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Air India Pilots Avoid Crisis Situation At New York’s JFK Airport!

AirWhizzSep 19, 2018 No Comments

Air India Pilots Avoid Crisis Situation At New York’s JFK Airport!

Aviation Insider

On 11th September 2018, pilots of the Air India’s flight AI-101, from Delhi to New York, were caught in a nightmarish situation. Multiple system failures, bad weather conditions and low fuel made it a struggle for the pilots which were supposed to land the airplane in New York’s JFK Airport.

The flight was in a very bad situation however, the two pilots and an Air Traffic Control (ATC) operator were able to overcome this situation and saved the lives of 370 passengers onboard.

Here are all the details about the incident:

  • Air India’s Senior Commander Mr. Rustom Palia and Second-in-Command, Captain Sushant Singh, reported to the ATC operator at JFK Airport that the flight experienced multiple system failure while approaching the airport for landing.
  • Apart from these, the flight also witnessed the malfunctioning of all three of its Instrument Landing System (ILS) receivers on board. This meant that the pilot of the aircraft needed to manually land the flight.
  • They had to abort landing at JFK and spent close to one and a half hours in the air, trying to figure out to land at an airport in New York or a nearby city with good visibility.
  • Running low on fuel, they quickly needed a decent chance of sighting a runway early enough to make approach due to the failed ILS.
  • After help from the ATC tower operator they weighed various options to solve that situation and decided to land at Newark Airport.
  • The AI pilots skillfully managed to land the airplane safely, 38 minutes after hovering over JFK Airport.

According to reports, the Air India’s B777 aircraft had flown over 36,985 hours and had been in service for almost 9 years. While the incident was transpiring, there was panic among passengers as the aircraft managed to land.

A pilot can fly an aircraft without the onboard navigation system, however, the accuracy often suffers.

Mr Palia and Mr. Singh defied all the odds and used their experience and skills, with the help of the ATC operator, to avoid a disaster situation and saved the lives of all passengers.

Air India has set up an inquiry on aircraft and constituted an internal inquiry under the airline’s ‘Flight Safety Department’.

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In-Flight Connectivity: Here’s What You May Have To Pay!

AirWhizzSep 12, 2018 No Comments

In-Flight Connectivity: Here’s What You May Have To Pay!

Aviation Insider

It will soon be possible for Indian travellers to use Wi-Fi and make calls while flying as the Department of Telecom(DoT) is set to allow In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) services from October.

As per the existing rules, no person can use any electronic device which intentionally transmits radio signals while aboard an aircraft. However, with the advancement in technology, it is not very difficult for Indian carriers to launch this facility after they get the licence.

How Much Will It Cost The Airline

According to experts, it would be a herculean task to provide IFC services since the cost of installation and the turnaround time to do so will be quite high.

It is estimated that the cost of installation will be around $100,000 per aircraft and turnaround time would be about eight days. However, this estimate depends on the aircraft type, fleet size, bandwidth, other technical specifications and regulatory requirements.

Estimates may vary, but the cost of providing IFC is certainly going to be high.

How Much Will You Have To Pay

Given the cost and turnaround time, it shouldn’t be a surprise if IFC services are expensive, at least in the initial stages.

Airlines across the world use different pricing strategies for connectivity services. The charges for net connection might range from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 for 30 minutes to an hour as per international standards.

However, a lot would depend on the packaging of the IFC services being offered by the airlines. To differentiate their product experience from other airlines, they may offer special packages to frequent fliers and premium customers or may even base pricing on the time of the flight (early morning flights generally have more corporate travellers).

Aviation experts believe that within a couple of years of the launch, one can expect these services to become free.

Airlines such as  Emirates, JetBlue and Turkish Airlines already offer free IFC. In two-three years, we can expect IFC services in India to become free of cost like in hotels, restaurants and malls.

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Budget Airlines In India Offer Heavy Discounts This Festive Season!

AirWhizzSep 04, 2018 No Comments

Budget Airlines In India Offer Heavy Discounts This Festive Season!

Aviation Insider

In a bid to attract customers in this competitive aviation market, several low-cost airlines in India are offering heavy discounts on airfares this festive season.

No frill airlines IndiGo, GoAir and AirAsia India on Monday launched several discount schemes.

Here are all the details about it-

IndiGo

  • The market leader in the Indian aviation sector, IndiGo, is offering discounts on 10 lakh seats across 59 destinations in its network, for all-inclusive one-way fares starting at Rs 999.
  • Bookings of flight tickets for the four-day “festive sale” offer started on Monday for travel between 18th September 2018 and 30th March 2019.
  • The airline has also offered a super cash amount of up to Rs 600 or 20% refund on booking the ticket through MobiKwik.

Air Asia India

  • The airline is offering tickets to over 120 domestic and international destinations starting at Rs 999 for domestic travel and Rs 1,399 for international travel.
  • Domestic destinations include Bengaluru, New Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, Goa, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Pune, Guwahati, Imphal, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Srinagar, Bagdogra, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, Indore, Surat, Amritsar and Chennai.
  • International destinations include Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Krabi, Sydney, Auckland, Melbourne, Singapore, Bali.
  • The offer, which will run for 8 days, is known as the ‘Big Sale’ and will be applicable on air travel between 19th February and 26th November 2019.

GoAir

  • The airline is offering tickets across its domestic network starting at Rs 1,099.
  • The discounts will be applicable on air travel between 3rd September 2018 and 31st March 2019.
  • The sale will go on for 3 days.

The various discounts come at a time when airlines in India have been hammered by higher jet fuel prices, a weaker rupee and intense competition, restricting their ability to raise airfares to cover higher costs.

However, this decision by these airlines will surely help them attract more customers and in the bargain, make air travel more reachable for the general public of India.

 

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India’s First Biofuel Run Airplane To Fly On Monday!

AirWhizzAug 25, 2018 No Comments

India’s First Biofuel Run Airplane To Fly On Monday!

Aviation Insider

India is all set to create history. It may become the first developing nation to test a biofuel-run aircraft!

Indian carrier, SpiceJet, announced that it will fly a passenger aircraft which will solely run on biofuel.

The aircraft will take-off from Dehradun on Monday and fly around the city. If it’s a success, SpiceJet will make the airplane fly again from Dehradun to Delhi. Senior officials from the government and airline will be on board the flight to see the results.

The main purpose is to make air travel economical and bring some respite to airlines in India who are fleeing the pressure of rising fuel prices globally.

Biofuel, produced from vegetable oils, recycled grease, algae, and animal fat, is an alternative fuel that can be used in place of fossil fuels. According to some estimates, biofuel has the potential to reduce the aviation carbon emissions by up to 80 percent.

Global association of airlines, International Air Transport Association (IATA), has set a goal to cut carbon emissions for the industry by 50 percent by 2050.

Till now, no developing nation has tested a biofuel-run flight. However, some developed nations like Australia and the US have flown commercial flights on the sustainable fuel. Australian airline Qantas had flown a Dreamliner between Los Angeles and Melbourne in January this year.

Alaska Airlines and KLM had also tested flights using biofuel. Many nations are testing biofuels for flight operations to get independence from Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) which is a non-renewable fossil fuel and costly.

If the test flight on Monday is a success, we may soon have ‘Green’ airplanes flying us from one place to another. Biofuels will definitely be a cost-effective and pollution-free substitute for ATF

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In-Flight Internet & Calling Services May Start In October 2018!

AirWhizzAug 24, 2018 No Comments

In-Flight Internet & Calling Services May Start In October 2018!

Aviation Insider

The telecom department is all set to allow in-flight calls and internet services on airplanes in India by October end this year.

The Department of Telecommunications(DoT) has said that they are in the final stages of in-flight connectivity license norms and the service option will be given to carriers and telecom companies within two months

DoT has largely followed all recommendations put forth by the Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (TRAI) in terms of drafting guidelines. After the department clear the plan, an estimated two weeks will be required for the Law Ministry’s approval.

There have been meetings with both telecom operators and airlines and some players have shown interest in offering the services.

In January 2018, TRAI issued recommendations to allow both calling and Internet services on domestic flights. As part of the in-flight connectivity proposal, the Telecom Commission will initially allow Wi-Fi on flights and slowly get into voice services as well.

The internet services will be allowed through Wi-Fi onboard. For calling services, the airplane/flight mode on the phone will have to be kept off. It is expected that consumers will need to pay an additional fee to avail these in-flight services, however, telecom companies may gradually throw-in bundled packages to attract frequent fliers.

While there is no immediate clarity on pricing of such services, analysts say that it could be much higher than the rates for mobile services on the ground. This is because airlines will have to make an initial investment to install the equipment required to support in-flight connectivity.

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SpiceJet To Offer Free In-Flight Entertainment Services!

AirWhizzAug 14, 2018 No Comments

SpiceJet To Offer Free In-Flight Entertainment Services!

Aviation Insider

In a bid to compete with the rising competitions in the domestic aviation market, SpiceJet has announced that it will offer free ‘In-flight Entertainment’ services to its passengers.

The low-cost carrier has introduced an in-flight entertainment system called ‘SpicEngage’ which will allow flyers to watch movies, TV shows and play games onboard SpiceJet flights using their own mobile phones, tablets or laptops at no cost.

According to the Chairman & Managing Director of SpiceJet, Mr. Ajay Singh, SpicEngage will vastly improve the onboard experience of their guests. SpicEngage has been strategically designed with attractive and creative content aimed at catering to audiences across all ages.

Unlike traditional in-flight entertainment systems, flyers can easily access SpicEngage on their hand-held devices by following a few easy steps. The system is currently available on all SpiceJet’s domestic and international flights.

Here are the details about the SpicEngage system-

  • The platform will host a wide range of content under 5 main categories-Watch, Play, Explore, Read and Eat
  • In the ‘Watch’ section, flyers will be able to watch cartoons, popular web series, stand-up comedy videos and short movies
  • The ‘Explore’ section will display content for travel and lifestyle enthusiasts with articles and videos related to tips on fashion, vacation and much more
  • The ‘Read’ section offers a whole lot of content especially for well-read travellers who prefer to keep themselves abreast with the latest in the aviation industry.

With this decision, SpiceJet becomes the first Budget Airline in India to Introduce Inflight-Entertainment for free.

This will surely help the carrier to compete with its rivals such as IndiGo and GoAir, in the low-cost segment and get a better grip on the Indian aviation market.

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Jet Airways Cancels Pay Cut Proposal After Internal Protests!

AirWhizzAug 07, 2018 No Comments

Jet Airways Cancels Pay Cut Proposal After Internal Protests!

Aviation Insider

Last week Jet Airways had announced that they might reduce the salaries of their employees by almost 25 % owing to a financial crunch.

The Airline has decided to not go ahead with this plan after a lot of backlash from their staff, including pilots.

The management had delayed their staff’s salary thinking that they would be convinced that a pay cut would be in the overall interest of the airline. However, the management went back on its proposal after the chairman’s assurance to employees. The airline has credited the full salary of its staff for the month of July.

The top-level management has taken a pay cut to help the airline cut on wage costs and survive this financial storm, which has been created by the unfavorable aviation market.

Jet Airways brand name has taken a beating after news of financial turbulence. In fact, the airline saw many ticket cancellations across the country due to this.

The airline’s Chairman, Mr. Naresh Goyal, held a meeting with the staff saying that these circumstances are temporary and Jet Airways is ready to benefit from the growth in the Indian aviation sector.

Following the meeting, pilots association National Aviators Guild (NAG), issued a statement calling for unity in these tough times. They said that NAG is confident of Jet Airways’ short and long-term sustainability.

Jet Airways finances have been hit due to rising crude oil prices and weakening of the rupee, which has inflated their operating cost. In addition to these factors, the airline has lost a chunk of its market share to its main competition, IndiGo.

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Jet Airways Faces Major Financial Turbulence!

AirWhizzAug 03, 2018 No Comments

Jet Airways Faces Major Financial Turbulence!

Aviation Insider

In a bid to revive their financial condition, Jet airways is looking to sell a part of its stake and has approached investment bankers to help them out.

India’s second largest airline, by market share, has been going through a rough patch as they have been left cashed strapped due to high fuel prices, rising competition and lack of expansion in the past 6 months.

The airline is looking to raise immediate cash and the stake sale may include Jet Airways founder, Mr. Naresh Goyal, offloading a part of the promoters share in the company. Mr. Goyal owns a majority stake of 51 percent in the airline while Etihad owns 24 percent stake.

Jet Airways has reported a loss of Rs 636.45 Crores in FY 2017, while its competitors SpiceJet and IndiGo Airlines registered a profit of Rs 566.66 Crores & Rs 242.37 Crores respectively.

The senior management team of the airline informed its employees in several face-to-face meetings that the carrier’s financials are in a bad shape and drastic measures need to be taken to cut costs. They have said the airline will not operate more than 60 days if these measures are not taken.

Apart from selling shares in the airline, Jet’s top management has pitched for a 25 percent cut in their staff’s (Including pilots) salary and a reduction in the number of leaves to reduce employee cost.

The airline held a meeting with their pilots in Delhi and Mumbai on 1st & 2nd of August for negotiating these terms. Jet Airways CEO Mr.Vinay Dube, EVP Flight Operations & Engineering, Mr. Nikhil Vaid and Chief People Officer Mr. Rahul Taneja, addressed the pilots.

This was followed by an open house discussion, for the proposed salary cut, with the representatives of the airline’s pilot union, National Aviation Guild (NAG).Currently, Jet Airways has 2,000 pilots and a workforce of 16,000 people.

Jet Airways is not the only carrier to be affected by intense cut-throat competition and rising fuel costs. Many domestic airlines have reported a drop in profits for the first quarter of this fiscal year.

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