International airlines set to taxi into Ahmedabad

Various international airlines are planning to start operations from Ahmedabad.

Singapore Airlines has recently concluded a feasibility study for kicking off operations from the city. SriLankan Airlines has announced that it will start operations by October this year. Air-India and Indian Airlines are also planning to start new direct international flights from Ahmedabad by the end of this month.

Indian Airlines, which already has direct flights to Sharjah, Kuwait and Muscat, plans to introduce a flight to Dubai.

"We propose to start our twice-a-week flight to Dubai from March 28 this year. The flight will be from Kolkata to Dubai with a halt at Ahmedabad," said Bharat Tikle, area marketing manager, Indian Airlines, Ahmedabad.

Indian Airlines flies to Sharjah thrice a week and the flight for Kuwait is twice a week. The Muscat flight is also thrice a week. "There has been a significant demand from passengers to introduce a flight to Dubai because of its business importance," Tikle added.

SriLankan Airlines proposes to start its full-fledged operations by October this year. However, if everything goes well, the company may even start initial operations by May or June, said an official of an international travel agency. Thai Airways is also planning to start operations from the city this year, the official added.

Air-India has already announced the start of its direct flights to London on Fridays and Sundays from March 28 this year. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad-London flight will leave Ahmedabad at around 10 am.

"All the tickets for the first flight to London have been sold out in a fortnight since the booking opened on February 28," said a senior official of Air-India.

The one-way fare to London will cost Rs 21,000 inclusive of taxes, while the return air fare costs Rs 34,000 inclusive of taxes.