Category Archives: Aviation

Air India to open second hub in South India to bolster operations

Air India is soon expected to open a second hub in South India as it aims to strengthen both international and domestic operations, according to a report by Mint. Currently, the only hub is located in New Delhi.

The new hub may be established in either Bengaluru or Hyderabad and will primarily focus on bolstering its operations in Mumbai. Both Air India and Air India Express will utilise this hub for domestic and international flights, Mint reported.

Airlines use hubs as transfer points to fly passengers to their final destinations. The core operations of an airline revolve around its hub. For example, Emirates has its hub in Dubai, Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong, and British Airways in London.

With the establishment of this new hub, Air India also aims to capture a larger market share in airports other than New Delhi, including smaller ones.

The Centre has been encouraging airlines to open more aviation hubs to facilitate one-stop international connectivity via India to other overseas destinations. According to the Centre, this will also boost investments and commerce within India.

According to Mint, Air India plans to expand its flights in Tier-II and Tier-III cities via Air India Express. Recently, the airline’s Chief Executive Campbell Wilson stated that the company is planning to establish a low-cost stronghold on domestic routes. This aligns with the broader goal of revitalising the airline by refurbishing its entire fleet by the end of 2025.

Saudia unveils new brand identity in line with vision for digital transformation

Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, revealed its new brand identity and livery during a milestone event in Jeddah, in the presence of Royal Highnesses, Excellencies and leaders from both the public and private sectors, as well as prominent media correspondents and aviation experts.

This new identity is in line with a wider strategic digital transformation plan aimed at strengthening the airline’s support for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to bring the world to Saudi Arabia.

The rebrand marks the beginning of a new era for Saudia, introducing innovative concepts in terms of customer services with a strong focus on digital aspects and enhancing the guest experience by celebrating Saudi culture. This transformation reinforces Saudia ‘s national identity as it reimagines all products and services to engage all five senses. Guests can anticipate an authentic Saudi experience during their journey, showcasing the very best of Saudi Arabia and its rich culture. This includes a distinctive fragrance and sonic identity, locally inspired cuisine, all crafted by skilled Saudi craftsmen. This new identity mirrors Saudi Arabia’s welcoming spirit, leaving guests with a deep sense of the country’s warmth and hospitality, while promoting a deeper appreciation of Saudi culture for both nationals and visitors. The rebrand also encompasses new uniforms for cabin crew and ground staff.

The new brand colour identity, comprising green, blue, and sand, represent Saudia’s aim to expand its fleet and destinations, connecting the world to Saudi Arabia, emphasising the Kingdom’s authenticity and deep-rooted values.

In parallel to the rebrand, Saudia has also undertaken a huge digital transformation, entirely enhancing the customer digital experience. Saudia leads among international airlines in operating generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a virtual assistant, named “SAUDIA”, being one of the first of its kind in the region. Saudia will enable guests to complete the entire transaction through this efficient process by the end of the year.

The ambitious, long-planned digital transformation, fully improve customer experience, but also allow more streamlined operations and processes while ensuring the highest levels of protection of guests’ personal data, through strong partnerships with global leading companies.

His Excellency Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General, Saudia Group, said, “We are experiencing a new era and a very exciting time for Saudia. Our airline has evolved from a Douglas DC-3 aircraft in 1945, to a 140-aircraft modern fleet serving over 100 destinations, becoming one of the largest airline in the region.

The name and logo of Saudia are integral parts of the Kingdom’s aviation history and development, and our people share a special emotional connection with the brand. We have incorporated this rich heritage into our new identity, adding elements that reflect our visionary approach, poised to captivate the world.”

Saudia is not only rolling out a fully integrated digital programme and revamping its look, it is also effectively and quickly helping advance Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, collaborating with all industry stakeholders to achieve the targets of the National Aviation Strategy. The strategy aims to turn Saudi Arabia into a leader in the global industry, by enhancing the customer experience, improving safety and working towards a more sustainable future, in line with Saudia’s expansion goals to bring around 330 million visitors to the Kingdom by 2030.

 

 

 

 

 

Amadeus travel data reveals surge in flight demand for Taylor Swift & Coldplay concerts in Asia Pacific

Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated Asia Pacific tour has caused a sensation among music fans, and the impact is not limited to the entertainment industry. Recent data analysis by Amadeus reveals that the cities hosting significant concerts are experiencing noteworthy surges in travel search.

Amadeus data researchers examined travel search data and identified an extraordinary increase in interest for the cities featured on the tour itinerary. With the return of live concerts approaching pre-pandemic levels, Australia, Singapore, and Japan are gearing up for a tourism boom.

Australia – June 2023 (weeks 24 to 26)

The volume of searches to Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) peaked in week 26, shortly after tickets for Taylor Swift went on public sale during the same week on June 30. It resulted in an average week-over-week spike of 44% between weeks 24 and 26.

Looking at the search volume from New Zealand to Melbourne and Sydney, an impressive 240% week-over-week surge was seen during the same period. The growth reflects the excitement of such concerts taking place within the countries’ proximity due to a lack of such concerts occurring frequently.

Most of the travelers searched for shorter trips for a few days rather than longer stays of more than a week. This indicates that the concert significantly impacted leisure travel booking over business travel during the same period.

Singapore – June to July 2023 (weeks 23 to 27)

Travel search spikes occurred in week 24 and week 27 with the first spike in week 24 correlating with the concert announcements of Coldplay and the second spike in week 27 correlating with Taylor Swift concert ticket sales. The total searches to Singapore grew by 18% on average week-over-week between weeks 23 and 27, covering both Taylor Swift and Coldplay concert announcements.
Trips within a week and weekend trips were preferred over long trips, with searches for trips within a week growing by 20% in the same time frame. The data suggests that the concerts are the main drivers for this increase in comparison to the previous weeks.

Japan – July 2023 (weeks 28 to 30)

The announcement of lottery results on July 25, 2023, for Taylor Swift’s concert in Japan sparked an average uptick of 15% in domestic searches between weeks 28 and 30 and 10% in international searches to Tokyo between weeks 29 and 30. Subsequently, international searches from neighboring countries to Tokyo spiked by 32% week-over-week from weeks 29 to 30.

Inbound travelers from APAC countries; Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand were primarily interested in both shorter and longer trips, indicating that they travel with the aim of attending the concert while simultaneously extending their stay for leisure purposes.

Karun Budhraja, Senior Vice President, Travel unit Marketing, Asia Pacific, Amadeus, “Our data researchers are always watching the latest trends in travel and were delighted to see such strong demand for these special events in Asia Pacific. The lineup of world-class musicians for multiple concerts in Australia, Singapore, and Japan shows that fans worldwide are willing to travel long distances to watch their favorite stars perform live. It is a positive sign for the APAC economy, serving as a boost for the entire tourism industry.”

Jalan Kalrock Consortium infuses further INR 1bn into Jet Airways

The Jalan Kalrock Consortium (JKC) has confirmed payment of an additional INR 1 billion (USD12 million) in its bid to take over Jet Airways (JAI, Mumbai International). This completes, it said, its payment obligations as spelled out in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) resolution plan.

“The consortium’s strategy to revive the airline remains unaltered. The new promoters are determined to re-establish the operations of the airline up and running in 2024,” a statement from the airline said.

Jet Airways recently paid INR1 billion of the INR3.5 billion due within 48 hours of the NCLAT allowing implementation of the airline’s revival plans, having previously lodged a “performance bank guarantee” of INR1.5 billion (USD18 million). The final INR1 billion payment was due on or before August 31, the latest in a long line of payment extensions the consortium has received, but on August 28 the appellate bench of the NCLT granted one more reprieve, giving it until September 30 to pay the final INR1 billion.

The JKC statement said that the final payment reaffirmed “its unwavering commitment to a successful resurgence of Jet Airways” and that it has fulfilled all of its commitments to take over Jet Airways. Local media reported that JKC executives had recently started holding talks with aircraft manufacturers, lessors, pilot training organisations, and airports. The Economic Times claimed that consortium board member Ankit Jalan had met Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto. Jet Airways did not respond to a request for comment (Source: ch:aviation)

Air India to start Kochi-Doha flights from October 23

Air India is set to connect Kochi, the commercial hub of Kerala, with Doha, the capital of Qatar, with a daily non-stop service from October 23, said an airline official on Sunday.

AI953 will depart at 1:30 p.m. (IST) to reach Doha at 3:45 p.m. The return flight AI954 will take off from Doha at 4:45 p.m. to land at Kochi at 11:35 p.m. (All Local Time). “The flight, operated with an A320neo aircraft, will offer 162 seats (150 in Economy and 12 in Business Class),” said the official.

“The new launch is in line with Air India’s commitment to expand connectivity and enhance frequency on domestic and international sectors as it keeps augmenting its fleet with new aircraft,” said the airline spokesperson.

“The service will further densify and strengthen our operations to the Middle East. Bookings for the flights have already opened on all channels,” said the spokesperson.

 

Air India launches ‘FlyAirIndiaSale’ for India-US travel route, offer valid till October 5th

Air India has launched a limited-period, #FlyAirIndiaSale, to offer attractive fares on all India-U.S. routes in Economy Class and Premium Economy Class (available on select U.S. routes).

All-inclusive Economy Class fares start from INR 42,999 (one-way) and INR 52,999 (return).

All-inclusive Premium Economy fares start from INR 79,999 (one-way) and INR 1,09,999 (return). Air India’s Premium Economy class is currently available on select routes- Bengaluru-San Francisco, Mumbai-San Francisco, and Mumbai-New York.

Bookings under the sale are open for only five days, from 01 October to 05 October 2023, for travel between 01 October and 15 December 2023.

Air India operates 47 non-stop flights every week from Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai to five American cities- New York, Newark (New Jersey), Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco.

The sale fares are also available from several other Indian cities for one-stop flights to the U.S. via Delhi, Bengaluru, or Mumbai. This enables travellers from cities across India, such as Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Kochi, and Kolkata, among others, to travel seamlessly to the U.S. at the highly discounted fares.