National carrier Air India is offering upgrades on a seat available (SA) basis at the airport on its international and domestic sectors under its the “Get Up Front” promotion. On domestic routes, from 43 stations, Air India offers economy class passengers an opportunity to upgrade to Executive Class, based on seats available and on a first come first served basis …
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India flights impacted as Dubai airport commences runway upgrade
Starting tomorrow, May 1, the world’s busiest international airport, Dubai international (DXB) will commence a comprehensive runway upgrade project which will last for 80 days. From tomorrow, till May 31, the southern will see upgrades of runway runway lighting and construction of additional taxiways and rapid exits. From May 31 till July 20, the northern runway which is nearing the …
Read More »Air India seeking $500 million bridge loan for four 787 Dreamliners
National carrier Air India has floated a tender seeking bridge loans of up to $500 million as financing for taking delivery of four Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners numbers 15 through 18 of the carrier’s 27 aircraft order. The carrier has arranged financing for the first 14 Dreamliners in its fleet. It is scheduled to receive its 15th Dreamliner in May 2014, …
Read More »Withdrawn book detailing downfall of Air India now available in Amazon e-book format
The Descent of Air India a book authored by Jitender Bhargava, former Executive Director of the national carrier, details the downfall of one of India’s most iconic brands. Air India which was once regarded as one of the world’s premier airlines, has been allowed to fall into disrepair and ruin due to a variety of factors, but most in the …
Read More »Jet Airways and Air India achieve good on-time performance at London Heathrow for 2013
Both the Indian carriers operating to London Heathrow airport, Jet Airways and Air India, have impressive on-time performance, analysis of the British civil aviation authority punctuality records for the year 2013 reveal. Jet Airways was ranked eighth overall with an average delay of 9.72 minutes for the year, while national carrier Air India was at rank 26 with an average …
Read More »Exclusive photos: Air India strips its newest Boeing 777-200LR
Original story. First published Mar 27, 2014 12:00 IST Updates are posted at the end of this original article Financially beleaguered national carrier Air India appears to have resorted to cannibalising its newest Boeing 777-200LR VT-ALH, currently stored at Mumbai airport, to service the remaining five 777-200LR aircraft its fleet, three of which are due to be delivered to gulf …
Read More »Photos: Air India starts delivering sold Boeing 777-200LRs to Etihad Airways
Last October, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways PJSC had announced that it would buy five Boeing 777-200LRs from Air India and deploy these aircraft on Ultra Long Haul (ULH) routes like Abu Dhabi Los Angeles. With the deal concluded, since last month, Etihad has commenced taking delivery of these aircraft. The first two 777-200LRs of Air India VT-ALA named after the …
Read More »IndiGo adds Varanasi; other domestic routes
Indian low cost carrier IndiGo continues its breathtaking pace of domestic expansion with the addition of two new domestic routes and capacity expansion on Delhi – Hyderabad. This past Friday, IndiGo began service to Varanasi, its 36th destination and 31st in India, with three new daily flights between its largest hub at Delhi and Varanasi using its 180-seat Airbus A320 …
Read More »Analysis: FAA downgrades India to Category 2 safety status
by Vinay Bhaskara Earlier this month, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a major downgrade of India’s aviation safety rating, citing a lack of safety oversight on the part of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The downgrade to Category 2 is a significant national embarrassment, and comes after months, if not years, of FAA warnings to …
Read More »Air India operational and financial analysis 2010~2013 with infographics
In response to a series of questions from law-makers, the Indian civil aviation minister Ajit Singh and his junior minister K.C. Venugopal gave some operational insight to the Indian parliament on national carrier Air India. It was the first time, in recent memory where we obtained some numbers on the otherwise very opaque airline. Air India debt and equity As …
Read More »Opinion: Air India should prosecute unruly passengers
That Indian politicians and their cohorts make unreasonable demands of the national carrier Air India is a well known fact. But now, it appears this disease is afflicting the common passenger as well. Last week some of the 50 passengers on board Air India’s flight AI-433, a 250km 20 minute hop from Gaya to Varanasi, went on a rampage clashing …
Read More »US airlines and pilots sue US Exim bank to stop Air India loan guarantees
Claiming unfair advantage being giving to foreign carriers, Delta Air Lines, one of the world’s largest, along with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) which represents 47,000 pilots working for 28 U.S. commercial airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines, have sued the Export-Import Bank of the United States for providing cheap financing in the form of $1.3 billion in loan guarantees and …
Read More »Video: Government demands VIP culture at private airlines
That the government of India abuses its “Netjets” – Air India is a fact well known. Members of Parliament (MP), along with their “families”, “assistants”, and other hangers-on are provided all kinds of personalised treatment right from the kerb from where the MP is personally escorted, priority check-in, no security-screening, free snacks, free lounge access, some even want a golf …
Read More »Jet Airways joins air fare wars, offers 50% discount on Jet Konnect
Just when we praised Jet Airways, India’s second largest domestic airline, for not joining the self-destroying frenzy of 50 percent discount on air fares, the airline has joined the fare war frenzy first kicked off by low-fare carrier SpiceJet on Tuesday, and followed by all the other airlines now IndiGo, GoAir, Air India, and now Jet Konnect. The Naresh Goyal …
Read More »Opinion: Air India’s Star alliance membership is a precursor to Tata-SIA entry
During his visit to India, Mark Schwab the CEO of the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline grouping, announced that national carrier Air India could join the alliance within the next six months. In a press interaction Schwab said “without giving a specific date, one can say that we will complete all the ground work and formalities of Air India’s …
Read More »Low fare sale. Indian airlines eat their young to survive
The stampede of cut-throat fares, which commenced Tuesday, when low fare carrier SpiceJet announced up to a 50 percent discount for 30 and 60 day advance purchase fares is reminiscent of 2008 when airlines went berserk on pricing in a mad rush for growth. This time too, almost every carrier including full service Air India, has joined this madness. Credit …
Read More »Air India now accepts American Express credit cards for online bookings
Air India has started accepting American Express credit cards for payment of on-line bookings made on its website, for journeys originating from USA, UK, Europe, Japan and Singapore. The airline till now was accepting only Visa and MasterCard. American Express is a popular credit card, especially in the United States and offers card-holders significant privileges compared to most other credit …
Read More »Air India’s abysmal performance, 256 seat 787 flying with just 50 passengers
While the establishment in both the civil aviation ministry and national carrier Air India continue to blow sunshine in our faces, and was eloquent about the “great recovery” by the airline, a story in The Hindustan Times newspaper shows how abysmal is the airline’s actual performance. The story headlines “Crew shortage holds up AI flight at Frankfurt” but the actual …
Read More »Air India optimistic of joining the Star alliance
Unlike news reports which indicate Air India will re-commence the joining process with Star Alliance, and therefore leave a possibility of a negative outcome, a press release by the national carrier exudes confidence that the carrier will surely join the alliance. Air India set to join Star Alliance The National Carrier is set to join Star Alliance, the leading global …
Read More »InterGlobe and CAE inaugurate India’s largest pilot training facility
by Devesh Agarwal Rahul Bhatia, InterGlobe, Marc Parent, CAE InterGlobe Enterprises, the parent company of India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, and CAE, a global leader in flight simulators and training, inaugurated India’s largest pilot training facility in India. Located in Greater Noida, in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Centre, CAE Simulation Training Private Limited (CSTPL), is a joint venture …
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