Like all other major airlines globally, KLM, the Dutch national carrier, is also busy upgrading its fleet to a more modern, less noisy, and eco-friendly kind. To that extent, the airline has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo aircraft, the largest member of Airbus’ A320neo Family.

The specimen that KLM, part of Air France-KLM Group, has welcomed is powered by two CFM International LEAP-1A engines. Compared to the previous generation single-aisle jets, it offers a 50 per cent drop in noise levels and at least a 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Like all other Airbus jets, the A321neo can already fly with up to 50 per cent SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) in its tanks.

KLM’s A321neo features a two-class configuration with 227 seats. With XL bins, passengers and cabin crew have 60 per cent more luggage capacity. The interiors boast the latest lighting system; every seat has its own USB-C port.

To date, Airbus has received over 6,400 orders for the said type of aircraft from more than 90 operators worldwide.

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Mumbai-headquartered Akasa Air has added another international destination to its growing network. On August 23, 2024, the airline launched its inaugural flight to Kuwait City and Mumbai. The aircraft departed from the International Terminal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport at 19:50 and landed at Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait, at 22:00. Akasa Air will run the newly introduced route daily. Both times mentioned are local.

Earlier this year, the Indian pocket-friendly airline launched a direct daily service between its hub at Maharashtra’s capital and Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The festive period in India is fast approaching, and Air India aims to make the most of it. To cater to increased demand during the Durga Puja festivities, the airline has announced additional flights to Kolkata for a temporary period from four cities. The frequency has increased between Delhi and Kolkata from August 15 with an extra flight (AI702) that leaves the Indian capital at 02:20 and lands in Kolkata at 04:35. The return leg – AI703 – departs Kolkata and lands in Delhi at 05:25 and 07:45, respectively.

Starting September 20, 2024, Air India will operate daily direct flights to the capital of West Bengal from Bengaluru and Hyderabad. From Bengaluru, flight AI524 will depart at 12:10 (11:55 on Sundays) and land in Kolkata at 14:35. The service back, flight AI525, will leave Kolkata and arrive in Karnataka’s capital at 17:40 and 19:50, respectively. Similarly, flight AI529 will depart from Hyderabad at 20:30 and arrive in Kolkata at 22:40. Those travelling the other way can board AI530, which will fly out of Kolkata at 15:15 and land in Hyderabad at 17:40.

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Lastly, an extra flight between Kolkata and Mumbai. That comes into play from September 25 until October 13, 2024. Flight AI689 will fly passengers out of Mumbai and drop at Kolkata at 12:10 and 14:55, respectively. The return leg – AI690 – will depart from Kolkata at 15:40 and arrive in the capital of Maharashtra at 18:35.

The daily nonstop extra service to Kolkata from Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad will remain active until October 26, 2024.

It isn’t a secret that Air India, under Tata Group’s umbrella, is on a mission to rediscover itself. While flying everyone on brand-new aircraft will take time, the carrier has sought other ways to improve the flying experience. One such step is the launch of Vista, a wireless inflight entertainment service.

Essentially, Vista enables flyers to stream content on their personal electronic devices. The list includes Hollywood and Bollywood flicks, music, documentaries and even a live map display of flight tracking. Whether the device runs on iOS, Android, Windows or macOS, Vista is compatible with all.

Air India says Vista will be available across its widebody fleet until the retrofit. The newly inducted Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s are not included in this list. Eventually, the same service will be introduced on narrowbody aircraft.

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The Serbian flag carrier, Air Serbia, has announced that it will restart direct services to Nice from its primary hub, Belgrade. The airline will operate this route twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays starting September 19, 2024. The flight from the Serbian capital will land at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE), about 6km west of the city centre. The airport is the second-largest in France, handling over 14 million passengers annually. Flights to more than 100 destinations across 40 countries originate from the airport.

Flight JU 0250 will depart from Belgrade and land at Nice at 07:00 and 09:05, respectively. The return service – JU 0251 – will leave Nice at 09:50 and arrive in the Serbian capital at 11:40. The Sunday flight timings will differ. The outbound service – JU 0252 – will leave Belgrade at 17:25 and land at Nice at 19:30. Those travelling the other way on flight JU 0253 will depart from Nice and arrive in Belgrade at 20:15 and 22:05, respectively. All times mentioned are local.

American aircraft manufacturer Boeing has announced that it has struck a fresh deal with long-time customer EL AL Israel Airlines. The new agreement is for up to 31 Boeing 737 Max jets, which will help the Israeli flag carrier to modernise and grow its narrowbody fleet. In addition, the new single-aisle jets promise a reduction in emissions and fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent and produce 50 per cent less noise in the process than the previous-gen jets.

The latest deal follows the airline’s purchase earlier this year for three additional Boeing 787-9 aeroplanes with options for six more. Boeing claims the carrier will have a new 787-9 this year. Also, EL AL plans to induct two more new 787-9s on lease in the coming years.

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