Mumbai-based Go First, founded as GoAir, on Friday, December 9, said it will operate 42 new direct flights from the New Goa International Airport at Mopa in North Goa. According to the airline, it will introduce direct flights from Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad to New Goa International Airport, starting from January 5, 2023.

The airline's operations from the existing airport at Dabolim in the southern part of the state will also continue, Go First said in a statement. The Wadia Group airline currently operates 65 non-stop weekly flights to and from Dabolim airport to key destinations in the country.

​Also Read: IATA expects airlines to make profits in 2023

IndiGo on December 8 said it will operate 168 weekly and 12 daily flights to and from the soon-to-be-inaugurated New Goa International Airport. As per the airlines, the flights will be operational from January 5, next year.

"Twelve daily and a total of 168 weekly, new flights to and from the New Goa International Airport at Mopa in North Goa from January 5 will be IndiGo’s largest ever-new station launch and will immediately connect the new facility to eight cities across India," the airlines said in a release.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Goa airport in Mopa on December 11, this year. The airlines said that the new service will improve the connectivity to the state as well as is also aimed at catering to the increasing demand.

Also Read: 'India is the world's third largest civil aviation market': Boeing's Salil Gupte

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)