Bangalore Aviation News, Reviews, Analysis and opinions of Indian Aviation
UPDATE Five minutes after we published our original story, an Emirates spokesperson sent us this statement [bsu_quote cite=”Emirates spokesperson”]Emirates will continue to operate its iconic A380 aircraft on the Dubai-Mumbai route for the remainder of the summer 2014 timetable as planned, as flight numbers EK500/EK501. Details of the airline’s winter timetable which is due to commence on 26 October are …
Read More »Devesh Agarwal
Air India refutes TimesNow TV report on Air India Day extravaganza
In an unusual move for the national carrier, Air India issued a strongly worded statement refuting a media report by TimesNow TV on the airline’s recent Air India Day celebrations calling it “baseless” and “devoid of truth”. In a segment titled “What was Air India celebrating?” aired late last week, the television channel claimed [bsu_quote cite=”TimesNow TV report” url=”http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CFoQIDAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebcache.googleusercontent.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcache%3Ay5VkuKA84n8J%3Awww.timesnow.tv%2FWhat-was-Air-India-celebrating%2Fvideoshow%2F4463051.cms%2B%26cd%3D8%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Din%26client%3Dfirefox-a&ei=LBoEVPWzLJKfugTvoIHQAg&usg=AFQjCNHUC_YOQubD7kS9gxqj6ke_SHrm4g&bvm=bv.74115972,d.c2E”]While the …
Read More »SpiceJet will first serve passengers who pre-booked meals before general service
As an incentive to passengers who pre-book their in-flight meals, budget carrier SpiceJet will serve them first, before commencing general meal and drinks sales service in flight. Pre-booking enables an airline to better prepare meals for a flight thus improving availability and reducing wastage. Many airlines, including competitor IndiGo already adopt this practice. SpiceJet also offers a lower price for …
Read More »Exclusive photos: Air India repairs its Boeing 777-200LR VT-ALH previously stripped for parts
Exactly three months and one day ago, we reported exclusive images of Air India’s newest Boeing 777-200LR VT-ALH Maharashtra lying in a pathetic and dilapidated condition at Mumbai airport. Today we are happy to report exclusive images showing Air India has restored the aircraft to a much better condition. She is looking nice and clean. Since the aircraft has not …
Read More »IndiGo to commence 16 new flights to eight destinations
Just a day after announcing a slew of new flights from Vishakhapatnam (Vizag), the home airport of civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, India’s largest domestic carrier IndiGo, has announced a slate of 16 new flights to eight destinations. Effective August 28, 2014 Second and third daily non-stop flight between Bangalore and Kochi Sixth daily non-stop flight between Bangalore and …
Read More »Boeing delivers Royal Jordanian’s first 787-8 Dreamliner
US airframer Boeing delivered to national carrier and oneworld member Royal Jordanian the airline’s first 787-8 Dreamliner registration JY-BAA. The aircraft is leased via AerCap. The Bangalore Aviation team was present at Paine Field in Everett Washington state on July 30, when the aircraft entered the runway for the first time and conducted high speed taxi tests. The airline will …
Read More »AirAsia offers special low fares starting at Rs 600 and Rs 1,900
AirAsia India is offering all inclusive fares from as low as Rs 600 from Bengaluru to Chennai/Kochi/Goa and Rs 1,900 from Bengaluru to their new service to Jaipur and Chandigarh. Fares are valid for bookings made from today until 31 August 2014, for the travel period from October 24, 2014 to October 24, 2015. AirAsia and Thai AirAsia are also …
Read More »False fire alarm. IndiGo pilot orders premature aircraft evacuation at Delhi
The commander of IndiGo flight 6E 176 from Mumbai to New Delhi on August 20, 2014, being performed by VT-IFK with 148 passengers and six crew appears to have ordered a premature evacuation of the aircraft suspecting a fire. The aircraft has just made a normal landing at New Delhi’s IGI airport at 15:35 (11:05Z). Soon after touch-down the Captain …
Read More »Graphics: As other Indian airlines slow down, Spicejet bucks trend and grows
-Click on any of the graphs for a larger view Even as India’s overall domestic passenger traffic in July fell to 5.25 million passengers down about 8% from 5.69 million in June, data released by the civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, shows budget carrier Spicejet Ltd. was the only large airline which grew its traffic while the rest of its …
Read More »Another demonstration of why the government should not run Air India
A report in The Financial Express discusses a 26-point missive sent to national carrier Air India by its boss, the minister of civil aviation Mr. Ashok Gajapathi Raju. Official termed “guidelines” these are practically a diktat. These guidelines were sent after reports of serious concerns at the Star Alliance, the world’s largest grouping of airlines which Air India joined just …
Read More »Mysore Bangalore airport direct ‘FlyBus’ service now operational
On Wednesday, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) inaugurated its luxury ‘FlyBus’ service which will connect the city of Mysore direct to the Bengaluru / Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore. The service will be operated by a 40 seat luxury Volvo B9R twin-rear-axle bus, complete with a pantry, chemical toilets, 2+2 semi-sleeper seating with 70 channels of in-seat video. …
Read More »Spicejet pre-tax loss narrows to Rs 124 crore in Q1 FY2015. Company says due to restructuring.
Embattled low fare carrier SpiceJet, reported a loss before tax of Rs 124.10 crore (approx. $20.8 million) for the first quarter of fiscal 2014~2015, ended June. This compared to the profit of Rs 50.56 crore in the same quarter a year earlier. Total income from operations fell to Rs 1,691.04 crore down from Rs 1,701.54 crore in the same quarter …
Read More »Visiting the Airbus Hamburg plant
In the middle of July, I went on tour of the Hamburg plant of European airframer Airbus S.A.S. My whole European vacation was planned around this visit. For a confirmed aviation geek this was a dream come true. Hamburg Finkenwerder airport (IATA: XFW, ICAO: EDHI) is the head-quarters of Airbus in Germany. Over 15,000 people work at the facility where …
Read More »Tata-SIA airlines unveils its brand Vistara – an analysis
The Tata-SIA Airlines Ltd. (TSAL), the 51:49 joint venture between the Tatas and Singapore Airlines officially unveiled Vistara as its airline brand yesterday. Drawn from the Sanskrit word Vistaar which means limitless expanse. The logo is derived from a ‘yantra’, a perfect mathematical form that reflects the unbounded universe. Its fluid interconnecting lines reflect the seamless experience the airline wants …
Read More »Jet Airways trims losses 39% ups revenue 17% on Etihad lifeline; to discontinue JetKonnect
India’s largest private airline, Jet Airways, trimmed its losses by almost 39% to Rs.217 crore (approx. US$ 36.17 million at an exchange rate of Rs.60=$1), in the first quarter of fiscal 2014~2015 which ended on June 30, 2014, when compared to the same period a year ago. Much of this performance increase is due to the financial and operational lifeline …
Read More »Through the lens: Royal Jordanian Airline’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner
On July 30th, I visited Paine Field at the Everett factory of US airframer Boeing. I was lucky to catch the taxi tests of Royal Jordanian Airline’s first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner JY-BAA as she was being prepared for delivery. The RJ livery has always been an exotic one. Share your thoughts on it via a comment.
Read More »Tata SIA joint venture airline called Vistara Air
Vistara will be the name of the new airline being promoted jointly by the Tatas and Singapore Airlines. Vistara is a Sanskrit word meaning expanse. Please read our analysis and details here.
Read More »Qatar Airways opens two acre 1,000 passenger premium lounge at Doha airport
Doha based national carrier, Qatar Airways has unveiled one of the world’s largest premium lounges in the world at its hub airport in Doha. The new Al Mourjan Business Lounge for the airline’s premium passengers is over 10,000 square metres in size i.e. larger than one hectare or 2.5 acres in floor space spread over two levels This is equal …
Read More »Jet Airways and Vietnam Airlines in code-share partnership
India’s largest private airline Jet Airways has entered into a reciprocal code-share agreement with national carrier Vietnam Airlines. Jet Airways will place its marketing code on Vietnam Airlines’ flights from Bangkok and Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi. Vietnam Airlines will place its marketing code on Jet Airways’ services between Bangkok and Mumbai/Delhi, and between Singapore and …
Read More »TigerAir offers exclusive special fares on Cleartip as part of partnership
Tigerair signs strategic distribution partnership with Cleartrip Also announces exclusive special fares for Cleartrip customers Singapore based budget airline Tigerair, has signed a strategic distribution partnership with on-line travel agent Cleartrip.com. To celebrate this partnership, Tigerair has announced one off special fares with limited sales period exclusively for Cleartrip customers starting at INR 5,499 for one-way travel to Singapore for …
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