11 Apr 2023
India Aviation Industry Newsletter
Air India Launches Premium Economy Class on Select Flights
Air India announced the introduction of an all-new Premium Economy experience commencing 15 May, becoming the first Indian carrier to offer the choice of four cabin classes Business, Economy, First, Premium Economy. The Premium Economy class will be initially available to on routes from Bengaluru to San Francisco and Mumbai to New York JFK and San Francisco. Air India CEO & MD Wilson Campbell Wilson said “The popularity of Premium Economy has grown among travellers around the world, as people are increasingly opting for upgraded, yet affordable flying experiences. We are delighted to introduce a distinctive Premium Economy experience for our customers on select flights for now, with a plan to extend it to many more routes soon, as we rapidly expand and modernise our fleet. This is another step forward in our sincere, ongoing effort to transform Air India into a modern, global carrier of world-class products and service standards.”
Etihad Airways reconnects with East India
Etihad Airways resumed daily services between its Abu Dhabi hub and Kolkata in East India effective from 26th March operated by two class Airbus A320-200 aircraft. Etihad Airways Chief Revenue Officer Arik De said “Riding on the resurgence of outbound travel from India, we’re delighted to resume daily flights to Kolkata, a key cultural and commercial hub in the Indian subcontinent. Re-establishing this vital air link with East India will support the growing demand from travelers in and around the region, offering them easy access to Abu Dhabi and connectivity to our global network alongside a world-class flying experience. We have been very impressed with our initial demand, which reaffirms our strategy to return to this key market.”
IndiGo to launch operations Bhubaneswar
IndiGo announced following a successful tender process the carrier will launch operations from Bhubaneswar effective from 15th May operating to Dubai. Two international routes to Bangkok and Singapore will be launched once operational requirements have been finalized. . The carrier is collaborating with the Odisha government to strengthen connectivity from the state.
IndiGo Head of Global Sales Vinay Malhotra said, “We are pleased to announce the launch of maiden international flights from Bhubaneswar, enhancing direct connectivity to key international destinations. IndiGo has been at the forefront of enhancing international connectivity at affordable fares. The new direct flights between Bhubaneswar-Dubai will reduce the need for travellers to connect to international destinations through metro cities only. This will not only enable faster connectivity, enhanced accessibility but also encourage trade and tourism in the state. This partnership between the government and private enterprises is a great example as it will open up new opportunities for economic growth and create efficient ways for people to travel.”
Vistara operates first Indian Boeing 787 SAF flight
Vistara became India’s first airline to operate a Boeing 787 using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on a long-haul route, with the delivery 29th March of VT-TSP Boeing 787-9 msn 66351 from Charleston to Delhi in partnership with Boeing and GE Aerospace. The aircraft was fuelled using a blend of 30% SAF with 70% conventional jet fuel was able to reduce approximately 150,000 pounds of CO2 emissions on the flight. Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan said “We take immense pride in carrying out another pioneering initiative to operate a wide-body aircraft on a long-haul route using SAF, as we took delivery of our all-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This is an important milestone in our commitment towards achieving carbon neutrality. We thank our partners, Boeing and GE Aerospace, for their support and hope that initiatives such as this, open up more avenues for the industry to increasingly adopt sustainable technologies.”
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