Air India Express lands in state for first time
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 11 2023:
With the amalgamation of low-cost airline AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India with Air India (AI) Express by TATA group, its first flight landed here on Sunday decked with images of Manipur's traditional dances on the aircraft's tail and was welcomed with water cannon reception at Imphal Airport.
In a release, station manager Mutum Minachandra informed that AI Express presently connects Imphal with Guwahati and Delhi twice daily.
However, in the near future additional routes will be added to connect Imphal with other destinations, he added.
The release also quoted Airports Authority of India (AAI), Imphal International Airport director Chipemmi Keishing as conveying that Imphal Airport is undertaking various facility improvement projects to increase passenger capacity and aircraft movements due to the growing number of air traffic services and travellers in the airport.
One of the largest ongoing projects is the construction of the new integrated terminal building (NITB) in Imphal on the eastern side of the existing terminal building.
The NITB design, which is being constructed as per Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)-S rated building and with local touch showcasing the immense cultural themes of Manipur, will have two times more capacity to handle passengers as compared to the present terminal building, he informed.
Chipemmi continued that NITB will have separate domestic and international terminals with all modern passenger comforts, services and will have aerobridge to embarking and disembarking of passengers.