Air India starts discussing aircraft orders; to introduce a premium economy class in long-haul flights

Tata Group-owned Air India is in talks with Boeing and Airbus about ordering new aircraft and is meeting its immediate needs by leasing planes and repairing grounded aircraft, the airline's chief executive said on Saturday.

The autos-to-steel conglomerate, which completed its purchase of Air India in January, faces an uphill struggle to upgrade an ageing fleet, turn around the company's financials and improve service levels, industry analysts say.

"We are in deep discussion with Boeing, Airbus and engine manufacturers for a historical order of the latest generation aircraft that will power Air India's medium- and long-term growth. At the risk of gross understatement, the investment will be substantial."

Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India

Wilson said Air India planned to expand its fleet and global network, aiming to increase its market share to 30% on domestic and international routes over the next five years.

Currently, Air India has a domestic market share of about 10% and an international market share of around 12%, according to industry estimates.

Air India starts discussing aircraft orders; to introduce a premium economy class in long-haul flights

ALSO READ – Air India to revamp its fleet by leasing 30 aircraft in the upcoming months

Air India said in September it would lease 30 Boeing and Airbus planes, expanding its fleet by more than 25% as part of the drive to boost market share and improve service levels.

Industry sources said in July that Air India was moving closer to a decision on an order worth USD 50 billion at list prices to be split between Airbus and Boeing.

ALSO READ - Air India plans to expand its fleet 3 times; in discussions with aircraft manufacturers

The sources said at the time that both planemakers were making a "final push" with the order set to include up to 70 wide-body jets including Airbus A350s and Boeing B787s and B777s, and up to 300 narrowbodies.

Air India to introduce a premium economy class in some long-haul flights

Air India will be introducing premium economy class in some of its long-haul international flights next month, its chief Campbell Wilson said as the Tata group-owned airline works on ways to expand its market share as well as the global network.

Noting that Air India's transformation journey will be in phases, Wilson said over the next six months it will be taxiing, fixing the basics and readying itself for growth.

In his speech at an event by the JRD Tata Memorial Trust here, Wilson said the airline will increase its market share to at least 30% in domestic and international routes. The airline is implementing a long-term revival plan and over the next five years, it aims to grow its wide-body and narrow-body fleet as well as expand the global network.

According to Wilson, the airline has restored nearly 20 aircraft that had been grounded for years due to a lack of parts and money. Leaving aside cabin interiors, this has required procuring over 30,000 parts that had been cannibalised over the years to keep other aircraft flying, he added.

"The short-term actions have been to replace carpets, curtains, seat cushions and covers. To fix defective seats and inflight entertainment systems as fast as supply chains will allow. And where parts are no longer available in the market, to work with the likes of Tata Technologies to design and manufacture parts ourselves. We've recently completely revamped the domestic inflight menu, and will be doing likewise, as well as launching premium economy on certain long haul international flights next month."

Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India

ALSO READ - Modernization of Air India to start soon by Tata Technologies

In addition to restoring long-grounded aircraft, he said the airline has finalised leases for 30 additional aircraft being delivered over the next 12 months, starting next week, with more in the final stages of negotiation.

Noting that Air India's transformation journey will be in phases, Wilson said over the next six months it will be taxiing, fixing the basics and readying itself for growth.

Air India has expanded both domestically and internationally, the latter including more flights to Vancouver, Sydney and Melbourne.

"For the subsequent year we'll start the take-off run, building for excellence and attracting those who may not have considered Air India before, and by April 2024 or thereabouts, we will leverage the work done in the earlier phases to climb rapidly so that by 2027 we have scaled the heights of our aspiration," he added.

Air India has expanded both domestically and internationally, the latter including more flights to Vancouver, Sydney and Melbourne.

https://twitter.com/airindiain/status/1593258561148456960

"We now operate non-stop to London from seven Indian cities," he said and added that from Mumbai, the airline will be adding new non-stop service to San Francisco, New York and Newark starting in a few weeks.

ALSO READ - Air India to start direct flights between Mumbai-San Francisco

Emphasising that the airline no longer has financial or any other constraints, he said "turning around Air India and restoring it to glory is a test match, not a T20. It will require patience, fortitude and partnership. Though there will be the occasional six and four, it'll mostly be the steady accumulation of singles and doubles."

The rapid development of new Indian airports and the government's regional air connectivity scheme UDAN to support developmental domestic routes will only strengthen the network effect that will power further growth, he stated.

The full-service airline Air India is looking forward to starting new direct flights thrice a week, between Mumbai-San Francisco, starting Dec 15.

The first round-trip ticket between Mumbai and San Francisco would cost Rs 1,02,837. To accommodate the rising demand for travel, Air India would run three weekly non-stop flights between the two cities. In addition, starting on December 2, Air India will offer direct flights between Bengaluru and San Francisco.

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In September 2022, Air India announced the addition of 20 weekly flights to San Francisco in the US as well as Birmingham and London in the UK. This is a component of the flag carrier's continuous campaign to reclaim first place in the aviation world.

With the addition of five additional flights per week to Birmingham, 9 additional flights to London, and six additional flights to San Francisco, Air India will be able to provide customers with more than 5,000 additional seats per week and ensure plenty of choice in terms of connectivity, comfort, and cabin space.

Also read: Air India broadens its international footprint by launching 20 flights to US and UK

Additionally, the Vijayawada to Sharjah direct flight service will begin on October 31 according to a statement from the Tata-owned Air India Express. The first ticket for the Vijayawada-Sharjah route was set at Rs 13,669, while the Sharjah-Vijayawada route's fare starts at AED 399.

Air India is looking forward to launching new domestic and international routes with the aim to reclaim its position as an aviation leader in the global map

The airline has made it possible to enhance the frequency between Delhi and Vancouver routes as well as to establish several new domestic services. 

“This sizeable frequency increase to the US and the UK, as well as the addition of new city pairs and improved aircraft cabin interiors, comes just 10 months after Air India's acquisition by the Tata Group. It is a clear signal of our intent, and an early step towards a much bigger aspiration.”

“As Air India reinvents itself under the Vihaan.AI transformation programme, adding frequency and improving connectivity from major Indian cities to more international destinations is a significant focus.”

–Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India

The plan, called "Vihaan.AI," is a detailed roadmap with specific milestones that, according to the airline, focuses on taking a leadership position in technology, sustainability, and innovation, while also aggressively investing behind the best available talent. Vihaan.AI is Sanskrit for "the dawn of a new era," and it signifies "dramatically growing both network and fleet."

Air India is adding weekly frequencies from different Indian cities to London, Birmingham, and San Francisco as part of its transformational plan

Also read: Air India unveils Vihaan – a comprehensive 5-year transformation plan

An official of Air India commented that the immediate priority of the airline is still to address the fundamentals. The focus will be on developing excellence over the medium to long term in order to become a leader in the industry globally.

Also read: Air India preparing to compete with the leading airlines of the world

Wide-body and narrow-body aircraft that are currently in the fleet are being worked on by Air India to get them back into service. In September, Air India announced that it would lease 30 new aircraft over the course of the next 15 months and introduce premium economy for the first time months after Tata Group reclaimed control of the company, which the government had taken over 69 years earlier.

In addition, starting on February 14, 2023, Air India will operate daily non-stop flights between Mumbai and New York.

The DGCA is anticipated to evaluate Tabletop airports in India, to improve aviation safety at the airports, according to two officials who spoke to Mint.

As the name implies, a Tabletop airport is one that is situated on top of a plateau or steep terrain with one or both runways ends looking down over a drop.

Lengpui (Mizoram), Shimla and Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), Pakyong (Sikkim), Mangaluru (Karnataka), Kozhikode (Kerala) and Kannur (Kerala) are the airports in the nation that would be considered "Tabletops".

Kozhikode Airport is one of the airports in India regarded as "Tabletops"

A former aviation official claims that there is no mention of a "tabletop airport" in any International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) technical documents. However, the DGCA uses this terminology to emphasise safety precautions when using these runways.

The stages of landing and takeoff are the most important aspects of any aircraft operation.

On runways with little capacity for manoeuvring, such as Tabletop runways, the pressure is substantially greater for the pilots. Therefore, a precise landing is crucial. Even the finest pilots find it difficult to navigate tabletops because they are so difficult. In these circumstances, even a small error can result in deadly collisions.

“If visibility is poor and there are tailwinds, landing on a Tabletop airport becomes a challenge. Automation might not help in the case of tabletop runways. An optical illusion can also be the issue where the runway might seem to be nearer whereas it would be further away.”

–A pilot for National Carrier Air India Ltd. said.

Following the crash of a Boeing 737-800 Air India Express aircraft on August 7, 2020, which resulted in the deaths of 21 passengers and crew members, including both pilots, a panel was initially established in 2020 to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau at Kozhikode airport. The discussions were chaired by a high-level panel that included the Civil Aviation Secretary. 

Also read: The final report out on the Kozhikode air crash hints at human error and non-compliance to SOPs

On board, there was no fire. Both the cockpit voice recorder and the digital flight data recorder have been located. The incident has once more brought attention to the functioning of what is known as "Tabletop airports" in India. 

Also read: AAI recommends runway extension for Kozhikode airport

On August 7, 2020, a Boeing 737-800 Air India Express plane crashed in Kozhikode Airport, killing all 21 people on board as well as the two pilots

Also read: Protest against India’s Kozhikode Airport’s Runway Extension

In 2010, there was a very similar catastrophe at the Tabletop airport in Mangalore, which resulted in almost 160 fatalities.

“There has been a discussion around the review of tabletop airports or the airports with challenging terrain. These can be airports where the runway is elevated as compared to the surrounding geography. The motive is to increase prevention against any unforeseen incidents at such airports and check for areas where we can identify what more can be done to make landings and take-offs at such runways less challenging.”

–A senior DGCA official reports Mint.

In 2010, at the Tabletop airport in Mangalore, there was a disaster remarkably similar to the Kozhikode Airport happened, leading to over 160 fatalities

Plans are in motion to categorise all airports due to operational challenges, and the DGCA is anticipated to evaluate Tabletop airports in India in an effort to improve aviation safety at the nation's airports. The evaluation, according to the DGCA, aims to boost safety at airports with difficult terrain.

(With inputs from Livemint)

The Jalan-Kalrock consortium (JKC) has sent 10% of the employees of Jet Airways on leave without pay (LWP) and reduced the salaries of another 23 per cent to cut costs as it waits for the airline’s handover under the ongoing process in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

Sources said a section of mid- and senior-level employees had been asked to work for a “reduced number of hours” at salaries reduced by up to 50 per cent. Employees in lower grades, cabin crew members, and pilots have not been affected, they said.

The airline, which wanted to resume flights by October, has about 250 employees on its rolls.

It went bankrupt in April 2019 under the old ownership. A resolution plan put forward by JKC was approved by the committee of creditors and the NCLT in October 2020 and June 2021, respectively.

However, ownership has not been transferred to JKC to date because the matter of clearing the previous employees’ provident fund and gratuity dues is under litigation.

JKC wants the State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders to pay them and has moved the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on this.

Jet Airways Chief Executive Officer Sanjiv Kapoor said on Twitter on Friday “no staff has been let go”.

“However with the ownership transfer timeline slipping due to factors outside our control, some temporary hard decisions had to be taken,” he added.

The team working to revive Jet Airways was not responsible for the airline running out of cash and suspending operations in 2019, he noted.

“They are trying to revive the airline using fresh capital, to give consumers more choices, to create more jobs and bring back old jobs. They deserve our full appreciation,” he mentioned.

In its statement, JKC said it had not breached any terms of the approved resolution plan and it remained committed to restarting Jet Airways.

After the NCLT’s approval in June 2021, all conditions outlined in the resolution plan were satisfied by May 20 this year and the necessary filings in this regard were made before the NCLT on May 21, it mentioned.

According to the resolution plan, the consortium has to infuse Rs 1,375 crore into the airline.

NASA is investigating cutting-edge Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) technology to drastically lower fuel consumption and pollution levels from single-aisle commercial aircraft carrying about 150 passengers in this new era of electric flight. In order to improve vehicle performance through innovative aerodynamic designs and technology, the Single-Aisle Turboelectric Aircraft with Aft Boundary Layer Propulsion (STARC-ABL) idea was created.

The STARC-ABL

In order to maximize aerodynamic benefits while in flight, STARC-ABL uses an innovative electric aft propulsor powered by two under-wing turbofan engines while maintaining a traditional turbine and airframe design.

NASA

This aircraft idea could potentially lower fuel use by 7–12% while operating with the same range, speed, and airport infrastructure as existing regional jets. It would also highlight the fundamental advantages of partly turboelectric propulsion systems for next-generation aircraft.

Maximizing performance and aerodynamic efficiency

A crucial initial step in decreasing drag, which slows down a vehicle and increases fuel usage, is controlling the airflow around it. Innovative boundary layer ingestion (BLI) technology, which is a characteristic of STARC-ABL, aids in controlling the boundary layer—a region of slower-moving air—near the aircraft's surface.

The NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT) facility where STARC-ABL will be tested is depicted in an artist's impression | NASA

A BLI fan mounted on the vehicle's tail, which is integrated with the aircraft's propulsion system, aids in ingesting the layer of slower-moving and frequently more turbulent air. Then, to create thrust, this air is reaccelerated from the boundary layer at the surface of the airplane.

STARC-ABL relies on propulsion-airframe integration, or effectively integrating the propulsion system with the airflow surrounding the airframe, to obtain maximum performance (PAI). The aircraft's turbofan engines are equipped with generators that produce electricity and power the rear motor.

STARC-design, ABL's which features two wing-mounted turbofan engines and a rear motor, is visualized | NASA

Smaller wing-mounted engines can be used thanks to the novel addition of a rear motor that provides additional thrust, helping to reduce drag and fuel consumption while also reducing overall aircraft weight. The turbofan engines can produce megawatts of electricity in addition to thrust, which can be utilized to power the aircraft's electrical systems, including cabin conditioning and onboard instruments.

High-Efficiency Megawatt Motor (HEMM) is the generator used by STARC-ABL, which calls for an advanced 2-3 MW power system. The HEMM, a 1.4 MW electric machine, reduces drag and fuel consumption for STARC-AB and offers three times less heat and weight loss than contemporary aircraft motors and generators.

Image of the High-Efficiency Megawatt Motor created by an artist (HEMM) | NASA

During the concept plane's development, STARC-ABL will go through a lot of testing at the NASA Glenn Research Center's Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT).

Future airliners will be able to successfully transition away from conventional jet engines and toward a more sustainable future for aviation thanks to the technology revealed by this proposal.

STARC-ABL, which is expected to join the commercial fleet around 2035, will be crucial in showcasing the capabilities of turboelectric systems and parts for more environmentally sustainable air travel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOK446jAsAw

SOURCE: grc.nasa.gov

COVER: NASA

FitsAir, a private low-cost carrier of Sri Lanka, will begin offering direct flights on the Colombo-Tiruchirappalli sector, 3 times a week, starting December 8.

The airline will run the services on the sector on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

After Sri Lankan Airlines, which has been running its services on the Colombo - Tiruchi - Colombo sector for some time, FitsAir would be the second airline to do so.

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According to information provided by the airline, flights will depart from Bandaranaike International Airport on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday each week.

FitsAir anticipates expanding its air routes to India and other nations in the future, as well as increasing the number of flights to ten weekly. In its next summer schedule, the low-cost airline will first begin operating flights between Trichy and Colombo, then Trichy and Jaffna.

The summer schedule will begin in March 2023 and in order to draw tourists from the neighbouring nation, Sri Lankan airlines reportedly plan to extend flight services to India.

On October 5th, FitsAir launched its inaugural flight from Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport to Dubai International Airport using the aircraft A320-200. 

In addition to Colombo, FitsAir will also be based in Jaffna Airport and Ratmalana Airport, where it intends to establish a mini-hub and resume domestic flight operations. FitsAir appears to be on a highly successful roll for a low-cost carrier that only launched a few days ago as it seeks to serve top destinations like Dubai and India.

In particular, FitsAir's entry into the Sri Lankan aviation market comes at a critical time when the nation is grappling with a damaging financial crisis that is leading to a severe lack of foreign currency and fuel, which has forced several airlines to divert to other locations for refuelling or reduce capacity. The flag airline Sri Lankan Airlines is having trouble at the same time the low-cost carrier enters the market.

With FitsAir in the air, Sri Lankan Airlines would face intense competition since, from a business perspective, customers will already be drawn to the inexpensive tickets.

Sri Lankan Airlines was impacted by the Pandemic which prompted it to cut back a number of flights and due to the economical crisis, forced the govt. to sell off a portion of the airline

FitsAir's three times weekly service between Colombo and Tiruchirappalli is not as impressive in terms of routes as Sri Lankan Airlines' seven weekly offerings. Still, as the low-cost carrier begins ramping frequencies, the competition will heat up much more.

FitsAir's debut has received positive feedback so far since the low-cost carrier is viewed as a revolutionary glimmer of light in the approaching gloom of the nation's aviation business. Forecasts have even stated that FitsAir, with its present development, launch popularity, and solid financial position as a privatised carrier, could very well surpass the flag carrier. 

The flag carrier of Sri Lanka hasn't had a good run of things lately; in the past, the pandemic's impacts prompted it to cut back on a number of flights, and the country's present economic situation forced the government to sell off a portion of the airline. This may cause Sri Lankan Airlines to lose favour as FitsAir enters the picture, along with a new low-cost carrier.

FitsAir now has 8 aircraft in its fleet, but with plans to keep adding routes and locations, it is safe to say that the future is looking bright for this fledgling airline!