Direct India-China Flights Resume Kolkata to Guangzhou After 5 Years
Direct India-China Flights Resume Kolkata to Guangzhou After 5 Years
IndiGo launches daily non-stop Kolkata–Guangzhou flights, reviving a route paused since 2020 amid COVID and border tensions, with a ceremonial start and 176 passengers on board.
The resumption of direct passenger flights between India and China kicked off in Kolkata as IndiGo launched a daily non-stop service to Guangzhou aboard an A320 Neo carrying 176 passengers. The revival marks a significant step in reconnecting two major cities after nearly five years of disruption. Direct services had been suspended since early 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and later the eastern Ladakh border tensions, with the new route restoration coming amid recent diplomatic outreach. The Kolkata–Guangzhou connection is expected to boost business, tourism, and ease for travelers between the two economic hubs. A brief ceremony at the airport featured the lighting of a ceremonial lamp to symbolize renewed friendship and cooperation, with officials from the Airports Authority of India and IndiGo in attendance. Officials emphasized that the daily non-stop service would reinforce Kolkata’s status as a key international aviation hub in eastern India and provide greater convenience for passengers traveling between the two cities. The first flight was described by the captain as very smooth, signaling a confident start to the renewed air link and the potential for broader people-to-people contact between India and China.
Cover image source: Direct flights from Kolkata to China's Guangzhou resume after nearly 5 years 🔗
