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Air India News -- Part 34
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747-237
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2022 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://indianexpress.com/article/business/aviation/tata-group-to-bring-airasia-india-vistara-under-air-india-by-2024-8163134/

Tata Group to bring AirAsia India, Vistara under Air India by 2024

September 21, 2022

THE TATA GROUP is set to commence the process of consolidating its airline companies under the Air India brand, starting with transferring its ownership in AirAsia India to Air India shortly and with an indicative time limit of wrapping up the consolidation of its entire airline business under a single umbrella latest by 2024.

As part of the plan, being discussed at multiple levels within the group, the consolidation process is likely to start with the merger of AirAsia India into Air India Express, to be completed over the next 12 months

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2022 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
https://indianexpress.com/article/business/aviation/tata-group-to-bring-airasia-india-vistara-under-air-india-by-2024-8163134/

Tata Group to bring AirAsia India, Vistara under Air India by 2024

September 21, 2022

THE TATA GROUP is set to commence the process of consolidating its airline companies under the Air India brand, starting with transferring its ownership in AirAsia India to Air India shortly and with an indicative time limit of wrapping up the consolidation of its entire airline business under a single umbrella latest by 2024.

As part of the plan, being discussed at multiple levels within the group, the consolidation process is likely to start with the merger of AirAsia India into Air India Express, to be completed over the next 12 months


Will Air India express remain as a separate brand ? AirAsia merger with AI express is good for the Tata group. More complicated is Vistara AI merger since Vistara is part owned by Singapore airlines.

The group can interline/coordinate flight bookings right away and start code sharing shortly, they should not have much trouble to get code share approved.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are rumours of Air India returning 4/7 back to Vienna in November
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/120447-air-india-to-increase-its-fleet-three-fold-within-5-years

Air India to increase its fleet three-fold within 5 years

18.10.2022

Air India (AI, Mumbai Int'l) plans to triple the size of its fleet over the next five years according to the airline's chief financial officer Vinod Hejmadi. But the CFO added that it will take around two years before the carrier enters its next big growth stage. Hejmadi made the comments at the Aviation Insurance Symposium 2022 in India on Friday, October 14.

"In the Air India transformation journey, we are looking for, in the next five years, a 30% market share and we are planning to grow our aircraft fleet three times what we currently have. We are looking forward to ensuring that we add on capacity for growth and discussions with aircraft manufacturers are going on to acquire fleet," the Economic Times reports Hejmadi saying.

"We are at the moment looking at the taxiing phase, which is to fix the basics, to fix what was wrong in Air India and after six months of that, we have to look for the take-off. And that will be about two years journey when we take off, consolidate and go into the growth mode."

Last month, ch-aviation reported that Air India had signed lease contracts covering thirty aircraft, including five B777-200(LR)s, twenty-one A320-200Ns, and four A321-200Ns. On Friday, Hejmadi said all 30 planes would be delivered over the next 15 months.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Air India now has 94 aircraft in service, including 38 widebody Boeing jets, and 58 narrowbody Airbus planes. A further 25 aircraft are currently classified as inactive. Tata Sons is expending considerable energy and resources rebooting the carrier. Hejmadi says the transformation program is focusing on five points - industry leadership, robust operations, commercial efficiency, industry-best talent, and an exceptional customer experience.

The CFO did not specify what additional aircraft Air India was interested in acquiring, however, ch-aviation has recently noted that the airline was close to sealing a deal to take around twenty A350s, with possible options including taking completed but undelivered aircraft originally going to Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo) and Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad Int'l).

If that transaction is finalised, it will signal the end of Air India's all Boeing widebody fleet. After retiring the last of its B747-400s in May, the airline now operates three B777-200(LR)s, thirteen B777-300(ER)s, and twenty-seven B787-8s. Earlier this year, the B787-9 was also flagged as a possible future option for the airline.

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2022 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/120877-air-india-express-looks-to-lease-two-b737s

Air India Express looks to lease two B737s

28.10.2022

Air India Express (IX, Mumbai Int'l) is said to be in talks with sibling airline Vistara (UK, Delhi Int'l) to lease two B737-800s over the Northern Hemisphere 2022/23 winter. According to multiple India-based media reports, Air India Express is looking to acquire one aircraft in November and the second in December. Both airlines are controlled by Tata Sons.

"There are plans to consolidate and bring synergy in operations," an unnamed source told India's Business Standard newspaper. "Therefore, the airline has decided to lease planes from within the group carriers rather than going to external players." ch-aviation has approached Air India Express for further information on the leases.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Air India Express operates a fleet of twenty-four B737-800s. Sixteen are owned outright while six come on lease from GECAS and two come from ICBC Financial Leasing. Vistara has a bigger fleet - 54 planes, mostly Airbus narrowbodies, including two (inactive) A320-200s, forty A320-200Ns, and five A321-200NX. The airline also has five B737-800s in the air and a pair of B787-9s. All five of Vistara's B737s are presently operational.

The source noted these would be the first fleet additions for Air India Express for "a long time." ch-aviation data indicates the last addition to the airline's fleet was in September 2018. Three B737-800s arrived that year and six arrived in 2016.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/120918-boeing-hawks-unwanted-chinese-b737-max-to-air-india-report

Boeing hawks unwanted Chinese B737 MAX to Air India - report

01.11.2022

Boeing is targeting Air India as a lead potential customer for a substantial part of around 140 B737 MAX originally earmarked for Chinese carriers but not delivered due to the ongoing grounding of the type in the country, Bloomberg has reported.

According to sources, the US manufacturer is hoping to resell at least 50 ex-China-bound B737 MAX, although it is not clear if all of them would go to Air India. Boeing plans to sell the aircraft on an "as is" basis, meaning that any potential customer would have to either reconfigure them or operate them in a cabin configuration planned by their original Chinese buyers.

Air India is currently evaluating options for a much-needed fleet renewal. Following the privatisation of the carrier, reports indicated it could be on the market for as many as 300 narrowbody aircraft. While it recently inked leases for twenty-five A320/1neo aircraft, it has yet to place the expected much larger order. Its current narrowbody fleet comprises twenty A319-100s, nine A320-200s, twenty-seven A320-200Ns, twenty A321-200s, and twenty-four B737-800s operated by Air India Express.

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 10, 2022 9:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/121352-air-india-to-lease-six-a320neo-from-cdb

Air India to lease six A320neo from CDB

10.11.2022

Air India has signed a dry-lease contract with CDB Aviation for six incremental A320-200Ns as it proceeds with its post-privatisation fleet renewal drive.

The aircraft will deliver in the second half of 2023 and will come from CDB Aviation's Airbus order book. The lessor has sixty-four A320neo in its portfolio (including 12 placed with Air India's domestic rival Go First with 42 more on order from the manufacturer, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows.

Air India's current A320neo fleet comprises 27 aircraft on lease from ALAFCO (14), Park Aerospace Holdings (ten), Goshawk (two), and GECAS (one). In September 2022, it announced it had signed leases for another twenty-one A320-200Ns and four A321-200Ns (a new type in its fleet). It is not clear if the newly announced contract with CDB Aviation falls under the scope of the earlier disclosure or if it is an entirely new deal.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://skytech-aic.com/2022/11/november-2022-skytech-aic-appointed-by-air-india-to-sell-four-747-400s/

Skytech-AIC appointed by Air India to sell four 747-400s

21 November, 2022

Skytech-AIC is pleased to announce that they have been appointed by Air India to market four Boeing 747-400s for outright sale. The aircraft, which are Pratt & Whitney 4056-powered and were built between 1993 and 1996, are offered for immediate delivery.

Commenting on the appointment, Skytech-AIC Managing Director Julian Balaam said: “We are honoured to have been selected by India’s flag-carrier, Air India, for this important assignment and are delighted to welcome them as a remarketing client alongside similarly leading airlines such as Singapore Airlines Group, Kuwait Airways, Air Greenland and Europe’s TUI Group”.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

flyindia wrote:
There are rumours of Air India returning 4/7 back to Vienna in November


Bookings are open from 18.2.23 on 2/4/6
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/121777-air-india-puts-retired-b747-400s-up-for-sale

Air India puts retired B747-400s up for sale

23.11.2022

Air India (AI, Mumbai Int'l) has mandated Skytech-AIC to sell all four of its retired B747-400s.

The Indian flag carrier is seeking buyers for the following quadjets:

msn 27165 (ex-VT-ESO), of 1993 vintage, and with 74,564 flight hours and 15,651 flight cycles, retired in September 2020;
msn 27214 (ex-VT-ESP), of 1994 vintage, and with 76,236 flight hours and 15,818 flight cycles, retired in February 2020;
msn 28094 (ex-VT-EVA), of 1996 vintage, and with 63,120 flight hours and 13,021 flight cycles, retired in March 2021; and
msn 28095 (ex-VT-EVB), of 1996 vintage, and with 66,694 flight hours and 13,709 flight cycles, retired in February 2020.

All four aircraft are currently in storage at Mumbai Int'l airport and were de-registered in India as of early 2022.

Air India used the aircraft in a dual role, deploying them both on its own scheduled services and as VIP government transports. The B747s were the carrier's last remaining quadjets and closed a history chapter including the operation of B747-200s, B747-300(M)s, and a B747-400(M), the ch-aviation fleets history module shows. Hindustan Aeronautics has been reportedly interested in the aircraft for potential conversions.

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 5:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 5 x B777-200LRs dry-leased from Delta are to be registered as follows :

New Regn. Old Regn.

VT-AEE N704DK
VT-AEF N702DN
VT-AEG N706DN
VT-AEH N707DN
VT-AEI N708DN

Meanwhile, the three existing LRs in the fleet will also be retained.
VT-ALF Jharkhand
VT-ALG Kerala
VT-ALH Maharashtra
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
The 5 x B777-200LRs dry-leased from Delta are to be registered as follows :

New Regn. Old Regn.

VT-AEE N704DK
VT-AEF N702DN
VT-AEG N706DN
VT-AEH N707DN
VT-AEI N708DN

Meanwhile, the three existing LRs in the fleet will also be retained.
VT-ALF Jharkhand
VT-ALG Kerala
VT-ALH Maharashtra





VT-AEF, named “Vihaan”, has been delivered to Air India today.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
VT-AEF, named “Vihaan”, has been delivered to Air India today.


Background to the name "Vihaan"....

Air India has named the revival plan as "Vihaan.AI", which in Sanskrit signifies the dawn of a new era, with identified objectives for Air India over the next five years.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/vihaan-ai-the-dawn-of-a-new-era-air-india-unveils-5-point-plan-to-transform-itself-in-5-years/articleshow/94220022.cms?from=mdr
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2022 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote




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PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/vistara-to-merge-with-tata-group-owned-air-india-singapore-airlines-122112900876_1.html

Tata Group announces Air India merger with Vistara; SIA to get 25% stake

November 29, 2022

In a major consolidation in the Indian aviation space, Tata group on Tuesday announced the merger of Vistara with Air India, and pursuant to the deal, Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India.

The proposed deal is expected to be complete by March 2024, subject to regulatory approvals.

Tata group owns a 51 per cent stake in Vistara and the rest is with Singapore Airlines (SIA).

In a release, SIA said Vistara and Air India would be merged, and it would also be investing Rs 2,058.5 crore in Air India as part of the transaction.

"This would give SIA a 25.1 per cent stake in an enlarged Air India group with a significant presence in all key market segments.

SIA said it intends to fully fund this investment with its internal cash resources, which stood at 17.5 billion Singapore dollars as of September 30.

In a separate release, Tata group said that with the consolidation, Air India would be the country's leading domestic and international carrier with a combined fleet of 218 aircraft, "making it India's largest international carrier and second largest domestic carrier".

SIA and Tata Sons have also agreed to participate in additional capital injections, if required, to fund the growth and operations of the enlarged Air India in FY2022-23 and FY2023-24.

"Based on SIA's 25.1 per cent stake post-completion, its share of any additional capital injection could be up to Rs 50,200 million (S$ 880 million, US$ 615 million), payable only after the completion of the merger," SIA said in the release.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That was a surprise - SIAs involvement with AI. With this it clears up overlapping routes and times. I guess one will see more cities connected to SIN but transfer potential is somewhat limited at SIN, mostly to SE Asia, Australia and western US/Canada.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That was a surprise - SIAs involvement with AI. With this it clears up overlapping routes and times. I guess one will see more cities connected to SIN but transfer potential is somewhat limited at SIN, mostly to SE Asia, Australia and western US/Canada.
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2022 5:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-to-get-a-brand-makeover/articleshow/95921330.cms

Air India to get a brand makeover, London based consultancy firm roped in

Dec 02, 2022

Tata Sons has roped in London-based brand and design consultancy firm Futurebrands to redraw Air India’s branding strategy.

Futurebrands – which has worked on rebranding of American Airlines and British luxury automobile brand Bentley and branding of the 2012 London Olympics – will work to refurbish Air India’s identity as it targets to become an airline of choice across the world, a person aware of the development said.

Among multiple strategies being considered is creating a new mascot for the airline as there is a thought that the current one of Maharajah has become outdated. Air India is currently not using the Maharajah logo in its campaigns of new destination launches.

“No decision has been taken. There will be multiple rounds of discussions based on the consultant’s report, cost estimation, and positioning of new Air India that the group intends,” said the person cited above. “But there is definitely a requirement to refurbish the image in a modern world where it intends to compete with the likes of Emirates and Singapore Airlines.”

Air India did not respond to a query on the same.

A new branding strategy for the airline has become important as Tatas are simplifying their aviation portfolio by merging four airline brands into two airlines.

While the salt-to-steel conglomerate is amalgamating Vistara into Air India to create a full service airline by 2024, it is also in the process of merging AirAsia India and Air India Express to create a low-cost airline.

People involved in the process said that while the name Vistara will be phased out, it is possible that some features of the brand campaign will still be part of the new brand identity of Air India.

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://m.timesofindia.com/business/india-business/air-india-to-lease-six-boeing-777-aircraft-to-expand-its-fleet/amp_articleshow/96006992.cms

Air India to lease six more B777-300ERs now, in four class configuration.

Dec 5, 2022

Air India on Monday said it is leasing six wide-body Boeing B777 aircraft to expand its existing fleet, which will be in addition to the leasing of 30 planes announced earlier this year.

Earlier in the day, the Tata Group-owned full service carrier had announced that it has decided to lease 12 aircraft -- six wide-body B777-300ER and six narrow-body A320neo -- to augment its fleet for expanding its domestic and international flight services network.

In a revised statement, Air India said it will lease six B777-300 ER aircraft to further augment its existing fleet. These aircraft are expected to be inducted in the first half of 2023, it added.

Air India's B777-300 ER will have four class configuration -- first, business, premium economy and Economy -- and will be deployed to connect metro cities of the country with more international destinations, the airline said.

In addition to leasing of aircraft, Air India has also brought back into operations 19 planes, which were grounded for a long time while nine more such planes are expected to join the fleet, it stated.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.thehindu.com/business/air-india-will-spend-400-million-on-refurbishing-interiors-on-widebody-planes/article66239902.ece

Air India will spend $400 million on refurbishing interiors on widebody planes
‘First renovated plane to enter service in mid-2024’

December 08, 2022

Air India on Thursday announced its plans to refurbish the interiors of its entire wide-body fleet at a cost of more than $400 million.

The overhauling exercise will include adding the latest generation seats and best-in-class inflight entertainment across all cabin classes on its 27 Boeing 787-8 and 13 Boeing 777 aircraft.

In an important shift, Air India also said that it would introduce Premium Economy cabin on both Boeing 787s and 777. Vistara, which is now being merged with Air India, already offers Premium Economy and so do top global airlines such as Singapore Airlines, which also owns 25.1% in Air India. This allows passengers to enjoy more comfortable seats at a price band lower than that of business class.

The move will, however, not entail discontinuing the First Class cabin on the 777s.

Air India’s 777s until now had a three-class configuration, i.e. First Class, Business and Economy, while 787s have Business and Economy.

Air India said that it had engaged London-based product design companies, JPA Design and Trendworks, which have have produced designs for major brands including Taj Hotels, The Orient Express and Herman Miller International.

The airline said it expected the first refurbished aircraft to enter service in mid-2024 due to regulatory and engineering preparation as well as time required to manufacture seats.

“We know that, at present, the cabin product on our 40 legacy widebody aircraft falls short of this standard,” said Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO of Air India. “We are delighted to now publicly announce this significant investment on a complete interior refit, and we are confident that, when revealed, the new interiors will delight customers and show Air India in a new light,” he added.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
https://www.thehindu.com/business/air-india-will-spend-400-million-on-refurbishing-interiors-on-widebody-planes/article66239902.ece

Air India will spend $400 million on refurbishing interiors on widebody planes
‘First renovated plane to enter service in mid-2024’

December 08, 2022

Air India on Thursday announced its plans to refurbish the interiors of its entire wide-body fleet at a cost of more than $400 million.

The overhauling exercise will include adding the latest generation seats and best-in-class inflight entertainment across all cabin classes on its 27 Boeing 787-8 and 13 Boeing 777 aircraft.

In an important shift, Air India also said that it would introduce Premium Economy cabin on both Boeing 787s and 777. Vistara, which is now being merged with Air India, already offers Premium Economy and so do top global airlines such as Singapore Airlines, which also owns 25.1% in Air India. This allows passengers to enjoy more comfortable seats at a price band lower than that of business class.

The move will, however, not entail discontinuing the First Class cabin on the 777s.

Air India’s 777s until now had a three-class configuration, i.e. First Class, Business and Economy, while 787s have Business and Economy.

Air India said that it had engaged London-based product design companies, JPA Design and Trendworks, which have have produced designs for major brands including Taj Hotels, The Orient Express and Herman Miller International.

The airline said it expected the first refurbished aircraft to enter service in mid-2024 due to regulatory and engineering preparation as well as time required to manufacture seats.

“We know that, at present, the cabin product on our 40 legacy widebody aircraft falls short of this standard,” said Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO of Air India. “We are delighted to now publicly announce this significant investment on a complete interior refit, and we are confident that, when revealed, the new interiors will delight customers and show Air India in a new light,” he added.


Revamping is good, but first they need to fix the defective seats and and IFE system. And they should continue to ensure that all seats are functioning with proper recline and IFE. On a recent long haul flight to ORD, many seats had malfunctioning IFE, mine was not, but others complained.
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2022 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://m.economictimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-close-to-signing-order-for-150-boeing-737-max-jets/amp_articleshow/96118930.cms

Air India close to signing order for 150 Boeing 737 Max jets

Dec 10, 2022

Air India is close to signing a deal with Boeing to acquire up to 150 737 Max jets, said people with knowledge of the matter. The order will be Air India’s first major aircraft order after its privatisation. This will be Boeing’s first big sale deal in India after it won a mandate for 75 aircraft from Akasa Air last year. India’s narrow body fleet is dominated by the Airbus A320. Air India will likely place a firm order for 50 737 Max planes with an option to pick up as many as 150, said the people cited above.

The order tilted in favour of Boeing as the plane maker was able to guarantee immediate delivery of 50 planes that were earlier intended for China Southern, which was supposed to take delivery of 103 Max jets.

“Fifty of those aircraft will be delivered to Air India immediately, starting by March next year,” said one of the persons. “Air India is hungry for aircraft as they have an aggressive expansion plan.” The order is likely to be signed in the next few weeks, the person said.

In contrast, Airbus hasn’t been able to promise deliveries of the A320 Neo before 2025. However, Airbus still could win a portion of the narrow body orders from the airline that’s likely to want more than 150 such

“Air India is taking advantage of the situation as there are aircraft immediately available with Boeing but Airbus is still in the reckoning for a part of the order and negotiations are on,” said a second person aware of the plans.

A Boeing spokesperson declined to comment on future deals. Air India didn’t respond to queries.

Boeing hasn’t been able to deliver 737 Max jets to its Chinese customers as the country’s aviation regulator hasn't recertified the plane after grounding it in 2019 after two crashes. A frosty relationship between the US and China has made supplies even more uncertain with Boeing now looking to remarket the aircraft.

While the order will be placed by Air India, the aircraft may also be allocated to its low-cost unit. Air India Express currently has 24 737 Max aircraft while AirAsia India operates 28 Airbus A320 Neo jets.

The new planes will help enable the airline’s plans to serve short-haul destinations within a four-five hour range as it aims to be a competitor to IndiGo, which currently has more than 50% of the domestic market. Besides ordering new aircraft, the airline is also adding 36 wide-bodied aircraft on short-term leases by 2023.

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/air-india-nears-historic-order-for-up-to-500-jets-sources/articleshow/96151439.cms

Air India nears historic order for up to 500 jets

Dec 11, 2022

Air India is close to placing landmark orders for as many as 500 jetliners worth tens of billions of dollars from both Airbus and Boeing as it carves out an ambitious renaissance under the Tata Group conglomerate, industry sources said on Sunday.

The orders include as many as 400 narrow-body jets and 100 or more wide-bodies, including dozens of Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s and 777s, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity as finishing touches are placed on the mammoth deal in coming days.

Such a deal could top $100 billion dollars at list prices, including any options, and rank among the biggest by a single airline in volume terms, overshadowing a combined order for 460 Airbus and Boeing jets from American Airlines over a decade ago. Even after significant expected discounts, the deal would be worth tens of billions of dollars and cap a volatile year for an industry whose jets are back in demand after the pandemic but which is facing mounting industrial and environmental pressures.

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2022 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

insane insane! I don't even feel like flying. Are the number of aircraft to be part of the stable at the same time, or come and go, with only 100 or so at a time?

VT-ASJ
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
The 5 x B777-200LRs dry-leased from Delta are to be registered as follows :

New Regn. Old Regn.

VT-AEE N704DK
VT-AEF N702DN
VT-AEG N706DN
VT-AEH N707DN
VT-AEI N708DN

Meanwhile, the three existing LRs in the fleet will also be retained.
VT-ALF Jharkhand
VT-ALG Kerala
VT-ALH Maharashtra





VT-AEG, named �Prabhat�, has been delivered to Air India today.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2023 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/drunk-man-pees-on-woman-in-business-class-of-us-flight-walks-off-scot-free/articleshow/96719997.cms
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 12:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

justbala wrote:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/drunk-man-pees-on-woman-in-business-class-of-us-flight-walks-off-scot-free/articleshow/96719997.cms


Finally some actions have been taken. Wells Fargo, employer of the perpetrator has fired Mr. Mishra, who was the alleged perpetrator, Delhi police has issued arrest warrant against the flyer and also have summoned the entire staff for questioning.

AI should suspend the staff or fine them a month's pay after investigation.
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747-237
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 8:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/123537-air-india-to-commence-london-gatwick-flights-in-late-1q23

Air India to commence London Gatwick flights in late 1Q23

18.01.2023
Air India will add another UK destination to its network ahead of the 2023 Northern Hemisphere winter, announcing the start of flights between London Gatwick and Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Goa Dabolim, and Kochi Int'l from March 26, 2023. According to an Air India statement, B787-8 aircraft will operate thrice weekly roundtrip frequencies across all four routes where the airline will enjoy sole operator status.

"This is part of the airline’s ongoing endeavour to spread its wings on the international aviation map, hence, increasing its market share on international routes," reads the statement. "The robust enhancement of operations is one of the major pillars of Air India’s transformational roadmap."

Air India presently flies to Birmingham Int'l from Amritsar and Delhi and London Heathrow from Amritsar, Delhi Int'l, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad Int'l, Goa, and Kochi. Four other airlines - British Airways, Air Canada, Vistara, and Virgin Atlantic, also offer scheduled passenger flights between the two countries. According to ch-aviation capacities data, British Airways now offers 38.12% of the weekly available seats, followed by Air India at 33.58%, Virgin Atlantic at 17.11%, Vistara at 5.6% and Air Canada at 5.58%. Notably, Tata Sons owned Air India and Vistara are expected to merge within 12 months.

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate says the new Air India flights are good news for the airport and offers "a wealth of opportunities for businesses and wider connectivity." Gatwick is the UK's second busiest airport. Forty-three airlines fly in, offering flights to 201 destinations in 67 countries. However, ahead of Air India's arrival, there are no direct links to any airports in India or elsewhere across South Asia.

Air India also said it would lay on additional frequencies to London Heathrow this northern summer, with roundtrip flights from Delhi increasing from 14 to 17 a week and roundtrip flights from Mumbai increasing from 12 to 14.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/123537-air-india-to-commence-london-gatwick-flights-in-late-1q23

Air India to commence London Gatwick flights in late 1Q23

18.01.2023
Air India will add another UK destination to its network ahead of the 2023 Northern Hemisphere winter, announcing the start of flights between London Gatwick and Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Goa Dabolim, and Kochi Int'l from March 26, 2023. According to an Air India statement, B787-8 aircraft will operate thrice weekly roundtrip frequencies across all four routes where the airline will enjoy sole operator status.

"This is part of the airline’s ongoing endeavour to spread its wings on the international aviation map, hence, increasing its market share on international routes," reads the statement. "The robust enhancement of operations is one of the major pillars of Air India’s transformational roadmap."

Air India presently flies to Birmingham Int'l from Amritsar and Delhi and London Heathrow from Amritsar, Delhi Int'l, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad Int'l, Goa, and Kochi. Four other airlines - British Airways, Air Canada, Vistara, and Virgin Atlantic, also offer scheduled passenger flights between the two countries. According to ch-aviation capacities data, British Airways now offers 38.12% of the weekly available seats, followed by Air India at 33.58%, Virgin Atlantic at 17.11%, Vistara at 5.6% and Air Canada at 5.58%. Notably, Tata Sons owned Air India and Vistara are expected to merge within 12 months.

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate says the new Air India flights are good news for the airport and offers "a wealth of opportunities for businesses and wider connectivity." Gatwick is the UK's second busiest airport. Forty-three airlines fly in, offering flights to 201 destinations in 67 countries. However, ahead of Air India's arrival, there are no direct links to any airports in India or elsewhere across South Asia.

Air India also said it would lay on additional frequencies to London Heathrow this northern summer, with roundtrip flights from Delhi increasing from 14 to 17 a week and roundtrip flights from Mumbai increasing from 12 to 14.


Since most of these flights are O&D, it should not matter whether it is Heathrow or Gatwick and AI faces no competition from any other airline. At LGW, AI should explore code share with JetBlue for any connections to US, especially for AMD.

HYD was probably discontinued, since AI faces competition from BA and quite a few connect beyond LHR. AI should seriously consider flights to MAN from Delhi.
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/companies/air-india-is-taking-steps-to-integrate-networks-heres-what-that-means-10022821.html

Air India will pull out all its flights from Bhubaneswar, Bagdogra and Surat and these stations will be taken over completely by AirAsia India. Effectively, this means an increase in capacity, since most of these were operated by Air India's 156-seat dual-class A320s, which will now be operated by AirAsia India's 180/186-seater A320s.
On the other hand, Air India will take over two routes from AirAsia India: Delhi-Visakhapatnam and Mumbai-Lucknow. AirAsia India will continue to operate to both Visakhapatnam and Lucknow from other destinations in its network.

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/mega-maharaja-record-order-tatas-set-to-order-500-aircraft/articleshow/97807211.cms?from=mdr

Maharaja's record order: Tata's Air India set to buy 500 aircraft

Feb 10, 2023

In one of the biggest ever aircraft orders, Air India is all set to order almost 500 aircraft. These include 400 single aisles — 210 Airbus A320 neo family and 190 Boeing 737 Max.
Then there are 70 twin aisles — 40 A350s, 20 B787s and 10 B777X.

At list price, the ordered aircraft — 250 Airbus and 220 Boeings — will be worth $150 billion and are set to be delivered over the next eight years.
Simultaneously, the Tata Group has signed deals for engines original equipment manufacturers for these aircraft. In addition to these firm orders, AI will have many planes as options also Air India, Airbus and Boeing did not comment on this.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

*INTERNAL POST BY Mr. Campbell Wilson*


Dear fellow Air Indians,

At long last, after many months of difficult negotiation (and much media speculation!), I’m delighted to finally share that Air India has signed letters of intent with Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace and CFM International for a fleet of brand-new aircraft.

The firm element of the order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9 widebody aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbodies. The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, and the B777/787s by engines from GE Aerospace. All 400 narrowbody aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International

In addition to the 470 aircraft on firm order, Air India has secured a number of options and purchase rights. These give us the option, but not the obligation, to take additional aircraft at already-negotiated production slots and/or prices so that we can nimbly accommodate further growth and manage risk.

The firm part of the order alone is not just the largest order ever made by an Indian airline, it is one of the largest single aircraft orders by any airline, anywhere, ever, and testifies to India's unique combination of extraordinary scale and growth opportunity.

Besides this deal being of unprecedented size, it was also incredibly complex, with two airframers and six engine suppliers all jostling for position. I would therefore like to pay particular mention of our negotiator extraordinaire, CCTO Nipun Aggarwal, and his team Yogesh Agarwal, Jinesh Papdiwal, PRANAY TODI and Naman Jain, as well as CTO Arun Kashyap, COO Rajwinder S Sandhu and their Engineering and Flight Operations teams. Given the advanced systems onboard these aircraft, CDTO Satya Ramaswamy and his IT team also played an important part in the assessments and discussions. It was truly a team effort!

The first aircraft to arrive will be 25 brand-new Boeing B737-800s and 6 Airbus A350-900s in the second half of 2023, with deliveries really ramping up in 2025 and beyond. In the meantime, our capacity growth will continue to be supported by the previously announced lease-in of additional narrowbody and widebody aircraft and the restoration-to-service of the remainder of our grounded fleet.

Refreshing our fleet and positioning ourselves for growth is a key part of Vihaan.AI. And with this historic order, today will be remembered as a major milestone in the long, proud history of Air India, and in the journey of restoring this airline to greatness.

We still have a long road and much hard work ahead of us - not least to staff up for, and then fill, these new aircraft. But with this commitment to aircraft, this commitment to growth and this commitment to the future, we can now forge ahead with even greater confidence.

To the dawn of our new era! Vihaan!
Campbell

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2023 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Air India has agreed to purchase 250 Airbus planes comprising
140 A320neo
70 A321neo
34 A350-1000
6 A350-900.

Air India will also buy
190 MAX aircraft
20 787-9
10 777-9
from Boeing.


https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/air-indias-record-aircraft-order-13-key-questions-answered-10092241.html
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 8:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/as-russia-faces-curbs-air-india-to-get-this-year-six-wide-body-a350s-meant-for-aeroflot/articleshow/98284809.cms

Air India to get this year six wide-body A350s meant for Aeroflot

Feb 28, 2023

Air India international passengers will soon get the much-awaited cabin product as the back-in-Tata- fold airline will induct six wide-body A350 aircraft into its fleet this year, said Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO and MD.

Six twin aisle A350s were ready for Aeroflot but after the war on Ukraine and sanctions on Russia, Airbus can’t deliver them to the airline. These planes will now come to Air India this year in the configuration as Aeroflot had ordered them — 28 business, 24 comfort (premium economy) and 264 economy seats. Due to supply chain issues, AI will not be changing this layout of passenger accommodations (LOPA) as that would delay their induction.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
The 5 x B777-200LRs dry-leased from Delta are to be registered as follows :

New Regn. Old Regn.

VT-AEE N704DK
VT-AEF N702DN
VT-AEG N706DN
VT-AEH N707DN
VT-AEI N708DN

Meanwhile, the three existing LRs in the fleet will also be retained.
VT-ALF Jharkhand
VT-ALG Kerala
VT-ALH Maharashtra





VT-AEH, (unnamed), has been delivered to Air India earlier this week.
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
747-237 wrote:
The 5 x B777-200LRs dry-leased from Delta are to be registered as follows :

New Regn. Old Regn.

VT-AEE N704DK
VT-AEF N702DN
VT-AEG N706DN
VT-AEH N707DN
VT-AEI N708DN

Meanwhile, the three existing LRs in the fleet will also be retained.
VT-ALF Jharkhand
VT-ALG Kerala
VT-ALH Maharashtra





VT-AEH, (unnamed), has been delivered to Air India earlier this week.


It will be named Alok.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://technoblender.com/air-india-to-start-mumbai-pune-direct-flight-from-march-26-will-operate-6-days-a-week/

Air India To Start Mumbai-Pune Direct Flight From March 26, Will Operate 6 Days A Week

Mar 23, 2023

Air India is all set to launch a direct flight between Pune and Mumbai. Set to start from March 26, the flight will take off six times a week. The Air India flight will leave Mumbai at 9:45 am and land in Pune at 10:45 am. The return flight will depart at 11:20 am and land in Mumbai at 12:20 pm.

“An Airbus A319 will travel on the airline’s resurrected 9W route during the trip”, said the Air India website.

The economy tickets are priced around Rs 2,353 and the business class tickets cost Rs 18,467 per seat.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://travelobiz.com/air-india-express-to-stop-operating-flights-from-uae-to-mumbai-and-delhi/

Air India Express to Stop Operating Flights from UAE to Mumbai and Delhi

22/03/2023

According to a report of Gulf News, Air India Express, the budget airline of Air India, will stop operating between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and high-demand destinations such as Mumbai and Delhi.

This move is part of Air India’s overhaul of its global operations and with a record order for new aircraft having been placed. The changes will take effect on March 26, 2023, as part of the airline’s summer schedule for 2023.

According to P. P. Singh, Regional Manager for both Indian carriers’ Gulf, Middle East, and Africa networks, Air India Express will now only serve flights to Tier-2 cities in India, while Air India will discontinue flights to Goa, Indore, and Kozhikode. Air India’s Sharjah-Kozhikode service will also be discontinued.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/125849-air-india-cuts-some-us-frequencies-due-to-crew-shortages

Air India cuts some US frequencies due to crew shortages

23.03.2023

Air India will reduce the frequency of its flights to Newark and San Francisco, CA for the next two the three months due to a shortage of B777-rated pilots, according to CEO Campbell Wilson.

The airline will suspend 3x weekly flights to each of the two destinations. The ch-aviation schedules module shows that it currently flies to Newark 3x weekly from each of Delhi International and Mumbai International, and to San Francisco 10x weekly from Delhi, 4x weekly from Mumbai, and 3x weekly from Bangalore International.

While Wilson did not elaborate on the details of the cuts, The Hindustan Times reported that the airline would suspend the Delhi-Newark route through April 29 and part of the Delhi-San Francisco rotations through the end of June. Cuts will also affect the daily Mumbai-New York JFK route in May 2023.

"We are reducing frequencies on routes that won't see any impact on passengers as they will be accommodated on other flights," he said.

Air India's US network also comprises services to Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles, which will not be affected by the cuts.

Wilson explained that the airline was currently training around 100 new Indian pilots and a further 140 foreign pilots for the B777s, but for the time being it could not operate the type with full utilisation. The carrier uses B777-200(LR)s on services to San Francisco and from Mumbai to JFK, while the other flights to the United States are operated with B777-300(ER)s (except the Delhi-Washington route, served with B787-8s).

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows that Air India operates five B777-200(LR)s and thirteen -300(ER)s.

Wilson said the crew shortage would also force the airline to operate some of its Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Dubai International routes with A320-200s instead of the usual B787-8s.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 4:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Air India has added its first A321NEO to the fleet today, as VT-RTD.
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