Bangalore Aviation News, Reviews, Analysis and opinions of Indian Aviation

by Vinay Bhaskara Honolulu, Hawaii based full service carrier Hawaiian Airlines has announced new service to Beijing, China, with thrice weekly flights commencing in April 2014 utilizing 294 seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft configured as (18P/276Y).  The new service will be made possible because the existing 3 weekly flights to Manila in the Philippines will be cancelled from July 31st, 2013. …

Jet’s international passengers to transfer direct to domestic flights through international terminal security hold area. International Jet Airways’ passengers landing at Mumbai’s CSI Airport, and connecting on to domestic flights will now have the option of being able to transferred to the domestic terminal to board their flights directly. This facility is available to passengers of Jet Airways flights arriving …

Dear Readers, I lost my father, who passed away in his sleep, last Saturday. I am busy attending to his final rites. My colleague and co-editor of Bangalore Aviation is filling in for me. Thanks for your understanding and patience. – Devesh Agarwal

by Vinay Bhaskara Abu Dhabi based full service carrier Etihad Airways reported record results for the first quarter of 2013. Revenues grew a whopping 18.7% year over year to $900 million, up from $758 million in Q1 of 2012. In its 10th year of operations, Etihad also saw cargo revenues grow 17% to $193 million. Passenger figures also reached a …

by Vinay Bhaskara The first fully painted Airbus A380 for British Airways was rolled out of Airbus’ paint shop in Hamburg this past weekend. The first of 12 A380s for British Airways is scheduled to be delivered in July, and is outfitted with 469 seats. British Airways will introduce the aircraft on shorter training flights before introducing it on long …

by Devesh Agarwal India and Singapore signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral air services arrangement in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister, Shri Ajit Singh and Minister of Transport of Singapore, Mr Lui Tuck Yew on April 2 in Singapore. It rationalizes the capacity entitlements of both countries in terms of seats per week in each direction …

At the start of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition, a Malaysia Airlines Airbus A380 9M-MNE flanked by four Royal Malaysian Air Force Su-30MKM performed a fly past. A fifth Su-30MKM acted as spotter and coordinator. A video of the fly past is embedded below. Langkawi is a popular island getaway in the Andaman sea off the North-West …

US air-framer Boeing reported its deliveries for the first calendar quarter for the year 2013. The impact of the 787 Dreamliner grounding is noticeable in the figures.

Boeing has opened its new expanded Everett Delivery Center (EDC), from which, deliveries of the 747-8, 767, 777 and 787 will be effected. The 180,000 sq. ft. facility triples the amount of office, conference and delivery operations space as the old EDC and is designed to increase operational efficiencies. The building features three floors dedicated to customers and the delivery …

This fortnight’s edition of news on special liveries from Karsten Heiligtag. *cs = colour scheme by Devesh Agarwal A300B4-622R(F) 734 TC-MCC MNG Airlines Cargo in service since 26/02/13 now in nearly full latest cs after paint (titles on white fuselage (blue tail cs do not swing into the rear fuselage as usually) but has the latest revised larger tail logo), …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), an airline industry association which represents some 240 airlines comprising 84% of global air traffic, announced global passenger traffic results for February showing that demand growth is accelerating on the back of stronger business confidence, particularly in emerging regions. Passenger demand rose 3.7% compared to February 2012. October 2012 appears to have been a …

AirAsia India will be hiring cabin crew for its flight operations in India which is planned to be based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The airline is inviting aspiring flight attendants to attend its walk-in interviews to be held on Saturday 13 April 2013 at Chinmaya Heritage Centre, 2, 13th Avenue, Harrington Road, Chetpet in Chennai, from 9am to 3pm. Successful …

by Devesh Agarwal Qantas A380 welcomed with a water cannon salute Dubai based Emirates and Australian carrier Qantas have officially started their partnership. The first Qantas flights departed from Sydney and Melbourne to London via Dubai on March 31. In the partnership the two carriers will collaborate to deliver network, lounges, frequent flyer benefits and travel experiences over 98 flights …

by Devesh Agarwal Once again the kind friends at Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd. (DIAL), the company which operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), supported the Aviation Photographers India Foundation by giving access to the airside, after they had received permission from the DGCA. Yours truly, got on to a Rosenbauer turn-table ladder (TTL) of the airport fire-fighting team, …

by Devesh Agarwal Wikimedia user PlaneSpotter94. Wishing all readers a very Good Friday holiday. For your weekend relaxation, a cockpit video from the folks at Piloteye.tv showing a Condor Airbus A320 landing at La Palma airport. (ICAO: GCLA). I think it is a very well produced video, showing multiple angles and actions, documenting well the work inside the A320 cockpit …

Boeing and Navaratna public sector unit Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) are expanding their partnership through a follow-on contract involving the manufacture of sub-assemblies for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jet. This contract, for Super Hornet subassemblies, expands work Boeing awarded to BEL in 2011. BEL delivers components for the Super Hornet and P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft; and is a …

The fleet of Airbus A320s equipped with the new wingtips called “Sharklets” is growing by the day. During the last fortnight, four new airlines have taken delivery of Sharklet fitted A320s. Spain’s largest low cost carrier Vueling, the largest low cost airline in Spain, took delivery of its first A320 Sharklet aircraft, becoming the first Spanish carrier to do so. …

by Devesh Agarwal European airframer Airbus has installed the two massive Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines on the frame of the first A350XWB to fly, MSN1, Toulouse in France. The Trent XWB engine had received its Engine Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) last month confirming its fulfilment of the agency’s airworthiness requirements. Along with the engines, …

Last Friday, the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fisherman off the coast of Kerala, were finally returned to India. They have been at the centre of the diplomatic showdown between the two countries, when Italy refused to let them return, dishonouring an personal undertaking given by Italy’s ambassador to India, to the Supreme Court of India. The …

by Devesh Agarwal 25 years ago today, Airbus entered the hither-to US dominated market of narrow body airliners when it delivered its first A320 to Air France. The A320 shook up the market segment with the highest demand. As of today Boeing and Airbus estimate the single aisle narrow body segment to purchase about 20,000 airframes in the next 20 …