Mangaluru: Daily air connectivity from the coastal city of Mangaluru to the state capital Bengaluru received a big boost with Air India Express commencing its domestic operations on this sector on November 15. Flight IX 782 with 107 passengers including 2 infants landed at 12.30pm marking the maiden run of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft (VT-BXD) on this sector. This aircraft incidentally sported the new livery that the low-cost airline unveiled on October 18. Mangaluru now has seven daily flights to Bengaluru.

The airport accorded a traditional water canon salute as the aircraft captained by Mr Gaurav Vashist taxied into the apron. A follow-me vehicle also escorted the aircraft from the taxiway to the apron. The airport arranged a welcome ceremony for the first batch of passengers at the domestic arrival hall by cutting a cake to mark the occasion. On the return leg, Flight IX 678 departed for Bengaluru at 1.10pm with 92 passengers including an infant and seven crew members, including an observer pilot.

Earlier, the authorities of Mangaluru International Airport, Air India Express and other stakeholder departments jointly celebrated the launch of this new flight with a cake cutting ceremony in front of the airline counter in the departure hall. Mr Virendra Mohan Joshi, Chief Airport Security Officer, heads of various departments of the airport, Air India Express, Air India, AISATS, customs, immigration department heads, CISF and passengers travelling on this flight, lit the traditional lamp and shared the cake.

The second AIE flight IX 1795 for the day operated on Kannur-Bengaluru-Mangaluru sector. Flight IX 1795 departed Kannur at 4.30pm to reach Bengaluru at 5.50pm. This through flight will depart Bengaluru at 6.25pm and reach Mangaluru at 7.35pm. On the return leg, the flight operates as IX 792 – a through flight to Thiruvananthapuram via Bengaluru. It departs Mangaluru at 8.15pm and reaches Bengaluru at 9.30pm. It further leaves Bengaluru at 10.20pm to reach the Kerala state capital at 11.25pm.