Suspension of scheduled international passenger flights extended till July 31

New Delhi: The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till July 31, aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday.

"However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation added in its circular.

Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 2020, and under bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with select countries since July 2020.

India has formed air bubble pacts with around 27 countries including the US, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France. Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories.

The decision to extend the suspension on scheduled international passenger flights comes as India battles a second wave of coronavirus, even though daily cases have seen a steady decline over the past several days.

30/06/21 India TV

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2 Firms Trying To Seize Air India Overseas Assets After Arbitration Wins

Devas Multimedia Pvt., a company seeking over $1.2 billion it won in international arbitration from India, has joined Cairn Energy Plc in seeking to seize Air India Ltd.'s assets abroad.

Calling the flagship airline an "alter ego" of the Indian state and therefore liable for the sovereign's debts, Devas filed a petition in New York asking Air India to pay the amount or forfeit its U.S. property including planes, cargo handling equipment and artwork.

The move may threaten India's much-delayed plans to sell the indebted loss-making carrier and risks denting India's image as an investment destination. India last year suffered two big losses in international arbitrations -- the $3 billion tax dispute with Vodafone Group Plc and the $1.2 billion dispute with Cairn. India has challenged both rulings.

Around the time of Cairn's petition in May, authorities asked state-run banks to protect their dollar deposits on concern that these could also be at risk of seizure, Bloomberg News had reported.

Indian authorities and Devas are engaged in multiple court cases globally in which Devas seeks the award money while India wants to liquidate the company and investigate an alleged fraud.

The dispute goes back to 2011 when an Indian state-owned company Antrix Corp. annulled an agreement with Devas citing force majeure. Devas said in its petition that the annulment eroded the value of its multi-million dollar investments. An arbitration tribunal in 2020 awarded Devas more than $111 million plus interest. Devas also won $562.5 million in damages plus interest from separate proceedings at the International Chamber of Commerce.

Devas says Antrix has paid neither of these. An Air India spokesman declined to comment. A representative for Indian Space Research Organisation, which controls Antrix, didn't immediately respond to requests for comments.

29/06/21 Upmanyu Trivedi and Anurag Kotoky/Bloomberg/NDTV

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Air India Express announces flights to Malaysia and Singapore

Air India Express, a wholly owned subsidiary of Indian flag carrier Air India, has announced flights between Malaysia and India for the month of July, 2021.

Under its new schedule, the low-cost airline will operate flights connecting Kuala Lumpur with Indian cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Trichy, and Vijayawada. Bookings are open for these flights.

The July schedule also includes flights connecting India and Singapore. Sectors on which the airline will fly are Chennai-Singapore; Trichy-Singapore; Kochi-Singapore and Hyderabad-Singapore.

The airline has also opened bookings for flights between Kuwait and India. From July to October, it will operate flights on routes such as Kuwait- Vijayawada- Kozhikode; Kuwait-Kannur- Trichy; Kuwait- Trichy- Kochi and Kuwait-Mangalore-Trichy.

28/06/21 Business Traveller

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Switzerland opens doors for fully vaccinated Indian travellers

New Delhi: Switzerland has become the first country to open its doors for fully vaccinated visitors from post second Covid wave India.

What’s more, there is no need to quarantine on arrival for the desi travellers who have got both jabs of Covishield. While the country does not ask for negative RT-PCR reports from such travellers, the airline you fly to the land of the Alps may require to carry one from a test conducted within a certain timeframe to allow you boarding.

India and Switzerland have so far not formed an air bubble due to which direct flights are not available. That will mean transiting via Paris or Amsterdam.

Germany currently has restrictions on allowing transit to Schengen states for travellers from countries that have Covid variants of concern, including India.

While fully vaccinated from high risk countries are now allowed, there is are protocols and ever-changing rules during the pandemic that visitors will do well to check before taking off for the Swiss Alps.

Also, there may be restrictions on travelling to other EU countries from Switzerland. While WHO approved, Serum Institute of India-made Covishield has so far not been included in the list of approved vaccines for EU “Green Pass” that will be required for travel to and within the EU from next month.

Covaxin is yet to be approved bY WHO. Switzerland’s federal council had on June 23, 2021, decided to lift the entry restrictions for persons from third countries.

“The embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi is currently accepting all visa categories for persons arriving from third countries like India, who can prove, that they have been fully vaccinated. Booking of a prior appointment is mandatory for all application type. VFS Global Services is operational and accepting visa application at the centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin and Hyderabad,” website of Swiss embassy in India says.

28/06/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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International flight operations from Vijayawada airport likely to start from July 15

Vijayawada: With the extended runway likely to become operational from July 15, Vijayawada International Airport near Gannavaram is gearing up to start international flights. Air India is planning to run direct services between Muscat and Vijayawada once a week or thrice from the first week of July, and increase the services based on demand. A schedule in this regard is likely to be announced in the next couple of days, official sources said.

Airport director G Madhusudana Rao on Monday said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has expanded the runway, which included re-carpeting and strengthening the 2,286-metre existing runway and extending it by another 1,074 metres, at an estimated cost of Rs160 crore. The total length of the runway is now 3,360 m, and the width remains 45 m, he said.

Referring to the international operations from the terminal, the airport director said in May 2017 the Centre accorded international status to the airport. However, the airport has handled international services only under Vande Bharat Mission.

“The terminal handled international flights operated by Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways, Saalam Air and Gulf Air, apart from Indian airlines such as Air India Express, IndiGo, Air India and Spice Jet, to bring Indians home,” he said. The terminal is equipped with all necessary facilities to handle both domestic and international passengers amid strict Covid protocols, he added.

29/06/21 New Indian Express

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More than 300 drone sightings reported along Pakistan border since August 2019: Agencies

New Delhi: Over 300 drones and unidentified flying objects have been sighted along the sensitive border with Pakistan post the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, central security agencies have said, even as they grapple to find a suitable technology to check these lethal sky-floaters.

A multitude of border security agencies have also been testing some indigenously-built counter-drone technologies in the rough jungle terrains, desert and marshes along the western front but have had little success till date, officials told PTI Monday.

The lead security agency -- the Border Security Force (BSF) -- and the frontier units of various police units along the 3,323-km-long front have since adopted a standard operating procedure of 'sight and blight' in case a drone, an unidentified flying object or a remotely-operated aerial vehicle is spotted in the air.

"The existing system to kill an enemy drone is that the security guard has to be vigilant on the ground and the sky and as soon as a drone is sighted, it has to be blighted or neutralised by plain shooting from the service weapon like INSAS rifles," a senior officer explained.

Data prepared and shared by the central security agencies with the government said over 300 "definite sightings" were made by the BSF and other police units after August 5, 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 was withdrawn and it was bifurcated into two Union Territories of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.

There were 167 sightings of drones along the western front (largely Jammu and Punjab) in 2019, 77 last year and about 60 this year till now, as per the data.

"These are minimum or to say the confirmed sightings by BSF troops and other security agencies personnel along the India-Pakistan border," a senior officer in the security establishment said.

There could be 50-60 more such sightings which are not included in the data for reasons like capturing only the whirring sound of the drone, difficulty to differentiate between a balloon and a drone and un-specified suspicious flying objects, the officer said.

28/06/21 PTI/Deccan Herald

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India to issue free 5 lakh tourist visas; give easy loans to travel agents & tour guides

New Delhi: The first 5 lakh tourist visas issued once India allows entry to this category of visitors will be issued free of charge. And government-recognised travel agents and tour guides will now be eligible for loan of up to Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively, without any processing charges or additional collateral requirement.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced these steps to ensure survival of the Covid-ravaged tourism sector as part of an economic package on Monday.

Pre-Covid 2019 saw almost 1.1 crore foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) who collectively spent $30 billion on leisure and business.

“The average daily stay for a foreign tourist in India is 21 days and their average daily spending per tourist is about $34 (Rs 2,400). Once (tourism) visa issuance resumes, the first 5 lakh tourists visas will be issued free of charge,” Sitharaman said.

This benefit will be available only once per tourist. The scheme, which forgoes Rs 100 crore revenue from this head, will be applicable till March 31, 2022 or till the first 5 lakh visas are issued.

The “reviving tourism” package for over 11,000 registered tourist guides and travel stakeholders comes in the form of a new loan guarantee scheme where working capital or personal loans will be provided to people in tourism sector to discharge liabilities and restart businesses impacted due to the pandemic.

“The scheme will cover 10,700 regional level tourist guides recognised by the government, both Union tourism ministry and states; and 904 travel and tourism stakeholders (travel agents) recognised by Union tourism ministry. Loans will be provided with 100% guarantee. Up to Rs 10 lakh per agency and Rs 1 lakh per tourist guide. There will be no processing charges along with waiver of foreclosure/prepayment charges. No additional collateral will be required,” the finance minister said.

28/06/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Fully vaccinated Indians can now travel to Switzerland

Good news from Switzerland! The Swiss government has announced to welcome fully vaccinated Indian travellers, without any quarantine and RT-PCR test requirements. Indian travellers who have received both shots of Covishield vaccine are eligible to travel to Switzerland. it has to be noted that though the country is not asking for negative RT-PCR result, certain airlines might ask Indians to carry one to travel in the Alps.

So far, there’s no air bubble between India and Switzerland; thus, there are no direct flights between the two destinations. Going by this, vaccinated Indians will have to travel via Paris or Amsterdam to reach Switzerland.

The Switzerland Embassy and Consulate in India has started accepting visas from June 28, 2021. On June 23, the Federal Council of Switzerland decided to relax rules for vaccinated Indian travellers. In the meeting, it was decided that travellers entering from the Schengen region will no longer be required to quarantine. Such requirements will only be applicable to unvaccinated travellers arriving by plane or who have not recovered from Coronavirus.

The official website of Swiss embassy in India reads, “The embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi is currently accepting all visa categories for persons arriving from third countries like India, who can prove, that they have been fully vaccinated. Booking of a prior appointment is mandatory for all application type. VFS Global Services is operational and accepting visa application at the centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin and Hyderabad.”

29/06/21 Times Travel/Times of India

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Long-haul start-up carrier plans Luton-India flights

Start-up UK long-haul carrier Hans Airways has unveiled an initial board members. They claim to represent more than 130 years of airline and management experience as the company moves to gain an Air Operators Certificate later this year.

If approved by the aviation regulator, the airline plans to start UK-India flights by the autumn using wide-body 281-seat Airbus A330 aircraft in a two-class configuration.

It is understood flights would operate from Luton airport with the VFR market being the key target audience.

Funding for the airline is being provided by high net worth individuals from the Indian community, including its founder.

A website statement said: “Now that the process for obtaining an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is nearing completion, Hans Airways announces its board of airline industry and business veterans which will deliver that objective.

29/06/21 Phil Davies/Travel Weekly

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What India’s Data Says About Drone Sightings on Western Front with Pakistan

The Indian security forces have recorded at least 250 sightings of drones on the Western front with Pakistan since 2019, and at least two drones have entered India this year before the Jammu attack on Sunday, according to the official data.

Pakistan was not only using drone technology for smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes. However, in the last few months, the movement has increased, said the Border Security Force (BSF).

At least 167 recorded sightings of drones were reported in 2019 while at least 77 were found in last year on the Western front with Pakistan.

According to the Union home ministry, 182 incidents of flying of drones were observed on the borders between December 2018 and December 2019.

This year too, several incidents were reported. In fact, the BSF had reported increased drone activities along the international border over the last few weeks.

In June, at least two incidents of Pakistani drones were spotted before the attack on the Jammu Airport, which is also an Indian Air Force station.

Earlier this month, the security forces busted Pakistan’s plan to send arms and ammunition into the Indian side using drones via the Line of Control in the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district. In another incident, a huge consignment of arms and ammunition, which were being transported from Jammu to Srinagar and were dropped by a drone, was recovered by the security forces.

In May, the BSF recovered a payload of arms and ammunition dropped by a Pakistani drone along the International Border in Samba.

At least two drones from Pakistan entered the Indian territory along the international border in April. The drones, which entered the Arnia sector of Jammu, were attacked by the BSF guards. As the guards opened fire, the drones flew back into Pakistani territory.

In January, the J&K Police caught two men red-handed collecting a heavy cache of arms and ammunition dropped via drones. The men were arrested along the India-Pakistan International Border at Vijaypur in J&K’s Samba district.

In October 2020, the security forces shot down a Pakistan Army drone in the Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district. In September, the security forces recovered two consignments of arms and ammunition that were drone-dropped in the Akhnoor sector of the Union Territory. In June last year, the BSF shot down a Pakistani drone carrying several weapons, including seven grenades. The hexacopter was spotted near the international border in Hiranagar sector of Kathua.

Jammu and Kashmir was not the only region impacted by Pakistani drones. Punjab too had reported several drone related incidents. In December 2020, the Punjab police seized 11 hand grenades that were suspected to have been airdropped by a drone flying in from Pakistan. The grenades were recovered from a sugarcane field near the international border in Punjab’s Gurdaspur.

28/06/21 Nivedita Singh/News18.com

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Pakistan-backed Lashkar suspected behind IAF drone attack in Jammu, IEDs with RDX dropped at station

Jammu/New Delhi: The banned Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit is suspected to have been behind the sensational drone attack on the Indian Air Force station in Jammu on Sunday (June 27) morning with indication that the unmanned aerial vehicles had come from across the border, a top police official said.

Director-General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh told PTI that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terror outfit based out of Pakistan, is suspected to be responsible for the attack. Two drones dropped explosive material on the IAF station located at Jammu airport on Sunday injuring two personnel. A cocktail of explosive material, including RDX, is believed to have been used. The case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday.

The decision to hand over the probe into the first-of-its-kind terror  attack at the Indian Air Force station was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs. A 1987-batch IPS officer, Singh, who has been monitoring the situation as well as the probe, said that in all likelihood, the unmanned aerial vehicles have flown in from across the border and returned after the operation. "We are still probing the case and will extend all our findings with other security agencies," Singh said.

Police also carried out a series of raids in Jammu and neighbouring locations but could not establish any concrete leads. "The drones are suspected to have come from across (the border) but we are still probing as of now," he said.

He said police have sensitised vital installations about the new threat from terror outfits. "All preventive measures have been taken for the same," Singh said. He said a general warning has also been issued to the public for no unauthorised use of drones in Jammu and Kashmir. "Strict actions would be taken for the same," he added.

29/06/21 ZeeNews

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Heroin worth Rs 126 cr seized from two South African men at Delhi airport

New Delhi: In a major catch, heroin worth Rs 126 crore has been seized from two South African men at the international airport here as they were trying to smuggle it into the country, according to an official statement on Monday. The two accused were intercepted on Saturday upon their arrival from Johannesburg via Doha.

"On detailed personal and baggage search of the passengers, off-white colour powder/granules, found to be heroin, weighing 8 kg was recovered from one passenger and 10 kg was recovered from another," said the statement issued by the customs department. Both of the accused were found to be part of a syndicate, it said.

It stated that the off-white colour powder/granules, weighing 18 in total and estimated to be valued at Rs 126 crore, were ingeniously concealed inside their checked-in trolley bags.

28/06/21 ZeeNews

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Just One Passenger Flies On Air India A320 Flight To Dubai

A single Indian businessman was the only passenger onboard Air India flight AI929 between Amritsar (ATQ), and Dubai (DXB) on Wednesday morning. When SP Singh Oberoi boarded the Air India Airbus A320 early Monday morning for the three-and-a-half hour flight to his home in Dubai, he was surprised to find that he was the only passenger on the plane.

Flights between India and the United Arab Emirates( UAE) were suspended for the public on April 24 following a significant spike in India’s number of COVID-19 cases. However, despite the ban, the UAE made exceptions for Emiratis, Diplomats, and golden visa holders. It just so happened that the gentleman in question happened to hold the aforementioned golden visa.

While thanking both the Indian government and the UAE for his memorable journey, the Indian businessman said the following on his Facebook page:

“Sometimes in vital situations, we get opportunities to cherish for life. Highly appreciate the Government of UAE and India for making it a memorable journey. Thank you, Air India, for your special services. You made it absolutely a wonderful journey.”

Air India had said earlier that regular flights would resume between India and the UAE, tweeting:

“Flights to Dubai are being operated with curtailed scheduled due to travel restrictions implemented by UAE govt. Before planning your travel, please confirm your eligibility for entry into UAE.”

The Air India Airbus A320-200 that Mr. Oberoi flew on is just under six years old and has the registration number VT-EXE. The aircraft was delivered to Air India by Airbus new in 2015, and it is configured to seat 168 passengers.

26/06/21 Mark Finlay/Simple Flying

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A Look At The Delivery Route For A Turboprop From Toulouse To New Delhi

Delivering turboprops is no simple feat feat. These regional aircraft can usually fly under 1,000 nautical miles, making long-yet-necessary journeys somewhat complicated. However, airlines and manufacturers have found ways to make even the longest journeys possible. Here’s a look at the route taken by an ATR 72 during its delivery flight from Toulouse, France, to New Delhi, India, this week.

This week, two ATR 72s made their way from their manufacturing site in southern France to the capital of India. Both aircraft were destined for low-cost giant IndiGo, which currently has an order for 50 ATRs. With the successful delivery of both turboprops, the carrier now has 27 ATRs in its fleet as it grows regional operations.

A direct flight from Toulouse to New Delhi spans 3,663 nautical miles, far above the ATR72-600s range of 758 nautical miles. To meet this challenge, the flight made three stops across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East before reaching Delhi. This allowed crew rest, refueling, and checks on this mammoth two-day journey.

Data from FlightAware shows that the plane departed Toulouse at 11:10 AM local time for its first leg. After four hours and 45 minutes, the ATR touched down in Heraklion, Greece, for an overnight stop. This first flight spanned 1,207 nautical miles, the longest of any flight in this journey (more on how the ATR did this later on).

It departed Heraklion the next morning at 09:46 AM local time, bound for Egypt. This flight was much shorter at two hours and 40 minutes and landed in Sharm El Sheikh airport at 11:20 AM local time. This leg was only 645 nautical miles long, and the plane stopped for just an hour, presumably to refuel.

After a brief pitstop, the ATR took off bound for Dubai World Central Airport at 12:15 PM local time. This leg took four hours and 50 minutes, spanning 1,133 nautical miles in total. After arriving at 19:10, the plane made another overnight stop for crew rests and refueling.

The next morning at 11:08 AM, the ATR72 took off for the last time on this long journey. The flight from Dubai World Central to New Delhi took five hours and 25 minutes and flew 1,197 nautical miles in total. Finally, at 18:03 local time, the plane was delivered to IndiGo and completed its delivery flight.

Overall, the flight took just over 53 hours, leaving on the morning of 23rd June and arriving on the evening of June 25th. The aircraft in question was a 1.7-year-old IndiGo ATR 72-600, registered VT-IXV.

27/06/21 Pranjal Pande/Simple Flying

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Air France launches Paris-Chennai direct flight

Chennai: Air France Airlines launched direct flight services between Paris and Chennai. The inaugural flight, a 276-seater three-class configured Boeing 787-9 aircraft, touched down at the Anna International airport here at 0025 hrs early this morning, sporting the Indian and French flags. 

 The crew members of the flight were accorded a traditional reception and were presented garlands and bouquets The return flight and the first flight from Chennai to Paris will leave at 0120 hrs early tomorrow morning, airport sources said. Chennai will be Air France's four Indian destination. 

 Till date, passengers from Chennai have to take a connecting flight in Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru to reach Paris. Initially, Air France will operate the flight once in a week in view of the restrictions imposed by the Indian government due to COVID pandemic -induced lockdown. 

 Airport sources said from July eight onwards the flight will arrive from Paris on Thursdays and depart on Saturdays. Once the Indian government restores International flight services, Air France would be operating three flights a week. 

 27/06/21 UNI

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India-UAE flights to remain suspended until further notice, GCAA clarifies

Dubai: Passengers from India to the UAE may have to wait longer as inbound travel has been suspended until further notice, a General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) official clarified. The status quo remains, keeping in mind health and safety protocols of all parties involved.

“As far as inbound passenger traffic from India is concerned, the status quo remains. We are closely monitoring the situation in India, and a decision on when to lift the suspension on inbound travellers will be taken, keeping in mind the safety and security of all parties involved,” the official stated.

“There are no new developments on this front,” the official told Khaleej Times on Thursday.

While airlines have made seats available on aircrafts from various cities in India on their websites, from July 7 and 8 in some cases, it is not immediately clear if the dates signify the end of the inbound passenger suspension either.

Certain media reports are citing a Notice to Airmen (Notam) that was issued by the civil aviation authority which signifies the 'end of travel restrictions period on July 21’.

However, airline sources and GCAA have said a Notam summary is issued almost every day by civil aviation authorities. “As per aviation parlance, Notams must have a start date and an end date for the period during which a certain set of rules apply,” an airline source explained to Khaleej Times. “They can be changed at any time,” the source added.

A copy of the Notam, which Khaleej Times has seen, also lists the extension of suspension to 13 other countries — including Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and South Africa.

However, airline authorities have said the date specified in the Notam does not signify the end of the travel suspension.

Suspension of inbound passengers from India was first announced by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) and GCAA on April 24 for an extendable period of 10 days. Following this, authorities said on May 5 that the suspension of entry of travellers from India would be indefinite, and the decision remains.

26/06/21 Dhanusha Gokulan/Khaleej Times

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AIE flight from Maldives to Trichy gets water salute

Trichy: The maiden flight from Male (Maldives) to Trichy, operated by Air India Express (AIE) as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, was given a grand water canon salute as it touched down with 146 passengers at the international airport here on Thursday. The airport authorities welcomed the passengers and the flight crew with bouquets.

With this service, Trichy airport added yet another international destination. Aviation experts have said that the service must be regularised.

Maldives has restricted the arrival of Indians due to Covid, due to which AIE could not operate flight services. But, it could bring passengers from Maldives. The flight went to Male carrying six tonnes of cargo and returned with 146 passengers.

26/06/21 Sampath Kumar/Times of India

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Cathay Pacific Airways appoints Abhijit Abhyankar as Regional Head of People

 Hong Kong based airline, Cathay Pacific Airways has appointed Abhijit Abhyankar as the airline’s new Regional Head of People at Cathay Pacific Airlines.  While he will be stationed at Mumbai, he will manage South Asia, Middle East and Africa (SAMEA). His key focus areas would be developing Human Resource strategy and taking care of its execution, along with internal stakeholder management and collaboration, talent management and succession planning, employee engagement, people cost budgeting. All the people efforts would be taken to ensure business continuity and growth, while all taking care of employee development.

Abhijit has over 21 years of experience in the hospitality and aviation sector. He has been part of the  Hong Kong based Airlines since November 2009.

After his earlier roles as Corporate Sales Manager and Area Sales Manager, Northern India, he was appointed Regional Marketing Communications Manager for South Asia in October 2014. Thereafter, in October 2018, he went on to head Marketing and Direct Channel Sales designated as Regional Head of Marketing and Digital Sales for the South Asia, Middle East and Africa (SAMEA) based in Mumbai, India. He was leading the marketing strategy, direct channel sales, customer contact support. In June 2020, he was appointed as the Country Manager for Africa and Indian Ocean and was responsible for the growth of the airline’s business and operations in the region.

26/06/21 Drishti Pant/People Matters

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SIA offers carbon emission offset to passengers contributing to environmental projects in India, Indonesia, Nepal

Passengers flying on Singapore Airlines (SIA) or low-cost carrier Scoot from Friday will be able to offset their share of the flight's carbon emissions by contributing to environmental projects in India, Indonesia and Nepal, according to a media report.

The passengers will be able to do so by buying carbon offsets from dedicated microsites before or after a flight, The Straits Times reported.

The projects include a rainforest preservation project in Central Kalimantan on Borneo island part of Indonesia, solar power projects in India and projects that distribute efficient and clean-burning stoves to rural homes in Nepal, the report said.

These projects are verified at the highest international standards as well as by independent third parties.

The projects are issued with carbon offsets, each with a unique serial number, equivalent to the amount of emission they reduce, the report said.

This is part of a voluntary programme launched by SIA Group on Friday, which will enable customers across the group's passenger and cargo airlines to offset their carbon emissions.

The group operates the national carrier and its subsidiary Scoot, both of which have flights to India.

The microsite for SIA Cargo customers will be available from next month, and corporate customers will be able to participate in the programme from the fourth quarter of this year.

SIA and Scoot will match the offsets that their passengers buy for six months after the programme's launch.

From the fourth quarter of this year, passengers will also be able to use their KrisFlyer miles and HighFlyer points to buy carbon offsets.

Both KrisFlyer and HighFlyer are mileage discounts offer to regular fliers.

25/06/21 PTI/New Indian Express

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Air France inaugural Chennai-Paris direct flight on June 28

Chennai: Air France will launch direct flight services between Chennai and Paris from June 28. The inaugural flight will take off from the Anna International Airport here at 0120 hrs on Monday morning, airport sources said. 

 The first flight from Paris will take off at 1025 hrs tomorrow and land here at 1145 PM in the night. After a day's rest for the crew members, the first flight will depart from Chennai on Monday.

Chennai will be Air France's four Indian destination. Till date, passengers from Chennai have to take a connecting flight in Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru to reach the Paris from where the Airline is operating. Initially, Air France will operate the flight once in a week in view of the restrictions imposed by the Indian government due to the COVID pandemic-induced lockdown. 

Airport sources said from July eight onwards the flight will arrive from Paris on Thursdays and depart on Saturdays. Once the government restores International flight services, Air France would be operating three flights a week. The 9 hour 50 minute flight (AF108) will be operated with a 276-seater three-class configured Boeing 787-9. 

25/06/21 UNI

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Zambian woman arrested with drugs worth Rs 7.50 crore

Mumbai: A 31-year-old Zambian national was caught by the Directorate Revenue of Intelligence for smuggling 700 grams of cocaine worth Rs 7.50 crore.

This is the second seizure of drugs by the DRI Mumbai.

Last week the DRI had arrested another Zambian national in a case of seizure of 3 kgs worth Rs 30 crore of heroin at Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport at Mumbai.

Officials said that such successive seizures of narcotics substances indicate desperation of narco gangs to smuggle drugs inside India even during the period when the frequency of international flights is reduced due to Covid-lockdown.

The supply side is adversely impacted during lockdown and cocaine being a drug of choice for the elite commands a higher price during such times.

The DRI arrested Emile Mulinde, who was travelling from Addis Ababa to Mumbai on Thursday.

The officials on the suspicion apprehended her at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai.

She was booked under the NDPS act, produced before the local court and remanded to jail custody July 8.

The officials said that on specific intelligence the DRI officials on Thursday detained Emeli who had arrived by Ethiopian Airways flight from Addis Ababa to Mumbai.

Officials said that she was carrying a black colour luggage back in which she had a specially stitched pocket in her brown ladies purse kept inside her checked-in baggage.

On tearing that open 700 Gms of white colored powder wrapped in blue colored packaging was recovered.

"The material recovered tested positive for the presence of Cocaine, valued at Rs 7.35 crore in the illicit market. The recovered Cocaine was seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985," said an official.

25/06/21 Ahmed Ali/Times of India

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Murari Jalan, the man with links to Gupta brothers, now behind Jet Airways revival

More than half a year after he gatecrashed the Indian aviation space, Murari Jalan, the man who breathed life into the bidding process of Jet Airways, is still an individual shrouded in mystery. The man is again making headlines as the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Tuesday gave its nod to the Jalan-Kalrock Consortium's bid for the airline and the resolution professional is hopeful that the carrier will be back in the skies by the end of this year.

Reportedly, Ranchi, Jharkhand-born Jalan lives by the adage "don’t put all your eggs in one basket". His business interests span across diverse sectors like real estate, mining, trading, construction, fast moving consumer goods, dairy, travel & tourism, and industrial works. Hence, an investment in the aviation sector seems to be a natural progression. Similarly, his investments also span across geographies—from Russia to Uzbekistan to the UAE and India. 

Jalan began his career in the 1980s Calcutta taking over his family's paper trading business. Jalan have also reportedly worked as a trader for established manufacturers such as JK Paper and Ballarpur Industries. After a successful stint at paper trading, he is said to have set up a business in photo imaging and distribution of its equipment. 

Once Jalan moved his base to the UAE, he quickly expanded to sectors such as real estate, mining, fast-moving consumer goods, and construction. He was chairman of the Agio Image group, which sold and distributed photographic and consumer products of well-known companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Konica.

According to various media reports, Jalan acquired Kolkata-based Kanoi Paper and Industries and renamed it to Agio Paper in 2003 to expand his paper trading business. Later in 2015, Jalan acquired stake in the company of Dr. Naresh Trehan and Associates Health Services for Rs 75 crore. Yet, little is known about his story to riches. 

Interestingly, Jalan has been focused on Uzbekistan, a part of erstwhile Soviet Union, after having significant investments in the country capital of Tashkent. It is learnt that his real estate development company, ‘M J Developers’, has contributed to the infrastructural development of Namangan and Bukhara cities in the country that gained independence in 1991. 

"An investor is always on the lookout for opportunities. We have always been attracted to investing in developing markets for the new and fresh challenges and excitement it brings and the growth scalability It offers compared to saturated markets of the Gulf & West. Moreover, we are fascinated by the region’s culture, tradition," Jalan was quoted by an online portal in response to a question on his interest in Uzbekistan. 

Headquartered in Dubai, MJ Developers' main businesses span over countries such as Russia, Brazil, and India. 

News reports also give cues to "mysterious yet unestablished links" between Jalan and Patanjali Ayurved owned by Baba Ramdev. Reportedly, there are documents with Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs which show that the company of Murari Lal would be involved in trading, export, distribution, and marketing of milk products, health foods, herbal medicines and ayurvedic cosmetic items for Patanjali. "Regardless of these claims, the company never opened, and the founders never looked back on it. We do know that Patanjali Ayurved is owned by the yoga guru, Baba Ramdev. However, it is not clear whether the two companies are linked in some way," a report in Marketfeed says.

The Jalan family also has close ties with the Gupta brothers (Ajay, Atul, Rajesh Gupta) of South Africa who are facing serious charges of corruption in that country. Shashank Singhal, son of Atul Gupta, is married to Jalan's niece Shivangi.

24/06/21 The Week

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International flyers struggle with travel rules

Panaji: The varying norms surrounding international air travel requiring Covid-negative certificates have added pressure on already hassled travellers.In one such incident, a fully-vaccinated traveller from Goa who had booked a Goa-Delhi-Bahrain trip with a layover of five hours in Delhi, was denied permission to fly onwards from Delhi to Bahrain after airline officials refused to honour his Covid-19 RT-PCR negative certificate that was cleared for travel in Goa by the same airline. Both flights were on a single itinerary.

Stuck in Delhi since June 19, Andrew Gomez had to find accommodation and bear additional financial burdens as he, along with 10 others, wasn’t permitted to board the AI-939 Delhi-Bahrain flight at 11.05pm on June 19.

“If my Covid-negative certificate was accepted by Air India in Goa, there’s no reason why the same airline shouldn’t have let me board in Delhi,” he told TOI.

According to information on the website of the Indian bureau of immigration, all passengers travelling to Bahrain are required to carry a negative RT-PCR report that should be validated and certified by an ICMR-accredited lab and conducted within 48 hours of departure.

Gomez got his RT-PCR test done in Goa on June 17, received the results the next day, and travelled to Delhi on June 19 with the certificate.

Shalini, another passenger who was scheduled to travel on the same flight to Bahrain, was shocked when she was told by the airline’s staff that her negative RT-PCR report was valid only until 8.10pm on June 19. She had arrived at Delhi airport from Coimbatore by 7.50pm, in time to catch the 11.05pm Bahrain-bound flight. “They waited until I reached Delhi and then said I could not board the flight to Bahrain. Why wasn’t I stopped from travelling at Coimbatore itself? Also, it takes at least 24 hours for RT-PCR results to be declared. So, does that mean that passengers who spend exorbitant amounts on international flight tickets should take a gamble and go for an RT-PCR test just a day prior to their travel? ” Shalini said.

24/06/21 Lisa Monteiro/Times of India

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Indian airlines say flight suspension from India to UAE to continue until July 6

Indian citizens trying to return to Dubai remained grounded on Wednesday, because airlines said they had not yet received approval from UAE authorities.

Air India said it did not have permission to sell tickets or allow passengers to board flights to Dubai.

Emirates said it was waiting for "travel protocols and relevant permits from the government authorities before resuming our flights from India to Dubai", in tweets to passengers.

Dubai authorities on Saturday said fully vaccinated Indians with UAE residency visas would be permitted to travel from June 23.

The UAE stopped passengers travelling from India on April 25 amid a surge in cases and the emergence of the Delta variant of Covid-19.

A handful of exceptions included diplomats, Emiratis and golden visa holders.

P P Singh, regional manager for Air India and Air India Express, said bookings for flights from India had not opened.

“We are waiting for formal instructions from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority," he told The National.

"As of now, there is no change in the restrictions. There have been no new instructions to the airlines."

The airline repeated a previous advisory that flights were suspended until July 6.

“In view of travel restrictions announced by the UAE government, flights between India and UAE are suspended till 6th July. Please keep a watch on our Twitter handle and website for further updates,” the airline said on Twitter.

One Air India flight landed in Dubai from Amritsar, northern India, on Wednesday.

Flights to Dubai are allowed to carry passengers who are exempt from the travel restrictions, including diplomats and residents with golden visas.

Anil Punjabi, chairman of the Travel Agents Federation of India in the eastern region, said travel groups were flooded with calls asking for updates.

“They fulfil the criteria of having a double dose of vaccine but they are stranded," he said.

23/06/21 Ramola Talwar Badam/National

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Lessons not yet learned: reflecting on the bombing of Air India 182

Written for Daily Hive by Taleeb Noormohamed, former Director of the Review of the Bombing of Air India 182. He is a community volunteer and the CEO of a major online marketplace for apparel and home goods:

While working for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, I had the honour and privilege to act as the Director of the Review of the Bombing of Air India 182 and Special Advisor to Bob Rae, the Independent Advisor to Minister McLellan, in the aftermath of the “not guilty” verdict in the bombers’ trial.

Our role was to identify deficiencies in Canada’s national security organizations and recommend institutional and policy changes to prevent future attacks. Most importantly, we vowed the victims would never be forgotten. This work was one small way that we could honour the memory of those who died so tragically.

Our report, “Lessons to Be Learned,” detailed the victims’ families’ anger that “this tragedy has been insufficiently understood & embraced as a Canadian event.” We worked to try and change this by memorializing each of the victims, working hand in hand with the victims’ families, who couldn’t have been more dignified or patient with us through the lengthy – and sometimes humiliating – process.

We pushed to establish June 23 as a National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terror and to build memorials to the victims in Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and in Ireland, where the plane came down to its watery grave, along with 329 innocent souls.

We built each memorial with love, and most importantly, with the guidance and direction of the victims’ families. This ought to have been an easy process – who would oppose a memorial to the victims of Canada’s most devastating terrorist attack?

Unfortunately, we learned it would not be as simple as we had hoped. When we sought to build the Vancouver memorial, there were staff of the Vancouver Park Board who fought hard against having the victims’ names included, worried about the “controversy” these names on a memorial might cause. We were only able to make the named memorial a reality by enticing the Park Board with funding to build a new play area for kids – something the Board wanted to do but couldn’t afford, to be built alongside the proposed memorial in Stanley Park. The children’s park would act as a way to remember the 86 children who perished in the bombing – but also, sadly, to incentivize the Park Board to agree to the victims’ names appearing on the memorial.

The families fought hard to explain to officials the magnitude of the tragedy and its impact. Decency eventually prevailed, but that process was yet another insult to these families who had been let down by governments at all levels, for decades, who couldn’t see this problem as Canadian. The very sight of their loved ones’ names on the memorial was perceived as controversial. I often ask myself if the response might have been different had the names been more ‘Smith’ or ‘Wilson’ instead of ‘Singh’ or ‘Lakshmanan.’

Thanks to the hard work of these family members, the memorials now stand, yet still, the Air India bombing gets nowhere near the remembrance it deserves. A plot, hatched in Canada, in the worst terror attack ever perpetrated against Canadians – 280 of them killed – and 86 children murdered. Despite that, this horror is left out of the history of Canada in our schools or universities.

Today, at a time when we are more aware than ever of the impact of systemic racism and of our own unconscious biases, the Air India tragedy stands as an important lesson from which we have so much more yet to learn.

23/06/21 Negin Nia/DH News

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Cork remembers victims of Air India bombing

The victims of the 1985 Air India bombing were remembered by the people of Cork in a virtual ceremony today, on the 36th anniversary of the terrorist attack which took place off the west coast of Cork

All 329 passengers and crew on board Flight 182 from Montreal to New Delhi were killed when a bomb placed by Sikh terrorists exploded on the Boeing 747 about 160km off the Irish coast.

The ceremony, which usually takes place at the memorial garden in Ahakista, Co Cork, had to take place online for a second year as a result of international travel restrictions.

The memorial garden in Ahakista is dedicated to all those who died on board Air India flight 182 and has since become a cherished place for families to visit and remember their loved ones.

Cork County Mayor Cllr Mary Linehan Foley joined Canadian ambassador Nancy Smyth, and Indian ambassador Sandeep Kumar, together with Dr Padmini Turlapati, mother to victims Sanjay and Deepak Turlapati, for the online commemoration.

Cork County Council and the embassies to Ireland of India and Canada laid wreaths at Ahakista on behalf of the families of the victims and the respective nations, marking the 36th anniversary of the terrorist attack.

Marian Carey, principal of Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, laid a wreath on behalf of the school, while students of Rusnacahara National School participated in the form of a musical recital.

Speaking at the commemoration, Mayor Linehan Foley said: “The devastating event that took place off the West Cork Coast brought tragedy to the lives of many families and brought the nations of Ireland, India and Canada together in mourning. 

The experience has taught us the importance of solidarity when faced with tragedy. Thirty six years on, solidarity has come to the fore of our relationships again, as we support each other through the global pandemic. 

"We will continue to show solidarity and support one another through our current struggles, so that we may come together at Ahakista again.”

23/06/21 Emer Walh/Irish Examiner

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Air India to resume flight operations from UAE June 24 onwards

Dubai: India's national carrier Air India will resume its flight operations from UAE Thursday onwards, weeks after the nation had suspended incoming flights from India due to the surge in coronavirus cases, an official statement said on Wednesday.

“Effective June 24, 2021 (10:00am) all Air India flights will operate from Terminal-1 of Dubai International Airport (DXB). All passengers booked to travel on or after June 24 are requested to report at Dubai Terminal-1,” Air India said in a statement here.

All passengers booked to travel on or after June 24 are requested to report at Dubai Terminal-1.

23/06/21 Times of India

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Kingfisher Airlines resolution: These lenders would benefit the most

Heineken International, the Dutch multinational brewing company has acquired an additional 14.99 percent stake in United Breweries Limited (UBL) via a block deal. This comes a day after the UBL sought exemption from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to buy an additional stake in the Bangalore-based company.

These shares were in the possession of the Debt Recovery Tribunal since they were a part of the Kingfisher Airlines deal as collateral to banks. Now, the money from the sale of these shares will be passed on to banks.

According to Nomura, Kingfisher owed nearly Rs 7,000 crore to the banking sector. The lenders that had classified Kingfisher Airlines as a non-performing asset (NPA) will benefit from this resolution.

The banks with the highest exposure in absolute value are the State Bank of India (SBI). SBI had an exposure of over Rs 2,000 crore, followed by Punjab National Bank (PNB) with Rs 1,230 crore, and IDBI Bank that had Rs 890 crore.

However, banks that will benefit the most as a percentage of gross NPA are UCO Bank, IDBI Bank, Federal Bank. These three banks will see gross NPA improve anywhere between 2.5-3 percent level.

23/06/21 CNBC-TV18

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Air India Express updates travel guidelines for passengers to Qatar

Dubai: Budget Indian carrier Air India Express on Wednesday announced revised travel protocol for passengers flying to Doha, Qatar.

The guidelines include carrying a negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate and a mandatory booking of a hotel room from a specific portal for 10 days, among others.

> Carry a valid negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate obtained from an ICMR-approved or a certified lab

> The test (sample collection) must have been conducted within 48 hours prior to the departure from the origin

> Download the Ehteraz app in your smartphone

> Carry printed copies of the following: a) Negative PCR test certificate, b) proof of hotel booking for mandatory quarantine, c) exceptional entry permit, d) filled-up undertaking and health assessment forms

> Fully vaccinated passengers shall hold a printed copy of their vaccination certificate

> Book a hotel room for a 10-day mandatory quarantine only through ‘Discover Qatar’ portal.

23/06/21 Khaleej Times

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India-UAE flights suspended until July 6: Air India

Air India on Wednesday told passengers that scheduled passenger flights from India to UAE are suspended until July 6, 2021.

"In view of travel restrictions announced by the UAE government, flights between India and UAE are suspended till July 6, 2021. Please keep a watch on our Twitter handle and website for further updates," India's national carrier said in a tweet in response to a passenger's query.

The airline earlier said that it will resume flying to Terminal 1 of the Dubai International airport.

"Effective June 24, 2021, all Air India flights will arrive and depart from Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport," the airline said on its website.

Dubai Airports on Sunday said it would reopen Terminal 1 at Dubai International Airport on Thursday after a 15-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

23/06/21 Khaleej Times

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1985 Kanishka bombing showed heavy cost Khalistani terrorism could inflict on humanity: Indian envoy

The horrific terrorist bombing of Air India flight AI 182 in 1985 has revealed to the world the "heavy cost" that Khalistani terrorism could inflict on the humanity, the Indian envoy to Canada has said as he paid tributes to the 329 victims on the 36th anniversary of the 'Kanishka' tragedy.

Joining the families and friends of the victims in paying homage to all those who fell to the barbaric act of terrorism, most of them Canadians of Indian descent, on Wednesday, High Commissioner of India to Canada Ajay Bisaria said it remains the worst terrorist attack on Canada and no religion, faith or cause can justify such violence.

"The majority of the victims were Canadians, and the bombing was the result of a conspiracy conceived, planned and executed in Canada. This was principally a Canadian tragedy, a British tragedy, an American tragedy, a global tragedy. It is fitting that Canada commemorates this day as National Day of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism. No religion, faith or cause can justify such violence," he said.

"This terrible incident revealed to the world the heavy cost that Khalistani terrorism could inflict on humanity," he said in his message.

The Montreal-New Delhi Air India 'Kanishka' Flight 182 exploded 45 minutes before it was to have landed at London's Heathrow Airport on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 people on board, most of them Canadians of Indian descent.

The bombing was blamed on Sikh militants in retaliation to 'Operation Blue Star' to flush out militants from the Golden Temple in 1984.

The Indian envoy, who paid tributes to the victims of the bombing at Commissioner's Park here, said the most enduring memorial to the victims will be rededicating to fighting and eliminating terrorism and militancy with strong determination and joint action.

The high commissioner also thanked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his message on the solemn anniversary, which is also recognised in Canada as the National Day of Remembrance for victims of terrorism.

The Consul General of India in Vancouver, Manish, visited the memorial at Stanley Park in Vancouver; Consul General of India in Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava, visited the memorials at Queen's Park and Humber Park in Toronto; the Representative of India to ICAO, Shefali Juneja, visited the memorial in Montreal to pay homage to the victims.

Representatives of victims of families were present at all the memorials. The gatherings were kept small to respect social distancing norms in view of COVID-19 pandemic related health measures.

24/06/21 PTI/Economic Times

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Kochi turning transit hub for foreign drug cartels

Kochi: Kochi seems to be becoming a transit hub for international drug cartels, assesses the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) that seized 2.9kg of heroin from a Zimbabwean national after interrogating her. According to officials, smuggling of heroin from Africa is a new route adopted by cartels.The Zimbabwean woman, identified as Chigwaza Sharon, was intercepted by the NCB team on arrival at Kochi airport on Saturday. The officials are checking whether similar consignments of heroin had transited through Kochi before through other carriers.

“The drug ring members change their transit routes frequently. When the crackdown in other major international airports in the country intensifies, they use smaller international airports like Kochi for the transit. For them, the main challenge is to exit the airports with the drugs in India. Thereafter, they take flights to domestic airports where checking will not be as intense as in international airports. In some cases, after landing in a place like Kochi, the gang members take interstate buses and trains for transit. The drugs are not meant for supplying in Kerala, but destined for Bengaluru, Goa, New Delhi and Mumbai where the main receivers are based,” a Customs official said.

As per the data with the prison department, 52 foreign prisoners have been lodged in various jails in Kerala now. Of them, four are convicted and 48 others are on trial. Two of the four convicted persons were involved in NDPS cases. Of the 48 undertrial prisoners, 12 were involved in NDPS cases. In the 2017-2018 period, NCB had registered five cases in Kochi in which people mainly from South American countries — Venezuela, Paraguay and El Salvador — were arrested in separate cocaine seizure incidents. A Paraguay citizen, Alexis R Fernandez, was sentenced recently to 12 years of jail for smuggling cocaine. Recently, two incidents of heroin recovery from Sri Lankan fishing boats were reported off the Kerala coast.

According to the NCB, the heroin extracted from illegal poppy cultivation in Afghanistan was smuggled into India via Pakistan earlier through the porous borders in Northwest India and Jammu and Kashmir. The sea routes used were also busted. “Though African nationals had been booked in drug smuggling cases earlier, they were mostly involved in bringing cocaine and synthetic drugs. The seizure of opium-derived heroin brought via Africa is a new trend,” a source said.

23/06/21 Toby Antony/New Indian Express

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Nair: Air India tragedy grows dimmer in Canadian memory with each passing year

Few Canadians will recognize June 23 as the anniversary of Canada’s worst instance of domestic terrorism. Many do not know that on that date in 1985, a bomb tore through the cargo hold of Air India 182 while in mid-flight, killing all 329 aboard. Among the dead were 280 Canadians. While June 23 was eventually declared the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, this tragedy grows dimmer in Canadian memory with each passing year. 

Meera Nair writes >>

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Empire Aviation Group names new global head of aircraft sales & acquisitions

Dubai: Empire Aviation Group, the Dubai-based private aviation specialist providing aircraft management services, aircraft sales and charter, and CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation), has announced the appointment of Matthieu Chavrot as the global Director of Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions.

 Empire Aviation manages one of the largest mixed fleets of business jets in the Middle East, and continues to develop its portfolio of services. Matthieu Chavrot will focus on sales and acquisitions as global demand for business jets increases, driven by the current global travel restrictions and the growing appreciation of the privacy, freedom and controlled environment offered by private aviation.

 According to Empire Aviation, the global private aviation market has been very active over the last 18 months, as the pandemic helped increase the recognition of the benefits of private aviation, creating new and sustainable opportunities in sales and acquisitions. The current challenge is the diminishing inventory of high quality pre-owned aircraft for buyers looking for a fast acquisition. Empire Aviation is aiming to build the same professional reputation in aircraft sales as it has successfully done in aircraft management.

 Chavrot commented: “There are now more people able to afford to buy business jets and prepared to invest to reap the benefits of convenience, privacy and flexibility. They are also seeking the additional benefits of low touchpoints and the health and safety advantages of traveling in small, private groups. These buyers need fast and efficient professional support in what can be complex transactions for high value assets. Buyers may also be interested in our management services and this capability means we can also provide impartial advice about the ongoing operational costs, before committing, in a consultative approach to sales and acquisitions. For buyers, this means looking closely at the client’s mission types, aircraft age preference and budget.”

 Empire Aviation completes the sale or acquisition of several business jets each year and has recently completed two sales in India, one on behalf of an existing owner, while the other was a sale-only transaction for a new client.  Of the company’s managed fleet, around half the business jets have been acquired on behalf of the owners by the Empire Aviation team.

Paras P. Dhamecha, Founder and Managing Director of Empire Aviation Group, added: “Private aviation is a people business and we are delighted to welcome Matthieu to the team. His experience and connections will be invaluable as we continue to develop our sales and acquisition capabilities to support our managed aircraft owners, who also buy and sell aircraft, as well as for the broader global market. Our aim is to ensure the same high quality professional approach that has proved so successful in aircraft management and charter, as trusted advisors and partners to our clients.”

22/06/21 Trade Arabia

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Air India to fly to Dubai airport T1 from June 24

Dubai: India's national carrier Air India will resume flying to Terminal 1 of the Dubai International Airport, the airline said.

"Effective June 24, 2021 (10am), all Air India flights will arrive and depart from Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport," the airline said on its website.

Dubai Airports on Sunday said it would reopen Terminal 1 at Dubai International Airport on Thursday after a 15-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Over 40 international airlines will now gradually shift operations to the reopened terminal, the airport's main facility for foreign airlines, from terminal 2 and 3, it said.

Terminal 1, where the airport's Concourse D is located, has an annual passenger capacity of 18 million passengers. The airport, a major international transit hub, is capable of handling up to 100 million passengers a year.

"On June 24, 2021, the Terminal 1 and Concourse D facilities at Dubai International (DXB) will be reopening. To ensure we continue to offer a safe, smooth and easy airport journey for all our guests, we will be moving the operations of some airlines from Terminal 3 over to Terminal 1," Dubai Airports said on its website.

22/06/21 Khaleej Times

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Canada’s travel ban from India extended

Canada has extended the travel ban for all direct passenger and business flights from India until July 21, 2021, but not from Pakistan.

The travel ban from both countries first went into place on April 22 for 30 days, until May 22, and was extended another 30 days until June 21.

Cargo flights carrying vaccines and protective equipment are exempt from this decision, and will continue to be allowed into Canada.

Travellers from India may still be able to come to Canada. However, they will have to travel via an indirect route, and will need to get a COVID-19 test from their last point of departure. This means that they will need to have a long layover in a third country.

Travellers from Pakistan, however, are allowed to come to Canada, and are not subject to a flight ban.

“Given the number of COVID-19 cases continue to be very high in India, we have extended our flight restrictions for this country,” Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra said, “We will continue to assess the evolving situation and determine appropriate action going forward.”

Last week, Canada’s border restrictions with all countries including the U.S. have been extended until July 21, 2021. Public safety minister, Bill Blair, confirmed the news via a tweet.

21/06/21 Mohanad Moetaz/CIC News

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Gigaba disputes former SAA CEO's testimony on meeting with Jet Airways

Johannesburg: Former Minister Malusi Gigaba said that he couldn’t remember waiting for Indian airline Jet Airways for two hours even though former SAA CEO Sizakele Mzimela said that it happened.

The Indian airline and the Guptas wanted SAA to close its Johannesburg to Mumbai route so that the company would operate it.

Gigaba was continuing with his testimony at the state capture commission on Monday where he said he didn’t think he waited that long.

Mzimela told the commission how when the Jet Airways people finally arrived, they were rude and how Gigaba was silent while his advisor, Siyabonga Mahlangu, was disrespectful and berated SAA for continuing to operate the Johannesburg-Mumbai route.

Mzimela said that Mahlangu demanded that SAA should enter into an agreement with Jet Airways.

“Why didn't you stop these people quite early to say ‘You're not coming here and behaving like this. This is unacceptable. If you want to talk SAA business then we are here, but you are not going to be allowed to behave like this.’ Why didn't you do it?” commission chair Raymond Zondo asked the former minister.

And he replied: “I am not accustomed to interjecting people while they're talking to a person. And it was not my practice or way of chairing meetings. I would let you speak and then I would call you to order once you have finished.”

Gigaba said he didn’t intervene when Mahlangu was allegedly disrespectful because he believed it was robust debate.

21/06/21 Nthakoana Ngatane/EWN

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State capture inquiry: Spotlight on Gupta-linked Jet Airways deal

Johannesburg: Former Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba denies he kept silent at a meeting when SAA was pressured to sign a Gupta-linked Mumbai deal.

In 2019, former SAA CEO Sizakele Mzimela told the Zondo Commission that she was disappointed when Gigaba failed to support her against the Jet Airways representative's demands.

When asked why he waited for the deputy minister to object to an unruly attendant while chairing a meeting, Gigaba said: "I am not accustomed to interjecting people when they are talking.

"It's not my way of chairing a meeting," he said.

Gigaba said he supported the deputy minister's objection when it had been made.

21/06/21 eNCA

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Indian national sentenced in US for abusive sexual contact aboard airplane

Washington: A 29-years-old Indian national has been convicted by a federal jury of abusive sexual contact aboard an airplane and sentenced to two years of imprisonment, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.

Siva K Durbesula was convicted by the jury of abusive sexual contact aboard an airplane, the Acting US Attorney for the District of South Carolina M Rhett DeHart said.

According to filed court documents, witness testimony and evidence presented at trial, on June 23, 2019 Durbesula was a passenger aboard a flight from Chicago O’Hare airport to Myrtle Beach.

Over the course of the flight, Durbesula sexually assaulted a 22-year-old female who was seated next to him. As the victim testified at trial, Durbesula pulled her toward him and groped her repeatedly midflight.

Court records show that after the flight crew moved Durbesula away from the victim, Durbesula asked to return to his previous seat so he could speak to the victim again, the media statement said.

During the trial, prosecutors also presented the testimony of a second victim, who testified that on March 21, 2019 – approximately three months prior to the assault on the airplane – Durbesula pinned her into the corner on a New York City subway train and groped her.

22/06/21 Lalit K Jha/Outlook

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NCB arrests Zimbabwean woman with 2.9 kg heroin

Kochi: A 30-year-old Zimbabwean woman has been arrested for allegedly smuggling nearly 3kg heroin through Cochin International Airport here, the Narcotics Control Bureau said here on Monday.

Acting on a specific intelligence input, officers of NCB Cochin Sub Zonal Unit, seized 2.91 kg Heroin from the baggage of the Zimbabwean woman who arrived at the Airport from Johannesburg on June 19.

NCB officers intercepted the woman named Sharon Chigwaza and found the contraband concealed in the specially made false bottom of her trolley bag on her arrival, the agency said in a release.

She was scheduled to travel to Delhi soon after her arrival in Kochi, it said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the source of the seized contraband was Johannesburg, where it was handed over to her by a Nigerian living in South Africa and the destination was Delhi via Doha-Cochin-Bangalore, the release said.

21/06/21 PTI/Outlook

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Tanzanian held with 3 kg heroin at Hyderabad Airport

Hyderabad: In the second major drug haul this month, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Monday seized three kg heroin from a Tanzanian national who landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

Acting on a tip-off, the DRI sleuths checked the baggage of the passenger who arrived from Johannesburg via Doha. They recovered white power concealed beneath the base of his bag.

After examination, the DRI officials found it to be heroin. The three kg drug is said to be valued at Rs 19.5 crore.

DRI officials arrested the passenger under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985 and took up further investigations.

In the first week of June, the DRI had arrested two women passengers from Zambia and Uganda and seized around 12 kg of heroin worth Rs 78 crore from them.

The drug was seized in two separate incidents. The woman from Uganda was arrested on June 5 when she came to the airport to collect her baggage which she claimed was missing. She had landed in Hyderabad from Zimbabwe via Johannesburg and Doha a few days ago. The DRI sleuths found about four kg of heroin concealed in the specially designed suitcase.

21/06/21 IANS/Daijiworld

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As UAE eases travel curbs, Trichy-Dubai flights may resume

Trichy: After Kuwait eased Covid-19 protocols for passengers from other countries a few days back, which will come into effect from August, UAE has introduced new entry protocols for passengers from India and two other countries.

The move is expected to restore flights between Dubai and Trichy to pre-second wave times two months ago. The supreme committee of crisis and disaster management of Dubai has announced new protocol for passengers which will come into effect from June 23.

The move will benefit people from Tamil Nadu and Kerala the most who had returned during the second wave and were awaiting flights operations to resume to get back.

The urban primary health centre (UPHC) at Periya Milaguparai, close to the bus stand, has been designated exclusively to vaccinate people intending to make international travel. They will be vaccinated with Covishield and can get their second dose after 28 days at the UPHC. For others, the second dose is administered only after 84 days. After losing his job in Dubai during the second wave, S Kadarshah Mustafa, 50, from Lalgudi returned in April. “Considering my experience, my employer offered me employment visa a couple of weeks back, but I was unable to join because of travel restrictions,” he said. Passengers travelling to Dubai should get rapid PCR test four hours prior to their departure. They will also have to undergo another PCR test on arrival in Dubai. On arrival, passengers from India should undergo institutional quarantine until they receive their PCR test result, which is expected within 24 hours.

21/06/21 Times of India

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UAE travel: Compulsory RT-PCR test 4 hours prior to departure comes as a downer to Kerala expats

While the UAE partially lifting the travel ban on Indians has come as a huge relief to Kerala expats, they are beset by several uncertainties and confusions. Although the Covishield vaccine, administered in Kerala, has been approved by the UAE, the compulsory RT-PCR test four hours prior to departure has come as a major dampener.

Only if there is a testing facility available at the airport or nearby, can the expats undergo the  RT-PCR test four hours prior to departure. However, there are no such testing facilities available in airports in Kerala.

While the state government has began discussions on arranging lab facilities at airports, including the TrueNAT test which gives results within an hour, the permission of various agencies, including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is required for this.

The government is considering getting temporary permission and set up facilities for COVID-19 tests. For now, only a few airports, including Chennai airport, has facilities arranged for conducting tests.

Besides, there is no clarity on travel of children who have not been vaccinated. No decision has also come about on the return of those whose visa period has expired as they have been staying in Kerala for over six months.

21/06/21 Raju Mathew/The Week

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Indian carriers yet to open flight bookings to Dubai

Indian airlines are yet to open bookings for travel to Dubai and other destinations in the absence of any official notification from UAE authorities on allowing the resumption of flight operations from India, airline officials said.

UAE airlines such as Emirates and Flydubai, however, are to resume passenger flights from Indian cities later this week, following the announcement by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management on Saturday on reopening travel from the country.

The resumption of travel from India will be open to only certain categories of passengers and will be done under strict Covid-19 health and safety protocols.

“Flight bookings to Dubai and other destinations in the UAE have not started yet as our Dubai office has no official message [from the UAE authorities] on resumption of flight operations,” a senior Air India Express official told Arabian Business.

“Our local airport managers [in Dubai] are in touch with the UAE authorities on this,” they added.

Air India Express was operating the maximum number of flights to the UAE prior to the flight ban from April 24 under the ‘air bubble’ arrangement between the two countries.

21/06/21 James Mathew/Arabian Business

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Air India has time till mid-July to challenge Cairn Energy's lawsuit

New Delhi: Air India has time till mid-July to challenge the lawsuit filed by Britain's Cairn Energy PLC demanding that a US federal court force the airline to pay a USD 1.26 billion arbitration award it had won against the Indian government in December last year, sources said.

Air India is controlled by the Indian government so much that they are "alter egos", Cairn had said in the lawsuit filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The court should hold the airline company liable for the arbitration award, the company had said.

A three-member international arbitration tribunal that consisted of one judge appointed by India had unanimously in December overturned levy of taxes on Cairn retrospectively and ordered refund of shares sold, dividend confiscated and tax refunds withheld to recover such demand.

The government of India, despite participating in the arbitration proceeding over four years, has not accepted the award and has filed a 'setting aside' petition in a court in The Netherlands - the seat of the arbitration.

With Cairn seeking to recover the award from state-owned entities such as Air India, the government has said it will contest any enforcement.

Air India has time till mid-July to file a plea contesting Cairn lawsuit, three sources aware of the matter said.

The airline, which is in the process of being privatised, is likely to argue that it is a separate entity and not the alter ego of the Indian government and cannot be forced to pay for any liability of the government, they said.

Cairn has identified USD 70 billion of Indian assets overseas for potential seizure to collect award, which now totals to USD 1.72 billion after including interest and penalty.

The assets identified range from Air India's planes to vessels belonging to the Shipping Corporation of India, and properties owned by state banks to oil and gas cargoes of PSUs, the sources said.

These assets are across several jurisdictions, they said without giving further details.

20/06/21 PTI/Business Standard

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UAE's Emirates airline to resume flights from India to Dubai from June 23

As Dubai eases travel curbs for passengers from India, Emirates airline said it will resume flights connecting India, South Africa and Nigeria to the city from June 23.

"Emirates welcomes the latest protocols and measures announced by Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management to allow the safe resumption of passenger travel from South Africa, Nigeria and India to Dubai and onwards," said the airline's spokesperson in a statement.

On Saturday, the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai said that the passengers from India with a valid residence visa who have received two doses of a UAE-approved vaccine will be allowed to travel to Dubai, Gulf News reported.

They should also present a negative test certificate from a PCR test taken 48 hours before departure.

We will resume carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India in accordance with these protocols from 23rd June," said Emirates.

"We thank the Supreme Committee for their continuous efforts in monitoring the development of the situation and announcing the appropriate guidelines and protocols to protect the community and safeguard the travel sector," it added.

20/06/21 ANI/Business Standard

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Kerala gold smuggling case: Customs issues show-cause notice to 53 people

The Customs probing the Kerala gold smuggling case has issued show-cause notices to 53 people including prime accused Swapna Suresh, suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar and two former diplomats in the UAE consulate, Thiruvananthapuram, official sources said here on Sunday. The notices asking why action under Customs Act should not be taken against them in the smuggling cases were issued by Customs (Preventive) Commissioner Sumit Kumar on June 16.

The case against them involves smuggling of a total of 167 kg of gold 23 times including the illegal trade of 30 kilograms gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore that was seized by the Customs at Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic bag on July 5, 2020, the sources told.

Former UAE Consulate General Jamal al-Zabi and Attach Rashid Khamis Ali were issued notice through the Union Finance Ministry, sources said.

The Finance Ministry will forward the matter to the External Affairs Ministry as it is a matter involving foreign diplomats who have already left the country, they said.

Besides Suresh, six others who were served notices are currently detained under COFEPOSA (the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act).

The key accused who were served notices included Sarith P S, Sandeep Nair and K T Ramees, they said.

The show-cause notices were prepared based on the statements of the accused, the documents that were seized and other evidence collected during the probe.

They have been requested to inform if they desire to be heard in person before the case is adjudicated.

"All these people are given a chance of 30 days for reply," the source said.

20/06/21 PTI/Economic Times

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Massive Chinese ramp-up of aviation facilities in border regions. Should India be worried?

China is building three new airbases and hugely expanding five others from Xinjiang to Tibet in moves that will immensely boost its air power in the event of a conflict with India in Ladakh or Arunachal.

The latest enormous expansion is part of a Chinese military infrastructure building blitz including new ground-based air defences, heliports and rail lines that began after the Doklam standoff in 2017 and have been stepped up following the bloody Galwan encounter and the subsequent India-China standoff.

The expansion is breathtaking in its scale and harkens back to the early 2010s in the South China Sea in terms of how fast Beijing is working to shift the strategic reality in the region on its own terms,” says a joint report by Detresfa, Sim Tack and The Intel Lab published in The Drive/The Warzone.

In the Xinjiang region, China’s building a new air base at Tashkurgan and expanding existing airbases and airports at Kashgar and another city Hotan. Hotan air base is close to the area that separates Aksai Chin and Ladakh. “The expansion of capabilities at Hotan is not a minor adjustment in China’s posture and represents a drastic escalation that is fully oriented toward expanding Chinese airpower in the areas around Ladakh,” says the report in The Warzone.

Close to Arunachal Pradesh, the Chinese are also expanding what used to be a primarily civilian airport at Chengdu Bangda. The airport’s runway, already one of the longest in China, is being extended and underground facilities are being constructed in the mountains next to the airport. The long runway is needed because the airport is situated at 14,219ft and engines don’t function at full efficiency at this elevation because of the rarified atmosphere.

Further away from the border, Lhasa Airport across from Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh is the logistical hub for the region and is also getting 24 new hardened shelters and underground facilities. China also constructed a new dual-use airport at Shigatse Tingri which is close to the Nepal border and about 230km from Doklam, the scene of the India-China standoff in 2018.

Also in Tibet, Ngari Gunsa airbase is getting 12 hardened aircraft shelters and this, says Detresfa in The Warzone, suggests more fighter aircraft could be based there at some point. Currently, there are only four J-11 (Flanker) twin-engined jets stationed at the base.

In addition, satellite imagery, says the report, also shows surface-to-air missiles have been installed at Ngari Gunsa and at other border locations in the region. At Lhasa, a helicopter area has also been built. The Chinese army has put a heavy emphasis on helicopter facilities in the region and also other parts of the country.

Does the Chinese build-up both on the ground and in the air mean India should view China as an implacable foe that might launch hostilities at any time? “At a meta-strategic level, they don’t want conflict,” says Manoj Kewalramani, fellow of China Studies at Takshashila Institution. “But we should not be comfortable assuming they will not do anything here,” he adds. “They know that fighting with India will be costlier than in the 1960s. But they are consolidating their position against India.”

The upgrading of the aviation network is also part of a wider effort to improve both the military and civilian infrastructure in Tibet and Xinjiang.

19/06/21 Paran Balakrishnan/Telegraph

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Faced with travel ban, parents of US-bound Indian students prepare to say goodbye at the airport

Last week, US minister counsellor for consular affairs Don Heflin announced the opening up of student visa appointments in India for those planning to join US universities in the Fall 2021 term. But along with that announcement, he added that parents of students who wanted to accompany them to the country on a visitors’ visas would not be granted visa interviews or be allowed to travel at present.

Tourist travel to the US from India remains prohibited under the proclamation by President Joe Biden which came into effect on May 4, 2021, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis in India. The national interest exception, under which some categories of non-immigrant visa holders are being allowed to enter the US, will not be granted to parents of Indian students, Heflin clarified.

Several parents of Indian students who are now applying for US student visa interviews are worried and disappointed. Delhi-based Harmeet Gujral is anxious ever since she found out that she couldn’t travel to the country with her son, who is joining an undergrad course at University of California San Diego.

"I was planning to travel with my son to help settle him in at the university hostel. He is just 17 and has never been away from home. We don’t have any close family in California who can help him when he gets there either," she told TIMESOFINDIA.com. "This pandemic situation is now very worrying for my family and I, and I’m wondering when I’ll be able to meet my son again after he leaves for the US to join university."

Nivedita Gupta (name changed upon request), too, is disappointed that she cannot accompany her daughter to the US and be a part of the commencement and induction experience at the university. "I have no doubt that my daughter, who is joining an undergrad course at the University of Southern California, will be able to manage on her own. But I would have liked to have been there with her during this important chapter in her life," Gupta said. "It will be very disappointing to say goodbye at the airport in Mumbai."

While many of her friends are facing a similar situation, those who are US citizens can travel with their sons and daughters. And that seems a bit unfair to her.

Gandharv (surname withheld upon request), is joining California's Stanford University for a master’s course. Although he and his parents are disappointed that they will not be able to travel together, they hope that they can visit him later this year or during the summer next year as the pandemic situation in India improves.

Indian students going to study in the US are often accompanied by their parents and siblings during commencement. Family visits are also planned during graduation ceremonies. The US embassy's announcement of not waiving the travel ban for parents has, hence, come as a disappointment. "There is greater concern among parents of students joining undergraduate courses in the US because they are very young. Culturally, Indian families are protective and close-knit. Hence, this has become an issue," said Sumeet Jain, co-founder of overseas education consultancy Yocket.

18/06/21 Ishani Duttagupta/Times of India

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Zambian Woman Held With Heroin Worth Rs 21 Crore At Mumbai Airport

Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday arrested a Zambian woman at the Mumbai airport after seizing three kg of heroin, valued around Rs 21 crore in illicit markets, from her possession, an official said.

The accused was identified as Juliana Mutale who had traveled from Johannesburg to Mumbai via Doha, the official said.

Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials searched her stroller bag and found a packet of heroin.

The woman told the sleuths that somebody handed over the contraband to her in Johannesburg, and it was to be delivered in Mumbai. She confessed to be working as a `mule' (drug carrier) for money, said the official.

17/06/21 PTI/Republic World

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Riyadh and Cairo emerge top destinations for flights from Dubai after India, UK cut off

Dubai: Flights from Dubai to Riyadh and Cairo have climbed to be among the busiest in the world this month as services to Indian cities and London remain curtailed. In June so far, Dubai-Riyadh air route has been the fourth busiest with 165,334 seats, while Cairo-Dubai took 10th spot with 114,045 seats, according to aviation data firm OAG.

Meanwhile, the Jeddah-Riyadh sector is the ninth busiest domestic airline route. “The majority of flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are going to Cairo, Male, Dhaka and even to Delhi and Mumbai,” said George Ferguson, aviation analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. “The [flight] additions are small to places like the Maldives, Istanbul and the Philippines.”

The world's busiest routes for now are between Simferopol in the Ukraine and Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, with 315,835 seats. This was followed by Moscow Domodedovo-Simferopol with over 291,000 seats. The Orlando-San Juan route in the US came in third at 182,499 seats.

Bookings to travel from the UAE to the Subcontinent have plunged 70 per cent since April 23 when the suspension of inbound flights from India was first announced, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). International bookings to the region (from the whole world) declined 47 per cent during the same period.

Flights from India to the UAE are suspended until July 6. “The traffic flows from India and the Subcontinent over the Middle East and into Europe and beyond had been one of the great successes for carriers in the region,” said IATA Director-General Willie Walsh. “Evidence shows that the situation is coming under control.”

Passenger numbers on certain routes are expected to rise due to the setting up of air travel corridors between UAE and several European countries. Emirates airline had announced passengers will be able to fly to Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Russia, Turkey, Spain, and France from June 9 without having to quarantine on arrival.

Dubai’s flagship carrier added that it will operate over 280 weekly flights from Dubai to cities in Europe, US, Middle East, Africa, and other popular island getaways from July.

17/06/21 John Benny/Gulf Times

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Parents charter flights, take detours to drop children to US

Mumbai: If some US-bound students are struggling for visas, parents of some others who are all set to join college this fall (July and August) are leaving no stone unturned to be able to see off their children on campus, even if it means spending a month abroad or travelling round half the world.

On May 1, the US suspended entry by non-immigrants who had been in India in the preceding 14 days. Students wanting to enter or return to the US were exempted. Washington also kept its doors open for ‘persons of national importance’. It wasn’t long before desperate parents started applying for visas under the category.

“A well-known builder, whose child will join the University of Southern California this August, has decided to take a chartered flight to Dubai and after spending a fortnight there, the family will enter the US to drop the student at his university in Los Angeles,” said study abroad counsellor Karan Gupta. “Some parents who have businesses in Dubai are staying put there and heading to the US from there,” said another counsellor Sonal Parekh.

The trend of dropping off their children is very popular, especially among the parents of the thousands of undergraduate teens who head out every year. “There was a lot of heartburn when the US Consulate’s India office clarified that parents, even those holding US visas, could not travel with their children,” said Gupta.

And creative travel plans emerged. If some are chartering flights, the budget-conscious could fly commercial to countries that are allowing Indians in and are simultaneously on the accepted list for the US. Several parents from the UK will route their trip to the US via Egypt. Some are planning to fly to Russia and from there to America. The US Consulate here has advised against booking flights with a stop in Europe as they have strict quarantine policies.

16/06/21 Hemali Chhapia/Times of India

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International Flights: UAE Now Allows Silver Residency Permit Holders To Fly From India

Air travellers who are eagerly waiting to fly to Dubai, and other emirates, here comes a piece of good news for you. Now the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is allowing silver residency permit holders — in addition to gold permits — from India to enter the Arab nation. Apart from India, the UAE is also allowing passengers with silver residency permits from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka to fly to the country. 

Issuing a notification in this regard, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said that the travellers who are eligible to visit from these countries will have to wear a monitoring and tracking device and it is mandatory for all while travelling to UAE.

16/06/21 India.com

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Oman- India flights after decisions of the Supreme Committee

According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Oman, flights connecting the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of India proceed as per Supreme Committee on Covid-19 decisions.

The flights are conducted to facilitate the return of Indian nationals to their home country, the shipment of health supplies, commodities, and necessary items, and the return of Indian citizens, diplomats, and health professionals to the Sultanate.

The Sultanate’s responsible authorities, represented by the CAA, the Royal Oman Police (ROP), and the Ministry of Health, monitor the limited number of arriving visitors, including healthcare professionals and diplomats.

They are subjected to testing before departure and upon arrival in the Sultanate and quarantine as required by the laws. On the last day of the quarantine period, tests are performed for the third time.

Between June 7 and June 13, Oman Air conducted 14 flights carrying 58 passengers, comprising 14 citizens and 44 expatriates, on an average of five people (from exempted categories) each trip.

16/06/21 Chirag Singh/Aviation One Post

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Delhi customs arrest smugglers after heroin stashed in shampoo bottles on Dubai flight

Two people were arrested after a bid to smuggle heroin into India from Dubai was foiled by customs officials.

Delhi Airport authorities stopped two Afghan citizens on June 4 who were carrying 19.48kg of the drug in shampoo and hair colouring products.

The passengers travelled on flight EK516 from Dubai to Delhi and were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The black viscous liquid made to look like regular shampoo was concealed inside about 50 plastic bottles.

Officials posted a video online showing how the substance was checked in an airport trace portal machine and the drugs discovered.

The recovery is the latest in a string of successful efforts to combat the global drugs trade.

In April, drugs worth $121 million (Dh446m) were seized in the Middle East and North Africa by Interpol under operation Lionfish.

Busts involved 41 law enforcement agencies with 287 arrests made.

Customs officials remain on high alert in order to thwart attempts to conceal illicit items by smugglers.

Last month, The National revealed how authorities in Chennai, India, intercepted 2.5kg of gold granules hidden in four containers of instant orange drink Tang.

The haul was worth an estimated Dh600,000 and arrived in a postal parcel delivered on air freight.

16/06/21 Nick Webster/National

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Wristband trackers mandatory for Indians reaching UAE by charter flights: Report

Even though passenger services from India to the UAE have been suspended since April 24 on account of the COVID-19 situation, desperate NRIs continue to use charter flights to reach the Gulf state.

This has continued even as the UAE has sought to tighten regulations on unrestricted use of charter services, by barring selling of seats individually.

On Monday, the Khaleej Times reported that the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority issued new safety protocols for persons arriving on charter flights. "The measures include mandatory tracking devices that passengers must wear for at least 10 days," the Khaleej Times reported.

"The stringent regulations apply to all aircraft operators conducting flights from and to the UAE and the following countries: Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Zambia," the Khaleej Times reported. The publication quoted travel agencies and charter flight operators as saying wristband trackers have been provided to passengers arriving in Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. This was confirmed by an executive of Musafir.com, a travel agency, who told Khaleej Times passengers arriving in Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah were asked to wear wristbands. The officials said people arriving in Dubai had to be in quarantine for 10 days and undergo a series of PCR tests.

In addition to wearing the wristband, the passengers are required to take PCR tests on arrival and on the fourth and eight days of their 10-day quarantine period. The passengers are only allowed to move from the airport to their quarantine hotel.

On Monday, The Times of India quoted a charter services operator as claiming the UAE had allowed entry to those people from India who held 'silver' residency permits in the country. Earlier, only UAE nationals, diplomats and golden visa holders were allowed entry. The operator claimed such silver residency permit holders would need to wear wristband trackers. However, the entry exemption for silver residency permit holders has not been confirmed by the UAE media or airlines.

15/06/21 The Week

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American Airlines Expands Its Return to New Delhi

In response to growing travel demand between the United States and India, American Airlines has increased its flight frequency from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. The carrier initially planned to operate the route thrice weekly during off-peak months and increase the route to daily service from Nov. 17 to Jan. 1 to serve the winter season. However, as reported by One Mile at a Time, American has modified the route to operate as a daily, year-round flight beginning Oct 31. The service is part of the carrier’s ambitious expansion out of New York-JFK and new partnership with JetBlue Airways, which it hopes will feed domestic customers into its long-haul operations. 

Beginning Oct. 31, American will fly from New York-JFK to New Delhi, India, which will be the first time the carrier has served the country since 2012. The 13 hour and 50-minute outbound flight will depart New York at 2010 and arrive in New Delhi at 1930 the next day. The return will leave at 2355 and arrive at 0630 the next morning, and because it takes longer to fly west, the leg will last 16 hours and five minutes. The flight’s 0630 landing time in New York should please business travelers who tend to prefer early morning arrivals.

The carrier plans to operate the route using a Boeing 777-200 configured with 37 Flagship Business lay-flat seats, 24 premium economy recliner seats, 66 main cabin extra seats and 146 main cabin seats. Because New Delhi is a technological giant, the company expects high demand for its business class and premium economy sections. This will be good for revenue because business travelers are more likely to pay a higher fare for the convenience of a nonstop flight rather than connecting in a hub like London Heathrow or Dubai. 

American’s expansion into India isn’t a new venture. As mentioned earlier, the airline had a Chicago to New Delhi route up until 2012, but it was unprofitable. One primary reason for the route’s loss was the high operation fees imposed by the Indian government. These fees will more than likely be charged for the new routes, so travelers should expect fares to hold steady, even with American entering the market. However, whether or not these fees will make or break the route’s profitability is still uncertain. 

The route to New Delhi is in addition to the Seattle-Bangalore route launching on Oct. 30. It was initially set to start in October 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic. The nonstop flight will be the third active route to connect Bangalore with North America – United Airlines being the first out of San Francisco. Air India will also serve Bangalore from San Francisco starting July 3, directly competing with United.

According to American, there is high demand for India’s bustling technological city, especially from the carrier’s lucrative corporate agreements. Bangalore also happens to be one of the highest yield markets in South Asia, and Seattle and San Francisco are huge IT hubs with large populations of Indian Americans. So it makes sense that American, Air India and United are responding to the growing market demand, and it’s likely this is just the beginning of US-India connectivity.

15/06/21 Taylor Rains/AirlineGeeks

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Ban on flight from India to UAE puts NRIs in fix

Thiruvananthapuram: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has prolonged its suspension of flight services from India to seven emirates till July 6.

The movement of passengers, excluding UAE nationals, diplomats, and holders of the UAE golden visa, to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Fujairah, Ajman and Ra's al-Khaimah—the seven emirates of UAE—from India has also been suspended till July 6.

“General Authority of Civil Aviation, UAE, has suspended all inbound passenger movement to the UAE from India, (excluding UAE nationals) till 6th July 2021,” Air India Express, the low-cost carrier of the national carrier Air India, said in a tweet.

Air India Express has said passengers who had booked to travel in that period could reschedule their tickets.

The extension of the ban on fight operations to India by the General Authority of Civil Aviation is in view of the prevailing situation due to COVID-19. The ban is applicable to major UAE carriers Emirates and Etihad.

The ban was initially imposed on April 25, after a surge in COVID-19 cases in India and later extended to June 30. The extension of the ban on the entry for travellers from India has disappointed Non Resident Indians (NRIs) working in the seven emirates, their families, and transit passengers moving via the hubs in the UAE.

Exemption has been given to cargo flight operations between two countries. Foreign carriers operating to India have scaled down the inbound flights, as those coming will not be able to return to the UAE.

15/06/21 The Hindu

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