Page 44 - Air India

Air India appoints Klaus Goersch as executive vice-president and COO

Goersch, in this newly created role, will oversee flight operations, engineering, ground operations, integrated operations control (IOCC) and cabin crew functions

Air India announces senior level appointments; Klaus Goersch new COO

Air India on Friday announced the appointment of Klaus Goersch as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, as well as various other senior level appointments. In the newly-created position at the airline, Goersch will oversee flight operations, engineering, ground operations, Integrated Operations Control and cabin crew functions. Air India said incumbent chief of operations R S Sandhu will transition to an advisory role. In a release, Air India said Goersch's role includes focus on the harmonisation of the four Tata airlines' operating procedures, the Airbus A350 entry-into-service programme and assisting the team establishing the carrier's new training academy. A licensed B777/787 pilot, he had served in similar positions in both British Airways and Air Canada. Air India has also announced the appointment of Manish Uppal, who transitioned from AirAsia India a few months ago, as Senior Vice President for flight operations. Besides, Henry Donohoe's corporate saf

Demystifying airline seat charges: Rules and logic behind web check-in fees

From low-cost carriers to full-service providers, how Indian airlines define their seat pricing strategies

A-I suspends Tel Aviv flights till Nov 2 amid escalating Israel-Hamas war

Air India has extended the suspension of its scheduled flights to Tel Aviv till November 2 amid the continuing tensions between Israel and militant group Hamas. The latest conflict has been triggered by the unprecedented attacks against Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive in Gaza to avenge the attacks. An Air India official on Wednesday said the scheduled flights to Tel Aviv have been suspended till November 2. The airline has not operated a scheduled flight to and from Tel Aviv since October 7. Normally, the full-service carrier operates five weekly flights to Tel Aviv from the national capital. The service is on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. During this month, the airline operated a few chartered flights to Tel Aviv from the national capital under the government's Operation Ajay to bring back Indians who wished to come back from Israel against the backdrop of the escalating conflict.

Tata-owned Air India Express to double its pilot count in next one year

Air India Express is in the process of merging low-cost domestic carrier AirAsia India with itself, and last week unveiled its new brand identity

Not perturbed by Air India's use of Russian airspace: Finnair India head

In response, Russia banned their carriers from using its airspace. However, there are no such restrictions on Indian carriers

House panel again asks aviation min about value of A-I disinvestment

A Parliamentary panel on Thursday again asked the civil aviation ministry to explain about how the enterprise valuation of Rs 18,000 crore was arrived for the disinvestment of Air India that was completed in January last year. The matter has been mentioned by the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture in its report tabled in the Rajya Sabha. The report pertains to the action taken by the government on the recommendations/observations of the committee in the report on Demands for Grants (2023-24) of the civil aviation ministry. Tata Group's Talace Pvt Ltd has acquired Air India, Air India Express and a 50 per cent stake in Air India Airport Services Pvt Ltd (AISATS) through the disinvestment process. "The committee notes that the Enterprise Valuation method was adopted for inviting bids for disinvestment of Air India, which afforded the prospective bidders an opportunity to resize the balance sheet. The committee would like to know as t

Air India Express will focus on routes with price-sensitive customers: MD

Air India's low-cost subsidiary Air India Express will focus on routes which have a higher component of price-sensitive customers and leisure travellers, airline's Managing Director Aloke Singh has said. Singh also said that Air India Express is not looking at spreading its capacity all over the country in the beginning and instead will first consolidate its presence on the existing routes. A subsidiary of Air India, Air India Express is in the process of merging low-cost domestic carrier AirAsia India with itself, and last week unveiled its new brand identity. Air India Group, comprising Air India, Air India Express, AIX Connect and Vistara, is owned by the Tatas, which is also in the process of consolidating its airline business. As part of it, Vistara, which is a 51:49 joint venture airline between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, is also in the process of merging with AI India. "The focus of Air India Express will be on routes which have a higher component of leisure travelle

Air India starts programme to boost pilots' mental health: CEO Wilson

DGCA had in February asked airlines to institute such a programme for pilots, cabin crew members and air traffic controllers

Air India seeks to boost its talent pool with interactive program SOAR

Air India has started an interactive programme to hire students from business schools as the airline expands its fleet and operations. The Tata Group-owned carrier on Thursday said it started SOAR (Spirit of Aviation Reimagined) in August and is a first-of-its-kind student interactive programme in the aviation industry. This unique move to engage fresh talent to the nuances of the aviation sector will go a long way in augmenting Air India's employee pool with the best talent, it said in a release on Thursday. SOAR is the airline's business challenge-based annual nationwide B-school competition and part of its campus outreach programme. The loss-making carrier, which has embarked on a five-year transformation journey under the Tata Group, said its talent augmentation drives over the last one year have been receiving overwhelming response from the market and leading institutes with the initial recruitment drive for management post-graduates drawing response from over 25,000 applicant

A-I to take delivery of 1 aircraft every 6 days on avg till 2024-end: CEO

Air India Group, which has embarked on ambitious expansion plans, is expected to take delivery of a new aircraft every six days on average till the end of 2024, according to a top official. The group, comprising Air India, Air India Express, AIX Connect and Vistara, is owned by the Tatas, which is also in the process of consolidating its airline business. "Air India Group to take delivery of one new aircraft every six days on an average till the end of 2024," Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said on Wednesday. Speaking at a function here for the unveiling of Air India Express' new brand identity, Wilson also said that it is an exciting day for the group. Tata Group took control of loss-making Air India in January 2022. Earlier this year, Air India placed orders for 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing at USD 70 billion (based on published list prices). The deliveries of the new planes will start from November this year. Air India Express is i

Chiefs of Air India, Vistara, SpiceJet meet civil aviation minister

Air India, Vistara, SpiceJet, and IndiGo representatives thanked him for the recent amendment in IBC whereby aircraft equipment have been exempted from moratorium under the IBC

A-I Express flight from Dubai makes emergency landing at Karachi airport

A Dubai-Amritsar flight made an emergency landing at Karachi airport on Saturday after an onboard guest had a sudden medical complication during the journey

Air India, SpiceJet to operate one flight each to Tel Aviv on Saturday

Air India and SpiceJet will operate one flight each to Tel Aviv on Saturday to bring back Indians amid escalating tensions due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to officials. These chartered flights will be operated under Operation Ajay, which the government has launched to facilitate the return of those who wish to come back from Israel. The officials in the know said Air India will be operating a flight from the national capital to Tel Aviv while SpiceJet will operate a flight from Amritsar to Tel Aviv. Both flights are expected to return and land at the Delhi airport on Sunday morning, they added. One of the officials said Air India is scheduled to operate another flight to Tel Aviv on Sunday. On Saturday morning, an Air India flight AI 140 returned to the national capital with 235 Indians from Israel. On Friday morning, more than 200 people had come from Tel Aviv in an Air India flight, which was also the first under Operation Ajay. Minister of State for Ext

Air India suspends scheduled flights to Tel Aviv till Oct 18 amid conflict

Air India has extended the suspension of its scheduled flights to and from Tel Aviv till October 18, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and militant group Hamas. The full service carrier, which normally operates five weekly scheduled flights to Tel Aviv, had earlier suspended the services till October 14. An airline official on Saturday said the scheduled flights to and from Tel Aviv have now been suspended till October 18. The carrier will operate chartered flights to bring back Indians depending on the requirements, the official added. Normally, Air India operates five weekly flights to Tel Aviv from the national capital. The service is on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Under Operation Ajay launched by the government to bring Indians who wish to come back from Israel, the airline so far has operated two flights. Following the unprecedented attacks on Israeli cities by Hamas militants, Israel has launched a massive counter offensive.

Risk monitoring helps Air India prevent revenue loss of over Rs 3 crore

Full-service carrier Air India has prevented revenue loss of over Rs 3 crore in the last 18 months owing to its risk monitoring and fraud prevention mechanism, the airline's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said on Friday. Wilson in his weekly Friday message to Air India employees, also said that the airline has taken delivery of its second wide-body A350 aircraft, which is expected to arrive in January next year. Air India announced the acquisition of its first A350 plane late last month. Airlines are a high-profile target for fraudsters, whether it be attempts to use stolen credit cards on our websites, to fraudulently claim frequent flier miles, or other scams, Wilson said. The airline has a risk monitoring and fraud prevention unit and preventing fraudulent transactions is one of its important works, he said. Thanks to the unit's vigilance and close liaison with airport staff, it has prevented revenue loss of over Rs 3-crore in the last 18 months,

Air India to receive remaining 20 leased A320neo aircraft by August 2024

In September 2022, the Tata Group-led airline announced that it is leasing 21 A320neos and 4 A321neos to enhance its flight operations

A-I Express set to induct 50 new Boeing 737 MAX planes in next 15 months

Air India Express, which is in the process of merging AIX Connect with itself, plans to induct 50 new B737 MAX planes in the next 15 months as the Tata Group bolsters its aviation business. Besides, the combined entity of Air India Express, also the country's first international budget carrier, and AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India, will be launching its new brand on October 18. In a message to staff this week, Air India Express and AIX Connect Managing Director Aloke Singh said key milestones, including migration to a common reservations and check-in system, have been achieved in terms of integration of the two carriers. Currently, the combined entity has a fleet of 56 aircraft, including 26 B737, 2 B737 MAX, 5 A320 neo and 23 A320. "Over the next 15 months, a total of 50 new B737 MAX aircraft will join the LCC fleet, allowing us to grow our network to new destinations and increase flights on existing routes," Singh said in the message. According to him, the focus is n

Operation Ajay: Flight carrying 212 Indians from Israel lands in Delhi

MoS Chandrasekhar welcomed the passengers at the Delhi airport as they streamed into the lounge area from the tarmac side

India one of the fastest-growing overseas visitor markets for SF: Official

After JFK airport in New York, San Francisco has emerged as the number two gateway for Indians in the US which is mainly driven by the expansion and new non-stop flights of Air India, according to officials who were in Mumbai this week to explore avenues to tap the huge Indian market. Our market measurement shows there are about 1,100 passengers per day each way between San Francisco, the Bay Area and India, Kevin Bumen, Chief Financial & Commercial Officer at San Francisco International Airport told PTI in an interview after concluding his two-day visit to Mumbai. Air India, he said, has been a real bright spot during the pandemic with a carrier that grew and really made the most of a difficult market and made some big moves with their expansion in San Francisco. Today San Francisco is the number two gateway in the US behind John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). We're 17 flights a week. JFK has 21 flights a week. And if United Airlines were operating their full schedule, ..