Civil Aviation

New Delhi, May 20, 2026: In a significant step towards enhancing passenger experience and promoting inclusive airport infrastructure, a series of passenger-centric and culturally significant facilities at Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi were formally inaugurated today by Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Minister of Civil Aviation, in the presence of Sanjay Seth, Minister of State for Defence. The newly inaugurated facilities include the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Feature Wall with Statue, UDAN Yatri Café, AVSAR Counter, Kids Zone and Flybrary.The Bhagwan Birsa Munda Feature Wall with Statue has been developed as a tribute to Bhagwan Birsa Munda. The installation reflects Jharkhand’s rich cultural heritage and historical legacy while offering passengers an immersive and visually engaging experience upon arrival. Speaking on the occasion, Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated,“Today’s unveiling of the statue of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda is an occasion to honour the confluence of tribal pride and modern development. I firmly believe that our airports should not merely serve as centres of travel, but should reflect the identity, heritage and spirit of the states they represent. Every passenger arriving at Ranchi Airport will now be welcomed by the inspiring legacy of Bhagwan Birsa Munda Ji and introduced to the soul of Jharkhand.” Highlighting aviation growth in Jharkhand, the Minister added,“Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, India’s civil aviation sector has witnessed transformative growth, with the number of airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 165 today. In Jharkhand too, this progress has been remarkable. Annual air passenger traffic has grown more than fivefold since 2014, aircraft movements have increased over three times, and air cargo has also recorded nearly threefold growth.” Talking about future expansion of aviation infrastructure in the state, the Minister said,“Through Modified UDAN, 100 new airports and 200 heliports will be developed across the country, immensely benefiting tribal regions and aspirational districts. RCS operations have already commenced at Jamshedpur Airport and airports at Dumka, Hazaribagh, Daltonganj, Dhalbhumgarh and Chaibasa are planned to be developed under the UDAN scheme.” Highlighting Ranchi Airport’s growing passenger traffic, Naidu noted that annual passenger numbers have increased from 17 lakh to over 27 lakh in the last five years. Keeping future demand in view, a comprehensive plan has been prepared for the reconfiguration and expansion of the terminal building. Under the proposal, the Domestic Security Hold Area will be expanded to 6,480 sqm, increasing peak-hour passenger handling capacity to 2,160 passengers. He further stated that plans are also underway for the development of a Parallel Taxi Track, Rapid Exit Taxiway and two additional aircraft parking aprons to improve runway efficiency and operational capacity. “We are committed to connecting Ranchi with global destinations and creating new economic opportunities for Jharkhand,” the Minister said.Sharing his ‘Ease of Flying’ vision around inauguration of passenger-centric facilities, Minister added that the UDAN Yatri Café will provide affordable food and beverages to passengers, making airports more inclusive, while the Flybrary initiative seeks to promote reading culture and create more meaningful travel experiences.

Abu Dhabi. 20th May 2026: Etihad Airways will increase its Airbus A380 service to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to double-daily this summer, expanding the route to triple-daily overall and making Paris one of only a handful of destinations in the world to be served twice a day by the iconic double-decker aircraft. From 1 July, Etihad’s expanded Paris schedule will include two daily Airbus A380 services departing Zayed Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) at convenient morning and afternoon departure times designed for both business and leisure travellers, complemented by a third daily Boeing 787-9 service featuring First, Business and Economy cabins. Together, the additional frequencies will significantly expand premium travel capacity between Abu Dhabi and the French capital. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “Paris is one of our most popular and most loved destinations, and this summer we are giving our guests more of what they love. Flying double-daily on the A380 to Charles de Gaulle is a statement of confidence in one of the world’s great travel markets. Whether our guests are heading to Paris for business, for leisure, or as the start of a journey onward across Europe, we are offering them our iconic A380 experience at the double.” The double-daily A380 operation will bring more of Etihad’s flagship experience to the French capital than ever before. Guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and Paris can enjoy the airline’s celebrated onboard offering across every cabin, from The Residence – the world’s only three-room suite in commercial aviation – and the exclusive First Apartments, to the spacious Business and Economy seats. With three daily flights to Paris, including two operated by the A380, Etihad is significantly expanding premium travel capacity between Abu Dhabi and one of the world’s most iconic destinations, while strengthening connections to the wider Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Asia through its growing global network.

Riyadh,20th May 2026: flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline has announced the launch of scheduled services to India with daily flights between Riyadh and Hyderabad beginning 1 July 2026 onwards. Sanjiv Kapoor, flyadeal acting Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President Strategies at Saudia Group, said: “India, a long-awaited addition to flyadeal’s growing network of international destinations,is a key part of Saudia Group and flyadeal’s long term strategy. “Our promise of friendly, efficient, low fare, and on-time service, builds on parent Saudia Group’s long-established presence in India since 1964 through our sister airline Saudia. “Hyderabad is the first step of our planned expansion into India, fuelled by the strong economic, social and cultural tiesthat India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have enjoyed for decades.Together with Saudia, the Saudia Group will now serve the Indian market comprehensively. Saudia offering full-service excellence and flyadeal delivering the best low fares for price-conscious travellers.” He added: “flyadeal will soon announce a second Indian destination as we execute our India market strategy.” flyadeal has, over the past three years,operated special Hajj and Umrah pilgrim-only flights from select points in India to Saudi Arabia, but this is the first time the airline will operate regular scheduled services between the two countries. The Hyderabad route will be operated by flyadeal’s Airbus A320neo aircraft with 186 seats in an all-Economy Class configuration. Features include USB-A or USB-C charging ports in every seat, and Airbus’ highly-acclaimed ‘Airspace’ cabin interior with extra large overhead bins.

Dubai, 8th May 2026: Emirates unveiled a striking livery of a large UAE flag emblazoned across the fuselage of its iconic Airbus A380 aircraft, the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft. The new livery on A6-EVG, is an extension of the airline’s iconic tail design, and a powerful tribute to the spirit, ambition and unity of the UAE. This initiative is part of Emirates’ ‘This Flag Will Always Fly’ campaign, responding to the nationwide initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. This initiative called on all citizens and residents to raise the UAE flag as a unifying symbol across society, a shared responsibility and pride in the nation’s strength and cohesion during recent challenges. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group said: “We’re proud to respond to HH Sheikh Mohammad’s call to raise the flag as a tribute to the UAE’s unity and strength. Since our inception, every Emirates aircraft has proudly carried the UAE flag wherever it flies. This new livery is our way of honouring a home that has given us so much, and a nation that stands as proof of what is possible when we collectively choose, every day, to reach higher. There is no greater stage for our flag than in the skies, and no greater privilege for Emirates than to fly it with pride.” The special livery features the colours of the UAE rendered in a bold, eye-catching 3D design that drapes elegantly across both sides of the aircraft. The moving canvas of national pride has already flown to New York and Brisbane and is scheduled to operate to more A380 destinations in the Emirates network, becoming visible from runways, skies and cities around the world. Plans are underway to apply the flag design to an Emirates Boeing 777, the next largest commercial airliner in the sky after the A380. The UAE flag is already a hallmark of every Emirates aircraft, painted across the tails of one of the world’s most recognisable fleets, and carrying the nation’s colours across continents, time zones and cultures each day. The special flag livery is one of many that have marked special national events and commemorations in the UAE. In 2017, the airline featured a customised decal of the late HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, with a bespoke livery for its 100th A380. The initiative marked the airline’s first initiative for the ‘Year of Zayed’, with 10 aircraft flying the special livery. That same year, the airline revealed the first of 40 aircraft carrying livery designs dedicated to Expo 2020 Dubai.

CHICAGO, April 29, 2026: United Airlines has announced new summer schedule with service to new European destinations in Croatia, Italy, Scotland and Spain. The new routes begin launching April 30 — giving customers even more options to reach unique, culturally rich destinations across Europe. In 2026, United will offer up to 210 flights daily during peak travel times between the U.S. and 36 destinations in Europe including Greenland – including 14 that no other U.S. network carrier serves – giving travelers more options at the times they want to travel most. New flights launch as soon as this week, including: Split, Croatia (SPU) – First-ever nonstop service begins April 30 with three weekly flights to Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. Bari, Italy (BRI) – The only carrier to serve Southern Italy’s gateway to Puglia, with four weekly flights starting May 1. Glasgow, Scotland (GLA) – The only nonstop service launches May 8, with daily service connecting travelers to Scotland’s cultural capital. Santiago de Compostela, Spain (SCQ) – First-ever service to Spain’s historic pilgrimage destination begins May 27, with three weekly flights from Newark/New York. Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF) – Daily nonstop service from Washington-Dulles launches May 21, the only service on this capital-to-capital route with lie-flat business class seats. These flights connect travelers directly to some of Europe’s most stunning summer destinations—from the coastal cities of Croatia to the historic streets of Italy and the cultural hubs of Spain and Scotland. Additionally, on the heels of last summer’s successful expansion, United will resume summer-seasonal service to destinations from the airline’s largest summer expansion ever in 2025, including: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (UBN) – Three weekly flights from Tokyo/Narita starting April 30 Faro, Portugal (FAO) – Four weekly flights service from Newark/New York starting May 15 Madeira Island, Portugal (FNC) – Three weekly flights from Newark/New York on May 16 (three weeks earlier than in 2025) Palermo, Italy (PMO) – Three weekly flights from Newark/New York starting May 22 Bilbao, Spain (BIO) – Three weekly flights from Newark/New starting May 30 Nuuk, Greenland (GOH) – Twice weekly flights from Newark/New York starting June 6 (one week earlier than in 2025) Demand for Distinct European Destinations United continues to see growing interest in destinations that go beyond traditional European travel destinations. The airline’s customers are increasingly seeking coastal, cultural and off-the-beaten-path experiences. United’s summer 2025 schedule expansion set a record for the most new destinations the airline has introduced in a single season. These routes delivered a strong performance in their first year and have great momentum as demand continues to increase.

Panaji, April 2026: Indian regional airline FLY91 on Friday, 10th April commenced operations on its Hyderabad–Rajahmundry-Hyderabad and Hyderabad–Vijayawada-Hyderabad sectors. The service was virtually inaugurated by Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation. Starting off with daily flights, the airline will ramp the frequency up to double daily services on 17 April on both routes. The inaugural flights marked the rollout of services connecting the key tier-2 cities with Hyderabad, strengthening regional air connectivity across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and southern India, aligned with the airline’s vision of ‘Connecting Bharat’. Ahead of the maiden departures, FLY91’s ATR 72-600 aircrafts received ceremonial water cannon salutes at the respective airports, signalling the start of operations on both sectors. The first set of passengers on the inaugural flights, were felicitated with commemorative boarding passes to mark the occasion. The Civil Aviation Minister said,”FLY91 is doing wonderfully, not only focusing on metro areas but also trying to connect the remote areas and the Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of the country. And it is the confidence these airlines have shown in the Government of India that we have extended our Udan scheme for the next 10 years.” The central government’s mission is to increase the existing 165 airports in the country to 350 by 2047. Commenting on the launch of services, Manoj Chacko, Managing Director and CEO, FLY91, said, “The commencement of services on the Hyderabad–Rajahmundry and Hyderabad–Vijayawada sectors marks another step in strengthening regional connectivity. These routes are designed to offer reliable, trustworthy, safe and convenient travel options, while supporting the growing demand for air travel across emerging regional markets.”

New Delhi, 31st March 2026: Air India had entered into a new codeshare partnership with Uzbekistan Airways, strengthening its growing international network and enhancing connectivity between India and Central Asia. Effective 20 March 2026, Air India has begun placing its ‘AI’ designator code on Uzbekistan Airways’ flights operating on key India–Uzbekistan routes, including Delhi-Tashkent, Mumbai-Tashkent, Goa-Tashkent (seasonal route). The new codeshare partnership provides Air India guests seamless access to Tashkent from major Indian gateways, with convenient onward domestic and international connections on Air India’s extensive route network on a single ticket and baggage checked through to their final destination. Air India and Uzbekistan Airways also maintain an interline partnership which further provides onward connections from Tashkent to Bukhara, Qarshi, Nukus, Urgench, Termez, Samarkand, Fergana, and Namangan. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said: “We are delighted to partner with Uzbekistan Airways as we continue to expand Air India’s global footprint. Tashkent is an increasingly important destination for leisure, business, and cultural travel, and this partnership allows us to offer our guests more choice and convenience while strengthening India’s air links with Central Asia.” Shukhrat Khudaykulov, Chairman of the Board of Uzbekistan Airways, JSC, noted: “The signing of the codeshare agreement between Uzbekistan Airways JSC and Air India opens a new chapter in the development of aviation cooperation between our countries. For us, this is a significant step in expanding our international route network and creating additional opportunities for our passengers. On behalf of Uzbekistan Airways JSC, I would like to express my gratitude to our partners at Air India for their trust and constructive cooperation. We anticipate that this agreement will serve as a solid foundation for the further development of our partnership and the implementation of new joint initiatives in the aviation industry.”

Los Angeles, 24th March 2026: United Airlines has announced the next phase of its long-term plan with addition of 250+ Planes in next two years by April 2028. Most by any Airline includes New, Premium Customer Experiences, Aircraft Variants, Subfleet, Seats and Amenities. The airline expects to take delivery of more than 250 new aircraft by April 2028 – the most by any airline in a two-year period – to further modernize its fleet, add new aircraft variants, create a new experience for transcontinental travelers and introduce new onboard products for every customer, reinforcing United’s position as a leading premium airline. United is adding widebody experiences to its new, narrowbody aircraft: the new “Coastliner” Airbus A321 subfleet and A321XLR are United’s first narrowbodies with the Elevated interior and feature a new, all-aisle access lie-flat seat in United Polaris with a patented design that offers more elbow and shoulder room and lower suite walls that protect privacy while maintaining an open feel in the cabin. United has 100 of these new airplanes coming into its fleet, and they’ll replace 40 older, less efficient Boeing 757s. The Coastliner will have a specially designed livery and fly exclusively between United’s west coast hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles and Newark/New York and will introduce the United Polaris cabin experience to domestic travelers. For the first time, customers traveling in United Polaris on these routes can also get access to the United Polaris lounge. United’s A321XLR gives travelers access to 32 premium seats – 16 more than the 757 it replaces – and will start flying later this year. The CRJ450 – a reimagined and redesigned version of the CRJ200 will be operated by SkyWest and will connect smaller cities to the airline’s Denver and Chicago hubs starting this fall. This will be one of United’s most premium regional jets, boasting a spacious United First cabin with a large luggage closet instead of overhead bins, creating an open, luxurious environment unlike any other commercial regional aircraft. United’s new 787-9 with the Elevated interior will fly internationally starting on April 22. These planes include the airline’s new United Polaris Studio: lie-flat, all-aisle-access seats that are 25% larger than standard United Polaris seats and include privacy doors*, an ottoman for companions on some seats, exclusive meal service with wine pairings and caviar, new amenity kits with retail-size offerings, wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity and a huge 27-inch, 4K OLED seatback screen – the largest among U.S. carriers. Today’s announcement expands on the successful and ambitious ‘United Next’ growth strategy announced in 2021. Since that time, United has added 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 237 Boeing 737 MAX and 67 Airbus A321neos, completed 70% of its plan to retrofit its mainline, narrow-body fleet, replaced more than 100 regional jets with larger mainline aircraft; increased premium seats per North American departure by 40% and hired more than 60,000 people. “For more than a decade, we’ve invested billions of dollars in our product, service, and technology as part of our plan to be the best brand loyal airline in the world, and the result is that more and more customers are choosing to fly us every day,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “Today we accelerate our plans and elevate our offerings to the next level, creating an even more consistent, premium onboard experience for every customer and delivering value across every cabin of service.” “These new planes and products not only complement our fleet and network plans, but they also give our customers more premium amenity and seat choices – whether they bought a basic economy ticket to fly from Chicago to Ft. Wayne or are flying Polaris between San Francisco and Singapore,” said United Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella. “United is setting the pace and innovating for our customers at a scope and scale unheard of in aviation history – and we’re not taking our foot off the gas.” New airplanes joining United’s fleet between now and April of 2028 include: 47 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with the Elevated interior 33 will be configured with additional premium seats 40 Airbus A321neo Coastliners out of 50 total on order 28 Airbus A321XLR out of 50 total on order 119 Boeing 737 MAX 18 Airbus A321neos

Gurugram, 24th March 2026: To reinforce its commitment to delivering effortlessly connected multi-airline journeys across its global network, Star Alliance today opened a new Star Connection Centre (SCC) at LAX — its ninth centre worldwide. With more than 350,000 passengers connecting between Star Alliance member airlines at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) each year, it is one of the Alliance’s most critical global transfer hubs. Designed to support passengers with tight connections between two Star Alliance member airline flights, SCC proactively identifies customers at risk of missing their onward journey due to their delayed incoming flight and expedites them to their next flight. “Every moment matters when connections are tight, and our goal is to make multi-airline journeys feel seamless,” said Ambar Franco, Vice President – Customer Experience at Star Alliance. “At Star Connection Centres, our member airlines come together as one to ensure that, regardless of which airline passengers are flying with, they are supported from an Alliance perspective. This is what Star Alliance stands for — delivering a smooth experience across our global network. Our latest Star Connection Centre at LAX will benefit our members and customers alike.” For Star Alliance passengers, the experience is simple: a smooth and seamless connection. Behind the scenes, however, teams across Star Alliance member airlines work together to make that possible. Dedicated agents monitor transfer windows using specialised software and step in to coordinate support — meeting passengers at the arrival gate and guiding them swiftly to their next flight. Star Alliance has been operating Connection Centres for more than a decade, supporting both passenger and baggage transfers across key hubs worldwide. In addition to Los Angeles, Star Connection Centres are located in Brussels (BRU), Chicago (ORD), Frankfurt (FRA) and Toronto (YYZ), while dedicated baggage-focused SCC operate in Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD) and San Francisco (SFO). At present, 16 Star Alliance member airlines serve Los Angeles: Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Copa Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines and United. Together, they operate more than 2,000 weekly flights to over 80 destinations across more than 20 countries.