Airlines
This is how Air India achieved the first phase of its development plan, which lays the foundation for a stronger future hold
One of India’s first and national flag carriers, Air India was maintained by the government until being returned to its original owner, the TATA group. The airline, which updated its five-year plan a few months ago, is now committed to upholding its promises and has fulfilled all of its obligations. In this article, we will look at the areas where Air India operates and explore potential future growth.
The first phase of Vihaan.AI, the premier airline in India and a member of Star Alliance, has been completed by Air India. Vihaan.AI is a comprehensive 5-year transformation plan. The primary goals of this initial phase, known as Taxi, were to systematically solve the airline’s heritage problems and build the groundwork for future expansion. The first part of the transformation has come to an end, and Take Off, the second phase, which focuses on creating the platforms, procedures, and systems required to progress toward excellence, has begun.
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Some of the significant achievements during the Taxi phase include:
Customer:
- Committed more than $400 million to the refurbishment of aircraft
- Updated menus on both domestic and international routes
- On a few long-haul flights, Premium Economy seats were introduced for the first time.
- Some of the most important customer support tasks were outsourced, and a reform of the customer notification system for all touchpoints was started.
- Between February and December 2022, more than a million instances involving historical refunds were resolved.
- Several customer compensation schemes were put into place to help with service recovery.
- RFP for new customer contact center launched
- Hundreds of additional airport employees were hired using AISATS to enhance customer service.
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People:
- Redesigned duties at all levels and implemented a new organizational structure in an effort to reconcile the differences between full-term contract workers and permanent employees.
- Implemented over 29 new policies across all staff members to enhance welfare. created new compensation plans for legacy personnel.
- Introduced Saksham and ACE, two new training programs, to upskill workers and enhance service.
- More than 3800 new hires have been made in the crew and other functions to support capabilities and growth.
Growth & Commercial Excellence:
- Signed the largest order for 470 aircraft in the history of the sector.
- 36 leased aircraft, including 11 widebodies, will be delivered in 2022–2023 as part of an accelerated fleet expansion.
- All previously grounded aircraft have been put back into service or have been retired pending sale.
- 6 new foreign routes were added, and 24 others saw an increase in frequency.
- Attained highest-ever load factor, highest-ever cargo revenue, highest-ever ancillary revenue, and highest-ever single-day passenger revenue.
- Over the course of a year, RASK (revenue per available seat kilometer) increased by 17%.
Digital:
US $200 million is being spent on modernizing IT systems, including the introduction of iPads across the fleet to better empower crew and streamline procedures, the implementation of Salesforce for CRM integration, the upgrade of SAP ERP from an outdated mainframe to the cloud, the modernization of the website, employee self-service systems, learning management systems, safety management systems, and world-class rostering systems.
Operations:
- In the recent year, domestic On-Time Performance (OTP) has improved the most across the sector, consistently ranking in the top three.
- Achieved comprehensive spares and support agreements to increase reliability globally.
- Boeing has a Performance Improvement Program in place to increase 787 dependability.
- Approximately all first and business-class seats now have functioning in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems and approximately 90% of seats are in economy.
- Rebuilt entirely, with new personnel and infrastructure.
- On board are top-notch systems and experience in flight safety.
- Initially successful airline in the world to implement risk-based IATA Operational Safety.
Audit. Responsibilities & Influence:
- Signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Petroleum’s CSIR to use sustainable aviation fuels. (SAF).
- Re-engaged with ties in the international aviation business, joining the industry. organizations such as AAPA and FIA
- More than 10 codeshare agreements have been reactivated, and active alliance negotiations with additional airlines are ongoing.
- Actively involved with the Flight Safety Foundation, IATA, and Star Alliance.’Go, Green, Go Paperless’ campaign adopted, including e-signature acceptance.
Airlines
United Flight Diverts to Shannon, After Stuck Laptop in Business Class Seat
A United Airlines flight from Zurich to Chicago O’Hare was forced to make an emergency diversion to Shannon, Ireland.
On Saturday afternoon after a passenger got their laptop wedged in a Business Class seat aboard the Boeing 767-300. Operating as United Flight 12, the aircraft departed from Flughafen Zürich at 9:46 a.m. local time and took off at 10:08 a.m.
The captain decided to divert the flight not because the passenger couldn’t access their laptop, but because any device powered by lithium-ion batteries that becomes inaccessible could pose a significant safety risk.
Such devices, if damaged or overheated, could lead to a thermal runaway event, potentially causing a fire on board. The Boeing 767-300, featuring United’s relatively new Polaris business-class cabin, landed safely at Shannon Airport in County Clare at 1:43 p.m. IST (Irish Summer Time) and reached the gate at 1:51 p.m.
In a statement, United Airlines acknowledged the diversion: “United flight 12 scheduled from Zurich to Chicago landed safely in Shannon to address a potential safety risk caused by a laptop being stuck in an inaccessible location.” This situation led to the cancellation of the flight, and the airline is working to reroute the 157 passengers who found themselves unexpectedly in Ireland.
Frequent flyers are often reminded in airline safety videos not to move their seats if they lose mobile phones or other gadgets powered by lithium-ion batteries within the seats. Attempting to retrieve such items by moving the seat can damage the battery and potentially cause a dangerous situation.
Airlines
Air India Flight Collides with Tug Tractor, at Pune Airport
An Air India flight bound for Delhi faced an unexpected hurdle during its taxi towards the runway at Pune Airport on Thursday, May 16th.
The aircraft, carrying 180 passengers, encountered a collision with a tug tractor, though fortunately, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew. The incident, while causing significant damage to the aircraft, triggered swift emergency protocols, ensuring the safety of all individuals involved.
Upon the mishap, passengers were promptly disembarked from the plane, and alternative arrangements were made for their accommodation as they found themselves stranded at the airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the collision, according to ANI reports.
Preliminary findings suggest that the tug truck, utilized for maneuvering the aircraft on the ground, inadvertently struck the plane during the taxiing process. Despite the incident, airport operations continued with minimal disruption. However, the affected aircraft was temporarily withdrawn from service for comprehensive inspection and necessary repairs.
Air India, in response to the situation, assured passengers of full refunds and complimentary rescheduling. The airline’s statement conveyed, “There was an incident related to one of our aircraft, which was to operate Pune to Delhi, at the time of its pushback. The aircraft was held back for checks, all passengers were offloaded safely, and the flight was cancelled.”
Passengers affected by the cancellation were provided with refunds and the option for rescheduling their travel plans without additional charges. The damage to the aircraft, primarily located near the belly where the pushback tug made contact, underscores the need for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Airlines
After Flight Cancellation, Virgin Atlantic Passengers Told to Arrange Own Hotels
Ian Field and his partner Jane, both residents of the London area, faced an unexpected and costly ordeal while on a trip to St. Lucia in the Caribbean.
The couple, who had flown out from Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic flight VS221 on May 5, discovered upon arrival that their May 15 return flight was canceled for “operational reasons.” Despite Virgin Atlantic’s explanation, Field suspected the cancellation was due to a lack of passengers, as the airline is set to cease the route after May 19.
Stranded on the island, Field and Jane were left to fend for themselves for two additional nights. Both Virgin Atlantic and their travel agency, Blue Bay Travel, failed to provide assistance or accommodation, forcing the couple to pay over £400 out of pocket for their hotel stay.
Virgin Atlantic advised those without sufficient funds to seek financial help from family members, which added to the couple’s frustration. “We feel completely abandoned and let down terribly,” Field expressed to The Independent.
The lack of response from Virgin Atlantic and the unhelpful attitude of the travel agent exacerbated their distress. Although Field and his partner could afford the unexpected expense, he expressed concern for those who might not be in a similar financial position.
In response, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson stated that all affected customers were rebooked on alternative flights and could amend their bookings through the airline’s “rebook me” function if needed. The spokesperson apologized for the delay and inconvenience, assuring that customers would receive EC261 compensation of £520 per person and be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred.
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