Page 4 - Air Travel

Travel firms bullish on R-Day, expect flight sales to pip New Year weekend

MakeMyTrip expects higher air travel demand for Republic Day weekend compared to the new year's eve weekend

Global Covid surge fears loom as China opens borders, resumes air travel

As China opened borders and resumed travel on Sunday, billions of local travellers are set to make overseas trips in the next few days, triggering Covid surge concerns in various countries

China ends Covid-19 travel restrictions for incoming passengers from today

China will lift its quarantine requirement for inbound travellers starting from January 8

SC refuses to hear plea seeking SOP for Indians travelling to abroad

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea of a man, who was earlier detained illegally in the UAE over mistaken identity, seeking framing of guidelines to ensure the safety of Indians in foreign countries. Refusing to lay down standard operating procedures (SOP) for Indians' safety in offshore nations, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha, however, acknowledged the ordeal of detention faced by Noida-based businessman Praveen Kumar. Kumar was detained at the Abu Dhabi airport as his face allegedly matched with a wanted criminal in a face recognition software on October 11 last year and had to remain in illegal detention for almost four days. How can we ask the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to frame the standard operating procedures (SOP)? We have Indian embassies for such purposes... a person will be governed by the law of a particular country, the bench said. We cannot direct the MEA to frame guidelines. Thousands of Indians

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

Outbound travel picks up, India remains top source for several countries

Travel from India increased significantly after resumption of direct flights in March, Turkiye Tourism Board said, with destination weddings contributing to arrivals

Asia's tourist hotspots prepare for boom as China relaxes Covid rules

International flights to and from China are at just 8% of pre-pandemic levels, shows data

Indians flocking both foreign and local getaways as travel recovers: Airbnb

The traveller is also expanding his travel horizons, looking to explore new getaways abroad

Aviation ministry lists five-point action plan to decongest Delhi airport

A surge in air travel has strained the infrastructure at the country's busiest airport and forced the civil aviation ministry to order a reduction and shifting of peak-hour flights

Domestic airlines flew 409,831 passengers on Sunday, highest since May 2020

Air traffic touches nearly 96 per cent of pre-Covid level

Sri Lanka to check gold smuggling by airline passengers: Minister

Sri Lanka has directed its custom department to take stringent measures to stop gold smuggling into the country by airlines passengers in a bid to prevent illegal business of the yellow metal, according to the nation's minister of state for finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. In a statement issued on Saturday, the finance ministry said that no one would be allowed to wear gold valued over 22 carat. The government has decided to take legal action against those who wear unnecessary amounts of gold jewelry as they fly in with the aim of doing illegal business. Accordingly no one would be allowed to wear gold valued over 22 carats, Siyambalapitiya was quoted as saying in the statement. The customs officials have been instructed to deploy technology to detect gold over 22 carat. A gazette is to be issued this week, the release said. Over 50 kilos of gold are being smuggled into the country by unscrupulous racketeers. Estimated that over 30 million dollars are being lost monthly to the ...

Top Headlines: Air travel recovery stalls, India's iPhone exports & more

The post-Covid recovery in air travel in India has stalled, putting a question mark over the stretched finances of airlines

Clipped wings: Post-Covid pandemic recovery in air travel stalls

The biggest decline has been in foreign tourist arrivals

Masks no more compulsory during air travel, says civil aviation ministry

The civil aviation ministry on Wednesday said the use of masks is not compulsory during air travel but passengers should preferably use them amid the declining number of coronavirus cases. Till now, the use of masks or face covers while travelling on flights was mandatory. In a communication to the scheduled airlines, the ministry said the latest decision has been taken in line with the government's policy of a graded approach to COVID-19 management response. "... the in-flight announcements henceforth may only mention that in view of the threat posed by COVID-19, all passengers should preferably use mask/face covers," the communication said. It also said that any specific reference to fine/penal action need not be announced as part of the in-flight announcements. The total number of active coronavirus cases in the country accounted was only 0.02 per cent of the total infections and the recovery rate increased to 98.79 per cent, according to the latest official data. The number o

IPO delayed due to Ukraine-Russia war and Omicron wave: Go First

The firm's DRHP expired in August this year and it will need to refile its papers with Sebi to reinitiate the IPO process

Go First blames Covid-19, Pratt & Whitney as losses double in FY22

Go First said it has been sanctioned additional loans of Rs 1,142 crore in FY22 from its bankers

What is Star Alliance?

There is an alliance of airlines which has been trying to cut the hassle in air travel. Formed in 1997, Star Alliance has been providing seamless connectivity to fliers. Find out more on it

Nasa set to break sound barrier again for faster air travel in future

NASA innovators are poised to break the sound barrier again, this time in a very different way that could make it possible for all of us to one day travel by air just as fast as any of the X-1 pilots

Virgin Atlantic pulls out of Hong Kong; cancels flights, closes offices

Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. hasn't operated any passenger flights to Hong Kong since December, after the city banned all flights from the UK during the depths of Covid

Could an Indian airline be in race for SriLankan Airlines stake buy?

Even if things improve, it would be hard to keep funding the airline's operations, as the airline has been bleeding money for a while.