Indian Aviation Gaining Momentum Post Covid

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The Indian Aviation industry has shown signs of regaining the lost ground of the past 18 months. Here is some of the encouraging news.

India-UK Flights Increased

The UK government, on August 8, moved India to the amber list. With this notification, travellers from India don’t need to be quarantined for the mandatory 10 days in designated hotels. There was a specific request from students travelling to the UK who found the hotel stay costs prohibitive. With the sudden jump in traffic between the two countries, the permitted 30-flights per week became inadequate, and airfares started to skyrocket beyond three times the normal. Under pressure from travellers, the Indian Government has doubled its capacity. From August 16, this capacity will now be 60 weekly flights, 30 by Air India (26) and Vistara (4) and 30 by British carriers British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

Boeing 737 Max to Fly Again in India

According to reports, the Indian government will soon be permitting Boeing 737Max aircraft to fly again in the Indian airspace. A couple of months ago, the government had allowed B737 Max to overfly its airspace. This news will be of benefit to SpiceJet. According to MoneyControl, the airline has 13 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircrafts in its fleet, and deliveries of 142 additional planes have been on hold.

India’s Newest Startup Airline – Akasa

Legendary millionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunuwala is backing India’s new low-cost startup airline named Akasa. The airline is negotiating an order of 100 Boeing 737 Max aircraft (180-seater) with Boeing. Aditya Ghosh, the former CEO of IndiGo, will be running the airline. Akasa is expected to break into the share of IndiGo, which commands a 50% share in the Indian domestic market.

UAE Opens Flights to India

Emirates and Etihad will start regular services to India from August 16, 2021. The flights were stopped when the second wave of Covid-19 hit India in April this year. Dubai Airports reported on August 11 that India continued to be Dubai International Airport’s top destination country. The first half of 2021 saw passenger numbers exceeding 1.9 million (19 lakh) despite travel restrictions due to Covid-19 affecting its key source markets. Dubai serves as a convenient transit point for passengers travelling onward to Europe and the US.

Jewar International Airport Completes Financial Closure

The under-construction second airport in the National Capital Region of Delhi, Jewar International, completed its financial closure this week. Yamuna International Airport has raised Rs 3,725 crore (USD 500 million) in debt from the State Bank of India, to be repaid in 20 years. Yamuna International Airport is a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International, the Swiss company that will develop the airport. Earlier this month, the Uttar Pradesh State Government handed over 1334 hectares of land to the company. On Friday, August 13, the master plan of the airport was given the green light by the state government.

Indian Aviation still has a lot to catch up on. The government continues to drag its feet towards permitting complete normalcy, especially towards international travel.

What’s next for Indian aviation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.