Aviation

Cops didn’t want FIR filed: IndiGo flyer

NEW DELHI: Only an independent government probe may reveal who — IndiGo or passenger Rajiv Katyal — was responsible for the recent skirmish at Delhi Airport.

Katyal, a Delhi-based commercial kitchen equipment maker, does not agree with the report submitted by IndiGo to the government on Wednesday which says ground staffer Juby Thomas was trying to prevent him from harm.

“I am a frequent flyer and know where I can go and not go after alighting from an aircraft. I was just standing quietly in the shade and waiting for a bus take us to the terminal when one ground staffer (Thomas) spoke very rudely to me. When I asked him to do his job and quickly call the third bus, he got agitated,” 53-year-old Katyal said.

He recalls Montu Kalra, the sacked IndiGo staffer, asking the other two to stop him from boarding the bus, which led to the scuffle. “After this, they put me on an empty bus for 15 minutes. While there, I called the police and my wife (who was in Delhi). I reached the terminal half an hour after landing. Once there, the cops came. By that time my wife also came and we went to the police station,” Katyal, a mechanical engineer, said.

He claims the police did not want him to file an FIR as the employees would have lost their jobs. “I was to leave for Milan on October 17 morning and decided to let it go. Once I reached home, I got a call from IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh who apologised and told me he had suspended people. I told Ghosh how his staffers had behaved like a mob,” Katyal, a diabetic, said.

He was “shocked” to find on Tuesday evening that action was taken against only Montu Kalra and not the others. Asked what action he wanted, he said it was for the society at large to determine. “It’s not about me. What happened with me, and others like me in the past, can happen again. We have to think what to do so that people remain safe,” he said.

Courtesy : Times of India

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.