Tag: Air India

Air India to Deploy A350-900 on New York and Newark to New Delhi Routes, Introducing Premium Economy Class

Staff ReporterTravel 0

Air India, the preeminent airline in India, has revealed plans to deploy its flagship A350-900 aircraft for routes from two major American cities, New York JFK and Newark, to New Delhi.

The airline announced that flights from New York to New Delhi using the A350 will begin on November 1, while those from Newark to New Delhi will commence on January 2, 2025.

The introduction of the A350 will bring Air India’s Premium Economy class to these routes for the first time, marking a significant upgrade in passenger experience. The Premium Economy cabin will include 24 wide seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, offering additional legroom and other enhancements.

Beyond Premium Economy, the A350 will feature 28 private suites in Business class with full-flat beds in a 1-2-1 configuration, along with 264 spacious Economy seats arranged in a 3-4-3 layout. These flights will also showcase Air India’s new signature soft products and award-winning guest enhancements.

Campbell Wilson, CEO and managing director of Air India, stated, “We are encouraged by the positive guest feedback we have received from the domestic deployment of our A350s to offer our hero product on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. This is a significant leap forward for our U.S. operations that also underscores our commitment to continuous improvement.”

He added, “The new seats, new inflight entertainment systems, and new soft products will together provide our guests with great comfort and service that are representative of the new Air India. We believe this enhanced offering will solidify Air India’s position as a leading carrier and attract travelers seeking a world-class flying experience between India and the United States.”

With the introduction of the A350, 60 percent of Air India flights to the U.S. will now feature new or upgraded cabin interiors. The airline has been progressively replacing its older aircraft with newer models on other U.S. routes, enhancing the travel experience with upgraded seats and in-flight entertainment systems.

Air India’s three-class configured Boeing 777-200LR currently operates non-stop flights between India (Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru) and San Francisco, except for a three-times weekly Delhi-San Francisco service. These aircraft offer upgraded cabin interiors and Premium Economy options.

Starting November 1, 2024, Air India’s A350-900 will operate daily flights from New York JFK to Delhi, departing at 12:30 PM and arriving at 11:40 AM (+1). From January 2, 2025, the A350 will also service the Newark-Delhi route five times a week, with departures at 11:15 AM and arrivals at 11:30 AM (+1).

The Delhi-New York JFK flight (AI101) will depart at 2:20 AM and arrive at 7:35 AM daily, while the Delhi-Newark flight (AI105) will depart at 4:00 AM and arrive at 9:10 AM five times a week.

Seats on the A350 for the New York JFK-Delhi and Newark-Delhi routes are now available for booking on Air India’s website, mobile app, or through travel agents. This new deployment is expected to greatly benefit the Indian diaspora in the U.S. by providing enhanced comfort and more direct travel options.

Air India Passengers Stranded as Luggage Left Behind on San Francisco Flight

Staff ReporterTravel 0

To meet the requirement of paraphrasing the article while including the original quotes, here’s a rephrased version:

Passengers arriving wearily at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) at approximately 3:20 am via Air India’s non-stop flight from San Francisco encountered an unexpected ordeal: their checked luggage had been left behind at the departure airport, compelling them to depart the terminal with only their carry-on bags.

Travelers aboard flight AI 176 were caught unawares as they arrived at Terminal 2, where they waited at the baggage claim area, only to realize the issue nearly an hour later. Families, especially those with infants and young children, faced significant inconvenience.

Among them were Vaishnavi Vel and Aneeshwar Danda, both tech professionals from San Francisco traveling with their 11-month-old son, who had opted for a bassinet seat on the flight.

Vaishnavi had positive remarks about the service and journey but upon landing noticed that the covering for her baby’s stroller was missing.

“A substantial number of passengers did not receive their baggage. We hired assistance and waited for almost 40 minutes before realizing something was wrong. At the airline’s counter, we found other passengers also questioning the whereabouts of their luggage, and only then did we discover it had not been loaded onto the plane.”

Disputes arose at the counter, with one woman adamantly refusing to leave the airport without her belongings, Vaishnavi recounted.

“We were informed that our baggage would be delivered to our residence the next day, and we eventually departed around 5 am. My child was restless after the prolonged confinement. Now, we are heading out to purchase baby food and other essentials, as we had packed only essentials due to restrictions on cabin baggage weight,” Vaishnavi added.

Anagha, whose sister Archana was traveling with her infant on the same flight, stated, “My sister’s two pieces of luggage are missing. She’s resting now but has been assured by the airline that her bags will be transported on the next flight from San Francisco.”

An insider from the airline clarified, “The luggage was not forgotten; it was a precaution taken for passenger safety. Due to payload constraints in San Francisco owing to weather conditions, the amount of cargo on the aircraft had to be restricted. The luggage will be shipped subsequently.”

Just last month, the Aviation Ministry issued Air India a show-cause notice following a 20-hour delay on a Delhi to San Francisco flight, during which passengers endured discomfort due to lack of air conditioning.

Air India-Boeing Deal Will Create 1 Million Jobs In America

Staff ReporterBusiness, Travel 0

US President Joe Biden has hailed Air India’s decision to purchase 220 Boeing aircraft and hails it as a ‘historic agreement’. Releasing a statement of Joe Biden, the US said, “The United States can and will lead the world in manufacturing. I am proud to announce today the purchase of over 200 American-made aircraft through a historic agreement between Air India and Boeing.”

Aiming to upgrade its fleet and expand its operations, Tata-owned Air India on 14 February confirmed it will buy a total of 470 wide-body and narrow-body planes from Airbus and Boeing. On February 10th, reports stated that Air India signed agreements with Airbus SE and Boeing Co. for about 250 orders and commitments in total, made up of 210 of the A320 single-aisle family models and 40 A350s wide-bodies.

“The order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s wide-body aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft. The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, and the B777/787s by engines from GE Aerospace. All single-aisle aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International,” Air India said in an official statement.

“This purchase will support over one million American jobs across 44 states, and many will not require a four-year college degree. This announcement also reflects the strength of the U.S.-India economic partnership,” the statement added.

Apart from this, Biden in his statement expressed hope to deepen partnership even further by continuing to confront shared global challenges and create a more secure and prosperous future for people.

On AI-Boeing deal, PM Modi held telephone conversation with the President of the US Joe Biden on February 14th and expressed satisfaction at the deepening of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which has resulted in robust growth in all domains.

Both the leaders welcomed the announcement of a landmark agreement between Air India and Boeing as a shining example of mutually beneficial cooperation that will help create new employment opportunities in both countries. PM Modi also invited Boeing and other US companies to make use of the opportunities arising due to the expanding civil aviation sector in India.

Air India said that the first of the new aircraft will enter service in late-2023, while the bulk are expected to arrive from mid-2025 onwards. Adding more, the AI said that it has already started taking delivery of 11 leased B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion.

The first of the refitted aircraft – with an entirely new cabin, new seats and inflight entertainment system – will enter service in mid-2024, said AI.

With AI signing MoUs for 68 Trent XWB-97 engines, it has now become the biggest ever order for the Trent XWB-97, which exclusively powers the Airbus A350-1000. Also, AI’s order of 12 Trent XWB-84 engines – the sole engine option for the Airbus A350-900 – is also being considered a huge order. Though no financial details of the order have been disclosed. This is the first time that an Indian airline has ordered the Trent XWB and the deal will make Air India the largest operator of the Trent XWB-97 in the world.

“Today’s announcement marks an exciting and truly remarkable occasion for Tata Group and Air India; the size and magnitude of this order reflects the level of their ambition for the future. I congratulate them on taking this bold step towards becoming one of the world’s greatest airlines and I would like to thank them for putting their trust in Rolls-Royce to power them on this journey,” Rolls-Royce plc’s CEO Tufan Erginbilgic said while sharing his thoughts.

Reacting on the deal, Tata Sons and AI’s Chairman N Chandrasekaran noted Air India is on a large transformation journey. He said, “Air India is on a large transformation journey across safety, customer service, technology, engineering, network and human resources. Modern, efficient fleet is a fundamental component of this transformation.”

“This order is an important step in realising Air India’s ambition, articulated in its Vihaan.AI transformation program, to offer a world class proposition serving global travellers with an Indian heart,” he said.

“These new aircraft will modernize the Airline’s fleet and onboard product and dramatically expand its global network . The growth enabled by this order will also provide unparalled career opportunities for Indian aviation professionals and catalyze accelerated development of the Indian aviation ecosystem,” he added.

Air India To Begin Flights From Bengaluru To San Francisco Starting Jan 2021

Staff ReporterBusiness, Hospitality, Travel 0

India’s national carrier Air India is set to connect Bengaluru and San Francisco via a non-stop flight from 2021, the Kempegowda International Airport. As of January 11, 2021, Air India will launch 2x weekly flights between Bangalore and San Francisco, as follows: AI175 Bangalore to San Francisco departing 2:30PM arriving 5:00PM
AI176 San Francisco to Bangalore departing 8:30PM arriving 2:30AM (+2 days)

The US-bound flight will operate Mondays and Thursdays and will take 16hr, while the India-bound flight will operate Tuesdays and Saturdays and will take 16hr30min. The Boeing 777-200LR that will be used for this route features three cabins, including first class, business class, and economy.

“This would be the first non-stop flight between Bengaluru and the United States, connecting the world’s two tech hubs — the original Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley of India.

“The first non-stop flight between Bengaluru and San Francisco is a significant milestone for BLR Airport and will transform it as the new gateway to India. This will tremendously help passengers, enabling faster and easier access to cities on the West Coast of the United States.”

As per the statement, the new non-stop service is expected to meet the demand of corporate customers for travel to San Fracisco and adjoining areas in the US.

“Air India plans to operate a 238-seater Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft, to serve the largest unserved international origin/ destination (O/D) market for BLR Airport. Bengaluru and San Francisco are ranked first and second, respectively, among the world’s top 45 digitally advanced cities.”

“The new route sets two records — it would be Air India’s longest route at 14,000+ km (8,698 miles) and longest flight to and from India (over 16 hours). The national carrier has opened ticket booking from November 25.”

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