Indigo and Jetstar virtual interlinear partnership goes live

The partnership between Singapore-based Jetstar Asia and India's biggest airline IndiGo has gone live, which will allow flyers to book direct flights to several Indian cities, the two companies said in a press statement on August 17.

ALSO READ - IndiGo and Jetstar team up in a virtual interline agreement

The virtual interlinear partnership, announced in April, will allow Jetstar customers in Singapore and Southeast Asia to book low-cost direct flights and connections to India. Jetstar Asia Airways Pte Ltd is one of the Asian offshoots of Jetstar Airways, the low-cost subsidiary of Australia's Qantas airline.

Jetstar has a hub at the Changi Airport and travellers can now book low-cost direct flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata. Jetstar Asia operates to 11 destinations in Southeast Asia.

"This strategic agreement will enable both airlines to tap into the rising demand for international travel, with the upcoming festive season. The partnership will enable customers to enjoy seamless connectivity between Jetstar and IndiGo and access to a wide variety of destinations across Asia-Pacific. This partnership will also help us to expand our international connectivity to yet another continent through Jetstar’s network. We look forward to having Jetstar’s customers on our lean clean flying machine, as we extend to them our on-time, affordable, courteous and hassle-free travel experience."Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo

The virtual interline partnership between the two airlines will be through Dohop, a technology company and flight search engine. This is Jetstar's second virtual interlining partnership following a similar arrangement with Tiger Taiwan made in December 2019.

“Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for Jetstar as we continue to expand our network via Singapore’s Changi Airport through our partnership with IndiGo. Jetstar Connect allows us to offer our customers more exciting opportunities to travel and more great value fares all at the click of a button, making travel even more accessible."Poh Tiong Seng, Commercial Lead, Jetstar Asia

Jetstar and IndiGo are also strategic partners of Changi Airport Group. Jetstar operates an extensive domestic network as well as regional and international services from its main base at Melbourne Airport, using a mixed fleet of the Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has signed an MoU for establishing an office in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The office in Malaysia will help HAL in tapping the new business opportunities for Fighter Lead-in Trainer (FLIT) LCA and other requirements of Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) like Su-30 MKM and Hawk upgrades, the Bengaluru-headquartered company said in a statement.

"It will reinforce the commitment of India in supporting the Malaysian Defence Forces and industry for sustainable aerospace and defence landscape in Malaysia", it said.

https://twitter.com/HALHQBLR/status/1560118381633683456

HAL submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Malaysia, in October 2021 for the supply of 18 FLIT LCAs against a global tender issued by RMAF.

ALSO READ - India: Top contender for Malaysia’s fighter jet order

"The final winner of the tender is expected to be declared soon by Malaysian authorities. LCA Tejas stands a fair chance of selection in the bid as it meets all the parameters sought by RMAF," according to HAL.

ALSO READ - Shares of HAL surge as LCA Tejas becomes the top contender for Malaysia’s fighter jet order

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has signed an MoU for establishing an office in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).

Further, being one of the largest producers of Russian-origin Su-30 aircraft, HAL said it has the capabilities to extend the required support to RMAF for the Su-30 MKM fleet which is facing low serviceability issues due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis.

HAL can support RMAF for upgrading their Hawk fleet as well. Other HAL platforms like HTT-40, Do-228, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) have the potential to be inducted by RMAF in future, the statement said.

"Considering the above factors, HAL's office in Kuala Lumpur will take up the market promotion of HAL's range of products and services not only in Malaysia but in the entire South East Asia," HAL said.

HAL submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Malaysia, in October 2021 for the supply of 18 FLIT LCAs against a global tender issued by RMAF.

The office will also contribute to increasing the serviceability of existing platforms being operated by RMAF and for neighbouring Air Forces in the region, it was stated.

The MoU was signed by GM, LCA, HAL, Ravi K and Major (R) Mohd Husairi Bin Mat Zain of Forte Drus, the official representative of HAL in Malaysia.

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, High Commissioner of India in Malaysia, B N Reddy and Additional Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjay Jaju, were among those present on the occasion.

HAL can support RMAF for upgrading their Hawk fleet as well.

The office in Malaysia will be the first one dedicated solely to focusing on marketing and business development, sources said. However, the office in Kuala Lumpur will not be HAL’s first office abroad.

ALSO READ - India offers to set up production facilities for LCA Tejas and helicopters in Egypt

It has offices in London and Moscow but these are primarily to liaison for existing deals for Hawk trainer aircraft and Russian fighters. HAL is also in talks with Egypt for a possible sale of the LCA Tejas. India has offered to set up a production facility in Egypt.

New entrant Akasa Air is financially strong enough to place an aircraft order in the 18 next months that will be significantly larger than its first, its founder and CEO Vinay Dube said.

The carrier, which took to the skies on August 7, received its third aircraft on August 16 and the same will be used for flights on the Mumbai-Bengaluru route shortly.

With the passing away of ace investor Jhunjhuwala, whose backing itself had provided a tailwind for the country’s newest airline, the future trajectory of the airline will be closely watched.

The airline on November 26 last year signed its first aircraft deal with Boeing to purchase 72 Max planes.

Against this backdrop, Dube thanked Jhunjhunwala for his support in recruiting some of the best aviation talents in the country.

"He wanted us to have a top-notch leadership team that made all day-to-day decisions at the airline without having to fall back on him or any other investor.The airline will continue to grow its fleet by adding one new aircraft every two weeks. Thanks in no small part to Jhunjhunwala, for which we will always be grateful, Akasa Air is a well-capitalised airline with the financial means to induct 72 aircraft over the next five years."Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air

Akasa’s biggest investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala died last week. His family holds 45% of the airline through three trusts named after his children. He was very bullish on the aviation market in India.

The airline has received three of the aforementioned 72 aircraft to date.

The airline, which recently started flying, received its third aircraft in Delhi, which will be put into operation in the Mumbai-Bengaluru sector shortly. The carrier will continue to grow its fleet by adding one new aircraft every two weeks.

ALSO READ - Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s Akasa Air signs deal for 72 Boeing 737 Max planes

Redbird Flight Training Academy has tied up with Airbus to provide type-rating training to its students aspiring to become commercial pilots for the A320 aircraft. The lack of sufficient qualified pilots is a Global Issue, with steep and expensive entry requirements, many choose not to undergo the necessary training.

Airlines worldwide have teamed up with flight schools to try and secure future pilots before other airlines can. This does not help the overall shortage but does ease the airline for a short timeframe. The latest partnership between Redbird and Airbus is a bit different.

Training will be provided by Airbus-approved instructors.

This partnership allows the smooth transition of pilots into any airline that operates the A320 family once the required amount of flight hours has been gained.

Airbus will deliver the Jet Orientation Course (JOC) and Multi-crew Cockpit Co-operation (MCC) - theory and Full Flight Simulator (FFS) sessions to students. Training will be provided by Airbus-approved instructors at the Airbus India Training Centre (AITC) in Gurugram, commencing from August 29th, 2022.

"This merged platform for quality training has been created to continue celebrating ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ wherein Redbird empowers all future aviators to attain their full potential and ensure a strong future - it is a testament to our commitment to train "Safest and the Best Pilots" for Indian aviation."Major Manjit Rajain, Chairman, Redbird Flight Training Academy

Traditionally, pilots graduate from flight school with a Commercial Pilots License. Then they must acquire sufficient hours to go to an airline where they would earn both their Airline Transport License and a type rating for the aircraft they will be flying.

Candidates will be awarded a certificate from Airbus upon completion of the course.

With this new program, these pilots will be able to go to an airline and only need to earn their ATP license. This will make the transition smoother for the pilots while making them more appealing to airline candidates.

"Our training centre already offers comprehensive and highly customised training programmes for pilots, maintenance crew and engineers. This partnership with Redbird is another step forward in building resilient and skilled professionals that will help address the growing demand for pilots in the region."Edward Delahaye, Head of Customer Accounts, Airbus India and South Asia

Pilots holding a valid Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with a valid medical certificate will be eligible to enrol for the course which occurs over 60 days.

Candidates will be awarded a certificate from Airbus upon completion of the course and attain the minimum qualifications required to act as a First Officer on A320.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has approved the setting up of an aviation museum at the civil aerodrome in Patiala. Mann gave his nod to the proposal given by the Punjab State Civil Aviation Council.

Mann said Punjab's century-old history of operating in the civil aviation sector needs to be showcased for the knowledge and education of the coming generations.

He said the proposed Punjab Aviation Museum will be established at the civil aerodrome, in Patiala, adding that it must exhibit the history and artefacts of the aviation sector in the state. Besides replicas of aircraft, photographs, maps, models, diagrams, clothing and equipment used by aviators can also be displayed in this museum.

Punjab to get its very first aviation museum set up in Patiala

The Patiala Aviation Complex, a heritage institution spread over 350 acres, will house the proposed museum with a built-up area of 1 lakh sq ft. The museum will be housed on a site of around 2.21 acres.

Patiala Flying Club, Punjab Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering College and the Polo Grounds too are located inside the aviation complex on Sangrur Road in Patiala.

The CM said the upcoming museum should also have sets of periodicals, technical manuals, photographs and personal archives, which are often made available to aviation researchers for use in writing articles or books or to aircraft restoration specialists working on restoring an aircraft.

Spread over an area of 350 acres, Patiala Aviation Complex is a heritage institution that was set up in the first decade of the 20th century.

The club already has a single-engine Cessna 172 glass cockpit simulator for instrument flying

The upcoming aviation museum complex will consist of the main museum building, a semi-covered display area for some contemporary and vintage aircraft, an audio-visual room, a workshop-cum-interactive learning centre for school children, and amphitheatre, a souvenir shop, and a cafeteria.

The erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, is known to be the Indian to own an aircraft. He had bought a Bristol Boxkite aircraft in 1911, making Patiala the home to the legacy of aviation history in India.

The club already has a single-engine Cessna 172 glass cockpit simulator for instrument flying and instrument procedure training, state-of-the-art training aids, a well-equipped library and modern classrooms for ground training.

Patiala Flying Club, Punjab Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering College and the Polo Grounds too are located inside the aviation complex on Sangrur Road in Patiala.

Mann directed the Public Works Department to execute the entire project in a smooth and result-oriented manner to ensure that it is completed within time.

Hyderabad-based architectural firm SMG Design has bagged the project for planning and designing the museum. Led by architect Srinivas Murthy, the firm has undertaken many big museum projects including the under-construction Sea Harrier Museum and Sub-Marine Museum in Visakhapatnam.

The erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, is known to be the Indian to own an aircraft. He had bought a Bristol Boxkite aircraft in 1911, making Patiala the home to the legacy of aviation history in India.

Emirates has kick-started its plans to upgrade the entire interior cabins of 120 Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft – two of the largest commercial aircraft types in service today.

This is a multi-billion dollar investment project to ensure Emirates’ customers “fly better” for the coming years, officially commences in November and is managed entirely by Emirates’ Engineering team.

The target is to completely retrofit four Emirates aircraft from start to finish every month, continuously for over 2 years. Once the 67 earmarked A380s are refreshed and back in service, 53 777s will undergo their facelift.

Emirates to completely revamp the interiors of its A380 and B777

Emirates is the largest A380 operator with a fleet of 123 aircraft of this type. The airline operates more than half of its A380s but expects to operate up to 90 by the end of the year according to Richard Jewsbury, divisional vice president of the UK at Emirates. 

ALSO READ - Emirates’ CEO wants Airbus to create a replacement for the A380 superjumbo

This will see nearly 4,000 brand new Premium Economy seats installed, 728 First Class suites refurbished and over 5,000 Business Class seats upgraded to a new style and design when the project is complete in April 2025.

In addition, carpets and stairs will be upgraded, and cabin interior panels refreshed with new tones and design motifs including the iconic ghaf trees which are native to the UAE.

Carpets and stairs will be upgraded, and cabin interior panels refreshed with new tones and design motifs including the iconic ghaf trees which are native to the UAE.

No other airline has handled a retrofit of this magnitude in-house, and there’s no blueprint for such an undertaking. Therefore Emirates Engineering teams have been planning and testing extensively, to establish and streamline processes, and identify and address any possible snags. 

Trials began on an A380 in July, where experienced engineers took each cabin apart piece by piece and logged every step. From removing seats and panelling to bolts and screws, every action was tested, timed and mapped out.

Potential impediments to completing the installation of Emirates’ new Premium Economy Class or the retrofit of the remaining three cabins in just 16 days were flagged and documented for expert teams to review and address.

Trials began on an A380 in July, where experienced engineers took each cabin apart piece by piece and logged every step

As part of the programme, new purpose-built workshops will be set up at Emirates Engineering to repaint, re-trim and re-upholster Business and Economy Class seats with new covers and cushions.

First Class suites will be carefully disassembled and sent to a specialised company to replace the leather, armrests and other materials. 

From the trials, Engineers discovered several unexpected solutions for instance: that existing food catering trucks could be easily repurposed to move parts destined for refurbishment from the aircraft to the workshop for their refresh, as these vehicles had doors of the right width and offer sufficient space.

Until the retrofit programme starts in earnest in November, a cross-disciplinary team has been assembled to regularly review the planning process, address any issues, and track updates on various aspects of the project such as procurement, staffing, and training.

First Class suites will be carefully disassembled and sent to a specialised company to replace the leather, armrests and other materials. 

Emirates’ new Premium Economy cabin class, which offers luxurious seats, more legroom, and service to rival many airlines’ business offerings, is currently available to Emirates customers travelling on popular A380 routes to London, Paris, and Sydney.

More customers will be able to experience the airline’s new Premium Economy cabins starting from year-end, as the retrofit programme picks up momentum.

The news of the retrofit program follows an earlier announcement when the airline revealed a USD 2 billion-dollar investment to improve its inflight passenger experience as part of its ‘Fly Better’ program.