India: Regular international flights likely to restart from March 15

 Regular international flights are likely to resume operations from March 15, after remaining suspended for nearly two years. As per the sources, authorities will follow standard operating procedures that are effective at Indian airports for foreign arrivals and departures.

Reportedly, the said decision on resuming regular international flights has almost been arrived at by the Civil Aviation Ministry following consultation with the Health Ministry with the decline in COVID cases. However, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has not made any official announcement yet.
The sources added that although regular international flights will likely resume from March 15, the guidelines for international arrivals, which have been in place from February 14, will still be followed at airports for the passengers of these flights.

As reported earlier, the said ban remains in effect till February 28, which had been put into effect since March 23, 2020, due to the COVID crises.

However, special passenger flights have been operating between India and around 40 countries under air bubble arrangements since July 2020.

The Health Ministry, on February 14, issued revised guidelines for international arrivals, and scrapped the mandatory seven-day home quarantine and the requirement for them to undergo an RT-PCR test on the eighth day. Also, the countries listed in the ‘at risk’ category have been removed.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3694/India-Regular-international-flights-likely-to-restart-from-March-15

Etihad Airways unveils summer holiday flights

 Travellers with Etihad Airways can look forward to a new destination this summer, along with the return of popular seasonal routes to Europe and the Indian Ocean.

Starting June 15th, the carrier will launch a seasonal twice-per-week service to Crete, the largest island in Greece.

The flights are set to be operated on an Airbus A320 aircraft and will connect Abu Dhabi to the main city of Heraklion.

Lying in the Aegean Sea, Crete offers travellers a rich tapestry of spectacular landscapes, cuisine and culture, with traditional villages and historic sites dating back thousands of years, such as the 4,000-year-old Palace of Knossos.

The airline will also return to Malaga, Santorini and Zanzibar this summer.

All four destinations are set to be operated from mid-June.

“Etihad Airways is delighted to provide travellers with more choice for their summer vacations in 2022,” said Martin Drew, senior vice president sales and cargo at Etihad.

“Crete is an ideal summer destination for travellers who are looking for a mix of beach and mountain adventures, and along with the hotspots of Malaga, Santorini and Zanzibar, makes for a perfect addition to Etihad’s summer network.”

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3688/Etihad-Airways-unveils-summer-holiday-flights

Indian Railways Runs Shri Ramayana Yatra Train From 22nd Feb'22

 The Shri Ramayana Yatra special train from Delhi is starting from Tuesday by the Indian Railways. As per the earlier schedule, the train was supposed to run from Delhi on February 9 but the date was later extended to February 22 owing to surge in Covid-19 cases. Notably, the Shri Ramayana Yatra special train is part of IRCTC’s series of Shri Ramayana Yatra Tours to promote the religious tourism.

Last year in November, the train had covered its first journey from Delhi’s Safdarjung Railway Station to Tamil Nadu’s Rameshwaram via Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya and Varanasi.

The Shri Ramayana Yatra special train covers Ayodhya, Sitamadhi, Janakpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Shringverpur, Nasik, Buxar, Kanchipuram, and Bhadrachalam among others in 19 nights/20 days. The train has a capacity of 132 passengers in two categories- 2AC and 1AC.

Earlier, the journey of the Shri Ramayana train used to be of 17 days, but now the journey of the train will be of 20 days. In the new timetable, three new religious places associated with Lord Shri Rama have also been added. At present, the train passengers will also visit Bihar’s Buxar, Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuram and Telangana’s Bhadrachalam.

The earlier ticket fare was less due to the lesser number of places and travel time but it has now increased. As per the latest updates, the fare of the first AC will be Rs 1.25 lakh, which was earlier Rs 1.02 lakh. Moreover, the fare of the second AC has gone up to Rs 98,000, which was earlier Rs 82,000.

The Shri Ramayana Yatra special train is equipped with many facilities such as two rail dining restaurants, a modern kitchen car, a foot massager for passengers, a library, clean toilets etc. Moreover, the Shri Ramayana Express tour package includes vegetarian food, tourist sightseeing by buses and accommodation in AC hotels.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3689/Indian-Railways-Runs-Shri-Ramayana-Yatra-Train-From-22nd-Feb-22

Taj Mahotsav to begin from March 20 in Agra, all details here

 The Taj Mahotsav 2022 is all set to be held from March 20 to March 29 this year. This 10-day cultural festival is held in Agra every year, and is well-known as a gourmet, art, culture and craft festival. Earlier, it was scheduled to be held from February 18 to February 27, but had to be rescheduled due to Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

As per the reports, this year’s 10-day celebration theme will be Aazadi ke Amrit Mahotsav sang, Taj ke rang.

While announcing the postponement, Deputy Director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism RK Rawat stated that due to the ongoing assembly elections, the annual fair of Taj Mahotsav has been postponed, whereas preparations are going on full swing for the fair to be organised between March 20 and 29.

If reports are to go by, this event started in 1992 with the aim of promoting the creative art of craftsmen and encouraging them to showcase their respective skills. During this occasion, various cultural performances by national and international famed artists are witnessed which make this event a confluence of traditions and cultures.

Details of Taj Mahotsav 2022

Taj Mahotsav dates: Revised dates are from March 20 to March 29, 2022.

Timings: As per the official website of Uttar Pradesh Tourism, the celebration will commence between 10 AM - 10 PM.

Venue: The event will be held in Shilpgram, which is a well-known crafts village in Agra, UP, and is located not so far from the Taj Mahal.

Ticket price: No entry tickets for kids below 5 years of age. Adults will have to buy tickets worth INR 40 to enter the festival, while a group of 100 school students can get an entry for INR 500. Foreigners can visit the Taj Mahotsav free of cost.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3684/Taj-Mahotsav-to-begin-from-March-20-in-Agra-all-details-here

Panaji beach carnival to be held this month, boosting local culinary scene

 Panaji is all set to host its very first beach carnival with an eye on UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) list. The carnival is going to be hosted this month in the city of Panaji in Goa. According to Angelo Fernandes, Panaji Corporation Commissioner, "The Beach Carnaval will focus on a bouquet of culinary experiences and help put local 'foodpreneurs' on the map.”

Panaji has partnered with FIERCE Kitchens, which is a Culinary Incubator, to make the beach carnival a success. A dedicated zone shall be available for food entrepreneurs at the walkway that is along the beautiful Miramar Beach. It is a great opportunity for local entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative foods.

The UCCN is a project that was launched in 2004. It helps to promote cooperation among cities that recognises creativity as an instrumental part in urban development.

Thus the beach carnival organised here in Panaji is going to focus on the culinary experiences of the city, and Goa as a whole. This will greatly help food-entrepreneurs who have small businesses that took a hit during the pandemic. The pandemic halted travel, and Goa was one of the major places that was affected by it.

According to Fernandes, "The pandemic has been tough on many. During the pandemic many people have turned into foodpreneurs, opening small-scale, aat-home' businesses offering a variety of food. These ventures are largely driven by passion. We have decided to put the spotlight on foodpreneurs this year in an effort by the city to encourage them and offer the foodpreneurs a platform to showcase their creations."

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3687/Panaji-beach-carnival-to-be-held-this-month-boosting-local-culinary-scene

Singapore to relax COVID-19 restrictions for vaccinated travellers from February 22

 Starting February 22, the Singapore government will relax entry and testing requirements for Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) passengers. However, people arriving from India will need to carry a negative PCR test report or rapid antigen test, not older than 48 hours.

As per Singapore Airlines (SIA), fully vaccinated passengers travelling to Singapore on VTL flights from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai will have their travel history requirement reduced from 14 to 7 days.

Eligibility for VTL flights

According to SIA, travellers should not have travel history (including transit) outside of VTL countries/regions, or outside of countries/regions listed as Category I, namely Macao, Mainland China, and Taiwan by Singapore’s Ministry of Health in the past seven days.

A statement released by the SIA read, “If the traveller has been in Singapore within those last seven days, his/her stay in Singapore can be counted towards fulfilling this seven-day travel history requirement.”

Secondly, long-term pass holders will no longer have to apply for a vaccinated travel pass (VTP). As per the statement, on-arrival testing requirements at Singapore will also be relaxed.

A testing notice, with a weblink to book tests upon entry into Singapore, will be issued to the passengers. If the above antigen test is negative, no further tests will be needed.

Currently, Singapore Airlines is operating 52 flights to Singapore from eight cities in India.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3685/Singapore-to-relax-COVID-19-restrictions-for-vaccinated-travellers-from-February-22

Northern Railway to launch radio in trains with Ooka Radio

 Northern Railway has initiated a new programme with a start-up Ooka Radio. The aim is to provide full entertainment to travelers in trains & give a feel about cities they are traveling to.

Ooka Radio, an in-door entertainment company, is all set to partner with Northern Railways trains Shatabdi & Vande Bharat Express for all routes of the Delhi division.

"Loaded with new technology, Ooka Shatabdi Radio will play the music/songs in customized patterns according to cities traveling & the mood of climate. Ooka Shatabdi Radio will play music in all yoners & have a large bank of music /artist & unplugged music opportunities like never before,” the company said.

"Ooka Shatabdi Radio has also initiated many out-of-box programmes to give more pleasant journeys to travelers which they have never experienced, like we are going for short stories, stand-up comedies & real-time contests & many more programme. Now when you travel across Delhi, Lucknow, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ajmer, Dehradun, Kanpur, Varanasi, Katra and Kathgodam, you will be greeted by Ooka radio music and connectivity in transit. In other words, Ooka Radio is all about the largest audience of 80 million hearts just waiting to be won over,” they said further.

“Ooka is keen to offer this unimaginable advantage of brand building & advertisement communication through Ooka Shatabdi Radio. We want to give opportunities to Indian brands to make themselves as popular & big as other multinational Brands at a very low price specially designed for Indian brands,” says Amit Chawla, co-founder Ooka Radio.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3681/Northern-Railway-to-launch-radio-in-trains-with-Ooka-Radio

Israel to open to unvaccinated vacationers from March

Israel has declared that beginning from March 1 it will open lines to all sightseers, including the unvaccinated.

All sightseers would be expected to go through two PCR tests, one before flight and the other in the wake of landing, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said in a joint articulation on Sunday, Xinhua news office detailed. For Israeli nationals, the prerequisite to take an antigen test prior to loading onto the plane was dropped. All things being equal, just a PCR test upon appearance will be compulsory. The unvaccinated Israelis will require no quarantine if with an adverse aftereffect of a PCR test at the air terminal. "We are seeing a consistent decrease in the horribleness information," Bennett said in the articulation. "Right now, the circumstance in Israel is great," he noted, adding that this was "the consequence of right and dynamic administration." Presently, just inoculated sightseers are permitted to enter the country. Israel confined the section of unfamiliar guests in March 2020 and later facilitated the limitations. As instances of the exceptionally irresistible Omicron variation were distinguished in late 2021, the nation practically shut its skies to unfamiliar travelers.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3683/Israel-to-open-to-unvaccinated-tourists-from-March

Separate Tatkal app for Rail passengers! One stop destination to solve all your emergency travel hassles

 In what would come as a big respite for train passengers who need to book emergency tickets or in the wake of a sudden travel plan, the Indian Railways has come up with a specific app that provides Tatkal services.

The service has been listed under ConfirmTICKET Mobile App. ConfirmTkt is the official IRCTC partner train app for the Indian Railways that allows users to book train tickets, check seat availability, check train schedules and save them to access offline. Users can also file TDR for e-tickets or cancel tickets at any time using the app.

The ConfirmTICKET Mobile App provides the information regarding available seats under Tatkal quota. And what is more useful for the train passengers is that they don’t have to feed in the names of different trains under their sought after route. Instead this app allows for the users to view the information regarding all the details of Tatkal seats available on different trains running on that particular route. It is like an umbrella of information regarding Tatkal seats on various trains running on a particular route. For example X, Y, Z trains run on route A. Passengers in that case will not have to search for tatkal tickets for X, Y, Z trains separately. Using the app, they can view the status of all the Tatkal seats for all the trains running in route A.

The app can be downloaded from Google play store. The app also has a master list for ticket booking that takes care of all your needs. Users can save their travel details before confirming their booking. This eases the burden when passengers opt for final booking.

As per Tatkal booking norms, the tickets will be open for booking from 10 am, after which passengers can make their online booking and online payment.

Passengers should however note that their Tatkal ticket booked via this app could either be confirmed or could be in the wait list also.

IRCTC said that the app provides a quick, easy and convenient way to book train tickets or enquire about them in just a few clicks. Tickets can be booked in 3 easy steps while passengers will also get 24x7 assistance.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3686/Separate-Tatkal-app-for-Rail-passengers-One-stop-destination-to-solve-all-your-emergency-travel-hassles

Ladakh will soon have a snow sculpture as tourist attraction

 Ladakh will very soon have a snow sculpture as a new tourist attraction. On Monday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed Ladakh Lieutenant Governor (LG) RK Mathur about the same and said that in winter this year, a snow sculpture will be introduced in Ladakh. The snow sculpture will also create job opportunities for the locals.

The LG said that once the snow art is properly established in the region, Ladakh will start the Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in some years. Ladakh concluded its very first Ice and Snow-Sculpture Workshop on February 11, 2022 which was organised by Kangding Snow and Ice Sculpture Association along with Ladakh Police at Sangtakchan.

During the concluding ceremony, the LG said, “I see no logic in leaving Ladakh in winters. This is the time to earn here. My theory all along has been that while summers are great here (Ladakh), I would like to say that winters are greater, much better.”

He also called out Ladakhi youth who are absolutely talented, especially in creative fields. The LG also promised to support and assist with the machinery needed for making ice sculptures. The Union Minister further said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also prioritised Ladakh.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3680/Ladakh-will-soon-have-a-snow-sculpture-as-tourist-attraction

SpiceJet Launches Direct Flight On Delhi-Khajuraho Route

 Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia flagged off the first direct flight between Delhi and heritage city of Khajuraho on last Friday. With this, 405 routes would be operationalized under the UDAN-RCS scheme. SpiceJet was awarded the Delhi-Khajuraho-Delhi route under the RCS-UDAN 3.0.

The inaugural event was also graced by Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, MoCA; Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet; Vishnu Datt Sharma, Member of Parliament, Khajuraho and many other dignitaries.

The airline will be operating flights on 2 days of the week – Friday and Sunday, and will deploy its Q400, 78-seater turbo prop aircraft designed for shorter distance flights on the route. SpiceJet is India’s largest regional carrier and the strongest supporter of UDAN scheme. The airline operates 65 daily flights under UDAN connecting 14 UDAN destinations to various parts of the country. At present SpiceJet services Gwalior and Jabalpur airports in Madhya Pradesh. With Khajuraho, it will be their 15th UDAN destination.

Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said, “Khajuraho is world’s pride, and it is the gateway for Madhya Pradesh’s cultural and art prowess and religious diversity, and it has a significant importance in Madhya Pradesh’s Past, Present and Future.”

The minister further emphasized “Apart from Khajuraho, we have 4 airports in Madhya Pradesh with Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur. In the past 7 months, Madhya Pradesh has seen 40% increase in flights per week, amounting to 759 flights per week as on 18 February 2022. Apart from that, 2 new FTO (Flight Training Organizations) will come up in Khajuraho which will help in training our commercial pilots. We have set our aim to construct 100 airports and 1,000 new air routes by 2024-25. Till now, 65 airports have been constructed, and 403 air routes are operationalized. Air Passengers also saw an increase from 6 crore in 2012-13 to 14.5 crore in 2021-22. We are fully committed to Hon’ble Prime Minister Vision of UDAN - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik.”

Khajuraho airport was established in the year 1978 with flight services to Delhi, Agra, Varanasi. MoCA has invested Rs 50 crore in Khajuraho airport and advance facilities were incorporated in the airport with installation of instrument landing system, a 1,20,000 sq ft new terminal building, night landing facility, recarpeting of runway and new ATC towers. The flight begins couple of days before the start of the Khajuraho dance festival.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3678/SpiceJet-Launches-Direct-Flight-On-Delhi-Khajuraho-Route

New Zealand expands Pacific quarantine-free travel

One-way quarantine-free travel to New Zealand will be extended to include Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa, a senior official said on Friday. From 11.59 pm on February 27, eligible travellers from Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa will be able to enter New Zealand without entering managed isolation
and quarantine facilities or self-isolation on arrival, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Aupito William Sio said in a statement, adding that this is in recognition that these countries have no Covid-19 community cases.

"Initially travel will be open to people who have a right to reside in New Zealand and
those covered by border exceptions. There will be no predeparture test required, but non-New Zealand citizens must be vaccinated," Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying.

If travellers transit another quarantine-free travel country (like Samoa or Vanuatu) they will still enter New Zealand with no isolation or quarantine required. If travellers transit a non-quarantine-free travel country (like Australia or Fiji), they will be subject to the same entry and testing requirements as other travelers from that country, he said.

The New Zealand government has announced its plan for the staged opening of the borders, which will make it easier for many more people to reconnect and travel to New Zealand from other parts of the world, Sio said. Opening up to travellers from parts of the Pacific where Covid-19 risks are low is part of this plan.

New Zealand currently has quarantine-free travel for travellers coming to New Zealand from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau and Vanuatu. "Extending this to Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa is an important step in further reconnecting with our Pacific whanau (communities), bringing significant social and economic benefits and reflecting the importance of links across the region," he said

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3669/New-Zealand-expands-Pacific-quarantine-free-travel

IndiGo takes delivery of its first A320 neo plane powered with sustainable aviation fuel

 The country's largest airline IndiGo on Friday took delivery of its first aircraft from Airbus that operated on a blend of sustainable aviation fuel and normal fuel.

After the plane landed at the airport here from France on Friday, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said the airline is also talking to a lot of manufacturers on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).


While SAF is yet to be approved for commercial flights, various test flights, powered by such fuel, have been operated. SAF will reduce carbon emissions. "IndiGo has taken delivery of its first aircraft operating on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Airbus... This is the first international flight operated
by any Indian carrier using SAF," the airline said in a release.

The A320 neo plane -- which took off from Toulouse in France on Thursday and landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here on Friday had a blend of 10 per cent SAF and 90 per cent normal fuel, according to airline officials.

Emphasising that IndiGo is committed to sustainability, Dutta said, "By 2050, we will be carbon neutral... It is not just a promise, we have an action plan in place".

Over a period from 2016 to 2023, the airline is aiming at a 16 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, he said while speaking at an event at the airport to mark the arrival of the aircraft. Dutta said the airline is talking to a lot of manufacturers, including Shell, and the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun.

"They assure us... that as volumes pick up, cost will come down. It is a little bit of a chicken and egg; the airline needs to get the volume then the refiners and producers will bring the cost down. That's why we are all making baby steps. Let's start the journey, start consuming SAF so that refiners can start
producing more volumes. That is where we are," he said while responding to a question.

rehanshienterprises.com/news/3671/IndiGo-takes-delivery-of-its-first-A320-neo-plane-powered-with-sustainable-aviation-fuel