Airliners-India.com

karatecatman · Guest

Boeing’s proposed MRO base in Nagpur may have another partner in addition to AI.
Boeing is reportedly insisting on incorporating a third partner, but AI says no decision has been made. The MRO is for $100 million and Boeing wants a third experienced partner. The move has reportedly annoyed the GoI, which now feels this is the usual American tactic of arm twisting when a deal gets through. This might translate into a rethink at top levels on going in for American equipment especially for the defence services.
AI will now form a committee to discuss things with Boeing on the venture.
AI will have an equity stake in the venture, but the AI board and the Go I have to clear all this.
However, Boeing and AI have launched a scheme to train pilots, with the inauguration of the new 737 simulator. Boeing has committed to invest $75 million for crew training. This venture will have two more simulators to train crew on the 777s and 787s.
The simulators will be operated by Alteon, while AI will provide the base for them in Mumbai.
Suposed to save money as AI will now stop sending its pilots to a Boeing centre in London.
The 777 simulator will come up by Aug 2007 while the 787 simulator will be set up in April 2008.

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

Has Sania Mirza ever won anything?

Or is she basically India's Anna Kournikova.

And do Indian cricketeers really need any more product endorsements? Instead of actually winning games, all they seem to do is shill for toasters, undies, itch cream, etc.

Pity about the Maharajah if the news about his demise is indeed true. Through all of AI's decline, he still remained beloved by all!

777-237LR · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 140

Thulasidas inaugurates Boeing 737NG simulator
2007-03-06 17:52:46 Source : Moneycontrol.com

At a momentous occasion held today, Mr. V. Thulasidas, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India inaugurated the Boeing 737NG simulator at Old Airport, Kalina Santacruz.

While inaugurating the Boeing simulator, Mr. Thulasidas, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India said, “The inauguration of the Boeing 737NG Simulator marks a new beginning in the relationship between Air India and Alteon. We have been working with Alteon for months to develop and identify suitable training solutions for the new airplane. This is the first of the new simulators being installed in Mumbai, for which Air India will be providing certain backup facilities. The Boeing 737NG Simulator will facilitate in-house training for Air India pilots as well as for the pilots from other airlines. With this initiative, we hope to further improve the efficiency of our pilot training. The agreement between Air India and Alteon will gradually be formalized into a Joint Venture in the future."

Air India signed an agreement for 68 new Boeing jets on 30th December 2005 which is the largest commercial airplane order in India's civil aviation history at a list price of nearly US$ 11 billion. The order consisted of 23 777s, including eight 777-200LR (Longer Range) Worldliners and 15 777-300ERs (Extended Range), and 27787-8 Dreamliners. 18 Next-Generation 737-800s for its wholly owned subsidiary company Air India Charters Limited which operates the low cost no frill airline AIR INDIA EXPRESS.

777-237LR · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 140

Air-India merger may end reign of Maharaja

REUTERS

Mumbai, March 6: A planned merger of India's two state-run airlines may end the reign of one of its oldest and best-loved mascots, the Air-India Maharaja.

The portly maharaja, with his striped turban, big moustache, traditional churidar kurta (narrow pants and long tunic) and pointy shoes, was created in 1946 by Air-India's then Commercial Director Bobby Kooka and Umesh Rao of ad agency JWT.

"We call him a Maharaja for want of a better description. But his blood isn't blue. He may look like royalty, but he isn't royal," wrote Kooka of their creation.

What began as a design for an inflight memo pad quickly came to symbolise graciousness and luxury, suggested by the Maharaja's fancy attire, his closed eyes and genial, contented demeanour.

The Maharaja has since made countless appearances, taking on numerous avatars--from a sumo wrestler to a Spanish matador to an oil tycoon--to announce new destinations and offers.

But many believe he has outlived his usefulness.

"He's lost some of his relevance," said D. Ramakrishna, a former executive creative director at JWT.

"There are good reasons to give him up, as there's only a nostalgic connection with him now."

Air-India said no decision would be taken until after its merger with state-owned domestic carrier Indian, approved by the cabinet last week.

URL: http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=156859

[Edited to quote only the highlights: Aseem]

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

This merger thing is going to be a great marketing disaster. With no one easily identifiable trade mark or logo, not even one name, one wonders how are they going to survive. I feel people will end up calling international arm as Air India and domestic one as Indian Airlines. So typical of name changes we have seen of Indian cities.
rgds
VT-ASJ
_________________
[url=http://openflights.org/user/aseemsjohri]

[/url]

ssbmat · Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 1710

I'd say its good for the sake of the brand itself. Maharaja was beginning to look a little long in the tooth..there was no connection between a Maharajah the ambassador and the tattered aircraft, tired service..the only connection was the REGALITY with which AIR India operates delayed flights..quite in keeping with the era of Emperors!!

No, India is way past the colonial and imperial eras and AI has to think young and fresh.

AI/IC/AIX/CD combine (sounds like specs for a PC or laptop, lol Wink

)
would do well to re-invent itself.
Sure, change always takes time, and there is always an initial resistance, but it is different from the ways of the past. Atleast there is an attempt to do something different.
Sure there will be problems, but what is the case now anyway?

karatecatman · Guest

The latest in is that Air India is going to set up a new panel to look at further aircraft purchase.
The airline is looking at acquiring over 30 aircraft, including wide-bodied and smaller ones for massive expansion. The negotiations are expected to start in the first quarter of next year and is independent of what will happen in IA and its fleet.
The idea is that AI now commands the market out of India. As stated in a few posts earlier, an internal post-merger report feels there is a surplus of medium haul aircraft. If the balance is set right with a further long haul order, then things should be fine, is the thinking.

karatecatman · Guest

Latest on Air India Express:
Air India Express will be increasing the number of weekly flights to 116 (from 83 currently) in the summer schedule from March 27.
Kerala will gain the most as the number of weekly flights from there will go up to 58 from 44 now.

Other details are:
Double daily operations between Chennai and Singapore, which includes three flights from Trichy.
Daily services between Chennai and Colombo.
Three flights between Chennai, Trichy and Dubai have also been planned.

Nine flights from Mangalore to the Gulf, which includes five flights to Dubai, two to Abu Dhabi/Muscat and two to Doha/Bahrain.

Pune gets more attention!
Two flights between Pune and Singapore and three from Pune to Dubai.

Daily services between Abu Dhabi and Trivandrum, Kochi, Calicut.
Seven additional flights between Kerala and Sharjah.

Starting December 2006, AIX has got its own aircraft -- 2 joined in December, three in January and one in February in 2007.
Four more aircrafts are to be delivered before end-2007.

IA top brass is not too happy with this schedule.

karatecatman · Guest

Some more AI news:
Czech state-run airline CSA will lease an A310 Airbus to Air India for one year, says an Air India release.
CSA spokeswoman Daniela Hupakova said in a statement that the lease will begin in April. It will be a wet lease with crew fro CSA. The aricraft will be used on the Mumbai to Bangkok sector five times a week, and twice a week from Mumbai to Delhi.
CSA had decided to lease the plane after it cancelled flights from Prague to Dubai, ends the Air India release.

(CSA, which has 50 planes and flies to 120 destinations in 45 countries, carried nearly 5.5. million passengers last year.)

777-237LR · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 140

Czech airline CSA to lease its A310 Airbus to Air India

The Associated Press
Published: March 7, 2007

PRAGUE, Czech Republic: Czech state-run airline CSA will lease an A310 Airbus to Air India for one year, the company said Wednesday.
CSA Spokeswoman Daniela Hupakova said in a statement that the lease will begin in April.
CSA will also provide pilots for the plane which will fly from Bombay to Bangkok, Thailand five times a week, and twice a week from Bombay to the Indian capital Delhi, Hupakova said.
She said the airline decided to lease the plane after it canceled flights from Prague to Dubai.
Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.
CSA, which has 50 planes and flies to 120 destinations in 45 countries, carried nearly 5.5. million passengers last year.

URL:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/07/business/EU-FIN-COM-Czech-CSA.php

karatecatman · Guest

Busy day at Air India Exclamation

Post -merger, there is to be new domestic LCC. It will largely utilise IA's older A320 fleet and will adopt the hub-and-spoke system. By the winter schedule, it will be linked seamlessly to the international LCC schedule of AIX.
This means rescheduling of the flight timings, avoiding duplication of flights, etc where priority will be given to AIX.
By the end of the year, it will be through-check-in --- domestic sector all the way through international.
Passengers travelling on international flights will have the advantage of filling in through check cards at the beginning of their journey, which they can carry through to the international destination. At airports where the domestic termianl is away from the international airport, the domestic leg will be allowed to land at the international terminal, where there will be a quick transfer.
IA reduced to donkey status!!!

According to a preliminary schedule, the domestic LCC flights will be late in the evening to take advantage of the change in recent parking an landing fees. (This has since been challenged in the Delhi HC).
See:
http://tinyurl.com/2na3sm
Why fee air travelers for congestion?
(CNN-IBN)
Quote:
Why should passengers suffer the faults of the civil aviation ministry and airport authorities? Senior counsel Anup Bagai is questioning this logic through his petition in the Delhi high court.
The HC sent a notice to the ministry of civil aviation on Tuesday, asking the director general of civil aviation, to look into the matter personally and submit a report by April 17.

the_380 · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:33 pm Post subject:

Nimish · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:04 pm Post subject:

rutvij · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:46 pm Post subject:

A-I sets up panel for aircraft buys
AVIATION INDUSTRY SPREADS ITS WINGS
P R Sanjai / Mumbai March 07, 2007
Air-India, which had placed a $7.2 billion order for 68 Boeing planes, has set up an internal committee to consider new aircraft acquisitions.

The airline is looking at acquiring over 30 aircraft, including wide-bodied and smaller ones for massive expansion, according to sources.

The fresh acquisition is aimed at catering to increasing passenger growth and the need of keeping the average fleet size younger. Sources said Air-India will create a template to chart out the acquisition requirements and will hold discussions with aircraft manufacturers in the first quarter of the next financial year.

“The current average age of Air-India’s fleet is 12 years while its competitor Singapore Airlines enjoys an average age of 4-5 years. The fresh round of acquisition will enable the airline to keep the fleet young with less maintenance,” they said.

The state-run carrier, which will soon merge with Indian Airlines to form a new entity, is looking at positioning itself as one of the top ten airlines in the world.

Confirming this, Air-India Chairman and Managing Director Vasudevan Thulasidas said, “We want to grow and want more airplanes. We have appointed a committee comprising directors to look at our future needs.” He declined to comment on the number of aircraft required.

Sources said the airline is studying the forecast of International Air Travel Association and new slots available in other countries to open new routes.

“The airline is also studying infrastructure at Indian and international airports. The fleet size of the airline may come down as the leased airplanes returned and some of the airplanes converted into freighters,” they added.

Source:

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?leftnm=lmnu1&subLeft=1&autono=276814&tab=r

[edited to quote only the highlights: Aseem]

COUGAR · Member Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 986 Location: Bangalore

Nimish · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:00 pm Post subject:

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

karatecatman · Guest

British police are scrutinising Air India's India-Birmingham-Toronto 777 flight.

Report here:
http://tinyurl.com/36zkho
Passport fakes on Brum flightsMar 7 2007

By James Cartledge And Paul Beard, Birmingham Mail

POLICE were today investigating a fake passport scam operating on a "notorious" flight out of Birmingham Airport.

Scores of passport crooks trying to leave Britain with fake documents are said to be targeting one particular route out of the city.

West Midlands Police confirmed they were monitoring Air India's service from Birmingham to Toronto in Canada after a court case spotlighted the racket.

The probe comes on the day Home Office minister Liam Byrne announced a £100 million crackdown on illegal immigration.

COUGAR · Member Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 986 Location: Bangalore

Where is the conspiracy theory Nimish?

Tell me: Who benefits if IC is reduced to a MULE?
_________________
http://www.cougar-rides.com
Live to Ride - Ride to Live

--

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

Why do you think that way?

Be optimistic you never know , with the merger and new aircrafts , the whole entity may become a very good airline.

If the whole thing about NG's and PP's friendship is all what is revolving around your thinking add one more name .. Dr. Vijay Mallya .. now are you going to accuse him about the same thing?

COUGAR · Member Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 986 Location: Bangalore

What about Vijay Mallya? Smile

VM has been at the recvg end of quite a few of PP's missives.

Anyways the point is that a profitable and well managed domestic airline, and one that is giving stiff competition to the private players and playing the role of a stabilzing force in Indian civil aviation is being systematically reduced to the status of a mule thus killing it.

<edited>
_________________
http://www.cougar-rides.com
Live to Ride - Ride to Live

--

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

XBValk · Member Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 124 Location: NYC/COK

So when the merger is completed AI will fly International routes? AIX takes over domestic routes, or will IC merge into AIX and operate the domestic sector with AIX still going to the GULF? IF this is what happens where does this leave IC’s A332? How about all those A320’s IC has will they go?

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

AI international

AIX - international LCC

IC domestic

CD domestic LCC

and a cargo airline as well

Probably when the new brand arrives there will be just one fullf ledged carrier and a LCC and a cargo airline

all A310 are going to be used for cargo .. maybe the A320's of IC will be used for domestic and some international destinations

and plus with the number of a/c increasing they can start many new routes as well

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

the_380 · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:59 am Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

well yes individually they can prosper , but why in the first place we should have two separate national carriers

the purpose was to keep one domestic and one international .. is it happening? the whole stuff is like a joke

In marathi there is saying " Ek na dhad bara bhar chindya " which means can't handle one airline properly and here india is having two national carriers

the_380 · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:33 am Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

k i agree with you there .. see i loathe AI the most and probably you responded to the incident i qoted

But dunno why today iam being too optimistic lol Very Happy

the_380 · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:39 am Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

the govt is like the blind begger ... pretending to be ...

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

COUGAR · Member Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 986 Location: Bangalore

[quote="Jaysit
But you just don't stop. From offering up gossip, baseless inuendo and theories of competition that totally defy any law of economics, you keep chugging along with the same mantras.[/quote]
Jaysit: Dont get personal. Moderators please note.

All Jaysit has to offer are uneducated rants about how bad we Indians are as compared to his adopted country. Babus...Left Wing Govt...Akshay Kumar...Bipashu Basu....slums...yada yada yada....

And as for "gossip": I am still waiting for Jaysit to backup his ridiculous "40% loads to Singapore" claims.
_________________
http://www.cougar-rides.com
Live to Ride - Ride to Live

--

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

guys have chill pill......you can have my share too Laughing

_________________
[url=http://openflights.org/user/aseemsjohri]

[/url]

COUGAR · Member Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 986 Location: Bangalore

AvBuff: The question that arises is what benefits a merger is going to bring. And lets be realistic here. Arent we doing this JUST to save AI?

IC is making profits and its profitability is only going to go up with the arrival of a new fleet. With alittle bit of tweaking ( aprocess that IC went through in 1999 and then again in 2002) AI can become profitable as well. Both AI and IC fulfil DIFFERENT ROLES and serve as stabilising facotrs in different ends of the market. Without them playing this role, we will be taken back to pre-1953 situation. Do we want that?

What we need is better synergy of operations between AI and IC. NOT A MERGER.

What will a merger achieve? REDUCTION of frequencies in sectors like SIN? Why? IC is having an average load-factor of 85% on this sector. AI is also getting loads close to 80% on the MAA-SIN sector. Its a little more difficult to measure true loads for AI because of their madcap hoppity hop flights, but its not like they are making losses on that route because if that were so, trhey would have pulled out of SIN, like they pulled out of so many markets. So if AI and IC together operate 10 flights aday its because both airlines see a market. Now if they merge and REDUCE the frequencies in the name of rationalisation, who benefits?

The attempt here is to cross-sibsidize IC's profits to make up for AI's losses. And that is hardly any way to go about things.

As for "good things" PP has done: well its UPA policy that he is implementing. Infact a minister less biased towards a particular airline would have been a better choice for running the show today. His bias towards Jet Airways skews politcy decisions.

To sum up: the MERGER shows no direct benefit. 120 aircraft figure being touted is meaningless if AI cant manage to deploy its existing aircraft properly. Have youseen the kind o fideas that have come out of AI? BEG, 757's 767's, leasing OUT their 737-800's to IC etc etc!

What is needed is SYNERGY and not MERGER.
_________________
http://www.cougar-rides.com
Live to Ride - Ride to Live

--

COUGAR · Member Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 986 Location: Bangalore

Many people here are supporting the merger because it would "save AI". To that I would ask: why do we even need AI?

IC fulfils a specific role of connecting the country. Implementing govt policy of ensuring connectivty to all states and UT's. Ensuring direct daily flights from all state capitals and UT's to DEL etc etc. Pvt carriers are not going to operate in this manner.

AI is operating international flights: a role that Pvt carriers can do just as well. So even if AI is closed down, it is hardly going to impact because AI's role can be just as easily be fulfilled in a much better way by the pvt carriers.

What a merger will do is to destroy the profitrability of IC by using its profitabiliyt to cross-siubsidize AI's losses. Neither airline gains, because AI's problems are deep, deep set.

This is not the place for emotion! Oh my God! How can we lose AI? How can we lose the Maharaja? etc etc Let us remember that AI today is not the AI it used to be. And it will never be that airline again. Its over!

What AI needs today
1. A drastic restructuring plan to take a relook at its operations, its sales and marketing team and yield management systems.
2. Drastic review of its customer service model.
3. Concrete plan on what markets it wants to service and peroparing operation plans accordingly. Right now Thulasidas and his band of jokers are going from one nutty idea to another: LCC to Gulf, LCC to Europe, Full service LCC. Its one class 737's one day, then 2-class 737s the next. And 757's one day to 767's another. Hardly a way to run the airline.
4.Drastic overhaul of its work culture that is steeped in corruption that starts from the top and percoloates to the lowest level. AI is an airline filled with thieves mooching off the airline. Not th ekind of work-culture that is going to make a worldclass airline.
5. Last but not the least: Synergy of operations between IC and AI. That is already happening to an extent: Common FFP etc. Need to tak ehtis to the next level. AI codeshares with dozens of foreign carriers. What stops them from codesharing with IC domestically so AI pax can be transferred onto IC aircraft for the domestic legs? AI can build hubs at BOM, DEL, MAA, BLR and COK and codeshare with IC for hte smaller stations. Would this work? Wouldnt this be a less messier way of dealing with the problems than a merger?

So how would an outright merger help exactly?
_________________
http://www.cougar-rides.com
Live to Ride - Ride to Live

--

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL

Jaysit A380 is a kid and i am sure u can pardon him for that lol Very Happy

lemme rephrase that question in a much more better manner. With all due respect to Accenture who are consultants for the merger there are still certain things which are crucial.

Civil Ministry of Aviation has been quoting that Merger will create syenergies in ops and the yeilds would improve for the airline. Plus accenture has also quoted that the real benefits of the merger would only be visible down the line in couple of years...

Nw if its jst about the yields AI cud have always codeshared with AI in all of their flights and vice versa stopped operating on routes where any of the one airline was operating and started exploring new destinations and virjin markets. Not to forget both the airlines have a common frequent flyer program..

If there are going to be fights as to who gets which routes i am sure route dispersal can be done by the Govt.

Though PP is hell bent of provin that the merger will provide an win-win situation for both the airlines it do looks that its AI which will have a final laugh ...

Both airlines are operating different fleets which means seperate pool of engineers , maintanence divn, spare parts logistics irrespective of whether they are merged or not ..

So the question is whether its worth so much time and money to merger these carrier out of which wen one is actually doing well on the domestic front. Atleast IC have been able to establish themselves and do well..

Look at AI they were jst asked to handle international operations and they havent been able to do the same thing in a gud manner..

So why nt kill the white elephant and merge into the already exsisting profitable venture........
_________________
Expeditors- You'd be surprised how far we will go for you www.expeditors.com

COUGAR · Member Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 986 Location: Bangalore

Exactly vabby! Why the govt would want to merge a profitable airline into a unprofitable one is beyond me. But its quite consistent with PP's record of being the "Minister for Jet Airways".
_________________
http://www.cougar-rides.com
Live to Ride - Ride to Live

--

karatecatman · Guest

http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2007/mar/05air.htm
AI-Indian a blip on competition radar

P R Sanjai in Mumbai
Quotes:

Even as the government is aiming at creating an airline behemoth to take on Asian tigers such as Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways, the merged Air-India and Indian Airlines entity will not dominate even the Indian skies.

...

The total fleet of the unified entity constitutes 30 per cent of the total number of aircraft owned by Indian carriers. While the combined turnover of the merged entity is over 50 per cent of the Indian carriers' turnover, it accounts for only 26 per cent of passengers.

...

The merged entity will, however, have a larger share of airport infrastructure. The entity will control over 70 per cent of the real estate at airports (such as parking bays, hangars and maintenance slots) in Mumbai and Delhi.

...
Singapore Airlines handles over 17 million passengers with just 90 planes, while Thai Air ferries 17.9 million with 85 planes. The total fleet size of Air-India and Indian Airlines is 122.

"The merger cannot be viewed in the context of mere numbers. The actual benefit will come from the synergies followed by a cost reduction," an Air India official said.

Take an example. Air-India and Indian Airlines operate over 10 flights a day to Singapore with an average load factor of 55 to 60 per cent.

"Post-merger, this could be curtailed to 5 flights with an 85 per cent load factor. Meanwhile, the merged entity can deploy additional capacity elsewhere to increase its network," the official added.

"The carriers can also cut short their human resources at overseas and domestic airports," added a government official.

the_380 · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:02 pm Post subject: