Akasa Air modifies aircraft interiors amid facing global supply chain disruptions

Akasa Air is facing the impact of global supply chain disruptions. Though the airline does not expect any delay in deliveries, a shortage of aircraft parts may affect the reconfiguration of its fleet for 6–9 months.

The airline is facing disruptions in the delivery of seats, USB ports, and seat fabric. The three-month-old airline with a fleet of seven aircraft in India operates on nine routes —Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai, Delhi, Agartala and Guwahati.

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“We have been facing some global supply chain issues that are preventing us from reconfiguring the interiors of these aircraft in a timely manner. We have got some delays on three elements of the reconfiguration.

Our first 20 aircraft have engines on them which is why we are confident that there are no delivery issues and remain unaffected through our first 20 deliveries. There is also no indication or official communications from Boeing that it is going to affect delivery from 21st onwards."

Vinay Dube, CEO & Co-Founder, Akasa Air

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Akasa’s orderbook includes a firm order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX planes, powered by CFM LEAP-1B engines. The first 20 aircraft will be brand new but are configured to accommodate 174 seats, as per the specifications of another airline, while Akaksa has a requirement of 189 seats, Dube said.

ALSO READ - Akasa Air picks CFM’s LEAP-1B engines for its Boeing 737Max planes

However, the airline will not be able to add seats from December onwards due to the shortage.

Akasa Air modifies aircraft interiors amid facing global supply chain disruptions

While it is trying to maintain the timeline for inducting new planes to its fleet, from the 9th aircraft it will have to accept a different configuration for all new aircraft until the 19th aircraft is delivered. These 11 Boeing 737 MAX planes will have 174 economy seats with the front three rows in a 2-2 configuration with more legroom, the airline said.

Akasa Air will continue to operate a single-aisle, all-economy service at affordable fares with no change in its pricing strategy. According to our current road map with partners, the 2x2 seat configuration will get standardised over the next six to nine months. With this, our original 189-seater will become available as we overcome the supply-chain impact.

“The emergency and front row, which is our A+ PRODUCT is priced at INR 1,500 a seat and this (2-2) will be A++ and will be priced at INR 2,500 a seat. This will be sold as economy and we will charge only for seat selection."

Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air

The management, however, did not reveal whether it will be compensated by the original equipment manufacturers for the shortage.

Flyers will also see seat covers on a few aircraft with a different upholstery from its signature style and the absence of USB ports on some seats.

ALSO READ - Go First grounds over a fifth of its fleet due to delayed deliveries of engines by Pratt & Whitney

Unlike its competitors, such as IndiGo and Go First which are also facing disruptions in operations due to the delays in engines and spare parts supply, Akasa said it does not foresee challenges for engines.

ALSO READ - IndiGo grounds 30 aircraft due to disruptions in the global supply chain

After the initial schedule is complete, Akasa will start accepting airplanes with higher density, which will feature 197 seats.

While the airline has so far not met its guidance of inducting an aircraft every two weeks it maintains that it will have a fleet of over 12 by December and 18 aircraft by March.

After the initial schedule is complete, Akasa will start accepting airplanes with higher density, which will feature 197 seats. According to the airline, it will also start planning international routes next year soon after it reaches the 20-aircraft mark required by the Indian regulator.

These issues got further aggravated with Russia’s war on Ukraine as that led to significant raw material sourcing displacement. While this has affected almost industry getting severely crippled. For aviation, it has meant airlines facing delays in getting aircraft, engines, seats and every imaginable component required in this supply chain.

The DGCA granted Jaipur International Airport Limited an aerodrome license, and as a result, the airport has started an expansion drive.

An airport operator is granted the license in order to ensure total control of the airport in accordance with the concession agreement. The license was previously held by the Airport Authority of India (AAI). Adani Group, a private company, that has been running the Jaipur airport since October 2021 is now the new holder of the license.

Starting in October 2021, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) handed over control of the Jaipur International Airport to the Gautam Adani-led Adani Group. The Indian government has leased the airport to the organisation for 50 years.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) turned over the management of the Jaipur International Airport to the Gautam Adani-led Adani Group beginning in October 2021

“We have received the Aerodrome license for Jaipur International Airport Limited (JIAL). Now the complete management of the airport lies with us in accordance with the concession agreement. Major customer-centric changes have been made at the airport and now we are looking for expansion.”

“The airport management has conducted an extensive survey at Jaipur airport which revealed that present passenger traffic of 50 lakh per annum will reach 1 crore by 2025. Considering future requirements, the management is now planning to reopen Terminal- 1 which has been non-operational for the last 10 years.”

––Senior Officer, JIAL

The official added that when Terminal 1 is open, charter flights, air ambulance flights, and some international airlines will fly from there.

Additionally, he said that Terminal-1 would be built along the same lines as Terminal-2, which is currently in use. On the lines of T-2, a sizable IT infrastructure, food and beverage services, retail establishments, environmental sustainability and zero carbon emission measures, as well as security precautions, will be in place.

According to environmental regulations, the Jaipur airport is creating a mini-forest close to Dudu town, where 4,400 trees will be planted and cared for five years. According to the official, the action is being performed legally while considering any potential damage to vegetation caused by the Terminal 1 development.

Nearly Terminal 2, the airport management has put in 50 branded retail stores, an electronic assistance desk, new e-boarding gates, automated parking, and transportation systems where private cab companies like WTI, Ola, and Uber can operate.

Work has included planting trees, and switching out older vehicles for electric ones, and this month at T-2, a public charging station for EVs will be unveiled. 

Taking future needs into account, the Adani-led management is proposing to reactivate Terminal 1, which has been inactive for the past 10 years

Moreover, modern technology has been added to new radars and runway visibility systems. Similar amenities will be made available at the soon-to-be-opened T-1.

The airport management has also stated that it needs roughly 240 CISF security officers in order to make T-1 operational, which is expected to begin operating in about six months.

According to Gautam Adani, their airport expansion plan will assist link Tier 1 cities in their country with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities using a hub-and-spoke design. It is essential to making foreign travel seamless and easy and enabling a deeper bridging of India's urban-rural divide.

With the purchase of the aerodrome license, the expansion plan will move forwards and the airport will undergo significant customer-focused adjustments.

No-frills carrier SpiceJet started non-stop flights between Pune and Bangkok on November 12. The airline also operates flights to Bangkok from Delhi and Kolkata. The airline’s B737-800 aircraft are deployed on these routes.

It has also added another flight on the Delhi-Bangkok route from November 11. It operates two daily non-stop flights from Kolkata to Bangkok, according to a release. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the Pune-Bangkok flight virtually.

SpiceJet introduces nonstop flights between Pune and Bangkok

The launch of this new flight is a significant step in strengthening Pune's international connectivity, and we will soon have a new flight connecting Pune with Singapore as well.

"We have been working relentlessly towards making Pune a world-class airport, a new terminal building is under construction and should be ready by next year, a new international cargo terminal is being built, an integrated cargo terminal is also being built and a multi-level parking is ready and is being tested."

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation

The Minister further said that Pune Airport is important in the country, and the government is giving impetus to its infrastructure development.

The new terminal of this airport will be completed by September next year, and the new international cargo terminal is expected to be developed by December 2024. Meanwhile, an integrated air cargo terminal for both international and domestic use will be developed by March 2023. Multi-level parking has already been developed and will open soon.

“We are delighted to launch an exclusive non-stop flight connecting Pune with Bangkok, one of the most sought-after international destinations for Indian travellers. The Thai capital has been a key international destination for SpiceJet for many years. We will also be strengthening connectivity between Delhi and Bangkok with an additional flight.”

Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Commercial Officer, SpiceJet

The flight between Pune and Bangkok will operate on all days except Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays whereas additional flights between Delhi and Bangkok will operate daily.

Tata Sons have started consolidating its airlines AirAsia India, Vistara, and Air India Express under the Air India banner.

This is done following discussions with Singapore Airlines (SIA), its joint venture partner in Vistara.

The move will make Air India the second largest airline in the nation in terms of market share and fleet. According to executives with insider knowledge of the situation, after the merger, the group will only have the Air India airline brand, which will operate both low-cost and full-service flights. Within a week, a formal announcement is anticipated.

While the two companies will soon start working together commercially, it will take them more than a year to start operating as a single entity. According to the executives, Air India and Tata Singapore Airlines, which operates Vistara, would merge.

They added that Vistara as a brand will discontinue. On the condition of anonymity, they stated that SIA will have a 20–25% stake in Air India and that a few Vistara board members will join Air India's board. Tata SIA Airlines, the company that owns Vistara, is 49% owned by SIA.

Vistara and Tata Sons declined to comment on the situation.

By purchasing the final 16% of the Malaysian airline, the Tata Group concluded the merger of Air India Express and AirAsia India earlier this month. CEOs Campbell Wilson of Air India, Nipun Aggarwal, Sunil Bhaskaran, and Aloke Singh of Air India Express are leading the merger process, which is anticipated to be finished within the next 12 months. 

Earlier this month, the Tata Group completed the merger of Air India Express and AirAsia India

After filing a request with the nation's antitrust authorities earlier this year to obtain complete control of the airline, Tata has now fully acquired AirAsia India.

Analysts have predicted that the group will combine AirAsia India with Air India Express as well as Vistara, its full-service joint venture with Singapore Airlines, with Air India after Tata successfully purchased Air India from the Indian government.

“Consolidation of these two airlines, both of which operate as low-cost carriers, will be undertaken as part of the restructuring roadmap that is being envisioned for the Tata group’s airline business and is expected to bring customer, revenue, cost and operational benefits through broader adoption of each airlines’ best practices, systems and routes, and the combined entity’s greater scale.”

–Air India spokesperson

The dominant 51% ownership of full-service airline Vistara is held by Tata Sons

According to insiders, the Tata Group gave SIA enough time to come up to the concept of a single aviation corporate plan.

According to one of the people, SIA consented to join the combined company because India is a significant market for the airline.

“SIA has reaped benefits from Vistara and realises that the cost of scaling up Vistara will be significantly higher as compared to Air India, which already has a significant size. They did not participate in the bidding process for Air India as Covid-19 had a significant impact on their business.”

–Source

With a legacy spanning more than 75 years and a high recall value among both Indian and international travellers, Air India has been the most dominant of the three brands.

Full-service airline Vistara will start non-stop flights between Mumbai and Muscat starting on December 12. The airline will operate daily flights between the two cities using its A320neo aircraft.

Vistara will be the only airline to offer the choice of premium economy class on the route, in addition to Business and Economy Class. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and travel agents.

Flight No.SectorFrequencyDepartureArrivalUK 0233Mumbai - MuscatDaily20:00 Hrs21:35 HrsUK 0234Muscat - MumbaiDaily22:55 Hrs3:10 Hrs (+1)FLIGHT SCHEDULE

Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan said the airline was excited to expand its presence in the Middle East with the addition of Muscat as the fourth city in the region.

“We are excited to expand our presence in the Middle East with the addition of Muscat as the fourth city in the region. Given the strong bilateral ties and the thriving trade and investment relations between India and Oman, this new route will further aid the growing traffic between the two countries. The capital city of Muscat continues to attract a significant number of expats, traders, business travellers, and high-end leisure travellers from India who will now have the choice of flying business class and premium economy on India’s best airline complemented with Vistara’s signature hospitality.”

Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara

ALSO READ - Vistara inaugurates daily non-stop flight between Mumbai and Abu Dhabi

Mumbai is also emerging as Vistara's new hub for Middle East operations, with Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Muscat now all operating out of the busy financial capital. This frees up its Delhi slots to focus on long-haul traffic, with Delhi anyway seeing intense competition on all of its Middle Eastern routes.

Vistara to commence flights between Mumbai and Muscat on its A320neo aircraft

ALSO READ - Vistara adds new flights to Frankfurt and Paris on its new B787 Dreamliner

Recently, Vistara has increased frequencies to Frankfurt and Paris starting November 10. The carrier will now operate six weekly flights between Delhi and Frankfurt, and five weekly flights between Delhi and Paris. Vistara has added these flights as its third Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner joined its fleet recently, following customisation of the leased aircraft.

The airline has a fleet of 54 aircraft, including 41 Airbus A320s, five Airbus A321neo, five Boeing 737-800NG and three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

In a bid to advance science, a decommissioned Airbus A320 is being given a new lease on life. The Hydrogen Aviation Lab has been presented as Hamburg's new field laboratory for evaluating ground operations and maintenance procedures for upcoming hydrogen-powered aircraft.

World Airline News

In order to achieve climate neutrality, the aviation sector is working to adopt hydrogen as a future energy source. This necessitates new ground infrastructure in addition to new planes. In order to create such a hydrogen infrastructure, Hamburg is leading the way: Together, Lufthansa Technik, DLR, ZAL, and Hamburg Airport will design and test ground-based methods for hydrogen technology maintenance.

Michael Westhagemann, the senator for economic affairs in Hamburg, examined the repurposed Airbus A320 on behalf of his ministry, which provided funding for the collaboration between Lufthansa Technik, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the ZAL Center for Applied Aeronautical Research, and Hamburg Airport. The installation of the hydrogen components in the upcoming months will begin with the presentation of the Hydrogen Aviation Lab.

Hamburg News

A new milestone for the project has now been attained. The aircraft, which flew for the Lufthansa Group for 30 years as "Halle a der Saale," has been readied by Lufthansa Technik for its vital next phase. The Hydrogen Aviation Lab will be equipped over the coming months with a complete set of test devices, an internal tank for liquid hydrogen and an onboard fuel cell, and supporting ground-based hydrogen infrastructure.

With the Hydrogen Aviation Lab, Hamburg has embarked on a great project. It will make a valuable contribution to enabling the use of hydrogen as a fuel for aviation. The focus on maintenance and refuelling procedures should provide us with insights that will be important for developing hydrogen infrastructure. This real-world lab lets us add a crucial building block to Hamburg's strategy to make aviation more sustainable. We are following two strategic goals: the development of a hydrogen economy in Hamburg and the decarbonisation of the mobility industries. We are very pleased to be able to make this world-first project possible through the Special Aviation Fund- Senator Michael Westhagemann comments

The project partners hope that the Hydrogen Aviation Lab will help them get ready for the handling and maintenance of hydrogen-powered aircraft, which are expected to enter service in the middle of the next decade. However, the lab will also encourage the creation of new generations of hydrogen-powered aircraft by assisting in the optimization of ground handling or maintenance processes and safety levels.

The many variables involved

Using liquid hydrogen to refuel

Representative | FuelCellWorks

What modifications can the current airport infrastructure be made to best integrate hydrogen?

How can efficient refueling procedures and times be guaranteed?

How can overfilling and wasting hydrogen be avoided?

Insulation, cooling, and workplace safety

How can ice build-up on components and surfaces be prevented?

What potential additional safety needs might emerge in the work environment?

Hydrogen gas leakage, colloquially known as "boil-off"

How can uncontrolled escape of LH2 be prevented when it becomes gaseous (GH2)?

What precautions must be taken when handling hydrogens, such as during refueling and storage?

Safety and storage measures

What safeguards must be implemented to lessen the risk of hydrogen fire?

What kind of training is required for the ground staff or maintenance staff?

And there's more...

Lufthansa-Technik

The project also entails developing a so-called digital twin of the Airbus A320, in addition, to studying using the actual hardware of the Hydrogen Aviation Lab. Researchers will be able to create and test predictive maintenance techniques for the systems and parts of upcoming aircraft generations thanks to simulations. Therefore, failures of hydrogen systems and components could be predicted using targeted data analysis before their occurrence in the physical system, allowing for prompt replacements before component failures have an impact on aircraft performance.

SOURCE: lufthansa-technik

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