Recent News

Delhi, 21st November 2024: Cathay Pacific released its traffic figures for October 2024, showing that the airline reached the milestone of operating more than 10,000 passenger and cargo flight sectors in a single month for the first time this year. Cathay Pacific carried a total of 2,014,105 passengers in October 2024, an increase of 19.6% compared with October 2023. The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 19.1% year on year. Passenger load factor decreased by 1.6 percentage points to 83.1%, while available seat kilometres (ASKs) increased by 21.3% year on year. In the first 10 months of 2024, the number of passengers carried increased by 27.4% to a total of 18,567,818, against a 32.7% increase in ASKs and a 26.8% increase in RPKs, as compared with the same period for 2023. Recently, we also announced the resumption of Cathay Pacific’s non-stop passenger services to and from Hyderabad starting from 30 March 2025, further enhancing our network presence in India.

Panaji, 19th November 2024: The newest airline of India FLY91, has added Solapur and Mumbai sectors in its operating sector. The two new direct routes, Goa – Solapur and Mumbai – Solapur, takes the total number of domestic destinations up to nine. FLY91 commenced its operations in March 24. FLY91 Airline’s flights will be operational on the two routes starting 23rd December and tickets will be available for sale for the two routes over the next few days. The start of these flights will bring a reliable, safe and quick mode of transportation between these destinations. “FLY91 is pleased to announce the two new direct routes. FLY91 will be the only airline providing direct connectivity between Mumbai and Solapur. Connecting with Goa will open up Goa as a conveniently reachable tourism destination for the residents of Solapur,” said Manoj Chacko, Managing Director and CEO of FLY91. Based out of Manohar International Airport, Goa, FLY91 currently connects regional centres such as Mumbai, Pune, Jalgaon, Sindhudurg and Solapur in Maharashtra, as well as Agatti in Lakshadweep and cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

New Delhi, 18th Nov 2024: The Indian aviation sector achieved a historic milestone on November 17, 2024, with 5,05,412 domestic passengers departing across the country in a single day. This marks the first time domestic passenger numbers have surpassed the 5-lakh mark, showcasing India’s growing prominence in the global aviation landscape. More than 3,100 planes took off taking more than five lakh passengers. The passenger count has been increasing continuously after the UDAN – “Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik” scheme, which was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on October 21, 2016. This achievement reflects the sector’s rapid expansion, supported by enhanced connectivity, passenger-friendly policies, and increased accessibility to affordable air travel. It highlights the seamless efforts of all stakeholders, from airlines to airport operators, in providing reliable and efficient services to passengers. On this momentous occasion, Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu said, “This number shows that the air travel is now more accessible to the people of India.” He added this landmark became possible because of the schemes like UDAN which has brought air travel closer to the people The UDAN has revolutionized the air travel connecting the remote parts of India to global destinations. The Ministry of Civil Aviation continues to play a pivotal role in driving the growth of the sector through initiatives like the Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN), development of greenfield airports, and the digitalization of passenger services. This milestone serves as a testament to the resilience and potential of India’s aviation industry, further cementing its position as a key driver of the Nation’s economic progress.

Chennai,18th November 2024: Garuda Aerospace with its fleet of over 2,000 Agri-drones, has recorded 10 lakh hours of flying time in the past year an average rate of one drone every two minutes. This consistent deployment has enabled the company to support farmers across the country, boosting productivity and sustainability.These high-tech drones, equipped with advanced sensors and GPS guidance, are empowering farmers to: • Precision Agriculture: Deliver targeted treatments of pesticides, fertilisers, and nutrients, optimising resource utilisation and minimising environmental impact • Reduced Environmental Impact and Improve Safety: Sustainable farming practices minimize waste, protect the environment, and create safer working conditions for farmers. • Real-Time Monitoring: Monitor crop health in real-time and enable early detection of pests, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies • Data-Driven Decisions: Leverage data analytics to make informed decisions on planting cycles, harvesting, and resource allocation. Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace, highlighted the company’s broader vision: “Our achievement of 10 lakh hours of agricultural drone operations is a testament to our dedication to revolutionising Indian agriculture. We are deeply committed to providing innovative, accessible solutions for every farmer, and this milestone reflects the progress we’re making in transforming India’s agricultural landscape for a sustainable future. Garuda’s vision is to make drone technology as ubiquitous as tractors, revolutionising Indian agriculture and positioning India as a global leader in sustainable farming practices.”

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 18, 2024: Embraer and PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Indonesia’s leading aerospace company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at growing collaboration in commercial aviation. The MoU was signed at the Indonesia-Brazil CEO Forum, chaired by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil in the presence of several Indonesian figures including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Special Presidential Envoy of the Republic of Indonesia Hashim Djojohadikusumo and Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) Anindya Bakrie. Embraer and PTDI will conduct joint studies to evaluate partnership opportunities in commercial aviation, in areas such as engineering and the supply of aerostructures. The collaboration framework will be guided by rigorous commercial and technical standards, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and business objectives. Both companies are committed to exploring opportunities that create mutual value while maintaining the highest quality and performance standards in aerospace manufacturing. This agreement represents a significant step in advancing aerospace collaboration between Brazil and Indonesia, fostering technological innovation and industrial partnerships across emerging economies. “As Indonesia’s premier aerospace manufacturer, PTDI has strong ambitions for Indonesia,” said Gita Amperiawan, President Director of PT Dirgantara Indonesia. “We look forward to developing this collaboration and tapping on Embraer’s 55 years of expertise and knowledge, which will boost our capabilities, particularly in the commercial aviation sector.” “We are excited about this growing relationship between Embraer and Indonesia’s PTDI,” said Rodrigo Silva e Souza, Vice President of Marketing for Embraer Commercial Aviation. “Indonesia is one of the fastest growing aviation markets globally and we see areas where both parties can harness the strength of its expertise, enhance Indonesia’s aerospace capabilities and expand its air connectivity.” The Indonesian Air Force operates a fleet of A-29 Super Tucanos and there is a sizeable fleet of Embraer business jets operating in the country. PT Wira Jasa Angkasa (WJA) is Embraer Executive Jets’ appointed authorized service center in Indonesia.

LANGLEY UK, November 14, 2024: Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, and All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, today announced they have signed a multi-source content distribution agreement that includes New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing. Named a ‘Friendly Partner’ of ANA, Travelport is the first global distribution system (GDS) to confirm an NDC distribution agreement with the airline. Travelport and ANA are actively collaborating to make ANA’s NDC content available via Travelport+, targeting mid-year 2025.“Travelport has been a valued partner of ANA for many years as a result of our productive collaboration that enhances our modern retailing approach so we can provide exceptional experiences for our travelers,” said Keiji Omae, Executive Vice President of Customer Experience at ANA. “As we advance our NDC strategy, I am confident that Travelport can play a crucial role in helping us expand our reach and simplify the booking and servicing process as agents and travelers shop for our best offers.” Travelport and ANA have deepened their long-standing relationship to ensure that Travelport-connected agencies will continue to have simplified access to ANA’s wide range product offerings, including ancillary services. Travelport+ is the only modern retailing platform built for travel agencies. To date, thousands of travel agencies in more than 178 countries can easily search, sell and service multi-source content, including NDC, using Travelport’s APIs, Smartpoint Cloud and Smartpoint desktop agency point-of-sale solutions. “This pivotal agreement confirms that agencies using Travelport+ will be able to access relevant, personalized, and enriched multi-source content from ANA, which means travelers are presented with more choice among ANA’s best offers and fares,” said Damian Hickey, Global Head of Air Partners at Travelport. “As ANA’s friendly partner, we are dedicated to delivering ANA’s content to our agency customers in a retail-ready way so that selling and servicing NDC bookings is effortless for agents.”

Agra, 13th Nov 2024: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, AOC-in-C CAC inaugurated the IAF C-295 Full Motion Simulator (FMS) facility on 11 Nov 24 at Air Force Station Agra. A significant proportion of the pilot’s training can be undertaken in the simulator thereby saving precious flying hours on the aircraft. The state of the art simulator enables the pilots to train in near realistic environment by simulating various missions like tactical airlift, para-dropping, para-trooping, medical evacuation, disaster relief and also enables simulation of several critical situations that can be encountered in actual operations, ensuring that our pilots are battle ready. It will allow pilots to hone their skills in handling high risk emergencies that require time critical decisions, thereby enhancing the overall flight safety of military operations. The induction of C-295 aircraft into IAF will give a fillip to the aerospace ecosystem of the country, marking the beginning of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” in private sector production of transport aircraft in India.

Brunei, 12th Nov 2024: Bandar Sri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam – Leaders of Asia Pacific air carriers gathered in Brunei for the AAPA’s 68th Assembly of Presidents are buoyed by resiliently strong international air travel and cargo growth in 2024, which has resulted in the Asia Pacific region once again becoming the largest air transport market in the world. Themed ‘Future Proofing Asian Aviation,’ the Assembly will assess the industry’s recovery and the challenges to continued growth, including the ongoing supply chain issues affecting the timely delivery of aircraft, engines, components, and parts. A key focus will be aviation sustainability. A panel of experts representing airlines, airports, aircraft producers, governments and sustainable aviation fuel suppliers will discuss the path to carbon neutrality, prior to airline leaders considering Assembly resolutions to be announced at the close of the event. The potential for an air travel boom in emerging markets across the region will also be on the radar. Airline leaders are meeting at an exciting time with the pandemic well over, and economies in the region expected to grow exponentially in the next few years. Discussions will focus on future outlook, and a vision to make air travel for future generations even more sustainable, seamless and hassle-free. “Brunei is an ideal setting for the Assembly this year. Its rich natural habitat provides an inspirational backdrop to discussions on how air travel of the future could look. As we embark on the 68th Assembly of Presidents, we are focused on what lies ahead, with the lessons of the past four years serving as a springboard for discussions on the future of air travel in the world’s largest aviation market,” said Mr. Subhas Menon, Director General of AAPA.