Kolkata gets new flights to six US cities

KOLKATA: Keen to woo US-bound travellers from Kolkata who have been flocking to Emirates, Qatar has introduced immediate onward flights from Doha to six US cities. In the absence of a direct non-stop flight to the US, corporate executives will find the offering extremely attractive as it will sharply reduce travel time.
According to the airline, passengers boarding the flight in Kolkata will reach in 21-24 hours, depending on the destination.The return flights are even shorter due to tail wind and will take between 18.5-22.5 hours. While the flights to New York JFK, Houston, Washington and Chicago are already operational, flights to Dallas Fort Worth and Miami will be launched in June.
Qatar Airways country manager (India) Henry Moses said: "Kolkata-US is one of the fasting growing routes in India and we see tremendous potential from this market. In line with Qatar Airways' growth strategy in India, many routes are served with multiple frequencies, ensuring maximum connectivity and convenience by providing some of the shortest travel times in the industry."
Go Air, the domestic carrier that Qatar is believed to be in talks for strategic equity purchase, is also focusing on Kolkata and plans to park a brand new Airbus 320 aircraft in Kolkata to launch early morning flights out of the city. While the aircraft is scheduled to fly into India from the Airbus facility at Toulouse, France, sometime in July, it will be based in Kolkata around October after necessary checks and regulatory clearances.
The decision follows the huge growth the airline has experienced in the Kolkata market. The carrier recorded a 65% jump in passengers in 2013-14 against the previous year with passenger arrivals and departures from 2.6 lakh to 4.2 lakh. It is now targeting a further 45% growth in 2014-15 to touch 6.1 lakh.
Speaking to TOI, Go Air chief executive officer Giorgio De Roni said the robust growth in Kolkata and the east had forced the airline to change tack and focus on the region. "We have a strong presence in the north and northwest. Out of the 19 aircraft in the fleet, 10 are based in Delhi. But now, it is time to invest in the east," said De Roni.
Emphasizing on increased presence in the east, the CEO said the airline was evaluating at least three new flights out of Kolkata, including one to Bhubaneswar. At present, Go Air connects Kolkata to Delhi, Nagpur, Port Blair, Guwahati, Bagdogra, Ahmedabad and Patna.