Kingfisher Red Kolkata-Dhaka daily, direct flights launched

Kingfisher Airlines, based in Bangalore, India, has launched daily, direct flights between Kolkata in eastern India and Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
The launch of the new route on May 15, 2009, marked the first time that Kingfisher Airlines was starting international flights from Kolkata, the airline said.

Kolkata had become the fourth city in India from where Kingfisher Airlines was offering international connectivity.

The flights between Kolkata and Dhaka are being operated under Kingfisher Airlines’ low-cost service called Kingfisher Red.

Kingfisher Airlines is using twin-turboprop ATR aircraft on the Kolkata-Dhaka route.

The flight leaves Kolkata at 1:35 p.m. daily and reaches Dhaka at 3:15 p.m. local time. The return flight will depart from Dhaka at 4 p.m. (local time) and arrive at Kolkata at 4.15pm.

The promotional minimum return fare of about Rs 6,500 (including taxes) on the Kolkata-Dhaka route would be valid till June 15, 2009, Kingfisher Airlines said.

Earlier in 2009, Kingfisher Airlines had started daily direct services between Mumbai and London, as well as daily flights connecting Chennai with Colombo and Bangalore with Colombo.

Kingfisher Airlines’ first international flight was launched in 2008, between Bangalore and London.

Kingfisher Airlines added that the Kolkata-Dhaka Kingfisher Red service would offer many of the Kingfisher Airlines’ in-flight services such as complimentary food and a choice of beverages, good reading material, frequent-flier privileges as well as multiple check-in facilities.

Siva Ramachandran, vice-president (global sales) of Kingfisher Airlines, said in a statement that the Kolkata-Dhaka route, in addition to catering to passengers from Kolkata, hoped “to benefit outlying markets in this region.”

At present, Air India Express, Jet Airways, GMG Airlines and United Airways operates on the Kolkata-Dhaka sector.