Direct air service between India and China resumed after five years on Sunday when IndiGo Airlines’ non-stop Kolkata-Guangzhou flight took off at 10 pm.
Officials said that this is the first flight from an Indian city to China since 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and border tensions, direct air links between the two countries were suspended for a long time. An IndiGo spokesperson said that this flight will be operated daily.
A brief ceremony was held at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI) before the flight took off. On this occasion, a Chinese traveler lit a lamp, which was a symbol of new friendship and cooperation. In the program, NSCBI Airport Director Dr. P. R. Bauria, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Indigo Airlines officials were present.
Bauria said that the revival of this direct route will not only strengthen trade and tourism relations, but also provide more convenience to passengers traveling between the two major cities. Officials said the resumption of daily direct flight services between Kolkata and Guangzhou will further strengthen the West Bengal capital’s position as a major international aviation hub in eastern India.