Air India Express Restores Connectivity Across Network

Air India Express has restored connectivity across its network with the resumption of services to Salalah in Oman and Kuwait. Flights between Kozhikode and Salalah resumed on July 2, while Kozhikode-Kuwait services will restart on July 3. The airline will also resume Bengaluru-Kuwait flights from July 4, with frequencies increasing in phases over the coming days. The Kozhikode-Salalah route will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Air India Express has also resumed Muscat-Mangaluru services from July 3 and now operates around 40 weekly flights from Muscat to seven destinations in India. Following the additions, the airline will operate about 415 weekly flights from Bengaluru, connecting the city with 30 domestic and seven international destinations. From Kozhikode, it operates about 85 weekly flights, connecting the city with 13 destinations across West Asia and Bengaluru. All Air India Express flights to and from Kuwait will operate from Terminal 4 of Kuwait International Airport. Air India Express now connects India with 13 destinations across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The airline currently operates about 780 weekly flights between India and West Asia, connecting 18 Indian cities directly with the region. In recent weeks, the airline launched new services connecting Navi Mumbai and Abu Dhabi, Guwahati and Abu Dhabi, Guwahati and Dubai, Bengaluru and Phuket, and Pune and Amritsar. Earlier on Thursday, Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson had told employees that the airline may restore some of the flights it had cut in recent times because of the West Asia conflict. He stated that the call will be taken if easing tensions in West Asia continues to keep fuel prices lower and more airspace accessible. The Air India Group's budget carrier had temporarily suspended flights across West Asia during the conflict involving the US-Israel coalition and Iran, which led to heavy bombardment and frequent airspace closures. The West Asia crisis, which began on February 28 and caused a sharp rise in energy prices, including jet fuel, is now in its final stage, with the related parties continuing peace talks. Jet fuel prices, which account for 30-40% of an airline's operating cost, have also declined sharply in recent weeks.