Aviation

Inexperienced BA boss who oversaw cost-cutting drive is blamed for IT meltdown that could cost 150M.

According to Daily mail British Airways boss Alex Cruz has been blamed for causing the computer meltdown that saw thousands of passengers stranded on Saturday after outsourcing hundreds of IT job to India.
Mr Cruz, who founded low-cost carrier Clickair and headed budget airline Vueling before being appointed BA chief last year, was accused of replacing highly-skilled British IT professionals with low-cost overseas workers.

GMB union chiefs said the IT outage, which experts believed could cost the airline £150million in compensation, would have been avoided if those jobs had been allowed to remain in the UK.
The accusation came as people stuck at Heathrow, where dozens more flights were cancelled on Sunday, vented their fury – describing the situation there as ‘leaderless’ and ‘chaotic’.

Flights were taking off from Gatwick on Sunday, though some were running with an hour of delays.
Since being appointed in April last year, Mr Cruz has overseen a cost-cutting drive that removed free food from short-haul flights and has seen customer satisfaction plunge.

A Which? report in December last year found that average customer satisfaction with BA had fallen to 67 per cent for short-haul and 60 per cent for long-haul flights, putting it 10th in a table of 23 British carriers.

The airline’s value for money rating dropped from three stars last year to two, while its food rating also fell from four stars down to two.

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.