Business
PM Modi hands over made-in-India light combat helicopters to IAF
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hand over locally produced military hardware, including light combat helicopters (LCHs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and electronic warfare systems for warships, to the armed forces on November 19 at a function in Jhansi as part of celebrations marking India’s 75th year of independence, emphasising the government’s focus on achieving self-reliance in the defence sector.
The PM will present the LCH, designed and developed by state-run plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), to Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, and UAVs manufactured by local startups to army chief General MM Naravane, according to a statement issued by the defence ministry on Monday.
The three-day event will be inaugurated on November 17 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
“LCH incorporates advanced technologies and stealth features and is designed to perform roles such as enemy air defence destruction, counterinsurgency, search and rescue, and anti-tank operations.” It is the world’s only attack helicopter capable of landing and taking off at an altitude of 5,000 metres.
HAL has not yet received the LCH contract from the defence ministry for supplying helicopters to the IAF and army, but that has not stopped it from manufacturing and delivering helicopters to the two services. Its transfer to IAF indicates that the contract will be signed soon.
HAL is awaiting a contract for 15 limited series production (LSP) helicopters and anticipates additional orders, as the IAF and army have a combined projected requirement of 160 LCHs. The initial 15 LSP helicopters approved for purchase by India’s apex defence procurement body, the defence acquisition council (DAC), are for the IAF and five for the army.
Airlines
Air India Enters Into Codeshare Agreement With AIX Connect for 100 Flights
A codeshare arrangement has been made between AIX Connect, formerly known as Air Asia India, and Air India, which is controlled by the Tata Group. A codeshare arrangement allows one airline to sell seats on a different carrier’s flights while both use the other’s flight number.
ANA and EI AI Israel Airlines Sign Codeshare Agreement(Opens in a new browser tab)
Over 100 flights per day on 21 destinations operated by AIX Connect will now have Air India’s ‘AI’ designator code. It will gradually add more routes covered by the codeshare agreement. In a statement, Air India announces that reservations for the codeshare flights are now being accepted at all points of sale, with travel beginning on September 27, 2023.
Tatas rename AirAsia India as AIX Connect ahead of merger(Opens in a new browser tab)
The codeshare flights are now accepting reservations at all points of sale, with travel beginning this Wednesday. The extent of the agreement between the two airlines allows passengers to have their bags checked in all the way to their ultimate destinations and receive their boarding tickets at the initial point of departure for all of the travel sectors on a single ticket. To comply with government regulations, passengers connecting from international to domestic flights must go through customs at the initial point of entrance into India, according to Air India.
In addition to the shared destinations between the route networks of the two airlines, Air India has expanded its domestic route network with the introduction of the codeshare agreement to include Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, and Surat.
Airlines
Embraer and Scoot Sign Pool Program Agreement for its E190-E2 fleet
Embraer announced a Pool Programme services agreement with Scoot to support the airline’s incoming fleet of nine E190-E2 aircraft.
The Pool Programme provides access to component exchanges and repair services for over 300 repairable parts to support Scoot’s Embraer aircraft, allowing the airline to reduce its upfront investment in high-value repairable inventories and resources while leveraging Embraer’s technical expertise and extensive component repair service provider network. The Pool Programme currently covers more than 60 airlines globally.
The E190-E2 jet is the most effective and quiet single-aisle aircraft in the world, and Scoot will receive the first batch in 2024. Scoot’s operations will also gain from the AHEAD (Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis) system, which includes early detection capabilities for critical systems, reducing technical interruptions and preventing flight cancellations, and the eSight, which provides real-time fleet performance monitoring.
With 10,000 flying hours for basic checks and no calendar limit for normal E-Jet operations, the E-Jets E2 series of aircraft, including the E190-E2, has the longest maintenance intervals in the single-aisle jet category. As a result, the aircraft can be used with little downtime.
Singapore’s Scoot selects Embraer E190-E2 lease arrangement with Azorra.(Opens in a new browser tab)
Singapore serves as the hub for Embraer’s business in the Asia Pacific region. The company has employees based in Singapore as well as a regional distribution centre inside the free trade zone of Changi Airport. A state-of-the-art E2 full flight simulator and pilot training programme will be launched in Singapore in 2023, according to a recent announcement by Embraer and CAE. The Singapore-CAE Flight Training Centre at the SIA Training Centre will serve as the home base for the full flight simulator.
Airlines
British Airways And IndiGo Announce New Codeshare Partnership
British Airways and IndiGo, India’s top airline, have announced a codeshare deal to improve connectivity between the UK and India.
Customers will benefit from better connectivity between Southeast Asia and Europe as of October 12, 2023, with this arrangement, which will see British Airways add its code to a variety of destinations across IndiGo’s network.
When flying from London Heathrow to New Delhi or Mumbai, eight destinations are now accessible as codeshare possibilities. This comprises three new locations that were previously unavailable to British Airways customers:
- London Heathrow to Amritsar via New Delhi
- London Heathrow to Kochi via Mumbai
- London Heathrow to Ahmedabad via Mumbai
- London Heathrow to Goa via Mumbai
- London Heathrow to Thiruvananthapuram via Mumbai (NEW)
- London Heathrow to Kolkata via Mumbai
- London Heathrow to Rajkot (Hirasar) via Mumbai (NEW)
- London Heathrow to Vadodara via Mumbai (NEW)
Customers flying from Rajkot (Hirasar) to London or transiting through Heathrow (or vice versa) will be able to connect to their destination on a single ticket as a result of the agreement.
IndiGo’s fleet of A320 aircraft serves a large domestic and regional network. All British Airways customers who continue their journey with IndiGo will receive a complimentary meal as well as the UK carrier’s substantial baggage allowance in the economy via codeshare on flights to India – two checked bags weighing up to 23 kilogrammes per person.
The number of British Airways flights from India to London now exceeds pre-pandemic levels, with the airline operating 56 flights a week, to five Indian gateways: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
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