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BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
25 July, 2005: Indian Airlines (IA) has added another 27 flights to Thailand, increasing its frequency by 51 flights, a move that would see the carrier set up its biggest overseas hub in Bangkok. The addition in flights would also make the airline the largest services provider between the two nations.
The carrier was operating a total of 24 flights a week, and the increase would result in the frequency rising to 51 per week.
IA is offering a series of daily departures from Bangkok to Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Jaipur, Calcutta, Gaya, Guwahati, Bangalore and Hyderabad, using Airbus A320 jetliners, with upto 700 seats out of Bangkok every day.
The carrier intends to cash in on the fast-growing business and tourism potential between the countries and an increase in the number of air travellers between Bangkok and New Delhi.
In the first six months of 2005, Indians arriving at Bangkok international airport rose 13.11 per cent to 1.63 lakh, while around 40,000 Thais visited India. About 45 per cent of IA's passengers travelling on the Thailand-India sector are businessmen, while 35 per cent are leisure and vacation travellers.
These numbers are expected to increase with more Indians travelling to Thailand for business and leisure, while Thais would be visiting Buddhist pilgrimage centres in and around the Indian sub-continent.
The carrier had launched its services to Bangkok in June 1985, with its first service operated from Calcutta. The airlines also operates services to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore from Bangkok.
The carrier now flies to 18 global destinations, about half of them to Gulf state cities and has added Kabul to its network in March 2005.
Indian
Airlines claimed a 70 per cent load factor on Thailand-India routes in the first half of this year and expects the percentage to be higher in the second half due to the stronger high-season travel.
IA and its subsidiary Alliance Air Service Ltd has a fleet of 63 aircraft, consisting of 47 Airbus A320s, four A330s, 11 Boeing 737s and two Dorniers.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
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