First Kolkata-London direct flight under Vande Bharat Mission to touchdown today

Kolkata: The first Vande Bharat mission flight of Air India from London is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

According to sources, Air India will operate flight services direct from London to Kolkata and vice versa twice-a-week as part of the Vande Bharat Mission.

The flight services will continue till October 24 with two flights taking off from London on Wednesdays and

Saturdays.

Two flights will leave

Kolkata on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The passengers will have to follow the Covid protocols set by the Centre strictly.

Meanwhile, around 18,000 passengers have travelled through the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata on Tuesday which is the highest number in a single day since resumption of flight services after lockdown.

On Tuesday 81 flights landed at Kolkata from different locations carrying 6,725 passengers and 83 flights took off with 11,256 passengers.

On Wednesday a flight arrived in Kolkata from Dubai with 179 passengers who were stranded due to the outbreak of Covid pandemic.

This apart a private airline is starting its direct flights to five locations including Kochi, Bhopal and Surat.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI), Kolkata on Wednesday twitted: "Kolkata Airport soaring high! Flight and passenger count at Kolkata Airport is increasing everyday with IndiGo 6E airline introducing direct flights to

Kochi, Bhopal, Dehradun, Surat and Baroda it is a sure indication of fast recovery and brighter days ahead for civil aviation."