Category Archives: Aviation

With the aim of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the Interim Budget 2024 yet again showcased a lofty imagery of the ‘new and improved’ India. However, it does fleetingly mention tourism and its development – directly and indirectly. To build a foundation for future development, the FM underlined its Startup Credit Guarantee Schemes that will encourage new businesses in various sectors including, hopefully, tourism. She mentioned that the country ‘is capable of creating more opportunities’ which cannot be further from the truth. Sitharaman added that the focus will be on ffostering and sustaining growth to create great opportunities for all and to fulfil aspirations. She said that the MSME will be an important element of this policy. Coming to aviation, she said that it has been ‘galvanized in the past 10 years’ with number of airports doubled, expansion of the UDAN scheme, 517 new routes carrying 1.3 crore passengers, and the expansion of existing and new airports that will continue, she committed. Mentioning the success of G20 meets that took place across India, she said the country has made itself an attractive destination for MICE. ‘The corporates want to explore India and religious tourism offers great opportunities.

A lot is riding on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s 7th Union Budget presentation, to be aired today. This makes her the first FM to present seven Union Budgets in a row! This Budget is an important one for ‘Amrit Kaal’ and will decide the direction for India’s economy for the next five years. It has the potential to build a strong foundation of our dream of Viksit Bharat, the Prime Minister has said. As the industry braces itself for it, it does so with cautious hope – afraid of being let down yet again due to the absence of any mention of tourism, yet hopeful that perhaps this could be the moment when the sector begins to appear in the FM’s horizon. Watch this space for more updates and industry reactions on the Budget.

As an IT and telecommunication service provider to the air transport industry globally, SITA Aero in a recently held round table in New Delhi shed light on its ongoing collaborations with airlines and airports across India, detailing SITA’s projects and service offerings to their partner. The company also opened a new command centre in Gurugram to expand its portfolio in India. Keen to play a pivotal role in the growth journey of India’s aviation industry, SITA to drive state-of-the-art Airport Operational Database (AODB) and Flight Information Display System (FIDS) solutions, along with SITA Operations Manager services to Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) through advanced solutions. Together, these solutions revolutionise airport management by introducing new functionalities and providing superior operational control, promising significant benefits for CIAL. Responding to the question on Digi Yatra, David Lavorel, CEO, SITA Aero, said, “With the debut of Digi Yatra in June 2017 by the Civil Aviation Ministry of India, it has become a model for the world when it comes to using technology to facilitate hassle-free travel. It uses facial recognition technology to confirm passengers’ identities at various checkpoints, including security, boarding gates, and check-in, giving passengers a paperless and seamless experience.” Marking a significant milestone, SITA in a groundbreaking collaboration implemented the SITA Smart Path solution at Bangalore International Airport this month, which is aligned fully with the Digi Yatra program. The partnership sets a new standard for seamless, biometric-enabled travel experience in India. In this pioneering collaboration, BIAL is utilising SITA’s cutting-edge products and solutions, including SITA Smart Path, Passenger Flow Management (PFM) solution, and Face Pods. These technologies will enable biometric-enabled passenger processing at all touchpoints across the airport, ensuring a seamless …

The AAI’s draft of National Airports Development Plan has scribed its agenda to expand the airport count to 300 by 2047. As per the plan, around 70 airstrips can be developed into full-fledged airports that can handle narrow-body aircraft such as A320 or B737, and nearly 40 airstrips can be developed to handle smaller aircraft.

Mayur Patel, Head of Asia, OAG Aviation, said, “India has made remarkable progress in its aviation industry, positioning itself as the third largest domestic aviation market in the world. India has witnessed substantial growth in its domestic aviation sector, showcasing the country’s expanding middle class and their rising disposable income.”

Oman Air has been named Best Airline Staff is the Middle East at the Skytrax 2024 World Airline Award. The prestigious accolade was accepted by Con Korfiatis, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, during the award’s 25th anniversary in Windsor, UK. It’s the seventh time Oman Air has claimed the title. “Oman Air’s consistent success in this category underscores our unwavering, dedication to fostering a service-oriented culture that is deeply rooted in the rich traditions of Omani hospitality. I am extremely proud of the Oman Air family, both onboard and on the ground for providing time and again their dedication to service excellence and commitment to deliver an unmatched quality experience at every touchpoint,” said Korfiatis. The Skytrax World Airline Awards are considered one of the most prestigious in the industry, with travellers across the globe taking part each year in the world’s largest airline passenger satisfaction survey.

Travelport and Emirates have announced that NDC content from Emirates and enhanced NDC servicing capabilities are now available in the Travelport+ platform. With this, Travelport’s agency customers will be able to compare dynamic NDC offers and ancillaries from Emirates and create a more streamlined, personalized experience for travellers. Travelport’s complete NDC solution for Emirates also provides agents the ability to service NDC bookings, which includes modifications and cancellations.

IndiGo has announced the launch of additional daily, non-stop flights between Mumbai and Jeddah, effective August 15, 2024. This strategic expansion caters to the growing demand for travel between India and the Middle East. The Mumbai-Jeddah route connects two vibrant cultural and economic hubs. Jeddah, the gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, welcomes travellers seeking both spiritual fulfilment and rich cultural experiences. Mumbai, renowned for its iconic landmarks, offers a taste of India’s diverse heritage. This increased connectivity provides unparalleled convenience and flexibility for travellers. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo, said, “We are pleased to announce additional daily flights connecting Mumbai and Jeddah. With these, we will now operate 42 weekly flights to Jeddah from 5 cities in India. These flights will not only enhance trade and tourism opportunities between India and the Middle East but also provide customers with even more options to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As India’s leading airline, we remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver an affordable, punctual, courteous, and hassle-free travel experience across an unparalleled network.”

Traffic data submitted by various domestic airlines to the DGCA has been analysed for the month of May 2024. It reveals that Akasa Air reflected a market share of 4.8% with 6.64 lakh pax, as against 4% of SpiceJet. Leading them all is IndiGo with a market share of 61.6% carrying a total of 85.04 lakh passengers in total during the month.

The newly appointed Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, said, “We want to make airfare affordable and want to make airways the new railways of India. Our agenda is clear.” He also announced that they will create a 100-day action plan to lead to a long-term vision for the sector aligned with the ‘Viksit Bharat’ plan.