Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state capital's sky-high ambitions faced a major setback after IndiGo Airlines cancelled its decision to start Bhopal-Kolkata flight service from November 29. The airline will no longer operate flights on this route.
This move by IndiGo has disappointed many passengers, particularly since the Kolkata service was highly demanded.
Also, the daily flight between Bhopal and Goa, scheduled to start from December 1, will now be available six days a week instead of all seven, as decided earlier.
Fly Big flights can start from Nov 25
Meanwhile, Fly Big Airlines is expected to start between Bhopal and Rewa from November 25, instead of November 15 (date announced earlier). The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved slots for Fly Big from November 18, and hence, the operations are expected to begin from November 25.
Operational problems from Bhopal
According to Raja Bhoj Airport Director Ramji Awasthi, IndiGo has cancelled its slot for the Bhopal-Kolkata route, which was allocated earlier. He said IndiGo had taken this step due to operational reasons.
In the past two years, both IndiGo and Fly Big have introduced flights to cities like Kolkata, Lucknow, and Hyderabad, however, both were discontinued later. Similarly, SpiceJet had launched bookings for a Chennai route four years ago but cancelled the service before it began.
The Kolkata flight was initially planned to operate three days a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tickets had already been sold for the route, and its launch was seen as a significant addition to the Bhopal air network. The airline's last-minute cancellation has left passengers seeking alternative travel options. The authorities are now exploring options to bring in other airlines.
Schedule for Bhopal-Goa Flights Starting December 1:
Flight No. 6E-366
Days: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
Departure: Bhopal - 1:00 pm, Arrival Goa - 2:50 pm
Flight No. 6E-5755
Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
Departure: Bhopal - 7:10 pm, Arrival Goa - 8:50 pm
