Aviation consultancy firm CAPA India in its latest report on Indian Aviation in 2024 said that the competition between India’s two leading airlines, Air India and IndiGo, is expected to be “intense” across routes, regions and products in the coming year. The competition seen between the two will be in a manner “previously not seen in India”, it added. The company also expects that the expansion of Akasa Air and the potential resurgence of SpiceJet will contribute to the competitive landscape within the domestic market. The CAPA said that IndiGo is poised to maintain its stronghold in the domestic market, overcoming capacity challenges. The introduction of the airline’s business class in 2024 will mark a significant strategic milestone. As per the consultancy, India is having a stable airline system which is ked by two major players after a long time, and “possibly for the first time since (the sector’s) deregulation”, The Indian Express reported. Air India is committed to taking all necessary measures to attain market leadership in the long and ultra-long haul segment. The enhanced premium product will be unveiled in the upcoming year, CAPA said in a post on X. It added that IndiGo is also set to intensify its emphasis on international expansion. An important aspect to monitor is whether it proceeds with the speculated widebody aircraft order. If such an order is placed, it will prompt Air India Express to introduce widebody aircraft for its long-haul expansion initiatives.<br/>
star
Singapore Airlines will launch its inaugural non-stop flights between Singapore and London’s Gatwick Airport in June 2024, operating the five-times weekly services with the long-haul variant of its Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Together with its current four-times daily services to London’s Heathrow Airport, this will bring the total number of flights to the United Kingdom’s (UK) capital to 33 weekly services from today’s 28 weekly services. SIA also operates five-times weekly services to Manchester Airport. Subject to regulatory approval, flight SQ310 will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The inaugural flight will depart Singapore for Gatwick Airport at 2355hrs (local time) on 21 June 2024 and arrive in London at 0625hrs (local time) on 22 June 2024.<br/>