India-UAE flights: Budget airline announces start of new Dubai route

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday flagged off the maiden flight from Bhubaneswar to Dubai at the Biju Patnaik International Airport.

A total of 174 travellers aboard the first direct flight from Dubai to Bhubaneswar, which landed at 4pm, were welcomed by state ministers Aswini Kumar Patra and Tukuni Sahu.

The flight services will be run by IndiGo Airlines thrice a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The flight will depart Dubai at 11.25am and reach Bhubaneswar at 5.20pm. In the return journey, it will depart the Odisha capital at 6.30pm and reach Dubai at 9.45pm, the official said.

A total of 170 passengers boarded the Dubai-bound flight from Bhubaneswar on Monday. They were presented with 'Uttariya' (traditional stole), sweets and flowers, before the flight took off at 6pm.

Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said aligning Odisha with a global tourism destination such as Dubai will bring in industrial development by facilitating investments, promote tourism and increase connection with the Odia diaspora.

He said Dubai, being a major tourism junction in West Asia, provides a gateway to European and American markets.

Besides people who had booked their tickets after Utkal Dibasa on April 1, various sportspersons and delegates from Mission Shakti, World Skill Centre, Special Development Council and Panchayati Raj, who were felicitated at Naveen Nivas, the CM's house, earlier in the day, boarded the Dubai-bound flight.

The state government is also working to start direct flights to Bangkok and Singapore from next month to boost connectivity with southeast Asia, he added.