Monthly Archives: June 2014

Air India finally cleared to join the Star Alliance as 27th member airline

A tail parade of each of Air India's Boeing aircraft as in 2011. The 747-400, 777-300ER, 777-200LR and 737-800.

After years of trying and suffering the ignominy of being the only airline whose membership process was suspended, national carrier Air India was approved for membership of the world’s largest airline grouping, the Star Alliance. The final integration processes by teams at Air India, the Star alliance and its member carriers will be completed so that the first Indian carrier …

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Humour photos: What happens when you test run a 737 engine on loose bricks?

Shaheen Air International Boeing 737-4Q8 AP-BJR damaged during engine run up on pavers.

Very simple ……. this. Unlike bricks and cobblestones, paver blocks are placed on a bed of sand without any concrete. So when some very smart people decided to test run the CFM56 engines of a Shaheen Air International Boeing 737-400 at Sialkot airport in Pakistan, the pavers turned in to barrage of debris damaging the aircraft. Thanks to the aircraft …

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Analysis: Emirates banks on 777X with A350 XWB order cancellation

Just about two weeks ago, Dubai-based Emirates airline and European airframer Airbus S.A.S. announced the cancellation of the 70 aircraft A350 XWB order, 50 A350-900 and 20 A350-1000 citing outcomes “as a result of a fleet requirements review.” While the cancellation was downplayed by Airbus as “not good news commercially” but “not bad news financially”, it is most definitely a …

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29th anniversary of Air India Emperor Kanishka bombing today

Air India Boeing 747 VT-EFO Emperor Kanishka at London Heathrow. Photo taken on 10-June-1985 just 13 days before its bombing. Photo by Ian Kirby (Ian Kirby as seen on airliners.net) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Twenty-nine years ago today, June 23, 1985, a air bombing that shook the world and introduced stringent security checks on checked-in luggage. Air India Boeing 747-237B c/n 21473 line 330, registration VT-EFO and named Emperor Kanishka was operating flight AI182 on the Montreal–London–Delhi route. In the early hours of the morning, as the aircraft approached Ireland at an altitude of …

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Sir Richard Branson talks about starting Virgin Atlantic

Still from Virgin Atlantic's 25th anniversary promotional video "Still Red Hot".

Yesterday, June 22, 2014, marked the 30 year anniversary of Virgin Atlantic’s first flight. Apart from being an inspirational article, a piece in The Telegraph by the maverick founder of Virgin Atlantic, Sir Richard Branson, give us insight to his motivations, his business acumen and key differentiators that make the Virgin airlines’ group a household name today. (scroll below video …

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Video: Crosswind landings – where airline pilots earn their salary

As part of every aircraft certification testing, it has to undergo crosswind testing. Two preferred locations, known for their extreme crosswinds which occur with amazing regularity are both air force bases; Keflavik in Iceland and a remote base in Brazil. Boeing recently conducted crosswind testing on the newest variant of the Dreamliner, the 787-9, which should be delivered this summer …

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CFM LEAP-1B engine for the Boeing 737 MAX begins ground testing

CFM International has successfully started ground testing of the first LEAP-1B engine.  The LEAP-1B will be exclusive engine for the Boeing 737 MAX. CFM ran the engine for the first time on June 13, three days ahead of schedule. The LEAP-1B engine, installed in a test cell at Snecma (Safran) facilities in Villaroche, France, successfully completed a series of break-in runs before …

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Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner earns FAA and EASA certification

Air New Zealand launch Boeing 787-9 in all-back livery leaves Boeing paint shop.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has taken one of the final steps to commercial service, it has been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for commercial service. To earn certification for the 787-9, Boeing undertook a comprehensive test program with five airplanes and more than 1,500 hours of flight testing, plus ground …

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Qatar Airways starts flights to Tokyo-Haneda

Qatar Airways is expanding it’s service to Japan with it’s newest destination, Tokyo Haneda International Airport. The new route will double the airlines service to Tokyo to two flights a day. The route which will be operated by a Boeing 787 dreamliner, will be the airlines third to Japan, joining Osaka and Tokyo Narita International Airport. Tokyo Haneda International Airport is one of two …

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Bangalore airport passenger and airline fees increased significantly

The main passenger terminal building at Bangalore Airport.

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority has awarded Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), the airport operator of the Kempegowda International Airport, at Bangalore a significant fee increase affecting both airlines as well as passengers, effective July 1, 2014. Departing passengers will see an increase of up to 31% in the User Development Fee (UDF). Five years on, with virtually no utilisation …

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Opinion: Un-fare meddling DGCA must focus on passenger friendly policies

Air India Airbus A321 VT-PPO. Seen here handing in the early morning light at Bangalore Airport.

Last Sunday, June 15th, The Economic Times newspaper carried my opinion piece on the excessive meddling of the Indian civil aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGCA in short, in the day-to-day operations of airlines in India. Using the example of how the DGCA, in direct contradiction of its own policies (read DGCA ATC 3 of 2013 …

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Malaysia Airlines decommissions it’s Boeing 737-400 fleet

Last Saturday, Malaysia Airlines operated the last flights of it’s 737-400 fleet. The airline has now decommissioned the last of it’s 737-400 fleet. The -400 is being replaced by the newer 737-800 series in the airlines fleet. The Boeing 737-400 was part of the “Classic Series” of the 737. The 737-400 launched in 1985 to fill the gap between the 737-300 and the …

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Through the lens: Air Asia India’s maiden flight

First flight of AirAsia India. Takeoff roll.

Air Asia India’s first flight took off today from Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore to Dabolim Airport, Goa. This flight marks the launch of the airline’s operations in India. The inaugural flight, I5 1320, landed at Goa with a 100% flight load. The flight carried some senior airline officials like AirAsia India CEO Mittu Chandilya. The airline will be flying daily to Goa …

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Etihad flights to show all FIFA world cup matches live

Etihad Airways Boeing 777-300ER A6-ETK London Heathrow

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways. will show every match of FIFA World Cup 2014 being played in Brazil, live on their long-haul wide-body fleet. All 64 games of the world’s largest sporting event spread over the next month will be transmitted live while the flights are airborne by IMG Media using Etihad Airways’ interactive in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, E-box, powered by …

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IndiGo crosses 500 daily flights mark

With its newest aircraft joining the fleet, India’s largest domestic carrier, IndiGo has crossed the 500 daily flights mark, now operating 52 daily flights to 36 destinations. The new aircraft will perform the following flight schedule. Flt no. Origin Destination Departure Arrival Fares* W.e.f. 6E 536 Delhi Jammu 2:55pm 4:20pm 2700 10 June 6E 535 Jammu Delhi 4:50pm 5:55pm 2424 …

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Jet Airways expands code-share agreement with stakeholder Etihad Airways

India’s largest private carrier Jet Airways has expanded its code-share partnership with Etihad Airways which holds a 24 percent stake in the former. The agreement will allow Jet passengers from India to connect on to flights on the Etihad network via Abu Dhabi to European destinations including, Amsterdam, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Manchester, Milan, Munich, and Paris, to north …

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Delta orders 15 Airbus A321ceo with deliveries starting 2018

Computer generated image of Delta Air LInes Airbus A321 with Sharklets. Image copyright Airbus S.A.S.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has placed an additional order for 15 Airbus A321ceo (current engine option) aircraft starting for delivery in 2018. With its merger with Northwest, Delta inherited a fleet of Airbus aircraft (126 A320 narrow-body family and 32 A330 wide-body). All of Delta’s A321s will feature fuel-saving wing-tip devices called Sharklets. Delta has opted for CFM56-5B engines from …

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Air India and Hong Kong Airlines sign code-share agreement

Mr Pankaj Srivastava, commercial director of Air India and Mr. Li Dianchun, commercial director of Hong Kong Airlines sign code-share agreement in Delhi. Photo courtesy the airlines.

National carrier Air India (AI) has signed a code-share arrangement with Hong Kong Airlines (HX) under which the latter will place its flight codes on Air India’s flights between New Delhi and Hong Kong and between Hong Kong and Osaka Kansai, Japan and Seoul Incheon, Korea. The code-share flight will be effective on June 10th for the flights between Delhi …

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Photo: Indian Navy’s fourth Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft arrives

Indian Navy fourth Boeing P-8I tail number IN323 arrives at INS Rajali naval air station Arokkonam. Boeing photo.

The Indian Navy received the fourth of its ordered eight Boeing P-8I maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Tail number IN323 has arrived at INS Rajali also known as Arokkanam naval air station, about 55 km west of Chennai. (Map). IN323 joins three of her sisters currently undergoing operational evaluation at the air base. The P-8I is the Indian Navy …

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