“It is a welcome move as there are hardly any Mumbai-Delhi flights between 11 am and 4 pm. Private carriers operate between the metros mostly in the mornings and evenings. People will have more daytime options when fares come down,” said Iqbal Mulla, president of Travel Agents Association of India.

He said passenger traffic on the Mumbai-Delhi route was about 5 to 7 per cent higher this time of the year. The Kingfisher Airlines crisis is also affecting passengers.

“Earlier, Air India used to ply a similar number of flights daily between Mumbai and Delhi, but these would be concentrated in the mornings and evenings. Now, we have improved frequency throughout the day. Most of these flights would be direct, while some will have a stopover,” a spokesperson said.

Air India, which flies to 63 domestic and 27 international destinations, operates Airbus A-320 and A-321 with 146 and 172 seats in the Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai sector.

“It is good to know I have so many flight options. I work odd hours and won’t have to worry about exiting office early to catch a flight,” said Anu Mudholkar, who works in the retail industry and frequently flies to Delhi to meet family.

Convenience in the air

Air India, which flies to 63 domestic and 27 international destinations, operates Airbus A-320 and A-321 with 146 and 172 seats in the Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai sector