Page 27 - Airlines

5G wireless signals could disrupt flights starting this weekend: Report

Airline passengers who have endured tens of thousands of weather-related flight delays this week could face a new source of disruptions starting Saturday, when wireless providers are expected to power up new 5G systems near major airports. Aviation groups have warned for years that 5G signals could interfere with aircraft equipment, especially devices using radio waves to measure distance above the ground and which are critical when planes land in low visibility. Predictions that interference would cause massive flight groundings failed to come true last year, when telecom companies began rolling out the new service. They then agreed to limit the power of the signals around busy airports, giving airlines an extra year to upgrade their planes. The leader of the nation's largest pilots' union said crews will be able to handle the impact of 5G, but he criticised the way the wireless licenses were granted, saying it had added unnecessary risk to aviation. Transportation Secretary Pete

Strictly follow rules, prevent unauthorised cockpit entry: DGCA to airlines

Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday asked airlines to strictly follow rules as well as sensitise pilots and cabin crew to prevent incidents of unauthorised entry of people into the cockpit. The move from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) comes against the backdrop of recent incidents where unauthorised people were allowed inside the cockpit during scheduled flights. In an advisory, DGCA has asked the heads of operations of all scheduled airlines to "prevent any unauthorised entry in the cockpit through appropriate means". Any non-compliance with the applicable regulation, dealing with unauthorised cockpit entry, shall be dealt with strictly and may also invite stringent enforcement action, it said.

Go First's lenders approve $55 mn fund infusion to revive carrier: Reports

Go First was granted bankruptcy protection on May 10. Reuters reported last week that the airline has sought Rs 400 cr- Rs 600 cr in additional funds from banks

Himalayan Airlines resumes flight from Kathmandu to Beijing after 3 years

The Himalayan Airlines, a joint venture between Nepal and China, on Saturday resumed its direct flight between Kathmandu and Beijing after a three-year interval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an official statement. Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, Ambassador of Nepal to the People's Republic of China, flew to Beijing in the resumed first direct flight of the Himalayan Airlines, according to a press release issued by the Nepal Embassy in Beijing. "We are pleased to announce that Himalaya Airlines (H9) is re-launching its flight operation between Kathmandu- Beijing- Kathmandu every Saturdays starting from June 24, 2023, which was on halt due to COVID-19 Pandemic, said the statement issued by issued by the Himalayan Airline. In a statement, Nepal's Embassy in Beijing said: "The resumption of direct flight between Kathmandu and Beijing plays a significant role in promoting tourism, socio-economic and cultural relations between Nepal and China".

The world's largest commercial jet purchase orders by number of aircraft

American Airlines in 2011 placed orders with Airbus and Boeing for a total of 460 airliners

World's largest commercial jet purchase orders by number of aircraft

IndiGo on Monday placed an order for 500 Airbus narrowbody jets, the largest ever plane deal by number of aircraft, overtaking an earlier deal by rival Air India that was firmed up on Tuesday

IndiGo orders 500 Airbus A320 aircraft; largest order in aviation history

With this new order, since its inception in 2006, IndiGo has ordered a total of 1,330 aircraft with Airbus

Largest Indian order: Indigo likely to place an order for 500 planes today

The value of IndiGo's order, at the list price of the A320Neo family aircraft, will be around $500 billion

Vistara expands codeshare partnership with European airline Lufthansa

Tata Group and Singapore Airlines-operated full-service carrier Vistara on Thursday said it has expanded its codeshare partnership with European airline Lufthansa. The pact will allow enhanced connectivity to Vistara customers while travelling across Europe, the airline said in a statement. Vistara and Lufthansa entered into a unilateral codeshare agreement in 2019, enabling Lufthansa to add its designator code (LH) to Vistara flights to 18 destinations in India. Codesharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provides seamless travel to destinations where it has no presence. With this expanded codeshare pact, 12 key European destinations -- Amsterdam, Stockholm, Berlin, Budapest, Copenhagen, Rome, Hamburg, Helsinki, Lisbon, Munich, Oslo, and Prague -- will get included in Vistara's network, the statement said. "This enables our customers to conveniently book their itineraries and seamlessly travel across various parts of Europe on the joint networ

Why are airfares in India soaring and is there a way to beat it?

Airlines look at affordability, demand, availability and lots of other factors when pricing their flights

Go First's CoC now in place; approval for revival plan likely soon: Report

Lenders of Go First, which is undergoing voluntary insolvency resolution process, have set up the Committee of Creditors (CoC) and a new resolution professional is likely to be appointed early next week, a source said on Friday. Cash-strapped Go First stopped flying from May 3 and now, with the CoC in place, the process for revival of the grounded airline is likely to gain speed. The source said the deadline for constituting the CoC was June 9. "The representatives from all four banks -- Bank of Baroda, Central Bank of India, IDBI and Deutsche Bank -- visited Go First office on Friday and after a meeting, they set up the CoC. "They discussed various aspects with Go First executives and the ways to proceed further," the source privy to the development told PTI. According to the source, the new resolution professional is expected to be appointed on June 12, and the lenders have suggested one name each from KPMG and EY. "The CoC is now expected to take up the revival plan for Go Fir

Air Arabia plans to double fleet capacity within next 12 months: Group CEO

"In 2022, a record 15.9 million guests travelled through Abu Dhabi, nearly threefold the number of visitors in 2021 at 5.26 million"

IndiGo aims to carry 100 million passengers in FY24: CEO Pieter Elbers

IndiGo aims to carry 100 million passengers in the year ending March 2024, as the carrier adds more domestic and international routes, its CEO Pieter Elbers said on Monday. The budget carrier flew 86 million passengers in FY23. At a media briefing on the sidelines of the IATA World Air Transport Summit here, Elbers said the airline expects to have around 350 planes in its fleet by the end of this fiscal (FY24). Currently, the carrier has more than 300 aircraft. IndiGo is India's largest airline with more than 57 per cent domestic market share. To a query on bilateral flying rights, Elbers said it is up to the government to decide on whether to give more rights or not. It requires a "tailor-made approach," he added.

'Massive opportunities' in vibrant Indian aviation market, says IATA

There are "massive opportunities" in the vibrant Indian aviation market, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh said on Monday. Talking about the Indian market, he highlighted that there are CEOs of two Indian airlines on the Board of Governors (BoG) of IATA and it is the first time that has happened. "It reflects the opportunity and vibrancy... there are massive opportunities and we are really excited about the future of aviation in India," he told a media briefing on the sidelines of the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) here. Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson and IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers are among the 31 airline CEOs on the BoG. On Monday, IATA announced that Elbers will serve as Chair of the BoG from June 2024. India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and Air India has embarked on an ambitious expansion plan, while IndiGo is set to fly to more international destinations. Earlier this year, Ai

Airline industry to report $9.8 bn profit this year on rising traffic: IATA

The airline industry is expected to record a net profit of USD 9.8 billion this year as passenger traffic is rising and local economies are reviving, IATA said on Monday. Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said that despite economic uncertainties, people are flying to reconnect, explore and do business. "Latest data shows that passenger traffic is at over 90 per cent of 2019 level". Speaking at the IATA Annual General Meeting here, he said airports are busier, hotel occupancy is rising, local economies are reviving and the airline industry has moved into profitability. The airline industry is expected to rake in revenues of USD 803 billion and a net profit of USD 9.8 billion this year. Airlines will make an average of USD 2.25 per passenger, he said. While the aviation industry is recovering after the pandemic, there are still challenges like cost pressure and supply-chain issues. Walsh said Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)

Civil aviation ministry, airlines to discuss airfare spike on some routes

The civil aviation ministry will hold discussions with airlines later in the day on issues related to airfares, which have surged on certain routes in recent weeks, according to an official. Airfares have jumped significantly on certain routes, especially in the wake of crisis-hit Go First suspending operations from May 3. The meeting with representatives of airlines is likely to be chaired by civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the official said. The official also said that airfares are deregulated and the meeting is for monitoring and facilitation purposes. Amid a rise in airfares on certain routes, Scindia, last week, said the ministry was doing an analysis of routes that have been affected by the suspension of flights by Go First. Go First is undergoing an insolvency resolution process.

Spot airfares up three times in a month on India's busiest routes

However, fares for tickets purchased 30 days in advance have seen a small increase

Airlines scour globe for capacity as aircraft shortage takes toll

The massive aircraft deals announced this year are testament to the optimism about a post-pandemic rebound

IndiGo to start direct flights to six destinations in Africa, Central Asia

The country's largest airline IndiGo will start direct flights to six new destinations in Africa and Central Asia, including to Nairobi, Tbilisi and Tashkent, this year. Embarking on "massive" international expansion plans, the carrier will connect Nairobi in Kenya and Jakarta in Indonesia, with direct flights from Mumbai in late July or early August. "Delhi will get connected in August to Tbilisi, Georgia & Baku, Azerbaijan and in September to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Almaty, Kazakhstan," IndiGo said in a release on Friday. Once these routes are operational, the budget airline will be connecting a total of 32 international destinations compared to 26 currently. While noting that it is taking a "massive step in its international expansion strategy," IndiGo said it will be adding an "impressive 174 new weekly international flights between June and September 2023, including new destinations, routes, and frequencies". IndiGo said it will also be resuming daily services from Delhi to

SL Airlines denied 15-yr-old autistic boy to board flight from Bengaluru

The mother further said that it became very intimidating for her son with the two men following them all the way to the aircraft as if to catch something untoward