On Tuesday, sources reported that Air India has appointed Vikram Dayal as the new Head of its Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), replacing Choorah Singh, who served as Senior Vice President and IOCC Head.
Singh, who assumed the role in October 2023, resigned to pursue opportunities in Ireland, according to sources. His resignation follows a notice issued earlier this year by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which named Singh and two other executives in connection with alleged lapses in crew scheduling and rostering in June.
The Tata Group-owned airline has not yet released an official statement regarding the leadership transition.
In a separate development, Air India Express is set to launch a direct flight service between Agartala, the capital of Tripura, and Bagdogra in North Bengal, starting October 26. This new route will enhance connectivity to popular destinations such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik, and Sikkim, coinciding with the start of the winter flight schedule.
Sources indicate that a 180-seater Boeing aircraft will operate daily on this route. The flight will depart from Bagdogra at 4:30 pm and arrive in Agartala at 5:40 pm, with the return flight leaving Agartala at 6:10 pm and landing in Bagdogra at 7:20 pm. Ticket bookings have already begun, with fares reportedly set at affordable rates to make family holidays to North Bengal more accessible.
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Additionally, Air India announced an expansion of its services to the United Kingdom as part of its Northern Winter 2025 schedule, introducing a fourth daily flight between Delhi and London (Heathrow), effective October 26. According to a press release, this additional flight increases Air India’s frequency on the route from 24 weekly flights to 28 weekly flights, adding 1,196 seats each way per week between Delhi and London (Heathrow).
The release noted that all flights on this high-demand route will be operated using Air India’s new Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Air India, the largest carrier between India and the UK, operates 61 weekly flights and deploys 18,066 seats per week in one direction, equivalent to nearly 1.7 million seats annually.
The airline connects five Indian cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Amritsar—to three UK destinations: London (Heathrow), London (Gatwick), and Birmingham.
Also Read: Air India must reinspect emergency system after Dreamliner scare
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