A mere 16 months after launching services with the Airbus A380 superjumbo, Singapore Airlines is expecting to fly its one millionth A380 customer in February 2009. Singapore Airlines was the first airline in the world to fly the Airbus A380 super-jumbo, the world’s largest passenger aircraft, when it began commercial services between Singapore and Sydney in October 2007. The Airline …

Jet Airways procured ten ultra-luxuriously appointed Boeing 777-300ERs for its ambitious international expansion. It even won awards for its international first class, featuring private suites. Now those plans are in tatters, and Jet has abandoned its international ambitions, at least for the foreseeable future. Recently TravelBizMonitor reported Jet Airways, has dropped its expansion plan, especially plans of expanding overseas informed …

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777-300ER, registration AP-BID, performing as flight PK785, from Islamabad (ISB), Pakistan to London Heathrow (LHR), United Kingdom, with 435 passengers on board, had to return back to Islamabad airport, when the captain suffered a cardiac arrest one hour in to the flight, as per reports from Aviation Herald. The landing was safely performed two …

I forwarded my “eureka” moment to Dr. Vijay Mallya about servicing the Kangaroo route via Mumbai, given the imminent withdrawal of Qantas from the Mumbai-Sydney route. He very kind replied, and my thanks to him. Dear Mr. Agarwal, Thank you for your email of 6 January, for your good wishes and compliments on the launch of our international operations. I …

More than 70 million passengers flew with Lufthansa and Swiss during the yearLufthansa bucked the down trend in the industry and carried more passengers in 2008 than in the previous year. In the twelve months from January through December 2008, number of passengers increased by 1.2 per cent over 2007, to about 57 million. Capacity was raised by 4.9 per …

Kingfisher Airlines has announced its alliance with Hilton HHonors, a guest rewards programme for the more than 3000 Hilton Family Hotels worldwide. The new alliance allows members of Kingfisher Airlines’ ‘King Club’ frequent flyer programme to earn both King Miles and HHonors points when they stay at the Hilton Family of hotels. Hilton HHonors is the only guest rewards programme …

Air France-KLM Group, the world’s second largest airline, has agreed to pay 323 million euro ($432 million) for a 25 per cent stake of Alitalia SpA. Alitalia was put into bankruptcy on August 29, after two years of attempts to sell the 49.9 percent state owned airline. On December 12, CAI agreed to buy Alitalia’s main assets and to combine …

On its 15th anniversary, the Airbus A330 is getting a major birthday gift, and from none other, than its major competitor, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Thanks to the 2 year delay on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, airlines who had previously ordered the aircraft, are rushing to fill the gap with the Airbus A330. Qantas which has placed firm orders for …

This is the 501st post on Bangalore Aviation. My sincere thanks to all the visitors and supporters.From today, travellers visiting the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) risk being detained at airports and sent home if they don’t comply with new U.S. immigration rules. The new Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program has been made mandatory from …

According to a report by DNA, on January 3, 2009, a Kingfisher Airlines Airbus A320, flight IT 335 with 86 passengers on board, landed at New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) with just about 20 minutes fuel on-board, a mere 5 minutes short of a “Mayday”. As per standard aviation practice, flights always carry enough fuel for it’s planned …

Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), the operator of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), has decided to levy the long pending User Development Fee (UDF) of Rs 260 on all outbound domestic passengers, from January 16, 2009. According to an official release by BIAL yesterday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has given nod for levy of UDF. Albert Brunner, CEO, …

Based on 2008 data sampling by Flightstats.com, a list of the most delayed and the most punctual airports in the world, by on-time arrivals, and on-time departures. Most delayed arrivals airports.India tops the list with three of its major cities in the top five. I was stunned to see our much beloved Bengaluru International Airport in this dubious list. Worst …

Japan Airlines (JAL) has been awarded by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies a Good Design Award 2008, under the Tabletop category, for the elegant aesthetics and ergonomic design of the chopsticks used in JAL First Class. Satoshi Nakagawa, Kaori Takehashi, Ikumi Kaneko, and Hironi Kobayashi of …

Following the successful bio-fuel test at Air New Zealand just 9 days ago, Continental Airlines, became the first U.S. airline to conduct a successful bio-fuel test yesterday, January 7. The test at Continental was very similar to the one at Air New Zealand. The air-frame manufacturer was Boeing, at Continental it was a Boeing 737-800, while at Air New Zealand …

FlightBlogger is reporting, Airbus brought MSN033, the first A380 for Air France, it’s European launch customer, out to the flight line in Toulouse yesterday. Image courtesy FlightBlogger. Copyright David Barrie F-WWSB, which will eventually be registered as F-HPJA. As the photo shows, the airframe has its four GP7200 engines installed, and we can expect it to take its maiden flight …

In my first post of the year, I had collated predictions from industry experts for the future of the airline industry in 2009. Here’s my own analysis on the current situation, and I feel, among other things, 2009 presents an opportunity for airlines to tap on technology to build stronger brands. Allen Adamson, MD of Landor Associates, made a statement …

Update – January 6. It never struck me, when posting the original article, but based on the timings, Kingfisher can offer passengers, connection between Singapore and London via Mumbai. Further, if Kingfisher can streamline its current Bangalore London operations with better slots at Heathrow, it need only one Airbus A330 instead of the current two. It can deploy that aircraft …

British Airways today, reported its performance for December 2008. The airline’s performance is in line with IATA’s November 2008 report, which highlights a deepening of the global economic slowdown. Capacity declines are in line with actual performance. Compared to December 2007, passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), was down 3 percent, Actual passenger performance, measured in Revenue Passenger …

Apart from Singapore Airlines, the best airline I have flown in my 4 million miles, is Virgin Atlantic. Today, Virgin launched its 25th anniversary celebrations, with a video reflective of its irreverent yet high energy culture. Virgin’s inaugural flight was from London Gatwick to Newark (EWR) on June 22 1984, at a time when the United Kingdom was in the …

The Government of India has ordered eight Boeing P-8I long range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft. At $2.1 billion this will be the biggest-ever defence deal of India with United States, double of the $962-million contract signed with US for six C-130J `Super Hercules’ aircraft for use by Indian special forces, last year. The Boeing P-8A Poseidon is a long-range anti-submarine …