Indian budget carrier mulls more services from the Gulf

Air India Express, the low-budget platform of the National Aviation Company of India (NACIL), is looking to expand its Doha operations.
Company executive director F D Warden told Gulf Times yesterday that the first priority would be to increase frequency to Thiruvananthapuram. “Then, we are also actively considering to launch services to Chennai.”
Currently, it operates a weekly flight to the Kerala capital. Additional frequencies may be tied up either with Cochin or Mangalore, said Warden, an industry veteran of 32 years.
“If market conditions warrant more stand-alone flights from Doha, we will do that as well”, said Warden, who has worked in a number of capacities including cargo and passenger sales, administration and planning in India and abroad. Currently, all Air India Express flights from Doha go over Bahrain. The budget carrier currently operates 13 flights a week from Doha to various destinations within India, offering a total of 4,000 seats.
“The load is healthy and it is progressing over the years,” says Warden. They include three flights each to Mumbai and Mangalore, six to Cochin and Calicut and one each to Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin.
He, however, adds that currently there is enough capacity available and “we have to wait and watch” before expanding services.
07/10/08 Arvind Nair/Gulf Times, Qatar

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