Jet Airways began the international flight operations from Mangalore to Dubai on Thursday. Jet Airways is the first private carrier to operate from Mangalore to Dubai.
At present, the public sector carrier, Air India Express, operates flights from Mangalore to various destinations in West Asia.
Addressing presspersons on the occasion, Gaurang Shetty, Senior Vice President (Commercial) of Jet Airways, said that the flight service between Mangalore and Dubai will further help strengthen the air connectivity of Jet Airways from tier-II Indian destinations into West Asia.
He said that the inaugural economy class return fare of Rs 20,360 onwards is being offered on the Mangalore-Dubai-Mangalore route. The airlines will operate direct flight from Mangalore to Dubai six times a week, he said.
Jet Airways currently operates daily direct flights to Dubai from Delhi, and four services a day from Mumbai.
He said that Mangalore was the third destination to be connected when Jet launched its operation in domestic market on May 5 1993.
Launching the Jet Airways service from Mangalore, Jayaprakash Hegde, Member of Parliament from Udupi, said that there is a demand from NRIs to operate flights to Saudi Arabia from Mangalore. He urged Jet Airways to look into this matter.
Shetty said that Jet Airways has also introduced ‘JetEscapes’ holiday packages for passengers travelling to Dubai for Dubai Shopping Festival. These packages are for travel effective from January 3 to February 3.
Under this, the ‘bonanza’ holiday package starts from Rs 30,800, and the ‘extravaganza’ package from Rs 34,850. He said both packages include return air travel in economy (inclusive of all taxes) class, airport transfers, 3-star hotel accommodation with breakfast, city tour and travel insurance. The ‘Extravaganza’ package includes a ‘Dhow Cruise’ with dinner and desert safari with barbeque dinner for passengers.
J.T. Radhakrishna, Director, Airports Authority of India, Mangalore; Ajai Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Corporation Bank; M.R. Vasudeva, coordinator of Karnataka NRI Forum, Mangalore chapter, were present on the occasion.