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

Vistara has increased frequencies to Frankfurt and Paris starting Thursday, 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.

Vistara’s third Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner comes with a three-class cabin configuration, with 30 seats in Business Class, 36 in Premium Economy and 226 seats in Economy Class. The new aircraft will also feature fully-flat business-class seats, each with direct aisle access.

https://twitter.com/airvistara/status/1587814372940058625

Flights between Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and Paris Charles De Gaulle will take off five times a week, with frequencies on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Vistara’s Delhi-Frankfurt route will run six times a week, doubling its current capacity, with flights offered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The carrier advises that the arrival and departure times are currently a guide, subject to approval by Frankfurt Airport.

Flight No.RouteDepartureArrivalUK0021DELHI (DEL) – PARIS (CDG)1345 Hrs IST1840 Hrs CETUK0022PARIS (CDG) – DELHI (DEL)2145 Hrs CET1030 Hrs (+1) ISTUK0025DELHI (DEL) – FRANKFURT (FRA)1355 Hrs IST1845 Hrs CETUK0026FRANKFURT (FRA) – DELHI (DEL)2140 Hrs CET1020 Hrs ISTFLIGHT SCHEDULE

A host of other features in all three cabins are thoughtfully put together to reflect Vistara’s focus on delivering an unparalleled flying experience. These include in-seat screens in all three cabins with High Definition (HD) Displays offering a cutting-edge In-flight Entertainment system powered by Panasonic.

"Europe has been a key focus market for us since the very beginning, and we are glad that our customers appreciate our offerings on these long-haul routes. We have been wanting to ramp up frequencies on these sectors and we are delighted to be able to finally do that."

Deepak Rajawat, Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara

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Vistara has faced some notable setbacks with its 787 orders, owed to a combination of production issues with the Dreamliner program and the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the carrier with just two of the type delivered. The airline still has an outstanding order for four aircraft, with deliveries expected to resume in 12-18 months.

ALSO READ - Vistara to add new destinations

Vistara has recently added a range of new routes to its rapidly growing network map, including daily flights between Mumbai and Abu Dhabi and a twice-weekly Mumbai-Dhaka service, launched in October and November, respectively.

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

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

Since 2019, the carrier has added 25% more flights, increasing its international offerings from five to 11. While financial losses slowly crept up during the first half of 2022, the carrier has remained positive, citing increased demand and its dense domestic network.

TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA). The airline has a fleet of 54 aircraft, including 41 Airbus A320, five Airbus A321neo, five Boeing 737-800NG and three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and has flown more than 35 million customers since starting operations.

Embraer has said its discussions with Indian and global companies for building a new generation turboprop aircraft are progressing well. The Brazilian plane maker, which produces both civil and military jets, has been scouting for partners for its proposed aircraft programme, which could include the manufacture of planes as well.

“We are in discussions with potential partners in India and globally on a selection of partnering options for the next generation turboprop aircraft — including manufacturing. These discussions are ongoing and progressing well. The next generation turboprop aircraft is in the development phase and a decision to launch the project has not been made."

Embraer

ALSO READ - Embraer in talks with India for collaboration on its upcoming turboprop aircraft

Embraer shared this project update in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks on how India could become a manufacturing hub for large passenger aircraft. He made the remarks at the inauguration of the Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara on October 30.

Embraer has more than 1,700 commercial jets in service globally. In July, it released a 20-year market outlook, estimating global demand for turboprops could touch 2,280 units. Of this, it said, around 960 units could come from the Asia Pacific region.

Embraer predicts the world will need around 11,000 new aircraft with up to 150-seats over the next 20 years. The replacement of ageing aircraft will account for 57% of all new deliveries, while 43% will be used to grow markets.

The plane maker feels that there will be a trend toward smaller aircraft, driven by an increasing need for flexibility, connectivity, and efficiency. And this is where its new generation turboprop (TPNG) comes into the picture.

Embraer Commercial Aviation president and CEO Arjan Meijer said the new aircraft "is not a turboprop as we know it." It is more of an E-Jet E-2 aircraft with a different form of propulsion rather than an improved turboprop. The TPNG will have the same cabin experience as the E2, and moving the engines to the rear will mean a much quieter cabin.

Embraer is looking to launch the project sometime in the middle of next year so that the plane could enter service around 2028.

ALSO READ - Star Air to lease 2 Embraer E175 aircraft from Nordic Aviation Capital

In India, Star Air operates five ERJ145 planes and recently signed an agreement to induct two E175 aircraft.

The E175 is its most popular aircraft and US airline Sky West is the largest operator of these planes, with 230 jets. In India, Star Air operates five ERJ145 planes and recently signed an agreement to induct two E175 aircraft. At present, there are also 22 Embraer-made business jets in the country.

Airbus did not respond to a query on the assembly of planes in India. “Boeing is in a sweet spot to continue delivering on our commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” the US plane maker said. “Our business and supply chain teams are constantly evaluating opportunities where India can continue to become a more significant part of Boeing’s global supply chain,” it added.

Boeing annually sources around USD 1 billion worth of aircraft parts from its network of over 300 suppliers in India. It, however, manufactures all its passenger planes in the US. It has a completion centre in China where seats are fitted in planes built and flown from the US. Airbus has aircraft assembly lines in China and the US.

“Aircraft production rates have still not recovered to pre-Covid levels. Manufacturing and assembly would require billions of dollars in investment plus certified and skilled manpower. Then there is the question of market size. Manufacturers will not duplicate facilities unless there is a sound business case,” said an aviation industry veteran.

(With Inputs from Business Standard)

CDB Aviation, a fully owned Irish subsidiary of China Developmental Bank Financial Leasing Co Limited, announced on the sidelines of the Airline Economics Growth Frontiers Asia Pacific 2022 conference. They announced the signing of the lease agreement for a fleet of six Airbus A320neo aircraft with Air India, a statement from the company said.

CDB Aviation is one of the first aircraft leasing brands to secure Air India’s additional A32neo aircraft that falls under the newly announced transformation plan ever since the purchase of the airline by the Tata group. This aims to increase the carrier’s fleet and help to boost its domestic as well as international operations.

Air India leases 6 Airbus A320 NEOs from CDB Aviation

ALSO READ - Air India to revamp its fleet by leasing 30 aircraft in the upcoming months

Amid its aggressive drive for fleet expansion, Air India has recently announced a 15-month plan in which it aims to lease 30 aircraft comprising 5 Boeing B777-300, 21 A320neo and 4 A321neos.

“Our commercial team is delighted to have worked closely with Air India to help solve their fleet requirements with these new Airbus narrowbody aircraft from our orderbook. These fuel-efficient, new generation aircraft are suited well to support Air India’s fleet revitalisation initiatives, positioning the airline for sustained growth and profitability.’’

Ryan Barrett, Asia-Pacific Business Head, Air India

The B777s will join the fleet between December 2022 and March 2023 and will be deployed on routes to the US. The deliveries of the Airbus narrowbodies are expected to be spread across the whole of next year.

ALSO READ - Air India plans to expand its fleet 3 times; in discussions with aircraft manufacturers

“India is an increasingly important region for CDB Aviation, being the second largest Asia Pacific market for new aircraft deliveries, with nearly 1,000 Boeing and Airbus jets in its orderbook. Our commercial team remains steadfast in its outreach efforts across Asia Pacific, leveraging our platform’s resources and scale to support the region’s airlines in restoring their networks and growing their fleets.”

Peter Goodman, Chief Commercial Officer, CDB Aviation

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Expected to be delivered in the second half of 2023, renewal of the fleet will help Air India to increase its market share to at least 30% in the domestic market while significantly growing international routes from the present market share.

"This is an important agreement, which will help us to strengthen our fleet with state-of-the-art aircraft. This will boost our connectivity, especially on the short and medium-haul routes, and is an important step ahead in our transformation journey."

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India

Apart from assets in Aircraft, Tata Group-backed Air India looks to create a talent pool. And the first phase of this initiative has received an overwhelming response. Over 1,752 applications for pilots and 72,000 applications for cabin crew have been received in the last two months, which are in the process of assessment. 

IndiGo will further bolster its cargo operations as it plans to add another aircraft to boost its freight operations, later this year. To take advantage of the cargo market in India, the airline intends to operate a total of four converted A321 planes.

To support its all-cargo operations, IndiGo will take delivery of a second Airbus A321P2F (Passenger To Freighter) aircraft by December. Three more of these aircraft will gradually join the fleet of the carrier over the ensuing months after the first one did so in September.

ALSO READ - IndiGo plans to induct 4 dedicated cargo aircraft

“On our Cargo operations, volumes have been increasing owing to our sheer network presence and we remain optimistic. Cargo “belly" capacity will be further augmented with the introduction of the first Airbus 321 freighter and we are also expecting the second such aircraft to be operational by December.”

Pieter Elbers,CEO, IndiGo

He continued by saying that the airline will benefit financially from having a dedicated cargo fleet in addition to being able to service markets like China, Vietnam, the Middle East, and several CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) nations.

The A321P2F is a component of Airbus' overall cargo strategy, which is being developed under a programme involving Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmBH, a partnership between Airbus and Singapore's ST Engineering. The cargo capacity of the aircraft, which is approximately double that of a typical A321, is 27 tonnes.

To support its all-cargo operations, IndiGo will take delivery of a second Airbus A321P2F aircraft by December

India is presently in an era of cargo expansion. Data from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) shows that all operational airports handled 3.14 million tonnes of freight in 2021–22, or 94% of the freight handled in 2017–18, while air passenger traffic, at 85.1 million, was 69% of the traffic recorded in FY18. This indicates that the cargo segment in India has fared better than the passenger side.

The country's air cargo business has been impacted by a downturn in exports, but the airlines are optimistic that setting up freight operations over the coming years would result in long-term advantages.

There used to be only one dominant all-cargo player in the nation: Blue Dart. While it currently dominates India's domestic cargo market, new competitors have just entered the race, including IndiGo.

https://twitter.com/PradhaanAir/status/1589623482807353344

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Pradhaan Air, India's newest all-cargo airline, started offering commercial operations last month. The airline now runs the first Airbus A320 freighter to be converted, and another one will be delivered soon.

SpiceJet, an additional low-cost carrier and IndiGo's rival, is attempting to dominate the cargo market with SpiceXpress, a cash-positive business with a $5.6 million nett profit.

SpiceJet, an additional low-cost carrier and IndiGo's rival, is attempting to dominate the cargo market with SpiceXpress

Indian airlines are expanding their cargo capacity as the market has grown into a significant and potential source of income over the past two years. From only 5 to nearly 30 aircraft, India's fleet of exclusively designed freighters has undergone a significant increase in size.

SASMOS, an aerospace and defence company based in Bengaluru, has been awarded a contract by Boeing to supply more than 6,600 wiring harnesses for its P-8A aircraft.

The wiring harness is for the upcoming batch of 16 P-8A Poseidon maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, which will provide another boost to the Indian defence and industrial ecosystem.

Boeing's wire harnesses will be produced through a joint venture (JV) between SASMOS and Fokker Elmo. Pune-based Fokker Elmo is a subsidiary of GKN Aerospace, a well-known supplier to the aerospace sector situated in the UK.

Bengaluru-based aerospace and defence manufacturer Sasmos has won a contract from Boeing to provide more than 6,600 wiring harnesses for the next batch of 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft

Fokker Elmo SASMOS Interconnection Systems Limited (FE-SIL), a joint venture between Fokker Elmo and SASMOS, has produced wire harnesses for the P-8A and P-8I anti-submarine warfare aircraft. It has also produced other electrical wiring interconnection systems for the aerospace industry. 

A wiring harness is an assembly of electrical cables and connector components used to transfer communications or electrical power throughout an aircraft. It has a wing, an engine, a fuselage, landing gear, and a variety of other features. In other words, it functions as the aircraft's nervous system and is crucial for communications and power transmission, assuring the proper operation of mission-critical equipment.

“A partnership is key to Boeing’s success around the world. Our partnership with SASMOS JV is a testimony of our commitment to building a global supply base, as it brings more value to our customers. We believe that building capabilities indigenously will drive innovation and contribute to the growth of the Indian aerospace and defence industry.”

Ashwani Bhargava, Senior Director of supply chain management for Boeing, India

SASMOS-Fokker Elmo has been producing wire harnesses for P-8As and P-8Is as well as electrical wiring connectivity systems for the aerospace industry since 2016.

The Boeing P-8 is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft designed and built by Boeing Defence, Space and Security. The P-8 is a powerful asset to the Indian Navy's fleet, having flown more than 450,000 hours without an accident on 153 operational aircraft.

The P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed for the US Navy

The P-8Is are a subset of the P-8 Poseidon family, with the 'I' standing for India due to their modifications for that country. The Poseidon is used by the US and Indian Navy. The UK, Australian, and Norwegian Air Forces, as well as the Korean and German Navies, are among the other users of this exceptionally well-liked Airborne ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) technology.

“The Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft contract stands as a prestigious acknowledgement of SASMOS, our commitment to quality, design excellence and cutting-edge solutions, by the global aerospace and defence sector. We feel immensely proud to be a part of this deal and excited to showcase the best of our solutions in the project to achieve the finest performance and enhance productivity.”

H G Chandrashekar, Chairman & Managing Director, SASMOS HET Technologies Limited

SASMOS has produced more than 40,000 harnesses for more than a hundred aeroplanes and is renowned for its reliability in terms of quality and delivery.

The SASMOS plant in Bengaluru will produce the harnesses, which were created internally. The business has a track record of excellence and performance, and it has successfully fulfilled numerous Boeing orders.

Emirates has committed to purchasing additional Boeing 777 freighters as it plans to expand its fleet of freighters in the upcoming years. This year, the airline took delivery of two brand-new 777Fs and beginning in 2023, it aims to convert several passenger 777F variants to freighters.

The two companies said on Tuesday, November 8, that the long-haul carrier Emirates will spend more than $1.7 billion to purchase five Boeing 777 freighters, considerably increasing its cargo flying capacity. It will receive two of these aircraft in 2024, while the remaining three will arrive in 2025.

“Emirates is investing in new freighters so that we can continue to serve customer demand with the latest fuel-efficient aircraft. This order reflects Emirates’ confidence in airfreight demand and overall aviation sector growth. It lays the ground for our continued growth, which is driven by the reach of our diverse global network, the advanced handling infrastructure at our Dubai hub, and the tailored transport solutions that Emirates has developed to serve our varied customers’ needs.”

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO, Emirates

Emirates already operates 11 Boeing 777 freighters. According to the airline, this deal brought its overall number of wide-body aircraft orders to 200. 

The airline disclosed a $1 billion investment at the Dubai Airshow last year to add two new 777Fs, demonstrating its continued commitment to freight operations. This year has already seen the delivery of these aircraft. The arrangement to convert four Boeing 777-300ER passenger planes into complete freighters was also revealed. It was signed with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum stated that the order reflects Emirates’ confidence in airfreight demand and overall aviation sector growth

In comparison to the 777F, the modified freighters will offer up to 10 more pallet places, enabling the transportation of more low-density cargo, including items for online sales. Emirates committed to converting six more of its own Boeing 777-300ERs into freighters earlier this year, bringing the total number of the type to 10. The conversion of the aircraft will start in 2023.

The airline has grown to rely nearly exclusively on Boeing 777 freighters for its cargo operations. Emirates, which was the 777F's debut client, operates scheduled and charter flights to locations on all six continents with its current fleet of 777F aircraft. The airline has grown to rely nearly exclusively on Boeing 777 freighters for its cargo operations. 

Emirates was the Boeing 777 freighter's debut client. Since then, the adaptable aircraft has evolved into the backbone of the airline's operations, flying scheduled and charter flights to locations on all seven continents.

Emirates has committed to purchasing additional Boeing 777 freighters as it plans to expand its fleet of freighters in the upcoming years

Emirates can easily transport time-sensitive cargo, fresh goods, pharmaceuticals, pets, vehicles, and champion racehorses from the point of origin to the point of destination because of the 777-F's range and payload abilities.

Emirates currently has a fleet of 11 Boeing 777 freighters in operation in addition to its widebody 777 and A380 passenger fleet, which both have belly-hold cargo space.

Following the COVID-19 epidemic, the demand for cargo services has increased globally, and Emirates wants a bigger piece of the pie. It has made it clear that it intends to be prepared to meet the constantly increasing demand for air cargo by developing its fleet and network and entering strategic partnerships.

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