Civil Aviation

India, 3rd Feb 2025: Etihad Airways’ popular A380 makes its debut at Singapore Changi Airport on Sunday, 2 February, marking the first time the airline has flown its Big Bird to Singapore. The milestone further enhances the travel experience between the UAE and the Asian powerhouse. The world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, brings Etihad’s celebrated inflight features to the Singapore route, including The Residence – the world’s only three-room suite in the sky. The upper deck also features The Lobby, an exclusive lounge area for First and Business class guests. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “As a vibrant and dynamic city, Singapore is always going to be a key destination in our global network. The decision to deploy our much-loved A380 boosts our travel offering between Abu Dhabi and Singaporeandhighlights our resolve to go beyond by delivering fantastic travel experiences across Etihad’s growing global network. “Bringing the A380 to Singapore, along with our broader network expansion plans – including increased frequency on key routes – demonstrates our strong growth momentum in Asia. This added capacity reflects the growing demand we’re seeing for travel to and from Singapore.” The UAE and Singapore enjoy robust ties across multiple sectors, including trade, culture, and business, and the route caters to leisure travellers as well as providing strong business connections, particularly in sectors like aviation, energy, and technology. The A380 increases the route’s capacity by 28%, offering 486 seats, including The Residence, nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios, and 405 Economy Smart seats. As well as being a global financial hub, Singapore offers a vibrant mix of stunning architecture, lush gardens, diverse cuisine, and world-class shopping, making it a must-visit destination for travellers, for business, pleasure, or both. The enhanced capacity also offers visitors more opportunities to experience Abu Dhabi’s unique charm and culture, while providing seamless and timely connections to key destinations worldwide. Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme further enhances connectivity, enabling travellers to extend their layovers into memorable stays with up to two complimentary nights at premium hotels in Abu Dhabi, showcasing the city’s growing appeal as a fashionable destination.

Bangkok,3rd Feb 2025: Lufthansa, Germany’s flagship carrier and largest airline, has announced the extension of its Airbus A380 service from Bangkok to Munich for the peak Songkran holiday season. In response to growing demand during this key travel period, Lufthansa will operate its flagship aircraft on this route, offering passengers a luxurious and comfortable flying experience between the two major cities. The A380, known for its spacious cabins, cutting-edge amenities, and state-of-the-art technology, will be deployed for additional flights starting in early April 2025, coinciding with the annual Songkran Festival in Thailand. As one of the most significant cultural events in Thailand, the Songkran holiday attracts millions of travelers both domestically and internationally. Lufthansa’s decision to extend its A380 service aims to provide travelers with enhanced capacity and superior comfort during this busy travel period. “We are excited to extend our A380 service on the Munich-Bangkok route during the Songkran holiday season,” said Felipe Bonifatti, Vice President Asia Pacific & Joint Ventures East. “The A380 offers unparalleled comfort and capacity, and we are confident that our passengers will appreciate the extra space and top-tier service as they travel during the busy Thai New Year period.” Lufthansa’s decision to continue the deployment of the A380 for the Songkran season follows the airline’s continued commitment to enhancing the travel experience for its passengers. With its wide-body design and cutting-edge technology, the Airbus A380 is ideal for long-haul flights, offering passengers an elevated level of comfort when flying with the national airline of Germany.

New Delhi, 1st Feb 2025: At the second full budget of the Modi 3.0 government, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her eighth consecutive Union Budget in the Parliament addressed key decisions for the aviation sector. This year’s Union Budget holds special focus on agriculture, uplifting rural areas, manufacturing, innovation, etc as the FM mentioned that the Modi government’s budget aims to work on transformative reforms. The FM announced that under the current aviation budget, as many as 120 new airports will be connected in a span of 10 years under UDAN scheme. Additionally, Bihar will get new greenfield airport at Bihta along with the expansion project of the Patna airport. UDAN – Regional Connectivity Scheme While presenting the Union Budget the finance minister said, “UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalized 619 routes. Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme which will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years and this scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts.” She also informed that the government will facilitate upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will also be streamlined and made user-friendly.” Giving infrastructure fillip to the state of Bihar, the Union Finance Minster proposed that the Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the State. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta. Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air said,”The Union Budget 2025 marks a significant step in supporting the sustained growth of India’s aviation sector. We commend the government’s commitment to infrastructure which will make air travel more accessible, thereby boosting tourism and the economy on the whole. Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, this focus on aviation strengthens India’s position as a global hub, ensuring greater mobility for all and contributing to a more connected, inclusive nation. As India’s fastest-growing airline, we applaud the government’s continued efforts to fuel the sector’s growth and make air travel accessible to a greater number of Indians.” Industry experts opinions on the Union Budget catering to the aviation & aerospace sector alongwith travel trade sector: Vinay Bagri, Co-Founder & CEO, Niyo The Union Budget 2025 brings encouraging developments for both startups and international travellers. The five-year extension for startup incorporation eligibility is a strong boost to India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, providing much needed continuity and support. On the international travel front, while the increase in the Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) limit to ₹10 lakh is a step forward, we were hoping for exemptions on TCS for global travellers which remains a concern. The removal of TCS on education remittances from loans is a positive move, easing the financial strain on students. As a travel banking fintech, we believe these policy changes will impact how Indians engage with the global economy. Amey Belorkar – Fund Manager – Maharashtra and Aerospace Venture Fund at IDBI Capital Markets & Securities Limited The Budget has focused on strenthening India’s MSME and Startup ecosystem through enhanced credit access by way of expanded fund-of-funds (FOF) of Rs 10,000 crores as well as a proposal for setting up a Deep Tech FOF. Further the investment limits for MSME classification have been increased by 2.5 times which means that businesses can now invest significantly more while still qualifying as MSMEs. Also startups are benefited with the increase in Incorporation period by 5 years. The allocation of Rs 500 crore for MRO sector and the establishment of a Rs.25,000 crore corpus for shipbuilding shows India’s commitment to promote India’s self-reliance. Additionally, India is focused to accelerate clean energy to develop at least 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 and encourage private sector involvement. A dedicated Rs. 20,000 crore R&D initiative for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) will be launched, with the goal of having at least five indigenously developed SMRs operational by 2033. The Budget also aims to create self reliance in EV and mobile phone battery manufacturing.” Krishna Rathi, Senior Country Director, India Subcontinent and MEA at Agoda: Agoda acknowledges and celebrates India’s exciting potential as a top travel destination and is enthusiastic about the tourism plans announced in this year’s Union Budget. The investment in recent years in infrastructure enhancements and destination marketing is undeniably paying off. At Agoda, we see this reflected in a 22% year-on-year increase in inbound accommodation searches to India. With this year’s announced investments in the expansion of the UDAN scheme to connect 120 new destinations, enhanced support for homestays, and the development of top tourist destinations in collaboration with state governments, we’re hopeful that India will be able to sustain this momentum. Especially as this comes on top of continuing positive trends like visa easements and inspirational destination marketing campaigns promoting India’s diverse experiences and attractions.” Ankit Mehta, CEO, ideaForge: The Union Budget 2025 reaffirms the government’s commitment to deep tech innovation. The rise in PLI spending for drones and drone components—from INR 33 crore to INR 57 crore within the total outlay of INR 120 crore—reflects the increasing scale of industry participation and adoption. This trend highlights the sector’s growing momentum and the need for sustained support. However, to fully unlock the potential of this technology, a significantly larger scheme of INR 1,000-2,000 crore over at least five years is essential. Additionally, the INR 20,000 crore allocation for private-sector-led R&D and the launch of the National Geospatial Mission will accelerate advancements in autonomous systems, precision mapping, and next-generation infrastructure planning. Together, these initiatives position India as a global leader in drone and geospatial intelligence, driving innovation and self-reliance in this critical sector.” Kush Kapoor, CEO, Roseate Hotels & Resorts: “The Union Budget 2025 presents a forward-thinking approach that is bound to benefit

Mumbai, 29th Jan 2025: Air Astana is celebrating 20 years of connecting Kazakhstan and India by expanding its services with a new Almaty-Mumbai route launching on 20th April 2025. Since entering the Indian market in 2004, the airline has steadily expanded its presence and now operates nine weekly flights to Delhi from Almaty, with a regular increase in frequencies during the summer. Flights to Mumbai will be operated using Airbus family aircraft three times a week on Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with the first service departure from Almaty on 20th April being at 04.30 and arriving in Mumbai at 09.55. The return flight will depart Mumbai at 11.00 and arrive in Almaty at 14.45. All times local. Flight time to Mumbai is 4h50m outbound and 4h20m on return. Economy class return fares including taxes start at US$406, whilst Business class return fares including taxes start at US$1,136. “With the Indian economy growing strongly, Air Astana is delighted to launch services to Mumbai, a vibrant and flourishing metropolis driven by trade, finance and enterprise. Business and leisure travellers will now be able to experience the excellence of Air Astana’s in-services when flying between Kazakhstan’s and India’s most commercial cities.” said Peter Foster, Chief Executive at Air Astana.

Mumbai, 23rd January, 2025: Vietnam Airlines has announced the upgrade of its aircraft on the Mumbai to Hanoi route, effective May 1, 2025. It will operate four times a week using Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 aircraft. This upgrade will increase capacity of Vietnam Airlines from Mumbai, strengthening air connectivity between both the countries. Speaking on the announcement, Nguyen Trung Hieu, Country Manager India at Vietnam Airlines, expressed his enthusiasm,“Following the launch of daily A350 flights in Delhi last year, and the overwhelming response from the market, we are thrilled to increase our operations from Mumbai. Upgrading to wide-body operations with our Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 aircraft reflects our unwavering commitment to offering Indian travelers unparalleled comfort and convenience. We look forward to welcoming passengers onboard and providing them with an exceptional journey characterized by renowned Vietnamese hospitality.” Echoing this sentiment, Abhishek Goyal, CEO & Executive Director, Aeroprime Group(India GSA for Vietnam Airlines), added: ‘’Upgrading to the world-class Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 aircraft demonstrates Vietnam Airlines’ commitment to enhancing customer experience. We are proud to support Vietnam Airlines in their journey as Mumbai represents a vital market for expanding travel between India and Vietnam. With a strong and growing demand for this stunning destination, these upgraded operations will further strengthen connectivity and offer Indian travelers an unparalleled travel experience.’’ Vietnam has emerged as one of the most sought-after destinations for Indian travelers in recent years. According to Google Trends, it was the “Most Searched Destination for Indians in 2023.” The introduction of wide-body flights from Mumbai is perfectly timed to meet this growing demand while providing seamless connections from Hanoi to key destinations across Asia-Pacific, including China, Japan, Korea, and Australia. Vietnam Airlines currently operates 14 flights weekly from Delhi and Mumbai to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. With this upgrade featuring wide-body aircraft on the Mumbai-Hanoi route, the airline further solidifies its position as a preferred choice for Indian travelers seeking comfort, reliability, and exceptional service.

Kuala Lumpur, 20TH Jan 2025: The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has announced that Qantas Airways Limited has joined AAPA with immediate effect.“We are very pleased and honoured to welcome Qantas Airways as a member of AAPA. Qantas, a leading Australian airline with a long heritage, would not only strengthen the Association’s voice in international aviation policy discussions, but also reinforce effective regional collaboration on key aviation tenets, namely safety, sustainability, and seamless air travel,” said Subhas Menon, Director General of AAPA. Cam Wallace, Chief Executive Officer of International and Freight, Qantas, said, “Qantas looks forward to working with members of AAPA as the industry embraces opportunities to meet the evolving needs of customers in a dynamic market, while at the same time confronting challenges such as climate change and supply chain disruptions. There are many areas airlines can share best practices and experiences to benefit the travelling public”.

Frankfurt, 18 January 2025: The Italian airline ITA Airways is a new member of the Lufthansa Group. The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and Europe’s leading aviation group concluded the transaction today. As a result, the Lufthansa Group has a 41 percent stake in the Italian airline ITA Airways. The remaining 59 percent will initially continue to be held by MEF. The two parties had already agreed in May 2023 that Deutsche Lufthansa AG would acquire a minority stake of 41 percent in ITA Airways. The European Commission had recently approved the participation by approving the remedies on 29 November 2024. Other competition authorities outside the EU have since also approved the participation. The first step of the investment was implemented today by means of a capital increase of 325 million euros. Options for the acquisition of the remaining shares in ITA Airways have been agreed between the Lufthansa Group and MEF and can be exercised from this year. With today’s transaction, ITA Airways is part of the Lufthansa Group and will be the Group’s fifth network airline. Carsten Spohr, Chief Executive Officer Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said,“We are proud to finally welcome ITA Airways to the Lufthansa Group. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this, especially in Rome, Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt. The ITA Airways team has written an impressive success story in recent years and, with great energy, passion and expertise, has built an airline that is already the pride of an entire nation. We look forward to continuing this success story of ITA Airways together. With our investment, we will now strengthen the Italian and European aviation market and the position of the Lufthansa Group as number one in Europe. Our joint passengers worldwide will benefit from improved offers and optimized connections as early as this upcoming summer flight schedule.” Italy will thus become a further “home market” for the Lufthansa Group. The country is already the company’s second most important international market after the USA, outside the existing home markets of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium. The five-star Rome Fiumicino Airport will be the sixth and southernmost Lufthansa Group hub. Milan-Linate, as a metropolitan airport in the economically strong northern Italy region with the second largest catchment area in the EU, will play a prominent role in the Group. Timely integration ITA Airways will be retained as a strong brand and developed further. With today’s closing of the transaction, the Lufthansa Group and ITA Airways can conclude the first cooperation agreements for their passengers. In a few weeks, ITA Airways frequent flyers will be able to collect their points or miles either in ITA Airways’ existing “Volare” program or already in Miles & More, the Lufthansa Group’s loyalty program. In addition, Miles & More participants will have the opportunity to earn and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights. Further collaborations, such as joint codeshare connections, mutual use of the respective lounges and the planned admission to the Star Alliance aviation alliance, are to follow successively. Further details will be communicated to customers and partners in a timely manner. ITA Airways (IATA flight number code “AZ”) is a young airline that has been growing since it started operating in 2021. Its modern, environmentally friendly Airbus fleet currently numbers 99 aircraft, including 22 long-haul Airbus A350-900, Airbus A330-900neo and A330-200 aircraft. ITA Airways flies to almost 70 destinations around the world. The airline’s home base is its Rome Fiumicino (5-star Skytrax) and Milan Linate airport. In 2024, the airline welcomed around 18 million passengers on board its aircraft. Joerg Eberhart (54) is appointed as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ITA Airways. He is also a managing member of the Board of Directors of the Italian airline, which is based in Rome. In this role, Joerg Eberhart will take over the tasks previously performed on an interim basis by Antonino Turicchi and Andrea Benassi. Lorenza Maggio (47) will take over the position of “Chief Strategy and Integration Officer” (CSIO) and will become a member of the Board of Directors of ITA Airways. In this position, Lorenza Maggio will manage the strategic development of the airline and be responsible for its integration into the Lufthansa Group. Michael Trestl (39) will be responsible for the holistic integration of ITA Airways into the Lufthansa Group as “ITA Implementation Officer” and will transfer from Austrian Airlines to the Group headquarters in Frankfurt for this purpose. Michael Trestl has been a member of the Austrian Airlines Executive Board and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) since 2021. “I am delighted that we can appoint two managers from our own ranks to the management of ITA Airways: Joerg Eberhart and Lorenza Maggio,” says Carsten Spohr. “With their extensive experience and expertise, they will continue ITA Airways’ successful course and quickly integrate the airline into the Lufthansa Group. With Michael Trestl, an experienced airline manager will take over the integration task in the group.”

Chennai, 10th Jan 2025: Hong Kong’s home carrier Cathay Pacific has announced the introduction of a Premium Economy cabin on flights from Chennai to Hong Kong. The airline will operate Airbus A350-900 aircraft, featuring Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins, to cater to diverse traveller preferences. Cathay Regional Head of Customer Travel and Lifestyle Anand Yedery said,”We are excited to introduce our Premium Economy cabin to the Chennai market. This addition reflects our dedication to offering customers greater comfort and choice. Chennai is a key destination for us, and our focus is on delivering unparalleled service and travel experiences. Travellers’ needs have evolved over time. In the past, there wasn’t an option between Business and Economy classes, but with the introduction of our Premium Economy cabin, travellers can opt for extra comfort and personalised services, especially on medium- and long-haul flights. Our aim is to enhance the air travel experience for our customers.” Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy cabin redefines comfort and sophistication,offering thoughtfully designed seats with enhanced recline, extra legroom, and ergonomic headrests for unparalleled relaxation. Features include full-length calf rests, leather-padded footrests, and larger meal tables that enhance work or and dining. For added convenience, personalised storage spaces keep essentials within easy reach. Customers can also enjoy Disney+ Originals along with a refreshed user interface, ensuring an immersive experience that sets a new standard for air travel. Furthermore, the airline will be increasing its flight frequencies from Chennai to Hong Kong. From 2 January to 1 March 2025, flights on the Chennai-Hong Kong route will run four times weekly, rising to five flights per week from 2 March to 30 March 2025, to meet growing demand and enhance connectivity.

Dreieich,10th January 2025: Hahnair is reflecting on a successful year 2024. The market leader in distribution and ticketing solutions added 18 new carriers to its leading network of over 350 partner airlines over the course of last year. The flights of all new partners can be issued by travel agencies around the world on the insolvency-safe Hahnair HR-169 ticket. The ticketing specialist also secured 12 additional contract signatures with airlines which are currently being implemented and which will be communicated soon. Seven of the new partner airlines have entered into interline agreements with Hahnair and are available under their own IATA codes in major GDSs. The remaining eleven carriers are taking advantage of the products H1-Air or X1-Air for airlines that are looking to expand their GDS presence, thereby extending their reach through all major GDSs to over 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets. “2024 was an incredible year for Hahnair”, comments Kirsten Rehmann, CEO of Hahnair. “Not only did we sign 30 new partner airlines, we also celebrated the 25th year of our ticketing business, underwent a successful rebranding and commemorated the milestone of 50 Million insolvency-safe tickets since 2010. We are ready for 2025 with a focus on our products H1-Air and X1-Air, new technologies and new distribution channels. We’ll be able to share more news soon.” More information about Hahnair and its products and services for travel agents and airlines can be found at www.hahnair.com The 18 new Hahnair partners added in 2024: Interline partners available under their own 2-letter-code • Aero Mongolia, Mongolia (M0) • Alaska Airlines, USA (AS) • Greater Bay Airlines, Hong Kong (HB) • Nesma Airlines, Egypt (NE) • Sky Airline Peru, Peru (H8) • St Barth Executive, France (LE) • Sunrise Airways, Haiti (S6) H1-Air partners available under the H1 code • Qazaq Air, Kazakhstan • Thai Vietjet Air, Thailand X1-Air partners available under the X1 code • Air Antilles, Antilles • Alsie Express, Denmark, • Budapest Aircraft Services, Hungary • Corendon Dutch Airlines, The Netherlands • Costa Rica Green Airways, Costa Rica • Dalloo Airlines, UAE • Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, Kingdom of Bhutan • Flytrip, Panama • Sunlight Air, Philippines