Category Archives: Aviation

Airlines issue advisory after Delhi Airport suspends departures after canopy collapse incident

Various domestic airlines such as Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet issued flight advisories for air passengers after Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) suspended all departures from Terminal 1 and closed check-in counters amid heavy rains in the national capital.

A DIAL spokesperson said, “Due to heavy rain since early this morning, a portion of the canopy at the old Departure forecourt of Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 collapsed around 5 am. There are injuries reported, and emergency personnel are working to provide all necessary assistance and medical aid to those affected.”

In a post on June 27, SpiceJet urged passengers to monitor their flight details closely, and said “Due to bad weather in Dharamshala (DHM) and Delhi (DEL), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may be affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status.”

Similarly, IndiGo also issued an advisory to passengers and asked them to check their flight status.

“#6ETravelAdvisory – Due to heavy rains, #DelhiAirport is partially closed, and all flights to/from Terminal 1 stand cancelled. For alternate flight options or a full refund, please visit https://bit.ly/3MxSLeE. We’ll continue to keep you updated,” IndiGo said.

The airline said IndiGo flight operations are impacted due to structural damage to Terminal 1, Delhi Airport because of adverse weather conditions. “This has led to flight cancellations at Delhi as passengers are not able to enter the terminal. Passengers already inside the terminal will be able to board their planned flights, but those with flights later in the day will be offered alternatives. This unplanned situation has also led to operations across the network being impacted. Customers are advised to keep a track of and confirm their flight status before leaving for the airport,” IndiGo added in the statement.

Air India also issued a similar advisory for passengers and urged passengers to check the status of their flights.
The development comes as four people were injured after a roof collapsed at Terminal-1 of Delhi airport and they have been rescued and taken to hospital, Delhi Fire Services said on Friday.

Several cars were hit by parts of the roof that collapsed on them at the Terminal-1 of Delhi airport, as per a fire official on Friday.

Upon receiving the information, around three fire tenders rushed to the spot. “Around 5.30 am, we received a call regarding a roof collapse at Terminal-1 of Delhi airport. Three fire engines have been rushed to the spot,” said an official from Delhi Fire Services.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said that he is personally monitoring the incident and the rescue operation is still underway.

“Personally monitoring the roof collapse incident at T1 Delhi Airport. First responders are working at site. Also advised the airlines to assist all affected passengers at T1. The injured have been evacuated to hospital. Rescue operations are still ongoing,” Naidu said in a post on X. The incident occurred when Delhi-NCR was hit by a spell of heavy rains on Friday. (Source: India.com)

Tamil Nadu to establish international airport in Hosur

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced in the assembly a new international airport in Hosur.
According to ANI, Stalin said that the new airport would cover an area of 2,000 acres managing 30 million passengers annually.

Stalin credited Hosur for attracting major investment in electric vehicles, saying, it is imperative to convert into an important economic zone.

The Chief Minister also listed his government’s achievements.

“Under the Dravidian model government, Tamil Nadu is getting developed in all sectors, especially very importantly in big industries. Many world industries are looking forward to investing in Tamil Nadu,” said the CM.

 

Akasa Air to add Abu Dhabi to its route network from Mumbai on July 11

Akasa Air is set to add Abu Dhabi as the fourth international destination to its growing network. Starting July 11, 2024, Akasa Air will operate daily direct flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Mumbai, catering to the growing travel demand between India and the UAE.

Bookings for flights are now open on Akasa Air’s website www.akasaair.com, Android and iOS app and through multiple leading OTAs.

Neelu Khatri, Co-Founder and SVP International, Akasa Air, said, “We are pleased to add Abu Dhabi as the fourth international destination to our network. With its distinct tourist attractions and promising trade prospects, Abu Dhabi has emerged as a destination of choice for Indian leisure and business travellers, and the demand for air travel between the two countries continues to flourish. The Abu Dhabi Government’s visionary roadmap under Tourism Strategy 2030 will further encourage tourism between India and UAE in the coming years.”

Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, added, “We are delighted to expand our global footprint with the addition of Abu Dhabi to our network. Abu Dhabi is known for its one-of-a-kind travel experiences while being one of the fastest-growing markets for business. Our strategically designed network connecting Abu Dhabi with Mumbai with daily direct flights will cater to a wide range of Indian travellers, and enhanced connectivity between India and Abu Dhabi will also drive inbound leisure and business travel to the country. As we rapidly expand our footprint, we remain committed to our purpose of connecting people, places and cultures with reliable operations and affordable fares.”

Belson Coutinho, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, Akasa Air, stated, “We are excited to extend the signature Akasa Experience to Abu Dhabi, our fourth international destination, known for its larger-than-life hospitality and immersive travel experiences. At Akasa Air, we have progressively introduced multiple customer-friendly offerings to ensure an inclusive, warm, and efficient flying experience. Travellers on the route can look forward to a unique culinary experience with our onboard meal service Café Akasa and a fresh in-cabin experience that offers enhanced comfort and ample legroom, backed by the signature service delivered by our crew on board and on the ground”.

“Additionally, offerings like USB ports on most of our aircraft, Skyscore by Akasa and QuietFlights will further elevate the inflight experience of our passengers. Moreover, travelers can choose to plan their travel with Akasa Holidays which offers customisable and all-inclusive holiday packages at affordable prices. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do at Akasa Air, and all our service offerings are aligned to our philosophy of service excellence. We hope that passengers will appreciate the Akasa experience and we will emerge as the preferred carrier on the route.” Coutinho added.

 

Flight schedule:

Flt.

Number

 From Departure

Time

 To Arrival

Time

 Operating

Days

 Non-stop/

Through
Commences 11 July 2024
QP 0584 Mumbai 17:05hrs Abu Dhabi 18:50hrs Daily Non-stop
QP 0585 Abu Dhabi 20:05hrs Mumbai 01:00hrs Daily Non-stop

Air India to deploy A350-900 aircraft on Delhi-Heathrow route from Sept 1

Air India is set to operate twice-daily flights between Delhi and London Heathrow with the deployment of its brand-new Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Starting from September 1, 2024, this route will mark the long-haul international debut of Air India’s flagship product.

The A350-900 will replace the currently deployed Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on 14 of 17 weekly flights. As a result, an additional 336 seats will be available on the Delhi-London Heathrow route each week.

With the deployment of the A350-900 to London Heathrow in September, Air India will have upgraded 90% of all its flights to London Heathrow. From April 2024, Air India started deploying its recently inducted Boeing 777-300ERs with elevated cabin interiors on all flights across its Mumbai-London Heathrow route to provide upgraded cabin interiors and inflight entertainment systems, while bringing First class back on the London Heathrow-Mumbai route. This makes Air India the only carrier to offer the choice of First class travel between the two cities as well as between the UK and India.

Introducing Premium Economy and an all-new Air India experience across cabins

Air India will introduce its Premium Economy class experience for the first time on the Delhi-London Heathrow route with A350-900. It will offer guests the choice of 24 wide seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration in a dedicated, upscale cabin.

Air India’s A350 flights will also feature new soft products and award-winning guest enhancements unveiled earlier this year. These enhancements include new chinaware, new tableware and glassware, new bedding, and updated amenity kits for Business and Premium Economy guests, exclusively designed by Ferragamo and TUMI, respectively.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said,: “The deployment of our flagship A350s and the B777s with upgraded cabin interiors to London Heathrow marks a significant milestone for Air India. It demonstrates our commitment to elevating the travel experience of our guests to truly world-class standards and to going beyond just meeting customer expectations as we continue to renew our fleet.”

“With our industry-leading cabin products on the A350 including a new Premium Economy experience and a host of new on board enhancements rolling out, we are confident that these daily flights between India and London Heathrow will soon be the preferred choice for travellers,” Wilson added.

Booking Air India A350 flights to London Heathrow

The A350 seats on the Delhi-London Heathrow route are now available to reserve on Air India’s website and mobile app or via travel agents.

 

 

SCHEDULE OF A350 FLIGHTS ON DELHI-LONDON HEATHROW ROUTE (FROM 1 Sep 2024)
Flight No. Days of Operation Sector Departure Arrival
AI161 Daily Delhi – London Heathrow 0245 Hrs 0730 Hrs
AI162 Daily London Heathrow – Delhi 0945 Hrs 2250 Hrs
AI111 Daily Delhi – London Heathrow 0645 Hrs 1130 Hrs
AI112 Daily London Heathrow – Delhi 1315 Hrs 0205 Hrs (+1)

 

SCHEDULE OF B777-300ER FLIGHTS WITH UPGRADED INTERIORS ON MUMBAI-LONDON
HEATHROW ROUTE
Flight No. Days of Operation Sector Departure Arrival
AI129 Daily Mumbai-London Heathrow 0515 Hrs 1015 Hrs
AI128 Daily London Heathrow-Mumbai 1230 Hrs 0145 Hrs (+1)
AI131 Daily Mumbai-London Heathrow 1400 Hrs 1900 Hrs
AI130 Daily London Heathrow Mumbai 2130 Hrs 1050 Hrs

(+1) denotes next day arrival

Ticket rates to go up with Lufthansa Group implementing Environmental Cost Surcharge

The Lufthansa Group is introducing an Environmental Cost Surcharge. The surcharge is intended to cover part of the steadily rising additional costs due to regulatory environmental requirements.

The Environmental Cost Surcharge will now be levied on all tickets issued from now on, and applies to departures from January 1, 2025. The exact amount of the Environmental Cost Surcharge is shown on the Lufthansa Group Airlines booking pages in the price details.

These include the statutory blending quota of initially two per cent for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for departures from European Union (EU) countries from January 1, 2025, adjustments to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) as well as other regulatory environmental costs such as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

The Environmental Cost Surcharge applies to all flights sold and operated by the Lufthansa Group departing from the 27 EU countries as well as the UK, Norway and Switzerland. The amount of the surcharge varies depending on the flight route and fare and is between EUR 1 euro and EUR 72.

The Lufthansa Group will not be able to bear the successively increasing additional costs resulting from regulatory requirements in the coming years on its own. Part of these expected costs for the year 2025 are now to be covered by the new Environmental Cost Surcharge.

Noida Airport faces delays, commercial flights expected by April 2025

Body:The much-anticipated Noida airport in Jewar, slated to become a competitor to Delhi’s bustling airport, has encountered delays in its construction timeline. Originally planned to commence flight operations by the end of this year, the project’s completion has now been pushed to April 2025.

Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), overseeing the project, attributed the delays to disruptions in the supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts. These challenges have slowed the delivery of crucial construction materials and equipment.

Despite setbacks, YIAPL reported that construction progress is advanced, with significant milestones achieved in infrastructure development. Key elements such as the runway, passenger terminal, and control tower are well underway. Recent developments include the awarding of concessions for ground handling and commercial operations.

Located in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, approximately 75 km from Delhi airport, the Noida airport aims to handle between 9.4 to 11.7 million passengers in its initial phase by 2025-26. This delay underscores the airport’s importance in easing congestion at Delhi airport and enhancing regional connectivity.

A calibration flight conducted in April 2024 marked a pivotal step towards operational readiness. Such flights are critical in fine-tuning navigation aids, runway lighting, and airspace to ensure safety and accuracy before full-scale commercial operations begin.

Once operational, the Noida airport plans to initiate services with 65 daily flights, positioning itself as a significant player in India’s aviation sector alongside established hubs like Delhi airport.