Bhubaneswar: Dismissing speculation over the discontinuation of the Bhubaneswar-Dubai flight, Director of the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), Prasanna Pradhan said steps are being taken to reschedule the services rather than withdraw them.

Pradhan clarified the Airport Authority of India and the Odisha Government will make every effort to ensure the continuity of the direct flight services.

The Bhubaneswar-Dubai direct flight was launched on May 15, 2023, during the tenure of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in Odisha.

Highlighting the airport’s performance, Pradhan informed BPIA recorded around 48.3 lakh passenger footfalls last year, ranking 13th nationally and second in the eastern region after Kolkata. The airport also reported business worth ₹100 crore in the last fiscal, with a target of ₹147 crore set for this year.

Looking ahead, Pradhan announced direct flights between Bhubaneswar and Surat will be relaunched soon. Services on the Bhubaneswar-Srinagar route are also under consideration, though a final decision is pending in light of the situation following ‘Operation Sindoor’.