Aviation

British Airways re-introduces Airbus A380 in its fleet

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British Airways’ A380 aircraft will re-join the airline’s fleet earlier than expected as US borders re-open, initially operating to Los Angeles, Miami and Dubai
The airline is increasing flights to the US by adding more services to key cities including New York, with up to eight daily services by December
The airline will also be bringing forward planned restart dates to a number of US destinations
This October the airline has added 13,000 additional seats to short-haul family leisure destinations and has increased flights to popular European cities
Looking ahead to Christmas, British Airways is adding extra services to winter sun destinations including the Maldives, Mauritius and Caribbean islands

British Airways is set to welcome back its first A380 aircraft in November and operate its biggest schedule since March 2020, with additional services to cities across the globe, including the US.

British Airways’ A380 will initially operate to a number of short-haul destinations to allow for crew service familiarisation in November, shortly followed by operating to Miami and Los Angeles in the US, as well as Dubai in December.

News that the airline’s A380 aircraft is re-joining its fleet follows the announcement that vaccinated Brits will be able to travel to the United States from November. The airline is set to fly to 23 US airports this winter* with up to 246 flights a week, more than any other transatlantic carrier.

Across its US network, British Airways will be increasing the number of flights it operates with services to city destinations including New York, which will initially be increasing to five a day, followed by eight in December. The airline will also be operating double-daily services to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, Miami and Toronto, as well as daily services to Philadelphia, Phoenix, Seattle, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and Vancouver

In addition to frequency increases, in October and November British Airways will restart services to Austin, Orlando, Tampa, San Diego, Las Vegas and Baltimore **. In December the airline will also start flying to Nashville and New Orleans once again, which both proved to be a hit with customers when they first launched.

Closer to home, British Airways has increased flights to a number of short-haul destinations by adding 13,000 more seats to holiday hot spots for families to get away this October. Popular leisure destinations Marrakech and Dalaman will appear on flight schedules again in time for October half-term, and brand-new services to the Turkish resort of Antalya will also be launching. Looking ahead to the winter, British Airways will be restarting a number of ski destinations including Innsbruck, Grenoble and Salzburg from December.

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To help customers get away for some much-needed summer sun this Christmas, British Airways is extending its Caribbean programme with 12 services a week to Barbados and nine each to Antigua and St Lucia, which will be split across Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Flights to popular luxury Indian Ocean destinations, Maldives and Mauritius, will also be increasing to 10 and six per week over the Christmas period.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Network and Alliances, said: “This is an exciting time for British Airways and our customers as we see borders re-opening. With welcome news from the US, we are dramatically increasing flights and bringing home some of our A380s to give our customers as many options as possible. Elsewhere across our network we are also adding additional services to destinations all over the world, to ensure our customers can take advantage of a much-needed holiday.”

Elsewhere across its short-haul network British Airways will be increasing flights year-round to key European cities with 48 weekly services to Amsterdam, 33 to Geneva, 35 to Dublin, 28 to Milan and 21 to Berlin, Paris and Rome.

British Airways’ subsidiary BA City Flyer, is expected to operate a schedule of 43 flights a week to Edinburgh, 33 to Dublin, 25 to Glasgow, 18 to Belfast, 16 to Amsterdam, 15 to Rotterdam, 15 to Berlin, 12 to Frankfurt, 12 to Dusseldorf and 11 to Zurich. The airline is also set to launch a new route from Belfast to Birmingham, as well as new ski destination Salzburg, from London City and Southampton.

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To coincide with the increase in services as the world re-opens, the airline’s lounges are also welcoming customers back. In September customers were invited to enjoy British Airways’ Concorde Room in London and New York. Lounges in Chicago, Washington, San Francisco and Houston are expected to open this week.

Customers using exclusive lounges can benefit from exciting new developments, such as the introduction of ‘Your Menu’ – a new initiative developed in the last few months to allow customers to order food and drink directly to their seat by simply scanning a QR code on their mobile device.

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Aviation

India Launches Its Medium-Lift Class Helicopter Program, chooses New Engine

India’s longstanding need for a Medium Helicopter may soon become a reality as the country has fully ramped up its engine development efforts. This new helicopter is set to replace the Russian-built models currently in service and will play a crucial role across various scenarios for the Indian Armed Forces.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and SAFHAL Helicopter Engines Pvt. Ltd. (SAFHAL) have launched a groundbreaking partnership to develop a state-of-the-art high-power engine named Aravalli.

This new engine will power the upcoming 13-ton Medium Lift Helicopter (IMRH) and the Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH), both of which are being designed and developed by HAL.

Named after the majestic Aravalli mountain range in India, the Aravalli engine symbolizes the country’s drive for self-reliance, or Aatmanirbharta, in critical engine technologies. This cutting-edge engine will be instrumental for the IMRH, a versatile 13-ton multi-role helicopter designed to meet the needs of the Indian armed forces, and the DBMRH, a 12.5-ton naval variant tailored for the Indian Navy.

The IMRH is poised to become a cornerstone of the Indian armed forces over the next decade. With its first flight expected in 3 to 4 years, the IMRH is anticipated to begin induction by 2030, with plans to integrate between 300 to 400 units, and potentially more in the future.

The IMRH is envisioned as a highly versatile multi-role helicopter that will enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian military. The DBMRH, designed for naval operations, will also face the challenges of high-altitude environments in regions such as Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh—areas of strategic importance due to their proximity to the China border.

In addition to its military applications, the Aravalli engine is projected to enter the civil market, serving roles in offshore operations, utility services, and VVIP transport. The long-term vision includes Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) activities to further extend the engine’s utility and support the aviation industry.

This collaboration between HAL and SAFHAL builds on their successful history of working together on the Shakti engine, which powers several HAL helicopters, including the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, and the Light Utility Helicopter. The proven success of this partnership lays a strong foundation for the development of the Aravalli engine, setting the stage for a new era in India’s helicopter capabilities.