Air India Express to launch flight from Vizag to Kathmandu via B'luru

Visakhapatnam: Even as the Civil Aviation Ministry is in talks with AirAsia not to withdraw its flights from Visakhapatnam to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok from May 1, Air India Express is launching from June 1 a service between the city and Kathmandu with a layover in Bengaluru.

Sources said following representations from the air travellers' associations and airport advisory committee member O Naresh Kumar, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has asked AirAsia to operate both the flights. According to indications, AirAsia management is under pressure to operate at least Bangkok flights.

After the sudden cancellation of confirmed tickets made after May 1, travel agents started lobbying to convince AirAsia not to withdraw its services to Visakhapatnam, as it will dent the efforts to promote tourism to Andhra Pradesh.

Ix2744 Air India Express will leave Visakhapatnam at 11.15 pm and reach Bengaluru after an hour and 40 minutes. It will depart for Kathmandu at 5.05 am and reach at 8.05 am.

According to Tours and Travel Association of Andhra (TTAA) president K. Vijay Mohan, Indigo has started business class flights and the first flight will be between Hyderabad to Delhi from April 15. Indigo has also started new flights to Raipur and Indore from Visakhapatnam.

The flight will be available five times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It leaves Vizag at 11 am and reaches RaIpur at 12.30 pm.