In a momentous occasion, Air India Express marked the inauguration of the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham by launching its maiden flight from Ayodhya to Delhi on December 30, 2023. The inaugural flight, IX 1769, took off at 17:23 hours, making Ayodhya the airline’s 45th destination and its third station in Uttar Pradesh, following Lucknow and Varanasi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Ayodhya International Airport, and Air India Express was an integral part of this historic day. Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, presented the first boarding pass of the flight to the guests at the Ayodhya airport, marking a significant milestone.
Singh expressed pride in directly connecting Ayodhya to major metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru, and Kolkata right from the commencement of operations at the airport. These cities, being vital hubs on the airline’s network, offer convenient one-stop itineraries for pilgrims and tourists from the Northern, Southern, and Eastern parts of India to reach Ayodhya.
The Ayodhya to Delhi route will be served daily, while flights to Bengaluru and Kolkata will operate on a tri-weekly basis. Passengers can make bookings through the airline’s award-winning app and website, airindiaexpress.com, along with other major booking platforms.
his announcement follows the recent news of IndiGo’s inaugural operations from the soon-to-be-inaugurated Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya, starting from December 30, 2023, connecting Delhi. Additionally, commercial operations from Delhi to Ayodhya will commence from January 06, 2024, followed by flights from Ahmedabad to Ayodhya starting January 11, 2024.
Air India Express already operates both international and domestic services from Uttar Pradesh. The airline has a weekly schedule of 21 flights connecting the sacred city of Varanasi to Bengaluru and Sharjah. Furthermore, with 60 weekly flights from Lucknow, Air India Express links the capital city to Dubai and other prominent Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Pune.In a bid to enhance customer experience, Air India Express recently introduced the Vista VIP, a business class-like product featuring wider seats, increased legroom, Gourmair hot meals, additional baggage allowance, and Xpress ahead priority boarding services. Moreover, the airline made history by becoming the first to operate a direct flight from Surat to Dubai on the same day the Surat International Airport inaugurated its new international terminal.
