Indian Aviation Market Is Under-Served, Says Minister: India Report

Despite India’s tremendous growth in aviation, the country remains a highly under-penetrated market, said Indian aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

“Even if, as per projections, the number of domestic passengers reaches 635 million by fiscal year 2030, India will still be one of the least penetrated of the 20 largest market,” he said.

Scindia was speaking at the inauguration of the Wings India 2024 in Hyderabad last week.

Talking about the jump in domestic passengers, Scindia said the number rose from 60 million in 2014 to 143 million in 2020 and is expected to have crossed 150 million in 2023.

“We are clocking more than 450,000 passengers a day on a regular basis with a high of 467,000 domestic passengers recently,” he said.

Scindia said the government has been working to create capacities, remove bottlenecks and simplify processes and procedures to ensure that in 2047, India has an aviation system that supports a $20 trillion economy.

“We have doubled number of airports in the country in the last 9 years, from 74 in 2014 to 149 now,” he said, highlighting the ongoing work on capacity enhancement at airports in metro cities, where the overall capacity is slated to rise from 221 million passenger per year currently to over 468 million passengers per year in the next decade.

MyBiz taps Zoho to Streamline Corporate Travel

MyBiz, the corporate travel arm of MakeMyTrip, is partnering with Zoho, an Indian technology company, to streamline corporate travel and expense management. The collaboration aims to provide tailored solutions for businesses of all sizes, addressing varying complexities in travel and expense needs. With over 55,000 active clients, myBiz, through its integration with Zoho Expense, aims to streamline processes from travel requisition to expense management.

Acknowledging that the corporate landscape is as varied as the needs of the companies it comprises, myBiz in a release highlighted that there cannot be a one-size fits all solution, as some businesses require simple expense solutions, while others demand more complex software offerings.

Through the partnership with Zoho, MakeMyTrip said it aims to offer a comprehensive suite that seamlessly integrates with existing systems, providing businesses with a tech-agile solution for managing their travel, expense, and governance needs.

Air India Sets up South Asia’s Largest Aviation Training Academy

Air India has announced the launch of a comprehensive aviation training academy in Gurugram, positioned as the largest in South Asia. The airline said the academy marks a significant step in its ongoing transformation to power the growth of India’s aviation ecosystem

The academy is scheduled to commence operations this month and aims to train over 50,000 aviation professionals, including pilots, cabin crew, ground handling personnel, engineers, and security staff, within the coming years.

The academy will also house a management training wing, providing courses in commercial, human resources, and leadership training. It will also feature a safety promotion center developed in collaboration with Boeing and Airbus.

Air India has also announced that it will be establishing flight schools to annually train more than 500 pilots, addressing the increasing in-house demands. Plans are also underway for the creation of an aircraft maintenance engineering school.

The airline also said that it setting up centers equipped with two state-of-the-art simulator training units for advanced pilot training. With over 20 full flight simulator bays, these centers will support Air India’s existing and future Airbus and Boeing fleet, ensuring optimal crew readiness ahead of forthcoming aircraft deliveries, according to the airline’s statement.

Sarovar Unveils New Business Model for Aggressive 5-Year Expansion Plan

India’s fastest growing group of hotels, Sarovar Hotels and Resorts announced its latest business model – A Sarovar Affiliate, a model that will position the group on a rapid trajectory of growth and expansion to meet its business plan for the next five years.

With the launch of this model, Sarovar has signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based Grand Continent Hotels, under which Sarovar will manage Grand Continent Hotels’ upcoming establishments in key metropolitan and secondary cities throughout India. This collaboration is anticipated to add more than 10 hotels to Sarovar’s expanding portfolio within the next five years. Notable recent additions include the 45-room Grand Continent Hosur in Tamil Nadu and the 48-room Grand Continent Hebbal in Bengaluru.

As per the agreement, Sarovar will provide Grand Continent Hotels with sales and marketing support through its extensive network of sales offices across 11 cities and Louvre’s global distribution platform.

Akasa Air is Newest Airline Partner of Noida Airport

Akasa Air has announced its plan to start operations from Noida International Airport, when the airport begins its first phase of operations by the end of this year. With this, India’s newest carrier will be the second airline to operate from Noida Airport. In November, Indigo became the airport’s first airline partner.

India has witnessed a surge in passenger traffic in recent times, and this is poised to grow further in the years ahead.

According to the agreement, Akasa will station aircraft at the upcoming airport in Jewar, located in western Uttar Pradesh, and conduct both domestic and international flights from this location.

The first phase of the Noida International Airport, with one runway, and one terminal is expected to accommodate 28 aircraft and 12 million passengers annually. After the completion of the fourth phase, the capacity is expected to grow to 70 million passengers per year.

Akasa Air is one of the fastest-growing airlines in the country, and we are thrilled to have them join us on our mission to establish a comprehensive air network, connecting major metros as well as Tier 2 and 3 cities across the country, said Christoph Schnellmann, CEO, Noida International Airport. 

Pod Hotel Coming up at Matheran

In a move inspired by Japanese innovation, Indian Railways is constructing a pod hotel, following the success of similar ventures at Mumbai Central and Shivaji Terminus.

The development of pod hotels is part of the government’s innovative non-fare revenue income scheme.

The project aims to boost the tourism experience in Matheran, a popular tourism destination near Mumbai, serviced by the historic Neral-Matheran Toy Train.

Catering to diverse accommodation needs, the pod hotel at Matheran will feature single pods, double pods, and family pods. The air-conditioned pods will be equipped with modern amenities such as mobile charging facilities, locker room services, fire alarms, intercom systems, deluxe toilet and bathroom facilities.

Tourists would be able to book the pod hotel online through a dedicated mobile app or physically at the reception.