IndiGo set to launch flight services to Dubai and Doha from Kolkata

Budget carrier IndiGo on Friday announced launch of its flight services to Dubai and Doha from Kolkata.

IndiGo will commence operations on the Kolkata-Dubai route from February 16, while the services to Doha from the capital city of West Bengal will begin from March 1, the airline said in a release.

The services on the new routes will strengthen connectivity to the Middle East besides catering to the growing international traffic to and from Kolkata, it said.

"We are pleased to announce new non-stop flights connecting Kolkata with Dubai and Doha to strengthen our connectivity between Middle East and Asia," IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Ronojoy Datta was quoted as saying in the release.

"Over the last few years, Kolkata has emerged as a well-known tourist destination, witnessing growth in both domestic and international tourists," Datta said.

Kolkata logged 13.3 per cent growth in foreign tourist arrivals (FTA) between April-December 2019, the highest among all the metro cities in the country, as per the airline.

Dubai, as a destination, witnessed the highest outbound traffic from India on IndiGo network in 2019, and these new connections will help the airline cater to and stimulate demand for outbound travel to and from Kolkata, the release said.

"These flights will be a step towards creating corridors of connectivity from the Middle East to Southeast Asia, with Kolkata as the gateway," it said.