Resumption of Indore-Sharjah flight ops delayed again, relief for Haj pilgrims with special flights on June 21

Indore: The resumption of the only international flight from Madhya Pradesh, connecting Indore to Sharjah, has been delayed for the fourth time. Originally scheduled to resume on April 19, Air India Express has now opened bookings for May 1 due to regional conflict in the Gulf and extreme weather conditions.Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) state president Hemendra Singh Jadon said the threat of war in the Gulf region and rising temperature have deterred tourists and business travellers. Low flyers turnout has led the airline to hesitate in resuming operations.Previously a daily service, the flight frequency was first reduced to four days a week before being suspended entirely. Passengers are currently forced to travel via Delhi or Mumbai, increasing travel costs significantly. Tickets to the UAE currently exceed Rs 35,000, excluding the additional expense of domestic connecting flights.In a positive development, Akasa Air has announced special "ad-hoc" flights from Indore on June 21 to assist Haj pilgrims. These flights will provide connectivity to Mumbai and Ahmedabad, major departure hubs for Saudi Arabia.The flights will accommodate approximately 240 passengers, sparing them from long road or rail journeys to reach international departure points.Akasa Air is also expanding its footprint in the state. The airline will launch a new service between Gwalior and Delhi starting May 4. This flight will operate thrice a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Additionally, the company is exploring the feasibility of starting regular operations from Indore in the near future.