January 22, 2024News

Air India’s First A350 Enters Service

It was in February last year when Air India and Airbus confirmed a deal for 250 aircraft. While the majority of the order comprised single-aisle jets from the A320 family, the agreement covered 40 A350 widebody jets. Of them, the first Airbus A350-900, in Air India’s new livery, was delivered in December 2023. Although intended for long-haul routes, that aircraft has entered commercial service in India.

Air India’s and India’s first Airbus A350-900 will currently operate on domestic routes to ensure that the crew is familiarised and all the regulatory compliances are met. The locations it will serve include Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Barring Tuesdays, on which it will fly between Bengaluru and Delhi only, the A350-900 will serve passengers from Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The aircraft, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, has 316 seats: 28 private Business suites with full-flat beds, 24 Premium Economy seats and 264 Economy seats.

Besides the deal mentioned above with Airbus, Air India has also ordered up to 290 jets from Boeing.

Rachit Shad Trehan

Warning! Can talk cars for hours.

0 0 votes

Article Rating

July 26, 2024

Farnborough Airshow: Airbus And Abra Group Sign MoU For A350s

The majority investor of Avianca and Gol Airlines, Abra Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024. The MoU involves five A350-900s to strengthen long-distance flight operations and increase capacity. The idea is to provide better connectivity from Latin America to the rest of the world.

The Airbus A350 can accommodate 300 to 410 passengers, depending on the configuration. With its aerodynamic design, lightweight materials, and new-gen engines, the aircraft can fly up to 9,700 nautical miles nonstop. Compared to the previous-gen jet, the A350 offers a 25 per cent reduction in fuel consumption, operating costs and CO2 emissions. Airbus also claims a 50 per cent reduction in noise.

Airbus has sold more than 1,300 aircraft in Latin America and the Caribbean. The European manufacturer has a leading market share of in-service passenger jets, with 800 already in operation and the remaining 500 are yet to be delivered.

Also Read: Farnborough Airshow: flynas Intends To Buy 90 More Airbus Jets

July 26, 2024

Farnborough Airshow: flynas Intends To Buy 90 More Airbus Jets

At the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, flynas and Airbus inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 90 more aircraft. The low-cost carrier from Saudi Arabia has shown interest to purchase 75 A320neo family aeroplanes and 15 A330-900s. This is in addition to the airline’s order for Airbus narrowbody jets, a deal the duo cracked during last year’s Paris Air Show.

The additional aircraft order with the European manufacturer will help the carrier strengthen its regional and international routes. Per the paperwork, the A330-900 will feature a two-class configuration, offering seating capacity for 400 passengers. The aircraft comes packed with two new-gen Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, new wings and several aerodynamic enhancements. As a result, it delivers a 25 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to its predecessor. The Airbus A330-900 offers a range of 8,150 nautical miles (15,094 km), plenty for those long routes.

Also Read: Farnborough Airshow: Airbus Announces New Deal With Berniq Airways