Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik opened the air ticketing to Singapore and Bangkok on Wednesday, facilitating people of Odisha travelling to these south-east Asian cities at a fair price.
With this, Odisha is now a pioneer and the first in the country to support and commence international air connectivity in the interest of the public.
Indigo Airlines will commence direct international flights to Singapore as well as Bangkok from June 3, a release from Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.
Earlier, direct flights ticketing was launched by the Chief Minister to Dubai which will start from May 15.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the initiative will promote job opportunities for the youth of Odisha, open up the tourism potential of the state and provide a boost to IT and ITES sectors in the State.
It is a momentous occasion for all of us today as Indigo opens ticketing to Singapore & Bangkok from Bhubaneswar, he said.
“Recently, I had also inaugurated ticketing to Dubai. With this, Odisha is now connected to the top cosmopolitan Asian cities– opening a whole new world of opportunities for our people,” Navee said.
The Chief Minister further said that in the last few years, the aviation traffic in Odisha has seen immense growth.
Though the domestic flight connectivity has seen a noticeable improvement, Odisha Government has come forward to make a sizeable contribution to ensure direct international flight connectivity between Bhubaneswar and world-class destinations to meet the people’s aspirations, he added.
The CM hoped that these international flights would provide tourists with more convenience and affordable travel options while also encouraging trade & tourism.
He thanked the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Indigo Airlines for their support.
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Chief Secretary P K Jena, Secretary to CM 5T V K Pandian, senior officers of the Government of Odisha, and officials from Indigo were present.
Principal Secretary Commerce and Transport Usha Padhee gave the welcome address.
It may be recalled here that in the current year’s budget, the state government has made a budget of Rs 100 crore to support the viability gap funding.
Due to such support, international travelling has become affordable for every passenger travelling from Odisha.
It may be noted that online reservations for Indigo’s initial flights from Bhubaneswar to Dubai have received an incredibly encouraging response. These flights are beginning on May 15.
Singapore & Bangkok will be the threshold to the entire south-eastern Asian region while connectivity to Dubai will open the gateway to the Gulf, Europe, and Western countries making world tour accessible, convenient & affordable for the people of Odisha.
It is well recognised that the aviation sector has a multiplier effect on the local economy and growth. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) study shows that air connectivity has an economic multiplier of 3.1 and an employment multiplier of 6.1.
Odisha is endowed with natural resources and forestry. The state capital is just a 2 to 2.5 hours flying distance from all major cities of the country. Odisha’s progressive governance driven by a stable government over the past two decades has been advantageous for the people’s aspirations.
The state’s rich legacy of maritime trade and cultural exchange is reflected in several societies and geographies globally.
The state’s GSDP is steadily growing faster than the national GDP. Lately, the HappyPlus survey has assessed Odisha as the 3rd Happiest State in India. Additionally, the Odia diaspora in the Gulf countries and East Asian countries is flourishing.
Hence, to meet the people’s aspirations, the Government of Odisha has come forward to make a sizeable contribution to make direct international flight operations viable between Bhubaneswar and international destinations namely Dubai, Singapore & Bangkok.
The flight details are as below:
Bhubaneswar-Dubai route
Departure Airport & local time Arrival Airport Weekly days of operation Travel Time Starting Fare *
Bhubaneswar @ 18:30 hrs Dubai Monday, Wednesday & Friday 4:45 hrs Rs. 10,000/-
(one way) & Rs. 20,000/- (round trip)
Dubai @ 11:25 hrs Bhubaneswar 4:25 hrs
In its second phase, the same airline will commence direct international flights to Singapore as well as Bangkok from 3rd June 2023 establishing the networking to connect Odisha to the rest of the world. The flight details are as below:
Bhubaneswar-Singapore route
Departure Airport & local time Arrival Airport Weekly days of operation Travel Time Starting Fare *
Bhubaneswar @ 06:25 hrs Singapore Tuesday & Saturday 4:10 hrs Rs. 7,500/-
(one way) & Rs. 15,000/- (round trip)
Singapore @ 14:10 hrs Bhubaneswar Tuesday & Saturday 4:10 hrs
Bhubaneswar-Bangkok route
Departure Airport & local time Arrival Airport Weekly days of operation Travel Time Starting Fare *
Bhubaneswar @ 16:50 hrs Bangkok Tuesday & Saturday 2:50 hrs Rs. 7,500/-
(one way) & Rs. 15,000/- (round trip)
Bangkok @ 05:35 hrs Bhubaneswar Wednesday & Sunday 2:50 hrs
