17-January-2024, Ayodhya/Bengaluru: Air India Express launched its first non-stop flight connecting Ayodhya with Kolkata and Bengaluru, with the airline commencing operations today. The airline will be connecting Ayodhya with three cities: Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Delhi. The flag-off of the Air India Express Ayodhya-Kolkata flight took place in the virtual presence of notable dignitaries such as Shri. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, and Shri Yogi Adityanath, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Shri Lallu Singh, Member of Parliament, Faizabad (Ayodhya), attended the event at the Ayodhya Airport. Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India Express, presented the first boarding pass to the Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation.

we inaugurated our Ayodhya-Delhi flight on the very day of Ayodhya airport’s opening. Within a few weeks, we have further extended our connectivity to this sacred city, now linking Ayodhya with two additional metro cities: Kolkata and Bengaluru. This strategic expansion will provide pilgrims with convenient one-stop itineraries to Ayodhya and enhances connectivity to 16 other destinations on our network. The swift expansion of services in Ayodhya underscores our commitment to expanding both domestically and internationally, driven by a growing fleet.”  

Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express

Ayodhya is the third Air India Express destination in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The airline operates both domestic and international flights from the cities of Lucknow and Varanasi to destinations like Dubai, Sharjah, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Air India Express created history in 2015 when it operated the first international flight from Varanasi, connecting the sacred town with Sharjah. Bookings for the Ayodhya flights can be made through the airline’s award-winning app and website, airindiaexpress.com, as well as other major booking platforms.

Flight Schedule
Departure	Arrival	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Frequency
Ayodhya	Delhi	10:00	11:20	Daily
Delhi	Ayodhya	11:50	12:55	Daily
Ayodhya	Kolkata	11:05	12:50	Mon, Wed, Thu
Kolkata	Ayodhya	13:25	15:10	Mon, Wed, Thu
Bengaluru	Ayodhya	7:30	10:00	Mon, Wed, Thu
Ayodhya	Bengaluru	15:00	17:30	Mon, Wed, Thu

Air India Express operates 85 weekly flights from Kolkata, flying directly to Ayodhya, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Surat. The airline also offers convenient one-stop connections from the City of Joy to 18 domestic destinations like Mumbai, Delhi, Amritsar, Goa, Kochi, Gwalior, Chennai, Jaipur, and Lucknow, among other domestic and international destinations.

Air India Express recently launched the Vista VIP, its business-class-like product, in a bid to enhance the customer experience. The offering includes wider seats and increased legroom, Gourmair hot meals, an additional baggage allowance, and Xpress ahead priority boarding services.

Air India Express is undergoing swift growth, having added Gwalior as another new destination on their network, apart from Ayodhya. In the final month of 2023, Air India Express also became the first airline to operate a direct flight from Surat to Dubai on the very day when the Surat International Airport had its new international terminal inaugurated.

About Air India Express 

Air India Express is a subsidiary of Air India and a part of the Tata Group, operating over 300 flights daily and connecting 31 domestic and 14 international airports with a fleet of 63 aircraft, comprising 35 Boeing 737s and 28 Airbus A320s. Air India Express invites guests with the proposition to ‘Fly As You Are’, using thoughtfully considered technology to enable flyers to personalise and take charge of their travel experience. The airline offers Gourmair hot meals, comfortable seats, pioneering in-flight experience hub AirFlix, and a host of exclusive loyalty benefits with a sense of unique Indian warmth in its award-winning digital experience on its mobile app and website, airindiaexpress.com. 

—-