Dubai, Mar 7 (UNI) Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has given approval for Air-India Express to commence flights to Mangalore, it is officially stated.

The first flight, via Bahrain, IX814, will leave Doha on March 25 at 1345 hours and will reach Mangalore at 2150 hours.

From Mangalore, the flight will leave at 2250 hours as Flight IX811 and will reach Doha at 1210 hours and then fly onwards to Bahrain.

On Tuesdays, IX812 will depart from Doha at 1655 hours and will fly direct to Mangalore where it will arrive at 2315 hours. The return flight, IX813, will leave the next day at 1215 hours and will reach Bahrain at 0145 hours. It will leave Bahrain at 0235 hours and arrive in Doha at 0330 hours.

Airfare for a one-way ticket will be between QR600 to QR750, while a return ticket will cost between QR1,200 and QR1,500.

Bookings will open by March 18 at all 42 authorised agents in Qatar. Online booking will also be made simultaneously available to the public.

Each flight will have a capacity of 165 passengers. However, according to Debashis Golder, Air-India's manager here, Qatar will be granted a quota of 85 seats.

Each passenger will be allowed 30kg of luggage in addition to five kg as hand baggage. An additional flight may be added in October this year.

UNI