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India’s March domestic air passenger traffic up 28% (Second Lead)
New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Domestic air passenger traffic rose to 1.15 crore in March 2018 — up 28.03 per cent — from 90.45 lakh reported during the corresponding month of 2017, official data showed on Wednesday.
The total domestic air passenger traffic had risen to 1.07 crore in February.
Data furnished by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revealed that passenger traffic during the January-March 2018 period grew by 23.87 per cent.
“Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-March 2018 were 337.90 lakh as against 272.79 lakh during the corresponding period of previous year thereby registering a growth of 23.87 per cent,” the DGCA said in its monthly domestic traffic report.
According to the data, low-cost carrier SpiceJet had the highest passenger load factor (PLF) — a measure of capacity utilisation of the airline — at 95 per cent during March.
“SpiceJet has yet again recorded the highest PLF in the industry. Clocking 95 per cent occupancy in the traditionally lean travel month of March is an achievement that we are proud of,” said Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Sales and Revenue Officer, SpiceJet.
“For three years in a row, SpiceJet has flown with the highest load factors in the Indian aviation market. For 35 months in a row our loads have been in excess of 90 per cent — a feat unparalleled in global aviation history and a milestone that we are proud of.”
SpiceJet was followed by IndiGo with a PLF of 89 per cent and GoAir at 88 per cent.
“The passenger load factor in the month of March 2018 has shown decreasing trend compared to previous month due to end of vacation period of various sectors,” the monthly statistical analysis said.
The data noted that IndiGo led the industry with 84.1 per cent punctuality rate (on-time performance) at the four major airports of Bengaluru, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai. It was followed by SpiceJet (83.9), Vistara (83) and Air India’s domestic operations (76.5).
The overall cancellation rate of scheduled domestic airlines for March 2018 stood at 1.38 per cent.
In addition, the data disclosed that a total of 657 passenger-related complaints were received last month.
“The number of complaints per 10,000 passengers carried for the month of March 2018 has been around 0.57,” the monthly analysis said.
The data revealed that IndiGo led the industry with the highest market share of 39.5 per cent, followed by Jet Airways (15), Air India (13.4), SpiceJet (12.7), and GoAir (9).
AirAsia India had a market share of 4.5 per cent, followed by Vistara (3.8), JetLite (1.6) and Trujet (0.4).
Commenting on March’s passenger traffic Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C) of Yatra.com said: “Even though the passenger load factor has dipped compared to previous months, it is still close to 90 per cent for most of the major carriers.”
“The M-o-M growth of 28.03 per cent in March shows a continuing positive momentum in the domestic air market, even in a traditionally lean travel period… We believe that this record growth will continue as we approach the summer holiday season, which is one of the strongest periods for travel in the year.”
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.