Recent News

Vijayawada / Gurugram, 17th June 2024: Air India has launched a direct daily service between Vijayawada and Mumbai enhancing their network connectivity in Andhra Pradesh. Member of Parliament from Machilipatnam Vallabhaneni Balashowry and Member of Parliament from Vijayawada Kesineni Sivanath graced the occasion. The inaugural flight to Mumbai took off after passengers were greeted and felicitated by Air India’s on-ground staff and airport authorities.The direct service will enhance connection between Vijayawada and Mumbai, meeting a long-standing need. Operated by an A320 family of single-aisle aircraft, flight AI598 will take off from Mumbai at 1555 hrs to arrive in Vijayawada at 1745 hrs. The return flight AI599 will depart Vijayawada at 1910 hrs to land in Mumbai at 2100 hrs.

Rome,17th June, 2024: ITA Airways, the Italian reference carrier, has achieved a significant milestone by receiving a Four-Star rating from Skytrax, acknowledging its exceptional quality in customer service. Skytrax, the UK-based international air transport research organization, awarded this recognition following a comprehensive evaluation by industry experts. This assessment considered over 1,200 indicators, including digital infrastructure, in-flight services, and airport services. This achievement underscores ITA Airways’ commitment to its core principle: customer centricity. The airline is celebrated for its outstanding service and professionalism, setting a global benchmark for hospitality. The high level of service provided both on board and at the airport has enabled ITA Airways to climb the rankings of major European and international airlines, reaching prominent positions. This accolade marks just the beginning of the company’s long-term strategy to enhance customer- oriented services.

Bengaluru,7th June, 2024: Air India will be launching non-stop services between Bengaluru and London Gatwick (LGW), commencing on August 18, 2024.The new route will feature five weekly flights, providing enhanced connectivity for both business and leisure travellers. This development marks Bengaluru as the first Indian city to have direct connectivity to the two largest airports in London – Heathrow and Gatwick, further reinforcing the strong economic and cultural ties between India and the UK. Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer at Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL),said, “We are thrilled about this new development, which strengthens our ongoing partnership with Air India and greatly enhances our connectivity to London.This new route will boost trade, tourism, and cultural exchange. London is one of our busiest long-haul markets and the new service will allow our passengers have a choice of airports in London to travel to. We look forward to adding more destinations to our network, thereby reinforcing our position as the Gateway to South and Central India. Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said, “This new route caters to the growing demand for travel between these two important business and leisure destinations, and strengthens our commitment to expanding our global network.” Air India will operate its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on this route, featuring 18 flat beds in Business class and 238 spacious seats in Economy. The new service will cater to the growing demand for travel between Bengaluru and London, providing passengers with convenient and direct flight options.

6th June 2024,Delhi: Air India Express expands its network in the National Capital Region (NCR), bringing more convenience to flyers in NCR and North India, by operating 28 weekly direct flights connecting Hindon with Bengaluru, Goa, and Kolkata, with fares starting from ₹5,134. Flight operations will commence on 1st August 2024. Inaugural fares are now open for booking on the airline’s award-winning website, airindiaexpress.com, the Air India Express mobile app and other major booking channels. Besides operating over 280 flights a week from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi, AIX will be operating from Hindon Airport, ensuring enhanced connectivity to/from other cities in Western UP, Uttarakhand and Haryana. Hindon’s strategic location within the National Capital Region (NCR) ensures seamless access for travellers based out of Central and Eastern Delhi, Noida, Alipur, Agra, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Dadri, Dasna, Dehradun, Faridnagar, Hapur, Haridwar, Khekra, Loni, Meerut, Modinagar, Muradnagar, Noida, Nangloi Jat, Pilkhuwa, Panipat, Rishikesh, Saharanpur, and Sonipat. Speaking about the announcement, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said, “Our network expansion is focussed on enhancing connectivity across the rapidly growing domestic and short-haul international market, particularly the new and underserved routes. The maturity and size of major metropolitan areas in India can support secondary airports, spreading the benefits of air connectivity and further stimulating growth. We believe the launch of our flights from Hindon is a pioneering effort towards this direction. It will benefit travellers from an extended catchment area, even beyond Delhi NCR, including Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal and Haryana. The new services will complement our operations from the primary airport serving Delhi NCR, providing convenient options.”

5th June 2024, Singapore: Cathay and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a broad range of sustainability initiatives. These collective efforts are aimed at advocating for the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)in the Asia-Pacific region, a critical decarbonisation lever for the sector, and sharing best practices to boost sustainability performance. The MoU was signed by Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Ronald Lam and Singapore Airlines CEO Mr Goh Choon Phong in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on the sidelines of the 80th International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit. The agreement, which focuses on two key areas, underscores both carriers’ commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and affirms their aspiration to help drive sustainability changes in the airline industry. Firstly, Cathay and SIA will jointly advocate for the greater use of SAF in the Asia-Pacific region. Initiatives in this area will include raising public awareness about SAF’s critical role in decarbonising aviation, advocating for supportive policies in the region, and promoting the creation of a standard global accounting and reporting framework to ensure the transparency and verifiability of emission reductions from the use of the fuel. The airlines will also explore potential opportunities for joint procurement of SAF at selected locations. These are aimed at boosting SAF production and supporting its wider adoption in the airline industry. The second area of focus will be the exchange of best practices to reduce single-use plastics, minimise waste, and improve energy efficiency in ground and cargo operations. This will allow Cathay and SIA to improve their sustainability performance, and speed up the development and implementation of sustainable solutions in their operations. Mr Ronald Lam, Chief Executive Officer, Cathay Group, said: “As part of our collaborative ethos of ‘Greener Together’, we actively seek like-minded industry leaders for strategic partnerships in transitioning to sustainable aviation. Our collaboration with Singapore Airlines aims to accelerate and support the development of the SAF supply chain in the region, fostering a reliable SAF ecosystem to enable the industry to achieve its long-term decarbonisation goals. Cathay was one of the first airlines in Asia to set a target of 10% SAF for its total fuel consumption by 2030, and we are undertaking a multi-pronged approach to contribute to the aviation industry’s transition towards a greener future.” Mr Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, said: “Singapore Airlines is committed to embedding sustainability in all aspects of our operations. At the same time, we recognise that we cannot achieve our targets alone. Our partnership with Cathay signifies our mutual ambition to enhance collaboration in sustainability initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region. Together we are helping to set the foundation for a more sustainable aviation industry, and ensure that future generations continue to reap the benefits of air travel.”

3rd June 2024,Dubai: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that IndiGo will host the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Delhi, India, on 8-10 June 2025. “We look forward to gathering the aviation industry in Delhi, India’s gateway city, for the 81st IATAAGM in 2025. It’s been over four decades since the industry came together for an IATA AGM in Delhi.With record aircraft orders, impressive growth, and world-class infrastructure developments, India is firmly on the trajectory to become the world’s third largest aviation market within this decade. With such bright prospects, it’s the perfect time for the IATA AGM to return to India and witness these exciting developments first hand,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “IndiGo is proud to be host airline for the 81st IATA AGM and looks forward to welcoming the global aviation community to Delhi in 2025. India, becoming the third largest economy within the next few years and leading the fourth industrial revolution with the use of AI, is a nation on the move. India’s rise in the global aviation landscape over the last years has been nothing short of remarkable, said Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo. “IndiGo has been giving wings to the nation since 2006 and increasingly also expands internationally. Building on aviation as a force for good and India’s unique diversity, we are looking forward to engaging in meaningful dialogues aimed at sculpting the global aviation landscape around important topics such as safety, diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as sustainability, while efficiently delivering the growing global demand for air travel,” said Elbers. The decision to host the 81st IATA AGM in India was made at the 80th IATA AGM in Dubai. This will be the third time the IATA AGM has convened in Delhi, having previously visited India in 1958 and 1983.

3rd June 2024, Dubai: Riyadh Air and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a new partnership between the two airlines.The agreement was inked by Riyadh Air Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Douglas and Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong on the sidelines of the 80th International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on 2 June 2024. Under the MoU, the carriers will explore opportunities for interline connectivity on each other’s services, subject to regulatory approval. They will also work on other potential areas of commercial cooperation, including codeshare arrangements, reciprocal benefits for their frequent flyer programme members, cargo services, customer experience, and digital innovation as a precursor to a deeper, long-term, strategic partnership. These will potentially offer Riyadh Air’s guests access to SIA’s network in South East Asia and the South West Pacific region, and SIA’s customers greater access to the Middle East region through Riyadh Air’s network. Riyadh Air is a new airline based in Saudi Arabia, and it is expected to commence commercial operations in 2025, offering customers travel options to and from the Middle East. Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer, Riyadh Air, said: “Our strategic partnership with Singapore Airlines unlocks significant benefits for our future guests as it grows our network in partnership with the World’s Best Airline. We see huge potential for strong connectivity in South East Asia and both Australia and New Zealand through the award-winning hub at Singapore Changi Airport, while also providing opportunities for westbound passengers to connect across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region on Riyadh Air. This relationship is a meaningful and deep cooperation that starts with a wide-ranging codeshare agreement and is expected to include a broad range of areas including digital and technology, loyalty and cargo.” Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, said: “This win-win strategic partnership with Riyadh Air will enable us to offer even more options, enhanced connectivity, and greater benefits to our customers. Together, we can facilitate the growth of passenger travel between Saudi Arabia and Singapore, and beyond, via our respective networks, supporting both tourism and business links. The MoU will also allow us to find ways to work together to enhance customer experience and cargo services, and harness digital tools and solutions, potentially bringing greater benefits to both airlines in the future.”