Air India Ends Full-Service Flights at Imphal Airport

18 Jun 2025 CW Team

Air India officially ceased its full-service operations at Imphal International Airport on 16 June 2025, marking the end of an era that spanned decades. The decision follows a strategic shift in route optimisation across the airline’s network. While the national carrier departs, its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, will gradually assume operations on routes previously served by the full-service airline, subject to market demand.

Officials clarified that this move is unrelated to recent security incidents or technical faults affecting airlines. Instead, it forms part of a broader restructuring aimed at aligning capacity with evolving passenger needs—especially in regional and non-metro markets like Imphal, where affordable fares are increasingly important.

Despite this change, the transition has not proceeded without disruption. The region recently saw a significant delay of 18 hours due to a technical issue on a Kolkata-bound flight, as well as cancellations on the Guwahati–Hyderabad route, which led to passenger unrest. In response, Air India Express provided accommodation and meals to impacted travellers, managing the disruptions responsibly.

Imphal International Airport bid farewell to the national carrier with a heartfelt message, calling Air India the “Big Brother” and expressing confidence that Air India Express, the “younger brother”, will uphold the legacy of service in the region. The airport’s social media post featured emotional imagery: staff visibly moved, watching the departure of an aircraft with deep nostalgia.

As Air India Express begins phased operations, the focus shifts to maintaining seamless connectivity for residents of Manipur. This handover symbolises not just a change in airline operations, but a broader transformation in how air travel evolves to meet present-day demands.

Building Material

11 Dec 2025

Suraj Estate Wins Euromoney Award for India’s Best Residential Developer

"Suraj Estate Developers Limited has received the Euromoney Real Estate Award 2025 for ‘India’s Best Residential Developer’, positioning the company among globally benchmarked leaders in the sector. The recognition reflects its four-decade legacy in delivering high-quality residential and redevelopment-led projects across South Central Mumbai. The Euromoney Real Estate Awards, presented by the London-based Euromoney magazine, are widely regarded as one of the most credible global assessments of performance in real estate, banking and finance. Winners are selected through surveys of inte..

Lloyds Metals, Tata Steel Sign MoU to Explore Strategic Collaboration

"Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Steel Limited to evaluate potential areas of strategic cooperation across mining, logistics, pelletisation and steelmaking. The MoU was signed by B Prabhakaran, Managing Director of Lloyds Metals, and Mr T V Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel. The partnership framework aims to leverage the natural operational synergies between both companies and assess opportunities in greenfield steel projects, iron ore mining, slurry pipeline infrastructure, pellet manufacturing in iron ore–ric..

IndiaAI, Gujarat Govt Host Regional Conclave Ahead of 2026 AI Summit

The IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, along with the Government of Gujarat and IIT Gandhinagar, convened a Regional Pre-Summit Event at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The initiative is part of the build-up to the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 15–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The conclave brought together senior policymakers, technology leaders, researchers and industry practitioners to examine how AI can accelerate economic, digital and social transformation across sectors. The programme focused on the overarching th..