by BA Staff Armani Hotel Milano. Photo courtesy Emirates airline Dubai-based Emirates airline is offering its passengers a special free night offer at the luxury Armani Hotel Milano, valid between 1st November 2013 and 31st January 2014. Located in the iconic fashion district of Milan known as Quadrilatero della Moda, Armani Hotel Milano is only a few minutes away from …

by BA Staff Emirates A380 arriving at London Heathrow airport. CC License The Airbus A380 marked a major milestone this month with the five-year anniversary of its service entry in the fleet of Emirates – the largest operator and and largest customer for the superjumbo. This Dubai-based carrier has conducted some 20,000 round trip flights since initiating A380 operations in …

by Vinay Bhaskara An Air India Bombardier CRJ-700 – Image Credit: Nisarg Vyas According to a report from the Hindu Business Line, Air India subsidiary Alliance Air (Air India Regional) has announced an expansion of its services from Mumbai, with new flights to Allahabad, Agra, and Gwalior. According to the article, an Air India spokesperson said, “Alliance Air will be …

by Vinay Bhaskara Bangkok based full service carrier Thai Airways International has announced a series of changes in its Indian services in the winter 2013-14 season as per the Airline Route blog On its Bangkok-Delhi services, beginning 30th September, services will increase from 11 weekly to 14 weekly. Daytime Thai flights TG323/TG324 will increase from four flights per week to …

Earlier today, Japanese full service carrier All Nippon Airways announced a $25 million investment in Myanmar-based Asian Wings Airways (AWA). Find out more details below. 27th August 2013 Tokyo August 27, 2013 – The ANA Group, Japan’s largest airline group, today announces that itwill acquire a 49 per cent stake in the Myanmar-based airline Asian Wings Airways (AWA). ANAGroup will …

Skerbank and UAC have signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) to collaborate on the leasing of the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Find more details below. 27th August 2013 UAC, represented by JSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and JSC Sberbank Leasing, are planning to perform joint promotion of Russian aircraft Sukhoi Superjet 100 in Russian and international markets. The respective Memorandum of Intent …

Earlier today at the MAKS air show in Moscow, Sukhoi announced that lessor Ilyushin Finance Co (IFC) has ordered 20 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft. Find more details below. 27th August 2013 On August 27 2013 in the framework of the International Aviation and Space Salon МAKS Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company and Ilyushin Finance Co (IFC) signed two firm contracts for …

by Vinay Bhaskara A Dutch Antilles Express ATR 42-300 on the ground at its largest hub – Hato International Airport in Curacao According to several news reports (see here and here), Caribbean low cost carrier Dutch Antilles Express, the second largest airline in the Dutch country of Curacao has suspended operations. Formed in 2005 via the merger of Bonaire Express and …

Airbus and VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of an end-to-end strategic collaboration. Find more details below. 27th August 2013 Airbus and VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of an end-to-end strategic collaboration, which covers development, processing and recycling of titanium material utilised for all Airbus aircraft programmes. The …

by BA Staff AirAsia A320 9M-AHS at Penang airport. AirAsia has appointed Vijay Gopalan as the Chief Financial Officer for AirAsia India. Vijay is a Chartered Accountant with over a decade’s experience from Chennai as well as a holder of Advanced Diploma in Marketing and Sales from the National Institute of Sales. Prior to AirAsia, Vijay was attached to the …

by BA Staff Qatar Airways cabin crew. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal Qatar Airways is offering discounts to HSBC Bank India debit and credit card holders. The airline is offering 10% savings in Economy Class and 15% in Business Class valid for sale ­­­until September 15, 2013 with all travel to be completed on, or before, March 31 2014. Card-holders should …

by BA Staff Image courtesy GE GE Aviation has begun testing on its new composite fan blades for the GE9X, the next-generation GE90 engine that will power Boeing’s 777X aircraft. This validation test is the first of several testing programs GE has planned this year for the GE9X fan module. The first round of fan blade tests occurred in June …

Turboprop manufacturer ATR has won approval from the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) to operate from four unpaved runways in remote areas of Russia: Mys Kamenny, Lensk, Bodaibo and Igrim. Find out more details in the press release below: 26th August 2013 ATR obtained the company’s receipt of fleet-wide approval for new generation ATR aircraft to operate from 3 more unpaved …

Chinese full service carrier Xiamen Airlines has finalized an order for six Boeing 787 Dreamliners that was initially announced in May of 2011. Find more details below. Image Credit: Boeing 26th August 2013 Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Xiamen Airlines have finalized an order for six 787-8s. Originally announced by Xiamen Airlines in May 2011, the order is valued at $1.3 …

by Devesh Agarwal BEDD for Resort salmon with ginger-fried pork Japan Airlines (JAL) will offer new restaurant inspired in-flight meal services on its new service from Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii, USA which starts this autumn. In business class JAL will introduce “BEDD for Resort”, a special menu crafted by Star chef Chikara Yamada. The Japanese menu is seasonal autumn salmon …

by Devesh Agarwal US airplane manufacturer Boeing has delivered to two Indian airlines, SpiceJet and Jet Airways, their newest 737-800NG aircraft. Last Thursday, VT-SZH of SpiceJet, L/N 4573 C/N 41261 B737-86N departed Boeing Field International airport for India via Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. The aircraft has already landed in New Delhi and completing its customs and aviation paperwork formalities to enter …

Courtesy Airbus S.A.S. some high resolution photos for your enjoyment. South African Airways takes delivery of its first two A320s ‘classic’. Enjoy the livery. The French Air Force (Armee De L’Air) took delivery of the first A400M transporter. Not high resolution. The first flight of the first A400M destined for the Turkish Air Force. All images are courtesy and copyright …

Photo courtesy Airbus S.A.S. Used under fair use. Earlier this month, Airbus achieved a historic milestone when it delivered its 8,000th aircraft – an A320 for the Indonesian wing of AirAsia. Over the years, Airbus S.A.S. has grown from a single aircraft model company to an aircraft manufacturer, offering aircraft covering every segment of the market from 100 to 500+ …

by BA Staff Image courtesy Airbus S.A.S. Used under fair use license. Philippine Airlines (PAL) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321. It is the first of 64 new Airbus aircraft ordered by the airline in 2012 under a major fleet modernisation programme. These include 44 single aisle A321s and 20 widebody A330s. Philippine Airlines will operate the A321 …

Image Credit: Boeing Boeing has completed the first 787-9 Dreamliner and rolled it out of the factory today to the flight line in preparation of the first flight. Find more details below. 24th August 2013 EVERETT, Wash., Aug. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has completed the first 787-9 Dreamliner. The second member of the super-efficient 787 family rolled …