Resident rat grounds AI Dreamliner for 3rd time this month

New Delhi: One of Air India's Dreamliners has an unwelcome tenant. Spotted off and on, the rat has disrupted flights at least thrice this month, the last instance on Saturday. The aircraft, worth Rs 1,500 crore (at current prices), has been fumigated repeatedly and rat traps have been laid but there is no shooing away the rodent. Either it's one rat that has stood its ground, say sources, or new ones have hopped aboard.

RSS seeks minister's help in 'kirpan at airports' issue

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Sikh wing Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (RSS) has apprised the Union civil aviation minister Mahesh Sharma that Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh officials and employees working at international airports were being stopped from wearing their kirpan (small sword) citing an international treaty about security.

Passenger movement up by 2.47 lakh

For the first time passenger movement at Coimbatore International Airport has crossed the 15 lakh mark.

On reaching 17.31 lakh last financial year, the airport is all set to join the select airports in the country that are considered as major airports.

190 SpiceJet passengers spend night stranded in plane

A SpiceJet flight (SG487) from Mumbai to Kolkata was stranded at the Nagpur airport on Sunday night due to a technical snag. SpiceJet does not have regular service from Nagpur so there is no support or ground staff here. The plane therefore had to wait at Nagpur till a Spicejet Engineer could check it. A plane going from Kolkata to Goa on Monday morning brought the engineers here. The engineers repaired the snag and the stranded plane left for onward journey in the morning.

Air India chairman joins rodent watch

After the frequent grounding of its aircraft due to rodents, Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani carried out an inspection at Delhi airport and directed the staff to ensure strict maintenance and cleanliness of the hi-lift trucks used by catering companies.

Air India plans to launch global services from city

Customs Commissioner S.K. Rahman hoped that Gannavaram airport would soon acquire an international character with Air India preparing to establish linkages with foreign destinations.

India agrees to ink bilateral air service agreement with Fiji

As per a Financial Chronicle report by Nirbhay Kumar, India has agreed to sign a bilateral air service agreement (ASA) with Fiji, paving the way for direct flights between the two countries.

Compat sets aside Rs 258-cr fine on Jet, IndiGo, SpiceJet

In a relief for Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet, the Competition Appellate Tribunal today set aside Rs 258-crore penalty imposed on them and directed CCI to pass a fresh order.

Competition Commission of India (CCI) in November had penalised the carriers for alleged cartelisation in fixing fuel surcharge on air cargo.

Jet Airways was fined Rs 151.69 crore while the penalties on InterGlobe Aviation and SpiceJet were Rs 63.74 crore and Rs 42.48 crore, respectively.

India Is The World’s Fastest-Growing Aviation Market – And This MBA Wants A Piece Of It

The Indian aviation industry is taking off.

In 2015, domestic traffic soared by more than 20% while international flights increased by over 7%, according to a KPMG study. By 2020, India will become the world’s third largest aviation market after the US and China. Its airports could carry as many as 370 million passengers per year.

AAI likely to post all-time high revenue of Rs 10,000 crore

New Delhi: National airports operator AAI is expected to report an all-time high revenue of Rs 10,000 crore, with an estimated flat profit growth in the fiscal ended March 31 this year.

Lack of government support dampens growth of business jets

Business sentiments running high normally mean good days for private jet operators in India. But the country’s lack of infrastructure and a policy paralysis have stymied the growth of an industry which according to operators would have been high and flying now.

Firstly, the government is yet to evolve a policy framework for non-scheduled air operations, and lack of it was impeding the growth of the industry.

Bekal to join the big league, air connectivity soon

The famous Bekal Fort of the Chirakkal Rajas, one of the largest and best preserved forts in the State, is all set to figure on the aviation map with plans afoot for the construction of an airstrip. The airstrip that can accommodate 50-seater aircraft will offer last-mile connectivity to the Bekal Special Tourism Area that has already been developed as an exotic beach destination.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has almost finalised a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of the airstrip.

Air India, Jet to automate check-in process at Mumbai airport for domestic flights

 As per a Hindustan Times report by Soubhik Mitra, From two self-service kiosks at Terminal 2 (T2) of Mumbai airport that issue boarding passes and checked-in baggage tags on a couple of Air India routes, this service will soon be operational on the entire domestic network of the national carrier and Jet Airways, which collectively cater to more than one-third of domestic fliers in India.

Flight to Jaipur from October

Air connectivity to Jaipur, Rajasthan, from here will soon be a reality with Indigo planning to launch a flight en route to the national capital in October. Indigo has placed request to Air Bus to procure an aircraft for the purpose.

World's largest 'charkha' to be on display at IGI airport

New Delhi: World's largest wooden Charkha (spinning wheel) proposed to be installed at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport here is ready for dispatch from a unit of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in Ahmedabad.

Experience the Luxury of Flying Jet Airways

Jet Airways is the largest Indian airline with its head office at Mumbai, Maharashtra under the parent company Tailwinds Limited. With a fleet size of 101 aircraft, it controls 400 flights daily to 76 destinations in India and abroad. Other than the operating hubs in India it also possesses an international hub which is located in Brussels Airport, Belgium. Jet Airways commenced its commercial operations on the 5th of May 1993 and it is one of the oldest aircraft in India.

Vadodara gets two new flights due to runway repair in Ahmedabad

Runway at Ahmedabad airport is closed for operation between 10 am and 6 pm due to ongoing repair work which is likely to continue for one year.

A-I to deploy airbus for Simhastha fair

Indore :  Keeping an eye on passenger rush, Air-India (AI) is going to introduce a large aircraft, Airbus-321, for its Simhastha special flights from April 22 for New Delhi. The Airbus 321 is the largest among the existing flights of three airliners from the city.

Campaign rush in poll season leads to windfall at Durgapur airport

Kolkata: Bengal's sleepy greenfield airport near Durgapur has sprung to life with jet-setting VIP politicians flying in and out in the high noon of poll season. The airport has already earned an additional Rs 1 crore in a fortnight in landing and parking fees.

AirAsia India offers Rs 999 domestic, Rs 2,999 international fare

Bangalore: AirAsia India offers: Low-cost airline AirAsia on Sunday launched a special one week promotional campaign with one way fares to domestic destinations at Rs 999 and to international destinations at Rs 2,999.

Govt drops plan to bid out unused air traffic rights

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry has dropped the proposal of auctioning unused bilateral traffic rights on international routes, as per a draft on National Civil Aviation Policy circulated for inter-ministerial consultations last month, official sources said.

Will good times continue for the Indian flier?

That the Indian flier is price-conscious is clear from the rapid growth of low cost carriers (LCCs) in the domestic skies. Over the years, LCCs such as IndiGo Airlines, SpiceJet and GoAir gained market share rapidly at the expense of the full service carriers (FSCs) — more than 60 per cent of passengers in the country now fly with LCCs. Also, except Vistara, the new carriers in the Indian skies are all LCCs. Why, even the FSCs such as Jet Airways and Air India often price their economy class tickets around levels similar to those of LCCs. Low fares have invariably attracted the Indian flier, a case in point being the ongoing rapid growth in passenger traffic.

Aviation Soaring to the skies

The aviation sector in India has not had it this good in years. Passengers are taking to the skies in droves. At about 8.1 crore tickets, domestic passenger traffic during January to December 2015 was up more than 20 per cent year-on-year.

IBS Software Global Customer Summit invites 50 airlines

More than fifty airlines from all over the world will be represented in Dubai, during the IBS Summit.
The summit opens in Dubai today. It takes place in Ritz-Carlton, the perfect place for all representatives of airlines to show themselves and to talk about the future on the global market.
Summit will last four days. During this time, 200 representatives from airline companies will attend discussion panel.

Novoair to launch Dhaka-Guwahati flight

Novoair, a private airliner of the country, is going to launch international flight in Northeast Indian city Guwahati by October this year to tap growing air market.

Minor fire near airport premises

Jaipur: Panic spread near airport premises when a minor fire broke out in the garbage lying near its boundary wall on Friday. The state hangar where government helicopters and charter planes are parked was just a few meters away from the spot of the fire. The fire was contained within minutes, officials said.

Airlines in no mood to stop increase in cancellation charges

New Delhi: At a time when civil aviation regulator DGCA has sought a report from all the domestic carriers on the reason behind the recent hikes in cancellation charges by them, airlines have said that in future similar hikes are imminent as they focus more on extracting extra revenue from ancillary segments. This will also ensure that airlines raise the contribution of ancillary revenue in the total sales to bring it at par with the global airline business model where the former is 10% of the latter.

India turns ‘no fly zone’ for business jets on weekends

New Delhi: With the government having put ease of doing business in India at the top of its agenda, VistaJet boss Thomas Flohr knows one change he'd like to see happen — get the aviation regulator to work on weekends so that overflight approvals don't need to take three days. To be sure, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation will approve emergency requests in a matter of hours but for everybody else, the office is shut on Saturday and Sunday.

5/20 rule set to be tweaked: Mahesh Sharma

New Delhi: Indicating that the decade-old norm for international operations by the domestic carriers, popularly known as 5/20 rule, is set to be tweaked, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma expressed hope the Union Cabinet will give its nod to the revised norm by this month.

9 flights cancelled, ops move to Vadodara

Airline companies and airport authorities have geared up for change in their summer schedule with airport authorities announcing the runway will remain closed for re-carpeting from today. As per authorities, the 3.5km runway at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) will remain closed daily from 10am to 6pm daily for a year, i.e. till April 2017.

BJP and MNS warn Jet Airways over expat pilots

Mumbai: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have both cautioned Jet Airways against hiring expat pilots. On Friday, the BJP asked the airline to clarify its position on hiring expat pilots over unemployed Indian pilots and warned they would launch an agitation against the airline if they failed to do so within the next two days.

Brussels attacks: Jet Airways crew member Nidhi Chaphekar speaks to her children after 24 days

Nidhi Chaphekar, the Jet Airways crew member who was critically injured in the Brussels Airport blast, had been put off the ventilator on Friday and she could finally speak to her children, who are in Mumbai, over the phone after 24 days.

Flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur from July

Bhubaneswar: The much-awaited air service to international destinations from the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here is likely to be a reality as services to destinations like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur may begin from this July.

Govt suspends Vijay Mallya's passport, ED seeks non-bailable warrant

Tightening its noose on beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya, facing probe on charges of misappropriating a Rs 9,000 crore bank loan, the government on Friday suspended his diplomatic passport for four weeks.
The government gave Mallya a week's time to respond to the notice failing which his travel document could be impounded.

It’s time Vellore had an airport

Vellore:  An airport continues to be a dream for many in Vellore district. Home to institutions such as VIT University, Christian Medical College (CMC), and a prime leather industrial belt, Vellore has been lacking an airport. This could facilitate easy and faster connectivity, many residents said.

Kingfisher’s woes Vijay Mallya’s doing, not aviation industry: Arun Jaitley

Washington :  Finance Minister Arun Jaitley feels the failure of Vijay Mallya-led defunct carrier Kingfisher had more to do with the individual company’s business model than the aviation industry, and that every step is being taken to recover the money it owes to banks. ”The airline’s (Kingfisher’s) problem is not a sectoral problem.

Changi Airports International, India’s Airports Authority call off collaboration

Singapore: A proposed plan to broaden Singapore and India's collaboration in civil aviation has been called off, after parties involved in the negotiations failed to agree on commercial terms of the project, Channel NewsAsia reported.

Snag-hit plane lands at airport

Ahmedabad: A Kuwait Airways flight with more than 100 passengers aboard made an emergency landing at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Wednesday morning, reportedly due to technical issues in their GPS (global positioning system) and radar systems. The issue was resolved in one-and-a-half hours and the flight finally took off for Kuwait.

VistaJet set to land in India to serve the uber rich

New Delhi: The world leader in the luxury jet business VistaJet is eyeing India’s uber-rich willing to shell out around $13,000-18,000 an hour for a rendezvous.

After flying 40,000 hours globally in the last one year, VistaJet wants to start a new chapter in the aviation space in India as it sees growing demand from industrialists or corporate bigwigs who have to fly for business deals within a short notice.

Supreme Court raps Air India over lack of air connectivity to Shimla, Northeast

New Delhi: Supreme Court Tuesday took strong note of lack of air connectivity to places in the North East and Shimla and rapped the government and Air India for “promoting interests” of private operators.
“Is it not part of your policy guidelines to provide services to far-flung places like North East and Shimla,” a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice R Banumathi asked.

Air Carnival to take wings in May

Coimbatore: New airline Air Carnival is expected to take wings in May.

Manish Kumar Singh, Chief Executive, Air Carnival told BusinessLine that the arrival of the first aircraft —ATR 72-500 from Elix Aviation Capital Ltd, Ireland — signalled the company’s seriousness, intent of providing air connectivity to parts of the southern region.

AVM protests diversion of flights from int’l airport

Amritsar: Members of the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) staged a protest alleging discrimination with Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport by the Civil Aviation Ministry here today. The protest was organised at Bhandari Bridge.

State keen to spend 3.5cr on Kolhapur airport, says Patil

Kolhapur: District guardian minister Chandrakant Patil has said the state government is keen on spending Rs 3.5 crore for the commencement of Kolhapur airport. He said a proposal in this regard has already been submitted to the Airport Authority of India (AAI).

Indian shareholders in control of airline, not us: AirAsia

Mumbai: Under fire on charges of violating India's foreign direct investment (FDI) norms, AirAsia said on Friday that its majority Indian shareholders — Tata Sons and its executives — were in control of the airline. It also blamed ‘vested interests’ for stifling the airline’s growth in the country.

Aviation Policy: Cabinet to approve new 5/20 norm by April-end

Indicating that the decade-old norm for international operations by the domestic carriers, popularly known as 5/20 rule, is set to be tweaked, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma on Friday expressed hope that the Union Cabinet will give its nod to the revised norm by this month.

The rule was a "matter of concern," and has been addressed (appropriately), Sharma, who is Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said at an event here.

3 years on, sacked Deccan pilots still waiting for dues

Hyderabad: Almost three years since they moved court, sacked pilots of the Captain G R Gopinathfounded Deccan Charters Pvt Ltd are still running from pillar to post to recover their dues.

Hyderabad Mishap because of terrible planning

Improper planning resulted in the crash of the decommissioned Airbus 320 aircraft on Monday. The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was not followed while transporting the massive structure by road. Police were also not given details of the transport plan. North Zone police has booked a case against Air India and Durga Crane Services under IPC Section 336 for negligence.

High Court seeks DIAL, AAI reply on entry fee on commercial vehicles

New Delhi: Delhi High Court has sought the responses of Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) on a cab firm's plea against the entry fee of Rs 150 levied upon all commercial vehicles entering the IGI airport to ferry passengers.

Another airplane delayed as pilot wasn't available

Mumbai: A Jet Airways flight to Bangalore was delayed after its pilot was reportedly unavailable. Passengers who were flying to Bangalore on Monday morning were told by the crew that the plane was delayed because there was no pilot and that there was air traffic congestion.

Ground handlers body GHAI seeks Home ministry intervention

New Delhi: Seeking Union Home Ministry's intervention in security and safety related issues, particularly self-handling by airlines, in the proposed aviation policy, Ground handlers body GHAI today expressed hope that the Government will address its concerns before finalising it.

Malaysias Indians-owned Sharia-compliant airline suspended

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysias Rayani Air, the countrys first Sharia-compliant airline owned by an ethnic Indian Hindu couple, has been suspended for three months for failing to adhere to aviation regulations, it was announced today.

TCP approves PDA for Mopa airport site

Panjim: In a major decision, the department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) has decided to bring the Greenfield International Mopa airport site, measuring around 81.29 lakh sq mtrs of area, under the Planning and Development Authority (PDA).

Kingfisher Airlines fund trail: CBI plans to send letters rogatory to 4 countries

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has received information from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) on Vijay Mallya investments abroad and now plans to send letters rogatory (a judicial request) to four countries including France, US, Switzerland and the UK to probe former Kingfisher Airlinesfund trail.

App-based cab company challenges entry fee at IGIA

New Delhi: An app-based cab company has challenged the entry fee of Rs.150 imposed on commercial vehicles at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), while alleging that some taxi operators were allowed to enter and pick up passengers without paying any fee. This privilege was denied to others, said the cab firm in the Delhi High Court.

Air India to serve Mumbai-Bhavnagar route

Starting April 21, Air India will fly between Mumbai and Bhavnagar on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The 75 minute flight AI-9629 will depart from Mumbai at 1730, and the 65 minutes return flight AI-9630 will depart from Bhavnagar at 1925.

Jet Airways in IPL sponsorship deal

Hyderabad: Jet Airways and its UAE partner Etihad Airways have extended their sponsorship as official airline partners and principal sponsors of defending champions Mumbai Indians at this year’s Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket tournament. 

Air India looks to woo tourists with Delhi-Vienna service

Vienna: Air India’s decision to start three-times-a-week flight to Vienna might prove to be a money spinner. Air India started the flight connecting Delhi with Vienna on April 6. The airline started the service after Austrian Airlines withdrew from the sector.

Indore gets direct flight to Goa

Indore: People planning to spend their vacation on Goa's exotic beaches can now reach their favourite destination in less than two hours. Private airline Indigo has announced the launch of a direct flight from Indore to Goa from April 16.

Fire breaks out near runway of Varanasi airport

Varanasi: Fire broke out in the bushes near the runway of Lal Bahadur Shastri International airport, Babatpur on late Monday night. The security personnel and airport staff immediately extinguished the fire.

SkyTeam wants India’s Jet, Brazil’s Gol

Dubai:  Major airline alliance SkyTeam wants to add India’s Jet Airways and Brazil’s Gol to its ranks as it looks to strengthen its global network, Chief Executive Perry Cantarutti told Gulf News on Tuesday.

New Civil Aviation Policy to address issues of e-visas, regional connectivity

New Delhi: The new civil aviation policy of the union government, which is quite on the cards, will address both the issues of opening up the skies and regional connectivity in a very aggressive and fulfilling manner, a top Tourism Ministry official said at an ASSOCHAM event held in New Delhi.

AirAsia, Indian?

New Delhi: Questions are again being asked about the degree of control that foreigners have over Indian airlines. In 2012, the then United Progressive Alliance government liberalised foreign direct investment rules in Indian carriers, allowing 49 per cent ownership by foreigners in domestic airlines through the automatic route - as long as control remained with an Indian partner. Several airlines began operation shortly after this provision came into effect, including AirAsia and Vistara.

Who Really Runs AirAsia India?

Documents and email exchanges reviewed by Mint prove that AirAsia India is run by AirAsia Bhd, in contravention of Indian laws that say that while Indian airlines can allow a foreign airline to own up to 49% in them, they have to be controlled and run by the Indian partners.

This control could explain the churn at the top at AirAsia India, as well as the angst of one of the shareholders.

In 2013, AirAsia Bhd said it would partner with Tata Sons Ltd, and Arun Bhatia of Telestra Tradeplace Pvt. Ltd to launch an airline in India.

AirAsia Bhd was to own 49% shares in the firm, Tata Sons 41% and Bhatia the rest. Tata Sons announced on 28 March that it would buy out Bhatia.

AirAsia India outsourced services to subsidiary of Malaysian partner

New Delhi: AirAsia India had to pay an annual fee of Rs 10 crore to AirAsia Global Services (AGSS) - a subsidiary of its Malaysian partner AirAsia Bhd - for services it should have ideally handled on its own.
The "services", according to informed sources, included finance support, human resources, revenue management, cancellation and refunds.

Swamy demands cancellation of AirAsia India permit

Mumbai: A media report on Tuesday said AirAsia India is controlled by its Malaysian share holder (AirAsia Malaysia), in alleged contravention of foreign direct investment norms.

While the civil aviation ministry has not responded, Tata Sons (which, along with its executives, owns 51 per cent in the airline) denied any violation of norms. However, the revelations have come as  ammunition for Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, who has been fighting a legal battle against the airline since 2013.

20 years of growth: Why India's aviation industry is taking off

"Indians want to spend money. They're one of the world's biggest spenders today."
That's the explanation Neerja Bhatia, vice president of India Etihad, offers for why India is now the world's fastest-growing aviation sector.
"If you look at the past, an average middle-class family would take one domestic holiday a year," she tells CNN. "Today the trend has changed."
International carriers want in on the action.

14 Airbus A-320 aircraft to join AI fleet soon; AI Express HQ in Kochi to be revamped

Kochi: Fourteen more brand new Airbus A-320 aircraft would join the Air India fleet, Ashwani Lohani, chairman and managing director, Air India, has said. These aircraft will be put to use for domestic operations. The new aircraft will be in in addition to the six new Boeing 737-800 aircraft joining the Air India Express fleet, which are planned to be deployed mainly on the India-Gulf routes.

Crane operator booked for ‘crash landing’ of A320

Hyderabad: A case of negligence under Section 336 of IPC against Air India and the crane operator has been registered by Bowenpally police in the aftermath of the incident in which an A320 being transported on the road fell on the wall disrupting traffic in Balanagar and Bowenpally area.

Plea in High Court for CBI probe into KFA's jet fuel procurement

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Monday received a petition to hear a fresh plea for CBI action against Vijay Mallya and his defunct Kingfisher Airlines over Rs 602-crore aviation fuel, which he received on credit from a public sector company between 2008 and 2010.

ED may revoke Vijay Mallya's passport

New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) is mulling "appropriate" action against liqour baron Vijay Mallya, including getting his passport revoked, after he failed to appear before it despite being summoned thrice in connection with a money laundering probe in the over Rs 900 crore IDBI loan fraud case.

Now, flyers can choose their food on board

Jaipur: Passengers travelling to various destinations from Jaipur airport can now have quality food on board as per their choices. Not only this, the travellers can now even demand famous Rajasthani cuisine.

Understaffed and overworked ATCs told to work longer

Mumbai: Faced with a severe shortage of air traffic controllers, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has come out with a controversial solution that will end up reducing the number of days off they get in a month

Ball to be set rolling for Navi Mumbai airport in 5 months: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Informing that his Cabinet has given its nod for the request for proposal (RFP) for the proposed new international airport at Navi Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that since the period for the tender process is five months, the letter of intent and work order would be given after five months.

Work on Navi Mumbai airport to start by December

Mumbai: The developer, who will be selected to build Navi Mumbai international airport by October, is expected to start work by December, revealed state officials.

Crucial work on flattening hillocks and changing the course of Ulve river for the aviation project could start soon. On Monday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis gave the go-ahead for the final phase of tendering.

New system at Bamrauli airport

The Allahabad high court on Tuesday directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to install Instrumental Landing System (ILS) at Bamrauli Airport. The court directed the air force to grant permissions for the same.

Delhi Airport to produce 20 MW through solar energy by 2020

New Delhi: Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the company that operates the Delhi airport, today said that it has enhanced the solar power generating capacity at the Delhi airport to 20MW by 2020.

Passenger growth, lower fuel prices to boost revenues of airlines

Mumbai: Earnings of Indian carriers are likely to be high in the the March quarter, too, as jet fuel prices are down over 23 per cent from last year. Strong passenger growth will help domestic airlines improve their top line and margins in the March-end quarter, analysts say.

5-year rule for airlines to fly abroad may go

New Delhi: The rules for local airlines to fly overseas, a highly contested policy issue within the industry, are set to change with the government ready to abolish one of the current eligibility conditions while keeping the other.

Indian transport sector joins fight to shut down illegal wildlife trafficking

Representatives from across the transport sector in India have joined global leaders in signing the Buckingham Palace Declaration, showing their commitment to fight criminal wildlife trafficking. At a ceremony on 11 April at the Residence of the British High Commissioner to India, Sir Dominic Asquith, KCMG, three of the biggest shipping and airline companies in India signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration in the presence of His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge. The Maersk Group, already a signatory, was also present.

Now, park your car for three days at airport

Aurangabad: After providing parking facilities to non-scheduled aircrafts at the International Chikalthana Airport in Aurangabad, the airport authority has decided to allow passengers to park their cars for a maximum three days at the airport.

CM inspects airport works

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday inspected the new terminal/building constructions works at Vijayawada (Gannavaram) airport.

GMR increases solar power unit capacity at Delhi airport

Hyderabad: The GMR group managed Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd has increased the solar power generating capacity at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi from the existing 2.14 MW to 7.84 MW.

This will enable the airport to be largely dependent on green energy as the power generated from the solar plant is expected to support the IGI airport operations.

The Delhi airport becomes the first airport in the world to be registered under the Clean Development Mechanism of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
To Read the News in Full 12/04/16 V Rishi Kumar/Business Line

More counters, staff to tackle airport rush

Ahmedabad: With runway resurfacing at the city airport scheduled to start by the end of this week, Airports Authority of India (AAI) is taking all measures to help flyers have a hassle-free experience.

Air India to begin Bhavnagar-Mumbai flight from April 21

Ahmedabad: In a big relief to frequent flyers, Air India is all set to start a flight on Bhavnagar-Mumbai route from April 21. The flight will operate four days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

SpiceJet flight returns after technical snag

A Madurai-bound flight of budget air carrier SpiceJet with 72 passengers returned to the airport here, shortly after it took off, following a 'technical snag' on Monday, airport authorities said.

New flights to Tirupati, Visakhapatnam

Vijayawada: Along with the already existing direct flights, SpiceJet introduced two connecting flight services between Visakhapatnam and Tirupati via Vijayawada. The new services would be operational from April 25.

Airlines face delays, congestion issues at Indian airports

Key Indian international airports at Delhi and Mumbai are experiencing accessibility problems as a result of traffic volume increases and infrastructure upgrades.

Cochin International Airport posts 20% growth in passenger traffic

Kochi: Cochin International Airport Ltd has posted a 20 per cent growth in passenger traffic, thereby handling 77 lakh travellers in FY-16.

Of this, the growth in domestic passengers was 16.66 per cent, while the international passengers constitute 23.92 per cent.

Mumbai’s flights of passion

Here's why an increasing number of aeromodellers in the city are giving vent to their fantasy...
Who says a childhood dream can't come to life when you're older? Just ask a group of folks who gather at the Race Course each weekend, who are testimony to that. For come Saturday and Sunday mornings, you'll find people of all ages chasing the early blue skies with their pet hobby — flying! Tiny model aircraft, we mean. This is aeromodelling — a hobby about building and flying model aircrafts, that's catching on in the city, of late...

Vijayawada set to get better air connectivity

Vijayawada: Connectivity to Vijayawada airport is getting better with SpiceJet introducing flights in the Tirupati-Visakhapatnam sector via Vijayawada later this month. It is one of the three airline operators currently serving Vijayawada, while Air India and Air Costa being the other two.

Air India allows 35kg as free baggage till may

Muscat: Air India has announced increasing the free baggage allowance to 35kg for all economy class passengers travelling to Mumbai on tickets purchased effective April 9 for travel until May 31.

Jet Airways to launch daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Amsterdam

New Delhi: Jet Airways is expected to launch daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Apart from raising Holland’s profile on the Indian outbound market, this would also add another stopover option to people travelling to Toronto, Canada.

Private airlines ground staff hurt by glass shard

Kolkata: A ground staff of private airlines Indigo was today seriously injured after being hit by a glass shard at the N S C B International airport.

Air India orders probe against pilot who delayed flight for particular woman co-pilot

New Delhi: National carrier Air India on Thursday ordered an inquiry into an incident in which a commander allegedly refused to operate a flight from Chennai without a particular woman co-pilot.
The company will neither "condone" nor "tolerate" such acts, Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said in a statement here.

Airline carbon tax will burden poor countries: BASIC

New Delhi: The BASIC countries - Brazil, South Africa, India and China - are opposed to any move of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on carbon emission tax on airlines in the garb of offsetting emission in the aviation sector as they believe it would impose inappropriate economic burden on developing countries.

ATR, Bombardier and Embraer bullish on India growth

Mumbai: Plane makers ATR, Bombardier and Embraer are bullish on growth in India with the rise in air travel in tier II and III towns and the government thrust on regional connectivity.

These plane makers primarily cater to the regional aviation  market with their 48-110 seater aircraft. Currently ATR has the largest presence amongst the three in India with 35 aircraft in service with four scheduled airlines. Bombardier and Embraer have 15 and 3 aircraft in service  with a single operator each.

Plea to use Salem Airport effectively

Salem: The Confederation of Indian Industry here has urged the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to take effective steps for the resumption of passenger and cargo services from Salem Airport.

The Salem Airport was established in 1993 and was operated for some time by a private airline. After a gap of 16 years, the Kingfisher Airlines introduced passenger service in the Salem – Chennai sector from 2009 – 11. This service too was stopped abruptly, a memorandum presented by a CII delegation to R.N. Choubey, Secretary, Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, in new Delhi on Tuesday.

AAI's plan-B to avoid link fail

Kolkata: Airports Authority of India (AAI) is putting in place a backup for the microwave link that connects critical aircraft communication, navigation and surveillance equipment to prevent a repeat of Thursday's blackout.

Unused Air India aircraft collapses during road transport

Mumbai: A crane carrying an unused Air India aircraft crashed near the Begumpet Airport early morning on Sunday. No casualties were reported.

AAI to tweak design for Chennai airport Phase II

Chennai:  During phase I of the modernisation of Chennai Airport, many cases of broken glass panel were reported. Now, as the modernisation programme enters the second phase, Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials are confident that glass panel breakage will be a thing of the past.

Airports Authority looks to railways to ensure safer air travel

Mumbai: Due to the frequent glitches in the air navigation system that have been taking place from time to time due to poor service providers, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which controls air navigation and operates most of the country's civil aviation airports, is looking towards the railways for help in ensuring that planes fly safely and on time in the upper airspace.

Air Costa to lease another five Embraer jets

New Delhi: Regional carrier Air Costa has said it plans to lease another five Embraer jets this fiscal, which will raise its fleet size to nine aircraft by March next year. The airline expects to improve its operational performance going forward with the induction of new plane both in terms of passenger load factor and yield, a senior airline official said.

Air fares dip as airlines increase flight frequency

Chennai: Air fares to Mumbai, Delhi and a few other metros have dipped for travel in the coming days. Tickets are selling in the 4,500-5,500 range on the Chennai-Delhi route and 2,500-4,500 range on Mumbai route for two days advance booking. This will come in handy for people who have not planned their summer holidays in advance.

London-bound flight makes emergency landing as passenger complains of choking

Mumbai:  An Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London made an emergency landing at Mumbai airport last morning after a passenger complained of choking on in-flight snacks. The flight was to land in Mumbai for a layover anyway, but was given priority and allowed to descend immediately.

Airports see queue pangs

New Delhi: Around 200,000 tourists entered India using e-tourist visa (e-TV) in the first two months of this year. This is equal to 50 per cent of those who arrived in the country using this facility in 2015.

Gupta private jet flies to India

Cape Town: A private jet used by members of the Gupta family to fly from South Africa to Dubai late last week has now flown on to India.

PlaneFinder.net shows that Flight ZS-OAK, a Bombardier Global Express jet registered to ExecuJet South Africa, flew from Dubai at 00:10 on Monday, April 11, and landed near Nakur, north of New Delhi.

After IndiGo, SpiceJet also hikes ticket cancellation charges

New Delhi: Budget carrier SpiceJet has also increased its ticket cancellation charges by over Rs 350, days after its competitor IndiGo announced a flat charge of Rs 2,250 even as the DGCA deadline for airlines to submit their response on the issue ended on Friday.

Chennai police to create green corridor from airport to Perumbakkam to transport brain dead patient's heart

Chennai: The Chennai Traffic Police will create a green corridor from airport to Global Hospital in Perumbakkam to transport the heart of a brain dead patient in Bangalore.
The heart will be transplanted in a patient in the hospital.

Airport glass jinx scan

Chennai: A passenger's complaint citing 61 instances of falling glass panels at Chennai airport has led the National Human Rights Commission to issue notices to the civil aviation ministry and the Airports Authority of India.

The two organisations have four weeks to explain the charge of doing nothing despite requests from travellers. All the incidents have occurred since 2013, after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) renovated the airport at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

Etihad and Jet Airways keep Mumbai Indians flying high

Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways and Jet Airways are continuing their sponsorship as Official Airline partners and principal sponsors of defending champions Mumbai Indians at this year’s Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket tournament.

The partner airlines are lending support for the third year running to one of the most successful franchise teams in the IPL and one of India’s biggest sports brands since the tournament was launched in 2008. Mumbai Indians feature some of the sport’s biggest names.

Crane carrying Air India aircraft crashes near Begumpet airport

Hyderabad: A crane carrying an Air India aircraft lost its balance and crashed near Begumpet airport in Telangana on Sunday morning, no casualties have been reported.

Kolkata ATC loses contact with 300 aircraft, AAI says it's not a safety issue

Airport Authority of India has denied that there was a major air scare at Kolkata airport following reports of a communications failure between the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and some aircraft in mid-air. The Kolkata ATC reportedly lost contact with at least 300 aircraft for a few minutes due to a temporary link failure on Thursday morning.

City upset that AI ignored Surat-Ahmedabad route

Surat: At a time when Air India (AI) sent a proposal to Gujarat government for starting intra-state air services, flyers crusading for better air connectivity in the state have strongly demanded flights between Surat and Ahmedabad as well.

Russia points to pilot error in flydubai Boeing crash

Moscow: Russian aviation investigators said Friday that the pilots of a flydubai jet that crashed and killed 62 last month put the plane into a nose-dive and were unable to pull out of it.
The Boeing 737 flying from Dubai crashed short of the runway in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don in the early hours of March 19 after it aborted a landing in poor weather.

Use realistic block time for flights, advises DGCA to airlines

New Delhi: With the domestic air passenger traffic growing by over 20% and airlines facing slot crunch, aviation regulator DGCA has advised airlines to use realistic block time for operation of flights on various routes.

Air India may soon operate flights within Gujarat

Ahmedabad: Air India may soon operate intra-state flights on routes such as Bhavnagar-Amreli and Bhuj-Ahmedabad as part of its services in the state. The national carrier has given a proposal to the Gujarat government to begin intra-state flight services on select routes. The state civil aviation ministry has also written to Jet Airways and invited a proposal for intra-state service from them.

Indian LCCs resist move to Mumbai's Terminal 2

GoAir, IndiGo Airlines, SpiceJet and other Indian budget carriers are resisting Mumbai International Airport Ltd's plans to relocate them to Mumbai Int'l Terminal 2 citing the facilities increased cost of use as well as lack of accessibility.

SpiceJet to fly Boeing 737 aircraft on Pune-Goa route

Panaji: In view of the summer holiday rush, low-cost carrier SpiceJet announced that it would replace the existing Bombardier Q400 aircraft with a Boeing 737 aircraft from April 17 along the Pune-Goa route.

Vistara commences services to Srinagar

Srinagar: Vistara, a JV of Tata and Singapore Airlines and India’s fastest growing full service carrier, took its inaugural flight to Srinagar from New Delhi’s IGI Airport today at 14.45 hours. Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, is one of India’s top tourist destinations which make this an apt addition to Vistara’s route network.

IndiGo adding 16 flights

Mumbai: In a bid to enhance its operations across the country, IndiGo is to launch 16 new flights effective today. IndiGo is to introduce operations on the Chennai-Guwahati route with its first non-stop flight, and also connect Bengaluru to Chennai, Bengaluru to Guwahati and Delhi to Raipur with new flights, on the same day.

Rule leeway for new airlines

New Delhi: The draft aviation policy, which will be sent to the cabinet this week, is expected to allow new airlines with less than five years of domestic experience to fly overseas, provided they have 20 aircraft and 20 per cent of their fleet earmarked for domestic routes.

e-visa, TVOA sought at Vizag airport

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament Kambhampati Haribabu has sent a proposal to the Ministry of Home and the Ministry of External Affairs seeking the introduction of e-Tourist Visa on Arrival and Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) for foreign nationals at Visakhapatnam International Airport.

IndiGo to Punjab and Haryana HC: Willing to start Chandigarh to Dubai-city flight this summer

Chandigarh: Indigo has expressed its desire to start international flights between Chandigarh and Dubai this summer season within 45 days of getting the customs clearance from Delhi and Punjab for which it has already applied. The information was submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday by Assistant Solicitor General of India Chetan Mittal on the basis of a meeting held in Delhi on April 4.

Indian Aviation Authority Orders Probe Into Upkeep of AI's Aging Airbus Fleet

Nearly three weeks after an Air India (AI) flight's tyre burst on touchdown at Mumbai airport, forcing the emergency evacuation of 160 passengers, the the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked the airline to send a report on the upkeep of its Classic Airbus fleet -- the oldest in the airline. After the incident on March 15, Hindustan Times had reported that VT-ESL, the aircraft involved in the safety scare, belonged to the fleet which is more than two decades old.

Trujet to operate flights from Kadapa from today

Kurnool: After a gap of nearly 25 years, flights will be operated from Kadapa to Hyderabad from Ugadi on April 8.

Vayudoot had operated flights from Kadapa to Hyderabad in the 1980s, but Kadapa aerodrome was neglected in due course and subsequently merely became a refuelling point for helicopters of Chief Ministers and other VIPs.

Ugadi special concert at international airport

Bengaluru: The pre-Ugadi special for ‘Music at the Airport’ will be a performance by a 15-member choir on April 7 at 5.30 p.m. in the domestic departure section.

‘Music at the Airport’ is an initiative that was started six months ago.

Vienna's water cannon salute to passengers of Air India's maiden flight

 Air India's maiden flight from New Delhi reached Vienna today.The direct flight from New Delhi to Vienna was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute and the disembarking passengers were greeted at the Vienna International Airport on arrival.

Juhu airport shuts 90 minutes early due to staff shortage

Mumbai: The air traffic controller shortage at Juhu airport has reached such a critical level that the airport, which used to be open from sunrise to sunset, has begun shutting down at 5pm.
The 90-minute early closure, enforced by controllers from last Saturday, will hit oil and gas production at Bombay High and also affect aircraft charter operators and private aircraft owners. If the controller shortage continues, the airport may stay open only from sunrise to 3pm on certain days, hitting oil and gas production significantly.

Flight operations hit in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport

Kolkata : Flight operation at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport was affected for about two hours this morning due to link failure of BSNL. Also read: Air India aircraft and Jet Airways bus separated 5 days after the mishap at Kolkata airport.

Flight suspensions set to hit revenue

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad has the state's only profit making airport, but it will soon have to tighten its belt, as the runway resurfacing project from April 16, will lead to a daily revenue loss of Rs2 lakh. At the same time, the numerous cancellation and suspension of flights due to the resurfacing work is expected to affect tourist footfall.

Night landing at Gaya int'l airport suspended

Gaya: Night landing at Gaya airport has been suspended till the reinstallation of the equipment stolen on Tuesday.
Control panel, solar plate and battery were stolen from Ramshila Hills, identified as one of the five obstruction points needing special lighting arrangement for safe landing during night hours. Two flights, including Air India 234, were cancelled on Wednesday.

SpiceJet flight to Vijayawada, Tirupati

Visakhapatnam: SpiceJet will connect Visakhapatnam with Vijayawada and Tirupati from April 25.

The flight will take off from Tirupati at 11.10 a.m. and land in Vijayawada at 12.15 p.m. and take off at 12.40 p.m. to arrive in Visakhapatnam at 1.40 p.m.

IAC to Publish Interim Report on Investigation Into FlyDubai Crash

Moscow: The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) will publish later in the day a preliminary report on the progress of investigation into the March crash of the FlyDubai passenger plane in Russia, a spokesperson for the IAC said Thursday.

Passengers body calls for removal of 5/20 rule

New Delhi: The Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) has asked the ministry to remove the controversial 5/20 rule and attacked the Federation of Indian Airlines, which is lobbying against the removal of the rule.

APAI may approach CCI over air ticket cancellation charge hike

Fliers body APAI is likely to approach competition watchdog CCI next week, urging it to investigate an alleged "cartelisation" by domestic carriers in hiking flight ticket cancellation charges.

India’s domestic passenger demand up 25 percent: IATA

New Delhi: A leading global airlines’ association on Thursday reported that India’s domestic passenger demand grew by 24.6 percent in February.

“India led all domestic markets again with a 24.6 percent year-on-year growth, supported by the strong economic backdrop, as well as notable increases in services,” said International Air Transport Association (IATA) in its global passenger traffic results for February.

When changing or cancelling a ticket pinches your pocket

Not sure about your travel plan? Don’t rush to book your air ticket, or you could end up losing heavily if you have to redraw your schedule. Air fares may be lower than before, but ticket cancellation and rescheduling charges have been zooming. From a few hundred bucks some years back, these charges now often exceed Rs. ₹2,000 per passenger per sector.
The latest instalment of bad news comes courtesy IndiGo Airlines, the country’s largest carrier. From April 1, it increased cancellation and rescheduling charges on domestic routes to a flat ₹2,250 per ticket.

Night landing facility at Saifai airstrip soon

Kanpur: The airstrip in Saifai is likely to be equipped with night landing facility soon.
District magistrate Nitin Bansal said, "The airstrip is likely to get night landing facility by August. Rail India technical and economic services (RITES) limited is in the process of expanding the infrastructure. An amount of Rs6.20 crore has already been released by the state civil aviation department."

Air India plans to spread its wings in Africa, Scandinavia

New Delhi: Air India aims to provide point-to-point connectivity to African and Scandinavian regions, where it currently does not operate, besides enhancing services on existing routes, as part of its aggressive network expansion plan.

Vistara India CEO Phee Teik Yeoh on what went wrong, future plans in India

The Tata Group-Singapore Airlines joint venture, Vistara is now more than a year old in the Indian skies. The only new airline which is a full service carrier in these days of low-cost ones, is in the midst of reconfiguring its aircrafts to reduce the number of seats in business class and premium economy. The move is to face competition from the low cost ones and improve its passenger load factor. Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO, Vistara, spoke to FE’s Bilal Abdi and Sumit Jha about the challenges faced by the fledgling carrier and its future plans of doubling its capacity by October this year. Excerpts:

Mittu Chandilya hands over reins to new AirAsia CEO Amar Abrol

With the end of the last financial year, came the end of Mittu Chandilya's innings as the first CEO of AirAsia India. The Twitter-savvy 35-year old shared a picture with the new CEO Amar Abrol, passing on his good wishes.

GoAir and SpiceJet woo passengers with discounts

Mumbai: Two airlines are giving offers of cheaper tickets and discounts at hotels/cafes. GoAir is offering discounts up to 50 per cent at select hotels, cafes, spas and gift outlets through its boarding pass privilege scheme. SpiceJet has launched a pre-paid-cum-loyalty card called SpiceClub, which gives members discounted and free tickets on occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. 

Lenders say no to Kingfisher’s Rs 4,000-cr part repayment bid

Mumbai: Lenders have written to Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya’s legal counsel and separately to Kingfisher Airlines offices in Bengaluru, rejecting a proposal to repay Rs 4,000 crore. According to a senior banker, the letters have already been couriered, emailed and will also be delivered by hand.

New civil aviation policy likely to ground 5/20 rule

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry is likely to abolish the ‘5/20 rule’ that restricts companies from flying abroad unless they have flown in India for five years and have a fleet size of 20 aircraft, according to sources.

Air India to begin Bhavnagar-Mumbai flight from mid-April

Ahmedabad: Bhavnagar is set to be back on the aviation map of India. A week after Jet Airways stopped the operations of only flight from Bhavnagar airport, Air India has decided to start flight on Bhavnagar-Mumbai route from mid-April.

Chandigarh airport not ready for international flights yet

Chandigarh: Chandigarh international airport will have to complete its customs and immigration facilities for the international travellers by April 25.

Sources at the airport informed that Punjab and Haryana High Court today gave directions to the customs and immigration department to complete all arrangements required for the international travel from Chandigarh airport.

GoAir elevates CEO Prock-Schauer as managing director

The Wadia-group’s budget airline, GoAir, has elevated  chief executive officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer to the post of managing director. The redesignation takes place as the airline prepares for an initial public offer of equity. Prock-Schauer will now hold twin charge of both CEO & managing director.

SpiceJet to add a new flight between Udaipur and Mumbai in April

Low cost carrier SpiceJet will increase its frequency on the Udaipur - Mumbai route under their summer schedule with the launch of a new flight effective from April 16.
To Read the News in Full 04/04/16 Manju V/The Times Of India

KLM to operate 2 daily Delhi-Amsterdam flights

European carrier KLM will operate three daily flights from the national capital and Mumbai to Amsterdam.
There would be two daily flights from the national capital and one from Mumbai, the airline said in a release today.

AVM appeal Jet Airways to start direct flight from Amritsar to Abu Dhabi

The Amritsar Vikas Manch has requested Jet Airways to start direct flights from Sri Guru Ram Das Ji Airport Amritsar to Abu Dhabi, UAE’s commercial capital.
In a letter to Jet Airways Amritsar Station ManagerVivek Suri, Vice President Corporate Communications Manish Kalghatgi, Etihad Airways USA Manager Jon Spring, Manch Regional Representative from USA, Sameep Singh Gumtala stated that there is a great potential of passengers from Amritsar to Abu Dhabi.

Jet airways to employ more expats as pilots this year

After prematurely terminating some of its foreign pilots last year, Jet Airways has once again approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to issue an authorisation letter to expats that they could hire for its Boeing 777 long-haul operations.

Spicejet doubles Pune-Goa seating with larger aircraft

With the summer pushing up commuter demand for travel options to the popular holiday destination of Goa, airlines are falling in line to cater to the trend. Now, SpiceJet has increased seating capacity on its domestic Pune-Goa route as part of an enhanced summer schedule, effective from April 17.

The airline has also undertaken equipment upgradation on the route, moving from a Bombardier Q400 aircraft (which has a seating capacity of 78) to a Boeing 737 (which can accommodate up to 186 passengers). The flight will be operational on all days, except Saturday, and departs for Goa at 12.15 pm to reach within an hour; the return flight is at 2 pm.

Aviation regulator seeks explanation from airlines on high cancellation fees

Taking a serious note of domestic airlines increasing ticket cancellation fees by a significant amount, aviation regulator DGCA has sought an "explanation" from these carriers on the rationale for such a steep hike.
Last week, budget carrier IndiGo had done away with the slab system for charging ticket cancellation fee and made it uniform at Rs 2,250. National carrier Air India too had in February effected a massive hike of Rs 500 for cancelling its flight tickets, which now stands at Rs 2,000 per ticket.

New international flights sought from city

Lok Sabha Member from Visakhapatnam Kambhampati Haribabu has written to Union Minister of Civil Aviation Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju seeking new international sectors from Vizag.

Air India direct flight to Jammu likely in May

There is good news for devotees planning to visit the Vaishno Devi shrine as Air India is likely to start its first direct flight from Chandigarh to Jammu in May.

IBS Software Signs 10 Year Contract With Lufthansa

Dubai: Leading IT solutions provider to the global aviation industry, IBS Software, has inked a deal with Lufthansa for replacing its legacy Unisys-based Crew Management applications with IBS' state-of-the-art crew management solution. IBS was selected after a thorough evaluation process and iFlight Crew will now replace the legacy Unisys-based application which Lufthansa used for the past 30 years.

In 6 months, 6,814 tourists avail e-visas

Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad airport continues to get large numbers of tourists availing e-tourist visas, since the scheme was launched in September last year. As many as 6,814 tourists availed etourist visas at city airport till February 2016. Maximum arrivals of tourists on e-tourist visas were from countries like UK and USA followed by Russia, France, Germany , Australia and Canada, among others.