Dubai and Abu Dhabi (both Thursday) and AI 865 to Mumbai/Riyadh and other cities in Friday.

According to Air India, there will be an increase in Air India capacity by 27 per cent from Thiruvananthapuram with effect from May 21 with the introduction of direct flight to Dammam, additional flights and additional seats. The airline has also announced a new schedule effective from May 16.

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