Air India and Arrivia, a large stand-alone travel loyalty provider and a travel technology company, have entered into a partnership for Air India’s Flying Returns loyalty programme. The partnership enables Air India Flying Returns members to earn Reward Points on their cruise trips on more than 40 major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean International, P&O Cruises, Norwegian Cruises, MSC Cruises, Disney Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Costa & Cunard, among many others, offering over 30,000 itineraries across the world. Through the partnership, Flying Returns members can earn 5 Reward Points for every INR 100 spent on their cruise fare when booked via:…
Author: Disha Ghosh
Star Air has unveiled its Independence Day Freedom Sale, celebrating the 78th Independence Day of India. This special sale will run till August 15, offering travellers discounts on both economy and business class fares. During this period, customers can book their flights on Star Air’s official website, www.starair.in and take advantage of economy fares starting at just INR 1,999 and business class fares starting at INR 5,555. This exceptional offer is valid for travel from August 6 to October 30, giving passengers ample opportunity to plan their trips and experience the comfort and convenience of flying with Star Air. “We…
AirAsia is to enhance connectivity to Malaysia and Thailand with the announcement of a new route from Port Blair to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. This route makes history with AirAsia serving as the sole airline in ASEAN to operate international flights to and from Port Blair. Set to commence on November 16, 2024, AirAsia will fly three times weekly to Kuala Lumpur, marking its 17th and counting route from India. With the addition of Port Blair, the airline operates flights from numerous cities across India, including Amritsar, Chennai and more, with a total of 97 flights weekly. In 2024 alone,…
Ethiopian Airlines, in partnership with Dar Al-Handasah Consultants and Zaha Hadid Architects, is embarking on a revolutionary Mega Airport City project in Abusera, Bishoftu. Located 40 km from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, this new airport aims to transform Ethiopian air travel, accommodating 110 million passengers annually—quadrupling the capacity of the current Bole International Airport. Ethiopian Airlines’ Group CEO, Mesfin Tasew, underscored the project’s importance in establishing Ethiopia as a global aviation hub. He emphasized the initiative’s potential to enhance connectivity, drive economic growth, and prioritize environmental sustainability, reflecting the airline’s commitment to innovation. Dar’s Director of Operations in Ethiopia,…
Zanzibar is set to introduce mandatory insurance fee for all visitors starting September 1. The insurance fee is set at USD 44, and cover up to 92 days of stay. It includes protection for health issues, lost baggage, and accidents, says Zanzibar’s Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Saada Mkuya Salum. It also covers emergency evacuation and passport loss. The Zanzibar Insurance Corporation will run this programme. Tourists must pay this fee even if they already have existing travel insurance. Zanzibar’s government says they’re still finalising the details. They plan to allow visitors to buy the insurance online before their…
India and Maldives have signed an agreement to introduce the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the archipelago nation, which will have a “very positive” impact on its tourism sector, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said. The MoU was signed during Jaishankar’s three-day official visit to the Maldives. “Witnessed signing of MoU between (the) National Payments Corporation of India and (the) Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Maldives on (the) introduction of (a) digital payment system in the Maldives,” he said in a post on X. Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Unified Payment Interface (UPI)…
IndiGo has started operating flights from Trichy to Abu Dhabi yesterday. This new service will operate four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The flight (6E1493) departs Trichy at 7:30 AM and reaches Abu Dhabi by 10:00 AM. The return flight (6E1494) leaves Abu Dhabi at 12:55 AM, and arrives in Trichy at 6:30 AM. With this new addition, Trichy now offers seven weekly flights to Abu Dhabi, meeting the high demand from NRIs working in the UAE. This service is expected to further boost international passenger traffic at Trichy Airport, which already handles 13 lakh passengers…
Tour Blue, a boutique travel operator renowned for its unique and personalised travel experiences, based out of Colombo, Sri Lanka, has appointed Linkin Reps as its Representative in India. This collaboration aims to enhance Tour Blue’s presence in the Indian market, bringing its bespoke travel packages to a wider audience and enriching the travel experiences of discerning Indian travellers. Tour Blue has built a reputation for creating and facilitating exotic travel experiences that cater to the sophisticated traveller. From hill country tours, ancient city explorations, wildlife safaris, and adventure tours to specialized interest tours such as diving, surfing, whale and…
Atlantis Resorts has appointed Rutuja Patil as Account Director for Leisure Sales (India). She brings with her a wealth of experience in the hospitality sales industry, making her a valuable addition to the Atlantis team. Prior to her new role, she served as the Sales Manager for Leisure Sales (UK & Scandinavia) at Atlantis Dubai. Kyp Charalambous, Vice President, Sales – Atlantis Dubai stated, “We are delighted to appoint Rutuja Patil to Atlantis Dubai as Account Director – India and South Africa. Rutuja has been an incredible part of our team since 2022, serving as a Sales Manager – Leisure…
Ziptrrip, an AI-powered corporate travel and expense management platform, has closed its pre-seed funding round, raising INR 2 crore from a clutch of prominent angel investors and industry leaders, including Anil K Jha (ex-Coal India Chairman & ex-Jindal Power Ltd. Chairman & Board of director), Prantik Dasgupta (Country Head – Coeclerici & a seasoned angel investor) and others. This inaugural funding round marks a remarkable milestone for Ziptrrip, setting the stage for accelerated growth and expansion in the rapidly evolving corporate travel sector. The newly acquired capital will be strategically allocated to fuel Ziptrrip’s ambitious plans for market expansion, enhance…
