Jet Airways, Air Sahara Go International

Jet Offers New Flights In Summer Schedule, Sahara Makes Aishwarya Rai Brand Ambassador

After the much-awaited clearance from the government arrived, Jet Airways and Air Sahara now have rights to go international. In that regard, Jet Airways will now offer 31,800 seats per day on its network in the summer schedule effective March 29, 2004. The airline will operate over 255 flights daily to 42 destinations. The airline will also provide convenient onward connections from Chennai to the capital Sri Lanka from Delhi and Mumbai. In the domestic skies, the airline will offer convenient evening flights; an ATR 72-500 on the Bangalore-Kochi-Bangalore sector and a Boeing 737 on the Mumbai-Nagpur-Mumbai route. On the Delhi-Leh-Delhi sector, an additional Boeing 737 will be operated from June 1 to August 31, 2004, in addition to the scheduled early morning flight, to meet the market demand.

Subsequently, Air Sahara that also became an international carrier with its maiden revenue flight to Colombo culminated its dream of becoming an international carrier in the light of the government's clearance. To keep up with the glamour, former Miss World and actress Aishwarya Rai has been roped in as 'Brand Ambassador' for Air Sahara's international services. The airline will launch its services to SAARC nations once the government permission is granted.

At the launch of its first international revenue flight to Colombo, Uttam Kumaar Bose, chief executive officer, Air Sahara, commented, "We are proud to start international service with Colombo as our first international destination. This will offer wider choices to all travelling to Colombo. The Colombo flight is a step in the right direction towards strengthening cultural, business and tourism ties between the neighbouring countries. We are planning to add new aircraft to our fleet for international services and expansion of domestic sectors." Air Sahara would initially operate seven flights per week from Chennai and would launch Mumbai -Colombo in second phase of international operation and would also connect Buddhist circuit with Colombo later.