Just how bad were things for Air India, even before the market collapsed in early 2020? According to the Minister of Civil Aviation the carrier lost money on 319 of the 340 routes it operated globally. Only 6% of the carrier’s network operations met costs for the twelve months from April 2019 through March 2020.
India
Vistara launches inflight wifi service on Dreamliner fleet
After years of promises and product evolution Vistara’s service from Delhi to London on the 787-9 will deliver a major milestone for the inflight connectivity industry. Inflight wifi service will fly on an Indian airline tonight for the first time, powered by Nelco and Panasonic Avionics
GoAir launches Go Fly Private increased social distancing option
Blocked middle seats are nice, but what if you want more space on board? India’s GoAir is taking the extra seat concept to extremes, launching Go Fly Private, an option for passengers to buy as many seats as they want to create a buffer zone on board.
Converting to cargo: Putting passenger planes to use in the COVID-19 era
Passenger demand may not exist right now for airlines but global supply chains still demand the cargo capacity those aircraft represent. Passenger aircraft are being pressed into service as freighters, filling their belly space with goods to fly across the globe. And, in some cases, even a bit more.
India gets a 2020 boost to Europe
The international air travel market faces massive challenges in Asia, but that isn’t stopping some airlines from planning long-haul growth, particularly into India. Three announcements this week will bring additional flights from Europe to the sub-continent, with onward connections across the Atlantic.
Vistara confirms Panasonic, Nelco partnership for inflight WiFi service
Vistara confirms it will launch inflight wifi on its 787s, becomming the first Indian carrier to offer inflight connectivity on board.
Vistara aims for inflight wifi service with Nelco
Vistara is making a bid to be the first Indian airline with inflight connectivity installed. The carrier is reportedly partnering with Nelco, a local satellite services provider, to bring the service online. Neither party is confirming the deal, though Indian regulators confirmed that applications were processed and permits issued.
IndiGo faces major setback in A320neo service due to GTF PW1100G engines
India’s largest airline has a major problem. After multiple inflight engine shutdowns IndiGo must replace all its PW1100G engines with an updated model. And Indian regulators are now looking to ground aircraft ahead of a January 2020 deadline, concerned that sufficient progress on the repairs is not being made.
Emirates expands access to India with SpiceJet codeshare deal
Emirates passengers will gain access to six new Indian destinations via its Dubai hub thanks to a new codeshare agreement with SpiceJet.
A new player in the race for inflight WiFi over India
The race to bring the first aircraft online in India took an interesting turn in recent weeks. While SpiceJet has talked about its plans to add the GX Aviation system from Inmarsat to its new 737 MAX aircraft other players have been less public about their efforts. But installations are underway to deliver a fleet-wide solution, potentially within a year.