Airliners-India.com

747-237 · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 2:37 pm Post subject: Air India News -- Part 28

Air India Opens Reservation for Moscow Service for Winter 2014/15 Season

Air India has opened reservations for its 4 weekly Delhi – Moscow Domodedovo service in the Winter 2014/15 season, effective 26OCT14. There will be operational schedule changes, which sees Delhi departure moves from red-eye hours to evening hours. From Moscow, operational schedule will move from morning hours to red-eye hours.

AI155 DEL1940 – 2320DME 788 x247
AI156 DME0100 – 0855DEL 788 x135

The revised schedule will see shorter connection time for flights to/from Australia and Thailand.

Source: Airlineroute.net

747-237 · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:40 am Post subject:

Air India aims to achieve 75% customer satisfaction for star voting rights

"We have to achieve 75% of the customer satisfaction plan to be able to fetch voting rights in the Star Alliance," a senior Air India executive said on condition of anonymity. "We are working on it and should be able to achieve it in a year's time."

The airline had earlier formed a three-member committee to suggest ways on improving product strategy. Among other things, the committee has suggested improving the ambience and services in both wide-body and narrow-body aircraft.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-aims-to-achieve-75-customer-satisfaction-for-star-voting-rights/articleshow/39578249.cms

747-237 · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:41 am Post subject:

Air India's management has mooted a plan to hire 225 cabin crew members, a first in five years, even as the carrier continues to battle heavy losses one of the key reasons for which is an inflated wage bill. Three senior executives at the airline confirmed the plans. One of them said the hiring is for additional flights planned by the carrier.

The reason, according to a source in the know was more "an improvement in service standards", after it joined global airline group Star Alliance. This meant the airline planned to have more cabin crew on board some international flights to better attend to passengers.

"For instance, for a 787 Dreamliner, the minimum number is seven, which can be increased to nine. But now there may be a proposal for 11," the person had said.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/jobs/air-india-plans-to-hire-225-cabin-crew-members/articleshow/39578005.cms

star*gold · Member Joined: 29 Jan 2009 Posts: 187

A new trip report on Air India's 787 between Singapore and New Delhi is available on airliners.net. Looks like the reviewer enjoyed the service. Nice to see a positive review.

But as usual the posts that follow are typical of that website. One person has replied "Indian food is not for me, so no Air India for me".

The_Goat · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 3:51 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:17 pm Post subject:

Air India Moves Forward Boeing 787 Mumbai / Chennai – Singapore Service to late-August 2014

Air India is moving forward planned Boeing 787-8 operations on Mumbai – Chennai – Singapore service, which will now begin from 24AUG14 (BOM departure), instead of 25OCT14.
The Boeing 787-8 will replace Airbus A330-200 aircraft on this route.

AI342 BOM2220 – 2359MAA0110+1 – 0755+1SIN 788 D
AI343 SIN0915 – 1025MAA1155 – 1345BOM 788 D

Source: Airlineroute.net

Nimish · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:41 pm Post subject:

^^ Does this mean the 788 is now based in BOM? I thought all 788s were based in DEL?
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We miss you Nalini!

747-237 · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:50 pm Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/air-india-to-review-australia-operations-may-tweak-service-114080400821_1.html

Air India to review Australia operations, may tweak service

Instead of a single Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne flight the airline may operate separate flights to Sydney and Melbourne

August 4, 2014

Air India may tweak its Delhi-Australia service to cut down its loss. It is also changing schedule of its Delhi-Moscow flight from winter schedule to offer better connections to Russian passengers travelling to Bangkok and Australia. Air India launched Delhi-Moscow flight launched two weeks ago and has barely attracted 20-40% occupancy in the first fortnight.

Last August-end Air India launched a daily service connecting Delhi with Sydney and Melbourne in a single trip. Now instead of a single Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne flight the airline may operate separate flights to Sydney and Melbourne with a reduced frequency to each destination.

Air India sources said the management has been reviewing all loss making routes following instructions from the board. Air India has been able to increase its grow its market share on the Australia route and recently it dispatched a team to Australia to intensify sales efforts but the route is not generating a profit. The cumulative loss on the Delhi-Australia route till May was about Rs 80 crore.

Currently Air India operates a single daily flight between India and Australia. Four days a week it flies Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne and thrice it flies Delhi-Melbourne-Sydney flight in a triangular route. The Sydney-Melbourne flight time is about 90 minutes and Air India is not allowed to sell seats on Australian domestic route. Also a majority of its bookings are for the first point in Australia and only few travel onward to final destination.

An Air India source explained "Air India is unable to charge a premium for its final destination in Australia. As we are matching fares with competition our yields have been impacted. Occupancy on this route is around 65-70% which is below break even load factor.''

The_Goat · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:22 pm Post subject:

Nimish · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:38 pm Post subject:

star*gold · Member Joined: 29 Jan 2009 Posts: 187

[quote="The_Goat"][quote="star*gold"]
But as usual the posts that follow are typical of that website. One person has replied "Indian food is not for me, so no Air India for me".[/quote]

and that is a good point isn't it?

From that TR, it is farily obvious that the meals and the IFE are primarily targeted towards the Indian customer, which may be all right as most people who fly AI are Indians.

But surely, some variety can be brought in to cater to the non-Indians as well.

As for the bad comments, Airliners.net is full of AI baiters. There's this Australian nutcase who is particularly nasty. Am rather surprised he didn't say anything in this TR.[/quote]

It is nice to have options. More the better.

But when I fly a foreign airline, say Cathay or BA, I choose a particular meal option at the time of check in, so when I show up for the flight between HKG and LAX, I am not surprised to see noodles on the menu.

Once between AMS and YYZ, of the two options on economy, it was Indian vegetarian for everyone. No one seemed to complain!

And if Air India can get back Indians who have been avoiding them, with options that appeal to them, that is a big chunk!

ameya · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:01 pm Post subject:

DEl SYD - 4x weekly, DEL MEL 3x weekly, will also ensure that the aircraft comes in quickly and fits well with the bank of flights

DEL1325 AUS 6:10 - 7:45AUS 15:20DEL

My conversion is bad, so I might have messed up, but something like this. This will still not connect both ways with EU
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747-237 · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:08 pm Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/air-india-to-shut-all-city-offices-114080401011_1.html

Air India to shut all city offices

64 domestic offices under hammer even as review is on to shut another 46 globally

August 4, 2014

Air India is looking at downing shutters on all city booking offices by Oct 1, 2014. The state-run carrier, which is saddled with burgeoning losses, has also initiated a review to gauge the viability of operating offices at 46 international destinations.

A senior executive in the airline who did not wish to be identified informed, "The city office in Madurai has already been closed. There is no need to maintain physical infrastructure for ticketing, cancellations and refunds at a time when most airlines are aggressively leveraging the web. It has been decided to close all city booking offices by Oct 1 this year."

Air India has city offices at 64 locations in the country. German carrier Lufthansa maintains city offices only in Delhi and Mumbai. "Ticketing and marketing can be realized more cost-effectively by sprucing up our website as is done by all other airlines. We estimate savings of Rs 18 crore per annum in rentals and salaries from shutting down city offices within the country", added the executive.

Air India also maintains 46 international offices - a fifth of which are located at destinations to where the airline has no direct operations. These include offices at Washington, Toronto, Los Angeles, Cairo, Tehran, Vienna, Amsterdam and Chittagong. Despite recommendations from a section of the management to cut costs by closing offices at these offline stations, the airline has continued to run operations in these places claiming that they have been set up to cater to the travel needs of Indian diaspora located at these bases.

Interestingly, at six of these locations the airline also has employed on contractual basis separate general sales representatives leading to duplication of functions and expenditure. Air India has around 170 employees stationed across offices in 46 international destinations. "What is the need of stationing employees in international offices in places where Air India does not even have direct operations? A review is now being undertaken by the management to gauge the viability of maintaining offices globally", said another executive.

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

747-237 · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 9:20 pm Post subject:

http://firstbiz.firstpost.com/corporate/lack-delhi-based-crew-dreamliners-costs-air-india-rs-17-cr-cag-92725.html

Lack of Delhi-based crew for Dreamliners costs Air India Rs 17 cr: CAG

CAG today rapped Air India for spending over Rs 17 crore on allowances and hotel expenses for pilots and cabin crew from Mumbai to operate Dreamliner planes though most of the flights originated from Delhi.

The government audit body said the national carrier had "failed to increase the proportion of crew stationed in Delhi during 2011-12 and 2012-13 even as the proportion of flights from Delhi increased significantly, leading to additional deadhead expenditure of Rs 17.17 crore in positioning Mumbai-based crew in Delhi."

In a report tabled in Parliament today, the Comptroller and Auditor General also said that the seats on which the cabin crew travelled "were not available for passengers, resulting in lower revenue generation particularly for a busy route like Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai".

As on June last year, "all flights of the newly- inducted Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft were to originate from Delhi, 42 per cent of the cabin crew staff trained for its operation were based in Mumbai," the report said.

It said Air India "accepted" that though the number of flights from Delhi "increased substantially", the corresponding number of crew stationed in Delhi had "not increased to the required level."

Air India also told the CAG that majority of the crew trained for the Boeing 787s were from Mumbai due to availability of training facilities and infrastructure there and "decision of previous management to train cabin crew based on criteria which was primarily seniority and availability".

Observing that some deadhead cost could be necessary to meet operational exigencies, the CAG said this situation and the resultant additional cost of Rs 17.17 crore was "avoidable" as it had occurred due to crew shortage in Delhi vis-a-vis Mumbai, even as the international hub had shifted to the national capital.

The_Goat · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 9:40 pm Post subject:

indopaki · Member Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 479 Location: Pakistan

Cant Moscow be done with A320 family?

airindia787 · Member Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Posts: 770 Location: DAB & ZTF

The_Goat · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:47 am Post subject:

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

China Aircraft Leasing Group to lease five A320s to Air India
News
5-Aug-2014 10:57 AM
China Aircraft Leasing Group CFO TT Yu said the company has signed an agreement with Air India to lease five A320s for a period of 12 years starting in 2015 (Bloomberg, 04-Aug-2014). This is the company’s first leasing pact with a non-Chinese carrier. Air India said the leases are part of its replacement programme for its fleet of 21 ageing A320/A319 aircraft. The airline will also announce two more similar leasing agreements shortly.

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

Air India experiences USD1.6m/mth loss on Mumbai-Newark route amid take-off obstructions
News
5-Aug-2014 10:35 AM
Air India is reportedly experiencing a INR100 million (USD1.6 million) loss per month on Mumbai-Newark services as large billboards have been obstructing the take-off path at Mumbai (PTI/Bloomberg, 04-Aug-2014). Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara said, "Obstacles like hoardings, poles etc in the take off path of the runway at Mumbai airport have created operational constraints, leading to the Air India flight on Mumbai-Newark sector being operated with 51 passengers less than the capacity". This means the carrier is operating at 15% below capacity due to the obstructions. Air India has taken up the matter with the Airports Authority of India "who have removed some of the obstacles and revised the elevation of a few obstacles. This has resulted in some benefit to Air India," he said.

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

Air India considering altering its Australia operations
News
5-Aug-2014 10:04 AM
Air India is reportedly considering altering its Australia operations, with plans being considered to operate separate services to Sydney and Melbourne with reduced frequency (Business Standard, 05-Aug-2014). The carrier operates four times weekly Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne service and three times weekly Delhi-Melbourne-Sydney service at present, with the triangular services operating since Aug-2013. The route remains loss-making despite a recent intensification of sales efforts.

747-237 · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:04 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:03 pm Post subject:

New intended design for saris for AI FAs :

http://mmd.airindia.co.in/aimmd/tender/Saree%20design%20AH.pdf

and ground staff :

http://mmd.airindia.co.in/aimmd/tender/Saree%20design%20LGS.pdf

Spiderguy252 · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:31 pm Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

Air India to increase DEL BHX flights to daily effevtive W14

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/air-india-set-introduce-daily-7565073

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/210715/air-india-plans-daily-birmingham-flights/

indopaki · Member Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 479 Location: Pakistan

The new crew sari design looks good, complements the cabin interior and even matches the livery concept I posted in previous thread, the ground staff one is too dull.

Any changes for the trouser version?

Regarding Moscow if AI were to add Dushanbe or Almaty as they had shown interest in these two, would they be suitable as stopovers and fifth freedom traffic with the Airbus, or would the aspect of nonstop widebody still have relevance due to competition?

747-237 · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:36 am Post subject:

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/Wine-served-in-plastic-glasses-irks-Air-India-fliers/articleshow/39724359.cms

Wine served in plastic glasses irks Air India fliers

Aug 6, 2014

First and business class passengers of Air India's long-range flights to the US and Australia have over the past few weeks been served wine in plastic cups due a reduction in the number of wine glasses carried per flight -- post its joining the Star Alliance network.

Against the 108 glasses that each aircraft earlier carried, post July 11, the national carrier has been able to carry only 36 glasses each, due an increase in the glass size. The new glasses are bigger, sport the Air India logo and can hold 400ml of wine as against 150 ml earlier.

"Last month, a tender for 2000 glasses was floated and the same has been procured and since loaded on to long-haul flights," a crew member said. About 100 passengers have complained about the issue in the last week alone. "We are looking into the complaints. Providing quality product is the airlines' constant endeavor," minister of state, civil aviation, G M Siddeshwara said.

Air India chairman and managing director, Rohit Nandan, did not comment on the issue. A senior executive of the airline informed that originally, a single cart would consist of 6 drawers, each containing 18 wine glasses. "With the bigger glasses, only 6 glasses per drawer are being loaded on board," he said. Crew members who had to face the wrath of passengers said the new glasses were better suited to serve lassi than wine.

"Usually not more than 150 ml of wine is served. The bigger glasses reflect a mindless arrangement," an airhostess said.A senior airhostess said that the crew felt bad serving wine and champagnes in the plastic glasses. "Refilling a single glass multiple times is problematic on long haul flights. Hence plastic glasses are the only alternative," she said. Economy class passengers who opt for wine have always been served in plastic glasses.

The airline, which receives stocks from its in-house stores, has effected some change but not on all its flights. ATaj-SATS spokesperson said that the caterers were not responsible for the alcohol served on the flights. "The alcohol is supplied by Air India, and we go by their decision," the spokesperson said.

ameya · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:42 am Post subject:

400ml wine ? !
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Spiderguy252 · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 11:02 am Post subject:

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

The problem with this hopeless airline is that the idiotic Civil Aviation minister is making decisions regarding wine glasses. Not even Air Koryo must do that.

Those new saree designs are hideous. What's wrong with the rather smart Ritu Beri design? Nothing. I suspect that some babu/minister's sister's husband's cousin who's a darzee on the side needed to make a few crores.

Also, how large are these supposed billboards that a 77W can't clear them? The whole thing sounds ludicrous.

I guess even after joining "Ishtaar" Alliance, not much has changed. All the stars in the sky can't shine bright enough to make a babu look like a Singapore Girl.

The_Goat · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:07 pm Post subject:

himmat01 · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1392 Location: DEL

I just received a mail from Star alliance requesting me to participate in a survey on my recent AI flights to VNS/LKO/BOM.
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Save Maharashtra!

Nimish · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 5:55 pm Post subject:

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

Air India to increase Birmingham-Delhi-Amritsar frequency
News
6-Aug-2014 9:03 AM
Air India committed (04-Aug-2014) to increase Birmingham-Delhi-Amritsar frequency from four times weekly to daily from Nov-2014, with the deployment of its 18th Boeing 787 into service. Air India commercial director Pankaj Srivastava said, “Since starting our four times weekly Dreamliner programme from Birmingham Airport last year, we have handled more than eighty thousand passengers on board 210 flights, serving business passengers, tourists and people visiting friends and relatives. Air India is committed to develop and grow in this market and once we have taken the delivery of our 18th Dreamliner aircraft in November, we hope to launch the daily operation from Birmingham Airport. This will provide an extra 1500 seats a week and give passengers greater choice, flexibility and opportunity to travel from the convenience of Birmingham Airport to Amritsar and Delhi, and onwards on Air India’s extensive global network.” [more - original PR]

747-237 · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 7:21 am Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 2:16 am Post subject:

http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/contractual-recruitment-by-air-india-violates-dgca-norms/1/208945.html

Contractual recruitment by Air India 'violates' DGCA norms

August 7, 2014

Air India (AI) has run into a major controversy by deciding to hire 225 hostesses on a 'five-year contract' for its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and narrow-bodied Airbus A320 fleets, which 'violates' norms of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The civil aviation requirements (CAR) prohibit commercial carriers from hiring cabin crew and flight crew members on contract. The CAR in para 3.2.5 clearly states that airlines must have "on regular employment sufficient number of flight crew and cabin crew" and the number of such employees must not be less than three sets of crew per aircraft.

The only exemption given is in the case of the airline hiring foreign pilots on contract and that too as a stopgap arrangement when there is shortage of domestic pilots. The rules also clearly states that this is only for a "limited period to enable pilots of the airline to acquire necessary experience and to carry out training and proficiency checks for acquiring the type endorsement".

However, AI chairman and managing director Rohit Nandan told MAIL TODAY: "Contractual fulltime employees who are selected through a regular process are regular. The DGCA does not require any airline to only have permanent employees."

747-237 · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 6:25 am Post subject:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-opposes-move-to-ease-norms-for-local-airlines-planning-global-foray/articleshow/39848142.cms

Air India opposes move to ease norms for local airlines planning global foray

8 Aug, 2014

Air India has opposed the aviation ministry's proposal to abolish the five-year, 20 aircraft eligibility norms for domestic carriers planning to operate on international routes.

"We believe that the eligibility norms should not be completely abolished. You can bring down from the current five years and 20 aircraft, but they should not be abolished," a senior Air India executive said on condition of anonymity. "Any airline that flies international should be required to prove it in the domestic skies first."

"We need to talk to all airlines before moving ahead on the issue. While we believe that these norms hamper the growth of new Indian airlines in the international space, the voices opposing the abolition have raised questions on the timing of the move," an aviation ministry official said. "We need to conduct more consultations with stakeholders on the issue."

747-237 · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 1:42 am Post subject:

The 747-400s now have the Star Alliance logo applied.