Jet Airways to expand its international network

MUMBAI: Jet Airways is working on an aggressive expansion plan for its international operations. The leading private airline of India will start its daily direct flights from Mumbai to Hong Kong from April 14 and Mumbai to San Francisco from May 5.

"Hong Kong is the gateway to south China," said Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal here on Thursday.

According to him, Jet has 33 percent market share on its UK sectors. "Our Premiere class has almost 70 percent foreigners," he said.

Goyal also hopes to carry a lot of Chinese passengers from Shanghai. "We are also planning to have Chinese in-flight entertainment and studying various aspects of Chinese culture which can be introduced on our flights," he said.

Besides this, Jet will also enhance its services to the Gulf, with the introduction of daily direct flights on Mumbai-Muscat and Kochi-Doha sectors from April 18 and April 21 respectively.

On this route, Jet will deploy Boeing 777-800 in two-class configuration.

From April 23, the airline will launch daily direct flights to Abu Dhabi from Mumbai and Delhi. "The launch of Jet Airways operations to Abu Dhabi is important boost for us, as it is our first foray in the United Arab Emirates," Goyal said.

The airliner is already operating daily direct flights on the Kochi-Kuwait-Kochi, Kochi-Bahrain-Kochi, Mumbai-Bahrain-Mumbai and Delhi-Kuwait-Delhi routes.