As part of its ongoing expansion in Southeast Asia, Air India will begin operating direct flights from Delhi to Phuket. Travel Daily News reports that the non-stop service will launch on December 15, to meet tourist and trade demand. Between now and May 2024, Thailand offers visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days for travellers from India.
The carrier plans to operate a A320 NEO aircraft on the route, which has 150 Economy seats and 12 Business class seats. The incoming flight, AI 378, will depart Delhi at 01.10am, arriving in Phuket at 07.10am local time. The return flight, AI 379, will take off from Phuket at 08.10am, touching down in Delhi at 10.50am.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer with Air India, says that initially the service will operate 4 times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, before increasing to a daily service from January.
“Phuket is a popular global destination and holds a significant base for business and tourism. We are delighted to welcome Phuket into our network and will continue to expand our connectivity and enhance frequency on domestic and international sectors providing more flexibility of choice to our customers and contributing to the growth in the aviation sector.”
India’s flagship carrier currently operates 26 flights a week to Bangkok, including daily direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai, along with 6 flights a week from Kolkata. Passengers can also connect in Bangkok to travel onwards to destinations in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia with Air India’s partner airline, Bangkok Airways.
SOURCE: Travel Daily News
