Air India Express postpones Kolkata-Dhaka flight launch amidst escalating India-Bangladesh tensions, uncertain timeline for resumption.

Air India Express has postponed its plans to launch direct flights from Kolkata to Dhaka due to the ongoing political tensions between India and Bangladesh. The airline had initially planned to launch six weekly flights in September but has deferred the plan. Managing Director Aloke Singh stated that the airline will resume the plan once the situation improves. The airline is committed to expanding its presence in the eastern sector and has planned to increase its international service flights to and from Kathmandu starting in March 2025. Air India Express aims to increase its fleet size to over 100 aircraft by March 2025 and 175 by the end of the next three years. The airline plans to focus on short-haul routes and connecting metro cities with tier-II and tier-III destinations to tap emerging opportunities. In the near term, the airline will increase its daily flights from Kolkata and introduce a new route connecting Dimapur with Kolkata.