Business
Cruising Heights
IndiGo Launches Direct Flights Linking Mumbai and Adampur
IndiGo has introduced direct flights between Mumbai and Adampur (Jalandhar), marking its 92nd domestic destination as of July 2025.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Business Aviation in India has many challenges
Business in aviation in India is growing, but it continues to face regulatory challenges.
5 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Paris Air Show: The sombre skies of Le Bourget
The 2025 Paris Air Show ( June 16 to 22) at Le Bourget radiated an atmosphere that was both sombre and purposeful, a reflection of global tensions and recent tragedies, yet imbued with resilience and determination. Its biennial rhythm was undisturbed, attracting 2,500 exhibitors from 48 nations, hosting 150 showcased aircraft, and drawing over 290,000 visitors, including more than 127,000 trade professionals, 322 official delegations, and 300 startups.
10 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
AAI's Airports Earn Enhanced Passenger Satisfaction
The airport authority of India's latest survey has seen Madhya Pradesh top the charts, and the Northeast also get its share of the bouquet. A special report
4 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
IndiGo Launches Direct Flights from Hindon to Goa, Enhancing Regional Access
IndiGo has unveiled direct flights between Hindon (Ghaziabad) and Goa, commencing 20 option for residents of East and Central Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad, bringing Goa's iconic beaches closer during peak season. The flexible schedule addresses rising demand, ensuring comfort and choice for travellers.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
A LIFE 'CHANGING' SEAT IC
In his book Seat 1C, Zafar Masud, one of the only two survivors of PIA flight 8303, delves into not only the incident itself but also the life-changing makeover since then and the many learning that he has assimilated in the process.
7 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Etihad Airways Celebrates One Year of Jaipur-Abu Dhabi Route
Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates' national carrier, marked the first anniversary of its nonstop service between Abu Dhabi and Jaipur on 16 June 2025, doubling its flight frequencies from four to ten weekly since its launch on 16 June 2024.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Booking.com Highlights Indian Parents' Travel Revolution in 2025
Booking.com, a leading global travel platform, released a study on 24 June 2025 in India, revealing that 75 per cent of Indian parents prioritise travel in 2025, outpacing 58 per cent in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and 53 per cent globally. This shift transforms travel into meaningful family bonding, cultural immersion, and purposeful spending, driven by a desire to share values and traditions with children while embracing solo journeys for personal growth. Asia (62 per cent), Europe (55 per cent), and North America (26 per cent) comprise the top destination choices.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Airports and renewable energy sources
India's airports are increasingly focusing on green and clean energy. Also, the ambition is to completely green fence, the Airport and leave no carbon footprint.
8 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
DGCA Reprimands Air India Express Over Engine Maintenance Lapses and Forged Records
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a stern reprimand to Air India Express for failing to address critical engine maintenance issues on an Airbus A320 and allegedly falsifying records to conceal noncompliance. The action follows a confidential government memo dated March 2025, which highlighted significant safety oversights. The aviation regulator's surveillance revealed that the airline did not replace essential engine parts within the stipulated timeframe, as mandated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), raising concerns about potential risks to flight safety.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Royal Jordanian Launches Non-Stop Mumbai-Amman Flights, Boosting India-Jordan Ties
Royal Jordanian Airlines has introduced a new nonstop route between Amman's Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM), starting 19 June 2025.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Throttling Up
The Paris Air Show showed the way forward for engine makers, with growth in orders and a rise in new engine technologies. ATUL CHANDRA decodes the engine update from the show.
10 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Etihad Guest Boosts Extraordinary Challenge Prize Pot to Over 20 Million Miles
Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, has escalated its Extraordinary Challenge prize pool to over 20 million miles. It has added 12.5 million miles in its second phase due to overwhelming demand, announced on 8 July 2025 from Abu Dhabi, UAE. Launched last month with a 5-million-mile top prize for the first to visit 15 new destinations, the competition now offers enhanced rewards: 5.125 million miles for first place, 3 million for second, and 1 million for third, with over 50,000 expected sign-ups. New categories under the \"Extraordinary Milestones\" award 25,000 miles to the first 100 visiting five new destinations and 100,000 miles to the first 100 reaching ten, benefiting over 200 potential winners.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Fly regional, Fly91
MANOJ CHACKO, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, FLY91, is gung-ho about the prospects of his regional airline. With years of Aviation (he has held senior roles at Emirates, American Express, SOTC and WNS), His expertise spans business development, operations and customer service, with a track record of driving growth in competitive markets.
9 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
SpiceJet Boosts Fleet with First Two Overhauled Engines from StandardAero
SpiceJet has taken a major stride in fleet Srevitalisation, receiving its first two overhauled engines from global maintenance provider StandardAero.
1 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Change in Direction
Despite challenges, the advantages of hydrogen as a trans- formative aviation fuel continue to drive research efforts, says ATUL CHANDRA
8 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
A CALL FOR A NEW VISION
The Ahmedabad air crash on 12 June 2025 delivers a solemn message: post-incident re- sponse culture needs to be replaced with a proactive approach grounded in pre-emptive safety measures.
8 min |
July 2025
Cruising Heights
Green Airports: A Work In Progress
Globally, there is a growing emphasis on achieving net-zero emissions, as evidenced by initiatives like the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) introduced by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
5 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
ATR helps ‘connect’ India
Regional airlines generally cater to smaller cities and remote areas that have few alternatives for ground or air travel, often as a result of difficult geography or low population density. India exemplifies how the efficiency and adaptability of ATR aircraft enhance regional connectivity, especially under the UDAN scheme. ALEXIS VIDAL, ATR's SVP (Commercial) spells out the mantra that helps ATR connect the dots across India.
5 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
Aviation's Net-Zero Blueprint Beyond the Linear
While Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) tends to dominate headlines, decarbonisation by 2050 is possible only with a broader, multifaceted strategy, instead of any singular path
8 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
The Amadeus insight on transformative travel
As the travel sector undergoes a seismic transformation, the behaviour of travellers evolves at every stage of their journey, from the initial inspiration to the shopping and booking processes, MAHER KOUBAA Executive Vice President Travel Unit and Managing Director EMEA, tells us more in this exclusive Q&A
5 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
Akasa Air charting course for gen-next
The road ahead may be fraught with challenges, yet Akasa's trajectory mirrors the nation it serves — a blend of audacity and adaptability. By 2027, it aims to command 8-10 per cent of India's domestic market, with a fleet of 76 aircraft and a valuation topping $4 billion (₹33,280 crore) ahead of its IPO. As India races toward 400 million annual flyers by 2030, Akasa's story is that of corporate triumph.
7 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
IFE is a critical digital highway
In-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) have become critical elements for airlines to engage with their passengers. explains why it is essential to implement an effective in-flight entertainment (IFE) solution that is seamlessly integrated with global high-speed connectivity, sophisticated digital solutions, and extensive aftercare support. Exclusive excerpts.
5 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
India is realising its potential
2025 is an exciting year for Indian aviation. Industry leaders from around the world gathered in the capital for the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, sponsored by IndiGo. Here is IATA Director General WILLIE WALSH on the IATA AGM, India's aviation and the net-zero deadline.
4 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
Preparing for the future
As Pratt & Whitney (P&W) commemorates its 100TH anniversary this year, the company can take pride on a century of innovation even as it works to bring advancements to the the next generation of single-aisle aircraft ROB GRIFFITHS, Senior Vice President, Commercial Engines Operations, Pratt & Whitney explains how the company is actively exploring technologies such as composite fan blades, reduced core sizes, ceramic matrix composites, and hybrid-electric propulsion to further enhance the groundbreaking efficiency of modern engines. Some excerpts
4 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
Air India renaissance under the Tata Group
When the Tata Group reclaimed Air India in October 2021, paying $2.4 billion (₹18,000 crore) to reacquire the airline it had founded in 1932, it inherited a carrier that was under tremendous burden. Once celebrated for its Maharaja mascot and luxurious service, Air India has accrued losses of over $12 billion (₹998.4 billion) since 2007 and ranked among the world's most bailed-out airlines. Yet, under Tata's stewardship, Air India has embarked on one of aviation's most ambitious turnarounds, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge strategy to reclaim its position as a global aviation powerhouse.
9 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
SAF Reality Check Aviation's Green Gap
The 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goal is just 25 years away, yet global aviation is struggling to take off in its decarbonisation push. Against this harsh reality, India's SAF blending targets—1 per cent by 2025, 2 per cent by 2027, and 5 per cent by 2030—seem way too modest reports.
10+ min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
Keeping passengers connected
Intelsat prioritizes the provision of genuinely seamless, high-performance connectivity at scale across various airline fleets and routes, while also offering flexible monetization options and operational value. MIKE DEMARCO, Chief Commercial Officer, Intelsat, offers his perspective on the key developments that are shaping connectivity across airlines. Some excerpts
5 min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
Secure Travel
The digitalisation of air transport and airport systems requires strong cyber security measures and strategies argues ATUL CHANDRA
10+ min |
June 2025
Cruising Heights
The unstoppable ascent of India's aviation juggernaut
IndiGo's story is more than a corporate triumph. It's a blueprint for marrying fiscal rigour with operational brilliance In the process, it has not only survived but thrived, turning India's aviation liberalisation into a $50 billion empire. As CEO Pieter Elbers, the former KLM chief who took the helm in 2022, asserts, “Our goal isn’t just to fly planes, but to democratise the skies.” With 1,000 aircraft on order and a nation of 1.4 billion as its runway, IndiGo isn’t just leading Indian aviation:
10+ min |