Jet Airways sources told TOI the car rier would start daily flights to the Bangladeshi capital from December 16 This is the second international sector to be serviced by the carrier in the east The airline already has a daily flight to Thailand capital Bangkok.

Leading travel agents like Major Saraf and Anil Punjabi confirmed that the flights were already on the com puterised reservation schedule.

At present, Biman Bangladesh and GMG Airlines operate 14 flights a week to Dhaka. Air India operates another five. AI's low-cost airline AI Express is expected to start flying nine times-a week to the city. Once Jet Airways starts operations, it will take the total number of flights on the sector to 49 per week.

However, with bus and private taxi service between the two cities emerg ing as a popular option among travellers many in the airline industry feel carri ers will feel the crunch.