Highlights
- Qantas announces brand new Melbourne to New Delhi route from 22 December
- Flights from Melbourne to Delhi will operate via Adelaide, while Delhi to Melbourne flights will operate nonstop
- Qantas to operate three-weekly flights between Delhi-Sydney from 6 December
Qantas has announced a new passenger route from Melbourne to New Delhi, beginning on 22 December. There will be four flights a week from Melbourne to Delhi year-round.
Flights from Melbourne to Delhi will initially operate via Adelaide, while flights from Delhi to Melbourne will operate nonstop. Brisbane, Sydney, and Canberra will also have same-day connections.
The Melbourne-Delhi route announcement follows the airline's recent launch of flights between Sydney and India's capital, which will start from 6 December, initially with three weekly flights.
Announcing the new route on 22 November, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the Sydney-Delhi route saw "the fastest booking surge for flights leaving Australia," which prompted the carrier to offer direct flights from Melbourne.
There hasn't been a direct Qantas flight between Melbourne and Delhi in almost a decade.
Martin Pakula, Victoria's minister for tourism and trade, said the resumption of international flights would spur the aviation sector's recovery, which employs around 6,700 people.
Qantas to launch Melbourne-Delhi flights from 22 December 2021. Source: AAP Image/Dave Hunt
"Over three million international visitors a year came to Victoria before the pandemic, contributing $8.8 billion into its economy.
"Melbourne-Delhi flight will boost business, tourism, international education, and skilled migration," Mr Pakula said.
Commenting on the new route, Melbourne-based travel agent Gurvinder Walia said that many special flights, including Qatar, Sri Lankan, Emirates, Etihad and Air India, already connect India and Australia, but no direct flight was currently operational between Melbourne and Delhi.
"There has been reduced flight capacities for the majority of the airlines.
Gurvinder Walia, Melbourne based travel agent. Source: Supplied by Mr Walia.
"With relaxed rules, more flights are expected to join, and the travel will become more affordable. So we can hope that the flights shall be able to return to full capacity," Mr Walia told SBS Punjabi.
He added that while airlines are increasing their services to and from India, the frequency of flights is still not meeting the demand.
"There is a huge surge for passengers travelling out of Australia, and it's' more evident in the migrant communities for all good reasons, since they have not been able to reunite with their families for a long time due to COVID," Mr Walia added.
Click on the player above to listen to this interview in Punjabi.
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