West Bengal Allows Direct Flights From Delhi, Mumbai For 3 Days A Week

The Govt of West Bengal on Tuesday revised its decision and allows direct flights from Delhi & Mumbai for 3 days a week Monday, Wednesday, and Friday starting from today (05th January 2022)

Earlier the state government has allowed direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai only on Monday and Friday amid the raising coronavirus cases.

#TravelUpdate

West #Bengal govt revised it’s decision to allow for flights from #Delhi and #Mumbai only twice a week. Now allows flights to operate THRICE a week – Mon, Wed & Fri starting Jan 5.#DomesticFlights #Aviation #AviationNews #Kolkata

— travelobiz (@travelobiz) January 4, 2022

It may be noted that during the second wave in April-May 2021, West Bengal had imposed similar curbs on flights from some states.

However, since only people with a genuine reason to travel do so during Covid surges, restrictions like these only mean higher expense and travel time for passengers.

They are forced to travel one stop – say instead of Delhi/Mumbai-Kolkata direct, Delhi/Mumbai-Lucknow-Kolkata – on the restriction days. And the same things are happening now.

Aviation Secretary requested WB to reconsider its decision

Union aviation secretary Rajiv Bansal had on Sunday (January 2) requested West Bengal to reconsider its decision of not allowing flights from Delhi and Mumbai five days a week on the grounds that it would only inconvenience people.

State additional chief secretary BP Gopalika on Tuesday replied to Bansal, saying: “…the matter was reviewed. The state government is extremely sensitive towards the inconvenience that may be caused… but restrictions are absolutely essential for containment of Covid cases in the state.”

IndiGo Cancelled Most Flights To West Bengal

After the restriction on direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai comes, low-cost carrier IndiGo has announced the suspension of most of its flights between Delhi, Mumbai, and three major airports of WB namely; Kolkata, Durgapur, and Bagdogra for three months.

It is worth mentioning here that at present, IndiGo is operating around 25 daily flights between Delhi and Kolkata and 15 daily flights between Mumbai and Kolkata.