Spicejet planning on international routes from next year

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet, promoted by a group of investors led by the Kansagra family and Delhi-based Ajay Singh, is working on a plan to start international operations next year, making it the third private Indian carrier after Jet Airways and Kingfisher to fly overseas. The airline qualifies for international operations from June next year after it completes five years of domestic operations, the minimum stipulated by the government. The airline plans to fly mainly to Saarc countries, south-east Asia and select west Asian routes rather than long-haul routes, such as London and New York as Jet and Kingfisher have done.

"We are planning our international launch carefully and will fly only on routes that we think are under-served or have potential for more flights," said Sanjay Agarwal, chief executive officer, SpiceJet. Agarwal explained that the airline would start operations in sectors in which SpiceJet’s Boeing 737 fleet can fly. On competition from low-cost carriers in West Asia like Flydubai and Air Arabia Aggarwal conceded that while the competition is tough, their strategy would be to service markets that are still under-served from India. These routes could include Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia. Aggarwal also pointed out that routes like Mumbai-Kathmandu, Chennai-Singapore are still viable and provide potential for growth.

Jet Airways introduces low apex fares on select routes

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, its new, all-economy Jet Airways Konnect service, as well as Jet Airways’ all-economy subsidiary JetLite have introduced new, low 15-day Apex fares on select domestic routes, with immediate effect. These new one-way fares, valid on key domestic routes from the five major metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata respectively, are cheaper than equivalent First Class AC train fares on some routes, and marginally more expensive on others. According to Mr. Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, "We are delighted to introduce these new, low advance purchase fares to welcome the onset of the festive season, when travel demand traditionally increases. These fares are extremely competitively priced vis-à-vis train travel fares, and we expect these fares to prove extremely popular with travellers."

Gulf Air inducts brand new Airbus A320 aircrafts

Marking the start of its re-fleeting programme, Gulf Air has taken delivery of the first of 15 new 'fuel efficient' Airbus A320 aircraft into the fleet. Powered by CFM56 engines, the new A320 aircraft can carry 136 passengers in a two class configuration with 16 business class and 120 economy class seats. The new A320 aircraft together with the nine others that will follow between now and the end of 2010, will replace the airline's older narrow body aircraft, the carrier's CEO, Samer Majali said.

Oman Air launches Muscat-Paris flights

Oman Air has launched its non-stop scheduled services between Muscat and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. The new route will be run four times per week. The carrier has recently taken delivery of its second A330-300. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, the A330 will be configured in a three-class layout with six First, 20 Business and 196 Economy seats.

Air India to fly all economy class on select Gulf sectors

As part of its route rationalisation and cost-cutting measures, Air India plans to replace its twin-class aircraft with all-economy ones belonging to low-cost subsidiary Air India Express on some Gulf routes from the end of this month. "As part of our route rationalisation plans some of the flights which are currently being operated by erstwhile Indian Airlines on sectors like Bahrain and Doha, will be operated by our low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express," Air India sources said. Airbus A320 planes, which are currently being flown on these routes, would be replaced by planes with all-economy configuration flown by Air India Express, they said. "There is a huge potential for economy class traffic on these routes. Replacing a full-service carrier with a budget carrier will definitely help us in enhancing our revenue," the sources said. Air India has already effected these changes in its winter schedule starting from Sunday, they said.

Air China to start flights to Kolkata soon

With Kolkata airport on the verge of being modernized, several international airlines are showing interest to start new flights from the city. Air China is all set to start direct services by the end of this year. It will be the seventh international carrier to start operation in the city in the last two years. Kolkata airport director R Srinivasan said Air China delegates are expected to chalk out the details of their schedule and announce the launch of their new flights on Monday. At present, Air China operates from Delhi to three Chinese destinations Bejing, Shanghai and Chengdu.

Low-cost Chinese carrier China Eastern already connects Kolkata with Kumling four days a week. Last week, Air Asia announced its direct flight from Kolkata to Kuala Lumpur from November 19. The other airlines that started operations in the last two years are Kingfisher, Jet, Air India Express, Best Airline and United Airways. Two major airlines British Airways and Gulf Airline withdrew their operations and others reduced their frequencies three years ago. Even Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are planning to restart some flights.

Air India Express starts Delhi-Doha flight

In order to meet the growing demand from Doha to the northern part of India, Air India Express will introduce Delhi as a new destination effective 26th October, 2009, three times a week. The Mumbai flight will be extended to Delhi and the passengers from Doha to Delhi will travel without disembarking at Mumbai on the same aircraft. From Delhi, Air India express will offer a flat add-on of QAR.150/- one way on Air India or Indian Airlines domestic flights to places like Amritsar, Srinagar, Varanasi, Patna, Lucknow etc. A similar offer already exists over Mumbai to places like Baroda, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa etc. In fact, over Mumbai or Delhi which are our gate way points, passengers can connect to any one destination in India at a flat add-on rate of QAR.150/- one way on our services.

Jet Airways starts Mumbai-Riyadh flights

Effective October 25, 2009, Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, will increase their flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the introduction of daily direct services from Mumbai to the Saudi Arabian administrative and commercial capital city of Riyadh. The airline will operate the new flights aboard a state-of-the-art Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Flight 9W 524 will depart Mumbai at 1930 hrs, arriving in Riyadh at 2115 hrs. 9W 523 will then depart Riyadh at 2215 hrs, arriving in Mumbai at 0420 hrs. According to Mr. Nikos K. Kardassis, CEO, Jet Airways, "Jet Airways is delighted to introduce daily services to Riyadh, kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Mumbai."

"The introduction of the daily flights will serve to further strengthen our Gulf network, better enabling us to offer passengers seamless connectivity and a world-class product on the Indo-Gulf sector." According to Mr. Fareed Al Alawi, VP-Gulf & MEA Jet Airways (India), "Jet Airways is delighted to introduce daily services to Riyadh, kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Mumbai. The introduction of this daily flight will serve to further strengthen our Gulf network, better enabling us to offer passengers seamless connectivity and a world-class product on the Indo-Gulf sector." Jet Airways currently flies daily to Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Jeddah, Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi from several Indian cities.

Salalah Beach Marriott Resort all set to open

Oman's Dhofar Tourism Company has signed an agreement with Marriott International for the management of the 234-room Salalah Beach Marriott Resort. Scheduled to open in December 2009, the resort will be part of a mixed-used, beachfront development, located approximately 75 kilometres from the Sultanate's southernmost city.

Aloft Hotel to open in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide have announced the Aloft Hotel in Abu Dhabi will be opened on October 25 during the inaugural Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. The 408-room Aloft Hotel, which is connected to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 15 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Air India aircraft lands in Delhi under emergency conditions

The pilots of an Air India plane with 150 people on board on Thursday aborted landing at the IGI Airport Delhi after experiencing "fluctuations" on the instrument landing system (ILS) signal, but later touched down safely. None of the 143 passengers of the IC-864 from Mumbai to Delhi or seven crew members was hurt in the incident, an airline spokesperson said. At 1209 hours, the pilots who were on the ILS mode for a safe landing suddenly spotted the signals on the system fluctuating, leading to problems with the coordinates of the Airbus A-321's landing path.

As soon as the problem was noted, the pilots decided to do a "go around" and informed the Air Traffic Control about their decision against landing, the spokesperson said. The plane, which was earlier planning to land on Runway 28, touched down safely on Runway 29 after about 20 minutes, he said. The aircraft later took off on its onward journey to Chandigarh with 151 passengers on board, he added. The ILS enables a plane to land in difficult conditions like thick fog, but the computer system on board and the system on the ground have to tally the coordinates for ensuring proper landing or take-off.

Aida Cara makes maiden call in Goa

M V Aida Cara, a German passenger vessel on a world cruise docked at the Mormugao port on Friday morning. The vessel arrived from Mumbai and about 1,000 German passengers stepped off the ship for a day-long tour, said Freedom Holidays, the company designated as handling agents for the visit. "We expect seven consecutive international cruise arrivals this season," says Martin Joseph, managing director, Freedom Holidays. The tourism industry says Goa can expect at least 15 international cruise liners this season. Last season, the state saw 11 cruise arrivals. Meanwhile, the tourists visited churches at Old Goa, temples at Mangueshi and Mardol in Ponda, the Dudhsagar waterfalls in the hinterland, a jungle jaunt at Tambdi Surla and even managed a trip to Bat Island off Vasco. The vessel set sail for Mangalore at 6 pm. "If Goa has a dedicated cruise terminal with a passenger lounge, it can tap into a huge market," Joseph said.

"The pier was dusty with black powder as coal had been unloaded there the previous night. We had to put a carpet to maintain cleanliness. Dust was flying around, even the tourist coaches were black," he said. "We missed out on the Volvo Ocean Race which went to Kerala. Goa was being considered as a stopover as it is an internationally known destination," Martin said. The tourism industry also says that Goa needs more tourist guides with fluency in languages such as German, French, Spanish and Italian. Martin says, "Yes, since we have a shortage of such guides here we have to get them from Bombay and Delhi, and they charge exorbitant rates. It is actually a great employment opportunity to be tapped in a tourism destination like Goa. Housewives and youngsters can learn foreign languages and work as part-time interpreters and guides."

Incidentally, there were no representatives from the government nor the tourism department to receive the first cruise as is done with the first charter flights for the season. Aida Cara's journey originated from Hanover port in Germany and its passengers are on a world cruise spanning 120 days. The itinerary includes shore excursions at Egypt, Muscat, Dubai, Mumbai, Goa, Cochin, Colombo, Penang-Malaysia, Bangkok-Thailand, Hong Kong, and a return to Germany. Aida Cruises cater mostly to German speaking passengers. The company's Aida Diva also plans to extend its reach from the Arabian Gulf to include a 11-night Christmas cruise to Mumbai and Goa. Aida Cara, which arrived in Goa, has nine passenger decks, a pool, fitness centre, 540-seat theatre, 391 outside cabins of which four have balconies, 202 inside cabins, and can carry 1,000 odd passengers supported by a crew of 370.

Air India reschedules flights and adds seat capacity

Air India sources said that Air India Express flights on the Kozhikode-Muscat-Kozhikode route, currently operating four times a week, will be made daily. Now, flights on the Kozhikode- Doha-Bahrain route will also operate daily, while the Kochi- Muscat-Kochi service will be increased to five times a week from twice a week. In addition, the company plans to introduce daily nonstop flights (A-319) between Chennai and Muscat. Meanwhile, Air India Express will increase its passenger capacity by introducing the all economy A-320 aircraft to Dubai, Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur and Colombo from various cities in India. Also, the thrice-a-week A-330 service to Paris will be replaced by the B-777-200LR aircraft. The B-747-400 aircraft operating on the Mumbai-Riyadh and Delhi-Riyadh routes will be replaced by the B-777-200ER aircraft and the service will be increased to 11 flights.

MDLR Airlines aircrafts grounded for violating safety norms

Gurgaon-based MDLR Airlines Pvt. Ltd, which serves mostly north Indian destinations, has grounded operations amid regulatory findings that the carrier had flouted safety norms. The airline is "not shutting down", said Koustav M. Dhar, chief operating officer of MDLR, confirming that both its planes are grounded. "We will do some restructuring," he said. "We are going to be looking at being leaner and meaner." The notices of regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) were issued after several surveillance checks, part of an audit by the US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration. DGCA issued a show-cause notice to the airline, owned by realtor Murli Dhar Lakh Ram Developers and Promoters Pvt. Ltd, in mid-September. The airline, which employs 264 people, is yet to comply with the regulator’s directions. MDLR also faces cancellation of its scheduled regional airline licence if it cannot comply with the guidelines, which mandate at least three operational aircraft within the first year of operations.

Air Asia to launch three new routes to India

AirAsia has announced that it will commence its daily direct flights to Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2009 respectively. Following a successful launch from the South Indian city of Trichy last year, AirAsia now offers the people of Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram the pleasure of flying to Kuala Lumpur for an unbeatable all-inclusive fare from as low as INR 1499 (RM 129) all in fares one way respectively for the booking period from 15th to 20th October, 2009 for the travel period from 12th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kochi, from 16th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and from 19th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kolkata. Promotional seats are limited and available on first-come, first-served basis and made exclusively available online via www.airasia.com and mobile.airasia.com.

AirAsia launched its first route to Trichy, India which is situated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu on December 1, 2008, and is the first airline in South East Asia to fly direct to the city. The launch of the first frequency to the city recorded an overwhelming response with an average load factor of 85% which led the airline to increase its 2nd frequency to the city with AirAsia’s 2nd direct daily flight on 1st September, 2009. To date, AirAsia has carried over 100,000 guests to and from Trichy. AirAsia Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan said, "Today, AirAsia is reiterating its commitment to the Indian market with the launch of three new routes- Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the first airline to launch 3 cities in India in one day. While most airlines are cutting back during these tough economic times, AirAsia is aggressively expanding its India route network as we believe there is robust demand in low fare travel."

"The three new India destinations are colourful cities with rich historical and cultural traditions. We believe our low fares and outstanding innovative services, will definitely open up new markets, stimulate new travel demand and enable more people to fly with us; thus promoting tourism which is beneficial for the economies of both countries." "It has been an ongoing and sustained effort for AirAsia to provide the best service with unbelievable low fares to our guests. With the introduction of the three new routes, connectivity to the three cities to and from Kuala Lumpur direct will bridge social ties and promote new connectivity via our hub in Kuala Lumpur as a gateway to over 130 routes in Asia, including the ones served by Airasia X, its long haul affiliate to Australia (Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne), China (Hangzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu), Taipei, London and Abu Dhabi, bringing the well known brand on to a global stage” concluded Kathleen.

It is now more convenient than ever to fly to Kuala Lumpur from Kolkata, located in the East Indian State of West Bengal and Kochi & Thiruvananthapuram, both located in the South Indian State of Kerala. Moreover as compared to other budget carriers, the route network offered by this award-winning airline is the most extensive in the region. This will translate into a low-cost yet efficient travel experience for guests who would benefit from using the LCC Terminal in Kuala Lumpur to connect to other regional ASEAN cities or long haul sectors serviced by AirAsia X. To add value, under GoHoliday at goholiday.airasia.com, guests may choose their holiday lodgings from over 50,000 hotels across Asia, Europe, India, Australia, Sri Lanka and China including ground transfer options and fantastic tour packages.

Jet Airways starts flights on Gaya-Varanasi-Bangkok route

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, will connect the Thai capital of Bangkok with Gaya and Varanasi, two important Indian cities on the famed Buddhist circuit, with twice weekly flights, effective October 6, 2009. The airline will operate with twice weekly services on the sector, on Tuesdays and Fridays respectively. These flights will allow people from the South Asian region to visit the famed Buddhist pilgrimage sights. Effective October 6, 2009 to October 24, 2009, 9W 69 will depart Bangkok at 0845 hrs, arriving in Gaya at 1015 hrs. Flight 9W 69 will then depart Gaya at 1145 hrs, arriving in Varanasi at 1230 hrs. Flight 9W 70 will then depart Varanasi at 1400 hrs, returning to Bangkok at 1845 hrs.

However, effective October 25, 2009 to March 27, 2010, 9W 69 will depart Bangkok at 0830 hrs, arriving in Gaya at 1015 hrs. Flight 9W 69 will then depart Gaya at 1145 hrs, arriving in Varanasi at 1230 hrs. Flight 9W 70 will then depart Varanasi at 1400 hrs, arriving in Bangkok at 1835 hrs. While Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world, Gaya is home to the famed Mahabodhi temple, a UNESCO heritage site, and the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment, according to Buddhist traditions.

Air India is the official carrier for Commonwealth Games 2010

Air India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Commonwealth Organising Committee for becoming the Official Partner Airline for the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Delhi in October 2010. The MoU was signed by Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman, Commonwealth Organising Committee and Arvind Jadhav, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India at a function held in New Delhi. Air India thus earned the distinction of being the first Indian and global sponsoring company for the Commonwealth Games.

Stargate theme park opens in Zabeel Park, Dubai

The Stargate theme park has opened in Zabeel Park, Dubai, after taking four years to build. The Dhs280m park features state-of-the-art interactive play with an element of education. Westech, a Swiss leisure services provider, supplied the project with all leisure equipment and the installation of rides and games. The park was due to open in November, but that date was brought forward because the park's Space Mall hit 70% occupancy.

Premier Inn opens at Dubai International airport

Premier Inn has announced it has opened a new hotel at Dubai's International airport. The new hotel at Dubai International Airport has 281 rooms, with en-suite bathrooms, and could accommodate a family of up to four. The hotel also offers a contemporary restaurant (Bedouinns), a bar (The Retreat), and a Costa Coffee outlet. The company has also recently inaugurated their hotel in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the company has said.

Qatar Airways aircraft flies from London to Doha fuelled by kerosene !

Qatar Airways has become the first carrier in the world to operate an aircraft powered by gas-to-liquid kerosene on a revenue flight. The Airbus A340-600 flew a six-hour flight from London Gatwick to Doha with all four of its Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines powered by a 50/50 blend of GTL and Jet A1 kerosene. Qatar is set to be the market leader in the production of GTL, with Qatar Petroleum and Shell having created a multi-billion dollar integrated GTL 'Pearl' plant.

Flydubai starts flights to Doha

Dubai's low cost airline, Flydubai has received its fifth aircraft, Boeing 737-800NG, which will immediately serve the airline's inaugural flight to Doha. The plane is part of the historic order of 50 aircraft placed with Boeing at the Farnborough Airshow.

Etihad Airways to resume flights to Sri Lanka

Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways has said that flights to Colombo in Sri Lanka will be resumed starting in January 2010. The carrier will operate four flights per week from Abu Dhabi to Sri Lanka's largest city and commercial capital, using an Airbus A320 aircraft. Flight EY266 will depart Abu Dhabi on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 9.55pm and arrive at Colombo's Bandaranaike international airport at 3.45am the following day. Return flight EY267 will depart Colombo on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 4.45am, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 8.00am the same morning.

Flydubai to launch flights to Khartoum

Flydubai has announced that it will launch daily service to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, from November 8. At a distance of 1,600 miles from Dubai, the flight to Khartoum will be the longest in the low-cost carrier's network and its eighth destination since it started operations in June.

Emirates to increase flights on India route

Emirates Airlines has announced plans to increase frequencies from Dubai to Kozhikode in India's southern state of Kerala to 11 flights a week by December. The carrier, which currently operates six weekly flights to Kozhikode, said the total number of flights from the state would go up to 37 a week. Emirates operates 166 weekly flights to 10 Indian destinations connecting to over 90 destinations in 60 nations via Dubai.

Sudanese cargo plane crashes in Sharjah

A Sudanese cargo plane crashed on Wednesday in the desert near the airport in the United Arab Emirates, killing all six crew members, Sharjah civil aviation director Khaled al-Qassimi said. "A Sudanese cargo plane crashed two miles (three kilometres) from the Sharjah airport shortly after takeoff and there were no survivors among the six crew," Sheikh Khaled said, saying the crash site was in the desert. Officials had earlier said the the aircraft was Iranian. A civil aviation official said the airport had been closed to air traffic. The UAE emirate of Sharjah lies hard by the Gulf federation's trade and leisure hub of Dubai.

US troop transport aircraft allowed to fly after forced landing in Mumbai

A Bangkok-bound chartered US plane in which American marines were among the 205 passengers was ordered by authorities to land at Mumbai airport on Sunday for flying over Indian airspace without getting the mandatory military clearance. After remaining grounded for a few hours, the Boeing 767 plane belonging to North American Airlines and on a flight from Fujiriah in the UAE to Utapao in Bangkok was allowed by Indian Air Force (IAF) to resume its flight following a probe. IAF spokesperson Wing Commander T K Singha said the DGCA will decide when the airplane will take off. But due to the pilot's Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) the aircraft is not likely to take off before Monday. "A US aircraft with 205 passengers, including its crew and US troops on board, was made to land in Mumbai while flying over Indian airspace as there was some confusion about its call sign," a Mumbai airport official said.

Singha said that the transport aircraft had "civilian clearance from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to fly over Indian airspace. "However, it was carrying military personnel, for which the aircraft should have obtained Air Operation Routing clearance (AOR), needed for a military aircraft," he said. Foreign military aircraft have to obtain two sets of clearances before flying over India. Once the aircraft entered Indian air space, the IAF ordered it through radio communication to land in Mumbai, to which it complied with, Singha said. A Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) spokesperson said in Mumbai, "The aircraft will not take-off today as the pilot has crossed his flying duty hours." The plane landed at Mumbai airport at 0752 hours and was parked at a remote bay and all the passengers remained inside till the inquiry was completed. The US Embassy was arranging for visa documents of the 205 passengers on-board.

"The US Embassy is arranging for visa, immigration and staying facilities for all the passengers," the MIAL spokesperson said. A US embassy spokesperson termed the issue as a "routine matter" and said "we are in touch with relevant officials to resolve" it. This is the fourth incident of a foreign aircraft violating rules relating to obtaining of clearance to fly over Indian airspace or other disputes since June this year. On June 20, a Ukrainian-made military cargo aircraft AN-124, operated by a Russian private airline Volga-Dnepr and chartered by US defence forces for flying out military equipment from its base in Diego Garcia island to Kandahar in Afghanistan, was caught in a similar situation. The IAF had ordered it to land in Mumbai as the aircraft did not have AOR clearance. It was detained for 24 hours and was asked to fly out after it obtained necessary clearance.

On August 27 this year, the IAF radar in Punjab had picked up an Air France aircraft (A-343) flying from Paris to Bangkok, as it did not have a proper identity. The IAF scrambled MIG-29 fighter jets to intercept it and it was asked to identify whether it was a friend or a foe. In the first week of September, a China-bound cargo plane of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force was detained and its ten crew members including the pilot were questioned after customs officials found arms and ammunition on board the aircraft. The plane had made a scheduled transit landing at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose airport, Kolkata. The crew members had not informed in the routine declaration submitted to authorities that arms and ammunition were in the plane.

Air India to deploy Boeing 777 aircraft on long routes

To provide comfort and luxury to passengers in its long-haul flights, Air India has decided to deploy newly-acquired B777 aircraft on these sectors from the winter schedule starting October 25. The national carrier has also decided to introduce daily flights from Washington to Kolkata from December 1. "Air India will deploy the B777s to all its seven West-bound destinations in Europe, the US and Canada, and one to Tokyo. The airline will begin its services to Newark, Paris, Toronto and Tokyo using the B777 from October 25, beginning of the winter schedule," an Air India spokesperson said.

At present, the comfort and luxury of state of the art B777 aircraft are available on Air India flights to Chicago, New York, Frankfurt and London. Air India, which is in the red, has ordered the acquisition of 111 new aircraft, of which it has received and inducted 64 so far. These includes nine B777-300ER, eight B777-200LR, 15 each of A321 and A319 aircraft, besides 17 B737-800 aircraft for Air India Express. "The airline has reworked its winter schedule in such a manner so as to provide the passengers with a product that matches the best in the industry, both on international and domestic sectors," the spokesperson said. In the winter schedule, the airline will operate its Amritsar-London-Toronto flights with B777-300ER from Amritsar four days a week, while on the remaining three days the flight would operate from Delhi.

Oman Air seeks to expand Indian routes

Oman Air will not lease aircraft after November 22, when the last Airbus A330 leased from Jet Airways is returned. The airline took delivery of its third A330 this week and will add four more to its fleet by March 2011 thereby removing the need for leasing, CEO Peter Hill said. Having reached capacity on all its Indian routes, Oman Air will enter talks with the Indian Government to grow its network in its strongest market, he said. The airline expects available seat kilometres in 2009 to grow by 27 per cent on last year and will launch flights to Tanzania and Kenya. However, the airline’s next major announcement will come at Dubai Air Show, which starts on November 15.

Air India Express inducts new Boeing 737-800 aircraft

Air India's holding company, NACIL, has received one more Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which would be deployed on routes catered to by Air India Express. With the induction of the 17th Boeing 737-800 aircraft, received by the air-carrier on Saturday, Air India Express now has a fleet of 24 aircraft, including seven leased ones.

Jet Airways flight makes emergency landing at Budapest

A Mumbai-bound Jet airways flight from Brussels carrying 224 passengers and 13 crew landed at Budapest airport under emergency conditions after a technical snag in the aircraft. The flight 9W 227 landed at Budapest, capital of Hungary, safely and all the passengers, including four infants, and the crew are safe, a Jet Airways spokesperson said.

Qatar Airways to fly to Amritsar

Qatar Airways will launch its first flight to Amritsar in India's Punjab state on October 11. The new route will have four weekly flights which will be serviced using a two-class Airbus A320 aircraft.

Flydubai to start flights to Doha

Low-cost carrier Flydubai has announced plans to launch intra-GCC service with flights to the Qatari capital Doha. The twice daily flights, which will begin on October 18, will be the first direct service between Dubai and Qatar to be operated by a low-cost airline. One-way fares to Doha from Dubai will cost from Dhs200, which includes all taxes and one piece of hand baggage weighing up to 10kg.

Gulf Air to resume flights to Bangalore

Gulf Air, Bahrain's national carrier, has said it will resume its non-stop flights to the southern Indian city of Bangalore from October 24. The daily flight will depart Bahrain at 2150hrs and reach Bangalore at 0435hrs. The return flight will leave Bangalore at 0525hrs and reach Bahrain at 0750hrs.

Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi set to launch operations

Abu Dhabi-based Al Qudra Real Estate, a wholly owned subsidiary of Al Qudra Holding, has said that its Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi hotel will be opening to the public this October. The new hotel will be managed by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) as a 4- star business hotel. The hotel comprises over 200 rooms, including standard, executive, and suite rooms, as well as two restaurants, a bar and a cafe lounge.

Renaissance Hotels & Resorts to expand in Middle East

Marriott group's lifestyle brand, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to open five properties in the Middle East over the next three years. Renaissance Doha is set to open later this year 257 rooms. Three more properties will open in 2010 - two in Dubai and one in Bahrain, while 411 room Renaissance Abu Dhabi will be ready in 2012.

Jet Airways CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer steps down

In a major shake up in Jet Airways, its Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer has put in his papers and Nikos Kardassis, who heads the airline's US operations, will take over from him as acting CEO from October 15. Kardassis had been the CEO of Jet Airways from 1994 to 1999 and heads its US operations as a senior vice president, officials of the premier private carrier said. They said Kardassis brings with him a wealth of experiences in the aviation industry and financial services.

Kardassis was closely involved in the restructuring and cost and network management of Jet Airways and has been working as senior advisor to chairman Naresh Goyal on crucial areas of finance and strategy. He served as the head of operations of the airline in the Americas for the past 18 months. Prock-Schauer, whose resignation is effective from October 15, will join as the CEO of the low-cost carrier British Midland PLC (bmi) and be based in the UK. Prock-Schauer remained at the helm of affairs in the Indian carrier since June 2003 and has guided the company during the critical period of its international expansion growth.

Aldar Hospitality to open new hotels in Abu Dhabi

Paul Bell, Managing Director of Aldar Hotels and Hospitality, has unveiled plans to open seven hotels on Yas Island in time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 1. Six of the hotels are in a plaza and are about 200 metres from the track. The track runs underneath Yas Hotel, which is managed by Aldar. There will be one five star, four four-star and two two-star properties, Bell said.

Lufthansa introduces special fares to Europe from the Middle East

Lufthansa German Airlines launched special fares from the UAE, Kuwait, Doha and Oman to over 40 destinations in Europe. Destinations include Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Geneva, Hamburg, Hanover, London, Lyon, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Rome, Valencia, Venice, Vienna, Zurich and more. Mr. Peter Pollak, General Manager Passenger Sales UAE & Director Gulf, Lufthansa German Airlines said, "We have introduced some of the lowest and very attractive fares in the U.A.E and other Gulf markets as they are of key strategic importance to Lufthansa. We are confident that our Special fares offer will benefit our UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Doha customers to fly to their favorite destinations in Europe combined with our extensive network worldwide 'there's no better way to fly'." Customers from UAE, Kuwait and Oman can book their tickets before November 10, 2009 and are required to commence travel latest by April 15, 2010.

Customers from Doha can book their tickets before November 15 and start travel latest by December 15, 2009. Hence, Lufthansa is also offering a very long travel period. This gives customers the opportunity to buy now and travel in the coming months, either for leisure, business, Eid break, Christmas or even Easter holidays. The maximum period of stay is 3 months. Lufthansa German Airlines is the only airline connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi with 20 weekly flights to Frankfurt and Munich. Lufthansa flies daily from Kuwait to Frankfurt and also offers daily flights from Muscat to Frankfurt shortly before midnight (actual departure times vary for the different weekdays). Additionally, Lufthansa also flies daily from Doha to Frankfurt. Hence, the German flag carrier has an extensive route network, connecting the region to a total of 194 destinations in 79 countries which can be reached from Frankfurt and Munich.

RBG Grill opens at Park Inn, Muscat

The RBG Grill was recently opened under the wings of Park Inn brand, it is a bold new concept in hotel dining introduced in the Middle East for the first time by the Rezidor Hotel Group. The tempting menu offers guests a variety of international cuisine and local specialities in additional to signature grill dishes, the best gourmet burgers, light bites, soups, salads, shakes and smoothies. Friendly service standards are the trademark of RBG Grill. Decorated in red and cool grey, the spacious restaurant comfortably seats 80 guests indoors with additional 30 on the adjoining terrace in cooler months. Contemporary, vibrant and colourful décor, background music, TV screens for sports events and show kitchen add up to make it an inviting venue for family, friends or business travellers to enjoy.

"Whatever it is that you have planned, we aim is to make it extra special and memorable at the RBG Grill," says Sandeep Kamal, Executive Chef. It is an ideal spot to enjoy a healthy, delicious and affordable meal as well the perfect place to host product launches, dinners, receptions, birthday parties, functions and an array of other events. Park Inn Muscat is centrally located in Al Khuwair on Sultan Qaboos Street. It has a modern, sophisticated décor with state-of-the-art facilities. The 175 tastefully furnished guest rooms in the colourful and vibrant Park Inn style have been done keeping the business traveller in mind with an efficient and friendly 'Yes I can' culture followed by the trained staff.

Air India suspends crew for mid-air brawl

Air India suspended pilot Ranbir Arora and flight purser Amit Khanna for the October 3 mid-air brawl on its Sharjah-Lucknow-Delhi flight. The decision followed the submission of a report by the inquiry committee set up to probe the brawl onboard flight IC-884. The committee heard out the pilots and flight attendants involved in the scuffle. In its report, the committee said that Arora and Khanna had "greater involvement compared to the other two employees in magnifying the altercation". Accordingly, the airline management suspended the two staff members. The report said that the extent of involvement of each of the four employees would be determined through a regular departmental probe. Meanwhile, the airline management has constituted a five-member committee headed by a senior woman official to examine the charges of sexual harassment levelled by air hostess Komal against the pilots. A police probe into the molestation charges was also underway.

Day of emergency landings at Kolkata

Two flights landed in emergency conditions at Kolkata's NSC Bose international airport on Saturday after passengers complained of illness onboard. Airport sources said an Emirates flight coming from an airport in China to Dubai made an emergency landing after a passenger complained of illness at about 1.30am. A Singapore-New Delhi Jet Airways flight made an emergency landing following a passenger's illness at about 2am, sources said. Both the passengers were admitted to the medical camp of the airport and the planes took off an hour later for their destinations, sources said.

Air Arabia to start flight to Samara, Russia

Sharjah based low-cost carrier, Air Arabia will launch regular flights to the Russian city of Samara on October 26, 2009. The twice weekly service will take off from Sharjah on Mondays and Fridays and the route will be served by Airbus A320 aircraft in economy-class configuration.

Leela Hotels to provide inflight meals to Lufthansa

One of India’s most renowned luxury hotel groups is partnering with another industry leader. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has joined forces with Lufthansa, the European airline offering the most flights to India, to provide authentic Indian cuisine to travelers. For the next two years, First and Business Class passengers on Lufthansa flights to and from India can enjoy royal Indian cuisine prepared by two chefs of the award-winning Leela group as part of the airline’s Star Chefs program. Lufthansa passengers can dine on prawn curry masala with thalimpu sadam or lal mans, a Rajasthani meat dish, or Alleppy fish curry.

For vegetarians the menus offer an appetizer of moong dal pakoda chat with Imli Chutney, followed by khade masale ka paneer (cottage cheese) with jeera rice and dal tadka, and for dessert kacha golla. With over 36 years as a chef at some of India’s finest luxury properties, Corporate Master Chef Farman Ali has distinguished himself as a pioneer in preparing fine Indian cuisine and presides over the kitchens at the group’s flagship Leela Palace Kempinski Bangalore. His culinary mastery ranges from Hyderabadi, Marwari, Kashmiri and Awadhi cuisines to those of Gujarat and the northwest frontier.

Jet Airways starts daily New Delhi-Hong Kong flight

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, launched its New Delhi-Hong Kong service, its second daily flight to Hong Kong from India, aboard a state-of-the-art wide-body Airbus 330-200 aircraft. The airline marked the occasion with a small inaugural ceremony at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, in the presence of senior company officials. Jet Airways will also flag off its inaugural flight to Delhi from Hong Kong on October 1, 2009, China National Day, the anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The new daily flights will facilitate business and leisure travel between the Indian capital and the commercial hub of the East, Hong Kong, and complement the airline’s existing Mumbai-Hong Kong services.

From September 30, 2009 to October 24, 2009 and from March 28, 2010 to October 30, 2010, flight 9W 72 departs Delhi at 2250 hrs, arriving in Hong Kong at 0655 hrs. Flight 9W 71 will then depart Hong Kong at 1330 hrs, arriving in Delhi at 1650 hrs. From October 25, 2009 to March 27, 2010, flight 9W 72 will depart Delhi at 2245 hrs, arriving in Hong Kong at 0620 hrs. Flight 9W 71 will then depart Hong Kong at 1335 hrs, arriving in Delhi at 1720 hrs. Jet Airways' Première (Business Class) guests enjoy 180 degree lie-flat beds in a unique herringbone configuration that ensures easy aisle access from every seat, an oversized table, laptop power, telephony, SMS, Email and live text news, providing guests who want to work with a 'flying office'.

Première guests may also choose from a delectable menu of Indian and non-Indian cuisine, and an extensive wine list. Economy guests enjoy advanced, ergonomically-designed seats to minimise muscular and sinew tension, personal reading lights and on-demand In-flight Entertainment, among other amenities. According to Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, CEO, Jet Airways, "We are delighted to connect Delhi and Hong Kong with daily services, and launch our inaugural flight from Hong Kong to Delhi on the occasion of China National Day. There continues to remain a strong demand for quality services on the Delhi-Hong Kong sector, on account of the latter’s popularity as a leading global business and leisure destination."

Air India cuts fares after pilots strike ends

After the five-day Air India strike, the Maharaja is out to woo back its fliers. On Thursday, Air India announced that it had increased the quantum of cheap ticket inventory on all its flights. It has also introduced savings in its frequent flyer programme as well as air-ticket purchase scheme. "Our flights have started operating according to the normal schedule. By noon, the on-time performance of our flights was 89.7%," said an airline spokesperson, adding that the airline had started taking bookings. "The number of seats on special fares has been increased."

The official however could not furnish statistics on the percentage of the rise in cheap tickets as it depended on the demand. The number will vary from route to route and also on the flight timings. The airline expects the number of passengers to return to the pre-agitation level in the next four to five days. Prior to the strike, Air India ferried about 22,000-24,000 passengers per day. During the strike, it fell to half. Under the super-saving scheme, the airline offers a four coupon economy class ticket for Rs 41,316 instead of the earlier Rs 49,000.

Indian Air Force plans to induct more Sukhoi Su30 fighter aircraft

With both China and Pakistan bolstering their air combat fleets, IAF is now seeking another 50 Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role "air dominance" fighters to cater for any contingency on both the eastern and western fronts. These 50 new Sukhois will in addition to the 230 of these twin-seater fighters already contracted from Russia in three deals worth upwards of $8.5 billion. Having inducted 105 of the 230 Sukhois till now, IAF has already begun to base these jets in the North-East in a clear move to counter China's rapid modernisation of its armed forces. Incidentally, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has been directed to complete the manufacture of 140 of the 230 Sukhois under transfer of technology by 2015 at all costs.

India's "dissuasive deterrence" military posture against China, after all, revolves around the Sukhois as well as the 3,500km nuclear-capable Agni-III missile, which will be ready for operational deployment by 2011, and the 5,000km range Agni-V missile in the pipeline. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik said that his force was indeed "interested" in acquiring more Sukhois, which will be the mainstay of India's fighter fleet for the forseeable future, to further enhance its combat potential. Bombarded by a spate of questions on the military equation vis-a-vis China on day the People's Liberation Army showcased its staggering military might to mark 60 years of communism, ACM Naik said IAF's acquisition of combat capabilities was not "country or adversary-specific".

While exuding "confidence" that a repeat of the 1962 conflict was simply "not possible", the IAF chief said, "We need to develop certain capabilities which are required or will be required in the future in tune with India's aspirations." IAF, after all, needs to project power as well as have "strategic reach" from Hormuz Strait near Persian Gulf right down to Malacca Strait, which India visualises as its primary area of geopolitical interest. In its quest to emerge as a "strategic aerospace force", IAF has embarked on a major modernisation drive, which ranges from Israeli AWACS and aerostat radars to American C-130J 'Super Hercules' aircraft.

Jet Airways' Chennai-Coimbatore aircraft returns due to technical problems

A Coimbatore-bound Jet Airways plane with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram onboard returned to the Chennai airport on Friday due to a technical problem that developed mid-air. The problem was detected while the flight was mid-air, following which it flew back to Chennai, airport officials said. Later, the passengers including Chidambaram were put on another Jet Airways flight which left for Coimbatore, they said.

British Airways aircraft makes emergency landing in Mumbai

A London-bound British Airways aircraft with about 250 passengers aboard on Thursday made an emergency landing at Mumbai as the fire alarm went off in the cockpit soon after its take off. The flight took off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 0300 hours but landed back at 0410 hours as the fire alarm went off in the cockpit, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) spokesperson said. Emergency was announced, which was withdrawn at 0424 hours, the spokesperson said. On landing, the plane's undercarriage was inspected but no damage was detected, he said, adding the plane was later parked at a bay. A British Airways spokesperson said the aircraft had about 250 passengers on board and the "flight requested a priority landing after it developed a technical problem. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers were disembarked," the BA spokesperson said.

Etihad branded taxis launched in Manchester

Etihad Airways has unveiled 12 'hackney carriage' Manchester taxis in its unique black and gold livery. The taxi sponsorship was unveiled at Manchester City FC's stadium with club mascots, "Moonchester" and "Moonbeam", joining in the fun. The airline recently began a three-year deal to be the official shirt sponsor and partner of Premier League side, Manchester City FC and the taxi sponsorship is the latest initiative to build awareness of Etihad Airways in the Manchester area. Clive Wratten, Etihad Airways UK Country Manager, said, "We are delighted to have these eye-catching Etihad-sponsored taxis on the road in Manchester. The black and gold branding makes the taxis standout and is a novel way to build our brand profile across the city."

Oman's Muscat Festival cancelled due to H1N1

Oman has declared the cancellation of its annual event Muscat Festival due to fears about H1N1 swine flu. The month-long festival is due to be held in January and attracts foreign visitors every year. Oman has reported nearly 2,000 cases and 18 deaths from the H1N1 virus so far.