Mangaluru-Muscat direct flight to resume from Sunday, says Capt. Brijesh Chowta

Direct flights between Mangaluru and Muscat resume March 1, operated by Air India Express, enhancing connectivity for NRIs.

Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Capt. Brijesh Chowta on Friday said direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat will resume from March 1, thereby fulfilling the long-pending demand of passengers and non-resident Indians from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and neighbouring Kasaragod district in Kerala.

Air India Express will now operate the flight that was suspended from mid-July 2025. With thousands of people from the coastal region who are working and settled in Oman remaining deprived of direct flight connectivity, Capt. Chowta and his counterpart from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, Kota Srinivas Poojary, had written to Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu seeking his intervention in restoring the services.

Capt. Chowta, in a statement here, said that as per the current schedule, Air India Express will operate two flights a week, on Sundays and Tuesdays. This direct service will not only save travel time but also make it easier for NRIs to travel directly to their hometowns.

The MP said, “Due to the sudden suspension of the Mangaluru-Muscat direct flight service, thousands of passengers from our coastal region residing in Muscat were facing severe hardship. Those who needed to come to Mangaluru from Muscat had to travel via Delhi, Mumbai or Kannur. Realising this serious problem, the Ministry has responded to the demand for its restoration. I express my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Naidu.”

The first flight from Mangaluru to Muscat (IX 817) will operate on March 1, with the return flight from Muscat to Mangaluru (IX 818) on the same day. The second flight is scheduled on March 3, and subsequent flights on March 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and on March 24, 2026, respectively.

IX 817 departs Mangaluru at 9.25 a.m. to reach Muscat at 11.30 a.m. (Muscat local time). The flight duration is 3.35 hours. IX 818 departs Muscat at 12.30 p.m. (Muscat local time) to arrive in Mangaluru at 5.25 p.m. The flight duration is 3.25 hours.