Bird Travels Partners with AEGEAN to Launch Direct Flights from New Delhi & Mumbai to Athens in 2026

Bird Travels Partners with AEGEAN to Launch Direct Flights from New Delhi & Mumbai to Athens in 2026

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on August 13, 2025

Bird Travels has announced its exclusive collaboration with AEGEAN, Greece’s flag carrier, to operate direct flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to Athens beginning in the first quarter of 2026. The flight schedule and ticket sales will be officially unveiled by the end of September.

AEGEAN will introduce two new Airbus A321neo XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft, boasting a range of up to 10.5 hours. These aircraft feature enhanced comfort with only 138 seats, including 24 Business Class Suites equipped with fully lie-flat beds, aisle access, and modern amenities such as 4K inflight entertainment screens, satellite Wi-Fi, USB charging, and spacious overhead bins designed for long-haul comfort.

The airline plans to operate five weekly flights to New Delhi starting March 2026, followed by three weekly flights to Mumbai from May 2026. Bird Travels will act as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for AEGEAN in India, managing sales, marketing, customer service, and distribution.

Roland Jaggi, Chief Commercial Officer of AEGEAN, said, “We are delighted to partner with Bird Travels as we prepare to launch direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Athens. This marks a significant milestone in AEGEAN’s international expansion and reinforces our commitment to strengthening ties between Greece and India. The addition of the new Airbus A321neo XLR aircraft allows us to enhance our service offering for long-haul routes, providing Indian travellers with a premium gateway to Europe and beyond.”

Gaurav Bhatia, Executive Director of Bird Group, commented, “Our partnership with AEGEAN heralds exciting times for Indian travellers. AEGEAN’s reputation for quality service and connectivity perfectly complements our expertise in the Indian aviation market. Together, we look forward to offering seamless and elevated travel experiences from New Delhi and Mumbai to Athens and further into Europe.”

About Bird Travels and AEGEAN

Bird Travels, the flagship airline management company of India’s Bird Group, has over five decades of experience across airline representation, travel distribution, ground handling, and hospitality services. As AEGEAN’s exclusive GSA in India, Bird Travels will promote and manage the airline’s services across sales, marketing, and customer support.

Founded in 1999, AEGEAN is Greece’s largest and fastest-growing regional airline, serving 152 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa with a fleet of 83 modern Airbus aircraft. A member of the STAR ALLIANCE, AEGEAN has been named Europe’s Best Regional Airline by Skytrax 14 times in the past 16 years, underscoring its commitment to service excellence.

For more information, visit www.birdtravels.com.


IndiGo Focuses on Operational Stability, Plans Select Route Expansion

IndiGo Focuses on Operational Stability, Plans Select Route Expansion

By Hariharan U

Published on January 3, 2026

IndiGo has outlined a cautious yet forward-looking approach as it prepares for the next phase of growth, placing strong emphasis on “operational reliability” while planning a limited set of international route additions. The airline said its immediate focus is to “stabilise operations” as it continues to strengthen capacity and network resilience.

As part of its international plans, IndiGo has announced the launch of non-stop services to Athens. This route will also mark the international debut of India’s first Airbus A321XLR, a new aircraft type expected to support the airline’s entry into fresh overseas markets as it gradually expands beyond short-haul operations.

Beyond Athens, the airline has not shared details of additional international destinations or capacity increases. IndiGo stated that it will continue to grow its international footprint while further densifying its domestic network, without outlining the pace or scale of expansion.

On the domestic front, the airline is also preparing to begin operations from Noida International Airport at Jewar, strengthening its presence in the National Capital Region once services commence.

Addressing recent operational challenges, IndiGo said it had swiftly restored normal operations following a temporary network disruption. The airline also confirmed that it is “fully collaborating and providing requested information to the regulator's committee” as part of an ongoing review by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

While IndiGo reiterated its long-term ambitions, including plans related to widebody aircraft and sustained growth, its near-term outlook remains measured. The airline said its renewed focus on stability will help drive future scale, innovation, and impact as it carefully explores new frontiers.


Navi Mumbai Airport Sees 26,000+ Passengers in First Five Days

Navi Mumbai Airport Sees 26,000+ Passengers in First Five Days

By Hariharan U

Published on January 1, 2026

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has made an impressive start, handling a total of 26,021 passengers in its first five days of operations. This includes 12,431 arrivals and 13,590 departures, showing strong demand right from day one.

Weekend traffic was particularly high, with 5,548 travellers on Saturday and 5,614 on Sunday, reflecting growing confidence among passengers. During this initial period, the airport managed 162 flight movements, 81 arrivals and 81 departures, while keeping on-time performance smooth for both airlines and ground services.

Currently, NMIA connects 13 major domestic destinations, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa (MOPA), Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mangalore, Nagpur, Vadodara. These connections cover key business and leisure hubs, giving travellers more options and conveand nience in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Looking ahead, the airport plans to expand its network with additional destinations and increased flight frequencies in coordination with partner airlines. With strong early passenger response and ready infrastructure, NMIA is set to become a modern, seamless travel hub in Western India


Air India Expands Partnership with airBaltic to Offer Seamless Connectivity to Latvia

Air India Expands Partnership with airBaltic to Offer Seamless Connectivity to Latvia

By Hariharan U

Published on January 1, 2026

Air India has strengthened its partnership with airBaltic, the flag carrier of Latvia, by entering into a new codeshare agreement, making travel between India and the Baltic region easier and more seamless for its customers. This move builds on the interline partnership established between the two carriers in June 2025.

Under the codeshare, Air India has begun adding its ‘AI’ designator code on airBaltic-operated flights between Riga and Air India’s European gateways including Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Milan Malpensa, Vienna, Zurich, and London Gatwick. This allows passengers to travel between India and Riga with a single Air India ticket, covering connecting flights under the same booking.

Additionally, Air India’s interline agreement with airBaltic allows travellers to reach Tallinn, Estonia, and Vilnius, Lithuania via select European gateways, further expanding access to the Baltic region.

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said, "This expanded partnership with airBaltic reflects Air India’s commitment to providing seamless global connectivity to our customers. Latvia and the wider Baltic region are growing travel markets, and this codeshare makes the journey more convenient than ever."

Air India currently operates multiple non-stop flights connecting India with Europe:

  • Delhi: Amsterdam (7x weekly), Paris (14x weekly), Frankfurt (12x weekly), Copenhagen (4x weekly), Milan (6x weekly), Vienna (4x weekly), Zurich (4x weekly)

  • Mumbai: Frankfurt (5x weekly)

  • Amritsar & Ahmedabad: London Gatwick (3x weekly each)

Since its privatization in 2022, Air India has expanded its global alliance network to include 24 codeshare partnerships and nearly 100 interline agreements, offering passengers access to over 800 destinations worldwide.

The new codeshare flights are now available for booking through both airlines’ official channels and travel partners.

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