Air India to operate Mumbai to Pune flight from March 26
Air India announces non-stop Kolkata-Bangkok flight service from October 23
Air India is all set to commence a six-day direct flight between Mumbai and Pune on March 26.
The last flight between the two cities was initiated by Jet Airways which eventually halted to a stop in 2019. Since then, this new development will finally establish direct air transport within the top ten cities in India.
The 120km flight- Flight AI 613- will reduce travel time from more than four hours on road to about an hour on the air. It is scheduled to leave Mumbai at 9.45 am in the morning and reach Pune by 10:45 am. Then, it will depart Pune at 11:20 am and reach Mumbai by 12:20 pm. This flight will run on all days except Saturdays.
The official website of Air India says that “An Airbus A319 will travel on the airline’s resurrected 9W route during the trip.”
Airbus A319 is the smallest aeroplane in Air India’s fleet.
This new initiative could help international travellers to directly travel to Pune after arriving in Mumbai if the schedule permits them. It is definitely a hurrah for Punekars and Mumbaikars who have to travel across the cities on a regular weekly basis. However, given its schedule, it might not be an ideal solution for those who travel in and out of these cities daily.
Advance bookings for Flight AI 613 have already begun. This direct connectivity will provide some ease to traffic congestion on the road as well. Pune’s international connectivity too is expected to improve with this expansion.
