Air India withdraws from Imphal; low-cost subsidiary to keep route alive
Officials say Imphal exit part of a planned shift, unrelated to Ahmedabad air tragedy;
Ground staff at Imphal Airport bidding adieu to the final Air India flight, on Sunday. (AT Photo)
Imphal, June 16: Air India has ceased its flight operations at Imphal International Airport effective June 15, officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirmed on Sunday.
The decision, they clarified, is part of a long-standing, pre-planned strategic shift by the airline and is unrelated to the recent Ahmedabad crash that claimed over 270 lives.
The national carrier’s final departure from Imphal was a 4:00 pm flight to Kolkata on Sunday, marking the end of its regular operations at the airport.
Officials said the Imphal route will now be managed by Air India Express, the Tata Group’s low-cost subsidiary.
“This move signals a change in service model but ensures continued air connectivity for the region,” an AAI official in Imphal said.
The Tata Group has been consolidating and repositioning its airline brands following the acquisition of Air India.
“This realignment is part of a broader strategic vision by the Tata Group, which owns Air India, to streamline operations across its aviation verticals,” another airport official told The Assam Tribune.
Air India has long served as a vital link connecting Imphal to major Indian cities. Its withdrawal marks the end of an era for many frequent flyers and aviation watchers in the region.
This marks the second such pullout by Air India from the Northeast in the past fortnight. On June 2, the airline operated its final flight from Silchar’s Kumbhirgram Airport to Kolkata, ending more than five decades of service from the Barak Valley city.
Despite the transition, AAI officials assured passengers that connectivity to and from Imphal would continue seamlessly under the Air India Express banner.