In the past five years, flight frequencies from Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, and Vizag to various destinations have significantly decreased due to political reasons.
With Naidu returning to power after the recent elections and TDP MP Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu appointed as the Civil Aviation Minister, airports in our state are expected to receive a substantial boost.
Flight services to different destinations are also set to increase. One recent development is the restarting of flights between Vijayawada and Mumbai.
After persistent efforts by Machilipatnam MP Balasouri, who recently switched to Janasena from YSRCP and won the Lok Sabha elections, flights between Vijayawada and Mumbai will resume today evening after a four-year hiatus.
These flights were suspended in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Balasouri had been advocating for their resumption for some time, and his efforts paid off recently with the change in government.
An Air India flight from Mumbai will arrive in Vijayawada today at 17:15 hrs, welcomed by airport staff with a water fountain ceremony, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony in the terminal building.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Chinni and Machilipatnam MP Balasouri will attend as special guests and distribute boarding passes to travelers. The scheduled flight will depart daily from Vijayawada at 19:10 hrs.
Air India plans to increase flights on this route based on passenger demand. Ticket bookings opened last month with fares priced at Rs 5600 per ticket, accommodating 185 passengers per trip.
The resumption of this service will allow traders from Vijayawada and nearby areas to travel to Mumbai daily, facilitating business opportunities as Mumbai is a major hub for commercial activities.
Alongside Balasouri, the Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry approached the Airport Authority of India and Air India to reinstate flights between Vijayawada and Mumbai, a request that was welcomed by Air India, considering the feasibility of reopening the route.