Air India offers special summer baggage rates

Easing passengers' excess baggage-related woes, Air India, the national carrier of India, has announced new affordable rates for travellers in the summer schedule.

The airline has launched a special offer in which the excess baggage rate for only the first 10kg (1-10kg) of additional baggage, over and above the free baggage allowance, will be at a slab equivalent to only USD40 (OMR16). This rate will be the same for journeys boarding ex-Oman to their final destination in India and ex-India to Muscat. 

Currently, the rates are double or triple this tariff.

"During the summer holidays, we find families travelling to India and carrying additional baggage in the form of gifts for their loved ones back home, and this leads to excess baggage, which is currently calculated at 1.5 per cent of the highest normal direct on-way economy class fare. So, through this new offer, we have set special rates on excess baggage on the Muscat/India/Muscat sectors," said Amreesh Choudhary, country manager at the Air India Muscat. "For Goa/Mangalore bound passengers, the discount levels would be approximately 60 per cent. Similarly, for passengers travelling to Guwahati, Raipur, Ranchi and Vishakhapatnam, the discount would be close to 65 per cent," the country manager said further.

This summer, the airline is also all set to offer a series of delights to its passengers, apart from offering special fares, airport upgrade options and holiday packages. Currently, the airlines offers 30kg free baggage allowance for every adult or child passenger, irrespective of the point of sale or from which direction the journey is originating. 

Apart from this, Air India also offers 7kg of free hand baggage.

With 24 flights a week, the airline offers daily direct flights to Delhi and Chennai apart from Mumbai and thrice weekly to Hyderabad and Bangalore.
Source:/www.timesofoman.com

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Goa needs to look beyond beach tourism to attract tourists

Goa tourism will have to look beyond the current mantra of 'sun, sea and sand' if it wants to attract tourists from other countries besides Russian and Europe - this eye-opening suggestion was offered by many buyers at the Goa International Travel Mart 2014.

Claiming that beaches in Goa hold no attraction to tourists in South-East Asia or other eastern countries, Lim Suat Keow, Malaysia marketing manager attached to Asia Pacific Tourism & Cultural Council Pvt Ltd, claimed that Malaysians would be interested to travel to Goa only if they are offered anything 'different' other than beaches. "Malaysia has beaches like Goa. So the beaches hold no attractions to Malaysians. I think Goa should promote more of its eco-life, wild life and adventures tourism," he said.

"I don't see why travelers from Australia or New Zeeland would visit Goa for beaches when they have their own beaches. More importantly, they can get better deals if they visit Bali, Singapore, Malaysia and any other country in that zone," he added.

Irvinder Singh, a travel agent based in Singapore, was frank enough to point out that Goa does not stand a chance in attracting tourists from South-East Asian countries if it does not open up its other sides to the world. "Goa is concentrating too much on beach tourism. Also, water sports activities and boat cruises are quite expensive compared to similar services offered in Kerala. I don't mind bringing my clientele here if Goa is ready to look beyond beach tourism and offer something different," he said.

A senior tourism official said their efforts are on to advertise all other facets of the state that have never shown to the world. "Goa has variety of things to offer besides over-crowded beach belts. For instance, we have 30,000 old human civilization in the form of rock carvings located in the hinterland of Sanguem. There are people who are willing to pay visit to such sites," he said.

Source(Timesofindia.com)

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Railways takes down curtains from third AC coaches

Citing safety reasons, the railways has decided to remove curtains put on pathways of all air-conditioned three-tier (3 AC) coaches of trains.

However, the curtains from windows of 3 AC coaches will continue, officials said.

Decision to remove curtains was taken on recommendation of Commissioner of Railways Safety (CoRS) following its enquiry into causes of last year's fire in Bangalore-Nanded Express train, that left at least 26 people in Andhra Pradesh.

"Railway Board had on March 12 decided to remove all curtains put on pathways of 3 AC coaches. All zonal railways have been instructed to remove them," a senior Railway Ministry official said.

The zonal railways will remove the curtains as and when a train undergoes general maintenance works, he said.

Though the curtains were made of fire-retardant material, but considering CoRS recommendation, the board has decided to remove them, the official said.

A major fire had ripped through a third AC coach of the Bangalore-Nanded Express train, killing 26 people, including two children, in sleep and injuring 13 others in the wee hours of December 28, last year in Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.

In order to further improve fire safety mechanism in rolling stocks, railways has called a two-day international conference from April 24-25 on fire safety technologies here. Participants from Germany, France, Italy, the US and the UK will be attending the conference, he said.

The railways had in 2009 decided to put curtains in aisles of all air conditioned three-tier coaches, in order to give more privacy to passengers.

Earlier railways has taken back some of its decisions - extra side middle berth in sleeper train coaches and use of 'kulhar' (earthen pots) after it received flak from travellers.

In order to accommodate more passengers, former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad had in 2008 approved "high capacity coaches" with extra side middle berth seats for sleeper class. The facility was later extended for third AC coaches.

The high capacity sleeper coaches had 81 seats as against 72 in then (and now) existing sleeper class coaches. Whereas, modified third AC coaches had 72 seats as against 64 in then (and now) existing 3A class.

The project had to be rolled back in 2009 after passengers complained of inconvenience due to the restricted sitting and sleeping space, the official said.

Similarly, Lalu's pet project of introducing 'Kulhars' by removing plastic cups also did not get many takers.

Lalu had in July 2004 introduced 'kulhars' which slowly vanished from trains and platforms. However, there is no ban on selling beverages like tea and coffee in 'Kulhars', the railway ministry official explained.

 (source:rediff.com)

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DGCA asks SpiceJet to immediately stop Re 1 ticket offer

Terming SpiceJet's offer of rupee one fare across its domestic network as "predatory" and a "malpractice", aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday came down heavily on the no-frill carrier and asked it to stop such pricing immediately.

Hours after SpiceJet offered fares as low as rupee one valid for domestic travel till next year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shot off a strongly-worded directive to the airline asking it to stop the three-day offer "immediately".
Such pricing was "not only predatory", but it amounted to "malpractice" under Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules relating to air tariff, official sources said.

The fact that only one or two seats were being offered on each flight at the rate of one rupee amounted to "deceiving the travelling public", they said, adding that the airline was making such an offer for 91 sectors across the country.

Rule 135, under which the directive was issued, says: "When the Director General (of Civil Aviation) is satisfied that any air transport undertaking has established excessive or predatory tariff...or has indulged in oligopolistic practice, he may, by order, issue directions to such air transport undertaking." 

The sources also reminded that such one rupee tickets were earlier offered by the erstwhile Air Deccan, which was making losses and was later bought over by liquor baron Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines that has now folded up.SpiceJet, which posted a Rs. 171 crore loss in the December quarter, has been virtually leading a fare war in the aviation sector since January by making similar offers, forcing other airlines to follow suit.


Apart from the latest rupee one offer, the airline also announced two special schemes, offering the travellers Rs. 799 and Rs. 1499 ticket prices, excluding taxes and airport fees, with a booking window of three days, starting Tuesday.
The travel period for the tickets booked under these schemes would remain valid till March 28 next year from this July.

SpiceJet offers customers airfare at Re 1.

(source:http://www.hindustantimes.com)

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SpiceJet offers customers airfare at Re 1

The Re 1 airfare discounts are back on domestic travelling as low cost carrier Spicejet airline, on Tuesday announced a ' limited seat offer'. However, the statutory taxes and fees are to be borne by passengers, the airline stated in a statement.

The Re 1 airfare trend was initiated by Capt GR Gopinath promoted Air Deccan, resulting in aviation revolution in the country. The cheap airfares made air travelling accessible to the middle class, who so far shied away due to exorbitant high airfares earlier.

A SpiceJet airline spokesperson said that the offer is valid only on bookings made between April 1- 3 for travelling during the period between July 1, 2014 to March 28, 2015. The offer is valid on the new sector network announced by the airline. The airline spokesperson however, refused to divulge out the number of seats available under this offer.

 “These fares will allow families to plan their vacations and weekend trips at costs that lower than train fares, now that the pressure of March school exams is finally over. But they need to move fast as seats are limited,” said Kaneswaran Avili, chief commercial officer, SpiceJet Ltd, who assumed his role as CCO of SpiceJet on Tuesday.

Since last over three months, the domestic airlines in India have been trying to undo each other in order to fill their seats during the off season which lasts till April and also as a pre curser to entry of Air Asia.
Aviation industry insider state that this eventually lead to heavy strain on Air Deccan’s financial health. Liquor baron Vijaya Mallaya led Kingfisher airlines which took over Air Deccan  later, too is believed to have made a hole in his finances, due to the debt it brought to the books.

Sharat Dhall, President, of travel portal yatra.com said, “This is an attempt to target leisure bookers with extremely attractive advance booking fares, a tactic that has been successfully used by LCCs across the world. SpiceJet is looking to pick up a significant share of these forward bookings, which could also insulate them from the threat of higher competitive activity that is expected later in the year. The sale has been extremely well received by travellers and within hours of the sale announcement, we are already seeing bookings that are four times the normal. We envisage that other airlines will follow suit pretty soon.”

Source:(dnaindia.com)

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Rajasthan Tourism Festival Calendar 2010 to 2015

Fairs and Festivals	Place	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Camel Festival	Bikaner	30-31 Dec.09	18-19 Jan.	8-9 Jan.	26-27 Jan.	15-16 Jan.	4-5 Jan.
Nagaur Fair(Ramdeoji Cattle Fair)	Nagaur	22-25 Jan.	10-13 Feb.	30Jan.-2 Feb	17-20 Feb.	6-9 Feb.	26-29 Jan.
Desert Festival	Jaisalmer	28-30 Jan.	16-18 Feb.	5-7 Feb.	23-25 Feb.	12-14 Feb.	1-3 Feb.
Beneshwar Fair	Beneshwar(Dungarpur)	26-30 Jan.	14-18 Feb.	3-7 Feb.	21-25 Feb.	10-14 Feb.	30 Jan-3 Feb.
Braj Festival	Bharatpur	2-4 Feb.	2-4 Feb.	2-4 Feb.	2-4 Feb.	2-4 Feb.	2-4 Feb.
Elephant Festival	Jaipur	28 Feb.	19 Mar.	7 Mar.	26 Mar.	16 Mar.	5 Mar.
Kailadevi Fair	Karauli	12 Mar.	31 Mar.	19 Mar.	7 Apr.	28 Mar.	17 Mar.
Gangaur Festival	Jaipur	18-19 Mar.	6-7 Apr.	25-26 Mar.	13-14 Apr.	2-3 Apr.	22-23 Mar.
Mewar Festival	Udaipur	18-20 Mar.	6-8 Apr.	25-27 Mar.	13-15 Apr.	2-4 Apr.	22-24 Mar.
Mahaveerji Fair	Mahaveerji	24-30 Mar.	12-18 Apr.	1-6 Apr.	20-25 Apr.	8-15 Apr.	28 Mar.-4 Apr.
Summer Festival	Mount Abu	26-28 May	15-17 May	4-6 May	23-25 May	12-14 May	2-4 May
Teej Festival	Jaipur	12-13 Aug.	2-3 Aug.	22-23 July	9-10 Aug.	30-31 July	17-18 Aug.
Kajli Teej	Bundi	26-27 Aug.	15-16 Aug.	4 Aug.	22-23 Aug.	12-13 Aug.	31 Aug.- 1 Sept.
Dussehra Festival	Kota	15-17 Oct.	4-6 Oct.	22-24 Oct.	12-14 Oct.	1-3 Oct.	21-22 Oct.
Matasya Festival	Alwar	15-16 Sept.	4-5 Oct.	22-23 Oct.	12-13 Oct.	2-3 Oct.	21-22 Oct.
Marwar Festival	Jodhpur	21-22 Oct.	10-11 Oct.	28-29 Oct.	17-18 Oct.	7-8 Oct.	26-27 Oct.
Pushkar Fair	Pushkar (Ajmer)	13-21 Nov.	2-10 Nov.	20-28 Nov.	9-17 Nov.	30 Oct.- 6 Nov.	18-25 Nov.
Chandrabhaga Fair	Jhalawad	20-22 Nov.	9-11 Nov.	27-29 Nov.	16-18 Nov.	5-7 Nov.	24-26 Nov.
Bundi Utsav	Bundi	24-26 Nov.	14-16 Nov.	1-3 Dec.	20-21 Nov.
Kumbhalgarh Festival	Udaipur	21-23 Dec.	21-23 Dec.	21-23 Dec.	21-23 Dec.
Winter Festival	Mount Abu	29-31 Dec.	29-31 Dec.	29-31 Dec.	29-31 Dec.	29-31 Dec.	29-31 Dec.

 

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Haunted places in India

India is not only famous for the wild beauty it encompasses but also the eerie one that leaves the travelers wondering about its mysteries. Grab some books from an old library; the ghost stories of India will bring goose bumps to your skin. There is a lot more to this country which is unknown and the stories of which still resound from the mouth of the elderly at the midnight gatherings. Endless places especially the hills are known for their ghostly stories, some of the locals of this place have witnessed the supernatural with their naked eyes. Out of the most haunted places of India; Fort of Bhangarh, Rajasthan tops the list. People say that nobody returned from there who stayed there after dark. The ruins of Bhangarh features an eerie silence, the Indian Government warning signboard at the entrance of the fort reads no entry before sunrise and after sunset. At Bhangarh the mystery still continues.

Dumas Beach in Gujarat is another most haunted place of India, Hindus are said to burn dead bodies on the beach and this area has been reported numerous times for its paranormal activities. Strange whispers are heard by the locals on the beach who say that the wind around its vicinities is full of spirits of dead people. The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai which is considered to be one of the most lavish hotels of India is said to be haunted by the ghost of its architect. Ghost is said to wander in the corridors of this Hotel. One among the 10 Most Haunted Places of India Shaniwarwada Fort, Pune also reports uncanny happenings.

Full Moon nights are known to be haunted here. It is said that this fort is haunted by the ghost of a prince who was brutally assassinated when he was just 13 years old by a relative. His ghost can be heard shrieking in the middle of the night. Hills have always been creepy, Dow Hill, Kurseong, West Bengal has stories of its woods. A number of murders have taken place here and many locals report that a headless young boy walks and disappears in the woods. The folklores continue and the stories are retold, think of ghosts and our blood runs cold. The fear of the unknown grips you and leaves you wondering, is there life after death is the question that still remains unanswered. Do not miss to visit the Haunted places of India and experience the unknown.

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Why golden triangle tour is popular among tourists?

What about covering one of the most wild, whacky and whimsical short journey in India? The Golden Triangle Tour will rekindle the traveler in you as this journey will take you to three of the most popular cities of India. Journeying across the delirious Delhi, the astounding Agra and the very poignant Jaipur also known as the Pink City will be one of the most amazing lifetime experiences. The history journey will commence from Delhi the capital city of India. It will be not only its bustling markets, crowded streets and dazzling hubs that will amaze you but the real gist of this place will be revealed by visiting its historic monuments.

Known as the Capital of the Moguls this journey will take you to the magnificent Red Fort which will remind you of India’s Independence. Its glorious architecture will leave your eyes captivated. Witness one of the largest mosques in India the Jama Masjid , glide past the spectacular Humayun’s Tomb, watch the potpourri of Purana Quila and admire the majestic Qutub Minar. The undying flame of the India Gate will mark the end of your Delhi travel.

After Delhi the journey will head towards Agra which is the home to the giant epitome of love The Taj

Mahal.

Before witnessing this magnum, the traveler will be made to visit the high and looming Agra Fort which will be another great piece of Mogul splendid architecture. The journey will further take a road towards Sikandra, the mausoleum of adulation and not to miss the deserted ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri.

It will be one of the enthralling journeys of all and to add on some more enthusiasm to this travel the traveler will be made to visit the symbol of love which is none other than the Taj Mahal.

A visit to this mausoleum of love and this miraculous, marvel will adorn your golden triangle tour with matchless beauty. After witnessing the Taj Mahal the journey will proceed towards the walled city of Jaipur. Here the traveler will get to visit Hawa Mahal, City Museum, Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort which will truly be enticing places to visit. Golden triangle tour will be a blessing in disguise for every traveler.

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Why India is called Incredible India?

India , a home to homeless, an expression to the expressionless , an emotion to the ones who know no love, an endless road, a lot known for the unknown , a travelers paradise, India can truly be never defined. Incredible is the perfect word to symbolize this country which in itself is a small world of its own. Etched with a myriad of cultures, traditions, religions and beliefs it is a vast country worth exploring for a crazy traveler. Hit its long winding roads, even the undulating ones will offer you with an enticing experience. Explore the living by visiting an Indian home and as the saying goes “ Atithi Devo Bhava’’ you will be treated no less than God. The people here will be ever welcoming, walk the crowded roads, be fearless even if it’s a new land as no one will guide you with a wrong road, India will be a lot known even to the unknown.

If it’s about travelling its vicinities this country will offer you with popular cities, holistic temples, heritage sites, natural beauty, enthralling wildlife, royal retreats, deserts, adventure, wellness and the list goes on. India is vast yet it will never be difficult for a traveler to explore. Its uncountable destinations will allure you and the life it embodies will dazzle you till every extent. If you are on a journey across this country do not miss to be a part of its fairs and festivals which will deliver you with the true essences of India. Savor its local delicacies and relish its gastronomic treats, nothing will ever be able to replace the taste of the traditional Indian food.

Talking about its history, India was called “The Golden Bird” the stories of which are still retold by the old and the elderly. Call it an epitome of love, a symbol of beauty or a messenger of peace, this country will fill you with wonders. It will appear no less than a bulbous giant which attracts tourists like moths to its burning flame. Come and seek wonder and witness its legends, India will be a country you will love. A country with a million faces and each one having a unique beauty of its own will mesmerize you and will keep you spellbound. It will be a home away from home, a fantasy untold an illusion unbound. India is undoubtedly an Incredible India, a crazy tale retold.

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