About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

IndiGo ties up with Kotak Mahindra Bank to launch BluChip co-brand credit cards

June 27, 2025 by Ajay 2 Comments

IndiGo and Kotak Bank launched the first co-brand credit card for the BluChip Programme. Here is how the whole thing looks, and how it works.

Air India 171: Black Box decoding begins in Delhi

June 26, 2025 by Ajay Leave A Comment

The image shows the wreckage of an aircraft crash on a building, with smoke and flames visible. The scene is surrounded by trees, and the aircraft appears to be severely damaged.

The investigation for AI171 has started, at a snail’s pace, albeit. Here is how far the investigation has gone so far.

Deal: IndiGo Stretch for Just INR 9,999

June 25, 2025 by Ajay Leave A Comment

IndiGo is currently offering tickets on the IndiGo stretch for just INR 9,999 and onwards across its domestic Stretch Network. Delhi – Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and more! Check it out.

SAS to return to India in June 2026

June 25, 2025 by Ajay Leave A Comment

The image shows the tail section of an airplane with a blue and white color scheme. The tail fin prominently displays the letters "SAS." The sky in the background is clear with some clouds.

SAS, the Scandinavian carrier, is planning to launch flights to Mumbai in 2026. The airline will operate five times a week on the route.

Deal: Upto 25% Discount on Etihad Airways Economy for flights to Europe (bookable through June 26, 2025)

June 25, 2025 by Ajay Leave A Comment

The image shows a scenic view of a European city with historic architecture, including buildings with red roofs and a prominent green dome. In the foreground, there are trees, and in the background, a sprawling cityscape extends to the horizon. Overlaid text reads, "Last Call for Summer" and "Save up to 25% and fly to Europe in style."

Etihad Airways is offering up to 25% discount on their flights to Europe from India through July 31, 2025. Here is how to get this discount if you book by June 26, 2025.

Air India / Express to resume flying/overflying the Middle East; Europe and N. Americas flights coming back, too.

June 24, 2025 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Air India and Air India Express had taken a decision to not fly to or through the Middle East for 24 hours. Now they are back in the air. Here are the details.

Scapia Cards now come with Visa + RuPay combination

June 24, 2025 by Ajay 3 Comments

The image is an advertisement for the Scapia Federal Credit Card, available in both Visa and RuPay. The background is a blue grid pattern with text promoting the card's features, such as using RuPay for UPI and Visa for other transactions, with all spending consolidated into one statement. A smartphone is shown displaying a digital interface with two card options, one green and one red, indicating available limits.

Scapia, the travel-focused credit card, is back to onboarding new customers, and now provides both Visa and RuPay variants. Here are the details of the card and how it made it to my list of cards I use.

Air India passengers and crew fall sick on board London – Mumbai flight

June 24, 2025 by Ajay Leave A Comment

On board AI 130, five passengers and two crew members fell sick last night. The cause of their illness was not known.

Here is how Indian carriers reacted to the Middle East Airspace closure

June 24, 2025 by Ajay Leave A Comment

The image shows a flight tracking map from Flightradar24, displaying the flight path of Air India flight AI102 from New York (JFK) to Delhi (DEL). The map shows the aircraft's route, with various loops and turns over the northeastern United States. The bottom section provides flight details, including the aircraft type (Airbus A350-941), registration (VT-JRF), and a photo of the plane. The flight's status indicates it is on the ground with a ground speed of 2 knots.

All the Indian carriers are currently trying to find a way to bring back operations to and through the Middle East back on track, however, it is a mess for now.