IndiGo to suspend Kolkata-Hong Kong flights from 6 November amid anti-China protests; evaluates alternate route options

Hardly two months after launching flight services to Hong Kong from Kolkata, no-frills carrier IndiGo said on Tuesday that it will suspend the services to that country from 6 November due to the ongoing anti-China protests there.

The reason for suspending the services is said to be poor commercial results, reported PTI.

The low-cost carrier had started the daily non-stop flights on this route from 20 August.

Representational image. Reuters

The protests in Hong Kong started in June on the issue of an extradition bill, which would have allowed some criminal suspects to be sent for trial in mainland China, and have snowballed into an anti-government movement.

"IndiGo has suspended its Kolkata-Hong Kong services from 6 November 2019 due to poor commercial results affected by the ongoing Hong Kong situation," the airline spokesperson said.

"We are in the process of evaluating alternate route options between India and Hong Kong and IndiGo will start operations as soon as possible. Affected passengers are being contacted and will be offered refunds or alternate travel arrangements," he added.

In June this year, IndiGo had announced daily non-stop flights on the Kolkata-Hong Kong route from 20 August, providing both business and leisure travellers more options to choose from.

"Effective 20 August 2019, IndiGo will operate its daily flight on Kolkata-Hong Kong route, providing both business and leisure travellers more options to choose from. Bookings on this route are open with immediate effect," the low-cost carrier said.

In December last year, the budget carrier had launched daily non-stop flight services to Hong Kong from Bengaluru. This was the airline's 15th international destination. it had said.

— With PTI inputs