UK based, Virgin Atlantic signed an order for up to 20 Airbus A330-900s. The carrier has placed a firm order for eight aircraft and has options for six more. The airline will also take six additional A330-900s on lease from Air Lease Corporation. Virgin will take delivery of the aircraft from 2021 and will use them to replace their existing …

American leasing company – Air Lease Corporation (ALC) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for 100 Airbus aircraft. The deal includes 50 A220-300s, 27 A321XLRs both new types for ALC and an order for an additional 23 A321neos. This order brings from Airbus’ third largest lessor customer brings ALC’s cumulative orders up to 387 Airbus aircraft.

European airframer has opened its 2019 Paris Air Show by launching the A321XLR. The A321XLR is the newest entry to the A321 lineup and will deliver a range of 4,700nm as compared to the currently longest range A321 – the A321LR which has a specified range of 4,000nm. The aircraft will be able to serve transcontinental routes in the US …

Embraer will be displaying the E190-E2 at this year’s Paris Air Show. The aircraft features a new livery called the Tech Lion – Profit Hunter. The manufacturer says that “A striking livery covers the entire fuselage of our newest and biggest E2. The TechLion design reflects the advanced technology features and e-enabled systems on the E2s. The mighty lion is …

Mitsubishi has debuted its new SpaceJet livery on an MRJ90 – now M90 aircraft at the Paris Air Show. The SpaceJet which is the new branding of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ). The MRJ made its European debut at the last Paris Air Show in 2017.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has taken delivery of its first ever Airbus aircraft – an A350-900 at a special delivery ceremony at the manufacturers plant in Toulouse, France. Airbus secured JALs order for the A350 in 2013, breaking into a national stronghold of rival Boeing. The airline currently operates an all Boeing fleet of 737s, 767s, 787s and 777s. JAL has …

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has renamed the Mitsubishi Regional Jet as the Mitsubishi SpaceJet family. The two aircraft in the family will be the SpaceJet M90 (the current MRJ90 which is in flight testing) and a new model the SpaceJet M100 which has specifically been improved for the US market. The M100 will replace the older MRJ70 which could only carry …

I left the Silverkris lounge at Singapore Changi airport (read our lounge review) at 7:05 PM, one hour before the scheduled departure of my flight at 8:05 PM. The gate was close to the lounge and the agents told me that I would reach in about five minutes. Boarding was scheduled to commence at 7:35 PM. When I got to the …

European airframer Airbus logged only a single order for an ACJ320neo for an undisclosed customer. The order barely made a dent in the companies order deficit for the year which stands at negative 57 aircraft. However expect to see Airbus announce orders at the Paris airshow which starts in 10 days time. The company usually makes some large announcements during …

The Main Access Road (MAR) at Bangalore Airport will be closed for two years starting on 10 June for expansion. The 1.4km road is being expanded from its current four lanes (to each way) to 10 lanes (five each way). The expansion was planned to accommodate the increase in traffic to the airport with the new terminal 2. In the …

Fancy a traditional Kaiseki gourmet meal at 35,000 feet? Or some Nalli Nihari lamb shank? How about a fancy Shahi Thali? I have always admired the variety and detail of the in-flight dining onboard Singapore Airlines. The news that has me excited is that Singapore Airlines has finally introduced its famous Book The Cook meal service on its flights originating …

The CFM56 engine family has become the first ever to cross one billion engine flight hours. CFM International (a JV of Safran and GE) ran the first CFM56 in 1974. By 1979 the engine had not received any major orders and the JV was weeks from being dissolved. However, in April of 1979 Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Flying …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting recently concluded in Seoul. The event was quite anticipated given the unprecedented geo-political trends. The state of the industry and key focus areas were highlighted by the Director General Alexandre de Juniac in his speech. Key points of this speech that speak to trends were: Safety Flying continues to be one …

Bangalore International Airport Limited is giving away 10,000 plants to passengers and visitors at the airport from 5 June 2019. The giveaway will begin from environment day on 5 June 2019. To get a plant you can register at this link or provide your details on site and collect your plant from ‘The Quad by BLR’. A variety of different …

I reached Changi airport at around 12.30PM, way before my flight at 8PM. After entering, I headed to the business class counters to check-in. Despite reaching so far in advance, I was quickly checked in without any issues. After getting my boarding pass, I headed to the Jewel for lunch. The Jewel at Changi Airport The Jewel is a multi-use …

Bangalore Airport has announced that it will be closing the airport lounges and transit hotel for renovations. The refurbishment will be done in two phases and will take 18 – 20 months to complete. There are currently two lounges each in the domestic and international hold areas – operated by Plaza Premium and Above Ground Level (Bird Catering and Lounges). …

Indigo Airlines reported its fourth-quarter results this Monday. As their CEO expounded – this year consisted of two halves. The 4th quarter was critical for Indigo as it pushed the airline to an overall profit. That said, the results continue to highlight the core challenges in the Indian market. Key numbers for Indigo’s fourth-quarter results: Revenue from Operations: 7883 crores …

Last week, I was invited by Singapore Airlines to visit the Airbus Asia Training Centre (AATC). The AATC is part of the Airbus Flight Training Network which is used to train pilots to fly Airbus type aircraft. The AATC is a joint venture between Airbus and Singapore Airlines, which hold 55 and 45% respectively. The operations of the company began …

Air New Zealand has signed an order for eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners worth $2.7 billion at list prices. The deal includes options for 12 more 787’s which could see the total order rise to 20 aircraft, as well as substitution rights which would allow the carrier to swap same 787-10s for 787-9s if required. The deal to replace Air New …

With the production of the Airbus A380 ending 2021, airline enthusiasts the world over are wondering if there will be a replacement aircraft that is as awe-inspiring. The end of the program is also interesting as it contradicts the fact that airports are increasingly constrained and indeed airlines will have to devise strategies to overcome this. Yet, the impacts are …