Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) today applauded Air India Express’ commitment to their expanding Abu Dhabi operations, as the airline launched two new routes from Abu Dhabi International Airport and increased its frequency of service to Cochin from five to six flights per week.
Starting from April 30th, Air India Express has been flying from Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport to Tiruchirapally and Chennai in southern India at 18:20 every Thursday and Saturday. The new routes will be serviced by a Boeing 737-800 in an economy class configuration.
Air India Express is the low cost airline subsidiary of Air India, which operates from its base at Cochin International Airport. It now connects Abu Dhabi with six destinations in India with 21 weekly flights. Since it first started flying to the UAE capital four years ago, the airline has experienced organic growth as the high demand for airline services has led the airline to increase frequencies and include additional routes.
The two new destinations and the increased frequency to Cochin will serve the large and growing Indian community based both within Abu Dhabi and the other Emirates. The Oxford Business Group estimated that more than one million Indian nationals live in the UAE. ADAC’s recent traffic figures also show the Indian subcontinent continues to experience a strong increase in traffic. In March alone, traffic to and from India increased by 32 per cent, making it the largest single travel market for Abu Dhabi.
Mohammed Al Bulooki, Vice President of Airline Marketing and Aeronautical Revenue, said:
“ADAC is delighted to be part of the growth and success of Air India Express. We believe in providing high quality airport facilities and services that can form a foundation from which airlines can grow and expand. We are also pleased to continue to expand the breadth of choice we offer our customers. These services will help us to better serve the huge Indian expat community that reside in the UAE.”
Reiterating Air India Express’ commitment to the Abu Dhabi market, Mr. Fali. D. Warden, Executive Director for Middle East & Africa, Air India & Air India Express, said:
"With the introduction of direct air links from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Tiruchirapally in Central Tamil Nadu, we are confident that the new flights will be successful in attracting passengers not only from the immediate vicinity but from the nearby districts of Tanjavur, Ramnad & Madurai as well. The sustained introduction of Air India Express services from Abu Dhabi reflects the growing importance which Air India attaches to this region".
Air India Express also operates weekly flights from Cochin and Kozhikode to Al Ain International Airport, the Emirates second largest airport which is quickly developing as the regions preferred low cost carrier hub.
About Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC)
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) is a public joint-stock company wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. It was incorporated by Amiri Decree number 5, issued on 4 March 2006, to spearhead the development of the Emirate's aviation infrastructure.
In September 2006, ADAC took over responsibility for the operation and management of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain international Airports. In 2008, ADAC added Al Bateen private jet airport, formerly Al Bateen military airbase, and Sir Baniyas and Delma Island Airports to its portfolio. These airports all serve different segments of the marketplace and help contribute to Abu Dhabi’s development as a destination for both business and leisure tourism.
Currently under way is the large scale AED 25 (USD6.8) billion re-development and expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport designed to increase the overall capacity of the airport to more than 20 million passengers per year. As part of this redevelopment, a second runway and a third terminal have been completed. A new ATC tower and Midfield Terminal Complex will complete the redevelopment within the next few years.
About Air India Express
Air-India Express is India's first international airline offering great value for money and efficient service. Our mission is to provide convenient connectivity in the short-range routes at the most affordable prices to passengers. At Air-India Express, we believe that our employees are our strength and our success is dependent on their collective effort. We pride ourselves in providing quick and efficient service to customers.
Our fleet consists of state of the art Boeing 737-800 aircraft. In keeping with our mission to provide budget travel, our aircrafts will have single class economy. The capacity of these aircraft is around 180 seats.
At Air-India Express, we strive to give our passengers the best. Our fleet, comprising Boeing 737-800 aircrafts, is the latest in the airline industry. Our safety and maintenance standards are comparable to the best airlines in the industry.
