Indian airline IndiGo will commence non-stop daily flights between the southern Indian city of Chennai and Jaffna in Sri Lanka’s north from September 1.
Bookings for the flight opened on Thursday (1).
Jaffna is the second destination in the island after Colombo for IndiGo, making it the 34th international and 122nd overall destination in its extensive 6E network, the airline said.
“This strategic announcement will further strengthen the strong cultural and trade ties between India and Sri Lanka that have been marked by cooperation in the field of commerce, infrastructure development and air connectivity.”
India is the primary source market of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. According to Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) figures, 214,910 tourists arrived from India between January 1 and July 21 this year.
There is also an increasing interest for travel to Jaffna, IndiGo pointed out.
“This 75-minute flight would significantly reduce travel time, making Jaffna, Sri Lanka even more accessible,” Head of Global Sales at IndiGo Vinay Malhotra said.
The demand for travel between Chennai and Jaffna is evident, with over 21,000 passengers flying the route in just nine months last year, the company said.
Tickets can be booked via website www.goIndiGo.in or through mobile app.(ECONOMYNEXT)
