Direct flights launched from Brunei to Chennai

Chennai: Royal Brunei Airlines, the flag carrier of Brunei, has began direct flight operations to Chennai to increase tourist footfall. Its maiden flight from Bandar Seri Begawan landed in Chennai on Tuesday.

The airline's CEO Sabirin bin Hj Abdul Hamid said Indians were among the top 10 visitors to Brunei since 2019. He along with other diplomats were onboard the maiden flight to Chennai.

Flights from Brunei would be operated thrice a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Flights would return from Chennai on the same day. Joshua Law, chief commercial officer of the airline, said that they were looking to expand operations to other cities but chose Chennai as the maiden destination since "it is considered the gateway to South India and has a lot of culture, just like Brunei".

Royal Brunei was operating flights to London via Kolkata until 2011, which were stopped after 9/11 attack. STIC chairman Subhash Goyal, Royal Brunei's India agent, said they were also in talks to facilitate e-visa and visa on arrival for Indian flyers.


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