Air India has announced a new service from Mumbai to Melbourne, Australia.
The announcement follows months of speculation about the connection, which has been labelled necessary.
December Launch For Mumbai To Melbourne
The Allan Labour government has partnered with Air India to launch a new Mumbai-Melbourne route.
This new connection will add 40,000 seats annually to Victoria and operate thrice weekly.
The Mumbai-to-Melbourne connection is slated to begin in December of this year and will complement an existing Delhi-to-Melbourne route served by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Air India operates the Delhi-to-Melbourne connection daily, and since its launch, it has been crucial for connecting customers travelling to and from India.
Victoria believes the newly announced connection is necessary as India becomes an even more critical part of the world economy. The country is slated to be the world’s third-largest economy by 2030.
149,000 people travelled between India and Victoria last year alone, with the state a popular tourist and study destination.
However, with so many cities in India having large populations, Melbourne has lacked connectivity to the country, something Air India hopes to change, with a Mumbai connection as the next logical step.
Comments From Executives
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.
Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins
In recent months Melbourne Airport has seen record numbers of Indian visitors travelling through the terminals, and this new service will make it even easier for families to reconnect and for tourists and students to explore our great state.
Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus
A Continued Commitment To Transformation
Air India’s new service to Melbourne from Mumbai continues its transformation.
The carrier has already committed to 470 new narrowbody and widebody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. It has also committed to interior upgrades and a massive overhaul.
Further changes to a loyalty program, airport lounges, and more will arrive in the coming years as Air India transforms its image.
The carrier’s end goal is to become a leading global airline that reflects positively on India, where it holds the title of flag carrier.
Improving the overall product hasn’t come cheap. However, new ownership is driving a rebuild that is believed to be within reach.
Melbourne Commits To Rebuilding Connections
Melbourne Airport has recently seen many airlines expand services or return after a period away.
Most recently, United Airlines committed to doubling daily flights to the city in south-eastern Australia.
Melbourne Airport is seeing strong interest in future growth as the city surpasses Sydney over time. An expansion includes the highly sought-after, rumoured, and internally discussed Air Canada flight from Vancouver.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel Fowkes is a Melbourne-based aviation analyst and journalist with over a decade of industry experience. As founder of Dj’s Aviation, he delivers trusted analysis on aircraft, airline strategy and global aviation trends for djsaviation.net
Leave a Reply
Related Articles
Stay Informed
Get the latest aviation news, analysis and route updates delivered to your inbox.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
Enjoyed this story?
Make us your go-to for aviation news
Add us as a preferred source on Google and see our latest stories first in Top Stories.
Add Us On Your News Feed
Is there any plans for Air India to operate between Perth, Western Australia & India. We are eagerly waiting for.