Page 37 - Air India

India's widebody aircraft fleet has remained stagnant for last 15 years

This has allowed foreign carriers grow in the country's market

Air India Express offers discounted tickets to young first-time voters

The deal is available to first-time voters aged between 18 and 22, who have a valid voter ID and are travelling to or from airports near their respective home constituencies

Air India staff bids adieu to one of its last Boeing 747s from Mumbai

On Monday morning, Air India staff at the city airport waved goodbye to one of their last 'Queen of the Skies' -- the iconic Boeing 747 aircraft that served the airline for almost five decades operating commercial, VVIP and evacuation flights. As the double-decker plane took to the Mumbai skies enroute to the US, a 'wing wave' maneuver also marked the end of an era for Air India, which started flying in 1932 and is now owned by the Tata Group. 'Wing wave' is a dip of the aircraft from one side to the other in the air that is generally done for retiring aircraft. The Boeing 747 has operated various important flights for Air India, including two medical evacuation flights to Wuhan in China during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, according to officials. Sharing a video clip of the Boeing 747 taking off from the Mumbai airport and doing a 'wing wave', Air India said it will miss the aircraft's iconic presence. "Today, we wave goodbye to the first of our last 'Queen

Air India enters into codeshare pact with Japan's All Nippon Airways

Air India has entered into a codeshare partnership with Japan's All Nippon Airways. With the codeshare, effective for travel from May 23, Air India and All Nippon Airways passengers can fly to their desired destination by combining those flights between India and Japan with a single ticket. Air India will add its 'AI' designator code on ANA's flights between Tokyo Haneda and Delhi as well as Tokyo Narita and Mumbai. ANA will add its 'NH' designator code on Air India's flight between Tokyo Narita and Delhi, a release said on Tuesday. Both airlines are considering further expanding their cooperation on additional routes. Now, Tata Group-owned Air India, which is expanding its presence, has codeshare partnerships with 15 airlines, including ANA .

India averts travel chaos as plane technicians call off Tuesday strike

Travel plans were thrown into disarray earlier this month after Vistara, jointly owned by Air India's owner Tata Group and Singapore Airlines Ltd., was forced to cancel more than 100 flights

Air India cancels Dubai flights due to continued operational disruptions

Air India cancelled its flights to and from Dubai on Friday due to continued operational disruptions at the airport in the Emirates. Passengers of Air India who have booked the flights for travel till April 21 will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling and full refunds for cancellation. An Air India spokesperson said the airline has cancelled the flights to and from Dubai on Friday due to continued operational disruptions at the Dubai airport. "We are doing our best to get affected customers on their way by re-accommodating them on flights as soon as operations resume," the spokesperson said in a statement. Currently, Air India operates 72 flights a week to Dubai from five Indian cities, of which 32 flights are from Delhi. Operations at the Dubai Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, have been hit by unprecedented rains and floods. The Indian embassy in the UAE on Friday advised the inbound Indian passengers travelling to or transiting through Dubai Internatio

AI code now on Air India Express's flights, Vistara later: Campbell Wilson

An airline's designator code is used for quick identification in flight reservations, ticketing, and baggage handling, making travel processes smoother and more efficient

Air India flights to Tel Aviv will remain suspended till April 30

Air India on Friday said its flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till April 30 amid tensions in the Middle East. The airline operates four weekly flights between the national capital and the Israeli city. "Air India flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended until 30th April 2024, in view of the emerging situation in the Middle East. We are continuously monitoring the situation," an airline spokesperson said in a statement. The airline is offering one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges for passengers who have confirmed bookings for travel to and from Tel Aviv during this period. On Sunday, the carrier decided to temporarily suspend its flights to Tel Aviv. Tensions have escalated in the Middle East in the wake of attacks by Iran on Israel and the response in retaliation. The Tata group-owned carrier had recommenced the services to the Israeli city on March 3, after nearly five months. Air India had suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv .

Air India saves costs by taking insurance cover for merged entity

The insurance cover has been provided by a consortium of Indian insurance companies including Tata AIG General Insurance

Air India's first A350 to make debut on May 1 between Delhi and Dubai

Air India currently operates a total of 72 flights a week to Dubai from five Indian cities, of which 32 flights are from Delhi

Adverse weather hits Dubai flights; Air India cancels services on Wed

Flights from India to Dubai have been disrupted significantly as heavy rains resulted in flooding of the emirate's airport, also one of the world's busiest airports. Air India, which operates 72 weekly flights from various cities to Dubai, cancelled its services on Wednesday. Apart from Air India, Air India Express, Vistara and SpiceJet also operate flights from various Indian cities to Dubai, which is also home to a large number of Indian diaspora. An Air India spokesperson said that due to the impact of adverse weather in Dubai, it had to cancel flights to and from the Gulf nation on Tuesday and Wednesday. "We are doing our best to get affected passengers on their way as soon as possible by re-accommodating them on flights in the next few days. We are also offering a one-time date change waiver to passengers with valid tickets on 16 and 17 April, allowing them to reschedule their flights to future dates within the validity of the tickets," the spokesperson said in a statement on

Iranian airspace use: Air India says some flights planned along safe route

Air India on Tuesday said some of its west-bound flights are planned along a safe alternative route on a day when some of its flights used the Iranian airspace. Flight tracking websites on Tuesday showed that at least three Air India flights used the Iranian airspace amid the Middle East crisis. Responding to a PTI query in this regard, an Air India spokesperson said, "as part of our continual operational risk assessment some of our west-bound flights are planned along a safe alternative route which is used by many other airlines". A source in the know said the flight path was a safe corridor in the Iranian airspace. "Air India will continue to monitor flight operations in the Middle East in close consultation with various safety and security organisations and regulatory bodies," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Air India suspends Tel Aviv flights; airlines avoid Iranian airspace

Air India on Sunday decided to temporarily suspend flights to Tel Aviv amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. An official said the direct flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv will be suspended for now. Air India operates four weekly flights between the national capital and Israeli city. The Tata group-owned carrier recommenced services to Tel Aviv on March 3 after a gap of nearly five months. Air India suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, starting October 7, 2023, in the wake of the Hamas attack on the Israeli city.

India may suspend flight ops to Israel amid escalating Iran-Israel conflict

Indian airlines are altering flight paths for Europe and the Middle East due to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel

West Asia tensions: AI, Vistara opt for alternative paths for flights

Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Air India, and Vistara on Saturday said they have decided to opt for alternative flight paths for some of its flights to and from India. On Friday, India asked its citizens not to travel to Israel and Iran amid increasing fears that Tehran may launch an attack on Israeli soil in retaliation to a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria 11 days ago. While Air India and Vistara did not elaborate on the alternative flight paths, two persons in the know said carriers are avoiding the Iranian airspace while flying to destinations in the West. "We are closely monitoring the developing situation in the Middle East. Presently, our aircraft will operate on alternative flight paths to and from India, according top priority to the safety of our passengers and crew," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement. Air India is the only Indian carrier that operates flights to Israel. It has four weekly flights connecting Delhi and Tel Aviv. In a ...

Air India operationalises five new contact centres to assist customers

Air India has operationalised five new contact centres, including in Cairo and Kuala Lumpur, to provide assistance to its customers worldwide. The Tata Group-owned airline has partnered with Concentrix, a California-headquartered customer engagement firm, to manage premium services from centres in Mumbai, Cairo, and Kuala Lumpur. Besides, the carrier has signed up iEnergizer to operate contact centres in Noida and Bengaluru, focusing on domestic inquiries, a release said on Friday. Recently, Air India introduced a premium desk for its premium frequent flyer members as well as business and first-class guests. In the release, the airline said it has implemented a comprehensive back-office insourcing strategy to manage emails, social media, and chat support internally to assist the customers. "A 24/7 grievance management desk promptly addresses all customer queries, escalations and provides round-the-clock support," it added.

Vistara working on flight plans beyond May 24, worst is over: CEO

'Challenging start to new financial year', says Vinod Kannan after airline had to cancel 150 flights between March 31 and April 4

Air India to start Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam flights from June 1

Air India will start direct flights from the national capital to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam from June 1. The airline will use A320 neo aircraft with a two-class configuration to operate the flights five days a week -- Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, according to a release on Wednesday. The flights will commence from June 1. "The new service will also enable convenient one-stop connections to Vietnam via Delhi for travellers from the US, Canada, UK, and Europe," the release said. Currently, Air India flies non-stop flights to Singapore, Bangkok and Phuket (Thailand), and Yangon (Myanmar).

Air India plans to send narrow body A320 pilots on deputation to Vistara

Tata Group-owned Air India is planning to send a set of first officers who can operate the narrow body A320 family planes to Vistara, which is grappling with pilot woes, according to multiple sources. The pilots will be send to Vistara on deputation, subject to getting necessary regulatory approvals. Air India and Vistara did not offer any comments. The sources told PTI that some first officers who can operate A320 family planes will be send to Vistara on deputation. Two of the sources said the number of narrow body pilots likely to be deputed to Vistara could be a little over 30. One of the sources said it will be the first time that pilots from Air India will be deputed to Vistara for operating narrow body aircraft. For operating Vistara's wide body Boeing 787 planes, around 24 pilots are already on deputation from Air India. They include 16 commanders and eight first officers, the source said. Vistara, a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has cut its

AIESL union threatens strike on April 23 over salary, promotion issues

New service agreement unfairly treats permanent vs FTE staff with disparity in notice period and benefits