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By Author
Published on September 25, 2023
Air India has paved the way for an exciting and seamless European adventure by teaming up with AccesRail, an International Air Transport Association travel partner. This groundbreaking intermodal agreement, inked on August 22, opens up a world of opportunities for Air India travellers, offering access to several European countries and more than 100 cities and towns across the continent – all with the convenience of a single ticket.
Imagine landing in Europe and realising that your journey has just begun as you venture into the diverse and enchanting landscapes of the Old Continent. With this innovative partnership, Air India passengers can now enjoy the freedom of not just air travel but also bus and rail services, all while preserving their original flight's baggage allowance. It's like having a European adventure package bundled into your airfare.
The beauty of this arrangement lies in its simplicity. No need to worry about multiple bookings, transfers, or baggage complications. Your travel journey remains smooth and integrated, ensuring you experience the best of what Europe has to offer, both in the air and on the ground.
So, which European countries are now at your fingertips with this groundbreaking ticket?
The list is impressive, covering Austria, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Moreover, you'll have access to these fantastic destinations through well-connected gateways like Amsterdam, Birmingham, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Milan, and Vienna.
Now, let's talk about the incredible bus and rail services included in this deal. Avanti West Coast (U.K.), National Express (U.K.), Trenitalia (Italy), ÖBB Austrian Railways (Austria), SNCB Belgian Railways, and Thalys (Netherlands/Belgium) are some of the key players in making your European exploration hassle-free and memorable.
It's worth mentioning that this move follows in the footsteps of Vistara, which joined forces with WorldTicket earlier this year to offer seamless connections via Deutsche Bahn rail services from Frankfurt to destinations across Germany – all available through a single ticket. It's all part of Air India's vision to enhance the connections between India and Europe, making travel more accessible and enjoyable for its passengers.
Nipun Aggarwal, Air India's Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer, expressed the airline's commitment to expanding its global network. He emphasised that this partnership with AccesRail not only grants travellers easy access to an extended network of European destinations but also bridges connectivity gaps between India and Europe.
As of now, these intermodal tickets are exclusively available for booking through travel agents on a global scale. However, Air India has ambitious plans to expand the booking options, with the goal of providing more direct access for its passengers through its own sales channels in the near future.
In a nutshell, Air India's collaboration with AccesRail has opened up exciting possibilities for travellers, promising an unforgettable European odyssey. With the convenience of a single ticket, you can explore a multitude of European cities, soak in diverse cultures, and create cherished memories that will last a lifetime. Your next European adventure awaits – thanks to Air India.
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By Hariharan U
Published on October 22, 2025
SpiceJet has announced a major expansion of its domestic network ahead of Chhath Puja and Diwali, strengthening connectivity to Bihar with new and additional flights to Patna and Darbhanga.
The airline has introduced new flights to Patna from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, along with increased frequencies from Delhi and Mumbai. In addition, Darbhanga has gained extra services from Delhi and Mumbai, further improving accessibility for travellers heading home during the festive season.
These routes build upon SpiceJet’s existing operations to Patna from Delhi, Mumbai, and Guwahati, and to Darbhanga from Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. The new flights commenced in a phased rollout from October 10, 2025, ensuring greater travel flexibility and convenience for passengers amid the festive rush.
Earlier this month, SpiceJet also introduced special daily non-stop Diwali flights to Ayodhya from Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad, enabling devotees and tourists easier access to the Shri Ram Temple during the celebrations.
Commenting on the development, Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer, SpiceJet, said, “The festive season holds immense significance for millions of our passengers, and we are delighted to make travel home for Chhath Puja and Diwali more convenient and accessible. With enhanced connectivity to Patna, Darbhanga, and Ayodhya, SpiceJet continues to play a key role in bringing people closer to their loved ones for celebrations that matter most.”
The expansion underscores SpiceJet’s commitment to meeting evolving travel demand, particularly during high-traffic festive periods, by offering affordable, direct, and seamless connectivity across India’s key regional hubs.
By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on October 20, 2025
IndiGo and Digi Yatra have announced a new app-to-app integration that allows IndiGo flyers to share boarding passes directly with the Digi Yatra app. The collaboration enhances contactless, biometric-enabled travel while ensuring user consent, data privacy, and faster passenger processing at airports.
IndiGo, India’s leading airline, has partnered with Digi Yatra, the Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)-based ecosystem that uses facial biometric technology for contactless passenger processing, to enable this direct integration between their mobile applications. The initiative eliminates the need for passengers to manually scan or upload boarding passes on the Digi Yatra app.
After completing web check-in, IndiGo flyers can now simply click “Share with Digi Yatra” within the IndiGo app to securely transfer their boarding pass. This process ensures that passenger consent is obtained at every step and that only essential data is shared with authorised Digi Yatra verifiers at airports.
Designed with privacy by design principles, the transaction occurs entirely offline through deep linking between the two apps, without involving any cloud or server processing. This ensures data integrity, authenticity, and enhanced security while improving convenience for travellers.
Commenting on the development, Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, said,
“Our mission is to transform air travel into a seamless, secure, and paperless experience for every passenger. This collaboration with IndiGo marks a significant milestone in that journey. By integrating our technology directly with IndiGo’s app, we are enabling travellers to enjoy faster check-ins, smoother boarding, and enhanced convenience. As more airlines and airports embrace our ecosystem, we will continue to innovate and support India’s vision for digital transformation in travel.”
Neetan Chopra, Chief Information and Digital Officer, IndiGo, added,
“Every year, we fly millions of customers who trust us for our promise of safe, on-time, and hassle-free travel. This partnership with Digi Yatra takes our commitment to customer convenience a step further by enabling a smooth, contactless boarding journey. We are thrilled to be among the first airlines to adopt this technology and remain focused on leveraging innovation to make air travel simpler, faster, and more enjoyable.”
This collaboration underscores the aviation industry’s shared commitment to digital innovation and highlights growing confidence in Digi Yatra’s secure, paperless travel ecosystem as India moves closer to a fully digital airport experience.
Published on October 14, 2025
Etihad Airways is focusing on premium travel and customer segmentation to boost its business in India, one of its top three global markets, while operating at full capacity under a bilateral seat agreement with the country.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline has been upgrading its services with new aircraft and enhanced cabin experiences to attract high-value travellers. Since relaunching flights to Kolkata in March 2023, Etihad increased its weekly frequency from four to eight flights by 2025. Across India, the airline now operates 185 flights a week to 11 cities.
“We fly all the seats that the bilateral agreement allows us,” said Javier Alija, Etihad Airways Vice President for Global Sales and Distribution. The agreement caps 50,000 weekly seats for Abu Dhabi-based carriers, shared between Etihad and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi. Until the agreement changes, the airline cannot add more frequencies or destinations.
To overcome these capacity constraints, Etihad is building partnerships, including a tie-up with Akasa Air, connecting four Indian cities to Abu Dhabi. The airline is also enhancing the passenger experience for long-haul travellers, especially to the US, with Abu Dhabi’s new terminal and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pre-clearance. This allows passengers to arrive in the US as domestic travellers, saving time at immigration.
Kolkata is the first Indian city to receive Etihad’s new A321 LR aircraft, featuring a redesigned cabin with just 160 seats, two first-class suites, 14 business, and 144 economy seats, offering a widebody-like experience in a narrow-body aircraft. “This reflects Kolkata’s strong premium travel potential,” Alija said.
Etihad’s focus on yield optimisation and operational efficiency has helped the airline achieve record financial results. For the current year, it expects 21–22% growth in seat capacity, 22–23% increase in revenue, and a 30% rise in absolute profit, supported by expansions in other markets. The airline plans to launch 13 new international routes by year-end, aiming to serve nearly 90 destinations worldwide.
Alija added, “Even if our frequencies and destinations remain static, these customer-focused and operational efforts ensure Etihad continues to be the preferred airline for Indian travellers. We are very conscious that our rapid growth should not compromise the financial gains we have achieved.”
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