Passengers who booked Air India’s AI813 Delhi-Bengaluru flight for July 18, 2024, were in for a surprise. They boarded the airline’s new A320neo aircraft, sporting the new livery and upgraded interiors. The jet in question arrived in Delhi from Airbus’ facility in Toulouse, France, earlier this month. Bearing the registration number VT-RTN, the narrowbody jet was expected to enter service in August 2024. It’ll do at least three more runs between Delhi and Bengaluru today.

Air India’s new A320neo boasts a three-class cabin configuration. Eight seats are in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy and 132 in Economy. Business Class passengers get a seat with a 40-inch pitch, 7 inches of recline, leg rest, footrest, movable armrest and four-way adjustable headrest. They also have an electrically deployable and extendable tray table, a holder for personal electronic devices (PED), and a dedicated AC socket.

In Premium Economy, a first for Air India in the domestic market, passengers get a 32-inch seat pitch with four inches of recline, a four-way adjustable headrest, and a PED holder. Those travelling in the Economy section have a 28-29-inch seat pitch, a 4-inch recline, a PED holder, and a coat hook. Every seat across the three cabin classes comes with a USB charging port.

Last month, easyJet confirmed that its winter schedule has been bumped to include 36 new routes across Europe and North Africa from the UK. The list included new destinations like the City of Derry airport in Northern Ireland, Tromso in Norway and Strasbourg in France. The UK-based low-cost carrier has now added four new routes, two each to Egypt and Norway.

From November 11, 2024, the airline will begin operating two weekly flights, on Mondays and Thursdays, between London Gatwick and Luxor in Egypt. Historians would especially love to visit Luxor as it is home to famous monuments such as the tomb of Tutankhamun, one of Egypt’s renowned pharaohs, and the Valley of the Kings. Of course, one could cover all the popular locations and get their transit and accommodation taken care of by easyJet holiday packages.

Also Read: easyJet To Start Year-Round London-Menorca Service

Sharm El Sheikh is the second destination that easyJet will serve from its base in Liverpool. The first flight takes off on February 14, 2025. The airline will operate two weekly flights between the cities on Mondays and Fridays in winter.

Moving to Norway, easyJet has announced two new flights to the country’s capital, Oslo. One comes into action from Manchester on November 15, 2024, and the other goes live on November 29, 2024, from Liverpool. Two weekly flights, Mondays and Fridays, will operate on both new routes to Oslo.

Air India has partnered with The Bicester Collection – creators and operators of luxury designer outlet shopping spaces they call ‘Villages’. Per the agreement, Air India Flying Returns members spending at any of The Bicester Collection Villages will gain points towards the carrier’s loyalty programme.

Members can collect 5 points for every GBP 5 or EUR 5 spent at any location across Europe. The Bicester Collection Villages are located close to major cities: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Munich, Brussels, Dublin, Madrid, and Barcelona. To earn points, Air India Flying Returns members must produce their digital membership card and expenditure receipts at Concierge Services in the Villages.

The Bicester Collection Villages house selected global and European fashion and lifestyle brands and five-star hospitality and services, making every location ideal for the affluent to shop.

Air India’s revamped Flying Returns programme was introduced in April this year. To make it more beneficial for members, the airline has added over 50 partners. The diversity provides ease of accumulating points and using them for rewards.

Also Read: Air India Welcomes New Narrowbody Jet With New Livery