Category Archives: Aviation

Speaking at the launch of Centrum Air’s new flight, connecting Delhi and Tashkent from 3 October, Sardor Mirzayusupovich Rustambaev, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to India, said that the improved air connectivity has already boosted tourism four-fold, from 20,000 Indian visitors to nearly 82,000 in one year, with expectations of even higher numbers this year. Aeroprime Group is Centrum Air’s exclusive GSA in India. Expressing optimism, Rustambaev said that new routes will further strengthen cooperation, tourism, and people-to-people contact. He stressed that these flights would benefit tourism, education, medical travel, and overall bilateral engagement.

The Airbus XLR, arriving later this year, will extend IndiGo’s flying range. New direct routes, such as Athens, and increased frequencies to destinations like Nairobi, will strengthen the airline’s international presence while unlocking untapped markets and wider travel options for Indians.

The first two ITA Airways aircraft showcasing the Star Alliance brand sign have rolled out the hangar today, one Airbus A320 and one Airbus A220-300. Additional aircraft will be progressively updated with the Star Alliance brand sign in the coming months. The introduction of the brand sign is part of ITA Airways’ ongoing efforts to meet the requirements of its joining process into Star Alliance, the world’s largest global airline alliance. The process is expected to conclude in early 2026, with ITA Airways officially becoming a full member. Joining Star Alliance marks an important milestone in ITA Airways’ growth, bringing its passengers a wide range of benefits and privileges through access to the world’s most extensive airline network.

Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo, has said that they fly to 94 destinations in India, which provides the trade an opportunity not only to support the airline’s growth but also to run their own business and build on it. “The IndiGo team is engaging with the travel trade from the beginning. We also have all the digital connections with them through a dedicated portal,” he shared.

Noida International Airport (NIA) will be inaugurated on 30 October, revealed KR Naidu, Civil Aviation Minister, GoI. Passenger operations are expected to begin within 45 days of the launch. In its first phase, the airport will connect around 10 cities, largely metros. International operations will start later. He said, “Major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata will be among the first to be linked. Apart from passenger operations, there is also significant potential for cargo flights.”

Hoi, India’s pioneering travel-tech platform revolutionising airport experiences, has announced a strategic partnership with EaseMyTrip, one of the leading online travel-tech platforms, to launch India’s first-of-its-kind Smart Kiosk Rewards Program. This innovative initiative transforms routine airport dining into a value-driven travel experience, addressing the dual challenges of airport wait times and travel cost optimisation. The program leverages Hoi’s cutting-edge contactless food-ordering kiosks across Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, and Goa’s Manohar International Airport, enabling passengers to bypass traditional queues while earning instant travel rewards. Every kiosk order generates an immediate ₹500 EaseMyTrip coupon delivered directly to the passenger’s WhatsApp, while a monthly draw awards one fortunate traveller a ₹5,000 EaseMyTrip voucher creating anticipation and engagement throughout the journey. Running for a period of three months, the program has already transformed the travel experience for over 5,000 passengers, demonstrating significant traction and passenger adoption across Hoi’s airport network. The initiative represents a paradigm shift in airport monetisation, moving beyond traditional transactional relationships to create an integrated ecosystem where dining, technology, and future travel planning converge seamlessly. Commenting on this partnership, Dhruv Godara, Deputy CEO of Hoi said, “This collaboration with EaseMyTrip represents our vision of airports as dynamic ecosystems rather than mere transit points. By integrating real-time rewards with our contactless dining solutions, we’re fundamentally reimagining how passengers interact with airport services. Every meal becomes an investment in their next journey, creating a continuous cycle of value that extends far beyond the current trip. This partnership exemplifies our commitment to transform airports into intelligent, rewarding environments that anticipate and enhance every aspect of the passenger experience.” On this collaboration, Rikant Pittie, CEO and Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip …

Air India, India’s leading global airline, announced a new interline partnership with Uganda Airlines, the national carrier of the Republic of Uganda. The agreement seamlessly connects the networks of both airlines, offering passengers enhanced travel options between India, Africa and beyond. Through this partnership, Air India guests can now enjoy smooth, single-ticket connections from across India and other parts of Asia to Entebbe, the main gateway to Uganda. Air India guests can either use Uganda Airlines’ direct service from Mumbai to Entebbe or connect to Uganda via Air India’s Dubai gateway. From Entebbe, Air India guests can also take onward connections to destinations across Africa, including South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and other key destinations, gaining easy access to the continent’s growing business centres and world-renowned tourism attractions. Uganda Airlines’ guests from Entebbe will now be able to access Air India’s extensive domestic network, connecting seamlessly to more than 25 cities across India on a single ticket. These include India’s largest metropolitan centres such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, which are major hubs for commerce, technology and culture. In addition to strengthening connectivity within India, the interline partnership also extends Uganda Airlines’ reach to key international destinations served by Air India. Guests can conveniently travel from Entebbe via Mumbai to global hubs such as Bangkok, Colombo, Dhaka and Singapore, gaining access to some of Asia’s most dynamic economies as well as Europe’s leading capital city. “We are happy to partner with Uganda Airlines, enhancing connectivity between India and Africa”, said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India. “This partnership not only provides our customers with seamless access to Uganda and an extended network across Africa but …

With the new Mopa airport operational now, Goa is witnessing an expansion in scheduled international flights, especially from countries in the Gulf region and Iran. New direct flight services are being lined up: for instance, the resumption of flights to Gatwick (UK) by September end, and from October 5, three weekly flights from Yekaterinburg, Russia to Mopa. Between January and June 2025, the state welcomed 5.45 million tourists (domestic + international), comprising 5.18 million domestic and 0.27 million international travellers, representing an 8.4% year-on-year increase.

Indian carriers, including IndiGo Airlines, are expanding their networks in Southeast Asia to capture a larger share of outbound travellers and transit traffic. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows carriers are scheduled to operate 270 daily two-way flights between India and Southeast Asia in September, which is 12% higher than last year. IndiGo is planning new flights to Bali from Mumbai and Delhi, adding to its existing service from Bengaluru. Flights from Mumbai will be operated with a technical halt in Chennai. The airline has sought regulatory approvals and slots for the additional flights, it is learnt.

Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, was honoured with the DDP Trailblazer Award. Since joining in 2020, he has led the airline’s recovery post-Covid, driving growth and profitability. Under his leadership, Air India Express, operating over 500 daily flights across 58 airports with a fleet of 115 aircraft, successfully merged with AIX Connect in 2024. With over three decades of aviation experience, including leadership roles at Air India and a Gulf-based carrier, Singh has strengthened India’s aviation landscape. His academic credentials span Panjab University, BIT Ranchi, and the London School of Economics under the Chevening Fellowship programme.