Fly Bangkok from Oct 29; Air India announces launch of flight

Chandigarh, July 18

Just about three months from now, the Chandigarh international airport will take off in a new direction. From October 29, the city is all set to be connected to Bangkok with the public sector airlines, Air India, announcing the launch of its flight to Thailand’s capital, known for ornate shrines and vibrant street life.

The developments took place during the hearing of a petition filed by the Mohali Industries Association against the non-operation of the Chandigarh international airport. In its statement filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court today, Air India state manager GS Tomar said:  “Air India proposes to commence operations on the Chandigarh-Bangkok route from October 29, 2017, with the new A-320 Neo aircraft on four-flights-a-week basis”.

Taking note of the assertion, the Bench of Justice SS Saron and Justice Avneesh Jhingan asked the airline to plan its flight schedule in a manner that would prevent limited watch hours at the airport from posing a problem.

The Bench was also informed that the airline was awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs for launching of hub and spoke flights for other international destinations from Chandigarh. At the same time, Air India said the airline had no immediate plan to launch an Amritsar-Toronto flight.

The assertion came almost 10 months after the Chandigarh-Bangkok flight by Air India was first announced. The flight was to start in April, but was deferred. The Division Bench headed by Justice SS Saron had also asked Air India to submit its status report on restarting the Amritsar-Birmingham flight by July 18. — TNS