Decomposed body of air hostess found in apartment, flatmates had left city before lockdown

Mumbai: A 29-year-old air hostess was found dead inside her flat at Poddar Wadi locality in the western suburb of Vile Parle, police said on Thursday.

The body of Sultana Shaikh was found in a decomposed state at her apartment in Rajalaxmi building late on Wednesday night, after her neighbours were alerted by the stench emanating from her apartment, an official said.

Shaikh worked with Go Air and was living with two of her colleagues, who had left the city before the COVID-19 lockdown was enforced, he said.

No suicide note was found in the apartment, he said, adding that a case of accidental death was registered and further investigations were underway.
30/04/20 PTI/India TV

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IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, GoAir start bookings violating govt orders

Private airlines IndiGo, Spicejet, Vistara and GoAir have re-opened passenger bookings for flights starting mid-May in violation of aviation regulator DGCA's explicit order.

"...all airlines are hereby directed to refrain from booking tickets... Further, the airlines may note that they shall be given sufficient notice and time for restarting of operations. This is for strict compliance by all airlines," DGCA Deputy Director General Sunil Kumar wrote to all domestic and foreign airlines on April 19.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri later in a tweet said that "since some airlines did not heed our advisory and opened bookings and started collecting money from flyers, a directive was issued to them on 19th April restraining them from doing so."

As per online travel portal MakeMyTrip, low-cost carriers SpiceJet and GoAir have offered flights on various routes, including the busiest Delhi-Mumbai route, starting May 16. The other two major carriers IndiGo and Vistara have started selling tickets from June 1.
The airlines have also opened bookings for select foreign destinations such as Singapore and Dubai from June.

IndiGo, Vistara and SpiceJet did not respond to e-mail queries on the issue till the time of publishing.

National carrier Air India is, however, waiting for government's directive on selling tickets. Many of its officers are miffed over delay in permission as it puts the state-run carrier at a significant disadvantage over private peers. "Our bookings, both international and domestic, are closed till further notice. We wouldn't like to make any further comment on the issue," Air India said in response to a BusinessToday.In query.

Following public uproar and complaints of airlines not giving refunds for flights cancelled due to Coronavirus-lockdown, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advised the carriers to desist from the practice and also not start forward booking till a decision on resuming air passenger services is taken.

"...it has been noted that airlines have started booking tickets for journeys with effect from the 4th of May, 2020. In this respect, it is brought to the notice of all concerned that no decision to commence the operation of domestic/international flight with effect from the 4th of May, 2020 has been taken yet," DGCA wrote to airlines.
25/04/20 Nirbhay Kumar/Business Today

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Airlines fall in line, shut bookings for now; SpiceJet, GoAir to open from May 16

Following strict directions from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and industry regulator DGCA, airlines in the country have stopped accepting bookings for travel from May 4.

GoAir, which was accepting bookings until about 10 am on April 20, also later joined its peers and declined searches for travel on May 04.

IndiGo and Vistara have opened their online counters for booking from June 01. On SpiceJet and GoAir, a customer can book tickets for travel from May 16.

The changes will bring some semblance of certainty, especially after customers increasingly took to social media platforms to air their ire.The airlines had earlier allowed bookings for travel from April 15, hoping that the first lockdown - from March 25 to April 14 - will be lifted. But the government, on the face of increasing cases of COVID-19 infections, extended the lockdown to May 3. Airlines though kept counters open.

Customers who had booked hoping to travel from April 15 were unhappy about the flight cancellation, and airlines declining to refund tickets and instead, offering credit shells.

The complaints prompted the ministry to swing into action. On April 18, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Twitter: "Airlines are advised to open their bookings only after a decision in this regard has been taken by the Government."
20/04/20 Prince Mathews Thomas/moneycontrol.com

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GoAir asks employees to go on leave without pay till May 3

GoAir has asked a majority of its 5,500-odd employees to go on "leave without pay" till May 3. The entire fleet remains grounded till the end of the extended deadline, the airline said. "The lockdown has been further extended till May 3, and with this extension, our fleet continues to be completely grounded. Hence, we are constrained to request you to proceed on 'leave without pay' till May 3," GoAir said in a communication to its employees on Saturday.

In March, the Wadia Group-owned airline asked its employees to go on LWP on a rotational basis besides cutting their salaries. The airline had also terminated the contracts of its expat pilots in March. "In view of the current situation, GoAir has been forced to terminate the contracts of expat pilots, which is in line with the reduced international capacity," a GoAir spokesperson had said then.

Also read: Coronavirus India Live Updates: GoAir sends employees on leave without pay till lockdown ends

Most airlines had chalked out plans to resume their services from April 15, which is when the initial lockdown was supposed to be lifted. However, the airline had said then that it might have to extend the period of LWP beyond April 15.

A GoAir official said about 10 per cent of the 5,500-odd employees, who are crucial for certain tasks even with no operation, would continue to work and will be paid partial salary.

"We are hopeful that the skies will reopen from May 4 and we will resume operations in a phased manner," it said. GoAir said that it is working towards building its ability to scale up operations in a market that would emerge post coronavirus.
20/04/20 Business Today

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GoAir won't pay nearly all staff for duration of lockdown, says employees support move

Private-sector carrier GoAir has put about 85-90% of its employees on leave without pay for the entire period of the national lockdown between March 25 and May 3, company officials told CNBC-TV18.

A company spokesperson confirmed that it had sent staff on leave and said the decision was taken after receiving “positive feedback” from employees who were “ready to tide through the crisis together and are willing to work without pay during the period”.

In a letter to staff, the company wrote that "with the extension of the national lockdown, your fleet continues to be completely grounded. Hence we are constrained to request you to proceed on leave without pay."

"Your leave without pay comes into effect from March 25, 2020 till May 3, 2020. We may, however, have to extend the period of leave without pay for a further term, if so required," the letter added.

It added that the carrier was hopeful that the skies will reopen from May 4, 2020 and it will be able resume operations in a phased manner.

“Meanwhile, we are working towards building our ability to scale up our operations in the new environment and market conditions that would emerge," the letter added.

The company further stated employee benefits such as insurance will continue to be valid for the duration of leave without pay.

GoAir, which commands 10% share in domestic aviation space, was the first to suspend international flights from mid-March and on March 17, had also announced a "short-term rotational" leave without pay programme, a decision it said it had “not taken lightly”.

Airlines in India are facing an unprecedented crisis due to the coronavirus outbreak, which prompted the central government to implement a 40-day national lockdown. The lockdown caused over 650 aircraft to be grounded in India.
19/04/20 CNBC TV18

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How IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir could have cut their losses

It's the toughest time for the global aviation industry. With the suspension of international and domestic flights in a large number of countries, including India, due to lockdown, the global airlines industry is staring at losses of $314 billion - as estimated by global body IATA. In India, the situation with domestic carriers is pretty grim with just three months of losses being pegged at $3.6 billion (as per CAPA). The problem with the coronavirus crisis is that it has caught the entire airline industry unawares. Even the best-placed airlines like IndiGo (in terms of cash reserves) are now preparing to post record losses, and to witness a complete wipe-out of their reserves.
But did airlines actually have a chance to be better-prepared to deal with a crisis of this magnitude? Experts say that domestic airlines would have been in a marginally better situation if they had outsourced their ground handling operations to professional agencies.
Back in 2016, the government developed a framework for new ground handling policy, and last year, the policy was implemented at the private airports. Following which, airlines like IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir started hiring ground handlers on their rolls because the policy prohibits the use of third-party contractors which was the norm back in 2016. Air India too manages its ground handling part with its own captive subsidiary - AIATSL (Air India Air Transport Services Limited).

"Once the self-handling was allowed, most domestic carriers made a quick move. These airlines kept the ground handling close to themselves instead of handing it over to an outside agency," says a large ground handler. But there's a problem with self-handling. Globally, the airlines don't typically do self-handling. They focus on their core business of flying, and leave this aspect to outside agencies for a simple reason. Instead of hiring a lot of workforce, engaging an outside agency, which has expertise in the business, costs much less. How? A specialised agency uses shared resources and brings economies of scale that bring down the costs for everyone.
16/04/20 Manu Kaushik/Business Today

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GoAir flights post-lockdown: Only water, empty middle seat, early check-in

GoAir on Wednesday said that it will start flight operations in a phased manner from May 4 and has formed a new operating procedure which involves only water service to passengers and empty middle seats.

The current period of lockdown is expected to end on May 3. Incidentally, the government is yet to inform the airlines about a flight resumption timeline. However, airlines continue to take bookings and prepare to fly from May 4.

On Wednesday, GoAir said that it is in full preparation mode for a gradual commencement of flights. The airline said that it has made changes to its operating procedure. In accordance with the new procedures, no passenger will have an immediate neighbour, passengers will be provided only water, there will be no meal service and no on-board sales, check-in counters will open three hours prior to flight, and close one hour before departure.

The airline will also increase the ground time between flights to clean and disinfect aircraft, hand sanitizers will be available at all key touch points, announcements will be made to minimise the use of lavatories and to avoid any non-essential movement in the aisle.

The airline will deep clean its entire operational fleet each night, passengers will be encouraged to print their boarding passes at home to minimise interactions at the airport and there will be strict social distancing at the airport during check-in and boarding, and on the aerobridges and buses, including row-wise boarding and deboarding.

Seat pockets will be clear of all items except safety card and crew will wear face masks and gloves at all times when interacting with passengers and when in the aisles.
16/04/20 Anu Sharma/CNBC TV18

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GoAir to board aircraft row-wise; start check-in 3 hours before flight time

New Delhi: Post-lockdown when schedule passenger flights resume, GoAir will open check-in counters three hours before departure time; board aircraft row-wise; keep middle seat vacant; stop onboard sales and make announcements asking passengers to minimise use of lavatories, the airline said on Wednesday.

As of now, flight could resume from May 4 but a final nod will be given by the authorities before that actually happens. IndiGo had earlier announced it will not have onboard sale of meals for some time. All airlines are acting to have social distancing at airport, coaches, aerobridges and ensure partially-filled aircraft.

In a statement, GoAir listed the measures “to protect its staff, crew, and passengers in preparation for a phase-wise commencement of flights from May 4. These fully incorporate all recommendations from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) along with some additional measures that the airline is taking.”

These include: Strict social distancing at the airport during check-in and boarding, and on the aerobridges and buses, including row-wise boarding and deboarding; check-in counters to open three hours prior to flight, and close an hour prior, to allow more time for sanitised processing of customers and baggage; ground time for aircraft between flights to be increased to allow for cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces that come into contact with crew or passengers in the cabin, galley, and lavatories and ensuring availability of hand sanitisers at all key touchpoints on the ground and in the aircraft.
15/04/20 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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GoAir says taking steps to protect staff, passengers

Mumbai: Budget carrier GoAir is taking several measures, including leaving the middle seat empty to maintain social distancing norms, to protect its staff, crew, and passengers ahead of the resumption of its flight services in a phased manner from May 4.

These measures incorporate all of the recommendations from the aviation regulator DGCA along with some additional steps that the airline is proactively taking on its own, GoAir said in a release.

These measures also include maintaining strict social distancing at the airport during check-in and boarding, and on the aerobridges and buses, including row-wise boarding and deboarding, opening of check-in counters three hours prior to flight, and shutting them an hour prior, to allow more time for sanitisation of processing of customers and baggage, the airline said in the release.

Also, ground time for aircraft between flights to be increased to allow for cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces that come into contact with crew or passengers in the cabin, galley, and lavatories

As part of the measures, no meals or snacks will be provided except water to the passengers to minimize non-essential interaction between passengers and crew, it said, adding, all on-board services will also remain suspended.
15/04/20 PTI/Outlook

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GoAir to board aircraft row-wise; start check-in 3 hours before flight time

New Delhi: Post-lockdown when schedule passenger flights resume, GoAir will open check-in counters three hours before departure time; board aircraft row-wise; keep middle seat vacant; stop onboard sales and make announcements asking passengers to minimise use of lavatories, the airline said on Wednesday.

As of now, flight could resume from May 4 but a final nod will be given by the authorities before that actually happens. IndiGo had earlier announced it will not have onboard sale of meals for some time. All airlines are acting to have social distancing at airport, coaches, aerobridges and ensure partially-filled aircraft.

In a statement, GoAir listed the measures “to protect its staff, crew, and passengers in preparation for a phase-wise commencement of flights from May 4. These fully incorporate all recommendations from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) along with some additional measures that the airline is taking.”

These include: Strict social distancing at the airport during check-in and boarding, and on the aerobridges and buses, including row-wise boarding and deboarding; check-in counters to open three hours prior to flight, and close an hour prior, to allow more time for sanitised processing of customers and baggage; ground time for aircraft between flights to be increased to allow for cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces that come into contact with crew or passengers in the cabin, galley, and lavatories and ensuring availability of hand sanitisers at all key touchpoints on the ground and in the aircraft.

“Social distancing on the aircraft to be enforced – all middle seats will be left empty so that no passenger will have an immediate neighbour. Reduction of inflight service to minimise non-essential interaction between passengers and crew – only water will be provided, there will be no meals or snack service. Suspension of all on-board sales. Clearance of seat pockets of all items except for safety card, which will be replaced or sanitised after each flight," the airline said.
15/04/20 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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GoAir suspends flight operations till May 3, extends ‘Protect Your PNR’ scheme

GoAir said that it is extending the industry's first -  most generous ‘Protect Your PNR’ scheme till 3rd May 2020 wherein customers are eligible to reschedule their flight for the next one year, i.e. until 3rd May 2021.

GoAir flight bookings for travel between 19th March 2020 and 3rd May 2020 both dates inclusive:

GoAir will automatically protect customer’s ticket and fare for travel on any future date until 3rd May 2021

Customers can use the value of their tickets for travel on any future date until 3rd May 2021 and for any GoAir sector

No need to call or email GoAir as the ticket and amount is being automatically protected. Customers can simply visit www.goair.in or use GoAir mobile app, under “Manage Booking” option and using the booking reference (PNR) of the original booking

There will be a one-time waiver of change fees, but fare difference, if any, will be applicable

These terms are applicable even if the ticket was booked through a travel agent or through online travel portal

While sector change is permitted, name change is not permitted

All bookings made after 11th March 2020 for travel between 4th May 2020 and 31st December 2020, both dates inclusive:

Customers can reschedule their travel to any other date without incurring rescheduling charges up to 14 days before original travel date

Rescheduling done with less than 14 days to departure will attract rescheduling charges as before

There will be a one-time waiver of change fees, but fare difference, if any, will be applicable

Whenever the customer is ready to make new travel plan, he or she can simply visit www.goair.in or use GoAir mobile app, under “Manage Booking” option and using the booking reference (PNR) of the original booking

Customers can visit www.goair.in or use GoAir mobile app to manage their bookings.

Sector and name change is not permitted

Customers can reschedule their flights through self-service on GoAir website www.goair.in or mobile app, under the “Manage Booking” option and by using the booking reference (PNR) of their original booking.

This includes the tickets booked through a travel agent or online travel agency (OTA). GoAir’s call centres are seeing heavy call volumes and they are currently understaffed because of the lockdown and may not be able to respond to customer calls in a timely manner, the statement added.
14/04/20 Indiablooms

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GoAir Open For Bookings From April 15 For Domestic Flights, From May 1 For International Flights

New Delhi: A day after the Central government said it will consider allowing flight operations in a staggered manner after the 21-day nationwide lockdown ends on April 14, the private airline GoAir on Monday said it is open for bookings from April 15 for its domestic flights. The airline also said it is open for bookings for international flights from May 1.
On Sunday, the Central government said it may consider allowing flight operations in a staggered manner after the 21-day nationwide lockdown ends on April 14.  As per updates, other airlines except for Air India, have been taking bookings for commercial passenger services from April 15.
However, the government also made it clear that flights may not be allowed to operate on all sectors. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the country suspended domestic and international commercial passenger flight operations from midnight on March 24 for 21 days in line with the nation-wide lockdown.
06/04/20 India.com

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GoAir to protect passenger fare for future travel until Apr 30, 2021

New Delhi: GoAir on Thursday announced an extension of its ticket credit scheme, which allows passengers who don't show up for a flight to use the fare amount on any booking within a year, from April 15 to April 30.

"Even if the customer does not show up between 19th March 2020 and 30th April 2020 (at the airport), GoAir will automatically protect the customer's ticket and fare for travel on any future date until 30th April 2021," a press statement by the airline said.
India is under a 21-day lockdown till april 14 to combat coronavirus and all domestic and international commercial passenger flights stand suspended during the period.

However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights, offshore helicopter operations and flights specially permitted by aviation regulator dgca can operate during this time period.

Goair had last week said this ticket credit scheme was available for bookings done till april 15 only.
02/04/20 Press Trust of India/Business Standard

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GoAir defers part of accrued March salaries to April

Mumbai: Low fare carrier GoAir has deferred a part of March accrued salaries for its staff in addition to pay cuts implemented earlier, its CEO said in a letter to employees on Wednesday.
“Yesterday, salaries were posted to each of your bank accounts. All employees in Grade’s D and below received salaries in their entirety. The rest of you will see less than what you are normally used to seeing as a result of the reduction in pay I had announced earlier, but also because we have been forced to defer a portion of your accrued salaries to April,” Vinay Dube said in his letter. He added that a detailed explanation will be given to them on April 3 (Friday).
GoAir cut salaries by 50% by for its top leadership last month and then extended pay cuts to other employees barring ones in the junior level of D grade.
India’s aviation industry, like its global peers, has been the worst hit by the Coronavirus crisis, which led the government to close the country’s borders and then lock it down entirely, prohibiting all travel. The unprecedented situation of a prolonged state of no revenue will lead to the country’s airlines to lose $1.75 billion in the April-June quarter, said Sydney-based consultant CAPA Centre for Aviation. Many airlines in the world, some in India, may not recover from the crisis.
01/04/20 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

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SpiceJet, GoAir cut March salary by up to 30%

New Delhi: Domestic carriers SpiceJet and GoAir on Wednesday announced that all its employees will have to take a pay cut in March amid grounding of operations due to coronavirus outbreak. While SpiceJet implemented a 10-30 per cent pay cut for last month, GoAir deferred a part of March salaries for its staff in addition to salary cuts implemented earlier.

In a press release, SpiceJet announced a company-wide pay cut for its employees for the month of March 2020 to tide over the unprecedented crisis thrust by the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline has implemented a 10-30 per cent pay cut for all its employees across top and mid rung levels.

The low-cost carrier has, however, assured that its employees in the lowest pay grades will remain unaffected by the decision. In the wake of the crisis, the airline's Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh, has decided to opt for the highest cut of 30 per cent in salary, it said.

SpiceJet has announced 'leave without pay' for employees during March 25 to 31 - the period of the lockdown when all passenger flights were suspended. However, employees who have been working during this period like cargo, ground staff, crew who have flown during this time, will not be affected by the 'leave without pay' and their salaries for this period will be reimbursed, the company said.
01/04/20 Chitranjan Kumar/Business Today

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