Vistara wins the best domestic airline award for the second year in a row

At Wings India 2022, Vistara, India's best full-service airline, received three prestigious awards: Best Domestic Airline, Aviation Sustainability & Environment, and Covid Champions.

At the award ceremony held in Hyderabad, Hon'ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia gave the awards in the presence of other top officials from the Ministry, FICCI, and an eminent gathering of industry representatives from across the world.

“We are delighted to have received these coveted awards at Wings India 2022. They are a testament to the relentless efforts of all our staff, who ensured a seamless and comfortable travel experience for our customers, despite a challenging operating environment in the last two years. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our customers for placing their trust in us and the jury of Wings India 2022 for recognising our efforts.”Vinod Kannan, CEO, Vistara

Passengers have applauded Vistara's world-class travel experience and safety standards, which helped the airline win the Best Domestic Airline title two years in a row.

Vistara is committed to decreasing its environmental effect, which has resulted in significant investments in innovative engineering systems and a modern fleet that is regarded as one of Asia's youngest.

Vistara also took many steps to guarantee that its actions against COVID-19 had an impact on a wide range of stakeholders, including workers, customers, and communities.

Vistara wins the best domestic airline award for the second year in a row

To maintain the highest safety and hygiene standards across all touchpoints in the customer experience, the airline changed several procedures and implemented different technological interventions in accordance with regulatory criteria. Vistara has launched two award-winning initiatives, #FlyingFeelsSafeAgain and #FlyerCODE, aimed at raising awareness and inducing good behavioural changes in passengers for a more comfortable and secure air travel experience.

During the devastating second wave of the pandemic, Vistara activated its ‘National Relief Program’ and offered complimentary air logistics for transportation of medical equipment across the network.

It also welcomed health workers from government organisations to travel free of cost on its domestic network, when travelling on Covid19 duty. Vistara extended all-around support to its employees to ensure their well-being throughout the pandemic.

At Wings India 2022, Vistara, India's best full-service airline, received three prestigious awards: Best Domestic Airline, Aviation Sustainability & Environment, and Covid Champions.

Besides offering medical support, the airline took systematic steps and managed to get almost all its employees fully vaccinated against the virus. It is also the first Indian airline to have operated flights with fully vaccinated cabin crew and pilots.

Under its signature CSR project ‘Vistara Wellness Initiative’, the airline donated over 200,000 wellness essentials (nutritious food and hygiene items) to communities impacting the lives of nearly 34,000 individuals across the country.

Vistara is India's highest-rated airline on Skytrax and Tripadvisor and has won multiple 'Best Airline' accolades in addition to being praised for cabin cleanliness and safety.

An Intent of Cooperation (IOC) was signed between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) for purchase or long term lease for 20 helicopters, 10 each civil variants of ALH Dhruv and Light Utility Helicopters at the ongoing Wings India-2022 at Hyderabad.

This would also bring synergy between HAL and PHL in the helicopter ecosystem and strengthen the helicopter business in India’s civil aviation market.

The IOC has been signed between PHL’s CMD Sanjeev Razdan and HAL’s (Helicopter Complex) CEO S Anbuvelan in the presence of Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Minister of Roads, Buildings, Legislative Affairs and Housing of Telangana Vemula Prashanth Reddy, HAL CMD R Madhavan and others.

The IOC has been signed between PHL’s CMD Sanjeev Razdan and HAL’s (Helicopter Complex) CEO S Anbuvelan in the presence of Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia

“IOC was signed for 10 each of the civil variants of ALH Dhruv and Light Utility Helicopters at the ongoing Wings India-2022. This will also bring synergy between HAL and PHL in the helicopter ecosystem and strengthen the helicopter business in India’s civil aviation market,” a HAL statement read.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the world today.

HAL currently has 11 dedicated Research and development (R&D) centres and 21 manufacturing divisions under 4 production units spread across India. HAL is managed by a Board of Directors appointed by the President of India through the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the world today.

HAL is currently involved in designing and manufacturing fighter jets, helicopters, jet engines and marine gas turbine engines, avionics, software development, spare supply, overhauling and upgrading of Indian military aircraft. Pawan Hans Limited is a government-owned helicopter service provider based in Delhi NCR, India. It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.

Since 1985, Pawan Hans has been India’s market leader in helicopter operations. Its fleet of 42 helicopters provides services to sectors such as oil and gas exploration, pipeline survey and aerial work, police and utility tasks, and services to VIPs and state governments.

Pawan Hans also provides passenger connectivity to remote, hilly, and inaccessible areas along India’s northern and north-eastern borders. In addition, it has provided inter-island connectivity in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

Northeast’s first aviation pilot training academy, offering commercial pilot license training (CPL) will be operational at the Lilabari Airport from mid-April. Two aircraft for pilot training arrived at Lilabari in upper Assam's Lakhimpur district on Tuesday, March 22.

The Red Bird Flight Training Academy won the bid to start three flying training organizations (FTOs) in the country and one is in Lilabari. The academy, which will operate under the watchful eyes of the ministry of civil aviation, will produce pilots for commercial aircraft.

“Pilots will be trained in India. Cash flow to foreign training schools will reduce. Also, the target to boost the aviation industry needs pilots,” said a senior official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The academy is being set up under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Two aircraft for pilot training arrived at Lilabari in upper Assam's Lakhimpur.

Tecnam P2008JC single-engine and Tecnam P2006T multi-engine trainee aircraft arrived at Lilabari from Baramati in Maharashtra. They flew all the way crossing international territory over Bangladesh from Ranchi to Agartala via Silchar.

Vice-president, training, Red Bird Flight Training Academy, Abhilasha Singh, said the effort is on to produce 150 to 200 trainee pilots every year. “We have the most modern glass cockpit aircraft for training, which are similar to the ones of Airbus and Boeing,” she said, adding that training in all kinds of terrain in the northeast is going to be beneficial.

Countries like the US and New Zealand were the most preferred destinations for commercial pilot training for aspiring candidates from India over the years.

The Red Bird Flight Training Academy won the bid to start three flying training organizations (FTOs) in the country and one is in Lilabari.

AAI has facilitated all the approvals needed for the project, from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and guided the agency for early completion of the project.

“We are targeting commencement of training as soon as approvals are obtained from BCAS and DGCA, hopefully by next week,” said an AAI official. The practicals will have 200 hours of single-engine, multi-engine flying.

“Most awaited day of #Lilabari and NER, finally two flying machines have arrived today at Lilabari Airport for Redbird Flying Training Academy to empower the youth for a brighter future with wings. Both aircraft were greeted with the traditional water cannon salute,” read a post from the Twitter handle of Lilabari Airport.

https://twitter.com/aailbrairport/status/1506289630659977225

The Assam Flying Club, which once used to provide commercial pilot training from Guwahati airport, became defunct long ago.

Notably, on Thursday, March 24, Minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh had informed Lok Sabha that India might require 1,000 commercial pilots per year over the next 5-6 years.

He further informed that the Airport Authority of India (AII) had received bids for Nine Flying Training Organizations (FTO) in March last year. ''AII had issued award letters for all the nine FTOs on May 31, 2021, and October 29, 2021.

The five airports allocated were Belagavi (Karnataka), Jalgaon (Maharashtra), Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), and Lilabari (Assam).

Finland’s flag carrier Finnair on Friday, March 25 said it will connect Helsinki with India’s financial capital Mumbai with a direct flight, starting July this year.

Mumbai will be the airline’s second destination in India after Delhi, where it has been flying since 2006.

The to-be-launched flight on Mumbai-Helsinki and vice versa will be open for bookings from April 5 onwards, Finnair said in a statement.

Finnair to launch a direct flight between Mumbai and Helsinki

Finnair will operate from Mumbai and Helsinki, as part of its summer 2022 schedule, three times a week — on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, the airline said.

"As the world opens up to travel, it is an opportune time to expand operations and enable better connectivity for our customers. After Delhi, Mumbai is a major airline hub in India and is home to leading global businesses."

“As the world opens up to travel, it is an opportune time to expand operations and enable better connectivity for our customers. After Delhi, Mumbai is a major airline hub in India and is home to leading global businesses. Our new services will enable both business & leisure travel from the region as global economies gradually recover from the impact of the Covid-19.”Desmond Chacko, General Manager, Finnair

Finnair connects customers to almost 70 destinations in Europe and five destinations in the US, including Seattle, New York, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles, it said. The carrier also said it will be operating wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft for this route.

The carrier also said it will be operating wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft for this route.

With strengthening economic ties between India and Europe, the launch of a new route signifies the growing importance of the region, it stated.

Helsinki Airport has recently gone through an extensive renewal, offering Asian travellers a smooth and easy transit to other destinations in Finnair’s network, according to the airline. A network airline, Finnair, connects passenger and cargo traffic between Asia and Europe via the short northern route, the airline said.

Private carrier IndiGo is expected to induct its first A321 freight aircraft, known for its high volume cargo storage, in around May this year, sources told CNBC TV18 on March 25.

The airline had, last year, initiated the conversion of four A321ceo into cargo planes. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, IndiGo and most of the other carriers were relying largely on cargo services for revenue.

The conversion of the A321ceo into a freight aircraft, which IndiGo is expected to induct in May, is taking place in Singapore, the news channel reported.

IndiGo expected to induct its first A321 freight aircraft

Officials privy to the latest developments also told CNBC TV18 that IndiGo is expected to soon resume flights for all pre-COVID international destinations, except for China.

IndiGo's domestic demand is above pre-COVID levels, they added but marked caution over the surging crude rates.

Notably, the oil prices pose a significant challenge for all airlines, as it could lead to higher fares. This, in turn, could adversely affect the post-pandemic recovery that is expected in the next couple of months.

ALSO READ - India to restart scheduled international flights after 2 years from March 27

IndiGo to convert four Airbus A321 CEO to A321P2F

On March 1, the rate of aviation turbine fuel was hiked by INR 3,010.87 per kilolitre or 3.22% to INR 93,530.66 per kl in Delhi. This was the fifth hike in ATF prices this year and came against the backdrop of crude oil rising to a seven-year high.

ALSO READ - Jet fuel prices increased by 3.3% to new all-time highs

Despite the surge in ATF rate, the stocks of carriers like IndiGo and SpiceJet received a boost earlier this month, on account of the government's decision to uplift the ban on scheduled international flights.

ALSO READ - Aviation stocks soaring as India set to resume international flights

The shares of Interglobe Aviation, IndiGo's parent firm, had climbed by 8% on March 9, a day after the landmark announcement.

IndiGo's domestic demand is above pre-COVID levels but marked caution over surging crude rates

JPMorgan has upgraded Interglobe Aviation, the company that owns and operates IndiGo airlines, from an ‘underweight’ rating to a ‘neutral’ rating. The firm has raised the target price to INR 1,825 from INR 1,400.

According to JPMorgan, the peak crude could signal the peak of a downgrade cycle. FY23 will be another loss-making year, the firm has cut its FY23 EBITDA by 44% due to crude. However, the firm believes that the problem is well-known documented and is perhaps in the price.

The demand-supply situation looks balanced for now and the IndiGo average seat kilometre is expected to grow at a rate of 27% compounded growth rate from now till FY25.

FlyBig, the newest scheduled commuter airline of India, on Thursday, March 24 said it has signed a letter of intent to acquire up to 10 aircraft of De Havilland Canada Twin Otter Series 400 to serve small and remote regions.

FlyBig operates commercial flights to destinations in the North-East, South, and Central under the UDAN Scheme. Flybig commenced operations in January 2021. It aims to provide connections to remote communities and currently has a fleet of three ATR 72 turboprop aircraft. 

Flybig aims to provide connections to remote communities and currently has a fleet of 3 ATR 72 turboprop aircraft

A press release from FlyBig said the De Havilland Canada Twin Otter 400 Series has a proven track record of safe, dependable operations, as well as versatility, which includes the ability to descend on land or water.

"It is a strategic and necessary acquisition. It will be a valuable asset for FlyBig in its quest to provide last-mile connectivity to the hinterlands of India. This landmark acquisition will provide competitive thrust and open a niche travel segment in the Indian aviation industry as it can also be used over water to promote tourism."Captain Sanjay Mandavia, CMD, FlyBig

The letter of intent was signed by Captain Sanjay Mandavia, CMD of FlyBig, and Yogesh Garg, director, of sales the Asia Pacific, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, and exchanged at their stall at the ongoing Wings India 2022 Show here, the release said.

The De Havilland Twin Series Otter 400 aircraft has the potential to provide last-mile connectivity to inaccessible geographical destinations in India, he further said.

Twin Otter Series 400 is a 19-seater aircraft that would meet a wide range of needs in the ever-expanding aviation market of India

We are very excited to be working with FlyBig to connect underserved destinations that currently rely on inconvenient and inefficient modes of transportation, said Philippe Poutissou, vice-president (sales and marketing), De Havilland Canada.

The Twin Otter Series 400 is a 19-seater aircraft that would meet a wide range of needs in the ever-expanding aviation market of India, opening up access to new commuter as well as coastal and island-hopping routes, according to the release.