http://www.teluguportal.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=20091
Air Arabia to launch operations in Kerala capital
Posted by admin on 2006/11/3 20:09:24 
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3 (IANS) Air Arabia, the budget airline of the Sharjah government, is all set to launch its operations at the international airport here Sunday.

The airline, which already has operations in Kochi since May, is to operate daily flights to and from Sharjah.

"We will operate A 320 aircraft which has 162 seats, all in the economy class. Our inaugural flight will cost Rs.3,800 plus taxes. And henceforth, fares would be based on the supply demand theory," Rohit Ramachandran of Air Arabia told reporters here Friday.

And watching Air Arabia's moves is India's national carrier Air India that has its own budget airline Air India Express that operates daily flights to Dubai.

"Competition is always welcome and the fare levels of the two carriers are going to be very similar. We will fine-tune our fares soon since Air Arabia is here," H. Munaf, chief of Air India here, told IANS.

But K.V. Muraleedharan, president of the Kerala Association of Travel Agents was not too pleased and said all budget airlines made mere promises at the time of their launch but never followed up on them.

"When these airlines begin operations, they say one thing but soon forget what they said initially. In the last peak travel season, a ticket to Dubai on Air India Express was Rs.16,500 and on Air Arabia from Kochi to Sharjah was Rs.17,050. They say it is based on supply and demand, so I would reserve my comments," said Muraleedharan.

Air India Express has one advantage over Air Arabia - it serves complimentary snacks to passengers.

"We offer snacks and water free of cost, whereas on Air Arabia you have to pay for them," said Munaf.
 

http://www.bellevision.com/newshead.asp?nhid=3808
Mangalore: Flight service to Muscat, Abu Dhabi likely  

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The Hindu 

Delivery of additional aircraft awaited 

MANGALORE: Air India Express that introduced its Dubai-Mangalore tri-weekly flight service this October plans to make it six days a week most likely from January 2007, according to Karnataka NRI Forum, UAE.

The airline also plans to connect Abu Dhabi and Muscat with Mangalore when it gets delivery of an additional aircraft. This was conveyed to the forum by P.P. Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Air India Charters Limited, according to Rajesh Sequeira, co-ordinator of the forum. Mr. Singh's reply to the forum was in response to a letter by it to the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel recently. Mr. Sequeira quoted Mr. Singh's letter as having said: "Our future plans for Mangalore include increasing flights from Dubai to Mangalore to six flights a week and also link Abu Dhabi and Muscat to Mangalore. This would be possible probably from January 2007 onwards when we get delivery of additional aircraft."
 

www.uninews.com

Passengers protest 17-hour delay in AIX flight
Kochi, Nov 28 (UNI)

Protesting against the nearly 17 hour delay in the Kozhikode-Kochi-Sharjah Air India Express flight, at least 70 passengers who were stranded here since last night gave vent to their anger at the airport, arguing with officials. They also destroyed equipment and allegedly caused minor damage to the interiors of the plane. 
 The flight, which was to have arrived here at 10.20 pm last night from Kozhikode, had developed some technical snag and its journey was suspended, airport sources here said.
 The passengers were accommodated in nearby hotels last night.
 They were informed that the flight would arrive here at 12 noon today. The passengers said they arrived at the airport only to be told by officials that the flight had once again run into some technical problems after it took off from Kozhikode.
 Finally, after the problem was rectified, the flight arrived here and took off for Sharjah at about 3 pm. 

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http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20061129000503&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0
Flight delayed: Airport witnesses unruly scenes
Wednesday November 29 2006 10:26 IST
NEDUMBASSERY: The Cochin International Airport here witnessed unruly scenes when Sharjah-bound Air India Express flight failed to reach the airport from Kozhikode on Monday night, leaving around 70 passengers stranded at the airport.

Air India Express flight IX 353, Kozhikode-Kochi-Sharjah, was scheduled to reach the airport at 9.35 pm on Monday and leave for Sharjah at 10.20 pm. But the flight was held up in Kozhikode due to a technical snag.

The passengers were shifted to hotels when they started shouting at the authorities for the delay. Some of them had to join duty in Sharjah on Tuesday. ‘‘If we did not join duty our visas would be cancelled,’’ they said.

The Air India authorities expected the flight to reach Kochi on Tuesday after maintenance. The passengers were brought from the hotels to the airport by 11 am. But the flight which took off from Kozhikode had to return to Kozhikode airport as its VHF system was found reportedly mal functioning.

The passengers turned violent when they came to know that the flight would be further delayed. However, the flight, which reached from Kozhikode left for Sharjah at 3.30 pm with 70 passengers boarding the flight from the Cochin airport.

Another one from Jet Photos

Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan

This is the right situation:

Two deliveries made by Boeing. One to Air India (Express) and one to the Indian Government.

www.uniindia.com

Air-India Express gets first delivery from Boeing
New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI)

Flag carrier Air-India today took delivery of a brand new Boeing 737-800, the first of the 68 aircraft it has ordered from the US manufacturer, which would be used by its subsidiary Air-India Express.
 ‘‘The induction of this and future aircraft into our fleet will support our mission of providing convenient routes at most affordable prices to our passengers,’’ Air-India CMD V Thulasidas said in a statement.
 Last year, Air-India had placed an order for 68 aircraft from Boeing worth more than 11 bilion dollars. It includes 27 787-8 Dreamliners, eight 777-200LR (Long Range) Worldliners and 15 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes for Air-India and 18 Next Generation 737-800s for Air India Express.
 Commenting on the delivery, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice-President Sales, Dinesh Keskar said it would further strengthen its relationship with Air-India, which had embarked on a strategic fleet renewal and expansion plan.
 The 737-800 can seat 162 to 189 passenger, can fly 260 nautical miles farther and carry 12 more passengers than the competition, a Boeing statement said.

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Boeing delivers business jet to India
New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI)

India has taken delivery of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) for VVIP movement from US-based Boeing Co, for which this happened to be the 100th such aircraft supplied to customers worldwide.
 The 100th ‘‘green’’ aircraft or an unfinished plane would now be fully fitted at the Delaware-based PATS Aircraft Completion Center, the company said in a release.
 ‘‘Representatives of the Government of India accepted the milestone airplane at the Boeing Delivery Center in Seattle’’ on November 29, the release said, adding that it was the 100th of Boeing Business Jets (BBJs) delivered by the aircraft major to its customers worldwide.
 The BBJ delivered to the Indian official representatives are typically designed to seat between 25 and 50 passengers. The aircraft to be fitted in Delaware would have a stateroom, a meeting room, a communications centre and seating for 48 passengers, the release said.
 ‘‘Green’’ aircraft are unfinished planes as they do not have interior furnishing or exterior paint. Once the aircraft is ready, customers work with the designers to install the interiors matching their preferences and needs.
 Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice President, said the company was ‘‘honoured that the Government of India has (so far) utilised the 737 Boeing Business jet for transportation of VVIPs and heads of state’’.
 India has ordered three such aircraft from Boeing.
 ‘‘The delivery of this airplane (BBJ) will continue to build upon our long-term partnership. We are extremely pleased that the BBJ will be part of that great future’’, Keskar said.

folks
we are fortunate to have one new member in our Flickr Group.  This guy Rick takes regular ramp pictures at Boeing's Washington Facility and is happy to pool India related pictures.  Especially with AI's widebodies rolling out in not so distant past. Here are the latest AIX pix by him

cheers!!
VT-ASJ

www.uniindia.com

AIE flights to Singapore to become daily

CHENNAI, Dec. 15 (UNI)
Effective December 18, Air India Express (AIE), a fully owned subsidiary budget airline of Air India, will introduce two more frequencies on the Chennai-Singapore-Chennai route, thereby operating a total of seven weekly services. With this proposed introduction, the Chennai-Singapore and return routes will now have daily flights operating to and from Singapore.
AIE initially started with five-weekly services on October 29. The increase in frequencies is in response to the growing demand for daily services and to provide for enhanced growing business ties between the two countries and also boost tourism.
The AIE flight will depart from Chennai at 11-55 a.m. and reach Singapore at 6-20 p.m. (local time). In the return direction, the flight will leave Singapore at 7-25 p.m. (local time) and arrive Chennai at 8-50 p.m.
EOM.