DIRECT MELBOURNE TO MUMBAI FLIGHTS WELCOMED
The Australia India Institute welcomes the announcement by Air India to launch non-stop flights from Melbourne to Mumbai for the first time.
Air connectivity plays a crucial role in supporting the movement of goods and services, as well as passengers, between Victoria and India.
Improving air connectivity not only generates and promotes economic growth but can also help foster stronger relationships with our Indian counterparts. Increased direct flights will bring Victoria and India closer together.
“The demand for travel between cities in India and Melbourne is already high and that demand is only growing,” Australia India Institute Chief Executive Lisa Singh said.
“Melbourne is projected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s largest city in 2031-32 and Indian migration has been a huge factor in this growth. Since 2001, the number of Indian-born migrants in Melbourne has more than tripled.”
“Air India will operate three flights per week beginning on 15 December, with potential to increase as demand grows.
The new Mumbai service will be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft and will supplement Air India’s existing daily flights between Melbourne and Delhi.
“Re-establishing and expanding flight connectivity with India is a priority for the Victorian Government as international borders reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic. These interests have seen more direct flights introduced between Melbourne and India over the past 12 months,” Singh said.
The Institute recently released its Aana Jaana report, which provides an in-depth analysis into the value of air travel connections between Victoria and India for social and economic growth.
“The report sets out how Victoria can the seize the opportunities from increased air travel between our two countries, including educational ties, business growth, tourism and two-way trade,” Singh said.
“As an Institute we have supported the Victorian government with research on flight connectivity between Victoria and India. Our stakeholder roundtable made it clear that demand was strong and only going to grow. This is due to not only the burgeoning Indian diaspora in Victoria but also the growing economic relationship between our two countries. The recently signed economic trade agreement has only added to that demand.”
Australia India Institute CEO Lisa Singh is available for media interviews.
Media Enquiries: Shuba Krishnan, Head of Communications
E: shuba.krishnan@unimelb.edu.au