Air France-KLM hopes India will allow it to expand its flight schedule to meet demand

Due to air bubble restrictions, Air France-KLM's Indian services are limited, but the airline is hopeful that the Indian government will allow it to increase its flights to meet rising demand, according to a senior executive of the carrier.

India has allowed limited special international flights with passenger restrictions under air bubbles formed with approximately 28 countries, including France and the Netherlands, since July 2020.

Since March 23, 2020, scheduled international flights have been suspended in India.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline operated 38 weekly flights from three Indian cities -- Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai -- to Paris and Amsterdam, Jean-Noel Rault, General Manager (Indian Sub-continent), Air France-KLM, told PTI in an interview.

Currently, Air France-KLM is operating 17 weekly flights from four Indian cities -- Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai -- to Paris and Amsterdam as per the air bubbles formed between India and France in July 2020 and India and The Netherlands in November 2020.

When asked if he sees the demand rising on Indian flights, Rault stated, "India has a very strong VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market. This in my opinion is one of the key factors to drive demand."

"We have also seen the student segment develop favourably thanks to the convenient connections we offer and have received a positive response to the ChennaiParis direct operations launched in June by Air France.The airline's expectation was business and corporate travel will progressively grow in the second half of 2022.However, the carrier's scope was still limited in terms of frequency and destinations under the air bubble restrictions.We are hopeful with the progressive opening of borders we will be allowed to increase our frequency to meet the evolving demand.Air France-KLM in the current specific circumstances in India has been operating services intending to cover the variable costs of each flight operation.In trends, the variation has been high in load factors in the past 12 months...On a positive note, for the first time since the pandemic we see load factors moving up for flights to India."Jean-Noel Rault, General Manager (Indian Sub-continent), Air France-KLM

Air France-KLM believes that an increase in flights' frequencies should be considered with the progressive opening of international borders and growing demand, he said.

"We continue to interact with relevant authorities along with the French embassy and The Netherlands embassy in India. Together with our embassies, we continue to explore opportunities with the Indian authorities to expand the number of flights from India," Rault noted.

When asked if he thinks India should open scheduled international flights now, he replied it could be prudent for India to consider moving towards "a normal world with the progressive reopening of international commercial operations" as the country is doing very well with the vaccination drive and the COVID-19 situation improving globally.

(Image Courtesy - Bloomberg.com)

"This would be instrumental in facilitating travel to and from India, boost incoming tourism to India, which is much needed to help the economy and local operators who have been impacted severely due to the pandemic," Rault added.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had in September said that the Centre has to look to put in place certain systems to boost long-haul international flights of Indian carriers to places such as Europe and South America.

Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr had last month said that restricting air traffic between India and Germany is hurting both the economies and the airline group was eagerly waiting for the Indian government to allow more flights between the two countries.

Cover Image - Skift

Starting November 14th, Dubai, the jewel among the Arabian sands would be hosting what would be the only global airshow to take place since 2019.

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Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, the Ruler of Dubai and the UAE Minister of Defence, the Dubai Airshow 2021 is set to feature all sorts of major industrial announcements. With renowned market leaders coming together to showcase their global products and sophisticated innovations, the airshow would see an array of next-generation state-of-the-art aircraft on display.

The 2021 edition would exhibit innumerable aircraft models, many of them which would be unveiled for the first time by the parent companies. Below are a few models from India that would be showcased at the event:

Indian Air Force (SARANG)HAL Dhruvs

Airplane Pictures

2. Indian Air Force (SURYAKIRAN)HAWK MK-132 (Twin concept tandem-seat)

Inset: Captain Anoop Singh, new Suryakiran CO | India Sentinels

3. Indian Air Force-TEJAS

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Boeing B777X to make its international debut

FreightWaves

According to a major announcement by the company, the much-awaited B777X would also finally make its presence felt before the thousands of spectators who have been waiting patiently to grab an official view of the model after many delays and roadblocks in its certification process.

Originally scheduled for a 2019 entry into service, the bird is now slated for a 2023 release(tentative).The B777-9, a test model, would be a part of the flight program in addition to a static display.

VISTA- where aerospace start-ups meet opportunities

Players from the industry to outline their ideas for the future roadmap of the aviation industry | Dubai Airshow

Promoted in tandem with the airshow, VISTA is a unique, golden opportunity for aerospace start-ups to pitch their ideas to potential customers and globally ranked investors to launch and scale up their projects.

This would be the region's only venture dedicated exclusively to aerospace start-ups from around the globe.

Start-ups would be taking part in programs that would include 5 days of mentorship clinics, workshops, competitions, networking and face time with investors.

According to reports, this year VISTA would be welcoming start-ups from the following key sectors:

1. Artificial Intelligence2. Future Mobility3. Space4. Aerospace5. Defence6. Robotics7. Drones and8. Sustainability, to name a few

COVER: EMIRATES PROJECTS - TPG Media

IMAGE(s): Credits to all respective owners

Saudi Arabia has now launched what would later go down in the annals of aviation as the first-ever "museum in the skies".

As per reports, the one-of-a-kind journey would feature archaeological discoveries made from the ancient city of Al Ula, which is known to attract foreign and domestic visitors alike, with its round-the-year display of local and seasonal activities.

LocalBH

According to the Saudi Press Agency, passengers aboard Saudia would be treated to a documentary titled "Architects of Ancient Arabia"- courtesy Discovery Channel, with the airline using this opportunity to unveil its new inflight entertainment system.

The flying museum-a collaboration between the national flag carrier Saudia and the Royal Commission for Al Ula would display a replica of artifact collections unearthed from AlUla's various archaeological sites.

Visitors aboard would be given a brief introduction about the documentary and an insight into the replica collection by Rebecca Foote, director of archaeology and cultural heritage research at the commission.

Al Ula welcomes guests as SAUDIA makes the first-ever "MUSEUM IN THE SKIES" flight | EatnStays

There is a major load of work ongoing in Al Ula by local and international archeologists, and yet we are just beginning to understand the complicated nature of Al Ula’s past. Al Ula is a hidden gem in the Arabian Peninsula, and we are slowly discovering its secrets. I am looking forward to sharing more information about our work with passengers of the Museum in the Sky trip, operated by SaudiaRebecca Foote

According to Khaled Tash, vice president of corporate communications at the airline, this collaboration would go a long way in promoting archaeological work at AlUla which is touted to be the biggest archaeological program in the world as of today.

The flight took off from Riyadh to AlUla on the 4th of November 2021.

COVER: Wikimedia

Omnipresent Robot Technologies, an India-based robotics and drone company has reported that it has successfully conducted a 51km drone flight in India, something which the company claims is the longest that has been achieved in the country currently.

Indian Business Times

According to Aakash Sinha, the CEO of the firm, the previous standing record in the country was 42 km, and that this drone, named "Omni Hansa V5", had successfully managed to bypass that.

We had a tracker mechanism on the drone. We could track it over our 4G network with our trackerAakash Sinha

He further mentioned that the entire flight was on auto-pilot right from take-off to landing emphasizing the autonomous nature of the operation.

Omni Hansa V5 is a hybrid fixed-wing eVTOL drone that can take off and land like a helicopter, thereby eliminating the need for an active runway. Once airborne, flying is comparable to that of a normal aircraft.

Representative | Rediff

Apparently, the operation was carried out to survey the pipeline of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HCPL), which runs between the capital city of Delhi and Haryana.

And according to reports, HPCL now wants the range of the drone to be increased further from 100 to 200 km.

Officials of HCPL were in attendance to witness the event that saw the drone hitting 400 feet, which is the current maximum permissible limit set by the DGCA.

Omnipresent Robotic Technologies has registered a growth of a 100% in the past year and is currently collaborating with e-commerce entities for the delivery of goods in the country.

The flight took place on November 3.

COVER: DIY Photography

Airline reservations to the United States skyrocketed after the White House announced that the country would reopen to all vaccinated international travellers beginning next week, prompting a welcome if difficult industry pivot.

Following 18 months of restrictions for 33 countries during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, which separated families, slowed business travel, and frustrated tourists, the US has finally decided to welcome international travellers back.

(Image Courtesy - iNews)

Air France, United Airlines, and Singapore Airlines are among the major airlines scrambling to meet the unexpected surge in demand, adding flights, swapping larger planes for smaller ones, and redoubling efforts to hire and retain staff.

In the week following the White House announcement, British Airways saw a 900% increase in searches for flights and vacation packages to popular US destinations.

The day after the announcement, American Airlines saw a 66% increase in flight reservations to the United Kingdom, 40% to Europe, and 74% to Brazil.

More seats, bigger planes

According to an Air France spokesperson, traffic is gradually returning and "will not change overnight on November 8."

For months, the French airline has been flying empty planes. However, due to increased demand, it recently increased the number of daily flights from three to five between New York and Paris.

Air France will replace its Airbus 330 with a Boeing 777, which has more seats, for its Houston-Paris flight. In March 2022, the airline expects capacity in the United States to reach 90% of pre-Covid 19 levels, up from 65% in October.

Air France Boeing 777 (Image Courtesy - AIRLIVE.net)

After a strong holiday season, airlines expect a slight slowdown in January and February, but strong demand in the spring, which will intensify in the summer, which is traditionally the busiest season.

United Airlines' traffic to Latin America has fully recovered from its low point in 2019, but only about 63% of travel remains.

The American airline is betting big on a resurgence in international travel, launching five new destinations in the spring, including Spain and Norway, as well as adding flights to popular destinations like Rome and Dublin and reviving service to Frankfurt, Nice, and other cities.

Too few workers?

Travel to Asia is also expected to recover strongly but at a slower pace.

Singapore Airlines expects flight frequency from North America to Singapore in December to reach 77% of pre-Covid levels, thanks to the reopening of voyages to Seattle and Vancouver, as well as trips like Singapore-Frankfurt-New York, thanks to a recent decision by Singaporean authorities to allow quarantine-free travel for a much broader range of travellers from the United States and Canada.

Burkett Huey, an analyst at Morningstar, said airlines should have enough planes to meet rising demand. But whether there is sufficient staff is "a question mark," he said.

(Image Courtesy - The Indian Express)

Airlines welcomed the exodus of thousands of employees early in the pandemic. But both American and Southwest have in recent weeks cancelled thousands of flights due in part to meagre staff levels.

Still unclear is the timetable for a robust recovery in business travel, an unknown that affects airline planning.

Traditionally, airlines fly wide-body planes across the Atlantic on busy routes to provide comfortable seats for business travellers and then organize smaller planes for touristic destinations.

But if business travellers are late to come back, airlines could decide to plan more direct flights using the newer narrow body jets with longer range.

Some restrictions remain

Lifting the travel ban will affect more than 30 countries. But entry to the United States will not be totally unregulated: US authorities plan to closely monitor travellers' vaccination status and will still require them to present negative Covid-19 tests.

The United States, from Monday, November 8 will require air passengers to be fully vaccinated and be tested within three days before travel. Airlines will be required to put in place a contact tracing system.

The land border opening will happen in two phases.

(Image Courtesy - Financial Times)

Vaccines will be required for "non-essential" trips, such as family visits or tourism, beginning Monday, November 8, though unvaccinated travellers will be allowed into the country for "essential" trips, as they have been for the past year and a half.

A second phase, starting in early January 2022, will require all visitors entering the United States by land to be fully vaccinated, regardless of the reason for their visit.

All vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization will be accepted for air travel, according to US health officials.

At the moment, this includes the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Covaxin, Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines.

The United States has not yet commented on the increase in Covid-19 cases in Europe.

(Image Courtesy - Travel Daily)

The WHO, for its part, expressed "grave concern" over the rising pace of coronavirus infections in Europe, warning that according to "one reliable projection" the current trajectory would mean "another half a million Covid-19 deaths" by February.

Indians, who have family members residing in the U.S and vice-versa can be reunited. This will also enhance the trade relations between the two countries and will help in lifting the Indian economy. Students who want to pursue their studies in the U.S. can now easily travel without any worry and restrictions.

(With Inputs from AFP - Agency France-Presse)

Cover Image - France24

Private airline Go First on Monday, November 1 signed a pact with the UAE-based Lulu Group to transport cargo from Srinagar to Sharjah.

Go First was the first airline to start a direct international connection from the Kashmir Valley and has now also become the first airline to start international cargo services from the sector.

(Image Courtesy - Indian Transport & Logistics News)

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Go First Head (Corporate Affairs) Mohit Dwivedi and Lulu Group Director Salim M A, in the presence of Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce, and Administrative Secretary, Civil Aviation Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Ranjan Thakur.

The Lulu Group director said there were immense export opportunities in Kashmir.

"On behalf of the Lulu, I am very thankful to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the Government of India for allowing us to come to Kashmir. We are quite surprised to see the immense opportunities that we have for the exports from here.As Lulu, we will be able to take a lot of fruit, vegetables and antique and craft and a lot more items. We assure you that we will do our best to export goods from Kashmir."Salim M A, Director, Lulu Group

The Go First expressed happiness over becoming the first airline to transport the cargo from here to the Gulf countries.

"On behalf of Go First, I would like to thank the Jammu and Kashmir government, Lulu Group and the Government of India, for giving us this opportunity for taking up the cargo for gulf countries. We are happy with this agreement," Go First's Dwivedi said.

He said the airline will start operations from December this year.

Describing the MoU as a historic opportunity, Thakur said Lulu is the biggest retailer in the Gulf region and its presence will benefit the farmers, growers and artisans here.

"This MoU is a further development to the J&K's MoU with the Dubai government. The LuLu Group will source a lot of horticulture, agriculture products and handicrafts from J&K. They will follow it up with many more in the future.This is a win-win situation. The logistics support has been provided by Go First and the Lulu Group will do the marketing. We are only the facilitators.This will get a better price in a short term transit on a long term basis, with easy access. This is the world opening up to J&K. For the time being, the cargo will be taken in the daily flight, but we can deploy a freighter as well when the time comes.We will get many opportunities through their (Lulu) retailers. The Lulu group was already exporting apples. Their foray into J&K indicates our seriousness and our efforts.I must congratulate the people of J&K and look forward to a much more meaningful relationship in the future also. We also hope that the Lulu Group will have a permanent presence in J&K."Ranjan Thakur, Administrative Secretary, Civil Aviation Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir

Thakur added that this will provide an opportunity to our farmers, growers, weavers and our artisans to access a large market and Lulu will get a good product to sell to their customers.

He said the purpose is to have the farmers earn profits.

Thakur said the Go First flight between Srinagar and Sharjah, which is currently operating four days a week, will soon become a daily flight and it will enable a bridge between J&K and the Gulf region and in particular to Dubai and Sharjah regions.

LuLu Group International is an Emirati multinational conglomerate company that operates a chain of hypermarkets and retail companies, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was founded in 2000 by M. A. Yusuff Ali from Nattika, Thrissur district in Kerala, India. LuLu Group International mainly operates the international chain of hypermarkets named "Lulu Hypermarket". LuLu has over 57, 000 employees of various nationalities.

Established in 2005 and wholly owned by the Wadia Group, Go First is an ultra-low-cost carrier based at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai with a secondary hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The carrier operates an extensive network of domestic services within India using Airbus A320 family aircraft. GoAir officially rebranded as Go First in May 2021.