Category Archives: Aviation

Virgin Atlantic is pleased to announce its first-year anniversary of the codeshare agreement with IndiGo, marking a significant milestone in the partnership. The collaboration has not only facilitated seamless travel experiences but has also opened new horizons for frequent flyers seeking enhanced connectivity and travel options.  The partnership will help customers to connect between Virgin Atlantic and IndiGo’s networks with a single ticket. The partnership has grown from strength to strength, initially launched with 8 destinations in September 2022, growing to 34 destinations across the country now. In one year more than 30,000 customers have connected between Virgin Atlantic and IndiGo’s network, with the most popular destinations being Goa, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Amritsar.   Alex McEwan, Country Manager, South Asia, Virgin Atlantic, commented, “We are thrilled to celebrate the first anniversary of our codeshare partnership with IndiGo, which is offering more choice for our customers across India. Our performance in India continues to go from strength to strength and we are excited to launch flights to Bengaluru from London Heathrow in March 2024 which will offer more connecting options for customers in the South of India.”    

IATA, in its quarterly air transport chartbook for 2nd Quarter 2023, reported that the global airline industry is expected to generate a net profit of USD9.8 billion in 2023, with a modest 1.2% net profit margin. This translates to an expected profit of USD2.25 per passenger. 

An Air Services Agreement was signed between New Zealand and India in Auckland which is expected to boost bilateral ties in civil aviation between the two countries. According to the MoU, designated airline(s) of New Zealand may operate any number of services with any type of aircraft, with third and fourth freedom traffic rights to/from six points: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.  

LCC FlyArysta has announced the launch of the newest route, Delhi-Almaty, from September with fares starting from USD 68. Kazakhstan is a visa-free destination for India citizens. It will currently operate three times a week but plans to increase service to Delhi and other cities in India in the coming months.

Sharing thoughts on How the aviation industry is looking with much anticipation on where India will go, Gavin Eccles, Managing Partner, GE Consulting & Advisory, says, “The new orders form the two biggest carriers is a wake-up call that India is potentially on the crest of a wave on the future of aviation.  Is it time for us to look at India with more reality, and, is the dream of having the largest aviation market space in the world, getting closer?”      

Global travel marketplace Skyscanner is today launching a new Hindi language experience across its products and services as part of the company’s commitment to the India market. Hindi is the third most widely spoken language globally, and the number of internet users accessing content in Hindi is also rising. With the India travel market projected to reach US$ 125 billion by FY27 and Indians increasingly preferring to book travel online, the introduction of a new localized experience will benefit travelers and partners alike in metro cities as well as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across the country. India’s domestic and international air travel continues to showcase a strong recovery, surpassing pre-covid levels. This is reflective of travel demand on Skyscanner, with the company observing the highest spike in search volume in 2023 since pre-pandemic of 2019 for both domestic and international destinations. Commenting on the launch, Hugh Aitken, VP of Strategic Relations said, “The Indian travel market is one of the fastest growing in the world and we see immense potential to help connect millions of travelers with some of the most ambitious travel providers in the industry. When accessing flight options on Skyscanner travelers will now automatically be redirected to the Hindi locale on the airline or OTA site. As well as native language support, we are also investing across our entire product portfolio, not just for consumers but importantly too for our partners in areas such distribution, advertising, and data.”

Air India Express (AIX) will add 50 Boeing 737 Max aircraft to its fleet by December 2024. This will help the airline grow its existing West Asia network and launch new domestic and international routes, including those to Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.

According to recent analysis by OAG Aviation, Mumbai to Delhi is India’s busiest domestic route. The route secures  9th place internationally, with 623,933 seats. It also displaces Jakarta – Denpasar route, which drops out of Top 10 this month.

Vietjet, Vietnam’s low-cost carrier, inaugurates a direct route connecting Kochi (India) and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), opening further opportunities to travel easily between the ancient commercial port of Southwest India and Vietnam’s leading economic and cultural central; additionally promoting the development of economic relations and cultural exchanges between the two cities, two countries. Vietjet has once again demonstrated its pioneering spirit by becoming the very first Vietnamese airline to operate direct flights between Kochi and HCMC. Four weekly return flights – departing every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday – promise passengers a swift journey of just over 5 hours, rendering distant destinations remarkably accessible. This achievement follows Vietjet’s successful establishment of direct flight routes to India’s foremost economic, cultural, and political centers, including Mumbai, New Delhi, and Ahmedabad. Departing from Kochi at 23:50 (local time), the flights will gracefully touch down in Ho Chi Minh City at 6:40 (local time), facilitating seamless journeys for travelers. Return flights from Ho Chi Minh City will take off at 19:20 and land in Kochi at 22:50 (local time), ensuring convenient options for both outbound and inbound travelers.

IndiGo is opening up new gateways between India and Central Asia, with the announcement of new flights between to Baku.  The capital city of Azerbaijan will be connected to Delhi four times a week, starting August 11, 2023. Baku is the 30th international destination and 108th overall destination in the 6E network. This fascinating new route will not only provide enriching experiences to business travellers but also mesmerize leisure travellers seeking culturally immersive journeys. With the inauguration of this flight, IndiGo proudly stands as the sole Indian carrier to operate direct flights between the two destinations. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said, “We are delighted to introduce our new direct flights connecting Delhi and Baku, the capital and commercial hub of Azerbaijan. This is the 30th International destination in the 108 cities in the IndiGo network and has been driven by the increasing demand for travel from India. Moreover, as a popular destination known for its thrilling F1 city track and modernity, Baku promises to offer a captivating experience, while also serving as a gateway for travelers from Azerbaijan to explore India’s rich culture & heritage. IndiGo continues its commitment to providing affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel experiences across an extensive network for our valued passengers.”