Air India is set to connect Kochi, the commercial hub of Kerala, with Doha, the capital of Qatar, with a daily non-stop service from October 23, said an airline official on Sunday. AI953 will depart at 1:30 p.m. (IST) to reach Doha at 3:45 p.m. The return flight AI954 will take off from Doha at 4:45 p.m. to land at Kochi at 11:35 p.m. (All Local Time).

"The flight, operated with an A320neo aircraft, will offer 162 seats (150 in Economy and 12 in Business Class)," said the official. 

"The new launch is in line with Air India’s commitment to expand connectivity and enhance frequency on domestic and international sectors as it keeps augmenting its fleet with new aircraft," said the airline spokesperson. 

"The service will further densify and strengthen our operations to the Middle East. Bookings for the flights have already opened on all channels," said the spokesperson.