Miscellaneous

Air France – KLM offers special fares for FIFA World Cup 2014

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Air France-KLM the leading airline in the south, central America and the Caribbean region, is offering special fares for travel outbound from India until June 30, 2014. The airline group’s special fare are available for booking until April 18, 2014. The dates also provide for a trip to Brazil for the FIFA world cup 2014 competition. The airline group currently …

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Indian Air Force’s C-130J Super Hercules crashes killing five

Media reports say one of the six new C-130J ‘Super Hercules’ transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force, bought just two years ago, has crashed about 72 miles west of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh after having taken off from Agra in Uttar Pradesh around 10:00 IST. The C-130J is part of the six aircraft order that India procured from the …

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SpiceJet confirms order for 42 Boeing 737 MAX 8 as it rejigs strategy

CGI of SpiceJet Boeing 737 MAX 8

Gurgaon based low fare carrier SpiceJet confirmed a previous agreement with Boeing for 42 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The order was previously listed as unidentified on the Boeing Orders and Deliveries website. The order is valued at $4.4 billion at list prices though Bangalore Aviation estimates SpiceJet has paid about $40 million to $45 million per aircraft. The new aircraft …

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Spicejet announces order for 42 Boeing 737 MAX

Low cost carrier Spicejet has just announced an order for 42 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The order will be valued at 4.4 billion USD at list price. The aircraft will be powered by CFM LEAP-1B engines. More details to follow.

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Emirates to commence Dubai Chicago flights in August

Dubai-based leader of the Middle East Big 3 (MEB3) airlines, Emirates, has announced plans to launch a daily service to from Dubai (DXB) non-stop to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Terminal 5 from August 5, 2014. The service will be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in a three class cabin configuration. Flight EK 235 will depart Dubai at 09:45 …

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IndiGo adds Varanasi; other domestic routes

Indian low cost carrier IndiGo continues its breathtaking pace of domestic expansion with the addition of two new domestic routes and capacity expansion on Delhi – Hyderabad. This past Friday, IndiGo began service to Varanasi, its 36th destination and 31st in India, with three new daily flights between its largest hub at Delhi and Varanasi using its 180-seat Airbus A320 …

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Review of Star Alliance Navigator app on Android

The world’s largest grouping of airlines, the Star Alliance has released the Android version of its Navigator App meant to provide various travel related services and information. What the app is supposed to offer Under travel services the app offers the ability to search schedules and then proceed to the particular member airline’s website to make a booking. Flight status …

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Qatar Airways to operate all-business class A319 between Doha and London Heathrow

National carrier, Qatar Airways will launch a new daily all business class service from its hub in Doha to London Heathrow. The airline’s sixth daily flight to Heathrow will commence from May 15, 2014, using an Airbus A319 aircraft in an all business class, single aisle, 2–2 seating configuration with 40 seats. QR15 will depart Doha at 14:50 and arrive …

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Bell delivers first 407GX helicopter with enhanced safety features to India

Bell Helicopter, has made the first delivery to an Indian customer of the Bell 407GX. SpanAir, the country’s leading air charter company which specialises in customized travel options, is the proud recipient. Built on the proven and well respected 407 platform the 407GX features the first integrated Garmin G1000H™ flight deck which provides critical flight information at a glance for …

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Government announces incentives for flights to smaller airports

India’s junior minister for civil aviation K.C. Venugopal today informed the Lok Sabha about incentives being offered to encourage operation of flights to airports which are of low density or do not have current flight operations. No landing charges levied on aircraft with maximum certified capacity of below 80 seats being operated by domestic scheduled airlines and helicopters of all …

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Aeroflot receives its first Sharklet fitted A320

Russian national carrier Aeroflot, has taken delivery of its first A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklets, the new wing tip devices. Aeroflot’s A320, powered by CFM56 engines, features a two class cabin, seating 158 passengers with right seats in business class and 150 in economy. The aircraft is named after a famous Russian chemist Alexander Butlerov. Aeroflot was the first airline …

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Aerolíneas Argentinas places order for four Airbus A330-200s

National carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas has signed a purchase agreement for four Airbus A330-200s. The airline will announce the engine selection at a later date. Argentina’s flagship carrier will deploy the new A330 aircraft for medium and long haul routes from their Buenos Aires hub to destinations throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States. The airline currently operates eight A340-300s, …

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Air Costa orders 50 Embraer E-Jets E2 with options for 50 more

Air Costa Embraer E170 VT-LNR at Bangalore.

Vijayawada based Air Costa has agreed with Brazil’s Embraer S.A. a firm order for 50 E-Jets E2s with an additional 50 purchase rights options. The order is a mix of 25 E190-E2s and 25 E195-E2s and has an estimated value of USD 2.94 billion based on list prices, though it is standard practice for manufacturers to extend hefty discounts on …

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Silkair commences conversion to all Boeing 737 fleet

Singapore Airline’s full service regional subsidiary SilkAir has commenced on its transition from an all Airbus A319 and A320 fleet to an all Boeing 737 fleet. The airline took delivery of its first Next-Generation 737-800. Over the coming years, Boeing will deliver a total of 23 737-800s and 31 737 MAX 8s to SilkAir. SilkAir’s new 737 will enter service …

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US airlines and pilots sue US Exim bank to stop Air India loan guarantees

Claiming unfair advantage being giving to foreign carriers, Delta Air Lines, one of the world’s largest, along with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) which represents 47,000 pilots working for 28 U.S. commercial airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines, have sued the Export-Import Bank of the United States for providing cheap financing in the form of $1.3 billion in loan guarantees and …

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PHOTO: Cebu Pacific takes delivery of 49th aircraft

Last week, Filipino low cost carrier Cebu Pacific Air took delivery of its 49th aircraft, an Airbus A320-214 outfitted with Sharklets and registered as RP-C3277. Cebu Pacific now operates 29 A320s, including six aircraft equipped with sharklets. Its fleet now consists of 49 aircraft: 29x Airbus A320 10x Airbus A319 2x Airbus A330-300 8x ATR 72-500s. By 2021, the airline …

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Video: Government demands VIP culture at private airlines

That the government of India abuses its “Netjets” – Air India is a fact well known. Members of Parliament (MP), along with their “families”, “assistants”, and other hangers-on are provided all kinds of personalised treatment right from the kerb from where the MP is personally escorted, priority check-in, no security-screening, free snacks, free lounge access, some even want a golf …

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India finally permits Airbus A380 operations

The government of India has finally cleared the runways for the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380 superjumbo, to operate to India. In a statement the civil aviation ministry says, The Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Ajit Singh has decided to remove restrictions on flights of Airbus A-380 to India. Now, flights of A-380 to India will be …

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Jet Airways announces Mumbai Paris flight

Jet Airways A330 fleet at New Delhi IGI airport Terminal 2

Jet Airways has announced a daily direct service between Mumbai and Paris to commence on May 14, 2014. 9W 124 will depart Mumbai 12:00 and arrive at Paris Charles de Gaulle at 17:50. 9W 123 will depart Paris CDG at 21:10 and arrive Mumbai at 09:45 the following morning. Jet Airways is targeting day time connections its domestic network. While …

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IndiGo strengthens Pune presence

IndiGo Airbus A320-232(SL) VT-IFK with Sharklets.

India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, has strengthened its presence in the industrial town of Pune, with the arrival of its 73rd Airbus A320 aircraft. Highlighting the growing economic strength of the city which has seen air traffic double in the last five years, despite a severely constrained airport, IndiGo announced new flights connecting Pune non-stop with Kolkata and additional non-stops …

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