More low-cost flights planned for UAE to India route

More low-cost flights between the UAE and India will be available from October 25 when Air India Express expands its service.

The no-frills airline will take over international routes currently operated by the company’s domestic division, Air India, as part of a cost-saving drive.

Fares on budget carrier Air India Express are about 15 percent lower than the full-service carrier, though passengers do not get full meals and have to pay for drinks, India's Economic Times reported on Tuesday.

PP Singh, chief operating officer, AI Express told the paper: “We operate 196 weekly flights to the Gulf and South East Asia. Now, we will take over 71 Air India flights to Sharjah, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Colombo."

Six Air India Airbus A-320 aircraft will be converted to an all-economy class with 168 seats for these routes, he added.

Air India had also announced that it will introduce no-frills service on select domestic routes in its winter schedule.

Singh added: “The change is part of our route rationalisation drive. There was hardly any demand for business class on Sharjah and Dubai flights from Kerala, and it was felt that this could be better serviced by AI Express."

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