COIMBATORE: Air India Express is set to strengthen air connectivity between Coimbatore and Mumbai by operating two daily round-trip flights between the two cities starting Sept 1, providing a major boost to business and leisure travellers from western Tamil Nadu.The airline announced on Aug 5 that Coimbatore would be among six new stations added to its network. As part of the expansion, it will operate two round-trip non-stop flights between Coimbatore and Mumbai. The flights are scheduled to provide an early-morning connection and a late-night option.Flight IX 1793 will take off from Mumbai at 5.25am to arrive in Coimbatore at 7.20am. Flight IX1794 will depart from Coimbatore at 7.50am and reach Mumbai at 10am. Flight IX1795 will leave Mumbai at 7.55pm to reach Coimbatore at 9.50pm. Flight IX1796 will take off from Coimbatore at 10.20pm and land in Mumbai at 12.40am.The new services will give passengers greater flexibility compared with the existing limited options. With the addition of Air India Express, the route will have non-stop services by Air India, IndiGo and Air India Express.The additional Mumbai connectivity is particularly significant for Coimbatore and the surrounding industrial belt, where engineering, textile, manufacturing and other businesses have regular travel requirements.Industry representatives have welcomed the move, saying the additional flights would improve travel options for entrepreneurs, exporters, professionals and tourists. Coimbatore currently has limited direct long-haul international connectivity, making efficient one-stop connections through major hubs for travellers heading to destinations in Europe, the US, Japan and other global markets. Mumbai serves as an important aviation gateway for passengers travelling to international destinations.
