The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has announced the summer schedule, effective from March 31 to October 26, 2024, which includes direct flights from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport to various international destinations. This move is set to cater to the increasing demand of Gujaratis with a penchant for global travel.
The new schedule lists direct flights to sought-after destinations including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Jeddah, thereby enhancing connectivity to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This development is expected to significantly boost the travel industry, according to experts.
SVPI airport, which already facilitates the movement of 250 aircraft daily, connects directly to 36 international and domestic destinations. The new schedule will see this number rise. “Thai Air is expected to increase its weekly flights to Bangkok, while Air India Express is set to launch a direct flight to the same destination. Additionally, Air Asia is likely to commence a direct flight to Kuala Lumpur and Akasa Air is set to start a direct flight to Jeddah,” revealed a top source. The direct flight to Jeddah is anticipated to be a boon for Haj pilgrims.
In addition to the international destinations, the summer schedule also includes the launch of direct air connectivity to Nanded in Maharashtra via a Star Air flight. Furthermore, Vistara is expected to launch direct flights to Goa and Bengaluru from Ahmedabad and IndiGo is set to start a direct flight to Hirasar Airport in Rajkot.
The summer schedule has seen a 16% increase in flight frequency from Ahmedabad compared to last year’s season. Across India, airlines will operate a total of 24,275 weekly domestic flights during the summer schedule, marking a nearly 6% rise compared to the same period a year ago. The number of weekly departures is just 2.30% higher compared to the 23,732 flights operated by scheduled carriers in the ongoing winter schedule that ends on March 30, according to DGCA.
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