Low-cost Indian airline GoAir has reportedly sought the Indian government’s approval to initiate direct flights to 14 countries, including Iran, as early as next year.
Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are said to be high-priority destinations for India’s fifth-largest airline, especially because no Indian airline flies directly to any of these countries, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.
Other destinations include China, Thailand, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Oman, Qatar and the UAE.
The summer schedule begins from the last Sunday of March and extends up to the last Saturday of October.
“We are requesting to be designated to fly to the countries mentioned on a scheduled basis during the summer schedule 2017. Extensive evaluations have been conducted to arrive at a phase-wise plan for implementation,” GoAir chief executive officer, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, wrote to the ministry.
“We require allocations for proper planning and hence, we request the ministry for early approval,” the letter said.
Over the past few years, the number of tourists from India to countries such as Iran and Turkey has been growing steadily, data from the Indian Ministry of Tourism show.
With New Delhi looking at better ties with Tehran, which is slowly opening up after being under economic sanctions for years, tourism between the two countries is expected to grow significantly.
Between 2011 and 2013, Indian travelers to the Mideastern country grew by a staggering 103%, from 34,770 in 2011 to 70,705 in 2013, according to the ministry.
