Jet Airways Now Offering Mangalore - Dubai Flights

Monday, 28th January 2013 at 04:02am

Gone are the days when Air India Express flies a twice-daily service from Mangalore to Dubai, the major gateway to the Middle East. Jet Airways, the Mumbai-based and India's second largest airline launched the Mangalore-Dubai route on January 3 this year as part of its expansion strategy and in effect, challenging India Express' monopoly on the said route.

The service to Dubai is the third for Jet Airways after its two other routes originating from Delhi and Mumbai. Dubai is the busiest airport in the Middle East region and among the top 5 busiest in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. Mangalore is Karnataka state's largest and chief port city that is located along the coast of Arabian Sea.

The airline is using the narrow-body Boeing 737-800 aircraft for its six-weekly service to UAE's capital. This medium-haul aircraft can seat 156 passengers on a two-class layout.

The direct service effectively put an end to Air India Express' monopoly on the said route when it launched its inaugural flight to the Middle East's mega hub in March 2007. Air India Express currently flies to Dubai two flights daily. With Jet Airways recent entry, the monopoly of air service between the two cities now becomes a duopoly.

By: Pete Lee.