KUALA LUMPUR- Flag carrier Malaysia Airlines (MH) announces that it will restart direct flights from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Kolkata (CCU), India from December 2, 2024, after 18 years hiatus.
This will strengthen the Malaysian carrier presence in India as it already serves 10 destinations in country. This includes Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Amritsar, Trivandrum and Ahmedabad.
Malaysia Airlines Kolkata Flights
The airline plans to serve CCU-KUL sector with five weekly flights except on Wednesdays and Thursdays using Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Last month, Malaysia Airlines Successfully connected Amritsar with Kuala Lumpur. Currently MH operates around 76 weekly flights between India and Malaysia.
Here’s the CCU-KUL flight scheduled shared by Malaysia Airlines:
- Flight MH184 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 9:35 PM.
- The return flight MH185 will leave Kolkata at 12:10 AM.
Further, it takes around four hours to cover air distance between Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata.
Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi, Chief Executive Officer of Airlines from Malaysia Aviation Group, emphasized the strategic importance of India as a key market. He highlighted the airline’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and delivering exceptional travel experiences.
The resumed Kolkata service aligns with Malaysia Airlines’ broader strategy to strengthen its position as a gateway to Asia and beyond. It offers passengers seamless connections to global destinations through its Kuala Lumpur hub.
To promote the new route, Malaysia Airlines launched a “Time for Kolkata” campaign. Further, this offer features introductory fares starting at RM1,499 for all-inclusive return Economy Class tickets. The promotion runs from October 8 to November 8, 2024, for travel beginning December 2, 2024.
Strong Competition by AirAsia
AirAsia (AK) already operates daily non-stop flights AK63 between Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata. It deploys Airbus A320-200 aircraft to serve this route.
AirAsia has been expanding its footprint in India rapidly and it serves more destinations than Malaysia Airlines.
Recently, AirAsia strengthened its Indian network by announcing direct flights to Port Blair (IXZ), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, starting November 16, 2024. The airline will operate three weekly flights to this destination, marking its 17th route to India.
This addition brings AirAsia’s total weekly flights to India to 91, serving cities like Chennai and Amritsar. In 2024 alone, the carrier has introduced eight new Indian routes, including Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, and Kozhikode.
Indian citizens now enjoy visa-free entry to Malaysia for tourist stays up to 30 days until June 30, 2025, facilitating easier travel between the two countries.
Further, Thai AirAsia (FD) also expanding its Indian network by launching direct flights from Hyderabad to Bangkok and Chennai to Phuket.
The Hyderabad-Bangkok route, starting October 27, 2024, will operate four times weekly. Chennai-Phuket flights, commencing October 30, 2024, will run thrice weekly.
These new services connect two major Indian cities directly to popular Thai destinations, enhancing travel options between India and Thailand.
Thai AirAsia complements AirAsia’s expansion with its extensive network from Bangkok to 12 Indian cities, including Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore. The airline now offers direct flights from Phuket to Kolkata and Chennai, operating 67 weekly flights.
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