The South Indian city of Chennai is set to receive services from Air Austral again in about a month. As airlines around the world resurrect their businesses and networks, Air Austral is also resuming previously suspended routes due to the pandemic. Chennai is one of many cities finding a way back into the carrier’s network.
Chennai is back on the map
Air Austral has announced the resumption of flights to Chennai in South India. The airline, based in the French region of Réunion in Indian Ocean, had suspended this route during the peak of the pandemic but feels that the time is now right to start serving the city again.
The airline will deploy one of its three new Airbus A220 aircraft to Chennai from May 6th with two weekly frequencies on Tuesdays and Fridays. Flight UU737 will depart Roland Garros Airport (RUN) at 11:05 local time and arrive in Chennai (MAA) after a little over 6 hours at 18:45 local time.
Air Austral’s decision to return to Chennai has come after it received the go-ahead from its supervisory authorities, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the Indian authorities.
Chennai is one of many destinations featured in the airline’s list of regional destinations. Air Austral is already flying to other routes, such as Reunion-Mayotte, Reunion-Mauritius, Reunion-Johannesburg, Reunion-Seychelles, and Reunion-Moroni.
Putting the A220 to good use
The carrier’s association with the A220 began in 2019 when it was reported to have signed up to receive three A220-300 aircraft. The larger variant of the A220 series, the A220-300 can seat a maximum of 160 passengers and offers a range of 6,000 km, enough for Air Austral’s regional routes in India, Africa, and Indian Ocean.
In July 2021, Air Austral beat Air France to become the first French operator of the Airbus A220 plane when it took delivery of its first jet. Before even completing a month with the carrier, the A220 was deployed on its first Indian Ocean flight in August between Reunion and Mayotte.
The airline’s three A220s are configured in a two-class setup with 12 Comfort seats and 120 Leisure seats and will replace some of its older narrowbody airplanes. Last year, Marie-Joseph Malé, Chairman and CEO of Air Austral, commented that the A220 would open “new horizons” for the airline “while maintaining the prospects of sustainable profitability.”
About Chennai Airport
Serving the capital city of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Chennai Airport, much like the rest of the country, has seen a significant increase in international operations after March 27th. The airport is set to receive a brand-new terminal in a couple of months, and airlines will be expected to gradually shift their equipment to the new building once it starts operating.
Around 20 airlines operate flights from Chennai to international destinations, including Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Colombo, Paris, and London.
A second airport to serve the city is also in the pipeline, with the central government shortlisting two of the four sites suggested by the state government. A final nod from the Tamil Nadu government is awaited before work can begin on the new project.