Category Archives: Aviation

The Travel Unified global campaign by Travelport, launched in 2019, drives awareness about DPNA (Disabled Passenger with intellectual or Developmental disability Needing Assistance) as a Special Service Request (SSR) code available in the airline industry for passengers. In India, the use of the code for flights booked through Travelport has increased by 165%. Under the campaign, the requests for assistance for airline passengers with intellectual disabilities have nearly doubled. Globally, use of the code on flights booked through Travelport has increased by 89% since the launch of the Travel Unified campaign. Little-known SSR code, DPNA 1, can be used to alert airlines when a traveler has an intellectual or developmental disability and needs assistance. Travelport has now extended the campaign until at least the end of 2019 and called for all parties in the travel industry to do more to support people with intellectual disabilities. Sandeep Dwivedi, Chief Operating Officer at InterGlobe Technology Quotient, stated: “Air travel is meant to be hassle-free and safe for all passengers and particularly for specially-abled. And, when there is a system in place for them, it is our responsibility to let the patrons with intellectual and developmental disabilities benefit from it. Travelport‘s Travel Unified campaign is a great initiative that has been instrumental in raising awareness about DPNA SSR code among travel trade fraternity as well as specially-abled passengers. The code usage while booking flights through Travelport has grown by 165% in India, which clearly shows the effectiveness of this campaign. We encourage all travel professionals in the travel industry to come together and make this campaign reach to everyone.” SSR codes are used in the airline industry to communicate traveller preferences or needs …

Hahn Air has added seven new carriers to its leading network of more than 350 airlines in the third quarter of 2019. The new partners are expanding their distribution reach with Hahn Air’s product HR-169. Travel agents can issue their flights on the insolvency-safe Hahn Air HR-169 ticket, even in markets where the airlines are not participating in the local payment system (e.g. BSP or ARC). The new HR-169 partners include Air Chathams (3C) from New Zealand, Jeju Air (7C) from South Korea, Air Peace (P4) from Nigeria, Amaszonas Uruguay (Z7), MAYAir / Aerocuahonte (5G) from Mexico, as well as two regional US carriers, RavnAir Alaska (7H) and Southern Airways Express (9X).

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the national carrier, Air India with a common objective of promoting tourism to India. Now, Air India offices abroad will function as extended arms of MOT. The MoU was signed by Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and MD Silva, General Manager (Sales & Marketing), Air India recently. As earlier reported in Tourism Breaking News in May 2019, the Ministry was looking to partner with Air India for its overseas operations apart from its overseas offices. It was reported that eight overseas destinations would shift to Air India offices. Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and MOT were in discussions for the partnership, as part of the cost restructuring by the ministry, under which it will require to shut offices at prime tourist destinations, like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Toronto, Tokyo, Sydney and Milan. As part of the arrangement, India Tourism will pay rent to Air India along with a nominal amount for the service rendered by the Air India staff.

Budget carrier AirAsia India has announced the relocation of its operations to domestic terminal (T1) of the city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from October 15. At present, the Bengaluru-based airline, which has limited operations from the city, flies from the international terminal (T2) of the Mumbai airport. Mumbai will become AirAsia India’s fourth hub in the country after Bengaluru, New Delhi and Kolkata, the airline said in a release.

GVK Mumbai International Airport has released a statement stating, “RWY 09/27 will not be available for aircraft operations  from 1 November 2019 to 28 March 2020, 6 days of week, from Mondays to Saturdays between 09:30 Hrs to 17:30 Hrs, due to major rehabilitation and re-carpeting works. The present runway handles 46 flights per hour, however the secondary runway will operate 35 flights per hour.”

Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri has said that, by 2024, India is likely to have 200 operational airports with 70 of them catering to international travel. Emphasising on sustainable development, he says, “While we adopt state-of-the-art communication, navigation and surveillance technologies, we are conscious and mindful that our growth must be environmentally sustainable.”

Overall cancellation rate of scheduled domestic airlines for the month of Aug 2019 has been 1.61%, according to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Air Asia recorded lowest cancellations with (0.45%), followed by Vistara (0.47%) and SpiceJet (0.62%). GoAir was next with 0.85% cancellations, while IndiGo recorded 0.90%. Air India had 3.80% cancellations in August 2019.

CAPA India has recently reported that at the end of Q2, with Jet’s exit, Air India now has the largest share of international seats at both at Delhi and Mumbai airports. The 3 LCCs, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir have also increased their share of international seats at Mumbai Airport over the last year from 4.0% to 20.4%.

After introducing flights from Guwahati (Assam) and Imphal (Manipur), AirAsia India will start operations from another north-eastern state- Agartala (Tripura) from next month, disclosed an AAI official. According to him, the airline has got the initial approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to operate few flights from Tripura capital Agartala connecting Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati and other cities of India. The operations are likely to start from the fourth week of October. (Source: IANS)

According to a recent data by Directorate General of Civil Aviation, (DGCA), Passengers carried by domestic airlines during Jan-Aug 2019 were 943.58 lakhs as against 913.95 lakhs during the corresponding period of previous year thereby registering annual growth of 3.24% and monthly growth of 3.87%. Also, GoAir has been reported as the most punctual airline for 12 months in a row by DGCA.