India and China agree to resume air travel after nearly five years

FILE PHOTO: Travellers push trolleys with their luggage at the departure area of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, December 14, 2022. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File PhotoBEIJING/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India and China have agreed to resume direct air services after nearly five years, India’s foreign ministry said on Monday, signalling a thaw in relations between the neighbours after a deadly 2020 military clash on their disputed Himalayan border.Both sides will negotiate a framework on the flights in a meeting that will be held at “early date”, the ministry said after a meeting between India’s top diplomat and his Chinese counterpart.Tensions soured between the two nations after the 2020 clash, following which India made it difficult for Chinese companies to invest in the country, banned hundreds of popular apps and severed passenger routes, although direct cargo flights continued to operate between the countries.Relations have improved over the past four months with several high-level meetings, including talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian...
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Air India Express cancels over 80 flights due to cabin crew shortage

Air India Express has cancelled more than 80 flights and scores of flights have been delayed as a section of cabin crew members have reported sick to protest against certain policies of the airline management. An Air India Express spokesperson said, the airline is engaging with the cabin crew members to understand the reasons for reporting sick and also apologised for the flight disruptions. Several Air India Express flight services from the four international airports in Kerala have been disrupted since last night, as many cabin crew employees of the carrier have collectively taken sick leave. At the Cochin International Airport, four international flights and a domestic flight to Bengaluru were cancelled by the airline. The affected international services include flights to Sharjah, Bahrain, Dammam, and Muscat. Additionally, Air India Express flights from Muscat, Bahrain, and Dammam scheduled for arrival this evening have also been cancelled. Reports said that in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, Air India Express flights bound for Sharjah, Dubai, Muscat, and Abu Dhabi were...
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Air India Express cancels over 80 flights due to cabin crew shortage

Air India Express has cancelled more than 80 flights and scores of flights have been delayed as a section of cabin crew members have reported sick to protest against certain policies of the airline management. An Air India Express spokesperson said, the airline is engaging with the cabin crew members to understand the reasons for reporting sick and also apologised for the flight disruptions. Several Air India Express flight services from the four international airports in Kerala have been disrupted since last night, as many cabin crew employees of the carrier have collectively taken sick leave. At the Cochin International Airport, four international flights and a domestic flight to Bengaluru were cancelled by the airline. The affected international services include flights to Sharjah, Bahrain, Dammam, and Muscat. Additionally, Air India Express flights from Muscat, Bahrain, and Dammam scheduled for arrival this evening have also been cancelled. Reports said that in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, Air India Express flights bound for Sharjah, Dubai, Muscat, and Abu Dhabi were cancelled....
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Aviation in a ‘purple patch’ amid new plane crunch, AirAsia says

Malaysia-based AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes remains bullish on air travel. MUST CREDIT: Richard Humphries/BloombergThe aviation industry is experiencing a “purple patch” with demand for seats far outstripping capacity amid a long wait for new aircraft and a shortage of pilots further discouraging any fresh competition, Tony Fernandes, the founder of low-cost carrier AirAsia, said. Malaysia-based AirAsia for its part is set to witness its “best ever period” with most of the carrier’s 240 planes back in the sky and “airfares at their best,” Fernandes said during an interview near Kuala Lumpur’s international airport on Monday. “I’ve never been this bullish before,” Fernandes, who started AirAsia 23 years ago, said. “Southeast Asia is going through a renaissance period of sensible economics, and that’s a good thing.” On the back of that, AirAsia plans to raise as much as $600 million in coming months, Fernandes said, as he tries to pull off a merger between his two aviation businesses – long-haul carrier AirAsia X Bhd. and short-haul airline AirAsia, which is currently a unit under Fernandes’...
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Boeing staff confused on safety reporting: US study

WASHINGTON - Boeing employees are confused and distrustful of changes to safety reporting systems implemented by the aerospace giant after fatal plane crashes in 2018 and 2019, according to a US report released Monday.The report pointed to a "disconnect" between senior company management and other Boeing employees and skepticism that safety complaints by workers would not result in retaliation, according to an expert panel appointed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)."The procedures and training are complex and in a constant state of change, creating employee confusion especially among different work sites and employee groups," said an executive summary.The analysis comes as Boeing faces intensified scrutiny following a January 5 Alaska Airlines emergency landing that led to a temporary grounding of some Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.The US Congress ordered the analysis in a 2020 law after fatal Lion Air and Ethiopian Airline crashes on 737 MAX planes. The report's scope did not include the Alaska Airlines incident, although the summary alluded to "serious quality issues" that...
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Indians advised against travel to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait via UAE

The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi has advised Indian citizens against travelling to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait via the United Arab Emirates due to "Covid-related restrictions on incoming passengers" imposed in the two countries.Issued on Monday, an embassy advisory advised the Indian nationals to "ascertain the latest Covid related travel guidelines of their final destination country before embarking on an outward journey from India".The citizens were also suggested to carry sufficient "personal provisions and funds to cater to any emergent requirements".The Embassy further advised the Indian nationals who were already in the UAE en route to the two countries, to consider returning home and make their travel plans only when the ongoing restrictions were ease.The advisory comes after the Consulate General of India in Dubai informed the Embassy that several Indians travelling to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were still stranded in the UAE.Since December 2020, at least 600 Indians, who wanted to travel to Saudi Arabia, have been stranded in the UAE, a Consulate official told Khaleej Times."Due...
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Indonesian plane goes missing with 59 passengers after take-off

A passenger plane with 59 people onboard has gone missing after take-off from the Indonesian capital Jakarta.According to BBC, the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 lost contact en route to Pontianak in West Kalimantan province, officials said.Flight tracking website Flightradar24.com said the aircraft SJ182 had “disappeared” more than 3,000 meters (10,000ft) in altitude in less than a minute, about 4 minutes after departure from Jakarta.The transport ministry said search and rescue efforts were underway.Meanwhile, there are no official confirmations of a crash. The Regent of the Thousand Islands said they had information that “something fell and exploded on Male Island,” according to a report of Indonesian newspaper Merdeka.Earlier, the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Branch Communications Manager Haerul Anwar said the Sriwijaya aircraft had lost contact around Lancang Island, a part of the Thousand Islands.Source: BBC, DW. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.co...
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The world cuts air travel ties with Britain

By Alex Macheras In an unprecedented development during this final chapter of 2020, over 60 countries from across 5 continents have cut all air travel ties with the UK or banned UK travellers amid immense global concern of a new Covid-19 strain “spreading out of control” in Britain.Scientists say the new strain is likely more infectious, possibly up to 70% faster in terms of transmission. Jeremy Farrar, a British medical researcher and director of the Wellcome Trust, said that its existence is "worrying and a real cause for concern. Research is ongoing to understand more but acting urgently now is critical. There is no part of the UK and globally that should not be concerned”.While this new strain of Covid-19 has been found to be in multiple countries, including South Africa and The Netherlands, it’s UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s “this new strain is out of control here” comments that has led to 60 countries from 5 continents banning air travel to/from Britain in a bid to keep the new strain out.In fact, entire countries are shutting down (such as Kuwait, Oman) due to global concern...
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Alliance Air delays flight to save four lives

In a humanitarian gesture, Air India's regional subsidiary Alliance Air delayed its Jaipur-Delhi flight to save the lives of four patients, awaiting organ transplants in the national capital. The matter came to light on Sunday, signifying the growing need for "safe and fast" harvested organ transport.According to Alliance Air, its Jaipur-Delhi flight on Saturday was delayed by half an hour to wait for the arrival of organs donated by a 49-year-old woman in Jaipur that were to be transported to Delhi along with a team of doctors and paramedical staff."The retrieved organs to be transported consisted of 2 lungs, 1 liver and 1 kidney and were urgently needed at Delhi to save four lives," the airline said in a statement."Collaborative efforts of the Chief Minister's office, the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), Air India, Alliance Air, the Central Industrial Security Force and Jaipur airport authorities for this humanitarian cause helped in saving 4 lives."As per the statement, when the passengers on the flight came to know about the reason of flight delay, they waited...
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Pak airlines may face ban in 188 countries

The Airlines that are being operated in Pakistan may face a ban from flying to 188 countries as the country has failed in their pilot licensing issue and to meet international standards as required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a report of the Express Tribune said on Sunday. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) could ban PIA airlines and pilots from 188 countries for failing to comply with the rules, the report stated that. The ICAO issued a serious warning to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) over the safety concerns.In a letter on November 3, the ICAO stated that PCAA had failed to meet the international standards regarding the personnel licensing and training in relation to the licensing process for pilot.Regarding the warning, a Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association (Palpa) spokesperson said: "This will have serious consequences and could be a total disaster for Pakistan's aviation industry."Palpa alleged that it had been raising this issue since June 2020 but unfortunately it was neglected by the authorities concerned.Earlier,...
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Singapore, Hong Kong to start ‘world first’ air travel bubble

Hong Kong and Singapore will start the long-awaited air travel bubble that will replace quarantine with Covid-19 testing from November 22. According to the Bloomberg report, there will be several flights a week on Singapore Airlines Ltd. and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. from that date, rising to daily from December 7. A maximum of 200 people will be permitted on each flight and details of the arrangement will be reviewed after one month. At a news briefing on Wednesday, Singapore Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung said that this was the first travel bubble of its type and may be used as a template for other countries, if successful. The travel bubble will help ensure a brighter future for the city-state’s Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines, he said. “This policy is not easy to come by,” said Edward Yau Tang-wah, Hong Kong’s commerce and economic development secretary. “Whether the bubble can work and sustain [itself] well will depend on cooperation from all sides, including the participation of residents and their efforts in maintaining social distancing.” The...
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Confident of future of India's aviation industry: Airbus South Asia president

Strong local fundamentals will aide the revival of India's aviation sector, believes Airbus South Asia President, Remi Maillard.In a conversation with IANS, Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia, expressed confidence in the industry's potential along with its revival prospects on the back of strong fundamentals."I remain confident about the future of the Indian aviation industry because of the strong local fundamentals," Maillard said."That is why, in parallel to our efforts of catalysing a safe traffic recovery, we need to work on further strengthening the foundations for India to become a world leader in the civil aviation industry. This implies further developing the domestic market, turning India into an international hub, growing the MRO and training eco-systems as well as stimulating the helicopter business," he added.Notably, the sector has been heavily battered by the coronavirus outbreak and its cascading impact on the overall travel industry.Maillard termed the pandemic as the 'gravest crisis' that industry has ever faced."There is not...
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Lufthansa cancels all flights between Germany and India from Sept 30 (Ld)

Airline major Lufthansa said on Tuesday that it will cancel all planned flights between Germany and India from September 30 to October 20.According to the airline, the move comes after Indian authorities rejected Lufthansa's planned flight schedule for October."Lufthansa had applied for the continuation of special flights it was granted to operate until the end of September," the airline said in a statement."This application process is necessary since India has, so far, not accepted the invitation by the German government to discuss the details regarding a temporary travel agreement between both the countries," it said.Lufthansa was operating these flights under the 'Air Bubble' agreement between India and Germany.India had formalised an 'Air Bubble' agreement with Germany in July 2020. This type of arrangement allows nationals of both the countries to travel in either direction.As per the statement, Lufthansa had originally scheduled flights for October in order to continue connecting Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru with Europe and other regions in Lufthansa's worldwide network."The October...
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Foreigners holding J-1 or J-1X visas allowed in India

Foreign nationals holding journalist (J-1) visa and their dependents holding J-1X visas were on Tuesday permitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to visit India. The ministry also directed the concerned authorities to restore with immediate effect J-1 or J-1X visas of foreign nationals which have been suspended. However, if the validity of such visas has expired, the foreign nationals may obtain a fresh J-1 or J1X visa, as the case may be, from the Indian missions or posts concerned, said an order issued by the foreigners' division of the MHA. The ministry has also decided that the existing restrictions on incoming passenger traffic into India through the immigration check-posts will not apply in respect of these categories of foreign nationals. However, with respect to quarantine and all other health or Covid-19 related matters, the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) shall be adhered to. The facility would be an addition to the categories of foreign nationals who were permitted to enter India as per the ministry's June 30 and August...
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Pilots among 17 dead as AI Express plane overshoots runway, plunges into valley

An Air India Express flight, returning from Dubai under the Vande Bharat mission, crashed at the "table top" Kozhikode airport on Friday evening, leaving at least 17, of the 190 people aboard, dead including pilot, Capt D.V. Sathe and his co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar. The plane skidded off the runaway as it landed on its second attempt amid heavy rain, plunged 35 feet into the valley below, and broke into two pieces. Following the accident, which occurred at 7.41 p.m., the Kozhikode airport has been closed and the flights scheduled to land there have been diverted to Kannur airport, about 80 km away. Expressing deep anguish over the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said a formal enquiry will be conducted into the incident by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Air India Express AXB1344, a B737 aircraft, with 190 people on board, landed on Runway 10 amid visibility of 2,000 metres in heavy rain, but overshot and nose-dived into the valley, breaking into two pieces. Authorities in Kerala,...
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Lufthansa to reinstate inbound passenger flights to India

German airline major Lufthansa will recommence passenger flight services to India on specific routes, following a bilateral agreement between India and Germany. The airline on Monday announced that effective immediately, Indian citizens are eligible to travel on Lufthansa flights to India from the US, Canada, and other countries. "Following a bilateral agreement between India and Germany, inbound passenger flights to India, one of Lufthansa's most important international markets, will be reinstated as of 13 August," the airline said in a statement. Consequently, Lufthansa will be able to offer flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru effective immediately. "Lufthansa has already been operating outbound flights from India for several months, departing from Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore (Bengaluru) to its Frankfurt and Munich hubs, the latter being Europe's only five star airport," the airline said. According to the airline, since July, Lufthansa has been offering Indian customers a convenient option at Frankfurt and Munich airports to test for coronavirus at short notice....
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Pilots among 17 dead as AI Express plane overshoots runway, plunges into valley

An Air India Express flight, returning from Dubai under the Vande Bharat mission, crashed at the "table top" Kozhikode airport on Friday evening, leaving at least 17, of the 190 people aboard, dead including pilot, Capt D.V. Sathe and his co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar. The plane skidded off the runaway as it landed on its second attempt amid heavy rain, plunged 35 feet into the valley below, and broke into two pieces. Following the accident, which occurred at 7.41 p.m., the Kozhikode airport has been closed and the flights scheduled to land there have been diverted to Kannur airport, about 80 km away. Expressing deep anguish over the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said a formal enquiry will be conducted into the incident by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Air India Express AXB1344, a B737 aircraft, with 190 people on board, landed on Runway 10 amid visibility of 2,000 metres in heavy rain, but overshot and nose-dived into the valley, breaking into two pieces. Authorities in Kerala,...
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International flights to remain suspended till August 31

The Indian government on Friday extended the suspension on scheduled commercial international flight operations to and from India till August 31. "The Government has decided to extend the suspension on the Scheduled International Commercial Passenger Services to or from India upto 2359 hours IST of 31st August," an official statement said. "Specific Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued accordingly." The restriction, however, will not be applicable on all-cargo flights and other flights specially approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Passenger air services were suspended on March 25 due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19. Domestic flight services, however, resumed from May 25. Source: https://southasiamonitor.org...
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Want to avoid institutional quarantine if travelling to India? Get a -ve RT-PCR report

International travellers will be exempted from institutional quarantine on submitting a negative RT-PCR test report on their arrival in India, according to the latest guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. However, "this test should have been conducted within 96 hrs prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration", the guidelines say. Also, a self-declaration needs to be furnished, vouching for the authenticity of the test report. All others need to give an undertaking on the portal that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days (7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home with self-monitoring of health). All travellers are also required to submit a self-declaration form on the online portal at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel, according to the new guidelines for inbound international passengers. Before boarding a flight to India, not only is downloading Arogya Setu app on their mobile devices mandatory but at the time of...
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Air travel expected to not recover before 2024

FRANKFUT (GERMANY): Global air travel is recovering more slowly than expected and will take until until 2024 to return to pre-pandemic levels, the trade association for the airline industry said Tuesday. The International Air Transport Association pushed back its prediction by one year due to the slow containment of the outbreak in the US and developing countries. The industry is seeing a rebound from the depths of the shutdowns in April, but the bad new is that any increase "is barely visible," IATA chief economist Brian Pearce said Tuesday during an online briefing for journalists. Pearce said that air travel is not rebounding along with rising levels of business confidence in Europe, the U.S. and China. Traffic was down 86.5 per cent in June from the same month a year ago, compared with a drop of 94.1 per cent in April, measured as revenue passenger kilometers, or the distance travelled by all revenue-generating passengers. That improvement is "nowhere near the increase in business confidence," Pearce said. China is bouncing back more than some other places, while an upturn in...
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