Tiruchirappalli-Mangaluru-Jeddah Weekly Flight Inaugurated

Mangaluru International Airport and Air India Express officials presenting the boarding pass to passengers embarking on maiden flight to Jeddah at Mangaluru International Airport on April 3

Mangaluru International Airport in a momentous occasion partnered with Air India Express to connect this port city in coastal Karnataka to the port city of Jeddah in Mecca province of Saudi Arabia on April 3, 2024. Jeddah is the eighth international destination served by Mangaluru International Airport. The inaugural leg of weekly flight IX 797 from Mangaluru to Jeddah flew in from Tiruchirappalli as IX 1499, also a new domestic connection for Mangaluru.

Mr. Shabih Ahmed Kazi, a businessman joins young travelers in cutting a celebratory cake to mark the maiden international flight from Mangaluru to Jeddah at Mangaluru International Airport on April 3

Devouts embarking for Umrah, a Holy Islamic pilgrimage made up for most of passengers who took the inaugural flight to Jeddah. Mr. Shabih Ahmed Kazi, a businessman who was among the first passengers to purchase a ticket for this flight, while thanking both the airport and the airline, hoped that the frequency between the two destinations will increase. Mrs. Nirmala Cardoza, another passenger, said the direct flight to Jeddah is a realization of 29-year-long-wait.

Family headed for Jeddah on the inaugural Mangaluru-Jeddah flight celebrate the occasion with the boarding pass at Mangaluru International Airport on April 3

The departure hall of the Airport wore a festive look for the inaugural flight. Mr. Mukesh Nankani, Chief Airport Officer lit the traditional lamp along with heads of major stakeholder departments including the Customs, Immigration, Airport Security Group of CISF and HODs of the airport. Mr. Nankani later joined the young travelers and Mr. Kazi in cutting a celebratory cake and handed over the boarding pass to the first passenger to add to the festive atmosphere. 

Mrs. Nirmala Cardoza and Ms. Riona D’Souza receive a bag of goodies at the Air India Express counter prior to the inaugural flight on the Mangaluru-Jeddah sector at Mangaluru International Airport on April 3

The Airport presented a rose, a certificate, and a pouch of assorted dry fruits to the passengers who boarded the inaugural Jeddah flight. The Airport gave a traditional welcome to flight IX 1499 skippered by Captain Anmol Deep Sin Padda when it arrived from Tiruchirappalli. Captain Anmol later steered the inaugural flight to Jeddah with a new set of crew. The flight from Tiruchirappalli to Jeddah via Mangaluru will operate every Wednesday and the return flight on Thursday.

Tiruchirappalli-Mangaluru-Jeddah-Mangaluru-Tiruchirappalli flight timings from April 3, 2024 *

With revised flight numbers as provided by Air India Express