Most airlines report a substantial drop in Passenger Load Factor on Diwali day

Most airlines recorded lower occupancy on Diwali day on October 24, with their passenger load factor slipping considerably in to the range of 65 to 70 per cent as against 80-85 percent during recent days.

Leading Indian carrier Indigo on Monday witnessed PLF of 64.5 per cent while Vistara and Air India recorded the PLF of 63 per cent and 67.3 per cent, respectively, on Monday, on the day of Diwaali celebration.

As per industry sources, higher air fare during the festival on most of the routes was one of the main reasons behind lower occupancy of airlines. Airfares on many busy routes including Delhi-Mumbai, Delh-iBengaluru, and other routes were nearly up by more than 50 per cent keeping in mind the festive rush. This might have acted as a deterrent for some and can be the reason for lower occupancy, said an industry source.

The analyst said that the air fares have generally become more competitive on many routes, particularly after the entry of Akasa Air and during general days, tickets were available at lower prices.

As per latest data of the aviation regulator, the passenger load factor or occupancy of the airlines remained on the higher side in the range of 75 to 85 per cent during September. The data said that domestic aviation traffic in the country continues to record growth as passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-September 2022 were 8.74 crore as against 5.31 crore during the corresponding period of previous year, thereby registering annual growth of 64.61 per cent.

26/10/22 IANS/ET Infra.com

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Adilabad Gets Their Second Woman Pilot: Know About Her Journey From Grocery Store To Largest Airline In India

With the highest per cent of female pilots globally, India adds one more proud story to their aviation culture with the entry of Aafrin Hirani. Her journey from her family's grocery store to Indigo's cockpit has been inspiring many women to pursue heights that may seem too challenging. Flying as a commercial airline pilot is no cakewalk and requires intensive training and estimated hours of flying experience. Achieving it through years of dedication and hard work, the 28-year-old becomes the second woman from Adilabad, Telangana, to achieve this feat.

Aafrin, daughter of grocery store owner Aziz Hirani, officially took up the role of the first officer at Indigo Airlines. Becoming a commercial pilot was a dream she had treasured since her childhood, even though she knew the way toward it was not easy. Either way, she decided to take this route and joined Aeronautical Engineering after completing intermediate from a college in Hyderabad. The kind of expertise she showcased at the academy led her way into being selected for rigorous two-year training in Australia. Completing all the required training and sessions by 2020, her dreams of becoming a pilot were put on pause due to the pandemic. Not discouraged by any of it, she waited eagerly till the day she reached the cockpit as an official pilot.

A report by The Siasat Daily stated that two years later, she was appointed as the second-in-command at the cockpit of Indigo Airlines. Soon after receiving the appointment, Aafrin thanked her family for the unconditional support they gave to her all those years.

Prior to Aafrin's employment as a commercial pilot, Swathi Rao had made it as the first-ever woman pilot from Telangana. During a media interview, Swathi noted that the current education and loan systems are such that they do not offer much support to aspirants. Despite these hardships, many women are making it to the position out of sheer perseverance. She had quipped that she would be happy to see more women from Telangana take up piloting as a career.

24/10/22 Laxmi Mohan Kumar/Logical Indian

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U.K. is ready to support manufacture of Indian jet engines, says British High Commissioner Alex Ellis

Making a strong pitch for joint collaboration, Alex Ellis, the U.K. High Commissioner in India, said what engine maker Rolls- Royce is ready to do and the British government ready to support is the indigenisation of design and manufacture of Indian jet engines something which “I don’t think any other partner in the world has offered up to now”. 

The strong pitch comes as India considers offers from the world’s top engine manufacturers to jointly develop an aero-engine for its future indigenous fighter jets. At the Expo, India and U.K. announced a new defence industry joint working group to strengthen defence collaboration which also held its first meeting.

“What the U.K. brings is high levels of expertise and technology in everything from missiles to engines. What India can bring is huge scale, and of course a significant market. And all has to be done through the prism of Make in India and Make for the World. So, what I’d also like to see is not only British companies tying up with Indian companies but also looking at how they can export,” Mr. Ellis said in a brief conversation with The Hindu at DefExpo. “We’ve seen that on the civil side, I’ll give you one example, JCB now exports from India to over 100 countries around the world. And I think we need to accelerate that work on the defence side.”

Elaborating, he said the governments of India, U.K. have already done scoping of what the future programme might look like and now the next step is for the Indian government to decide what it wants to do in terms of building a more powerful engine. The High Commissioner said that Rolls Royce has capability both in civil and military aviation.

Earlier, U.K. had offered India collaboration in development of aircraft carrier and six generation fighter technologies. Development of a fighter engine is among the top priorities for India, for which it is considering three global engine makers — General Electric of the U.S., Rolls Royce of U.K. and Safran of France — for joint collaboration.

To a question on how the U.K. can support India as its diversifies its military arsenal with emphasis on indigenisation, Mr. Ellis said, “We have seen the kind of disastrous consequences of Russia’s completely unwarranted invasion of Ukraine. And we’ve also seen the effectiveness of Ukrainian response with support from the U.K. and other countries. And that’s what we’re going to see over the next few years, the growth of trust and partnerships between countries like U.K. and India...”

At the Expo, India and U.K. announced a new defence industry joint working group to strengthen defence collaboration, which also held its first meeting.

Pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson met last year and again this year, he said there is a comprehensive strategic partnership because “we want to have a much deeper and more structured relationship”. “And the future, frankly, is a tougher one, both in the Indo-Pacific and also in the European theatre and we can actually gain strength from being together,” Mr. Ellis said.

24/10/22 Dinakar Peri/The Hindu

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Decks clear for display of Biju Babu’s iconic Dakota at Bhubaneswar airport

Bhubaneswar: With the Airport Authority of India (AAI) finally agreeing to hand over land, decks are cleared for the iconic Dakota aircraft of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik to adorn the city airport named after the legendary leader.

For public display of the DC3 aircraft in front of the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), the AAI has agreed to hand over 1.1 acre of land for the purpose. The aircraft, which Patnaik had used to rescue erstwhile Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir from their enemies in July 1947, is currently lying in a decrepit condition at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.

Although the State government had initiated efforts to shift the 20-metre long aircraft having a wingspan of 29 metre to Odisha in 2020 and floated a tender for its transportation, the process was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Director of BPIA Prasanna Pradhan said the AAI has given its nod to hand over the land outside Terminal 1 for display of the aircraft as a mark of tribute to the legendary leader. “As per plan, the aircraft will be dismantled and transported from Kolkata to Bhubaneswar before being assembled here for public view. A memorial will be built for placing the aircraft,” he said.

Known for his daredevilry and piloting acumen, Patnaik had formed Kalinga Airline which had 15 Dakota planes at its headquarters at Kolkata. The airplanes were being used by the Army for transporting jawans deployed in Kashmir and dropping supplies at north-eastern area of the country.  

“The tender floated for transportation of the aircraft has been finalised. The aircraft will be brought back on road after it is dismantled. The work order will be awarded once the land is handed over by AAI. Hopefully, the process will be completed soon and the aircraft will be finally placed as a memorial for public viewing,” said a government official.  

23/10/22 New Indian Express

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SpiceJet to fly at full capacity in winter, Go First flights to fall 40%

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has lifted the 50% flight cap on Ajay Singh-promoted SpiceJet for the winter schedule, allowing it to operate at its full capacity. The DGCA had directed the troubled carrier to operate at half its capacity during the summer schedule in July, following multiple technical snags reported on its flights.

Reports earlier this week stated that SpiceJet, a no-frills carrier, is inducting at least half a dozen Boeing 737 Max aircraft on wet lease. These narrow-body planes can be put to use on the domestic sector. SpiceJet already operates a number of 737s.

The DGCA on Friday announced the winter schedule for domestic airlines that will come into effect on October 30. The regulator has allowed airlines to operate 21,941 departures per week for 105 airports in this year’s winter schedule, compared to 22,287 allowed in last year’s winter schedule, a drop of 1.55%.

The DGCA has allowed airlines to operate 21,941 departures per week for 105 airports in this year’s winter schedule, compared to 22,287 allowed in last year’s winter schedule.

The fall is mainly on account of the suspension of scheduled operations of Trujet and Pawan Hans; without taking these into account, there is a growth of 0.58% this year against 21,813 flights per week of last year’s winter schedule. The schedule for this year was finalised after the slot conference held in September 2022.

In 2020, the DGCA had cleared a schedule for 12,983 flights per week, which was a decrease of 44% compared to 23,307 allowed in the winter of 2019.

Go First (founded as GoAir) has seen the biggest reduction of flights among its peers. The Mumbai-based airline has been allowed to conduct 1,390 departures in the winter schedule per week, a fall of nearly 40% compared to last year.

Market leader IndiGo has seen a reduction of nearly 2% to 10,085 departures per week, while Tata Group-controlled Air India’s flights have dropped by 3% to 1990 per week.

However, Vistara and SpiceJet have seen growth. Vistara is allowed 1,941 flights during the winter schedule, a growth of nearly 16% per week, while troubled carrier SpiceJet saw a growth of nearly 7% to 3,193 flights compared to last year.

New entrant Akasa Air will conduct 479 flights per week during the winter schedule. The Mumbai-based company is targeting 300 flights every week by October end.

22/10/22 Financial Express

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GE Aerospace's Indian supply chain grows to 13 companies

Bengaluru: GE Aerospace announced its Indian aero-engine supply chain this week and has grown to 13 companies plus GE's Pune multi-modal manufacturing facility. 

Indian companies are becoming globally competitive for a growing body of high-value, complex aero-engine manufacturing work. Marquee Indian companies* including Tata Advanced Systems, Mahindra Aerostructure and Godrej have set up GE aero-engine component production lines. These components are exported from India to GE's engine manufacturing facilities.  Hindustan Aeronautics has established an assembly line for GE's LM2500 marine engine that power India's newest first indigenous aircraft carrier, the Vikrant. These growing capabilities coincided with GE Aerospace's increase in local sourcing spend, which has grown 20 times in the last five years.

GE Aerospace and its Indian partners are in the process of establishing the aero-engine manufacturing infrastructure India needs to achieve its self-reliance goals (locally known as 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'). "Indian companies have a keen willingness to partner with GE Aerospace and to join the aero-engine marketplace. They have demonstrated the ability to master the complex manufacturing and special processes required for aero-engine manufacturing while simultaneously maintaining focus on quality," said Youngje Kim, Vice President, Sales for Asia at GE's military aviation division.

To support its growing Indian aero-engine manufacturing industrial base, GE Aerospace is pursuing an aggressive skill development program for manufacturing workforce in India. Over the past two years, this GE-funded program trained more than 150 manufacturing staff at the various partner organizations, and these trained workers have then gained employment with one of several GE suppliers in India.  "GE's Indian skill development program when combined with our growing Indian industrial base is a testament to our support of Make in India," added Kim.

21/10/22 PRNewswire/PTI

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DGCA announces winter schedule; 21,941 flights to operate weekly on domestic routes

Scheduled airlines will begin operating 21,941 domestic flights each week on domestic routes on October 30 as part of the winter schedule. There will be 1.55 percent fewer weekly flights than the 22,287 flights that were run during the last winter schedule. From October 30, 2022, through March 25, 2023, the winter schedule will be in force. There will be 21,941 weekly departures in the forthcoming Winter Schedule 2022 from 105 airports. It is to be noted that this is the second consecutive year that DGCA has reduced the number of flights allowed to operate in India.

In comparison to the winter schedule of the year prior to the pandemic, 2019–20, which had 23,307 departures, the winter schedule of 2022 experienced a 4.4 percent decrease in departures last year. "Out of these 105 airports Deoghar, Shimla, and Rourkela are the new airports proposed by the scheduled airlines," aviation regulator DGCA said in a release on Friday. Out of the total 21,941 departures, the maximum will be by IndiGo at 10,085 followed by SpiceJet at 3,193.

Air India will have 1,990 departures, Vistara (1,941), Air Asia (1,462), Go Air (1,390), Alliance Air (1,034), Akasa Air (479), Fly Big (214), and Star Air (153).

The number of departures for Fly Big has increased significantly showing a growth of 84.88 percent. Similarly, other airlines like Vistara, Alliance Air, and Star Air also showed growth in flight numbers by 15.88 percent, 13.50 percent, and 11.68 percent respectively. 

21/10/22 ZeeNews

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Aviation Major Boeing's Push To Make India Regional Repair Hub

Gandhinagar (Gujarat): Boeing has announced a significant expansion of its partnerships within the Indian Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) ecosystem over the last year and said that the MRO to support Indian customers efficiently, remains a top priority for the company. 

Boeing has concluded considerable work agreements and deliveries with diverse indigenous partners across the public as well as private sectors, including AI Engineering Services Ltd., Horizon Aerospace, and Air Works Group.

According to an official statement, in 2021, Boeing launched the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) program in its effort to help develop India into a regional MRO hub, enabling engineering, maintenance, skilling, repair and sustainment services of defence and commercial aircraft in India, for India.

Under the initiative, Boeing has strategically collaborated with Air Works, to recently complete Phase 32 heavy maintenance checks of six P-8I maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Navy.

The company has also collaborated with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), for MRO of the Boeing 777 VIP aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force, and the P-8I aircraft fleet operated by the Indian Navy. Additionally, the company is exploring collaboration in repair and overhaul of landing gear and other commercial common 737NG equipment fitted on the P-8I fleet.

21/10/22 ANI/NDTV

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Argentina seeks HAL helicopters, high-level team to look at Dhruv, Prachand and LUH

A high level team from Argentina is arriving soon in India and will visit state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to look at the helicopters which are being manufactured in Bengaluru. The team will be looking at Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand and the HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).

Diplomatic sources have confirmed to Financial Express Online on the sidelines of the ongoing DefExpo 2022 “There is a big delegation from the South American nation Argentina is coming – could be later next week. They have expressed their interests in helicopters which have been indigenously designed and developed and manufactured by HAL.”  Adding, “The team that is coming will also have test pilots.”

Financial Express Online has reported recently that in the recent visit to Argentina, HAL executives also met with the President of the Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA), the Argentine counterpart. HAL may explore a deal where certain parts are manufactured locally in Argentina. Either way, HAL’s helicopter lineup is what interests the incoming high-level team.

In the Argentine Air Force search for a fighter combat aircraft, HAL’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is the front-runner in the race.

For Argentina, India is a natural defence partner. Not only do the two nations share the challenges posed by diverse geography, but they also have independently faced the brunt of international sanctions. While India has recovered from the sanctions and embarked on an Atmanirbharta campaign, Argentina still relies entirely on imports.

The Dhruv is a utility helicopter and as of 2022, 335 helicopters have logged over 3, 40,000 flying hours. Ecuador was the first country in the region to buy this helicopter from HAL, however after facing gross fatality, the machines were retired from Air Force Service of that country.

21/10/22 Huma Siddiqui/Financial Express

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Under ECLGS, interest rates for loans to Indian airlines are virtually double that of banks: Govt officials

Domestic airlines like IndiGo, Vistara, Air India, GoFirst, and Akasa Air are availing of loans from banks and financial institutions at interest rates lower than what the government's Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) charges them, senior government officials have said.

"Most airlines, except SpiceJet and GoFirst, have not applied for loans under the ECLG scheme as they are getting better rates from the open market," a senior government official aware of the matter said.

He added that SpiceJet has been loaned around Rs 1,350 crore under the scheme, while GoFirst had received loans of around Rs 100 crore.

Another government official said that banks have released funds to airlines at interest rates of around 8-9 percent under the scheme.

"Interest rates under the ECLG scheme were capped at 9.25 percent for banks and financial institutions (FIs), and at 14 percent for non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs)," the government had said in a press release in June.

Moneycontrol has learned from banking sources and aviation officials that large airlines in India, including Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara, are getting bank loans at interest rates between 4.5-6.5 percent.

"Air India had taken two loans of Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore at interest rates of around 4.5-5.5 percent at the start of 2022 from the State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda (BoB)," an industry insider, who asked not to be identified, told Moneycontrol.

Similarly, a lawyer working for a domestic bank said that IndiGo had taken loans at interest rates of around 5 percent in the past.

21/10/22 Yaruqullah Khan/Moneycontrol

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Visa delays inhibiting recovery of air traffic between India & UK: Virgin Atlantic’s Alex McEwan

Virgin Atlantic expects international traffic between India and the UK to grow even more once visa issues between the two countries are resolved, the airline's India head Alex McEwan told Moneycontrol.

McEwan said that despite the delays in visa approvals, most of Virgin Atlantic's India-UK flights have been operating with high passenger loads, but added that the market could grow even more once these issues were resolved.

He added that corporate travel between the two countries was back to pre-Covid levels, and that India had emerged as the third-largest market for Virgin Atlantic, after the UK and the USA.

Edited Excerpts >>

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Rush for air travel: Economy fare costlier than business class on some routes

Skyrocketing air travel demand around Diwali is a time of frenzy for the aviation sector, but as the demand comes close to exceeding capacity on certain routes, the revenue management teams of full-service carriers are faced with an unusual phenomenon — fares of economy class tickets turning costlier than business class tickets or premium economy tickets.

A quick ticket search on airline websites for some of the non-trunk routes showed the following: For travel on October 26 (two days after Diwali), the cheapest economy fare on Air India’s Ahmedabad-Delhi flight departing at 7.30 am cost Rs 24,666, while the cheapest business class fare was nearly Rs 5,000 cheaper at Rs 19,748. Similarly, for October 21, two of Air India’s Pune-Delhi flights, departing at 6.50 pm and 9.55 pm, had economy fares priced at Rs 27,647 and business at Rs 24,808.Tata Group-Singapore Airlines joint-venture airline Vistara also showed a similar trend on premium economy tickets.

The airline’s Pune-Delhi flight for October 22, departing at 5.30 am, had ‘economy standard’ fare priced at Rs 20,329, while its ‘premium economy value’ fare on the same flight was priced at Rs 19,398. On Bhubaneswar-Delhi flight operated by Air India on October 21, scheduled for departure at 9.30 pm, the economy fare was priced at Rs 27,662, while the business class fare was available for Rs 20,555.On October 22, two of Vistara’s Bhubaneswar-Delhi flights, departing at 1 pm and 8.30 pm, had the cheapest economy fares available at Rs12,994 while the cheapest premium economy fares were priced at `12,693.Explaining a possible reason behind this phenomenon, an executive at a Dubai-based airline told The Indian Express that this could be due to how airlines define their Reservation Booking Designators (RBD), or fare buckets.

“Each bucket has a defined place on the fare ladder, and a limited number of seats assigned to it. Once a bucket on the lower level of the ladder fills up, the algorithm climbs one step and the fares become more expensive. In this case, fares in only the highest fare bucket might be remaining in economy class given the demand, whereas business class fares would be from the buckets lower down,” said the executive.

“We have systems in place that put a surcharge on the fare based on pre-defined conditions such as if the departure is less than a certain number of days away, and the flight is 99% booked, put a 20% surcharge on whatever is the filed fare. Maybe this rule kicks in sometimes, and makes the economy fare costlier than business fare. To ensure this doesn’t happen, some airlines have network-wide rules that look at business class vs economy fares and if there’s a fare inversion, a differential amount added on the business fare,” the executive said.

19/10/22 Pranav Mukul/Financial Express

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Domestic air traffic soars 46.5% in September

India's domestic air traffic rose 46.5% year-on-year to 103.55 lakh passengers in September 2022 compared with 70.66 lakh passengers in the corresponding period last year, data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation shows.

Domestic airlines carried 874.24 lakh passengers during January-September 2022, up from 531.11 lakh during the year-ago period, registering an annual growth of 64.61%, the civil aviation regulator says.

The air traffic, however, was lower than pre-Covid-19 levels of September 2019, when domestic carriers flew 115.33 lakh passengers.

IndiGo, the country's largest carrier, flew 59.72 lakh passengers in September and reported a market share of 57.7%, unchanged from August.

Tata Group-owned Air India became the third largest domestic carrier with a 9.2% market share last month. The erstwhile national carrier flew 9.49 lakh passengers.

Vistara, a joint venture of the Tatas and Singapore Airlines, remained the second largest domestic airline with a 9.6% market share. The full service carrier’s market share saw a slight dip from 9.7% in August.

Air Asia, another Tata Sons-backed carrier, saw its market share marginally rise to 5.9% in September from 5.8% in August.

Ajay Singh-led cash strapped SpiceJet saw its market share fall from 7.9% in August to 7.3% in September. The low-cost carrier flew 7.53 lakh passengers last month.

The market share of budget airline GoFrist declined from 8.6% in August to 7.9% in September. It carried 8.15 lakh passengers.

The overall cancellation rate of scheduled domestic airlines for the month of September 2022 has been 0.67 %. Alliance Air’s cancellation rate stood at 3.32%.

19/10/22 Fortune India

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Adani Defence & Aerospace to acquire Air Works for ₹400 crore

Adani Defence and Aerospace, the defence manufacturing arm of Adani Group, has inked a pact to acquire Air Works, the country’s biggest aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organisation, for an enterprise value of ₹400 crore. The acquisition will strengthen the civil aviation portfolio of billionaire Gautam Adani-led Adani Group, which operates seven airports in the country - Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Mangaluru.

The Indian MRO market has a crucial role to play in both the defence and civilian aerospace sector, and is expected to grow three times from $1.7 billion to $5 billion by 2030, Adani Defence and Aerospace said in a release on Tuesday.

Established in 1951, Air Works Group is India’s largest and highly diversified independent MRO with the largest pan-India network presence across 27 cities. From business and executive jets to airlines and defense platforms, Air Works provides aviation services to most domestic airlines such as IndiGo, GoAir, SpiceJet, and Vistara. It also provides services to international aviation companies such as Qatar, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, FlyDubai, Etihad, and Virgin Atlantic.

Besides, Air Works has developed extensive operational capabilities within the country for key defence and aerospace platforms. From the first P-8I aircraft Phase 32 checks to Phase 48 checks and MRO on the landing gear of the Indian Air Force’s 737 VVIP aircraft, it undertakes base maintenance for ATR 42/72, A320 and B737 fleet of aircraft from its EASA and DGCA-certified facilities at Mumbai, Delhi, Hosur and Kochi.

Commenting on the deal, Ashish Rajvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence & Aerospace, said, “Given India's growth trajectory and the government's focus to network the nation through a massive mesh of air connectivity, it is inevitable that the primary growth of India's airline and airport sector lies ahead of it. Therefore, the maintenance, repair, and overhaul sector has a crucial role to play in both the defence and civilian aerospace sectors. Add to this the ongoing modernisation program to make India a large market for defence aircrafts, and what emerges is one of the most exciting, comprehensive, at scale and digital MRO services within the boundaries of the nation.”“Works has impeccable proven capabilities and over its 70-year aviation legacy has successfully delivered several India-first and industry-first projects. Combine this with the Adani Group's capabilities and what we get is an entity that truly represents what an Atmanirbhar Bharat in a critical sector should look like," Rajvanshi added.

Anand Bhaskar, MD & CEO, Air Works Group said, “India has the potential to become the MRO hub for the region across defence and civil aircrafts. It is a wonderful opportunity for Air Works and its employees to be subsumed under Adani Defence & Aerospace platform. The government’s policy measures and initiatives including convergence of civil and defence MRO would create economies of scale and huge employment opportunities.”

19/10/22 Fortine India

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India's Domestic Passenger Volume Rose 65% To 10 Million In September: DGCA

Domestic air passenger volume grew 64.61 per cent to 10.35 million in September over the same period last year, according to a data released by aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday.

Indian domestic carriers (excluding newly launched Akasa Air) had flown a total of 7.66 million passengers on the local routes, the data showed.

Akasa Air commenced its flight services on domestic routes from August 7 this year.

The average passenger load factor of these carriers stood at 77.5 per cent against 72.5 per cent PLF delivered in August 2022, the DGCA data show.

PLF is an airline metric that measures how much of an airline's passenger carrying capacity is used.

In terms of market share, leading carrier IndiGo cornered 57 per cent of the total domestic traffic pie, carrying 59.72 lakh passengers across its domestic network followed by full service carrier Vistara, which flew 9.96 lakh passengers with 9.6 per cent market share.

The combined market share of Vistara, Air India and AirAsia India stood at 24.7 per cent in September.

19/10/22 PTI/Outlook

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The enhancement of emergency credit for airlines may have unintended consequences

The government recently announced the enhancement of the emergency credit line guarantee scheme (ECLGS) for airlines. Specifically, airlines are now able to borrow funds upto 100 percent of their loans outstanding. The cap on this borrowing is at Rs 1000 crores and can further go up to Rs 1500 crore in case of equity infusion by promoters. The structure and ratio of that remains unclear. These funds in turn are guaranteed by the NCGTC (read: taxpayer) and payment terms are over six years. It is a welcome relief for some airlines who had seen credit lines fast disappearing. However, the emergency credit may also have unintended consequences for the industry as a whole.

The ECLGS has been a welcome development for some airlines. It gives them much needed oxygen in terms of liquidity support. But what led to this situation of minimal liquidity was that stand-alone the balance sheets were (and are) far too weak to giver lenders any comfort. Liens on cash-flow became unviable because of the uncertainty of the cash-flow and in some cases pre-existing liens. Debt funding or other forms of financing such as structured credit were not to be found. This in turn is forced lenders to limit risk by insisting on collateral. Collateral that some airlines just did not have. Consequently, there was a liquidity challenge that was emerging and impacting operations for some airlines.

But the emerging question is: liquidity support to what end? Because, in the backdrop there are also macro challenges with few mitigating measures. The rupee continues to depreciate and jet fuel is at high levels. Lending is constrained and with increasing central bank action the cost of funds is going up. Inflation too has impacts on both purchasing power and supplier contracts. This in a market scenario where price is the key determinant of demand. Increase prices and at a trigger point demand falls off a cliff. Thus airlines are left with a very challenge proposition and resort to cutting costs in all other means possible. This includes cancellation and clubbing of flights, payment delays and deferring items that can be deferred. Other challenges like employee strife are also showing up every so often.

While the ECLGS is a welcome respite for some it is not without unintended consequences. Indeed it poses an interesting dilemma which in some ways is leading to a case of “zombie lending.” Specifically, a case of lending where credit is extended in spite of poor fundamentals. Effectively weaker airlines may get credit at a cost of borrowing that is lower than that extended to the stronger airlines. A spiraling effect follows. And most of this capital is used towards continuing operations rather than growth. Consequently, effects on capacity, capital deployment and improving the balance sheet are negative. In a text-book case of intent versus impact, distressed airlines are kept afloat while the industry suffers from diluted pricing power, reduced capacity utilization and distortion in borrowing rates. Weak balance sheets that are partly responsible for this fragile situation become weaker.

19/10/22 Satyendra Pandey/CNBC TV18

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India bars Kashmiri journalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo from flying

Kashmiri journalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo, who was prevented from flying to the United States by Indian authorities to collect her Pulitzer Prize, told Al Jazeera she is “heartbroken”. It was the second time the photographer was stopped from flying out of the country in less than six months.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me to go for receiving the Pulitzer Prize. But I was stopped without any reason. I am very heartbroken and disappointed.” Sanna told Al Jazeera.

The 28-year-old photojournalist was one of four journalists working for the Reuters news agency who won the Pulitzer for their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I cannot even describe how I feel. I was stopped and my passport was stamped ‘cancelled without prejudice’. I have tried to reach out to many officials but no one responded to me. This is a massive setback to my career,” she said.

She was stopped by immigration authorities at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport late on Tuesday and prevented from boarding.

In July she was stopped in a similar manner at the same airport while on her way to Paris for a book launch and photography exhibition.

She is among several Kashmiri journalists and activists who have been prevented from flying out of the country for their coverage of the decades-long conflict in the Himalayan region.

On Wednesday, the US State Department said it was “tracking” the situation.

“A shared commitment to democratic values including the respect for the independence of the press is a bedrock of the US-India relationship,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.

19/10/22 AlJazeera

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Rolls-Royce supports 'Make-in-India' vision, shows interest to make fighter jet engines in the country

Rolls-Royce, the British aviation and aerospace conglomerate has reiterated its commitment to support India’s vision of self-reliance in defence, through collaboration opportunities to co-design, co-develop and co-produce fighter jet engines in the country. Rolls-Royce is presenting its advanced defence capabilities and future-ready technology solutions at the DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, which is scheduled to take place from 18th-22nd October. With more than 16,000 military engines in service spanning across 160 customers in 103 countries, the company is a powerful player in the defence aerospace engine market.

The company will also familiarise customers and potential partners with its technologically superior offerings for naval defence, including full-electric propulsion solutions and the power-dense MT30 marine gas turbine for aircraft carriers, frigates and destroyers.

For naval customers at DefExpo, Rolls-Royce will be showcasing solutions including full electric propulsion (IFEP) as well as other offerings such as the MT30 - the world’s most power-dense marine gas turbine in service today with destroyers, frigates and aircraft carriers. MT30 offers a superior power-to-weight ratio, generating up to 40MW from a 30-tonne packaged unit, and offers ship designers much more options and flexibility in designing the naval vessels of tomorrow.  

For the past nine decades, Rolls-Royce has been serving the Indian armed forces with technology products and solutions to power land, naval and air defence capabilities. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems business will be also showcasing its advanced solutions for naval and land defence at the expo.

Kishore Jayaraman, President, India & South Asia, Rolls-Royce, said, “As India takes steps to realise its vision of ‘self-reliance’ in defence, we believe we are well positioned to help leapfrog this journey through meaningful partnerships for co-creation of engine technologies. True self-reliance will come when such a partnership not only results in Intellectual Property (IP) ownership in India, but shared creation of capabilities in-country to indigenise defence technology in the future.”

19/10/22 Zee News

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Indian passengers paying extra for flight seats due to unavailability of free ones: Survey

Some passengers prefer to reserve their seats beforehand to avoid any inconvenience during their flight. This facility can be either availed while booking flight tickets or even at check-in counters. But passengers have to pay extra to avail seats of their choice. The cost usually lies somewhere between Rs 200-1,500, especially for seats in the front and emergency rows as they offer more legroom. In case the consumer doesn't wish to purchase a preferred seat, airlines are supposed to ensure that there are enough free seats available for them to select from during the web check-in. However, a survey has revealed that around  one-third of air passengers had to pay extra money for seats on a flight in the last 12 months as free seat options were not available. 

The survey, conducted by online platform LocalCircles, was based on 30,000 responses from individuals across 351 districts. As per the survey, some 60 percent of the respondents also batted for capping the number of paid seats at 30 percent of the total seats.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had in 2015 announced unbundling of services, allowing Indian airlines to charge all of their fliers extra for choice of specific seats, luggage and use of airline lounges, among other facilities. “One in every third person surveyed said that the airline they booked did not give the option to secure a free seat,” the survey said.

"Many consumers have been complaining on LocalCircles and other social media platforms about some airlines still charging a fee for allotment of all seats on the plane and there is not a single seat kept for free allocation. However, some airlines continue to charge consumers extra for all seats on the plane,” it said.

17/10/22 ZeeNews

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Pandemic-hit airlines touch skies again: India much ahead of China, Japan

More than 142 million domestic passengers flew in India in April-August 2019. This sizable figure, however, suddenly fell to a mere 15.7 million amid the pandemic-induced lockdown in the same period of 2020.

As restrictions eased, it rose to 48.2 million during April-August 2021 and sharply bounced to 125.1 million in the corresponding period of 2022. While this is still below pre-pandemic levels, the trend of recovery has been quick.

Aircraft movement during April-August 2021 was 47 per cent less than the corresponding period in 2019. However, it was only 4.6 per cent less than 2019 in April-August 2022.

Domestic revenue of India’s airlines in August 2022 stood 13.7 per cent lower than in the same month in 2019. Airlines’ domestic revenue in Australia, Japan, and China remained 14.2 per cent, 16.4 per cent, and 37.8 per cent lower respectively during the same period, according to the International Air Transport Association.

The revival in India’s airlines is despite the dramatic rise in jet fuel prices. Jet fuel prices rose by more than 70 per cent during the first six months of 2022, marking one of the steepest increases since at least 2002. For context, the rise in jet fuel prices was much sharper than the rise in crude oil prices.

“For airlines, the increase in jet fuel prices represents a major challenge as this cost typically accounts for 20 to 25 per cent of total operational costs,” IATA said in a report.

17/10/22 Samrat Sharma/India Today

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Adani Group buys Air Works, forays into aircraft maintenance business

Mumbai: Adani Group has acquired Air Works — India’s second oldest maintenance repair and overhaul unit — for an enterprise valuation of Rs 400 crore.

The group controls seven airports and the latest acquisition will give it maintenance capabilities in all three aircraft maintenance verticals — airline, business jets, and defence.

Set up in 1951 by two friends P S Menon and B G Menon, Air Works has presence in 27 cities, including hangars in Mumbai, Hosur, and Kochi. Indamer Aviation, the oldest private MRO in the country, was set up in 1947.

The MRO firm, which has six investors, received its first external funding from GTI Group and Punj Lloyd in 2007. All existing investors, including the Menons, will exit the company following the transaction. “The MRO sector has a crucial role to play in both the defence and civilian aerospace sector,” said Ashish Rajvanshi, CEO, Adani Defence and Aerospace. He added that the ongoing modernisation programme to make India a large market for defence aircraft presents comprehensive opportunities for the sector.

D Anand Bhaskar, MD & CEO of Air Works Group, said the government’s policy measures and initiatives, including convergence of civil and defence MRO, will create economies of scale and huge employment opportunities.

India’s MRO market is expected to grow three times from $1.7 billion to $5 billion by 2030, the two companies said in their announcement. Currently, Air Works and Boeing are undertaking heavy maintenance checks on three P-8I aircraft that are operated by the Indian Navy.

Earlier this year, Air Works partnered with UAE-based Mach Technik to offer line maintenance services to airlines in Dubai.

18/10/22 Annesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Aviation Minister Scindia urges states to reduce tax on jet fuel

With air traffic recovering post the COVID-19 pandemic, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has appealed to eight states and union territories to reduce taxation on jet fuel.

Speaking at a Civil Aviation conference in Delhi, the BJP leader said that air traffic growth will be driven by smaller cities, adding emphasis on the need for developing airport infrastructure in such places.

Domestic air traffic is inching closer to pre-COVID level and in recent times, daily passenger numbers have crossed the four lakh mark twice.

Scindia said that value-added tax (VAT) on jet fuel is still high in eight states and Union Territories in the range of 20-30 percent and urged them to reduce the high levy. Jet fuel costs account for a significant part of an airline's operational cost.

The minister requested Goa, Assam, Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar and Tamil Nadu to reduce the VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).

"New growth to come from Tier 2 and 3 cities," he said and emphasised the need to bring down entry barriers in the context of high VAT on jet fuel in some states.

Currently, 28 states and Union Territories have VAT on jet fuel in the range of 1-4 per cent, he added.

In the next four years, Scindia said that around Rs 95,000 crore is likely to be invested by the government and the private sector in the airports sector. The investment will be for both brownfield and greenfield airports.

The Airports Authority of India is working on expansion of about 40 airports and setting up of 3-4 new greenfield airports. Similarly, private sector is working on 60 brownfield and 3 greenfield airports.

18/10/22 Economic Times

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Pratt & Whitney committed to strengthen India’s aerospace ecosystem

From powering India’s legendary DC-3 Parshuram aircraft post-independence, to the 1960s with Air India’s first Boeing 707 powered by P&W’s JT3D engine – Pratt & Whitney has powered India’s flight and its dreams since the very beginning. Our engines power India’s aircraft fleet across commercial, defence, regional and general aviation – delivering dependable, economical, sustainable, and fuel-efficient flying.  

Indian airlines today fly one of newest aircraft fleets anywhere in the world, including more than 180 A320 neos powered by our GTF family of engines. The revolutionary GTF engine delivers 16-20 percent increased fuel efficiency, reduces NOx emissions by 50 percent and noise footprint by 75 percent.

Indian airlines, one of the first adopters of the GTF worldwide, have saved nearly $1 billion in fuel savings (580 million liters) since its entry into service. The same dependability, and efficiency is delivered by our PW100/150 family for India’s regional aviation growth under UDAN.  India’s ATR and Dash-8 turboprop aircraft, mainstays for regional aviation, run on Pratt & Whitney engines.  

Pratt & Whitney is proud to power the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) mission critical aircraft which includes the F117 engines on the IAF’s 11 C-17 Globemasters, and the PT6A turboprop engine on its 75 PC-7 trainers. Furthermore, Pratt & Whitney has been a key propulsion partner for the NAL-SARAS MKI with our PT6A turboprop engine. Pratt & Whitney Canada and the National Aeronautical Laboratory (NAL) have been working together for over a decade on the development of NAL’s multirole light transport aircraft, SARAS.

With the latest acquisition of the C295 transport aircraft, powered by our dependable PW127G engines, Pratt & Whitney’s ties with the IAF have been further strengthened. As the Indian Air Force looks to expand its capabilities by modernizing its aircraft, Pratt & Whitney is well-positioned to support the IAF in its transformation for the future. 

17/10/22 Ashmita Sethi, President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney/Financial Express

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Can SpiceJet, IndiGo and other Indian airlines afford wet leasing aircraft amid inflationary pressure?

India's aviation industry plans to wet lease aircraft for the winter season, striving to fly out of the air pockets it was forced into by the coronavirus-induced crisis ranging from grounded aircraft during lockdowns to the elevated fuel prices that eat into its revenues.

Now that the infections have subsided, airlines would look to go all out particularly in this festive season. In fact, Indian airlines are not ready to sit back and wait for the delivery of new aircraft. Instead, they are wet leasing planes to shore up capacity for the winter schedule when typically there is a spurt in tourism.

But can they afford the wet leasing? Read >>

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Aviation sector eyes a take-off this winter season

Jaipur: The Aviation sector in State is eyeing a take-off coming winter season. Rajasthan, which reports the highest foot fall of domestic and international tourists during winter, will also witness an increase in flight operations in the coming months. The airline companies will change flight schedules from Oct 30, following which, there will be an increase in the number of flights. Sources informed that flight operations will once again begin in Jaisalmer airport, while flights will be increased at Udaipur & Jodhpur. SpiceJet, Indigo and Air India will increase flight operations at Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur airports. Presently 11 flights take-off daily from Jodhpur. This number is expected to increase to 15 during the winters. Similarly, the number of flights at Udaipur airport will be increased to 18 from 12 per day. In Bikaner, one flight has been operational for the last two years, while Kishangarh airport also witnesses fewer flight schedules.

13/10/22 Kashiram Choudhary/First India

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Surge in airfares ahead of festive season as demand goes up

New Delhi: Rise in domestic aviation traffic has led to a surge in the airfares ahead of the festive season. The domestic aviation traffic has recorded continuous improvement and as per Civil Aviation Ministry, the number crossed the mark of 4 lakh daily passengers on October 9. Similarly, airlines passenger load factor (PLF) has also witnessed remarkable rise along with the restoration of domestic air traffic. Most of the airlines recorded occupancy or PLF in the range of 90 per cent as compared with nearly 80 per cent a couple of weeks ago.

"We are witnessing a surge in positive consumer sentiment and this is driving our demand for the upcoming Diwali period by 50-60 per cent Vs last year. Understandably there is a considerable surge in airfares to high-load domestic destinations compared to pre-cap removal; also supply constraints for international destinations," said a spokesperson of Thomas Cook India.

Airfares to popular routes from various hubs like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and Bengaluru are witnessing an uptick during the upcoming Diwali period as compared with the previous year.

"We have seen an increase of 50-60 per cent for Andaman, Himachal and Kashmir, 50 per cent for Goa and Kerala. Metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, etc are also witnessing surge pricing of 25-30 per cent Vs last year as India's migrant working professionals are travelling back to their hometown to celebrate Diwali with their families," he said.

Our data indicates that despite a surge in airfares coupled with visa challenges, we continue to see a strong uptick for international travel compared to pre-pandemic levels. Airfares to Australia, Europe's Switzerland, France and Spain; UK have seen a surge by 30-35 per cent for Diwali, South East Asia's Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia by 35 per cent; Vietnam and Cambodia by 40 per cent; also Dubai 35 per cent and Mauritius 15 per cent," he said.

12/10/22 IANS/Deccan Herald

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Indian Air Force Wants To Hire Women Officers To Fly LCH Prachand

After adding the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) “Prachand” to its fleet on October 3, which went well, the Indian Air Force (IAF) wants to let women officers fly these helicopters.

IAF officials told India Today that women will be added to the crews of Light Combat Helicopters.

They said that the female officers who are already flying the Advanced Heavy Lifter (ALH) helicopters are being picked out to join the fleet.

In the presence of Defence minister Rajnath Singh, CDS General Anil Chauhan, and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, a Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) called Prachand was put into service with the Indian Air Force at Jodhpur airbase.

The defence minister named the helicopter “Prachand,” which means “fierce.” He said that the platform, which can fly both day and night, will give the IAF a big advantage in battle because it can hit enemy targets with great accuracy. Singh, who also flew the LCH, said it could work in any weather and was one of the best in its class in the world.

The LCH is a dedicated combat helicopter made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It was designed and built in India (HAL).

HAL says that the light combat helicopter is the only attack helicopter in the world that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 metres (16,400 ft) while carrying a large amount of weapons and fuel, which meets the needs of the Indian Armed Forces.

11/10/22 Defence Aviation Post

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India a key aviation market, likely to see robust air travel demand, says IATA

India is a significant aviation market for the Asia Pacific and the rest of the world and is likely to experience strong demand for air travel, the international airline association IATA said on Tuesday as the nation's domestic air passenger traffic edged closer to pre-COVID levels.

The Indian aviation industry, which was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now on the road to recovery, and airlines are ramping up employees and opening new routes to meet the growing demand for travel.

On October 9, the number of domestic air travellers reached 4 lakh per day, approaching pre-COVID levels. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the trend a "great sign" on Tuesday.

In terms of passengers, planes, and airports, India's civil aviation industry is set for unprecedented expansion. By 2027, the country is expected to have 40 crore passengers flying domestically and internationally, said Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

During an online briefing on Tuesday, IATA's Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific Philip Goh said the Indian market is a "very important market and is already contributing massively to some parts of the world.

"I can see many airline companies are starting, resuming or expanding network to India. Definitely, a key market (India) for the region and the rest of the world," he said.

As per him, the Indian market is huge and the demand is expected to be quite robust as long as the economics of flying within India and out of India does not changed drastically.

"India as a market has got some unique factors like very high fuel prices because of taxes... but we do expect India to be robust in terms of demand," he added.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 290 airlines worldwide, including those from India.

On Monday, Scindia said the civil aviation sector is on the road to full recovery.

" The Indian civil aviation has not only hit the 4-lakh daily passengers mark, but also achieved the highest ever numbers since pre Covid 19 era! Way to go," he tweeted.

11/10/22 Economic Times

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Vman Aviation to buy five light utility helicopter from Hindustan Aeronautics

Indian aircraft leasing company Vman Aviation Services on Monday signed an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for five light utility helicopters. Vman is an Indian leasing service firm, based out of International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat's Gift City.

The transaction is important because this is enabling an ecosystem loop where Indian manufactured equipment will be offered by an Indian leasing company.

The union budget, announced earlier in the year, had rolled out several incentives and tax holidays on capital gains on aircraft leasing conducted at Gift city.

As part of the agreement, there is an option of buying five more.

LUH is an under development, new generation helicopter in the three-ton class, incorporating the state of the art technology features such as glass cockpit with Multi-Function Displays (MFD) and powered by single Turbo Shaft engine.

Vman said that the helicopter will also cater to a wide range of roles covering Charter, Shuttle, Urban mobility, HEMS, Aerial work, Search & Rescue and Law enforcement.

"India has one of the lowest penetrations of helicopter with limited operation profile. We believe LUH, with customer-focused design, will rejuvenate and expand the helicopter market in India. LUH will be a valuable asset in our portfolio," said Vishok Mansingh, CEO of Vman.

11/10/22 Arindam Majumder/Economic Times

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Govt to allow fractional ownership of business jets and helicopters

 Mumbai: The civil aviation ministry has decided to allow fractional ownership of business jets and helicopters to spur the growth of non-scheduled operations in the country.

Fractional ownership of business planes and helicopters is akin to a timeshare holiday and will allow owners to fly a fixed number of hours per year based on their investment.

Charter companies offer jet card products that allow users to fly a fixed number of hours against an advance payment. Companies in India have offered fractional ownership models too, but these have not taken off as regulations do not allow for multiple ownership of an aircraft.

Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Monday, released the guidelines on fractional ownership to give a fillip to the sector. “Fractional ownership model has the potential to energise the non-scheduled operations segment by democratising ownership of aircraft,” he said.

Fractional ownership of planes is very popular in the US and Berkshire Hathway-owned NetJets, which is the largest private operator, operates over 800 aircraft. Unlike a jet card model, fractional ownership offers guaranteed aircraft availability, better charter rates and tax benefits to owners.

“We are awaiting further details from the government. We are very keen to launch a fractional ownership model,” said Jayant Nadkarni, managing director of Flight Shares Private Limited.

“Wealthy Indians have been buying jets in Dubai because of liberal ownership rules. These planes are operated by various aircraft management companies. The fractional ownership guidelines will encourage more aircraft purchase in India,” said Atiesh Mishra, director of AJM Jet Management.

10/10/22 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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IRCTC Launches 8-Day Air Tour Package To Shimla, Kullu And Manali

It’s winter season incoming and we are sure you are dreaming of Himachal Pradesh. This is the best time of the year to visit and experience the beauty of this state. But planning and budgeting are going to take a lot of your time. Well, do not worry, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is here to help you. IRCTC has come up with a new 8 days air travel package that will help you explore Shimla, Kullu and Manali at ₹52,670 onwards. 

The journey will begin from Trivandram and the total number of seats available is 30. The package gives you an opportunity to explore the three most famous and beautiful places of Himachal Pradesh- Shimla, Kullu and Manali. The air tour will be covering all the important and scenic places including the Rohtang pass and Hadimba temple. To book the tickets, all you have to do is visit the IRCTC website, select the air package and pack your bags. Yes simple as that. 

10/10/22 Vaishalee Kalvankar/Curlytales

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Aviation ministry lines up 3 schemes to promote use of helicopters, smaller aircraft

The Centre on October 10 launched three schemes to promote the use of helicopters, smaller carriers, and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in India.

Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia launched a helicopter emergency medical service from AIIMS Rishikesh dubbed Project Sanjeevani while speaking at the India-Heli Summit in Srinagar.

The minister also launched Project Aakash, a trial service that will help aviation companies holding a Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP) to navigate small planes and helicopters in India using the satellite navigation system GAGAN.

He also said that the government has come out with guidelines for fractional ownership of aircraft and helicopters in India to facilitate the movement of NSOP in India.

"As part of Project Sanjeevani, a helicopter will be available in AIIMS Rishikesh which will be used to recuse and provide emergency medical assistance to patients in a 150-km radius," Scindia said.

He added that learnings from Project Sanjeevani will also be used to come out with a nationwide National Helicopter Medical Plan in India.

The minister also highlighted the government's decision to come out with guidelines for fractional ownership of aircraft and helicopters will help lower the burden of helicopter and small aircraft ownership in India and is expected to help introduce new helicopter and small aircraft ownership in India.

The minister said that the government is also permitting single-engine helicopters to operate in India and apply for an NSOP.

He added that in order to increase the use of helicopters in India the government is also in talks to make it mandatory for all developers to include helipads as part of development plans for any new national highways.

10/10/22 Moneycontrol

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PM Narendra Modi says Planes will be manufactured in Gujarat in coming years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed hope that sooner or later, his home state Gujarat will be manufacturing planes. "Don't forget, once even cycles were not manufactured in the state," he said as he kicked off his three day tour from north Gujarat's Modhera village, where he dedicated and laid the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 3,092 crore. He also dedicated Modhera solar village, with all houses having rooftop solar facilities to meet domestic demand.

He said it will be a double benefit to Modhera villagers - firstly they will be saving money on the electricity bill and the second is they will earn money as the government buys additional power from them.

He reminded people that during his tenure as Chief Minister, Gujarat had made a lot of progress on development, roads, water and electrification has reached all villages, Now he and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel are playing a 'doubles game' and that will put the state on a very high growth trajectory.

"Suzuki company is manufacturing cars in Gujarat, and if they want cars in Japan, they import from here, this is the change Gujarat and India has witnessed in the recent past. Now the lithium batteries will be manufactured in the state," he said.

10/10/22 Rakul Preet/ZeeNews

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Civil Aviation minister inaugurates 4th Heli-India Summit 2022

Srinagar, Oct 10: Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia on Monday said that a civil enclave will be built in Jammu at a cost of Rs 861 crores and the Srinagar’s present terminal will be expanded three times from 20,000 square meters to 60,000 square meters at a cost of Rs 1500 crores.

Scindia said this while inaugurating 4th Heli-India Summit 2022 with the theme ‘Helicopters for last Mile Connectivity’ at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre, Srinagar, in presence of Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha.

During the summit, Scindia, as per an official handout, said that the decrease in VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 26.5 percent to one percent by the J&K government has set a new dawn for air connectivity in the Union territory with 360 percent increase in refueling, thus increasing the air connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir.

Praising PM Narendra Modi for what he said bringing a revolution in the Civil Aviation sector in India from 2014 onwards, Scindia said that from 1947 to 2014, the country had only 74 airports, but now the number has increased to 141, with 67 added in last seven years which shows the pace of progress in the Civil Aviation sector.

The government, he said, was committed to increase the number to above 200 in the next few years, Sh. Scindia added.

He said that the Civil Aviation has now become the need of the hour not only for India but for humankind across the world as it always brings with it two important multipliers, the economic multiplier and the employment multiplier.

The sector has huge impact with economic multiplier of 3.1 and employment multiplier of 6, the Minister informed. Therefore, the Civil Aviation across the world today forms a very important cog of the wheel of economic development, the Minister added.

During the summit, Scindia said that helicopters have multifarious roles, providing urban connectivity which is no more an elitist prerogative in India but is based on PM Narendra Modi’s vision ‘Sab Ude, Sab Jude'. The other roles of helicopter service has been the emergency medical services and disaster management during floods, rescue operations etc., the Minister informed. Jammu & Kashmir has set an example of the best use of helicopter service when it erected transmission lines and towers using heli-cranes (sky cranes) on the Peer Panjal mountain range, the Minister added.

10/10/22 Greater Kashmir

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Soaring high: Top students enjoy chopper ride in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: They passed the Class 10 and 12 exams with flying colours. Their spirits already soaring after being among the best performers in the state, students in Chhattisgarh found themselves on cloud nine on Saturday. Quite literally. 

As a reward for their performance and to laud their achievement, the state government organised free helicopter rides for the top scoring students. With each trip lasting 15 minutes, the 7-seater chopper took the students through a thrilling experience as they admired the views of Raipur from a height. 

“It was no less than an amazing dream for me,” said Devanand Kumti, who stood as the topper among students belonging to primitive tribal groups in the state. Kumti had scored 90 per cent marks in the exam. “I belong to Gumiyabeda in Abujhmad (south Bastar). Our village does not get even adequate sunlight. But today the chief minister offered me an opportunity to fly in a chopper,” a delighted Kumti added.

Agreed Anjum, another top scorer in Class 10 exam. “We were so excited to be called for this experience. It was a wonderful and never-to-be-forgotten occasion,” she said.The students had figured in the merit list of Class 10 and 12 examination results declared by the Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education.

“We shortlisted 125 students from across Chhattisgarh. The families of 119 children gave their consent, while the remaining students were away from the state,” Alok Shukla, principal secretary, school education department, told this newspaper. “The take-off and landing of the chopper, which was hired from a private charter service, took place at the police parade ground in Raipur,” he added. 

09/10/22 Ejaz Kaiser/New Indian Express

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90th Air Force Day: Varun Tej Plays an IAF Officer in Next Film, Wants to Have Aviation Pilot's License

Telugu actor Varun Tej will next be seen playing an Air Force pilot in an upcoming Telugu-Hindi action drama, which is all set to go on floors by end of this year. The yet-to-be-titled film is based on true events, and will showcase the indomitable spirits of our heroes on the frontlines and the challenges they face as they fight one of the biggest, fiercest aerial attacks that India has ever seen.

As we celebrate the 90th Indian Air Force Day today, Tej reveals that he always had a dream to own an aviation pilot’s license. Thanking the Indian Air Force for their selfless efforts, the Fidaa (2017) and Gaddalakonda Ganesh (2019) actor shares, “On the occasion of the 90th glorious Indian Air Force Day, I send my warmest wishes to our heroes in the sky. They have been relentless in their pursuit to keep our country safe.”

He further adds, “Now that I have an opportunity in portraying an Air Force pilot myself, I have really been able to understand the selfless sacrifices that they make. Flying has always been a dream for me and I hope one day I can earn a license to fly. A big thank you to our air warriors, for everything they do.”

Talking about being a part of the film, which also marks his Hindi debut, Tej had said, “I am honoured to have received the opportunity to play the role of an Indian air force officer and celebrate their valour on the big screen. The script for this film provides a challenge to break out of my previous roles. As an (IAF) officer, my character has layers that will be interesting for me to showcase in this film. I will be undergoing immense training and I am excited to see how the audiences react to this one.”

08/10/22 Titas Chowdhury/News18.com

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ICAO agrees on net-zero emissions by 2050, India secures concessions

Mumbai: India and other Afro-Asian countries secured a significant concession as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) adopted a resolution on net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

While the ICAO general assembly on Friday approved a resolution on the long-term aspirational goal (LTAG) of net-zero, member states also recognised that special circumstances and capabilities of each country will influence the outcome. These factors will determine the ability of a country to achieve the target within its own national timeframe. States also supported the call for financial and technical support to developing countries for accelerated use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Both these concessions were pushed by India with the support of other countries such as Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia etc.

“Countries have achieved some tremendous and very important diplomatic progress at this event and on topics of crucial importance to the future sustainability of our planet and the air transport system which serves and connects its populations,” said ICAO secretary general Juan Carlos Salazar in a press release.

According to ICAO, the net-zero targets will rely on the adoption of new aircraft technologies, streamlined flight operations and the use of SAF. The net-zero resolution also calls for the establishment of a climate finance initiative and voluntary technology transfer for developing SAF.

While European countries stressed on net-zero by 2050, India stressed on the principle of equity. India argued that the aviation sector in developing countries will be seeing high growth whereas in developed countries it has already peaked or is very near to peak levels leading to very slow growth. Given the importance of aviation to GDP growth, developing countries should be allowed carbon space to achieve growth. India also said the LTAG should not lead to non-tariff barriers on international routes.

09/10/22 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Private jets are going from being an ultra-rich indulgence to a rich man's cab-hailing service

Earlier this year, high net-worth individual (HNI) Anurag Maheshwari (name changed), 43, decided to return to his hometown Kolkata from New Delhi. After booking their stuff with a road freighter, the Maheshwaris decided to travel by air. But there was a catch. Regulations for the transport of their pet Alsatian on a commercial flight were cumbersome. To their horror, they realised that the family pet would have to travel in a kennel in the aircraft’s cramped cargo hold. It was then that Maheshwari decided to charter a private aircraft.

In another part of the country, Bengaluru-based businessman Aarush Dalavayi (name changed), 47, was worried about not being able to make it to a wedding in the family of a key client in Goa. By the time he would get free on the day of the wedding, all flights to Goa would have left. It was then that he hired a private jet to not just attend the event but also return in time for his engagements the next day.

So, it’s not just the Ambanis, Adanis or CEOs of MNCs who are living the high life, literally. Maheshwari and Dalavayi are among the new breed of passengers who are embracing charter flight services, which have traditionally been associated with the uber rich.

So, what do charter flights offer? Almost everything you can ask for, from a chauffeur-driven limousine to shuttle you to the airport to departing as per your requirements; no serpentine queues to greet you at the airport, and forget about the luggage limit. You can wander freely onboard, conduct a hen party, in-flight meetings, or celebrate any other special occasion, along with savouring many exotic dishes on the menu; everything is tailor-made per your taste!

The lavish bespoke menu includes exotic stuff such as Beluga caviar or Japanese sushi. For instance, while Club One Air has a sous chef to prepare delicacies, JetSetGo offers specialised meals after consulting with the passenger’s dietician. The latter also offers accessories from 100 thread-count Egyptian bedsheets and special Greek linen to personalised crockery, cushions and sleepwear. Moreover, the aircraft are put through a multi-stage sanitisation check for the passenger’s safety. The on-ground concierge also offers any assistance required by passengers in finding conveyance or hotel bookings.

From all your business needs to leisure requirements, charter services take care of everything with an extra layer of luxury. However, all these come at a cost. Unlike industrialists like Ratan Tata (Dassault Falcon 2000), Mukesh Ambani (Boeing Business Jet) and Adar Poonwalla (Airbus A320), it may not be feasible for many others to own or maintain a private jet. Especially when their prices range from $4.95 million to $170 million for aircraft like the Embraer Phenom 100 and the Boeing 767-33A ER, respectively.

06/10/22 BusinessToday.in

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How has technology helped in the training process for the Aviation sector

The aviation sector is back in action. As per IATA Annual Review Report 2022 indicating demand for air travel “By the end of 2023, most regions will be at—or exceeding— pre-pandemic levels of demand”. To be able to cater to this demand the sector is in need of highly skilled and trained professionals more than ever before. 

Staggering statistics explain this further. For example in India alone, direct employment in the aviation and aeronautical manufacturing sector is expected to increase to around 3,50,000 by 2024 as per the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Being a highly technical and regulation-driven industry, every kind of role needs talent with specialized skill-sets. Training is the epicentre of any aviation professional’s career. 

Tech has elevated training to the next level. Both freshers and existing talent are able to skill and upskill efficiently and faster through tech-led evolved training and L&D (Learning and Development) practices. It has helped assess skills and create agile training programmes to navigate location and time constraints. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of tech-first learning. 

Let’s look at some intelligent ways technology has helped fill in gaps in training.

The new generation are tech and digital world natives Digital methods like e-learning, virtual classrooms and webinars have shown increased engagement levels from students. Technology also helps enhance practical training by collecting data from students. The psychological state, heart rate and various other indicators can be monitored to track performance in training programmes. This helps trainers provide better learning solutions to learners.

Many aviation roles require professionals to receive practical training in real environments. The use of AR, VR and Mixed Reality helps create simulated environments giving the trainees hands-on realistic training and experience. Be it engineers learning about the aircraft’s parts or a pilot-in-training navigating their path, extended reality tech helps enhance the professional’s skill-set without wastage of time and resources.

06/10/22 Piyalee Chatterjee Ghosh/Times of India

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Airlines face difficulty in operating at full capacity amid low demand

New Delhi: Even as the government lifted the cap on capacity deployment, most airlines are finding it difficult to operate at full capacity due to less demand, according to a report in Mint.

The aviation sector in India has faced several hurdles since 2020. First, the pandemic-induced lockdowns forced planes to be grounded for two months. Then, the slump in demand for travel surfaced. Cap on capacity deployment and high aviation turbine fuel prices following the Russia-Ukraine war followed.

From May 2020 to October 2021, Centre placed a cap on capacity deployment by airlines. This was in the range of 33 per cent to 85 per cent. With the excess capacity that could not be deployed, the airlines found it increasingly difficult to generate enough revenue.

IndiGo, the largest airline in India, reported losses for 9 out of the last 10 quarters, the Mint report added.

In October 2021, the cap was removed and airlines were allowed to operate at full capacity. It brought forth a new problem, less demand. The travel sentiment was impacted by several waves of the Covid-19 pandemic. People postponed travel plans to protect their savings. In this, high travel fares impacted the demand negatively.

"Since last year, there has been an unprecedented rise in jet fuel prices, which was further aggravated by the Russia-Ukraine war, which in turn has also pushed fares, impacting leisure travel demand to an extent. Hence, the combination of these factors has impacted the capacity deployment levels for the sector," Suprio Banerjee, vice-president and sector head, corporate ratings, Icra was quoted in the Mint report as saying.

06/10/22 Business Standard

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ECLGS rules relaxed for airlines

In a move to help the cash-strapped aviation sector, the government has modified the norms to allow airlines to avail themselves of loans up to 100 per cent of their requirement under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS).

 Version 3.0 of the scheme has been modified to enhance “the maximum loan amount eligibility for airlines to 100 per cent of their fund-based or non-fund-based loan outstanding as on the reference dates or Rs 1,500 crore, whichever is lower; and of the above, Rs 500 crore shall be considered, based on equity contribution by the owners,” the finance ministry statement on Wednesday said. 

Previously, civil aviation companies were allowed to borrow up to 50 per cent of their highest fund-based credit outstanding, subject to a maximum of Rs 400 crore per borrower, as against 40 per cent of their credit outstanding as part of earlier iterations of the ECLGS scheme. 

Earlier in March 2022, the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) was extended beyond March 2022, till March 2023. 

“The modifications introduced are aimed to give necessary collateral-free liquidity at reasonable interest rates to tide over their present cash flow problems,” the statement said.

Under the ECLGS, banks provide additional loans to existing borrowers without asking for extra collateral to help them cope with the liquidity crunch resulting from Covid curbs. 

These loans are also fully guaranteed by the government against credit losses. Most Indian airlines are still facing issues such as high fuel costs and limited domestic passenger operations, and have not yet restored the salaries of their employees to pre-Covid levels. 

06/10/22 Telegraph

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Now Take A Helicopter Ride In Bengaluru To Avoid Road Traffic

Don’t tell me you never dreamt of flying to your work to avoid traffic chaos. Traffic chaos is difficult to deal with as one feels stressed and bored. But why do you need to worry when Blade is there? Yes, someone has stepped up and taken the initiative to facilitate the residents of Bangalore.

Soon people in Bengaluru are going to see helicopters flying in the air. Since urban air mobility company Blade has announced that they are introducing a helicopter flight service. Therefore, this flight service will be between Bangalore International Airport and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) airport.

However, people can benefit from this service during given working days of the week from Monday to Friday. This service will be inaugurated on October 10. Undoubtedly, Bengaluru is India’s IT hub center and among the cities with the worst traffic chaos in the world.

According to BLADE, the intra-city service will enable the passengers to save time. Purposedly, the flight allows them to reach their destination in 12 minutes instead of the two-hour by-road route to the city. The reason behind choosing HAL as the pickup location is it is near popular areas in the town like Indiranagar, Koramangala, and IT parks.

Hence, one can book a flight like any other air ticket. In contrast, the starting price of a flight is Rs 3,250, excluding taxes. On the other hand, you spend Rs. 1,300 if you take a cab from the international airport to HAL airport. Traveling via a taxi takes almost two hours or more to reach your destination, depending on the traffic situation.

The individuals can catch a flight at 9 am from Bengaluru Airport to reach HAL and return in the evening by catching the flight at 4.15 pm. Amit Dutta, the managing director of BLADE India, claimed that their success is their ability to democratize urban air mobility. With this initiative, we can provide an approachable entry point, and helicopter services are a premium product.

Moreover, this launch will open the doors for future taxi services of eVTOL aircraft. Amit Dutta also said that our company collaborates with organizations like AIRBUS and Eve Mobility for a good purpose. The good purpose is to provide economical air transportation. We care about the traffic chaos in India and look for different ways to deal with it.

04/10/22 Techjuice

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Pawan Hans strategic sale: Government likely to scrap winning bid, says report

The central government is likely to scrap the winning strategic sale bid for helicopter operator Pawan Hans Ltd and invite fresh bids, as per a report.

The Centre scrapped the sale of Central Electronics Ltd (CEL) last month after it discovered that legal proceedings against the successful bidder were pending before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Economic Times reported.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) issued adverse observations against Almas Global Opportunity Fund, the majority owner of Star9 Mobility, a consortium of three companies that won the Pawan Hans divestiture bid in April, the report added.

The NCLT's Kolkata bench made adverse observations against Almas Global for failing to implement the resolution plan for the acquired company EMC Ltd. "While Almas Global has challenged the observation in NCLAT, there is a significant concern raised given the NCLT decision," the ET report quoted sources as saying.

Despite scrapping the strategic sale of CEL, the Centre had said that pending NCLT proceedings might disqualify the bid under applicable provisions of the Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) and Request for Proposal (RFP).

"The NCLT in its judgement has said that Almas Global Opportunity Fund and its officers be held responsible and proceeded against for contravention of the approved resolution plan (for EMC Ltd)," the source told ET. "Even if that decision is overturned by NCLAT under the new guidelines on strategic sales, they may still stand disqualified."

The government has not yet given the letter of award to the winning bidder. Separately, the government is also contesting All-India Civil Aviation Employees Union's petition against Pawan Hans' divestment in the Delhi High Court. The next hearing is on October 12.

"Let that decision come too. We may call for fresh bids taking that into account," said an official aware of the developments, as quoted by ET.

04/10/22 Moneycontrol.com

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Domestic airfares on key routes skyrocket due to festive demand

Domestic airfares have increased by 20 to 30 percent on key routes due to the rise in demand during the ongoing festive season, said a report.

Average airfares have increased this year on popular routes owing to the increase in prices of aviation turbine fuel (ATF).

At the same time, flight searches for leisure travel for Dussehra week rose 25-30 percent compared to last year, the business daily quoted Aloke Bajpai, CEO and co-founder of ixigo, as saying.

According to the Indian AI-based online travel portal data, the top 10 leisure destinations for travel between October 1 and 24 have been Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Patna, Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Bagdogra, Varanasi, Hyderabad and Dehradun.

A comparison of fares during Diwali in 2021 and 2022 shows that the average one-way fare from Bengaluru to New Delhi rose from Rs 7,032 last year to Rs 9,340 this year. Similarly, the average cost of a one-way air ticket from Hyderabad to New Delhi stood at Rs 5,672 between November 4 and 7, 2021, while it costs Rs 6,971 between October 20 and 24, 2022.

The festive season begins around mid-September and continues through Durga Puja and Diwali till Christmas when it peaks. Most of the tickets bought during this period include those for leisure travel and festivals.

Meanwhile, travellers going from major cities in the country to Bihar to celebrate Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath Puja in their native place are paying two to three times more than the normal airfare, reported The Times of India.

04/10/22 CNBCTV18.COM

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Captain Zoya Agarwal: 'I've had to really fight to show the power of women in the aviation sector'

Popularly known as #bharatkibeti, Captain Zoya Agarwal is a renowned aviator with several honours and awards to her credit. Professionally, she is an Indian commercial pilot and commander who has flown for Air India since 2004.

Her talks on channels, such as Ted/TedX, BBC, CNN, Forbes, are a source of inspiration not only to aspiring female pilots and the young generation, but to all those who dare to dream but are held back by others' and their own scepticism. 

Edited excerpts >>

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