AIRLINE NEWS

With the launch of two new routes from Abu Dhabi to Thiruvananthapuram on 31 May, 2007 and Kochi in Kerala on 3 June, 2007, Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national airline, will expand its services to India. The flights to the new cities will double Etihad’s destinations in India from two to four, which will be in addition to highly successful services to the commercial capital Mumbai and the national capital New Delhi. 
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ CEO said: “India has and always will be one of Etihad’s cornerstone markets because of the historical ties with the UAE and both countries’ growing position as world-class business and holiday destinations. India is now the second fastest growing economy in the world and the demand for frequent travel to and from the Middle East will continue to increase for the foreseeable future.”
The Abu Dhabi-based airline’s services to southern India will provide an important link for the many thousands of Keralites living and working in the UAE and across the Middle East, in addition to leisure travellers flying from Europe via Abu Dhabi for holidays in the state of Kerala.
Etihad will operate a three-cabin Airbus A340-500 aircraft on the Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi services three and four times-per-week respectively and both routes are expected to increase to daily flights from October 2007. The passenger capacity is 240 passengers with 12 in first class (Diamond Zone), 28 in business class (Pearl Zone) and 200 in economy (Coral Zone).
Etihad will also increase the frequency on its Abu Dhabi to New Delhi route from three flights-per-week to a daily service from the beginning of June 2007, taking the total number of Etihad flights to India from 10 to 21.
With the launch the Thiruvanantha- puram and Kochi services, Etihad will fly to nine destinations on the Asian subcontinent to join New Delhi and Mumbai in India as well as Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar in Pakistan and the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo.

Indian skies have a new competitor in Paramount Airways and its Managing Director, Mr. M. Thiagarajan, the youngest promoter and airline head in the world. Launched on October 19, 2005, the Tamil Nadu-based airline now leads with a market share of about 24 per cent of the southern market. Paramount’s current destinations are Chennai, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Kochi, Madurai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Visakhapatnam.
Paramount is the only carrier in India that uses the comfortable 70-seater Brazilian Embraer aircraft supposed to be superior in terms of fuel efficiency and maintenance costs. The seat pitch is the highest and all Embraer E-Jets give passengers much more personal space and stowage with dimensions that even exceed larger, single-aisle mainline aircraft. Paramount’s passengers enjoy special benefits such as valet assistance for boarding flights, gourmet food and a selection of in-flight services and entertainment. Paramount is the only low-cost carrier with business class and first class seats! 
Paramount Airways introduced six new flight services to connect Hyderabad, the IT capital of India with all the other IT hubs viz., Bengaluru (Banglore), Chennai and Vishakapatnam in February 2007. The new services provide travellers the option of same-day return.

Qatar Airways is increasing frequencies to some 15 key destinations worldwide. Qatar Airways enters the US with a New York service from June 28. However, the schedule for the first Washington flight has not been announced as yet. The airline will be adding three more routes to its network this month. Scheduled daily flights to Chennai will begin on March 24. Bali (four flights a week) will be brought online on March 24 and Ho Chi Minh City (four weekly flights) on March 25. On March 1, Qatar Airways began flying to Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos. 
The new destinations and additional frequencies were announced by Mr. Akbar aI-Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways. The inaugural flight to Geneva will be on June 28. There will be four weekly flights to Geneva. Stockho1m will be in Qatar Airways network in November. The date will be announced later.

The additional frequencies will be to the following places: Muscat double daily (up from 2 flights a week), Abu Dhabi 42 flights a week (up from 35 flights a week), Kuwait 28 flights a week (up from 25 flights a week), Algiers four flights a week non-stop (previously linked with Tunis), Tunis four flights a week non-stop (previously linked with Algiers), Casablanca daily (up from six flights a week), Osaka daily (up from six flights a week), Tehran 10 flights a week (up from seven flights a week), Tripoli five flights a week (up from four flights a week), Vienna daily (up from six flights a week), Athens daily (up from six flights a week), Mumbai daily using upgraded aircraft to new wide-body A330s, Kochi daily (up from five flights a week), Hyderabad daily (up from four flights a week) and Dares Salaam daily (up, from four flights a week). 

SriLankan Airlines, which takes great pride in its global reputation for warm and friendly service, is providing more enhancements for the benefit of passengers to all its destinations. Nigel O’Shea, Head of Service Delivery said that SriLankan Airlines is constantly looking for more and better ways to provide a truly delightful travelling experience to its passengers. 

The menus on all South Indian sectors have been completely revamped to include pickles and traditional Indian ‘after-mints’. Passengers to Trichy and Trivandrum will have hot items instead of cold snacks. Ice cream, another favourite in India, is now served on Subcontinent flights and will shortly be introduced on the Middle Eastern and European sectors.

Jehan Karunaratne, Manager Inflight Service Support, stated that improvements and changes are based on evaluation of customer feedback on each route.

Based on age, four types of giveaway packs for children with toys, activity books, and a SriLankan Airlines branded backpack are being provided, including a baby pack for infants. 

All Business Class passengers can now savour a range of additional items as well as the usual savouries with the bar service. Complimentary toilet kits provided for overnight passengers in Business Class now include several brand name items.

Passengers on late night flights may request a light meal that has been introduced specifically for rapid serving.

Passengers to and from Tokyo are provided snacks of ‘Onigiri’ (triangle shaped rice cakes with a variety of fillings inside), and also cup noodles (vegetarian and seafood). SriLankan’s Beijing service has a number of enhancements ranging from expanded Chinese meals to a glass of Chinese beer, and two Chinese movies to watch.

SriLankan has in recent years won such prestigious titles as World’s Best Airline in a survey of Economy Class passengers, World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff, first runner-up for World’s Best Cabin Staff, and Best Overall Inflight Entertainment (small fleet).

SriLankan’s all-Airbus fleet contains luxurious seats with ample pitch and width and the latest in in-flight entertainment. With the launch of services to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia this month, SriLankan’s network will have 51 international destinations in 28 countries.

Mr. Praful Patel, Minister for Civil Aviation has informed the media that Air India has decided to tender for ground handling at the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd., (GHIAL). As per the terms of GHIAL’s tender requirement, the Indian Operator or Handling Agent was required to join the International Ground Handling Agency. All the international ground handling agencies shortlisted by GHIAL were considered by Air India. From amongst them, Singapore Air Terminal Service (SATS) was selected as the JV partner with 49% shareholding, while Air India and Indian Airlines both jointly held the remaining 51%. However, GHIAL is yet to finalise the ground-handling contract for the Hyderabad Airport.