The national airline of Morocco announced that it was cancelling all of its scheduled flights for Wednesday to fly&nbsp;fans to Doha for the World Cup semifinal, citing what it claimed to be a decision by Qatari officials.

"Following the latest restrictions imposed by the&nbsp;Qatari&nbsp;authorities,&nbsp;Royal Air Maroc regrets to inform customers of the&nbsp;cancellation&nbsp;of their&nbsp;flights&nbsp;operated by Qatar Airways," the&nbsp;airline&nbsp;said&nbsp;in an emailed statement.

Requests for comments were not immediately answered by the international media office of the Qatari government. A source at a RAM travel agency who spoke to Reuters said on Tuesday that only 14 flights had been scheduled, despite Royal Air Maroc having previously stated that it would arrange 30 extra flights to make it easier for supporters to travel to Qatar for Wednesday night's semifinal match against France.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-vs-morocco-fifa-world-cup-semifinal-reliving-last-face-off-between-both-sides-in-2007-542957">France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup semifinal: Reliving last face-off between both sides in 2007</a>

Due to the seven scheduled flights for Wednesday being cancelled, RAM was only able to operate the seven flights on Tuesday, preventing fans who had already reserved match tickets or hotel rooms from travelling.&nbsp;

RAM&nbsp;said&nbsp;it would reimburse flight&nbsp;tickets&nbsp;and apologised to customers.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The national airline of Morocco announced that it was cancelling all of its scheduled flights for Wednesday to fly fans to Doha for the World Cup semifinal, citing what it claimed to be a decision by Qatari officials.

The national airline of Morocco announced that it was cancelling all of its scheduled flights for Wednesday to fly fans to Doha for the World Cup semifinal, citing what it claimed to be a decision by Qatari officials. "Following the latest restrictions imposed by the Qatari authorities, Royal Air Maroc regrets to inform customers of the cancellation of their flights operated by Qatar Airways," the airline said in an emailed statement. Requests for comments were not immediately answered by the international media office of the Qatari government. A source at a RAM travel agency who spoke to Reuters said on Tuesday that only 14 flights had been scheduled, despite Royal Air Maroc having previously stated that it would arrange 30 extra flights to make it easier for supporters to travel to Qatar for Wednesday night's semifinal match against France. Also read | France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup semifinal: Reliving last face-off between both sides in 2007 Due to the seven scheduled flights for Wednesday being cancelled, RAM was only able to operate the seven flights on Tuesday, preventing fans who had already reserved match tickets or hotel rooms from travelling. RAM said it would reimburse flight tickets and apologised to customers. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: Moroccan airline cancels World Cup fan flights citing Qatar restrictions

The plan to have just one pilot in the cockpit for passenger flights was met with criticism and doubt after various airlines and regulators put their weight behind the proposal. According to Bloomberg, the move is expected to cut down on costs for airlines and also make life easier amid crew shortages. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also started discussions with various stakeholders on how airplane can be handled by just one pilot with the help of artificial intelligence and automation.&nbsp;

While the EASA has said that it can become a reality by 2027, concerns remain over how it will affect the safety of both the crew and passengers. Over 40 countries including Germany, the UK and New Zealand have already expressed concerns and have asked the aviation industry to ensure the plan’s viability.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/where-are-the-women-youtuber-posts-before-after-pictures-of-twitter-amid-musks-takeover-take-a-look-536074">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/where-are-the-women-youtuber-posts-before-after-pictures-of-twitter-amid-musks-takeover-take-a-look-536074">'Where are the women?': YouTuber posts before &amp; after pictures of Twitter amid Musk's takeover. Take a look!</a>

In August this year, the pilots on a flight travelling from Khartoum to Addis Ababa apparently fell asleep and as a result, they missed their mark to land at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. In another much-publicised case in 2009, Air France Flight 447 saw both pilots facing technical difficulties at 35,000 feet and it ended up resulting in a horrific accident that ended up killing all 228 people on board. &nbsp;

A new survey also suggested that a majority of pilots working in Indian airline companies have been suffering from “daytime sleepiness” which is generally triggered by extreme fatigue. Among the 542 pilots who took part in the survey, 66 per cent said that they have dozed off during their shift hours.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/children-suffer-burns-to-face-and-chest-after-science-experiment-goes-wrong-in-sydney-536092">Children suffer burns to face and chest after science experiment goes wrong in Sydney</a>

As a result, the thought of just one pilot handling the cockpit has made a lot of people uneasy. However, when it comes to the EASA, the next move is to ensure complete automation in the sector.&nbsp;

“We are potentially removing the last piece of human redundancy from the flight deck,” Janet Northcote, EASA’s head of communications, wrote in an email to Bloomberg.&nbsp;

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The plan to have just one pilot in the cockpit for passenger flights was met with criticism and doubt after various airlines and regulators put their weight behind the proposal.

The plan to have just one pilot in the cockpit for passenger flights was met with criticism and doubt after various airlines and regulators put their weight behind the proposal. According to Bloomberg, the move is expected to cut down on costs for airlines and also make life easier amid crew shortages. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also started discussions with various stakeholders on how airplane can be handled by just one pilot with the help of artificial intelligence and automation. While the EASA has said that it can become a reality by 2027, concerns remain over how it will affect the safety of both the crew and passengers. Over 40 countries including Germany, the UK and New Zealand have already expressed concerns and have asked the aviation industry to ensure the plan’s viability. Also read | 'Where are the women?': YouTuber posts before & after pictures of Twitter amid Musk's takeover. Take a look! In August this year, the pilots on a flight travelling from Khartoum to Addis Ababa apparently fell asleep and as a result, they missed their mark to land at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. In another much-publicised case in 2009, Air France Flight 447 saw both pilots facing technical difficulties at 35,000 feet and it ended up resulting in a horrific accident that ended up killing all 228 people on board. A new survey also suggested that a majority of pilots working in Indian airline companies have been suffering from “daytime sleepiness” which is generally triggered by extreme fatigue. Among the 542 pilots who took part in the survey, 66 per cent said that they have dozed off during their shift hours. Also read | Children suffer burns to face and chest after science experiment goes wrong in Sydney As a result, the thought of just one pilot handling the cockpit has made a lot of people uneasy. However, when it comes to the EASA, the next move is to ensure complete automation in the sector. “We are potentially removing the last piece of human redundancy from the flight deck,” Janet Northcote, EASA’s head of communications, wrote in an email to Bloomberg.

Push for having one pilot for passenger flights met with doubt and safety fears

In an effort to increase both its market share and worldwide network, Air India will start offering premium economy on a few of its long-haul&nbsp;overseas flights starting&nbsp;next month, according to the airline's CEO Campbell Wilson. Wilson stated in his address at a JRD Tata Memorial Trust event in Mumbai that the airline will raise its market share to at least 30 per cent&nbsp;on both domestic&nbsp;and international flights.

The airline is putting its long-term resuscitation strategy into play, and over the next five years, it plans to increase both the size of its wide-body and narrow-body fleets and the size of its international network.

"The short-term actions have been to replace carpets, curtains, seat cushions, and covers. To fix defective seats and inflight entertainment systems as fast as supply chains will allow. And where parts are no longer available in the market, to work with the likes of Tata Technologies to design and manufacture parts ourselves."

"We've recently completely revamped the domestic inflight menu, and will be doing likewise, as well as launching premium economy on certain long-haul international flights next month," the Air India CEO and MD said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-bhubaneshwar-to-sharm-el-sheikh-journey-of-indias-youngest-climate-activist-535428">From Bhubaneswar to Sharm El-Sheikh, journey of India's youngest climate activist</a>

Almost 20 airplanes that had been grounded for years owing to a lack of funds and components have been repaired by the airline. Apart&nbsp;from cabin furnishings, this necessitated acquiring more than 30,000 parts that had been stolen over the years to keep other planes flying.

In addition to reviving long-grounded aircraft, CEO Campbell&nbsp;claimed that the airline had finalised leases for 30 more aircraft that will be delivered over the course of the next 12 months, beginning next week and that more leases are still being finalized.

Also WATCH |&nbsp;Peru plane crash: Two killed in Latam Airlines crash; no harm to passengers, flight crew's life

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"Beyond these short-term additions, we are in deep discussion with Boeing, Airbus, and engine manufacturers for a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/vikram-s-rocket-launch-live-indias-first-private-rocket-takes-off-535206"> historic order</a> of the latest-generation aircraft that will power Air India's medium and long-term growth. At the risk of gross understatement, the investment will be substantial," he said. &nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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In an effort to increase both its market share and worldwide network, Air India will start offering premium economy on a few of its long-haul overseas flights starting next month, according to the airline's CEO Campbell Wilson.

In an effort to increase both its market share and worldwide network, Air India will start offering premium economy on a few of its long-haul overseas flights starting next month, according to the airline's CEO Campbell Wilson. Wilson stated in his address at a JRD Tata Memorial Trust event in Mumbai that the airline will raise its market share to at least 30 per cent on both domestic and international flights. The airline is putting its long-term resuscitation strategy into play, and over the next five years, it plans to increase both the size of its wide-body and narrow-body fleets and the size of its international network. "The short-term actions have been to replace carpets, curtains, seat cushions, and covers. To fix defective seats and inflight entertainment systems as fast as supply chains will allow. And where parts are no longer available in the market, to work with the likes of Tata Technologies to design and manufacture parts ourselves." "We've recently completely revamped the domestic inflight menu, and will be doing likewise, as well as launching premium economy on certain long-haul international flights next month," the Air India CEO and MD said. Also read | From Bhubaneswar to Sharm El-Sheikh, journey of India's youngest climate activist Almost 20 airplanes that had been grounded for years owing to a lack of funds and components have been repaired by the airline. Apart from cabin furnishings, this necessitated acquiring more than 30,000 parts that had been stolen over the years to keep other planes flying. In addition to reviving long-grounded aircraft, CEO Campbell claimed that the airline had finalised leases for 30 more aircraft that will be delivered over the course of the next 12 months, beginning next week and that more leases are still being finalized. Also WATCH | Peru plane crash: Two killed in Latam Airlines crash; no harm to passengers, flight crew's life "Beyond these short-term additions, we are in deep discussion with Boeing, Airbus, and engine manufacturers for a historic order of the latest-generation aircraft that will power Air India's medium and long-term growth. At the risk of gross understatement, the investment will be substantial," he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Air India plans to offer premium economy on long-haul flights: CEO & MD Campbell Wilson

India’s Air Force received information of a bomb scare on an Iranian airline when the plane was in Indian air space, which turned out to be a hoax. Here’s what happened.

Bomb scare on an Iranian airline over Indian air space, IAF scrambles jets

Bomb scare on an Iranian airline over Indian air space

A flight attendant from an airline with operations in Turkey was recently startled after purportedly finding a severed snake's head in a meal. According to the Independent, which cited the aviation blog One Mile at a Time, the disturbing incident occurred on a SunExpress aircraft on July 21 between Ankara, Turkey, and Dusseldorf, Germany. A member of the cabin staff reported that as they were having their crew lunch, they discovered a little snake's head hidden among the potatoes and veggies. The head of the reptile is shown in a video posted on Twitter laying in the centre of the meal tray.

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Severed snake head found in a Sunexpress in-flight meal. 
The flight was enroute to Düsseldorf from Ankara when a cabin crew member, who had eaten most of the meal, found it. 
Dead snails have previously appeared in the airline’s flight meals. 
A company providing catering suspended <a href="https://t.co/nAgg2wSUIK">pic.twitter.com/nAgg2wSUIK</a>
— Handy Joe (@DidThatHurt2) <a href="https://twitter.com/DidThatHurt2/status/1551743925047754752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The airline acted right away in reaction to the dreadful finding. According to the source, a SunExpress spokesperson told the Turkish media that the occurrence was "absolutely unacceptable." The airline's agreement with the questioned food supplier has since been suspended, and an investigation has also been started, the representative said. The airline told the Independent that it was "our top priority" to ensure that the services we offer to our guests on our aircraft are of the highest calibre and that both our guests and employees have a comfortable and safe flight experience. The airline has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation industry.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/economic-revival-hope-after-russia-ukraine-grain-deal-crashes-as-russia-cuts-gas-supply-to-europe-500669">Economic revival hope after Russia-Ukraine grain deal crashes as Russia cuts gas supply to Europe</a>

The meal's caterer, on the other hand, has disputed that the snake head could have come from one of their locations. According to reports, Sancak Inflight Service claimed that it "did not provide any of the foreign objects that were supposedly in the food when cooking." The catering company went on to assert that the reasonably fresh-appearing snake head had to have been inserted later because its meals are prepared at a temperature of 280 degrees Celsius.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

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A flight attendant from an airline with operations in Turkey was recently startled after purportedly finding a severed snake's head in a meal. According to the Independent, which cited the aviation blog One Mile at a Time, the disturbing incident occurred on a SunExpress aircraft on July 21 between Ankara, Turkey, and Dusseldorf, Germany.

A flight attendant from an airline with operations in Turkey was recently startled after purportedly finding a severed snake's head in a meal. According to the Independent, which cited the aviation blog One Mile at a Time, the disturbing incident occurred on a SunExpress aircraft on July 21 between Ankara, Turkey, and Dusseldorf, Germany. A member of the cabin staff reported that as they were having their crew lunch, they discovered a little snake's head hidden among the potatoes and veggies. The head of the reptile is shown in a video posted on Twitter laying in the centre of the meal tray. Severed snake head found in a Sunexpress in-flight meal. The flight was enroute to Düsseldorf from Ankara when a cabin crew member, who had eaten most of the meal, found it. Dead snails have previously appeared in the airline’s flight meals. A company providing catering suspended pic.twitter.com/nAgg2wSUIK — Handy Joe (@DidThatHurt2) July 26, 2022 × The airline acted right away in reaction to the dreadful finding. According to the source, a SunExpress spokesperson told the Turkish media that the occurrence was "absolutely unacceptable." The airline's agreement with the questioned food supplier has since been suspended, and an investigation has also been started, the representative said. The airline told the Independent that it was "our top priority" to ensure that the services we offer to our guests on our aircraft are of the highest calibre and that both our guests and employees have a comfortable and safe flight experience. The airline has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation industry. Also Read: Economic revival hope after Russia-Ukraine grain deal crashes as Russia cuts gas supply to Europe The meal's caterer, on the other hand, has disputed that the snake head could have come from one of their locations. According to reports, Sancak Inflight Service claimed that it "did not provide any of the foreign objects that were supposedly in the food when cooking." The catering company went on to assert that the reasonably fresh-appearing snake head had to have been inserted later because its meals are prepared at a temperature of 280 degrees Celsius. (with inputs from agencies)

Watch | Severed snakehead found in airline in-flight meal, catering suspended

With the increasing number of snags in passenger aircraft, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a special audit of scheduled flight operators to ascertain whether the airlines are adhering to the laid-down standards.

Indian aviation regulator DGCA begins Airline audit

Wage negotiations between Scandinavian airline SAS and its pilots collapsed on Monday, triggering a strike that threatens the carrier’s future and extreme heat across Europe.

Airline SAS says survival at stake as pilot strike grounds flights

Many Ryanair Holdings PLC flights to and from Spain were cancelled on Thursday and several hundred others delayed during a strike by the low-cost airline's cabin staff.

Flights cancelled in Spain due to Ryanair staff strike

German airline group Lufthansa plans to fly the Airbus A380 again from summer 2023, it said on Monday, joining other carriers to announce a comeback for the superjumbo.

Lufthansa said the move is in response to a rise in demand and delays in aircraft orders, adding that it has yet to decide on destinations and how many planes to put back in the sky.

In a statement released on Monday, Lufthansa said the aircraft was returning "in response to the steep rise in customer demand and the delayed delivery of ordered aircraft," noting the A380 remains popular with its crew, as well as passengers.

As reported by CNN, Lufthansa has sold six of its A380s over the last couple of years and the airline has eight superjumbos remaining in its fleet. These aircraft are currently in "deep storage" in Spain and France. The German flag carrier says it's still assessing how many A380s will be reactivated, and is figuring out what routes they might fly on.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/timeline-ghislaine-maxwell-sex-trafficking-scandal-492925">Timeline: Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking scandal</a>

Typically airlines deploy superjumbos on long-haul, popular routes. The size of the aircraft makes them costly to run, so there has to be demand to justify it.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demise of the world's largest jets, but the European double-decker is gaining a new lease of life as airlines scramble to cope with rising demand and shortages of newer models.

Singapore Airlines, meanwhile, acknowledged the passenger appeal of the superjumbo when announcing plans to reinstate the aircraft last year. "Some people just book the A380 specifically to fly on it," Siva Govindasamy, Singapore Airlines' global public affairs head, told CNN Travel.

(with inputs from agencies)

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German airline group Lufthansa plans to fly the Airbus A380 again from summer 2023, it said on Monday, joining other carriers to announce a comeback for the superjumbo.

German airline group Lufthansa plans to fly the Airbus A380 again from summer 2023, it said on Monday, joining other carriers to announce a comeback for the superjumbo. Lufthansa said the move is in response to a rise in demand and delays in aircraft orders, adding that it has yet to decide on destinations and how many planes to put back in the sky. In a statement released on Monday, Lufthansa said the aircraft was returning "in response to the steep rise in customer demand and the delayed delivery of ordered aircraft," noting the A380 remains popular with its crew, as well as passengers. As reported by CNN, Lufthansa has sold six of its A380s over the last couple of years and the airline has eight superjumbos remaining in its fleet. These aircraft are currently in "deep storage" in Spain and France. The German flag carrier says it's still assessing how many A380s will be reactivated, and is figuring out what routes they might fly on. Also Read: Timeline: Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking scandal Typically airlines deploy superjumbos on long-haul, popular routes. The size of the aircraft makes them costly to run, so there has to be demand to justify it. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demise of the world's largest jets, but the European double-decker is gaining a new lease of life as airlines scramble to cope with rising demand and shortages of newer models. Singapore Airlines, meanwhile, acknowledged the passenger appeal of the superjumbo when announcing plans to reinstate the aircraft last year. "Some people just book the A380 specifically to fly on it," Siva Govindasamy, Singapore Airlines' global public affairs head, told CNN Travel. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Lufthansa airline bringing back A380 superjumbo, costly but in demand

As the inflation woes in Europe grow, Lufthansa airlines has canceled 3000 flights due to a shortage of staff. The company is planning to cancel thousands of flights this summer as workers continue to strike.

Commuters across Europe face travel disruptions as union workers demand pay hike

'Summer of discontent' in Europe | Union workers demand increase in pay

Akasa Air, a brand of SNV Aviation Private Limited, is an Indian low-cost airline headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is backed by billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. The airline plans to start flights in July of 2022, after getting its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. It was founded in December 2021. Akasa air's vision is that "the Sky embraces everyone, and so air travel should be inclusive and affordable for all." Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is famous for&nbsp;his successful stock investments. He has partnered with IndiGo's Aditya Ghosh and Vinay Dube to launch the airline.&nbsp;Akasa Air plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in the country. The airline plans to operate approximately 70 planes in the next four years and has placed an order of&nbsp;72 Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The deal was signed at the 2022 Dubai Air Show. It has&nbsp;recently received its code from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)&nbsp;and will be called 'QP'.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-india-set-to-make-one-of-the-largest-aircraft-deals-in-the-history-490213">Tata-owned Air India set to make one of the largest aircraft deals in history</a>

<h2>Akasa Air Boeing 737 Max landed in Delhi</h2>

Akasa air has finally arrived, with its first plane, Boeing 737 Max landing in Delhi.&nbsp;The aircraft touched down at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on 21st June 2022.&nbsp;It flew all the way from Seattle in the United States. It was only last week that the airline took delivery of its first 737 Max aircraft from Boeing in Seattle.&nbsp;People really liked the look of the aircraft and shared their excitement to travel in it on social media. Vinay Dube,&nbsp;Founder,&nbsp;Akasa Air,&nbsp; said, “The arrival of our first aircraft is a very happy moment for all of us and marks an important milestone, bringing us closer to our vision of building India’s greenest, most dependable, and most affordable airline".

<h2>What routes will Akasa Air&nbsp;run on?</h2>

While no announcement has been made in this regards, it is expected that&nbsp;Akasa air will serve the major domestic routes with a very&nbsp;low cost to attract the potential flyers. The company recently announced plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in India, focusing on metro to tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Everyone is waiting for the official announcement from the airlines. It may be possible that once the airline starts operations and runs smoothly, it may extended it services internationally as well.

Watch |&nbsp;Report: Air India considers buying 300 planes

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<h2>Will Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s Akasa Air bring revolution in Indian Aviation Industry?</h2>

Due to the Covid pandemic, the aviation sector is facing a huge downfall, leaving many people in the industry unemployed. However, the launch of Akasa air especially due to its ultra low cost, may result in a boom for the industry. Many people wish to travel by air but can't because of the high ticket cost, but if the price lowers, the sale of tickets will increase and help the aviation sector to grow. It will also help provide employment to more people. If the tickets become low cost, people would want to travel more frequently. All this can bring a revolution in the aviation sector.

<h2>Will Akasa Air work on the&nbsp;Wizz Air and Ryan Air Model in India?</h2>

Ryan Air and Wizz Air are both Europe-based airlines that also provide people with low cost travels. Due to this, they are proving to be a boom for the aviation sector there, and are getting a lot of customers. However there is a neck-to-neck competition between both of them, on which one is better. Akasa air also works on a similar model. However in India, Akasa would be the first ultra low cost airline, and everyone wants to see what it serves.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/international-air-transport-association-says-aviation-industrys-return-to-profit-is-within-reach-in-2023-489991">International Air Transport Association says aviation industry's return to profit is 'within reach' in 2023</a>

<h2>What strategy will be taken by existing airlines in India after Akasa Air launch?</h2>

With the launch of the ultra low-cost&nbsp;airline, Akasa air, the existing airlines like Indigo, Vistara, Spice Jet, etc. are expected to face further pressure. However, in response to the launch of low cost airline, they can also start to lower their ticket prices and improve their services. The tough competition would also force the other airlines to perform better than they were doing before, which may also aid in the growth of the aviation sector after the pandemic damages. Speaking at the post-earnings conference call on July 27, IndiGo’s CFO Jiten Chopra said: “The strength of our balance sheet is our biggest defence in the fight against Covid19 and we will continue to enhance this strength by focusing on cost reduction, liquidity enhancement and capacity addition”.&nbsp;CAPA said that it expects Indian airlines to lose a consolidated $4.1 billion in FY2022, similar to that in FY2021.

Everyone is excited to travel in the ultra low cost airline, and to see will it prove to be a boom for the aviation sector. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is also known for his successful investments and hence everyone is looking forward to his airlines. Also his partners,&nbsp;IndiGo's Aditya Ghosh and Vinay Dube would help him strengthen the business as they already have a lot of knowledge about this industry.&nbsp;

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Akasa Air, a brand of SNV Aviation Private Limited, is an Indian low-cost airline headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is backed by billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.

Akasa Air, a brand of SNV Aviation Private Limited, is an Indian low-cost airline headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is backed by billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. The airline plans to start flights in July of 2022, after getting its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. It was founded in December 2021. Akasa air's vision is that "the Sky embraces everyone, and so air travel should be inclusive and affordable for all." Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is famous for his successful stock investments. He has partnered with IndiGo's Aditya Ghosh and Vinay Dube to launch the airline. Akasa Air plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in the country. The airline plans to operate approximately 70 planes in the next four years and has placed an order of 72 Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The deal was signed at the 2022 Dubai Air Show. It has recently received its code from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and will be called 'QP'. Also read | Tata-owned Air India set to make one of the largest aircraft deals in history Akasa Air Boeing 737 Max landed in Delhi Akasa air has finally arrived, with its first plane, Boeing 737 Max landing in Delhi. The aircraft touched down at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on 21st June 2022. It flew all the way from Seattle in the United States. It was only last week that the airline took delivery of its first 737 Max aircraft from Boeing in Seattle. People really liked the look of the aircraft and shared their excitement to travel in it on social media. Vinay Dube, Founder, Akasa Air, said, “The arrival of our first aircraft is a very happy moment for all of us and marks an important milestone, bringing us closer to our vision of building India’s greenest, most dependable, and most affordable airline". What routes will Akasa Air run on? While no announcement has been made in this regards, it is expected that Akasa air will serve the major domestic routes with a very low cost to attract the potential flyers. The company recently announced plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in India, focusing on metro to tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Everyone is waiting for the official announcement from the airlines. It may be possible that once the airline starts operations and runs smoothly, it may extended it services internationally as well. Watch | Report: Air India considers buying 300 planes Will Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s Akasa Air bring revolution in Indian Aviation Industry? Due to the Covid pandemic, the aviation sector is facing a huge downfall, leaving many people in the industry unemployed. However, the launch of Akasa air especially due to its ultra low cost, may result in a boom for the industry. Many people wish to travel by air but can't because of the high ticket cost, but if the price lowers, the sale of tickets will increase and help the aviation sector to grow. It will also help provide employment to more people. If the tickets become low cost, people would want to travel more frequently. All this can bring a revolution in the aviation sector. Will Akasa Air work on the Wizz Air and Ryan Air Model in India? Ryan Air and Wizz Air are both Europe-based airlines that also provide people with low cost travels. Due to this, they are proving to be a boom for the aviation sector there, and are getting a lot of customers. However there is a neck-to-neck competition between both of them, on which one is better. Akasa air also works on a similar model. However in India, Akasa would be the first ultra low cost airline, and everyone wants to see what it serves. Also read | International Air Transport Association says aviation industry's return to profit is 'within reach' in 2023 What strategy will be taken by existing airlines in India after Akasa Air launch? With the launch of the ultra low-cost airline, Akasa air, the existing airlines like Indigo, Vistara, Spice Jet, etc. are expected to face further pressure. However, in response to the launch of low cost airline, they can also start to lower their ticket prices and improve their services. The tough competition would also force the other airlines to perform better than they were doing before, which may also aid in the growth of the aviation sector after the pandemic damages. Speaking at the post-earnings conference call on July 27, IndiGo’s CFO Jiten Chopra said: “The strength of our balance sheet is our biggest defence in the fight against Covid19 and we will continue to enhance this strength by focusing on cost reduction, liquidity enhancement and capacity addition”. CAPA said that it expects Indian airlines to lose a consolidated $4.1 billion in FY2022, similar to that in FY2021. Everyone is excited to travel in the ultra low cost airline, and to see will it prove to be a boom for the aviation sector. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is also known for his successful investments and hence everyone is looking forward to his airlines. Also his partners, IndiGo's Aditya Ghosh and Vinay Dube would help him strengthen the business as they already have a lot of knowledge about this industry. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Akasa Air: Why is everyone waiting for Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s airlines?

Japan's Zipair budget airline has been forced to change its logo with the letter 'Z', which is unfortunately now being linked with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;

The symbol shot to controversy worldwide after being spotted on Russian tanks and military uniforms in Ukraine.

It has since appeared on cars and clothing in Russia and online and has become a sign of support for the invasion, a patriotic trend the Kremlin is keen to encourage.

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Japanese airline Zipair Tokyo has removed the "Z" logo from the fuselage of its aircraft and completely abandoned its use. 
● Social media users complained about the letter Z on the planes, saying it could be “misunderstood” in the context of the invasion of Ukraine: RBK <a href="https://t.co/POiDs2JkBB">pic.twitter.com/POiDs2JkBB</a>
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Zipair president Shingo Nishida said on Wednesday that the company is ditching the logo to avoid anyone mistakenly thinking his business is in favour of the bloody conflict.

"Some people might feel that way when they see it without any explanation," he told reporters, according to Kyodo News.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-and-egypt-sign-mou-with-eu-to-boost-gas-exports-to-europe-488729">&nbsp;Israel and Egypt sign MoU with EU to boost gas exports to Europe</a>

Zipair's new logo -- a green, black and white geometric design -- will from Saturday replace the black 'Z' currently on the tail fin of its planes, the reports said.

Zipair, a subsidiary of Japan Airlines, links Narita International Airport near Tokyo with Bangkok, Seoul, Honolulu, Singapore and Los Angeles. The airline was launched in 2020.

(with inputs from agencies)

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Japan's Zipair budget airline has been forced to change its logo with the letter 'Z', which is unfortunately now being linked with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The symbol shot to controversy worldwide after being spotted on Russian tanks and military uniforms in Ukraine.

Japan's Zipair budget airline has been forced to change its logo with the letter 'Z', which is unfortunately now being linked with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The symbol shot to controversy worldwide after being spotted on Russian tanks and military uniforms in Ukraine. It has since appeared on cars and clothing in Russia and online and has become a sign of support for the invasion, a patriotic trend the Kremlin is keen to encourage. Japanese airline Zipair Tokyo has removed the "Z" logo from the fuselage of its aircraft and completely abandoned its use. ● Social media users complained about the letter Z on the planes, saying it could be “misunderstood” in the context of the invasion of Ukraine: RBK pic.twitter.com/POiDs2JkBB — Jason Corcoran (@jason_corcoran) June 16, 2022 × Zipair president Shingo Nishida said on Wednesday that the company is ditching the logo to avoid anyone mistakenly thinking his business is in favour of the bloody conflict. "Some people might feel that way when they see it without any explanation," he told reporters, according to Kyodo News. Also Read: Israel and Egypt sign MoU with EU to boost gas exports to Europe Zipair's new logo -- a green, black and white geometric design -- will from Saturday replace the black 'Z' currently on the tail fin of its planes, the reports said. Zipair, a subsidiary of Japan Airlines, links Narita International Airport near Tokyo with Bangkok, Seoul, Honolulu, Singapore and Los Angeles. The airline was launched in 2020. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Japanese airline ditches letter 'Z' logo, which may seem pro-Russia

Europe's largest airline Ryanair has hit turbulence over its bizarre nationality test for South Africans. the test has triggered massive public outrage on social media. Several users are calling it shocking, discriminatory and humiliating.

Europe's largest Airline Ryanair faces outrage over test in Afrikaans for South Africans

In a major landmark decision, Delta Air Lines in the US has decided to pay flight attendants for ‘boarding time’. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It is the time when passengers enter the aircraft before take-off. The airline, which has become the first major US airline to do so, will pay half of the hourly rates of the flight attendants when customers board. &nbsp;

Earlier, flight attendants were only paid once the aircraft doors were closed. The payout will be made from June 2, CNBC said citing a company memo. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-half-us-adults-three-out-of-four-children-have-had-covid-report-474230" hreflang="en">More than half US adults, three out of four children have had Covid: Report</a>

The time of boarding for "narrow-body flights" will also rise from 35 to 40 minutes, as "one of several steps we’re taking to add resiliency to our operation,” the Atlanta-based airline company said. &nbsp;

This comes as a recent effort for unionisation of flight attendants has gained popularity. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Till now, around 20,000 flight attendants of the Delta are not unionised, unlike other big air carriers in the US, the outlet said. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;US' missile destroyer sailed through Taiwan strait, US clarifies on warship sailing

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In 2019, a campaign of a union was started by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA). It is seeking to organise and hold a mass unionisation. This association is currently represented by the cabin crews of other major airlines like Spirit Airlines, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and Frontier Airlines. &nbsp;

In a statement on Monday, the AFA, said, "As we get closer to filing for our union vote, management is getting nervous. Today, let’s celebrate that our organising is pushing management to do more than they would have without being challenged. And let’s double down on our campaign, so we can secure a contract that locks in all of these benefits." &nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a major landmark decision, Delta Air Lines in the US has decided to pay flight attendants for ‘boarding time’. It is the time when passengers enter the aircraft before take-off.

In a major landmark decision, Delta Air Lines in the US has decided to pay flight attendants for ‘boarding time’. It is the time when passengers enter the aircraft before take-off. The airline, which has become the first major US airline to do so, will pay half of the hourly rates of the flight attendants when customers board. Earlier, flight attendants were only paid once the aircraft doors were closed. The payout will be made from June 2, CNBC said citing a company memo. Also Read | More than half US adults, three out of four children have had Covid: Report The time of boarding for "narrow-body flights" will also rise from 35 to 40 minutes, as "one of several steps we’re taking to add resiliency to our operation,” the Atlanta-based airline company said. This comes as a recent effort for unionisation of flight attendants has gained popularity. Till now, around 20,000 flight attendants of the Delta are not unionised, unlike other big air carriers in the US, the outlet said. Watch: US' missile destroyer sailed through Taiwan strait, US clarifies on warship sailing × In 2019, a campaign of a union was started by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA). It is seeking to organise and hold a mass unionisation. This association is currently represented by the cabin crews of other major airlines like Spirit Airlines, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and Frontier Airlines. In a statement on Monday, the AFA, said, "As we get closer to filing for our union vote, management is getting nervous. Today, let’s celebrate that our organising is pushing management to do more than they would have without being challenged. And let’s double down on our campaign, so we can secure a contract that locks in all of these benefits." WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

Delta becomes first major US airline to pay flight attendants for ‘boarding time’

Because of a rebound in Chinese domestic demand despite extended lockdowns in Asia's biggest eastern market, the global airline capacity has surged to its highest level in 2022.

Global airline capacity peaks in 2022

The aviation regulator has clamped down on Comair. South African airline Comair's entire fleet has been grounded, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

South African airline Comair's fleet grounded: Hundreds of passengers stranded

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The pilot, who is a man from Orlando, Florida, was removed from the cockpit after a Transportation Security Administration agent told the authorities that he looked “impaired” while passing through security, reported the Buffalo News. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-humanitarian-relief-biden-administration-offers-temporary-protected-status-to-ukrainians-in-us-458809">Biden admin offers 'Temporary Protected Status' to Ukrainians in US</a>

Niagara Frontier TSA spokeswoman Helen Tederous said that the pilot told authorities that he had seven to eight drinks before he got on the plane, which was departing from Buffalo Niagara international airport to Fort Lauderdale.&nbsp;

After his removal, the police performed a breathalyzer test. It was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.17% in the test. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight or flying with a blood-alcohol level more than 0.04. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Initially, he was taken into police custody, and later handed over to JetBlue security. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-end-ukraines-invasion-us-senator-calls-for-russian-president-vladimir-putins-assassination-458861">US senator calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin's assassination</a>

The pilot has been removed from his duties by JetBlue and&nbsp;may also face federal charges, said Tederous. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement, JetBlue officials said they were aware of the incident and cooperating with law enforcement. They were also conducting an internal investigation. &nbsp;

“We adhere to all (Department of Transportation) rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy,” read the statement. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US.

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US. The pilot, who is a man from Orlando, Florida, was removed from the cockpit after a Transportation Security Administration agent told the authorities that he looked “impaired” while passing through security, reported the Buffalo News. Also Read: Biden admin offers 'Temporary Protected Status' to Ukrainians in US Niagara Frontier TSA spokeswoman Helen Tederous said that the pilot told authorities that he had seven to eight drinks before he got on the plane, which was departing from Buffalo Niagara international airport to Fort Lauderdale. After his removal, the police performed a breathalyzer test. It was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.17% in the test. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight or flying with a blood-alcohol level more than 0.04. Initially, he was taken into police custody, and later handed over to JetBlue security. Also Read: US senator calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin's assassination The pilot has been removed from his duties by JetBlue and may also face federal charges, said Tederous. In a statement, JetBlue officials said they were aware of the incident and cooperating with law enforcement. They were also conducting an internal investigation. “We adhere to all (Department of Transportation) rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy,” read the statement. (With inputs from agencies)

52-year-old drunk airline pilot removed from cockpit of flight in US

People across the world are waiting for 5G networks to go mainstream. After all, the technology promises faster speeds and better connectivity. But the US, which has been at the forefront of the 5G revolution, has raised some serious concerns about the next-generation mobile network. It's said that 5G could pose a threat to airline safety. How true is this claim? And why is it not a problem in other countries? We look at that in this video.

Is 5G a threat to airline safety?

Passengers travelling over the Christmas holiday have been hit with disruption worldwide after airline companies cancelled more than 4,500 flights.

Passengers hit with disruptions worldwide after cancellation of airlines

Passengers hit with disruptions worldwide after airline companies cancel airlines

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute. While Indigo mentioned their efforts in helping transport 67.9cr vaccines across the country, SpiceJet referred to their role in repatriating Indian citizens from abroad, transporting cargo and COVID-19 relief material.&nbsp;

 
“The airline carried 1727 tonnes of COVID vaccine via 4505 flights between January 12th and October 12th 2021, by adhering to all requisite precautionary measures” read the statement from Indigo. Congratulating the Indian Government on the milestone, William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We feel privileged to be able to contribute to the national vaccination program through safe and hassle-free transportation of 67.9cr vaccine doses over the last nine months. It is an honour to be the largest transporter of covid vaccines in the country, carrying almost 190 tonnes of vaccine Cargo across the country every month. We remain committed to supporting the nation and will continue transporting the vaccines seamlessly, till the country is fully vaccinated.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-vaccination-in-india-crosses-1-billion-what-about-its-neighbours-422545">COVID-19 vaccination in India crosses 1 billion. What about its neighbours?</a>

SpiceJet unveiled a special livery to honor the contribution of the frontline workers who worked worked tirelessly to achieve the vaccination milestone. The special livery was unveiled at a grand event graced by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet at Delhi’s IGI Airport. The livery which includes an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers will adorn three Boeing 737 aircraft of SpiceJet. Congratulating the Prime Minister and the &nbsp;Government, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “The fact that a record 1 billion doses were administered in just 279 days is a testament to the efforts of our health workers and the cooperation of our citizens.”

 
According to SpiceJet, they had played an integral role in the war against COVID-19 by carrying record supplies of relief material, medicines and medical equipment, over the last 18 months. “ The airline has operated around 26,300 cargo flights since March 2020 and transported around 200,000 tonnes of cargo. Besides, the airline also airlifted close to 90,000 oxygen concentrators and relief material” read their statement. It adds that they had brought back 3.63 lakh Indian and foreign nationals stranded in different countries on more than 2100 special flights.&nbsp;

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute.

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute. While Indigo mentioned their efforts in helping transport 67.9cr vaccines across the country, SpiceJet referred to their role in repatriating Indian citizens from abroad, transporting cargo and COVID-19 relief material. “The airline carried 1727 tonnes of COVID vaccine via 4505 flights between January 12th and October 12th 2021, by adhering to all requisite precautionary measures” read the statement from Indigo. Congratulating the Indian Government on the milestone, William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We feel privileged to be able to contribute to the national vaccination program through safe and hassle-free transportation of 67.9cr vaccine doses over the last nine months. It is an honour to be the largest transporter of covid vaccines in the country, carrying almost 190 tonnes of vaccine Cargo across the country every month. We remain committed to supporting the nation and will continue transporting the vaccines seamlessly, till the country is fully vaccinated.” Also Read | COVID-19 vaccination in India crosses 1 billion. What about its neighbours? SpiceJet unveiled a special livery to honor the contribution of the frontline workers who worked worked tirelessly to achieve the vaccination milestone. The special livery was unveiled at a grand event graced by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet at Delhi’s IGI Airport. The livery which includes an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers will adorn three Boeing 737 aircraft of SpiceJet. Congratulating the Prime Minister and the Government, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “The fact that a record 1 billion doses were administered in just 279 days is a testament to the efforts of our health workers and the cooperation of our citizens.” According to SpiceJet, they had played an integral role in the war against COVID-19 by carrying record supplies of relief material, medicines and medical equipment, over the last 18 months. “ The airline has operated around 26,300 cargo flights since March 2020 and transported around 200,000 tonnes of cargo. Besides, the airline also airlifted close to 90,000 oxygen concentrators and relief material” read their statement. It adds that they had brought back 3.63 lakh Indian and foreign nationals stranded in different countries on more than 2100 special flights.

India’s Private airlines recall journey to 1billion vaccinations, battle against COVID-19

A former chief technical pilot for Boeing was charged with fraud for deceiving federal regulators evaluating the company's 737 max jet, hindering the ability to protect airline passengers and leaving "Pilots in the lurch," the US Justice department said.

Former chief technical pilot for Boeing charged with fraud

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. 
 
The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. 
 
Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. 
 
Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. 
 
"The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. 
 
"This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." 
 
The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. 
 
With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. 
 
The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. "The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. "This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. (With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia plans new national airline as it diversifies from oil

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation watchdog on Monday de-rostered flight crew of SpiceJet plane that was chartered&nbsp;as a wedding destination in the sky. A counple got married in the plane with more than 100 attendees onboard. The images of the 'ceremony' have gone viral on the social media.

"Crew members are off rostered. Airline directed to lodge a complaint against those not following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour with relevant authorities," a DGCA official told ANI.

Pictures of a Madurai-based couple’s wedding that took place on board a chartered commercial aircraft that flew between Madurai and Tuticorin, have gone viral on social media.

What’s caught netizens’ attention is the manner in which the family and wedding attendees are seen blatantly violating COVID-19 norms, with very few wearing masks and the others not wearing them at all or wearing it improperly. This comes at a time when Tamil Nadu is witnessing the peak of COVID-19 with nearly 36,000 daily cases and is in the midst of a state government-ordered Lockdown. &nbsp;

It is said that the couple, who are based out of Goripalayam in Madurai, had tied the knot sometime last week, with limited guests as per the 50-attendee cap set by the government.

However, as the state government announced temporary relaxations to lockdown restrictions on Saturday and Sunday, the families seem to have arranged a chartered flight to have a special wedding with more attendees. It is said that the wedding guests were all tested RT-PCR negative. However the claim has not been verified.&nbsp;

Going by the pictures and videos of this wedding, there are over 100 people seated in the flight, with hardly any adherence to prevalent COVID-19 norms in the Indian Aviation sector. Generally, those taking domestic flights in India have to be temperature checked, masked, are provided face shields, sanitizers, etc to ensure safety of all on board.&nbsp;

WION had reached out to the concerned airline for a clarification and has understood that their plane, a Boeing 737 was chartered by a Madurai travel agent for a group that wanted a post-wedding joy ride. “The client was clearly briefed on Covid guidelines to be followed and denied permission or any activity to be performed on board. The approval for this flight was taken as joy ride for the wedding group,” read the statement from SpiceJet.&nbsp;

According to the airline, the agent and passengers were repeatedly briefed in detail on the Covid safety norms at the airport and in-flight, and also about the DGCA protocols restricting photography and videography.

“Despite repeated requests and reminders the passengers did not follow Covid guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per rules,” the airline added.

For one week from Monday, Tamil Nadu is in a total lockdown, where even grocery and vegetable shops would be shut. Vegetables and fruits would be sold on carts and vehicles that are authorised to do so by the civic bodies of respective districts. Only medical shops, fuel stations, ATMs and essential government offices will be open, while banks can function with one-third staff. E-commerce deliveries can operate from 8 am until 6 pm. Hotels will function from 6 am to 10 am, 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm and provide only takeaways, during which food delivery services can function.&nbsp;

However, the latest government order issued pertaining to this lockdown does not provide information on whether weddings are permitted and the crowd restrictions, crowd restrictions at funerals, etc. It also does not make a mention on availability of cabs, autos, permissions required for traveling to vaccination centres, etc. There is also confusion over whether customers can visit banks, since the banks themselves can function with 1/3rd staff.&nbsp;

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation watchdog on Monday de-rostered flight crew of SpiceJet plane that was chartered as a wedding destination in the sky.

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation watchdog on Monday de-rostered flight crew of SpiceJet plane that was chartered as a wedding destination in the sky. A counple got married in the plane with more than 100 attendees onboard. The images of the 'ceremony' have gone viral on the social media. "Crew members are off rostered. Airline directed to lodge a complaint against those not following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour with relevant authorities," a DGCA official told ANI. Pictures of a Madurai-based couple’s wedding that took place on board a chartered commercial aircraft that flew between Madurai and Tuticorin, have gone viral on social media. What’s caught netizens’ attention is the manner in which the family and wedding attendees are seen blatantly violating COVID-19 norms, with very few wearing masks and the others not wearing them at all or wearing it improperly. This comes at a time when Tamil Nadu is witnessing the peak of COVID-19 with nearly 36,000 daily cases and is in the midst of a state government-ordered Lockdown. It is said that the couple, who are based out of Goripalayam in Madurai, had tied the knot sometime last week, with limited guests as per the 50-attendee cap set by the government. However, as the state government announced temporary relaxations to lockdown restrictions on Saturday and Sunday, the families seem to have arranged a chartered flight to have a special wedding with more attendees. It is said that the wedding guests were all tested RT-PCR negative. However the claim has not been verified. Going by the pictures and videos of this wedding, there are over 100 people seated in the flight, with hardly any adherence to prevalent COVID-19 norms in the Indian Aviation sector. Generally, those taking domestic flights in India have to be temperature checked, masked, are provided face shields, sanitizers, etc to ensure safety of all on board. WION had reached out to the concerned airline for a clarification and has understood that their plane, a Boeing 737 was chartered by a Madurai travel agent for a group that wanted a post-wedding joy ride. “The client was clearly briefed on Covid guidelines to be followed and denied permission or any activity to be performed on board. The approval for this flight was taken as joy ride for the wedding group,” read the statement from SpiceJet. According to the airline, the agent and passengers were repeatedly briefed in detail on the Covid safety norms at the airport and in-flight, and also about the DGCA protocols restricting photography and videography. “Despite repeated requests and reminders the passengers did not follow Covid guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per rules,” the airline added. For one week from Monday, Tamil Nadu is in a total lockdown, where even grocery and vegetable shops would be shut. Vegetables and fruits would be sold on carts and vehicles that are authorised to do so by the civic bodies of respective districts. Only medical shops, fuel stations, ATMs and essential government offices will be open, while banks can function with one-third staff. E-commerce deliveries can operate from 8 am until 6 pm. Hotels will function from 6 am to 10 am, 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm and provide only takeaways, during which food delivery services can function. However, the latest government order issued pertaining to this lockdown does not provide information on whether weddings are permitted and the crowd restrictions, crowd restrictions at funerals, etc. It also does not make a mention on availability of cabs, autos, permissions required for traveling to vaccination centres, etc. There is also confusion over whether customers can visit banks, since the banks themselves can function with 1/3rd staff.

Tamil Nadu: Couple’s sky-high wedding creates problem, DGCA takes flight crew off duty

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.&nbsp;

In what was described by some EU leaders as a hijacking, the passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet. On its landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody.&nbsp;

Protasevich had his head in his hands and was shaking when he realised the flight was headed for Minsk, Lithuania's Delfi news outlet said, quoting a passenger. Later, as he was led away, according to the report, he remarked: "I'll get the death penalty here." The report could not be verified.&nbsp;

The 26-year-old journalist worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so.&nbsp;

Protasevich, who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies.&nbsp;

Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After seven hours on the ground, the plane took off and finally landed in Vilnius where Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was waiting to meet the passengers.&nbsp;

As European officials threatened new sanctions on Belarus, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced landing and arrest a 'shocking act’, demanded Protasevich's immediate release and said President Joe Biden's administration was 'coordinating with our partners on next steps’.&nbsp;

EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond.&nbsp;

Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive European Commission, said Protasevich must be released immediately and that those responsible for 'the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned’, adding EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Monday would discuss what action to take.&nbsp;

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a tweet that the incident was serious and dangerous and required an international investigation.&nbsp;

Simon Coveney, foreign minister of Ireland, where Ryanair is based, said on Twitter: "EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus."&nbsp;

Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said he discussed the Ryanair plane diversion with US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, urging a strong response from the West.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Lithuanian prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation into the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to Vilnius in Minsk, the General Prosecutors office said in a statement on Sunday.&nbsp;

The charges under investigation include hijacking of a plane for terrorism purposes and treatment of humans in violation of international treaties, it said in the statement.&nbsp;

The United States along with the EU, Britain and Canada have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on almost 90 Belarusian officials, including Lukashenko, following an August election that opponents and the West say was a sham.&nbsp;

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement with the heads of seven European parliamentary foreign affairs panels denouncing the forced landing as 'an act of piracy’. They called for a ban on all overflights of Belarus, including to and from the country, and for NATO and EU states to impose sanctions and suspend Belarus' 'ability to use Interpol’.&nbsp;

Blinken demanded a 'full investigation' of an action he said endangered the lives of the passengers, including US citizens.&nbsp;

"Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," he said in a statement.&nbsp;

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich now operates from Lithuania, called on the UN aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to kick Belarus out.&nbsp;

ICAO said it was 'strongly concerned' over the incident, which might have breached the Chicago Convention underpinning civil aviation. Global airline industry body IATA also called for a full investigation.&nbsp;

The incident is certain to worsen already dire relations between the West and Belarus, which has been tightly controlled since 1994 by Lukashenko.&nbsp;

Opponents accuse him of rigging a presidential election in his own favour last year and of then cracking down violently on the opposition. He denies electoral fraud.&nbsp;

Ryanair said in a statement that the plane`s crew was notified by Belarus of a potential security threat on board and was instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk.&nbsp;

The plane landed safely, passengers were offloaded, security checks were made by local authorities and the aircraft later resumed its journey to Vilnius, Ryanair said.&nbsp;

One of the passengers, speaking to Reuters after arriving at Vilnius airport, said neither the pilot nor the crew gave a full explanation for the sudden diversion to Minsk, but Protasevich reacted quickly to the news, standing up from his seat.&nbsp;

The Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas, said Protasevich opened an overhead locker, pulled out a laptop computer and a phone and gave them to a female companion. On landing, Protasevich was immediately separated, Mantas said.&nbsp;

Belarusian officials with sniffer dogs searched the luggage of each passenger, including Protasevich, but appeared to find nothing. "It looked fake," Mantas said of the bomb-detection operation.&nbsp;

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told a news conference late on Sunday that Protasevich`s female companion had also not re-embarked on the flight from Minsk to Vilnius.&nbsp;

Belarusian news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenko had personally ordered the warplane to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk. No explosives were found, it said.&nbsp;

Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army forces in Europe, said the air defenses of Belarus were closely integrated with those of Russia. "If you had anything happening in the Belarus airspace, it would be impossible for the Kremlin - or at least Russian military forces - not to know about it," he said.&nbsp;

Nauseda urged "NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime."&nbsp;

Lithuanian presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said the operation to force the plane carrying around 170 people from 12 countries to land seemed to be pre-planned.&nbsp;

The Belarusian department for organised crime control reported that Protasevich had been detained, before deleting the statement from its Telegram channel.&nbsp;

About 35,000 people have been detained in Belarus since August, human rights groups say. Dozens have received jail terms.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States. In what was described by some EU leaders as a hijacking, the passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet. On its landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody. Protasevich had his head in his hands and was shaking when he realised the flight was headed for Minsk, Lithuania's Delfi news outlet said, quoting a passenger. Later, as he was led away, according to the report, he remarked: "I'll get the death penalty here." The report could not be verified. The 26-year-old journalist worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so. Protasevich, who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies. Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After seven hours on the ground, the plane took off and finally landed in Vilnius where Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was waiting to meet the passengers. As European officials threatened new sanctions on Belarus, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced landing and arrest a 'shocking act’, demanded Protasevich's immediate release and said President Joe Biden's administration was 'coordinating with our partners on next steps’. EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive European Commission, said Protasevich must be released immediately and that those responsible for 'the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned’, adding EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Monday would discuss what action to take. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a tweet that the incident was serious and dangerous and required an international investigation. Simon Coveney, foreign minister of Ireland, where Ryanair is based, said on Twitter: "EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus." Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said he discussed the Ryanair plane diversion with US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, urging a strong response from the West. Meanwhile, Lithuanian prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation into the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to Vilnius in Minsk, the General Prosecutors office said in a statement on Sunday. The charges under investigation include hijacking of a plane for terrorism purposes and treatment of humans in violation of international treaties, it said in the statement. The United States along with the EU, Britain and Canada have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on almost 90 Belarusian officials, including Lukashenko, following an August election that opponents and the West say was a sham. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement with the heads of seven European parliamentary foreign affairs panels denouncing the forced landing as 'an act of piracy’. They called for a ban on all overflights of Belarus, including to and from the country, and for NATO and EU states to impose sanctions and suspend Belarus' 'ability to use Interpol’. Blinken demanded a 'full investigation' of an action he said endangered the lives of the passengers, including US citizens. "Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," he said in a statement. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich now operates from Lithuania, called on the UN aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to kick Belarus out. ICAO said it was 'strongly concerned' over the incident, which might have breached the Chicago Convention underpinning civil aviation. Global airline industry body IATA also called for a full investigation. The incident is certain to worsen already dire relations between the West and Belarus, which has been tightly controlled since 1994 by Lukashenko. Opponents accuse him of rigging a presidential election in his own favour last year and of then cracking down violently on the opposition. He denies electoral fraud. Ryanair said in a statement that the plane`s crew was notified by Belarus of a potential security threat on board and was instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk. The plane landed safely, passengers were offloaded, security checks were made by local authorities and the aircraft later resumed its journey to Vilnius, Ryanair said. One of the passengers, speaking to Reuters after arriving at Vilnius airport, said neither the pilot nor the crew gave a full explanation for the sudden diversion to Minsk, but Protasevich reacted quickly to the news, standing up from his seat. The Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas, said Protasevich opened an overhead locker, pulled out a laptop computer and a phone and gave them to a female companion. On landing, Protasevich was immediately separated, Mantas said. Belarusian officials with sniffer dogs searched the luggage of each passenger, including Protasevich, but appeared to find nothing. "It looked fake," Mantas said of the bomb-detection operation. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told a news conference late on Sunday that Protasevich`s female companion had also not re-embarked on the flight from Minsk to Vilnius. Belarusian news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenko had personally ordered the warplane to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk. No explosives were found, it said. Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army forces in Europe, said the air defenses of Belarus were closely integrated with those of Russia. "If you had anything happening in the Belarus airspace, it would be impossible for the Kremlin - or at least Russian military forces - not to know about it," he said. Nauseda urged "NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime." Lithuanian presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said the operation to force the plane carrying around 170 people from 12 countries to land seemed to be pre-planned. The Belarusian department for organised crime control reported that Protasevich had been detained, before deleting the statement from its Telegram channel. About 35,000 people have been detained in Belarus since August, human rights groups say. Dozens have received jail terms. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus forces airliner to land and arrests blogger opposed to president, sparking US, European outrage 

Taiwan will quarantine all pilots for its largest carrier China Airlines Ltd for 14 days as it tries to stop an outbreak of COVID-19, the health minister said on Monday, impacting a lifeline for the island's trade-dependent economy. &nbsp;

Taiwan has generally kept the pandemic under control due to early prevention with only sporadic domestic cases, but since last month it has been dealing with an outbreak linked to China Airlines pilots and an airport hotel where many of them stayed. There have been 35 confirmed infections so far in the outbreak.&nbsp;

Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters the only way to break the chain of transmission at the carrier is to quarantine all China Airlines pilots currently in Taiwan and any who return. &nbsp;

"This will have a big impact on China Airlines, on its passenger and freighter flights, and for the crew, too. But for the safety of the whole community we cannot but make this decision," he said. &nbsp;

The pilots will only be allowed out of quarantine once they have tested negative, Chen said. &nbsp;

China Airlines, a major cargo carrier, said it would split the quarantining pilots into groups and try "as much as possible to maintain flight operations; it is not a total grounding." &nbsp;

China Airlines will prioritise cargo flights, but there will be disruption even as they 'go all out' to ensure they can still fly, it said. &nbsp;

"The short-term reduction in Taiwan’s import and export capacity will affect the delivery time of goods," China Airlines said, without elaborating. &nbsp;

Taiwan's health authorities believe some of the pilots got infected overseas, then spread the infection upon returning to Taiwan, and that others could have been infected by pilots from other airlines staying at the same hotel.&nbsp;

Taiwan will quarantine all pilots for its largest carrier China Airlines Ltd for 14 days as it tries to stop an outbreak of COVID-19, the health minister said on Monday, impacting a lifeline for the island's trade-dependent economy.

Taiwan will quarantine all pilots for its largest carrier China Airlines Ltd for 14 days as it tries to stop an outbreak of COVID-19, the health minister said on Monday, impacting a lifeline for the island's trade-dependent economy. Taiwan has generally kept the pandemic under control due to early prevention with only sporadic domestic cases, but since last month it has been dealing with an outbreak linked to China Airlines pilots and an airport hotel where many of them stayed. There have been 35 confirmed infections so far in the outbreak. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters the only way to break the chain of transmission at the carrier is to quarantine all China Airlines pilots currently in Taiwan and any who return. "This will have a big impact on China Airlines, on its passenger and freighter flights, and for the crew, too. But for the safety of the whole community we cannot but make this decision," he said. The pilots will only be allowed out of quarantine once they have tested negative, Chen said. China Airlines, a major cargo carrier, said it would split the quarantining pilots into groups and try "as much as possible to maintain flight operations; it is not a total grounding." China Airlines will prioritise cargo flights, but there will be disruption even as they 'go all out' to ensure they can still fly, it said. "The short-term reduction in Taiwan’s import and export capacity will affect the delivery time of goods," China Airlines said, without elaborating. Taiwan's health authorities believe some of the pilots got infected overseas, then spread the infection upon returning to Taiwan, and that others could have been infected by pilots from other airlines staying at the same hotel.

Taiwan to quarantine pilots of its largest airline amid COVID-19 outbreak 

One of Europe's largest airline Air France- KLM has posted a wider first quarter operating loss. Air France-KLM sales are showing little sign so far of the travel recovery it still hopes to see by summer, with the group also confirming it's intention to raise more capital within months.

World Business Watch: Air France-KLM falls further into red as European recovery lags

Data comprising of details of many airline passengers around the world has been hacked via a attack on the IT systems operator that serves around 90 per cent of the global aviation industry.

Sita, which serves the Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and United, said on Thursday it had been the victim of a cyber attack.

The American company said the incident occurred on&nbsp;February 24, and might have led to a breach of passenger data held on its servers.

Sita took “immediate action” to contact affected customers and all related organisations, it said in a statement.

It added, "This was a highly sophisticated attack. Sita acted swiftly and initiated targetted containment measures. The matter remains under continued investigation by Sita’s security incident response team with the support of leading external experts in cyber-security."

Sita had informed Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Finnair and a South Korean carrier called Jeju Air that their passengers had been affected by the breach of its passenger service system (PSS) servers.

Star Alliance, which also includes Air China, Swiss and Air Canada, shares data between carriers to ensure benefits can be spread among each member airline.

The breach was linked to frequent flyer data but was limited to “your name, tier status and membership number”, an email said. The data breach did not include any member passwords, credit card information or other personal customer data.

Data comprising of details of many airline passengers around the world has been hacked via a attack on the IT systems operator that serves around 90 per cent of the global aviation industry.

Data comprising of details of many airline passengers around the world has been hacked via a attack on the IT systems operator that serves around 90 per cent of the global aviation industry. Sita, which serves the Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and United, said on Thursday it had been the victim of a cyber attack. The American company said the incident occurred on February 24, and might have led to a breach of passenger data held on its servers. Sita took “immediate action” to contact affected customers and all related organisations, it said in a statement. It added, "This was a highly sophisticated attack. Sita acted swiftly and initiated targetted containment measures. The matter remains under continued investigation by Sita’s security incident response team with the support of leading external experts in cyber-security." Sita had informed Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Finnair and a South Korean carrier called Jeju Air that their passengers had been affected by the breach of its passenger service system (PSS) servers. Star Alliance, which also includes Air China, Swiss and Air Canada, shares data between carriers to ensure benefits can be spread among each member airline. The breach was linked to frequent flyer data but was limited to “your name, tier status and membership number”, an email said. The data breach did not include any member passwords, credit card information or other personal customer data.

Thousands of Star Alliance passengers' details stolen in cyber attack

People are now paying to eat airline meals, but on the ground! We truly live in uncanny times.&nbsp;

Singapore Airlines, whose fleet has been rendered inoperable owing to the COVID-19 pandemic has capitalised on a food fetish for economic reprieve.

Hundreds of passengers are now paying Singapore Airlines the equivalent of a budget ticket to eat a meal inside grounded planes: A380 jumbos in specific.

World's biggest passenger jet

People are paying upto $470 for a taste of travelling! The “passengers” can dine on the world’s biggest passenger jet for SG $642.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the aviation industry into a crisis, with many being laid off, and the number of flights in air decreasing in the face of the pressure.

In Pics:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/photos/worlds-10-safest-airlines-to-travel-in-2020-283019" hreflang="en">World's 10 safest airlines to travel in 2020</a>

Due to this, companies are looking for other means to resuscitate the industry. Many are offering tours of aircraft, or a flying experience without the flight.

Thousands of jobs have been cut by Singapore Airlines in the aftermath of the pandemic, and almost all of its aircraft are grounded. To find some reprieve, the airlines has turned one of its A380s into a pop-up restaurant, serving customers a taste of airline meals.

Mission successful&nbsp;

According to the Straits Times, this proved successful. All 900 seats for October 24 and 25 sold out within half an hour.

Owing to “overwhelming demand”, the carrier has decided to keep the restaurant open for two extra days. Customers can now have lunch and dinner on all four dates.

In Pics:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/photos/how-tourism-is-making-a-return-in-times-of-coronavirus-310236" hreflang="en">How tourism is making a return in times of coronavirus</a>

The Airlines is offering a variety of meals, with the most expensive being a four-course meal in a first-class suite. The cheapest meal costs SG$53 and consists of a three-course meal in economy class.

However, social distancing norms are being followed, with about half of the seats being left empty on the jets, which are parked at Changi Airport.

It gets better! Singapore Airlines is now also delivering plane meals to people’s homes.

People are now paying to eat airline meals, but on the ground! We truly live in uncanny times. Singapore Airlines, whose fleet has been rendered inoperable owing to the COVID-19 pandemic has capitalised on a food fetish for economic reprieve.

People are now paying to eat airline meals, but on the ground! We truly live in uncanny times. Singapore Airlines, whose fleet has been rendered inoperable owing to the COVID-19 pandemic has capitalised on a food fetish for economic reprieve. Hundreds of passengers are now paying Singapore Airlines the equivalent of a budget ticket to eat a meal inside grounded planes: A380 jumbos in specific. World's biggest passenger jet People are paying upto $470 for a taste of travelling! The “passengers” can dine on the world’s biggest passenger jet for SG $642. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the aviation industry into a crisis, with many being laid off, and the number of flights in air decreasing in the face of the pressure. In Pics: World's 10 safest airlines to travel in 2020 Due to this, companies are looking for other means to resuscitate the industry. Many are offering tours of aircraft, or a flying experience without the flight. Thousands of jobs have been cut by Singapore Airlines in the aftermath of the pandemic, and almost all of its aircraft are grounded. To find some reprieve, the airlines has turned one of its A380s into a pop-up restaurant, serving customers a taste of airline meals. Mission successful According to the Straits Times, this proved successful. All 900 seats for October 24 and 25 sold out within half an hour. Owing to “overwhelming demand”, the carrier has decided to keep the restaurant open for two extra days. Customers can now have lunch and dinner on all four dates. In Pics: How tourism is making a return in times of coronavirus The Airlines is offering a variety of meals, with the most expensive being a four-course meal in a first-class suite. The cheapest meal costs SG$53 and consists of a three-course meal in economy class. However, social distancing norms are being followed, with about half of the seats being left empty on the jets, which are parked at Changi Airport. It gets better! Singapore Airlines is now also delivering plane meals to people’s homes.

People are paying a hefty amount to eat on board a grounded Singapore Airlines' jumbo jet

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