India’s lone profit-making airliner, IndiGo, has shown keen interest to start international operations from Bhubaneswar to Bangkok after the Biju Patnaik Airport was accorded the international status recently. IndiGo currently has flight operations to Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok from selected cities of India.

While the airliner want to have the Bhubaneswar-Bangkok flight first, it may extend the operations to Singapore and Dubai next year. All flights will be direct. The company may get the nod by November last week and start the operations in the first or second week of December ahead of the Christmas season. At least 180 passengers can fly to Bangkok every day.

In addition, three other airliners such as Qatar Airways (for Dubai), Silk Air (for Singapore) and Fly Dubai (for Dubai) have approached the airport authority at Biju Patnaik Airport to get a nod to operate direct international flights.

Once things are finalised related to fees, timing, parking, routes and other facilities, these four airliners may get permission to start their operations. Apart from these, GoAir and IndiGo have shown interest to fly special flights to Bangalore. The Jet Airways had recently stopped its Bhubaneswar-Bangalore flight, causing a lot of inconvenience to the passengers. Another airliner, Air Costa has shown interest to fly from Bhubaneswar to Chennai and Bangalore via Vizag.