Flight 6E6501 departs from Kolkata at 2:10 PM, arrives in Varanasi at 3:55 PM, and subsequently reaches Vijayawada at 5:50 PM.
Similarly, on the return leg, flight 6E6502 departs from Vijayawada at 6:20 PM, arrives in Varanasi at 8:15 PM, and then proceeds to Kolkata, arriving at 10:15 PM.
Officials from the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that these flight services will operate three days a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The new services were launched at a ceremony held at the Vijayawada International Airport, which was attended virtually by the Union minister and others.
“IndiGo has commenced new flight services linking Vijayawada with Varanasi and Kolkata, with the inaugural operations witnessing strong passenger response,” the airport authority said in a release.
On the inaugural day, 89 passengers arrived at Vijayawada from Varanasi, while 129 passengers departed Vijayawada for Varanasi, said the press release.Balashowry said the connectivity will help people of Andhra Pradesh for spiritual, commercial, educational, medical, and tourism, travel especially to Varanasi and Kolkata.
On this occasion, Balashowry urged the minister to launch direct international flight services from Vijayawada to Dubai, as well as a flight service between Vijayawada and Kochi.
He said the availability of flights to Dubai would make international travel much easier for the people of Andhra Pradesh and establish better air connectivity to regions across the globe such as Africa, the Americas, and Europe via Dubai.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath and Gannavaram MLA Yarlagadda Venkata Rao attended the event in person and presented the first boarding passes to passengers on the inaugural flight.
Naidu congratulated IndiGo for the new services and said the Ministry of Civil Aviation was working to expand Vijayawada’s connectivity further.
He said flights to Pune, Ahmedabad and Cochin would be added soon.
The Union minister also announced plans to introduce Hub-and-Spoke operations, under which Vijayawada airport would serve as a spoke to major international hub airports, adding that passengers would be able to complete customs and immigration formalities at Vijayawada before transferring to connecting flights at the hub airports.
Minister Naidu said efforts were also being made to complete the new integrated terminal building at the earliest, with its design reflecting local art and culture.
He further said future seaplane operations were planned for Prakasam Barrage, Srisailam, Hussain Sagar and Nagarjuna Sagar.
Sivanath said the new Varanasi service fulfilled a long-standing demand of local residents and requested flights to Cochin, citing demand from Sabarimala pilgrims.