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Air India revenue up 10 per cent in UAE

Air India now connects 35 international and 66 domestic destinations in India from the UAE.

Melwin D'Silva, Prem Sagar and other Air India executives with award winners during the Annual Agency Awards Nite held recently in Dubai. Photo by Juidin Bernarrd

Dubai: Air India has announced that it has recorded a 10 per cent year-on-year revenue growth for its operations in the UAE.

The Indian national airline said at its Annual Agency Awards Nite that it achieved the growth despite capacity constraints it faced in a highly competitive market that saw huge capacity infusion by other carriers.

The awards event, presided over by Melwin D’Silva, regional manager of Air India and Air India Express for Gulf Middle East and Africas, was hosted by Prem Sagar, Air India manager for Dubai, Sharjah and Northern Emirates.

D’Silva said Air India now connects 35 international and 66 domestic destinations in India from the UAE. The new destinations added to the international network of the airline include Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, Birmingham in the UK, Rome and Milan in Italy and Moscow in Russia.

The domestic network has also grown with the latest addition being the cities of Durgapur and Puducherry, he said.

D’Silva said the international and domestic flights of Air India would operate from the new terminal in Mumbai’s Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport soon.

Referring to Air India’s participation in the world’s largest evacuation of citizens from active war zone of Yemen, he said over the past year, the airline also shouldered its responsibility in evacuating Indians stuck in conflict zones in Iraq and Libya.

Sagar said Air India followed an aggressive but cautious approach in pricing to achieve 10 per cent revenue growth.

“There were a host of offers for passengers throughout the year. The 6th freedom fares of Air India were launched to connect UAE with the international network of Air India over its hub Delhi. A significant product upgrade was done with the successful launch of web check-in for passengers travelling from Dubai Airport,” said Sagar.

Based on the productivity for the year 2013-’14, dnata, Deira Travel and Tourist Agency and Akbar Gulf Travels were adjudged as top three travel agents for Air India sales.

In his welcome address, Sagar thanked Air India’s general sales agent Arabian Travels, ground handlers dnata and Sharjah Airport Services, catering companies EKFC and Alpha Catering, civil aviation authorities of Dubai and Sharjah for their support.

The Indian flag carrier, which is on a revival process, is predicted to post an operating profit in 2015-’16.

“The government is committed to the revival of Air India. The country should have a flag carrier. In 2015-’16, the airline is expected to register an operating profit for the first time in 10 years,” Mahesh Sharma, India’s Minister of State for Civil Aviation, was quoted by media as saying.

Officials estimated that the airline might record an operating profit of about Rs10 billion in FY16.

issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com