Yearly Archives: 2017

Air India to launch New Delhi Washington DC non-stop in July

Air India Boeing 777-200LR VT-ALE at New Delhi Indira Gandhi airport. Image copyright Vedant Agarwal

National carrier Air India will operate a non-stop ‘capital’s flight‘ between New Delhi and Washington DC Dulles (IAD) starting from July 7th. The thrice-weekly flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in a three class configuration with eight first, 35 business and 195 economy class seats. Washington Dulles will be the airline’s fifth non-stop destination in the United …

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Emirates’ Jennifer Aniston video cocks a snook at the US and UK electronics ban

Jennifer Aniston stars in an Emirates' TV commercial

Less than a day after the United States imposed a ban on carriage of large electronics devices in the cabin, Dubai based Emirates airline has released a video advertisement which thumbs it nose at the ban. Titled “Let us entertain you“, the ad is a clipping of the famous 2016 television commercial (TVC) featuring Hollywood superstar Jennifer Aniston. This short …

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UK follows USA, imposes ban on large electronic devices

As expected, the United Kingdom has followed the United States, and imposed its own ban on electronic devices from being carried in cabin baggage. In a written statement to Parliament, British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said “phones, laptops and tablets larger than 16.0cm x 9.3cm x 1.5cm [are] not allowed in the cabin on flights to the UK from Turkey, …

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US bans electronic devices on flights from Middle East and North Africa

Citing potential security threats and extremists seeking “innovative methods” to bring down flights, the United States has indefinitely banned virtually every electronic device from the cabin baggage of passengers flying on nine middle-eastern and north-African airlines or from 10 airports in the region, destined to the US. Domestic flights within, and international flights from, the US are exempt from these …

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Photo: Qatar Amiri A320 Airbus corporate jet at Bangalore

Qatar Amiri Flight Airbus A320-232 CJ A7-HSJ

Last weekend we got a photograph of a special visitor to Bangalore – a private jet from the Qatar Amiri Flight fleet at Bangalore’s HAL airport. The Qatar Amiri flight is an exclusive airline operated for Qatar’s royal family and VIP members of its government. The aircraft that visited Bangalore was A7-HSJ, a four year old Airbus A320ACJ (Airbus corporate …

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Etihad shifts A380 from Mumbai to Paris. Messes up my travel plans.

Etihad A380. Airline image.

Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways appears to be withdrawing its flagship A380 superjumbo service from Mumbai and shifting it on the Abu Dhabi Paris route this summer from July 1. The A380 will operate on one of its twice-daily services to Paris and replace the Boeing 777 the airline currently flies. The Mumbai route will be replaced with an Airbus …

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Vistara signs code-share agreement with Singapore Airlines and SilkAir

Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer, Vistara (seated right) and Leonard Louis Arul, Vice President – Partnerships & International Relations, Singapore Airlines (seated left), signed the Codeshare Agreement in Gurugram, India, in the presence of Phee Teik Yeoh, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara (centre). Accompanying them are Vistara cabin crew Purnima Sharma (left) and Shivangi Singh (right).

The Tata-Singapore Airlines joint venture, Vistaa, has entered in to a code-share agreement with the island nation’s flag carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the latter’s regional subsidiary SilkAir. Under the agreement, Singapore Airlines will place its ‘SQ’ airline designator code on to Vistara-operated flights beyond Mumbai and New Delhi to 10 destinations within India. Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, …

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DGCA brief details issues with the PW1100 GTF engine on the A320neo

Indigo Airbus A320neo VT-ITC. Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1127 Geared Turbo Fan engine. Copyrighted image. Re-use prohibited.

A brief submitted to aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirms Bangalore Aviation’s earlier analysis on the ongoing challenges with the Pratt & Whitney PW1100 G-JM Geared Turbo Fan (GTF) engines which power the Airbus A320NEOs of Lufthansa, IndiGo and Go Airlines. Problems with PW1000G GTF engine The brief, which was reviewed by Bangalore Aviation, traces problems to …

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Boeing receives FAA certificate for MAX 8, rolls out MAX 9

The 737 MAX 9 being rolled out of the paint hanger. Boeing Image.

American airframer Boeing has announced that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified the 737 MAX 8 for commercial service. The airframer is preparing for the first 737 MAX 8 delivery in the second quarter of this year. To earn certification, Boeing used a fleet of four test aircraft to undertake comprehensive test program. The test program also included …

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Analysis: Why has Air Costa halted operations?

Air Costa Embraer E170 VT-LNR at Bangalore.

[bsu_note note_color=”#affbcd” text_color=”#070707″ radius=”4″]This analysis is jointly written by (an) external aviation professional(s) and Bangalore Aviation team. The views expressed may not fully reflect those of Bangalore Aviation. The analyst(s) remain anonymous as they are not authorised to place their views publicly.[/bsu_note] Media reports inform that regional carrier AirCosta has halted operations due to a cash crunch. The aircraft lessor …

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Lufthansa to operate its new Airbus A350 on Mumbai Munich route

Lufthansa A350-900. Image courtesy airline.

German carrier Lufthansa will up-guage its Munich Mumbai route to its state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft from April 16, 2017 onwards. The route is currently operated by an Airbus A330-300. The A350 is the newest plane from Airbus, and like its competitor, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, features extensive use of composite materials thus allowing greater pressurisation and humidity for reduced post-flight …

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SpiceJet Q3FY17 results analysis: severe turbulence ahead

SpiceJet Boeing 737-800 VT-SPJ. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.

Spicejet reported its third quarter (ending December 31) results for the fiscal year ending March 31 2017 (FY2017). With earnings of Rs 181.1 crores, the results were below expectations. As was the case with its competitors, consistent fare sales and aggressive capacity addition added to the revenue pressure but as SpiceJet usually leads in the fare sales and demand stimulation, …

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Video: German Luftwaffe jets intercepting Jet Airways 777

A couple of days back a Jet Airways 777-300ER (VT-JEX) operating 9W-118 from Mumbai to London was intercepted by two German air force fighter jets (most likely Eurofighter Typhoons) near Cologne. The aircraft was not responding to calls on the assigned ATC frequencies. Aviation Herald, a world leading aviation safety website, reported, once the aircraft was intercepted by the fighter …

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Boeing debuts the 787-10 dreamliner

The Boeing 787-10 rolled out at Boeing South Carolina. Boeing Image.

American airframer Boeing has rolled out the largest of the 787 dreamliner family at it’s Charleston, South Carolina plant. The event was celebrated by thousands of Boeing employees, along with U.S. President Donald Trump and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. Dennis Muilenburg, chairman, president and CEO, Boeing said “What’s happening here at Boeing South Carolina is a true American success …

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Video: Making the Air India A320neo. India has maximum neo operators.

Air India Airbus A320neo (A320-251N) VT-EXF

Yesterday, national carrier Air India took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo, VT-EXF. The aircraft is financed by Kuwait’s ALAFCO. The delivery signifies the first CFM powered A320neo in India. Unlike IndiGo and Go Air who chose the Pratt and Whitney PW110G GTF, Air India opted for the CFM LEAP engine. The delivery also puts India in the lead with …

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Jet Airways Q3 FY17 results analysis: challenging times ahead

Jet Airways Boeing 737-800 VT-JGA.

Jet Airways reported its third quarter (ending December 31) results for the fiscal year ending March 31 2017 (FY2017). With earnings of Rs 156.3 crores, the results were much below expectations and point to structural challenges. The results decline was driven by intense competition in the market, consistent fare sales and aggressive capacity addition – all of which added to …

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Pictures: Aero India 2017 preview

The 2017 edition of Aero India begins tomorrow. The biennial will be conducted from 14 to 18 February 2017 at Air force station Yelahanka. Yesterday we were at the dress rehearsal and have put together some a preview of the show. Helicopters Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are displaying a variety of helicopters in this years …

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Analysis: IndiGo Q3FY17 results highlight challenging environment

Indigo Airbus A320neo VT-ITC. Copyrighted image. Re-use prohibited.

IndiGo reported its third quarter (ending December 31) results for the fiscal year ending March 31 2017 (FY2017). With earnings of Rs 487.3 crores, the results yet again failed to meet analysts’ expectations. As reported earlier, intense competition in the market, consistent fare sales and aggressive capacity addition have added to the revenue pressures. Key numbers Total revenue: Rs 5,158 …

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Etihad and Lufthansa to co-operate on catering and maintenance

James Hogan, President & CEO Etihad Aviation Group, H.E. Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Chairman Etihad Aviation Group and Carsten Spohr, Chairman & CEO Lufthansa Group

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and Deutsche Lufthansa have expanded upon their leasing and code-share agreement signed last December. At a joint press conference in Abu Dhabi James Hogan, President & CEO Etihad Aviation Group, and Carsten Spohr, Chairman & CEO Lufthansa Group signed agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoU) on catering and aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). The $100 …

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Etihad to begin third daily from Bangalore

Etihad Airways Airbus A320 A6-EIC at Kempegowda Airport, Bangalore

Middle-eastern carrier Etihad Airways will launch a third daily flight from Bangalore to Abu Dhabi from 26 March 2017. The new flight will allow the airline to offer passengers from Bangalore more connections to Europe and North America via it’s Abu Dhabi hub. The flight will be operated using a two class Airbus A321. The new flight’s late night departure …

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