StarAir to Add Another Embraer to its Fleet

Regional airline Star Air, will add another Embraer plane to its fleet soon taking its fleet size to 9, the airline said on Thursday.

The airline started with a single Embraer ERJ-145 in January 2019. This has
grown to 5 ERJ-145s and 3 E-175s as of today. A 4th E-175 is all set to join the fleet soon.

Part of the aviation arm of Sanjay Ghodawat Group, the airline also completed five years of operations on Thursday. It started operations on 25th January 2019 on the Bengaluru-Hubballi sector and now has a network of 18 destinations and 26 routes, spread across different states, like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Telangana, etc.

Shrenik Ghodawat, MD, Star Air, said "As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, we reflect on the incredible journey and the support we have  received from our passengers, partners, and the communities we serve. It all started with a dream to Connect Real India and this milestone is a testament to our commitment to excellence, safety, and customer satisfaction."

As Star Air enters its sixth year, the airline remains focused on innovation and continued growth and plans for further route expansion, fleet enhancements, and the introduction of new services are underway, the airline added.

IndiGo will start direct flights between Dubai and Surat from 23rd February, the airline said on Thursday.

The tri-weekly service will be the second such after Air India Express became the only airline to launch service on this route in December.

Surat, the second largest city of Gujarat, is a significant economic hub in India.

Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo, said, "We are delighted to introduce direct connectivity between Dubai and Surat, the two major commercial and economic hubs in the Middle East and India. With the addition of these flights, IndiGo operates 108 direct flights a week to Dubai from 13 cities in India. Surat, in Gujarat, is well-known for its flourishing textile and diamond industries, and enhancing connectivity with Dubai, will provide business travellers with trade opportunities and significantly contribute to economic development in both regions. As India’s leading carrier, we remain committed to providing our customers with seamless connectivity through the extensive 6E network, across India as well as overseas, and delivering on our promise of providing affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel experiences.”

The addition of this strategic route to the 6E network is designed to facilitate seamless travel for tourists and business travellers and enhance bilateral economic growth and relations between India and the UAE, the airline added.

With the addition of this flight, Surat becomes the second city in Gujarat, with direct connectivity to Dubai on the IndiGo network. Moreover, starting from February 22, 2024, additional frequencies will be introduced on the Hyderabad-Dubai route.

Air India Express launched Surat-Dubai flights from the new international terminal at Surat International Airport, on 17th December 2023. Air India Express was also the only airline operating international flights from Surat, with five weekly flights to Sharjah.

Residents of the old Air India colony protested on Wednesday as Mumbai Airport began demolishing structures there.

The airport was demoliting 20 uninhabited, dilapidated structures at the Air India Colony located in Mumbai’s Kolivery village, Santacruz.

The airport said it has followed due process.

“Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) has initiated the demolition of 20 uninhabited, dilapidated structures at the Air India Colony, conducted in strict adherence to the law and under the permission/handover granted by AIAHL, the PSU Asset Holding Company of Erstwhile Air India. This has been done as part of its comprehensive redevelopment plan of the airport land. No demolition steps have been undertaken for the remaining 80+ buildings within the colony, which are currently occupied. Due process of law by filing eviction applications under the AAI Act is being followed for the same.MIAL remains committed to upholding the law and is dedicated to ensuring the airport's smooth and efficient functioning. Considering Mumbai Airport is a land-constrained aviation asset, this redevelopment initiative is a crucial step in the airport's ongoing efforts to contribute to the expansion and improvement of existing passenger facilities, thus fostering the growth and progress of Mumbai,” the Adani Airports-led airport said in a statement.

A former Air India official posted on social media that police personnel and demolition teams moved in despite protests from residents but later stopped demolitions pending the next court hearing date on the matter on February 13.

Aviation regulator DGCA has slapped a fine of Rs 1.10 crore on Air India for safety violations, the regulator said on Wednesday.

The fine on airlines is for flying planes on long-haul routes without following the mandated manufacturer’s guidelines.

“Pursuant to the receipt of a voluntary safety report from an airline employee alleging safety violations of flights operated by Air India on certain long-range terrain critical routes, DGCA conducted a comprehensive investigation into the alleged violations,” the regulator said in its note.

Since the investigation prima facie revealed non-compliance by the airline, a Show Cause Notice was issued to the accountable manager of Air India. The response to the Show Cause Notice was duly examined concerning the laid down stipulations under the relevant statutory provisions and the performance limits stipulated in critical documentation laid down by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). 

“Since the said operations of the leased aircraft were not in line with regulatory/ OEM performance limits, DGCA has initiated enforcement action and imposed a penalty of Rs. 1.10 crore on Air India,” it added.

IndiGo to announce Q3 results on February 2nd.

India's largest airline IndiGo will announce its third quarter results on  February 2nd, it said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Tuesday. 

The airline had posted a profit of Rs 1,422.6 crore in the three months ended December 2022 compared with a Rs 129.8 crore profit in the same period a year ago.

SpiceJet, the only other listed airline typically announces its results a month and a half after the end of the said quarter

Meanwhile, MakeMyTrip Pvt. posted its highest-ever quarterly gross bookings, revenue and profit on the back of robust demand during a seasonally strong quarter this week. Revenue grew 27% to $214.2 million in the third quarter from $170.5 million over the year ago period. And profit soared to $24.2 million in the October–December period, in comparison with $0.2 million over the same period last year, the Nasdaq-listed firm said on Tuesday.

Mumbai airport traffic jumped 35% in 2023.

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) passenger traffic jumped 35% surge in 2023 compared with the year before, the airport said on Tuesday.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) saw 51.58 million passengers passing through it in 2023 with over 25.4 Mn passengers on arrivals and more than 26.1 Mn passengers on departures.

The airport also had 3,34,391 ATMs, up 20% growth over 2022's 2,77,052.   

The airport also experienced its highest-ever monthly traffic in December 2023, reaching a substantial 4.89 million, with a growth of 13% as compared to December 2022 (4.34Mn). 
 
In CY 2023, Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai retained their positions as the top domestic destinations for CSMIA, while Dubai, London, and Abu Dhabi continued to be the preferred international choices. 
Among airlines, IndiGo, Vistara, and Air India led the domestic market share. On the international front, IndiGo, Air India, and Emirates continued to maintain their leading positions.  

The airport also expanding its connectivity to New York, Lagos, Jakarta, Entebbe, Melbourne during the calendar year and there were frequency additions to destinations such as Bangkok, Frankfurt, London, Doha, Mauritius and many more along with Azerbaijan Airlines (Baku) and Air Canada (Toronto) reinstating operations facilitating the enhanced and diverse travel network. 

The Middle East dominates CSMIA traffic with a 35% share, followed closely by Australasia at 23%. Europe's 19% share, whereas North America and Africa contribute 15% and 8%, respectively.