Calcutta’s skies are looking up again despite the downturn, with a number of airlines announcing international flights from the city and a few increasing the frequency of their service.

Kingfisher, which now operates only on domestic routes from the city, will fly daily to Dhaka and plans to start a Bangkok service soon. Kuala Lumpur’s low-cost carrier AirAsia, too, has decided to include Calcutta in its network.

“The daily flight to Dhaka will start from February 16. The decision follows a market survey which has revealed a rise in passenger traffic to Bangladesh,” said a Kingfisher official.

The airline’s next international destination from Calcutta will be Bangkok. “It is likely to happen in a few months,” the official added.

AirAsia, the largest low-cost carrier in Asia, said its Calcutta service would be launched within a year and a half. The airline introduced a daily direct flight between Kuala Lumpur and Tiruchirapalli in December 2008.

“Tiruchirapalli is our first destination in India. We are looking at other locations as well — including Calcutta, Chennai, Cochin, Bangalore and Hyderabad — where services would be launched within a year and a half,” said Dato’ Sri Tony Fernandes, the Group CEO of AirAsia Berhad.

AirAsia’s flight will restore Calcutta’s direct link with Kuala Lumpur, which was snapped in 2006 when Malaysia Airlines withdrew its thrice-a-week service. The airline attributed the withdrawal to a route rejig, which aviation circles interpreted as poor passenger turnout.

Thai Airways, which had reduced the frequency of its Calcutta-Bangkok flight from daily to five days a week this winter, is eyeing resumption of its original schedule from February, airport officials said.

Emirates, which flies to Dubai daily, has plans to fly twice on certain days of the week, the officials added.

Airlines’ Operators Committee officials feel the airport modernisation project which started in December and the lowering of fares are prompting airlines to launch new projects.

“The travel industry has suffered a setback because of the downturn and Mumbai attacks. We hope the new flights and the increased frequency of the existing flights will set things right,” said Anil Punjabi, the chairman (east) of the Travel Agents Federation of India.

NEW SERVICE

Kingfisher: Calcutta-Dhaka

Kingfisher: Calcutta-Bangkok

AirAsia: Calcutta-Kuala Lumpur

INCREASED FREQUENCY

Thai Airways: Five days a week to daily