July 23, 2024News

Farnborough Airshow: Airbus Gets An Order From Drukair

The flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bhutan, Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus at the Farnborough Airshow 2024. The paperwork is for three A320neo and two A321XLR aircraft, which will help the carrier expand its international network. Deliveries of the new aircraft are expected to begin in 2030.

Drukair plans to fly the new single-aisle jets out of Paro International Airport as well as the new airport at Gelephu Mindfulness City. The airline will serve destinations across Europe, South East Asia and Australia. Drukair already operates three Airbus A319s and one A320. It serves passengers to ten international locations, including five in the South Asian sector. In addition, the carrier offers flights to three domestic destinations.

From Airbus’ A320neo family, the A321neo is the largest member. It provides a 50 per cent reduction in noise and over 20 per cent savings in CO2 emissions over the previous-gen single-aisle jet. The A321XLR, on the other hand, lives up to its name (Extra Long Range) with a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles. That’s 15 per cent more than the A321LR.

Also Read: Farnborough Airshow: SMBC To Have 42 More GTF-Powered A320neos

Rachit Shad Trehan

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September 16, 2024

Air India Is Now Flying To Kuala Lumpur From Delhi

Further strengthening its network in Southeast Asia, Air India has begun direct services to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Delhi. The first outbound flight took off from the Indira Gandhi International Airport on September 15, 2024, and the return leg completed its journey earlier today.

Air India’s service between Delhi and Kuala Lumpur is a daily affair. Flight AI384 will depart from Delhi and arrive in Malaysia’s capital at 13:00 and 21:00, respectively. Those travelling the other way will board flight AI385, which will take off from Kuala Lumpur at 08:30 and land in Delhi at 11:25. An Airbus A320neo will ferry passengers on both sectors.

Kuala Lumpur is Air India’s sixth destination in Southeast Asia. The airline already has active services from India to Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon.

Also Read: Air India Confirms More Flights To Kolkata From Four Cities

September 16, 2024

Brussels Airlines Plans To Focus More On Traffic From Africa

The Belgian national airline, Brussels Airlines, has announced its plans to expand its long-haul fleet, invest in cabin refurbishment, and utilise the services of another carrier based on the recently extended wet lease agreement with Lufthansa Group.

Brussels Airlines claims to be the “Africa expert” within the Lufthansa Group. To further strengthen that position, the carrier will induct three Airbus A330 aircraft, bringing its widebody fleet to 13. This move will help the airline focus primarily on the increasing traffic from the sub-Saharan Africa network. The idea is to make Brussels a European hub for flights to and from Africa.

Of course, with the new aeroplanes coming in, more manpower will be required. Hence, Brussels Airlines will hire over 250 new employees, including pilots, cabin crew, maintenance & engineering experts, and airport and office personnel. This also paves the way for present airline staff to move to a different or higher role.

In addition to inducting new aircraft, the Belgian carrier plans to gradually introduce all-new cabin interiors. While specific details are still under wraps, a complete overhaul of all three classes – Business, Premium Economy and Economy – is part of the plan. The airline says this project will attract an investment of more than 100 million euros.

Lastly, Brussels Airlines will operate four Airbus A220-300 aircraft with Latvian carrier airBaltic between March and October 2025. Each aircraft has 148 seats, and they will be deployed on routes with lower demand.