A budget Indian airline touched down to deliver a new direct route between the UK and Mumbai on Tuesday morning.
IndiGo flight 6E0031 from Mumbai to Manchester landed at the northern aviation hub at 9.40am on 1 July.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner departed Mumbai at 4.18am to make the almost 10-hour journey to the UK.
First founded in 2006, IndiGo will now operate the long-haul direct flights three times a week – on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Flight 6E0032 will start its return trip to India’s financial capital later today, landing at 1.25am on Wednesday.
Pieter Elbers, chief executive officer of IndiGo, said: “We are very proud as well as excited to open the sale of our first long-haul service connecting Mumbai with Manchester, a very special route in many ways.”
He added: “The new route will provide seamless connection to a vast majority of 90+ Indian destinations on IndiGo’s domestic network benefiting customers travelling from Manchester to Mumbai. This service by IndiGo will thereby further enhance connectivity between India and the UK, fostering stronger economic, educational, and cultural ties.”
IndiGo is the first airline to offer a nonstop service between Mumbai and Manchester.
Manchester Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe said in a statement that the airport is “delighted to be announcing this new direct service to Mumbai, and to welcome IndiGo to the UK”.
“This route makes us the only Northern airport with a direct connection to India and cements our position as one of Europe’s best-connected airports”, he added.
Fares for flights between Mumbai and Manchester will start from £426 for a return economy ticket. Business class seats will cost passengers from £870 per return journey.
Complimentary hot meals for all customers will also be offered by IndiGo on this route.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, said: “The new link consolidates Manchester airport’s status as the main long-haul hub outside London, and provides useful connectivity, especially at a time when Air India has reduced its international services after the AI171 crash in Ahmedabad.
“The route should prove successful, given the strong cultural and business ties between India’s commercial capital and the north of England.
“Tourism continues to be hampered by India’s ridiculous red tape: even for the e-visa, prospective visitors must list all the countries they have visited in the past 10 years, with a stern warning that they will be refused entry if they fail to answer fully.”
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