Ramesh Kotnana’s Post

Tata-owned Air India is set to lend a hand to Vistara by dispatching a group of first officers trained to operate narrow-body A320 family planes, as reported. This assistance comes amidst Vistara’s operational challenges due to pilot shortages, with several pilots having resigned recently. Pending regulatory approvals, these pilots from Air India will be deputed to Vistara to help alleviate the situation. Deputation of Pilots and Impact on Operations It is anticipated that over 30 narrow-body pilots from Air India will be deputed to Vistara, marking the first instance of such collaboration between the two airlines in operating narrow-body aircraft. Currently, Air India has 24 pilots on deputation to operate Vistara’s wide-body Boeing 787 planes. Vistara, in response to the pilot shortage, announced the cancellation of approximately 25–30 flights per day, constituting roughly 10% of its daily operations. Impact on Flight Operations and Fare Increases With Vistara scaling back its operations, primarily on metro routes, due to pilot shortages, the likelihood of fare increases looms large. Vistara, which operates around 18 flights per day on the Delhi-Mumbai route, is expected to experience increased demand for its services. The airline had previously obtained approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to expand its flight operations by 22% per week for the summer season. Rising Summer Fares and Travel Demand Reports suggest that Vistara’s flight cancellations could contribute to a 20-25% increase in domestic flight fares for the upcoming summer season. Analysis conducted by travel portal ixigo indicates a surge in spot fares on certain routes, with one-way spot fares for Delhi-Bengaluru flights climbing by 39% and Delhi-Srinagar flights witnessing a 30% increase. The overall impact of Vistara’s operational challenges underscores the broader issue of pilot shortages in the aviation sector, influencing travel dynamics and pricing strategies. #vistara #airindia #takeoff #flightcosts #summervacation

Fly91, India's latest domestic airline, is set to commence commercial passenger flights from March 18, connecting various cities across India, as announced by Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia. The inaugural flight of Fly91, flagged off by the minister, took off between Goa, a popular tourist destination, and the Lakshadweep islands off the Kerala coast. Regular flights between Goa and Hyderabad, as well as Bangalore, will commence the following Monday, with return flights on the same day. Additionally, routes between the coastal town of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Bangalore and Hyderabad are scheduled to start next week. Scindia aims for Fly91 to contribute towards the government's objective of connecting smaller tier 2 and 3 cities by air, given the anticipated rise in domestic passenger traffic to 300 million by 2030. The airline plans to gradually expand its network to include cities like Pune, Jalgaon, and Nanded, which could alleviate seat pressure, particularly during peak tourist seasons and holidays. Over the past decade, India has witnessed the introduction of six new regional carriers, reflecting the growth of domestic aviation. Fly91 intends to operate short-haul routes with flight durations ranging from 45 to 90 minutes for most routes. #India #Airline #Fly91 #CommercialOperations

IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) When you call yourself a low cost airline- do you mean our fare low or keeping your own costs low??? Meanwhile, it is good to see AIRINDIA LIMITED gradually building its brand back .. moderately priced, welcoming staff, timely take off, no extrapolation of landing time to call themselves “before time arrival’ and serving food in the craft! .. the way airlines used to be earlier .. i recollect first flying experience with Jets and Indian Airlines of early 2000s On the other hand, Indigo seems to be going down south .. overtly priced for a low cost airline, long delays with no empathy or apologies or compensation, unhappy staff (subjective), food quality complaints and mind you after paying money for it over and above .. All this is ok if you bring down your fare to a low cost airline category; because then I know what am I signing up for!! You are always charging more than your better counterparts like Vistara or Air India Pic: Landing at 9:15 am with Air India this morning for a 9:20 printed time 😃

In Jan 2024 #IndianAirlines carried 131 lakh passengers on #Domestic routes with 5% rise YoY (Jan ‘23 125 lakh) #indigoairlines has 60% Market share with 16% YoY growth and fleet size of 348 #airindia + #vistara have 22% Market share with 28% growth and fleet size of 202 #SpiceJet has 5% marketshare with 91 Aircrafts and a negative YoY growth #akasaair has 5% MS with 24 Aircrafts and a whooping 67% YoY growth #Passengerloadfactor that measures the ratio of Actual passengers to the available seats that is the %age of available seats that are filled by passengers is around 90% for leading airlines and there has been a significant change from last year due to closure of Airlines #Ontime percentage for #akasaair is the best in industry Source : #dgca report Creative & insights : Jatin Chadha IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) Vistara - TATA SIA Airlines Ltd. AIRINDIA LIMITED Akasa Air SpiceJet Limited

Fly91, India's latest domestic airline, is set to commence commercial passenger flights from March 18, connecting various cities across India, as announced by Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia. The inaugural flight of Fly91, flagged off by the minister, took off between Goa, a popular tourist destination, and the Lakshadweep islands off the Kerala coast. Regular flights between Goa and Hyderabad, as well as Bangalore, will commence the following Monday, with return flights on the same day. Additionally, routes between the coastal town of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Bangalore and Hyderabad are scheduled to start next week. Scindia aims for Fly91 to contribute towards the government's objective of connecting smaller tier 2 and 3 cities by air, given the anticipated rise in domestic passenger traffic to 300 million by 2030. The airline plans to gradually expand its network to include cities like Pune, Jalgaon, and Nanded, which could alleviate seat pressure, particularly during peak tourist seasons and holidays. Over the past decade, India has witnessed the introduction of six new regional carriers, reflecting the growth of domestic aviation. Fly91 intends to operate short-haul routes with flight durations ranging from 45 to 90 minutes for most routes. #India #Airline #Fly91 #CommercialOperations

Expanding AI's Punctuality Woes Leave Flyers Frustrated Air India's reputation for reliability is facing turbulence, as frequent delays in international flights are testing the patience of even its most loyal customers. Once the pride of India's aviation industry, Air India's current operational challenges are causing concern. For instance, a Mumbai-New York flight scheduled for 1:40 am on August 31, 2024, saw over a two-hour delay, with passengers eventually boarding by 2:00 pm. Such occurrences have left many questioning whether the airline can sustain its competitive edge, especially with growing competition in the international market. The root cause of these delays lies in various operational and engineering issues. Frequent technical dispatch reliability problems, poor crew planning, and aircraft shortage are among the primary reasons cited by industry insiders. Moreover, while Air India offers the fastest and most direct routes between India and North America, customer experience is suffering due to these prolonged delays, often spanning several hours. Such delays are not only damaging Air India's credibility but also challenging its claim of being a premium, customer-centric airline. Domestically, the situation is similarly dismal. With the lowest on-time performance (OTP) in the industry, Air India is lagging behind other domestic airlines like Vistara. Although the upcoming merger with Vistara is expected to boost the airline's overall punctuality, frequent flyers remain skeptical. After all, it's not just about merging operations but addressing the systematic issues that plague the current system, from ground crew inefficiencies to poor aircraft maintenance. For Air India to regain its lost ground, a multi-pronged approach is necessary. Investment in new aircraft, a more robust crew scheduling system, and better engineering support are all essential steps to revive the airline’s once-stellar reputation. In an era where punctuality and seamless customer experience are paramount, Air India's ability to pivot and resolve these operational issues will determine whether it can truly rise above its challenges. #AirIndia #Aviation #CustomerExperience #FlightDelays #AirlineIndustry #Travel

Fly91, India's latest domestic airline, is set to commence commercial passenger flights from March 18, connecting various cities across India, as announced by Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia. The inaugural flight of Fly91, flagged off by the minister, took off between Goa, a popular tourist destination, and the Lakshadweep islands off the Kerala coast. Regular flights between Goa and Hyderabad, as well as Bangalore, will commence the following Monday, with return flights on the same day. Additionally, routes between the coastal town of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Bangalore and Hyderabad are scheduled to start next week. Scindia aims for Fly91 to contribute towards the government's objective of connecting smaller tier 2 and 3 cities by air, given the anticipated rise in domestic passenger traffic to 300 million by 2030. The airline plans to gradually expand its network to include cities like Pune, Jalgaon, and Nanded, which could alleviate seat pressure, particularly during peak tourist seasons and holidays. Over the past decade, India has witnessed the introduction of six new regional carriers, reflecting the growth of domestic aviation. Fly91 intends to operate short-haul routes with flight durations ranging from 45 to 90 minutes for most routes. #India #Airline #Fly91 #CommercialOperations

Indian airlines like Vistara - TATA SIA Airlines Ltd., Air India Limited, and IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) are currently facing numerous challenges, including flight cancellations, dissatisfied frequent flyers, and regulatory reprimands. To overcome these difficulties, the aviation sector must make some changes. The #IndianAviation sector experienced a significant surge post-COVID-19, but unfortunately, the airlines were unprepared for this sudden growth. The grounding of aircraft due to a lack of spare parts and engines is a global issue resulting from disruptions in production and manufacturing during the pandemic. Arun Lohiya: COO, CAD Ventures Pvt. Ltd. (a Cadila group company). Sanjay Lazar: CEO, Avialaz Consultants Read: https://ow.ly/Pauq50RhXZJ Written By: Shrabona Ghosh #IndianAviation #AirlineChallenges #FlightDisruptions #AircraftGrounding #AviationSector #PostCOVIDGrowth #AirlineManagement #AviationIndustry #ManufacturingDisruptions #RegulatoryIssues

"Indian aviation needs a strong independent autonomous regulator DGCA, an accident investigator like the US NTSB, and a passenger / operational body to help monitor passenger issues," quoted an aviation expert. #aviation #Indianaviation #DGCA #ICRA #aviationmarket

Hey there! Exciting news from Air India Limited India – they're shaking things up with a new baggage policy! Here's the lowdown in friendly terms: So, Tata Group is giving Air India Limited India a makeover, and part of that is tweaking the baggage allowance. For the lowest fares, they're adjusting it from 20 kg to 15 kg. But hold on, there's more! If you're flying with Air India and you opt for the 'Economy Comfort' or 'Comfort Plus' fares, you can now check in up to 15 kg of baggage. This change kicked in on May 2, 2024. Before this, Air India used to give 25 kg as a standard allowance, but they're aligning more with industry norms now. Unlike some budget airlines, Air India lets you bring multiple bags within the weight limit, which is cool. According to aviation rules, airlines have to offer at least 15 kg of free checked baggage. But if you're willing to splurge a bit on the 'Economy Flex' category, you can haul up to 25 kg of baggage and enjoy perks like waived ticket change fees. Nice, right? And get this – the price gap between 'Comfort Plus' and 'Flex' fares is around ₹1,000. But the extra benefits you get, like more baggage allowance and no change fees, are worth nearly ₹9,000. Talk about value for money! This new fare system they introduced last year is all about giving passengers more choices that suit their needs. Plus, it helps the airline make smarter business moves. Now, airlines worldwide are nudging passengers to pack lighter to save on costs and make the whole travel process smoother. So, next time you fly, maybe consider traveling with less baggage. It's not just good for you; it helps everyone involved in the journey. Stay tuned for more updates, and don't forget to follow Air India on social media for the latest scoop! ✈️🌟 #AirIndia #AirIndiaBaggage #AirIndiaBaggageAllowance #AirIndiaBaggageAllowanceDomestic #AirIndiaBaggageAllowanceInternational #AirIndiaBaggageAllowanceInternationalFlight #AirIndiaBaggageGuidelines #AirIndiaBaggageInternational #AirIndiaCarryonBag #AirIndiaChackinBag #AirIndiaflight