IndiGo has announced two new routes to enhance India’s domestic route network for internal travelers and tourism to the Seven Sister States.
IndiGo’s Services to the Seven Sisters
The announced routes will be between Mumbai-Silchar and Delhi-Itanagar via Kolkata, in an attempt to increase domestic options for customers, improve connectivity and reduce air travel time to the region by half.
Both Silchar and Itanagar are in India’s North Eastern Region (NER), colloquially known as the ‘Seven Sister States’, which borders Bangladesh, Buthan, Myanmar, Tibet, and Nepal. The region is only connected to the rest of the country via the Siliguri Corridor.
In response to increased demand for air travel to the region, Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said, “We are confident that many customers will benefit with the commencement of these connections, particularly as the summer season approaches.”
The new routes become operational on March 2, 2023, and both will operate three times a week.
Domestic Dominance
The announcement comes as IndiGo, India’s largest airline by passenger numbers and fleet size, further strengthens its position across the Indian domestic market.
The carrier already operates to Silchar from Kolkata and Delhi as it adds a Mumbai flight, via its Kolkata hub, to its network.
Silchar, in the Indian state of Assam, is one of the region’s most popular tourist destinations, famous for its scenery and, of course, tea. Itanagar Airport, a new airport in the region, opened in November 2022. IndiGo completed the inaugural flight from the airport to Mumbai via Kolkata.
An additional connection to Delhi is expected to increase tourism in the region and the start of increasing operations at the new airport.
With one of the largest domestic markets in the world, IndiGo is increasing leisure and business travel options across India.
The announcement from the carrier adds increased connectivity to some of the remote areas of the country with their focus on affordable flying options.
Malhotra concluded, “We are focused on enhancing domestic connectivity and staying true to our promise of providing a courteous, on-time, hassle-free, and affordable travel experience across our wide network.”
