Alliance Air launches Silchar-Imphal flight service

Alliance Air launches its route between Silchar and Imphal on Thursday, November 25, after a long gap of 10 years. 

At 2:03 pm, the flight bound for Imphal Airport took off from Silchar Airport with 30 passengers. The two locations are currently connected by this airline's daily direct flight, which travels the distance in 40 minutes. 

Alliance Air flags off flight service between Silchar to Imphal Airport, after a long gap of 10 years

The station manager and ground employees were present for the inaugural ceremony of the flight under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, UDAN (Ude Deshka Aam Nagrik) of the Civil Aviation Ministry of the Government of India. 

Also read: Jyotiraditya Scindia flags off 3 flights connecting 5 cities in North-East

The Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN will use this Alliance Air flight to run a daily service between the airports of the two states. At 1:30 PM, the ATR aircraft, which has a seating capacity of 70 passengers, is scheduled to leave Silchar Airport. The flight takes 40 minutes to travel the distance and arrives at Imphal Airport around 2:10 in the afternoon.

The first passenger, Manjula Das, was ceremonially handed over the boarding pass by the station manager at Silchar Airport. 

“Have been waiting for this direct connectivity for many days. I am very elated that, I can reach my home in Imphal without deboarding or changing aircraft in just 40 minutes from Silchar.”

–Manjula Das, the first passenger to board the flight, expressed her happiness

The Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN will use Alliance Air flights to run a daily service between the airports of the two states

“People of Silchar have been waiting for this sector as it took a long time for the existing airlines and this has been launched with the vision of the Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiradity M Scindia Ji and the Prime Minister. We have got a good response today from Silchar, 30 passengers have already booked the flight for departure from Silchar and 37 passengers are arriving here from Imphal. The CEO of our airline has given a plausible response and if we continue to get this appreciation from people we will introduce more flights.”

–Meesala Narsingh Rao, Station Manager, Alliance Air Aviation at Silchar Airport

In the coming days, the same route would also connect to Dimapur and Aizwal through Imphal, according to another airline official.

Alliance Air is the sole government-owned airline in India, also planning to provide service to neighbouring nations. Alliance Air's network reaches more than 50 destinations, primarily tier-2 and tier-3 cities. The carrier recently unveiled new aircraft that enable it to travel to harder and more difficult-to-access airports and improve connection in such areas.

Made in India Dornier Do-228 aircraft was received by Alliance Air

Additionally, Alliance Air uses a Dornier Do-228 aircraft that was manufactured in India, allowing it to access several airstrips that were previously inaccessible to fixed-wing aircraft. Shimla and Kullu are two high-terrain routes served by the carrier's recently purchased smaller ATR 42 aircraft.

Also read: Alliance Air receives the first made-in-India civilian aircraft – Dornier 228

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With a fleet of ATR and Dornier turboprops, the airline primarily flies regional flights across the nation only as of now. However, according to a recent statement from its CEO, flights to adjacent international locations are also being examined.

Also read: Alliance Air intends to link India with nearby nations

Alliance Air might defy the norm and concentrate on connecting smaller cities with foreign destinations, as opposed to Indian airlines often prioritising flights to airports like Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM) when scheduling international flights.

(With inputs from Barak Bulletin)

The Pune International Airport would get a new terminal building by May 2023, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia declared on Friday, November 25.

A new terminal building will be inaugurated at Pune Airport by May 2023

Scindia was in Pune for an inauguration of the Aero Mall where he was talking about a multi-level parking facility near the airport, which is the need of the hour, due to heavy traffic flow. 

Airports Authority of India has allocated Rs. 500 Crore for the development of Pune Airport. He cited a new terminal building at Pune Airport, which would open in May 2023 and of which 75% of the construction is complete. The minister affirmed that a facility for international cargo will be added to the new terminal building. 

Also read: Pune Airport to lease land from the Defense Ministry to expand its cargo terminal

“A direct flight from Pune to Bangkok has already started. Flight operations between Pune and Singapore will start on December 1. A new terminal will be constructed by May 2023 at the Pune airport. Seventy-five per cent of the new building has been completed.”

–Jyotiraditya Scindia, Civil Aviation Minister

Additionally, the BJP leader claimed to have a "very personal relationship" with Pune. 

“Though I live in Gwalior, my heart still remains in Pune. The city holds top rank in arts, culture, history, business, IT and much more.”

–Jyotiraditya Scindia

Pune city holds top rank in arts, culture, history, business, IT and much more: Scindia

Airlines have boosted the number of flights leaving Pune as the winter schedule has begun, and this month the airport is expected to operate 200 flights (100 departures and 100 arrivals) every day.

In addition, along with Dubai, Pune Airport has connections to Bangkok, Singapore, and Doha. The Pune to Singapore flight will start on December 2, and Pune to Doha flight will follow later on. 

The winter schedule has begun at the Pune airport, according to information provided by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) at the beginning of November. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has allowed more than 200 daily slots for civil flight operations. There are typically 218 daily flying slots authorised by the IAF, with Sunday having the most (247). 

As the winter schedule has started, airlines have increased the number of flights departing Pune, and this month the airport is anticipated to operate 200 flights every day

Since last October, the airport has only been open from 8 am to 8 pm. Initial plans were for 24-hour operations to start at the end of this month.

The primary cause of flight bunching at the airport, which caused chaos, confusion, and crowding at the check-in desks and security screening, has been the absence of flight operations between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Since there have been more planes in recent months, the issue has gotten much worse.

“Certainly, the daily flight operation slots have increased in the winter schedule as the number of both arriving and departing flights has increased. It is a good sign for Pune airport as there are greater footfalls and we are trying to provide the best facilities to passengers. Till now, 85 slots each for departure and arrival have been applied for with regard to daily flight operations but the number will only increase in the coming months considering year-end and the vacation season.”

–Santosh Doke, Director, Pune Airport

Pune to Singapore flights will begin on December 2, while Pune to Doha flights will follow next

He also added that the Pune to Singapore and Pune to Doha flights (one each) will begin next month. This will not only increase international travel but also cargo transport from Pune to various parts of the world.

Chicago-bound United Airlines cancelled its flight from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after a major technical snag was detected in the aircraft.

The Boeing 787-9, registration N36962, Flight UA-713 was scheduled for take-off at 1.10 AM on Friday, November 25 after being pushed back from the bay at Delhi airport as the pilot of United Airlines announced that the flight was facing some technical issues and the plane is returning to the parking bay again.

“Our team at Delhi International Airport provided assistance to customers of United flight 713 (Delhi-Chicago O'Hare) of Friday, which was canceled following a technical issue and our crew subsequently exceeding their duty hours. The aircraft is scheduled to depart Delhi for Chicago O'Hare at 3.15 am on Saturday (Nov 26, IST).”

Spokesperson, United Airlines

Around 198 United Airlines passengers are stranded at Delhi airport, accusing airline staff of not providing accommodation on time.

United Airlines has deployed Boeing aircraft for long-haul flights for Chicago operations, hundreds of passengers were stranded at the Delhi airport since the intervening night of Friday and passengers are accusing the airline staff of not providing proper arrangements.

The B787 aircraft can accommodate a total of 257 passengers in a four-class configuration – 48 in Polaris Business, 21 in Premium Plus, 39 in Economy Plus, and 149 in Economy.

United Airlines cancels Delhi-Chicago flight; passengers stranded at Delhi airport

"Airline company not giving real-time information about the next flight, no accommodation was given on time," a passenger told ANI.

According to Delhi airport officials, United Airlines staff later declared the flight as Aircraft on Ground (AOG) due to the flight duty time limit (FDTL) of crew members. The flight will take off from Delhi on Saturday, November 26 at around 3 AM. United Airlines' official statement on this incident is availed.

The daily Boeing 787-9-operated flight UA713 is scheduled to leave Delhi at 01:10 and touch down in Chicago at 07:00.

One of the world's longest flights, flight UA713, is over 7,450 miles (12,000 km) long and takes off and lands on average in about 16 hours and 30 minutes. Singapore Airlines, which flies its Airbus A350 on the 15,349 km route between Singapore and New York JFK, currently holds the record for this feat.

Air India begins flying its Boeing 777-200LR between the two tech hubs and will remain the sole operator on the route for quite some time.

The plane in question, N36962, had arrived in Delhi from Newark the evening before it was supposed to leave for Chicago in the early morning. The Dreamliner, one of 38 Boeing 787-9s in United Airlines' fleet, was delivered to the airline brand-new in December 2015.

United Airlines has a growing presence in India and currently flies from Delhi to Newark and Chicago, and from Mumbai to Newark. However, the launch of the airline’s long-awaited service between Bangalore and San Francisco has recently been pushed back once more to October 2023.

ALSO READ - SFO – BLR, United Airlines' new daily flight to start by the end of 2022

This delay means that when Air India begins flying its Boeing 777-200LR between the two tech hubs on December 2, 2022, it will remain the sole operator on the route for quite some time.

ALSO READ - Air India broadens its international footprint by launching 20 flights to US and UK

AirAsia India and Sugarbox have collaborated and announced that they will soon provide the first-ever in-flight entertainment service, called "AirFlix."

AirAsia India has recently announced a collaboration with Sugarbox, the first hyperlocal cloud platform in the world, to introduce AirFlix, the pioneering in-flight entertainment hub.

AirAsia launches "AirFlix", an in-flight entertainment service for its passengers

With the help of AirFlix, customers may stream buffer-free movies from over 6,000 hours of high-resolution content, including more than 1,500 web series episodes and more than 1,000 foreign and Indian films.

AirFlix is a cutting-edge option for digital access in the air and is accessible throughout the fleet of the airline. With over 6000 hours of high-resolution content, AirFlix offers a value proposition exclusive to Indian skies. 

AirFlix is a product of the patented Cloud Fragment technology created by Sugarbox, providing travellers with digital access, even without in-flight connectivity, 36,000 feet up in the air.

https://twitter.com/AirAsiaIndia/status/1594950736961757184

Also read: AirAsia India is now a fully-owned subsidiary of Air India

Over 300-gram panchayats across Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh are powered by Sugarbox's patented technology platform, which allows native apps to run efficiently even when there is little to no internet connectivity in the area.

“We are delighted to partner with AirAsia India to launch a multi-feature in-flight experience hub - 'AirFlix'. This service will be pivotal in enhancing the in-flight experience for passengers and generating ancillary revenue for the airline, by unlocking an in-air digital economy through commerce and Ads. 'AirFlix' is available across the AirAsia India fleet of 28 aircraft.”

–Rohit Paranjpe, Sugarbox Co-founder

He declared that all passengers would have free access to AirFlix via regional in-flight wifi. Due to its connectivity with the in-flight ancillary platform of AirAsia India, it allows consumers to explore menus and place orders from their own devices.

The service, according to the release, has an initial storage capacity of 8 terabytes and will provide consumers with download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second for content access.

The in-flight experience has already been improved by AirAsia India by integrating emerging technology. It has previously declared that it would be utilising the IBM Watson-powered chatbot “Tia” to provide its customers with seamless service in a variety of languages.

“AirAsia India will look to build on the potential of Sugrabox’s cloud technology by introducing features that will go beyond in-flight dining into entertainment, shopping, and even personalised experience offering a distinct, and differentiated flying experience.”

“We are looking forward to leveraging the potential of this platform, introducing innovative features and technological integrations even beyond in-flight dining, entertainment, and shopping, and enabling personalised experiences that provide a distinct, differentiated flying experience in a hyper-competitive market.”

–Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer, AirAsia India

AirAsia India's goal is to deliver individualised experiences that offer a distinctive, differentiated flying experience in a fiercely competitive market

Passengers are allowed to use Wi-Fi while in Indian airspace because the government has made a notification to that effect. The government lifted limitations on travellers by allowing airlines that operate in India to provide passengers with free in-flight Wi-Fi. In a statement, the Civil Aviation Ministry announced that passengers will have access to Wi-Fi throughout flights.

Also read: Air India to integrate AirAsia India with Air India Express by the end of 2023

The objective is to deliver individualised experiences that offer a distinctive, differentiated flying experience in a fiercely competitive market.

(With inputs from Business Standard)

The whale-shaped Airbus Beluga has attracted a lot of interest since it arrived, and made its debut on November 22 at the Mumbai airport. 

The Airbus A300-600ST dubbed a "super transporter," is one of the newest cargo aircraft offered for commercial service provided by the European company Airbus. The unusual visitor was also seen on Sunday, November 20, at Kolkata airport, where it had arrived for refuelling and crew rest.

https://twitter.com/aaikolairport/status/1594198563697086464

One of the largest freight-carrying aircraft in the world, the whale-shaped plane carries oversized goods. The Beluga, which has a height of almost 56.15 metres, is one of the biggest commercial aircraft currently in use.

Also read: Airbus Beluga spotted at Kolkata airport after 23 years

Also read: Airbus Beluga lands at Chennai Airport for the first time

The Beluga-shaped airbus at the Mumbai airport was depicted in various images on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai’s (CSMIA) official website, which stated that it left many “awestruck”.

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The Beluga was initially created by Airbus to meet its own production requirements. Currently, Airbus transports big built parts of the fuselage and wings of aircraft using four or five Beluga planes. The fifth Beluga is available to fulfil transportation needs in the market outside of Airbus and acts as a backup for the company.

Airbus Industrie established the subsidiary airline company Airbus Transport International (ATI) in 1996 to serve the extra market. It is during this time that the A300-600ST, which was a development of the A300-600R, went into service. ATI is based in Toulouse in France next to the Airbus production facilities.

By 1998, ATI had amassed enough knowledge and experience in the day-to-day management of outsize cargo transportation in a global setting to be able to provide outsize load transport services to outside businesses.

The Beluga has been used to ferry supplies for aid missions as well as parts for helicopters, space stations, and works of art

The Beluga has been used to deliver components for space stations, helicopters, items of art, and humanitarian goods.

Recent transport missions performed by the Beluga include the delivery of the Eutelsat W3A satellite, to the launch site in Kazakhstan in February 2004 and the airlift of the vertical tail plane for the first Airbus A380 from Hamburg, Germany, to the Airbus final assembly hall in Toulouse, France.

For Airbus, governments, and businesses, ATI specialises in transporting huge, heavy goods. For Airbus, the Beluga frequently transports an A340's wings, fuselage pieces, or two A320 wings. 

The aircraft is powered by GE CF6-80C2A8 engines, which offer a 0.7 Mach cruise speed. The maximum operating altitude is 35,000ft (10,670m).

A larger engine corresponds to a larger plane. In this case, two engines. Two Rolls-Royce Trent 700 Turbofan engines, each costing roughly $40 M, propel the Beluga into the sky. Over $1 billion was spent on the entire endeavour to construct these flying giants.

Beluga is powered by GE CF6-80C2A8 engines, which offer a 0.7 Mach cruise speed. The maximum operating altitude is 35,000ft.

The Beluga doesn't need a large crew because it has no passengers to look after. It manages by a little team of only three people. Two pilots are needed to fly the aircraft, and a loadmaster is needed to oversee the cargo.

When the aircraft is empty, the weight is a staggering 86 tonnes. It can support a payload weight of 47 tonnes. These two together make up the 133 tonnes that the Beluga weighs when it is completely loaded, and this weight is successfully lifted into the air and carried to its designated locations.

Air India released a paper outlining some significant changes to uniform and personal grooming standards for its cabin crew as it begins a transformation drive.

Air India issued new grooming guidelines for its Cabin Crew

??On Thursday, November 24, Air India released a more than 40-page circular outlining the grooming standards for all of its crew members.

Also read: Air India to broaden its network in the US

Air India Women Cabin Crew Guidelines

Sarees must be worn on the natural waistline with not more than 1 inch of midriff visible.

Pearl jewellery is forbidden. Wear simply plain, unadorned circular gold and diamond studs as an alternative.

Only allowed formal court shoes are to be worn with sarees along with skin tone matching stockings.

Match nail paints with lipstick shades. If nail length is zero, it is advisable to use only nude nail paint that matches skin tone to camouflage the extremely short nails.

Hairstyles of high-top knots or low buns are not allowed. The bun must be made in the centre of the crown. A donut must be used for making a round bun. Only a thin sheer invisible net must be used with buns.

Short open hair must be blow-dried or permanent smoothening must be done.

Strict adherence to eyeshadow, lipstick, nail paint, and hair shade cards is expected, with no room for personal shades.

Only four black bobby pins can be used. Pins must be of the same size and type.

Only one bangle without design and stones is allowed.

A small bindi is allowed with a saree only (optional) and must be within 0.5 cm in size. Big-size bindi is not permitted.

New grooming standards for its male and female cabin crew have been announced by Tata Group-owned Air India, including a ban on wearing black and religious thread around the wrist, neck, and ankle

Air India Men Cabin Crew Guidelines

Black uniform jackets must be worn throughout the flight in all cabins (During boarding, service and deplaning)

Only black calf-length socks without logos are to be worn with the uniform.

Men crew with deep receding hairlines and male balding patches must keep a clean shaved head or bald look. The Head must be shaved daily. A crew cut is not permitted.

The use of hair gel is mandatory.

Personal tie pins are not allowed. Crew can wear a tie without the tie pin if not issued.

Only one Sikh Kada with a maximum width of 0.5 cm thickness in gold or silver without any design, logos or stones may be worn. No other bracelets are allowed. 

Only one ring in the wedding band design is allowed.

Also read: Air India hits with Pilot & Cabin Crew shortage as it plans to expand internationally

Additionally, both male and female flight attendants must conceal their grey hair with a natural-looking colour. Henna or fashion colours are prohibited, according to the rules. Black or religious threads on the wrist, neck, and ankle are also forbidden.

The grey hair of both male and female flight attendants must be covered with a natural-looking colour

According to the rules, crew members should avoid wearing sunglasses inside airports or on aircraft. The crew members are not allowed to discuss political, religious, or company topics on social media. Also, the Cabin Crew members who are on leave must travel in smart casual clothing and proper attire on Air India flights.

Also read: Air India becomes the most punctual airline in October in 8 years

Disapproval rumblings about these rules have also been heard.

“Details such as hair colour, shaving the head, wearing tie-pins, these were never enforced. Enforcement will happen with the newer lot of flight attendants first.”

–An Air India Cabin Crew told TOI

The guidelines, according to an Air India official who talked on the record and on the condition of anonymity, are overly rigid and are not going down well with the crew.

“..some think it is required for building the image of the airline, but others see it to be a little too much.”