For the first time in 118 years, Indian Railways is set to deploy three new toy trains in Himachal Pradesh. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the trains will be deployed on the Shimla-Kalka route by the end of this year. The coaches of Kalka-Shimla toy trains are being made in the Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, a railway official told the daily. The coaches of the new train are designed by German manufacturer Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB). There will be a total of 30 new-generation LHB coaches for the toy trains that use a 765 mm narrow gauge.…
Author: Disha Ghosh
Low-cost carrier Akasa Air will now take to the skies in July, about a month later than when it was expected to start operations, reports Ashwini Phadnis for Moneycontrol. “The airline’s take off will slip over into July,” Vinay Dube, Founder, MD and CEO of startup airline, said in a telephonic interview over the weekend. The launch has been pushed back by a few weeks because the airline is yet to import an aircraft, after which it will get the air operator’s permit, which will pave the way for Akasa Air to apply for slots at airports. The airline will…
Air India has proposed to acquire the entire equity of AirAsia India, reports Moneycontrol. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has also notified the proposal for Air India’s acquisition of AirAsia India. As per the CCI notification under Section 5(a)(i)(A) and 5(b)(i)(A) of the Competition Act, 2002, the proposed combination relates to the acquisition of the entire equity share capital of AirAsia India by Air India. At present, Tata Sons (TSPL) holds 83.67 percent of the equity share capital of Air Asia India. It further noted: “The proposed combination will not lead to any change in the competitive landscape or…
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that a proposed 37% increase in airport charges in the Netherlands will risk significant damage to the recovery of air connectivity in the country, reports Elizabeth Baker for .Passenger Terminology) Following a formal review in which IATA and several airlines participated, the Netherlands’ aviation regulator Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM), accepted Amsterdam Schiphol airport’s position that due to losses incurred during the Covid-19 shutdown, it must raise airport charges by a cumulative 37% over the next three years. IATA has stated that a gradual recovery of the aviation industry is underway, but…
DreamFolks is upbeat about expanding its footprint with the growth of airports and airport infrastructure in India. Liberatha Peter Kallat, Chairperson and MD, DreamFolks Services Limited, in a conversation with Disha Shah Ghosh speaks about their partnerships and impending IPO. Q. What kind of footprint does DreamFolks enjoy in India? DreamFolks is India’s largest airport service aggregator platform facilitating an enhanced airport experience to passengers leveraging a technology-driven platform. We facilitate access to 100% of the 50 lounges currently operational in India. As of December 31, 2021, we had exclusivity to provide access to 11 domestic lounges constituting around 22%…
As part of its mandate to further enhance India’s digital drive in the travel and tourism industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is organising the fourth edition of Digital Travel, Hospitality & Innovation Summit 2022, on May 6 at FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi. The Summit will witness the presence of key dignitaries from the travel & hospitality industry, and will cover the various topics of discussion related to Future of Travel & Innovation. The Summit will be inaugurated by G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The event will…
Jet Airways has announced that it will soon start the recruitment process for various operational roles. The company in its tweet mentioned that the applications will be welcomed from all qualified candidates. “We have been receiving a number of enquiries and CVs for operational roles (including crew, airport staff, engineers, and technicians). We thank you for your interest in Jet Airways. We will start recruitment for these positions soon, in the coming weeks,” the airline took to Twitter making this announcement The company added that for more updates, potential candidates shall follow the official social media handles. “Please watch our…
The airport sector in India is expected to see investments worth INR 1.65 lakh crore, including from private players, in the coming years, and the government also aims to have 200 airports, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said. The civil aviation sector, which was significantly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, is on the recovery path and domestic passenger traffic is slowly touching the pre-pandemic levels. On April 17, the domestic air passenger traffic crossed the 4-lakh-mark for the first time in two years. About capital expenditure plans, Scindia said, “We have a plan of close to INR 98,000 crore over…
Air India has taken a INR 60,800 crore (USD 8 billion) cover by paying INR 266 crore premium to a clutch of insurance companies, including Tata AIG General Insurance, reports Dev Chatterjee for Business Standard. The airline managed to get a better deal as it valued its fleet lower by almost USD 2 billion. The new management held extensive negotiations – both in India and London, to get a good deal considering the rising premiums due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. As per the new policy, the airline will not be able to fly over Russian and Ukrainian airspace due…
Amid scare of the fourth Covid-19 wave due to rise in infections in some parts of the country, the Karnataka government has decided to make wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing mandatory. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to review the coronavirus situation in the state. Talking to reporters after the meeting, state Health Minister K Sudhakar said, “Masks should be worn compulsorily, especially at places where there is a crowd and in indoor places, social distancing has to be maintained. Guidelines will be issued today to this effect. We have…
