Mumbai: Passengers wait for AI flight for nearly 29 hours

Mumbai: A technical snag in an aircraft has made Air India’s passengers wait for their flight to Riyadh from Mumbai for nearly 29 hours. Flight AI 921 to Riyadh, which had its Scheduled Time of Departure (STD) around 7.35 am on Thursday, was delayed due to the snag. An announcement of flight cancellation was made later. 
The flight was rescheduled for 4 am on Friday but it was learnt at the time of going to press that it would leave at 12.30 pm. The 329 passengers that were to take this flight were informed initially that it was delayed.

Airport Authority proposes 78% reduction in tariff

New Delhi: In a major blow to GMR-led Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the company operating the Capital's IGI airport, the airport regulator Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India or Aera has proposed 78.24 percent reduction in airport tariff beginning February for the next five years.

5/20 Rule Hits Proposed Air Kerala's Gulf Aspirations

Kochi/Bengaluru: Proposed state-run carrier Air Kerala is eager to take wings to the Gulf  albeit it has not received final clearances to commence operations from competent authorities.  A key stumbling block for the aspiring carrier is the contentious 5/20 (5-year operation with 20 aircraft) rule required for international route operations.

Air Kerala has been fancying its chances to get clearances to operate international routes in the wake of rising voices to aviation authorities asking for a rethink on this rule.

Ratan Tata’s sky-high ode to JRD Tata

Corporate and aviation elite assembled at Mumbai's Taj Lands End on Wednesday evening to celebrate the launch of Vistara, the full-service airline started by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines.

The evening's highlight was a short, evocative speech by Ratan Tata. When it ended, invitees gave the eminence grise a standing ovation.

Airlines Announce Discounted Fares to Tide over Lean Season; Lakhs Of Tickets go on Sale

Airfares of domestic carriers have gone down by almost 50% as the airline sector seeks to fill maximum seats during the lean season – January to April -- thereby improving the load factor.
On Wednesday, SpiceJet announced 5 lakh tickets going on the block with fares starting as low as ?1,499 all inclusive. To avail the offer flyers have to book the tickets by 30 January for travel between 15 February and June 2015.

SpiceJet extends 'super sale' offer by two days

New Delhi: Budget carrier SpiceJet on Friday said it has extended its discounted ticket scheme by two more days due to high demand.

The airline also said it has so far seen the highest demand for its offer on the New Delhi-Srinagar sector.

Wait gets longer for Indian e-tailers to deliver via drone

New Delhi: E-commerce players may not be allowed to use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) like ‘drone’ for commercial purposes even after the United Nations’ global body for airlines, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), came out with standards and policies for UAS, owing to the country’s poor civil aviation standards.

Hawaizaada fails to take off

Taking wild liberties with both history and science, Hawaizaada is a film that flies off at a tangent in its ill-advised bid to labour the point that it was an Indian who was the world's first man to fly an aircraft.

The inspiration for writer-director Vibhu Virender Puri's first film is the real-life Shivkar Talpade, a grassroots inventor whose fascination for flying drove him to try the impossible way back in the 1890s almost a decade before the Wright brothers marked the beginning of aviation. But that is where the film's connection with any semblance of reality ends.

Underwater search for MH370 to end by May

Kuala Lumpur: The underwater search for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, missing the past 10 months, is expected to be completed by May, an official of the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) said in a technical briefing Friday.

DCA Flight Operations Assistance director Mior Nor Badrishah Mohamad said the weather condition will be very challenging for the search after May, as the waves could be very big in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Chinese MH370 relatives reject word that passengers are dead

Beijing: About 100 Chinese families of passengers on the missing Malaysian airliner demanded today that Malaysian officials retract their statement that all aboard died, saying that without hard evidence they don't want to start compensation claims.

Malaysia's government formally declared still-missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 an accident on Thursday and said all those 239 people on board were presumed dead, paving the way for claims to begin. Most of the victims' families in China, where the majority of the passengers were from, still hold onto hope that their loved ones are alive.

Wait gets longer for Indian e-tailers to deliver via drone

New Delhi: E-commerce players may not be allowed to use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) like ‘drone’ for commercial purposes even after the United Nations’ global body for airlines, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), came out with standards and policies for UAS, owing to the country’s poor civil aviation standards.

Shimco to Attend the 10th International Aero India 2015

Shimco, a world-wide leader in the manufacture of precision parts, laminated and edge bonded shims, tapers and spacers, announced today their debut attendance at Aero India 2015 to be held February 18-22, 2015. Canadian Trade Commissioner D.P. Vittal Nath, based in Bangalore, was instrumental in organizing Shimco's visit to Aero India, which will be attended by Peter Voss, President and Owner, and Jigar Shah, Account Manager.

Vistara launches loyalty scheme with SIA's KrisFlyer programme

Mumbai: Tata-Singapore Airlines venture Vistara today announced a partnership between the KrisFlyer and Club Vistara frequent flyer programmes.

"The partnership enables KrisFlyer members to earn KrisFlyer miles when travelling on Vistara flights, and redeem Vistara flight tickets with their miles. Similarly, Club Vistara members can earn and redeem points when travelling on Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights," a statement from the companies said.

Ecuador ‘restricts’ Dhruv choppers

Ahead of India's biggest air expo — Aero India 2015, Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) suffered a major setback with Equador deciding to 'restrict' flying of HAL made Dhruv helicopters following repeated mishaps. The decision comes as a shock at a time when the Indian government is planning and pushing for export of military hardware. Ecuador's move is expected reflect on the quality of aviation components made in India at the upcoming Aero India-2015 where multicrore aviation deals are expected to be struck. 

CID arrests customs official

Port Blair: Today acting upon a tip of information, the staff of CID & Immigration Branch headed by Inspector Solomon Samuel, assisted by CISF and Airport Authorities, apprehended one Swapan Kumar Majumdar, Superintendent of Customs, posted in A & N Islands at the Airport with foreign made liquor (five bottles of imported Johnie Walker Black Label sealed having 1 litre capacity each and five number of imported Heineken Beer having 320 ml capacity each) and foreign exchange (250 Euros, 50 US Dollars and 50 Australian Dollars) in cash along with other articles while he was proceeding to Kolkata by flight.