Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 15: Bhubaneswar- Dubai direct flight operation will resume soon as the Odisha government has started hunting for a new airline operator to provide the service, officials informed on Thursday.
Though Indigo had earlier provided the service between the two cities, it was discontinued in March this year due to the Middle-East conflicts and some technical reasons.
Now, the State Commerce and Transport has started searching for the best flight operator to run the service at least thrice a week with subsidy support from the Government, officials said.
Odisha seeks to strengthen international air connectivity between the State capital Bhubaneswar and Dubai. The proposed operations are intended to support business, government, healthcare, tourism, education and passenger demand, they said.
There is a plan for mobilization and operation of an Aircraft with 180-seats or more on the BBI-DXB-BBI sector under a State-supported subsidy framework. The Operator will undertake all operational, regulatory, commercial and safety responsibilities required to deliver the service, officials informed.
The Bhubaneswar-Dubai direct flight was launched from Biju Patnaik International Airport on May 15, 2023 with state VGF support to bridge the gap between operational costs and ticket revenue during the initial phase, when passenger load factors were low.
Operated by IndiGo Airlines, the service ran thrice a week and was hailed as a landmark step in Odisha’s international aviation push.
After the direct flight was introduced, Dubai’s status as a major global travel hub opened up new avenues for investment, trade and tourism for the State, besides offering multiple options for leisure travellers from across the world looking to visit Odisha.
Dubai is a critical hub for the Odia migrant workforce, making direct connectivity essential to avoid dependence on indirect travel via other metros.
The Dubai-Bhubaneswar flight also serves as a vital lifeline for more than 40,000 Odias residing in the UAE. The Dubai route also offers seamless onward connectivity from other GCC countries, Europe and beyond to Bhubaneswar.
Sustained international operations are also vital for retaining airport slots, stabilising routes, and advancing the state’s ambition of emerging as a regional aviation hub under the B-MAAN (Building and Maintaining Aviation Assets and Networks) scheme.
