News

IRCTC Offers Budget Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Trichy Package from INR 36,840

Travellers, good news for you! Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has launched an awesome deal for people wanting to explore southern states. If you’re planning a South Indian vacation but unsure about which places to visit, IRCTC’s Southern Splendours package will let you explore Chennai, Mahabalipuram, and Trichy. This new tour by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) takes you on a 6-day, 5-night journey. The holiday package starts on December 20 from Bhubaneswar, with travellers boarding flight 6E 141 at 8:30 AM, arriving at Chennai airport by 10:20 AM. IRCTC’s latest package is priced at INR 36,840 for each adult opting for triple occupancy. For those who prefer double occupancy, the cost is INR 39,955 per person, and for single occupancy, the price is INR 55,325 per person. This is an all-inclusive package that covers flights, accommodation, sightseeing transfers, meals, travel insurance, and taxes, ensuring a hassle-free experience for travellers. Puducherry: Discover the Botanical Garden, enjoy boating at Chunnambar Boat House, and visit the Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and the Vinayaga Temple.

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Etihad Airways and Air Astana Codeshare Connects India, Oman, Bahrain, Almaty, and Astana

Etihad Airways is set to enhance travel opportunities for its customers with the launch of a bilateral codeshare agreement with Air Astana, effective from December 5, 2024. This strategic partnership strengthens the connectivity between both airlines, offering passengers expanded access to a wide range of destinations. Through this agreement, Etihad passengers can now easily connect to 10 new destinations across Kazakhstan, with routes accessible via Air Astana’s gateways in Almaty and Astana. These destinations are now part of Etihad’s extended network, allowing travelers to explore the vibrant cultural scene and stunning landscapes of Kazakhstan. Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, is renowned for its breathtaking mountain views, rich history, and lively atmosphere, while Astana (now known as Nur-Sultan), the futuristic capital, is famous for its striking modern architecture and dynamic urban environment. The codeshare arrangement promises a seamless travel experience for both airlines’ passengers. Travelers can book their journey through a single booking, enjoy simplified check-in processes, and have their baggage automatically transferred to their final destination, making their travel more efficient and convenient.

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Emirates Launches Four-Class Boeing 777 on Vienna-Dubai Route

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, is set to enhance its service between Dubai and Vienna starting January 3, 2025. The airline will deploy its newly retrofitted Boeing 777 on flights EK125/126, making Vienna the fourth European city to benefit from Emirates’ upgraded, four-class aircraft. This new development underscores the airline’s commitment to providing an elevated travel experience for passengers flying between the two cities. Flight EK125 takes off from Dubai at 15:40hrs and lands in Vienna at 18:50hrs, local time. The return flight EK126 leaves Vienna at 21:45hrs and reaches Dubai at 6:25hrs the next morning, all times local. With this upgrade, Emirates brings its latest products to Vienna. The retrofitted Boeing 777 now includes the airline’s award-winning Premium Economy, along with refreshed interiors and modernized cabins across all classes. The aircraft boasts eight First Class suites, 40 Business Class seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, 24 spacious Premium Economy seats, and 256 ergonomically designed Economy seats. The 24 Premium Economy seats are configured in a 2-4-2 arrangement, with six-way adjustable headrests designed to enhance comfort throughout the journey.

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IndiGo connects Bengaluru & Ayodhya with daily-direct flights

The launch of daily direct flights connecting Bengaluru with Ayodhya would be effective from December 31, 2024 IndiGo announces the launch of daily direct flights connecting Bengaluru, Karnataka with Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, effective December 31, 2024. This new connection is aimed to enable significant opportunities for increased tourism and pilgrimage, strengthening the airline’s regional connectivity. In addition to this, IndiGo has also announced the resumption of its flights between Bengaluru and Gorakhpur. These cities have been connected with a daily flight effective December 31, 2024. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said, “The launch of daily flights connecting Bengaluru with Ayodhya reflects our commitment towards enhancing regional connectivity in the country, and further strengthens Bengaluru’s position as a key gateway travel. The daily flights are timed to enable our customers ample time to explore Ayodhya, a city of profound spiritual significance and also connect further with IndiGo’s wider network.”

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Air India Unveils Solutions to Address Winter Fog Disruptions in India

Air India understands the challenges passengers face when the winter fog blankets northern India, particularly in cities like Delhi, where Air India’s hub is located. This time of year, fog causes visibility issues, leading to flight delays, cancellations, and disruptions in travel plans. It’s an annual inconvenience, but one that we take seriously, working hard to minimize the impact on your travel experience. While the weather is beyond our control, Air India is dedicated to ensuring that the fog season doesn’t disrupt your journey more than necessary. We know how frustrating flight delays and cancellations can be, and we’re committed to providing you with the best possible service during this challenging period. Here’s how we’re doing it. To ease the impact of fog, Air India has restructured its flight schedules. Priority has been given to long-haul and metro-to-metro flights that have onward connections, ensuring that passengers reach their destinations with as little disruption as possible. We’re also adjusting our staffing levels, ensuring that extra personnel are available at airports where flights are expected to be diverted, so that any inconvenience is minimized. We also understand that managing operations during such disruptions requires flexibility and coordination. Our teams are ready and prepared to handle last-minute changes, ensuring that delays are kept to a minimum and your travel experience is as smooth as possible.

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IndiGo and Thai Airways Dominates Indo-Thai Market | Analysis

MUMBAI- IndiGo Airlines (6E) and Thai Airways (TG) have dominated the Indo-Thai Market for years and are now facing competition from new entrants like Air India Express (IX) and AirAsia Group carriers. The India and Thailand aviation market has always been looked upon as a country for leisure travelers and it’s somewhat true. Both countries have shown remarkable growth post-pandemic. Many Indian and Thai carriers have added more flights, and new routes, and opened up unexplored destinations. In today’s special data-driven article we will dive deeper into seats served by both country’s carriers between Indian cities and Thai cities. The data is shared by the Indian Aviation Guy exclusively to Aviation A2Z for this article. Make sure to check out their X or Twitter page.

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