Aerospace Diary

AINONLINE by    NEELAM MATHEWS Emirates Airline, the largest A380 operator in the world, cannot fly its superjumbos to India in the absence of a new bilateral air services agreement. (Photo: Airbus) January 27, 2014, 12:00 PM India has lifted restrictions on the Airbus A380 airliner to land at four Code F compliant airports, the country’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) announced Monday. But while the industry has applauded the move, the government has not made it an effortless exercise, as major carriers wanting to fly their A380s to India run short on service entitlements. “Bilateral air service agreements ( ASA s) that prohibit operation of A380s to India will need to be amended before permission is granted,” the MoCA said in a statement. “Rationalization of traffic rights from services per week to seats per week shall be done through mutual negotiations through memoranda of understanding.” Airports will require Directora...

Neelam Mathews May 6, 2013 A Jet Airways A330 that was chartered for the Big Fat Gupta wedding in Johannesburg, would have returned by now and the controversy died down- even as the carrier firms up plans for its six A330-200s, AerospaceDairy learns. Abu Dhabi beckons Initially, Jet was to lease the 6 A330s to Etihad for which 60 cabin crew were selected for training in Abu Dhabi for nine months, but within a week of getting the notice, the decision was cancelled, we hear. The six A330s we believe, will take off from Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore to Abu Dhabi to three points in Europe of which Brussels and Milan are included. The third point could be Paris or Amsterdam. We could not confirm. ( Etihad Airways and Air France have announced a number of new codeshare destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe for summer 2013). We had earlier broken the story on Jet looking at ordering a large number of aircraft-perhaps at the Paris Air Show- of which the 737 MAX is sure...

Jan 23, 2013 By- Yash Patel ( Mumbai-based Yash Patel is an analyst with a focus on airline finance, strategy and restructuring) The views published are of the writer alone and not of AerospaceDiary. Credit:20twentytwo ANALYSIS Jet Airways Jet Airways already has an existing codeshare agreement and extensive frequent flyer program/collaboration with Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways. Jet Airways and Emirates recently announced renewal of their respective codeshare agreements. Jet Airways and Etihad Airways recently announced extension of their codeshare agreement on Abu Dhabi-Paris route. Brussels Airlines (Lufthansa has a stake of 45% with approval to further invest in the carrier) is Jet Airways’ existing European Codeshare partner at its scissor hub in Brussels. Both airlines are members of Star Alliance. Jet Airways has been granted additional flying rights to Europe, especially on the India-Frankfurt/Munich routes. E...

Neelam Mathews Dec 14, 2012 The   ATR 72-600-series launched last year and due this year - five of which Jet will get- we learn, have been painted in JetLite livery, with JetKonnect written on top. Sources we spoke to, said this was an error as the two brands, JetKonnect and JetLite have been consolidated under the JetKonnect brand. The aircraft will be going for repaint, we learn. The entry of the new aircraft had been delayed by a few weeks  as paperwork with the lessors for the old ATRs needed to be completed and delays by ATR following strikes resulted in lost  time. Jet Airways is also busy hiring marooned ATR pilots of Kingfisher, Aerospace Diary learns. In 2010, Jet ordered 6 ATR-500s. It is likely this order was changed to five 68-74 seater 600s. We could not confirm this. The 600s are  to be used from Mumbai to Udaipur, Bhuj and other regional sectors.  Meanwhile, Jet Airways brand new A330-300s will operate on BOM-BRU-EWR sectors from 22nd...

Neelam Mathews Nov 28, 2012 While IndiGo stole the halo from Jet Airways as the most  preferred domestic airline, “passengers consider Kingfisher and Air India as unsafe bet in the air, “ says a survey by TripAdvisor. “However travellers have voted Jet Airways as the best on most in-flight comfort & service parameters as well as website experience and safety,” said  Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor India. Call it the devil’s luck, the survey shows respondents consider  Kingfisher resilient and are positive about its comeback. National carrier Air India continues its legacy as Least Favourite Domestic Airline for third year in a row. Jet Airways emerged as the best airline for  Ground handling,  In- flight maintenance,  Seat comfort/Leg room,  In-flight food/beverage and website experience.  IndiGo was voted on its On time performance (hardly a surprise!),  Value for money and  Landing / Take Off quality...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 26, 2012 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Singapore Airlines’s recent acquisition of a 10-percent stake in Virgin Australia is a prime example of the wave of strategic realignments now happening in the Asia Pacific air transport sector. (Photo: Airbus) November 26, 2012, 6:00 PM Tough economic times are resulting in innovations by carriers in the Asia Pacific region looking beyond traditional business models through strategic realignments and new product offerings. Recent ground-breaking deals include Virgin Australia selling a 10-percent stake to Singapore Airlines ( SIA ) and buying 60 percent of Tiger Airways; the new partnership between Emirates Airline and Qantas; and Etihad Airways purchasing a 10-percent stake in Virgin Australia. “It is hard to say who is next. Qatar Airways said it would never enter into an alliance, and within a week it was in bed with British Airways,” commented ...

Neelam Mathews Sept 25, 2012 We hear that given the good business on the Brussels route, Jet Airways may be looking to reconfigure an A330 (VT-JWM) from a 1-1-1   in Business Class to a 1-2-1 config and additional rows in economy. The remaining A330s might also be reconfigured. Not great news for passengers though who'll be packed more than usual! We are also hearing that Jet’s base will not be shifted to Munich as reported by some newspapers. There will just be a flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt and one to Munich. It is also believed that Lufthansa wants a codeshare with Jet in India the way Jet wants it for its operations in Europe. “Jet will never join an alliance,” an official tells us. One would be inclined to say: “Never say never,” but  increasingly, many in the business are following the Emirates philosophy of alignments but not alliances. Here's a video on the  recent partnership  with OneWorld partner, Qantas -

Neelam Mathews Sept 3, 2012 The battle is on as the two Middle Eastern airline giants vie for the Australian market. Etihad Airways that holds equity investments in Air Berlin, Air Seychelles and Aer Lingus, has increased its stake in Virgin Australia from 5 percent to 10 percent. Qantas is expected to announce an alliance with Emirates very soon. It has been reported Qantas might cut its flights to Frankfurt and start a flight through Dubai. Emirates could also lease Qantas' slots in Heathrow, London.

Posted by- Neelam Mathews July 30, 2012 Emirates has announced management changes to its Commercial Operations department. The airline has promoted Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, as Vice President India and Nepal and Orhan Abbas as Senior Vice President Commercial Operations - The Americas. In addition to this Ahmed Khoory, has been appointed as the Senior Vice President Commercial Operations West Asia and Indian Ocean. The changes include the creation of several new Commercial Management roles that will form a crucial part of the airline’s route development strategy. "I am honored to have been given the opportunity to take over Emirates operations in India – One of the airline’s largest and most vital markets. In India, I am confident the fast-paced growth of the economy will continue and bring with it exciting challenges and new learnings," said Sulaiman.

Neelam Mathews Feb 3, 2012 Emirates has announced a special sale offering 10% discount on airfares over 100 destinations across its network through travel agents. This offer is valid for bookings till February 4, 2012 for travel between February 2, 2012 and June 30, 2012. Under this offer, an Economy Class Return airfare from Delhi to Dubai will start at INR 17,812 inclusive of taxes (Fares to other destinations mentioned below)   “We are committed to the Indian Market and this is yet another initiative in this direction. We aim to give them another to reason to fly Emirates and our sale is aimed at achieving the same while working together with our travel partners in the trade, “ Orhan Abbas - Vice President India & Nepal said. 

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Dec 23, 2011 Emirates Airline has upgraded its arrivals facilities at London’s Heathrow Airport with a lounge for First Class and Business Class passengers using the airline’s complimentary Chauffeur-drive service. The lounge, which opened last week, is situated close to the kerbside in the arrivals area of Heathrow’s Terminal 3 and serves passengers arriving on Emirates’ five daily services to the airport, complementing the airline’s dedicated airside departures lounge, also available to First Class and Business Class outbound passengers, says the airline.  “Heathrow is our biggest UK airport operation, with two of our five flights served by Emirates A380s and we anticipate that around 200 passengers will use the Chauffeur-drive lounge every day,” said Laurie Berryman, Emirates’ Vice President UK & Ireland . “By opening this new facility, we are ensuring that all our First Class and Business Class passengers experience seamless journeys from the...

Neelam Mathews July 29, 2011 Despite growing traffic , even as India awaits the bounce back of its national carrier and keeps the door closed to the mighty and much loved A-380 of carriers such as Lufthansa and SIA, Emirates Airline will start flying its A380s on flights to Kuala Lumpur and Rome from December 1.  The A-380 will then be flying to 16 destinations- up from the present 14. This is the first time Malaysia will get an A-380 on regular scheduled passenger flights.   Emirates offers three direct flights per day between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. Emirates is the largest customer for the A380. It has, currently, 15 in operation on services from its Dubai hub to London Heathrow (double-daily), Manchester, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Toronto, Seoul, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Jeddah, New York, Hong Kong, Sydney and Auckland.  From October 1, it will also start flying the A-380 to Johannesburg and possibly to Melbourne from early next year.

News AWIN First Jun 25 , 2010 Neelam Mathews mathews.neelam@gmail.com Emirates Airlines may fly its Airbus A380 to Delhi for a test run just as the new Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport opens to international airlines on July 15, . India’s civil aviation regulator has received Emirates Airline’s request to fly Airbus A380 to Delhi, Director General of Civil Aviation Nasim Zaidi said in a statement to Bloomberg News. It is not clear whether the pending approval is for the one-time run or for scheduled flights to Delhi. Enquiries to Emirates remained unanswered. GMR, the major stakeholder of the Delhi airport, earlier asked Airbus to fly an A380 to Delhi for the terminal’s inauguration on July 3, The DAILY has learned. But after Airbus agreed, GMR reportedly changed its mind. Emirates and Lufthansa have applications pending to fly the A380 into India; however, sources close to the matter say the Ministry of Civil Aviation is not in a hurry to give the permiss...

Asia-Pacific Aviation Daily Apr 27 , 2010 , p. 10 Neelam Mathews Indian and Middle Eastern carriers are stepping up efforts to capitalize on the summer rush of Nepal expatriates and tourists to Europe, while national carrier Nepal Airlines' connection to the West remains tenuous, and the carrier continues to experience cash flow and political problems. Kingfisher Airlines recently launched a daily Airbus A320 frequency to Kathmandu from Delhi to its London flights to offer convenient connections. In June, it plans to start direct flights between Mumbai and Kathmandu. Kingfisher is the fourth Indian carrier to fly from Delhi to Kathmandu, after Jetlite with daily service, Jet Airways with 12 frequencies and Air India with double daily flights. Etihad Airways increased its Abu Dhabi-Kathmandu flights from four to seven per week in January to connect further to Europe and the U.S. Etihad’s flights to Kathmandu have proved popular, “providing high volumes of traffic into Abu D...

Air Transport Aviation Week & Space Technology Jan 11 , 2010 , p. 37 Neelam Mathews New Delhi Gulf carriers woo Indian passengers as a strategic market linked to the West Printed headline: Targeted Entry With lower fares, newer aircraft, inexpensive hotel packages and what some regard as better service, Middle East carriers are gobbling up market share in India at the expense of local and European competitors. The Middle East carriers are using their hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, and Doha in Qatar as waypoints to seat Indian passengers bound for Western Europe and the U.S. An introduction by Emirates of Airbus A380s on its Dubai-Paris route would increase pressure on Air India. Credit: EMIRATES Without the Middle East push, Indian passengers would more likely have booked on Air India, Jet Airways or Kingfisher from their own country, or on one of the big European carriers with a major presence in India, such as Lufthansa. International traffic into India ...