Siliguri, May 5: SpiceJet will launch a direct daily flight from Bagdogra to Bangalore on May 18, raising the hope of increased tourist inflow to north Bengal from south India.

Rakesh Sahay, the airport director of Bagdogra, today said: "SpiceJet has announced the first direct or non-stop flight between Bagdogra and Bangalore. This will largely help fliers from Bagdogra as they can reach the metro in three hours."

The flight, Airports Authority of India sources said, will operate every day and leave Bagdogra at 10.40am and land in Bangalore at 1.40pm. The flight will depart Bangalore at 2.10pm and reach Bagdogra at 5.10pm.

Bangalore is the fourth metro to have a direct flight from Bagdogra, after Calcutta, Delhi and Mumbai.

Added to the destinations, Bagdogra is also directly connected with Guwahati.

"The non-stop daily flight to Bangalore can help bring more tourists from the southern parts of the country, particularly Karnataka. We hope the flow of tourists from south India will increase with the commencement of the new flight," Samrat Sanyal, the president of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators' Association, said.

Passengers travelling to Bangalore now need more time to reach the destination as they have to board connecting flights.

"They need to take flights which have multi-stops or connecting flights from other cities like Calcutta, Delhi and Mumbai to reach Bangalore. Several people travel to Bangalore from north Bengal for medical purposes, education and jobs. Now they can reach the city in just three hours," an AAI official said.

Although the number of flights operating out of Bagdogra has witnessed a spurt in recent months, the airport is ill-equipped to handle a large number of passengers.