Bhubaneswar: The Joint Secretary for Ministry of Civil Aviation, Usha Padhee, Monday, said that the direct flight from Bhubaneswar to Surat will commence January 20.
In a tweet, Padhee stated that the A321 AI flight will leave Biju Patnaik International Airport at 8.40 am and reach Surat International Airport at 10.40 am. While the flight will operate between Bhubaneswar and Surat on Mondays and Thursdays, it will fly from Surat on Fridays and Sundays. It will leave Surat at 8.30 am.
The services between the two cities will be provided by Air Asia. While the lowest fare quoted on its official website (www.airindia.in) is Rs 4,503, the return journey is reported to cost Rs 4,213.
Notably, the operations have begun after BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, earlier in July this year, had a meeting with the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri. She had requested for a direct flight between Surat and Bhubaneswar for the benefit of the non-resident Odias.
It is worth mentioning, that a large number of Odias have settled and are engaged in various spheres of trade and commerce industries in Surat. Due to absence of any direct air connectivity, air commuters, especially the Odias, were desperately waiting for the flight services between Bhubaneswar and Surat to start. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also urged the Centre earlier for the flight.