Tag Archives: News

Debunking Indian media’s sensationalist aviation reporting

Air India Airbus A321 VT-PPO. Seen here handing in the early morning light at Bangalore Airport.

When it comes to aviation reporting, the some papers and TV channels of the mainstream India media are world leaders in sensationalism, hype, and scare-mongering. Regardless of the situation, even for the most minor and routine aviation incident, the opening para will contain a phrase similar to “Passengers had a miraculous escape” and “cheated death”. So rampant is the frenzy …

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My view: Irresponsible HT reporting gives credibility to frivolous Air India incident report?

When it comes to airlines, Air India seems to always be at the receiving end. A fear of saying anything leaves the corporate communications department uncommunicative, making the national carrier the target of speculation. Add to this, naive at best, slip-shod at worst, reporting in the mainstream Indian media, many a time lacking the most basic of common sense, and …

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Forgetful Jet Airways pilots lose contact with European ATC, Indian media melodrama

Jet Airways Boeing 777-300ER VT-JEG performing flight 9W117 from London approaches Mumbai airport

March 13, 2014, the entire aviation world was generally concerned due the recent disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 a mere five days earlier. In this mix, add two very absent minded pilots of Jet Airways who were flying the airline’s flagship, the Boeing 777-300ER, registration VT-JEG, performing flight 9W 117 from London Heathrow to the airline’s main hub in …

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Emirates to commence A380 service to London Gatwick

Emirates_A380-800 A6-EDF arrives at London. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.

The world’s largest Airbus A380 operator, Dubai-based Emirates airline, will become the first to operate the A380 superjumbo in to London’s Gatwick airport. The carrier who just took delivery of its 44th A380, will increase its seats by 36% when it replaces the existing Boeing 777-300ER on its EK09/EK10 flights between Dubai and London Gatwick, with the A380, from March …

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British Airways Boeing 747 slices into house

This picture by Twitter user @HarrietTolputt says it all. A British Airways 747 sliced through a brick house at Johannesburg OR Tambo airport. Looking at the proximity of the house, and the length of the wing that has gone in to the house, I am wondering “Why has this not happened before?” A house could not spring up overnight. Looks …

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Singapore Airlines A380 diverts to New Delhi on medical emergency

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

Just as there are talks of permitting A380 operations in India, a Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-800 registration 9V-SKT operating flight SQ321 from London Heathrow, United Kingdom to Singapore Changi airport, with 388 passengers onboard (number of crew unknown at this time) was forced to divert to New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), India, due to a medical emergency. The …

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Jet Airways to lease three A330-200s to Turkish Airlines

In a December 12th filing with the Borsa Istanbul stock exchange (BIST), national carrier Turkish Airlines has said it will lease three Airbus A330-200 aircraft from India’s Jet Airways for a period of six years. The financial details of the proposed lease were not made available. The middle-eastern giant will lease another five A330s from Dutch lessor AerCap for a …

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Cathay Pacific become first Asia Pacific airline to order Boeing 777-9X

Long time Boeing customer, Cathay Pacific Airways become the first Asia-Pacific airline to order the new 777-9X. The Hong Kong based carrier has placed an order for 21 of the mini-jumbo long haul aircraft valued at $7 million at list prices. The 777X program created waves in the industry last month, when it garnered a whopping 259 orders and commitments …

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Photos: First flight of Asiana Airlines’ first A380

Korea’s Asiana Airlines’ first A380 has successfully completed its maiden flight. The A380 flew from Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France to the aircraft manufacturer’s site in Hamburg, Germany, where it will undergo painting and cabin furnishing. Asiana Airlines will become the twelfth operator of the A380 when it takes delivery of its first aircraft in the second quarter of 2014. …

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AirAsia X orders 25 additional A330-300

AirAsia X, the long haul, low fare airline affiliate of the AirAsia Group has placed an order for 25 more A330-300s with European airframer Airbus. The order is valued at US$ 6 billion at list prices. This order increases AirAsia X’s total orders to 57 A330-300s, which are scheduled to be completed by 2019. Fifty-one direct on Airbus and six …

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Jet Airways’ new services to middle-east via Abu Dhabi scissor hub

From January 15, 2014, Jet Airways is adding two new daily flights to Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A non-stop from Kochi, and from Chennai with a stop in Abu Dhabi. Jet is also re-timing its existing Kochi Abu Dhabi Kuwait flight to offer passengers an evening connection to Dammam on the Chennai Abu Dhabi Dammam flight. All flights will be operated …

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Air India optimistic of joining the Star alliance

Unlike news reports which indicate Air India will re-commence the joining process with Star Alliance, and therefore leave a possibility of a negative outcome, a press release by the national carrier exudes confidence that the carrier will surely join the alliance. Air India set to join Star Alliance The National Carrier is set to join Star Alliance, the leading global …

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Etihad to commence Abu Dhabi to Jaipur flights

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will launch a daily service from Abu Dhabi to Jaipur commencing on April 1, 2014. With Jaipur, Etihad will serve ten destinations in India Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai, New Delhi and Trivandrum. Etihad will operate the service with an Airbus A320 aircraft in a two-class configuration, 16 …

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Analysis: Etihad announces huge increase in flights and seats between Abu Dhabi and India

Bangalore-Abu Dhabi-Chicago, Mumbai-Abu Dhabi-New York, Delhi-Abu Dhabi-Newark amongst new flights requested by Devesh Agarwal and Vinay Bhaskara Image Credit: Etihad Airways   On the back of the new bilateral air services agreement which has almost quadrupled capacity, Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, will greatly increase both seats and flights for travel to and from India, …

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SpiceJet to launch Bangalore – Bangkok flights

by Devesh Agarwal Delhi based low fare carrier SpiceJet will commence international flights from Bangalore on October 28. The first destination is Bangkok with four flights per week. The carrier will be the only Indian carrier to service this route. As per the SpiceJet website on which tickets which are available for purchase, the schedule is on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, …

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Analysis: Emirates to launch Kabul continues trend of contrarian A340-500 utilization

by Vinay Bhaskara MEB3 carrier Emirates is launching daily nonstop services to Kabul, its first Afghan destination, from 4th December, 2013. The route will be served using 258 seat Airbus A340-500 aircraft in a 3-class configuration (12F / 42J / 204Y).Flight Schedules for the new route are as follows: Route Depart Arrive Duration Aircraft Dubai – Kabul 0955 1315 2:50 …

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Jetairfly to Launch Miami-Brussels

by BA Staff Image Credit: Mopje18 Belgian charter operator Jetairfly has announced the launch of twice weekly flights between its home base at Brussels and Miami, commencing 4th April, 2014 using Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. Miami becomes the airline’s 107th destination around the globe, its 9th in the Americas, but its first in the United States. Jetairfly is a subsidiary of …

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Air India reduces Delhi – Tokyo

by BA Staff Image Credit: Devesh Agarwal As per the Airline Route blog, Indian national carrier Air India is reducing Delhi-Tokyo Narita this winter from five flights per week to four utilizing Boeing 777-200LR equipment. The new schedules for the flight are as follow: AI 306 departs Delhi at 21:10 on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays ~ arrives to Tokyo …

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Analysis: SriLankan Airlines to grow its Indian operations

by Vinay Bhaskara According to a report from the Press Trust of India, newly minted oneworld alliance member SriLankan Airlines is eyeing an expansion of its Indian operations by adding 12 new weekly flights to tap into its burgeoning hub at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport. SriLankan Airlines chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe had this to say about Sri Lankan’s plans We have not …

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