Air India will train its pilots in Singapore for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, due for delivery from December. The move is sparking a protest from one of its pilots' unions, on promotion issues.
Boeing's 50 Dreamliners in service have been grounded since mid-January following two incidents involving battery problems.
Air India on Friday said it has completed the acquisition of its first A350-900 aircraft by way of a finance lease transaction with HSBC through the GIFT City. This is also the first wide body aircraft to be leased through the GIFT City, the country's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). In a release, the airline said the transaction was facilitated by its wholly-owned subsidiary AI Fleet Services Ltd (AIFS) and is also the first financing transaction from the orders for 470 aircraft that were made earlier this year.
All passengers were evacuated safely via slides.
The entire issue of compensation, including the amount to be claimed and how, has been forwarded to the government for approval, sources said, adding that matter came up for a thorough discussion at the meeting of the Board, sources said.
The development comes four days ahead of the launch of a training programme for pilots to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
No move yet on delivery of 787s slated for mid-January.
In December 2005, AI had ordered 111 aircraft worth Rs 46,000 crore.
Boeing had announced a further six-month delay for the first flight and initial deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner programme to Air India. A high-level Boeing team will discuss the fallouts with IA, including compensation in the coming week. The revised delays will have a significant impact on IA's growth plan and financial aspect. Apart from compensation, Boeing will also have to factor in the impact of the delay on the carrier's growth plan when computing for the same.
The ongoing Air India crisis deepens further as it enters the fourth day on Friday and there seems to be no respite as the situation is turning from bad to worse.
As Boeing rolled out its new B-787 'Dreamliner', Air India has said it had chosen the aircraft as its workhorse keeping in mind concerns of economics and environment while the US aircraft major promised to buy goods and services from Indian cos.
Tata Group-owned Air India on Wednesday announced the launch of new flights connecting Mumbai with New York, Paris and Frankfurt, starting February next year. Besides, the full-service carrier also announced the resumption of non-stop flights connecting Delhi with Copenhagen, Milan and Vienna. The Mumbai-New York (JFK International Airport) daily service will commence from February 14 next year, Air India said.
Four Air India international flights were cancelled from Delhi and Mumbai today after about 100 pilots refused to join work.
The CCEA approved the TAP and the airline's financial restructuring plan, which includes additional equity infusion by the government.
The national carrier's capacity is expected to grow by 9.2 per cent with the addition of six more Boeing 787 Dreamliners to the fleet, they said. As of February this year, the airline has 13 Dreamliners in its fleet out of a total order of 27.
Several such incidents of windshield cracks suffered by the Dreamliners of Air India have been reported in the past.
To sell five Boeing 777s, replacing these with cheaper aircraft
Air India expects to wipe out some red marks from its balance sheet.
Recently, there have been technical mishaps, including an electrical fire and a brake problem, involving the aircraft.
Price appreciation since the aircraft order in 2005 could yield Rs 7,200-crore gain.
Boeing will bring over 20 aircraft for the domestic market.
Air India Express along with SpiceJet and Jet Airways is one of the three main targets for Boeing in the country as it promotes its new 737 MAX aircraft, which is scheduled to enter commercial operations in 2017.
The national carrier has drawn a blueprint to cut the number of recognised unions in the airline from 15 to two -- one for pilots and another for the rest of the employees.
The flight will operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. While the inaugural flight AI 139 left at 6 pm (Indian time) on Thursday, the scheduled departure will be 4.50 pm (Indian time) from March 25 when the summer schedule comes into operation.
While Bhasin will be getting provident fund money and gratuity, he would not be getting leave encashment for 420 days, medical reimbursement for himself and wife, free passes for himself and wife, and holiday home facilities.
An additional lease rental of Rs 200 crore on nine Boeing 787 Dreamliners was the reason for ending in the red this quarter, Arindam Majumder reports from New Delhi.
Last October, the national carrier sold five planes of the same type to Etihad Airways for about $350 million.
Air India's home market share has fallen from 19.8% in January to 18% in July.
'Indian diplomacy in West Asia under the present government has been a success story -- and with Saudi Arabia in particular,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
On Monday night, Air India hosted a dinner Melbourne for the Indian diaspora and Australian leader and government officials to mark its launch in Victoria.
The company has dismissed 194 cabin crew and 11 pilots over past year for unauthorised absence and such reasons.
There were many who had reposed faith in the Narendra Modi government for expeditious action but are today beginning to feel disillusioned, notes Jitender Bhargava.
