Devesh Agarwal

A electronics and automotive product management, marketing and branding expert, he was awarded a silver medal at the Lockheed Martin innovation competition 2010. He is ranked 6th on Mashable's list of aviation pros on Twitter and in addition to Bangalore Aviation, he has contributed to leading publications like Aviation Week, Conde Nast Traveller India, The Economic Times, and The Mint (a Wall Street Journal content partner). He remains a frequent flier and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Indian aviation industry without fear or favour.

AirAsia orders 100 Airbus A321neo. Wants massive India expansion. #FAS16

AirAsia A321neo. Airbus CGI.

Malaysia-based low cost carrier AirAsia has placed an order with Airbus for 100 Airbus A321neo. The order value is $12.6 billion This is the airline group’s first ever order for the extended variant of the popular A320neo family. The announcement was made by AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes and Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Brégier at the Farnborough …

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Analysis: GoAir signs MOU with Airbus for another 72 A320neos. Doubles order to 144.

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

Indian budget carrier GoAir has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with European airframer Airbus to purchase another 72 A320neo aircraft. This effectively doubles GoAir’s A320neo existing 72 plane order, placed in 2011, to 144. GoAir is the third operator of the new aircraft, globally, after Germany’s Lufthansa, and India’s IndiGo. It has taken delivery of two A320neos as of …

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Virgin Atlantic orders 12 Airbus A350-1000 #FAS16

Airbus CGI of Virgin Atlantic A350-1000.

British carrier Virgin Atlantic has announced an order for 12 Airbus A350-1000s. The order is worth $4.4 billion at list prices, though airlines get a substantial discount. Eight of 12 ordered aircraft will be purchased and balance four will be leased. The Virgin A350’s will be powered by British made Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The -1000 is the longest variant …

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Exclusive pictures of the new Boeing 737 MAX #FAS16

Boeing 737 MAX 8 N8704Q.

Bangalore Aviation’s photo editor Vedant, was given a tour of Boeing’s new 737 MAX which is designed to compete with the new A320neo from Airbus. The MAX features new LEAP engines from CFM, a digital flight deck that derives inputs from its big brother the 787 Dreamliner, split wing-tips, and a host of other new features. Indian budget carrier Spicejet …

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GoAir to buy another 70 A320neo family airplanes

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

Media outlets across the world are reporting that Indian low fare carrier GoAir will order another 70 A320neo narrow body airplanes. This is in addition to the existing order of 72 A320neo from which, the airline received its first delivery last month. The order will be worth $7.5 billion at list prices though one can expect GoAir to receive hefty …

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Spicejet’s new TV commercials promote hot food and SpiceMAX service

SpiceJet Boeing 737-800 VT-SPJ. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.

Budget carrier Spicejet is preparing to launch a fresh television advertising initiative focussed on their hot food and premium economy type SpiceMAX service. Arch rival IndiGo does not provide hot meals on board its flights, nor does it offer a service comparable to SpiceMAX. The TV commercials focus on the additional leg room offered, hot meals, eliminating queues, using daily …

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Vistara to serve Starbucks coffee on board its flights

Vistara Airbus A320 VT-TTC arrives at Bengaluru performing the airline's inaugural flight UK889 from New Delhi.

The Tata-Singapore Airlines branded Vistara will serve Starbucks coffee on-board its flights from later this year. As a coffee lover, I look forward some decent coffee aboard an Indian carrier. The world famous brand though will be limited to the business and premium economy class sections. Global agreement between Tatas and Starbucks The move is part of a significant agreement …

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Video: Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 wing catches fire after landing. All safe.

Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER 9V-SWD at Mumbai CSI airport. Photo by and copyright Vedant Agarwal.

A Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER 9V-SWB was performing flight SQ368 from Singapore Changi to Milan Malpensa, Italy. The flight departed Changi at around 2:25am local (18:25Z -1, 23:55IST -1) with 222 passengers and 19 crew. The flight was flying up the west coast of peninsular Malaysia and Thailand. About two hours in to the flight, while at FL300 (30,000ft AMSL), …

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India permits 100% foreign investment in airlines and airports

Domestic ramp at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji airport. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.

As part of a dramatic overall liberalisation, the Indian government will allow 100% foreign direct investment in domestic airlines. At present the limit is 49%. However, the caveat is that the 49% is automatic approval while the 100% is automatic for non-resident Indians (NRIs) and with government approval for others. Foreign airlines remain limited investing 49% in Indian companies operating …

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Singapore Airlines rejigs US operations. To start San Francisco non-stop.

First flight of Singapore Airlines' first A350-900 9V-SMA. Airbus image.

Goes double-daily to Los Angeles Stops A380 service to Los Angeles Suspends Brazil flights Singapore Airlines will launch daily non-stop flights between Singapore and San Francisco in the winter schedule starting October 23, 2016 using the Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The 13,600km flight will be the longest non-stop at the time in the airline’s network. It is expect to take between …

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Jet Airways mimics IndiGo, JetAdvance allows changing to earlier flight

Jet Airways Boeing 737-800 VT-JGA.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it is said. In a virtual duplication of the IndiGo Early programme, India’s largest private airline Jet Airways, in a hat-tip to India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, has introduced JetAdvance. Under this scheme, passengers who report to the airport early, can choose to travel by an earlier flight by paying Rs 1,000 per …

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Indian boy makes Lufthansa’s first in-flight ‘announcement by a kid’

Lufthansa Boeing 747-8i D-ABYI "Fanhansa" Livery

Yashas Dassani, the nine-years old boy from Mumbai, who won the global ‘Your Announcement Contest‘ sponsored by German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa, made his first live announcement aboard a flight. Dassani performed the announcement as a Lufthansa cabin crew on-board flight LH756 from Franfurt to his home-town, Mumbai, in front of over 350 passengers. Prior to his flight, young Yashas …

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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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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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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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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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