5 Minutes Read

GoAir offers low-fare tickets for travel till September 30

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Budget carrier GoAir on Monday launched a new sales scheme which offers tickets as low as Rs 1,099 (all-inclusive) for travel during September 10-30. Tickets are available currently and would be on sale till September 12, GoAir said in a statement. According to the company, this offer is available across all routes that GoAir operates …

Budget carrier GoAir on Monday launched a new sales scheme which offers tickets as low as Rs 1,099 (all-inclusive) for travel during September 10-30.

Tickets are available currently and would be on sale till September 12, GoAir said in a statement.

According to the company, this offer is available across all routes that GoAir operates and fares will vary from sector to sector.

“This offer is available exclusively across GoAir networks. Booking period will be from September 10, 2018, to September 12, 2018, for the travel period from September 10, 2018 to September 30, 2018,” the statement said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Airlines in India have started differentiating their products

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Summary

Each airline has something different to offer. Here is how it pans out.

Once upon a time, all Indian airlines, including Jet Airways and Indian Airlines were full-service. And then, Air Deccan of the yesteryears came and took away everything apart from the plane and a promise to bring you from A to B. They never assigned you seats, the boarding pass was a piece of paper and service was not a concept they had heard of.

From the early 2000s to now, airlines have worked towards creating differentiated product offerings, which hopefully will help in building connectivity across the country and bring even more people to use airlines as their preferred mode of travel.

India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, has chosen to be a super network of sorts across the country. They are not low-cost carriers as they are referred to be, but they’ve built their business model around connecting cities around with each other, and offering multiple frequencies when they do that, to ensure the customer has a choice of flights through the day.

You pay for a seat on the plane, can buy your food on board, and are usually guaranteed a clean aircraft and on-time performance. No frequent flyer programme exists for this airline, but they do add meals and flexible change fees for corporate customers.

Jet Airways, India’s second-biggest domestic carrier, on the other hand, tries to give the most to the business traveller. They fly from the better airports in Delhi and Mumbai, provide lounge access, frequent flier programme and a big network to Europe and across Asia as well for their customers. On board, you could expect to watch a movie using their JetScreen IFE, or grab a hot meal or snack on their flights.

Air India, the other big full-service carrier, is right now busy opening more international flights than domestic. They are building out their Delhi hub for flights to almost all parts of Europe, non-stops to the USA and also flights around Asia. They are a member of the Star Alliance and are very well capitalising on the ability of Star Alliance members to deliver traffic to them in India and abroad. Their domestic flight network is one of the most expansive ones as well, but their investment in the product is minimal, to say the least.

Air Vistara, the newest airline to take shape in India under the Tata and Singapore Airlines tutelage, is trying to shake things up. They are a full-service carrier no doubt, but they continue to work to provide the best experience for the customers even in the full-service space.

Their food is one of the most talked about on Social Media, and to patronise Vistara is the next big thing in Indian travel. Not just that, with experiences like recreating JRD Tata’s favourite food on board, they keep shaking things up. Their international launch is imminent, and in a few years, you should have their world-class service on a wide-body aircraft too!

SpiceJet, which was on the brink of a shut down about five years ago, has come back strong as well, with a new differentiated strategy, which keeps their yields higher than many in the pack. They don’t bother much with flying every hour between Mumbai and Delhi. Their focus is on connecting new stations.

So, you can expect a SpiceJet in cities such as Gorakhpur far before the market leader touched those places. They are getting bolder and opening new routes ever so often, for instance, the Mumbai – Kanpur segment. Their fleet of turbo-props have a great use in opening new markets and they have 50 of those on order.

SpiceJet also has some great hot meals on board and recently became the only Indian No-frills carrier to offer a loyalty programme as well as in-flight entertainment.

GoAir, conservative as they are, were the first ones amongst the no-frill airlines to launch a sort of business class with the middle seat vacant. They still thrive on their old routes, largely connecting the metro cities amongst themselves, their seat configuration is dense and their passenger experience hardly exists.

But this airline will start experimenting with international flights in the coming days and still has a big market amongst people who like low-fares.

Like we can see, airlines are not all the same. They are all trying out different things rather than chasing the same goals. Then, it becomes very easy for you to pick what do you want and start flying those airlines which give you your money’s worth amongst all of these choices in India.

Ajay Awtaney is a business travel & aviation journalist based in Mumbai, and the founder of the Indian frequent-traveller website Live From A Lounge (www.livefromalounge.com).

Disclosure: Vistara is one of the launching partners of CNBCTV18.com.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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IndiGo’s festive sale shows everything that is wrong with Indian aviation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Airlines are continuing the trend of red ink being splashed over balance sheets.

With fares starting at less than a Rs 1,000 for 10 lakh seats spread over the peak festive flying season and into the lean season, IndiGo’s sale announcement this (Monday) morning shows all that is wrong with Indian aviation. Other airlines are also offering similar fares and thus continuing the trend of red ink being splashed over airline balance sheets.

India’s airlines have been adding capacity furiously and taking fares further south in a mad rush to fill up aircraft, mostly at the cost of yields or what they earn from each passenger.

This has already threatened the survival of some airlines while squeezing each and every one of profitability as costs continue to rise while revenues shrink. But instead of looking to raise fares, the airlines are again trying to sell seats below cost, thus harming any prospects of a recovery in yields.

Airlines Defend Low Fares

Of course, the oft-repeated argument airlines put forward when defending frequent sales is this: Only a tiny percentage of total seats is put on sale and such actions merely stimulate the market, without harming overall revenue streams.

Besides, many times these sales are targeted at those sectors where capacity additions are being done, on routes where an airline did not have flights earlier. Sales help stimulate demand in these sectors while bypassing the busy routes.

But for some months now, when fares outside the sale are also languishing at lows and filling up seats seems easy enough (with decent aircraft loads), there seems little point in further stimulating the market with rock bottom fares. And it seems more an exercise in filling up additional capacity. In July, the same airlines had launched a monsoon sale with similar low fares.

This morning, IndiGo announced a sale for 59 destinations, offering customers an all-inclusive fare starting at Rs 999 across domestic sectors for 10 lakh seats, valid for travel between September 18, 2018, and March 30, 2019.

Commercial Officer William Boulter said “We are delighted to announce this four-day festive sale across our network effective September 03, 2018 till September 06, 2018. IndiGo is always keen to provide the best possible value to its customers and low fares are an essential part of our offers. We are sure that customers will quickly grab the seats we have available starting at fares as low as Rs 999.”

It is pertinent to remember here that after a shock decline in profitability in the June quarter by 97 percent compared to the year-ago period, the IndiGo management had lamented the lack of pricing power in the industry.

Promoter Rahul Bhatia had said in an analyst call after the results, “The current revenue environment continues to remain weak particularly in the 0-15 day booking window. While we spoke about some signs of improvement in the last call, the fares continued to be lower in the quarter compared to the same period last year. We do not believe that these fare levels are sustainable, especially given the increase in input costs. Clearly with industry load factors in the high 80s or 90s, the industry is turning away passenger demand at current fare levels but we have no choice but to keep our fares competitive. Having said that, we believe that IndiGo is best positioned to withstand these pressures because we have the lowest cost structure and the strongest balance sheet.”

IndiGo hasn’t exactly been flying empty planes, it has had a pretty good record of bums on seats. As per data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) monthly report, load factor (number of occupied seats) was 91.9 percent in April, 91 percent in May, 88.3 percent in June, 88.7 percent in July. So the airline managed to fill at least 88 percent of its seats each month this fiscal.

A note from brokerage Edelweiss post Q1 results showed how yield for IndiGo slid 5 percent from the year ago period to Rs 3.6/km in a difficult industry pricing environment due to persistent pressure in the lucrative 0–15 days booking period, which accounts for 40 percent of bookings.

Now, when IndiGo itself is lowering the bar for festive fares, yields will likely come under pressure for advance bookings on some seats too.

Coupled with a pressure on earnings per seat is IndiGo’s logic-defying rate of capacity addition – it is expected to lead the domestic airline industry in upping capacity by 25 percent this fiscal. Together, India’s airlines have close to 1,050 aircraft on order, with IndiGo leading the pack at 429.

Since IndiGo already has about 40 percent of the market, other airlines are essentially competing for share by also placing mega aircraft orders. As capacity gets added, pressure on fares and profitability will likely continue in a high-cost environment.

Worried About Fares

All airlines are worried about fares. SpiceJet’s promoter Ajay Singh had noted some days back that there has been no hike despite record high fuel prices “Fares should increase by 10 percent,” Singh had said but shrugged when asked if his airline would lead the race to higher fares. He had also said that Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices jumped 35 percent in Q1 with almost no commensurate increase in fares; input costs (fuel) have risen significantly and suddenly but even non-fuel costs are rising.

Singh referred to the Indian rupee going from 65 to 69 to a dollar (it has now crossed 70), a steep rise in costs for leasing aircraft and imported services including purchase of spares.

Analysts at brokerage Kotak Institutional Equities had said in a note to clients “We are surprised by the continued softness in yields of the listed Indian airline companies despite strong growth in domestic passenger volumes. We note that average monthly volume growth for domestic passenger traffic has been 21 percent over January 2015-June 2018 (CAGR of 19 percent), which is far ahead of most consumer staple and discretionary products.”

The analysts pointed out that IndiGo’s yields remained stagnant for nine consecutive quarters, Jet Airways’ declined continuously for the last eight quarters and SpiceJet’s remained stagnant for the same eight quarters.

As India’s airlines worry over worsening financials, part of the solution lies in pricing discipline. While cost escalation due to rising oil prices and high incidence of taxation is beyond airlines’ control, one of them should be able to bite the bullet on fares. It is a matter of time before others follow.

Sindhu Bhattacharya is a journalist based in Delhi who writes on a range of topics in business and economy.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

 Daily Newsletter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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today's market

index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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GoAir to induct 13 more A320 Neo planes this year

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Budget carrier GoAir on Thursday announced commencement of its overseas flights from October, said it will induct 13 more A320 Neo planes this year. The airline also said plans to bring an initial public offering (IPO) is not at the table right now. “We already have 19 Airbus A320 new engine option (Neo) planes in …

Budget carrier GoAir on Thursday announced commencement of its overseas flights from October, said it will induct 13 more A320 Neo planes this year.

The airline also said plans to bring an initial public offering (IPO) is not at the table right now.

“We already have 19 Airbus A320 new engine option (Neo) planes in the fleet, and we have 13 more such planes to come this year,” Cornelis Vrieswijik, chief executive officer, GoaAir, told reporters.

Four of these planes will be joining the fleet next month, he said, adding, “The induction of A320 Neo will go up significantly from next month.”

On the IPO, Vrieswijik said, “There has been plan, but it is not there on the table for now.”

On the issue of frequent glitches in the Pratt & Whitney engines, which power these planes, the GoAir chief executive said that faulty engines are major issues when it comes to operations.
He was, however, quick to add that all aircraft, except one or two, have the engines of latest standard, with the block seal.

Aviation regulator DGCA had earlier this month informed the civil aviation ministry that as many as nine A320 Neos of IndiGo and GoAir were out of operations due to P&W engine problems, prompting civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu to seek a detailed report on the issue from it.

“The manufacturers have taken measures to address significant problems of engines related to combustion chambers distress and No. 3 bearing issues by replacing Block B combustion chambers with Block C and providing dry face bearing seals,” the DGCA had said in its preliminary report to the ministry.

Vrieswijik said that the airline had spare engines to replace the faulty engines to avoid flight disruptions, adding, “We are depending upon engine modifications provided by the enginemaker.”

He, however, said that GoAir was “absolutely happy” with the performance of A320 Neos, which are 80-90 percent fuel efficient compared with A320 Ceos (current engine options) and ruled out going for engines made by rival CFM International at this stage as those engines also had issues.

“As an airline, we are having negotiations with aircraft and engine manufacturer and other suppliers. For compensation, we are always in negotiations with Airbus and Pratt & Whitney,” he said.

The GoAir official also said that the airline was looking to sub-lease up to nine A320 Ceos, which burn 20 percent more fuel compared with A320 Neos, as part of its cost-cutting measures.

The airline has some 17 A320 Ceos in its fleet, he added.

Stating that gaining market share was not the objective of the airline, he said, “We want to see profitable growth. We will expand network whether domestic or international if it spurs growth.”

He also said that business is taking a hit for everyone in the industry amid high fuel cost and continuous slide in rupee against the US dollar.

“My mission is to drive cost out of the company, because you make margins only by lowering the cost. The low-cost carriers in Europe make profit in good and bad times. In bad times, they make less profit, and in good times, they make a lot of profit,” he added.

Going forward, apart from reducing cost, GoAir plans to introduce profitability enhancement plan and is also looking at enhancing revenues, he said.

The airline is also looking and studying at larger planes for long-haul operations, which is very challenging and cost sensitive, according to Vrieswijik.

“I am not saying we are doing it. We are studying. We will look at existing models like AirAsia for low-cost, long-haul model,” he added.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

 Daily Newsletter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Should Elon Musk be able to buy Twitter?

GoAir looking for double digit growth on an annual basis

On the occasion of the airline announcing its maiden international flight to Phuket starting in October, Wadia group-owned budget carrier, GoAir, is looking for a double digit growth on an annual basis.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18’s Uttkarash Chaturvedi, Cornelis Vrieswijk, chief executive officer,  said, “We have picked two destinations, where we see significant growth and demand. There is significant opportunity to start a profitable business internationally. Going forward, we will see robust domestic growth and we will expand internationally.”

Mumbai-based airline, which became eligible to fly overseas more than two years ago when it took delivery of its 20th aircraft, which was also the first Airbus A320 Neo for the airline, will be the fifth domestic carrier to have international operations.

Vrieswijk said, “We are looking for profitable growth. So, based on the development of the market, we will decide whether we want to grow faster rather than slower or slower rather than faster. In terms of number of destinations, we have a long list of wishes and I can’t share with you at the moment, when and where we will operate going forward. But definitely, there will be more destinations added to our international network.”

 5 Minutes Read

GoAir to launch international operations; first flight on Mumbai-Phuket route

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Summary

Wadia group-owned budget carrier GoAir is all set to fly international from October, with the first flight to operate on the Mumbai-Phuket route, a source privy to development said.

Wadia group-owned budget carrier GoAir is all set to fly international from October, with the first flight to operate on the Mumbai-Phuket route, a source privy to development said.

The bookings for the maiden international flight will commence soon and an announcement to this effect is expected to be made by Thursday, the source said.

The city-based airline, which became eligible to fly overseas more than two years ago when it took delivery of its 20th aircraft, which was also the first Airbus A320 Neo for the airline, will be the fifth domestic carrier to have international operations.

“We will be launching our international operations with a flight to Phuket (Thailand) from Mumbai in October. We have all regulatory approvals in place and the flight is expected to go into the system (bookings) in a week’s time,” the source told PTI.

The source said the airline is looking to launch three to four international destinations by March next year, adding the proposed Mumbai-Phuket service will be a daily operations.

GoAir spokesperson was not available for comments.

Thailand ambassador to India Chutintorn Gongsakdi had last week tweeted that, “Go Airlines (India) or GoAir has been approved as designate airline to fly to Thailand since August 10.”

The airline, which launched its domestic operations in November 2005, was in August 2016 granted rights to operate to nine countries, including China, Vietnam, Maldives, Kazakhstan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, among others.

GoAir had planned to launch services on the international routes in October last year but had to defer the plan due to the grounding of some of the Pratt & Whitney engine-powered Airbus A320 Neo planes owing to engine glitches.

“We are mulling to have three to four international destinations in our flight network by this fiscal year and Male (Maldives) could be the the next destination after Phuket,” the source said.

GoAir currently operates over 1,544 weekly flights across 23 destinations with a fleet of 38 Airbus A320 planes, including 19 A320 Neos.

Currently, national carrier Air India, its subsidiary Air India Express, private carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet have international flights. Tata-SIA run Air Vistara also is planning to launch services on overseas routes later this year.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

 Daily Newsletter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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Oil Fluctuates as Traders Assess China’s Vow, Unrest in Libya

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Civil aviation minister asks DGCA to submit report on grounding of Airbus A320neo planes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Summary

After IndiGo and GoAir grounded nine A320 neo planes due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues, union civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday has sought a detailed report on the matter from directorate general of civil aviation. 

After IndiGo and GoAir grounded nine A320 neo planes due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues, union civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday has sought a detailed report on the matter from directorate general of civil aviation.

“At present, there are 60 A320 neos with P&W engines (41 with IndiGo and 19 with GoAir). As on date, 7 with IndiGo and 2 with GoAir are on ground,” the DGCA said in a statement.

These groundings are due to combustor distress found during routine scheduled boroscopic inspection, it added.

It refers to inspection done using a boroscope — an optical device that is used for inspecting parts that are generally inaccessible. The regulator also said there are no safety concerns as such distress is found during routine scheduled boroscope inspections of these engines.

Prabhu has sought a report on the grounding of the A320 Neos from the DGCA.

Security of the passengers is of paramount importance and at no cost the security should be compromised, he said in the statement.

Providing technical details, the ministry said these are all Block B combustors.

“As and when combustor distress is found beyond laid down limits, aircraft is removed from service for engine replacement.

“A320 neos inducted after March 2018 are coming with P&W engines fitted with Block C combustors which has better life. Engines coming from shop are also fitted with Block C combustors,” it noted.

IndiGo and GoAir have been grappling with P&W engine problems persisting for many months.

“The manufacturers have taken measures to address significant problems of engines related to combustion chambers distress and No 3 bearing issues by replacing Block B combustion chambers with Block C and providing dry face bearing seals.

“These measures have significantly reduced the engine problems,” the DGCA said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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today's market

index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Should Elon Musk be able to buy Twitter?

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Pratt & Whitney says working closely with operators to address engine glitches

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Summary

Last week, IndiGo,India’s biggest low-cost carrier, grounded eight aircraft while smaller rival GoAir grounded three Airbus A320neo planes after issues with Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines.

American aerospace maker Pratt & Whitney on Monday said it was working closely with IndiGo and GoAir Airlines after the operators grounded eight Airbus A320neo planes following issues with aircraft engines.

Pratt & Whitney, owned by Connecticut-based United Technologies Corp, said some of the aircraft will be out of service temporarily due to the planned engine replacements.

Last week, IndiGo, India’s biggest low-cost carrier, grounded eight aircraft while smaller rival GoAir grounded three Airbus A320neo planes after issues with Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines.

The planes are expected to be back in service in the second half of August, IndiGo owner InterGlobe Aviation said in a statement.

Pratt & Whitney said separately it was planning to remove faulty engines and that it was retrofitting the Neo fleet with the latest configured engines.

The company is also providing spare engines to help airlines aircraft from August onward.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

 Daily Newsletter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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Oil Fluctuates as Traders Assess China’s Vow, Unrest in Libya

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today's market

index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Should Elon Musk be able to buy Twitter?

 5 Minutes Read

The travel perks every startup founder and SME honcho should know

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Using these programs, there is enough value to be generated for the startups.

While big corporations have travel desks that ensure they get the best prices from airlines, smaller enterprises and start-ups really don’t have the same luxury – or the same budget —  to commit to air travel.

Hence, you can’t squeeze out the best fares from airlines by sitting across the table and having a contract. But what you can do is the next best thing, sign up for the SME programs offered by the airlines and other travel websites to get a good deal.

Jet Airways has been offering the GlobalLinker program, which offers the ability to get a flat 10% discount on fares, year-round, across the domestic and international network of the airline.

Not only can you get discounts for yourselves and your employees, but also for the family members. SpiceJet also offers upto a 10% discount for their SME program participants. They also allow for zero convenience fees, which is 250 rupees in the pocket for every flight with them.

IndiGo’s SME program, 6E SME and GoAir’s GoSME program, offer complimentary food and beverages to passengers who fly on SME fares, and also significantly easier change and cancellation terms as compared withtickets on retail fares.

GoAir also throws in free seat selection, which usually costs Rs 99 and above per passenger.

For shopping around, the travel portals have good solutions as well. MakeMyTrip mybiz and Yatra for Business offer do-it-yourself bookings on the website and mobile apps, a free date-change and meals on all major airlines, along with consolidated GST invoices from airlines as well.

Even corporate travel major Carlson Wagonlit recently launched its business travel tool for SMEs called CWTForYou. It offers free date change and cancellation, free meals and seat selection for free as well.

Almost all the domestic airlines are participating in this program, and seat selections come in at the time of booking for free, rather than having to pay anywhere between Rs 99 – Rs 999 for these seats.

In terms of hotel bookings, while you can always browse for hotels via the travel portals listed above for value rates, Hyatt and Hilton have taken the lead in this space for direct business. Hyatt runs the Hyatt Leverage program, which offers a 15% discount to registered businesses, and Hilton’s local business program offers a straight 20% on breakfast inclusive rates.

Using these programs, there is enough value to be generated for the startups, who can get good rates and flexible terms from airlines and hotels to match their business needs and save money in the process.

After all, they need the savings and the flexibility more than the big businesses who can afford to spend a few rupees more on their travel expenses.

Ajay Awtaney is a business travel and aviation journalist based in Mumbai, and the founder of the Indian frequent-traveller website Live From A Lounge (www.livefromalounge.com).

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

 Daily Newsletter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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Oil Fluctuates as Traders Assess China’s Vow, Unrest in Libya

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today's market

index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
Quiz
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What coins do you think will be valuable over next 3 years?

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Should Elon Musk be able to buy Twitter?

 5 Minutes Read

IndiGo, GoAir induct eight A320 Neos after Airbus resumes delivery

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Both IndiGo and GoAir have taken deliveries of four aircraft each between May and June.

Budget carriers IndiGo and GoAir have together inducted eight Airbus A320 Neo planes in their fleet since the resumption of deliveries, which was halted due to the Pratt & Whitney engine issues, according to a source.

Both IndiGo and GoAir have taken deliveries of four aircraft each between May and June, the source said.

The deliveries of the P&W engine-powered A320 Neos were put on hold in March by Airbus and the engine maker following a safety directive from European aviation safety agency EASA in the wake of instances of the engine’s in-flight shut-downs and rejected take-offs.

Airbus had resumed deliveries of these planes in May.

GoAir and IndiGo both have taken deliveries of four A320 Neos each in the last two month, with the former inducting three aircraft in May and one in June, while the latter taking delivery of one plane in May and the other three in June, according to the source.

Following this, GoAir now has 17 A320 Neo planes in its fleet, while IndiGo has 37.

IndiGo and GoAir, operating A320 Neo fleet with P&W engines, have been facing engine issues in these aircraft that even forced grounding of many planes, even as P&W has failed to address the issues despite repeated assurances to the domestic civil aviation authorities.

Among the latest incidents, an A320 Neo aircraft of IndiGo experienced engine issues on June 18, forcing the airline to ground the plane at the Delhi Airport after it arrived from Kolkata.

Another Airbus A320 Neo plane of the same airline faced a technical glitch in one of the P&W engines on July 6, leading to grounding of the flight at the last moment.

The two carriers have also carried out “visual inspections” of a total of 50 P&W engines powering their A320 Neo aircraft in the last fortnight after US regulator FAA issued an airworthiness directive on June 26 to check for possible engine fan hub damage of certain engines.

However, no abnormalities were detected during the visual inspection, a senior official had said.

“In compliance with AD (airworthiness directive), IndiGo has carried out one-time inspection of 34 affected engines and GoAir carried out inspection on 16 affected engines. No abnormality has been observed with these engines fitted on A320 Neos being operated by IndiGo and GoAir,” the official had told PTI.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

 Daily Newsletter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Previous Article

Oil Fluctuates as Traders Assess China’s Vow, Unrest in Libya

Next Article

Shanghai residents turn to NFTs to record COVID lockdown, combat censorship

LIVE TV

today's market

index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
Quiz
Powered by
Are you a Crypto Head? It’s time to prove it!
10 Questions · 5 Minutes
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Win WRX (WazirX token) worth Rs. 1500.
Question 1 of 5

What coins do you think will be valuable over next 3 years?

Answer Anonymously

Should Elon Musk be able to buy Twitter?