Category Archives: Aviation

Vistara has announced a direct, 5x weekly flights between Mumbai and Paris (CDG), starting 28 March 2024. This new long-haul route is in addition to Vistara’s 5x weekly service between Delhi and Paris, which has been receiving a favourable response since its launch in November 2021. This will be Vistara’s third long-haul route from Mumbai after London and Frankfurt as the airline aimed to further enhance connectivity between India and Europe. Vistara will deploy its state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, featuring a three-class configuration, on the route. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents.

Vietjet, Vietnam’s leading new-age carrier, has once again been listed among the world’s safest airlines for 2024 by Airline Ratings, the renowned airline safety and product rating website. Additionally, Vietjet has consistently held a seven-star rating, the highest level for aviation safety globally, since 2018. In its annual evaluation, Airline Ratings monitored 385 global airlines, considering the airlines’ incident records in recent years, fleet age, results of audits conducted by the governing body of aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and other aviation authorities. Vietjet, along with other notable low-cost peers worldwide such as Ryanair, easyJet, Frontier, etc., has been honoured in the top 10 for many consecutive years, recognizing their excellent performance in flight safety for both flight crews and passengers. Geoffrey Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of AirlineRatings.com, said, “Vietjet’s dedication to maintaining a culture of safety across all aspects of operations is commendable, especially as it actively expands its flight network. The implementation of a robust safety management system and strict compliance with international regulations have contributed to the airline’s excellent technical reliability indicators, ensuring the highest level of safety in its operations for many years.” Vietjet continues to add new aircraft to its modern and fuel-efficient fleet, boasting a technical reliability rate of 99.72% among top operators in the region and the world. The airline invests continuously in training, aircraft engineering, and MRO services to ensure the highest standard in terms of safety and quality. In recent developments, Vietjet Aviation Academy (VJAA) has officially become a training partner of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to ensure a high-quality aviation workforce.

Oman Air has been named the most punctual airline in the Middle East and Africa for 2023, scoring an outstanding 92.50/o On-Time Performance (OTP), the highest among all carriers across all categories. The rankings, published in the 2023 On-Time Performance Review by global aviation analytics leader, Cirium, measured performance data collected from more than 600 sources of real-time flight information. It’s the second consecutive time the Muscat-based airline has taken the top spot, having scored 91 TO/o during 2022. In aviation, on-time performance represents a pivotal cornerstone shaping the passenger experience. Flights that are on time mean smoother, less stressful journeys, making it a key differentiator for guest satisfaction. By committing itself to achieving exemplary on-time performance, Oman Air continues to prove its reliability, reduce travel uncertainties, and increase passenger confidence, underscoring its dedication to elevating the overall travel experience.

Ryanair confirmed  a number of online travel agents (OTA), including Booking.com, Kiwi.com and Kayak, removed Ryanair‘s flights from sale on their websites in early Dec-2023. Ryanair stated the removals “may be the result of pressure from Consumer Protection Agencies”, or a response to the recent Irish High Court ruling which granted the LCC a permanent injunction against Flightbox. Ryanair expects the removal of flights from the OTA websites to reduce short term load factors by 1% or 2% in Dec-2023 and Jan-2024, and to soften short term yields. The LCC does not expect the removals will materially affect FY2024 traffic or profit after tax guidance. Ryanair noted it will aim to lower fares “where necessary” to encourage passengers to book directly on its website. 

The guidance for overall airline industry financials remains unchanged as per CAPA India’s latest report. However, full-service carriers are expected to see a relative deterioration in performance compared with earlier results. Softer yields are expected to result in higher losses for the FSCs.

Nearly eight out of ten surveyed passengers have faced one or more issues while flying with Indian carriers over the past two years, a survey by LocalCircles reveals. Major challenges identified include issues with in-flight services, boarding, check-in, baggage procedures, and poor aircraft interiors, including seats.

Akmal Aziz, Deputy Director, Tourism Malaysia said, “In response to rising demand, the Malaysian government is negotiating with the Indian government to enhance the number of slots available under the bilateral aviation agreement. Following feasibility studies and market research, airlines are also considering launching new flights from tier II and III cites. Hopefully, flight frequency will increase in 2024.”

Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture between the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, today, welcomed its 50th Airbus A320neo to its young, modern fleet. With this latest addition, Vistara now has a total of 66 aircraft, including 50 Airbus A320neo, 10 Airbus A321, and six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. In line with the focus to expand its domestic and international footprint, Vistara is on course to have 70 aircraft by the end of FY2024, thereby providing better connectivity and a wider network to its customers. Vistara currently operates over 300 daily flights, connecting 32 domestic and 18 international destinations. Vistara’s fleet is not just one of the youngest in the industry but has also been recognized for its overall inflight experience which is at par with some of the biggest and best airlines in the world. The airline has always focussed on investment in modern aircraft with cutting edge technology and fuel-efficient engines. Vistara has also been recognized with ch-aviation Asia’s 3rd Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award 2023, for the second consecutive year, which is a testament to its efforts in this area. Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The only Indian carrier to feature amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines, Vistara has been named ‘16th Best Airline’ globally while also being recognized as the ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff in India and South Asia’ for the fifth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and South Asia’ for the third …

Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture between the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, inaugurated direct 4x weekly flights between Mumbai and Doha. The inaugural flight, operated on Vistara’s A321neo aircraft, commenced from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, at 18:45 Hours (IST) on 15 December 2023 and arrived at Hamad International Airport, Doha, at 20:30 Hours. With a consistent surge in demand for travel between India and the Middle East, Vistara has been focussing on expanding its presence in the region. The airline already provide direct connectivity to five destinations in the region, namely Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Dubai, Jeddah and Muscat. Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “Based on the remarkable response to Vistara’s Middle Eastern routes, we are confident that the launch of operations to Doha will further strengthen our footprint in the region. Doha – an essential commercial hub and home to a large Indian diaspora – is Vistara’s 50th destination and the sixth in the middle east. We are excited to bring the Best Airline in India and Southern Asia to Doha with direct connectivity from Mumbai. We firmly believe that Vistara’s widely appreciated product and globally awarded service make for just the right combination to cater to the market requirements and customers’ demand.” Ms. Sujata Suri, Senior Vice President, Finance and Procurement at Hamad International Airport said: “We are pleased to announce our new partnership with Vistara, linking Doha to Mumbai—a strategic collaboration that reinforces Hamad International Airport’s commitment to expanding connectivity and offering passengers unparalleled travel experiences. As Doha becomes Vistara’s 50th destination, this collaboration signifies a shared commitment to excellence and marks a milestone of its own for Hamad International …

India’s Delhi International Airport is likely to emerge as the second largest airport in the world after Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl Airport, with an estimated passenger capacity of 109 million passengers by 2024, according to MoCA Jyotiraditya Scindia. He added that efforts are being undertaken to make Indian airports emerge as international hubs for commercial aviation, with the Delhi Airport being the first candidate to become an international hub.