Over the last week, foreign and Indian carriers alike have announced several interesting pieces of news around the Indian domestic and international networks. IndiGo India’s largest low cost carrier (LCC), IndiGo, will be adding one additional daily flight on each of Mumbai-Delhi and Mumbai-Hyderabad. The LCC will now operate 12 daily flights (except on Sundays) between Mumbai and Delhi, as …

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal quoted a report from the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) as saying that India’s largest publicly-traded low cost carrier (LCC), Chennai-based SpiceJet, was “is in advanced discussions to order 30-40 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation (CAPA) has said.” This report was then seized on by several outlets in …

Late yesterday, Boeing, the world’s second largest commercial aircraft manufacturer by deliveries, reported its results for the 3rd quarter of calendar year 2012. The Seattle-based original equipment manufacturer(OEM) reported a net profit of $1.03 billion ($1.35 per share) on revenues of more than $20 billion. Revenues grew 13%  versus Q3 2011, driven primarily by a 28% growth in revenue at …

Late last week, a report published in the Business Standard suggested that India’s erstwhile Ministry of Civil Aviation may finally loosen its rules governing Air Service Agreements (ASAs – or bilateral) by removing the aircraft type clauses from such agreements and restricting only seats,  frequencies, and route pairs allowed. What this means in effect, is that there would no longer …

Vinay’s Trip to India Review Index Part I – Lufthansa in Economy on Newark – Frankfurt – Bangalore Part II – Lufthansa in Business on Mumbai – Munich Part III – Air India in Economy on Bangalore – Mumbai Part IV – United in Business on Munich – Newark Part V – Lufthansa Business Lounge in Newark Part VI – …

Late last week, I traveled through Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) on my way to Mumbai traveling on Air India. While the trip report for that flight will be posted at a later date, I managed to snap a few pictures of the construction currently going on at the airport. Back in 2010, Bangalore International Airport Limited announced a Rs. 1000 …

Late yesterday, India’s ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) announced the latest allocation of traffic rights to Indian carriers. Traffic rights granted effective Summer 12 Spicejet – 7 services/week for Delhi-Kabul, Delhi-Guangzhou, Madurai-Colombo, Hyderabad-Bangkok, Trivandrum-Male, Cochin-Male, Delhi-Dubai, Mumbai-Dubai, Delhi-Hong Kong, Delhi-Riyadh. Jet Airways – 4 services/week on Guwahati-Dhaka, 7 services/week each on Mumbai-Chittagong, Kochi-Kuwait, Mumbai-Kuwait, Trivandrum-Dubai, Chennai-Colombo-Male, Mumbai-Singapore, Delhi-Singapore, Mumbai-Dar es …

When Gurugaon -based low-cost carrier (LCC) SpiceJet announced its latest round of international expansion, it continued the recent shift in strategy by India’s second largest LCC. Amongst the new routes announced or filed for (according to a report from the Mint, India’s local Wall Street Journal affiliate) were Madurai-Colombo, Delhi-Dhaka-Rangoon/Yangon, Delhi-Riyadh, Delhi-Guangzhou, and Trivandrum-Male. Of these, Madurai-Colombo has already been …

For the first time since I joined Bangalore Aviation, I am posting from India; Bangalore to be exact. I am definitely excited to be back in India for only the second time since I lived here for a year back in 2003, and being on the ground here is an immensely enjoyable experience. I will be in Bangalore today and …

When India’s largest full service carrier Jet Airways announced that it was reconfiguring its fleet of five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, it was a part validation of Bangalore Aviation’s suggestion made in March of this year. Jet Airways will be switching its Boeing 777-300ERs from a 9-abreast 3-3-3 seating configuration in economy class to a 10 abreast 3-4-3 seating configuration. The move …

Well folks, my one year anniversary here at Bangalore Aviation has come and gone (August 11th was the correct date), and I would just like to take the opportunity to thank all of our wonderful readers and contributors/commenters. I would also like to thank Devesh for the wonderful opportunity he has given me to air my thoughts and opinions here. …

When Mumbai based full service carrier Jet Airways reported a Rs. 33.3 Crore net pre-tax profit in the first quarter of fiscal year 2012-2013, it represented a resounding statement that the Indian airline industry may have finally found its footing. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal. Having slipped to net losses in each quarter last year due to the near constant rise …

Earlier today, Maldivian national carrier Maldivian announced that it would be adding new flights between its hub at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Male, and Mumbai and Chennai. The new flights would operate 3 times per week, and are being launched from November of this year along with Dhaka, Bangladesh (also a thrice weekly operation). The flights to Mumbai will …

Beleaguered full service carrier Kingfisher Airlines has served notice of its dire straits, by reporting a massive Rs. 963.3 Crore net pre-tax loss in the first quarter of fiscal year 2012~2013. Even as Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya wrote a controversial letter to Kingfisher’s employees asking them to work without pay for the next few months, it appears that Kingfisher …

When Gurgaon based low cost carrier (LCC) SpiceJet reported a net, pre-tax profit of more than Rs. 56 Crore in the first quarter of fiscal year 2012-2013, it represented a huge positive step for the Indian airline industry. After SpiceJet had slipped to a large net loss for fiscal year 2011-2012, mirroring the performance of the industry as a whole …

Mumbai based full service carrier Jet Airways recently released its annual report for fiscal year 2011-2012, and amongst the many things discussed was this (not so) little nugget about Jet Airways’ frequent flyer program JetPrivilege. The loyalty industry is evolving in India. Your Company proposes to leverage this evolving business opportunity by setting up a marketing services company engaged in …

Earlier today, a report from liveMint.com (India’s version of the Wall Street journal), stated that Mumbai based full service carrier Jet Airways has formally asked the Indian government for approval to join the Star Alliance global partnership of carriers. Readers of Bangalore Aviation will remember that beleaguered national carrier Air India was put on hold indefinitely by Star Alliance in August of …

As with all of the Indian airlines, Delhi based low cost carrier SpiceJet faced disappointing financial results in the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal year 2012, posting a net loss of Rs. 605.8 Crore for FY 11-12 and Rs. 249.2 for Q4. After large net losses at India’s two other publicly traded carriers Kingfisher and Jet Airways, SpiceJet’s …