Aerospace
Five operators will operate on 128 routes and connect 70 indian regional airports.
According to The Hindu Flights for Rs. 2,500 connecting these smaller centres may begin from April
Beginning April, passengers may be able to fly on as many as 128 routes connecting 70 big and small airports across the country by paying ₹2,500 for an hour’s flight.
The Centre on Thursday announced a list of routes awarded to five airlines which will operate flights under its regional connectivity scheme, named UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik).
“We will be adding 43 new destinations with the launch of RCS,” Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said. “Flying was a rich man’s prerogative earlier, but now it has also become a common man’s prerogative.”
Turbo Megha Airways Low-cost airline SpiceJet, Air India subsidiary Alliance Air along with regional airlines Turbo Megha Airways, Air Deccan and Air Odisha Aviation won the rights to operate flights under the regional connectivity scheme under which half of the seats on the plane will be capped at ₹2,500 per hour’s flight.
Some of the inactive airports that will soon witness regional flights include Shimla, Agra, Bikaner, Gwalior, Kadapa, Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Vidyanagar, Burnpur, Diu, Shillong, Kullu, Mysore, Jagdalpur, Salem, Utkela, and Hosur.
The regional airlines will connect these destinations with their nearest bigger airports such as Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur, among others.
Civil Aviation Secretary R.N. Choubey said that the first regional flight may likely begin its operations in April. “Fortunately, in the first round of bidding, the airlines focussed on airports that are ready to take flights. The deadline to start operating regional flights is September,” Mr. Choubey said.
Subsidy on losses
As per the scheme, the Centre will subsidise the losses incurred by airlines flying out of dormant airports to help airlines charge ₹2,500 for an hour’s flight to passengers.
80% of the subsidy will be collected by charging a levy of up to ₹8,500 on each departing flight of domestic airlines and the rest 20% will come from the respective State governments.
The Centre had asked airlines to submit their proposed routes along with subsidy amount required to operate the regional flight. This was followed by counter-bids from other airlines and the one asking for the least financial support won the bid.
Government will provide subsidy to airlines for first three years of operations when they will have exclusive flying rights on the selected routes.
“The scheme has a unique market-based design. We have a successful national and international aviation market but an underdeveloped regional market. This scheme will stimulate growth in the regional aviation market and will connect underserved and unserved airports that really didn’t have flight services,” Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said.
Mr. Sinha said the airlines which had won the first round of bidding under the scheme would require a subsidy of ₹205 crore for running their operations. This would ultimately lead to the creation of 13 lakh seats in the regional aviation market.
“This is really about bootstrapping and creating a market which is not a perpetual subsidy,” Mr. Sinha said. “Once the market gets jump started, it will operate on a commercial basis as per market forces of supply and demand,” the Minister of State added.
To know more click here scheme proposal
Aerospace
From Doha to the World: The Legacy of Akbar Al Baker at Qatar Airways: Honoured with APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award
In the organization’s five-decade history, the APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award has only been given six times, including the most recent award given to H.E. Mr. Al Baker. This esteemed honour is given only to visionaries and leaders in the industry who drive advancement in the aviation business while also elevating their brands.
Akbar Al Baker is a prominent figure in the aviation industry and has served as the CEO of Qatar Airways for many years. Here’s a brief overview of his story:
On September 22, 1961, Akbar Al Baker was born in Doha, Qatar. He completed his studies in Qatar before moving to India to attend Aligarh Muslim University to study economics and business. He joined Qatar’s Civil Aviation Directorate after completing his education to start his aviation career.
Akbar Al Baker was chosen to lead Qatar Airways, the nation of Qatar’s state-owned national airline, in 1997. Qatar Airways underwent a substantial turnaround and expansion under his direction. He was crucial in making the airline into one of the top carriers in the world, renowned for its opulent service, cutting-edge aircraft, and extensive global network.
Some key highlights of Akbar Al Baker’s tenure at Qatar Airways include:
- Fleet Expansion: Under Al Baker’s leadership, Qatar Airways expanded its fleet with state-of-the-art aircraft, including the introduction of the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner to its fleet.
- Award-Winning Service: Qatar Airways has won numerous awards for its service quality, including Skytrax’s “Airline of the Year” multiple times during his tenure.
- Hub Development: Al Baker oversaw the development of Hamad International Airport in Doha, which has become a major hub in the Middle East for international travel.
- Alliance Memberships: Qatar Airways became a member of the Oneworld alliance, strengthening its global network and partnerships with other leading airlines.
- Crisis Management: During his tenure, Qatar Airways successfully navigated through challenging times, including the 2017 blockade imposed by neighboring countries, which led to the suspension of air travel to several destinations.
Akbar Al Baker is renowned for his hands-on leadership style and for holding the airline to a high standard. He is also renowned for making direct and occasionally controversial comments about business-related issues. In the very competitive airline sector, his leadership has significantly contributed to Qatar Airways’ expansion and success.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker Honoured with Prestigious APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker was celebrated by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) as the recipient of the CEO Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes industry leaders for their dedication, efforts, and commitment to enhancing the passenger experience. The APEX/IFSA Awards Ceremony took place at APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in Long Beach, California on 20 September, where H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker also accepted three awards for the airline.
Qatar Airways was also awarded with three more APEX Awards, solidifying the airline’s status as one of the world’s leading airlines. The following titles presented to Qatar Airways were based exclusively on certified passenger votes: 2024 APEX World Class Award, APEX Award for Best Entertainment in the Middle East, and the APEX Award for Global Best Food & Beverage.
Qatar Airways Group is a unique organization that encompasses multiple subsidiaries and works in synergy to create the smoothest travel journey including airport ground services, onboard catering, private jet travel, and more. Qatar Airways continues to work in line with its promise to provide all passengers with the most seamless and luxurious travel experience in the world, now adding an additional four prestigious awards to the multi-award-winning airline’s accreditation.
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Aerospace
Austrian Ministry of Defense selects the C-390 Millennium as its new military transport aircraft
The Austrian Ministry of Defense announced today the decision to select the C-390 Millennium aircraft as its new tactical transport solution. Embraer is honored to be chosen to support this important Air Force in Europe.
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Austria joins Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, and the Netherlands as the future operators of the C-390 Millennium multi-mission platform, an aircraft that is rapidly redefining the standards of tactical transport in the world defense market.
Embraer is ready to support the Austrian Ministry of Defense and Air Force in order to meet the demanding requirements of their acquisition process and is prepared to further strengthen the relationship with this nation.
Aerospace
U.S. F-35 Fighter Jet Missing in South Carolina, and Asks Public for Help
A US fighter jet went missing in South Carolina during a training mishap. According to US military officials, the search for his missing aircraft was centered on two lakes north of North Charleston.
At around 2 p.m. (local time), the pilot evacuated and safely parachuted into a North Charleston neighborhood. He was transferred to a nearby hospital, where he was in stable condition.
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Military officials appealed to the public for assistance with finding the aircraft on Twitter.
Authorities stated that they are currently looking into the cause of the pilot’s ejection. According to Salinas, the pilot of a second F-35 made a safe landing at Joint Base Charleston. The pilots and their aircraft were part of the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, which is stationed in Beaufort, which is close to the Atlantic coast of South Carolina.
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According to base authorities, they were conducting a search over two lakes to the north of Charleston in collaboration with federal aviation authorities. Each of the aircraft, made by Lockheed Martin, cost about USD 80 million.
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