Aviation
Current difficulties with AMCA and Tejas Mk2 have caused further delays in the manufacture of the aircraft.
The long-awaited initiative for India to build its own fifth-generation fighter jet may be delayed or challenged to obtain its advanced engine. In addition to the delayed money, the government of Joe Biden’s apparent hesitation regarding the sharing of technology for producing the engines for these jets has been put on hold.
Turkish fifth-generation fighter jets, for example, were unable to obtain GE engines for aircraft development. Similar issues could arise for the Indian AMCA. India is eager to construct its engine under license so that it won’t have to wait as long to sell its aircraft to nations without US allies in the future.
India has already started looking for more engines to construct the LCA Mark 2 aircraft, which will be more technologically advanced than the first model and have a greater payload capacity and range. Aside from that, the General Electric F414 engine will power AMCA, one of the most crucial initiatives for India’s defense. It is a 22,000-pound (98 kN) thrust after-burning turbofan engine made in the United States by GE Aviation.
The Indian government has already spoken with GE on numerous occasions about engine production in foreign nations and the transfer of technological conditions. The US government, however, may not want this to occur. In order to focus on anything other than AMCA and rely on Western nations’ aircraft, USA sent its F-35 to Aero India for the first time in February 2023. However, it is uncertain how the US will handle its agreement with India.
In addition, both Safran and Rolls Royce have shown interest in building engines on Indian soil and have offered AMCA engines with comparable engine specifications. However, India is more interested in American GE engines as it assesses aircraft engines.
While the Pratt & Whitney engines are employed in the F35 and F22, talk is now turning to the GE engines, which are currently used in numerous aircraft. General Electric’s F414 INS6 engine will power the second-generation Indian Tejas.
The United States is actively seeking orders for the F35 aircraft as it prepares for the building of its 1000th aircraft this year and has lowered the cost of the aircraft. Some nations already have F35 aircraft in service, and if India so chooses, they can order any variant for their armed forces.
The Amca prototype, HAL has asked for about 15000 crores, or around 1.8 billion US dollars, to create its first aircraft prototype. The AMCA needs an incredible level of complexity, and the engine is still at the core of such goals, which is what’s crucial in this situation. The metal has already been cut up, and the process is ongoing. By 2027, building on the first prototype will be finished. Some of the top elements of this aircraft, like its instrument clusters and body cockpit designs that are equipped with the touch screen and voice command capabilities, were displayed at Aero India 2023.
Aviation
Air India Express 300 crew go on ‘mass sick leave’, more than 80 flights cancelled
Air India Express, a prominent airline in both international and domestic routes, found itself in a whirlwind of disruptions as over 80 flights were abruptly cancelled due to an unexpected occurrence.
More than 300 crew members reported being ‘sick’. The airline’s senior crew member disclosed this puzzling situation, sparking concerns and investigations from Civil Aviation authorities.
The fallout from this mass sick leave has been profound, with scores of flights cancelled across various key airports like Kochi, Calicut, and Bangalore. Passengers were left stranded or facing significant delays, amounting to approximately 15,000 individuals grappling with the repercussions of these cancellations.
While the exact reasons behind this sudden wave of sick leave remain unclear, speculations point towards discontent among the Air India Express staff. Allegations of mismanagement within the Tata Group-owned airline have surfaced, hinting at possible reasons for the crew’s protest.
The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), claiming to represent a significant portion of the cabin crew, echoed sentiments of morale depletion among its members due to managerial issues. In response to the chaos, Air India Express issued a statement acknowledging the disruptions and expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
They assured affected travelers of full refunds or rescheduling options, urging them to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
Social media platforms buzzed with complaints from passengers caught off guard by the sudden flight cancellations, highlighting the extent of the turmoil faced by those relying on Air India Express services.
Aviation
JetBlue & Etihad Airways Join Forces for Loyalty Partnership under Codeshare Agreement
A long-standing codeshare collaboration between JetBlue New York’s Hometown Airline® and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has expanded to include loyalty benefits beginning on May 8, 2024.
Celebrated today at Dubai’s Arabian Travel Market was the agreement between the two airlines. As a result of the partnership, passengers travelling across the networks of both airlines will now be able to accrue and redeem points in their preferred programme while they are part of JetBlue’s TrueBlue and Etihad Airways’ Etihad Guest.
With Etihad Guest miles redeemable against a variety of experiences, including travel and lodging across the globe as well as the ability to convert miles into reward cards for retail purchases, this alliance enhances the redemption choices offered by the individual programmes.
In addition, JetBlue introduced its new TrueBlue loyalty programme last year, giving members more value than ever before with expanded Mosaic levels for the airline’s most devoted customers, Perks You Pick®, tiles to track status, and more opportunities than ever before to earn perks and status.
TrueBlue recognises that every traveller is unique, thus it allows users to select the benefits that are most important to them and accrue points for every flight, purchase, drive, or shop.
The customer reward programmes expand on the nearly ten-year cooperation between the two airlines, which provides connectivity between New York and Boston to over 70 locations worldwide on Etihad and over 40 destinations in the Americas on JetBlue.
Aviation
Emirates Unveils Plans to Retrofit 191 Aircraft, Including Boeing 777 Upgrade
Emirates announced today an ambitious expansion of its aircraft refurbishment program, signaling its commitment to providing an unparalleled travel experience for its customers.
The initiative now includes refurbishing an additional 43 A380s and 28 Boeing 777s, bringing the total number of aircraft undergoing full refurbishment to 191.
Originally slated for 120 aircraft, comprising 67 A380s and 53 777s, the program’s extension reflects Emirates’ dedication to maintaining the excellence of its fleet. The Boeing 777 remains the backbone of the Emirates fleet, while the A380 continues to be a customer favorite, serving as the airline’s flagship.
Emirates has already retrofitted 22 A380s, with plans to commence the interior refresh of the first Boeing 777 in July. Each Boeing 777 will undergo approximately two weeks of refurbishment before re-entering service. Notable upgrades include a refreshed First-Class cabin, new Business Class seats featuring an updated 1-2-1 seating configuration, and the introduction of 24 Premium Economy seats, expanding premium options for travelers.
With the addition of the Premium Economy cabin, Emirates’ Boeing 777 will feature 332 seats across four classes: eight First Class suites, 40 Business Class seats, 24 Premium Economy seats, and 260 Economy Class seats. To accommodate the new Premium Economy cabin, 50 Economy seats will be removed.
Emirates’ in-house Engineering Centre is managing and executing the refurbishment work for its fleet, with over 250 project personnel working tirelessly, supported by 31 major partners and suppliers. These partners have established workshops both onsite and offsite to deliver the refreshed cabins efficiently.
Upon completion of the retrofit program, Emirates will have installed 8,104 next-generation Premium Economy seats, 1,894 refreshed First Class suites, 11,182 upgraded Business Class seats, and 21,814 Economy Class seats across its fleet.
Emirates currently operates refurbished A380 aircraft with Premium Economy on various routes, including to destinations such as New York JFK, Los Angeles, London Heathrow, Sydney, and Dubai. The airline plans to expand services with the new cabin to Osaka in early June.
By February 2025, Emirates aims to offer Premium Economy services to 42 cities, with the introduction of the A350 to its fleet in September and the refurbished Boeing 777s set to serve more cities with the highly sought-after cabin later in the summer.
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