Despite India’s tremendous growth in aviation, the country remains a highly under-penetrated market, said Indian aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
03.01.2024 - 12:36 / skift.com
The Indian aviation watchdog, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said Monday that it issued a decade-high of 1,622 commercial pilot licenses in 2023, up from 1,165 licenses in 2022.
Among the new licenses, 18.1% belong to women pilots, for growth of 22.5% from 2022. An estimated 14% of the workforce employed with scheduled airlines consists of women pilots.
This is the second consecutive year where the number of licenses issued has witnessed a decade-high, the DGCA said.
The increase in licenses aligns with the ongoing recovery of the country’s civil aviation sector after the coronavirus pandemic. Major operators, such as Air India and IndiGo, have announced substantial aircraft orders during this period.
Air India has committed to at least 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, worth an estimated $34 billion as part of the Tata Group’s effort to remake the long-ailing Indian flag carrier into a global aviation leader. Budget carrier IndiGo is preparing to take delivery of around 500 narrow-body A320-family jets from Airbus worth $50 billion, as reported by Skift.
Recently, the ministry of civil aviation had said that there was no shortage of pilots in the country, but there was a lack of commanders for specific aircraft types. Foreign pilots are being utilized through Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA) to address this.
Hospitality technology firm Oyo has revealed its commitment to promoting inclusivity in 2024, specifically focusing on providing equitable access to quality accommodation for differently-abled individuals.
Wheelchair-Friendly Infrastructure Initiative: An essential aspect of Oyo’s initiative is promoting wheelchair-friendly infrastructure, including ramps, wider doorways, and staff training to understand the needs of differently abled guests in partner hotels.
Strategic Partnerships: Oyo has taken significant steps by partnering with Khelo India Para Games and Divyang Kala Mela to offer specialized and accessible accommodation for differently abled players throughout India.
Accommodating Differently-Abled Artisans and Entrepreneurs: In the ongoing Divya Kala Mela, Oyo is providing accommodation for approximately 150 differently-abled artisans and entrepreneurs across various cities in India. More than 200 hotels have been identified based on specific parameters such as ramp and lift facilities.
Previous Collaboration with Khelo India Para Games 2023: Oyo recently collaborated with Khelo India Para Games 2023 in Delhi, offering accommodation to over 1,500 participants in 45 hotels nationwide.
Rating agency Moody’s Investors Service expected India’s budget hotel chain Oyo to generate between $50 million and $55 million in EBITDA — a measure of profit — this fiscal
Despite India’s tremendous growth in aviation, the country remains a highly under-penetrated market, said Indian aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Skift is coming to India for the first time to host our inaugural Skift India Summit in Delhi-NCR on March 19-20. In this transformative Summit, we will decipher the big trends facing the travel industry, and we will hear from leaders across all sectors, including tourism, hospitality, aviation, experiences, and more.
Air India is starting the new year with a bold statement of intent. On Thursday, the carrier showcased its new flagship aircraft, as part of a bigger plan to present a re-energized Air India to the world.
After a horrific start to January, Boeing has received a much needed boost. The good news has come from India where the country’s youngest carrier Akasa Air has ordered 150 Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The deal was confirmed at the aviation event Wings India 2024 on Thursday in Hyderabad.
AirAsia has announced the launch of a new route from Ahmedabad to Kuala Lumpur. Set to take flight from May 1, the new connection will mark AirAsia’s eleventh route from India, and third new route in 2024 alone. This will also be the Malaysia-based carrier’s entry into the state of Gujarat, as it looks to rapidly grow its connectivity from Malaysia to India.
IPO-boundhospitality and travel technology company Oyo has announced that it would open around 400 properties in popular spiritual destinations by year end.
In a bid to check overtourism, Airbnb will be working to enhance host capacity in lesser-explored destinations within Uttarakhand. The memorandum of understanding signed between Airbnb and the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, looks to introduce lesser-explored destinations to tourists.
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) reports its best year for tourism ever, welcoming a record 1.22 million overnight arrivals to the nature Emirate in 2023, up 8% on 2022 numbers and bolstered by a significant 24% year-on-year pick-up in international visitors. The robust performance is underscored by RAKTDA’s strategic growth plans. From investment in tourism infrastructure, targeted initiatives to drive more visitors to the emirate, to developing an ecosystem rooted in sustainability, Ras Al Khaimah continues to reinforce its position as a destination of the future. Its key 2023 achievements include:
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Amid the diplomatic dispute between India and Maldives, Sonu Shivdasani, CEO of resort chain Soneva, wrote about the potential impact on the tourism industry, and hoped for a reconciliation.
Indian aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has changed flight crew regulations concerning flight duty time limitations, aligning them with international best practices. These regulations will be crucial to manage fatigue-related aviation safety risks.
Hotel technology platform STAAH unveiled insights into its network of 19,000+ properties, revealing that in 2023, Indian travelers continued to remain inclined to book directly with hotels, despite the resurgence of online travel agencies.