Weekly Indian Aviation Summary - 22June to 27June

Summary for Week 21^st June to 27^th June

Air India inducted into Star Alliance

The Star Alliance Chief Executive Board, which met on 23^rd June in London, approved the induction of Air India into the alliance. It will formally come in place from 11^th July,2014 when member benefits will be extended.

Air India is the first airline from India to be part of any alliance, largely described as a missing link by all the alliances. The closest any airline came to joining the alliance before last attempt of Air India was Kingfisher Airlines, which went into a holding pattern just before joining One World, which was scheduled sometime in March’2012

The aviation fraternity is looking forward to the Dreamliner with Star Alliance logo and livery

Air India launches flights to Moscow

Air India will launch flights to Moscow-DME from 18^th July 2014. The flights will be operated 4x weekly on Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

AI155 DEL 0155 – 0615DME x247 788

AI154 DME 0820 – 1530 DEL x247 788

Air India code-shares with Aeroflot on its daily Delhi – Moscow-SVO flights which are operated by Airbus A330. The new flight will connect both ways to Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai , Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow.

Moscow has three airports, Sheremetyevo – the hub of national carrier Aeroflot , located towards the north west of the city; Domodedovo – the hub for S7, located south east of city and Vnukovo – the hub of Transaero, located towards the west of the city.

While I expected Air India to operate to Sheremetyevo and expand its code-share with Aeroflot for connectivity in Russia, it has chosen to fly to Domodedovo, where most of the western countries fly along with the Star Alliance members.

Spicejet to reduce frequency on certain sectors

Spicejet, could be sending one more aircraft to Europe on lease, going by its schedule.

It is set to reduce flights on few sectors effective 15^th July’14

SG886 DEL0535 – 0750IXB D 737

SG887 IXB0820 – 1045DEL D 737

SG887 DEL1120 – 1240SXR D 737

SG864 SXR1315 – 1420DEL D 737

Spicejet will continue to serve these sectors, with 1 direct and 1 flight via Guwahati on the Delhi – Bagdogra sector, 3 direct flights on Delhi – Srinagar sector, in addition to two via ( one each via Chandigarh & Jammu).

Flights on Delhi – Goa sector are being reduced effective 30^th June.

SG846 DEL1535 – 1810GOI D 737

SG847 GOI1840 – 2105DEL D 737

Spicejet will continue to operate double daily on the Delhi – Goa sector

Air Costa increases frequency on Hyderabad – Chennai sector

Air Costa, which is inducting capacity in the southern markets, is increasing frequency on Hyderabad – Chennai sector w.e.f 3^rd July.

The new flights would be at below timings

LB667 HYD0900 – 1020MAA D ERJ

LB656 MAA1945 – 2045HYD D ERJ