/Manchester direct flight to Mumbai

MANCHESTER Airport’s first flight to Mumbai will launch in time for the Diwali festival.

Jet Airways has announced it will start the service in November, with the route tipped to deliver a major economic boost to the northern economy.

The four-times-a-week service will put business and leisure passengers across Manchester Airport’s catchment area in easy reach of the world’s fastestgrowing economy.

For the 500,000 people of Indian origin living in the region, it’s expected to be a key link.

It is also hoped to bring millions of tourists to the north.

Dr Liam Fox, international trade secretary, said the service would strengthen connections between two major global cities and the wider Northern Powerhouse.

He added: “More than a hundred Indian companies are based in the north west alone and this route will further trade relations worth £18bn between the world’s largest and oldest democracies.”

Jet will initially fly from Manchester to Mumbai on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday with an A330-200, with 254 seats, operating the route.

News of a direct service is an early success for the ManchesterIndia Partnership (MIP), which was launched in both the UK and India earlier this year.

It is chaired by Manchester Airport CEO Andrew Cowan, who said: “Securing a direct service to one of India’s major cities is the product of a lot of hard work over a long period of time to forge closer ties between Manchester and this globally significant economy.”

Jet Airways’ flight will depart Mumbai at 2.30am local time, arriving into Manchester’s Terminal 2 at 7.55am local time.

The return flight will depart from Manchester at 9.35am local time and arrive in Mumbai’s Terminal 2 at 4am local time.

Passengers arriving in Mumbai will be able to connect easily with 44 other domestic destinations in Jet’s network.

The service is also expected to be key for cargo.

Flights start November 5 with return economy fares from £400, and business class from £2,300.