Aviation

Air India Successfully Completes Its First A350 Flight from Delhi-New York

Air India has officially launched its new wide-body flagship, the Airbus A350 aircraft, on the highly anticipated Delhi-New York route, marking the aircraft’s ultra-long-haul debut.

This milestone signifies the induction of the first new aircraft type by an Indian carrier in over a decade. With this development, Air India is set to deploy the A350 on its non-stop flights to North America, with plans to introduce the aircraft on the Delhi-Newark route starting January 2, 2025.

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Additionally, the airline announced the upcoming launch of inflight Wi-Fi service on international flights operated by the A350, enhancing the passenger experience.

On November 1, 2024, the air india Airbus A350-900 took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in Delhi at 02:49 local time and successfully landed at New York’s JFK Airport approximately 15 hours later, at 07:47 local time.

This journey follows Air India’s first-ever A350-900 flight, which took off from Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport (BLR) to Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport (BOM) on January 22, 2024.

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In a statement released on November 1, 2024, an Air India spokesperson expressed enthusiasm, stating, “Our A350 is NYC-bound for the first time ever! Now enjoy the all-New Air India experience when you fly between Delhi and New York JFK.”

air india new routes currently operates long-haul flights to major destinations including Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco with its Boeing wide-body fleet.

Passenger feedback regarding the A350 air india retrofit and the new customer experience has been overwhelmingly positive since its introduction on the Delhi-London Heathrow route in September. Managing Director and CEO Campbell Wilson noted, “We are excited to now bring it to New York.”

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.