India Aviation Industry Newsletter 23 November
AAI team inspects Rourkela Airport
Rourkela Airport set to start commercial flight services soon, a two-member team of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) visited the airport for an inspection. The team, including senior officials of a few private air carriers, inspected the infrastructure and other facilities of the airport, which is run by Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP). Rourkela has been included in phase-4 of bidding process under Udey Desh Ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN) scheme.
Domestic flyers at Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport top one million for first time after lockdown
Bengaluru: The monthly passenger numbers at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) have crossed 1 million for the first time after domestic flights were restarted on May 25. The milestone was achieved in October. Industry experts say the signs are encouraging as more people are feeling confident about taking a flight. The month-wise statistics of domestic passenger travel at KIA show a steady rise in numbers from July.
IndiGo resumes more than 650 weekly flights to and from UP
IndiGo is currently operating more than 650 weekly flights including the RCS routes to and from the cities of Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur in the state of UP. The airline witnessed highest air travel demand from Lucknow which is directly connected to 13 domestic destinations including new direct flights to Indore & Raipur. In addition, IndiGo also operated approximately 300 Vande Bharat and Air Bubble flights connecting UP with Dubai, Doha, Sharjah, Jeddah, Kuwait, Dammam, Riyadh & Abu Dhabi. Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer, IndiGo said "Uttar Pradesh being the largest state in the country has a huge potential for revival of air travel. We have witnessed moderate air travel demand and are optimistic that there will be more people travelling to meet their families after many months of being home bound. Being the safest mode of travel, flying has become the leading choice for people travelling across segments including migrant labour, especially with limited rail and bus operations. This trend is being further fuelled by affordable fares, ease in government restrictions and lesser travel time onboard our lean, clean flying machines".
Kalaburagi airport turns fastest growing in the state
Kalaburagi: While the air traffic at domestic airports of the nation has fallen by 65.1% compared to September prior the Kalaburagi Airport, which is celebrating its first anniversary of inauguration on November 22, has witnessed thrice the number of passengers this month when compared to December 2019, the first month of the operation. According to the statistics released by Airport Authority of India (AAI) 5,828 passengers had travelled through Kalaburagi Airport by October 2020.
RAK International Airport set to receive SpiceJet passenger flights
The Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK Airport) is set to receive the first commercial flights from Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet on 26th November. Ras Al Khaimah International Airport CEO Sanjay Khanna said "The commencement of SpiceJet passenger flights into RAK Airport is a significant step forward in helping the UAE get back to a normal footing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Indian expatriate community in the UAE numbers almost 3.5 million people and constitutes 27 percent of the population, making connectivity between our two countries an imperative. With UAE and India being each other's largest trading partners, RAK Airport has an essential role to play in the business and economy of the emirate, especially in view of Ras Al Khaimah's efforts to diversify its economy from heavy industry to one that is knowledge-based and underpinned by human capital and tourism."
Vistara is evaluating eyeing direct flights to the United States
Vistara is evaluating eyeing direct flights to the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic pushes demand for non-stop travel. While the specific timeframe and aircraft requirements are yet to be finalised, Vistara is studying various scenarios for starting direct flights, Vinod Kannan, chief commercial officer, told Reuters in an interview.