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Singapore Airlines will make an additional investment of Rs 3,194.5 crore in Tata Group-owned Air India post-merger of Vistara in November. The merger, announced on November 29, 2022, and set to be completed on November 11, 2024, will result in Singapore Airlines having a 25.1% stake in the enlarged Air India. Full-service carrier Vistara, which started flying on January 9, 2015, is a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, where the latter holds a 49% shareholding. Vistara's last flight will take off tomorrow i.e. November 11, 2024. Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group on Friday said its consideration for the merger comprises the 49% interest in Vistara and Rs 20,585 million (Rs 2,058.5 crore) in cash in exchange for a 25.1% equity interest in the enlarged Air India. Post-merger, SIA expects to recognize a non-cash accounting gain of around 1.1 billion Singapore dollars and also start equity accounting for its share of Air India's financial results. According to a release on Friday, the merger includes an agreement for SIA to contribute its share of any funding previously provided by Tata prior to the completion of the merger, together with relevant funding costs up to Rs 5,020 crore that would allow it to maintain a 25.1% stake in Air India. "SIA's additional capital injection is expected to be Rs 31,945 million (equivalent to SGD 498 million), based on Tata's funding to Air India to date. This will occur after the completion of the merger and within November 2024 through subscription to new Air India shares. "Future capital injections will be considered based on Air India's requirements and available funding options," according to the release issued while announcing the airline's financial performance for the six months ended September 2024. The merger of Vistara with Air India will mark a major consolidation in the fast-growing Indian aviation space. SIA said the merged entity will have a significant presence across all key Indian air travel segments, including domestic, international, full-service, and low-cost operations. "This will strengthen SIA's multi-hub strategy, allowing it to continue participating directly in India's large and fast-growing aviation market," it added. Recently, Air India and SIA agreed to significantly expand their codeshare agreement, adding 11 Indian cities and another 40 international destinations to their network.

Singapore Airlines to invest additional Rs 3,195 cr in Air India post-Vistara merger

<ul><li>Most of the top five most trending destinations internationally have experienced a drop in flight prices or remained stable. </li><li>Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable <keyword id="6312479" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="travel-experiences" source="Orion">travel experiences</keyword>. </li><li>Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo among the top ten international <keyword id="44023" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airlines" source="Orion">airlines</keyword>. </li></ul>Indians have been truly bitten by the wanderlust bug since the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic. While average domestic flight fares have gone up in the last one year, average flight fares to top <keyword id="4431028" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-destinations" source="Orion">international destinations</keyword> have come down, making them more lucrative for Indian travellers, according to travel portal kayak.co.in. In fact, another survey points out that 60% of respondents say that they plan to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/shopping-holidays-pipped-by-this-rising-category-of-indian-travellers/articleshow/101773489.cms">travel abroad </a>in 2023. Travel reports show that the current lower international fares have made it an excellent time for Indian travellers to plan a trip to Hong Kong, where the average return flight price is ₹39,109 which is 25% less than it was last year. Taking a plane to Jeddah, or Tokyo will cost travellers 14% less than last year on average, while flight prices to Auckland, and Colombo have remained flat. If you are dreaming of an international vacation but worried about the expenses, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/affordable-international-getaways-from-india/articleshow/101824406.cms">here</a> is a list of destinations you can plan a trip to without breaking the bank. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Personalised travel experiences" comment="subhead" text="Personalised travel experiences">Personalised travel experiences</cmsannotation> A significant majority of Indian travellers, approximately 86%, are expressing optimism regarding their future travel plans for the upcoming 12 months. An interesting trend in travel is the growing preference for metropolitan cities such as New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai, as well as hill stations like Manali and Rishikesh, according to Booking.com, an online travel agency. Additionally, destinations with rich cultural heritage like Jaipur are also gaining popularity among travellers. Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable travel experiences. During the first half of 2023, not only hotels but also alternative accommodations such as resorts, guest houses, homestays, hostels, apartments, and villas emerged as the most popular choices for lodging. This indicates a shift towards diverse and varied accommodation options that cater to different preferences and provide a more distinct and customised travel experience. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Air India and Vistara rising high" comment="subhead" text="Air India and Vistara rising high">Air India and Vistara rising high</cmsannotation> Top <keyword id="18042050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-travel-destinations" source="Orion">domestic travel destinations</keyword> for Indians during the April to June 2023 period were Goa, Kochi, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, and Jaiputr, according to travel portal Cleatrip. Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, and Abu Dhabi were the top international destinations. Dubai and Singapore also featured among the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/top-5-foreign-destinations-on-the-radar-for-indians-and-thailand-isnt-one-of-them/amp_articleshow/101718671.cms">top international travel destinations </a>according to another recent report. Interestingly Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo were among the top ten international airlines. Air India, and Vistara also featured among the top three airlines in premium economy and business class.

Relatively cheaper flight tickets incentivising foreign holiday plans for Indians

<keyword id="19895061" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="goa" source="keywords">Goa</keyword> is a popular tourism destination in India and is known for its gorgeous beaches, nightlife, and food. The popular destination hosts millions of tourists every year and for some, it is just a couple hours of drive away. However, international travellers don't find it that easy to get to the destination, as per a new PTI report. The report says that even though Goa is increasingly a popular choice for international travellers, it requires government support to make it more accessible to foreigners. In a media statement, the department said that charter flights from key markets like Russian cities Moscow and Ekaterinburg, London, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, support international arrivals. A Polish charter flight is also set to arrive in the coastal state on November 8. The statement added that this international interest extends beyond Goa’s iconic beaches, with tourists increasingly exploring areas like Dudhsagar Falls and scenic hinterlands. To further boost connectivity, Goa is collaborating with airlines and seeking government support to improve flight routes, creating a more globally connected tourism landscape. "However, establishing robust direct international connectivity requires further support from the Government of India, which we are actively seeking to make Goa an even more attractive, accessible, and globally connected destination," a spokesperson said. He added that after pandemic disruptions, Goa’s international tourism is rebounding, with over 450,000 foreign arrivals recorded in 2023. Alongside domestic visitors, totaling over 8 million this year, the state’s tourism sector is also thriving. Addressing challenges like limited direct flights, Goa’s tourism officials are working to secure new airline agreements, ensuring an easier journey for international visitors. He also talked about the challenges that the tourism destination is facing, including limited connectivity by air. "Goa does face some challenges. For example, limited scheduled international air connectivity. The state government is working closely with the Centre to relook at point of call and additional seat entitlement for Goa, to establish more robust international connections," he said. (with PTI inputs)

This Indian state is attracting international tourists via chartered flights, needs support to make itself more accessible

Indian <keyword id="34984" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airline" source="Orion">airline</keyword> <keyword id="6354887" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="industry" source="Orion">industry</keyword> is expecting to prune its <keyword id="9317682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="net-losses" source="Orion">net losses</keyword> to Rs 3,000-5,000 crore in this fiscal from an estimated Rs 17,000-17,500 crore in FY2023 on the back of improved yields and stable cost environment, credit ratings agency <keyword id="6354972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="icra" source="Orion">ICRA</keyword> said on Tuesday. At the same time, ICRA also estimated that domestic air passenger traffic will expand by 8-13 per cent each in FY2024 and FY2025. The <keyword id="164127" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rating-agency" source="Orion">rating agency</keyword> has also maintained its stable outlook on the industry in view of healthy passenger traffic growth, improved yields and a stable cost environment. Building on the fast-paced recovery in FY2023, ICRA at a webinar on Tuesday said it is expecting the domestic air passenger traffic to grow by 8-13 per cent in the ongoing financial year, thereby reaching 150-155 million and surpassing the pre-Covid levels of 141.2 million seen in FY2020. The Industry's net loss (is expected) to shrink to Rs 30-50 billion in FY2024 from an estimated Rs 170-175 billion in FY2023, aided by improved yields and stable cost environment, ICRA said. "The air passenger traffic momentum witnessed in the current fiscal is expected to continue in FY2025, though further expansion in yields from the current levels may be limited. Thus, the industry is estimated to report a similar net loss of ~Rs. 30-50 billion in FY2025 as well," said Suprio Banerjee, Vice President &amp; Sector Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA Limited. The momentum in air passenger traffic growth is expected to continue in FY2025 as well with a similar estimated year-on-year growth, aided by rising demand for air travel and improving airport infrastructure, ICRA said. During the first eight months of this fiscal, domestic air passenger traffic stood at 100.7 million, witnessing a 17 per cent year-on-year growth, and 5 per cent higher than the pre-Covid levels (8M FY2020) of 95.7 million. Further, the international passenger traffic for Indian carriers, at 23.9 million in FY2023, surpassed the pre-Covid levels, although it trailed the peak levels of 25.9 million in FY2019, ICRA said, adding the same is expected to cross this level in the current fiscal, with an estimated 25-27 million passengers. Moreover, the airlines witnessed better pricing power, as reflected in improved yields and in the spread between revenue per available seat kilometre and cost per available seat kilometre (RASK-CASK) for the airlines, it said. While capacity addition for the industry will continue with the total pending aircraft deliveries of around 1,500, supply chain issues at the aircraft OEMs also mean that the addition could be gradual, ICRA said. Also, a large part of these is towards replacement of old aircraft with new fuel-efficient ones, and with the expected continued growth in passenger traffic, ICRA expects the demand-supply balance to be maintained in the medium-term. Furthermore, a sizeable part of the fleet addition by airlines will also be meant for expanding international operations, it said and added that in FY2023, the share of Indian carriers in international traffic (to and from India) stood at around 42 per cent. This offers adequate growth potential for Indian carriers to gain traction in international traffic over the medium term, the rating agency noted. However, despite a healthy recovery in passenger traffic and improvement in yields, the movement of the latter will remain monitorable amidst elevated ATF prices and depreciation of the Indian Rupee vis-a-vis the US Dollar compared to pre-Covid levels, both of which have a major bearing on the airlines' cost structure, the rating agency noted. The average ATF (aviation turbine fuel) prices stood at Rs 103,189/KL in 9M FY2024, which were 59 per cent higher compared to an average of Rs 64,715/KL during FY2020, albeit a decline of 17 per cent compared to Rs 121,013 /KL in FY2023, it observed. Fuel accounts for 30-40 per cent of the airlines' expenses, while around 35-50 per cent of the airlines' operating expenses 'including aircraft lease payments, fuel expenses, and a significant portion of aircraft and engine maintenance expenses ' are denominated in US dollar terms. "More recently, the Indian aviation industry has been facing significant supply chain issues, resulting in around 20-22 per cent of the total fleet being on the ground currently. "The recent issue related to powder-coating related concerns in engines manufactured by Pratt &amp; Whitney (P&amp;W) is expected to lead to additional aircraft to be grounded by Q4 FY2024 of this fiscal 'amounting to approximately 22-24 per cent of the industry capacity," said Banerjee. This will result in high operating expenses towards cost of grounding, increase in lease rentals due to additional aircraft being taken on lease to offset the grounded capacity, along with increasing lease rates and lower fuel efficiency, which adversely impact the airline's cost structure, and thus overall cash flow generation," he added.

Indian airlines likely to prune losses to Rs 3,000-5,000 cr this fiscal: ICRA

After facing significant <keyword id="20192095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flight-disruptions" source="keywords">flight disruptions</keyword> recently, <keyword id="21269688" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vistara-CEO" source="keywords">Vistara CEO</keyword> <keyword id="20128232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vinod-Kannan" source="keywords">Vinod Kannan</keyword> on Thursday told the airline staff that the "worst is behind us" and operations have already stabilised. Pilot woes have forced the <keyword id="21105887" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group-airline" source="keywords">Tata Group airline</keyword> to temporarily cut down capacity by 10 per cent or 25-30 flights daily. While acknowledging that things should have been planned better, Kannan said it has been a "learning experience". He also said it has been a challenging start to the new financial year and the airline faced significant operational disruption from March 31 to April 2. "The anxiety and frustration felt by our customers was matched in even measure to the pain that all of us felt in seeing our much-loved brand drawing negative commentary from various quarters... I assure you that the worst is behind us, and we have already stabilised our operations, with our on-time performance (OTP) increasing to 89 per cent on 9 April 2024 (second highest among all Indian airlines)," he said in a message to the staff. The full-service carrier has around 6,500 people, including about 1,000 pilots. In the wake of the disruptions, the top management of the airline had held a virtual meeting with the pilots. One of the reasons for the disruptions was also that some section of pilots reporting sick to protest against the new contract that will result in pay revision. According to Kannan, there were a multitude of reasons for the disruptions, including ATC delays, bird hits, and maintenance activities early last month. "We were stretched in our pilot rosters and there was not enough resilience to withstand injects that we would otherwise have weathered. We could and should have planned better, and this has been a learning experience for us which we will review thoroughly," the <keyword id="20018887" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vistara" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Vistara" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Vistara">Vistara</keyword> chief said. Most of the cancellations were in the domestic network and the carrier is working on plans for May and beyond. "While the events of the last week may seem like a setback, the hallmark of our organisation has always been that we have bounced back from tough situations ' and emerged stronger. "... I trust each of you to continue to put in all efforts to ensure that we do not let our brand, and our customer, down," Kannan said. As we emerge from this difficult phase, he said it is this commitment to being a customer-oriented airline that will help it bounce back stronger. The airline has also reached out to customers impacted by the cancellations and delays over the affected period. "We have provided the necessary compensation as per the regulatory mandate, and have also offered additional service recovery vouchers for passengers whose flights were significantly delayed," the Vistara chief said. The carrier has 70 aircraft in its fleet and is to operate more than 300 flights daily in the ongoing summer schedule. "Dealing with disappointed customers is never easy but amidst all the chaos, we have received feedback on how some of you went beyond the call of duty to assist our customers to the extent possible," Kannan said and expressed gratitude to the pilots for cooperating and stepping up to support operations.

Vistara CEO says 'worst is behind us', flight operations have stabilised

Domestic <keyword id="44023" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="airlines" source="Orion">airlines</keyword> industry is expected to fly back into profitability next fiscal, for the first time since the outbreak of <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword>, amid easing cost pressures and reduction in leverage to support credit profiles, a report said on Wednesday. As per the report by <keyword id="15318654" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Credit-Rating" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="mutual-fund,budget,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.seopath="c/credit-rating" meta.entityname="Credit Rating" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="credit-rating">credit rating</keyword> agency <keyword id="6359483" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="crisil" botkeyword="" source="ET" sourcekeytype="COMPANY" meta.keywordsubtype="EQ" meta.aliasname="crisil" meta.entityname="Crisil Ltd." meta.entityid="11303" meta.seoname="crisil-ltd">Crisil</keyword>, the industry is also likely to pare its net loss by as much as 75-80 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,500-4,500 crore this fiscal, compared with around Rs 17,500 crore last fiscal. Strong recovery in passenger traffic and easing cost pressures are supporting this turnaround in operating performance of airlines, Crisil said. The projections are based on <keyword id="183985" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="crisil-ratings" source="Orion">Crisil Ratings</keyword> <keyword id="15319469" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Analysis" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="mathematics,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.seopath="a/analysis" meta.entityname="Analysis" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="analysis">analysis</keyword> of three airlines that account for around 75 per cent of domestic air traffic. Domestic and international passenger traffic recovered to 90 per cent and 98 per cent, respectively, in the nine months through December this fiscal, compared with the corresponding period of fiscal 2020 (pre-pandemic). Business and leisure travel rebounded strongly even as international scheduled services resumed, it said and added that the festival season has accelerated recovery in the second half. This pace is likely to be maintained next fiscal, as the Indian economy remains resilient in the face of global headwinds, Crisil Ratings said. The removal of fare caps is also helping airlines pass on cost increases, it added. "Next fiscal, we expect passenger traffic to cross the pre-pandemic level and pricing to remain higher by 20-25 per cent over those levels. Consequently, airlines are expected to clock 25-30 per cent <keyword id="15308831" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Revenue" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="business,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92973114" meta.seopath="r/revenue" meta.entityname="Revenue" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="revenue">revenue</keyword> growth next fiscal vis-a-vis pre-pandemic," said <keyword id="2458345" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="gautam-shahi" source="Orion">Gautam Shahi</keyword>, Director, Crisil Ratings. That along with expected moderation in average aviation turbine fuel prices will drive a significant turnaround in operational performance of airlines, enabling them to become profitable next fiscal, <keyword id="214311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shahi" source="Orion">Shahi</keyword> noted. Profitability will also be aided by lower interest costs, driven by debt reduction owing to privatisation of a large airline in the last quarter of previous fiscal, it said. Moreover, better operating performance and expected equity infusions would keep airlines' <keyword id="10926" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance" botkeyword="" source="ET" sourcekeytype="COMPANY" meta.keywordsubtype="EQ" meta.aliasname="reliance" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries Ltd." meta.entityid="13215" meta.seoname="reliance-industries-ltd">reliance</keyword> on debt (excluding lease liabilities) limited over the near-to-medium term. Kshitij <keyword id="6367260" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jain" source="Orion">Jain</keyword>, Associate Director, Crisil Ratings, said: "The aviation sector is also likely to raise equity of Rs 8,000-10,000 crore over the next two fiscals, which will be utilised towards increasing fleet size and revamping the existing fleet." This will provide a much-needed boost to the capital structure, he said. Consequently, dependence on incremental debt (excluding lease liabilities) for airlines would remain limited over the near-to-medium term, as a major part of recent large fleet purchase orders by airlines is expected to be received from fiscal 2026 onwards, and thus support their credit profiles, according to Jain. The rating agency, however, noted that a timely infusion of equity, a debt contracted for capex towards fleet expansion and a resurgence of Covid-19 cases due to the spread of any new virus strains will remain key monitorable. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/mcdonalds-india-north-east-aims-to-hire-1500-employees-from-ngos-by-2025/articleshow/98334922.cms">McDonald's India - North &amp; East aims to hire 1500 employees from NGOs by 2025</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-tech-sector-growth-slows-in-fy23-ceos-cautiously-optimistic-nasscom/articleshow/98335133.cms">Indian tech sector growth slows in FY23, CEOs cautiously optimistic: Nasscom</a>

Domestic airlines industry expected to fly back into profitability next fiscal: Crisil

By Quaid Najmi The tottering <keyword id="528556" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-aviation-sector" source="Orion">Indian aviation sector</keyword> hit fresh turbulence when early this month, another flourishing private airline was suddenly grounded owing to various problems, making it the 11th in a decade to �fall from the skies. Throwing their hands up, the <keyword id="11252024" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="go-first" source="Orion">Go First</keyword> budget airline's owners -- the Wadia Group -- filed voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) sending shockwaves through the entire <keyword id="34990" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airline-industry" source="Orion">airline industry</keyword>. Go First was plagued by a peculiar problem -- the purported failure of the jet engine manufacturer, Pratt &amp; Whitney, USA, to supply engines/spares for its aircraft that grounded nearly 40 percent of the fleet for several months before it was compelled to totally suspend operations from the first week of May 2023. While the <keyword id="6354787" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DGCA" source="Orion">DGCA</keyword> slapped a show-cause notice on the carrier for its abrupt actions that created havoc with thousands of flyers, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia seemed sympathetic to Go First grappling with the engine problems. While assuring that the government was helping out as best as possible, Scindia also called upon Go First to make alternative travel arrangements for its flyers to avoid inconveniencing them. According to Go First the application under the IBC came after the "ever-increasing number of failing engines supplied by PW" which led to the grounding of around 25 of its 61-strong Airbus A-320neo aircraft, or almost 40 percent of its fleet by April 30, 2023. Go First said in a statement that the groundings due to faulty PW engines increased from 7 percent of its fleet in December 2019 to 31 percent in December 2020 and 50 percent in December 2022, and blamed PW for giving assurances but failing to meet them. In view of this, the beleagured carrier suffered a whopping loss of nearly Rs 10,800 crore and even demanded Rs 8000 crore as compensation from the PW which could help Go First to meet its financial commitments/obligations. Besides, Go First had also coughed up Rs 5,657 crore to its lessors in the past couple of years comprising Rs 1,600 crore as lease rent for the non-operational grounded aircraft. Go First was also hampered by the PW reportedly not honouring the March 2023 award of the Emergency Arbitrator in Singapore to immediately provide the airline with at least 10 serviceable spare leased engines by April 2023 and 10 more per month till December 2023 to enable the carrier to resume full operations, financial rehab and survival. An aviation official said that after the NCLT processes the Go First application, it could appoint an interim Resolution Professional to take over and re-start operations, adding that a similar exercise in 2019 with another grounded private carrier failed to take-off. Though Go First's promoters have pumped in around Rs 3,200 crore in the past three years, coming to a total investment of nearly Rs 6,500 crore, plus support from the government's emergency credit line guarantee, all this failed to help as the airline kept incurring 100 percent of its operational costs and with a total loss of Rs 10,800 crores, it �succumbed'. In the NCLT plea, the 17-year-old airline which operated over 32 flights to 29 domestic and 10 international destinations, has sought several interim directions including restraining the lessors from taking back their aircraft, any adverse action by the DGCA, suppliers of essential goods-services, etc. Since launching low key operations in November 2005 as �GoAir', Go First gradually climbed up to become the fifth largest private carrier, consistently profitable and expanding till the PW �engine troubles' started from December 2020, hitting its operations and forcing it to ground in May 2023. However, the owner-promoters have already made it clear that they are keen to revive and not sell the venture or even exit this sector, which has witnessed many ups and downs with the practical �demise' of another 10 airlines in the past 10 years - or average one per annum! The Go First imbroglio came at a crucial juncture for the country's aviation sector which was soaring to pre-Covid 19 levels after the harsh pandemic and the ongoing peak summer holidays - and its full impact on the industry remains to be seen. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/buried-toxic-waste-from-old-mining-operations-could-destroy-ecosystems-as-warming-thaws-the-arctic-permafrost/articleshow/100394167.cms">Buried toxic waste from old mining operations could destroy ecosystems as warming thaws the Arctic permafrost</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/53-of-largest-lakes-worldwide-losing-water-storing-capacity-due-to-global-warming-and-unsustainable-human-consumption/articleshow/100394475.cms">53% of largest lakes worldwide losing water storing capacity due to global warming and unsustainable human consumption</a>

Go First Gone: 11th private airline to 'drop' out of skies in a decade

New Delhi, <keyword id="842113" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-air-passenger-traffic" source="Orion">Domestic air passenger traffic</keyword> touched a new high on Thursday as airlines carried 4,63,417 people. In November, the domestic <keyword id="64078" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-passenger-traffic" source="Orion">air passenger traffic</keyword> scaled new peaks at least four times. "Post-Covid, India's domestic aviation's turnaround story has not just been overwhelming but inspiring as well. "Positive attitude, progressive policies, and deep trust among passengers are taking it to new heights with every flight, every day," the <keyword id="58151" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="civil-aviation-ministry" source="Orion">civil aviation ministry</keyword> said in a post on X on Friday. As per official data, the total number of domestic passengers was 4,63,417 and the number of flight movements stood at 5,998 on Thursday (November 23). In a post on X, civil aviation minister <keyword id="29632" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="jyotiraditya-scindia" source="Orion">Jyotiraditya Scindia</keyword> on Friday said a new record has been set in Indian domestic aviation. Domestic air traffic had touched new peaks for three consecutive days -- November 18, 19 and 20.

Domestic air passenger traffic touches new high in November

Last week, the <keyword id="6356662" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="singapore" source="Orion">Singapore</keyword> Tourism Board (STB) announced visitor numbers to the city-state which topped expectations with over 2.9 million arrivals in the first three months of this year. This is 62 per cent of 2019's first quarter figure of the 4.7 million people who visited Singapore in the first quarter of 2019. A total of 193,230 of these came from India which is about 3.5 times more than the 54,530 who arrived in 2022. Indian residents are the fourth largest source of tourist arrivals in the first quarter after Indonesians (523,300), Malaysian (278,910) and Australians (265,730). Americans made up the fifth largest group of visitors by country of origin at 168,960. China which was the largest source of tourists for Singapore with over 3.75 million visitors in 2019 have yet to fully return to Singapore and made up the ninth largest group of tourists in Q1 with only 124,560 coming to Singapore. In 2019, based on figures from China's National Bureau of Statistics, Chinese tourists made nearly 170 million trips abroad. Although China has lifted travel restrictions, cumbersome travel processes targeted at Chinese residents by countries like South Korea and Japan earlier this year dampened the enthusiasm for outboard travel. This has been exacerbated by delays in passport renewals and visa applications as well as the inability of Chinese airlines to mount the same number of flights as before COVID. Based on data from Alibaba-owned travel booking site Fliggy, during February, international flights out of China are at less than 10 per cent of 2019 levels. Furthermore, the travel habits of Chinese citizens have been changed by three years of COVID-19 restrictions with many now contented to explore the vast and varied attractions in their own country. "The Chinese tourists we will welcome this year and in the coming years are very different from those who came before," Wolfgang Georg Arlt, founder and chief executive of COTRI (Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute), was quoted by CBNC as saying at ITB Berlin, the world's largest tourism trade fair. COTRI is an independent consulting company based in Germany. In China as elsewhere, years of pandemic-induced lockdowns sparked a shift away from major tourist attractions toward "more nature-orientated, more outdoor-orientated tourism," Arlt said. He highlighted the emergence of trends like camping and glamping, as well as family-focused trips. COTRI predicts that Chinese outbound travel will recover to around two-thirds of 2019's figures, with around 110 million overseas trips this year. In the meantime, the Singapore Tourism Board is not waiting for Chinese tourists' return to launch new activities and attractions to boost tourism on the island. To inspire travel to Singapore through TV series and films, STB together with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced the launch of an SGD 10 million (USD 7.5 million) Singapore On-screen Fund. The fund aims to support international media and entertainment (M&amp;E) partners in marketing Singapore through television and film shows aimed at an international audience. The Singapore On-screen Fund will support selected projects by key M&amp;E companies, which must be set in Singapore and launched before the first quarter of 2027. Successful projects will receive funding support of up to 30 per cent of qualifying costs related to featuring Singapore, including production and marketing costs. This is in part inspired by past collaborations which resulted in movies such as "Crazy Rich Asians", the popular K-drama "Little Women (2022) and the HBO sci-fi hit series "Westworld Season 3" (2020). These shows created an international impact and left a positive impression on audiences around the world. Also just announced in April is the return of the Free Singapore Tour which is very popular with Indian tourists as well as those from Australia and Indonesia. The tour was suspended during COVID. This tour is organised by STB together with Changi Airport and is meant for transit passengers at Changi who have a layover period of at least five and a half hours but less than 24 hours. They must also have valid entry visas for Singapore to take part in the tours. The objective of organising these free tours is to entice transit passengers to make Singapore a destination for their next holiday. The original three tours available before COVID - the City Sights Tour, Heritage Tour and Jewel Tour - have been refreshed to include new points of interest. A brand-new Changi Precinct tour will introduce travellers to the interesting sights and sounds of the eastern region surrounding Singapore Changi Airport. Each tour lasts two and a half hours and will be available daily, with plans to progressively increase to nine tours a day. In 2019, over 80,000 passengers went on the Free Singapore Tour. Another exciting development is the stationing of a brand-new Disney Cruise Line ship in Singapore from 2025 for five years. A memorandum of understanding between STB and Disney Cruise Line was announced on March 29. The 208,000 gross-ton ship which will have a passenger capacity of about 6,000 plus a crew strength of 2,300 will be taking passengers for cruises around Southeast Asian countries, home to more than 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Disney Cruise Line ship has the potential to add millions of local and foreign cruise passengers during the five-year period, including fly-cruise passengers who arrive in Singapore by air. It is also expected to bring about significant spillover benefits for the wider economy. "We look forward to welcoming the magic of Disney Cruise Line to Singapore in 2025," said Keith Tan, Chief Executive of STB. "This is an important milestone for STB and reflects Disney Cruise Line's strong confidence in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The new Disney cruise ship will be an attraction itself and is expected to boost the tourism sector in Singapore for many years to come."

As Indian visitors surge, Singapore tourist arrivals now at two-thirds pre-Covid levels

Mumbai, The domestic air passenger traffic is expected to surpass the pre-Covid levels of 141.2 million and reach 150-155 million this fiscal, registering an estimated growth of 8-13 per cent, credit ratings agency <keyword id="19908266" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="icra" source="keywords">Icra</keyword> said on Wednesday. Icra also projected a significant reduction in industry's net loss for the next two fiscals and was also of the view that supply-chain challenges and engine failure issues may remain near-term headwinds. Icra maintains a "stable" outlook on the domestic aviation industry, amidst the continued recovery in domestic and international air passenger traffic, and relatively stable cost environment, it said. The momentum in traffic growth is expected to continue in FY2025 as well, with a similar estimated year-on-year growth, aided by rising demand for both leisure and business travel and improving airport infrastructure, it said. The international passenger traffic for Indian carriers surpassed the pre-Covid levels in FY2023, although it trailed the peak levels of 25.9 million witnessed in FY2019, according to Icra. It is expected to cross this level in the current fiscal, with an estimated 25-27 million passengers, representing a <keyword id="19921444" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="yoy" source="keywords">YoY</keyword> growth of 7-12 per cent, the ratings agency said, adding the same is expected to further grow by 7-12 per cent to 27-29 million in FY2025. "The industry has witnessed improved pricing power, as reflected in increase in yields and thus the spread between revenue per available seat <keyword id="20544428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kilometre" source="keywords">kilometre</keyword>-cost per available seat kilometre (RASK-CASK) for the airlines. "The same is expected to remain favourable, aided by a decline in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices and the relatively stable foreign exchange rates," said <keyword id="20849526" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="suprio-banerjee" source="keywords">Suprio Banerjee</keyword>, Vice President and <keyword id="20225498" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sector-head" source="keywords">Sector Head</keyword> for corporate ratings at Icra. The industry is thus estimated to report a significantly lower net loss of Rs 300-4,000 crore (Rs 30-40 billion) in FY2024 and FY2025 compared to Rs 170-175 billion in FY2023, he added. According to the ratings agency, the ATF prices and indian rupee-US dollar movement have a major bearing on the airlines' cost structure. The average ATF price stood at Rs 103,547/KL in the April-February period of FY2024, which is a YoY decline of 15 per cent compared to Rs 120,978/KL in FY2023, it said. However, this was 60 per cent higher compared to an average of Rs 64,715/KL during FY2020, as per Icra. Fuel accounts for around 30-40 per cent of the airlines' expenses.

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