Odisha Govt Invites RFQ for Direct Flights between Bhubaneswar to Dubai, Singapore & Bangkok   

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Commerce and Transport Department has invited “Request for Quotation” (RFQ) from reputed international airlines for direct flight operations from Bhubaneswar to global destinations such as Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok.

As per the RFQ, the Odisha Government will bear the entire operational cost of the flights.

The State Government is planning to have direct international flight from Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar to foreign soil and is looking for interested scheduled air service carriers to start its air service operations.

“The State Government is considering to begin with international flight from Bhubaneswar to international destinations like Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok with three flights a week preferably on alternate days including the weekends. However, the selected Airline may like to operate on the remaining days of the week without any financial support from Government of Odisha”, the RFQ reads.

There is a potential of unlocking not only tourism sector, but also general Industrial sector including that of IT sector, if Bhubaneswar can have direct connectivity with Dubai in west, Singapore and Bangkok in East. Dubai and Singapore being two large air hubs, it virtually opens up the entire world to the passengers of Odisha and also for people of Odisha origin settled abroad.

The State Government has already reduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to zero percent for direct international flights.