Monthly Archives: July 2016

Video: Boeing 737 MAX flying display

Boeing 737-8 MAX flight demonstration practice Moses Lake Washington

The Boeing 737 MAX is the re-engined version of the most popular selling jet aircraft till date. The aircraft which is expected to enter service in 2017, incorporates the latest technology LEAP-1B engines of CFM International, Advanced Technology dual winglets and other improvements. The plane was showcased at the recently concluded Farnborough Air Show. This video captured above Moses Lake …

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Photos: Etihad opens first and business class lounge at Los Angeles airport

Martin Drew, Etihad Airways Senior Vice President for the Americas, Haitham Al Subaihi, Etihad Airways Director of Visual Communications, Deborah Flint, Los Angeles World Airports Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, Etihad Aviation Group President and Chief Executive Officer, and Hareb Al Muhairy, Etihad Airways Senior Vice President Corporate and International Affairs

The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has unveiled its new lounge for its premium first and business class passengers in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles (LAX) airport. The 4,400 square feet lounge is located ‘airside’ i.e. after security is may be accessed by Etihad first and business class passengers, Platinum, …

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Lean season brings bounty of offers for passengers

A view of the ramp at Bangalore Airport.

SpiceJet is offering a 10% discount to students. Tata-Singapore Airlines Vistara is offering corporate travellers, free upgrades to their business and premium economy classes. Jet Airways is offering ‘Fare Choices’, where you the passenger decide what services you are willing to forgo to get a lower fare. National carrier Air India is offering low same-day return fares in both economy …

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Singapore Airlines $3,699 business class sale from US to South-East Asia

Singapore Airlines A380 business class. Photo by Devesh Agarwal.

Here’s a chance to fly one of the most luxurious business class cabins in the world for a really low price. Singapore Airlines is offering an all-in, round-trip business class fare of US$3,699 (about Rs 2.51 lakh) from each of its U.S. gateways in New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston to select destinations in Southeast Asia. These …

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Turkey’s Pegasus receives first CFM LEAP powered Airbus A320neo

Turkey's Pegasus Airlines takes delivery of the first CFM LEAP 1-A powered A320neo. Airbus photo.

Earlier this week, Turkey’s leading low cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, became the first airline to fly the Airbus A320neo powered by CFM International鈥檚 LEAP-1A engines, and the fourth airline globally, after launch customer Deutsche Lufthansa and India’s IndiGo and GoAir. This is the first of the up to 100 A320neo (new engine option) the airline had ordered back in 2012. …

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Video: Painting the #Kabali livery on AirAsia India A320

AirAsia India Airbus A320 VT-APJ in Rajinikanth Kabali livery. Airline photo.

AirAsia India is the official airline partner for Kabali, the latest movie of Tamil super-star Rajinikanth which releases tomorrow. Probably the biggest star of Indian cinema, he is also called Thalaivar, which means ‘The Boss’, in Tamil. The airline has re-painted one of its A320 aircraft VT-APJ (after the late President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam), in a Kabali tribute livery. …

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Photos: Spotting at Airbus’ Hamburg Finkenwerder plant

Today, I had the opportunity to go spotting at Hamburg’s Finkenwerder Airport. The airport houses Airbus’s second largest factory. The plant houses final assembly for the A320 family aircraft, cabin assembly and painting for the A380 and major component assembly for the A380. The plant has a small hill that allows visitors to view flight operations on the airport’s main …

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Jet Airways ups the ante on Singapore Airlines with Boeing 777s

Jet Airways Boeing 777-300ER VT-JEG performing flight 9W117 from London approaches Mumbai airport

As its Boeing 777-300ERs come of their leases from Etihad Airways, India’s largest private airline, Jet Airways, will deploy these mini-jumbos on the Mumbai Singapore route increasing its capacity by 50%. The change-over on flights 9W09, 9W12 will occur on August 6, while flights 9W10 and 9W11 will occur a day later, August 7. Jet Airways Mumbai Singapore schedule Flight …

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Ruili Airlines finalizes order for Boeing 787-9’s

Boeing CEO Ray Conner and Ruili Airlines Chairman Ma Zhanwei hold up the commemorative purchase certificate.

Yunnan based chinese carrier Ruili Airlines announced today at the third day of the 2016 Farnborough International Airshow the finalization of an order for six 787-9 Dreamliners. The order which is valued at $1.59 billion at current list prices, is the first widebody order for the Yunnan-based carrier. Ruili airlines began operations in February 2014 and currenty operates a fleet …

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AirAsia orders 100 Airbus A321neo. Wants massive India expansion. #FAS16

AirAsia A321neo. Airbus CGI.

Malaysia-based low cost carrier AirAsia has placed an order with Airbus for 100 Airbus A321neo. The order value is $12.6 billion This is the airline group’s first ever order for the extended variant of the popular A320neo family. The announcement was made by AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes and Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Br茅gier at the Farnborough …

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Boeing announces orders for 737, 787 and 747-8 on day 2 #FAS16

On day two of the 2016 Farnborough airshow, Boeing has announced orders for the 747-8, 787-9 and the 737 family. TUI Group finalized an order for 10 737 MAX 8s, one 787-9 Dreamliner and an option on an additional 787-9. The order is valued at $1.4 billion at current list prices Air Lease Corporation announced an order for six 737 …

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Analysis: GoAir signs MOU with Airbus for another 72 A320neos. Doubles order to 144.

GoAir's first Airbus A320neo VT-WGA MSN7047 takes-off at Toulouse airport.

Indian budget carrier GoAir has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with European airframer Airbus to purchase another 72 A320neo aircraft. This effectively doubles GoAir’s A320neo existing 72 plane order, placed in 2011, to 144. GoAir is the third operator of the new aircraft, globally, after Germany’s Lufthansa, and India’s IndiGo. It has taken delivery of two A320neos as of …

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Qatar Airways to buy 10% stake in LATAM

Qatar chief executive Akbar Al Bakar and LATAM CEO Enrique Cueto after announcing the investment.

Qatar Airways has announced on the second day of the Farnborough airshow that it will acquire a 10% stake in LATAM airlines group. The airline will invest $618 million in the Latin carrier, according to Qatar chief executive His Excellency Akbar Al Bakar. He further said this investment is further proof of the airline’s commitment to oneWorld. LATAM is the …

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Virgin Atlantic orders 12 Airbus A350-1000 #FAS16

Airbus CGI of Virgin Atlantic A350-1000.

British carrier Virgin Atlantic has announced an order for 12 Airbus A350-1000s. The order is worth $4.4 billion at list prices, though airlines get a substantial discount. Eight of 12 ordered aircraft will be purchased and balance four will be leased. The Virgin A350’s will be powered by British made Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The -1000 is the longest variant …

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Exclusive pictures of the new Boeing 737 MAX #FAS16

Boeing 737 MAX 8 N8704Q.

Bangalore Aviation’s photo editor Vedant, was given a tour of Boeing’s new 737 MAX which is designed to compete with the new A320neo from Airbus. The MAX features new LEAP engines from CFM, a digital flight deck that derives inputs from its big brother the 787 Dreamliner, split wing-tips, and a host of other new features. Indian budget carrier Spicejet …

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Boeing announces orders for the 737 MAX and 787-9

On day one of the Farnborough airshow, Boeing has announced orders for the 737 MAX and 787 families. Xiamen Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the purchase of up to 30 737 MAX 200 airplanes, valued at up to $3.39 billion at current list prices. The airline which already has orders for the MAX plans to use the MAX …

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GoAir to buy another 70 A320neo family airplanes

GoAir's first Airbus A320neo VT-WGA MSN7047 takes-off at Toulouse airport.

Media outlets across the world are reporting that Indian low fare carrier GoAir will order another 70 A320neo narrow body airplanes. This is in addition to the existing order of 72 A320neo from which, the airline received its first delivery last month. The order will be worth $7.5 billion at list prices though one can expect GoAir to receive hefty …

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Boeing, Norwegian agree to record GoldCare coverage

Boeing announced at the 2016 Farnborough International Airshow that Norwegian has committed to GoldCare coverage for its 737 MAX fleet and expanded coverage for the airline’s entire 787 Dreamliner fleet. The new services agreements represent the largest commercial services order in Boeing history. The agreement is valued at around 3 billion USD. With the GoldCare service, Boeing delivers the operational …

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Air India to launch Bangalore Hubli flights

Air India Regional Alliance Air first ATR72-600 VT-AII. ATR image.

National carrier Air India has announced it will launch thrice a week flights between Bengaluru (BLR) and Hubballi (HBX) from 20th July. The flights will be operated by ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft. The flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as per the following schedule : Flight Departure Arrival AI 9509 (BLR-HBX) 15:45 17:05 AI 9510 (HBX-BLR) 17:25 18:35 …

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Indian carriers waive charges for Srinagar flights

Bengaluru Kempegowda airport ramp. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal. Used with permission.

Following the series of disturbances in Jammu and Kashmir state capital Srinagar, airlines in India are waiving off charges and penalties on cancellation and rebooking of flights that are scheduled to operate to and from the capital city. The current situation that has made access to the airport either difficult or impossible, leaving passengers who have booked tickets for outbound …

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