Sole Saudi Connection: Air India Express Extends Mangalore-Jeddah Service to Trichy

Within a span of the last 2 days, the airport in Tiruchirappalli has been in the news for two additional connections. Previously, Thai AirAsia announced a non-stop flight connecting the airport to Bangkok. Now, Air India Express has announced its service from Trichy to Jeddah with a stopover at Mangaluru Airport.

Air India Express: Connecting Trichy to Jeddah

From 12 June, Air India Express will be connecting Trichy International Airport (TRZ) to Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) with a single stop at Mangaluru International Airport (IXE). This flight will be operational once a week on Wednesdays. The airline will use its Boeing 737 for this route.

Air India Express initiated the services between Mangaluru and Jeddah on April 3. Now, it is extending this service to Trichy Airport. In March month, it opened the bookings for this extended service but for some reason, it decided to postpone. Here is a look at the flight timings with effect from June 12.

Even though it is a one-stop service, it will become the only Saudi Arabian connection for Trichy Airport. Previously, Saudia Airlines used to operate flights from Jeddah to Trichy but it suspended the route during the pandemic.

With this addition, Air India Express will be connecting Trichy to five Indian cities. This includes Hyderabad, Kannur, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, and Trichy. For Trichy Airport, it will be the 10th international connection. Currently, it is connected to 6 cities in the Middle East and three cities in South Asia.

Travel Agents Comments

J. Jahir Hussain is the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Chapter of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI). He expressed his enthusiasm for this new service, saying that this flight will help many Tamil Nadu citizens, who are working in Jeddah. In addition, this flight will also prove to be a boon for pilgrims heading for Medina.

Now, Muslims perform Umrah throughout the year. Jeddah is the key airport to reach Medina. The entire process of immigration and luggage check-in will be completed at Trichy Airport. From Mangaluru Airport, the aircraft will not change and passengers will not be allowed to deboard.

Chairman of Tamil Nadu Wakf Board, Abdul Rahman lauded this decision from Air India Express. He said that this service will act as a convenient option for older citizens.

Growing Network, Growing Revenue

At the CAPA India Aviation Summit, the MD & CEO of Air India Express Aloke Singh discussed the airline’s plan for the upcoming year. He added that it will be keeping a keen eye on cost management and will try to improve the balance sheet.

With a rapid fleet and network expansion, it is expected to witness an uptick in revenue. Air India Express is looking to expand on both domestic and international fronts. On the domestic front, the airline has announced new connections from Ghaziabad Airport. On the international front, it is gradually increasing capacity on Gulf routes. In addition, it is set to launch flights to Bangladesh in June month.

Conclusion: Air India Express Trichy Launch

Air India Express will connect Trichy Airport to Jeddah with a stop at Mangaluru. The airline will operate once a week flight on Wednesday using its Boeing 737 aircraft. Previously, Saudia Airlines used to connect Trichy to Jeddah. Travel agents welcomed the airline’s decision terming it as a convenient option for travelers.

What do you think about this new addition from Air India Express? Discuss in the comment section.