News

Flying rules relaxed in India to resume smooth conduct of air operations

As the airline industry operations in India slowly goes back to the pre-pandemic times, The Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to relax some of the COVID 19 related flying regulations. The Ministry has decided to do away with the rule of keeping three vacant seats on international flights for medical emergencies. The Ministry has also decided to resume pat-down searches of passengers by security personnel at airports. Moreover, cabin crew members are not required to wear PPE kits any longer. The aviation industry in the country was deeply affected by the pandemic, more recently, the Omicron variant of the virus. February saw a 20 percent rise in passenger travel by air, a total of 76.96 lakh domestic passengers, in comparison to January, 2022. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken the decision to relax these flying rules so as to resume smooth conduct of air operations in the country. Scheduled international flight operations are all set to resume from March 27, 2022. The Ministry noted, “Airlines may carry a few additional PPE protective gears, sanitiser and N-95 masks, to handle any respiratory infections related to cases on air, for passengers as well as the crew.” However, it is still mandatory to wear face masks, and use sanitizers for hand hygiene. Security personell who are going to do the pat-down searches, are required to wear N-95 masks, and use hand sanitizers after each pat down.

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Delhi and Mumbai airports paid INR 13,449 as revenue share to AAI in five years

State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) received revenues worth around INR 13,439 crore from Delhi and Mumbai airports in the last five financial years, according to the civil aviation ministry. Under Public Private Partnership (PPP), Delhi and Mumbai airports were handed over to the private partners in 2006. "During the last five years, i.e. from 2016-17 to 2020-21, AAI has received revenues of approximately INR 8,093 crore from Delhi airport and INR 5,346 crore from Mumbai airport," Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh told Lok Sabha. Besides, three airports -Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru - were handed over to the Adani Group in October-November 2020. Three other airports - Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram - were given to it in October last year. In a written reply, Singh said the private partners of these six airports have paid approximately INR 331 crore to AAI as Per Passenger Fee (PPF) till January 2022. "AAl has also received an amount of INR 1,888 crore till 15.03.2022 in the form of upfront fee towards the capital expenditure incurred by AAI at these airports," the minister said. As per the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), 25 airports of AAI have been earmarked for monetisation over the 2022 to 2025 period

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Bharata Bhagya Vidhata festival commences at Red Fort

Projection mapping on the façade of Red Fort, showcasing of items produced by master weavers, delicacies from across the country and, in a city looking at a temperature in the high thirties, the novelty of ice skating for children — a 10-day cultural extravaganza will begin at the iconic monument from Friday. The Bharata Bhagya Vidhata festival, being organised by the Dalmia business group as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, promises a cultural spectacle on history and heritage. Through its use of technology and tactile tools, the event, which will run from March 25 till April 3, is likely to be attractive to the young and old alike. Spectators can expect a series of immersive, engaging sequences and witness a mesmerising narrative projected against the red walls of Red Fort that promises to take the audience on a journey through the tumultuous history of India. An interactive exhibition, Bharat Gaurav, highlighting India’s achievements in the 75 years of its existence as a republic will also be organised, the Dalmia group said. In a statement on Wednesday, the organisers said, “Over 10 days, India will witness a massive tribute to India’s social fabric with underlying themes of ideas, resolve, actions and achievements at 75 along with tributes to the country’s freedom struggle.” And literally expressing the story of the country’s social fabric, the festival has a 75-metre long fabric bearing images of the landmark events that shaped the nation, such as the invention of zero and the milk revolution. “Through these exhibits, the Dalmia Group aims to instill a deep sense of national pride and wants to pioneer a fresh wave to preserve national heritage sites and elevate them to their past glory. The sheer scale of the Red Fort festival will be the first step in this cause,” the organisers’ statement said. The festival also aims to bolster the handicraft, events and tourism industries. These have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, popular artistes, including Shaan, Papon, Raghu Dixit and Yuvraj Hans, are scheduled to perform at the festival, which will also stage daily showcasing of handpicked handicraft items and textiles. “The magnitude and significance of the Red Fort-Bharat Bhagya Vidhata will be epic,” claimed Puneet Dalmia, MD, Dalmia Bharat Limited. “We are extremely delighted and proud to invite everyone to the biggest assemblage of India’s finest artists, artisans and art aficionados, master chefs and food lovers, heritage enthusiasts and culture connoisseurs at the Red Fort concourse. It is time to be a part of an experience India has never seen before.” Under the central government’s Adopt a Heritage scheme, the Dalmia Group became a mitra, or friend, of Red Fort in 2018. “As a monument mitra, the Dalmia Group will be the first private company to promote Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with this event, which will be held annually,” the statement said. “The public-private partnership will ensure not just promotion of Indian culture but also the conservation of Red Fort. This unique sangam will lay the groundwork for India Inc to take part in preserving India’s rich cultural landscape.”

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Fully Vaccinated travellers can enter Singapore without quarantine from April 1

From Apr 1, Singapore will allow fully vaccinated travellers and non-vaccinated children to enter quarantine-free and without the need to use Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) or apply for related passes, in a move that aviation analysts see as providing a boost to the travel and tourism sector. Travellers will no longer be required to take only designated flights to enter Singapore quarantine-free, and will not have to take a Covid-19 antigen rapid test (ART) within 24 hours of arrival. There will also be no more quotas on the number of daily arrivals and no entry approvals needed for all vaccinated travellers. Fully vaccinated travellers will still need to take a pre-departure test within two days of leaving for Singapore, but will not have to take an antigen rapid test (ART) after arriving in Singapore. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said, “We will continue to monitor the local and global Covid-19 situations and consider removing the pre-departure test requirement in the coming weeks.” The new travel scheme named the Vaccinated Travel Framework will replace the existing Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme. The simplified regime under the Vaccinated Travel Framework applies to travellers arriving via air or sea checkpoints from countries or regions in the General Travel Category, provided that they had not, in the prior seven days, been in countries or regions in the Restricted Category. No countries are currently in the Restricted Category. The new border policies will make the travel experience almost like that before the pandemic. Non-fully vaccinated long-term pass holders and short-term visitors aged 13 and above are generally not allowed to enter Singapore. But exemptions will be made for long-term pass holders medically ineligible for vaccines, long-term pass holders aged 13 to 17, and long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with other valid entry approvals. These visitors are required to take a pre-departure test within two days before departure for Singapore, undergo a seven-day stay-home notice (SHN), and take a polymerase chain eaction test at the end of their SHN period. Transport Minister S. Iswaran said at a press conference held by the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 that there will be several other changes with the reopening to all vaccinated travellers. Air crew can resume normal activities in Singapore or overseas. They will be subject to similar testing requirements as vaccinated travellers. Airport workers only need to put on surgical masks, except for those in higher-risk roles who will be required to wear a face shield and gloves. They will no longer be required to undergo regular Covid-19 testings. The airport will no longer be segregated into zones, thus allowing all travellers to move around freely in the transit area. Iswaran added, “This shift to the Vaccinated Travel Framework is a decisive step for Singapore and an important signal to the world – that Singapore has fully reopened its borders, that we are reconnecting with the world, and reclaiming Changi’s status as an international aviation hub.” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a televised speech on Thursday morning that the move to reopen to vaccinated travellers will give a much-needed boost to businesses, particularly those in the tourism sector, and help Singapore reclaim its position as a business and aviation hub.

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Malaysia Airlines Offers Up To 25% Discount On Select Destinations

The Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair (MATF) has kicked off from 25 March - 10 April 2022 for travel up to 30 November 2022, offering Indian holiday goers exciting deals on airfares to dream destinations in Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand to name a few. Malaysia’s borders are reopening on April 1, 2022, and many countries on Malaysia Airlines’ network are easing entry restrictions for fully vaccinated international travellers. These airfares with up to 25% discount come at a perfect time for customers to plan their well-deserved vacations ahead of school summer break. The airline’s Economy Class offers cabin baggage allowance of 7kg, complimentary snacks or meals and beverages, and inflight entertainment in addition to fully flexible fares and baggage of 35kgs under its FLEX fare family. Amit Mehta, Country Manager - South Asia, Malaysia Airlines said, “With the international scheduled commercial flights resuming from 27 March 2022, Malaysia Airlines will be reinstating 25 weekly connectivity to key Indian cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. We look forward to welcoming passengers travelling to Malaysia, Australia, Singapore and Indonesia, among other destinations on our network. We will steadily increase capacities to these cities based on demand. Malaysia Airlines is committed to facilitating safe and seamless travels for passengers to #FlyConfidently and experience a smooth journey underpinned by inimitable Malaysian Hospitality. Malaysia Airlines received a 7-star rating for its extensive COVID-19 health and safety measures from Airline Ratings and is a Travel Safe Alliance Malaysia (TSAM) member.” In addition to promotional airfares, customers will also be able to enjoy discounted travel benefits with 25% off on various add-ons including seat selection, extra baggage, and value bundles (standard seat and 10kg extra baggage), allowing for greater flexibility to meet all their travel needs. E22 nrich members can also earn 10% Bonus Enrich Points when they book during this promotion period.

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LOT Polish Re-Launches Flights To Delhi And Commences Mumbai

LOT Polish Airlines has announced the commencement of passenger flights to Mumbai effective 31st May 2022. Furthermore, the Polish flag carrier resumes passenger flights to Delhi effective 29th March 2022. LOT resumes flights to Delhi after a two-year break due to the pandemic situation in India. Like all LOT Polish Airlines long-haul flights, these flights will be operated by Boeing 787 thrice weekly, with a India is one of the most exotic destinations in our flight network. We are delighted that after a pandemic-related break, our flagship aircraft can again land at Delhi’s IGI Airport. Ensuring a direct connection is an essential element in strengthening Polish-Indian cooperation. It is also a great offer for Poles choosing India as their holiday destination. I believe that passengers originating from Delhi will also appreciate the relaunch of this connection, which will enable them to comfortably travel to many cities across Europe and North America, says Rafał Milczarski, President of the Management Board, LOT Polish Airlines. LOT Polish Airlines is pleased to provide India originating passengers a convenient flight option to Europe, the United States and Canada. Passengers can seamlessly and stress-free connect via Warsaw, giving guests what they value. LOT deploys its flagship aircraft on the Delhi and Mumbai routes, and to cater to the Indian consumer, Indian meals and inflight entertainment including Bollywood movies will be available for guests – says Amit Ray, Director India, LOT Polish Airlines.

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