'Air India to resume Goa-Gatwick direct flights by September-end'

Business Standard

4 days ago

The Air India flight between Goa and Gatwick in London, stopped following the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash, will resume by the end of September, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said in the state assembly.
Improved connectivity to Goa from various locations is a "game changer" for the tourism sector, Khaunte said in the House on Tuesday during demands for grants for his department in the ongoing monsoon session of the assembly.
The Air India flights from Goa's Manohar International Airport to Gatwick were suspended following the crash of the AI plane heading from Ahmedabad to London last month, which claimed the lives of 260 persons, including 241 on board.
Khaunte said in the House that the direct flight between Goa and Gatwick will resume by the end of September this year.
Notably, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant last week said in the assembly he will consult the Civil Aviation Ministry on resumption of the Air India Goa-Gatwick flight after BJP MLA Michael Lobo said it was the only flight directly bringing Goans from London to the coastal state.
Khaunte also informed the House on Tuesday that from October 5, 2025, Russia's Aeroflot Airlines will operate three weekly flights from Yekaterinburg to Goa's Manohar International Airport, with each flight carrying up to 210 passengers.
This service is projected to draw more than 13,000 Russian tourists to Goa during the upcoming season, the minister said.
Goa has already established new air corridors with countries like Poland, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, key routes that are fuelling a steady rise in international tourist arrivals, he informed.
The state is embracing a long-term, strategic vision to drive sustainable tourism with a lasting impact, Khaunte said.
"Major results may take time, but positive changes are already visible," he added.
Goa welcomed 54.5 lakh tourists between January and June 2025, comprising 51.8 lakh domestic and 2.7 lakh international visitors, marking an impressive 8.4 per cent year-on-year growth, Khaunte said sharing figures in the House.
"In June alone, tourist arrivals reached 8.34 lakh, boosted by cultural events such as the Sao Joao celebrations, forest stay experiences and creek tours. Hotel occupancy during the first half of the current calendar year (2025) ranged between 70 per cent to 100 per cent, underscoring high tourism demand," he informed.
The minister dismissed claims of a drop in tourism, presenting official figures to show Goa has surpassed its pre-COVID-19 numbers.
"In 2019, Goa welcomed 80.6 lakh tourists. In 2024, the number rose to 1.04 crore, including nearly 99.4 lakh domestic tourists and over 4.67 lakh international visitors, marking a 39.5 per cent rise in domestic and 50 per cent growth in international tourism compared to pre-COVID-9 levels," he said.