British Airways is taking delivery of its first Boeing 777-300ER registration G-STBA. The new aircraft will offer 297 seats in a four class configuration including First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller. G-STBA features an all-new interior including the new World Traveller (economy) and World Traveller Plus (premium economy) cabins along with a new in-flight entertainment (IFE) system …
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Image: Smokin’ Touchdown – British Airways Boeing 777-200ER G-RAES at DFW airport
This smokin’ touchdown is from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. British Airways G-RAES touches down on to runway 18R after braving 30 knot gusting cross winds, which made it difficult for me to hold the camera and telephoto lens stable. Thank god for Nikon’s VR feature. Click on the image for a larger view
Read More »Strategy guide for Airline Manager on Facebook
October 21, 2021. An updated link to the ROI calculation spreadsheet is below Download the Airline Manager ROI Spreadsheet here. February 9, 2015. An update to this guide is appended at the end of this guide Original article July 10, 2010 Over the last two weeks I discovered a nifty little airline simulator game called Airline Manager on Facebook. My …
Read More »Airport runways: All you wanted to know but were afraid to ask – Part 2
In the first part of this two part series on airport runways, we covered the basics of runway terminology, runway numbering, etc. Today we focus on the runway itself. The sections and parts of the runway, and terms very few outside the core aviation industry know significant details about. Common measurement terms Apart from the length and width of the …
Read More »Airport runways: All you wanted to know but were afraid to ask – Part 1
An innocent question on one of the aviation forums I visit, got me thinking. Runway numbers are very commonly used in aviation related stories and many a frequent flier knows which runway they land or take-off from, especially at their home and other frequented airports. Yet, what are the various terms associated with runways? Simply put, a runway is a …
Read More »Video: The making of IGI airport Terminal 3
The aero buzz in India is centred at the nation’s capital New Delhi. Last week it was the exit of SpiceJet CEO Sanjay Aggarwal. This week is the soon to be opened Terminal 3 or T3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Airport operators have produced a video on the evolution of IGI airport and the construction of T3, and have …
Read More »Video: Air India’s latest Boeing 777-300ER VT-ALU first flight
A video of Air India’s latest Boeing 777-300ER VT-ALU returning after its first flight. The aircraft is named after the eastern state of Orissa.
Read More »Sanjay Aggarwal quits as CEO of SpiceJet
India has lost a dynamic and professional CEO in the airline industry. Sanjay Aggarwal has quit SpiceJet. Sanjay Aggarwal tendered his resignation after a board meeting on June 30, as per The Mint newspaper. Kishore Gupta, a representative of the Kansagara family on the airline board is likely to be the acting CEO till a permanent replacement is named. This …
Read More »India imposes service tax on all classes of air travel from today
The Government of India has imposed a service tax of 10.3 per cent on the gross value of tickets for all classes on domestic flights and economy class on international flights will be levied on tickets sold, issued or re-issued, from today. Service tax will be calculated on the gross value of the ticket for the calculation of the service …
Read More »NDTV interview of Delhi airport head honcho GM Rao on the new Terminal 3
The buzz in Indian aviation is the soon to be inaugurated Terminal 3 or T3 at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport. It is one of the largest terminal buildings in the world and India’s first integrated terminal. In these two part videos, NDTV’s Shekhar Gupta interviews Chairman of the GMR Group which heads the Delhi International Airport Ltd. …
Read More »Images: Kingfisher Airbus A321 cabin and Gulfstream G550 cabin and cockpit
Some pictures of aircraft cabins and cockpits taken during my visit to the India Aviation show in Hyderabad. I travelled to Hyderabad on Kingfisher’s all economy and ultra-long Airbus A321 VT-KFW. Took this picture during the descent in to Rajiv Gandhi International airport at Shamshabad. Awash in a sea of red, the cabin crew was very particular that I do …
Read More »Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian announce capacity increase for India winter 2010 schedule
The Lufthansa Group airlines offering services to India, Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines have announced an increase in services to 75 flights a week for the upcoming Winter 2010 schedule which commences October 29, 2010. Increases are by Austrian Airlines which adds five a week flights between Mumbai and Vienna, Swiss which takes its flights between Zurich Delhi and Zurich …
Read More »Airbus A320 family achieves 50 million flight movements mark
The Airbus single aisle A320 Family has achieved over 50 million flight movements (take offs and landings) since the first model, the A320, entered commercial service in 1988. The A320 family consists of the A318, A319, A320, and A321, as well as the ACJ business jet. In the last 22 years A320 Family aircraft have carried in excess of five …
Read More »GVK effects an intelligent re-jig of BIAL management
While analysts are expressing apprehension on the high price GVK has paid to acquire its 29% stake in Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), the recent re-jig of the BIAL management structure shows insights in to how the GVK Group intends to re-coup its investment. The management re-jig has effective created an “airport operations group” and a “land development group” which …
Read More »Jet Airways and United Airlines commence their long pending code share agreement
Starting June 30, 2010 Mumbai based Jet Airways, and Chicago United Airlines, will commence their long pending code share agreement. Under the agreement Jet Airways will place its 9W airline marketing code on United’s trans-Atlantic flights operating between London and United’s five U.S. hub cities: Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington and on United’s daily trans-Pacific services between …
Read More »Kalanithi Maran’s takeover will make SpiceJet a game changer in Indian aviation
After six months of discussions, it is finally official. Media baron and political heavyweight, Kalanithi Maran will acquire a majority stake in low fare carrier SpiceJet.Mr. Maran in his individual capacity and via his aviation company KAL Airways jointly owned with wife Kaveri, will initially acquire the 37.73% stake of the Kansagara family promoted Royal Holding Services Ltd., Wilbur Ross …
Read More »Petty politics grounds Lufthansa’s A380 India plans
With baited anticipation, many Indians were awaiting an announcement from German airline Lufthansa about commencing Airbus A380 services to India, specifically New Delhi. Late last year, there were strong indications that Lufthansa would be the first airline to commence a daily A380 service between New Delhi and Frankfurt. Lufthansa had to ignore the carrier’s two biggest markets for their initial …
Read More »Images: British Airways gives its aircraft soccer noses
The FIFA World Cup is upon us, and British Airways appears to have caught footie fever expective to transport over 70,000 passengers to South Africa over the next one month, on its 26 weekly flights. The airline has given selected aircraft “soccer noses”. Enjoy the pictures and have a great weekend. Remember to click on the image for a high …
Read More »Photo essay: Transit of Singapore Air Force elite 145 squadron F-16s, KC-135R, C-130H at Bangalore
On Monday evening an entire contingent of the elite 145 squadron of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) touched down at Bangalore’s HAL airport. The 145 Squadron “Hornet” is a strike fighter squadron of the RSAF currently based at the new airbase Changi Airbase (East) which to the east of Singapore Changi Airport. With hornets as their motif and …
Read More »One of the best plane spotting locations in the world – Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) airport
May 22nd and I was back in my home town of Arlington, Texas, host to the next NFL Superbowl. Sure enough I was soon at DFW airport, home to one of the best spotting locations in world — Founder’s Plaza at the Dallas-Fort Worth International airport. Built by the airport operators, in cooperation and with funding from all the airlines, …
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