Odisha's New Direct Flight to Abu Dhabi: A Game Changer for Connectivity
Direct Flight Services Launched
Bhubaneswar: On Thursday, Odisha's Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi officially launched direct flight services connecting Bhubaneswar to Abu Dhabi from the Biju Patnaik International Airport.
An IndiGo aircraft carrying 180 passengers embarked on its inaugural flight to the UAE capital, as announced by Majhi.
Additionally, 50 tonnes of locally grown mangoes from Odisha were dispatched to Abu Dhabi, highlighting the state's agricultural exports.
This event coincided with the first anniversary celebrations of the BJP government in Odisha.
The new flight services are part of the state's Building Management of Aviation Assets and Network (B-MAAN) initiative.
The airline will operate flights on the Abu Dhabi-Bhubaneswar route three times a week: on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, according to officials.
Majhi expressed pride in fulfilling the aspirations of Odisha's residents for direct flights to Abu Dhabi during a media briefing at the airport.
He noted that the launch of these services was made possible with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government, aligning with the state's new destination policy.
The Chief Minister emphasized that these flights would enhance Odisha's connectivity with West Asian nations.
This initiative is expected to promote tourism, trade, investment, and cultural exchanges.
Moreover, flight services to Visakhapatnam were also reinstated from Bhubaneswar on the same day.
Majhi stated, "In addition to infrastructure development, our government is focused on industrial growth and improving road, air, and rail connectivity to boost the state's GDP."
To enhance air travel, the government has introduced flights to various destinations including Dehradun, Ghaziabad, Goa, Indore, Kochi, Lucknow, and Port Blair from Bhubaneswar, as well as from Jharsuguda to Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Raipur.
With the introduction of these domestic and international flight services, Bhubaneswar is poised to become a significant hub for the aviation industry in the near future, Majhi concluded.