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19 March 2024

Goa, Pune, other Indian routes on flight plan from Abu Dhabi by 2014

Published
By Bindu Rai

Four new Indian routes are on the flight plan from Abu Dhabi by 2014 as part of the strategic partnership between Etihad Airways and Jet Airways.

Jet’s CEO designate Cramer Ball announced the four Indian routes, including Goa, Pune, Lucknow and Ahmedabad that will launch before year-end.

Etihad president and CEO James Hogan stated the Etihad-Jet partnership’s key pillar is access to 312 destinations across its combined route network, with 210 aircraft at their disposal.

Hogan added: “With India being the UAE’s largest trade partner, our aim is to build an air bridge between Abu Dhabi and India. No market is more important to us than India.”

Indian expansion

The International Air Transport Association (Iata), a global body representing world airlines, estimates India’s air travel will comprise 107 million passengers, in addition to domestic travellers, by 2016.

Etihad has launched an aggressive expansion into the Indian market this year, offering travellers with more connections between India, the UAE and other key markets around the world, following a major service upgrade to Kochi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kozhikode and Hyderabad this summer.

Citing a strong demand from business and leisure travellers, earlier this month, the Gulf carrier announced a double-daily frequency to Bangalore, Chennai and Kozhikode effective immediately and Hyderabad from October 1, 2014.

As a result, guests have the option of daytime or overnight flights, and improved connections between India and key markets in the GCC, Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.

Double-daily frequencies were also introduced to Kochi route last month, as well as Mumbai and New Delhi in November 2013, supporting a long-term development plan in India.

The airline will utilise new Airbus A320s, scheduled for delivery this year, to accommodate much of the increased frequencies.

Larger wide-body aircraft were also introduced on selected routes in November 2013, with a three-class A340 on overnight Mumbai flights, marking the debut of Etihad Airways’ First Class product on the route, and A330s on overnight Delhi flights.

Kochi flights have also been upgraded with the recent introduction of new Airbus A321 aircraft, while overnight Delhi flights will be further enhanced with three-class Boeing 777 from July 15.

Etihad holds a 24 per cent or a $380 million stake in the Indian Jet Airways, which had posted a net loss of Rs2.15 billion for the March quarter.

Ball announced the airline expects to return to profitability by 2017, with new routes on the horizon and greater traffic between India and Abu Dhabi over the Gulf carrier’s widened route network.

Speaking at the joint Etihad-Jet conference, Naresh Goyal, Jet Chairman said the airline will look to operate non-stop flights to Europe, China and Australia.

Jet Airways will also roll out new non-stop flights to other Middle East gateway cities, along with Saarc countries and the South East Asia.