Showing posts with label Foreign Jul 2020. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreign Jul 2020. Show all posts

Friday, July 31, 2020

Scheduled international flights suspended till August 31; travel bubbles with more countries soon

New Delhi: The government has extended suspension of scheduled international flights till August 31, 2020. However, travel will take place under the travel bubbles India has created with US, Germany and France. In the coming days, more countries like UK, Canada could also have these bubbles with India allowing people — as per government norms — to travel to and from there.

“The government has decided to extend the suspension on the scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India up to 11.59 pm (IST) of August 31, 2020. However, this restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation,” the DGCA said in a statement on Friday.

India had suspended scheduled international passenger flights on March 22 in wake of the corona pandemic. Since then, the DGCA said over “2,500 repatriation flights by foreign carriers to uplift stranded passengers to/from India have been approved. Under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air India and AI Express have uplifted 2,67,436 stranded passengers and other charters have uplifted 4,86,811 stranded passengers during the period from May 6 to July 30, 2020.”
The aviation ministry has long maintained that resumption of schedule international flights will be considered once domestic flights reach the 50% mark of the originally approved summer schedule. Schedule domestic flights were allowed to resume after two-month suspension on May 25 and so far airlines are operating about 30% of the summer schedule. They have been allowed to raise the capacity to 45% till November 24 — something that may be relaxed depending on how the pandemic situation pans out and if states relax their caps on flight operations.
31/07/20 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

International ‘Air Bubble’ flights now operational from KIA, here's where you can check flight schedules

The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here is now open to passengers taking the
international ‘Air Bubble’ flights, announced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation following bilateral
arrangements with multiple countries. These flights will be operational till August 31, 2020.France, Germany, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Passengers could check with the following airlines on the latest flight schedules/destinations:
Luhansa Airlines (Ph: 1800 102 5838), (Website: https://www.luhansa.com/in/en/homepage)
Air France/KLM (1800 4192 033/ +91 124 623 3502) / (https://wwws.airfrance.in)
Emirates (+91 91670 03333) (https://www.emirates.com/in/english)
Etihad (1800 123 3901) / (https://www.etihad.com/en-in); Air India (1860-233-1407 / 0124-264-
1407/ 020-2623-1407) / (http://www.airindia.in)
Air India Express (+91 44 4001 3001) / (https://www.airindiaexpress.in)
IndiGo (+91 0124 617 3838 / +91-9910383838) / (https://www.goindigo.in)
In a tweet, the Bengaluru Airport oicials urged passengers to connect with the concerned airlines
and confirm their eligibility for travel to a specific country. The travellers will also have to refer to
the guidelines available on the respective country’s regulatory website. The guidelines are subject
to change.
30/07/20 Rasheed Kappan/Deccan Herald

United Airlines plans to resume service on more than 25 international flights in September

United Airlines said it's going to resume service on more than 25 international routes in September.
When including an increase in domestic flights, the Chicago-based carrier said it plans to fly 37% of its overall schedule in September as compared to the same period last year.
United will adds flights to India, Asia, Israel, Australia and Latin America from Chicago, New York/Newark, Denver, San Francisco, Houston, Washington and Los Angeles.
The airline said it's being cautious.
"We continue to be realistic in our approach to building back our international and domestic schedules by closely monitoring customer demand and flying where people want to go," Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network and Alliances, said in a press release.
31/07/20 Ben Miller/Houston Business Journal

Mumbai International Airport operates 21 flights to US, Germany, France under air bubble pacts

Mumbai: Mumbai International Airport on Friday said it has operated 21 flights to the US, Germany and France since July 22 under the bilateral air bubble pacts with these countries.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport catered to a total of 3,059 passengers that include 1,185 from Newark, 660 from Paris and 1,214 from Frankfurt, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said in a release.

It added that the passengers travelled through 21 flights between July 22 and July 31 after the finalisation of the bilateral air bubble pacts with the US, Germany and France.

Under the pacts, airlines such as Air India, Air France, and Lufthansa are operating on these routes, MIAL said.

It added that the first flight was departed from Mumbai to Paris by Air France on July 22, while the first flight arrived from Frankfurt by Air India on July 23.

The airport has ensured utmost safety of its passengers with standard operating procedures in place along with following the guidelines laid by the government to ensure a safe travel, it said.
31/07/20 PTI/New Indian Express

UAE flights resume from July 31 to August 15

Dubai: On Thursday, Air India Express announced that India-UAE flights would start again from Friday, July 31 till August 15. The airline started bookings for India-UAE flights on the departure leg of the repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM). P.G. Prageesh, chief of Corporate Communications, AIE, said the authorities have allowed the airline to start bookings from July 31 to August 15.
The airline tweeted in the UAE, "Happy news for passengers to UAE. We are happy to take you to your loved ones. Fly from tomorrow. Bookings are open now." In another tweet, it said, "Book your tickets on our website through authorised travel agents/ contacting call centre/ visiting city office."
The customers are advised to visit its blog on India-UAE flights "to find the certified labs, GDRFA/ICA portals, flight schedules and frequently asked questions." After an exclusive flight agreement between India and UAE, Air India Express announced the resumption of India-UAE flights.
31/07/20 Kahekashan/Hans India

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Indian Rafale Jets Come Under Attack By Iranian Missiles In The UAE – Reports

As India very recently received the Rafale jets from France, there are reports that at least three Iranian missiles landed near the Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on July 28 where the Rafale jets were stationed.

The first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft arrived in India today – July 29. The Rafale jets landed at Al Dhafra base as part of an overnight halt. Al Dhafra base is located about an hour from UAE’s capital city Abu Dhabi.

CNN reported that alert was sounded at UAE’s Al Dhafra base and Al Udeid airbase in Qatar after intel indicators hinted at an incoming “Iranian missile possibly headed that way”. CNN added that personnel present at these two bases were told to take cover but no missile landed at these bases.

Fox News also reported the incident claiming that two bases in the Middle East housing US troops and aircraft were put on high alert when “3 Iranian missiles splashed down in waters near the bases Tues. (Tuesday) as part of Iran’s military exercises.”

Iran launched missiles strikes targeting a mock aircraft carrier in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, an exercise that included firing a barrage of missiles towards US bases in the Middle-East.

State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said that the IRGC also planned to fire “long-range ballistic missiles” as well during the drill that will continue Wednesday.

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in US troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command in Qatar, the military said.

“The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all-clear was declared after the threat … had passed,” said U.S. Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman. Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that country’s air force.
29/07/20  EurAsian Times

GoAir Clocks More Than 200 International Charter Flights

New Delhi: Airline company GoAir on Wednesday said it has repatriated 37,990 stranded Indians and clocked more than 200 international charter flights till date. The airline had commenced repatriation flights on June 10.
Accordingly, the airline said it had gradually ramped up operations with a combination of ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ flights and private international charters.
“As of 28th July the airline flew 215 international charters – including 15 ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ flights that repatriated 2,544 Indians – from the gulf countries to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Goa, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kochi, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Kannur, Bhubaneshwar, Kochi, Amritsar, Tiruchirappalli and Gaya,” the airline said in a statement.
“GoAir operated 69 flights between Saudi Arabia and India and repatriated 12,123 passengers. Within Saudi Arabia, the city of Dammam remained on top with 55 flights that repatriated 9,648 stranded Indians,” the statement said.
30/07/20 IANS/India.com

Over 8.78 lakh Indians have returned from abroad under Vande Bharat Mission: MEA

New Delhi: Over 8.78 lakh Indians have returned from abroad after the government launched the “Vande Bharat” evacuation mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Under the Phase 4 of the Vande Bharat Mission, a total of 1,083 flights have been scheduled so far, including 849 international flights and 234 feeder flights, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.

“These flights are operated by the Air India Group, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir from 29 countries to 31 airports in India,” he said.

“As we begin dovetailing phase 4 into phase 5, (a total of) 8,78,921 Indian nationals have returned as on July 29, 2020. (A total of) 1,07,452 Indians have returned from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Pakistan and Bangladesh by land borders,” he said.

The phase 5 of the Vande Bharat Mission will start from August 1, he said.

The MEA spokesperson said a total of 792 flights (692 international and 100 domestic feeders) have been scheduled to repatriate Indians from 23 countries.
30/07/20 PTI/The Hindu

Govt Notifies Changes in FDI Norms on Civil Aviation, Allows NRIs to Acquire Upto 100 Percent in Air India

The government has notified changes in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms on civil aviation, which will permit non-resident Indian nationals to own 100 per cent stake of Air India. The gazette notification comes amid the ongoing process of strategic disinvestment of Air India.

Last month, the government for the third time extended the deadline to bid for Air India as the COVID-19 fallout has disrupted economic activities globally. The deadline was extended by two months till August 31. The divestment process for the national carrier was initiated on January 27. " These rules may be called the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2020," the official notification dated July 27, 2020, said.
They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette, it said. "Foreign investments in M/s Air India Limited, including that of foreign airlines shall not exceed 49 per cent either directly or indirectly except in case of those NRIs, who are Indian Nationals, where foreign investments is permitted up to 100 per cent under the automatic route," it said.

Substantial ownership and effective control of Air India Limited shall continue to be vested in Indian Nationals as stipulated in Aircraft Rules, 1937, it added. As per the present FDI Policy, 100 per cent FDI is permitted in scheduled Air Transport Service/Domestic Scheduled Passenger Airline (Automatic up to 49 per cent and Government route beyond 49 per cent).
However, for NRIs 100 per cent FDI is permitted under automatic route in Scheduled Air Transport Service/Domestic Scheduled Passenger Airline. The government permits 100 per cent FDI under automatic route in helicopter services/seaplane services requiring Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approval.
30/07/20 PTI/News18

Woman on way to board flight to US flees after testing positive for Covid-19, caught at airport

Ahmedabad: A 48-year-old woman, who was heading to the airport to board a flight to travel to the US on Thursday tested positive for Covid-19 at one of the Ahmedabad border checkpoints where antigen testing was done, defied the protocol of immediate isolation and fled to the airport from where she was taken to the Civil Hospital. Other passengers accompanying her were allowed to fly.

According to police, a sports utility vehicle carrying four passengers and passing along the expressway highway was stopped near the SP Ring Road-Himmatnagar exit for standard antigen testing at around 4 pm, as per protocol for passengers entering Ahmedabad. The woman in the vehicle tested positive, while her co-passengers tested negative. Of the 3,500 travellers tested on Thursday, she was the only one to test positive.

Assistant municipal commissioner of east zone at Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Tejas Bhandari said, “When she was told about her result, she hoodwinked the medical team there and fled. We coordinated with the airport and hospital administration. With our timely intervention, we ensured that the public health wasn’t put at risk as she was going to board a flight… her health was also at risk.” Bhandari contacted the terminal manager Navin Yadav who issued a look out alert for the woman.
She was whisked away by the emergency ambulance service at the airport and admitted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Bhandari added that there is no system of checking for Aarogya Setu at the testing checkpoints yet.

According to KC Rathva, incharge officer of Airport police station, his team was also put on alert after health officials informed that a Covid-positive passenger was on her way to the airport.

“The airport staff and health authorities coordinated with each other as soon as the Tavera car left the toll plaza on SP ring road. Police were part of the exercise as airport staff intercepted the car and isolated the patient in an 108 ambulance,” Rathva said.
30/07/20 Indian Express

Flight Carrying 145 Indians From Kyrgyzstan Lands At Indore Airport

Indore: A flight carrying 145 Indians from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan landed at Indore's Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport on Wednesday.
The flight was carrying a total 146 passengers of which 145 came to Indore. These were all medical students who had gone to Kyrgyzstan to study. One passenger was taken to Delhi.

Nodal Officer for coronavirus Dr Amit Malakar told that among the passengers who reached Indore some of them are from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other states.

"An Air India flight brought back 145 passengers to Indore. All the passengers will be kept under institutional paid quarantine for seven days while they will then be quarantined at home for seven days. All of them were checked by the Health Department at the airport," he added.

Families had reached Indore to receive their children from the airport.

Speaking to ANI, Abdul Sattar, a resident of Bhopal said, "My two daughters are returning after completing there MBBS. They do visit us every year in the month of June. They stayed inside their house for three months there."

"My daughter is pursuing medical course currently, it's been five years almost. She came in June last year but due to COVID-19 crisis she couldn't visit us this year but finally, she is returning today. Students, there are in panic but now they are returning," said Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Chhattisgarh.
30/07/20 ANI/NDTV

Hong Kong not allowing flights from India, air bubble discussions on with Kuwait: Aviation ministry

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Wednesday that Hong Kong continues to prohibit flights from India, as the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world. It said national carrier Air India has applied for permission with the Hong Kong authorities to operate flights.

“Civil aviation access is a matter of reciprocal bilateral arrangements,” the ministry tweeted. “As far as flights to and from Hong Kong are concerned, the problem is that HK [Hong Kong] is not allowing flights from certain places of origin including India. Air India has applied for permission with the authorities.”
The ministry also said India is discussing a bilateral air bubble with Kuwait. New delhi already has bilateral agreements with countries like the United Arab Emirates, United States, Germany and France to operate flights.

“Significant progress made on aviation access between India and Kuwait,” the ministry tweeted. “Secretary Ministry of Civil Aviation and President of Directorate General of Civil Aviation-Kuwait had useful and productive discussions on several issues related with bilateral access between our two countries which will be resolved soon.”
30/07/20 Scroll.in

Air India adds more flights under Vande Bharat Mission

Air India has announced additional flights on the India-France and India-Canada sector to further strengthen India’s repatriation mission.

The national carrier will operate more flights between India and Canada. While Delhi-Toronto-Delhi flights are scheduled on August 4, 8, 11 and 15; the Delhi-Vancouver-Delhi flights are scheduled on August 5,9,12 and 16.

The airline has also announced additional services between India and France. Air India will operate flights on Delhi-Paris-Delhi sector between August 7-August 15.

Meanwhile, Air India has issued a clarification on the subject of fares being overcharged by travel agents for VBM.

The airline says, “Passengers booking our tickets for Vande Bharat Mission flights through travel agents, may please note that they should not pay more than the fares mentioned on our website.
30/07/20 Business Traveller

Air India warns travel agents against over-charging flyers for Vande Bharat flights

New Delhi: Air India has warned travel agents against overcharging for its Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) flights. The airline had recently allowed sale of VBM tickets on other channels also after reports of people facing troubles in buying the same only from its website.

AI will publicise fares of different sectors of these flights on its websites to ensure people know what the rates are and they do not pay more than that. It also said that agents found over-charging will lose their authorisation to sell AI tickets.
“Over the past few days, AI has received many complaints through social media and other channels about fares being overcharged by certain travel agents from distressed passengers. Needless to say being the flag carrier of the country, AI takes such matters seriously… causing inconvenience to passengers is of great concern to us. Keeping the above into consideration, Air India shall be publishing the fares under VBM on its website,” AI said in a circular titled “sale done by travel agents for VBM flights” issued on Wednesday.
29/07/20 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

International flights permitted in limited manner, to further open up in calibrated way

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday issued Unlock 3 guidelines. As part of the fresh guidelines, international flights will be allowed in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission, and further opening-up will take place in a calibrated manner.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23 amid the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown in the country. Since May 6, international charter flights have been operated by Air India under the Vande Bharat Mission to help stranded people reach their destinations. Private carriers have also operated a certain number of flights under this mission.

India had on July 16 formed bilateral air bubbles with countries like the US, Germany and France that allows airlines of both the countries in the pact to operate special international charter flights.
The aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, leave without pay and firing of employees in order to conserve cash.
29/07/20 India TV

Nepal Airlines evacuates Nepali students from Bengaluru, India

Kathmandu: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has evacuated stranded Nepali students from Bengaluru in India.

In a press release issued by the Corporation, on Wednesday, it stated that Nepali students stranded in the satellite city of India, Bengaluru, and nearby areas have been repatriated to Nepal amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the first rescue flight conducted from neighbouring India, said the airline company in its statement. However, the number of those rescued has not been specified.

The national flag-carrier also stated that it has been consistently carrying out rescue operations for stranded Nepalis from several countries during this time of crisis.
29/07/20 The Himalayan

GoAir Repatriates Over 37,000 Indian Nationals From Gulf Countries Since June Amid Covid-19 Crisis

Budget carrier GoAir has said that it operated over 200 international charter flights and repatriated 37,990 stranded Indians since June amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. To recall, GoAir commenced repatriation flight operations, that included both Vande Bharat Mission flights and private international charters, from June 10. Under Vande Bharat Mission, GoAir flew 15 flights and repatriated 2,544 Indians from the Gulf countries to cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and others, the airline said in its statement.
“GoAir continues to support the nation’s repatriation efforts including Vande Bharat Mission flights and international private charters. GoAir’s cockpit crew, cabin crew, airport staff and various other teams have put in phenomenal efforts to fly back our stranded fellow citizens and reunite them with their families, Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir, said. Wadia further said that the GoAir will continue to support the government and ready to commence more international charter flights under the Vande Bharat Mission to bring the Indians back home.
The airline said that among the Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia emerged as the top destination for its repatriation flights, followed by Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, and Oman. GoAir revealed that it operated 69 flights between Saudi Arabia and India and brought back 12,123 passengers, with Damman and Riyadh accounting for 55 and 14 flights respectively. Besides, the airlines claimed that it operated 64 repatriation flights from Kuwait and brought back 11,236 stranded Indians.
30/07/20 News18.com

5th Phase Of Indian Repatriation Flights To Begin Tomorrow

India will launch the fifth phase of its Vande Bharat Mission tomorrow to repatriate Indian nationals that are stranded abroad. The fifth phase, which will run during August, will bring stranded nationals home from 23 countries. The mission is expected to bring a further 130,000 Indian nationals back.
The Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) will enter its fifth phase in August. The scheme, organized by the Indian government, will be offering flights from more destinations at a lower price, as an increase in the number of international airlines entering India is driving prices down.

A total of 792 flights, of which 692 are international, have been scheduled between August 1st and 31st. Indian nationals will be able to fly from 23 countries including, the UAE, the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Israel, and Kyrgyzstan.

Air India will be offering VBM flights to five destinations in the US; New York JFK, Newark, Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco. These flights will operate thrice weekly. The airline will also be offering flights to Paris and London three times a week and Frankfurt four times weekly. Air India Express is scheduled to operate a total of 118 flights from the UAE to India during this fifth phase of VBM.

During a media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Anurag Srivastava, said that the flights would cater to 21 different airports in India and bring 130,000 more Indian nationals home. He added that so far under the VBM, 878,921 Indian citizens have returned home. Not all of these returned by flight however, with 107,452 people crossing land borders into India from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
30/07/20 Lindy Whitehouse/Simple Flying

Eid gift for stranded UAE residents in India: Flights resume July 31 to August 15

Dubai: In an announcement that could reunite several UAE residents stranded in India with their families here during the Eid holidays, Air India Express announced on Thursday that India-UAE flights would resume from Friday till August 15.

The airline on Thursday evening opened bookings for India-UAE flights on the departure leg of the repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM).
When contacted, P.G. Prageesh, chief of Corporate Communications, AIE, told Gulf News over the phone that the authorities have permitted the airline to open bookings from July 31 to August 15.

“Happy news for passengers to UAE. We are happy to take you to your loved ones. Fly from tomorrow. Bookings are open now,” the airline tweeted at 7.03pm in the UAE.
“Book your tickets on our website through authorised travel agents/ contacting call centre/ visiting city office,” it said in another tweet.
The airline directed customers to visit its blog on India-UAE flights “to find the certified labs, GDRFA/ICA portals, flight schedules and frequently asked questions.”

Air India Express is the first entity to announce the resumption of India-UAE flights after a special flight agreement between the two countries ended on Sunday.
30/07/20 Sajila Saseendran/Gulf News

Hyderabad: 11 Vande Bharat passengers from Saudi detained for allegedly smuggling gold

Eleven passengers who arrived in Hyderabad on a Vande Bharat Mission flight have been detained by Customs officials on charges of allegedly smuggling gold. A flight from Saudi Arabia’s Dammam landed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at around 6 pm Thursday and the passengers were detained at around 7.30 pm, said officials.

The passengers were apprehended at the airport based on suspicion and subsequent passenger profiling. According to customs officials, they had concealed the gold bars in the inner pocket of the trousers they were wearing. The seized gold bars, 28 in number, weighed about 3.11 kg and are valued at Rs 1.66 crores, said officials.
Customs officials told IndianExpress.com the suspected the intention was smuggling. “The travellers were migrant labourers belonging to different districts of Telangana. Most of them lost their jobs and were returning to the country. We suspect smugglers had handed over gold to them in return for their flight tickets and a commission of Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000. We are investigating the matter.”
30/07/20 Rahul V Pisharody/Indian Express

Court asks NIA to present proof to link terrorism and gold smuggling

Kochi: As the terrorism link in the recent incident of gold smuggling via the diplomatic channel is still being debated, the NIA Court here on Wednesday asked the national agency to present details of incriminating materials that point to this. The court asked this when the bail application of Swapna Suresh was considered.Judge P Krishnakumar asked the NIA to submit the case diary and list out details of incriminating materials in it that can link the terrorism angle in the case. Prosecutor of NIA Arjun Ambalapatta said after going through the case diary, the court will be convinced about the terrorist link behind the gold smuggling. He said proceeds of the gold smuggled in earlier were directed towards terrorism activities.

Arjun also said Swapna was used by the smuggling gang under K T Rameez to send gold through the diplomatic baggage. “If there was no Swapna, the gang could not have sent the gold through the diplomatic channel. We have collected incriminating evidence to establish that the accused persons intended to destabilise the nation’s monetary security by planning to smuggle the maximum quantities of gold during the lockdown period,” he said.

Swapna’s counsel Geo Paul said there was an ugly haste from the part of NIA to make her an accused which, he suspects, was due to political reasons. “The NIA registered the FIR on July 10, five days after the Customs opened the diplomatic baggage at Thiruvananthapuram airport. When the NIA registered the FIR, Swapna was not even an accused in the Customs case. There was an ugly haste due to political reasons in making Swapna an accused in the NIA case,” he said.
30/07/20 New Indian Express

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Flight to repatriate Australians stuck in India sold out in minutes

Australians stuck in India were let down when an Air India flight from Delhi to Adelaide was sold out in minutes after the bookings opened on Wednesday.
Many of those who tried to buy the tickets online claimed they either met with a 'frozen screen' or 'server timed out' message before learning the tickets were sold out.
“I wasn’t able to book the tickets. Only (got) a frozen screen and then server timed out message,” Priya Nair told SBS Hindi.

Ms Nair has been trying to return to Australia for several weeks but to no avail.
Air India on Tuesday announced flights between India and Australia under the Phase five of the Vande Bharat Mission.
Bookings for the Delhi-Adelaide flight opened on 29th July 1000 hrs IST through their website but when they were sold out in minutes, it left many outraged.

“It is unfair to allocate all 300 tickets to agents for 03rd & 06th Aug #VBM ph5 flights to Adelaide. Not even one ticket was available for normal booking. Shame on this scam,” Surendra Babu Yerra tweeted tagging the Indian authorities on Twitter.
29/07/20 SBS Hindi

178 Indians stranded in UAE fly home on Thumbay Group's chartered flight

Ras Al Khaimah: Some 178 Kannadigas stranded in the UAE were recently flown home on the second chartered flight arranged by the Thumbay Group and the Bearys Cultural Forum (BCF) Trust in Mangalore, India.

On board the flight that took off from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport were passengers that included the elderly, pregnant women, kids and those in need of urgent medical attention because of chronic illnesses. Some also lost their jobs and were facing visa issues.

It was the second in the series of flights organised by the group, with the first one repatriating 186 on July 21. The next flight under the joint initiative is scheduled on August 10, and a few more is expected to follow in the coming weeks.

Implemented under the leadership of Dr Thumbay Moideen, founder president of Thumbay Group and founder patron of BCF, and Dr B K Yusuf, president of BCF, these flights were arranged purely for charity, with all necessary steps taken to ensure the safety of passengers.

Thumbay Group assigned its fleet of buses to transport the passengers free of charge from their residences in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman to the airport. Organisers also provided free meals and refreshments, in addition to PPE kits and face shields.
28/07/20 Khaleej Times

Pregnant Hyderabadi woman stranded at Dubai airport returns home

Hyderabad: A 31-year-old pregnant woman, Hajira Begum, who was stranded in Dubai, has finally managed to reach her residence in the old city here, but after going through an ordeal that included living in the Dubai Airport depending on food given by others. Her plight did not go unnoticed for long, with help coming in the form of free accommodation, food and a flight ticket back home, apart from a baby shower ceremony.

Hajira, who reached the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday night and reunited with her family in Vattepally of Jahanuma, had gone to Dubai on February 12 to work as a domestic help after securing a visiting visa with the help of a placement agency.
When the agency was trying to convert her visiting visa, Hajira underwent a mandatory medical test during which it was confirmed that she was pregnant. As per rules in Dubai, employment should not be given to a pregnant woman. The lockdown further added to her woes, making it impossible for her to return home. On July 14, she finally managed to get a ticket on an evacuation flight, but reached the airport only to find that the flight was cancelled.
Since then, she was living in the airport. During this time, she met another woman, K Sujatha from Andhra Pradesh. Both Hajira and Sujatha, according to an NGO, managed to survive by collecting food from other passengers at the airport. Finally, a representative of the Friends of India NGO in Dubai arranged free accommodation and food for them in the residence of V Sharada from Nizamabad, who was working in Dubai.
Sharada even organised a baby shower ceremony for Hajira, who in the meantime managed to get another flight ticket for her with the help of the Indian Consulate in Dubai and a social worker Uma Shankar.
28/07/20 Telangana Today

100 graduate students from India get special flight back to Israel due to virus

 A group of doctoral and postdoctoral students from India, including some researching the coronavirus, made it back to Israel after originally being unable to find a flight.

The group of some 100 students landed Tuesday at Ben Gurion Airport after the Interior Ministry had approved their entry into the country at the request of the Council for Higher Education. The students went into a mandatory 14-day quarantine in the dormitories of their universities as is required by coronavirus mandates.

Non-citizens are not permitted to enter Israel now, except in certain cases, and there are no regular flights between Israel and India due to the coronavirus crisis. Hundreds of Indians who work in science, technology and home health sectors have been unable to return to Israel from visits to their home countries since travel restrictions were imposed at the start of the pandemic.

The students from India, both continuing and new graduates, received permission from Interior Minister Aryeh Deri to come to Israel but were unable to find a flight.

The director of Bar-Ilan University’s International School, Ofer Dahan, a former Jewish Agency official who organized numerous special flights to Israel, contacted the Israeli air carrier Israir and asked if it would operate a flight from Mumbai to Israel to allow the students to begin or continue their studies.
29/07/20 Marcy Oster/Times of Israel

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Govt notifies amended FDI policy on civil aviation

New Delhi: The government has notified changes in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms on civil aviation, which will permit non-resident Indian nationals to own 100 per cent stake of Air India.
The gazette notification comes amid the ongoing process of strategic disinvestment of Air India.

Last month, the government for the third time extended the deadline to bid for Air India as the COVID-19 fallout has disrupted economic activities globally. The deadline was extended by two months till August 31. The divestment process for the national carrier was initiated on January 27.

"These rules may be called the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2020," the official notification dated July 27, 2020 said.

They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette, it said.

"Foreign investments in M/s Air India Limited, including that of foreign airlines shall not exceed 49 per cent either directly or indirectly except in case of those NRIs, who are Indian Nationals, where foreign investments is permitted up to 100 per cent under automatic route," it said.

Substantial ownership and effective control of Air India Limited shall continue to be vested in Indian Nationals as stipulated in Aircraft Rules, 1937, it added.

As per the present FDI Policy, 100 per cent FDI is permitted in scheduled Air Transport Service/Domestic Scheduled Passenger Airline (Automatic up to 49 per cent  and Government route beyond 49 per cent).

However, for NRIs 100 per cent FDI is permitted under automatic route in Scheduled Air Transport Service/Domestic Scheduled Passenger Airline.

The government permits 100 per cent FDI under automatic route in helicopter services/seaplane services requiring Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approval.
28/07/20 PTI/Outlook

Mumbai Airport handled 70K tonnes cargo in first quarter

GVK MIAL led Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai has announced that it had handled 70000 tonnes of freight in the first quarter of the financial year 2020-21 ended on June 30, 2020. The Mumbai International Airport also claimed to have handled the highest volume of Indian and international cargo than other Indian airports.

On July 24, 2020, AirBridgeCargo operated its first-ever Indian commercial flight, B-747 freighter, into Mumbai to lift 80 tonnes of pharmaceutical cargo destined for O'Hare International Airport in Chicago via its hub in Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Moscow.

On June 11, 2020, National Airlines operated its B747-400 freighter from Mumbai to Chicago carrying 100 tonnes of essential medicines on behalf of JUSDA India.

On June 12, 14, 16, 27 & 28, Philippine Airlines carried 35 tonnes of charted medical cargo including that of World Health Organization (WHO) and 15 tonnes of general cargo from Mumbai to Manila in 5 repatriation flights that brought Indians back home from the Philippines.
28/07/20 ITLN

Indian Airports Authority reportedly out of a joint venture to develop Mattala : Report

Colombo: The Indian Airports Authority is reported to have been frozen out of a joint venture with the Sri Lankan government to develop the new Mattala airport.

The Center for Aviation said this move is surprising, because politically it is in India’s interests to assist with developments like these and, at the same time, keep China out.

A report on the CAPA website notes, many governments, national, regional or local, have good intentions when it comes to the construction of airports adding theoretically, they will improve the economic prospects of a region.

But all too often they turn out to be white elephants unable to attract commercial airlines adding Spain has some good examples.

The report goes on to say the Mattala International Airport (MRIA) in Sri Lanka has been described as “at best a white elephant with a very small catchment area”.

The project was launched by the government with a loan worth 210 Million Dollars from China Exim Bank.

Subsequently, the previous government from 2015 to 2019 used the airport to store paddy.
27/07/20 Zulfick Farzan/News 1st

Air India Express Opens Booking For Repatriation Flights to UAE

As the Central government’s Vande Bharat Mission Phase 5 begins from August 1, Air India Express on Monday said it has opened bookings for repatriation flights to the UAE. The Air India Express flights will be operated between India and UAE from August 1 to 15 under phase 5 of VBM.

“UAE-India Vande Bharat Mission flights between August 1st to August 15th 2020 would be open for sale today (July 27th) at 4PM UAE time (5:30PM IST),”Air India Express said in a tweet.

While Air India Express has opened the bookings, the sale of tickets for Air India flights is yet to be announced.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that India will connect with US, Canada, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Singapore, UK, Frankfurt, Paris, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, New Zealand , Philippines and more countries under VBM Phase 5.
He had also said that soon after the Phase 5 of Vande Bharat Mission starts, Air India and other designated airlines will start booking tickets.
As per updates, a total of 74 flights will operate from Sharjah and Dubai to various cities in India starting August 1 to August 15.
27/07/20 India.com

Air India to operate additional flights to UK

New Delhi: National carrier Air India today (July 27) has announced additional flights to the UK from various Indian cities. In addition, the Air India express notified that it will be operating flights between India and UAE.

This is a part of the 5th phase of Vande Bharat Mission that is scheduled to begin starting August 1 to bring back more stranded Indians.

Yesterday, Air India in its statement had said: "We will be soon announcing a host of additional flights under Vande Bharat Mission Phase 5 starting from 1st August 2020."

Air India flights to the UK
In its statement, it said: "Air India will operate additional flights between India and UK under Vande Bharat Mission, Phase -5"

Flight Details:
Delhi -London: 04 Aug to 27 Aug 2020 every Tuesday & Friday
London-Delhi/Bengaluru: 04 Aug to 27 Aug 2020 every Tuesday
London-Delhi/Amritsar: 04 Aug to 27 Aug 2020 every Friday
Mumbai-London-Mumbai/Kochi: 01 Aug to 29 Aug 2020 every Saturday
How to book tickets?
Bookings will open on 28th July 2020 at 1400 Hrs (IST). Tickets can be booked through Air India Website, our Booking Offices in City and at Airport, Call Centre, and through our Authorised Travel Agents.
27/07/20 ETNowNews.com

Air India Flights From India To US Reduced By 50%: 4 Reasons Why This Happened

Air India has made amends to its original flight schedule of operating around 180 flights till August 31 to the US, by dropping the scheduled flights by over 50%.

Read on to find out more >>

Five Rafale fighter jets took off from France on Monday morning for induction into No. 17 ‘Golden Arrows’ squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Ambala airbase upon arrival on July 29.

Five Rafale fighter jets took off from France on Monday morning for induction into No. 17 ‘Golden Arrows’ squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Ambala airbase upon arrival on July 29.

The immediate focus post arrival is on operationalisation of the aircraft at the earliest which has gained urgency with the ongoing tensions with China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
“All five Rafales have landed safely in Al Dhafra airbase in United Arab Emirates (UAE) after a sortie in excess of seven hours,” the IAF said on Monday evening. The jets were accompanied by mid-air refuelling aircraft of the French Air Force on the first leg of the visit from Merignac airbase at Bordeaux in France to the UAE.

After a night halt in the UAE, the jets will take off on Tuesday to their home base in Ambala, covering a total distance of close to 7,000 km between India and France.
“These five include three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft. The aircraft are likely to arrive at Air Force Station, Ambala, on July 29 subject to weather,” the IAF said in a statement.

The Air Force had stated that the final induction ceremony would take place in the second half of August.
27/07/20 Dinakar Peri/The Hindu

SpiceJet to become first Indian budget airline to operate twin aisle; to fly Amsterdam-Bengaluru on August 1

New Delhi: SpiceJet will become the first Indian low cost carrier (LCC) to operate a wide body aircraft on medium and long haul routes. The Ajay Singh-owned airline has taken an Airbus A330-900neo on wet lease (on rent with operating crew) from Portuguese charter firm Hifly. This aircraft will perform its first flight for the Indian budget airlines on August 1 when it brings home Indians from Amsterdam to Bengaluru.

“This A330-900 can do India-US nonstop. We plan to utilise it initially for charters to wherever the demand is for. Later it may be used for schedule flights under the travel bubbles India is forming with some countries. That is an option. For now, it will be used for charters that can be booked by any organisation or NGO,” said a SpiceJet official.

According to Hifly website, the A330-900 new engine option has 371 seats — 353 in economy and 18 business. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the aircraft has a maximum range of 17,500 km. “The range with maximum passengers is 11,700 km. The maximum speed is 0.86 mach (1,062 kmph),” Hifly website says.

This aircraft will do the first medium haul flight for an Indian LCC when it departs Amsterdam Schiphol on August 1 at 2.45 pm, reach Bengaluru next day at 3.30 am and then leave for Hyderabad where it will arrive at 5.35 am (all timings local). “From India it can go anywhere as a charter depending on the demand,” said the official.

According to senior aviation analyst and head of CAPA Centre for Aviation (India) Kapil Kaul, the cost of dry-leasing (without crew) this aircraft is $ 7-7.5 lakh per month. “I see this as short and temporary operation for a limited period,” Kaul said.
27/07/20 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

SpiceJet to operate first long-haul flight to Amsterdam on Aug 1

Mumbai: Airline major SpiceJet will operate its first long -haul flight to Amsterdam.

The airline will operate the non-stop flight from India to Amsterdam from August 1. Just last week, the airline major was allowed to operate flights to the US and the UK.

Accordingly, the Centre designated the airline as an Indian scheduled carrier to operate between India and the UK under the Air Services Agreement.

The designation allows for the international expansion of the airline.

Presently, only Air India operates long-haul flights from India to Europe and the US.
27/07/20 IANS/ETNowNews.com

International travel restarts via 'air bubbles'; who's allowed

The Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the establishment of bilateral air bubbles with the US, France, and Germany on July 16. “Between 22nd July - 31 August, Air India will be operating 30 flights a week to the US (New York, Chicago, Washington, New Jersey, and San Francisco), 4 flights a week to Germany (Frankfurt) and 3 flights a week to France (Paris)”, said the Ministry of External Affairs. India is in the process of establishing similar air corridors with Canada, the UK, other European, and Gulf countries.

Here’s a quick guide on the categories of visa holders who can use this facility but let's start at the very beginning >>

UAE and India extend special flights for another week

Talks are under way over the return of regular flights between India and the UAE, after a 15-day travel window was extended to allow stranded Indian residents back to the Emirates.

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority said an update would be given to the public once discussions were completed. A 15-day travel pact allowing flights between India and the UAE ended on Sunday.

Pavan Kapoor, India’s ambassador to the UAE, said flights will continue for another seven days while a new agreement was worked out.

“It has been extended at least for another week,” Mr Kapoor told The National.

“The idea is that we keep it going, so time has been given while we come to an agreement for the way forward.”

The air corridor, once announced, would not cover transit passengers and will be restricted to people whose final destination was either the UAE or India.

Once the air corridor starts, I’m hoping more people can get back to their lives in the UAE

Bookings opened on Monday for flights from the UAE to India – as part of the fifth phase of the Vande Bharat or Salute India government-led mission.

More than 100 repatriation flights will take Indian citizens home from the Emirates between August 1 to 15.

About 75 flights will operate from Dubai and Sharjah and 30 services from Abu Dhabi. Destinations include Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Jaipur, Amritsar, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kochi.

Air India Express said Indian citizens registered with the diplomatic missions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were able to book via the airline’s website or through registered UAE travel agents from Monday.

Close to 210,000 Indians have been repatriated from the UAE since May 7.

An estimated 10,000 have travelled back to the Emirates over the past few weeks with double that number hoping to return.
27/07/20 Ramola Talwar Badam/National

Five Rafale jets fly out of France to India

Five Rafale fighter jets operated by Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots took off from Merignac in France on Monday morning for India  in a big boost to country's air power at a time of military stand-off with China.

These five jets include three single seater and two twin seater aircraft.
The aircraft are likely to arrive at Air Force Station, Ambala, on Wednesday subject to weather.

The Rafale aircraft will cover a distance of nearly 7000 kms from France to India with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop en route in UAE.

These flights are being undertaken by the  IAF pilots who have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft. The air to air refuelling planned during the first leg of the ferry will be undertaken by these pilots with dedicated tanker support from the French Air Force.

The first Rafale fighter was handed over to IAF in October 2019 in a ceremony attended by the French Minister for Armed Forces Madame Florence Parly and Defence Minister Mr Rajnath Singh. The delivery of ten Rafale aircraft has been completed on schedule. Five will stay back in France for training mission. The delivery of all thirty six aircraft to IAF will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021.
27/07/20 Pawan Bali/Deccan Chronicle

Kuwait Airways opens reservations for 7 more countries including India & Pakistan

Kuwait City: Kuwait Airways announced the opening of reservations for 7 more international destinations beginning from August. The destinations are India (Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Madras), Pakistan (Lahore), Munich, Baku, Amman, Sarajevo and Qatar.

Earlier Dubai, London, Geneva, Beirut, Cairo, Bahrain, Turkey (Istanbul, Bodrum and Trabzon) were opened.

The authorities at the Kuwait International Airport have started preparations for the gradual restart of the airport, in accordance with the decision of the Council of Ministers, as the operational capacity of commercial flights in Kuwait Airport in the first phase from 1st Aug will be at 30%.
27/07/20 Arab Times/Zawya

First AirBridgeCargo commercial flight to India lifted 80 tonnes of pharma for Chicago

In its first commercial flight to India, AirBridgeCargo (ABC) flew into Mumbai on Friday (July 24) to lift 80 tonnes of pharmaceutical cargo destined for O'Hare International Airport in Chicago via its hub in Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Moscow.

The pharmaceutical cargo, consolidated through various customers, was in the +15 to +25°C (+60 to +75°F) controlled room temperature range. A large portion of the 80-tonne shipment was destined for Chicago and the remaining for customers in Europe. Therefore, there was no change of aircraft required at Moscow and the ABC freighter was able to land in Chicago 19 hours after it took off from Mumbai with a two-hour stop in SVO.
The Boeing 747 freighter was originally scheduled to land in Mumbai on Thursday (July 23), but the aircraft went tech and had to undergo maintenance at Sharjah.

In India, Allied Aviation is ABC’s partner for all international cargo services. Allied Aviation, founded in 1993 in Mumbai, is an independent cargo general sales and service agent.
AirBridgeCargo is a Volga-Dnepr Group company. Currently its fleet consists of 17 Boeing 747 freighters, including thirteen new-generation 747-8F aircraft.

At the Farnborough Airshow in 2018 Volga-Dnepr committed to buying 29 of Boeing’s 777 freighter aircraft along with an order for five of its 747-8 freighters. In fact, the most-efficient Boeing twin-engine freighter will join the ABC fleet soon as the first of the many aircraft ordered is getting the final touches at the Boeing Everett Factory.
27/07/20 Reji John/STAT Trade Times

Monday, July 27, 2020

Vande Bharat Mission Phase 5: India to Connect With US, Canada, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Singapore, UK, Frankfurt, Paris, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, New Zealand , Philippines

A day after making the announcement that the phase 5 of Vande Bharat Mission will start from August 1, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that India will connect with US, Canada, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Singapore, UK, Frankfurt, Paris, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, New Zealand , Philippines and more countries.
Taking to Twitter, Puri said that more destinations and flights will be added as this phase progresses.
“Among other destinations, phase 5 will connect India with USA, Canada, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Singapore, UK, Frankfurt, Paris, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, New Zealand, Philippines and more countries. Like we did earlier, more destinations and flights will be added as this phase progresses,” he said on Twitter.
Saying that over 814K stranded Indians have returned to the country under Vande Bharat Mission since May 6, he said India is preparing to bring back more Indians under the Phase 5 from August 1.
“More than 814K stranded Indians have returned through various means under VBM since 6 May 2020, out of which more than 270K returned on flights from 53 countries. Now, we prepare to dovetail Phase-4 of VBM into Phase-5 from 1st August 2020 & bring back more Indian citizens,” he added.
26/07/20 India.com

India extends repatriation mission in Gulf region

India is extending its repatriation flights by six days starting Aug. 1 for non-resident Indians in the Gulf affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of airports involved in the previous four phases of the repatriation program has also been expanded.

Air India will operate flights to Sharjah to collect nationals, according to state news agency WAM.

The airline’s scheduled domestic flights for the repatriation mission will be solely for expat Indians - local passengers will not be allowed onboard.

The repatriation mission will also cover airports in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

The Vande Bharat mission was started by the Indian government on May 6, with Air India and other private carriers running unscheduled flights to repatriate nationals stuck overseas because of the pandemic.

A more detailed schedule for the mission’s latest phase, involving other Indian carriers is being finalized and is expected before Aug. 1, when the new schedules comes into effect.
27/07/20 Arab News

Extradition flight for Georgian coaches to India

If everything goes according to plans, wrestling coaches Shako Bentinidis and Temo Kazarashvili will board an extradition flight for India for Indians stuck in Georgia on July 30. Shako trains star wrestler Bajrang Punia (65kg) and Jitender Kinha (74kg). Temo coaches India’s Greco-Roman grapplers.

“It’s (travel to India) is almost final. We will get confirmation on Monday. We are scheduled to board the flight from Tbilisi,” Shako told this newspaper from Georgia. The Georgian left India in March after the pandemic led to deferment of the national camp in Sonepat in Haryana. Temo was in Azerbaijan with his team of wrestlers when the lockdown led to the closure of training halls in the country, forcing the Indian contingent to rush back home. The Georgian returned to his country soon after.

“The flight is meant for Indians stranded in Georgia. However, we spoke to the Indian Embassy and explained to them the need to fly us out. Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) coordinated with Air India. Hopefully, we will receive the final clearance,” added Shako.

However, it was not an easy decision as the Georgian government was wary of the coaches leaving the country in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. “The situation is under control here while in India the virus is spreading rapidly. The government did not want us to leave. But when we insisted, it made us sign undertakings highlighting the risks involved.” Both Bajrang and Jitender are training at JSW’s Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Vijayanagar, Karnataka. The coach plans to join them at the facility after serving the mandatory quarantine period.
27/07/20 Firoz Mirza/New Indian Express

SpiceJet to operate first long-haul flight to Amsterdam on Aug 1

New Delhi: Airline major SpiceJet will operate its first long -haul flight to Amsterdam.
The airline will operate the non-stop flight from India to Amsterdam from August 1. Just last week, the airline major was allowed to operate flights to the US and the UK.

Accordingly, the Centre designated the airline as an Indian scheduled carrier to operate between India and the UK under the Air Services Agreement.

The designation allows for the international expansion of the airline.

Presently, only Air India operates long-haul flights from India to Europe and the US.

SpiceJet was established in 2005 and has a fleet of 82 Boeing 737, 29 Bombardier Q-400s, eight B737 and Bombardier Q-400 freighters and is the country's largest regional player operating 49 daily flights under UDAN or the Regional Connectivity Scheme.
27/07/20 Punjab News Express

India to remain key global supply chain partner: Boeing India

New Delhi: Despite Covid-19 induced economic turbulence, aero space major Boeing India plans to maintain its systems and components sourcing activity in India.

The company sources components close to $1 billion a year from more than 200 suppliers in India.

"India will continue to be a key contributor to our global supply chain. Our sourcing from India stands at close to $1 billion a year from more than 200 suppliers who are manufacturing critical systems and components for some of Boeing's most advanced products," Boeing India president Salil Gupte told IANS.

"Our commitment to India remains strong and is for the long term. We want to contribute to the growth of India's aerospace industry; that's why we're investing in commercial aviation and defence...."

According to Gupte, the aerospace major supports the government's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives by developing Indian MSMEs through skilling and upskilling initiatives.

"Our growing installed platform base with commercial and defence customers in India and our expanding supplier base makes it imperative for us to invest, develop and nurture talent," he said.

"Through our skilling initiatives, we are training hundreds of pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, technicians, and frontline factory workers across India with our industry partners like Tata, Rossell Techsys, Jaivel and Lakshmi Machine Works. With these initiatives, among others, we are focused on creating a robust aerospace and defence ecosystem in India."
27/07/20 Rohit Vaid/IANS/daijiworld

Cheaper Repatriation Flight Makes Indians Stranded in South Africa Due to Covid-19 Happy

Nearly 200 Indian nationals, who have been stranded in South Africa for over four months due to COVID-19 lockdown, are overjoyed at heading home at a much lower cost than compatriots who returned on earlier flights.

India Club, a South African socio-cultural association of mainly Indian expatriates, arranged the third such flight in association with Emirates Airlines, which subsidised the overall cost per economy seat to 11,500 Rand, as compared to the 17,750 rand on the earlier flights.
About 80 passengers will fly on to destinations in south India and the rest will head for their homes in central and north India. There were earlier three Vande Bharat flights arranged by the Indian High Commission and its Consulate in Johannesburg, resulting in almost all Indian nationals in the country now being repatriated.

After the special Emirates flight that India Club had arranged from Johannesburg to Bengaluru earlier this month, we started getting more requests from stranded Indians to arrange another special flight, said Prashant Siddapur, General Secretary of India Club. Our dedicated team of volunteers, as usual, put their hands up without hesitation.
Our flagship annual event is the India Day Festival, around August 15, which cannot take place this years because of the COVID-19 restrictions, so arranging these repatriation flights for stranded Indians and seeing the joy on people's faces, has given our team immense satisfaction in another way, he said. Many of the passengers on this latest flight had been affected by job losses and layoffs cutting across different sectors amid the rapidly increasing unemployment in South Africa due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
27/07/20 PTI/News18.com

India Should Outspread Bilateral 'Air Bubble' Agreements Globally To Carry Eligible Passengers

The move from Vande Bharat Mission to bilateral "Air Bubbles" for the smooth resumption of international flight operations is significant in the Indian aviation industry.  The Union Civil Aviation Ministry announcement to resume international air travel through bilateral air bubbles between select countries such as the US, France, and Germany, after almost 4-months of its suspension will bring cheers from all over the world.
Why India should extend 'Air Bubble' Agreements to more countries, expalins Biji Eapen >>

Two flights bring home 341 persons stranded abroad

Mohali: Two evacuation flights, under the Vande Bharat Mission of the Union Government to evacuate stranded Indians abroad, carrying 341 passengers landed at the Chandigarh international airport here today.
An Air India Express flight carrying 167 evacuated Indians from Sharjah arrived here at 3.30 am. A SpiceJet flight carrying 174 Indians from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) landed at the airport at 5.05 pm.
Till now, 25 international flights carrying 4,018 stranded Indian passengers from various countries have landed at the Chandigarh airport.
All repatriated persons, who mostly belong to different parts of Punjab, Haryana and nearby states, will reach their districts under the supervision of the respective state government representatives where they will be quarantined as per the government guidelines.
26/07/20 Tribune

Ten flights with 2040 passengers to arrive on Monday

Kochi: Ten international relief flights with 2040 passengers will be arriving at Cochin International Airport on Monday.
Air India will operate stopover flights from London and San Francisco, a CIAL spokesman said
on Sunday.
The flights scheduled to arrive are; Emirates from Dubai at 0300, 0900, Air India from Londonvia Mumbai at 0605, Air India Express from Sharjah at 1605, Go Air from Dammam at 1730 and Fly Dubai from Dubai at 1810.
26/07/20 UNI

International Flights: PCR Test Must at Dubai Airports For Travellers From India, Other Countries From August 1

Stepping up its efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Emirates airline on Sunday has made it mandatory to produce the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19 on arrival at Dubai International Airport.
This has to be produced only by passengers from specific countries. The airline said the practice must be followed from August 1. While issuing the guidelines, the airline has issued a list of 29 countries from where the passengers should undergo mandatory COVID-19 PCR testing upon arrival in Dubai. List of 29 countries:
Afghanistan, Armenia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Djibouti,  Egypt, Eritrea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Montenegro, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Serbia, Somalia, South Africa,Sri Lanka, Sudan,Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Select airports in the United States As per the latest guidelines, the passengers arriving from these countries should undergo the PCR test at Dubai International Airport as well as Al Maktoum International Airport.
 In the guidelines, the Emirates said that the passengers travelling to Dubai, including UAE citizens and residents, tourists, and passengers connecting in Dubai, must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate from August 1.
 27/07/20 India.com

F.I.R actress Mahika Sharma who was stranded in London due to COVID 19 returns to India on her birthday

F.I.R actress Mahika Sharma who is stranded in London since last four months finally found a way to return back to India and shared her excitement. “I am very much happy As I return to the country on my birthday. And I'm thankful that Air India announced a schedule between India-London-India from 26th to 30th July. I'm really thankful to them."

The actress known for television shows like Tu Mere Agal Bagal Hai and Ramayana later adds, "I'm scared and nervous. After reaching back to my country. I'm not going meet anyone or celebrate my birthday. I will get myself self qurentine atleast for a month long. I have asked my help to clean the house and arrange the basic needs and glossaries for me. Sad but I'll stay all alone on my birthday. But I'm happy that god blessed me a with a gift to return back to my land, my India."
27/07/20 Pinkvilla

Mystery of 1966 Air India crash, that killed nuclear pioneer Bhabha, is unravelling bit by bit

Every once in a while, global warming not only reminds us of the upcoming upheaval, but also unearths hidden mysteries of the past. Earlier this month, something similar happened in one corner of the French Alps: Indian newspapers from 1966 resurfaced underneath the melting Bossons glacier at Europe’s second highest peak, Mont Blanc.
Srijan Shukla writes about the mysterious Air India crash >>

No confirmation on India-UAE flight extension; 123 new VBM flights from UAE announced

Dubai: Indian missions and airlines were awaiting official confirmation on the extension of the agreement for India-UAE special flights, even as another 123 flights to repatriate stranded Indians from the UAE were announced on Sunday.
As per the agreement announced by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation on July 9, UAE residents stuck in India could return on the departure leg of repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) that flies home stranded Indians in the UAE, from July 12 to 26.
UAE residents and citizens stranded in India could also fly back on the return leg of the journey on UAE carriers and private airlines from India providing chartered services during the 15 days of the special agreement.
However, with the deadline expiring on July 26, there was no official announcement about the extension of the agreement till 3.30pm, even as India announced a new schedule of flights under the next phase of VBM.
A senior official with Air India confirmed to Gulf News that 123 VBM flights (118 by Air India Express and five by Air India) have been announced as part of the fifth phase of the repatriation mission, running from August 1 to 15.
“The five Air India flights are scheduled during the first week of August while the 118 Air India Express flights are scheduled during the first fortnight of August,” he said.
However, the official said the airlines were yet to receive official instructions on the extension of the special flight agreement to fly back UAE residents stuck in India and hence could not make any commitment on India-UAE operations.
26/07/20 Sajila Saseendran/Gulf News

International Flights on July 27: Sharjah to Gaya, Mumbai to Amsterdam

New Delhi: National carrier Air India, under ‘Vande Bharat’ mission (phase IV) will continue operating special flights ex-India to various destinations and ex-foreign stations to India. Phase 4 is expected to continue until August 2, by which time around 80,000 more people are likely to return. As of now, 2.5 lakh Indians have been evacuated from 53 countries, under the Modi government’s ‘Vande Bharat Mission’.
Check out the repatriation international flight schedule for July 27, Monday.
Ex-India to foreign stations Also Read - Madhya Pradesh Lockdown News: Total Shutdown in Katni District From Today Till Aug 2; Shops, Malls, Hotels to Remain Shut

AI 1937 DELHI 07:30 BISHKEK 11:35
AI 1933 DELHI 08:00 SHARJAH 10:10
AI 1907 MUMBAI 08:05 DAMMAM
AI 0969 MUMBAI 09:00 DOHA 10:20
AI 1171 MUMBAI 13:00 AMSTERDAM 19:05
AI 0931 MUMBAI 19:50 JEDDAH 22:30
AI 1306 DELHI 22:00 NARITA 09:30 (28th July)

Ex-foreign stations to India

AI 1910 JEDDAH 23:30 MUMBAI 7:00 (28th July)
AI 1908 DAMMAM 10:20 KANNUR 17:10
AI 1938 BISHKEK 12:35 JAIPUR 15:20
AI 0970 DOHA 11:20 MUMBAI 17:15
AI 1934 SHARJAH 11:10 GAYA 16:50
27/07/20 India.com

Vande Bharat Mission Phase 5 To Begin From August 1: Air India

New Delhi: The fifth phase of the Government of India's ''Vande Bharat'' mission, aimed at evacuating Indian nationals stranded in various foreign countries owing to restrictions on air travel, will begin early next month, August 1.
"Under Vande Bharat Mission, we have already brought back more than 2.5 lakh stranded Indians from 53 commies," Air India said in a statement.

"We will be soon announcing a host of additional flights under Vande Bharat Mission Phase 5 starting from 1st August 2020," the national carrier said.

Flights for the USA, Canada, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Australia, Germany, Thailand, Singapore, UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, New Zealand, Philippines and several other countries have been planned under this phase.

Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, "Like we did earlier, more destinations and flights will be added as this phase progresses."
27/07/20 ANI/NDTV

Passengers of Air France flights to Bengaluru to undergo COVID-19 test

Passengers of Air France flights to Bengaluru under "air bubble" arrangement agreed between the two countries need to undergo Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 and only those who are negative would be allowed to board, the Embassy of India in France said here on Monday. "Passengers of Air France flights to Bengaluru under "air bubble" arrangement agreed between the two countries need to undergo Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 and only those who are negative would be allowed to board," the Embassy said in a statement.

India has started creating "air bubbles" with some countries to ensure eligible people can continue to travel directly to and from there on airlines of both sides, till resumption of regular scheduled flights in a post-pandemic world. "Till international civil aviation can reclaim its pre-COVID numbers, I think the answer lies in bilateral air bubbles, which will carry a possible number of people but under defined conditions as countries are still imposing entry restrictions including India," Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said last week.
27/07/20 ANI/Devdiscourse

Two passengers held at Calicut Intl Airport for smuggling gold from Saudi Arabia

Malappuram: Two persons, who were landed at the Calicut International Airport at Karipur near here on Monday have been arrested on charges of smuggling gold from Saudi Arabia.
Airport sources said, the duo, Muhammed and Abdul Jabbar, arrived at the Airport in a chartered flight from Saudi Arabia.
The market value of the total gold seized from the two passengers is estimated to be around Rs 60 lakh, the sources added.
27/07/20 UNI

Sunday, July 26, 2020

How Is SpiceJet Planning Long Haul Flights? It Owns No Widebodies

News that Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet is preparing to fly to the US and UK has taken many by surprise. The airline operates a fleet of Boeing 737s and Bombardier Q400s, neither of which have the range to fly to these countries non-stop. However, SpiceJet does have a plan to reach these long-haul destinations.

The simple answer to how SpiceJet will fly long-haul is wet leasing. A wet lease is when a lessor provides an airline with the plane as well as the crew. This allows an airline to almost immediately start flying the leased plane, without needing its own crew or certifications.

SpiceJet is not new to wet leasing , the airline has previously taken on A320s to fill gaps in its schedule due to the MAX crisis. A number of airlines wet lease planes to add capacity when their fleets are facing an issue or there is high demand. The current crisis has hit lessors hard, with airlines canceling wet least contracts due to the drop in demand.

SpiceJet’s wet lease agreement is reported to be with Oman Air to provide up to three A330s. The A330 offers enough range to reach the UK from India, although it could fall short of reaching the US depending on the variant.

Oman Air is also offering one more valuable asset to SpiceJet: a slot at London Heathrow, according to sources. In a different time (just a year ago actually), slots at Heathrow sold for millions each due to capacity restrictions. Oman Air itself holds the record for the most expensive slot purchase at $75 million for a primetime slot.
However, 2020 has upturned the previous rules of the airline world, with Oman Air now willing to give up its Heathrow slot with a wet lease agreement. Oman Air’s A330s will be a good fit for SpiceJet, allowing them to fly to London immediately and fulfill the pent-up demand in the market.

While it does sound like SpiceJet is ready to jump into the market and provide a low-cost alternative, some important questions remain. SpiceJet itself is yet to make any official announcements about its long-haul plans, except that it has permission from the Indian government to fly. There are still no details about the wet lease or reciprocal permissions from the US and UK.
25/07/20 Syd Sharma/Simple Flying

Rafale fighters to take off from France tomorrow, can be operational within a week

New Delhi: At least five Rafale fighter aircraft will take off from Merignac in France Monday to arrive in India Wednesday and, if required, these aircraft can also be operationally deployed within a week amid the India-China standoff in Ladakh, ThePrint has learnt.

According to sources in the defence and security establishment, a total of 12 Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots have been fully trained on the fighter aircraft, which is considered a game-changer in the region with its unmatched fire power.
Several other pilots are completing their training in France — the contract stipulates that a total of 36 pilots will be trained by French authorities, including those who will undergo training in India.

While, in an official statement, the IAF had said that five aircraft will land Wednesday, as reported by ThePrint on 29 June, the figure could be six.

“The exact number of aircraft that will take off will be known only on Monday. The IAF has said that five would land on July 29 in India but this number could even be six,” a source said.

According to the contract signed in September 2016, 12 aircraft are supposed to be delivered every year.

French defence major Dassault Aviation, which is manufacturing the Rafale jets, had since October last year handed over a total of nine aircraft to the IAF. The 10th is undergoing acceptance trials by IAF pilots in France.
The source also added that the aircraft can be operationally deployed, if needed, “within a week”.
26/07/20 Snehesh Alex Philip/Print

30 flights to help expats fly home from Oman this week

Muscat: Nearly 30 flights from Oman have been organised over the coming week for expatriates in the country who wish to return home, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The flights have been organised as part of repatriation efforts for expats who intend to return to their home countries, as well as special flights that have been set up by carriers in the Sultanate.

Oman Air, the country’s national airline, has organised 13 flights between 27 and 31 July. On each of these dates, one flight to Chittagong in Bangladesh has been sheduled, while a flight to Kuala Lumpur has also been organised for the 27th. The same day a SalamAir flight to Alexandria via Salalah will also leave Muscat.

Two Vande Bharat repatriation flights from the government of India will head to Lucknow and Trivandrum on the same day. The following day a similar flight will take off for Vijayawada.
On the 30th, Oman Air will operate flights to Addis Ababa, Air India will fly to Chennai. Two SalamAir flights will head to Alexandria: one via Salalah, the second directly from Muscat. Another flight has been organised to Islamabad.

The next day, three more Vande Bharat flights will take off for three destinations in India: the first will halt at Mangalore before flying on to Bangalore, the second will travel to Calicut and the third will go to Trivandrum. On the same day, the second of Oman Air’s Chittagong flights scheduled for this week will depart.
25/07/20 Times of Oman

Ex-pilot brings home 22 Odisha workers stranded in Sri Lanka

Chennai: He has rescued Indians from war zones, reached out to people who lost their homes during floods with relief material as a pilot on a government mission. This time he is bringing back workers from Sri Lanka, using all his resources to help stranded people.
“All it took was one call. We wasted no time and sent the flight to bring them back home,” said Vivek Shanbhag, managing director of Aries Enterprises, a charter flight company that ferries Indian seafarers between India and international seaports.
Over the past two days, Vivek has helped evacuate 22 workers from Odisha stuck in Sri Lanka due to the pandemic for more than four months. With no work or money, the workers were desperately trying to get back home, but since international flights were restricted and unaffordable they were stuck in the foreign country.
“They had no money and were struggling to arrange for food,” said Shanbhag. A few days ago, the men got in touch with the Indian High Commission in Colombo and the authorities there reached out to Shanbhag, who arranged for the transport from his own pocket. One group reached the city on Friday and the other on Saturday.
The groups were kept under quarantine inside the campus of a private college for a day and later Shanbhag’s firm arranged for buses to take them back to their native in Odisha. Before leaving, the workers were given water bottles, dry ration, and other essential supplies. “This was possible because of the help from both governments,” said Shanbhag, a recently retired Air India pilot with 31 years of service.
26/07/20 Aditi R/Times of India

Delhi Public School Student in Sharjah And Businessman in UAE Help 68 Stranded Indians Fly Home Amid COVID-19

Donations made by a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian student and a businessmen helped 68 stranded Indians fly home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it was reported.
The passengers were among 171 Indians from the northeast who were repatriated on the second direct flight from Dubai to Guwahati on Thursday, Gulf News reported on Friday.
Delhi Public School Sharjah Grade 8 student Ananya Srivastava broke her piggy bank to pay for two more passengers’ tickets.
“I was inspired when I heard about the group of volunteers collecting funds to send expats home who do not have the resources and the money. I desperately wanted to contribute but with my own effort and not with my parents’ money,” said the 13-year-old Indian national who was born in the UAE.
“I broke my piggy bank and collected my savings, around 3,000 dirhams, which will pay for two tickets.”
Meanwhile, Dubai-based businessman and head of the Ajmal Perfumes brand, Amiruddin Ajmal, donated 100,000 dirhams to pay for the tickets of 66 passengers who could not afford their repatriation tickets, community volunteers who facilitated the charter flight service said.
The Thursday flight was the second one after a FlyDubai chartered plane travelled for the first time from Dubai to Guwahati on July 3.
25/07/20 IANS/India.com

Two people receive helping hand from Centre to get their advanced treatment in Delhi amid COVID-19 lockdown

New Delhi: As India faced a complete lockdown till May due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government lent a helping hand to two people -- one Indian and a Nepali national from Australia -- to get their advanced treatment in Delhi.
Fifteen-year-old Nitya Singh (name changed) from Punjab, who was diagnosed with very severe aplastic anemia, was granted special permission to reach a Delhi hospital for advanced treatment.
Similarly, Arjun Prasad Timilsina, a 31-year-old Nepali national, was airlifted from Australia by an Air India flight (AI-301) to Delhi to get the bone marrow transplant which is a lifesaving treatment.
According to Nitya's doctors, her condition started to deteriorate due to her medical condition and suggested a bone marrow transplant for her.
On the other hand, Timilsina was living in Australia. He was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia early this year. Timilsina underwent few cycles of chemotherapy in Australia, but the induction therapy failed twice following which he was given a high dose of chemotherapy.
25/07/20 ANI/New Kerala.com

Sonu Sood's flight of kindness, courtesy Spicejet this time

After helping countless migrants reach home during the first few months of the Coronavirus lockdown we can say that Sonu Sood has been at the forefront during the Coronavirus pandemic. Now, Actor Sonu Sood is looking beyond borders. In another stellar act of kindness, the actor has decided to bring back over 1500 stranded Indians from Kyrgyzstan.
Times Now brings you visuals from the flight where we can see the students cheering on. He took this initiative with the help of airline carrier SpiceJet.
Actor Sonu Sood and SpiceJet CEO Ajay Singh spoke to Times Now's Pranesh Kumar Roy to detail their collaboration to help the stranded students.
25/07/20 Pranesh Kumar Roy/TimesNowNews.com

Centre yet to approve flights to GCC

Passengers seeking to fly back to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations will have to wait until the Ministry of Civil Aviation clears a proposal to resume operation of international flights via air travel bubbles reached between each country.
As of now, India has a specific agreement with United Arab Emirates (UAE) among the GCC nations to allow its flights to operate till July 26. This apart, countries such as the U.S., the U.K., France and Germany have made agreements with India. This was after the UAE and others, including the U.S. and the U.K. objected to the monopolisation of Air India in the busy routes.
Sources said that air travel agreements would be based on the easing of travel restrictions in the GCC nations. As of now, only UAE has opened its airports to residents and tourists. However, all passengers arriving in UAE will need a negative COVID-19 PCR test. The new requirement was introduced on July 24 for all airports and will become mandatory from August 1.
Travel restrictions in other nations have not been lifted till now. Bahrain has suspended visa-on-arrivals. However, nationals and residents of Bahrain, nationals of Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, and passengers with an e-visa obtained before departure are allowed to enter the country. But passengers will be subjected to medical screening upon arrival and to quarantine for 10 days.
Similarly, flights to Saudi Arabia have been suspended. This does not apply to technical stops, humanitarian, medevac and repatriation flights. These flights are subject to prior approval from its civil aviation authorities.
Passengers are not allowed to enter Qatar except its nationals and residents of Qatar with a permanent residence card. They have to undergo quarantine for 14 days.
Only nationals of Kuwait and their first degree relatives are allowed to enter the country. Also, the ban does not apply to domestic workers if accompanied by a national of Kuwait. But all must have obtained approval from the Kuwait embassy. Flights to Oman have been suspended except repatriation flights.
25/07/20 The Hindu

Indian nationals stranded in South Africa by COVID-19 lockdowns overjoyed at cheaper repatriation flight

Nearly 200 Indian nationals, who have been stranded in South Africa for over four months due to COVID-19 lockdown, are overjoyed at heading home at a much lower cost than compatriots who returned on earlier flights.

The flight will depart from here on Sunday evening.

India Club, a South African socio-cultural association of mainly Indian expatriates, arranged the third such flight in association with Emirates Airlines, which subsidised the overall cost per economy seat to 11,500 Rand, as compared to the 17,750 rands on the earlier flights.

About 80 passengers will fly on to destinations in south India and the rest will head for their homes in central and north India.

There were earlier three Vande Bharat flights arranged by the Indian High Commission and its Consulate in Johannesburg, resulting in almost all Indian nationals in the country now being repatriated.

"After the special Emirates flight that India Club had arranged from Johannesburg to Bengaluru earlier this month, we started getting more requests from stranded Indians to arrange another special flight," said Prashant Siddapur, General Secretary of India Club.

"Our dedicated team of volunteers, as usual, put their hands up without hesitation."

"Our flagship annual event is the 'India Day Festival', around August 15, which cannot take place this year because of the COVID-19 restrictions, so arranging these repatriation flights for stranded Indians and seeing the joy on people's faces, has given our team immense satisfaction in another way," he said.
26/07/20 New Indian Express

400 Indians fly home on US charity charters

Mumbai: Among the expats returning to India due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost of flying back home is probably the highest for those from the US and Canada. The average fare on a repatriation flight is Rs 1 lakh. But about 400 Indians have been brought back home on two charter flights from the US, paid for with donations . The second, a Newark-Delhi flight, landed on Thursday night while the first was operated on July 4 between Chicago and Mumbai.

“We wet-leased a United Airlines aircraft to repatriate more than 150 Indian citizens stranded in the US,” said Victor Abraham, chairman and CEO of the Dallas-based Skypass Group, which chartered the flights. The first charter, was operated with an aircraft wet-leased from Etihad.

“Priority was given to seniors and families with young children who needed to return to India for urgent medical treatment or death emergencies and to those with expired US visas. Other Indian citizens eligible to travel, based on Indian embassy rules were also on the flight,” he said, adding that the flights were funded by the Skypass Foundation, their non-profit body, and other donors and companies, who wish to remain anonymous.
25/07/20 Times of India

Eight flights with 1680 passengers to arrive on Sunday

Kochi: Eight flights with 1680 passengers will be arriving at Cochin International Airport, here on Sunday.
 A chartered Ethiopian Airlines flight from Johannesburg through Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and another flight of Silk Air from Singapore will also be reaching the airport on Sunday, a CIAL spokesman said on Saturday.
 The international flights are; Silk Air from Singapore at 0005, Emirates from Dubai at 0300, 0900, Ethiopian Airlines from Johannesburg via Addis Ababa at 0735, Air India Express from Dubai at 1755, Air India Express from Dubai at 1755, Air India Express from Abu Dhabi at 2145, Air Arabia from Sharjah at 2230 and Indigo from Doha at 2315.
 25/07/20 UNI

Saturday, July 25, 2020

International Flights on July 25: Air India, Air India Express to Bring Back Indians From These Countries

National carrier Air India has brought back more than 2.5 lakh Indians from 53 countries under the Vande Bharat Mission. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 30,000 people across the country, the Narendra Modi-led Centre government had started the ‘Vande Bharat’ mission to help stranded people reach their destinations using special repatriation flights.
Check out the full list of the repatriation international flight schedule for July 25.
Ex-India to foreign stations:
AI 1312: Hyderabad (6.00) to Manila

AI 1903: Mumbai (6.05) to Dammam

AI 1937: Delhi (7.30) to Bishkek

AI 1935: Delhi (11.00) to Kiev

AI 1953: Mumbai (11.00) to Doha

AI 1941: Bengaluru (11.10) to Dammam

AI 1169: Delhi (13.35) to Amsterdam

AI 0971: Delhi (19.30) to Doha

AI 0991: Delhi (19.30) to Jeddah

Ex-foreign stations to India

AI 1904: Dammam to Kozhikode (15.10)

AI 1954: Doha to Mumbai (19.15)

AI 1922: Jeddah to Delhi (8.35)

AI 1313: Manila to Hyderabad (19.25)

AI 1936: Kiev to Delhi (1.30)

AI 1938: Bishkek to Srinagar (15.35)

AI 1932: Jeddah to Delhi (7.05)

AI 1942: Dammam to Bengaluru (21.05)

AI 0972: Doha to Delhi (4.45)

AI 0188: Toronto to Delhi (12.15)
25/07/20 India.com

Returned traveller from India among positive cases in South Australia

South Australia Health has revealed that a woman in her 30s who had returned from India on a repatriation flight to Adelaide last month was previously infected.

The woman stayed in mandatory quarantine in Adelaide after arriving on a Singapore Airlines flight from Mumbai that carried 260 passengers on June 27.

According to SA Health, the woman had tested negative twice during her stay in hotel quarantine. But a member of her family had returned a positive test last month, which prompted the authorities to conduct another test which revealed she had an old infection.
SBS Punjabi understands that at least three travellers who had returned on the same flight had tested positive last month.
The second case that was recorded on Wednesday is a woman in her 50s who had flown into Melbourne from Pakistan and had returned two negative tests while in hotel quarantine there.

She travelled to SA after she was given a go-ahead to travel on 9 July where she returned a positive test. She will remain in isolation for another nine days as a precaution.
25/07/20 SBS Punjabi

International Flights Explained: Who can fly on special planes, and when will normal travel resume?

As flights from India to the US, France and Germany under the temporary reciprocal arrangement begin, passengers, including Indian citizens, have been scrambling to get a seat on these outbound flights.
Even as airlines – both Indian and foreign – have been accorded the permissions to fly passengers of any citizenship on either of the flight legs, passengers will be subjected to the restrictions imposed by the respective government of the destination country.
See what are they >>

13 Indian passengers found carrying Rs 66 lakh worth of cigarette sticks; arrested at Delhi airport

New Delhi: Customs officials have arrested 13 men for smuggling into the country over 7.5 lakh cigarette sticks, worth Rs 66 lakh, at Delhi international airport, officials said on Friday.

The accused were intercepted by the officials after their arrival from Dubai on Thursday.

They were found to be carrying over 7.5 lakh cigarette sticks in their baggage, the customs officials said.

All the accused, aged between 26-40 years, worked as labourers and were stranded in Dubai due to COVID-19. They were probably lured into carrying the cigarettes in lieu of free flying tickets by the mastermind, the officials said.

The cigarettes, worth Rs 66.6 lakh, have been seized and the accused were arrested, according to a statement issued by the customs.
25/07/20 Tribune

Friday, July 24, 2020

Jobs are being wiped out at airlines worldwide, and there’s worse to come

About 400,000 airline workers have been fired, furloughed or told they may lose their jobs due to the coronavirus, according to Bloomberg calculations.
The aviation industry has suffered more than most as the pandemic destroys ticket sales and strips companies of cash. Airlines the world over have drastically cut back on flights due to border restrictions and a lack of appetite for travel, particularly internationally, because people are worried about contracting the virus and spending lengthy periods in quarantine.
British Airways, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Emirates Airline and Qantas Airways Ltd. are among the carriers announcing thousands of dismissals and unpaid leave programs. Many more are expected in the U.S. after a ban on job cuts -- a condition of a $50 billion government bailout -- is lifted at the end of September. Delta Air Lines Inc., United Airlines Holdings Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc. have already warned about 35,000 employees that their jobs are at risk. The trio’s combined personnel losses could top 100,000 by year-end.
Even the pilots and cabin crew who manage to keep their jobs are, in general, facing salary cuts.
The 400,000 job-loss figure is for airlines worldwide and covers pilots and cabin crew, who have found themselves on the front lines of the virus fight when they are at work. It includes planned cuts by U.S. carriers and was compiled from company statements, Bloomberg News stories and other media reports.
24/07/20 Anurag Kotoky, Manish Modi and Matt Turner/Bloomberg/Economic Times

Over 7.88 lakh Indians have returned under Vande Bharat mission: MEA

New Delhi:  Over 7.88 lakh Indians have returned from abroad after the government launched the "Vande Bharat" evacuation mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Under the Phase 4 of the Vande Bharat mission, a total of 1,197 flights have been scheduled so far, including 945 international flights and 252 feeder flights, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.

"These flights are operated by the Air India group, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir. They cover 29 countries. They will be reaching 34 airports in India," he said.

Of these, 694 flights have reached India as on July 22, repatriating nearly one lakh people so far, he said. Phase 4 is expected to continue until August 2, by which time around 80,000 more people are expected to return, Srivastava said.

"As on 22nd July, 7,88,217 Indian nationals have returned. 1,03,976 Indians have returned from Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh by land borders," he said.

Noting that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had announced the establishment of bilateral bubbles with some countries, the MEA spokesperson said that between July 22 and August 31, Air India will be operating 30 flights a week to the US (New York, Chicago, Washington, New Jersey, and San Francisco), four flights a week to Germany (Frankfurt) and three flights a week to France (Paris).

The ministry continues to be in touch with missions on specific demands for repatriation from students completing their courses abroad, workers, and other stranded Indians with compelling reasons, he said.

As regards to repatriation from Kyrgyzstan, Srivastava said India is scheduling additional flights.
23/07/20 PTI/New Indian Express

SpiceJet says it has won rights to fly to the US, UK: Is it a big deal and other questions answered

By any measure, the development is a significant one. SpiceJet has now got rights to operate flights to the US and the UK, among the two busiest destinations out of India.

Approval for the UK destinations came on July 24, a day after SpiceJet got designated for the US. With this, the airline has presumably taken an early lead among its private peers, especially IndiGo and Vistara, who are also eager to fly to these two countries.

At present, Air India is the only Indian airline operating flights to these markets. No private airline, since Jet Airways got grounded in April last year, has flown to these long haul destinations.

Industry observers, however, pointed out many questions that remain unanswered. Most crucial of which is this: What after getting designated; what is the next step for SpiceJet?
The US and the UK are two countries with big Indian diaspora. Destinations such as New York and London have the heaviest traffic on flights from India.

Even for the Vande Bharat Mission flights, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had underlined that the US and London routes are the busiest.

In an earlier story in Moneycontrol, it emerged that Air India was making about Rs 2 crore from each of its flight to San Francisco, from Delhi. Since then United has started operations from India - after this controversy - and Air India itself has slashed fares by 25 percent. Despite the fare cuts and increased supply, these are routes good for business.

Though SpiceJet, and rest of its private peers, have begun operating repatriation flights to destinations in the Middle -East and the South-East, they also would be eager to get a piece of the other pies, which are Europe and North America.
24/07/20 Prince Mathews Thomas/Moneycontrol.com