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Post Info TOPIC: Where AI Express is off to next


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RE: Where AI Express is off to next
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First of all welcome to the new entry 772...


QUOTING KRISHNA


Personally feel AIX should have had the A320.


But the AI fleet selection team had its reasons to select the 737-800


Right Govt's policy...AI wud buy Boeing aircrafts and Indian wud buy Airbus aircrafts


QUOTING VABBY


mate i am in 100% in agreement with you. If u look at the cabin crew pic especially the guys they remind me of the bell boys at some shady hotel. Only the 2 chicks in the center are saving a bit of grace. why not rename the airline as Blue collar worker airline


Yes totally right... the ladies in saree look like miserable not that sarees dont look s.exy but the CCs dont look nice


Had AI some brains they wud choose hot chicks as CCs then the Miidle East flying people wud choose AIX only


 



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Air-India Charters Introduces Blended Winglets(TM) on 22 Boeing 737-800s
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http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-18-2006/0004398425&EDATE=
Air-India Charters Introduces Blended Winglets(TM) on 22 Boeing 737-800s 



 India's Newest Low-Cost Carrier Specifies Aviation Partners Boeing Blended
             Winglet Technology to Lower Costs and Boost Range


    SEATTLE, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Air-India Charters, a subsidiary of
flag carrier Air India, has ordered 18 Blended Winglet Shipsets to be
installed by Boeing as Buyer Furnished Equipment beginning in October 2006.
In addition, the carrier has also taken delivery of 4 new Blended Winglet
Equipped 737-800s, on lease from ILFC. While return on investment, based on
fuel savings alone, is projected to be just three years the economic and
performance benefits of Blended Winglet Technology will be with Air-India
Charters for the life of their aircraft.
    "Air-India Charters is a newcomer to the low-cost market in the region
and they're planning on significant growth over the next couple of years,"
says Aviation Partners Boeing Vice President of Sales Patrick LaMoria.
"We're very happy to be a partner with Air-India Charters as they introduce
a new era of airline service to India and extend their reach with the
benefits of Blended Winglet Technology."
    With fuel prices today in India over $2 per gallon, the business case
for Blended Winglet Technology makes more and more sense. Another plus,
however, is the high-tech image of this visible technology. "Low-cost
carriers in the region are trying hard to tap into a growing Indian middle
class market that's very tech-savvy," says Aviation Partners Boeing
Director of Sales Christopher Stafford. "The high-tech dimension of Blended
Winglet Technology is of value to Air-India Charters and helps to visibly
differentiate their product from the competition."
    Air-India Charters, founded in 1993, has been expanding its route
network throughout the Middle East and Gulf region. As Blended Winglet
Equipped 737-800 join the fleet early next year the carrier will begin to
expand its route network to include destinations in the Far East such as
Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta.
    For Air-India Charters, Blended Winglet Equipped NG 737-800s are just
the right choice in terms of minimizing operating costs and maximizing
opportunities. "Profitability of a budget airline can be greatly enhanced
with Blended Winglet Technology," says Aviation Partners President and CEO,
John Reimers. "Our technology helps airlines lower costs, maximize returns
and pull ahead of other carriers in terms of return on investment."
    Over 80% of new Boeing 737-700/800 aircraft will be delivered with
Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets Systems. Blended Winglets are
also certified on the Boeing 737-300 and 757-200. Aviation Partners Boeing
is currently seeking a launch customer to certify Blended Winglets for the
767-300ER. Over 1,150 Blended Winglet Systems are already installed and in
service on Boeing aircraft with orders and options approaching 2,000
additional shipsets.
    
http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com               Patent No. 5348253


 



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Air India Express finds itself without enough pilots
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http://news.moneycontrol.com/india/news/business/airindiaexpressvthulasidas/airindiaexpressfindsitselfwithoutenoughpilots/market/stocks/article/231079
Air India Express finds itself without enough pilots 
 
  
 Low cost carrier Air India Express finds itself with planes, but not enough pilots. The pilots seem to have flown away. The scarcity has gone so far as to stain parent Air India's balance sheet, reports CNBC-TV18.


Air India Express pilots, or the lack of them, seem to be grounding profits. The airline more than doubled its fleet strength to seven aircrafts from three. But it could not increase the number of its destinations.


When it had three planes, last year, it flew to 36 Indian locations, now with twice as many aircrafts; it has added just two more destinations. That's because it simply does not have the pilots to fly its aircrafts. Air India officials admit that a scarcity of pilots is showing on the financials.


Chairman, Air India, V Thulasidas said, "The loss cannot be quantified since we have an operational profit. But the profits could have certainly been more if we had operated."


Separately, at parent company Air India, profits are plummeting. Sources say that profits could be about Rs 15 crore, down from Rs 97 crore that it posted last year. That's partly because of Air India Express.


Chairman, Air India, V Thulasidas says, "It has to be marginal, the overall costs and the cost of oil has increased, we had to incur one-third more costs."


Air India's load factor has also dipped in the first half of the year. But it is confident that a new fleet will help it to regain market share.
 
 



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Air India Express to operate extra flights to Gulf during Onam
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www.uninews.com


Air India Express to operate extra flights to Gulf during Onam


New Delhi, Aug 18 (UNI)


Air India Express will operate additional flights from Kerala to the Gulf during the Onam festival season, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Vasudevan Thulasidas today said.


The extra flights will fly between Kozhikode and Dubai and Kochi and Dubai, Mr Thulasidas told a ’Meet the Press’ programme organised by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists at the Kerala House.


The Kozhikode-Dubai additional flights will operate from August 22 followed by the Kochi-Dubai flights from August 29, he said.


He said Air India Express would operate more flights in the Kerala-Gulf sector if it could overcome the pilot shortage.


The Air India chief justified the increase in the fares in the Kerala-Gulf sector during the Onam season saying the fares went up because of high demand, which is applicable to all sectors at different times.


Gulf passengers have been protesting against the increase in fares by many airlines even up to 50 per cent taking advantage of the rush due to the festival season as well as the vacation time in the Gulf countries.


Mr Thulasidas said Air India would join one of the three global airline alliances to enhance passenger facilities like single window for destinations around the world and a formal announcement would be made in December.


Asked about the Kerala government’s plan to launch its own airlines for the benefit of the Gulf passengers, he said it was up to the central government to accord clearance and Air India did not have a monopoly in the sector as many would believe.


According to him, the Kerala-Gulf sector accounts for the largest number of passengers, but in terms of revenue, the India-US sector comes on the top.


Mr Thulasidas said the Air India-Indian Airlines merger could become a reality by March next year, creating the ‘‘largest airlines in Asia’’.


The first of the 68 Boeing planes ordered by Air India and Air India Express would join their fleet by November, he said.


The airlines was also trying to improve its customer-friendly image by recruiting more young women and men as cabin crew, he said adding presently one-third of the Air India cabin crew are young people, ‘‘most of them women’’.


‘‘This ratio will go up to 50 per cent in two-three years,’’ Mr Thulasidas said.  



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Dubai bound passengers standed on a Air-India Express flight
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www.uninews.com


Dubai bound passengers standed on a Air-India Express flight


Dubai, Aug 19 (UNI)


Passengers booked on flight IX 343 of Air-India Express from Kozhikode in Kerala to Dubai had 16 hours of harrowing experience.


The passengers who departed Kozhikode at 2330 hrs on Thursday night, landed in Dubai at 1530 hrs on Friday.


Meanwhile, nearly 150 passengers bound for Kozhikode by an Air India Express flight got stranded at Dubai International Airport for more than 15 hours after an inbound flight got delayed due to a technical snag.


Relatives and friends learned that the aircraft took off from Kozhikode at 2330 hrs ist but had no clue as to where it landed as the announcement made mid-air in Mumbai was not communicated to the waiting relatives and friends.


In Mumbai after waiting for two full hours in another aircraft, the European captain threatened to throw out the passengers when they protested the air-conditioning was not working.


Women with infants had an appalling experience. With the heightened security measures, they were allowed to carry only limited personal goods with them, including baby food and medicines.


In a similar incident on August 5, more than 100 passengers going to Cochin got stranded at the Sharjah airport for nearly 24 hours when an Indian Airlines flight had to be cancelled twice due to technical reasons.



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RE: Where AI Express is off to next
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Wow look at the guts of the european captain may be he thought that the airline belonged to him instead he should be kicked out

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My Story,Your Story & the Truth


Read the Media reports with a Pinch of salt.


regds


MEL



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Air India Express from Mangalore soon
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www.uninews.com


Air India Express from Mangalore soon


Mangalore, Aug 25 (UNI)


Air India Express is expected to commence its international flight service from the airport during the first week of October. It is to operate a 737 service from Mangalore to Dubai.



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Mangalore Dubai flight service likely from October 2
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http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=32820
Mangalore Dubai flight service likely from October 2 
 
MANGALORE Aug 29: The much awaited flight service between Mangalore and Dubai by Air India Express, the low cost airline of Air India, is likely to start on October 2, according to official sources.


The Board of Air India has reportedly approved the Dubai-Mangalore schedule, The Hindu quoted sources saying, on Tuesday.


As an indication to this the authorities of Air India Express, who were setting up their facilities at the Bajpe (Mangalore) airport, put up their board on Tuesday (August 29). The airline recently deposited its fund with Airports Authority of India (AAI) to set up its facilities at the airport here.


Sources said, that the AAI is likely to commission a quality upgraded Instrument Landing System (ILS) for the landing of aircraft on the new runway by September.


If everything goes as planned the ILS is likely to be commissioned on September 28.


The Hindu
 



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Air-India Express to operate more flights to Gulf
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http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083005102100.htm
Business    


Air-India Express to operate more flights to Gulf


A Correspondent


Kochi, August 30, 2006


`AIE fares much lower than that offered by its competitors' 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


`Air-India ready to cooperate with all expansion projects of Kochi airport'


New reservation system named CUTE (Common User Terminal Equipment) at Kochi airport soon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


NEDUMBASSERY: Air-India Express (AIE), the no-frills subsidiary of Air-India, is set to increase the number of services from Kerala to the Gulf region during the forthcoming winter schedule, Company Secretary and the General Manager (Public Relations), Air India, S. Venkat said here on Monday.


Mr. Venkat was in Kochi in connection with the launch of `meet and greet' facility introduced by the airline for its business class passengers. Addressing a press conference, he said the low cost carrier has performed exceedingly well in State during the last one-year since its launch in April 29, 2005.


Mr. Venkat said AIE flights from the State had consistently registered a load factor of over 90 per cent. The budget carrier started off with 26 services a week, which was gradually expanded to 38 services. In the yet to be announced 2006 winter schedule, this would be further increased to 44 services and a portion of this increase will be from the Kochi airport, he said.


Proposal to increase the frequency of services between Dubai and Kochi from the present eight to 12 a week is under consideration, K.M. Kurian, commercial manager (Kerala), of the airline said.


Presently the AIE operates 23 services in a week out of Kochi airport. At present the AIE's fleet comprises seven B737-800s taken on lease.


"We have placed orders for 18 more aircraft at a cost of nearly Rs.5000 crore. The first of these aircraft are expected by November or December this year while ten more new aircraft are likely to be received in the course of next year," he said.


Seats increased



The total number of seats from Kerala has been increased and a further increase during the winter schedule was being planned. Aircraft capacity has been increased by 18 per cent and the availability of economy class seats increased by 29 per cent in the current summer schedule compared to the summer schedule in the previous year, Mr. Kurian informed.


"B737-800s are new generation aircraft, the airline had to hire as many as 40 pilots on contract from different countries. However, we are now training our pilots and co-pilots so that there would be absolutely no shortage of pilots when new aircraft are inducted," e said.


Mr. Venkat said the AIE was awaiting clearances from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur for commencing services to these destinations from Chennai.


Growing market



Stating that Kerala was a growing aviation market, Mr. Venkat attributed it to two factors — affordable fares and increase in dispensable income.


"Affordable fares have enabled people to frequently," he pointed out.


Dispelling allegations that the airline was fleecing passengers during peak season by hiking fares, Mr. Venkat said despite the hike, the AIE fares were much lower than that offered by its competitors.


"Currently, the peak season fares offered by foreign carriers in the Kerala-Gulf sector are in the Rs.13,500-Rs.16,500 range. AIE charges only between Rs.8,999 and Rs.11,700 during the peak season," he said.


He justified the hike stating that it was normal for any industry to effect a hike during peak seasons.


He said Air-India, being an equity partner and the ground-handling agent of the Kochi airport, was willing to participate in any future expansion projects of the airport.


He said Air-India would introduce a new reservation system, named CUTE (Common User Terminal Equipment) at the Kochi airport in the next two or three months.



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Jazeera Airways begins operation
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Air India Express has got terrific competition now!!


http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20060831023236&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0&
Jazeera Airways begins operation
Thursday August 31 2006 12:54 IST
NEDUMBASSERY: Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s new national airline, launched its operation in the Kuwait-Kochi sector on Wednesday.


The first flight of Jazeera Airways, with 105 passengers on board landed at the Cochin International Airport here at 4.10 pm on Wednesday.


Including Jazeera Airways 20 airlines are now being operated from the Cochin Airport. Jazeera will be the 11th foreign airline to operate from here.


Jazeera Airways will operate three flights a week - on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The flight is scheduled to arrive at Kochi at 4.10 pm and will leave for Kuwait at 5.10 pm. Jazeera Airways is operating Air Bus 320 aircraft, with a seating capacity for 159 passengers.


The Jazeera Airways crew were accorded a warm welcome at the Cochin International Airport on Wednesday evening. CIAL Managing Director Shriram Bharath received the crewmembers by presenting them with bouquets.


Jazeera Airlines Country Manager-India Sanjai K Jha, Airport Director A C K Nair and senior officials of CIAL, Air India, Customs, Emigration, Airport Security, BPCL and other airlines were also present. The Jazeera Airways flight returned with 125 passengers onboard to Kuwait at 4.10 pm.


Landed at 4.10 pm and left again at 4.10 pm!!!! But the schedule is right. One-hour halt for an LCC? It's about 35 mins for AIX. 



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Air India Express adds two more cities in its route
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www.uninews.com


Air India Express adds two more cities in its route


Mumbai, Sep 9 (UNI) Air India Express, India’s first International budget airline, will add two more cities in India to its route Network - Amritsar and Mangalore.


Effective from October 2, two weekly flights will commence between Amritsar and Dubai. With this, Air India Express has taken the first step to fulfill the requirement of the Punjab market for direct flights to the Gulf. These flights will be progressively stepped up in the near future, a release issued here today said.


Air India Express will also commence a twice weekly service on the Mangalore-Dubai-Mangalore route. This will be the first international service from Mangalore in Karnataka.


With the proposed operations from Amritsar and Mangalore, effective from October 2, the total number of flights to India-UAE-Oman will increase to 39 per week. Out of which 35 weekly flights will be operated from three cities of Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode to the UAE and Oman.


Air India Express operates flights to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Al-Ain, in the UAE and to Muscat and Salalah in Oman.


At present, the Air India Express flights operate with an all-economy-class-configuration Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 



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Air India Express, India’s first International budget airline, will add two more cities in India to its route Network - Amritsar and Mangalore. Effective from October 2, two weekly flights will commence between Amritsar and Dubai. With this, Air India Express has taken the first step to fulfill the requirement of the Punjab market for direct flights to the Gulf. These flights will be progressively stepped up in the near future, a release issued here today said. Air India Express will also commence a twice weekly service on the Mangalore-Dubai-Mangalore route. This will be the first international service from Mangalore in Karnataka.



This is great news and I hope these services do take off (and are not sabotaged by AI taking over these new 738s). This will definitely be a success as there's a lot a demand on these sectors - I can imagine all the rich Punjabi businessmen/farmers wanting to go to DXB to buy gold and other shopping. I'm sure there's also the normal "worker" segment of drivers/fitters etc that will make these flights a success.

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These services are going to be partly sabotaged by Air India. Its tender for wet and dry lease has not been a success and its beginning to panic.


Strategy now is to hijack AIX and fly its planes on Air India routes to the Gulf and Far East. Plan also is to have some in 2-class. 



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www.uninews.com


RAK Airways plans to start flights to India next year


 Dubai Sept 9 (UNI)


UAE’s new airline, RAK Airways, plans to start flights to India when it takes off in January 2007.


 RAK, the fourth airline from the UAE after Emirates, Ethihad and Air Arabia, will also start flight services to neighbouring Iran .


 In its first year, the airline will fly twice a week to 15 destinations in India and Iran.


 The airline is making preparations including recruitment of staff and negotiating contracts for the first flights to Iran and India.


 The airline has plans to expand its India operation in 2008.


 


More competition.


Emirates, Ethihad, Oman Air, Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Jazeera, and now RAK. Also consider Sri Lankan indirectly in this list.


versus


Air India, Indian and Air India Express.



-- Edited by karatecatman at 16:57, 2006-09-09

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karatecatman wrote:



These services are going to be partly sabotaged by Air India. Its tender for wet and dry lease has not been a success and its beginning to panic.


Strategy now is to hijack AIX and fly its planes on Air India routes to the Gulf and Far East. Plan also is to have some in 2-class. 





AI's taking over (lease) AIE's aircraft (hopefully short term) to plug the holes in AI's schedule--It's unfair but doesn't it make sense? Somewhere in this forum I read that 3 of AIE's 738s are not being used for long due to pilot shortage whereas the lease payments are being made.


If AI could use those 738s for Gulf and SE asia and release 310s for Europe, China, Japan etc- that would make sense in short term.


BTW, for some routes in the Middle east, AI uses 747s and/or 777s. Kuwait is one of them...and other destinations you guys know of?


Cheers!


 



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That's the whole idea!!!


Pull out the A310s and make them fly medium/semi-long haul!


Air India has the 777/747s on the Saudi route. 747s are regular on the Thiruvannathapuram-Jeddah/Riyadh and Dhammam sectors. 777 has done Dubai also.


 



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RAK Airways to launch India operations in January
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www.uninews.com


RAK Airways to launch India operations in January


Dubai, Sep 10 (UNI)


The UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is targetting India as a major market for its airline, RAK Airways, which plans to start operations in January next year.


RAK Airways plans to start operations with a Boeing 737 it owns and a Boeing 757 on lease.


In its first year, the airline will fly twice a week to 15 destinations in India and Iran, said CEO Jack Romero, who indicated fleet expansion plan from two aircrafts to over 10 aircrafts in the short-term.


It is wooing passengers with liberal baggage rules, including a 45 kilogram free allowance and 10 kilogram hand baggage, media reports said.


It is also enticing passengers with pick up service to neighbouring emirates of Sharjah and Dubai.


The airline will primarily serve businessmen and tourists.


By the end of the third year, Mr Romero said, the carrier should turn in a profit even assuming oil at 100 dollars a barrel and 39 per cent occupancy on its flights. 



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RE: Where AI Express is off to next
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Did Mangalore Karnataka to DXB ever start???????/



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vmgopal wrote:

Did Mangalore Karnataka to DXB ever start???????/




The service is due to start in Early october - things look little brighter now, except for any mischief that AI might do by stealing the AIX a/c.

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