IndiGo plans a seat makeover for its aircraft

An airline seat is a seat on an airliner in which passengers are accommodated for the duration of the journey. Such seats are usually arranged in rows running across the aeroplane's fuselage. A diagram of such seats in an aircraft is called an aircraft seat map.

Indian low-cost giant IndiGo has placed an order to change seats of some of its planes, says CEO Ronojoy Dutta.

“We have decided on new seats on some of our planes with more cushioning and these planes will have more legroom for passengers. These single aisles will be used for up to 7-hour international flights. We are also looking at having ovens in these planes. Actually, we had never stopped looking at ovens.” Ronojoy Dutta, CEO, IndiGo

The decision means that IndiGo will reduce the density of its packed A321neos to accommodate well-padded seats, more pitch, and a modern galley offering hot dishes. This is a direct response to passenger complaints on flights to Istanbul, an over seven-hour journey made by the Airbus narrowbody. After a year of cold meals, only hot pot noodles, and thin seats, IndiGo is set to go the extra mile.

IndiGo A320 Seat Plus XL

IndiGo, which flies nearly six out of every ten domestic passengers, is currently ignoring the possibility of using wide-body aircraft for international flights. When asked if IndiGo will now consider Qatar Airways' long-standing offer to buy a stake in the company to compete with the combined Tata Group airlines, which will soon include AI and AI Express, Dutta said the promoters would make that decision.

IndiGo, which has a 57 % domestic market share, has yet to face serious competition from other airlines. It had become the single largest airline for international carriage before the pandemic, owing to its large number of flights to nearby countries, particularly the Gulf.

Today, IndiGo’s fleet has evolved beyond just one type. To serve regional routes across the country, the carrier added a fleet of ATR72-600 from 2017 onward. As of now, IndiGo operates a fleet of 250 aircraft, including:

133 Airbus A320neos45 A321neos39 A320-200s33 ATR72-600

IndiGo's A321neo

The cabin configuration is also fairly consistent. The A320s have a 3-3 all-economy seating configuration with 180-186 seats. In the same layout as the smaller A321neos, the larger A321neos have 221-232 seats. Legroom and recline are limited, as one would expect from an LCC, but not the worst in the industry.

IndiGo, on the other hand, recently announced that for flights longer than seven hours, it will configure select A321neos in a long-haul configuration. More comfortable seats, more legroom, and ovens for hot in-flight meals will be available on these planes.

IndiGo debuted in 2006 with a world-record-breaking aircraft deal. The carrier's growth has continued, and it now has around 700 planes on order with Airbus.

IndiGo was one of the early customers for the A321XLR. The carrier hopes to disrupt the long-haul market with these jets, flying to Western European destinations like Paris and London as well as further East to Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.

IndiGo is Airbus' most valuable customer in India at the moment, with Boeing trailing far behind in the narrow-body market. IndiGo hopes to maintain its current growth by taking on more orders, which is unavoidable.

Despite IndiGo's love for the A320, widebodies have come upon several occasions. The carrier has resisted pulling the trigger each time, opting instead to use longer-range narrowbodies for operations.

IndiGo is headquartered in Gurgaon. It is the largest airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size. It is also the largest individual Asian low-cost carrier in terms of jet fleet size and passengers carried, and the sixth-largest carrier in Asia with over 6.4 crores (64 million) passengers carried in the financial year 2018–19.

The airline operated 1,500 daily flights as of 2019 to 95 destinations – 71 domestic and 24 international. It has its primary hub at IGI Airport, Delhi.

The airline was founded as a private company by Rahul Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises and Rakesh Gangwal in 2006. It took delivery of its first aircraft in July 2006 and commenced operations a month later. The airline became the largest Indian carrier by passenger market share in 2012. The company went public in November 2015.

India-US nonstop connectivity has got a boost with American Airlines resuming flights to the country after almost a decade.

The carrier officially inaugurated nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). The first flight arrived at the IGI on Saturday, November 13 night.

American Airlines' B777 at IGI. (Image Courtesy - Twitter - Saurabh Sinha)

This flight was supposed to start October-end but was deferred by a couple of weeks for the November 8 US reopening for international travellers.

Similarly, American’s Bengaluru-Seattle that was to start from January 4, 2022, has been deferred by a few months to March-end as corporate travel is yet to pick up and is expected to show signs of revival by then.

The airline has last flown to India in 2012 when it terminated its Chicago-Delhi route that was launched in 2007.

“There is tremendous demand for travel between India and the US, thanks to the large diaspora and growing business ties. The pandemic has led to a preference among people to travel nonstop instead of going one-stop. There is huge potential for expansion in India. Mumbai is one place we are looking at closely. We will see how these two routes that we have announced do and then decide.Our India flights will have a feel of the country in terms of meals, inflight entertainment content, and Hindi-speaking crew. Our aircraft have onboard WiFi from Panasonic that have great oceanic coverage too."Tom Lattig, Managing Director (Sales), American Airlines

The airline has deployed its 304-seater Boeing 777-300ER on the Delhi route with four cabins — 216 seats in economy, 28 premium economy, 52 in business and 8 in first.

American recently entered into a codeshare agreement with IndiGo and will put its code on 29 of IndiGo’s domestic routes in India for seamless nationwide connectivity.

AAdvantage members will earn miles when travelling on American codeshare flights operated by IndiGo. Customers travelling in American’s Flagship® Business cabin will have access to IndiGo partner lounges in their originating cities.

On several routes between India and the United States, Air India and United operate nonstop flights. Delta stopped flying to this city in March 2020 and has yet to resume.

Before the pandemic, most travels between the two continents was done in one-stop flights via hubs in the Gulf, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Covid, on the other hand, is expected to change the trend to nonstops. During Covid, both AI and United, which will soon be a part of the Tata Group, increased direct services between India and the United States, including the introduction of new routes such as Bengaluru-San Francisco.

(With Inputs from The Times of India)

Cover Image - Wikimedia Commons

Lufthansa Technology has come up with an innovative cabin layout- a concept it has taken from the waters and plans to bring it out into the skies.

Lufthansa

The wealthy and the super affluent have a knack for possessing a high end and flamboyant collection of cars and yachts in their arsenal. Now we've all seen an Airbus A330 fly as a passenger and a freighter version as well. What do you get when you combine the existing features on an A330 with that of a high-end yacht? 

We analyzed the typical elements of the Explorer boat class in order to transfer the design idea behind it from the water to the air, and thus into a new cabin designJan Grube, Sales Director in Lufthansa Technik's VIP & Special Mission Aircraft Services

A super flying yacht with its own private space and entertainment area- that's what! And that's exactly what the company has been trying to experiment-this time on an A330.

AeroTime Hub

Lufthansa Technik regularly develops new VIP aircraft cabin concepts that both meet the latest market requirements and represent the latest trends. With this red-hot study we continue this tradition in an innovative way. We are developing the ‘Explorer Design' for a completely new target groupWieland Timm, Head of Sales VIP & Special Mission Aircraft Services, at Lufthansa Technik

The VIP cabin concept, dubbed "EXPLORER", in addition to serving as a mode of intercontinental transport, would also serve as a state-of-the-art hotel and base camp for the affluent trotting around the globe.

EXPLORER

The design was first unveiled at At the Monaco Yacht Show 2021, wherein the company showcased its pioneering cabin design. "EXPLORER" was named so, taking inspiration from superyachts by the same name- synonymous with providing world-class travel facilities.

Lufthansa

The company chose the iconic Airbus Corporate Jet ACJ330 as a platform to implement its design.

Visitors enter the aircraft by opening a cargo door. Once into the aircraft, it's no longer a cargo door, the passengers are welcomed into a spacious verandah instead.

Secondly, the uber-spacious entertainment area can be used for a host of activities-dining, meditative practices to name a few. What's more, it can also be converted into a dance floor depending on individual preferences.

Lufthansa

If you are in an aircraft for two weeks, flying around the world, you probably also want to party at some pointTimm laughs

One feature that completely stands out is the projection system which apparently covers a huge portion of the ceiling and the sides of the cabin. An integrated system of 20-30 inbuilt projectors, the system is designed by German firm Diehl. Depending on the projection content, the cabin can be turned into anything from an underwater museum to fishes and sea creatures swimming overhead.

There are thousands of different patterns to choose fromTimm adds

And if that wasn't enough, the flying superyacht also features a "garage" on the lower deck, which is visible from the main deck.

Additionally, it also includes four bedroom suites, a spa and a small gym room that can fit a treadmill or a bike. Furthermore, it also has provisions for installing an intensive care unit if need be.

This concept is missing from the market, people are looking for it. People are paying $100,000-$200,000 per person per week for luxury tailor-made trips. And if they are spending so much, they want some entertainmentTimm

Tim further states that although the company is ready to take on orders, it will take another 16-17 months realistically to build the cabin and find the aircraft.

So it will take between two and three years for the final product to be ready. But this is normal and not COVID-19 relatedTimm

The company would be unveiling its innovative cabin concept at a major event at the Dubai Airshow 2021, which happens to commence today.

Lufthansa Technik business, part of Lufthansa Group, is mainly known for its maintenance, repair and overhaul work. The VIP and Special Mission division, based in Hamburg, installs luxury cabins onboard jet planes, and this includes the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 family aircraft and even the larger A350s and B747s. 

COVER: Lufthansa

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in collaboration with TCS, launched the eGCA, a portal that provides end-to-end digital solutions for all its stakeholders, including pilots, aircraft engineers, operators and flying training organizations.

With this portal, DGCA and TCS will help eGCA to deliver anytime-anywhere regulatory approval.

The Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on November 11 launched the e-governance for Civil Aviation (e-GCA) online platform through which the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation will provide 298 services including pilot licensing and medical examination.

Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya schindia (right) with Civil Aviation Secretary, Rajiv Bansal (Left) at the launch. (Image Courtesy - ET TravelWorld)

The online platform will provide services to various DGCA stakeholders such as Pilots, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Air Traffic Controllers, Air Operators, Airport Operators, Flying Training Organizations, Maintenance and Design organizations, among others.

The launch of the e-GCA project under DGCA was part of the minister's 100-day plan for the aviation sector. The portal was developed by Tata Consultancy Services.

The DGCA has been transferring its services online for the last four years now and the launch of the online portal now completes the transfer of most of the regulator's services online.

''And through this transformation (DGCA to e-GCA), we have achieved a number of objectives of becoming a single-window online service platform, eliminating procedural inefficiencies and automating regulatory reporting,'' Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

With this portal, DGCA and TCS will help eGCA to deliver anytime-anywhere regulatory approval. (Image Courtesy - Prokerala)

Medical clearance for pilots will now be done in 2-3 days, which earlier used to take at least a month, he added. For pilots' licenses, earlier things used to happen offline which is now being moved online, he further informed.During the launch, the Union Minister of Civil Aviation also unveiled a case study ‘DGCA takes off on a digital flight’, which captures the journey of DGCA through the implementation of the eGCA. The challenges that DGCA faced and the measures taken to address these through the eGCA platform have been incorporated in this case study.

TCS had won the mandate from DGCA in 2019 to digitize its daily operations. Over the last 2.5 years, TCS has streamlined 300 services, with the first set of services being made live on 30th December 2019. The platform, an e-governance tool for Civil Aviation, will provide a new service mechanism for all the stakeholders, keeping customers at its forefront.

Tej Bhatla, Business Unit Head, TCS, said, “We are proud to have partnered with DGCA to bring the best use of technology in building eGCA - a future-ready platform that enhances efficiency and strengthens governance. For us, this is another memorable #tcspartofyourstory for #digitalindia, built on the belief and faith that DGCA had in us.”

DGCA is the safety regulator for India’s expansive civil aviation sector and is responsible for safe and efficient air transportation through a regulatory framework, services to stakeholders, and proactive safety oversight. Before its switch to digital governance, the regulatory body functioned predominately on a paper-based model. This led to longer processing times for applications and stakeholders were not able to track the status of their application on a real-time basis.

The portal has digitised 11 key organizational functions. With the eGCA platform, one can register, apply, track and obtain licenses and approvals digitally, which will improve efficiency, transparency and ensure better governance. It will ensure single-window applications for all concerned directorates and digital application processes can be accessed anytime, anywhere. eGCA also offers Akash, a ChatBot that will address queries and concerns in real-time.

ZeroAvia, the zero-emission passenger aircraft manufacturer, on Tuesday, entered into a collaboration with HAL, to manufacture a hydrogen-electric powertrain capable of flying the 19-seat Dornier 228 aircraft.

Dornier DO228 | Wikipedia

The engineering team at HAL and ZeroAvia would integrate ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain into the Dornier 228 airframe, making it capable of clocking distances as long as 500NM.

HAL intends to work with ZeroAvia to develop a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to allow retrofit of existing airframes for both Indian military and worldwide operators. HAL also intends to continue to build new aircraft with additional FAA approval, designated Hindustan-228, creating the opportunity to incorporate ZeroAvia’s ZA600 zero-emission engines. Additionally, HAL and ZeroAvia engineers will integrate ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain into the Dornier 228 airframe. ZeroAvia will work closely with HAL and aircraft regulators during this project to ensure that aircraft meet both safety and operational requirements,ZeroAvia

For the unversed, HAL had signed a technology transfer agreement with Dornier in 1983 and has since then produced main sub-assemblies and over 150 aircraft, including those operated by the Indian Military.

HAL is committed to contributing to the protection and better development of the environment. This MoU with ZeroAvia has the potential to pave the way for zero emission regional connectivity. We are looking forward to steering and supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation in India and the worldR Madhavan, chairman and managing director, HAL

R Madhavan | The Rahnuma Daily

HAL Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur, is where the production line of Dornier 228 is currently operational.

We are pleased to be working with HAL to deliver zero-emission aircraft to market in the shortest time frame. HAL has a long experience with the Dornier 228 aircraft and since this is also our flight test aircraft, this collaboration helps us achieve our goal of certifying our engine whilst providing an STC solution to operators worldwideVal Miftakhov, CEO and founder, ZeroAvia

Val Miftakhov | Silicon Canals

COVER: The Indian Express

Some members of a parliamentary panel on Friday, November 12 expressed concern over the high cost of international air travel and suggested to the Civil Aviation Ministry to consider resuming scheduled international passenger flights as the entire world is opening up after the COVID-19-induced closure, sources said.

The members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture also questioned top officials of the ministry over rising prices of international flights, the sources said.

The pandemic-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights, which started on March 23, 2020, has been extended till November 30, 2021. However, special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 2020 and bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with around 28 countries since July 2020.

(Image Courtesy - BBC)

Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal, the Director-General of Civil Aviation and the Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) deposed before the parliamentary panel on Friday, November 12.

Some panel members from different parties questioned them about the high prices of international flights, and food and beverage not being served in domestic flights of a duration less than two hours, the sources said.

Several MPs specifically suggested they resume international flights as the world is opening up after increasing vaccination against COVID-19. The officials responded that they will look into the matter, sources said.

The MPs also asked them on what basis the number of international flights to be allowed to one specific country is decided as the demand for international travel is on the rise, they said.

(Image Courtesy - Curly Tales)

If recent reports are to be believed, India is looking to increase the number of international flights operating to and from the country in the upcoming weeks.

With over 100 crore doses administered and 85% of the country’s eligible population receiving at least one dose, Indian officials are in talks with domestic and international airlines as well as other countries to increase flight capacity during travel bubbles, according to senior officials.

With countries in Europe, the Middle East, North America, and elsewhere, India has established several air bubble travel agreements. Air bubbles allow international flights between two countries to operate under certain restrictions and stipulations, even if international flights are restricted in one of the two countries.