Oman Air adds third flight on Muscat-to-Mumbai route

Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has launched a third daily flight on its Muscat to Mumbai route. The new time slot is expected to prove popular especially with business travellers who can now take an evening flight and reach their destination early the next morning.

Launched on 1 August this year, the two hour 50 minute flight departs Muscat, Oman at 10.40pm and arrives in Mumbai at 3am the next morning. The return flight leaves Mumbai, India at 4.05am and reaches Muscat at 5.15am. 

Oman Air already has two daily return flights between Muscat and Mumbai – the outgoing flights depart Muscat at 1.20am and 9am respectively, arriving in Mumbai at 5.40am and 1.20pm. One return flight leaves Mumbai at 4.15pm to arrive in Muscat at 5.30pm, while the other flight departs Mumbai at 6.55am, reaching Muscat at 8.10am.

Mumbai is the largest city in India and its financial, commercial and entertainment capital. Drawing in around 5 million visitors a year, the city is consistently in high demand among Oman Air guests, especially those from Oman’s large Indian expatriate community.

Oman Air first launched flights to India in the 1990s and the demand for seats has grown exponentially amongst both business and leisure passengers. The new flight is the latest move in Oman Air’s programme of fleet and network expansion and follows a revised air services agreement between the governments of Oman and India in December 2016, when the number of weekly seats was increased to 27,405 seats for both countries, against 21,145 seats in the previous agreement.

The airline is growing its weekly capacity to India with frequencies increasing on five of the airline’s 11 key Indian destinations. Bombay, Delhi and Hyderabad have gone from twice daily to three times daily. Flights to Calicut have grown from once daily to three times daily while Lucknow flights are now twice daily. The airline also launched direct daily flights between Salalah, Oman and Calicut in early 2017. This latest addition from Mumbai to Muscat increases the overall weekly frequency of flights to India from 154 to 161.

Abdulrahman Al-Busaidy, Deputy CEO & Chief Commercial Officer of Oman Air, said: “The addition of this flight is part of our wider commitment to the Indian market. India is a key destination for Oman Air and the demand for all 11 of our Indian destinations has always been high. Increased frequencies offer yet more choice and convenience to our guests, who will now be able to leave Muscat in the evening and arrive in Mumbai the following morning. We are sure this new service will prove just as popular as our other Indian routes.”

Grand Hyatt Mumbai unveils new year's eve plans

Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Hyatt International's flagship contemporary lifestyle complex in South Asia and an area hotel for Mumbai, Pune and Goa, will have major events to celebrate the new year.

The Grand Courtyard Party, beginning from 7pm, invites guests to dance under the stars on new year's eve with drinks and desserts. The Grand Courtyard Party costs INR3,500 plus taxes.

Seven in the evening is the lucky hour at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. North West Frontier cuisine is available with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options at Soma from 7pm, while Celini will offer Italian indulgence, again from 7pm. China House is open for a Chinese themed dinner from the same time. All options cost INR4,444 plus taxes.

For INR10,000 plus taxes per couple, China House Lounge opens at 10pm so guests can dance the night away to the tunes of a stellar DJ line up.

At Fifty Five East, a buffet is available from 7pm, from INR3,333 on New Year's Eve. The New Year Brunch at Fifty Five East begins at 12pm, and features a feast from across the globe. The New Year Brunch costs from INR2,222 onwards.

Interested?

To make a reservation, call Restaurant Reservations at +91 22 6676 1149 or visit the festivity desk in person at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai.

Google brings free Wi-Fi to Mumbai Central Station, introduces Indic keyboard app

Source: Google Asia Pacific blog.

Starting 22 January, those passing through Mumbai Central station in India will have access to free, high-speed Wi-Fi, courtesy of Google. The service is part of a project announced in September 2015 to provide high-speed public Wi-Fi in 400 train stations across India.

Working with Indian Railways, which operates one of the world's largest railway networks, and RailTel, which provides Internet services as RailWire via its fibre network along many of the railway lines, Google's Access & Energy team plans to cover 100 of the busiest stations in India before the end of 2016, with the remaining stations following in quick succession.

"We’re hoping those of you from — or travelling through — Allahabad, Jaipur, Patna and Ranchi, will be as excited to learn that your stations are up next!" said Gulzar Azad, Head of Access Programs in India for Google in a blog post.

"Commuters will be able to tell if there is high-speed Wi-Fi available if they can see the ‘RailWire Wi-Fi’ network in Wi-Fi settings. If you see it, select it and follow the simple steps below to gain access on your phone and up to two additional devices, like a laptop or tablet — you’ll just need an Indian mobile number to get an access code for each device."

Azad said the Wi-Fi will initially be free, with a drop in speed after the first hour online. The long-term intention is to charge for the service in some way for self-sustainability.

The news follows an 18 January announcement that Google has developed a touch-based keyboard for the easier input of Hindi—and ten other Indian languages—with a phone or tablet. The Google Indic Keyboard app has been downloaded over 10 million times, and supports the alphabet used for that language, a transliteration keyboard, and handwriting input. Both Latin characters and native characters are recognised.

"By making mobile input easier for almost one billion speakers of Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu, we also hope to see more engaging content in these languages on the web," said Linda Lin, Product Manager, Google in a separate blog post.

January 2016 also saw the launch of YouTube home pages customised for Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in the local language and domain. YouTube was previously available in Nepali, Sinhalese and Urdu.

Interested?

View the associated video
How to watch YouTube videos offline
Download the Google Indic Keyboard from the Play store

Etihad announces A380 services between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, will operate its Airbus A380 aircraft between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai from 1 May 2016. Other A380 include Sydney and, from June 2016, Melbourne.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline’s 496-seat A380 has 50% more seats than the Boeing B777-300ER it replaces, offering more options for tourism growth into India, US and Abu Dhabi. The aircraft features the only three-room suite in commercial aviation – The Residence by Etihad – as well as nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios, and 415 Economy Smart Seats.

In 2014, nearly one million guests who travelled on Etihad Airways’ India flights began their journey from outside the country, representing almost 70% of total passengers who flew to and from India with the Abu Dhabi-based airline. The aircraft will operate daily on flight EY204 from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai, and EY203 from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, both of which carry the 9W code of Jet Airways, Etihad Airways’ strategic partner. 

The flights connect seamlessly with Etihad Airways’ A380-operated services to New York, allowing guests to experience the double-decker aircraft throughout their journey. Guests on board Etihad Airways’ A380 service will also have access to popular connecting destinations over Abu Dhabi, including Bahrain, Doha or Jeddah in the Gulf region.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Etihad Airways A380 has set a new benchmark for luxury and innovation and we are delighted to announce that this world-class service will soon be available to guests flying to and from Mumbai.

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, India, welcomed the news, saying: “This announcement by Etihad Airways ‎is yet another sign of international confidence in the powerhouse economy of Maharashtra. I look forward to the growth in tourism and business that this service can bring to our state."

Interested?

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about Etihad's new flights to Melbourne, Australia

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post on Etihad's boutique hotel flight experience

Air China to start nonstop Beijing to Mumbai services from October

Air China will start nonstop services on the Beijing-to-Mumbai route from October 25 2015 in response to increased travel between the two BRICS countries following closer political and economic relationships.

Source: Air China.

The four weekly Beijing – Mumbai flights operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The seven-hour flights take off from Beijing at 7:40pm local time and land in Mumbai at 1am the next day. The return service leaves India at 2:30am Mumbai time and touches down in Beijing at 11:20am.

Air China’s route from Beijing to Mumbai is a significant part in the effort to build a Bangladesh – China – India – Myanmar Corridor. This service means Air China now offers eight weekly nonstop flights between China and India and will also bring the total number of Asia-Pacific destinations served by the Chinese carrier to 17.

Golden Frog's VyprVPN gets Mumbai server

Golden Frog, a company that fights for online privacy and an open Internet, has launched its first server location in India. The new server location is the company's 14th in Asia, and will offer a local VyprVPN connection point for Internet users in Mumbai, India.

Said Sunday Yokubaitis, President of Golden Frog, "With such a large population and a booming tech industry, this server will be a valuable connection point that will provide residents of India with access to an unrestricted Internet."

VyprVPN customers now have access to more than 700 servers in 50+ locations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. They get unlimited bandwidth and connection speeds and are able to switch between servers worldwide without restrictions.

Interested?

View Golden Frog's list of server locations 

In Mumbai, the 'it' place is Worli

Worli, located at the entry to South Mumbai, is emerging as the preferred luxury district of Mumbai. Property development The Park, located at this central hub clocked over Rs250 crores in a single weekend, said developer Lodha Group.

Source: Lodha Group. Mrs Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, future President and Brand Ambassador for The Park, a 17-acre residential investment by the Lodha Group.

According to Lodha, Worli has become hub for business with many offices and conglomerates headquartered in the area. There are also a number of luxury hotels in Worli, including the Palladium Hotel, and the Four Seasons, as well as shopping areas such as the Phoenix Mills and Palladium mall. 

Abhinandan Lodha, Deputy Managing Director of the Lodha Group said, "Mumbai desperately needs a world class live-work-play destination, which is easily accessible from all parts of the city. Worli enjoys great connectivity with Malabar Hill and Nariman Point as well as Bandra and the airport. With the focus of the government on making significant improvements in the investment climate in Maharashtra, we expect that Worli will become the hub to showcase how Mumbai can offer a world-class mixed use location."

Shveta Jain, Executive Director, Residential Services, Cushman & Wakefield added, "The area has outrun our expectations for 2014 and we expect decent returns in terms of market lease rates as well as capital gain rates year on year."

Ritz-Carlton announces its first hotel in Mumbai

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has signed a long term management agreement with a consortium led by Oberoi Realty and Sahana Group to open the first Ritz-Carlton in Mumbai, its second in the country following the recent opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore in Karnataka.

The 238-room Ritz-Carlton will be located in Worli in central Mumbai, a new business district with easy access to the international airport. It forms part of a mixed used development in an iconic high-rise tower with luxury residential spaces. The newly-built structure will feature views of the Mumbai skyline and is expected to open early 2017. 

"We have been searching for the perfect location for a premier hotel in Mumbai for several years," said Herve Humler, President and COO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. "This site offers everything hotel guests could want—a prime business location, stylish and contemporary design in this historically rich and vibrant city."

Vikas Oberoi, Chairman and Managing Director of Oberoi Realty said: "Mumbai is one of the great gateways of the world and by partnering with The Ritz-Carlton, we continue to cement the reputation of the city on the world stage and within the local market. This leading global luxury hospitality brand will resonate strongly with guests both locally and overseas."
 
Among the hotel's anticipated experiences will be an ocean-view bar, two fine dining restaurants, a Ritz-Carlton Spa and extensive banquet and meeting spaces.

Etihad shares initial destinations for Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner craft

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced the first destinations for its first Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. 

Source: Etihad. The Boeing 787-9.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline’s first A380 will fly to London's Heathrow from December 2014, while a second A380 will operate on the same route from Q1 2015. By the end of 2015, Etihad Airways will have five of the same aircraft in operation, with plans to also introduce A380 operations to both Sydney and New York's JFK.

The first Etihad Airways B787-9 will enter commercial service in December 2014, with a second aircraft entering service in January 2015. As with the A380, by the end of 2015, Etihad Airways will have five of this type of aircraft in operation. The first B787s will initially be deployed on Washington DC, Düsseldorf and Mumbai, with further route announcements to follow.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The A380 will be used to provide additional seats on existing routes where there is a need for increased capacity, and in particular, high demand for First and Business Class travel.”

Etihad Airways has a total of 10 A380s on firm order. Four A380s will arrive in 2015, three in 2016 and two in 2017.

Each aircraft is designed to carry 498 guests in four living spaces on the aircraft. This includes two VIP guests in The Residence by Etihad, nine guests in the innovative First Class Apartments, 70 guests in the new Business Class Studios, and 417 guests in Economy Class.
 
Baumgartner added: “We are the fastest growing airline in commercial aviation, and by unveiling our plans for this magnificent aircraft and setting new benchmarks in onboard product, service, hospitality and style, we have redefined what flying is all about.”

Etihad Airways also has major plans for the B787 which enters the fleet in Q4 2014.

In December the mostly composite aircraft will be deployed first on routes between Abu Dhabi and Düsseldorf, and services to Washington DC and Mumbai will commence in January 2015. Services to other cities will be confirmed in 2015 as more B787s enter the fleet.

The airline has a total of 71 B787s scheduled for delivery between the end of 2014 and 2023, including 41 B787-9s and 30 B787-10s, making it the largest operator of the aircraft type in the world.

Two B787s are scheduled for delivery in Q4 2014 with three due to arrive in 2015, three in 2016 and nine in 2017. All five initial B787 deliveries will have three living spaces aboard the aircraft, configured to carry 235 guests.

There are eight First Suites in First Class, 28 Business Studios in Business Class and 199 Economy Smart Seats in Economy Class.
 
“Over the coming years this next-generation aircraft will be used by Etihad Airways to launch flights to new destinations, add capacity in existing markets and progressively replace existing, less-efficient aircraft,” said Baumgartner. 

Some of the initial Etihad Airways A380 and B787 flights may be booked online at etihad.com, through the Etihad Airways contact centre, or via travel agents.