Category Archives: Aviation

India’s domestic air passenger traffic is projected to touch 300 mn by 2030 & about $11 bn are being spent to develop airports, said KR Naidu, Civil Aviation Minister, GoI. India is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, as airlines are expanding their fleets to meet the rising demand.

ITA Airways has received a new prestigious international recognition, achieving fourth place in the “Best Inflight Food” category of USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award 2024. In the ranking that honours the top ten airlines for their inflight dining experience, ITA Airways proudly holds the highest position among European carriers. “We are honoured to receive this prestigious recognition from USA Today 10Best readers. It confirms our dedication to offering our passengers a truly memorable and unique Italian experience every time they fly with us. Our goal is to make passengers feel immersed in Italian culture as soon as they board, starting from our inflight dining,” said Andrea Benassi, General Manager, ITA Airways. “With menus designed by Michelin-starred Italian chefs, ITA Airways brings the rich flavours of Italian cuisine to the skies, offering our customers an authentic taste of Italy on all intercontinental flights,” added Benassi. USA Today 10Best is a US news magazine and website. The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards enables readers to vote on a variety of topics, including inflight food. The nominations are editorially curated by a panel of travel experts. Since its inaugural flight on 15 October, 2021, ITA Airways has aimed to be the reference national carrier for Italian mobility, offering quality connectivity at domestic and international level, with a particular focus on the long-haul segment. The Company strives to be an efficient and innovative carrier, representing Italy globally as an ambassador of ‘Made in Italy.’ Passengers flying with ITA Airways feel at home and experience Italy even before landing. 2024 marks a year of significant growth for ITA Airways. During the summer, the Company served 57 destinations, including 16 domestic, 26 international, and …

InterGlobe Enterprises (InterGlobe), a leading Indian [Travel] conglomerate with business ventures in Aviation, Hospitality, Logistics, Technology, and Travel-related Services, has completed 35 successful years. Founded in 1989, the company has grown from a modest Travel Enterprise into a diversified cluster of entities, consistently delivering exceptional value to its customers, employees, and shareholders. This significant milestone underscores the Company’s consistent growth and diversification, reflecting its commitment to delivering excellence across its portfolio of businesses. InterGlobe began its journey as a General Sales and Services entity with InterGlobe Air Transport and steadily expanded its reach across the Travel industry. IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation) is India’s largest and most preferred passenger airline and among the fastest-growing airlines globally. Additionally, the Group also addresses the needs of the Aviation industry through CAE Simulation Training Private Limited and the School for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering. The Company strategically diversified into Hospitality through a joint venture with Accor and launched InterGlobe Hotels, one of India’s leading Hotel Development companies. Today, InterGlobe boasts a hospitality portfolio of 43 hotels globally, including the recently launched “Miiro,” a new lifestyle hotel brand with a distinctive collection of individually designed hotels in Europe. Committed to growth, the Company entered the Logistics sector with MOVIN, a Logistics brand launched through a joint venture with UPS. More recently, InterGlobe announced the launch of AIonOS, a venture poised to transform the AI landscape in the country. On the occasion, Kapil Bhatia, Group Executive Chairman of InterGlobe, said, “InterGlobe’s journey of 35 years exemplifies growth, innovation, and dedication. From modest beginnings, we have grown steadily but surely, driven by our commitment to Excellence, Partnership, and our People. We are deeply grateful for the trust of our …

Vaseem Parvez, COO, Fly24hrs, has announced the company’s 4th anniversary sale from 1-31 Oct ’24. It will provide 400 free tickets with up to 100 per cent cashback on flight booking at its B2B website. The company is also planning to open four new branches across India by the end of 2024.

India is set to introduce facial recognition technology (FRT) for international air travel, with a pilot project planned for June 2025, according to Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO, Digi Yatra Foundation. “We do not want to overcommit. However, we are working in this direction,” Khadakbhavi stated.

Merger involved harmonisation of operational manuals across two low-cost carriers, transfer of aircraft, besides operational, safety and maintenance approvals Air India Group is in the process of merging four airlines into two as part of its 5-year Vihaan.AI transformation program Air India Group has completed the operational integration and legal merger of Air India Express and AIX Connect (erstwhile AirAsia India) into a larger Low-Cost Carrier. The formation of the merged entity, which will operate under the ‘Air India Express’ name and a unified airline code IX, marks a significant milestone in the transformation journey of Air India Group, which is merging four airlines into two. The group is simultaneously in the process of merging Vistara into Air India to set up a world-class global airline. The merger process for Air India Express was completed in less than a year since the airline’s refreshed brand was unveiled. It involved the harmonisation of operational manuals, as an enabler for the merger, and the transfer of Air operator certificates (AOCs). Given the complexity of such a merger, it required close working with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), who supported and monitored the process throughout. The merger also received support of Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and other key stakeholders. On Tuesday, Vikram Dev Dutt, Director General, DGCA, handed over the updated AOC to Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, in the presence of Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Air India and Chairman, Air India Express, at the DGCA headquarter in New Delhi. Vikram Dev Dutt, Director General, DGCA, said: “The successful integration and merger of AIX Connect with Air India Express is …

Salil Nath, Founder and CEO, Travesla, has launched India’s newest GSA and Airline and Travel Management company. With 12 years at Etihad, including heading operations across the Indian subcontinent, Nath aims to revolutionise GSA services by offering 360-degree commercial solution for airlines.

As technology is transforming the aviation sector, Ricardo Letosa, Head of Business Strategy, SITA, said, during CAPA India Digital Aviation Summit 2024, “85% pax want travel documents auto-linked to digital identity. In fact, we have provided digital ID enrolment, and biometrics to three AACO airlines.”

SriLankan Airlines has once again been recognized as the Leading International Airline in South Asia under the Visitors’ Choice Awards category at the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2024, marking its second consecutive win in this prestigious category.  This accolade reinforces the airline’s status as a powerhouse in the aviation industry of South Asia, with an unmatched legacy of service and hospitality, and a comprehensive flight schedule serving 85% of the South Asian region. SATA, an annual event, celebrates the best of South Asia’s hospitality and travel industries and is widely regarded as one of the region’s most eminent travel awards, endorsed by over 18 regional tourism organisations. Winners are determined based on votes from both industry professionals and passengers, making the award a reflection of industry excellence and customer satisfaction. Commenting on the award, Fawzan Fareid, Regional Manager India, Bangladesh & Nepal, SriLankan Airlines, said, “We are honoured to be recognized as a leader in the region by our valued customers. South Asia is integral to our network, and SriLankan Airlines spares no effort in providing seamless connections between the region and the world, while delivering our renowned Sri Lankan hospitality onboard, along with meals and entertainment thoughtfully tailored to suit localised preferences. I would like to dedicate this award to all the teams overseeing South Asia for their unwavering commitment to serve our customers.” SriLankan Airlines’ vision is to provide passengers with an authentically Sri Lankan experience, characterized by the warmth and hospitality that is so distinct to the country. This vision is reflected in every award the airline has scored for service, including the continuous Four-Star Rating in the Major Airline category at the Airline Passenger Experience …

While receiving ‘Most Promising African Airline Award,’ on behalf of EgyptAir Rasha Abdelmouneim, Country Manager, India & Sri Lanka, Egyptair, said, “This award means a lot to Egyptair, and I am honoured to be here.” EgyptAir is keen to capture India’s major market share, especially the MICE segment.