Vietjet to connect the coastal city of Da Nang with 5 Indian cities

Vietnamese airline Vietjet will connect its coastal city Da Nang with five cities as it looks to boost its presence in the largest country of the subcontinent.

The airline will connect New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru with the Vietnamese coastal city Da Nang. The new services will start within the third quarter of 2022 with four to seven return flights per week.

Vietjet currently operates four services between Vietnam and India, including New Delhi/Mumbai - Hanoi and New Delhi/Mumbai - Ho Chi Minh City. It has already announced its plans to launch two more routes, connecting New Delhi and Mumbai with the island city of Phu Quoc in September 2022.

Vietjet to connect the coastal city of Da Nang with 5 Indian cities

ALSO READ - Vietjet to resume India-Vietnam flights from April 29 with new routes

The services between Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi and New Delhi resumed on April 29th and April 30th, respectively, with a frequency of three weekly return flights on each route.

The announcement to commence five new routes was recently made at the Da Nang Investment Forum 2022, Vietjet said. The event also marks Vietjet's announcement to incorporate Da Nang's tourism symbol on its fleet to promote the city globally.

"Vietjet believes that the new routes announced today will continue to contribute to opening more opportunities, promoting economic, trade and business investment between Da Nang and other Vietnamese cities and regional destinations.Da Nang is Vietnam's one of the most attractive destinations for international tourists. Vietjet has transported nearly 22 million passengers from and to Da Nang so far and currently operates eight domestic and five international routes from and to the coastal city."Nguyen Thanh Son, President, VietJet

With many positive activities and connections with Da Nang along Vietnam's 'Central heritage road', Vietjet has constantly opened more routes, offering more flight options with diversified flight schedules and a happy experience for passengers on its new and modern fleet, the airline said.

VietJet expects decent load factors this summer season and announced the resumption of several other routes earlier this year. The carrier has reopened services and increased frequency on several international routes such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

VietJet expects decent load factors this summer season and announced the resumption of several other routes earlier this year.

The budget airline also plans to use the new Airbus A330 and A321XLR aircraft to develop new long-haul routes targeting Europe and Australia. Its goal is "to connect Vietnam to the world and bring the world to Vietnam."

VietJet Air is a low-cost carrier based in Hanoi Noi Bai Airport, Vietnam. The carrier began operating in December 2011 after several delayed attempts, initially with 3 A320 aircraft to Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. The carrier operates services across Asia.

Air India unions have moved the Bombay High Court to challenge the proposed eviction of employees from staff colonies in Mumbai.

The unions argue that the airline’s letter asking employees to vacate office accommodation by July 26 amounts to a change in service conditions. This, they said, is a violation of the Industrial Disputes Act.

It requires companies to issue a notice to union members before enacting changes in-service conditions. Currently, around 1,600 families are residing in AI staff quarters at Kalina in Mumbai.

Air India unions submit arguments opposing the planned eviction of employees in Bombay HC

Aggrieved by the management action, Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG), Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and All India Service Engineers Association (AISEA) have filed separate writ petitions for quashing the airline’s October and May letters to staff.

“The allotment of accommodation is provided till retirement/cessation of service, according to the Air India allotment rules. There is no provision for any unilateral and arbitrary termination as is sought to be in the present case,” AIEG said in its petition.

Also, the service engineers have pointed out that the airline could not have issued a letter seeking vacation of flats pending the conclusion of conciliation proceedings. The conciliation eventually failed.

The allotment of accommodation is provided till retirement/cessation of service, according to the Air India allotment rules.

Last September, the civil aviation ministry issued certain directions to Air India on the issue of staff retaining office accommodation. In turn, the airline asked employees to give an undertaking that they would vacate their homes within six months of disinvestment.

The employees issued a strike notice against it and the matter was referred to the labour commissioner's office for conciliation.

“How can the employees be evicted overnight during the monsoon just because of the privatisation of the airline? That is our plea,” said AIEG counsel Ashok Shetty.

In October 2021, the airline issued notices to 1200 Air India employees to give an undertaking that they would vacate their staff quarters in the Kalina area of Mumbai within six months of disinvestment.

ALSO READ - Air India employees plan to go to the Bombay HC to protest eviction from staff quarters

Employees took the call at a protest meeting on April 17 which was attended by Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar and NCP leader Vidya Chavan.

In October 2021, the airline issued notices to 1200 Air India employees to give an undertaking that they would vacate their staff quarters in the Kalina area of Mumbai within six months of disinvestment.

ALSO READ – Air India employees asked to vacate quarters

Air India's land and other properties were transferred to a Special Purpose Vehicle- Air India Asset Holdings Limited (AIAHL)

In May, India's central government had asked Air India to remind its employees residing in Delhi's Vasant Vihar and Mumbai's Kalina areas to vacate the premises by July 26.

The decision had been taken even before Air India's sale to the Tatas when the government decided that Air India's land and colonies in these areas would have to be vacated within six months after the privatization process is complete.

Air India's land and other properties were transferred to a Special Purpose Vehicle- Air India Asset Holdings Limited (AIAHL) during the privatization discussion and were never a part of the deal with the Tatas.

(With Inputs from Business Standard)

India has offered to set up production facilities for the manufacturing of light combat aircraft (LCA) as well as helicopters in Egypt as it pursues export opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa region.

A series of high-level engagements have taken place with the nation and the Egyptian Air Force chief is expected to visit India in a few days, during which expertise in manufacturing, as well as maintenance of aircraft fleet, will be showcased.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari visited Egypt in November 2021 and attended the Air Power Symposium and Defence Exposition in Cairo.

The delegation includes three Su30 MKI and two C17 aircraft.

At present, a 57-member Indian Air Force delegation is in Egypt to take part in a tactical leadership programme at the Air Force school in Cairo. The delegation includes three Su30 MKI and two C17 aircraft.

Sources said the Egyptian Air Force has a requirement of close to 70 light combat jets, with a focus on local production and technology transfer. At present, the nation operates a mixed fleet of US, French and Russian origin jets and has been keen on setting up aeronautical manufacturing facilities.

Besides the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A that is on offer to the nation, Indian manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is also pitching its range of indigenous choppers like the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) as well.

Besides the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is also pitching its range of indigenous choppers.

“Be it the fixed-wing requirement or the rotary-wing requirement, India is offering to jointly set up production facilities there. There is a significant demand in that region for such aircraft and Egypt will be a good base,” sources said.

The Indian LCA is priced at around USD 42 million per unit, a price made possible given economies of scale after the IAF placed an order for 83 fighter jets of the Mk1A variant.

As reported, India has emerged as the frontrunner for a Malaysian requirement of light combat aircraft, with a package deal on the table that would include maintenance and spares for the nation’s Russian-origin Su 30 fighter jets.

The offer to Egypt is the latest in the series of efforts by India, which is vigorously pursuing export deals for its Tejas fighter jet with countries in Southeast Asia, West Asia, and North Africa.

The Indian LCA is priced at around USD 42 million per unit, a price made possible given economies of scale after the IAF placed an order for 83 fighter jets of the Mk1A variant.

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

As reported earlier, Tejas MK-1A emerged as one of the final two contenders for Malaysia’s LCA contract besides the Turkish-made Hurjet. Also, Tejas is said to have an advantage over Hurjet because the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is concerned about the procurement cost.

ALSO READ - HAL may delay delivery of LCA TEJAS – blames escalating composites price

HAL is expected to deliver the Tejas fighter jets to IAF from early 2024 onwards. The RMAF could become Tejas’s first overseas customer if HAL wins the contract, thereby only increasing the economics of scale for the company.

The LCA Tejas is a fly-by-wire (FBW) fighter with its Mark-1A variant having in-flight refuelling (IFR) capability that enables long-range missions.

India has offered a package deal on the table that would include maintenance and spares for the RMAF’s Russian-origin Su-30 fighter jets.

The LCA Tejas is a fly-by-wire (FBW) fighter with its Mark-1A variant having in-flight refuelling (IFR) capability that enables long-range missions. LCA Tejas is a fourth-generation fighter with supersonic speed, a 50,000-foot service ceiling, a glass cockpit, and a satellite-assisted inertial navigation system.

It has a wingspan of 8.20 meters, a length of 13.20 meters, and a height of 4.40 meters. The fighter jet can carry air-to-ground bombs and attack systems that can be used to strike targets on land or at sea.

ALSO READ - Tejas Mk II makes it to the list of top 4 light combat aircraft

A helicopter carrying seven passengers and two pilots today made an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea near the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) rig at Sagar Kiran in Mumbai High, the company said in a tweet.

Four people on board a Pawan Hans chopper have lost their lives. Three of them were ONGC employees. The brand new Pawan Hans Sikorsky chopper had nine persons, two pilots and seven passengers, on board.

PHL Helicopter VT-PWI ( Sikorsky76 D) Took off from Juhu at 10:54 AM for Sagar Kiran ONGC Rig. PHL Ops Room at Juhu was informed by ops room ONGC at 11:45 PM that the helicopter has ditched at sea.

PHL Helicopter VT-PWI ( Sikorsky76 D) Took off from Juhu at 10:54 AM for Sagar Kiran ONGC Rig.

The helicopter mishap occurred around 11:50 am, about 60 nautical miles west of Mumbai, near ONGC’s Sagar Kiran offshore rig. A total of nine people, including seven passengers and two pilots, were on board the chopper.

All nine survivors were rescued. Four survivors were picked by OSV Malviya 16, one by boat of Sagar Kiran oil rig & two each by Indian Navy ALH & Seaking helicopters. Four critical survivors are being evacuated to Juhu by Navy helicopters for management at ONGC hospital.

https://twitter.com/DefPROMumbai/status/1541706993215410177

The helicopter was forced to land using the floaters that are attached to such coppers that carry personnel and material from shore to offshore installations.

https://twitter.com/ONGC_/status/1541687071907098624

The helicopter, which had six ONGC personnel onboard, and one belonging to a contractor working for the company, was forced to land using the floaters that are attached to such coppers that carry personnel and material from shore to offshore installations.

The circumstances that led to the emergency landing were not immediately clear. Other details too were awaited.

The Indian Coast Guard is coordinating with the Indian Navy & ONGC for the mobilisation of the rescue effort

Coast Guard Aircraft dropped life rafts for survivors. The international safety net is being activated by MRCC. Coast Guard is coordinating with the Indian Navy & ONGC for the mobilisation of the rescue effort. OSV Malviya 16 is diverted by MRCC Mumbai to join the rescue operations.

ONGC has several rigs and installations in the Arabia Sea that are used to produce oil and gas from reservoirs lying below the seabed.

Tata Aerospace & Defence was recognised on Friday, June 24 by The Boeing Company (Boeing) with the coveted award of “Supplier of the Year.” The Indian company was amongst nine suppliers that were awarded out of more than 11,000 suppliers worldwide.

“The award is given to a supplier who contributes to Boeing’s success by sharing risk and through long-term relationships that support and advance our strategic objectives,” stated Boeing.

In a press release, Boeing announced that, for the first time, it was also recognising firms for “proactively managing supply chain quality, readiness and health and delivering on Boeing’s commitment to advance global sustainability.”

Boeing chose Tata Aerospace as its "Supplier of the Year"

According to a press release by Boeing, the award categories are - Supplier Diversity, Outstanding Performance, Alliance, Pathfinder, Supply Chain Visibility, Collaboration, Sustainability, Risk Management and Support & Services.

For the first time, a Sustainability Supplier of the Year was awarded to demonstrate the importance of collaboration to drive sustainability across the supply chain.

“Each Boeing Supplier of the Year delivered an impressive performance as our entire industry collaborated to drive stability through a challenging environment.They did an outstanding job maintaining our high standards – a focus on operational excellence, quality and reliability – that allow Boeing to continue to earn the trust of our stakeholders, customers and the flying public."William Ampofo, Boeing Global Services.

Boeing stated that it works with nearly 11,000 active suppliers worldwide and spends approximately USD 37 billion in supplier payments every year.

Another Indian firm, Rossell TechSys, has twice been nominated “Supplier of the Year” by Boeing in the last decade.

Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) is the joint venture between Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems

Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), the joint venture between Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems, has been producing aero-structures for Boeing’s AH-64 Apache helicopter and recently delivered its 140th AH-64 Apache fuselage from its 14,000 square metres state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) is an aerospace, defence, military engineering & construction and technology company. It is a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, a holding company for the Tata Group.

TBAL is manufacturing 737 Vertical Fin structures, a complex structural part, on a new production line that will utilize cutting-edge robotics and automation.

ALSO READ - India makes rapid advancements in the field of aircraft manufacturing

(With Inputs from Business Standard)

Airbus SE has emerged as the front-runner to win an order for as many as 50 aircraft worth up to USD 5.5 billion from Jet Airways India Ltd., people familiar with the matter said, solidifying the European planemaker’s hold in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market.

Sources said Jet’s talks with Airbus are primarily for A320 Neo jets and A220 planes — the second, is primarily being used for regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme. A Jet Airways official confirmed that the company was “in final negotiations with lessors and OEMs for aircraft”.

Jet Airways places Airbus in the lead for USD 5.5 billion aircraft order

Boeing Co. and Embraer SA are also in discussions and no final decision has been taken, the people said. Although at sticker prices any transaction would be north of USD 5 billion, discounts are common in such large purchases. While delivery slots are scarce, airlines can lease jets from lessors who buy in bulk.

The potential order comes as Jet Airways, once India’s top private airline, is preparing to return to the skies. Jet Airways got its flying license last month, marking the first time a carrier has been revived under the nation’s new bankruptcy laws.

The flying permit proved Jet Airways is ready to operate, signalling its transformation into a “new avatar with fresh funding, changed ownership, and new management,” according to a statement.

Jet Airways is planning to come back with a hybrid of premium and low-cost services

ALSO READ - Jet Airways invites former cabin crew to return; receives over 700 CVs in 5 hours

The airline recently invited former cabin crew to join it. Jet Airways is planning to come back with a hybrid of premium and low-cost services, Chief Executive Officer Sanjiv Kapoor said in April.

It will have a two-class configuration where business class passengers will be offered services including free meals, while economy class flyers will pay for meals and other services, he said.

ALSO READ - Jet Airways returning with a hybrid premium and no-frills model, first flight likely by October 2022

Jet Airways will be the first Indian carrier to witness a revival in operations under the country’s insolvency and bankruptcy law.

Jet’s new owners -- Dubai-based, Indian-origin businessman Murari Lal Jalan and Florian Fritsch, chairman of London-based financial advisory and alternative asset manager Kalrock Capital Management Ltd. -- have pledged to make investments of as much as USD 120 million, Kapoor said.

“We are in final negotiations with lessors and OEMs for aircraft, and we will announce our aircraft choice and fleet plan once we have made a decision,” a representative for Jet Airways said Monday, June 27. “We are studying all possibilities to find the one that works best for us.”

Jet Airways will be the first Indian carrier to witness a revival in operations under the country’s insolvency and bankruptcy law. Flights (under the previous Naresh Goyal management) were grounded in April 2019 as the company went bankrupt.

Currently, the Jet Airways has six jets in its inventory – two Airbus A330-200, three Boeing 737-800, and one 737-900

Currently, the airline has six jets in its inventory – two Airbus A330-200, three Boeing 737-800, and one 737-900, with an average fleet age of 16 years; though an extensive expansion is required if it plans to rebuild its previous network.

Airbus’ narrowbody offerings have proven a firm choice for Indian airlines, notably low-cost carrier IndiGo, which operates the world’s largest fleet of A320neo family jets.

Almost 200 of the type are currently in operation with the airline, with 538 orders still outstanding. A range of A320 and A321s also serve in the fleets of Go First, Vistara, and flag-carrier Air India.

ALSO READ - Jet Airways in negotiation with Boeing and Airbus for aircraft orders

(With Inputs from Bloomberg)