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

Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture called upon the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in protest against the new Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gustav Baldauf’s annual salary of USD677,736, for which it is seeking an explanation (The Times of India, 10-Apr-2010). Air India union, the All India Cabin Crew Association (AICCA), representing 2,500 of the carrier’s cabin crew, announced protest to the appointment of an expatriate COO (Press Trust of India, 12-Apr-2010).

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture: “The COO's salary can't be more than 10 times the salary of AI's chairman. We have asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to explain this decision," Sitaram Yechury, Leader. Source: The Times of India, 10-Apr-2010.

All India Cabin Crew Association: “While we bear Capt Gustav Baldauf no ill-will at all, it is tragic that the airline that was built by one of the world’s legendary aviators, Bharat Ratna JRD Tata, must today be saved by a foreigner, whose only link to India seems to be Jet Airways. If this decision is permitted to go through, it will be the first and only PSU or Government Company headed by a foreigner and will be a travesty to the great talent our own nation possesses. Air India is an instrumentality of the state and is an Article 12 company - thus the enduring need for home-grown leadership is essential,” Sanjay Lazar, General Secretary. Source: Press Trust of India, 12-Apr-2010

Manish Soni · Member Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Posts: 102 Location: LHR

And the circus begins............

Nimish · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 7:59 pm Post subject:

con spirito · Member Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 577 Location: Inflight

Worst is over for Air India: Patel

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Worst-is-over-for-Air-India-Patel/H1-Article1-530725.aspx

747-237 · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:13 pm Post subject:

Air India has retired another Airbus A310. VT-AIB "Pennar" was ferried to Roswell last week for storage, and possibly scrapping.

In related news, the former AI-CSA A310 hybrid, OK-YAD has been retired by CSA.
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Jeh · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:39 pm Post subject:

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

Given that JRD Tata was half French and half Parsee, having a European head AI is probably not quite as shocking as Sanjay Lazar makes it out to be. Its not like any of AI's babu CEOs culled from the IAS Super Babu ranks have shown the management skills of native born Indians. Besides, I bet that qualified desis would rather be heading a big privately held Indian company, Citibank or some big multinational company. It appears that Lazar is getting worried that this "foreigner" won't think twice before deciding to fire half of AI's useless parasites. Whether he can do it or not is a different matter, but more power to him.

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

SWISS renewed a codeshare agreement with Air India (which ended in Nov-2009), with effect from 18-Apr-2010 (Hindustan Times, 16-Apr-2010). Under the agreement, Air India will codeshare on all SWISS Indian services. The Lufthansa Group carrier currently operates five times weekly Zurich-Mumbai and Zurich-Delhi services and will, from 02-Jun-2010, with frequency on the routes in Jun-2010 and Oct-2010, respectively.

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

Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) reportedly announced a fifth Independent Director will be appointed to the Air India Board of Directors to assist its turnaround plan, with the appointment of Dubai-based expatriate businessman, Yusuff Ali MA, to join shortly (Live Mint, 15-Apr-2010). The carrier submitted five candidates for government approval.

Sri_Bom

Nimish · Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:08 pm Post subject:

xterra · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 595 Location: DONT KNO

OK YAD just got painted into the new CSA livery after leaving AI and now there is news of it being retired. seems CSA also follows similar work style like AI... repaint an a/c in new livery and just in a short while.. send it back to the lessor..
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behramjee · Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:04 am Post subject:

I hope AI uses their B 744s the next few days to LHR from both BOM and DEL to help ease the congestion and backlog.

Also if they have spare B 744s sitting idle, they should approach 9W to charter them for BOM-LHR especially as 9W too has a MASSIVE backlog of passengers stranded due to BOM-LHR being a double daily B 77W service!
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avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

Additionally what LHR and all the affected airports can do is open up the airports between midnight and 6 so that airlines can deploy additional flights to all airports thus easing up the clearance of all the backlogs.

behramjee · Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:09 pm Post subject:

that will happen i guess as today YYZ allowed PIA to land at 330am (13 hours late) and depart 2 hours later.

PIA flew nonstop from PAK overflying Southern Europe airspace thus adding 1.5 hours to the flight time.

EK too will be sending 2 B 777s to YYZ today for refuelling enroute to LAX and SFO respectively. Both these jets too will be overflying Southern Europe airspace.
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selecta · Member Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 813 Location: ORD

FYI

AI 160 ORD-BOM

VT-ALL (GOA) 77W is on a ferry flight I believe, don't know if its carrying any passengers. Saw it take off this evening from ORD enroute to BOM.

It sat in the gate for the past few days.
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jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

AI plan to fly nearly all of their westbound flights except the ones terminating in London and Paris.

AMD-EWR, ATQ-YYZ, BOM-JFK, BOM-ORD, DEL-FRA and DEL-JFK will all operate via Cairo.

BOM-LHR, DEL-CDG and DEL-LHR will not fly just yet.
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jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

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vt-ala · Member Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 440

Air India defers delivery of three aircraft

Air India already has a wide-body fleet of 35 aircraft, including 17 Boeing 777s owned by the carrier and four leased
Tarun Shukla

New Delhi: Cash-strapped national carrier Air India has deferred the delivery of three long-haul Boeing 777 aircraft from next year to beyond 2012 as it tries to reduce expenses and streamline its fleet of at least 150 aircraft, two airline officials said on condition of anonymity.

It is also in talks with the Boeing Co. to convert the order for the three aircraft, valued at around $450 million (around Rs2,000 crore), into one for narrow body Boeing 737s, which it uses to fly to West Asia and South-East Asia, one official said.

Air India, run by National Aviation Co. of India Ltd, will, however, induct three Boeing 777s this year. It is seeking a so-called “bridge loan” of $450 million from Standard Chartered Plc as a stop-gap arrangement to purchase these aircraft, until it receives an already approved loan from the Export-Import Bank of India, the officials said.

The deferred aircraft were part of a $11 billion order for 111 aircraft placed in 2006.

Air India already has a wide-body fleet of 35 aircraft, including 17 Boeing 777s owned by the carrier and four leased. It is also expecting the delivery of over two dozen newly launched Boeing 787 aircraft from next year.

Indian airlines, facing a paucity of funds, are leasing out or deferring the delivery of long-haul aircraft as they turn their focus on the shorter West Asian and South-East Asian routes that offer better returns compared with US and European destinations.

Air India is in talks with Thai Airways International Public Co. Ltd and some other carriers to lease out half a dozen Boeing 777s, the two officials quoted above said. The decision is likely by June.

London-based aviation analyst Saj Ahmad said deferring the delivery of Boeing 777s depends on Air India’s network plans.

“Deferring 777s, or any other jet, depends on traffic forecast, forward bookings, etc.—no real way of saying it’s “good” when Boeing is increasing 777 rates next year to customers,” he said in an email.

“Indian carriers have failed (in) their procurement of the 777 and every other jet they ordered during the boom years. Mismanaged airlines, too ambitious growth, reliance on high yield traffic and ignoring the macroeconomic pressures has seen them offload, lease out jets and decrease their operational footprint,” Ahmad said.

http://www.livemint.com/2010/04/25202453/Air-India-defers-delivery-of-t.html?h=B

747-237 · Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:43 pm Post subject:

Air India's latest 777-300ER, VT-ALS "Mizoram" is being prepared for delivery at KPAE.

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Nimish · Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:32 am Post subject:

Wow - lovely shots of a beautiful bird! Putting the previous 2 posts together - is Mizoram one of those to be canceled/ deferred?
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ameya · Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:29 pm Post subject:

If delivery is not deferred, then on what existing route can AI possibly use it ?

Any more A310 routes to be replaced ?

747-237 · Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:37 pm Post subject:

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

JETFLY787 · Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 343 Location: LON,UK

Air India opposes Kingfisher-BA deal

http://tinyurl.com/3ajm4oe

NEW DELHI: AIr India has thrown a spanner in Kingfisher Airline’s proposed marketing alliance with British Airways on domestic network. The national flag carrier has written to the government not to allow the tie up, arguing that any such move will hurt its commercial interests. Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher is keen to partner with British Airways on the domestic network, an alliance that could give the cash-starved carrier some breather.

The agreement will allow Kingfisher to book a British Airways passenger even on a domestic leg, like Delhi-Chennai, under a code-share agreement. Alternatively, BA will be able to book a Kingfisher passenger on UK domestic route like London-Glasgow. “It would be positive for Kingfisher Airlines. It will create revenue for them,” Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) India head Kapil Kaul said.

India currently allows the designated carriers of only two countries — France and the Netherlands — to share domestic networks in each other’s side. “The move to enter into a similar air service agreement with the UK would encourage other countries to place same requests,” an Air India official said.

Kingfisher has argued that the air service agreement between India and the UK allows the designated carriers from each side to operate flights beyond the two countries. The UK carrier currently operates 45 flights a week from London’s Heathrow to five Indian cities — Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Kingfisher operates daily service to London from Delhi and Mumbai. It had pulled out its maiden international flight to the British capital from Bangalore due to poor flight occupancy and mounting losses.

Air India is wanting to stall any arrangement between Kingfisher and BA as it is negotiating a similar arrangement with British Mainland Airlines (BMI) for a domestic code-share agreement. “This arrangement is generally not exchanged liberally by the countries like India, which have multiple points,” the Air India official countered.

The civil aviation ministry would discuss the possibility of entering into an agreement with the British aviation authorities on Friday.
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jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

Nimish · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 1:04 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 3:08 pm Post subject:

A new A321, VT-PPX has joined the AI fleet today.
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Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

What's new?

AI's dog-in-the-manger benefactor, the GOI, refused to allow privately owned Indian carriers from competing in the international market for years only to protect AI while systematically also holding AI back (no fleet renewals, lackadaisical route expansion - if any, etc.). Now, AI is up to the same nonsense, their philosophy being "just because we're a bunch of useless idiots, you too should be brought down to our level."

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

Air India to postpone its entry into * A

Why the hell am I not surprised?
Oh yes it is busy opposing the IT - BA deal and all that shit. Rolling Eyes

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/ai-may-again-defer-joining-star-alliance/393517/

Air India’s hope of joining the Star Alliance, the largest of the global airline networks, by December may be further delayed, till March.

The integration of its internal information technology (IT) platforms would only be completed by then. A uniform passenger scheduling system would give AI a single code, a must for entry into the Star Alliance.

“The IT integration of erstwhile Air India and Indian Airlines can only happen by March next year,” said a senior AI official, who did not want to be identified.
Integrating the IT of the two erstwhile companies would provide AI with integrated product delivery, passenger handling and sales and marketing functions.

The airline’s current deadline to join the alliance expires in December, after being extended from June this year. “Our deadline will have to be extended further by three months, which we are sure we will get done,” added the official.

Joining the Star Alliance, which has 26 carriers as members, will make AI part of a network that operates around 19,500 flights every day from as many as 1,071 airports in 171 countries.

Long after Indian Airlines was merged into AI, the international and domestic services of the merged carrier continue to operate under different codes, AI and IC. The carriers also have distinct information technology platforms, powered by Unisys (AI) and IBM (IA).

AI has given a Rs 800-crore contract to SITA, the travel agency, to integrate the ticketing systems and then operate it for 10 years.

Spiderguy252 · Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 12:29 pm Post subject:

Egyptair joined Star 3 years after it was invited. And that was record time for any carrier to join the alliance. Looks like AI will easily beat this one! Cool

I wonder if AI would have taken the pain to integrate the IT systems if they weren't joining Star. I guess not.
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me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD

My God!! Shame on AI, quiet literally.... They clearly have surpassed all levels of poor organisation and mismanagement. Star Alliance should now chuck AI and look at other options....
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jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

AI employees at it again, making passengers wait so they could see the pyramids: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/apr/300410-air-india-flight-crewmembers-pyramids-egypt-passengers-stranded.htm

And AI lovers (the same ones who think AI employees are beyond reproach) wonder why anyone could possibly against this airline?
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Spiderguy252 · Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 2:10 pm Post subject:

me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD

LOL!!

Spiderguy252 · Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 4:22 pm Post subject:

Cool it down here people.....
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con spirito · Member Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 577 Location: Inflight

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

sincere request to Jeh and Me111993 to keep cool. both of you's post has been deleted to avoid flame-bait.

me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD

AI Paid Ineligible Staff Rs 25 Lack each

http://avindia.blogspot.com/2010/04/air-india-paid-ineligible-staff-rs25.html

Mumbai: Even as the cash-strapped national carrier Air India (AI) struggles to pay salaries to its employees, it had no problem whatsoever doling out a ‘reward’ of Rs25 lakh each to two ineligible employees under its Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) in 2007.
What’s more, the application of a deserving candidate Pradeep Khanna under the scheme was not entertained. The airline, however, maintains that no such thing has happened.
Since the last two years Pradeep Khanna, 55, an ex-employee of Indian Airlines (now AI) has been running from pillar to post to find out why he was not chosen for VRS 2007.
In August 2007, National Aviation Company of India Limited, a joint company of AI and Indian, came up with a VRS scheme for its cabin crew. Only those candidates who were medically fit (includes not being overweight) and did not have any disciplinary action against them could apply. Khanna who then worked as chief cabin crew applied for VRS in October 2007 as the scheme closed in November 2007. “But they rejected my application without giving me any explanation. In 2008, I retired under normal VRS,” he said.
Khanna then applied under the Right to Information (RTI) act to know who the beneficiaries were under the scheme and was stunned to know that two women– Chitra Mainkar and Aditi Walawalkar–who were not eligible were granted VRS under the scheme.
An investigation by the chief vigilance officer found that Mainkar was absent for 102 days in 2006 and should have undergone disciplinary action, and Walawalkar was grounded for being overweight since 1997, yet was not declared unfit.
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Causal Determinism : We are hardwired to need answers. The Caveman who heard a rustle in the bushes and checked out to see what it was, lived longer than the guy, who assumed it was just a breeze.

- Greg House

me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD

Life Long Upgrade to 1st Class od AI for EX-Ministers

http://avindia.blogspot.com/2010/04/life-long-upgrade-to-1st-class-on-air.html

New Delhi: The government has decided to give former ministers, secretaries and their family members life-long upgrades to first class tickets on state-run carrier Air India, Parliament was informed today.
In a written replay to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel said such facilities will, however, not cost any burden on Air India or other agencies and "will be extended only if vacant seats are available".
"Upgradation of facility is only subject to availability of seats, hence Air India on this account would not incur any loss," Patel said. The government has also decided to give other facilities like airport entry pass and VIP car parking label for former ministers, secretaries and their family members, the minister added.
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Causal Determinism : We are hardwired to need answers. The Caveman who heard a rustle in the bushes and checked out to see what it was, lived longer than the guy, who assumed it was just a breeze.

- Greg House