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Aviation
February 13, 2024

Air India Expansion Stirs Debate Over Airline Flying Rights

Air India has placed an order of 470 aircraft from both Boeing Co. and Airbus SE. (Representational)

New Delhi: Tensions over plans to transform Air India into a global airline with hundreds of new jets rippled across the aviation sector on Tuesday as foreign carriers clamoured for more access to the world's fastest-growing economy.

PM Modi's government faces growing demands to ease a near-freeze on capacity that can be deployed on many routes to and from India, now that India's flag carrier has been sold to the cash-rich Tata conglomerate.

Current limits on the amount of flying allowed between India and many markets date back to heavy losses at Air India around the beginning of the last decade, analysts said.

But a huge overhaul of the airline, including the world's largest ever plane order for 470 jets, rekindled a debate over market access at a New Delhi aviation conference on Tuesday.

Dubai's Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Kuwaiti carrier Jazeera Airways all called for sharp increases in traffic rights to and from India to meet demand. Vietnam and Indonesia also want more flights, an Indian official said.

"We are not getting enough share from this market," Turkish Airlines Chief Executive Bilal Eksi told the CAPA India conference. Dubai has requested an extra 50,000 seats a week on India routes.

But in an exclusive interview, India's civil aviation minister told Reuters the government is not currently looking at easing curbs. He urged Indian airlines to order more big jets to meet demand without forcing passengers to change planes.

"I think it's about time that our carriers looked at the international market with greater focus. That's what we are pushing the airlines to do and that process has already started," Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

Currently most Indians use foreign carriers for long trips, often changing at Gulf hubs, with relatively few long-range jets based in the country despite a population of 1.3 billion.

Bigger share

Now, the rebirth of Air India and launch of a new Saudi carrier with dozens of jet orders has shuffled the deck and left Dubai's massive international hub flanked by new rivals.

But Emirates President Tim Clark welcomed the launches and said there was enough room for everyone without traffic curbs.

"There's so much (demand) there that none of us will be able to deal with it, if we allow unconstrained growth," he said.

Analysts said India's government is in no hurry to relax the curbs as it seeks to recapture traffic lost to foreign carriers - part of a wider initiative to create an economic powerhouse.

"There is clear evidence that the government wants a mega-carrier of size, scale and quality to emerge over the years," said Kapil Kaul, head of the CAPA India consultancy, adding the refusal to allow more flights for now appeared to be tactical.

"I don't think they're even encouraging the discussion ... the position whether other airlines like it or not, is 'we want to build a bigger brand and we want to have a bigger share'."

In one exception, India has granted more flights to Russia, Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal said.

Other analysts noted India is not alone in making use of a post-war system of air traffic agreements to aid development.

"It is not about the airlines; the government is saying it's about India as a country: 'we want non-stop flights'," said Ameya Joshi, founder of air analysis website NetworkThoughts.

Source: NDTV

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September 20, 2024
September 20, 2024

Dubai Flights Disrupted by Adverse Weather; Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet Services Affected

Adverse weather in Dubai disrupts flight operations, affecting services of major airlines including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet. The disruption underscores the vulnerability of air travel to unpredictable weather conditions, causing inconvenience for passengers and highlighting the need for robust contingency plans in aviation managementDubai Flights Disrupted by Adverse Weather; Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet Services Affected Adverse weather in Dubai disrupts flight operations, affecting services of major airlines including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet. The disruption underscores the vulnerability of air travel to unpredictable weather conditions, causing inconvenience for passengers and highlighting the need for robust contingency plans in aviation management. In addition to Air India, several other airlines serve routes from various cities in India to Dubai, catering to the significant Indian diaspora residing in the Emirate. Airlines such as Air India Express, Vistara, IndiGo, and SpiceJet operate flights connecting Indian cities to Dubai. However, adverse weather conditions in Dubai have disrupted flight operations for Air India. An Air India spokesperson confirmed that flights to and from the Gulf nation were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the impact of the adverse weather. Such disruptions can inconvenience travelers and underscore the challenges airlines face in maintaining regular operations amid unpredictable weather events. By PTI The recent heavy rains in Dubai have led to significant disruptions in flights from India to the emirate, compounded by flooding at the airport—one of the busiest in the world. Air India, with its extensive network of 72 weekly flights from various Indian cities to Dubai, and IndiGo have been among the airlines forced to cancel their services on Wednesday due to the adverse weather conditions and resulting airport inundation. Such disruptions not only inconvenience travelers but also highlight the challenges faced by airlines and airport authorities in managing operations during extreme weather events. Efforts to mitigate the impact and restore normalcy are likely underway, but travelers are advised to stay informed and check with their respective airlines for updates on flight statuses and rescheduling. In addition to Air India, several other airlines such as Air India Express, Vistara, IndiGo, and SpiceJet operate flights connecting various Indian cities to Dubai, which hosts a sizable Indian diaspora community. However, adverse weather conditions in Dubai have led to flight disruptions for these carriers as well. An Air India spokesperson confirmed that flights to and from the Gulf nation were canceled on both Tuesday and Wednesday due to the impact of adverse weather conditions. Efforts are underway to assist affected passengers, including re-accommodating them on alternative flights in the coming days. Furthermore, to provide flexibility to passengers impacted by the cancellations, Air India is offering a one-time date change waiver for those holding valid tickets for April 16th and 17th. This waiver allows passengers to reschedule their flights to future dates within the validity period of their tickets, mitigating the inconvenience caused by the disruptions. On Wednesday, a total of 10 flights from Delhi's airport to Dubai were canceled, along with nine inbound flights from Dubai to the national capital. Unfortunately, detailed information about the canceled flights was not immediately available. An official stated that inclement weather conditions in the UAE have led to disruptions in air travel, resulting in delays and diversions. Specifically, three to four flights operated by Air India Express on April 16th and 17th experienced delays. In response to the inconvenience caused, Air India Express has offered affected passengers the option of a full refund or free rescheduling. IndiGo also confirmed the cancellation of all flights to and from Dubai due to operational challenges arising from adverse weather and road conditions. Similarly, SpiceJet announced on X that flights to and from Dubai have been impacted by the adverse weather conditions prevailing in Dubai. These statements reflect the widespread impact of the adverse weather conditions on flight operations between India and Dubai, highlighting the challenges faced by airlines in maintaining regular schedules amidst such disruptions. Despite the absence of a statement from Vistara, the unprecedented heavy rains that lashed Dubai on Tuesday had significant repercussions, disrupting normal activities and causing flooding at the Dubai International Airport. Dubai International Airport, ranked as the world's second busiest airport in 2023, faced substantial challenges due to the adverse weather conditions. According to data from the Airports Council International (ACI), the airport handled more than 8.69 crore passengers that year. The disruption caused by the heavy rains underscores the vulnerability of even the busiest airports to extreme weather events, highlighting the importance of robust contingency plans and infrastructure resilience in mitigating such challenges. Source: cnbctv18