The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) recently concluded its audit of India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), retaining India in Category 1. The US transportation watchdog conducts such checks every few years to assess whether aviation protocols are being adhered to, reports Gaurav Joshi for Simple Flying. On April 26th, the FAA concluded a 7-day audit of the DGCA and was satisfied with India’s aviation safety standards. Not just that, but this time, India reportedly performed its best when it came to meeting the criteria laid down by the FAA and the ICAO, a DGCA official was…
Author: Disha Ghosh
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will soon add Mumbai as the sixth Indian destination in its network. The airline will start flight operations to Mumbai from May 12 onwards. Flights will be available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays onboard an Air Arabia Abu Dhabi Airbus A320. “Mumbai is the city of dreams and is famously known for its unique experience, magnificent architecture and savoury cuisine. It is the city of aspirations, wealth and glamour, a city which every traveller must visit,” the airline said in a statement. Passengers can book air tickets through Air Arabia’s website, call center or travel agencies.…
Russia is withdrawing from the United Nation’s tourism body, the UN World Tourism Organization said on Wednesday ahead of a vote to suspend Moscow’s membership over its invasion of Ukraine, reports AFP. “Russia has announced its intention to withdraw from UNWTO,” the UNWTO said in a tweet, adding that Russia’s suspension “is effective immediately”. The UNWTO announced in March that it wanted to suspend Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The decision must be approved by two-thirds of its 159 member states at a two-day extraordinary general assembly which got underway in Madrid on Wednesday. The UNWTO said the vote…
Ethiopian Airlines, the flag carrier of Ethiopia, is considering connecting three more destinations in the Indian market, after announcing three weekly flights to Chennai. Talking to TravelBiz Monitor, Lemma Yadecha Gudeta, Chief Commercial Officer, Ethiopian Airlines, said, “We have 3 more cities under consideration to add to our route network in India. These are in discussion stage at the business level. The Air Services Agreement needs a review, and we will speak to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in India in this regard.” Talking about code-share partnerships, Gudeta said, “India is a sub-continent, and we need partners to service…
Saudi Arabia has embarked on an ambitious programme to boost inbound tourism and considers India a key market, said Saudi Tourism Board CEO Fahd Hamidaddin. Hamidaddin, who has been the Chief of Investment, Strategy and Tourism Marketing for the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, spoke to PTI on the sidelines of the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit in Manila. “We went on a road trip to India, met a lot of travel agents there and have some promising partnerships. Now, our focus is on air carriers. We want to develop routes from India and grow these routes. We want…
Completes 50 years of flying to Mumbai In order to celebrate 50 years of flying to Mumbai, Ethiopian Airlines is set to bring the fourth destination from India – Chennai – on its route map from July 2. The airline will operate three weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Chennai to its Addis Ababa hub. Making this announcement yesterday at an event in Mumbai at ITC Maratha Sahar, Lemma Yadecha Gudeta, Chief Commercial Officer, Ethiopian Airlines, said, “After flying to New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, we are now launching flights to Chennai from July 2. We will deploy…
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that it was not an opportune moment to discuss the resumption of issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals in view of the COVID-19 situation there. The assertion came in response to queries about global airlines body IATA telling its member carriers on April 20 that India has suspended tourist visas issued to Chinese nationals. Asked about the issue at a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “I think you are all aware of the Covid situation in Chinese cities like Shanghai and elsewhere. I don’t…
The European Commission has proposed the abolishment of visa requirements for Qatar and Kuwait nationals, pointing out that these countries have already met the necessary criteria. According to a press release issued by the authority, the proposal follows a detailed assessment of irregular migration, public policy and security, economic benefits and the Union’s relations with Qatar and Kuwait, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. Once the EU Council approves the proposal, Qatar and Kuwait nationals will be able to travel to all EU Member States for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period for business, tourism and family purposes, exempted…
The National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) and the Himachal government have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the building of multiple ropeways in the state, reports Smart City. The MoU was signed in the presence of the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari along with Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur, and MoS V. K. Singh. The ropeways will be established by leveraging world-class technology. The project is a part of the ‘Parvatmala’ initiative. With the objective to improve connectivity, the initiative emphasises on ecologically sustainable alternative in place of conventional roads in…
Emirates CCO has said that Dubai-India flights are operating at about 95% capacity, while the airline is operating at about 70% pre-pandemic capacity, according to Reuters. CCO Adnan Kazim said the Emirates will be targeting to operate 100% of pre-pandemic capacity next year. Emirates will operate to 100% of pre-pandemic network next year, while it will reach about 80% of pre-pandemic capacity by the end of summer 2022. The airline hopes to operate 85% of pre-pandemic capacity during the upcoming winter schedule season, Emirates airline CCO said at a press conference in Dubai.
