IHG to manage Blue city's Al Madina hotel

Oman based Blue City Company has signed an agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group for the latter to manage its beachfront property, InterContinental Al Madina A'Zarqa. The hotel will consist of 200 rooms, including 50 suites. It will also provide meeting and conference facilities, fitness centres and spa.

Saudia suffers tyre burst in Mumbai

A Saudi Arabian Airlines flight from Jeddah with 199 passengers onboard suffered a tyre-burst at the Mumbai airport this evening. Passengers on the flight SV 744 were disembarked on taxiway N-8 as the aircraft could not be towed due to the heavy load, a Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) spokesperson said. The runway is, however, fully operational, he said. The return flight to Jeddah had 211 passengers. However, the departure had been cancelled, he said. Consequently, two flights, Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong and Kingfisher Airlines from Thiruvananthapuram had to make a go-around for several minutes before landing.

SpiceJet, Jet Airways offer special monsoon fares

In a bid to attract passengers during monsoon season, low cost carriers - SpiceJet, Jetlite, Jet Airways Konnect and full service airlines Jet Airways have come up with special fares for the fliers. SpiceJet has introduced special fares starting from Rs 1,500 plus taxes for those wanting to fly to 18 destinations on its network between July 15 to September 15. The bookings for this limited seat offer are open from today for limited period, a statement from the airlines said. Meanwhile, Jet Airways and its low cost arms, Jetlite and Jet Konnect have also launched the special Monsoon Magic prices for its passengers.

Air India launches new 'Quick Returns' scheme

National air-carrier, Air India on Saturday launched a multi-user four coupon ticket called 'Quick Returns' for economy travel within the country. The offer is part of Air India's ongoing marketing initiatives targeting the corporate sector to enhance its market share, a company press release said. The coupon has been priced at Rs 22,916, inclusive of all taxes and the tickets under the offer are non-refundable, the release said. Passengers buying tickets under the scheme would have to pay user development fee, which is charged by airport operators, the release said.

The tickets are available for sale from June 5th to July 11th and the travel is to be completed by September 20, 2009. Quick Returns booklets will be valid for use on both IC (Indian) and AI (Air India) coded flights on all domestic sectors except on four routes; Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi-Kochi,Delhi-Kozhikode and Delhi-Coimbatore, the release said. Members of the Frequent Flyer Programme will earn 100 mileage points for each sector of travel under the scheme. Corporate houses, which have entered into deals with Air India,are also eligible to purchase the tickets offered under the scheme, Air India said.

Air India Express to cancel some Gulf routes

The financial crunch at Air India is taking a toll on its subsidiary Air India Express which has now decided to pull out a few international flights and deploy them on domestic routes in the country. Air India Express will pull out flights from routes in the Gulf and South-East Asia among which are Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The redeployment of these international flights will be in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. This process will take place around September this year with Air India Express functioning as a low-cost service. A senior Air India official confirmed that the company is already working on a low-cost model. “We noticed that travellers, especially corporates, have switched over to low-cost airlines from full service carriers on many domestic sectors,” he added.

Air India told to start low-cost service

Budget flyers could soon be spoilt for choice. Cash-strapped Air India has been asked to start low-cost domestic operations as part of its overall restructuring and survival strategy. Reeling under loan liabilities of Rs 15,000 crore, the airline has also been told to restructure loans with banks and other lenders. And to cut costs 46 of its current fleet of 155 aircraft are being returned at the earliest. The man in the eye of the AI storm, aviation minister Praful Patel, on Friday said a plan is being worked out for AI revival that has just one important condition - employees' wholehearted support to turn the airline around.

"Despite all problems, we'll turn around AI. That's a challenge we accept," said Patel. "AI must enter the domestic low cost segment. That's where the growth is and is something that Jet and Kingfisher have already done. It's upto the airline whether to use AI Express for that purpose or have something else. But the business model has to be redefined," he said. Government sources said the decision to delay payment of June wages was just to send a signal to employees that it's not business as usual at AI.

The loss-ridden airline is now going to see a serious attempt to downsize its workforce for which a leave-without-pay scheme has already been launched and VRS could soon follow along with a leaner fleet size. To begin with, 46 leased aircraft are being returned. Facing flak from unions over decisions like AI-IA merger and acquisition of new aircraft, a senior ministry official said, “AI-IA had not got planes for about two decades and desperately needed new machines. Each employee must also feel why despite getting new planes, the airline is not able to attract passengers?”

Jet Airways Konnect introduces new flights

Jet Airways Konnect will extend its services on board two additional state-of-the-art, next generation Boeing 737 aircraft, to include sectors connecting Mumbai with Rajkot and Bengaluru with daily flights, commencing July 7th, 2009. Again, effective July 11th, 2009, Jet Airways Konnect will offer similar services from Delhi to Indore and Bhopal, as also between Mumbai and Delhi and, Indore and Bhopal, with daily flights. These 2 additional 135-seater aircraft have been specially configured to offer Jet Airways Konnect’s popular all–economy no frills service. The deployment of these two Boeing 737-700 aircraft will take the tally of aircraft offering the Jet Airways Konnect services, upto 19 aircraft (9 Boeing 737s and 10 ATRs), offering over 125 flights daily as planned. Jet Airways Konnect flights aim to provide the same operational efficiency and reliability, that Jet Airways is reputed for, thereby offering true value to its guests.

Air India's Kochi-Delhi flight makes emergency landing

An Air India Kochi-Delhi flight carrying 151 passengers including Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Friday made an emergency landing at the Nagpur airport following a technical problem, airport sources said. The flight IC 466 landed around 1000 hours and a relief aircraft has been asked to take the passengers, Area Marketing Manager of the Airlines, I A Dhas said. The flight developed an engine trouble and made emergency landing. There are 151 passengers and six crew members in the aircraft, the source said. The Kerala Chief Minister was among the passengers along with two of his colleague, state Home Minister Kodiyari Balakrishnan and Water Resources Minister M K Premchandran. The VVIP's were accommodated in the lounge while passengers were shifted to a nearby hotel, Dhas said, adding the relief aircraft has already left for Nagpur from Delhi.

Air Arabia flight makes emergency landing

An Air Arabia flight from Chittagong to Sharjah made an emergency landing at the Kolkata airport on Thursday night when one of the two engines of the Airbus 320 stopped functioning mid-air. The flight, with 159 passengers and eight crew members on board, landed at the city airport at 10.20 pm. "The aircraft was under our jurisdiction and flying over Jamshedpur when the pilot sought emergency landing permission from us," said an air traffic controller. As the plane prepared to land, airport officials stood by with all emergency facilities such as fire-tenders and ambulances. "The flight, G9 522, landed safely and was grounded. All passengers were disembarked and were taken to the transit lounge for refreshments," said R Srinivasan, the airport director. Air India's ground security staff are looking after the passengers and engineers of the same airlines are rectifying the snag.

Jet Airways-Kingfisher pact finally takes off

After an eight-month delay, the alliance between the country’s two largest private carriers, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines, finally took off on July 1. “To start with, both the airlines have started sharing infrastructure at the domestic airports that include Delhi and Mumbai,” a senior Kingfisher Airlines said. Apart from infrastructure sharing at airports, the code sharing between the two airlines will start this month. “The infrastructure and code sharing will reduce Kingfisher’s operational costs by 20-30%,” added the official. According to an official at Jet, code sharing on domestic and international flights will start soon, apart from joint fuel management and network rationalisation. Last October, Vijay Mallya and Naresh Goyal signed an agreement to significantly rationalise capacity and reduce costs at a time when prices of jetfuel had hit record highs. Landing and parking charges are high in India. Besides, jetfuel prices have moved upwards in the last two months.

SpiceJet may merge with JetLite

Consolidation is in the air, and there is buzz that SpiceJet may fly together with JetLite. However, SpiceJet said a consolidation is not the only option to strengthen the industry. Analysts point out that since the industry is bleeding profusely, acquisitions will also mean a transfer of huge liabilities. The aviation sector could soon see a third round of consolidation. Experts believe that among low cost carriers, SpiceJet is most likely to go in for a merger or an acquisition. That's mainly because the airline's financial condition has improved thanks to funding by Wilbur Ross. JetLite, experts say, may be in SpiceJet's crosshairs. Something SpiceJet does not seem opposed to, in principle.

Ajay Singh, Director, SpiceJet said, “We do not comment on market rumours. But in concept, it is a good thing.” Sources say some low cost carriers are already in advanced merger and acquisition talks and JetLite might play a crucial role in this consolidation. We learn SpiceJet may look at taking over JetLite, as both airlines operate with Boeing aircraft, a factor that could make synergies easier. However, SpiceJet says consolidation is not the only option to strengthen the industry. Ajay Singh added, “As a concept we believe that consolidation is a good thing. Just as capacity rationalisation is a good thing and there are several other steps that can be taken by the government and the industry to make sure that it is a healthy industry.

Air India employees on strike

About 13,000 employees at state run Air India walked off the job for two hours Friday after the airline failed to pay their monthly wage. The strike was the last resort for some employees who say management failed to keep a promise to pay them Friday, said J.B. Kadian, the general secretary of the Air Corporation Employees Union. There have been strained talks between management and three unions that includes everyone from the cabin crew to sweepers after Air India told the bulk of its employees their pay would be delayed by two weeks. The unions said 13,000 employees participated in the strike but Air India did not provide a number.

The walkout comes after management did not follow through on its latest verbal agreement to pay the lowest paid employees by July 3, employees say. Employees normally get paid on the last day of the month. The lowest paid unionized employees make less than $100 a week. Employees said they were angered that their pay was delayed at a time when the airline has continued to buy new planes. Air India is in deep financial trouble. It lost about a billion dollars last year alone. It says it is in a fight for survival due to lower volumes of passengers, the high cost of employing about 31,000 employees as well as the current world financial downturn.

Sindbad Frequent Flyer teams up with Oman Air Holidays

Oman Air's Sindbad Frequent Flyer Programme has teamed up with Oman Air Holidays to offer a range of holiday packages with the benefit of earning Sindbad Miles. Packages combine flights on Oman Air with selected hotels, tours and excursions at destinations including the Egypt, Jordan, India, Thailand, and London. Sindbad members will not only earn miles on the flight segment but will receive an equal number of miles from Oman Air Holidays, the firm said.

Flydubai announces Indian routes

Flydubai, Dubai's first low cost airline, is all set for take off to the Indian sub-continent with the announcement of a trio of routes to the region. Flydubai will begin its Indian adventure with flights to the north eastern city of Lucknow on July 13. This will be closely followed by Coimbatore in the south of the country on July 14. The trio of destinations will be completed on July 23 when flights to the north western city of Chandigarh begin. FZ449 will depart Dubai for Lucknow on July 13 and will operate four times per week. Prices will include all taxes and one piece of hand baggage weighing up to 10kg. The thrice-weekly Coimbatore service, FZ413, will take off from Dubai on July 14. FZ431 will become the first international flight to touch down at Chandigarh airport on July 23.

The flydubai model is simple, with customers paying only for the services they want to receive. The ticket price includes all taxes and one piece of hand baggage, weighing up to 10kg, per passenger. Passengers have the option to purchase checked-in baggage in advance, weighing up to 32kgs, subject to availability. Checked baggage at the airport is also strictly subject to availability and passengers are advised to book online early to secure the space, as only pre-purchased baggage can be guaranteed. A nominal payment allows customers to select their seat and secures the extra legroom positions. Bookings can be changed for a small fee, plus any difference in the fare, and food and drink can be purchased on board. Flydubai operates from a modernized and enhanced Terminal 2 on the north side of Dubai International Airport.

Oman seeks to tap its tourism potential

Oman is spending billions to boost tourism as part of a strategy to diversify its economy. But while the Sultanate is keen to attract more visitors, it is also determined to protect its culture and traditions. Oman recently unveiled a new scheme that places great importance on tourism as a way to diversify the country's economy away from oil. Under the new strategy, called 'Vision 2020', the government is teaming up with the private sector to invest more than $10bn in several major tourism projects. The country hopes that the new initiative will enable it to attract 12 million tourists annually by 2020, as compared to 3.2 million per annum at present. One of the key projects that has been launched is a major expansion of Muscat International Airport, which includes a new terminal building, an additional runway, and an upgrade to the existing runway that will enable it to handle the Airbus A380. When finished in 2011 the airport will be able to accommodate more than 12 million annual visitor arrivals.

Three smaller airports are also to be built in Nizwa, Salalah and Duqm to help promote these relatively new areas. The blueprint for Vision 2020 also entails the development of 10 new resorts over the next five years, including the newly opened Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club, the $7bn Blue City complex, and the Wave, a beachfront resort costing $4bn. Oman Air is also doing its part by rolling out new service to Frankfurt, Munich, and Paris starting in September. The carrier will fly seven times a week to Germany and four times a week to Paris. Last but not least, Oman is building a venue for the 2010 Asian Beach Games, which it will host in Wudum Al Sahil near Muscat in December next year. In addition to building new resorts and infrastructure, Oman recently eased its visa policies to make it possible for nationals of up to 60 countries to receive entry visas on arrival at the airport.

New international flights begin landing at Salalah

New flights announced for the Khareef season by GCC countries have begun landing at Salalah airport, officials said. Its first direct flight from Riyadh, Saudi Arabian Airlines’ special aircraft flew in tourists to Salalah. The airline is operating five flights a week between Riyadh and Salalah to catch in on the tourist rush from that country during Khareef. The airport also welcomed a group of journalists and tourists aboard Gulf Air’s first flight to Salalah this season from the Kingdom of Bahrain. Gulf Air has announced that it is operating three flights a week from Manama to Salalah. The flights will operate till mid September, officials said. Among other regional airlines, Jazeera Airways had started operating flights between Salalah Airport and Kuwait last month. The airline is operating two flights a week from Kuwait, in addition to Al Saeedah Airline, which was recently added to its flights programme between Aden and Salalah.

Kingfisher to start Pune-Goa flight

Those travelling to and from Pune will soon have an option, while those wanting to enjoy holidays and festivals in Goa will for the first time get to reach their destination directly through Kingfisher Red which is all set to link Nagpur with Pune and Goa from July 1. Confirming the development, a senior official of Kingfisher Red said, “The airline has finalised plans to link Nagpur with Pune and Goa by introducing the ATR aircraft. The flight will operate on the Nagpur-Indore-Pune and Goa route and the return flight will operate on Goa-Pune-Indore and Nagpur route. The flight IT-2801 will take off from Nagpur at 8.10 am and reach Indore at 9.30 am. It will leave Indore at 9.55 am and reach Pune at 11.15 am. From Pune, it will leave at 12 noon and reach Goa at 1.15 pm.

This means that the passengers will reach Pune with one stop at Indore in three hours and Goa in five hours, the official added. On the return journey, the flight IT-2802 will depart from Goa at 1.45 pm, reach Pune at 3 pm, leave Pune at 4.50 pm and reach Indore at 6.10 am before landing in Nagpur at 8 am. The fares for Goa will start from Rs 9,000 onwards while Pune fares will be from Rs 4,000 onwards, the official added. Sources at airport said, The Kingfisher Red Pune flight will be another option for travelers to go to Pune as Indigo is already operating a daily Pune flight with a minimum fare of Rs 1,779.

Yemenia A310 crashes into the Indian Ocean

An Airbus 310 belonging to Yemenia, Yemen’s national airline, and flying to Moroni, the capital of Grand Comore, fell into the sea a few miles short of its destination. The flight had originally taken off from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for Sana'a, Yemen's capital, with 147 passengers. In Sana'a, 67 onward bound passengers then changed planes and flew on via Djibouti to Comoros, where the aircraft is thought to have come down in "choppy" weather three to six miles short of Moroni. "The plane has crashed and we still don't know exactly where," said the Comoros' vice-president, Idi Nadhoim, who went immediately to the airport. "We think it's in the area of Mitsamiouli. There were 150 passengers on board."

Television reports suggested that families waiting to meet passengers at Moroni airport saw the plane make an approach to the runway, and turn to make a second attempt. It never returned, disappearing from radar screens shortly afterwards. Sana'a airport later gave a figure of 142 passengers with the remainder being crew. There were no immediate reports of survivors, officials said, though speedboats had been dispatched to the scene. The Comoros is an archipelago nation of three islands between Mozambique and Madagascar off the coast of East Africa. It used to be a French colony and a fourth island, Mayotte, in the archipelago remains under French rule. French military jets based at Mayotte and another Indian Ocean territory, Reunion, were helping with the search for survivors.

"We think the crash is somewhere along its landing approach," Ibrahim Kassim, of the Agency for Aviation Security and Navigation in Africa and Madagascar, said. "The weather is really not very favourable. The sea is very rough." Grand Comore is the largest of the islands, the others being Mohéli and Anjouan. Its 800,000 population makes it one of Africa's smallest countries, but also one of its most densely populated. Yemen, which occupies the southernmost part of the Arabian peninsula, is often troubled by Islamist, sectarian and tribal violence, and the authorities there are still looking for a Briton and and a German family of five kidnapped there earlier this month. However, there are no initial suspicions of terrorist involvement on this occasion.

Oman Air increases flights to Salalah during Khareef

Oman Air has increased flights to Salalah to carry more visitors to the summer Khareef season in the southern Dhofar region. It is running 25 flights a week between Muscat and Salalah, four from Dubai, and one from Kuwait.

Air India flight makes emergency landing in Delhi

An Air India flight to Hyderabad made an emergency landing in Delhi on Monday, an hour after taking off from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, when the pilot reported a technical snag. The Delhi-Hyderabad-Tirupati Air India flight 942, carrying 75 passengers, made an emergency landing at 11.40 a.m., said a spokesperson of the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) that operates the Delhi airport. "All passengers are safe," he said and added that there were some problems in the hydraulic system of the aircraft. An Air India spokesperson said the pilot had decided to come back to Delhi midway as a precautionary measure as he suspected a technical snag.