BUSINESS
Why the muted air-passenger traffic growth in January wasn't all that bad
While the numbers for January are just 60 percent of what they were last January, this is the best performance for the month when it comes to traffic numbers in January over December, in a clear indication that the steady rise in traffic is continuing
BUSINESS
Silver lining in IndiGo earnings: Airline now seventh biggest worldwide by capacity
India’s largest airline has expanded on international routes over the last two years in a manner that no other carrier from the country has before.
BUSINESS
What lies ahead for Tata Group, Vistara and AirAsia India?
Will AirAsia India be merged with Vistara? Will such a decision depend on the outcome of the privatisation of Air India? There are many challenges that await the salt-to-software conglomerate’s aviation business. But the good thing is that it ended 2021 on a good note, increasing market share, and girding up for the battles ahead
BUSINESS
Airline flash sales are back: Why IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara launched discounted tickets now
Hint: Aviation ministry’s fare restrictions.
BUSINESS
Analysis: What to make of IndiGo's 7-airport strategy
The airline will be launching flights to Leh and Darbhanga in February, Kurnool and Agra in March, Bareilly and Durgapur in April and Rajkot in May.
BUSINESS
In vaccine transport, a pain point emerges—poor airport infra at pharma hubs
The airport at Pune, where the Serum Institute is based, is undergoing runway resurfacing. Pharma clusters around Bengaluru and Chennai are serviced from respective airports but the rest have one challenge or the other.
BUSINESS
How Indian aviation clawed its way back inch by inch after being grounded
Traffic recovery continues to outperform initial expectations with the highest passenger traffic recorded at over 60 percent and highest departures recorded at 71 percent. The numbers may look lower, but a recovery does look firmly in sight since the country has gone back only seven years by passenger numbers, while aviation has seen a setback of nearly two decades globally.
BUSINESS
How AirAsia’s India dream came crashing down as Tata Sons ups stake
Tata Sons will increase its stake in AirAsia India from 51 percent to 83.67 percent, reducing AirAsia Group’s shareholding to just 16.33percent.
BUSINESS
2021 vision: What will change for Indian aviation?
If Covid is conquered and normalcy returns, the sector should see a lot of action, from the Air India and airport privatisation, to the Tatas’ interests in the sector, to Jet Airways trying a phoenix act. What could be in store in the year ahead? Read on to find out
BUSINESS
GMR vs Adani: Forget India’s airline battles; who will win the airport battle?
A comparison of traffic in the last financial year shows that GMR’s airports or cities handle 34.13 percent of international traffic and 29.27 percent of domestic traffic, whereas the Adani group’s airports have handled 32.86 percent of international traffic and 25.55 percent of domestic traffic. Upcoming airports and expansions will determine who ultimately is at the top of the pecking order
TRENDS
Explained | What India’s ban on UK flights means for passengers and airlines
Air India, Vistara, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate 21 flights between Delhi and London Heathrow and 12 between Mumbai and London. What do the new restrictions mean for the booming aviation market?
BUSINESS
Goa flights are again packed ahead of New Year
With Covid cases on the decline and vaccines visible on the horizon, confidence in air travel is back. Goa is leading the charge, with people flying in from all over the country. Next Sunday alone, there are 13 flights between Delhi and Goa and 15 from Mumbai. There are 12 flights between Bengaluru and Goa and 7 between Hyderabad and Goa. Hotel rooms, too, are selling out fast
BUSINESS
Fleet-footed IndiGo now has the same number of aircraft as the AirAsia group
IndiGo had a fleet count of 97 aircraft at the close of Calendar Year 2015, while AirAsia group had 194 aircraft across all its subsidiaries. Five years on, IndiGo has added a staggering 185 aircraft, while AirAsia group has grown only by 88, giving both airlines 282 aircraft
BUSINESS
Can Jet Airways defy history?
This is the first time that an airline has been admitted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the environment could well be willing to make this a model example for the success of IBC.
BUSINESS
How the COVID-19 pandemic will affect rules under National Civil Aviation Policy
As per the process laid out in the policy, the next update will be done after five years which is scheduled in 2021 with the effective date of the revision being the Winter schedule of 2022.
BUSINESS
New, unusual routes pop up in airline networks due to pandemic realities
As airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet adjust to a new normal, reading the market before an opportunity emerges has become the name of the game as they scramble to keep flying amid COVID-19.
BUSINESS
SpiceJet’s London Heathrow flight gamble — what you need to know
Why is SpiceJet launching flights to London from Delhi and Mumbai, which planes are it flying, will the bet work and other questions answered.
BUSINESS
Airline passenger traffic is up, but so are flight cancellations. Here’s why
The huge number of cancellations shows that things are not going as planned and airlines are being more optimistic than they should be. With varying quarantine rules, weekend lockdowns and other restrictions in different cities, aviation is not what it used to be. Planning has become difficult and years of historical data are of little use, forcing airlines to be on their toes to adjust to the rapidly shifting landscape
BUSINESS
COVID-19 impact: Once unthinkable, Mumbai loses airport crown to Bengaluru
In August, Bengaluru airport saw 3,051 domestic departures Vs 1,527 in Mumbai. Though flight restrictions in Mumbai may have changed the order, will it be a wake-up call for the city’s airport?
BUSINESS
View: DGCA no-photo order hurts passengers the most
Aviation regulator’s order barring photos at a government airport or from an aircraft in flight has been passed without much thought to the significant inconvenience it causes all around.
BUSINESS
A (non-stop) passage to India: How United Airlines is looking to grab a larger slice of the India market
Amid the raging pandemic in the US and India, United Airlines has announced the launch of non-stop Chicago-Delhi and San Francisco-Bengaluru flights. We break down what this means for flag carrier Air India and for Delta and American Airlines, its rivals back home
BUSINESS
Analysis I IndiGo and SpiceJet earnings presage a torrid period ahead for Indian aviation
The weak earnings of the two airlines indicates difficulties faced by the industry and efforts to cut costs by retrenchment and salary cuts have their limitations.
BUSINESS
Ahead of IndiGo and SpiceJet earnings, passenger occupancy levels show fatigue
Flight occupancy held steady initially after airlines resumed operations when the coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased but the average number of passengers per plane has been falling in the past two weeks.
BUSINESS
Analysis: What to make of SpiceJet’s US and UK flight announcements
Time will tell if SpiceJet can sustain the operations with the current state of its finances.
