Aviation

Air India Expands International Routes with Bengaluru to London Heathrow Flights

Air India, a leading airline in India, has announced an exciting expansion of its route network. Starting from 27 October 2024, the airline will launch daily, non-stop flights between Bengaluru and London Heathrow.

This new service replaces the existing Bengaluru-London Gatwick route, increasing the frequency of flights between Bengaluru and London from five times a week to seven times a week.

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The non-stop flights will be operated using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Each aircraft will feature 18 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 238 spacious seats in Economy, adding an impressive 3,584 seats per week in total for inbound and outbound travel at London Heathrow. Currently, Air India operates 31 flights weekly to London Heathrow from its hubs in Delhi and Mumbai.

In addition to the new Bengaluru-Heathrow route, air india will continue to provide 12 weekly flights a350-900 air india route to London Gatwick from four Indian cities: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, and Kochi. This strategic move enhances Air India’s overall capacity to London, now totaling 31 weekly flights from Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai.

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Switching from London Gatwick to London Heathrow is a pivotal decision for Air India. Heathrow is one of the busiest and most prestigious airports globally, known for its excellent connectivity to international destinations. air india refurbishment, allows Air India to better position itself in the competitive aviation market by securing valuable landing slots at Heathrow.

Flight Schedule between Bengaluru and London Heathrow (Effective 27 October 2024)

Flight #	Sector	Departure	Arrival	Days of Operation
AI133	Bengaluru – London Heathrow	14:20	19:30	Daily
AI132	London Heathrow – Bengaluru	21:05	12:20 (+1)	Daily

Bookings for the new flights are now open across all platforms, including Air India’s official website, mobile app, air india wifi and authorized travel agents. This initiative reflects the airline’s commitment to providing convenient travel options for tech-savvy customers who prefer digital booking platforms.

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.