DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
Drone industry seeks favourable policies, incentives, component ecosystem to push domestic manufacturing
Industry players at the Drone International Expo 2024 in Delhi called for improved policies and incentives to boost indigenisation in the Indian drone market, projected to reach USD 27 million revenue by 2024. Experts emphasised the need for a supportive ecosystem for domestic component manufacturing. Over 200 national and international manufacturers are showcasing innovations, highlighting advancements in surveillance for enhanced security measures against modern terrorist activities.
Canopy collapse: Delhi Airport plans flight adjustments to ease congestion at T2 and T3
Delhi Airport is taking steps to reduce congestion at Terminals 2 and 3 following the temporary closure of T1 due to a canopy collapse. Ninety-three domestic IndiGo and SpiceJet flights have been relocated to T2 and T3. To further ease congestion, six flights will move from T2 to T3, and flight schedules will be adjusted to limit T2 departures to ten per hour. These measures will be implemented by July 8 after consultations with airlines.
IndiGo cancels nearly 90 flights as disruptions continue in Delhi
IndiGo, the largest airline from Delhi airport's Terminal 1, has cancelled around 90 flights due to a roof collapse. SpiceJet's flights have been diverted to Terminals 2 and 3, but the number of SpiceJet flights shifted to these terminals is unknown. The airport's roof collapsed during heavy rains, causing at least one death and six injuries. The Indian Institute of Technology and the GMR group have set up committees to investigate the incident.
Ensure there is no abnormal surge in airfares for Delhi flights, govt tells airlines
The civil aviation ministry has requested airlines to avoid an abnormal surge in airfares for flights to and from Delhi due to the suspension of operations at Delhi airport's Terminal 1 following a roof collapse incident. The closure has led to flight cancellations and operations being shifted to Terminals 2 and 3.
Delhi Airport Terminal roof collapse: All operations from T1 suspended till further notice
Delhi International Airport Limited suspended operations from Terminal 1 due to a roof collapse, resulting in one death and eight injuries. Heavy rainfall caused the incident. Support beams and cars were damaged. The airport has announced compensation for the deceased and injured families.
Delhi rains: Airlines cancel flights from Terminal 1 due to roof collapse incident at Delhi Airport
IndiGo and SpiceJet cancelled all flights to and from Terminal 1 of Delhi Airport on Friday following a roof collapse incident caused by heavy rains. The collapse occurred around 5 am, injuring several people. Emergency personnel are providing assistance and medical aid. All departures from Terminal 1 are suspended, and check-in counters are closed.
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IndiGo partners with Garuda Aviation Academy to train fresh pilots as junior first officers
IndiGo partners with Garuda Aviation Academy for Cadet Pilot Program, offering a 21-month course including training at 43 Air School in South Africa.
SpiceJet says AC in Delhi-Darbhanga flight "experienced slight inefficiency" during boarding
SpiceJet, a Gurugram-based carrier, faced air conditioning issues during boarding at Delhi Airport on flight SG 476 to Darbhanga on June 19. Passengers waited inside the aircraft without AC for an hour.
IndiGo shifts international operations to terminal 3 at Lucknow airport
IndiGo has announced that starting today, all international flights at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow will operate from the newly constructed terminal 3. The airline has proactively informed passengers through SMS, calls, and emails about this change. IndiGo advises passengers to check their terminal by retrieving their PNR on the airline's website or mobile app to avoid any inconvenience.
Heavy rains lash Chennai, flight services affected. Check IMD's next one week weather forecast
Overnight rains in Chennai and its surrounding areas caused significant disruptions, leading to delays in both international and domestic flights, including those to and from Dubai, Delhi, and Pune. The heavy downpour, which trended on social media, uprooted trees across the city but provided relief from the oppressive heat. According to airport officials, the rains brought a much-needed respite from the sweltering temperatures. The India Meteorological Department has forecasted more rain for Chennai this week.
ET Graphics: Domestic flyer traffic growth in the slow lane
Domestic air traffic increased by 4.4% in May, with airlines carrying 13.8 million passengers compared to 13.2 million in May 2023, and 723 passenger complaints were recorded.
Flight to the Future: Noida International Airport's Asia-Pacific transit dream set to be ready by November-end
The Noida International Airport is set to become India's first transit hub and a major civil aviation facility in the Asia Pacific region. Modeled on Zurich Airport, this greenfield project in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, will feature advanced passenger and flight handling capabilities. The airport will also include a multimodal cargo hub, operational by November 2024, developed by Air India SATS. Recruitment and infrastructure developments are underway to ensure the airport meets international standards.
Bringing down airfares on new minister Ram Mohan Naidu's radar
Aviation is a deregulated sector and airlines fix fares based on supply and demand, as well as seasonality. Last month, the Delhi High Court refused to give guidance to cap airfares saying that aviation is a capital-intensive sector. "Regulated free play given to the airlines to implement dynamic pricing of the fares for each flight appears to be in conformity with the norms followed worldwide," the court said in its ruling.
IndiGo to operate direct flights from Durgapur to Bhubaneswar, Bagdogra, Guwahati
Vinay Malhotra, head of global sales at IndiGo, said, "We are pleased to announce new routes connecting Durgapur with Bhubaneswar, Bagdogra, and Guwahati. With these direct flights, we aim to provide our customers with further seamless connectivity."
Want to make airways the new railways, says Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu
Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, aims to make air travel affordable to the common man by addressing airfare fluctuations. The steps to be taken to achieve this will be taken by the ministry. Despite the UDAAN scheme and market growth, external factors like Covid have impacted airfares. Discussions to reduce prices are forthcoming, prompted by concerns over high fares during peak seasons and the need for better price regulation in the rapidly growing aviation market.
Mumbai airport enhances passenger processing capacity, to deploy AI-enabled cameras
Mumbai airport has enhanced its processing capacity to about 8,000 passengers per hour and reduced wait times to under a minute with expanded DigiYatra and non-DigiYatra facilities. The airport now has 68 entry lanes, the highest number in the country, including 34 dedicated to DigiYatra. Terminal 1 features six dedicated DigiYatra e-gates and six non-DigiYatra e-gates. Additionally, 118 new e-gates at Terminal 2 will streamline security checks.
IndiGo, Air India upgrade playbooks to keep up with India's rising middle class
India's rising affluence is driving a significant shift in the lifestyle of the middle class, with a growing preference for premium products and experiences, both on the ground and in the sky. Airlines are capitalizing on this trend by offering luxurious amenities to cater to the surging demand, such as roomier seats, gourmet meals served on designer tableware, and lavish vanity kits.
Delhi airport operator DIAL awaits BCAS nod for airside transfer of passenger baggage from T1 to T3
At the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), international flights are operated from T3, while T1 and T2 are for domestic flights. Currently, passengers landing at T1 have to carry their checked-in baggage to T3 for the connecting flight. Once the system of airside transfer of the checked-in baggage is in place, the passengers will not be required to carry them while taking a connecting flight from T3.
Delhi Airport plans to raise capacity by 30% in 3 years
Delhi International Airport (DIAL) plans to expand capacity by 30% due to increased aircraft orders. CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar discussed the expansion at the CAPA India Aviation Summit.
Domestic air traffic likely to touch 164 million in FY25
India's domestic air traffic is projected to increase by 6-8 per cent to 161-164 million this financial year, while international air traffic is expected to rise by 9-11 per cent to 75-78 million by March 2025. Domestic carriers are facing consolidated losses of $0.4-0.6 billion due to capacity shortages from around 130 grounded aircraft. This is excluding the profitable Indigo. The number of grounded aircrafts is expected to increase to 180, including those of Go First. Net inductions of 84 aircraft are anticipated, bringing the total domestic fleet to 812 by March 2025.
Air India Express bets on growth opportunities, group synergies
Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh announced plans to focus on cost-cutting and transformation in 2024-25, aiming to unlock synergies through merging with AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) and collaborating with Tata Group's airlines, including Vistara. Singh expressed confidence in revenue growth and network expansion without concerns about bilateral flying rights hindering growth at the CAPA India Aviation Summit 2024.
Air India introduces new feature, passengers can now lock fares for two days with extra charges
Air India, now under the Tata Group's ownership, has unveiled a new offering called 'Fare Lock' to enhance passenger convenience and flexibility in travel planning. This feature allows customers to reserve a chosen fare for a period of 48 hours, enabling them to solidify their travel plans while retaining the selected fare. With a nominal fee, travelers can now secure their desired fare for two days, streamlining the booking process and providing peace of mind.
Japan Airlines and IndiGo Agree on Codeshare Partnership; enables JAL to expand reach to 14 IndiGo destinations in India
Japan Airlines (JAL) and IndiGo announced a codeshare partnership benefiting customers with more travel options between Japan and India.
Cyclone Remal: IndiGo airlines reschedules and cancels some flights
In a statement, the airlines said, "IndiGo has rescheduled and cancelled some flights due to Cyclone REMAL and the NOTAM issued in Kolkata. Passengers have been informed of all changes in advance and being provided real-time updates on social platforms".
Business class coming soon: IndiGo to launch 'tailor-made' product for busiest routes
IndiGo, operated by Interglobe Aviation, announced plans to launch a new customized business product for India's busiest routes by the end of the year. CEO Pieter Elbers highlighted the company's commitment to innovation, aiming to provide more travel options as India's economy grows. The airline saw a 13% increase in domestic passengers, while competitors experienced a 6% decline.
Transition to new crew scheduling app hits Air India Express flights
Air India Express faced a 15-hour delay when a pilot discovered he was trained on a different aircraft than the one assigned for his flight from Riyadh to Kochi. This incident adds to the challenges the airline is facing, including disruptions due to cabin crew sick leave and issues with a new scheduling software. About 50 out of 300 daily flights have been affected, prompting manual rostering efforts and assistance from Tata Group carriers.
Domestic air traffic rises to 1.32 crore in April
As many as 1,370 passengers were affected due to denied boarding, with airlines spending Rs 136.23 lakh towards compensation and facilities in this regard, as per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data. The data showed there were a total of 32,314 flight cancellations in April and airlines spent Rs 89.26 lakh towards compensation and facilities.
Lahore airport fire: International, Hajj flights delayed
A fire erupted in the lounge area of Lahore airport, leading to chaos and the disruption of numerous international flights, including the inaugural Hajj journeys, as reported by Aaj News. Emergency responders acted swiftly to contain the flames, ensuring the safety of all individuals. However, smoke from the fire, which originated from the ceiling of the immigration counter, filled the lounge, prompting the evacuation of passengers.
Domestic air traffic touches new single-day high; crosses 4.71 lakh passengers
India's domestic air traffic reached a new single-day high of 4,71,751 passengers on Sunday, more than 14% higher than the average pre-Covid count of 3,98,579. The civil aviation ministry reported that domestic aviation is experiencing unprecedented growth due to policies, economic development, and low-cost carrier expansion.
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