FAA issues Airworthiness Directive to address unsafe conditions on all Boeing 747 models

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) to address two unsafe conditions on all Boeing 747 models. The new directive supersedes a previous notice that did not include the Boeing 747-8 and Boeing 747-8F. 

The AD, which is a final rulemaking, was published on December 22, 2022. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was issued in September 2022, when operators of the aircraft and other interested parties had an opportunity to submit responses. The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) was the only organization to put forward their proposals, agreeing with the authority on the change without additional suggestions. 

Previously, the AD affected all Boeing 747s except for the latest iteration of the type.

The FAA’s newest rulemaking addressed the unsafe conditions of two parts on the aircraft, namely the lower trailing edge panels of the left wing and a broken fuse pin of the landing gear beam end fitting. 

Prompted by damage discovered on both, the agency will now require operators to conduct additional inspections to identify cracked fuse pins, as it determined that ‘additional airplanes are subject to the unsafe condition’. The directive’s text also indicated that the NPRM, which has now resulted in a final rulemaking, ‘was further prompted by the need for new ultrasonic testing (UT) inspections for cracking of the fuse pin, and the determination that additional airplanes are subject to the unsafe condition’. 

According to the agency’s estimates, the directive will affect 207 aircraft that are registered in the United States (US). Furthermore, six potential actions need to be completed for the relevant aircraft to be airworthy. The FAA determined that the total cost for all US-based operators to replace the fuse pin would be $3.9 million, while the magnetic particle inspection can cost up to $844,560 per inspection cycle, as well as collective costs of $175,950 to complete surface inspections. All three of these aforementioned actions were retained from the preceding AD. The cost per aircraft is $19,060, $4,080, and $850 respectively, per replacement or inspection cycle, including parts and labor expenses. 

Three additional actions were introduced by the latest directive and airlines can choose which one they take to ensure the airworthiness of their 747s. A CRSE fuse pin replacement is estimated to cost $12,917 per cycle (total US operator cost of $2.6 million), steel alloy fuse replacement is priced at $13,603 per cycle (total US operator cost of $2.8 million), and surface HFEC and UT inspections can amount to $935 per inspection cycle (total US operator cost of $193,545). 

 Boeing’s final 747 rolled out of the company’s cavernous factory north of Seattle Tuesday night as airlines’ push for more fuel-efficient planes ends the more than half-century production run of the jumbo jet.

The 1,574th — and last — 747 will later be flown by a Boeing test pilot, painted and handed over to cargo and charter carrier Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings early next year.

“It’s a very surreal time, obviously,” said Kim Smith, vice president and general manager of Boeing’s 747 and 767s programs out of the assembly plant here. “For the first time in well over 50 years we will not have a 747 in this facility.”

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The lone 747, covered in a green protective coating, had been sitting inside the company’s massive assembly plant in Everett — the largest building in the world by volume, according to Boeing. The building was constructed specifically for the jumbo jet’s start of production in 1967.

Inside, Boeing crews have spent the last few days swinging the landing gears, fine-tuning cargo handling systems and finishing the interiors before the final 63-feet-tall and 250-foot-long aircraft leaves the building. Tails with customer logos that have bought the 747 line part of one of the doors.

The end of 747 production doesn’t mean the planes will disappear entirely from the skies, since the new ones could fly for decades. However, they’ve become rare in commercial fleets. United and Delta said goodbye to theirs years before the Covid pandemic, while Qantas and British Airways landed their 747s for good in 2020 during a worldwide travel slump.

“It was a great plane. It served us brilliantly,” British Airways CEO Sean Doyle said on the sidelines of an event at John F. Kennedy International Airport with partner American Airlines last week. “There’s a lot of nostalgia and love for it but when we look to the future it’s about modern aircraft, more efficiency, more sustainable solutions as well.”

The hump-backed 747 is one of the most recognizable jetliners and helped make international travel more accessible in the years after its first commercial flight in January 1970. Its four powerful engines were efficient for their time. The planes could carry hundreds of passengers at a time for long-haul flights.

The enormous jets also made it easier to fly air cargo around the world, helping companies cater to more demanding consumer tastes for everything from electronics to cheese.

The plane’s end comes as Boeing is working to regain its footing after a series of crises, including the aftermath of two deadly crashes of its bestselling 737 Max narrow-body planes that killed a total of 346 people.

The pandemic travel slump has given way to a boom in orders for new planes, but production problems have delayed deliveries of Boeing’s wide-body 787 Dreamliners. The company doesn’t expect its 777X, the largest new jet, to be ready for customers until early 2025. It also still has to deliver two 747s to serve as Air Force One, but those have been beset by delays and cost overruns as well.

Boeing shares are down about 8% this year through Monday’s close, compared with a roughly 16% drop in the broader market. Despite a recent loss, Boeing’s stock has surged about 53% so far this quarter. United’s plan to buy dozens of Dreamliners, possibly by the end of the year, has helped lift shares.

Boeing’s last 747 aircraft, #1574, at its factory in Everett, Washington.

Leslie Josephs | CNBC

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun last month said that “there will be a moment in time where we’ll pull the rabbit out of the hat and introduce a new airplane sometime in the middle of the next decade,” saying that technology needs to offer more fuel savings.

The end of 747 production was “inevitable but it would be a little more palatable if they were making something new,” said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory.

Boeing 747?s share of the world’s passenger and freighter widebody fleets

For all of its milestones airlines have long clamored for more fuel-efficient planes. Boeing’s own twin-aisle and twin-engine 777s and 787 Dreamliners have taken the spotlight along with competitors from main rival Airbus.

Airlines have largely shunned four-engine jets to make way for two-engine aircraft.

“The biggest enemy of Boeing quads was Boeing twins,” said Aboulafia.

Airbus, too, has ended production of its Airbus A380 after a 14-year run, handing over the last of the world’s largest passenger plane a year ago. Such jumbo jets are intended to funnel passengers through hub airports, but travelers often seek shorter routes with nonstop flights.

In 1990, there were 542 Boeing 747s that made up 28% of the world’s passenger wide-body fleet, according AeroDynamic Advisory, citing Centre for Aviation data. With 109 Boeing 747 planes, the jets accounted for just 2% of the world’s wide-body passenger fleet this year, according to CAPA.

The jet’s domination of the air cargo market has also waned, even as air freight emerged as a bright spot during the pandemic. The 747 comprises 21% of the world’s wide-body cargo fleet, down from 71% in 1990, according to CAPA. Airbus has begun marketing a freighter version of its wide-body competitor the A350 and Boeing is selling a freighter version of the 777X, as airlines prepare for stricter emissions standards.

Engineers, mechanics and others who worked on the 747 will move on to other plane programs as the manufacturer tries to ramp up output, Smith said.

“Those programs are very eager and kind of knocking down our door to get this level of top talent to come join their team,” she said.

Airbus says cracks in the wing spars of some of Emirates' older A380-800s are not a safety issue, and the ongoing safe operation of the A380 is not compromised.

The OEM was responding to a report by Aviation Week in which Emirates President Tim Clark said Airbus was attending to the issue that delayed the A380s return to service but agreed that it was not presenting a safety issue so far.

Clark said the airline currently has four A380s awaiting repairs which are taking weeks to complete. "They started seeing cracks appearing, so [the European Union Aviation Safety Agency] EASA got involved," Clark said. "As usual, some [aircraft] are worse than others. It is not a safety issue at the moment; we are nowhere near that. But we will have to have a regular inspection programme going forward."

The affected areas are the top and bottom flanges of the outer rear spar (ORS) between ribs 33 and 49; the outer inner front spar (OIFS) between ribs 8 and 14; and the outer front spar between ribs 38 and 49.

With 116 of the type, Emirates is the largest operator of the A380, of which it has 83 currently in service, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module.

Approached for comment, Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said: "It is not a safety issue. The ongoing safe operation of the A380 fleet is not compromised, as the mandated inspections and any necessary repairs are part of the usual airworthiness process over an aircraft's life cycle. We work closely with EASA. The Airworthiness Directive is mandating the necessary inspection and repair scheme depending on fleet age. Together with EASA, we are monitoring the inspections closely. Customers have been informed, and Airbus is working closely with each customer on solutions tailored to their fleet plans and operations."

The cracks were highlighted in an EASA Airworthiness Directive (AD) on August 31, 2022, expanding on a 2019 directive: "Occurrences have been reported of finding cracks in the affected areas of the wing ORS on in-service A380 aeroplanes. This condition, if not detected and corrected, could reduce the structural integrity of the wing."

The 2019 AD, based on Airbus service bulletin A380-57-8263, had initially determined that aircraft must be inspected 15 years after the date of the wing box assembly. However, "since that AD was issued, it has been determined that additional areas may be affected by the same unsafe condition and that all men (manufacturer serial numbers) must be inspected." EASA added, "recent inspection results have indicated the need for ORS inspection from 15 years to 12.5 years." Inspections must be repeated every three years. EASA also clarified that "the threshold might be further amended upon completion of the currently ongoing analysis."

Schaffrath explained: "It is a fleet-age issue/an issue of ageing aluminium alloy over time. It is a "fleet returning to service after storage" issue - 50% of the A380 fleet is now back into service. It is a repair topic - Airbus is working closely with its customers to support the safe return of its fleet to service, while an A380 AD is mandating inspections /solutions (last Aug 2022). The A380s are being returned to service in big numbers, confirming the strong rebounding market and customer/passenger appetite for the aircraft to address demand. This results in a peak demand for hangar space to undertake the necessary inspection and repair works. It is a known issue, nothing new, we have been working on an inspection and repair regime since 2019."

Airbus's head of the A380 programme, Pierre Henri Brousse, told Aviation Week that so far, Airbus and A380 operators have inspected around 20 aircraft that reached the 15-year threshold at the time of inspection. "On most of the aircraft, we found something," Brousse said, including five that had not yet reached the 15-year limit.

When a younger A380 was dismantled earlier this year, Airbus discovered a higher number of cracks outside the usual areas. "We launched a stress analysis and found that there was no particular issue [that needed to be addressed]."

As the first A380 delivery took place more than two years later than expected, some wing boxes were produced years before the actual entry into service of the aircraft, meaning newer aircraft could be affected too if the wings were stored for a long time.

On December 14, Brousse said younger aircraft were inspected, but so far, no findings on aircraft with wing box completion dates of less than 12.5 years required a change in the inspection and repair regime.

Airbus says wing inspections take about one week. The non-destructive test inspections can typically be performed by airlines in-house. Brousse said Airbus has no plans for wing spar redesigns. Affected parts can be repaired through local stop holes or reinforcements or will be replaced. Stop holes can be introduced in one shift, while the more extensive repairs can take one week per area affected.

According to Aviation Week, Qantas currently operates only three revenue service aircraft older than 12.5 years. Although Singapore Airlines was the first carrier to take delivery of an A380 in October 2007, that aircraft and several more of its early A380s have either been scrapped or are stored. Similarly, Emirates received its first A380 in July 2008, but that aircraft and several more have also been scrapped.

A total of 2,613 technical snag related occurrences have been reported by various airlines in the country in the last five years.

According to Ministry of Civil Aviation data, IndiGo topped the list with 885 such incidents while SpiceJet and Vistara reported 691 and 444 technical snag related occurrences, respectively between the years 2018 and 2022. While Air India (Fleet A) reported 361 such incidents, Air India (Fleet B) reported 38 technical snags. AirAsia India reporting 79 and Alliance Air 13 snags during these years.

An aircraft may experience technical snags due to malfunctioning components/ equipment fitted on the aircraft which require rectification by the airlines for continued safe, efficient and reliable air transport service, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Gen V.K. Singh (retd) told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

A total of 2,613 technical snags reported by various airlines in India in last 5 years

"These technical snags are reported by the flight crew on receiving an aural/visual warning in the cockpit or an indication of an inoperative/faulty system or while experiencing difficulty in Operating the aircraft," he said.

The minister informed the house that the snags are recorded by the flight crew in the Flight Report Book of the aircraft and after completion of the flight, this is examined by a duly qualified and type-rated Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME), as per the procedure laid down in the manufacturer's Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM)/Trouble Shooting Manual.

"The snag is thereafter rectified as per the procedure in the AMM and may involve replacement of components, testing, servicing etc. Upon satisfactory rectification, the aircraft is released for service and an entry to this effect is made in the Flight Report Book. In case of repetitive snags/ occurrences reported, then it is the responsibility of the airline/operator to approach the OEM/ manufacturer for mitigation of defects," he added.

Aircraft is considered airworthy provided the maintenance is as per the approved schedule laid down by the manufacturer.

The reply said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has not prescribed guidelines specifying life for an aircraft to fly in India. Aircraft is considered airworthy provided the maintenance is as per the approved schedule laid down by the manufacturer.

Aircraft registered in India may operate as long as the aircraft is under maintenance support provided by the manufacturer for the continuous operation of the aircraft.; The aircraft may be withdrawn from operation by an operator, in case it becomes 'beyond economic repair' or is 'permanently withdrawn from use' due to any reason such as unavailability of spares, etc, it added.

Two major pilots' unions have opposed Air India's plan to hire new captains, saying it would impact the career progression of existing first officers waiting for a command upgrade. This is the first sign of tensions between pilots and the new management of the privatised air carrier.

The union of Air India pilots, the Indian Commercial Pilot's Association (ICPA) also termed the move as a “dent in their morale' and demanded immediate withdrawal of the advertisement failing which, it said, could trigger industrial action. ICPA, in a letter to airline chairman and managing director Rohit Nanadan, has urged for a uniform career progression for the pilots.

Air India's plan to hire new captains gets no support from the pilots' union

They have also sent copies of the letter to civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, secretary of civil aviation and chief labour commissioner, New Delhi among others.

Stating that the ICPA has long been demanding a unified career progression policy so as to benefit from the combined pool of pilots in Air India by optimum use, the letter said, “Our first officer's who have been with the airline in the most testing times and have shown loyalty all throughout deserve to be upgraded to commanders as part of a unified career policy and any attempt to para-drop contractual pilots from outside will be a gross injustice to the pilot cadre of Air India."

ALSO READ - Air India pilot unions claim shortage of flying crew; slam work schedule

Air India graduated its first batch of cabin crew trainees and new pilots since privatization.

As Air India faces a shortage of pilots for Boeing 777 pilots, unions are unhappy about bringing in pilots on contract for Airbus A320 and 777 aircraft. Amidst these headwinds, Air India flights to US have been affected due to the lack of cabin crew and recently passengers bound for San Francisco were stuck in Bengaluru for 13 hours, over technical issues.

ALSO READ - Air India graduates the first batch of cabin crew trainees & pilots; ready to take off on A320 fleet

Earlier this month, Air India graduated its first batch of cabin crew trainees and new pilots since privatization. The batch of 215 cabin crew and 48 pilots, all Indian nationals, have received their wings and are now ready to be deployed to operate as fully-qualified crew. Most of these crew members will join the airline's A320 fleet.

(With Inputs from The Economic Times)

The consequences of COVID-19 reduced demand for both domestic and international travel, with a long-term expectation that this demand fall would persist. It seemed that it would be some time before we saw sizable aircraft orders again.

Despite the anticipated economic slump, airlines are expressing confidence in the future of both the short-haul and international travel markets. Considering that aeroplanes can have list prices in the tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, purchasing aircraft is not a cheap endeavour. Naturally, airlines frequently negotiate considerable discounts on these listed rates, especially if they're placing a large purchase at once. 

United Airlines recently made the biggest widebody order in North American history. Let's examine this deal as well as some of the other biggest aircraft purchases that the world has ever witnessed.

United Airlines: 100 B787 Dreamliner & 56 B737 MAX, $37 billion, 2022

On 13th December 2022, United Airlines announced a definite order for 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The US carrier has also placed 100 extra options for additional 787s in addition to the definitive order for 100 aircraft. The -8, -9, and -10 aircraft variants may all be ordered by the carrier. The deal's exact value has not been disclosed by any of the parties, although at the list price, it would be worth more than $37 billion.

Additionally, the airline is reaffirming its commitment to the Boeing 737 MAX. United Airlines has added an additional 56 new orders on top of the previous 44 options of firm orders for the MAX that have been converted. 

United announced the order of 100 B787 Dreamliners on 13th Dec, 2022

Approximately 700 brand-new aircraft are currently on order for United Airlines, and their delivery won't be a family picnic. The Boeing 787 orders placed won't be delivered for ten years. The last planes from this order will be delivered in 2032, although the first ones will arrive as early as 2024. 

On the other hand, the 44 Boeing 737 MAX variants are currently scheduled to enter service between 2024 and 2026. The delivery dates for the 56 brand-new orders are 2027 to 2028, which will add a little more time.

IndiGo Partners’: 274 A320neo & 156 A321neo, 2017

Indigo Partners, a US private equity fund, placed the largest purchase for Airbus to date in 2017. In particular, 274 A320neo aircraft and 156 bigger A321neo aircraft totalled 430 A320neo aircraft.

The ability of the corporation to distribute the aircraft across many airlines is a benefit. This gives it more wiggle room in its order (it need not confirm the precise airline split) and probably gives it more clout in negotiations. Four low-cost airlines on three continents will share the aircraft: Frontier Airlines (US), Wizz Air (Hungary), Volaris (Mexico) and JetSmart (Chile).

Wizz Air: One of the Indigo Partners

150 B777X worth $56 billion, 50 A380 worth $ 20 billion, Emirates: The Dubai Airshow of 2013

On 17th November 2013, at the 2013 Dubai Air Show, Emirates made aviation history with a record-breaking order of 150 Boeing 777X aircraft. The airline placed a $56 billion purchase for 150 brand-new Boeing 777X planes split between 35 B777-800 and 115 B777-900 planes. 

Emirates placed a record-breaking order for 150 Boeing 777X aircraft at the 2013 Dubai Air Show on November 17th

Emirates lowered the order by 24 aircraft in 2019 and decided to take the 787 instead. However, according to Sir Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, he wouldn't mind waiting longer for the 787s if it meant Boeing could prepare the 777X for him more quickly. The newest data indicate that Emirates will receive its first Dreamliner in 2024, while it will receive its first 777X by 2025. 

Emirates is the only airline in the world to operate all 6 variants of the 777 families! Moments after ordering 150 planes from Boeing, Emirates announced a whopping $20 Million purchase deal of 50 A380 aircraft from Airbus.

Lion Air: 230 B737 MAX, $21.7 billion, 2012

Lion Air wins the lead for the largest single order (although by a slim margin), with their agreement to buy 201 737 MAX aircraft in February 2012 (it then added 50 more in 2017). With a list price of $21.7 billion, it concurrently bought 29 737-900 aircraft, which Boeing referred to as its largest commercial aeroplane order to date.

With their deal to acquire 201 737 MAX aircraft in February 2012, Lion Air takes the lead for the greatest single order

Last we heard, Lion Air indicated it was still committed to the order, despite being one of the carriers severely impacted by the MAX's failing MCAS and the following decline in travel across Asia. Just this summer, the carrier received the first MAX since the model was grounded in 2019.

American Airlines: 200 B737 & 260 A320, $38 billion, 2011

American Airlines declared its intent to buy 460 narrowbody aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing in 2011. This featured 200 Boeing 737 family aircraft and 260 Airbus A320 jets, all of which were scheduled to be delivered between 2013 and 2022. At the time, the acquisition had a value of over $38 billion.

In 2011, American Airlines announced its intention to purchase 460 narrowbody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing.

"We'll have the youngest fleet among our U.S. peers within five years as a result of this deal." –Tom Horton, President, of AMR told CNN International.

80 A350 worth $16 billion, Qatar Airways: Paris Airshow 2007

Qatar Airways and Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in May 2007 for the purchase of 80 Airbus A350 XWBs, including 20 A350-800s and 40 and 20 of the -900 and -1000 variants, respectively for the list price of $16 billion. 

In May 2007, Qatar Airways and Airbus agreed to an MoU for the sale of 80 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft

Three further Airbus A380s were added to the contract, and the deal was finalised on 18th June 2007 during the Paris Air Show. The first delivery of the Airbus A350 to Qatar Airways was made in 2014. 

Historic & Unique: Pan Am’s B747 order in 1966

In 1966, Pan American World Airways, which closely collaborated with Boeing to develop the 747, made a $500 million (more than $4.1 billion in 2022) aircraft order.

Even though it wasn't the biggest aircraft order ever, it was nonetheless a huge order at the time. Without it, the jumbo might not have developed as it did since it was a significant stimulus for that development. Of course, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) continue to consult their clients, but nowadays, it is uncommon for manufacturers and airlines to work so closely together. 

Pan American World Airways placed a $500 million (more than $4.1 billion in 2022) aircraft order in 1966. Pan American World Airways worked closely with Boeing to develop the 747.

S. No.AirlineOrder YearAircraft No. of AircraftPrice1.United2022B787 Dreamliner100$37 billionB737 MAX562. Indigo Partners2017A320neo274NAA321neo1563. Emirates2013B777X (changed to B787 Dreamliner)150 (became 24 later & remaining 126 B787)$56 billion2013A38050$20 billion4. Lion Air2012B737 MAX230$21.7 billion5. American Airlines2011B737200$38 billionA3202606. Qatar Airways2007A35080$16 billion7. Pan Am1996B747NA$500 million ($4.1 billion in 2022)Bulk Aircraft Orders Throughout History (World)

History of Bulk Aircraft orders by Indian Airliners

In the world's base stations for aircraft manufacture, the Indian flag is flying proudly. Good times have returned for Boeing and Airbus since their sales will be mostly driven by Indian carriers for several years to come. Newer airlines are on the verge of entering the market, while established airliners are expanding their fleet.

Domestic airlines have a large order backlog, which is estimated to be worth over $45 billion at list prices. According to industry observers, airlines may receive bulk discounts if they place a high number of orders. Here we will view some of the historic bulk orders from Indian Airliners.

Air India: 68 Boeing Planes, $11 billion, 2005

An agreement to purchase 68 aircraft was officially announced by Air India in 2005.  At list pricing, the order, which was placed with Boeing in December 2005, is worth more than $11 billion, and deliveries are expected to start in November 2006.

Air India’s order includes 23 777s, including 8 777-200LR (Longer Range) Worldliners, 15 777-300ERs (Extended Range), and 27 787-8 Dreamliners. 18 Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft were delivered to Air India Express, which was a fully owned subsidiary of Air India.

Air India is almost prepared to make historic purchases for as many as 500 jetliners from both Airbus and Boeing as part of its current development plans.

Currently, Air India has a fleet size of 112 aircraft comprising both Boeing and Airbus planes. As part of its present development plans, Air India is almost ready to place historic orders for as many as 500 jetliners from both Airbus and Boeing, totalling tens of billions of dollars.

Also read: Air India jumbo aircraft order to include B737 MAX and B787 Dreamliner

Up to 400 narrow-body aircraft and 100 or more wide-body aircraft, including numerous Airbus A350s and Boeing 787 and 777s, may be ordered. Such a transaction would be among the largest by a single airline in terms of volume and may exceed $100 billion at list pricing, including any options. The deal has not yet been completed.

Go Air (now Go First): 72 A320neo, $7 billion, 2011

As part of an expansion effort, Go Airlines (India) Ltd, which operates under the GoAir name, has a contract with Airbus to purchase 72 A320neo aircraft. At current list pricing, the agreement, which was inked at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, is estimated to be worth $7.73 billion.

GoAir placed its most recent purchase after agreeing to a similar deal for 72 A320neo in 2011

GoAir placed its most recent order after reaching a comparable agreement for 72 A320neo in 2011. In June 2022, the first two aeroplanes from the 2011 order were delivered.

SpiceJet: 155 B737 MAX, $22 billion, 2017

In a $22 billion contract with Boeing in 2017, SpiceJet placed an order for 155 B737 MAX aircraft, with an option for a further 50. As of June 2022, the airline has 13 of these aircraft in its fleet but has plans to add more. 

Ajay Singh, the chairman of SpiceJet, revealed in 2021 that the company plans to introduce 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft by 2022–2023 in order to replace its ageing Boeing 737-800 NG fleet.

Currently, SpiceJet has 38 B737 MAX in service

In fact, he had predicted the business would get its 14th MAX by December 10th of the previous year. Currently, SpiceJet has 38 B737 MAX in service.

IndiGo: 300 A320neo & A321XLR, $33 billion, 2019

IndiGo placed an order for 300 A320neo family aircraft in 2019 for the cost of $33 billion. The A321XLR is also part of this order, though it's not clear how many. With a range of 4700 nautical miles, the A321XLR opens up enormous potential for IndiGo, offering trips to London, European capitals, much of Africa, and even Perth, Australia. It plans to become an all-A320neo airline in the coming years.

Airbus marks its 1,000th A320neo Family aircraft delivery in October 2019

Akasa Air: 72 B737 MAX, $9 billion, 2021

Akasa Air has ordered 72 Boeing 737 MAX in 2021 at a list price of $9 billion. The high-capacity 737-8-200 and the 737-8, both from the Boeing 737 MAX series, were ordered by Akasa Air. 

The first B737 was received on 16th June 2022. Out of 72 aircraft, Akasa plans to induct 18 of them by March 2023. Till now, Akasa Air has 11 B737 MAX in service. 

Akasa's first B737 was received on 16th June 2022

S. No.AirlineOrder YearAircraft No. of AircraftPrice1.Air India2005B77723$11 billionB787 Dreamliner27B737-800182. Go Air2011A320neo72$7 billion3. SpiceJet2017B737 MAX155$22 billion4. IndiGo2019A320neo300$33 billionA321XLRNA5. Akasa Air2021B737 MAX72$9 billionBulk Aircraft Orders Throughout History (India)

In order to reduce the check-in time, the Centre has asked airlines to issue flight tickets with barcodes. However, the airlines have opposed the move saying that a large number of tickets are issued by travel agents and they should not be held responsible for it, a report in the Economic Times (ET) said.

A senior official told ET that one of the bottlenecks at major airports was the entry gates.

"Passengers turn up with different formats of air tickets which then have to be manually checked by the security personnel at the entry gate. So, despite airports like Delhi and Mumbai having 2-D barcode scanners at entry gates, it cannot be used leading to an increase in queuing," he said.

India's major airports, especially Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, have been facing massive congestion with passengers complaining of long waiting times at entry gates and security checks.

The e-tickets with barcodes were originally suggested by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The move is also expected to prevent people with fake tickets from entering the airports.

Airlines, however, said that they couldn't maintain a uniform format for such tickets as travel agents do not have the facility to provide a 2-D barcode.

"IATA mandates that e-tickets should have information only about the passenger, PNR, and his journey. A barcode is mandatory there as it is usually on the boarding card...Small travel agents will not have the resources to issue tickets with barcodes," an executive of the airline told ET.

According to airlines, the Centre should make web check-in necessary.

(With Inputs from The Economic Times)