A-I flights to Mauritius from Sept 12

Air India will launch its direct flights from India to Mauritius from September 12, its chairman and managing director V Tulasidas said.

Air India is firmly on its growth path, Tulasidas said, adding "we plan to introduce direct flights to Mauritius from September 12 and shortly thereafter to South Africa."

Tulasidas, who was the chief guest at a function organised in his honour by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London, said the national carrier would be adding 68 aircraft at one go, most of them being the latest state-of-the art planes.

Eighteen aircraft would be inducted in Air India Express. He said the first Boeing 787 "dream-line aircraft" would join the Air India fleet in 2008.

Asserting that the Bhavan has been close to his heart because of the yeomen services it has rendered in the spread of education and culture, Tulasidas said Air India would extend all possible assistance.