Airlines

Etihad offloads US-bound passengers, Indian students pay over two lakh for new tickets on other airlines

Numerous passengers, the majority of whom were students, who made reservations to travel to the US on Thursday from places similar to Mumbai and Bengaluru had their flights offloaded and their reservations cancelled by Etihad Airways. The airline allegedly refused to rebook the students on other flights with departure dates in the coming days. Since semesters are about to begin, the students have no choice but to pay out nearly two lakh rupees for a last-minute, one-way ticket on other carriers.

The cheapest one-way flight from Mumbai to the US for travel this week started at Rs. 1.40 lakh, but these flights were almost 27 hours long. The majority of tickets cost over Rs 2 lakh. The Abu Dhabi-New York flight operated by Etihad followed the same route and used the same type of aircraft, the A350, for a nearly comparable flight time. Abu Dhabi’s floor temperature wasn’t higher than usual. But over the last two days, its flights have started leaving late. On August 2, and again on August 3, Etihad’s EY101 aircraft from Abu Dhabi to New York took off with a five- and two-hour delay, respectively. Only one hour was added to the Thursday flight’s delay.

In order to minimise the inconvenience to the impacted customers, Etihad claimed that its groups are reaching out to advise them about the refused boarding. “We regret any difficulty caused by this last-minute change, and we will be providing compensation to anyone affected,” it said, adding that affected passengers should call their contact centre or visit their website or mobile app.

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Airlines

Air India Unveils New Changes to HALAL Meat in Inflight Meals

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Air India has introduced significant changes to its inflight meal policy, particularly regarding halal-certified non-vegetarian meals, in response to the diverse dietary preferences of its passengers.

Effective from Sunday, November 10, the airline announced that it will no longer provide halal-certified non-vegetarian meals for Hindu and Sikh passengers. Instead, passengers can pre-book a Muslim Meal (MOML), which will still be halal-certified, ensuring that those who specifically request halal options can continue to receive them.

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The decision to adjust the meal offerings reflects Air India’s commitment to accommodating the various dietary needs of its diverse passenger base.

Under the new policy, the air india food menu will introduce non-halal non-vegetarian meal options, alongside its existing “Hindu Meal” that excludes beef and pork. This move is designed to cater to the dietary requirements of different faith groups while maintaining respect for their religious practices.

The announcement has been widely appreciated by many Hindu and Sikh passengers, who view the decision as a respectful gesture towards their cultural and religious traditions.

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By discontinuing halal-certified meals for Hindus and Sikhs, Air India is seen as addressing the growing demand for more inclusive meal options.

This shift is also seen as a stand against the so-called “halal mafia,” which some believe has influenced meal policies on airlines in India.

In a press release, air india plane further clarified the details of the new meal offerings. “MOML (Muslim Meal): Pre-booked meals labeled with a ‘MOML’ sticker are considered special meals (SPML),” the airline explained.

“A Halal Certificate will be provided only for the pre-booked MOML meal. All meals on flights to Saudi Arabia will remain halal-certified, with a Halal Certificate available for sectors to Jeddah, Dammam, Riyadh, and Medina, including Haj flights.”