Royal Brunei Airlines begins direct flights to Chennai; check timings and fares here

CHENNAI: Royal Brunei Airlines launched its new direct flight route between Bandar Seri Begawan and Chennai, the carrier’s sole destination in India, on Tuesday. The new service marks the airline’s re-entry into India following the suspension of its flights between Singapore and Kolkata after the 9/11 terror attacks in New York.

The 150-seater Airbus A320neo landed at Chennai International Airport at about 10:50 pm yesterday and received a ceremonial water cannon salute.

The airline offers three weekly flights between Chennai and Bandar Seri Begawan on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with an introductory fare of Rs 31,000 for round-trip tickets.

According to the airline’s website, a one-way economy flight from Chennai to Brunei will cost Rs 27,640, while a round-trip (Chennai-Brunei-Chennai) ticket is priced at Rs 42,679. INR 86,811. A business class trip will cost Rs 86,811 for a one-way ticket and Rs 133,679 for a round-trip.

Chennai will be the carrier’s sole destination in India.

The flight time is approximately five and a half hours. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the flight will leave from Brunei at 8 pm and land in Chennai at 11:50 pm; it will then reach Brunei at 7:55 am the next day. On Saturdays, the flight will land in Chennai at 4:20 am, and arrive back in Brunei at 12:25 pm.

Captain Sabirin bin Hj Abdul Hamid, CEO of Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) called the direct service a bridge between Brunei and India. "This route connects Bruneians and our international guests to the vibrant city of Chennai and the many experiences it has to offer, and it enhances travel options for those from India wishing to explore the peaceful beauty of Brunei Darussalam,” he said.

India ranks among the top 10 countries for tourist arrivals to Brunei, with around 4,000 Indians visiting the Southeast Asian country from January to September 2024. Approximately 14,000 Indians are employed across various companies in Brunei, he said. In response to a query, he mentioned that the airline plans to introduce similar flights between Bandar Seri Begawan and other Indian cities, including Delhi.

Additionally, as part of the airline’s interline and codeshare agreement with Air India, passengers from Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi can connect to the Chennai flight, enabling them to easily travel from Chennai via Brunei to RB's network destinations, including Melbourne, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore, Seoul, Manila, and Taipei.

RB is represented in India by its network partner STIC Travel Group, led by Founder-Chairman Subhash Goyal, handling ticket bookings and visa processing for passengers travelling to Brunei.

The airline operates a fleet of five Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners and seven Airbus A320NEOs in its network.

(Tickets can be booked via the airline’s website, www.flyRB.com)

(With inputs from PTI and UNI)