GoAir to begin international operations from October 11

Mumbai: Budget airline GoAir will start international operations from October 11, its chief executive officer Cornelis Vrieswijik said on Thursday. 

The inaugural flights will operate to Phuket from New Delhi and Mumbai. The airline will also launch flights to Male in Maldives from Mumbai and Delhi on October 14.

The bookings for the maiden international flight will commence soon, a source had earlier said. The city-based airline will be the sixth domestic carrier to have international operations. 

GoAir became eligible to fly overseas two years ago when it took delivery of its 20th aircraft, which was also the first Airbus A320 Neo for the airline. 

GoAir, which launched its domestic operations in November 2005, was granted rights in August 2016 to operate to nine countries, including China, Vietnam, Maldives, Kazakhstan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, among others. 

The airline had planned to launch services on the international routes in October last but had to defer the plan due to the grounding of some of the Pratt & Whitney engine-powered Airbus A320 Neo planes owing to engine glitches. 

GoAir operates over 1,544 weekly flights across 23 destinations with a fleet of 38 Airbus A320 planes, including 19 A320 Neos. 

Currently, national carrier Air India, its subsidiary Air India Express, private carriers Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet have international flights.