Chandigarh-Bangkok direct flight from December 11, booking begins
The flight will depart from the Chandigarh at 2 pm Indian local time) and reach the Bangkok at 8:15 pm (Bangkok local time). The local time of Bangkok is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of that in India.
Air India is all set to start its Chandigarh-Bangkok flight from December 11. The bookings for the same have also started. The announcement gains significance as it comes in the backdrop of the airline missing several deadlines.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Air India’s local manager RK Negi said the direct flight to Bangkok from Chandigarh will take approximately five hours. “The inaugural fare for the return journey is Rs 21,500. However, the price may vary, depending upon the demand and supply,” he said.
Thrice a week
The airline will operate this flight on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It will depart from the Chandigarh International Airport at 2 pm and reach the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok at 8:15 pm (Bangkok local time). The local time of Bangkok is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of that in India.
The flight from Bangkok to Chandigarh will depart at 5:40 am (Bangkok local time) and reach here at 9:20 am (Indian local time).
Airbus A320 Neo
For the Chandigarh-Bangkok flight, Air India will operate Airbus’s latest variant A320 Neo. Negi said the carrier has 12 business class seats and 150 seats for the economy class. He added that the aircraft has better sitting arrangements with additional leg space in both the classes.
At present, Air India operates 66 airbus aircraft, including 22 A319, 24 A320 and 20 A321.
Sources said the delay in delivery of the aircraft is the reason for the airline missing several deadlines. Air India had first announced the Chandigarh-Bangkok flight last year, this was later postponed to April this year. The airline further postponed the flight to October 6 and then again to October 29.
“The direct flight to Bangkok is a welcome move. This will help increase the air traffic from Chandigarh. The airline should try to make it regular,” said Vineet Sharma, a local travel agent.
Connectivity to Australia awaited
Meanwhile, Air India has ruled out starting a direct flight to Australia or New Zealand from Chandigarh for the moment. Negi said further expansion of the flight will depend upon the response the airline gets.
Third international flight
Once started, the Chandigarh-Bangkok flight will be the third international flight operating from the Chandigarh International Airport. At present, Indigo’s Chandigarh-Dubai and Air India Express’ Chandigarh-Sharjah flights are the only two international flights operating from Chandigarh. They were started in September 2016.