Air India Begins Daily Direct Flight From Ahmedabad To London

Ahmedabad: National carrier Air India today started its direct daily flight from Ahmedabad, the economic and industrial hub of Gujarat, to London.

Air India flight AI-131, a B-787 Dreamliner aircraft, with 247 passengers onboard, took off from the Sardar Vallabh Patel International Airport here at 0430 hours this morning.

With the commencement of this flight, Air India became the first airline to offer direct flight between Ahmedabad and London, a release said.

Gujarat Civil Aviation Minister Saurabh Patel along with Law Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja, who handles the NRI department, greeted the passengers of the inaugural flight at the airport by handing over them boarding passes, it said.

All the passengers of the new flight were also presented with rose at the time of check-in.

"This flight will benefit lakhs of Gujratis living in London as well as numerous people here who are fond of travelling. I thank Narendra Modi-led Central government for starting this new service," Mr Patel said.

This flight is the fifth frequency as Air India already operates four frequencies to London three from Delhi and one from Mumbai.

The daily flight is likely to hugely benefit the 1.5 million-strong Indian diaspora living in Britain, Air India said.

Catering to the strong demand of more than six lakh Indians from the state of Gujarat, the passengers travelling by the direct flight will not need to change aircraft at Mumbai.

The flight will operate daily with a B-787 Dreamliner aircraft, on Ahmedabad-Mumbai-London-Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, without change of aircraft.

According to Air India, AI-131 will take off from Ahmedabad at 0430 hours to arrive Mumbai at 0545 hours. From here it will leave for London at 0705 hours and arrive there at 1130 hours.

On the return leg, flight AI-130 will leave London at 1330 hours, arrive at Mumbai at 0400 hours next day, and depart from Mumbai at 0530 hours to land at Ahmedabad at 0645 hours.