Tough operating conditions not to impact international foray: Vistara
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Full service carrier Vistara on Saturday said that the tough operating conditions -- high jet fuel prices along with a weak rupee -- will not impact plans to launch international operations slated for the end of 2018.
According to the airline's Chief Executive Leslie Thng, the airline plans to reduce expenditure by inducting technology enabled solutions in the non-safety, services or customer facing aspects of its operations.
Further, the company plans to re-negotiate contracts, once it expands operations and inducts more aircraft.
Currently, the domestic airline industry is under pressure from high fuel prices, weak rupee and low air fares.
The company official spoke to reporters at an event held here to unveil the airline's 22nd aircraft, an Airbus A320neo with a "retro-livery" (paint scheme) which is the first of its kind in India
"The livery recreates the one used in the 1940s by Tata Air Lines, India's very first airline that was founded by J.R.D. Tata, and the aircraft also bears the registration VT-ATV that was originally used by a Tata Air Lines DC-3 aircraft," the airline said in a statement.
"This striking retro-livery is also a celebration of 150 years of the Tata group, and it reclaims for Vistara the space once held by the pioneers of aviation in India...."
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
