Category: Aviation

Qatar Airways said it will soon move an application to launch a full-service airline in India for domestic operations. The proposed airline would be fully financed by Qatar’s sovereign fund and would have Indians heading the board, said AkbarAl Baker, CEO of the Airlines. “We will move the application soon. I don’t know really by when because it (the process) takes time,” he said. Set up in 2005, Qatar Investment Authority manages the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar and its assets under management are estimated at USD 335 billion. It was in March 2017 that Baker first mentioned about ... Read more

On a very positive note, the Vistara airlines has banned consumption of gutka (tobacco) on board its aircraft, possibly becoming the first Indian airline to do so. “At @airvistara, we take the environment seriously. The 50 per cent on board disposable plastics reduction and low emissions aircraft are just a start. Cleanliness at all times is part of our mantra. We have also banned chewing tobacco or ‘gutka’ consumption on board and at our facilities,” Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Strategy & Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara, tweeted announcing the ban. On May 27, an air traveller had tweeted (from handle @LaliGanguli) to ... Read more

The Mumbai international airport has broke its own world record of handling most flight movements in 24 hours. The airport, which is the busiest single runway airport in the world, handled 1,003 flights in a single days. The previous record held by the Mumbai airport handled landing and departure of 980 flights in February this year. London’s Gatwick airport is the distant second on the list with over 800 flight movements per day. The sudden upsurge in the number of flights operating from the Mumbai airport could be attributed to a storm on Monday. Many flights were spilled over to Tuesday ... Read more

Emirates has launched a new non-stop service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dubai from 1 June 2018, adding to its existing daily flight which operates with a stop in Athens, Greece. The new non-stop service is operated with an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, offering 8 suites in First Class, 42 seats in Business, 306 in Economy Class, and 19 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity. Flight EK223 departs Dubai at 03 am and arrive in Newark at 09 am. The return flight EK224 departs Newark at 1150am, arriving in Dubai at 08.20 am the next day. Emirates’ non-stop service to ... Read more

British Airways has launched a new weekly service to Manchester. Welcoming the new service, Vincent Harrison (Dublin Airport Managing Director) said, “We are delighted to see British Airways expand its route network from Dublin Airport and I have no doubt this new service will be popular for both Irish and UK-based passengers.” “We’re thrilled to be able to grow our summer schedule from Dublin Airport, offering our customers access to our new Manchester route. Manchester is a city known for being unique and eclectic with plenty of restaurants, shops and museums for visitors to enjoy, our new flight is ideal for travellers ... Read more

Etihad Airways has announced the introduction of a new scheduled service linking Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, and Barcelona, Spain, effective 21 November 2018. The route will initially be operated five times a week by a two-class Airbus A330-200 before becoming a daily operation from 31 March 2019. Barcelona will become the second city in Spain served by Etihad Airways, complementing the airline’s existing daily service to the capital Madrid. The new link will provide business and leisure travellers with convenient timings to travel between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, also providing seamless onward connections through Abu Dhabi to major ... Read more

IndiGo has bagged six accolades at the BIAL Pinnacle Awards 2018, organized by  BIAL (Bangalore International Airport Ltd), held in Bengaluru last week. The six awards spread across prestigious categories including, On-time Airline of the Year – Domestic’, ‘Passenger Airline of the Year – International Low Cost’, ‘Customer Choice Airline of the Year – Domestic’, ‘Passenger Airline of the Year – Domestic Low Cost’, ‘Transformational Process Idea’ and ‘Airline with best growing network – Domestic’. “We feel absolutely honored to be recognized by BIAL across six prestigious categories of customer service. This is a recognition for all the unrelenting effort that the ... Read more

In a move to attract Indian tourists, Tourism Australia has made association with eight airlines as part of the ‘Great Australian Airfare Sale’, with all airlines offering tickets at great discounts. Air India, Jet Airways, Qantas Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air Asia, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways and Scoot are the eight airlines joined in the endeavor. Travellers can make use of booking offer till 21st of this month, with the travel validity till June 30, 2019. The return fares start from Rs 23,000 on a budget airline for connecting flights, and will go up to Rs 55,000 for direct flights. Australia’s ... Read more

Etihad Cargo, the cargo division of Etihad Airways, has launched its first humanitarian freighter missions as part of the group’s extensive Year of Zayed programme, which will take place throughout 2018. The specially branded Year of Zayed Boeing 777 freighter aircraft departed Abu Dhabi – first to Almaty in Kazakhstan and then to Hyderabad in India – carrying special provisions to be distributed to those in need during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The humanitarian missions are taking place throughout the year in collaboration with the Khalifa Foundation, the Red Crescent, and His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan ... Read more

Aruba Airlines has launched what can be called one of the shortest flights in the world. The airlines has introduced a flight connecting Venezuela and Aruba, which can be reached in 10 minutes. Just 50 miles (80 km) separate the two airports in Aruba (AUA) and Punto Fijo (LSP) in northern Venezuela. The two countries, however, are separated by only 15 miles (24 km). The flight, which was inaugurated late last week, will operate twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays, with connections to Curacao, Bonaire and Miami. Prices for the short journey starts at $215. In January, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro had ... Read more

Hainan Airlines has announced the launch of a direct flight between Tianjin and Vancouver. The flight HU7959 is the first direct passenger air route linking Tianjin with North America. The flight, operated using a Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft, will take about 11 hours and fly every Monday and Friday. This year being the China-Canada Tourism Year, the new air route is expected to improve bilateral economic and cultural exchanges, according to Dave Murphy, Minister (Commercial) at the Embassy of Canada to China. This is the 16th international air route opened by Hainan Airlines in North America. The airlines also has plans ... Read more

Jet Airways said it will connect Patna with Allahabad from June 14 under the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme. The flight will leave Allahabad at 8 am and reach Patna at 9.40 am. For the return journey, the flight will take off from Patna at 10.10 am and reach Allahabad at 11.50 am. The 72-seater aircraft will operate thrice a week -Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. With Allahabad on the map, Patna will now have direct flights to 11 cities. At present, direct air service from Patna is available to New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore, Lucknow, Pune, Varanasi, Ranchi, Chennai and Hyderabad. ... Read more

Delta Air Lines has announced it will resume nonstop flights next year between United States and India’s financial capital, Mumbai. The airline is crediting recent U S agreements with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over alleged subsidies to three big Arabian Gulf carriers that also fly to India. Delta said it will announce the schedule details later this year. It also has plans to sell other flights within India on partner Jet Airways. Atlanta-based Delta stopped their services to India in 2015, leaving United Airlines as the only US carrier flying to Mumbai and Delhi. Trump administration deals with Qatar ... Read more

SpiceJet has announced the launch of 10 new flights on domestic routes using its Bombardier Q-400 aircraft on these routes, which will strengthen its network across South India with new flights and additional frequencies. The airline is all set to introduce daily direct flights on the Chennai-Mangaluru-Chennai sector from 16 June, 2018. SpiceJet will enhance its operations on the Hyderabad-Rajahmundry, Chennai-Kozhikode, Bengaluru-Kozhikode with an additional evening flight on each of these sectors and introduce its third flight on the Chennai-Hyderabad route. “SpiceJet is on the path of a major fleet expansion which means new routes and destinations for our customers. ... Read more

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has released the first draft of the passengers’ charter, spelling out rules for cancellation fee, compensation for missing connecting flight and plans to introduce wi-fi services in flights. The new regulations will come into effect after being approved by the Union Cabinet. If the passenger is informed about the cancellation of flights less than two weeks before and up to 24 hours of the scheduled departure time, the airline must offer alternate flight allowing the passenger to depart within two hours of the booked scheduled departure time or refund the ticket, as acceptable to the passenger. ... Read more