Aerospace Diary

 by Neelam Mathews Dec 20, 2018 Boeing upholds its buoyant outlook of the Indian market and raised its long-term forecast for new aircraft demand for the fifth consecutive year, projecting the country’s airlines will need 2,300 new jets by 2037. This is 9.5 percent more than its previous prediction for a supply of 2,100 new aircraft by 2036 made last year and compares with a forecast for some 1,600 new jets predicted back in 2014. If the revised outlook materializes, Indian airlines would almost quadruple their fleet over the next two decades. The Indian commercial fleet stood at 620 aircraft at the end of July, according to data of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. “Unprecedented” domestic passenger traffic and rapidly expanding low-cost carriers (LCCs), which account for 64 percent of the total seat capacity in India, fuel the need for new aircraft, Boeing said. India’s domestic passenger traffic has recorded a consistent double-digit growth for the past 50 ...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 18, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Lion Air faces increasing competition from new low-fare startups in the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo: Boeing) November 18, 2013, 9:45 AM Economic growth, aviation deregulation, a growing middle class and aggressive tourism marketing continue to drive business in the regional markets of Asia-Pacific, where well entrenched budget carriers such as Malaysia’s AirAsia and Indonesia’s Lion Air face increasing competition from new low-cost startups. In neighboring India, three of every four airline seats now belong to budget carriers. According to Sydney-based consultancy Center for Asia Pacific Aviation ( CAPA ), Southeast Asia’s international market has seen a 20-percent capacity increase in the last 18 months, from 4.7 million weekly seats in April last year to 5.6 million weekly seats last month. The fastest growing markets, Thailand and Malaysia, added 23...

PARIS AIR SHOW  »  2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS June 20, 2013, 11:10 AM The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) open-skies agreement, to be implemented by 2015, will open up big business in the region for aircraft  OEM s, according to Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes senior v-p of sales Asia-Pacific and India. The agreement is intended to boost connectivity and increase traffic growth by granting open market access to all international airports in Southeast Asia to airlines of the 10 Asean member states. Asia has a 40 percent market share of the airline travel market and with booming economies,  GDP  growing, high disposable incomes and no recession, potential in Indonesia, India and China is big, Keskar said. As budget carriers make their mark in Asia, large carriers such as Lion Air and AirAsia are making the presence of narrowbodies apparent. “The opening of routes and the pace of Asean ...

AIN NEWS LIVE FROM AEROINDIA  »  2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS February 7, 2013, 11:32 AM India lost 9 percent of its airline seat capacity as a result of Kingfisher suspending operations since October 1, 2012, when its 66-aircraft fleet was grounded, according to Dinesh Keskar, Boeing’s senior sales vice president for Asia Pacific and India. Speaking at the Aero India show in Bangalore this week, Keskar said that in the short term, with capacity still constrained, profit margins will improve for some airlines, but that some low-cost carriers may find themselves negatively impacted because traffic growth is slowing. “Supply and demand is [now] in balance and India is seeing steady growth,” he commented. Boeing says it still believes in its most recent Current Market Outlook, which sees Indian airlines needing 1,450 new airplanes valued at $175 billion over the next 20 years. Outstanding orders from the Indian market for Boeing include 21 787...

Neelam Mathews in Kuala Lumpur Nov 8, 2012 AAPAs 56th Assembly of Presidents concentrates on its members primarily in the Asean region, But talk aviation with very senior people here, and the state of Indian aviation crops up as the primary subject of interest. It is embarrassing to hear tales of woe from lessors, insurance agents, OEMs and anybody who is a vendor about payments not being made primarily by Kingfisher and airports setting a bad example by not letting the claimed planes go. In case we didn't realize people didn't care, lets think again. The aviation community is so big, yet so small, somebody told me here. And how true that is! Everybody's fortune, seems to be intrinsically linked with each other. "People are scared of fuel prices, airport charges that go up and down and are waiting for the regulatory environment to pan out," said an official here on condition of anonymity. He did add that nothing much was expected to move till India's e...

Neelam Mathews Sept 4, 2012 While Indian carriers will need 1,450 new airplanes valued at $175 billion dollars,of which 83% will be single aisles, interestingly, it gives only a 1%  (15) in its current market outlook -2011-2031- to regional jets. While it says 234 will be twin aisles, the outlook forecasts no sales for large jets such as the A380 and 747-8. Boeing does not see the ultra large jets selling here. “Everybody wants frequency. Worldwide, the size is going down. No one will take the risk….(as a result of major losses in the airline business in India),” said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president of sales, Asia Pacific and India. It may be recalled that Kingfisher had wanted to start its first flight when allowed international operations from Bangalore to San Francisco. The flight never took off as numbers weren't there  and the aircraft was subsequently given to Africa's Arik Air. This is in sharp contrast to Thai Airways that will take delivery of th...

Neelam Mathews March 18, 2012 Air India will induct its first Boeing 787 in May this year. “The next one will be in June and the third one in Sept/Oct, Air India Chairman Rohit Nandan told Aerospace Diary at the India Aviation 2012 show in Hyderabad. Nandan said the first aircraft would be inducted “immediately”.  Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president of Asia Pacific and India Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes confirmed the first delivery would take place in mid 2012.   The 787 to Air India will be the first plane to roll out of Boeing’s South Carolina assembly facility. The 787 flew over the Pole to India, will have 18 business and 256 economy seats in 3x3x3 configuration.  Air India will soon start training..... readiness for the delivery, said Keskar. "We're proud to bring the world's most advanced commercial airplane to India, especially when it proudly displays the colors of national flag carrier Air India," said Keskar , This week even more of ...

Singapore Air Show » February 15, 2012 by  Neelam Mathews Dinesh Keskar (left), v-p Asia Pacific and India sales, Boeing Commercial Airplane shakes on a deal for 201 737 Max-9s with Rusdi Kirana, Lion Air president. Photo by Mark Wagner. February 14, 2012, 8:30 PM   Indonesia’s Lion Air underlined its clear love for Boeing aircraft here on St. Valentine’s Day when it signed a “ceremonial certificate of purchase” to firm up the massive aircraft order it first revealed at the Dubai Airshow last November. Jakarta-based Lion Air’s founder and president director, Rusdi Kirana, and Dinesh Keskar, vice president of Asia Pacific and India Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, were on hand to seal the deal whereby the airline becomes launch customer for 201 Leap-1B-powered Boeing 737-9 MAX airplanes and 29 CFM-7B-powered Next Generation 737-900ER air...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Jan 20, 2012 Dinesh Keskar, president, Boeing India, will now take on the new and expansive role of Senior Vice President, Sales Asia-Pacific and India for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In this role, Keskar will head a sales organization, including contracts, marketing, revenue management and other support functions, says Boeing. Keskar has been associated with the Indian market for many years and directly responsible for Boeing orders in India. “This move is part of our forward-deployment strategy to ensure our sales teams are closer to our customers,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Keskar’s broad previous experience in the Commercial Airplanes Sales arena and his commitment to building deep relationships with customers will serve him well in this assignment.” Keskar was appointed president of Boeing India in March 2009. Reporting to Shep Hill, President of Boeing International, Keskar currently represents all element...

Neelam Mathews July 13, 2011 Boeing's 787 in ANA colors made its debut landing in India at Terminal 3 of the New Delhi International Airport at 11:09 a.m from Tokyo.  India 's own 787 ordered by Air India will be delivered later this year. Air India is one of the early customers with an order for  27 787s. Jet Airways has ordered ten 787s.  "Indian air carriers have recognized the tremendous value the Boeing 787 offers airlines,” said Dinesh Keskar, President Boeing India. The 787 potential to enhance revenues by way of reduction in maintenance costs and fuel burn, has been recognized as a product advantage says Boeing. The airplane will depart for Mumbai Airport in the evening of July 15 and will fly out on the morning of July 16. 

Neelam Mathews July 6, 2011 As the Airbus A320 Neo amassed 667 orders worth $60.9 billion at the Paris show, Boeing says it has held meetings with carriers around the world on the possible re-engining or a new family of aircraft. “We have (also) held meetings with airlines from India and taken comments from Jet Airways and SpiceJet deliberating on that,” said Dinesh Keskar, President Boeing India to Aerospace Diary at the India Current Market Outlook (CMO)  2011. “We have to act fast…and take a decision soon,” Keskar added. The A320 neo will be available beginning in 2015. There are two engine options on the Neo - the LEAP-X and Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1100G. Should Boeing plan to offer a new single aisle family, it will be available by 2019/20, say analysts. “There is no room in India greater than the 747-8,” said Keskar referring to the A-380. No airline in India has ordered the A-380 and it is likely, they will not in the medium term. Boeing forecasts a $...

“We never participated in that bid,” Boeing India President Dinesh Keskar said after Airbus snagged an order for 180 A320s from IndiGo, including 150 new-engine-option A320neo Airbus aircraft. The expectation is that Boeing will announce this summer that it will not re-engine the 737, but launch a new successor in the 2015-2017 time frame, entering service between 2020 and 2022. “This will make [the NEO] obsolete,” Keskar told Show News. Boeing raised its expectations for airliner sales in India by about 15% (30% by value) this past August, stating that rising wealth in India would lead to more air travel by an emerging middle class. Indian carriers will buy about 1,150 airplanes for some $130 billion over the next 20 years, Boeing said, having previously forecast 1,000 jets for $100 billion. “Indian aviation will grow at 15% per year according to our forecast,” Keskar says. “52 million passengers in 2010 are expected to increase to 62 million this year.” Will consolidation a...