Yearly Archives: 2016

Alaska Airlines adds domestic routes

Alaska Air Boeing 737-900ER. Image Copyright Vedant Agarwal.

Seattle based US carrier Alaska Airlines has announced new inbound and outbound flights to its ‘focus city’ San Diego. For this year’s ski-season, the airline will introduce daily non-stop flights from San Diego to popular skiing and holiday destination Steamboat Springs in Colorado. The city is famous for its Champagne Powder viewing that invites tourists from around the country and …

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Jet Airways Q4 and full year 2015-16 results and performance analysis

Jet Airways Boeing 737-700 VT-JNS at Bengaluru Kempegowda airport

Jet Airways recently reported numbers for the quarter and the year. For the fourth quarter ending 31 March 2016, the airline reported an impressive net profit of Rs 3,972 million and for the year a net profit of INR 11,733 million. After extensive research into qualitative and quantitative details an analysis is presented below: Strategic shift Jet has moved away …

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Cathay Pacific takes delivery of its first Airbus A350-900

Cathay Pacific becomes the sixth operator of the Airbus A350-900. Airbus photo.

Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific that operates an all wide-body fleet has unveiled its first Airbus A350 XWB, thus becoming the sixth operator in the world and the third in Asia, after Vietnam Airlines and Singapore Airlines. The airline has a total of 21 A350-900s on order, 12 of which are expected to be delivered this year. The A350-900 has …

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Airbus A320neo with CFM LEAP-1A engine certified by EASA and FAA

Airbus A320neo F-NEW with CFM LEAP-1A engine takes-off. Airbus photo.

The Airbus A320neo (new engine option) powered by the CFM LEAP-1A has received joint certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This paves the way for deliveries to those airlines which opted for the CFM engine. Airbus also offers the neo with the Pratt & Whitney PW1127G Geared Turbo Fan engine, which was …

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GoAir takes delivery of its first A320neo. Qualifies for international flights.

GoAir's first Airbus A320neo VT-WGA MSN7047 takes-off at Toulouse airport.

Mumbai based low-cost carrier GoAir, promoted by the Wadias, has received the first Airbus A320neo from its order of 72. This makes the carrier the third operator in the world to use the new fuel-efficient jetliner behind Germany’s Lufthansa and India’s IndiGo. This plane is the 20th aircraft in the GoAir fleet and officially qualifies the airline to now fly …

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Johannesburg and Cape Town are next A350 destinations of Singapore Airlines

First A350 XWB of Singapore Airlines receives the traditional water cannon salute at Singapore Changi airport.

Johannesburg in South Africa will become the second long-haul destination for Singapore Airlines’ new generation Airbus A350-900. fleet, with effect from June 27, 2016. Starting June 27, the A350 will be initially deployed on flights serving the Singapore-Johannesburg route on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The A350 frequency will progressively increase to cover all seven weekly Johannesburg flights, including four weekly …

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Tokyo Haneda airport shut after Korean Air Boeing 777 catches fire. All safe.

Korean Airlines Boeing 777-300ER HL7783 lands at Incheon airport.

Tokyo’s Haneda airport which is located in the heart of the megalopolis is shut down after one of the engines of a Korean Air Boeing 777-300, registration HL7534, performing flight KE2708 to Seoul Gimpo airport caught fire just as it was about to take-off. All 302 passengers and 17 crew were evacuated via emergency slides and are safe, though about …

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Uber and Ola cabs get dedicated pick-up zones at Bangalore Kempegowda airport

Taxi aggregators Uber and Ola Cabs have signed agreements with airport operator Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) to offer their customers dedicated pick-up zones at Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport. Both the dedicated ‘Ola Zone’ and ‘U Zone’ appear to be located near P2 parking just behind the BMTC Vayu Vajra Bus Stand.     Customers can make their booking soon …

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SpiceJet’s record profits & turn-around. Fiscal 15-16 results analysis

Spicejet Boeing 737-800WL VT-SGK at New Delhi airport.

SpiceJet has reported its highest ever profit of Rs 407 crores for the financial year ending 31 March 2016. For the quarter ending 31 March 2016, the airline reported a net profit of Rs 73 crores. Strong performance indeed, considering that the airline had reported a loss of Rs 687 crores for the last financial year. Operational performance A look …

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Exclusive Photos: Antonov An-225 at Hyderabad

Antonov An-225 UR-82060 at Hyderabad Airport.

On the 13th of May, the world’s largest in-service aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya touched down at Hyderabad airport for a technical stopover on it’s way to Perth, Australia. The An-225 was designed by the then Soviet Union’s Antonov Design Bureau in the 1980’s. The aircraft is the longest and heaviest to have ever been built, along with the largest …

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Egyptair Airbus A320 flight from Paris to Cairo goes missing #MS804

Approximate last known position of missing Egyptair flight MS804 Paris to Cairo. Map courtesy FlightRadar24.com

Egyptair flight MS804 from Paris Charles De Gaulle airport to Cairo has gone missing over the eastern Mediterranean sea. At 05:00 Egypt local time (03:00Z UTC, 08:30 IST) the airline reported that the aircraft lost radar contact around 02:45 local time (00:45Z) whilst cruising at 37,000ft (FL370) about 210 nautical miles north-north-west of Cairo. It was still in Greek airspace …

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American Airlines takes delivery of it’s first US produced Airbus

The first American Airlines A321 to be delivered from the Mobile, Alabama plant. Airbus Image.

American airlines has taken delivery of it’s first US built Airbus aircraft – an Airbus A321 ceo. Bob Lekites, Executive Vice President-Customers, Airbus Americas “The relationship between American Airlines and Airbus is a long and successful collaboration to provide the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft for both of our customers. American Airlines already operates the world’s largest fleet of Airbus aircraft …

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Singapore Airlines moves India flights to terminal 3 at Changi

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

From today, Singapore Airlines moves the departures of all its India and South Africa flights to terminal 3 (T3) at Singapore Changi Airport. Flights operated by SilkAir from Singapore to India will continue to operate out of terminal 2. This was a long standing expectation of the airline’s India passengers and will better integrate India and South Africa passengers to …

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Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines to codeshare

Alaska Air Boeing 737-900ER. Image Copyright Vedant Agarwal.

Seattle-based carrier Alaska Airlines and Japanese flag carrier Japan Airlines (JAL) have announced plans to begin a codeshare agreement and frequent flier partnership. Starting June 29th, pending government approval the agreement will allow for combined ticketing and one-stop baggage check-in on flights between the two airlines. Members of Alaska airlines’ mileage plan will also be able to earn and redeem miles …

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Indigo Q4 FY2016 results analysis

IndiGo Airbus A320-232(SL) VT-IFK with Sharklets.

India’s most successful airline Indigo continued to impress with its fourth quarter and full year earnings. A look at the numbers reveals how Indigo has managed its business. Operational performance For the year, IndiGo carried a total of 33.1 million passengers carried, a 31.5% increase as compared to the same period last year. During the year, IndiGo registered a 21.2% …

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IndiGo Patna flight returns to Bangalore after hydraulic leak. All safe.

IndiGo_A320 classic VT-INT. Photo: Devesh Agarwal.

An IndiGo airlines Airbus A320-232 performing flight 6E-632 from Bangalore, Kempegowdga International Airport to Patna, Bihar, India, with 154 passengers and six crew, returned to Bangalore soon after take-off at 06:37Z (12:07 IST) due to a leakage in the hydraulic system. After take-off from runway 09, on climb, the Captain noticed a leakage in the hydraulic system. As standard protocol …

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Boeing on track for 737 MAX 8 delivery as it completes high altitude tests

Boeing 737 MAX 8 performs high altitude testing at La Paz, Bolivia

US airframer Boeing’s 737 MAX programme remains on track for first delivery in the third quarter of 2017. The 737 MAX 8 recently completed high altitude flight testing in La Paz, Bolivia whose airport, is at a height of 13,300 feet. As altitude increases the air thins, which reduces the effectiveness of the control surfaces at slow speeds as well …

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Qatar airways launches fourth UK route to Birmingham

State-owned flag carrier Qatar Airways has launched its fourth UK gateway with direct flights between Birmingham and Doha. Chief Commercial Officer Dr. Hugh Dunleavy accompanied British ambassador to Qatar Mr Ajay Sharma on the inaugural flight on Wednesday. The Birmingham route is operated by Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft in a two-cabin configuration, comprising of 22 seats in business class and …

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Airlines react to incident in Brussels, Delta offers support

American carriers including United, American, Delta and US Air have cancelled all flights to Brussels airports after the explosions yesterday morning. UA950 from Washington Dulles and DL80 from Atlanta both landed at Brussels normally yesterday. UA999 from Newark and DL42 from New York were divereted to other airports in the region. AA751 was cancelled. Delta will be accomodating passengers whose …

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Boeing begins major assembly on 787-10 Dreamliner

American airframer Boeing has initiated major assembly on its 787-10 Dreamliner two weeks ahead of schedule in Nagoya, Japan. All final assembly will take place in North Charleston, South Carolina next year, followed by first delivery to United Airlines in 2018. The 787-10 that Boeing describes as a straightforward stretch of the 787-9 has 95% design similarities with its predecessor. …

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