Mangaluru: Flight connectivity from Mangaluru International Airport is set to improve significantly from March, with airlines adding new frequencies on both domestic and international sectors. The expanded schedule is expected to increase passenger traffic and strengthen the airport’s links with key destinations in India and the Gulf.

A major development is the resumption of the Mangaluru–Muscat route by Air India Express, which had been suspended about eight months ago. The twice-weekly service to Muscat will restart from March 1. The earlier suspension had caused hardship for travellers from coastal Karnataka working in Oman, many of whom had to rely on alternate airports.

Shashidhar Shetty Mallar, an entrepreneur based in Oman, said the restoration comes after repeated appeals to public representatives and authorities. With bookings already open, expatriates and their families have welcomed the return of the direct connection.

In another boost to Gulf connectivity, IndiGo will restore daily flights between Mangaluru and Abu Dhabi from March, after operating four weekly services in February. Meanwhile, Air India Express will raise the frequency of its Mangaluru–Dammam route to six flights a week from March, with plans to make it a daily service from April. The airline will also temporarily operate four weekly flights on the Bahrain–Mangaluru sector during the first half of March.

On the domestic front, Air India Express will introduce a third daily service between Mangaluru and Bengaluru from March 13 to March 26 to cater to rising demand.

Officials from IndiGo indicated that more routes could be added in the coming months. Internationally, the airline is evaluating services to Dammam and Jeddah, while domestically it is considering connections to Kochi and Kolkata.

The recently introduced service to Navi Mumbai International Airport has recorded encouraging passenger loads of around 80–85%. Many travellers are reportedly using this route for onward journeys to pilgrimage and business destinations such as Shirdi and Pune.

With airlines strengthening schedules ahead of the summer travel season, Mangaluru airport is poised for a steady rise in connectivity and passenger movement.