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Soubhik Mitra

Soubhik Mitra is an assistant editor with the Hindustan Times. The Mumbai boy has spent over a decade reporting on civic, environmental and political issues. His current stint is the longest where he writes on aviation and travel.

Articles by Soubhik Mitra

In Mumbai: Airlines to meet DGCA over punctuality report

At least two domestic airlines, including budget carrier SpiceJet, are set to meet the aviation safety regulator over the latter’s decision to review the computation of flight punctuality in India.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently set up a panel to review the calculation of on-time performance of airlines days after IndiGo Airlines accused the Mumbai airport of inaccuracy.(HT File Photo)

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Published on Jan 09, 2017 12:28 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Airline forgets bags at Heathrow airport, spoils reunion for Canadian family

After reaching Delhi at noon on January 2, the Sehgals discovered that two bags containing their clothes and essentials had not arrived, adding that the AI officials at Mumbai and Delhi are blaming each other for the goof up...

After reaching Delhi at noon on January 2, the Sehgals discovered that two bags containing their clothes and essentials had not arrived.(File photo for representation)

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Published on Jan 06, 2017 02:12 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Airport officials ask Mumbai cops to keep an eye on kites fliers disturbing planes during Makar Sankranti

With the kite flying festival just 10 days away, airport officials have once again asked the Mumbai police watch out on kite fliers near the airport premises...

Despite several discussions to curb the menace, a few some flights have reported fresh cases of safety scares.(File photo for representation)

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Updated on Jan 04, 2017 12:18 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Mumbai’s domestic air terminal renamed from 1B to T1

The X-shaped terminal — which replaced the erstwhile international terminals in February 2014 — also houses domestic flights operated by Air India, Jet Airways and Vistara

According to officials, there have been stray cases of passengers landing up at the wrong terminal, after a few domestic operations moved into T2.(Pic for representation)

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Published on Jan 03, 2017 12:57 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

100 million domestic fliers by March 2017: Aviation report

But despite the healthy traffic growth, India’s big metro airports are still scrambling for space, the report added...

An annual projection report by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation also claims that the number of fliers will touch 130 million mark by 2018.(HT file photo)

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Published on Dec 29, 2016 11:31 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Mumbai-bound aircraft veers off Goa runway; 12 passengers hurt during evacuation

Jet Airways issued a statement confirming that its flight 9W 2374, from Goa to Mumbai, with 154 guests and seven crew, veered off the runway while aligning for take off around 4.10 am...

Pictures taken by the airport staff showed that the aircraft’s landing gear had completely collapsed as it sat on its fuselage (body) stuck in the mud.(File Photo For Representation)

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Updated on Dec 27, 2016 11:40 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Mumbai-bound Jet Airways flight skids off Goa airport runway, 12 hurt

Cell phone shots taken by airport staff showed that the aircraft’s landing gear had completely collapsed as it sat on its fuselage (body), stuck in the mud.

india news

Updated on Dec 27, 2016 10:14 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | BySoubhik Mitra

Mumbai airport security: Stamping of tags on carry-on bags to go?

A preliminary report on the trial period showed that security personnel had the time to physically check 2,810 bags on December 18 when stamping was suspended...

On December 15, all Indian airports started a week-long trial to assess the relevance of stamping hand baggage tags following the long pending demand from fliers and airlines to scrap the exercise.(HT Photo)

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Updated on Dec 26, 2016 11:55 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Homestays witness 130-fold rise since 2004, says report

A report by online travel community HolidayIQ showed there were 2,281 registered homestays in India in 2016 compared to 17 in 2004 — recording more than 130-fold increase.

The report added that almost one in two families (49%) preferred homestays as their choice of accommodation.(HT)

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Published on Dec 25, 2016 12:40 AM IST

Hindustan Timess | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Airlines find creative ways to reduce take-off delays

Rear seat passengers booked on a SpiceJet flight get to board first so that aisle is not blocked and timely boarding allows take-off on time.

Some domestic airlines have come up with small measures to budget time as choked metro airports such as Mumbai are struggling to cut down long airport waits.(HT)

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Updated on Dec 23, 2016 12:14 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Record number of ticket holders denied boarding in November as airlines overbook

More than 2,100 domestic fliers were not allowed to board aircraft despite having valid boarding cards in November, the highest number this year, showed the aviation safety regulator’s data. This happened primarily because most flights were overbooked.

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Published on Dec 21, 2016 12:47 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Fire in Mumbai’s Air India building; no casualty

A fire broke out early on Tuesday morning on the 22nd floor of the Air India building on Madam Cama road, Nariman Point, South Mumbai. No casualty was reported.

Fire fighters inspect the charred remains on the 22nd floor of the Air India building, Nariman Point, in South Mumbai on Tuesday.(HT)

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Updated on Dec 21, 2016 11:11 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySanjana Bhalerao and Soubhik Mitra, Mumbai

By 2025, India’s elderly may outnumber youth at globetrotting

According to the findings, international trips taken by Indians aged more than 65 years is likely to touch 9,67,000 in 2025 from 3,33,000 in 2015 — a spike of 193%.

While a section of elderly travellers took leisure trips to celebrate retired life many would combine them with medical treatments abroad.(Pic for Representation)

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Updated on Dec 20, 2016 10:39 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

With rise in demand, domestic airlines increase red-eye flights

Flights which are operated in the dead of the night or early morning are known as red-eye operations inspired from bloodshot eyes resulting from travelling at odd hours.

The new flights don’t just connect other metros such as Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, some of them also connect smaller towns such as Pune and Goa.(HT Photo)

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Updated on Dec 05, 2016 12:24 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Late wedding group hijacks Jet plane, delays flight in Mumbai by two hours

A ‘powerful’ Gujarati family made Jet Airways bribe passengers to make people deboard so that their family members, who were late to the airport, could fly.

Minutes before the take-off, passengers learnt that the aircraft was waiting because some passengers were running late.(Screengrab)

india news

Updated on Dec 03, 2016 07:36 AM IST

BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Now, migrants working at airport construction sites must have Aadhaar card

The move comes in the wake of multiple red alerts at Indian airports, following terror strikes on airports abroad

Workers who do not have Aadhaar cards will need to apply for them.(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Dec 02, 2016 01:38 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Fog disruptions in north India delays Mumbai-Goa flight by five hours

The unplanned wait for the Mumbai-Goa flight led to a heated verbal exchange with the airline crew, said the passengers.

IndiGo was forced to hold back 18 peak morning flights (up to 11 am) from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport wherein the runway visibility had dropped.(HT file photo)

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Updated on Dec 02, 2016 12:47 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Domestic flight tickets to cost more from December 1 with new tax

On November 29, the civil aviation ministry sent out a notification introducing a levy of Rs7,500 to Rs8,500 on all domestic flights.

The ministry had earlier announced that the fee was introduced to subsidise short air shuttle services across the country.(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Dec 01, 2016 10:59 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

DGCA back-pedals on proposed rule to punish pilots feigning illness

Three pilots’ unions comprising more than 3,000 pilots from Air India and Jet Airways called the proposed rule a ploy to hide India’s chronic shortage of pilots

The proposal, which appeared on the DGCA website on November 7, threatened to send doctors to the homes of pilots calling in sick and ground them for life if they were found to be lying.(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Nov 29, 2016 09:50 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Passengers on Mumbai-bound Air India flight in Visakhapatnam held up for 15 hours

The national carrier has budgeted for just one aircraft — AI 651 — to shuttle on this route, which has a stopover at Raipur.

At Raipur, the flight encountered a snag, which airline technicians were unable to fix that day.(HT file photo)

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Updated on Nov 27, 2016 12:55 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Large number of Indian travellers look up non-existent direct flight routes: Survey

International fliers from India want direct flight connectivity

A recent report by air travel intelligence company OAG stated that nine of the top 50 non-existent international routes globally either started or ended in India.(Picture for representation)

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Updated on Nov 24, 2016 12:06 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Chief flying inspector ignored sexual harassment complaints, writes MP

The note alleged that other than ignoring complaints, Captain Ajay Singh also misused his power to make some complainants go back on their words

The note listed at least nine pending cases allegedly waiting action from the senior pilot who heads the flight standard directorate bureau. One of them was about a senior pilot demanding an outstation assignment with a woman inspector.(Rep pic)

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Updated on Nov 22, 2016 11:34 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

‘New rule could force pilots to report to work when they are ill’

The six-page response from the unions, representing the views of 3,000 pilots, said 98% Jet Airways pilots were on duty during the disruption-ridden Diwali weekend, which was a pre-cursor to the ‘draconian’ draft issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA

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Updated on Nov 22, 2016 12:34 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Pilots’ objections to sickness rule fly into DGCA inbox

The conflict began since the Diwali weekend, when more than 100 Jet Airways flights were delayed or cancelled allegedly owing to many pilots reporting sick at the last minute.

At least two pilots’ unions - the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) and the National Aviators Guild (NAG) -- told its members to comment on the draft proposal that warned grounding a pilot for good if found faking sickness.(HT Photo)

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Published on Nov 21, 2016 12:26 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

‘4 out of 10 late night flights were delayed at Mumbai airport in October’

Almost four out of ten domestic flights arriving in the city between 11pm and 3 am were delayed last month, according to the data from the Mumbai airport. About half of these flights operated in this window would qualify as red-eye, said experts.

Some air travellers, mostly business class ones, prefer late night flights because tickets are cheaper and timed to avoid peak-hour rush.(HT)

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Updated on Nov 19, 2016 01:21 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

For Metro riders, Mumbai airport’s T2 set to be two escalator rides away

Escalators connected to the T2’s arrivals and departures would take fliers down to a concourse housing ticket counters and restaurants

An artist’s impression of the project shows the Metro station at T2.(HT Photo)

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Published on Nov 16, 2016 11:57 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Pilots, aviation safety regulator on warpath over feigning illness

Pilots in India are preparing for a head-on collision with the aviation safety regulator in the wake of an upcoming policy which threatens to ground aviators for feigning illness.

Email exchanges between at least four pilots’ groups that HT accessed, indicate an industry-wide protest against the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) draft policy issued last week.(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Nov 15, 2016 01:25 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Air travel cheaper than AC first-class train fare: Study

A report released by travel portal MakeMyTrip on Saturday compared air fare prices with that of AC first class trains across at least 18 domestic routes.

The report also showed that domestic air travel in India was considerably cheaper than domestic air fare charges in Europe and the US.(Representational photo)

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Updated on Nov 13, 2016 12:23 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Jet Airways replaces head of operations following protests

On Friday, captain Nikhil Ved, erstwhile chief of flight operations, was made the head of planning and strategy

The move comes less than a fortnight after more than a 100 Jet Airways flights were delayed or cancelled owing to a large number of its pilots calling in sick as a means of protest.(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Nov 12, 2016 06:29 PM IST

Hindutan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

Domestic airlines accept banned currency, see spike in ticket sales

Besides airlines, pharmacies, post offices and railways have been permitted to accept the banned currency notes until November 11.

Vasai resident Chinmay Gavankar purchased Goa-Mumbai Vistara tickets to travel almost three months later.(HT PHOTO)

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Updated on Nov 10, 2016 03:28 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySoubhik Mitra, Mumbai

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Soubhik Mitra

Soubhik Mitra is an assistant editor with the Hindustan Times. The Mumbai boy has spent over a decade reporting on civic, environmental and political issues. His current stint is the longest where he writes on aviation and travel.

At least two domestic airlines, including budget carrier SpiceJet, are set to meet the aviation safety regulator over the latter’s decision to review the computation of flight punctuality in India.

After reaching Delhi at noon on January 2, the Sehgals discovered that two bags containing their clothes and essentials had not arrived, adding that the AI officials at Mumbai and Delhi are blaming each other for the goof up...

With the kite flying festival just 10 days away, airport officials have once again asked the Mumbai police watch out on kite fliers near the airport premises...

The X-shaped terminal — which replaced the erstwhile international terminals in February 2014 — also houses domestic flights operated by Air India, Jet Airways and Vistara

But despite the healthy traffic growth, India’s big metro airports are still scrambling for space, the report added...

Jet Airways issued a statement confirming that its flight 9W 2374, from Goa to Mumbai, with 154 guests and seven crew, veered off the runway while aligning for take off around 4.10 am...

Cell phone shots taken by airport staff showed that the aircraft’s landing gear had completely collapsed as it sat on its fuselage (body), stuck in the mud.

A preliminary report on the trial period showed that security personnel had the time to physically check 2,810 bags on December 18 when stamping was suspended...

A report by online travel community HolidayIQ showed there were 2,281 registered homestays in India in 2016 compared to 17 in 2004 — recording more than 130-fold increase.

Rear seat passengers booked on a SpiceJet flight get to board first so that aisle is not blocked and timely boarding allows take-off on time.

More than 2,100 domestic fliers were not allowed to board aircraft despite having valid boarding cards in November, the highest number this year, showed the aviation safety regulator’s data. This happened primarily because most flights were overbooked.

A fire broke out early on Tuesday morning on the 22nd floor of the Air India building on Madam Cama road, Nariman Point, South Mumbai. No casualty was reported.

According to the findings, international trips taken by Indians aged more than 65 years is likely to touch 9,67,000 in 2025 from 3,33,000 in 2015 — a spike of 193%.

Flights which are operated in the dead of the night or early morning are known as red-eye operations inspired from bloodshot eyes resulting from travelling at odd hours.

A ‘powerful’ Gujarati family made Jet Airways bribe passengers to make people deboard so that their family members, who were late to the airport, could fly.

The move comes in the wake of multiple red alerts at Indian airports, following terror strikes on airports abroad

The unplanned wait for the Mumbai-Goa flight led to a heated verbal exchange with the airline crew, said the passengers.

On November 29, the civil aviation ministry sent out a notification introducing a levy of Rs7,500 to Rs8,500 on all domestic flights.

Three pilots’ unions comprising more than 3,000 pilots from Air India and Jet Airways called the proposed rule a ploy to hide India’s chronic shortage of pilots

The national carrier has budgeted for just one aircraft — AI 651 — to shuttle on this route, which has a stopover at Raipur.

International fliers from India want direct flight connectivity

The note alleged that other than ignoring complaints, Captain Ajay Singh also misused his power to make some complainants go back on their words

The six-page response from the unions, representing the views of 3,000 pilots, said 98% Jet Airways pilots were on duty during the disruption-ridden Diwali weekend, which was a pre-cursor to the ‘draconian’ draft issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA

The conflict began since the Diwali weekend, when more than 100 Jet Airways flights were delayed or cancelled allegedly owing to many pilots reporting sick at the last minute.

Almost four out of ten domestic flights arriving in the city between 11pm and 3 am were delayed last month, according to the data from the Mumbai airport. About half of these flights operated in this window would qualify as red-eye, said experts.

Escalators connected to the T2’s arrivals and departures would take fliers down to a concourse housing ticket counters and restaurants

Pilots in India are preparing for a head-on collision with the aviation safety regulator in the wake of an upcoming policy which threatens to ground aviators for feigning illness.

A report released by travel portal MakeMyTrip on Saturday compared air fare prices with that of AC first class trains across at least 18 domestic routes.

On Friday, captain Nikhil Ved, erstwhile chief of flight operations, was made the head of planning and strategy

Besides airlines, pharmacies, post offices and railways have been permitted to accept the banned currency notes until November 11.

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