Flights to India will operate at pre-pandemic levels by October 30, says Singapore Airlines
Singapore, Jul 6: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced that it will return to its pre-pandemic level of operations to India by October 30, buoyed by a robust surge in the demand for air travel.
Singapore's flag carrier will progressively operate 17 weekly flights to Chennai, up from the current 10 flights per week, it said on Tuesday.
Similarly, flights to Kochi will also increase by 14 times weekly, up from the current seven flights per week, while Bengaluru will see 16 flights per week, up from the current seven flights per week, the airline said.
SIA will operate almost 100 per cent of its pre-Covid operating capacity to India by October 30, 2022, it said in a statement.
JoAnn Tan, Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Singapore Airlines, said that "robust demand for travel to and from India, to points across the Group network, support an increase in our services in this important market."
Pre-pandemic, the airline operated to seven destinations in India with a total of 96 flights a week.
SIA also plans to increase flights to destinations like Tokyo, Osaka, Paris and Los Angeles, as part of its efforts to ramp up its capacity to 81 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, it added.
Battered by the pandemic for the past two years, the airline industry is slowly limping back to normalcy and the resumption of normal overseas flights is expected to provide a fillip to this sector.
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Bengaluru: Police launch citywide drive to verify visas, credentials of foreign nationals
Bengaluru (PTI): In a coordinated drive to verify the visa status, FRRO details, and credentials of foreign nationals residing in the city, police said on Thursday that inspections are being conducted across all areas of the city.
All Deputy Commissioners of Police and police personnel are actively involved in checking the visa status, Foreigners Regional Registration Office details, and other relevant documents of foreign residents, officials said.
To avoid inconvenience to the public, the inspections are being carried out systematically through live monitoring and field verification methods, they added.
“House owners are required to provide details of foreign nationals residing in their premises, including visa and FRRO information, to the jurisdictional police station,” a statement from the office of Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said.
Foreign nationals found overstaying their visa or residing without proper documentation are being identified, and legal action is being initiated against them, the statement added. Deportation procedures will also be undertaken if required.
Verification is also being conducted on foreign nationals involved in any illegal activities, police said.
“This operation is being carried out to maintain law and order in the city, and public cooperation is essential,” the statement said. Police urged citizens and house owners to report any suspicious foreign nationals to the nearest police station. The operation will continue further, it added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday described infiltrators as a threat to national security, alleging that they consume ration and benefits meant for citizens.
Shah made the remark in Araria district of Bihar, where he inaugurated projects worth Rs 175 crore for the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and dedicated several new border outposts to the nation.
