Jet Airways to enhance connectivity to Gulf

Bolstered by high passenger volumes on its Gulf network, private carrier Jet Airways is looking at enhancing connectivity to the lucrative region from the coming summer, an airline source said.

"Encouraged by the increasing traffic on the Gulf routes, we are mulling to launch some new sectors in our network," a Jet Airways source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The airline plans to add one flight on Mumbai-Dubai route, he said, adding services to Sharjah from Mangalore and Thiruvananthapuram are also being worked out. "We plan to introduce these services from the coming summer season."

Jet Airways currently operates two daily flights from Mumbai and one each from Delhi and Hyderabad to Dubai.

The proposed flights are expected be serviced by the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, the source added.

Jet Airways, which currently has a fleet of 93 aircraft, plans to add 49 more planes in the next five years to expand its domestic and international network.

Coming out of the global meltdown, when passenger air traffic fell significantly and airlines reduced capacity, the domestic air traffic clocked a 16 per cent growth in 2010.

According to industry estimates, the passenger traffic is expected to touch 60-million mark this year as against 45 million in 2009.

Recently, Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal said he was expecting a 15 per cent rise in the domestic and another 15-20 per cent in the international passenger traffic.

"Jet Airways is also expected to grow on similar lines," Goyal had said.