IndiGo announces six new domestic routes; Check details here
IndiGo recently revealed its upcoming domestic flight expansions, starting March 31, 2024. These include direct routes like Ahmedabad-Rajkot, Ahmedabad-Aurangabad, Bhopal-Lucknow, and Indore-Varanasi. Additionally, they announced Kolkata-Srinagar and Kolkata-Jammu flights starting April 10 and April 21, 2024, respectively. Key Points
Economic TimesAir India announces sale fares on Singapore and Bangkok routes
Air India has announced a special sale on its India-Singapore and India-Bangkok routes, offering discounted fares in Economy and Business Class for travel until March 2024. The sale is open for 96 hours and includes one-way and return flights. All-inclusive round-trip fares on select routes start from Rs 13,330 in Economy Class and Rs 70,290 in Business Class for India-Singapore routes, and from Rs 17,045 in Economy Class and Rs 49,120 in Business Class for India-Bangkok routes. Key Points
Economic TimesFare turbulence: Summer travel plans scupper in vacuum left by Go First
Taking cognisance of the surge in airfares, Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has put together a group to study the spikes. Scindia said there had been a pullback on the 315 routes Go First was operating. So there is excess demand on those routes, though we have given those routes to other airlines,” he said on Thursday. Airfares are market driven and are neither established nor regulated by the government. Key Points
Economic TimesSpot airfares likely to stay high in near term
Go First, which voluntarily filed for insolvency on 2 May, announced temporary suspension of its flights from 3 May. The low-cost carrier left a gap of over 300 daily flights. Key Points
mintUDAN 5.1 in the offing for northeast, hilly regions
The civil aviation ministry is expected to soon come out with the next phase of its flagship regional air connectivity scheme UDAN 5.1 to award routes in the northeast and hilly regions that will be serviced exclusively via choppers. Key Points
Financialexpress
Scindia discusses airfares, ways to improve airlines' on-time performance
Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia reviewed the self-monitoring mechanism for airfares by individual airlines and emphasized keeping fares in check on select routes. He instructed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to relook technical specifications at VFR-equipped airports to enhance on-time performance (OTP). Key Points
Economic TimesGoogle Maps will now help you save fuel: Here’s how the feature works
Google Maps, the go-to app for navigation, introduces a fuel-saving feature in India, providing estimates on fuel or energy efficiency for different routes. This feature, initially launched in the US, Canada, and Europe, is now available to Indian users. Key Points
India TodayFrom wooden stick to trek timing: Tirupati announces new rules for devotees; all you need to know
Each devotee trekking the footpath will be provided with a wooden stick for self-defense. Parents with children aged below 12 years will be allowed to trek the footpath routes only between 5 am and 2 pm only. Key Points
Business TodayStar Air awarded 40 new routes under UDAN 5.0
India Business News: Star Air has been awarded with 40 new routes under the centre’s UDAN 5.0 scheme, airline officials said on Monday. The airline plans to launch these r Key Points
Times Of IndiaA hit among Mumbaikars, BEST to introduce premium AC buses on new route between Khargar and BKC
The BEST will also introduce 40 new premium AC buses which will run on all the eight routes. Currently, a total of 60 buses run on the seven routes, said BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra. Key Points
The Indian Express
Trains to cruise at 130 kmph on select Southern Railway routes
The Ministry of Railways has decided to raise the sectional speed of 53 important routes across the country to 130 kmph. In Southern Railway, the Chennai Egmore-Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kozhikode are among a few routes chosen for the speed upgrade by March 2024. Key Points
The HinduIndian aviation mkt 'booming'; keen to expand codeshare routes with IndiGo: Air France-KLM
Codesharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless travel to destinations where it has no presence. India is one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets and Air France KLM Group recorded passenger traffic of one million on Indian routes in 2022. Post the coronavirus pandemic, Sarre said air traffic demand is increasing and that the aviation industry is booming in India . Key Points
Economic TimesMore Indians may spend New Year holidays abroad
Tour and travel companies such as Thomas Cook, SOTC and EaseMyTrip have seen up to 30% uptick in demand for short-haul international routes compared to last year. Packages for many of these destinations are comparable with those for popular domestic spots, as some countries are actively wooing Indian travellers with visa-free entry and by nudging airlines to offer easy connectivity at affordable rates. Key Points
Economic TimesGoing global good for IndiGo as home turf to get crowded
ET Intelligence Group: InterGlobe Aviation's decision to expand its presence on international routes is timely considering the rising competition in the domestic market where it already controls over 60% share. Given the factors such as network expansion, capacity deployment, and a possible benefit of tax loss, analysts have raised the earnings per share (EPS) forecast for FY25 by as much as 38% (Emkay). Key Points
Economic TimesSpiceJet announces 8 new flight routes to Ayodhya from Feb 1 amid rising tourist influx
In response to increased demand post the Ram Temple consecration, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is launching eight new SpiceJet flight routes connecting Ayodhya to cities like Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and more. The move aims to enhance connectivity for pilgrims and tourists visiting the sacred city. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will lead the inauguration ceremony on February 1, 2024, reflecting the government's commitment to supporting Ayodhya's growing significance as a religious and tourist destination. Key Points
Economic Times
How expensive is a Vande Bharat ticket? A data check
By travelling on a Vande Bharat train, you save 14% of your time on average compared to the next best train. But it comes at a high premium: Vande Bharat fares are higher by an average 52% than the best alternative, a Mint analysis shows. Key Points
mintRed Sea attacks force firms to test new land routes via UAE, Saudi
An Israeli software startup, Trucknet Enterprise Ltd., is opening commercial trade routes through the Middle East, bypassing the Houthi-menaced Red Sea. Key Points
Economic TimesSupply constraints are airlines’ Achilles heel
The number of domestic air passengers rose by a mere 1% year-on-year in February (adjusted for the extra day this leap year), the slowest growth in the past 24 months. But there are signs that this will pick up. Key Points
mintAir India launches Namaste World Sale. Price, dater, other details
Namaste World Sale: Air India announces Namaste World Sale with discounted fares starting at ₹1799 for domestic routes and ₹3899 for international destinations. Business Class fares start at ₹10,899. Travel period is from 02 February to 30 September 2024 Key Points
mintAir India fined ₹1.10 crore by DGCA for safety violations
₹1.10 crore fine on Air India: DGCA said safety violations took place on certain long-range terrain critical routes of Air India. | Latest News India Key Points
Hindustan Times
Air India to add over 400 weekly flights
Air India plans to add over 400 weekly flights on its domestic and international routes until March 2024 as part of the winter schedule 2023. To boost its domestic network, it would add over 200 weekly flights on the back of expected new aircraft deliveries. On international routes, it plans to oper Key Points
The Tribune IndiaCrisis-hit GoFirst grounded for two months; flight cancellation extended till July 10
New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): Crisis-hit airline Go First on Tuesday informed that its scheduled flight operations will remain cancelled till July 10 due to operational reasons. The fleet of the cash-strapped carrier has been grounded since May 3. The airline operator filed for voluntary bankruptcy in early May before the National Company Law […] Key Points
ThePrintRegional connectivity exists beyond short-haul routes: Star Air
India has a lot of regional potential, which remains untapped. I think regional travel might grow five-fold in the next five years. Tiwana said. Stating that it is possible to operate a regional airline in India successfully, he said, You play your cards right, go for the right network, which in line with the aircraft you operate (and) that makes a big difference (in terms of sustaining operations). Key Points
Economic Times