Go First, the Wadia group-operated airline, on Saturday, kicked off direct passenger flights from Srinagar to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Go First thus, became the first domestic carrier to provide direct international connectivity between Srinagar and UAE.

Operated by an Airbus A320neo, the maiden flight G8 1595, took off from Srinagar’s Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport at around 6.30 pm on Saturday, a release said. Go First will operate four flights every week between Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), and Sharjah.

The direct flight is expected to boost trade and tourism between Srinagar and the UAE, besides meeting the demand for convenient travel options between the two cities, which are popular tourist destinations as well, Go First said. The new flights will also give a fillip to investment links between the two cities, it added.

Besides Srinagar, the direct flights from Sharjah will offer seamless connections to Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu, Leh and Mumbai, and vice-versa, the airline said.

"Having been in operations here for over 15 years, the airline shares a special relationship with the region and is committed to its growth. We are delighted to be the first airline to connect Jammu & Kashmir with the UAE, and it bears testimony to our commitment to the region,” said Kaushik Khona, Chief Executive Officer, Go First.

The airline said it is the only airline appointed for the movement of perishable horticultural and agricultural produce of state-owned company J&K Horticulture Products.

(Edited by : Thomas Abraham)

First Published:Oct 23, 2021 7:51 PM IST