himmat01 wrote:

---

These aircraft will also be used for serving feeder routes for Air India.Meanwhile, Air India has received a B737-300 ER aircraft from an international airline to meet the demand in the India-UK route.

The quality of Indian aviation reporters is really pathetic. Since when did Boeing come out with B737-300ER?

I think he means the B767-300ER. btw, I am waiting to see this a/c in AI colours.

-- Edited by himmat01 at 13:32, 2006-11-27

---

Himmat Bhai u must make that reporter go six feet under....

I too started making calls when i got news, only to realise later

karatecatman wrote:

---

Latest (Nov. 29, 2006) is that the Air New Zealand 747s (2) are (most probably) not arriving.

Part of the reason is that the NZ management changed its mind and AI has found the conditions a bit difficult to comply with, especially about maintenance (of interiors) among other things. 

The 747s AI now wants may be stored UA 747s. UA gets on okay with Air India. 

AI is also looking at extended leases now for 7 years or more.  

-- Edited by karatecatman at 13:18, 2006-11-29

---

OMG the AZ were being looked forward to slice competetion on the LHR / JFK route....

Now what

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061130/sfth076.html?.v=69c
Boeing, Air India Celebrate Milestone With 737-800 Delivery
Thursday November 30, 10:22 pm ET 
Event Marks the First Airplane Delivery From Historic Order for 68 Boeing Jetliners

SEATTLE, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA - News) and Air India today celebrated the delivery of the first of 18 Next-Generation 737-800s to Air-India Express, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India. The delivery also marked the first airplane delivered to Air India following the airline's order for 68 Boeing jetliners, the largest commercial airplane order in India's civil aviation history. The order was placed in December 2005 and is valued at more than $11 billion at list prices.
 
Air India's order comprised 27 787-8 Dreamliners, eight 777-200LR (Longer Range) Worldliners and 15 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes for Air India; and 18 Next-Generation 737-800s for Air-India Express.

"Our commitment to Air India and the Indian aviation industry dates back more than 60 years, and we continue to strengthen that relationship over time," said Dinesh Keskar, vice president of Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Today marks another great milestone in our partnership with Air India as it embarks on its strategic fleet renewal and expansion plan."

The 737-800, which can seat 162 to 189 passengers, can fly 260 nautical miles farther, consume less fuel and carry 12 more passengers than the competition.

"The 737's reliability, low operating costs and passenger comfort will provide value for both the airline and its customers," said V. Thulasidas, chairman and managing director of Air India, who attended the delivery ceremony. "The induction of this and future aircraft into our fleet will support our mission of providing convenient routes at the most affordable prices to our passengers."

Air India currently operates a Boeing fleet of 11 747-400s, one 747-400 Combi, two 747-300 Combis, four 777-200ERs and seven 737-800s, and also operates 19 Airbus A310-300s.

To date, the Next-Generation 737 has logged 574 net orders in 2006. As of Oct. 30, 101 customers have placed orders for more than 3,500 Next-Generation 737s. The program has 1,442 unfilled orders with a value of nearly $100 billion at current list prices.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Boeing Co.

http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2006/q4/061130c_nr.html
 

AI needs a maintenance base in the South, esp in Kerala. I presume this would cater exclusively for 737-800W.

But Why TVM? Wouldnt COK make more sense? They own a stake in COK dammit!

Huh!!! Something new???

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/12/02/stories/2006120201950700.htm
Air India takes delivery of first Boeing business jet
Our Bureau

VVIPs will soon be able to travel in more comfort and style 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The VVIP flight Boeing business jet to have separate meeting room, communication centre. It will replace the Govt's existing fleet of Boeing 737-200 aircraft.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Delhi , Dec. 1

Air India has taken delivery of the first of the 68 Boeing aircraft that it is to purchase from the US aircraft manufacturer. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was delivered at a ceremony in Seattle attended by the airline Chairman and Managing Director, Mr V. Thulasidas.

The aircraft is the first of the 18 Boeing 737-800 aircraft that the airline is acquiring for use by its subsidiary, Air India Express Ltd. The airline placed the order for the aircraft, which have a list price of $11 billion, in December 2005. The President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the other VVIPs will soon be able to travel long distances in more comfort and style.

Special configuration

The specially configured aircraft is to have a separate state and meeting room, communication centre and seating for at least 48 passengers. The basic cost of each aircraft is estimated to be around $40-45 million although the final amount to be paid is likely to go up depending on the work carried out on these aircraft.

Joint venture

Boeing business jets is a joint venture with General Electric and these aircraft can fly more than 11,110 km, thereby, allowing non-stop flights between Tokyo and Mumbai and India and London. It will replace the Government's existing fleet of Boeing 737-200 aircraft that is currently used to transport the VVIPs. The Boeing business jet is a derivative of the 737-700 aircraft.

Its induction into the Government's VVIP fleet will offer them the option of using either the Embraer or BBJ for their travels. The Embraer jets joined the VVIP fleet recently.

At present, the President, Prime Minister and Vice President use Air India aircraft on their travels abroad while for domestic travel the Boeing 737-200 aircraft, especially maintained by the Indian Air Force, are used.

SEATTLE, Nov. 29, 2006 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] Business Jets today delivered its 100th "green" -- unfurnished -- airplane. Representatives of the government of India accepted the milestone airplane at the Boeing Delivery Center in Seattle.

"One hundred business jets delivered in 10 years is an amazing testament to the BBJ's wide market appeal and the great work of the Boeing team members who design, sell, build and support these airplanes," said Steven Hill, president of Boeing Business Jets.

Boeing delivers VIP airplanes in so-called "green" condition, meaning the airplane does not have interior furnishings or exterior paint. Customers then work with designers and interior completion centers to install an interior that exactly matches the owner's preferences and needs.

About 35 percent of BBJs ordered are for government heads of state and are typically designed to seat between 25 to 50 passengers. The Indian Government BBJ will be completed at PATS Aircraft completion center in Delaware, a wholly owned subsidiary of DeCrane Aircraft. PATS Aircraft will install an interior that includes a stateroom, meeting room, communications center and seating for 48 passengers. The jet is the first of three on order. The BBJs will replace the government's existing fleet of 737-200s.

"The Boeing Company is honored that the Government of India has utilized the 737 Boeing Business Jet for the transportation of VVIPs and heads of state," said Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' vice president of Sales. "The delivery of this airplane will continue to build upon our long-term partnership and we are extremely pleased that the BBJ will be a part of that great future."

Boeing Business Jets is a joint venture with General Electric, launched in July 1996 to respond to market demand for a larger, more capable business airplane that can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles (11,110 kilometers).

The BBJ is a high-performance derivative of the commercially popular Next-Generation 737-700. Providing unsurpassed levels of space, comfort and utility, the BBJ cabin offers 807 square feet (75 square meters) of space, nearly three times the interior space of competing models with similar range capability.

In addition to the 737-based BBJ, BBJ 2 and BBJ 3, Boeing Business Jets also offers VIP versions of the 747-8, 767, 777 and 787. Boeing Business Jets' order book stands at 124 jets including 99 BBJs, 14 BBJ 2s , two BBJ 3s and nine widebody VIP airplanes. For more about Boeing Business Jets, visit http://www.boeing.com/commercial/bbj/html/index_html.html

Boeing [NYSE: BA] Business Jets today delivered its 100th "green" -- unfurnished -- airplane. The airplane departed from the Boeing Delivery Center in Seattle on its way to be painted. A customized interior will be installed by PATS Aircraft completion center in Delaware, a wholly owned subsidiary of DeCrane Aircraft. PATS Aircraft will install an interior that includes a stateroom, meeting room, communications center and seating for 48 passengers.

For once the indian govt is quite lucky

I just hope that AI budgets extra monies for repair and overhaul of their cabin stuff, including the ICE systems they plan to install.

For all you know, within a few months of the induction, the desi pax will spoil the interiors with their usual aviation (lack of) manners!

No matter how sophisticated these systems are, the locals will treat it like its no one else's business!

Desis of any variety will behave themselves as well as they can on any non-Indian carrier.

Put the same well-behaved desi on Air India and for some reason he will change into a vandal of sorts. 

Couple this obnoxious behaviour with Air India's complete disregard for the condition of their cabins in any class, and in less than a year what may have been a brand new 744 will look like a state transport bus plying the route between Patna and Rourkela.