Monthly Archives: April 2013

Analysis: India and UAE sign MoU on bilateral air services agreement

The official version of the press release from the Press Information Bureau of the Government of India. India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an MoU on Air Services, following the two-day bilateral negotiation at Abu Dhabi today. The UAE had urged India to allocate additional 40,000 seats per week, grant Goa, Pune, Amritsar and Lucknow as additional points of …

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University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt launches MBA in Aviation Management course in India

The Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main (FH FFM) in collaboration with the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), head-quartered in Dehradun has launched a course offering an MBA in aviation management. 28 students have taken up their studies in programme launched in Indian aviation’s metro hubs Delhi and Mumbai. EU to India ambassador – Mr. João Cravinho lighting the inaugural …

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Video: 737 door operation – debunking the mid-flight door opening threat

We hear of drunk passengers threatening to open the door mid-flight, and we have occasionally seen Hollywood or Bollywood showing the door of a plane opening mid-flight. It is just not possible to do such a thing. Below is a video showing the operations of the door of a Boeing 737 aircraft. Observe, that to open the door outwards of …

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The Queen of Spices crowned in Lufthansa Star Chef Contest

Winning recipe to feature in Lufthansa flights and The Leela restaurants Ms. Vandana Sethi was declared the Grand Prize winner of Lufthansa Star Chef Contest in the Grand Finale at The Leela, Mumbai yesterday where 12 aspiring chefs, selected from thousands of contestants across India, vied for top honours in a live cook-out. Vandana won the battle of taste with …

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Jetihad is born. Etihad buys 24% stake in Jet Airways for $379 million. To inject additional $220 million.

Etihad Airways to inject additional $220 million in to Jet Airways by Devesh Agarwal We are reproducing the official release. Our analysis of this transaction will follow next week. Jet Airways and Etihad Airways at a glance   Highlights Strategic investment under FDI policy of the Government of India will deliver wide-ranging revenue growth and cost synergy opportunities for both …

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Video: How Boeing responded to the Indian Navy’s P-8I additional flight and weapons’ testing needs

In 2012, the P-8I being built for the Indian Navy was transitioned in to flight testing by Boeing. With a committed delivery date set, the program was suddenly required to do additional flight testing, including weapons separation testing; and all this without adding any additional time to the schedule. Boeing was required to drop simulated weapons from the wing of …

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Ground crew strike cripples Lufthansa

by Devesh Agarwal German carrier Deutsche Lufthansa underwent an almost total shut-down when its ground crew went on strike early Monday over working conditions, causing the cancellation of almost all of the airline’s flights. In a statement on its website, the carrier said “nearly all Lufthansa flights within Germany and Europe will be cancelled” and “massive flight cancellations and delays …

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Boeing to begin modifying 787s for return to service

Boeing image Today’s approval of battery system improvements for the 787 Dreamliner by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clears the way for Boeing and its customers to install the approved modifications and will lead to a return to service and resumption of new production deliveries. The FAA’s action will permit the return to service of 787s in the United …

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FAA Approves Boeing 787 Battery System Design Changes

The long grounded Boeing 787 fleet across the world are expected to soon return to the skies, as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today took the next step in returning the Boeing 787 to flight by approving Boeing’s design for modifications to the 787 battery system. The changes are designed to address risks at the battery cell level, the …

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Boeing slows down 747-8 production rate

by Devesh Agarwal US Airframer Boeing announced that it will adjust the production rate for the 747-8 program from two airplanes to 1.75 airplanes per month because of lower market demand for large passenger and freighter airplanes. Boeing expects long-term average growth in the air cargo market to resume in 2014, and forecasts a demand for 790 large airplanes (such …

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Air Cargo Germany suspends operations

by Devesh Agarwal German air freight operator Air Cargo Germany announced a “temporary” but indefinite suspension of all of its operations as of Thursday, April 18. ACG Boeing 747-400 freighter at Mumbai. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal The carrier, with an IATA code of 6U and based out of Frankfurt Hahn airport, has a fleet of four Boeing 747-400 freighters that …

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Malaysia Airlines to upgrade Hong Kong route to Airbus A380

Superjumbo replaces existing Boeing 737 service by Devesh Agarwal National carrier Malaysia Airlines will upgrade its twice daily Boeing 737-800 operated Kuala Lumpur Hong Kong route to an Airbus A380 effective May 1, 2013. Hong Kong will be the third A380 destination for the carrier after London and Paris. The new schedule is: MH72 departs Kuala Lumpur 09:15 arrives Hong …

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INFOGRAPHIC: Airline-wise share of international passenger traffic, to and from India, 2011 to 2012

Based on a report in The Economic Times we have prepared this infographic showing the airlines’ market share of international passenger traffic to and from India during fiscal 2011~2012. The chart throws up some surprises. SriLankan Airlines and Oman Air feature on this list, but Singapore Airlines does not. Hard to accept? and where is AirAsia? Share your thoughts via …

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British Airways commences Colombo route and enhances Hyderabad

British Airways has commenced a new route to Colombo and enhanced its existing Hyderabad service to six a week. The airline yesterday announced the start of a three days a week service from London Gatwick to Colombo, Sri Lanka, via Male, Maldives. To Hyderabad, British Airways appears to be trying to fill the vacancy created by Lufthansa’s withdrawal of service. …

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Airline body IATA re-structures divisions and consolidates its geographies

The global airline body, The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents about 240 airlines, announced an organizational restructuring of its main divisions and regional operations which will take effect from 1 July 2013. A key guiding principle of the restructuring is the concept of ‘Global Development, Regional Delivery’. Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO said “IATA is changing …

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Qatar Airways commences services to Chicago

by Devesh Agarwal Qatar Airways’ commenced its thrice-weekly passenger services between Doha and Chiacgo, The Windy City. Chicago will become the 126th destination for the middle east carrier, and its fourth US gateway after New York JFK, Washington Dulles, and Houston George Bush Intercontinental. The Doha Chicago route is being operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a two-class configuration …

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Hawaiian adds service to Beijing; when will India come on their radar?

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. …

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Jet Airways offer direct transfers for morning international to domestic flights

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 …

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Vinay is filling in for Devesh while he attends to his father’s last rites

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

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Analysis: Strong first quarter for Etihad bodes well for Jetihad deal

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 …

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