In major news since our last update; Indigo to commence direct flights between Pune and Goa (Dabolim Airport) and Akasa Air to start Pune - Kolkata direct flights from May 01. Virgin Atlantic commences direct flights between London and Bengaluru from March 30 and Indigo launches its 33rd international destination with direct flights between Bengaluru and Bali. Air India will start direct flights between Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City from June 01 and Malaysia Airlines & IndiGo sign MoU for proposed codeshare agreement. These are more travel news in the April edition of Travel Updates.

Japan has introduced an e-visa system for Indian tourists wishing to travel to “the Land of the Rising Sun.” Beginning April 1, successful applicants will be granted a tourist e-visa valid for 90 days.

Travellers will no longer have to carry a physical visa stamped on their passport but will have to furnish a “visa issuance notice” on their mobile phone upon arrival in Japan. Internet access will be necessary during this process as printed copies, photos and screenshots will not constitute as valid proof.

The application process with the necessary forms and documents required by the embassy to process the visa remains unchanged.

On March 31, Bulgaria and Romania became Schengen members where the Schengen rules will apply to both member states including issuing Schengen visas and controls at the internal air and sea borders will be lifted.

The Schengen area now consists of 29 countries—the area included 27 countries before the inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria. Both countries will begin issuing Schengen C visas to foreign travellers from April 01 which will permit entry and stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Visas issued by the two countries before April 01 do not entitle travellers to access the rest of the Schengen area.

The European Union has made a significant change in visa rules for Indians where frequent travellers to the Schengen area can get multi entry visa with a 5 year validity.

According to the newly adopted visa ‘cascade’ (graded) system for India, Indian nationals can now be issued long term, multi entry Schengen visas valid for 2 years after having obtained and lawfully used two short-term visas within the previous three years. The 2 year visa will be followed by a 5 year visa PROVIDED that the passport has sufficient validity remaining.

Schengen visas allow the holder to travel freely in the Schengen area for short stays of a maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has issued new guidelines to airlines and airport operators on March 30 where passengers will be allowed to exit an aircraft through an airport departure gate in case there is a long delay in operating the flight after boarding. This will lead to "less harassment" for passengers and they would not have to keep sitting inside an aircraft for long hours after boarding.

The latest directive from BCAS comes against the backdrop of rising instances of congestion and flight delays, resulting in passenger getting stuck in aircraft for long hours after boarding. The decision on deboarding the passengers will be taken by airlines and security agencies concerned and airport operators have to make arrangements for the infrastructure for implementing the guidelines.

On April 12, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) advised its citizens against travelling to Iran and Israel until further notice in view of the "prevailing situation in the region". In an advisory, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also urged the Indians residing in Iran and Israel to exercise utmost precautions about their safety and restrict their movements to minimum.

With the Middle East tensions flaring up, Air India has temporarily suspended its Tel Aviv flights where the airline operates four weekly flights between the two capital cities. The Tata group-owned carrier had recommenced services to Tel Aviv on March 03 after a gap of nearly five months.

And most airlines including Vistara, Indigo and Air India have charted alternative flight paths to avoid the Iranian airspace. Longer flight paths will result in increased operational costs for the carriers, and the situation could also push airfares higher.

With effect from May 01, Indigo will connect Pune with Goa’s Dabolim airport with six times a week service as per the below schedule:

Effective May 01, Akasa Air will commence direct flights between Kolkata and Pune as per the below schedule:

Virgin Atlantic signalled its continued commitment to India with the commencement of its new daily service to Bengaluru and the airline also announced a second daily flight to Mumbai taking to the skies in October 2024.

The new flight to Mumbai later this year will be the airline’s fifth daily service to India and from 2025, Virgin Atlantic will offer over one million seats to the country, a 350% capacity growth since 2019, cementing India’s position as a key strategic market for the airline and marking its largest area of growth outside the United States.

The new services will operate on the airline’s state of the art aircraft, 787-9 Dreamliner offering customers the option of Upper Class, Premium, and Economy Delight, Classic and Light as well as the airline’s signature Upper Class social space.

The airline will also offer seamless connectivity and a premium long-haul experience for those customers connecting via London Heathrow to and from destinations throughout North America including Seattle, San Francisco, and New York JFK, with Virgin Atlantic and transatlantic joint venture partner, Delta Air Lines.

IndiGo has commenced daily direct flights between Bengaluru and Denpasar (Bali), starting March 29, 2024. Expanding its network within Indonesia, Bali is the second destination, after Jakarta, to join the extensive 6E network. This new connection will enhance accessibility for tourists from India to Bali.

The flight schedule is as follows:

After commencing operations from Jakarta in 2023, Denpasar is the 33rd international and 119th overall destination to join the extensive 6E network.

This is the 2nd direct service between Bali and India where Vistara has commenced its daily direct flights between Delhi and Bali with the latest 787-9 Dreamliner Plus in Dec 2023.

Air India will be commencing direct flights between Delhi & Ho Chi Minh City starting from June 01, 2024. Operating with its Airbus A320neo aircraft configured with two classes, Air India will offer flights five days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, ensuring flexibility for passengers.

The launch of this route is strategically aimed at strengthening Air India's presence in Southeast Asia while catering to the growing demand for travel between India and Vietnam. It also presents an opportunity for Vietnamese travellers to access Air India's global network, creating seamless connections for passengers from the United States, Canada, UK, and Europe via Delhi.

Here is the schedule of flights for the Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City route, effective June 1, 2024:

Malaysia Airlines and IndiGo, two prominent players in the aviation industry, have come together in a landmark agreement aimed at bolstering connectivity between Malaysia and India. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the airlines paves the way for a codeshare partnership and mutual cooperation agreement, promising increased travel options and flexibility for customers.

This strategic collaboration will see Malaysia Airlines leveraging IndiGo's extensive network in India, enhancing its connectivity into the country. As the marketing carrier on IndiGo operated flights, Malaysia Airlines aims to broaden its reach and offer customers seamless travel experiences. In return, IndiGo customers will gain access to a plethora of Southeast Asia destinations through Malaysia Airlines' comprehensive network, facilitating easier travel planning and exploration.