Page 2 - Air Passengers

Dubai Int'l Airport had 86.9 mn passengers last year in post-pandemic surge

The number of passengers flying through Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel, surged last year beyond its total for 2019 just before the coronavirus pandemic grounded global aviation. While still shy of its all-time high in 2018, the figures for 2023 showed just how far the airport known as DXB has bounced back from the pandemic. The number of passengers passing through its cavernous, air-conditioned terminals, home to the long-haul carrier Emirates in Dubai, long has served as a barometer for the aviation industry worldwide and the wider economic health of this city-state. Overall in 2023, the airport had 86.9 million passengers. The airport's 2019's annual traffic was 86.3 million passengers. The airport had 89.1 million passengers in 2018 its busiest-ever year before the pandemic, while 66 million passengers passed through in 2022. Paul Griffiths, the CEO of Dubai Airports, made the announcement Monday on state-owned radio station Dubai ...

Ensure timely arrival of baggage at airports after aircraft landing: BCAS

Regulator BCAS has directed airlines to ensure that all baggage of passengers are delivered within 30 minutes of landing of a flight at an airport. The directive from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to seven scheduled airlines also comes against the backdrop of delays in passengers getting their baggage after landing of a flight. An official statement on Sunday said that BCAS has asked the airlines to implement the required measures to ensure timely delivery of baggage by February 26. The directive was issued on February 16 to seven airlines -- Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Vistara, AIX Connect and Air India Express. Airlines have to ensure that delivery of the last baggage is made within 30 minutes as per the Service Quality Requirements of Operation, Management and Delivery Agreement (OMDA). BCAS has been monitoring the arrival of baggage at belts of six major airports in January 2024 under the instructions of Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya ...

Premium economy class here to stay, more passengers choosing it: Vistara

As it looks to consolidate its position in the full service carrier space, merger-bound Vistara has said the premium economy class is here to stay and there has been a surge in the number of passengers opting for these seats. Vistara, a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, was the first to introduce premium economy class in India. It operates around 320 flights daily on domestic and international routes with a fleet of 67 planes, and three more aircraft will be inducted by April this year. Currently, the airline offers premium economy class in the three aircraft models operated by it -- Airbus 320 neo, Airbus 321 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Vistara's Chief Commercial Officer Deepak Rajawat told PTI that the premium economy class is here to stay. "We have seen a surge in passengers picking up tickets on the premium economy (class). There is an uptick year-over-year," he said and added that premium economy is a differentiation that the airline has created in ...

Air India targets 5x members for frequent-flyer plan in four years

In August, Air India Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Campbell Wilson announced that a thoroughly revamped loyalty programme is set to launch early next year

Govt curbs import of personal computers, laptops over 'security risk'

Move coincides with India's efforts to become a major electronics maker

Passengers stranded for three hours after Air India pilot refuses to fly

The stranded passengers were asked to look for alternative arrangements in Jaipur

Over 900,000 passengers likely to pass through Abu Dhabi Airport during Eid

Between the 23rd of June and the 7th of July, Abu Dhabi Airports estimates over 900,000 passengers will pass through Abu Dhabi Airport, with over 5,000 flights across 109 destinations in 59 countries

IGI Airport introduces DigiYatra facility at T-3 without downloading app

Passengers can use this facility by scanning the boarding pass and face along with presenting identification proof to the security staff deployed near the registration desk

Air India to issue a refund to those affected by flight diversion on June 6

"We will fully refund the fare for your journey and, in addition, provide you a voucher for future travel on Air India,' the airline said

Airlines carried 9,593 more domestic fliers per day in April, shows data

International air passenger traffic down 1% ahead of May tourist season

With 44 mn pax, Mumbai airport reaches 90% of pre-pandemic capacity in FY23

The Mumbai airport handled close to 44 million passengers in FY2022-23, which is close to 90 per cent of the pre-pandemic load the nation's second-largest air transport facility handled. By handling 44 million passengers, the airport has registered a two-fold growth in the reporting year, as against 56 per cent on-year growth seen by all other airports put together, the airport said on Friday. This is also a recovery of 90 per cent over pre-pandemic numbers, the airport said, adding the volume growth was led by domestic traffic, which registered a strong recovery of 96 per cent. During the year, the airport, which is also the world's busiest single-runway airport, has welcomed seven new overseas carriers, and one new domestic passenger carrier in Akasa Air. The airport cornered 56 per cent share of non-metro traffic during the year compared to 50 per cent pre-pandemic, reflecting better domestic connectivity. Of the total passengers, over 11.2 million were international travelers,

Delhi airport witnesses chaos, passengers complain about long waiting hours

"Three-hour-long queues for immigration and security check. People are fainting, fighting. Most of the counters are not operational. Is this the new normal," said an air passenger

Air passengers to get reimbursement for downgrades, DGCA to bring new norms

Airlines will reimburse 75 per cent of the ticket costs to passengers whose domestic flight tickets have been downgraded, with aviation regulator DGCA putting in place new norms. For downgrade of international tickets, the reimbursement amount will vary from 30 per cent to 75 per cent of the ticket costs, including taxes, depending on the distance covered by the particular flight. The new norms will be effective from February 15, a senior official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Wednesday. The regulator decided to amend the norms against the backdrop of complaints from air travellers about their tickets booked for a particular class being downgraded by airlines. In December last year, DGCA had proposed that airlines should have to refund the full value of such tickets, including taxes, and also that affected passenger will be flown free of cost in the next available class. However, those proposals have been modified now in line with international practi

Go First mix-up: A behind-the-scenes look at boarding procedures

Here's what happens behind the scenes from the time of check-in to take-off

DGCA asks Air India to maintain a database of all unruly passengers

The DGCA on Monday said that Air India didn't report the incident until the regulator sought the incident report from them on January 5

Delhi Airport issues fog alert for passengers, 12 trains delayed in North

All flight operations are currently normal and the passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information, the authorities added

Domestic air passenger traffic to cross pre-Covid level in Dec 2022

The monthly domestic air passenger traffic touched 1.29 crore to cross the pre-COVID level in December 2022, with Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia terming it as a healthy trend and a good sign for the industry. In December 2019, the domestic air passenger traffic stood at 1.26 crore. "2022 sets new record in air passenger movement," according to a graphic shared by the minister on his Twitter handle on Tuesday. The traffic reached 1.29 crore in December last year. There is a healthy trend in domestic passenger movement of late - a good sign for the aviation sector, the minister said in a tweet. "Monthly domestic passenger numbers in December 2022 crossed the pre-Covid-29 high!" Scindia said.

Transit passengers from 6 nations also need negative Covid report: India

Travellers from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand and Japan have to produce such test 72 hours before departure

Govt revises rules for air passengers from identified high-risk countries

The existing practice of post arrival random testing of 2 per cent travellers (irrespective of port of departure) shall continue

39 international travellers test Covid positive at airports across country

After the Centre re-started random testing of incoming passengers amid the rising scare of Covid in several countries, a total of 39 international travellers have been found positive across airports