Category Archives: Aviation

Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture between the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, today, welcomed its 50th Airbus A320neo to its young, modern fleet. With this latest addition, Vistara now has a total of 66 aircraft, including 50 Airbus A320neo, 10 Airbus A321, and six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. In line with the focus to expand its domestic and international footprint, Vistara is on course to have 70 aircraft by the end of FY2024, thereby providing better connectivity and a wider network to its customers. Vistara currently operates over 300 daily flights, connecting 32 domestic and 18 international destinations. Vistara’s fleet is not just one of the youngest in the industry but has also been recognized for its overall inflight experience which is at par with some of the biggest and best airlines in the world. The airline has always focussed on investment in modern aircraft with cutting edge technology and fuel-efficient engines. Vistara has also been recognized with ch-aviation Asia’s 3rd Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award 2023, for the second consecutive year, which is a testament to its efforts in this area. Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The only Indian carrier to feature amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines, Vistara has been named ‘16th Best Airline’ globally while also being recognized as the ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff in India and South Asia’ for the fifth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and South Asia’ for the third …

Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture between the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, inaugurated direct 4x weekly flights between Mumbai and Doha. The inaugural flight, operated on Vistara’s A321neo aircraft, commenced from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, at 18:45 Hours (IST) on 15 December 2023 and arrived at Hamad International Airport, Doha, at 20:30 Hours. With a consistent surge in demand for travel between India and the Middle East, Vistara has been focussing on expanding its presence in the region. The airline already provide direct connectivity to five destinations in the region, namely Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Dubai, Jeddah and Muscat. Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “Based on the remarkable response to Vistara’s Middle Eastern routes, we are confident that the launch of operations to Doha will further strengthen our footprint in the region. Doha – an essential commercial hub and home to a large Indian diaspora – is Vistara’s 50th destination and the sixth in the middle east. We are excited to bring the Best Airline in India and Southern Asia to Doha with direct connectivity from Mumbai. We firmly believe that Vistara’s widely appreciated product and globally awarded service make for just the right combination to cater to the market requirements and customers’ demand.” Ms. Sujata Suri, Senior Vice President, Finance and Procurement at Hamad International Airport said: “We are pleased to announce our new partnership with Vistara, linking Doha to Mumbai—a strategic collaboration that reinforces Hamad International Airport’s commitment to expanding connectivity and offering passengers unparalleled travel experiences. As Doha becomes Vistara’s 50th destination, this collaboration signifies a shared commitment to excellence and marks a milestone of its own for Hamad International …

India’s Delhi International Airport is likely to emerge as the second largest airport in the world after Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl Airport, with an estimated passenger capacity of 109 million passengers by 2024, according to MoCA Jyotiraditya Scindia. He added that efforts are being undertaken to make Indian airports emerge as international hubs for commercial aviation, with the Delhi Airport being the first candidate to become an international hub.

According to CAPA’s Outlook 2024, the Indian market is set for some major consolidation in 2024, through takeovers, and possibly by the exit of financially struggling airlines. The Tata Group is a major driver of this due to its efforts to consolidate its multiple airline brands. Tata intends to merge Air India with Vistara, which is a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines. Indian competition authorities approved the merger in Sep-2023, but more clearances are needed from agencies inside and outside India. Tata is also planning to merge its LCC brands, with AirAsia India to become part of Air India Express. A combined Air India and Vistara will account for 18.4% of India’s domestic capacity, and AirAsia India and Air India Express another 8%. The four airlines combined would contribute more than 23% of the country’s international capacity. Some other names may also disappear in the Indian airline industry.

According to a recent report by Booking.com & McKinsey, Indian airlines have ordered more than 1,000 units of aircraft, bringing the total number of planes between 1,500 and 1,700 units by 2030, to prepare for the growing appetite for travel.

According to CAPA Advisory Mid-Year Guidance on India Aviation Outlook FY2024, international operations are coming into greater focus and will receive an increasing share of planned capacity. It adds that both domestic and international airfares are normalising from post-pandemic highs, despite the capacity shortages. It expects this to be particularly visible from Q4.

Oman Air has revealed its newest range of luxury on-board amenity kits in collaboration with high fragrance House, Amouage. Featuring a bespoke selection of fragrance and skincare products, the finely crafted kits draw inspiration  from Oman’s nature and heritage, reflected in their soothing sand and cocoa tones. Available for guests in premium cabins, exceptional attention  has been given to the materials, ensuring their enduring appeal for in-flight use and beyond. With exclusive designs for men and women, the First Class kits feature iconic Amouage fragrances, Epic Man and Epic Woman, with a luxurious assortment of hand  &  body  lotion,  facial moisturiser and lip balm, as well as socks, eye mask, hand cleansing gel, mouthwash and 3M earplugs. The kit for Business Class passengers is a functional unisex folio design containing Amouage fragrance, Meander,   facial moisturiser and lip balm, in addition  to socks, eye mask, hand cleansing gel, mouthwash and 3M earplugs. Designed with sustainability as a key consideration, the stylish pouches are ideal for reuse and repurpose beyond the flight. In addition, all unnecessary packaging has been removed to ensure minimal waste. With a focus on unique products and high-quality service, Oman Air has garnered a global reputation  for exceptional in-flight  hospitality, marked by a string of awards, including most recently the 2024 Five-Star Major Airline rating by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, informed that there were 74 airports in the country in first 65 years, but now 149 airports/heliports/water aerodromes are now functional. He added that the viability gap funding provided for UDAN scheme has helped 1.3 crore people travel by plane. “It is the government’s endeavour that by the year 2030, India will have 42 crore people travelling by aeroplane,” he added.

Around 160 aircraft in India are currently grounded, the majority due to supply chain challenges, reveals CAPA. This figure could cross 200 aircraft by 31-Mar-2024, or close to 25% of the projected fleet on the register as of that date. This is undoubtedly compromising traffic growth in the short term. Despite these constraints, domestic traffic in the first 8 months of FY2024 is up around 20% yoy, and international by around 25%. Both are expected to exceed their pre-pandemic highs this year. A performance that reflects the resilience of Indian aviation. However, with supply chain risks expected to continue into FY2025, there could be a further impact not only on traffic, but also on financials.    

With the fifth edition of the Emirates Travel Agents Cricket Tournament 2023 underway, the teams are getting for the final match that will be held on Sunday, December 10 in Mumbai. It is one of the most awaited cricket tournament for agents and frontline staff over the past few years and this year saw a total of 18 teams and over 400 registered players/agents. The prizes include eight trophies, Man of the Match award for Semi Finals and Finals, Best Batsmen, Best Bowler, and Player of the Tournament. Thomas Cook was the winner of the last tournament.