by Devesh Agarwal Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK) and Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today the carrier is exercising options to purchase five Boeing 737-900ER (extended range) aircraft. The five new aircraft are worth $481 million at Boeing’s current list price. Two of the aircraft will arrive in 2015 followed by two more in 2016 and one in 2017. Alaska Airlines Boeing …

by Devesh Agarwal Delta Air Lines commenced its single-aisle fleet renewal process when it took delivery of the first next generation Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. The delivery is part of Delta’s 100-airplane order placed in 2011. Delta Air Lines new next generation Boeing 737-900ER N801DZ. Boeing photo. All rights reserved. Delta’s new 737-900ER seats 180 passengers and features the new Boeing …

Under its sponsored Globally, Save Lives initiative Philips Healthcare will install 100 Automated External Defibrillators at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport (CSIA) by year end. An AED is a portable device which is attached via paddles to a patient suffering signs of a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or myocardial infarction (a heart attack). The AED will automatically confirm the diagnosis, …

By BA Staff Air India and State Bank of India (SBI) have launched two co-branded credit cards. An Air India SBI Signature Visa card, and an Air India SBI Platinum Visa card. Highlights of the Air India SBI Signature Card 4 points for every Rs 100 spent 20 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on Air India website and …

By BA Staff easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, has announced it will open a base in Hamburg, Germany as well as increasing its fleet in Berlin in the spring of 2014. Building on its success to date in both Hamburg and Berlin, easyJet’s new base will open with three A319 aircraft with the airline increasing its fleet in Berlin by …

By BA Staff AirAsia India today announced that the airline has been granted the no objection certificate by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and will begin the process of obtaining an Air Operating Permit and prepare to kick-start its operations. AirAsia submitted a request to start a joint venture to begin AirAsia India earlier this year, partnering Tata Sons Limited …

By BA Staff To mark the birth anniversary for the father of India, Air France KLM, a member of the Sky Team alliance announced a special online contest for all their Air France and KLM follower base in India. KLM India team will quiz their fans each day on location for two photographs of iconic Mahatma Gandhi statues around the …

By BA Staff Wizz Air Ukraine, announced today its third base which will open on 30 April 2014 in Lviv to Ukrainian travellers and visitors with one new based Airbus A320 aircraft, the 5th in the Ukraine. In addition to the existing routes to Venice Treviso, Dortmund and Milan Bergamo, Wizz Air Ukraine announced five new routes to Barcelona Girona, …

By BA Staff The Philippines’ leading low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air (PSE:CEB) increased operations from its Visayas hubs, in line with its continued push for more tourism and trade in the destinations it flies to. From January to August 2013, the number of passengers through the airline’s Iloilo hub went up by 33%, while guests to and from its Cebu …

By BA Staff Virgin Australia today announced that it will commence direct flights between Brisbane and Cloncurry in regional Queensland on 27 November 2013. Virgin Australia’s 98 seat Embraer E190 jet will operate a return Brisbane-Cloncurry service on Wednesdays and Fridays.  Virgin Australia Chief Commercial Officer Judith Crompton said: Cloncurry is an important regional centre that has seen strong growth …

By BA Staff Boeing and WestJet announced today that they have firmed up an order for 65 737 MAX airplanes, fulfilling the carrier’s letter of intent to purchase the airplanes announced on Aug 29. The order, valued at $6.3 billion at list prices, consists of 40 737 MAX 8s and 25 737 MAX 7s. The airplanes are a key component …

by BA Staff The new joint Star Alliance lounge at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles International Airport opened its doors on 25th September. The new lounge, designed by global architectural firm Gensler, has more than 18,000 square feet of floor space, and an open air terrace offering panoramic views of the airport’s northern runway looking towards the …

Several pieces of routes news from Pakistan emerged over the past week, and Bangalore Aviation has prepared a summary of these changesGulf Air increases frequency to Pakistan Bahrain based  Gulf Air has added 7 new weekly frequencies on its offering to Pakistan, from mid-December 2013, bringing its total Pakistani operation to 21 flights per week to four destinations. A summary …

by Vinay BhaskaraChinese full service carrier China Eastern Airlines is increasing its service to the Indian subcontinent from its Southwestern Chinese hub of Kunming. From 27th October 2013, its offering on each of Kunming – Kolkata and Kunming – Dhaka will increase from daily to 10x weekly, using Boeing 737-700 aircraft configured in a 134 seat, two class configuration (8J …

By BA Staff Scoot, the high density, low cost wing of Singapore Airlines, announced the launch of flights, subject to regulatory approval, from Singapore to Hong Kong, making Hong Kong the fast-growing airline’s 12th destination. Starting 15th November 2013 you’ll be able to fly Scoot to Hong Kong and tickets will go on sale from 30 September 2013 at 0900 …

By BA Staff Peach Aviation Limited announced today that it had started servicing an Okinawa to Taipei route. The Okinawa to Taipei route is Peach’s first international route departing from and arriving at Naha airport, and is the first Japanese airline to operate regular international flight services from Naha airport in approximately 11 years. Peach Representative Director & CEO Shinichi …

by BA StaffEuropean airline group Air France – KLM has provided an update on its Transform 2015 plan, which aims to transform the airline and restore profitability by 2015 by slashing unit costs excluding fuel by 10% and shedding €2 billion worth of debt. The following details were provided by Air France – KLM in a release: Tranform 2015 measures drove …

Courtesy Wikipedia. Image credit: Raihanspotter Rapidly growing Bangladeshi private carrier United Airways has added two additional aircraft to its fleet. The aircraft are an ATR 72-200 registered as S2-AFU and a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 registered as S2-AEJ. The ATR 72-200 originated with LOT Polish Airlines, and then was transferred to LOT’s regional subsidiary Eurolot before being sold to United Airways. …

by BA Staff Malaysia Airlines A330 in oneworld livery. Kuala Lampur based flag carrier Malaysia Airlines, a member of the oneworld alliance, has announced a major capacity expansion plan as the carrier tries to fight its way back to profitability. The following is a summary of the expansion Re-launch of services to Dubai in August New route to Kochi in …

by Vinay Bhaskara Image Credit: Devesh Agarwal ~ Bangalore Aviation Middle Eastern carrier Emirates has continued its rapid expansion into the North American market by announcing the commencement of daily nonstop services between its global hub at Dubai and Boston to commence from 10th March, 2014. The new flights will be served using Emirates’ Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, seating 266 passengers …