Devesh Agarwal

A electronics and automotive product management, marketing and branding expert, he was awarded a silver medal at the Lockheed Martin innovation competition 2010. He is ranked 6th on Mashable's list of aviation pros on Twitter and in addition to Bangalore Aviation, he has contributed to leading publications like Aviation Week, Conde Nast Traveller India, The Economic Times, and The Mint (a Wall Street Journal content partner). He remains a frequent flier and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Indian aviation industry without fear or favour.

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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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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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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SpiceJet unveils new Boeing with special “crew livery”

SpiceJet Boeing 737-800WL VT-SZK in special crew livery. With all our heart slogan. Photo courtesy Spicejet.

On May 23rd, SpiceJet Chief Operating Officer Sanjiv Kapoor tweeted a picture of the airline’s newest Boeing 737-800 VT-SZK at Boeing field, in an white livery, and asked why the livery was all white? Our newest 737NG VT-SZK taxis out at Boeing, bound for DEL. Why all white? We'll just have to wait to find out! 🙂 pic.twitter.com/S9plVd04cV — Sanjiv …

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Photos: Singapore Airlines A380 receives water cannon salute at Delhi

Singapore Airlines A380 9V-SKB arrives at New Delhi IGI airport on first scheduled commercial A380 service to India.

Hats off to the team at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi airport who recovered from a violent storm barely three hours before the first scheduled commercial A380 service to India landed. The airport become the first in the country to receive the the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380. The second A380 ever delivered, Singapore Airlines’ 9V-SKB touched down on runway 11, …

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Five aircraft damaged and one person killed in Delhi airport storm

Air India Airbus A330-200 VT-IWA Wing view. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.

A violent storm that hit New Delhi left a trail of destruction and death at the city’s Indira Gandhi airport earlier this afternoon. As per information received, one person lost their life and at least two other have sustained critical injuries including loss of a limb(s) in a sudden storm that occurred around 5pm in the afternoon. Wind of about …

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#NamasteA380. Live video stream of Singapore Airlines A380 arriving at Delhi

In about 45 minutes, Singapore Airlines will land the first scheduled commercial service using the world’s largest passenger aircraft the A380 at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi airport scheduled for 20:05 (14:35 UTC). There is a live streaming from Delhi of this event. From 19:45 (7:45pm) onwards you can view the feed on Delhi airport’s Youtube channel.

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Analysis: Air India misses turnaround targets by 25%, posts Rs.5000 crore loss

As per a report in The Economic Times, national carrier Air India has missed its financial performance targets by a huge margin. The airline agreed to these targets with the government in order to receive a whopping Rs.30,000 crore ($6 billion at the time) tax-payer funded bailout. The national carrier already saddled with debts exceeding Rs.40,000 crore ($6.8 billion) has …

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#Namaste A380 Airbus’ marketing factoids on A380

Singapore Airlines A380-800 9V-SKD. Image copyright Devesh Agarwal

New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji airports have readied themselves to receive India’s first scheduled commercial A380 superjumbo service later this evening, operated by Singapore Airlines. DIAL the Delhi airport operator is running a special hashtag on Twitter #NamasteA380. The airframe manufacturer Airbus S.A.S. has released some factoids on the superjumbo. It is interesting to see how Airbus …

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Lufthansa upgrades Frankfurt Chennai flight to new business class

Lufthansa new business class full flat seat

German carrier Lufthansa has finally upgraded its Chennai Frankfurt flights to the new business class with full-flat seats. The flight is operated with an Airbus A340-300 aircraft. Coincidentally, the carrier also celebrates its 20th anniversary of operating flights to Chennai. The new Lufthansa business class seat features a full-flat horizontal sleeping surface measuring 6.5 feet in length in an innovative …

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Emirates introduces A380 to Mumbai, ups capacity to Delhi and Hyderabad

Dubai-based Emirates airline has moved swiftly to capitalise on the recent 11,000 seat per week increase in allocation to Dubai carriers and announced an up-gauge of one of its six services to Mumbai to an Airbus A380 superjumbo. Mumbai will be the 28th destination for the gulf-giant which is the world’s largest A380 operator. Effective July 21, EK 500 and …

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Videos of Asiana Airlines’ new A380 – from production to delivery

Asiana Airlines first Airbus A380 HL7625. Photo copyright Airbus S.A.S.

Airbus delivered to Korea’s Asiana Airlines the airline’s first A380 superjumbo yesterday. We present a series of five videos for your enjoyment on this aircraft registration HL7625. Above is the “best of” video highlighting the special delivery ceremony in Toulouse, France which included a performance by two young Korean musicians living in France, along with a dance presentation symbolising the …

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