Bhubaneswar/Dubai: IndiGo Airlines is reportedly planning to discontinue its direct Dubai–Bhubaneswar flight from March 30, a move that has sparked concern among the Odia community living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other stakeholders.
The thrice-weekly service, launched in May 2023, was introduced with viability gap funding support from the Odisha government to strengthen international connectivity. The route has since become a key travel link for more than 40,000 Odias residing in the UAE, besides facilitating tourism, trade, business travel, and investment flows between Odisha and the Gulf region.
Members of the Odisha Samaj in the UAE have urged the state government to intervene and engage with the airline to ensure the continuation of the service. Community representatives pointed out that a similar appeal had been made last year, and recalled the adverse impact caused by the earlier discontinuation of the Abu Dhabi–Bhubaneswar flight, which left passengers with limited and more expensive travel options.
Apart from serving the Odia diaspora, the Dubai–Bhubaneswar flight also provides crucial onward connectivity for passengers travelling from Europe, Africa, and other parts of the Middle East via Dubai. Its withdrawal, they argue, could reduce Bhubaneswar’s international accessibility and affect passenger traffic to the state.
While IndiGo has not made an official announcement so far, the possibility of the route being suspended has renewed demands for a long-term strategy to sustain international air connectivity from Odisha. Stakeholders believe continued government support and dialogue with airlines are essential to protect routes that play a strategic role in regional development and global outreach.
-OdishaAge
