Now, fly to Sikri after a boat ride at Taj

Agra: The Tourism Guild of Agra has put forward a proposal for playing boats in Yamuna at Taj Mahal. According to the proposal, the association of hotel and emporium owners has suggested boat rides from Dashera Ghat near Taj's east gate to Egyarah Sheedi, located 1.5 km away, between the months of October and March.
The state tourism department said that the district administration has sought a detailed report in this regard. Additionally, the body has also proposed a 20-minute helicopter ride from Taj Mahal to Fatehpur Sikri. Talking to TOI, Rajiv Saxena, secretary of the guild, said, "We have given a proposal to the district magistrate.

Ventura Air connects Surat with Kandla

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad and the port town of Kandla would now be connected by air as Ventura Airconnect, the intra-state airline started by Surat-based diamond merchants, on Friday announced launching of its new route connecting Surat and Kandla via Ahmedabad.

"After successful rollout of Surat-Bhavnagar route, the airline has launched Surat-Ahmedabad-Kandla daily to-fro flight," the company said in a statement here. Kartikey Gariasia, chief executive officer of Ventura Airconnect said, "Connecting diamond city Surat with port city Kandla will not only be beneficial for the both the cities but it will make it easier for the travelers from Ahmedabad to reach Kamdla."

Alliance Air operates additional flights between Hyderabad, Vijayawada

Alliance Air, the wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, will operate additional flights between Hyderabad and Vijayawada on the from August 16 and 18 to cater to the peak festive season demand.

Alliance Air flight 9I-532 will operate with an ATR-72-600 aircraft and leave Hyderabad at 1450 hours to reach Vijayawada at 1550 hours. The return flight 9I-533 from Vijayawada will leave at 1620 hours to reach Hyderabad at 1720 hours.

Small towns to have civic infra, helipads

Dehradun: The state government has chalked out a plan to provide air connectivity and civic infrastructure to people living in three and two-tier towns. The civic amenities are not up to the mark in two or three-tier towns.
“Both Department of Urban Development and Department of Civil Aviation have decided to work together to strengthen infrastructure and build helipads,” said Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretary, Department of Civil Aviation.

Soon, you can file an online complaint against airlines

New Delhi: Air passengers will soon get a forum to register their complaints against airlines. The aviation ministry has decided to launch a website where passengers will be able to register their grievances, which will be forwarded to the airlines.
The plan to set up this platform, an idea of minister of state for aviation Jayant Sinha, was discussed and decided on at a meeting convened by him on Thursday.
"The platform will be managed by a small cell that will comprise people from the aviation ministry, Airports Authority of India, Air India and the directorate general of Civil Aviation," said a senior ministry official, who did not want to be named.

Revised 'CAR' on flight duty time will be Effective from 1st September,2016

DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), which specify the requirements of Flight Duty and Flight Time Limitation (FDTL) for cabin crew. The existing CAR has been reviewed and the revised CAR will be effective from 1st September, 2016. Revised CAR lays down the provision for extension of FDTL of cabin crew under unforeseen operational circumstances.

Government may start auctioning seats for international routes by March

In an attempt to change the way it allocates seats to foreign airlines, the ministry of civil aviation plans to discuss the bilateral seat-sharing auction concept with different carriers and implement it before the revised summer schedule comes into effect by March-end next year.
India had been considering an auction process that may help protect home-grown carriers from stiff overseas competition.
At present, the number of seats an overseas carrier can fly to India is determined by bilateral agreements between the countries. Also, Indian carriers fly to only 66 of the 108 countries with which India has bilateral air agreements.

SpiceJet to add 3 planes, new flights to northeast

Mumbai/Delhi: SpiceJet will add three Bombardier Q400 aircraft to expand regional services, starting in October, to the northeast and elsewhere.
The airline has 14 Q400 aircraft in service from its original order. It is the first such addition. Sources indicate the new aircraft will be based in Kolkata and used on existing and new routes in the northeast. The airline is planning a new Kolkata-Dhaka and Kolkata-Silchar service. At present, it only flies to Guwahati and Agartala in northeast.

Monsoon sale by airlines gives wing to tourism sector: Tourism Secretary

New Delhi: The prevailing low airfares due to competition among airlines, is likely to be the catalyst for tourism to grow in India.

The way airlines have reduced fares might be a part of their corporate strategy, but it will definitely help tourism," Vinod Zutshi, secretary, Ministry of Tourism said at an event organised to brief the public on the upcoming Bharat Parv.

If You Want To Fly In An Indian Air Force Plane, Pack Your Bags Right Now. Your Wish Has Come True!

For those of you dreaming to fly in an Indian Air Force plane, this is great news. You can now officially fly in an IAF plane, but only if you are going to the Andamans and Nicobar islands.

Yes, in a landmark move, the Indian Air Force has decided to fly civilian passengers to the Andamans and Nicobar islands. The Air Force, usually flies civilians in emergency situations, but it is now making an exception.
The idea is to improve connectivity and communication in the remote islands.

Dy CM to visit Hajj Terminal on August 17

Hyderabad: Hajj preparations have begun at Special Hajj Terminal at Shamsabad International Airport. Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali will visit Hajj Terminal along with high officials on August 17 and will take stock of the arrangements along with the officials of GMR Company.

Brussels Airlines connects Belgium to India again

As from March 2017 Brussels Airlines will start flights to Mumbai.The Indian metropolis will be connected to Brussels Airport 5 times a week. It will the first time that the Belgian airline lands on the Asian continent and it reinforces even more its hub in Brussels, in close cooperation with Star Alliance partner Air India.

Since last March, Belgium and India are no longer connected. Brussels Airlines is to change this as from March 2017, with 5 direct flights to Mumbai’s modern airport Chhatrapati Shivaji. Situated on the West Coast, Mumbai is the state capital of Maharashtra and, with its 20 million inhabitants, is ranked in the top 10 of the world’s largest megacities.

India facing acute ATC shortage amid fleet expansion by airlines

More and more airlines in India are planning fleet expansion to cater to the rising number of air passengers even though there is acute shortage of Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) to control the growing air traffic in the country.
Currently, India lacks ATCs to smoothly conduct day-to-day operations. More flights and more passengers should ideally mean more air traffic controllers. The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in New Delhi, which is the busiest airport in the country with a capacity of handling 34 million passengers on a yearly basis, alone would need about 600 ATC staff for the smooth handling of air traffic, Bloomberg reported.

The IGI airport remains understaffed with current headcount of about 360 people. This could lead to flight operations being put at a risk and create hazardous situations, according to an aerospace expert.

10 month on, Tirupati International Airport awaits foreign flights

Tirupati: The Tirupati International Airport is operational since the last 10 months, but only for domestic flights. The Airports Authority of India had completed all the pre-requisite protocols for example, establishing immigration and customs offices, the foreign registration regional office and appointing a deputy superintendent of police. However, it has been disclosed that Airlines are sceptical about business here since it may not garner too many passengers.
Despite Union minister for civil aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju's assurances about international flights here, the new terminal is only being used for domestic flights.

International flights from Tirupati to become reality

Tirupati: Decks have been cleared for the operation of international flights from Tirupati airport with the immigration and customs offices in place in the airport. According to the sources, following the Union Home Ministry and Intelligence Bureau consent, the Foreigners Registration Regional Office (FRRO) was established with Tirupati Urban SP acting as FRRO, and a DSP was also appointed for the office - a prerequisite for the operation of international flight services.

Delhi International Airport Can Charge Rs. 150 From Commercial Vehicles: Court

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today held that Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) was entitled to charge Rs. 150 from commercial vehicles entering the arrival area of terminal 3 of the IGI airport to pick up passengers to "discourage overcrowding, touting or nuisance".

Justice Manmohan, however, directed DIAL to show the entire revenue generated from the fee as a separate entry in its balance sheet and to use it to improve infrastructure at the airport.

The court was of the view that amount of Rs. 150 for eight minutes was not a fee or tax, rather it was a parking and usage charge which any airport was entitled to levy.

A tale of two airlines

It’s never easy to operate an airline. What’s more, when it's a regional airline, things become all the more difficult. The recent suspension of operations by two regional airlines within a span of seven days amplifies this point. Air Pegasus and Air Costa nearly went belly up, suspending their operations till such time they could cough up more money.

While Air Costa, the Vijayawada-based airline, has partially restarted operations, the Bengaluru-based Air Pegasus, at the time of going to press, was yet to do so. The troubles at both airlines are far from over.

As per industry sources, two other regional airlines, all based out of the South, are facing a tough situation with one incurring a loss of ₹2 crore per month. For the regional airlines, it’s turning out to be a regular feature – a constant battle between keeping their operations running and at the same time pouring money to keep the lessors at bay.

Hopes revived for Kerala’s fifth international airport

Thiruvananthapuram: After years of controversies delaying the realisation of an international airport in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, hopes have been revived with India’s federal authorities sanctioning an environment impact study for the project.
The proposed site for the airport is in Aranmula in Pathanamthittta, a district known for its large number of non-resident Keralites.
If realised, it will become the fifth international airport in the state after those at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur. The Kannur airport is in the final phase of construction.

Odisha government asks AAI to complete Jharsuguda airport expansion by June 2018

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government today asked Airport Authority of India (AAI) to complete the expansion work of Jharsuguda airport by June, 2018 as decided earlier.
The direction was issued by state Chief Secretary A P Padhi here today while reviewing the progress made in the Rs 210 crore project of which the state government would provide Rs 75 crore besides land free of premium.
The airport work executants from AAI, district collector of Jharsuguda and DFO, Jharsuguda were told to expedite the works and complete all the defined works within the scheduled time.

Air India extends cancellation charge waiver for Kashmir flights

New Delhi: Air India today said it will not impose any cancellation or re-scheduling charges on tickets booked for flights to and from Srinagar till August 16, amid the volatile situation in Kashmir.

Last month also, the carrier had extended the relaxation for Kashmir flights.

“Applicable penalties of re-issuance, date change, no-show, cancellation and refund charges for travel from/to Srinagar for both domestic and international flights, stand waived,” Air India said in a release.

First plane to be made in India may fly out of Maharashtra

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government is set to take concrete steps in the next 15 days to roll out what state officials say could well become the 'torch bearer' of the 'Make in India' initiative -the first 20-seater commercial passenger plane built in India.

The state will allot 46-acres of land in Palghar to Amol Yadav (40), a Jet Airways pilot, for building 20-seater commercial planes. No company in India has manufactured such an aircraft in India yet.

Yadav had created quite a stir during the Make in India week held in Mumbai in February this year with his six-seater passenger plane TAC-003, which he built along with his family and friends on the terrace of his flat in Charkop, Mumbai.

Air India has not suffered any operating loss this year: Raju

New Delhi: For the first time in several years, Air India has not made an operating loss even though its financial condition continues to be “precarious”, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathy Raju has said.

Replying to a question on the financial condition of the state-run airline after its merger with Indian Airlines, the minister said “after many years, this is the first year it has not made an operating loss. It is going in the right direction and I think if this effort continues, it will be an airline we will all be proud of.”

Airlines announce discounted fares to attract more travellers

New Delhi: Many airlines including Spice Jet and Air India announced discounted fares on Tuesday to attract maximum flyers especially during the calm travel season. With its “Monsoon Sale” from August 9 to 15, the national flagship airlines, Air India announced low fares starting from Rs. 1,199 for one way travel, inclusive of all services and Rs 15,999 on domestic and international sector respectively for the economy class.
The offer can be availed for travel between August 22 and September 30 for 250 domestic sectors while it is between September 15 and December 15 for international sectors.

Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo offer discounted fares to attract flyers

New Delhi: Various airlines on Tuesday announced discounted fares to attract flyers during the lean travel season.

National passenger carrier Air India through its scheme "Monsoon Sale" announced discounts on select sectors in the economy class for travel on both domestic as well as on the international sectors.

"Under this offer, available from 9th to 15th August 2016, Air India flyers can book tickets at amazingly low fares starting at INR 1,199/- (all-inclusive one-way fare) and INR 15,999/- (all inclusive) on its select domestic and International sector respectively," the national carrier said in a statement.

Air Costa may sell 26% stake to Qatar Airways

Bengaluru: Air Costa, the Vijayawada based airline, is in talks with Qatar Airways for an equity tie up.

Sources in the regional airline told BusinessLine that even as Air Costa suspended its operations for a day early this month, its top management was in Doha in Qatar to negotiate the deal.

The airline resumed operations after it restructured its leasing terms with its lessor, GECAS (GE Capital Aviation Services). It had earlier leased its two 78-seater E170s from Embraer itself. Air Costa is promoted by the LEPL Group, which has interests ranging from real estate to power plants. A spokesperson for the company refused to comment on the developments.

GST could make air tickets costlier

The passage of Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill in the upper house of Parliament has brought a cheer to many industries. However, airlines in the country are afraid that their costs will rise because of this tax, which would eventually lead to higher ticket prices, impacting customers' pockets and airlines' cash flow.

The bill will bring in the single- biggest tax reform that India has seen since 1947, replacing various tax structures and following the principle of one country, one tax.
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Senior executives and industry experts have told ET that air travel would likely have a double negative impact on air travel.

AirAsia gives exclusive 20% discount from Mobile App

Bengaluru : The low cost carrier, AirAsia India, announce the exclusive 20% discount on all seats, which will be book from its mobile app. Download AirAsia’s award-winning mobile app and enjoy an exclusive 20% discount on all seats, all flights for travel between 4 January and 25 May 2017. Don’t forget to use the ‘MOBILE20’ promo code, valid until Sunday, 7 August 2016 to enjoy this mobile app exclusive promotion.

Writ will not lie against foreign airlines: HC

Madurai: Travel agents cannot file writ petitions against airline companies, especially if they happen to be foreign airlines, seeking a direction to issue air tickets without demanding additional charges, the Madras High Court Bench here has held.

Justice M. Venugopal passed the order while dismissing a writ petition filed by Ameer Travels of Tiruchi seeking a direction to Sri Lankan Airlines to confirm tickets for 249 Haj pilgrims from Tiruchi to Saudi Arabia between August 16 and September 5.

Four new flights from Patna

Four new flights are expected to start operating from the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport beginning October 30.

The directorate-general of civil aviation (DGCA), the national civil aviation regulator, has approved IndiGo's proposal to operate three flights and GoAir's plan for one flight under their winter schedule.

This would include a direct flight from Patna to Bangalore for the first time.

In addition to the Bangalore flight, two flights would connect Patna to Calcutta and the fourth to New Delhi.

Air Costa halts flight operations

New Delhi: Regional airline Air Costa halted its flight operations on Thursday, following financial issues with its leasing companies.

Raising questions over the financial viability of regional airlines in India, the operational halt comes days after Bengaluru-based Air Pegasus grounded its operations.

“We had some financial issues with the leasing company and we are in the process of re-negotiation. We are very much in business and have only temporarily suspended operations for today.

This airline will let you travel for free! Here's how

Travelling the world is a dream most of us share. But getting to travel even a part for free is a certainly a dream-come-true. And that is going to be made true by IndiGo airlines.
In a bid to celebrate a decade of its existence in the domestic aviation industry, IndiGo will show gratitude to its consumers by launching a new programme called The 6E Explorer.
Going live on August 5 by 7pm, the initiative will call for entries to get passionate travellers on board as "6E Explorers". Shortlisted travellers will be interviewed by a panel including prominent names in the company, accompanied by external jury.

Air Lease Announces Lease Placement of Two Boeing 737-800s with SpiceJet

Air Lease places two Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft on long-term lease to SpiceJet (India), delivering in July and August 2016.
One of the 737-800s is from Air Lease’s order book with Boeing and the second is a 2012-built 737-800 with winglets and sky interior. These placements will be Air Lease’s fourth and fifth 737-800s on long-term lease to SpiceJet.

Air Costa resumes flight operation

New Delhi: Regional carrier Air Costa today announced the partial resumption of its flight services which were halted yesterday due to an issue with aircraft lessor.
Air Costa will operate nine flights today as the matter with the aircraft lessor has been “resolved” now while full operations will commence from tomorrow with 24 scheduled flights, the airline said in a statement.
“We had to cancel our flights for one day due to an issue with our lessor and that has been resolved now. The airline will resume full operations (all 24 flights) from tomorrow,” Air Costa Chief Executive Officer Vivek Choudhary said, with elaborating.

Jet Airways to add flights on Kathmandu-Delhi and Mumbai sectors

Kathmandu: Indian airline major Jet Airways has announced resumption of normal operations to Nepal, with five daily flights, beginning from October this year.
The airlines said it will fly thrice a day on the Kathmandu-Delhi sector and twice a day on the Kathmandu-Mumbai sector.
The carrier had reduced its flight frequency to Nepal to three daily flights in August last year.
"Nepal is a key strategic market for Jet Airways. The number of students and pilgrims has been increasing from Nepal," said Colin Neubronner, Senior Vice-President (sales and marketing) of Jet Airways. "We are doing well on the Kathmandu-Delhi sector, so we have decided to increase our flight frequency."

Refund.me launches first flight compensation app for air passengers in India

refund.me, the air passenger rights service provider, has launched a dedicated India mobile phone app and online widget to help air travellers secure compensation for delayed, cancelled, and overbooked flights regulated by both India and European Union (EU) passenger rights legislation.

The refund.me India app is the first to be specifically developed for air passengers travelling to, from, and within India - helping enforce the consumer rights of the more than 83 million passengers who take to the skies every year on domestic and international flights operated by India-based airlines.

Air India mulling belly cargo service from Surat

Surat: Air India, the lone operator in the Diamond City, is planning to start belly cargo service on passenger flights to Mumbai and Delhi from Surat.
The AI will use spare volume in the aeroplane's baggage hold ('belly') that is not being used for passenger luggage.
The decision was taken after AI authorities were convinced with a presentation by team members of 'We Want Working Airport at Surat (WWWAS)' over the potential of cargo services from Surat during their visit to New Delhi recently.
A team from AI's cargo division had visited the city in February 2016 and met various associations including textile, diamonds and WWWAS members for their views on air cargo potential.

Wi-Fi in Indian skies still remains a pipe dream, here's why

New Delhi: Getting Wi-Fi connectivity while flying in India remains a pipe dream for travellers - whether domestic or international.

Indian carriers say offering the service is too expensive for them and none of them have Internet-on-board.

Apart from this, not all the big international airlines, which have Wi-Fi on board, are able to provide it in Indian airspace due to stringent rules of having a local server.

Old aero bridges at Lucknow airport to be replaced soon

Lucknow: The Ministry of civil aviation has decide to replace the old aero-bridges at the Amausi airport with new one. Airport sources said that the aero bridges installed at the domestic terminal building - it was inaugurated in 2012 only - were actually 15 years old and brought from the Hyderabad airport.
Airport Authority of India had been pressing the ministry of replacement of the bridges for the past two and half years after snags started developing in the facility. Often passengers too reported about the inconvenience caused to them because of the poor quality of the aero bridges.

Aviation regulator wants airlines to give weekly reports relating to new passenger-friendly rules

With new norms notified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) becoming effective on Monday, fliers may now get prompt refunds on cancellations of their air tickets. In addition, the cancellation charges must not exceed the basic fare and fuel surcharge charged by carriers on a particular route.
Till today, charges varied from Rs.1,500 to 100% fare of the ticket, depending upon the class, price level and the time before departure.
India’s civil aviation regulator on 13 July notified significant amendments to civil aviation rules relating to refunds, cancellation charges and facilities to be provided to persons with reduced mobility.

IndiGo might delay taking delivery of some Airbus A320neo planes

New Delhi: Indian budget airline IndiGo might have to delay taking delivery of more Airbus A320neo planes to allow Pratt & Whitney time to sort out engine problems, the carrier's owner said on Monday.

IndiGo, owned by InterGlobe Aviation, has ordered 430 A320neo narrow-body aircraft in total, making it one of Airbus's largest customers.

InterGlobe President Aditya Ghosh said IndiGo still expects to have a total of 24 A320neo planes in its fleet by the end of this fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, if there are no delays in taking delivery due to engine problems.

IndiGo's bottomline hit, other airlines will also suffer; why airfares should rise

New Delhi: India is one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets, where passengers are enticed to fly with ridiculously low fares even as airlines’ costs remain among the highest due to high taxation of jet fuel. Frequent and bruising fare wars have scraped away about 7 percent from the net profit growth of market leader IndiGo for the June quarter.
The airline now says competitive intensity on fares is hurting its bottomline and it will continue to participate in such fares wars. The truth is air fares in India are among the lowest (a Bloomberg story says base fares are as low as 2 cents) and India generates volume of air traffic on the back of affordability. To make matters worse for airlines, there was a further 11 percent decline in year-on-year average domestic air fares during the June quarter this year. The average price at which IndiGo sold a seat was Rs 4,032 in Q1 this fiscal against Rs 4,525 in the same quarter last year. This is the reason for a decline in profitability for India’s largest airline by passenger numbers.

On-board internet up in the air in Indian skies

New Delhi: Getting Wi-Fi connectivity while flying in India remains a pipe dream for travellers - whether domestic or international.

Indian carriers say offering the service is too expensive for them and none of them have Internet-on-board.

Apart from this, not all the big international airlines which have Wi-Fi on board are able to provide it in Indian airspace due to stringent rules of having a local server.

Chopper joyrides from October again

Hyderabad: Enthusiasts can now have a bird’s eye view of the city once the Telangana State Tourism department re-introduces the Helicopter joyride for denizens from October this year. Locals and tourists would very get an opportunity to experience the thrill of aerial view of important tourist spots in the city.
Since the price of ticket was a point of contention raised by several previous sky tourists, the State government is contemplating to reduce the price for each ride per person when it is re-launched.
When the helicopter joyrides were first started in March, 2016, each ride per person was priced at Rs 3,499. Starting from Necklace Road, the ride covered places like Birla Mandir, Buddha Statue, Charminar, Falaknuma Palace, Salarjung Museum, Hi-tech City, Golconda Fort, State Assembly, Hyderabad High Court and Public Gardens.

Jet Privilege pledges 5 million JPMiles donation to NGOsIndian Aviation

Mumbai: JetPrivilege, the loyalty and rewards programme and the frequent flyer programme of Jet Airways, has achieved the milestone figure of five million members. Celebrating this achievement, JetPrivilege will make a monetary donation equivalent to five million JPMiles to two Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) - Nanhi Kali and Save The Children India.
The donation will be divided equally between the two organizations.

JetPrivilege members are also invited to donate their JPMiles towards the mentioned NGOs for a week between August 01 and August 07, 2016. The member-donated JPMiles will be converted into Indian currency along with their pledged donation, which will be handed over to the respective NGOs.

Chandigarh airport: A day after IndiGo’s opening of ticket sale for Dubai flight, fares go up

Chandigarh: A DAY after budget carrier IndiGo opened sale of tickets for its first international flight from Chandigarh to Dubai on September 26, fares on Monday witnessed an increase. The airline officials say that the seats for the first flight are getting filled “quickly”.
On Sunday, the IndiGo Airlines launched booking of direct non-stop daily flight from Chandigarh (IXC) to Dubai (DXB) from September 26.

Jet Airways to start daily service to Sharjah from Mangaluru

Mangaluru: Jet Airways, which is operating two international flights daily from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), would add one more to Sharjah from August 7.

A release from Airport Authority of India-operated MIA here said the Mangaluru-Sharjah-Mangaluru service would depart Mangaluru at 9.05 a.m. and arrive at MIA at 5.45 p.m.

Air India to operate flights to Medina

Mangaluru: The Haj operations from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) are scheduled to be operated from August 4 to August 7.

A release from MIA here said Air India flights would commence operations from MIA to Medina daily at 11.05 a.m. facilitating travel of the pilgrims from Mangaluru.

The old terminal building of MIA would be utilised for departure of Hajj pilgrims, Airport Director J.T. Radhakrishna, stated in a release.
To Read the News in Full 02/08/16 The Hindu

Relief for air passengers: Pay less for ticket cancellations from today

New Delhi: Fliers will have a reason to smile as the revised norms that caps ticket cancellation charges and bars airlines from levying additional amount for refund process are coming into force from today (August 1).

Besides, carriers would have to indicate in an "unambiguous manner" the amount of refund admissible on cancellation of a ticket.

"Under no circumstances, the airline shall levy cancellation charge more than the basic fare plus fuel surcharge," aviation regulator DGCA said.

SpiceJet, Jet Airways top India's Most Reputed Domestic Private Airlines list: BlueBytes

When it comes to flying high in Reputation in Indian Aviation, national carrier Air India ranks first. SpiceJet leads in Domestic Private Airlines followed by Jet Airways with a 34% lower Brand Rep Score. While Indigo Airlines trails Jet with a Brand Rep Score 9% lower. In the International Private Airlines segment Singapore Airlines leads the way followed by Etihad with a Brand Rep Score 19% below the category leader. Emirates Brand Rep Score was 27% lower than Etihad. BlueBytes in association with TRA Research (both part of the Comniscient Group), released 'India's Most Reputed Aviation Brands 2016' - the first in the Reputed series, and is set to launch a monthly report hereon on different sectors. The study evaluates brand's Reputation with a two-pronged approach of media analysis and a survey of consumer influencers.

Jet fuel prices fall 4%

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, prices were reduced by 4 percent applicable from midnight of July 31, 2016 and August 1,2016. This is the first time the jet fuel prices have fallen after rising for five straight months.

State asks Centre to improve interstate air connectivity

Bhubanseswar: The state government has urged the Centre to improve both interstate and intrastate air connectivity as part of the regional connectivity scheme (RCS).
It has put forth a proposal of four routes to be declared as RCS ones in Odisha. It has also proposed to improve connectivity with major cities in the neighbouring states to the ministry of aviation.
At present, Odisha has 20 operational airstrips. This includes the Biju Patnaik International Airport. "People living in the western, northern and southern parts of the state will be immensely benefited if air connectivity increases," said state tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda.

Government may leverage Air India to operationalise regional connectivity scheme

With no commitment coming from private carriers to join the ambitious regional connectivity scheme (RCS), the National Democratic Alliance government may bring in Air India Regional to operationalise the scheme aimed at bringing air travel to remote areas.
Started as Alliance Air in 1996, the carrier was a low-cost arm of the erstwhile Indian Airlines and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India following the historic merger of the two state-run airlines.
A senior official from the ministry of civil aviation, requesting anonymity, said that Air India would be asked to operate small ATR planes on some of the RCS routes in the initial stage to create demand.

Start-up airline hopes to capitalise on new UK-India trade deals

Britain's decision to leave the European Union could be good news for new start-up low cost Indian airline POP, which is aiming to capitalise on new trade agreements between the two countries. The new airline, which will donate 51% of profits to social projects, plans to be the first airline to operate non-stop flights between the UK (Stansted) and Amritsar and Ahmedabad.

The services will cater for cargo as well as passengers. Chairman & principal and founding partner of POP Navdip Singh Judge said: “The recent talks between the UK and Indian governments about a possible preferential or free trade agreement following the Brexit decision makes us even more confident about the cargo opportunities that POP can look forward to.

Soon, state to thrill tourists with seaplane service

Panaji: The marine plane service, expected to attract more tourists to the state, is likely to be launched commercially in the forthcoming tourism season, after it receives all clearances and approvals. Mandovi River has already been approved as the location for the marine plane to operate.
Director general of civil aviation (DGCA) has conducted a detailed audit of the plane and submitted a list of compliances. Since operations are suspended during the monsoon, the compliances will be met and a report submitted to DGCA post the rainy season. The marine plane service is also awaiting clearance from the captain of ports.

Two more flights from Biju Patnaik airport

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Patnaik International Airport will get two more domestic flights, starting September 12, after IndiGo has decided to run one flight each to Delhi and Kolkata.
Airport director R Mahalingam said with the addition of two flights, IndiGo will have four flights connecting Kolkata and five to Delhi. "The new flights will boost domestic traffic in the current financial year.

Keeping the noise down at airports in India

In a first in India, Mumbai’s international airport, the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), will now be able to identify aircraft that are the noisiest during take-offs, landing and during parking, round-the-clock.

To reduce the impact of noise on nearby residential areas, the CSIA has installed NoiseDesk, a web-based noise-monitoring system, which is replicated from London’s Southend Airport.
The move comes after India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), issued a Civil Aviation Requirement in January to contain noise around airports and conduct noise-mapping on the premises because of the increase in new airlines that has led to high noise levels.

Parrikar bats for air services from Nashik

Nashik: Defence minister Manohar Parrikar has urged the aviation ministry to start air service from Ozar airport near Nashik, a move that can bring the city back to the country's airmap after nearly seven years.
Parrikar has sent a letter to civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, nearly two months after a delegation of Nashik Industries & Manufacturers' Association (Nima) and local MP Hemant Godse met him during his visit to Nashik in the last week of May and discussed air service from Ozar.

Help desks, app to make airport user-friendly

Kolkata: Authorities at Kolkata airport are introducing a slew of measures to make the facility more user-friendly. From help desks to assist passengers negotiate the terminal to mobile app that promises to provide all information on one's finger tips, travel through airport is set to become a more pleasant experience.
"We have deployed staff dedicated to resolve customer problems on the spot and guide first-time fliers and the elderly who may require assistance to negotiate the terminal and its facilities," said Kolkata airport director Atul Dixit.

Air India fares higher than private carriers on Chennai-Port Blair route.

Chennai: For someone planning to go to Port Blair in mid-August, it is better to avoid Air India flights. The airline is charging three times more than private carriers.
An one-way ticket to Port Blair costs Rs15,000 to Rs22,000 on Air India flights while it is only Rs5,000 to Rs8000 on private airlines, in the third week of August. The difference in fares between the public sector carrier and private carriers remain throughout the month.
The fares have come as a surprise for regular travellers. Fares on Chennai-Port Blair sector is high because flights are the only option to travel and airlines face loses because schedules are unpredictable due to weather.

City airport gears up to handle Haj rush

Ahmedabad: With the Haj season starting on August 21, Ahmedabad airport is gearing up to handle the heavy rush of pilgrims. According to sources, there will be around 7,300 haj yatris this year who will travel from Ahmedabad and there are 25 flights scheduled between Ahmedabad and Jeddah. Anticipating a heavy rush due to the pilgrims and their relatives who will come to see them off, the airport authorities have planned to make parking chargable.

'Despite having huge potential', direct service from Madurai to Malaysia yet to take flight

Madurai: Despite a strong link between the large Tamil diaspora in Malaysia and the southern districts of Tamil Nadu, air-connectivity between Madurai and Malaysia is yet to become a reality.
On Saturday, the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry submitted a memorandum to the consul general of Malaysia Ahamed Fajarazam Bin Jalil, who is on a visit to the city, urging the country's support in getting a direct flight between Madurai and Kuala Lumpur. In its memorandum, the chamber noted that Tamil-speaking people originating from the southern districts, especially Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram, will contribute significantly towards both inbound and outbound traffic in this sector.

IndiGo to start Chandigarh-Dubai flights from September

Chandigarh: Domestic budget airlines IndiGo on Sunday announced direct flights from the city to Dubai, starting September, a year after the inauguration of a new terminal at the Chandigarh International Airport.
The city is all set to get on the international aviation map with the announcement.
IndiGo will launch its new daily non-stop flights between Chandigarh and Dubai, starting September 26, the Gurgaon-based carrier said in a release.
It has also announced special all-inclusive return fare of Rs 9,999 for its maiden international flight, which is up for booking from today.

Stakeholders want direct flights to Kochi

Mysuru: Stakeholders of the tourism industry in Mysuru are seeking direct flights between Mysuru and Kochi in Kerala as they feel this route would be a workable option if the footfall and traffic on weekends between the two cities is a pointer.

“On an average, over 200 taxis and private vehicles travel between Mysuru and Kochi and Kozhikode almost daily for tourism, shopping and business purposes. Commercial flight operations between the two cities can be explored as it’s a promising stretch,” said B.S. Prashanth, chairman, Mysore Travel Mart.

Knowing the father of aviation

JRD Tata, the father of Indian aviation, had flown a De Havilland Puss Moth carrying air mails from Karanchi to Bombay (now Mumbai) on October 15, 1932, thus scripting history.

Apart from the De Havilland Puss Moth, a Leopard Moth - both monoplanes with a fixed wing aircraft - was part of the air fleet, which came to be known as Tata Air Service and later Tata Airlines.

On July 29, 1946, exactly 70 years ago from today, Tata Airlines became a public sector company, today known as Air India.

Children from across Jamshedpur schools had their wow moment when they came to know these interesting facts about JRD, who is popularly known as the first licensed commercial pilot apart from being the chairman of Tata Group, on his 112th birth anniversary.

The young lot also heard about De Havilland Puss Moths for the first time and how a helicopter can be flown with remote control, all thanks to Tata Steel's aviation department, which like every year, paid homage to the doyen of Indian industry by organising a static display of aircraft and aero-modelling for Jamshedpureans at Sonari aerodrome on Friday.

SpiceJet launches smart mobile check-in facility at Hyd airport

Hyderabad: Travellers boarding SpiceJet flights from Hyderabad may no longer need to wait in queue for boarding pass. The airliner on Friday launched smart check-in facility using Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

Travellers booking ticket from SpiceJet mobile app will have to open the app and touch the mobile device on the Near Field Communication check-in posters available at the airport to get their boarding passes on their smartphones. As they walk towards the check-in area, they will receive an alert on their phones, provided their bluetooth and SpiceJet app are activated. On acknowledgement through the poster, they will receive the boarding pass.

Technology gives good cover to air safety

Chennai: While we are yet to get over mourning the loss our fellow citizens who died on the Indian Coast Guard Dornier flight last year, disaster has struck again with the missing Indian Air Force courier flight, AN-32.

Flight crashes are continuously on the rise in our country. Experts believe the age of aircraft, wear and tear of components and slow updates and maintenance to be the reasons for crashes and flight halts while on the air.

So, here are some of the things that have to be known about flight safety. Adopting these technologies with adequate care will mitigate aircraft accidents to a great extent, say experts.

SpiceJet plans regional connectivity push

Budget carrier SpiceJet on Friday raised the bar of customer comfort and convenience with the launch of smart mobile check in facility at GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited and outlined plans to tap the growing opportunities in regional connectivity where the Government is seeking to provide a major push.

Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Civil Aviation Minister, inaugurated the facility and expressed that the country’s civil aviation sector would continue to sustain the growth witnessed in the recent times.

Kerala plans to develop airstrips for chartered tourists

New Delhi: Kerala government today proposed to develop airstrips at Bakal, Wayanad, Idukki and Sabarimala to enhance connectivity for the chartered tourists and the development of tourism in the state. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today met Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju and demanded an improved domestic connectivity in the state, for which the minister assured that he will bring this matter to the notice of airliners concerned.

Fares to India from Oman slashed as airlines compete for fliers

Muscat: An airfare war has begun for getting the larger chunk of the Indian customer base as two festivals: Eid Al Adha and Onam will coincide in the early September.

According to a travel agent, flights to the South Indian state of Kerala and to most other Indian destinations are almost fully booked in early September.

Oman Air, the Sultanate’s national carrier, had already announced special fares in the economy class to selected destinations for a limited period of time.

Spicejet leads, GoAir next in passenger volumes game in India

Domestic passenger volumes were robust in June (up 20% y-o-y) with airlines flying 7.9million passengers versus 6.6million y-o-y. International passenger volumes grew 5.4% y-o-y. PLFs on domestic routes were however mixed — SpiceJet recorded highest PLF at 93% followed by GoAir (84.6%), Jet Airways (JAL) (78.5%), while Indigo at 77.9% witnessed sharp drop of 880bps y-o-y. Market shares across players remained broadly similar as in May’16 — IndiGo topped the lot with market share of 38.1%, followed by JAL (19.1%), Air India (15.2%), SpiceJet (12.7%) and Go Air (8.4%).

Lessors approach DGCA to get 3 Air Pegasus planes deregistered

New Delhi: Aircraft lessors have approached the civil aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), asking it to deregister their three planes loaned to Air Pegasus after the airline defaulted on rental payment.

The Bengaluru-based airline, which is facing severe fund crunch, has already suspended operations indefinitely, DGCA sources said.
The airline has not been carrying out operations since Wednesday.

IGI becomes first Indian airport to deploy Rockwell Collins’ ARINC vMUSE mobile solution

India-based Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has appointed US-based Rockwell Collins to deliver its first mobile common use check-in platform.

Rockwell Collins’ ARINC vMUSE mobile passenger processing solution allows airlines to check in customers from any location using a tablet-based application.

Delhi International Airport Information Technology head Jeewan Khulbe said: “ARINC vMUSE mobile from Rockwell Collins is a way to improve the passenger experience and to provide our airports with cutting-edge solutions when traditional systems are not enough.”

Operator stops flights from Chandigarh to HP

Chandigarh: The much-touted flight connecting Chandigarh with the hot tourist destinations of Himachal Pradesh, including Kullu, Dharamshala and Shimla, has been grounded as the operators have closed down the service. The flight, which was launched on June 9 with much hype by an operator based in south India and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), has been closed down, despite availability of a huge number of passengers on the Kullu-Chandigarh route.
According to AAI, now a 20-seater special flight would be launched between Kullu-Chandigarh and Kullu-Delhi during winters from October.

Airports running on losses

Dharamshala: Air services linking Dharamshala, Shimla, Kullu and Chandigarh have failed miserably as not even a single flight took off from here since its inauguration. The airport director, Parwinder Tiwari told TOI on Thursday that financial viabilities have hampered the airports' operations, and the company has been in talks with government to subsidize air fares. "It is hoped that the services will resume till September if the proposal to encourage the air connectivity in Himachal region is approved," he added.
Sources told nine seater aircraft was costing Rs 60,000 per day to the company which made the operations priced exorbitantly high. If state government extends support, the aircraft could be replaced with a 19 seater plane.

Spice Jet Airlines to start new flights from Jabalpur soon

Spice Jet Airlines would soon start initiating efforts to ply new flights on Delhi-Jabalpur-Mumbai-Delhi, Jabalpur to Banglure-Chennai, Jabalpur to Kolkata sectors.
Spice Jet Vice-President, Dabashish Deb to Member of Parliament Rakesh Singh has given the assurance during a meeting at his MP's residence in New Delhi.
It may be mentioned that following an accident at Dumna Airport the Spice Jet had stopped its flights on Delhi-Jabalpur-Mumbai, Delhi-Jabalpur-Banglore-Chennai sectors.

SpiceJet offers discount scheme for senior citizens

Discounts are raining in the aviation sector and this time, it's the turn of senior citizens to avail benefits. In a surprise move, private airline SpiceJet  has announced 15 per cent discount on base fare on domestic routes.
To avail the offer, booking and travel period should be from 15 July to 30 September, 2016.

Air India Express expands fleet, explores new routes

Kochi:  Air India Express (AIE), the Kochi-headquartered low-cost arm of Air India, has increased its fleet strength by adding three Boeing B737-800 NG aircraft, and is all set to further expand by including three more aircraft by year-end.

The company expects to tap the potential of the growing middle class segment, mainly comprising the working class, by increasing the fleet size and exploring new destinations. The customer base of AIE rose to 2.8 million in 2015-16 from 2.6 million in 2014-15.

Speaking to ‘Express,’ airline officials said, “we would be the first major airline to commence operation from the Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL), and preparations are currently on to commence service to various Middle East destinations as soon as the KIAL becomes operational. We will soon enhance our fleet strength from 20 to 23 by adding three more B737-800 NG aircraft.”