MUMBAI: Air India will launch the first-ever non-stop flights from Mumbai to Melbourne in Australia on December 15, said the airline on Tuesday.
The airline will operate three times a week between Mumbai and Melbourne adding nearly 40,000 seats per year into the Australian state of Victoria. The airline said promotional fares for economy class begin at Rs 49,000, all-inclusive. for a round trip.
Flight AI-310 will depart Mumbai on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 12.50 am and land in Melbourne at 6.10 pm, while the return flight departs Melbourne at 8 pm on these days and will land in Mumbai at 2.35 am (all local times).
"Travellers from 17 Indian cities can take one-stop connections to and from Melbourne via Delhi or Mumbai. The new Mumbai-Melbourne route further enables seamless
two-way connectivity between London Heathrow and Melbourne via Delhi and Mumbai," the airline said, adding that the flights will be operated with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, featuring 18 flat beds in Business Class and 238 seats in economy.
Air India currently operates daily flights to Melbourne and Sydney from Delhi, flying 28 times every week between India and Australia.
The Indian community in Victoria is estimated at over 200,000, constituting about 40% of the total Indian diaspora in Australia, Air India statement said.
"The new services aim to respond to the growing demand to visit friends and relatives as well as to capture demand for business and leisure travel to the region," it added.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer, Air India, said: “We look forward to launching the only non-stop flight between Mumbai and Melbourne. This is a great step forward in our ongoing transformation programme, which among other aspects aims at connecting India to more of the world with non-stop flights. ”
Natalie Hutchins, Minister for Jobs and Industry, Victoria State Government, Australia, said: “We’re very excited that the first direct flights from Mumbai to Australia will land in Melbourne. This new route will boost tourism, create local jobs and open more pathways for Victorian businesses to reach one of the world’s fastest growing economies.”
Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!