Airlines

United Airlines Introduces Significant Alterations to Its Boarding Procedures

Later this month, United Airlines will make changes to its boarding procedure as it transitions to a system where passengers with window seats board the aircraft before their rowmates.

Soon, Air India aircraft will feature onboard WiFi and all-new cabins.(Opens in a new browser tab)

According to United, boarding times have risen by up to two minutes since 2019. Airlines, which want to keep planes moving as much as possible and maximise their airport turns, suffer financially from lengthy boarding waits. The speed at which people board and deplane, load baggage, and load fuel are all extensively monitored by large airlines.

New: @United is debuting a revamped boarding process on Oct. 26.

The airline will add a 7th boarding group and board economy flyers in order of window, middle and aisle seats.

Here's the full breakdown: https://t.co/fjl6guY59k— Zach Griff (@_ZachGriff) October 12, 2023

Groups 1 and 2 will only be available to passengers flying First or Business class, as well as Premier Platinum, Gold, and Silver members and holders of specific high-earning credit cards, according to an internal memo seen by travel website The Points Guy.

How do airplane stops on runway ..!?(Opens in a new browser tab)

Groups 3 to 5 will now be divided according to where in the row of seats a person sits, as opposed to the past practise of moving them down from Economy Plus to Basic Economy. Group 3 passengers in window and exit row seats board first, followed by Group 2 passengers in middle seats, then Group 5 passengers in aisle seats.

Airlines

Air India Express Aircraft Engine Part Falls Outside Delhi Airport; DGCA Orders Probe

Air India Express flight skids off runway while landing at Kochi airport

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an inquiry following reports that metal fragments were discovered at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after an Air India Express flight made an emergency landing on Monday evening.

The emergency landing was prompted by a detected engine fault, but fortunately, the landing was executed safely without any injuries to the passengers.

The situation began when crew members of the Air India Express flight reported an engine issue, leading to the emergency landing. The DGCA has confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway and has directed that the aircraft undergo a comprehensive safety inspection.

Air India Initiates Construction of MRO Facility at Bengaluru Airport

The discovery of metal debris outside the airport has raised concerns, prompting the DGCA to probe whether these fragments are linked to the aircraft involved in the emergency landing. Authorities are particularly focused on whether the metal pieces, which were found near the airport, originated from the same Air India Express flight that experienced engine trouble.

While preliminary assessments suggest that the debris could be a broken blade from an aircraft engine, the exact source remains unconfirmed. The airline has yet to verify if the metal fragments are from their aircraft.

Airbus Beluga to Deliver Spare Parts for Stranded British Airways A350

The Delhi Police, working in conjunction with the DGCA, have initiated their own investigation to determine the origin of the metal pieces. A technical team is set to analyze whether the fragments are associated with the aircraft in question. As the investigation continues, a case has been filed with the airport authority to address the matter.