Author name: admin

Cargo

ECS Group selected as GSSA partner for Asiana Airlines’ global belly cargo operations

Paris, August 18th 2025: ECS Group has been selected by Asiana Airlines as its exclusive global partner to manage the airline’s international belly cargo business. This strategic GSSA agreement reinforces ECS Group’s reputation for delivering seamless, world-class cargo solutions and supports Asiana’s logistics evolution following the divestment of its freighter division. Effective August 1, ECS Group provides end-to-end services—including sales, reservations, customer service, and ground handling coordination—across 33 major locations in 9 countries throughout Europe, the Americas, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. With a presence in over 60 countries and partnerships with more than 100 airlines worldwide, ECS Group brings the scale, local expertise, and operational excellence needed to support Asiana’s global belly cargo operations at every touchpoint. “We are honoured to partner with Asiana Airlines and proud of the expertise our teams bring to this collaboration. Leveraging ECS Group’s global network, we are committed to supporting Asiana Airlines with reliable, efficient, and tailored cargo solutions worldwide,” said Jean Ceccaldi, CEO of ECS Group. Asiana Airlines has transitioned to a fully belly cargo-based model, utilizing the lower holds of its passenger aircraft—including the A350-900, which offers up to 18 tons of cargo capacity. The airline is strategically focused on transporting high-demand, time-critical shipments such as semiconductor components, fresh food, and small express cargo. According to an Asiana Airlines official, “By combining ECS Group’s global network with Asiana’s expertise, we will respond proactively to the global air cargo market. We will continue to provide systematic and specialized services going forward.” This exclusive partnership enables Asiana Airlines to maintain a competitive edge in international air logistics, even after the sale of its freighter operations—implemented in response to regulatory directives from European and Japanese authorities. In 2024, Asiana Airlines carried approximately 158,000 tons of belly cargo on international passenger flights. With ECS Group now powering its cargo strategy, the airline is well-positioned to expand its global footprint while ensuring operational excellence and customer satisfaction.

Recent News

IndiGo and IDFC FIRST Bank Launch Co-Branded Credit Card

Delhi,August 18th, 2025: IndiGo and IDFC FIRST Bank have announced the launch of the IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card, a one-of-a-kind offering that combines the benefits of both Mastercard and RuPay networks through a single application, ensuring wider acceptance and maximum payment flexibility. The card enhances travel experiences with lifestyle privileges, low forex markup, attractive trip cancellation cover, and accelerated rewards on IndiGo flight bookings, milestone spends, and everyday purchases. With this launch, IndiGo further strengthens the IndiGo BluChip loyalty program portfolio, offering customers more ways to earn IndiGo BluChips through everyday spends — making every transaction count towards their next flight. The IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit card allows customers to earn free flights faster with earnings across daily spends. With annual spends of ₹12 lakh (Assuming 15% on Flight Bookings on IndiGo Web & App), customers can earn up to 60,000 IndiGo BluChips plus bonus vouchers of 25,000 IndiGo BluChips, every year—enough for multiple free flights to popular destinations. In the first year, they also enjoy additional Bonus vouchers of up to 8,000 IndiGo BluChips depending on their card type. Speaking about the launch, Shirish Bhandari, Head – Credit Cards, Tolls & Transit and Loyalty, said, “With the IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card, we’re making premium travel accessible to all — not just a few. This is more than just a credit card; it’s a bold step toward democratizing travel and financial empowerment by allowing every Indian — regardless of credit history — to own the same world-class product, through a flexible application journey that includes both traditional and Fixed Deposit-backed access. Combined with a dual-network card pair, Mastercard and RuPay, the card ensures widest acceptance across India and globally, with the added convenience of UPI for everyday spends and a low forex markup of just 1.49% for international use. It’s a truly inclusive, digital-first, and rewarding travel card for today’s generation of flyers.” Neetan Chopra, Chief Information & Digital Officer, IndiGo said: “It is our endeavor to continuously enhance the value proposition of IndiGo BluChip for our loyal customers, making this relationship a rewarding experience for them. We are delighted to join hands with IDFC FIRST Bank to offer co-branded credit cards to our customers that enable them to convert their everyday expenses into BluChips and enjoy travel benefits on our ever-growing network.”

Recent News

FLY91 adds extra fights on Pune-Sindhudurg-Pune route

Panaji, August18th 2025: To cater to the surge in festive season-inspired travel demand during Ganesh Chaturthi across Maharashtra,regional airline FLY91 has announced additional flights on its popular Pune-Sindhudurg-Pune route. On the Pune-Sindhudurg-Pune route, additional flights have been introduced for August 24 and 29, August 31, and September 5 and 7, to handle the increased festive rush. Tickets for these flights are now available for booking on the airline’s website. Manoj Chacko, managing director and chief executive officer of FLY91, said, “Ganesh Chaturthi is a special time for our customers, with many travelling to be with family and friends. By adding extra flights on our Pune-Sindhudurg-Pune route, we aim to give passengers greater flexibility and more options during this festive period. These destinations are key to our regional network and we remain committed to offering comfortable and reliable last-mile connectivity.” Earlier this month, FLY91 also deployed additional flights to facilitate the Independence Day travel rush, adding services on August 14, 15 and 18 across the Pune-Goa-Pune and Pune-Sindhudurg-Pune sectors. The airline’s ability to scale up operations during peak periods underscores its commitment to responding swiftly to passenger needs.

Civil Aviation

Passenger service solutions expert CMAC Group joins BARIG network

Frankfurt, August 14, 2025: The Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG) welcomes CMAC Group, a leader in ground transport, accommodation and disruption management, to its business partner network. CMAC Group operates in more than 100 countries, working with a trusted global network of 13,000+ small and large vehicle supply partners across the UK, Europe and Australia. Through its partnership with BARIG – which represents over 100 national and international airlines – CMAC Group will further strengthen its European growth strategy and commitment to passenger wellbeing. Wim Kanon, Managing Director at CMAC Group, says: “We are proud to have been delivering continuity and care during disruption for over 18 years. By joining BARIG, we have a stronger platform to collaborate with airlines operating in the region and further develop our industry-wide solutions.” CMAC Group arranges the movement of over five million passengers each year and delivers technology-led services for its partners facing cancellations, delays or diversions. This includes Smartlink – a self-service booking technology for hotels and ground transport, allowing airlines to respond faster in case of exceptional circumstances that can lead to disruptions. Michael Hoppe, BARIG Chairman and Executive Director, says: “We are delighted to welcome CMAC as an innovative partner that helps airlines improve passenger and ground staff experience in exceptional situations. Its presence in our network supports our ongoing efforts to improve processes and service delivery across the aviation sector.”

Recent News

Saudia transports over 17.5 mn guests in first half of 2025

Jeddah, August 13, 2025: Saudia has achieved growth in its operational performance for the first half of 2025, based to the latest performance report. The airline carried more than 17.5 million guests, marking a 7.2% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This growth was supported by the operation of over 100,000 flights, including scheduled and additional services across its extensive network spanning four continents, representing a 4% increase. In total, Saudia recorded more than 293,500 flight hours during this period, while maintaining an exceptional on-time performance rate (OTP) of 89.6%. Notably, the airline ranked first worldwide for OTP in both March and June 2025, according to reports issued by Cirium, a leading global aviation analytics provider. As part of its mission to bring the world to the Kingdom, Saudia transported over 9.6 million international guests in the first half of 2025, marking a 5% increase year-on-year. The increase was supported by the operation of more than 43,700 international flights, representing a 3% rise compared to the same period last year. On the domestic front, Saudia transported more than 7.9 million guests, reflecting a 10% increase, with over 56,400 domestic flights operated across the Kingdom. These achievements reflect the dedication and expertise of Saudia’s national workforce across all sectors, particularly in operations, planning, execution, and performance monitoring. The airline’s focus on enhancing quality and operational efficiency has been further strengthened through strategic investments in advanced digital systems, resulting in an improved guest experience. Saudia’s current fleet of 148 aircraft underpins its strong operational performance across both domestic and international networks. Looking ahead, the planned addition of 117 new aircraft in the coming years will enable the airline to increase flight frequencies, expand seat capacity on existing routes, and introduce new international destinations. These advancements reinforce the Kingdom’s national priorities in tourism, entertainment, sports, and Hajj and Umrah services.

Cargo

DHL Express and Cathay Group sign new SAF deal

Hong Kong, 13th august 2025: DHL Express and the Cathay Group have entered into a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) partnership that reinforces their shared commitment to reducing carbon emissions in the air cargo industry. Under the agreement, Cathay will supply DHL Express with 2,400 tonnes of SAF for international flights departing from three airports in Asia namely Seoul Incheon International Airport, Tokyo Narita International Airport, and Singapore Changi Airport. These flights are operated by Air Hong Kong, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cathay Group, which principally operates express cargo services for DHL Express. Continuing through 2025, the partnership is expected to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 7,190 tonnes — equivalent to the emissions of over 100 flights from Hong Kong to Singapore with an Airbus 330 freighter. DHL Express Senior Vice President for Network Operations & Aviation – Asia Pacific Peter Bardens said: “Sustainable aviation fuel currently accounts for less than 1% of the total global jet fuel consumption, yet air transport is one of our biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Our decision to expand our SAF usage in Asia with Cathay is another important step that we have taken to drive momentum in SAF production and demand. “DHL Express is at the forefront of SAF adoption, and we look forward to seeing more partners and customers join us on this journey to build a more robust SAF ecosystem in Asia. Our continued investment in this area aligns with DHL Group’s Strategy 2030, which recognises ‘green logistics of choice’ as one of the four bottom lines.” This SAF deal builds on the long-standing partnership between DHL Express and the Cathay Group, including through Air Hong Kong. For more than two decades, Air Hong Kong has played a vital role in DHL Express’s Asia Pacific network. This latest collaboration builds on that strong foundation and paves the way for deeper cooperation in advancing SAF. Cathay Director Cargo Tom Owen said: “This partnership marks the first SAF uplift on Air Hong Kong flights, a key milestone for Cathay as we continue to expand the SAF usage across our global network. SAF remains a core pillar of our strategy to address our carbon emissions, and collaboration is essential to scaling its use. We are excited to be working with like-minded partners like DHL Express to make SAF more accessible and scalable, particularly in Asia.” This collaboration makes DHL Express the latest strategic partner of Cathay’s Corporate SAF Programme, an initiative launched in 2022 to support corporate partners in addressing greenhouse gas emissions from business travel and airfreight through the use of SAF. In 2024, the Corporate SAF Programme enabled the use of over 6,000 tonnes of SAF, with a record 16 partners participating, including HSBC, AIA and Standard Chartered.

Recent News

Adani Digital Labs unveils major innovations to elevate airport and travel experience

Mumbai, 13 August 2025: Adani Digital Labs (ADL), the technology arm of Adani Airport Holdings Limited, has announced a series of transformative initiatives aimed at redefining the travel and airport experience for passengers across Adani-managed airports in India. The strategic moves enhance convenience, comfort, and engagement at Adani Airports, solidifying its position as a leader in digital innovation within the aviation sector. Srushti Adani, Director, Adani Digital Labs, said “The new ADL aims to infuse energy, diverse ideas, and unparalleled expertise into its operations. This marks the first phase of a broader strategy to deliver an exclusive digital-first experience to passengers. In every project we undertake, our objective is to diminish and alleviate travel-related anxiety for passengers. Offerings will include up-to-the-minute information, exciting rewards and special tiered lounge services, moving beyond standard aggregator offerings to create a truly personalised digital experience, making it a delight for passengers to journey through our airports.” Demonstrating its commitment to growth and innovation, ADL inaugurated a 150-seater office in Ahmedabad, from where the team will continue to develop customer-centric solutions for the airport environment. These solutions will address common travel challenges such as time constraints, limited awareness of amenities, and long queues. By bringing all airport services onto a single digital platform, Adani OneApp transforms the journey from transactional to experiential, enhancing personalisation, convenience, and efficiency for every traveller. Serving as a digital companion, the app will empower passengers to plan, navigate, and enjoy their airport experience with features including: • Adani Rewards – a groundbreaking loyalty initiative designed exclusively for airport travellers. This is the first of its kind loyalty programmes in the Indian airport ecosystem, focused on delivering exceptional value and unforgettable experiences. The programme seamlessly spans F&B, retail, car parking, duty-free shopping, and meet & greet services, offering unmatched flexibility and ease of use. • Seamless lounge experience – a cutting-edge digital platform now streamlines lounge access at Adani Airports. Travellers can now easily pre-book lounges, check card eligibility, and enjoy hassle-free entry—eliminating queues and delays. • Browsing and shopping from an extensive catalogue of F&B, duty-free, and retail stores • Convenient airport services such as Delivery at Gate, Multi-cart Orders, group orders for Duty-Free, and Park & Fly for seamless parking • Live flight status tracking and instant notifications • Easy access to high-speed airport Wi-Fi and essential travel information.

Recent News

Akasa Air to start flights to Phuket as its 6th international destination 

Delhi, 12 August 2025: Akasa Air has announced the addition of Phuket as the sixth international destination to its network. Starting September 20, 2025, the airline will operate daily direct flights connecting Mumbai with Phuket. This launch marks Akasa’s foray into Southeast Asia and further connects two of the world’s most dynamic and high-growth regions. Commenting on the announcement, Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, said, “We are thrilled to foray into Southeast Asia with the addition of Phuket to our global network. India is entering a new era of outbound tourism powered by its large population of globally curious flyers. With conveniently timed daily direct flights connecting Mumbai with Phuket, we are not only catering to the aspirations of modern Indian travellers but also strengthening the cultural and economic bridges between India and Thailand. We remain committed to building a holistic network by continuing expansion on strategically significant international corridors and catering to the travel-ready India, backed by our signature Akasa experience.” Neelu Khatri, Co-Founder and SVP International, Akasa Air, added, “With this expansion, Akasa Air reinforces its commitment of making global travel accessible for every flyer. Thailand has long been a favourite among Indian travellers, and the demand for direct and affordable international travel continues to surge across the country. As we expand our international footprint, we remain committed to offering travellers meaningful connections that enable them to experience vibrant opportunities across borders.”

Events

Embraer hosts Asia Pacific edition of its Airline Business Seminar in Singapore

Singapore, 12th August 2025: Embraer hosted the Asia Pacific edition of its Airline Business Seminar in Singapore, bringing together airlines, the financing community, consultants and aviation authorities from across the region from the 6th to the 7th of August 2025. The closed-door event offered a platform for attendees to share and discuss emerging trends in the sub-regions of Asia Pacific, new traveler patterns and the opportunities it is creating for airlines and aircraft types like the E-Jets and E-Jets E2 families of regional aircraft and small narrowbody aircraft. Raul Villaron, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Embraer Commercial Aviation, said, “The APAC Embraer Airline Business Seminar featured robust discussions about the evolving strategies that airlines and the wider aviation industry are adopting to seize growth opportunities and better yields in APAC – the world’s powerhouse of global aviation growth.” “This event is an extension of our long engagement with the Asia-Pacific community and a reflection of how our small narrowbody and regional aircraft are empowering airlines to tap on unrealized potential in the region: enhancing connectivity and frequency of flights beyond the major hubs to underserved destinations across the region.” In its latest market outlook report released in June 2025, Embraer expects a global demand for 10,500 sub-150-seat jets and turboprops within the next 20 years. Of this, a demand for 3390 units (~33.2%) stems from Asia Pacific including China. With close to 200 E-Jets across Asia Pacific including China, Embraer’s E-Jets continue to build a strong track record in the region with its high performance, efficiency and reliability. 14 airlines across 7 countries have selected the E-Jets E2 and E-Jets and including Scoot, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, Alliance Airlines (Australia) and Virgin Australia. In August 2024, Virgin Australia ordered eight E190-E2s for its Western Australia regional and charter business. This year, All Nippon Airways ordered 15 E190-E2s with an option for five more, to enhance the airline’s nationwide connectivity. Both airlines will be the first operator of the E2s in their respective countries.

FOREWORD

Dear Reader’s,

 

The current edition of Aviation World has covered many areas of Aerospace & Defence based on the latest development in the sector. The front cover highlights three different images, first for the Union Civil Aviation Minister ….. who is leading from the front to steer Indian Civil Aviation sector to witness one of the most interesting phases. He is also facing most tumultuous timing due to the ongoing financial stress in the Aviation sector due to ATF rising cost and long airspace restrictions resulting in mounting losses for Indian carriers. Despite of all the ground level challenges,the minister is addressing new things on regular basis which keeps the sector motivated. We have featured many such developmental works in this edition done under his guidance which will be interesting to read.

Our lead story on “ The West War” is another important feature which covers the ground level reality of the challenges faced by the Aviation sector. Its though time ahead and we believe it will pass soon .

There are features on Regional connectivity and MoCA revised rules on the UDAN 2.0 and how its going to transform the flying experience within India.

In this edition, we have covered topics on MRO,Various Policy changes,Sea Plane Operations by SkyHop Aviation, TATA-Airbus joint project on C295 military aircraft under Make In India which is expected to roll out soon and many other interesting contents which will be good to read.

We are covering Farnborough International Airshow 2026 from 20-24July 2026 in London and our next edition will be based on the same event.For features, you may contact our team on priority basis.

 

Happy Reading!

NEWSLETTER

Aviation World Magazine is India’s premier aviation magazine and has been actively supporting the development of the Indian and global civil aviation sector. We started our journey in year 2015 and its been 12 years now and the response and acceptance is really encouraging. Thanks to all our associates and writers who remained with us in our progressive journey.

We have started 2026 on a very positive note and we look forward to increase our footprints to more locations and induct many more new companies in our campaign.. Do write to us at : editor@aviationworld.in

Disclaimer

The contents published in this website are news covering Aviation, Aerospace and Defence sector. The objective is to provide news in informative form to keep our readers updated of the latest development. We also publish content featured in our print publication Aviation World.We try our best to avoid any factual errors or image displayed here but we ensure immediate corrections to any such thing brought to our notice that might have been published inadvertently. All images and contents are sourced from the relevant organisations media team.

Copyright ©2014 – 2026. AVIATION WORLD. All rights reserved.

Scroll to Top