After 9 years out of the picture, Air India plans to resume direct flights between Mumbai and Nairobi from September 27, 2019.
“We are planning to launch a direct flight to Nairobi in view of the immense tourism potential in that area,” said Ashwini Lohani, Air India Chairman and MD, quoted by Press Trust of India in an interview.
The new Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri announced that on the occasion of World Tourism Day on 27th Sept 2019, Air India will begin a direct Mumbai-Nairobi flight (4 days a week) to improve air connectivity between India & Kenya.
The flight will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flight AI961 will depart Mumbai at 04h00 and arrive in Nairobi at 07h30. The return flight AI962 will depart Nairobi at 09h00 and arrive in Mumbai at 17h30. A Boeing 787-8 will be used on the route.
The new service is expected to cut travel time between Nairobi and Mumbai to six hours, saving time spent in long stopovers in Dubai. Currently flying time is between ten and eleven hours.
Air India previously operated direct flights between India and Kenya but abandoned the operation in 2010 due to high operating costs.
