After a four-year hiatus triggered by the pandemic and geopolitical tensions, IndiGo on 27 October resumed daily non-stop service between Kolkata and Guangzhou. Operated with A320 aircraft, the 3-hour-35-minute hop reinstates the quickest link between eastern India’s export hub and China’s Pearl-River Delta manufacturing powerhouse.
The first flight departed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 22:00 local time and landed in Guangzhou at 03:05 the next morning. Load factors topped 90 per cent, buoyed by textile, pharma and e-commerce traders eager to revive in-person supply-chain visits ahead of the holiday sourcing season. IndiGo will add Delhi–Guangzhou on 10 November, and talks are under way for China Eastern to reactivate its Kolkata–Kunming operation, according to Indian travel associations.
For multinational employers, the restoration slashes door-to-door trip times by up to 12 hours and eliminates layover costs in Bangkok or Singapore. The route also unlocks same-day cargo uplift for high-value perishables and electronics, supporting just-in-time production models on both sides of the border.
HR and mobility teams should note that China continues to require visas for Indian nationals; however, recent policy tweaks allow port-visa issuance for urgent business travel if an invitation letter is presented. Companies should refresh invitation templates and pre-clear key personnel with Guangzhou’s Exit-Entry Bureau to avoid arrival-gate delays.
Industry bodies predict that the resumption will catalyse further bilateral capacity, including possible Shenzhen and Shanghai services, as two-way trade—up 22 per cent in H1 FY25/26—sets new records. Travel buyers may want to lock in corporate fare agreements before additional competition tightens yields.
The first flight departed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 22:00 local time and landed in Guangzhou at 03:05 the next morning. Load factors topped 90 per cent, buoyed by textile, pharma and e-commerce traders eager to revive in-person supply-chain visits ahead of the holiday sourcing season. IndiGo will add Delhi–Guangzhou on 10 November, and talks are under way for China Eastern to reactivate its Kolkata–Kunming operation, according to Indian travel associations.
For multinational employers, the restoration slashes door-to-door trip times by up to 12 hours and eliminates layover costs in Bangkok or Singapore. The route also unlocks same-day cargo uplift for high-value perishables and electronics, supporting just-in-time production models on both sides of the border.
HR and mobility teams should note that China continues to require visas for Indian nationals; however, recent policy tweaks allow port-visa issuance for urgent business travel if an invitation letter is presented. Companies should refresh invitation templates and pre-clear key personnel with Guangzhou’s Exit-Entry Bureau to avoid arrival-gate delays.
Industry bodies predict that the resumption will catalyse further bilateral capacity, including possible Shenzhen and Shanghai services, as two-way trade—up 22 per cent in H1 FY25/26—sets new records. Travel buyers may want to lock in corporate fare agreements before additional competition tightens yields.
