Kolkata: After the direct air connectivity between Kolkata and China resumed, the second non-stop flight to the neighbouring country was launched. IndiGo started a daily flight to Shanghai from the city on Sunday. The services were resumed last Oct with a flight to Guangzhou. This was also launched by IndiGo.A flight to Kunming will also be started by China Eastern Airlines from April 19. It will be operated on all days, barring Wednesdays. The bilateral relations between India and China has strengthened, officials said. The flight that took off on Sunday had 124 flyers. The next day, 33 passengers flew from the returning flight from Shanghai.Vinay Malhotra, the global head of sales, IndiGo, announced about the new flight, underscoring the commitment to connect India to the world. Speaking about Shanghai’s global significance, he said the new service would help in conducting trade, boost tourism and endorse cultural collaborations. The new flight was inaugurated by the consulate general in Shanghai, Pratik Mathur. Kolkata is the only city after Delhi to have a direct air link with Shanghai.Before 2020, over 40 flights in a week were operated between Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and the Chinese cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou and Kunming.Flyers from several other cities like, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar can now reach Shanghai via Kolkata. Multiple stopovers will not be needed.This is a boost to east and north-east. Importantly, the city will serve as a crucial gateway to global destinations.“The improved connectivity is expected to facilitate travel related to business. It will also enhance academic initiatives and tourism,” Anil Punjabi, chairman of Travel Agents Federation of India, the east chapter.“This also shows the recovery of bilateral relations between both the countries,” he added. Passenger sentiment has also reflected optimistic approach. The airline officials said expansion will also be done in the future internationally.
