Air India moves US court to prevent Devas demand for recovery of $1.2 billion arbitration awards

Air India has recently appealed in a US court against Devas Multimedia, arguing that a recent change in ownership of the airline prevents demands for recovery of arbitration awards ($1.2 billion) given to the Indian startup by international courts over the cancellation of a satellite deal with Isro’s commercial arm Antrix.

According to an agency report, Air India filed the appeal in the US court on Thursday, the same day the Tata Group took over the management of the airline. A source in the civil aviation ministry, on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development without elaborating further. Tata Sons has, however, not responded to an email query from TOI on the airline moving the US court.

The district court in New York can dismiss and dispose of the Devas case entirely based on Air India’s request or it can identify remaining issues in the case if the demand is denied, according to a filing by the airline. Devas Multimedia, which is now under the control of a liquidator, is currently facing liquidation proceedings after the Supreme Court order. on January 17, upheld the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal ruling to wind up the Bengaluru-based company.

Devas, which is seeking $1.2 billion from the government of India, will continue to confiscate cash generated from some ticket sales overseas by Air India, said Matthew McGill, a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher that represents several Devas shareholders. The firm has already seized assets worth more than $30 million owned by Air India, he claimed.

In fact, soon after the Supreme Court ordered on January 17 to wind up the company, Devas counsel Matthew D McGill said, “The decision by the Supreme Court does not change anything. The Modi government and the Indian courts cannot rewrite the facts. Their flimsy allegations of fraud will never stand up in courts outside of India”. He had, however, said, “A better approach for the Modi government would be to return to the negotiating table, and continue with settlement talks.”

31/01/22 Surendra Singh/Times of India

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UK police seize gold bars worth £650,000 at Heathrow Airport

British police have seized 15 gold bars worth £650,000 ($870,890) from a woman trying to take them from Heathrow Airport to India.

Officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) worked with officials in India to prove the woman's claim that they were to be taken to a jewellers in India was false.

The NCA said they are linked to an international money laundering network based in Europe.

“Gold is an attractive commodity for criminals to use to move money because relatively small amounts can have a high value,” Commander Andy Noyes of the NCA said.

“Our investigation pointed to these gold bars belonging to a criminal money laundering network active in both Europe and Asia.

“We think they were attempting to move them through London to try and disguise their routing, and avoid the attentions of Indian law enforcement upon arrival there.”

The investigation was launched after Border Force officials stopped the woman, a Singaporean, at Heathrow Airport in March 2020 after she arrived on a flight from Singapore.

The woman was transiting through the airport to catch a plane to Chennai, India, and Border Force officers found the bars in her hand luggage.

31/01/22 Nicky Harley/National

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Economic Survey 2022: Indian aviation on path to gradual recovery; international tourism uncertain

The Indian aviation sector is on the path to gradual recovery from the turbulence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic but international tourism is still uncertain, the Economic Survey 2021-22 said.

The Economic Survey, an annual report card of the economy, is prepared by the Economics division of the finance ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs under the guidance of Chief Economic Adviser.

“With the accelerated pace of vaccine roll-out and easing of travel restrictions globally, Indian aviation sector has started to rebound. Despite the travel restrictions, the total passengers carried in October, 2021 reached 99.58 lakhs which was near 68 percent of the pre-COVID level (146.25 lakh),” the Survey said.

However, the survey has cautioned that there is uncertainty in the international travel market.

“At the time of writing, new restrictions were being introduced worldwide due to the spread Omicron variant of the COVID-19. Thus, the trajectory of tourism sector, especially international tourism remains uncertain,” the Survey said.

India had banned commercial scheduled international passenger flights in March 2020 due to the onset of COVID-19 and since then air travel abroad has taken place via air bubble arrangements and Vande Bharat Mission. India currently has air travel arrangements or transport bubbles with 35 nations. Under the Vande Bharat Mission, which is currently in its 15th phase, over 47,000 inbound and outbound flights have been operated as on December 31, 2021, carrying over 63.55 lakh passengers.

The survey also noted the potential of drones as a sector that can become an important propeller for growth due to their reach, versatility, and ease of use. The sector had received an impetus last year with the liberalized Drone Rules 2021 and the PLI (production-linked incentive) scheme.

“The policy reforms will therefore catalyze super-normal growth in the upcoming drone sector,” the survey said.

31/01/22 Anu Sharma/CNBCTV18

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PIA flight with Hindu pilgrims from Karachi to India postponed

Karachi: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was scheduled to fly out Pakistani Hindu pilgrims to India today (Saturday), but it has yet to receive a green signal for the flight, Geo News reported Friday, citing sources.

Sources within the national flag carrier said that a special flight was set to carry 160 Hindu pilgrims from Karachi to Jaipur, India, at 7am on January 29. They said that PIA officials have confirmed that India has not allowed the flight a passage. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) notified "postponement" of the flights that were meant to carry the pilgrims to India.

A statement issued by the PHC on Friday stated that on PHC's request seeking passage for three flights — from Karachi to Jaipur on January 29, from Jaipur to Agra on the same day, and from Delhi to Karachi on Feb 1, — PIA had approached the civil aviation department of India for permission and necessary arrangements, but received no response from the other side by Thursday.

Hence, furthering this process is now impossible, it added. The PHC, however, made it clear that neither itself or PIA is responsible for calling off the trip. Instead, "the client [Indian authorities] lagged behind" in making the trip possible for Pakistani Hindu pilgrims, it added. It said that the trip is being postponed till the Pakistani authorities receive India's permission to airlift the pilgrims.

29/01/22 The News

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Canada needs to investigate the role of Indian agents in the lead-up to the Air India bombings

In light of recent developments, the Canadian government should re-examine the worst tragedy in the history of aviation terrorism before 9/11.

It would be prudent to order a thorough probe focusing on the role played by Indian agents in the lead-up to two 1985 Air India bombings, considering the growing cozy relations between a former suspect and the Indian establishment.

Read why >>

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Singapore Airlines Begins Flight Operations From India Through VTL

Singapore Airlines, the flag carrier airline of Singapore, said it has started the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights between India and Singapore which was temporarily suspended last month due to restrictions.

Notably, the Singapore Airlines had stopped accepting new bookings for all VTL flights from India to Singapore that were scheduled between 23 December 2021 and 20 January 2022. 

Now starting from 21 January 2022, the air passengers from India are again allowed to book Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights for quarantine-free travel into Singapore. 

It must be noted that the Singapore Airlines at present operates only 3 VTL flights to Singapore from India. These are SQ403 (ex DEL), SQ423 (ex BOM) & SQ529 (ex MAA). And the other SIA flights from India are non-VTLs.

As per the updates, the Singapore Airlines at present operates selected VTL flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. The reports suggested that Vistara is operating VTL flights from Mumbai, while Chennai only operates one VTL flight, which SIA operates. Delhi has one VTL flight and rest all are non-VTL flights.

28/01/22 India.com

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Now that Tatas have taken over Air India, what happens to Vistara, JV with Singapore Airlines

The process of transferring Air India to the Tata group was completed on Thursday, January 27. Soon after, the group issued a statement to the BSE, announcing the completion of the purchase of Air India from the government of India.

“Best wishes to the new owners,” Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia tweeted. “I am confident that the airline will bloom under their wings, and pave the way for a thriving & robust civil aviation industry in India.”

The question that arises now is whether Singapore Airlines (SIA), which holds a 49 per cent stake in Vistara, the other Tata-owned airline, will also come on board Air India. The Tatas also have a stake in AirAsia India.

According to industry watchers, SIA has already lost a great opportunity by not being a part of the Tata group’s bid for AI. “India is a great source market for outbound traffic and only a small percentage of the market has been tapped by existing airlines. If SIA was invested with the Tatas in the successful bid for AI it could have been in the driver’s seat in setting policy, getting in people to run the airline, aligning aircraft and routes so that SIA and AI offer more choices to passengers in the Indian and global market,” a veteran with four decades of experience in aviation said.

He added that SIA not being on board AI right now perhaps has to do with the fact that it is running in losses and like airlines across the world has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. He, however, maintains that it is only a question of time before SIA comes on board AI.

An industry watcher says SIA tying up with AI is a natural progression. For Vistara and AI to continue as two full fledged FSCs in India they will fight and compete with each other. The unmistakable logic for SQ is that a privatized AI with all its traffic rights and same owners as Vistara is a better party to ally itself to than stay tied in with Vistara and compete with AI. Keeping both Vistara and AI may be practical in the short term till AIs messes are sorted but eventually for Tatas it becomes a case of fighting a war with a split force which is not exactly desirable. AI is also star alliance which is another step closer to synergies with SQ.

Even otherwise, conditions are conducive for SIA to enter the Indian market. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that international passenger traffic should return to the 2019 levels by about 2024. India is a huge market for outbound travel and close to 1.05 crore foreign tourists arrived in India during 2018, according to a Ministry of Tourism document, registering an annual growth rate of over 5 per cent.

Besides this, India is an origin and destination market and when international traffic returns to pre-Covid levels, flyers will prefer non-stop flights to international destinations like the US and Canada, and London, Frankfurt and Paris.

27/01/22 Ashwini Phadnis/Moneycontrol

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Air India Express Announces Flights to Kuala Lumpur For February, Opens Booking

The air passengers who are planning to fly to Malaysia, here’s a big update for you. Air India Express has announced its schedule of flights between India and Malaysia for the month of February 2022. Notably, these flights will be operated as part of the air bubble singed between the two countries under Vande Bharat Mission.

According to the schedule shared by the airline, Air India Express plans to operate flights to/from multiple Indian cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Trichy. 

Air India Express said that it has opened the bookings for flights to Malaysia through its Official Website, Booking Offices, Call Centre, Mobile App & Authorized Travel Agents. 

Travel guidelines:

Only Malaysian nationals can fly to Kuala Lumpur.

Moreover, the passengers who are fully vaccinated and hold a valid Malaysian Long Term Social Visit Pass may enter Malaysia without MyTravelPass/MyEntry (effective 1st November 2021).

The fully vaccinated passengers who do not possess any valid Malaysian Long Term Social Visit Pass need to apply MyTravelPass/MyEntry/Entry Approval from the Immigration Department of Malaysia at https://mtp.imi.gov.my/myTravelPass/main

26/01/22 India.com

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Failed 2005 satellite deal: Air India opposes new identity for Devas’ Mauritius investors in US courts

Air India has opposed a move by three Mauritius-based investors in startup firm Devas Multimedia to be identified as new entities registered in the United States to enforce compensation awards made in favour of the investors, and Devas Multimedia, by multiple international arbitration courts.

The Air India move comes in the wake of three foreign investors in Devas Multimedia — CC/Devas (Mauritius) Limited., Telecom Devas Mauritius Limited, and Devas Employees Mauritius Private Limited — seeking to be identified as CCDM Holdings, LLC, Telcom Devas, LLC, and Devas Employees Fund US, LLC. This is to continue proceedings to attach assets of Air India for recovery of nearly $1.2 billion in compensation awarded over the cancellation of 2005 satellite deal signed by Devas with Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Antrix Corporation.

The investors have sought substitution of the current entities in litigation in multiple courts in the US in the wake of the Supreme Court of India upholding a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order for liquidation of Devas Multimedia in India.

The substitution of entities has been sought by the Devas’ investors under a US rule which allows the ‘transfer of interest’ in cases that are being heard in a court.

The three Mauritius-based investors were initially allowed by a US federal court to intervene on behalf of Devas Multimedia on February 24, 2021, in the wake of the Antrix Corporation seeking liquidation of Devas on the grounds that fraud was involved in the creation of the startup in Bengaluru in December 2004.

At the time, the liquidator for Devas Multimedia – who has taken over the company – argued that the US federal court cannot allow shareholders in Devas to proceed on behalf of the company since “it may run counter-productive to the efforts of the official liquidator” to liquidate Devas.

“Shareholders taking proactive steps in the United States to enforce the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) award are committing contempt of court against the Supreme Court of India,” the liquidator argued.

25/01/22 Indian Express

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Two passengers found smoking onboard Air India flight from Male to Mumbai

Mumbai: Two passengers were caught smoking on an Air India flight from Male to Mumbai on Monday.

The incident happened on board flight AI-268 which had departed Male at 12.45 pm (local time). About 45-minutes before landing, a passenger went into the aircraft lavatory and opened the door only to find smoke in it, said a source. The cabin crew were alerted and they managed to identify and accost two passengers who had earlier used the same lavatory. “The two passengers did not create a ruckus or protest when they were asked to hand over their cigarettes and passports,” the source said. “The smell of smoke from the lavatory spread into the passenger cabin as well,” the source added. On landing the passengers were handed over to the airline security personnel.

Air India security and the concerned departments are looking into this and will follow due course of action, said an Air India spokesperson. The official did not comment on whether the airline had filed a police case against the passenger.

Fire is the most hazardous situation a flight crew can be faced with. “Fire and smoke spread rapidly inside the pressurized cabin of an aircraft. Even a minor fire left undetected for a few minutes can endanger the safety of aircraft and passengers, especially if it breaks out when the aircraft is at cruising altitudes. It would take atleast 20-30 minutes to descend and carry out an emergency landing and by then passengers, crew could die of carbon monoxide poisoning,” said a senior airline commander, requesting anonymity.

In July 1973, pilots of a Brazilian carrier, Varig Airlines flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris were forced to carry out an emergency landing in a field close to Orly airport, Paris after a fire broke in a rear lavatory of the aircraft. As smoke from the fire filled the passenger cabin of the Boeing 707 aircraft, the crew members moved to the front of the aircraft. But many passengers in the rear inhaled the smoke and by the time the aircraft landed many were already dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation. Of the 134 passengers on board, 123 died. The investigation report revealed that the probable cause of the lavatory fire was a lit cigarette that was accidentally thrown into the bin which set the waste in it on fire. In December 1982, a cigarette fire broke out onboard China Northwest Airlines flight flying from Changsha, in Hunan, China to Guangzhou. The aircraft landed and stopped on the runway but by then the fire had killed 25 passengers.

In India, smoking is banned onboard flights under the Indian Aircraft Rules, 1937. Passengers who `commit any act likely to imperil the safety of an aircraft or its passengers or crew’ could be punished with imprisonment for upto two years or with fine upto Rs 10 lakh or both. Smoking on board also falls into the purview of `unruly/disruptive passenger behaviour' and could invite a life-time ban.

But airlines in India have been lax in enforcing the law. In September 2017, an Air India passenger onboard a flight from Ranchi to Delhi turned unruly after he was asked to exit the aircraft lavatory by the crew who were alerted to smoke and smell of cigarettes. The passenger got into an argument with the crew and threatened to light up another cigarette, according to media reports. The pilots radioed the Delhi air traffic control about the incident and on landing, he was escorted out of the aircraft by CISF security personnel. However the airline was reluctant to file a police complaint. A written apology was taken from the passenger and he was let off.

25/01/22 Manju V/Times of India

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‘Devas action won’t delay Air India handover’, target remains January-end

New Delhi: The government does not expect Air India’s handover to the Tatas getting delayed due to continuing legal action by shareholders of Devas Multimedia to seize Indian assets abroad. Officials in the know say the transition is going to happen “very soon”, with the earliest target being by the month-end.

The board of AirAsia India (AAIPL), in which Tatas hold 83.7% stake, will meet on Monday. While the agenda could not be ascertained, the first merger will be of AAIPL and AI Express as a low cost carrier. Air India and Vistara (51% owned by Tatas and 49% by Singapore Airline, or SIA) will continue to operate as separate full service carrier (FSC) till SIA agrees to have a merged FSC.

“Things (have been) sorted (out). Closing very soon,” top government sources told TOI on Sunday when asked if the decision of Devas Multimedia shareholders despite the Supreme Court recently winding up the company will delay AI’s handover.

“We have already entered liens or obtained seizure and garnishment orders on tens of millions of dollars in Indian state assets. We will continue to identify and seize state assets wherever we find them until India returns in good faith to the negotiating table,” a spokesperson for Devas Multimedia said Sunday.

Meanwhile, AI officials say Tata Group has begun a “train the trainer” program under which some people have been selected from various departments to be trained about the Tata ethos, work culture. The trained will, in turn, train their colleagues. “One key thing being told is that unlike a PSU where seniority decides who will be the boss, AI employees should be prepared to work under someone who could be younger than them,” said an official.

The Tatas have so far not commented on takeover preparations or plans for the airline founded by JRD Tata 69 years ago.

24/01/22 Saurabh Sinha & Sidhartha/Times of India

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Ugandan national held at Delhi Airport with heroin worth Rs 6.9 crore

New Delhi: Customs officials at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport recovered a total of 91 capsules containing approximately 998 grams of suspected heroin worth around Rs 6.986 crore from a Ugandan national, who has been arrested.

As per an official statement from the office of the Commissioner of Customs, 53 capsules of the drugs were recovered from the passenger's bag and 38 capsules recovered from his abdomen following hospitalisation at RML hospital, Delhi.

It further stated that the passenger has arrived in Delhi on January 16 from Uganda via Ethiopia.

Delhi Customs had intercepted the passenger upon arrival at IGI airport. "Subsequently, on thorough checking of his baggage, 53 capsules of off-white coloured substances in his black coloured handbag were recovered, further, the passenger admitted that he had also swallowed some capsules of narcotic substance. Since, it was an impending emergency, the passenger was admitted to the RML hospital."

"During X-Ray of his abdomen done at RML Hospital some capsule like substance were detected in his abdomen. 38 Capsules of off-white coloured containing substance ingeniously concealed inside his abdomen, suspected to be narcotics were recovered. When this material was subjected to field drug test kit, prima facie it appears to contain heroin," it added.

24/01/22 ANI/Times of India

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Flyers on Hyderabad-Canada flight test Covid positive at Abu Dhabi airport, seek govt's help

Hyderabad: Passengers travelling from Hyderabad to Canada via Abu Dhabi have sought assistance from the authorities after some of them tested positive for Covid-19 at the Abu Dhabi airport.

Syed Omar Azam took to twitter to explain that he was one of the passengers on the flight on January 20. "We are stuck at Abu Dhabi airport for over 18 hours as some of the passengers including myself were tested positive for Covid19,” he said. He said multiple Rapid RT PCR tests were done at the airport facility.

"All Covid positive passengers have been sitting at Gate 28-29 since morning without any medication or help. Airport authorities could not even provide us a place to quarantine and there was no proper food. They took our passports and did not come back. We have asked so many authorities to help us, but no one helped us except some security persons who gave us food to eat. It is a very bad experience for us during these difficult times. We need help please,” Syed Omar Azam said.

While the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi was yet to respond on twitter, the airline that they were traveling in responded on Friday. “Hi Syed, I hope you have been assisted by our airport team already. Can you please also DM us your booking reference, as we'd like to look into it further? Thank you,” the airline person messaged Azam.

21/01/22 Ch Sushil Rao/Times of India

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Ugandan National Held At Chennai Airport For Possessing Heroin Worth ₹ 7 Crore

Chennai: Over one kilogram of heroin worth ₹ 7 crore was seized and a citizen of Uganda was arrested in this connection, the Customs department authorities said on Friday.

Acting on specific inputs, the department officials intercepted the 29-year-old passenger who arrived here from Sharjah on Thursday.

During a personal search, 108 capsules concealed in his inner garments were retrieved. The capsules contained powder that upon testing was identified as heroin. In total, 1.07 kg of heroin worth ₹ 7 crore was seized and the Ugandan national was arrested, an official release from the Commissioner of Customs said.

21/01/22 PTI/NDTV

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Boeing plane cleared for U.S. flight: Air India

New Delhi: Air India on January 20 said Boeing had cleared its B777 aircraft for flights to the U.S. following concerns that the 5G roll-out there could interfere with critical aircraft functions.

Telecom companies in the U.S. on January 19 launched the 5G service that uses frequencies in a radio spectrum called the C-band. These frequencies can be close to those used by radar altimeters that measure an aircraft’s height above ground. Data from these altimeters informs other safety equipment on the plane, including navigation instruments, terrain awareness and collision-avoidance systems.

“Boeing has cleared Air India to operate to USA on B777,” the airline said in a statement.

As a result, though the airline had cancelled its U.S. flights for January 20, it was able to operate some flights after a delay- these included a flight each to New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

Later in the day, Air India said “normal flight operations will recommence to and from USA” from January 21.

Air India’s flights were cleared by Boeing after it carried out the Alternative Method of Compliance (AMOC) for its 777 aircraft, which it operate to four out of five U.S. destinations. AMOC refers to a process under which airlines can demonstrate how altimeters can be safe and reliable in certain 5G C-band environments.

“Overnight we received Boeing’s bulletin giving us the all-clear. Following which we got the DGCA’s [Directorate General of Civil Aviation] approval for the AMOC. After this, we started informing passengers and arranging the crew for our flights,” a senior airline official explained.

The airline cancelled eight flights to the U.S. on January 19 when 5G was rolled out in that country.

Flights to Washington DC — the fifth destination served by Air India — were not affected as the airline uses Boeing 787 for the route and had obtained the AMOC for it.

20/01/22 Jagriti Chandra/The Hindu

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Air India to resume US operations from January 21; airline operating 3 relief flights for carrying stranded passengers today

Mumbai: The problems for Air India's US-bound passengers appear to be over for now. The airline tweeted on Thursday evening that it will follow its normal schedule on India-US sector from Friday (January 21).

"Flight operations to/from destinations in USA were affected during the last two days. We would like to inform our passengers travelling to/from destinations in the USA that effective 0001 hours of 21st January 2022 normal flight operations will recommence to/from USA," the airline tweeted at 4.53 pm on Thursday.

The airline said that it has received a go-ahead from Boeing to operate its Boeing 777 aircraft to the US.

Three Air India relief flights were scheduled to operate on Thursday to destinations such as New York, Chicago and San Francisco carrying stranded passengers in US, over 700 of whom have been given hotel accommodation after Air India cancelled its US flights scheduled in the early hours of Wednesday.

The airline had to cancel three departures scheduled in the early hours of Thursday as well.

In the past 48 hours, Air India and airlines around the world, have cancelled, curtailed their US operations over safety concerns related to 5G roll out in the US on January 19 (US time).

After Boeing gave a green signal to Air India to operate its Boeing 777 aircraft to the US, the first of the lot -- Air India Delhi-New York flight -- left at 7.45 am on Thursday, said an Air India official.

20/01/22 Manju V/Times of India

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Protest held at Hyderabad airport after Air India flight cancellation

They were annoyed as no official explained to them the reason for the cancellation of the flight.

The Hyderabad-Delhi-Chicago flight was canceled due to the fear that a 5G rollout by AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc near the American airports would interfere with airwaves.

On its Twitter account, Air India has informed that AI101/102 DEL/JFK/DEL, AI173/174 DEL/SFO/DEL, AI127/126 DEL/ORD/DEL, and AI191/144 BOM/EWR/BOM will not operate on January 19, 2022. “Deployment of the 5G communications in the USA” has been cited as the reason for the decision.

The next direct flight from Hyderabad airport has been scheduled for Friday. However, there is no clarity about the flight.

Apart from Air India, nine other international airlines have canceled flights to the US amid conflicting reports on what new 5G cell phone services can do to critical airplane technologies.

Emirates, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, and British Airways have announced changes to some of their flights.

20/01/22 Sameer/Siasat.com

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UAE rolled out 5G without an incident at airports, but why is US facing issue

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The UAE successfully rolled out 5G at its airports without an incident, similar to 40 other countries. But the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), worries that the C-Band strand of 5G could interfere with radio altimeters and significantly hamper low-visibility operations.

As a result, many airlines, including Emirates, Air India, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airways and Lufthansa, suspended flights to US destinations. Following FAA’s statement, US telecom firms AT&T and Verizon agreed to delay the launch of 5G near the US airports.

Aviation analysts say that it should not be a cause of concern for the airlines operating a modern fleet of aircraft, such as the UAE. The UAE had begun rolling out 5G in mid-2019.

“The issue is overlapping bands between 5G range and radar range, and both are internationally mandated. The 5G, specifically C-band, is between 3.7 and 3.9 GHz, and the radar band is between 4.2 and 4.4 GHz, so there is a distinction. The issue is adjacent interference – picking up information from instruments outside the band. This potentially has an impact on a piece of equipment on the aeroplane called radar altimeter, which measures the altitude of the plane 200 feet before landing,” says Sabimir Sabev, managing director for strategy and performance improvement practice at Alvarez & Marsal, Dubai.

He suggested that updating the filters that receive information is the potential solution.

“If the airline has relatively a modern pool of aircraft, like the ones we have in the UAE, I don’t think there will be much of an issue. Some of the low-cost operators may have a slightly more aged asset base,” he said.

“The challenge is that there should be a clear understanding of the asset register of the airlines, the aeroplanes and how old they were when they were last refreshed, and then you have to dovetail the updates with the aircraft system. It’s more to do with how old the aircraft is, and that piece of equipment is maintained in a proper way,” he added.

19/01/22 Waheed Abbas/Khaleej Times

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5G Has Been Around For Years: Why Is It Causing A Problem Now?

The topic of 5G data, and its impact on airline operations, has recently become a key talking point in the world of commercial aviation. This is despite it being operational for several years, with 2019 marking a key year for wider usage on a worldwide scale. So why is it only now that its use is proving problematic for the airline industry? 

Take a look >>

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Why 5G rollout is causing Air India, Emirates and other airlines to cancel flights to the US

Air India on Wednesday suspended four of its flights scheduled to the US after telecom companies AT&T and Verizon rolled out 5G services in the country.

Air India isn’t the only international airline that has cancelled flights to the US after the 5G rollout.

Let’s find out what’s the issue with the 5G rollout and what has led international airlines to cancel their flights, here is everything you need to know:

According to The Verge, airlines have cancelled some flights to the US due to the rollout of C-band 5G. It is believed that 5G could potentially interfere with some instruments on airplanes.

According to the report by The Verge, the 5G spectrum in question is known as C-band, and it is feared that these airwaves could interfere with sensitive radar altimeters on certain aircraft.

Altimeters are crucial instruments throughout the flight and especially during landing in scenarios when visibility is limited. An example of failures in this system were linked to a fatal 2009 Turkish Airlines crash, which resulted in nine casualties and 120 injuries.

On 17 January, airline companies including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines warned that the new 5G spectrum rollout on Wednesday could cause “catastrophic disruption” for flights across the country.

According to Reuters, the warning, which was also signed by some shipping companies including UPS Airlines and FedEx Express, said that both cargo and commercial flights may get affected.

Responding to the letter from the airlines, AT&T and Verizon announced that for now they will refrain from activating 5G towers around airports.

In an agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), both the carriers have decided to create a 5G buffer zone around airports that are selected on the basis of location, traffic volume, and the likelihood of low visibility.

As per the Wall Street Journal, airports like Chicago O’Hare, Orlando International, Los Angeles International, and Dallas/Fort Worth International are included on the list, as well as airports in locations that are often impacted by foggy conditions like Seattle/Tacoma International and San Francisco International.

The FAA has noted that the two telecom majors have agreed to turn off their 5G transmitters at these specific buffer zones for six months, which should “minimize potential 5G interference with sensitive aircraft instruments used in low-visibility landings.”

19/01/22 First Post

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Air India to curtail or revise US flights due to 5G roll out

New Delhi: Air India said on Tuesday it will curtail or revise its flights to the US due to deployment of 5G internet there from January 19.

US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had on January 14 said that “5G interference with the aircraft’s radio altimeter could prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode, which could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway”.

Therefore, a group of US-based airlines said on Monday in a letter to FAA that that 5G internet deployment could cause “catastrophic” aviation crisis.

The group comprises airlines such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and FedEx.

Apart from Air India, United Airlines and American Airlines are the other two carriers that operate flights between India and the US. Air India tweeted on Tuesday: “Due to deployment of 5G communications in USA, our operations to USA from India stand curtailed/revised with change in aircraft type from January 19, 2022.” “Update in this regard will be informed shortly,” it added. 

19/01/22 Indian Express

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The drone threat from Pakistan that India faces is immense

The Intelligence Agencies have time and again warned that Pakistan would look to hit India with drones. One such attack was reported in Jammu last year. The agencies say that Pakistan could look to replicate a UAE kind of strike in which drones were used.

In January the Intelligence Bureau had said that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba held a meeting of its top commanders in Pakistan during which their drone strategy against India was discussed.

An IB officer tells OneIndia that during a meeting with the top commanders of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad at Taxila in the Punjab province, it was decided to carry out small bomb attacks closer to the border using the Chinese commercial drones.

The ISI also had a follow up meeting in Kotla district of Pakistan occupied Kashmir to take stock of the plan that had been set in motion, the IB officer cited above said. Security officials said that it would be particularly challenging to tackle this issue given the fact that the heavy winter with the fog in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab will make anti-drone operations even harder.

On the rising day of the Border Security Force, its director general, Rakesh Asthana had spoken about the challenge, while pointing out that a drone had been intercepted with a huge load of weapons and ammunition in Jammu's Kathua sector on June 20 2020.

In the past couple of months, the Intelligence Bureau has raised concerns about Pakistan using bigger drones to smuggle in arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on the other hand designated Bharat Electronics as the lead agency for the production and development of an anti-drone system.

19./01/22 Vicky Nanjappa/One India

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Emirates, Air India, and others cancel flights due to AT&T and Verizon’s 5G rollout

On Tuesday, Emirates, Air India, ANA, and Japan Airlines all announced that they were canceling some flights to the US due to this week’s rollout of C-band 5G over concerns it could potentially interfere with some instruments, particularly on Boeing 777 aircraft. This comes as cell carriers, federal agencies, airlines, and airplane manufacturers struggle to reach an agreement on policies regarding how the rollout should be handled. The situation has continued to evolve as AT&T and Verizon switch on their c-band, but it’s only gotten messier.

ANA cites specific guidance from Boeing, saying that “Boeing has announced flight restrictions on all airlines operating the Boeing 777 aircraft.” Japan Airlines also cites a notification from Boeing, saying that it was told that “5G signals for U.S. mobile phones, which will begin operating in the U.S. on January 19, 2022, may interfere with the radio wave altimeter installed on the Boeing 777.”

However, Japan Airlines changed its guidance on Wednesday, saying it “received confirmation from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) that there is no longer a problem with the operation of the Boeing 777 and we will resume service to the U.S. mainland with Boeing 777 from January 20.” ANA has updated its advisory with similar language, saying that it’s returning to “the normal schedule based on FAA notification that there is no safety issue with the operation of Boeing 777 aircraft to the U.S. airports that we serve.” However, Emirates and Air India haven’t changed their guidance, and the FAA hasn’t publicly released an updated statement. The 777 isn’t currently on the regulator’s list of cleared aircraft.

Emirates’ announcement clearly outlines what’s being canceled. The airline, described as the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 by Reuters, says that it’s “suspending flights to the following US destinations from 19 January 2022 until further notice,” listing Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Miami, Newark, Orlando, San Francisco, and Seattle.

The airline will continue to fly to New York JFK, Los Angeles (LAX), and Washington, DC (IAD). Emirates says it’s “working closely with aircraft manufacturers and the relevant authorities to alleviate operational concerns” and that it hopes to start flying to the US again as soon as it’s able.

More airlines were affected as Tuesday progressed. Reuters reports that Taiwan’s China Airlines will reschedule some flights, while South Korea’s Korean Air Lines switched away from Boeing’s 777 and 747-8 aircraft on six flights to the US, and Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific says it’s prepared to use different planes if necessary. Lufthansa had canceled at least one US flight and was switching from the Boeing 747-8 to the 747-400 aircraft on some US routes. Air India, Singapore Airlines, and Austrian Airlines were also switching out 777 aircraft for US flights.

Airline operators in the US warned earlier on Tuesday that the 5G rollout could cause “catastrophic disruption” to their flight schedules. According to the FAA, the concern is that the C-band 5G signals could interfere with the radar altimeters used in some planes, creating a safety issue. 

19/01/22 Mitchell Clark/The Verge

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Kolhapur-Mumbai flight resumes, connects Jalgaon too

Kolhapur: The flight connectivity between Kolhapur and Mumbai has resumed once again after a break of more than two months. The Mumbai-bound flight will travel further till Jalgaon via Mumbai, thereby offering connection to Jalgaon within three hours.

Airport director Kamal Kumar Kataria said, “The flight service to Mumbai from Kolhapur airport has resumed after a gap of around two months. The flight service provider will be operating the same flight till Jalgaon via Mumbai and hence along with Mumbai now Kolhapur has got air connectivity to Jalgaon as well. The flight will be plying on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the flight service provider aims to continue the flight every day from February.”

The flight will depart from Jalgaon airport at 9.50am and via Mumbai, it will arrive at Kolhapur airport at 12.55pm. The flight will again depart at 1.55pm and via Mumbai, it will reach Jalgaon at 4.15pm, added Kataria.

The air connectivity to Jalgaon will reduce the travel time from northern Maharashtra region (Khandesh) with Western Maharashtra.

19/01/22 Rahul Gayakwad/Times of India

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Passenger dies of heart attack in mid air

Chennai: A passenger, who was on his way to Chennai from Dubai, died due to a massive heart attack, before the flight was scheduled to land at the Anna International airport here, this morning. 

Airport sources said the Fly Dubai Airlines, with 117 passengers on board, was on its way to Chennai when the passenger, Madar Shah Basheer (47), a native of Nagapattinam district, suffered a massive heart attack mid air and collapsed. 

 The crew members of the aircraft offered him first aid and the pilot immediately contacted the Chennai Air Traffic control room and explained the emergency following which a medical team was kept as standby. Soon after the aircraft touched down at the airport, doctors went inside and examined the passenger and declared him dead due to a massive heart attack. 

 Airport police recovered the body and shifted to Chromepet Government Hospital for post mortem. 

His family members in Nagapattinam were also informed about the death. The aircraft was scheduled to depart for Dubai at 5.30 a.m. Since the flight needs to be cleaned and washed in view of the death, it departed for Dubai at 7.00 a.m. after a delay on 90 minutes. 

19/01/22 UNI

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Six Covid-19 Passengers Stopped from Boarding Dubai Flight at Indore Airport

Indore: Six passengers, including three women, were not allowed to board Air India’s Dubai-bound flight at the Indore airport on Wednesday after they were found infected with coronavirus, a health official said. “As per protocol, every passenger boarding the weekly Indore-Dubai flight has to undergo a rapid RT-PCR test at the airport. On Wednesday, 67 passengers were tested and the results of six passengers came out positive," Dr Priyanka Kourav, medical officer of the Madhya Pradesh health department, told PTI.

She said that two of the six infected passengers are from Bhopal and four from Indore. Of the six, five passengers had received both doses of anti-coronavirus vaccines while a woman passenger is inoculated with four jabs of two different vaccines, Kourav said. All six passengers are asymptomatic. They were sent back to their homes with advice to isolate themselves.

19/01/22 PTI/News18.com

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Covid infected Gulf flight passengers to get free rescheduling facility

Mangaluru:  Covid 19 has been affecting the lives of the people in the world for about two years now. It has also left a lasting impact on the civil aviation business. In the wake of this, the flight operators have been extending different offers. 

There is dense air traffic between Mangaluru airport and the Gulf region. In the recent past, there have been cases where the passengers were infected after booking the flight tickets or just a few days or hours before the flight departure. In such cases, the passengers are not allowed to travel and they have to book their tickets again. However, the gulf flight operators have found a solution for this. If the passengers are forced to cancel a flight following corona infection, they get facility to reschedule the same on some other day, free of cost.

The flight passengers used to face a double whammy if they tested positive in the RT-PCR test conducted 48 hours before the flight departure or six hours prior at the airport. The passengers used to lose money they spent on the tickets in such cases. 

Now, the Gulf region flight operators are offering a free rescheduling facility for the passengers who test positive for Covid in the RT-PCR tests before the flight departure. The facility is only for changing the date of the tickets and not applicable in case of cancellation of tickets. The Air India sources in Mangaluru said that the free date change facility is applicable even for the passengers who subject themselves to rapid antigen test conducted at the airport. Two other flight operators too have extended this facility, they stated. 

This facility was available even in the past. Taking into account the increasing cases of Covid 19, the companies have issued fresh circulars giving details of the current facility. It is learnt that many passengers are getting infected even in the 48-hour period after obtaining negative reports.

19/01/22 Daijiworld

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Falcon Aviation and Response Plus sign agreement

UAE-based healthcare provider Response Plus Holding (RPM) has signed an agreement with aircraft services company Falcon Aviation, to provide HEMS services across the UAE.

Under the arrangement, RPM will provide trained staff, equipment, and medical expertise to support the future HEMS operations.

As part of the agreement, two specially fitted medical helicopters will be commissioned.

The agreement is part of a planned expansion by Falcon into the HEMS sector. Falcon’s current operations focus on the charter business flight, city tour flight and fleet services sectors. The company currently operates a fleet of 29 helicopters and six corporate jets to support its existing operations.

The companies plan to eventually expand HEMS services beyond the UAE

According to a statement by Falcon, following the establishment of air ambulance services in the UAE, the partners plan to ‘extend coverage to other Gulf states, India and Africa’ in the future.

Major Tom Louis, CEO of RPM, commented: “There is an increasing need for trauma patients – and even non-trauma ones – to have access to instant inter-emirate transportation. It can be for the healthcare facilities operated by our group, such as Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi, or for third-party providers anywhere in the UAE.”

"While Falcon provides a modern fleet of state-of-the-art helicopters, we bring in our experts, expertise and cutting-edge equipment to ensure a premium, fast and efficient service in critical cases that require fast response based on our clients’ specific requirements," he added.

Falcon Aviation and RPM have reportedly worked together on a project for the Kuwait Oil Company.

18/01/22 Oliver Cuenca/AirMed&Rescue

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India plans to use the Supreme Court order in Antrix-Devas case to defend Air India's assets

India risked the loss of precious assets of the national carrier Air India, and more claims of damages from foreign investors who had put money in a Bengaluru-based startup Devas.

The investors’ claim was that the government had wrongfully cancelled a satellite deal between Devas and Antrix, Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) commercial arm. This was upheld by two international tribunals in 2017 and 2019.

However, now, a verdict from the Supreme Court of India, which has held the Antrix-Devas deal to be a fraudulent one. The Indian government hopes to use this order to battle these claims for damages and to protect the foreign assets of Air India ahead of its sale to the Tata Group.

"The shareholders knew of the fraudulent activities in the deal between Antrix and Devas," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. “You bring in ₹579 crore, take away ₹488 crore and still make tons and tons of rupees by going to the court and filing cases. That’s the fraud being perpetrated… No country that respects the rule of law will ignore these facts,” she added.

The controversy began with a ₹1,400 crore satellite deal in 2005, between Antrix and Devas Multimedia, which was then cancelled in 2011 after charges of kickbacks.

The investors got a Canadian court order allowing the seizure of half Air India's assets in the country before India’s national airline was sold to the Tata Group. If these claims were to derail a crucial, and a long-awaited move, to privatise the airline, it would have been a big setback for the government. A similar appeal has been made in a US Federal Court as well.

Sitharaman said that the government would hold discussions between departments before deciding the next step in this battle against Devas’ investors.

18/01/22 Business Insider

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International Flights Linking Bangkok, Bangladesh Cities to Start From Agartala Airport: AAI

The international flights from the Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) airport in Agartala would soon start operations connecting Bangkok via Guwahati airport and Chittagong and Dhaka in Bangladesh, Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials said earlier.

According to the AAI officials, the MBB airport, located 20 km north of the Tripura capital city, in terms of handling of aircraft and passengers is the second busiest airport in northeastern India after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati.

The LGBI and Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal (Manipur) were earlier declared international airports and the Civil Aviation Ministry before starting the Bangkok and Bangladesh bound flights would soon declare the MBB airport as third international airport in the northeastern region, they said.

A water cannon salute was accorded earlier after the first flight with 143 passengers on board from Kolkata landed at the new integrated terminal building of MBB Airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 4.

The commissioning of the new terminal building on Saturday was attended by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik, who was among the first passengers to embark from the airport on Saturday.

A brief cultural function and a famous Hojagiri tribal folk dance was staged by the tribal women artists on the occasion.

Built at a cost of Rs 5,00 crore and with a built-up area of 30,000 sq. metres, the new integrated terminal building has been designed to handle 1,500 passengers including 200 international passengers during peak hours and it is equipped with all modern amenities, the AAI officials said.

18/01/22 IANS/News18

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Canada court orders seizure of Air India, AAI dues on Devas investors' plea

Mumbai/Delhi: A court in Canada has ordered seizure of amounts collected by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on behalf of Air India and the Airport Authority of India (AAI).

Separate orders were passed on November 24 and December 21 on pleas by shareholders of Devas Multimedia Private Limited, who have filed multiple petitions to enforce arbitration awards against the Indian government.

Around $6.8 million belonging to the Airport Authority of India has been seized as a consequence of the order. The exact amount due to Air India that is held up due to the order is not known.

The development comes weeks before the Tata group takeover of the national airline after a successful bid last year. The group has been granted indemnity from past legal claims in its shareholder agreement with the government.

Three shareholders of Devas who won a $111 million arbitration award against the government moved the Superior Court in Quebec for enforcement and on their applications the garnishment orders were issued.

“We will pursue the Indian government in courts worldwide to ensure the debts owed to Devas are satisfied. Our action in Canada has resulted in millions of dollars garnished by Devas shareholders, and represents the first fruits of a globally-focused effort to be paid,” said Matthew D McGill, partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and lead counsel for several shareholders.

“Devas shareholders have been clear from the start: Despite state-sponsored investigations intended to intimidate and scare-off the victims of India’s unlawful acts, we will continue to pursue the Indian government’s assets to satisfy the awards, while remaining open to an amicable settlement,” McGill added.

Emailed queries to the Ministry of Civil Aviation did not yield any response. “On the intervention of Air India’s counsel, the commercial division of the Quebec Superior Court accepted to designate a judge on an urgent basis to hear the applications of quash and seizures brought by Air India, AAI and IATA. The hearing will take place on January 4, a day on which court would normally be closed due to the holidays,” a senior government official said.

IATA assists airlines and air navigation service providers in collecting monies due from ticket sales and route navigation charges. Its billing and settlement plan (BSP) mechanism acts as a payment gateway for travel agents around the world. Remittances for ticket sales are made to an airline through the BSP. Similarly, it collects route navigation charges from foreign airlines operating to India and for flights overflying the country and passes them to the Airport Authority of India.

03/01/22 Aneesh Phadnis & Arindam Majumder/Business Standard

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Saudi Airlines to wind up operations in Karipur airport; leaves thousands of expats in limbo

Karipur: Saudi Airlines (SAUDIA) is winding up its flight operations at Kozhikode International Airport amid continuing uncertainty over the relaunch of large aircraft services in the airport. The large carrier services were suspended following the Karipur plane crash in August 2020. Meantime, the authorities have stated that the decision to withdraw services are temporary.

Meantime, Saudi Airlines has completed the process of handing over its airport offices to the Airport Authority. Currently, Saudi Airlines operates the largest fleet of more than 300 Code E aircraft.

However, such flights are not permitted in Karipur airport. Although Saudi Air has agreed to resume service based on various studies, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has denied permission.

Saudi Airlines has maintained the office and ancillary facilities for a year, paying huge rent to the Airport Authority hoping to resume services soon. Their withdrawal from the airport will severely affect a large number of Malayalis who work in Jeddah. Smaller planes will not be able to fly directly from Kozhikode to Jeddah. At present, a flight to Jiddah from Kerala costs over Rs 2 lakh. If there is direct service, it will be reduced to one lakh.

Saudi Air's decision could also affect Indian private airline companies that run services from India to Jeddah. According to the Air Bubble agreement, Indian airlines are permitted the same number of seats as the Saudi airline companies. With the withdrawal of Saudi Airlines, Indian companies would be facing a heavy rush in the coming months.

02/01/22 V Krishnanandh/Mathrubhumi

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Saudi Arabia - India direct flights services begin under travel bubble agreement

In an effort to keep Omicron at bay, regular international flights to India remain suspended but Select passengers will, however, be able to fly between India and Saudi Arabia from January 1st, 2022. The two countries agreed a couple of days ago to create an air corridor connecting Saudi Arabia and India.

In the new agreement, both nations' airlines can now carry passengers in both directions on flights. Passengers heading to India must originate in Saudi Arabia and be destined for India only and vice versa. In addition, holders of a visa for Saudi Arabia from Nepal and Bhutan can enter the bubble.

Saudi Arabia has become the 36th country to launch a travel bubble with India. Other thirty-five countries includes Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Switzerland, Tanzania, Ukraine, UAE, Australia, Ethiopia, Finland, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, France, Germany, Iraq, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, USA, Japan, Nepal, Netherlands, and Uzbekistan.

The Indian government informed Parliament earlier in December that it was planning to sign travel agreements with ten countries. Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Australia have already been added.

Travelers arriving in India, regardless of vaccination status, must upload to Air Suvidha a self-declaration with a negative PCR test result within 72 hours before departure.

01/01/22 ZeeNews

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Surge in cases: Air India set to operate one-way Kolkata-London flights

Kolkata: Air India has decided to operate one way Kolkata-London flight following temporary after the Bengal government on Thursday announced temporary ban on all direct flights from the United Kingdom to Kolkata from January 3, 2022. It is learnt that Flight AI 164 from London to Kolkata is suspended from January 3. Flight AI 163 from Kolkata to London will operate as scheduled on January 9 and subsequent Sundays. While the AI will operate a Dreamline aircraft with 18 business class and 138 economy class seats, the aicraft will first come from Mumbai and operate a domestic flight. However, passengers booked on London-Kolkata flight will be re-routed through other cities by AI. Meanwhile, Kolkata airport witnessed significant rise in footfall in December in comparison to last year. In December 2021, the city airport recorded around 15 lakh passengers. The previous year's December month recorded 14.6 lakh passengers. In December 2019, the footfall of city airport was 21 lakh.

01/02/22 MillenniumPost

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Air India Announces Resumption of Additional Flights to Germany From Jan 19

The air passengers who are planning to fly to Germany in New Year, here comes a piece of good news for you. Air India on Saturday announced resumption of additional flights between India and Germany from January 19, 2022. Notably, these flights will be operating under the air bubble agreement signed between the two countries.

As per the schedule announced by the airline, Air India will operate additional flights from Frankfurt to Bengaluru every Friday from 19 January 2022 to 25 March 2022.

Moreover, Air India will also operate direct flights between Mumbai and Frankfurt from 19 January 2022 to 25 March 2022.

The air passengers must note that the Air India will operate 2 weekly flights from Mumbai – Frankfurt every Wednesday and Friday; while the flight from Frankfurt to Mumbai will be operated on a weekly basis every Wednesday.

02/01/22 India.com

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