In major news since our last update; Air China to resume direct Beijing-Delhi flights from April 21; Indigo announces daily direct flights between Kolkata and Shanghai from March 29; Lufthansa Allegris expands to Delhi-Frankfurt from March 29; Frankfurt Airport to open Terminal 3 on April 23; Air India expands Asia footprint with new routes to Vietnam and Japan from May 01; IndiGo & Air India introduce fuel surcharges on domestic and international routes; India's Aviation Ministry directs free seat allocation for 60 per cent of airline seats; Government removes temporary cap on domestic airfares from March 23. These and more updates in our March edition.

Pune Passport office to shift from Mundhwa to Baner-Pashan from March 30, 2026

In a move aimed at easing space constraints and improving service delivery, the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) in Mundhwa will be relocated to Baner-Pashan Link Road from March 30, 2026. The new facility will operate from the Mont Claire building in Pashan, closer to the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Pune.

The existing centre on Ghorpadi-Mundhwa Road has been handling heavy footfall from densely populated and rapidly growing areas such as Hadapsar, Kharadi, Vimannagar, Koregaon Park and Kalyaninagar. Officials said the surge in applications, driven by students, IT professionals and business travellers, has resulted in space constraints and longer waiting times.

“The new premises are expected to offer better infrastructure, improved applicant flow management and faster processing,” an RPO official said.

According to an official notice, applicants with appointments on or after March 30 at the Mundhwa PSK must report to the new Baner-Pashan facility at their scheduled date and time. Authorities have advised applicants to check the updated address on the Passport Seva portal before visiting.

4 Indian Air Force controlled airports to shut in 2026 for runway re-carpeting

Four civil airports operated by the Indian Air Force are set to undergo temporary shutdowns due to scheduled runway repair and maintenance work. The runways at Jodhpur, Srinagar, Pune and Adampur will close at different times this year for re-carpeting starting with Jodhpur which will be closed for one month starting March 29 till April 27.

These closures are expected to disrupt civil flight operations for a limited period. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express have already suspended bookings for flights to Jodhpur after March 28.

Srinagar airport will be closed on weekends from August through mid-October which will be followed by a 21-day complete airport closure from October 16 to 5 November 05.

The renovation schedule for Pune airport is expected to be announced in due course.

India's Aviation Ministry directs free seat allocation for 60% of airline seats

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has recently introduced a set of directions through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to improve transparency and standardise practices across airlines with the aim of improving passengers flying experience. These include allocating a minimum of 60 per cent of seats free of charge, seating passengers on the same PNR together where possible, and facilitating the carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments under defined guidelines. Airlines have also been asked to clearly outline their policies for carrying pets.

In addition, the directives call for adherence to passenger rights in cases of delays, cancellations, and denied boarding, along with the display of passenger rights across airline platforms and airport counters. Airlines have also been advised to communicate passenger entitlements in regional languages.

Indian Govt. removes temporary cap on domestic airfares from March 23

The government has removed temporary caps on domestic airfares that were imposed in the wake of the IndiGo flight disruptions in December last year.

The airfare caps removal will be effective from March 23, according to an order issued by the civil aviation ministry. The removal also comes at a time when airlines are facing significant operational disruptions in international routes due to the West Asia conflict. In the order, the ministry also said that airlines are required to exercise pricing discipline and act responsibly. “Airlines shall ensure that fares remain reasonable, transparent and commensurate with market conditions, and that passenger interests are not adversely impacted,” it said.

The ministry also stressed that any instance of excessive or unjustified surge in fares, if observed particularly during periods of peak demand, disruptions, or exigencies, would be viewed seriously.

Frankfurt Airport to open Terminal 3 on April 23, 2026

Fraport will inaugurate Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport on April 23, 2026, advancing the airport's long-term expansion strategy. Positioned as one of the most advanced airport terminals in Europe, T3 has been designed to handle up to 19 million passengers annually including both Schengen and non-Schengen traffic.

The terminal will be equipped with 112 check-in counters and baggage drop-off points, along with an advanced baggage-handling system with up to 15 claim carousels. Connectivity between Terminals 1, 2, and 3 will be enhanced by a new people mover system, with travel time to each terminal approximately eight minutes.

At the centre of Terminal 3 will be a 6,000-square-metre marketplace, offering a range of retail, dining, and leisure options. The terminal will also feature lounge areas overlooking the apron, children's play zones, and dedicated Work & Connect spaces for business travellers.

Lufthansa Allegris expands to Delhi-Frankfurt from March 29

Starting March 29, 2026, experience the next generation of travel as Lufthansa Allegris takes off on the Delhi-Frankfurt route aboard the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner - designed to offer more comfort, more freedom, and more privacy. This addition complements the existing Hyderabad-Frankfurt service that already features the Lufthansa Allegris experience.

Air India and IndiGo introduce fuel charge on domestic and international routes

IndiGo has announced the introduction of a fuel charge on its domestic and international routes, effective 00:01 hrs on March 14, 2026, citing a sharp rise in aviation fuel prices due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Under the revised pricing structure, applicable for all new bookings from March 14, the additional fuel charge per sector will be ₹425 for domestic India routes and travel within the Indian subcontinent, ₹900 for the Middle East, ₹1,800 for South East Asia and China as well as Africa and West Asia, and ₹2,300 for flights to Europe.

Air India Group will add a fuel surcharge to flight tickets from March 12, 2026 on new bookings on domestic and international routes. Under the first phase, Air India will introduce a fuel surcharge of ₹ 399 on domestic and SAARC routes where no such charge currently exists.

For international services, the airline will levy an additional surcharge of US$ 10 on West Asia and Middle East routes while the surcharge on South Asia flights will rise from US$ 40 to US$ 60 and that of Africa routes from US$ 60 to US$ 90. Flights to Singapore to and from Singapore, that currently do not attract a fuel surcharge, will also be carrying the additional charge during this phase. For flights to Europe, the surcharge will rise by $25 to $125, while services to North America and Australia will see an increase of $50, taking the surcharge on each route to $200.

Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) accounts for 40% to 45% of the airline's operating costs in India, and the steep increase in ATF prices is expected to impact the airline expenses and network operations.

Indigo introduces 3rd frequency between Pune & Indore and 7th frequency to Bengaluru:

Indigo has announced a 3rd frequency flight between Pune and Indore, effective March 29, 2026 with the below schedule:

Indigo has also announced a 7th frequency flight between Pune and Bangalore, effective March 29, 2026.

Air India launches a new route: Mumbai - Jaisalmer - Mumbai from Oct 25

Air India announces a new route between Mumbai and Jaisalmer with effect from Oct 25, 2026 with the below flight schedule:

Indigo to launch daily non-stop ATR flights from Navi Mumbai to 25 cities

Indigo has announced the launch of daily, non-stop flights to several new destinations from Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from March 29 with their ATR fleet.

The destinations that will be connected with daily, direct flights from NMIA include Agra, Bareilly, Ayodhya, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Kannur, Dehradun, Hubli, Hindon, Bagdogra, Chandigarh, Duragapur, Jammu, Madurai, Aurangabad, Jharsuguda, Patna, Raipur, Srinagar, Tirupati, Thiruvanathapuram, Varanasi and Vishakapatnam.

Air China to resume direct Beijing-Delhi flights from April 21

Air China is set to resume its direct flight service between Beijing and Delhi from April 21, 2026, marking a significant step towards restoring air connectivity between India and China. The airline had suspended operations on the Beijing-Delhi route in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with services remaining halted for over four years amid strained bilateral relations following the Galwan Valley clash.

The new flight schedule is as follows:

Indigo announces daily direct flights between Kolkata and Shanghai

Indigo has announced the launch of daily direct flights between Kolkata and Shanghai, effective March 29, 2026. The new route will be operated using IndiGo's A320 aircraft. This announcement follows the recent reinstatement of IndiGo's services to Guangzhou, highlighting the airline's focus on improving connectivity and enabling smoother travel between India and China.

Schedule of Flights between Kolkata and Shanghai, Effective 29 March 2026

Air India expands Asia footprint with new routes to Vietnam and Japan

Beginning May 01, 2026, Air India will operate non-stop flights between Delhi and Hanoi, thus making Hanoi the airline's second gateway in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh City. New routes offer flexible itineraries with open jaw options for Vietnam, with increased seating capacity and connections to European destinations.

Here is the schedule of flights between Delhi (DEL) and Hanoi (HAN) effective May 01, 2026

Air India will also operate non-stop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda) from June 15, 2026, in addition to its Delhi-Tokyo (Haneda) services.

Flights to Japan will operate with Boeing 787-8 aircraft, offering enhanced onboard experiences and more frequent services. Air India benefits from a codeshare agreement with All Nippon Airways, facilitating connections to major Japanese cities from Tokyo Haneda.

Here is the schedule of flights between Mumbai (BOM) and Tokyo Haneda (HND) effective June 15, 2026:

Indigo to launch direct Chennai - Reunion Island flights from April 29

IndiGo is launching non-stop, thrice-weekly flights from Chennai to Réunion Island starting April 29, 2026, utilizing Airbus A320 aircraft. This marks Réunion Island as IndiGo's 46th international destination and its 13th from Chennai, a key South Indian gateway. The new route aims to attract Indian travelers to the island's unique volcanic landscapes and multicultural heritage.

Located between Madagascar and Mauritius, Réunion Island is known for its volcanic landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage-listed natural sites such as the Piton de la Fournaise.

Flight Schedule (Effective April 29, 2026)

Cathay resumes Hong Kong - Seattle service from March 30

Cathay Pacific is bringing back its popular direct flights between Hong Kong and Seattle, which began in March 2019 and had to be suspended a year later due to the Covid pandemic.

Seattle is back on the CX network map, with five flights per week from March 30, 2026 reconnecting Hong Kong with one of the most vibrant cities on the US West Coast.

The trans-Pacific flight between Hong Kong and Seattle is a long one, averaging 13 hours, but it's done in the quiet and comfort of an Airbus A350 fitted with Cathay Pacific's modern business class and premium economy seats, plus free inflight Wi-Fi en route.

• Flight CX852 departs Hong Kong at 1.25pm to reach Seattle at 10.05am the same day
• Flight CX853 is wheels up from SEA at 11.45am, landing in Hong Kong at 4.45pm the next day

Passengers can also conveniently fly from Seattle to Hong Kong via connecting flights with Cathay's Oneworld partners through major US ports, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Air Astana deploys Boeing 767 on select Delhi-Almaty flights

Air Astana has upgraded aircraft operating on select Delhi-Almaty routes from the Airbus A320 to the larger Boeing 767 to accommodate increased demand and enhance onboard comfort.

In addition, Air Astana will add one more Airbus A321 frequency on both sectors, Almaty-Delhi from March 8 and Delhi-Almaty on March 9.

The Boeing 767 features 30 Business Class seats with fully flat beds and 193 seats in Economy Class, offering increased capacity and improved comfort for travellers between India and Kazakhstan.

Beyond the Itinerary: How Small-Group Journeys with Like-Minded Travellers create Meaningful Connections

In the early months of 2026, the travel landscape looks fundamentally different than it did even two years ago. We've moved past the "revenge travel" era of 2022 and 2023. Today, travelers are no longer just looking for a "trip" to tick off a bucket list; they are seeking depth, belonging, and expertise... Continue reading here.

Odyssey Explore is the small group tours division of Odyssey. We bring like-minded travellers together for an immersive experience of the destinations we visit. From travelling to off-beat locations, from meeting locals and understanding their culture and way of life, to outdoor adventures and unique dining experiences, we create many unique and 'WOW' experiences on our journeys.

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