Page 2 - Air Travel

DGCA extends suspension of international passenger flights till Feb 28

The suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country has been extended till February 28, aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday. Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020. However, special passenger flights have been operating between India and approximately 40 countries since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements formed with them. In a circular on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated: "The competent authority has decided to extend the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs IST of February 28, 2022." This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flight specifically approved by the DGCA, it mentioned. Fights under air bubble arrangement will not be affected, it noted. The DGCA had on November 26, 2021 announced that India will resume scheduled international passenger flights from December 15

Air India to curtail or revise US flights due to 5G internet deployment

Air India said on Tuesday it will curtail or revise its flights to the US due to deployment of 5G internet there from January 19. US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had on January 14 said that 5G interference with the aircraft's radio altimeter could prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode, which could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway. Therefore, a group of US-based airlines said on Monday in a letter to FAA that that 5G internet deployment could cause catastrophic aviation crisis. The group comprises airlines such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and FedEx. Apart from Air India, United Airlines and American Airlines are the other two carriers that operate flights between India and the US. The airlines group said that 5G should be implemented everywhere in the US except within two miles of airport runways of affected airports. Air India tweeted on Tuesday: Due to deployment of 5G communicat

Qantas to cut Q3 capacity by about a third as Covid-19 cases rise

Qantas Airways Ltd has pared about a third of planned domestic and international capacity in the March quarter to better match travel demand after a rise in Covid-19 infections

14-day quarantine for international arrivals who test positive in Karnataka

Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases in the state, the Karnataka government on Thursday ordered 14 days quarantine for international passengers who test positive at airports

UK lifts pre-arrival Covid-19 test rule for overseas travelers

UK continues to record very high daily infections

US flight cancellations ease a bit but disruptions still running high

Clearing weather over much of the eastern United States raised hopes that air-travel disruptions will ease after a dreadful start to the new year. By early Tuesday evening on the East Coast, airlines had scrubbed about 1,500 flights for the day. That's a very high number but well below Monday's disruptions, which included more than 3,200 cancelled flights. Southwest Airlines cancelled about 400 flights, or 12% of its schedule Tuesday. Airlines had already cancelled nearly 500 US flights for Wednesday, according to FlightAware. The number of cancelled flights began rising Dec 24, and several airlines blamed it on crew shortages due to the spreading omicron variant of COVID-19. Over the weekend, the sickouts were compounded by winter storms that swept across the country. About 2,700 US flights were cancelled on Saturday and a similar number were grounded Sunday. Thousands more were delayed. In all, about 20,000 US flights have been cancelled since Christmas Eve, according to FlightA

'Make contingency plans': US warns Americans traveling abroad amid Covid

The United States has warned Americans travelling abroad to make "contingency plans" as countries around the globe grapple with rising numbers of Covid-19 cases spurred by the omicron variant.

Designated quarantine facilities for international flyers in Delhi

International passengers testing positive for Covid upon arrival at the Delhi airport will have to isolate at designated paid and free facilities, the state government said

Why Covid-19 means the era of ever cheaper air travel could be over

In 2020 international passenger demand was less than 25% that of 2019, according to the International Air Transport Association

Flight disruptions continue in US over Omicron concerns, adverse weather

Airlines continue to cut flights as rising numbers of staff are infected by the Omicron coronavirus variant and bad winter weather disrupts parts of the US

Go First, IndiGo announce discounts for travel between Jan 15 and April 15

Go First's is offering fares from Rs 1,022 and IndiGo from Rs 1,122

US should consider vaccine mandate for domestic air travel: Anthony Fauci

Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, said the US should consider a vaccination mandate for domestic air travel

US airlines continue to cancel flights due to bad weather, sick crews

Flight cancellations that disrupted holiday travel stretched into Monday, with major US airlines each canceling dozens of flights.

3,000 flights cancelled worldwide due to Covid-19 staffing issues: Reports

Nearly 3,000 flights have been cancelled worldwide as airlines cite COVID-19 staffing issues, according to reports.United Airlines confirmed that more than 100 flights that were scheduled for Christmas Eve have been canceled by the company as it grapples with the spread of the omicron variant, according to the Hill.So far, 4,604 flights have been delayed. About 500 flights are delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Friday. Also, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines said Thursday that they had canceled hundreds of Christmas Eve flights.JetBlue has also canceled more than 50 flights. Alaska Airlines said in a statement to CNN that it had canceled 17 flights on Thursday because of omicron, and that more cancellations were possible on Friday. Per CNN, it has cancelled 11 more flights as of Friday morning, according to the Hill.White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci said earlier this week that large gatherings this holiday season are not safe from the coronavirus, ...

Blue-sky thinking: Net-zero aviation is more than a flight of fantasy

As international air travel rebounds after Covid, greenhouse gas emissions from aviation are expected to rise dramatically and with it, scrutiny of the industry's environmental credentials

Omicron variant: India removes Singapore from list of 'at-risk' nations

India has removed Singapore from its list of "at-risk" nations and travellers arriving from there need to take additional measures on arrival including post-arrival testing for Covid-19

UK's pre-departure Covid test rules in force to slow Omicron spread

Any contacts of a suspected Omicron case are already required to self-isolate for 10 days, including those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Govt mandates Air Suvidha portal for international passengers' convenience

Air Suvidha intends to provide hassle-free, queue free, and convenient air travel to all international passengers, says govt as Omicron threat looms

Pakistan bans travel from 15 countries amid looming Omicron threat

Pakistan Monday banned travel from 15 countries, except under certain conditions, and tightened up travel restrictions on 13 other countries in wake of the threat of the new COVID-19 variant Omicorn.

China's aviation regulator wants 737 MAX to resume flights around Dec end

China's aviation regulator expects airlines will resume commercial operations with the Boeing Co 737 MAX by the end of this year or the beginning of next year