Category Archives: Aviation

With effect from April 21, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will be conducting all international as well as domestic flight operations through its Terminal 2. All passengers of GoAir, Star Air, Air Asia, TruJet and IndiGo are requested to get in touch with the respective airlines for further queries.

Kushok Bakula Rimpochee (KBR) Airport Leh has announced that it is offering free-of-cost COVID-19 test facilities for both RAPID testing as well as RT-PCR testing for incoming passengers. The airport authorities, however, do advise passengers to carry their RT-PCR test reports not older than 96 hours to avoid testing at the airport.

GMR’s Delhi and Hyderabad airports have opted for the HOI App – a passenger engagement platform – to address the travel needs of passengers through their journey. The App, which enable airports to run digitally, helps extend a contactless experience to flyers, ensuring their journey is safe.

The government has directed airlines to serve or sell in-flight meals from April 15 only on those domestic flights that have a duration of over two hours, in wake of the sharp surge in Covid-19 cases. However, there are no restrictions on inflight meals on international flights as of now. The move is aimed at preventing the passengers from taking off their masks while on the aircraft.

Boeing’s commercial market outlook for India reveals that the country’s air passenger market will double in size by from the pre-pandemic level by 2030. The first to recover be VFR traffic. International traffic, by comparison, is expected to take at least until 2023 to make a full recovery, primarily owing to travel restrictions, vaccine roll-outs and a slow return of business travel.

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has unveiled a new safety video, filmed on location at Louvre Abu Dhabi, to give passengers across the globe, a glimpse of what attractions the capital has to offer. Terry Daly, Executive Director Guest Experience Brand & Marketing, Etihad Airways said: “Our safety video needed a refresh including the safety messaging requirements due to COVID. This new video goes beyond its main purpose of educating guests about essential safety information, it also reflects our brand and personality, while leveraging the very best of our beautiful home, Abu Dhabi.” The video is set at Louvre Abu Dhabi, with Etihad’s very own cabin crew demonstrating safety features of the aircraft and other Etihad employees acting as guests. Emirati voice-over artists were used to voice the video in English and Arabic. To further ensure a consistent guest experience, the accompanying music is part of Etihad’s new signature sound collection which is used across the airline for a variety of touch points. The sonic branding is inspired by Abu Dhabi and is an eclectic mix of Emirati and international instrumentation and arrangements, played by musicians from the UAE and around the world. Etihad’s new safety video will be progressively rolled out starting with the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners in April 2021. To protect health and safety, the new video was filmed following strict COVID safety protocols, including all cast and crew having to present a negative PCR test.

Indian flag carrier Air India has announced that it will operate a direct flight between Moscow’s Sheremetyevo AS Pushkin Airport and Goa airport every Thursday from April 14 to October 28, 2021. The carrier has opened bookings for the flight via its website, booking offices, call centre and authorised travel agents.

Air Seychelles is set to resume operations of its commercial flights between Mumbai and Seychelles twice a week, starting Thursday, April 8, 2021. Remco Althuis, CEO, Air Seychelles says that it is the right time to launch these flights since Seychelles has reopened its borders on March 25 to welcome visitors on its shores regardless of the vaccination status. “We are very optimistic about the Indian market for Seychelles, especially after seeing so many Indian visitors to the Maldives. Hence, we want to use this opportunity to get more Indians to see Seychelles and hopefully, in the future it’d lead to an increase in the visitor numbers to India once the pandemic is over,” he adds.

As part of its efforts to develop tourism in the state, the Karnataka government has decided to build heliports at major tourist destinations, informed, Tourism Minister CP Yogeshwar. He said that Kalaburagi, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi, Hampi and Mangaluru are the destinations where heliports will be developed.  

Following the fresh lockdown measures introduced in Maharashtra from April 5, Kiran Dighavkar, Assistant Commissioner, BMC – Mumbai, clarified that passengers landing in Mumbai city during curfew hours – whether from out of state or internationally – will be allowed movement within the city. Their boarding pass and/or flight ticket will be enough for this. The night curfew is in place from 8pm to 7am and anyone breaking the rules will be fined Rs 500, said government officials.