We finally know what Akasa Air’s MAX 737 airplanes will look like. On December 22nd, the Indian ultra-low-cost startup airline unveiled its branding, revealing the aircraft livery, the company’s tagline, and spoke about its vision of welcoming passengers of all socio-economic backgrounds. While there’s still time before the carrier’s plan of a 2022 summer launch, the unveiling of its colors and logo has offered us for the first time a clearer picture of the brand’s official identity.

Akasa Air revealed its logo and tagline, giving us the first look at its brand identity. Photo: Akasa Air

Colors revealed

In an official statement, Akasa Air has revealed the logo that the tails of its MAX aircraft will carry – a symbol which the company describes as “The Rising A” in “Sunrise Orange” and “Passionate Purple” colors. Akasa’s communication explained its tagline “It’s Your Sky” as an inclusive brand experience meant for all kinds of travelers. In an official statement, Akasa Air’s Founder, MD, and CEO, Vinay Dube, said,

“Translating our purpose to serve every traveller with an innovative yet simple alternative required a modern and confident symbol. The Akasa Air brand identity encapsulates the collective spirit of flying and the individual pursuit of dreams for each of us. It is our promise to all, regardless of backgrounds or beliefs, that it’s your sky, your dreams, your passions, and your personal journey, and Akasa Air is honoured to be a part of it.”

The carrier’s Co-Founder and Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, Belson Coutinho, gave the reasoning behind the logo, explaining that the Akasa team wanted a logo that was simple, easy-to-recall, and connected with the brand ethos.

Now that the airline’s colors have been revealed, and if everything goes according to plan, India could witness purple and orange-tailed 737s criss-cross its skies sometime in the middle of next year.

Unveiling ‘The Rising A’ of Akasa Air

Inspired by elements of the sky, The Rising A symbolises the warmth of the sun, the effortless flight of a bird, and the dependability of an aircraft wing.

Always moving upwards. Always inspiring to rise. pic.twitter.com/vzMDT9gEmv

— Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) December 22, 2021

Summer launch

Akasa Air’s story so far has seen some swift action in a short span of time. It wasn’t too long ago when it was reported that the former CEO of Jet Airways and GoAir Vinay Dube was looking to start a new airline in India. In January this year, he filed for a no-objection certificate (NOC) with the aviation ministry, and by then had already convinced Nikhil Ved, Jet’s former head of strategy and planning, to partner up with him.

By May, Dube had begun looking for investors and just a month later found success after convincing Rakesh Jhunjhunwala – known for his sharp business acumen – to back the airline. Jhunjhunwala’s commitment of $35 million for 40% of the company made quite a headline earlier this year.

The carrier plans to start scheduled commercial flights in the summer of 2022. Photo: Akasa Air

After some teething problems, Akasa received the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the government that paved the way to obtain further clearances and regulatory approvals, including the all-important AOC (Air Operators Certificate). Then came the Dubai Air Show, which put to rest all speculation about the carrier’s fleet when an order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft was announced.

Akasa’s brand reveal at the turn of the year suggests that the company feels confident enough, the pandemic notwithstanding, that a summer launch is highly probable.

What are your thoughts about Akasa’s logo and color themes? Do share your comments below.

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Airbus was formed on 18th December 1970 by a pair of European aerospace firms backed by France, Germany, and the UK. The new manufacturer long had plans for a new widebody aircraft, known as the A300. So why did making a new aircraft require the formation of Airbus?

The A300 made its first flight in 1972, marking the beginning of Airbus’s successful aircraft line. Photo: Getty Images

Competitor

Airbus was formed as a direct response to the dominance of US aerospace firms in the post-World War 2 commercial aviation space. Companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and McDonnell Douglas were leading in terms of sales and new aircraft types, with European firms lagging behind.

However, a few European countries decided that it would be best to merge their major manufacturers into one. Given the formation of the European Economic Community (the EU’s predecessor), a merger was feasible and a good way to ensure the continent had its own robust aviation ecosystem.

Henri Ziegler was one of the founders of Airbus and served as the firm’s first President. Photo: Getty Images

The deal between France, Germany, and the UK saw the formation of Airbus, created by merging Aérospatiale and Deutsche Airbus in 1970. However, the A300 has its roots a few years even before this.

political project

Even before the negotiations to form a joint European firm was complete, the ministers from the three major countries were working on making a new aircraft. In particular, Germany, France, and the UK identified a market for a twin-engine, widebody aircraft, seating around 250.

In September 1967, the trio agreed to collaborate on such an aircraft, which came to be known as the A300 program. Henri Zeigler was the general manager of the program, while Roger Béteille led technical development. The pair went on to become the founding fathers of Airbus a few years later. In 1969, the A300 was formally unveiled by France and Germany.

Air France was an early adopter of the A300, not surprising given the politics before the plane’s formation. Photo: Getty Images

After months of working on the project, it became clear that bringing together the European firms was the most cost-effective way to develop the A300 and compete with US giants. However, convincing all three nations was not easy. The UK government withdrew in 1969 due to a fear of huge losses, while France threatened to pull out due to their largest share of investment.

Came together

Despite all the political tensions, France and Germany decided to form ‘Airbus,’ with each country’s firm owning 50% of the company. The flagship program for the new company was the A300, a widebody aircraft that was set to be one of the technologically advanced in the world.

A300 is still in operation today with a few carriers and by scores of cargo operators as the A300-600. Photo: Airbus

The A300 was set to be a ground-breaking aircraft and had new features such as composite materials. From then, the rest is history, with Airbus going on to become of the world’s largest jet makers.

What do you think about the A300 program’s history? Let us know in the comments!

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On December 20th, Qatar Airways announced that it had issued legal proceedings against Airbus in the Technology and Construction division of the High Court in London. The airline said that this action was a result of a failure to reach a constructive solution in relation to its “accelerated surface degradation condition,” on its Airbus A350 aircraft.

Qatar Airways has been the only airline to be publicly vocal about its issues, despite other airlines reportedly experiencing paint issues themselves. Photo: Getty Images

“We have sadly failed in all our attempts to reach a constructive solution with Airbus in relation to the accelerated surface degradation condition adversely impacting the Airbus A350 aircraft. Qatar Airways has therefore been left with no alternative but to seek a rapid resolution of this dispute via the courts.” -Qatar Airways

Going to the legal system

The ongoing surface degradation issue continues with the latest move coming from Qatar Airways. This comes just 11 days after Airbus said that it was seeking an “independent legal assessment” due to an unnamed customer attempting to “misrepresent this specific topic as an airworthiness issue.” While Airbus’ legal assessment announcement never explicitly named Qatar Airways, it’s reasonably clear that the Middle Eastern airline is the carrier at the center of this situation.

Responding to Qatar Airways’ announcement, Airbus issued a statement of its own, confirming that it had received a formal legal claim in the English courts filed by Qatar Airways, “relating to the dispute over the degradation of surface and paint on certain of Qatar Airways’ A350XWB aircraft,” adding:

“Airbus is in the process of analyzing the contents of the claim. Airbus intends to vigorously defend its position.”

Qatar Airways Issues Legal Proceedings Against Airbus in The Technology and Construction Division of The High Court in London.

? https://t.co/i3HrP19YEH pic.twitter.com/UJWPLsoAkm

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) December 20, 2021

Qatar Airways now has a total of 21 A350 aircraft grounded by the condition. The airline says these legal proceedings “have been commenced to ensure that Airbus will now address our legitimate concerns without further delay.” The airline goes on to say,

“We strongly believe that Airbus must undertake a thorough investigation of this condition to conclusively establish its full root cause. Without a proper understanding of the root cause of the condition, it is not possible for Qatar Airways to establish whether any proposed repair solution will rectify the underlying condition.”

Two sides to the story

Over the past year, we have been tracking this story, first reporting on issues experienced by Qatar Airways in January. While Qatar Airways and its CEO remained tight-lipped on specific problems early in this saga, details were eventually provided- particularly at the point when Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority grounded an initial 13 A350s due to these surface degradation problems.

With Qatar’s civil aviation regulator stepping in to ground the aircraft (now at 21 A350s), it should indicate that the situation is fairly serious. At the same time, however, European regulator EASA stated in August that it was not intending to take any action on the issue- noting that the issue did not affect the aircraft’s structure or introduce any other risks. This is a position that it has held ever since.

Sideline-skeptics on both sides might claim favoritism or bias between aviation regulators and their respective homegrown organizations, although it is difficult to determine at this point just how much of a legitimate safety concern it is, in terms of public information available.

Costly Airbus A350 paint flaw goes wider than the Gulf https://t.co/MUShsC1XIB

— Jamie Freed (@Jamie_Freed) November 29, 2021

Other airlines remain silent

This entire issue is quite a mystery as Qatar Airways has been the only airline to go public about this problem. Nearly 450 Airbus A350s have been delivered to airlines around the world at this point.

While other airlines have not gone public with problems, it doesn’t mean that no related issues have been experienced. An investigation by Reuters revealed that other carriers have also complained about the deterioration of the painted surface on the A350.

Indeed, the publication named Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Lufthansa, and Air France (on behalf of Air Caraibes) as all raising concerns about the issue. According to the investigation, Finnair, Cathay, and Lufthansa have all cited some ‘cosmetic damage’ on their A350s. However, these concerns were only voiced in a private maintenance message board used by Airbus and A350 operators.

Just hours prior to Qatar Airways’ announcement, Simple Flying had published an 11-minute recap of the entire situation, which can be seen in the embedded video below:

Ultimately, with this issue officially moving into the court system, the public should get to see the problem in greater detail. We would expect a great deal of evidence to be presented, with technical experts on both sides being called upon to weigh in on the seriousness of Qatar Airways’ problems and if these issues do indeed pose a risk to flight safety.

How do you think this saga will unfold? Share your opinions with us by leaving a comment.

Australia’s Regional Express (Rex) closed the missing link in its golden triangle ambitions on Monday, commencing flights on the Sydney – Brisbane sector. The first flight on the route sees Rex meet its previous promise of running jet services on the three lucrative triangle routes in Australia’s southeast.

Regional Express has commenced flights to Brisbane from Sydney and Melbourne. Photo: Regional Express

ZL352 pushed back at 15:15 Sydney time on Monday for the 468 mile (754 kilometer) hop north to the Queensland capital of Brisbane. Monday’s flight follows flights starting on the Melbourne – Brisbane city pair last Friday. Rex commenced flying on the third triangle route, Sydney – Melbourne, in March.

“Despite the obvious difficulties, I am extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve. It’s
always nice to prove the sceptics wrong, and the big plans we have for 2022 means next year
promises to be even more exciting,” said Rex’s Deputy Chairman, John Sharp.

How good’s a bargain 737 lease deal?

Rex is running two return services a day between Sydney and Brisbane (except for Saturday when a single daily return operates). Double daily return flights operate between Melbourne and Brisbane on Mondays and Tuesdays, with daily services across the rest of the week.

Rex’s frequency is constrained by the number of jets it has – just six. However, the airline plans to ramp up operations (and launch new routes) as more 737-800s land next year.

“There’s never been a better time in our memory to expand into the domestic jet service business,” Mr Sharp told a recent CAPA Asia-Pacific Aviation Summit when discussing Rex’s decision to branch out into jet operations last year.

“Almost overnight, there were thousands of aircraft that were readily available. There were lessors who own those aircraft, who were distressed, and who would be happy to accept any price for a lease payment on one of their aircraft that was pushed up against a fence. So we have really good lease rates.”

How good? Rex is rumored to have picked up each of their six former Virgin Australia Boeings at the bargain rate of AU$60,000 (US$42,700) per month for the first 12 months of their leases (the first of Rex’s jets are just coming up to their first birthday at the airline).

Passengers board Rex’s first Brisbane-bound Boeing 737 service. Photo: Regional Express

Rex’s jets return to the Gold Coast

It’s not just cut-price lease rates that encouraged Rex to seal the deal. An abundance of freshly retrenched airline industry employees on the market made it easy to pick up the necessary skilled employees.

“There were thousands and thousands of highly skilled qualified people that we could draw upon to grow our business. And so we decided to do that last year,” added Rex’s Deputy Chairman.

In addition to commencing Brisbane flights over the last few days, Rex has returned to the Gold Coast, resuming flights from Sydney and Melbourne on Friday. These two routes are normally among Australia’s top ten domestic routes, carrying around five million travelers annually.

Rex’s John Sharp (left) in Brisbane on Friday. Photo: Regional Express

Last week, Queensland reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers and stranded Queenslanders down in the southern states. Since then, flights out of the south have returned to Brisbane and Gold Coast Airports.

Brisbane Airport’s CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff says Rex’s jets landing there was a “clear demonstration” that airlines and their passengers have the confidence to return to Australia’s third-largest state.

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With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, Richard Bransons’ Virgin Atlantic has decided to offer passengers special Christmas meals from December 24 until December 26. In a statement released on Friday, December 17, 2021, the Crawley-headquartered airline said it would offer passengers a fun and festive menu to help them get into the spirit of Christmas while cruising at 38,000 feet.

Virgin Atlantic to offer a traditional Christmas dinner on select flights.Photo: Getty Images.

The airline went on to say that it would be rolling out a similar festive menu for passengers traveling over New Year. Traditional in the United Kingdom, roast turkey is the main Christmas Day meal along with stuffing and all the other trimmings. Virgin Atlantic chefs know this and plan to replicate a traditional Christmas Day lunch for all Virgin Atlantic passengers.

Virgin Atlantic to offer passengers mince pies

If you are worried about Turkey causing drowsiness because it is packed with an amino acid nutrient called tryptophan, you don’t have to worry. As well as the roast bird, Virgin Atlantic chefs have developed a cranberry and thyme-crusted salmon fillet. Virgin Atlantic says it will also offer passengers what it calls a mouth-watering millionaire’s chocolate yule log for those of you with a sweet tooth. There will also be a dreamy cheese platter for all savory lovers if sweets aren’t your thing.

Virgin Atlantic Upper-Class Christmas meal. Photo: Virgin Atlantic

Virgin also says, what would Christmas be without mince pies and some lovely Swiss Lindt chocolate. If you are not British, you may be unfamiliar with mince pies. As the name suggests, they are a pastry with a filling made up of a mixture of dried fruits and spices. While mince pies might not be everyone’s cup of tea, they are a must-have at every British Christmas dinner.

New Years Eve champagne on select flights

To celebrate the New Year and prolong the festivities, Virgin Atlantic says it is going all out to see in the New Year in style. Customers on select flights who happen to be airborne when the clock counts down to midnight on New Year’s Eve will be offered a glass of bubbly and a milk chocolate star.

Economy class Christmas meal. Photo: Virgin Atlantic

In what has been a challenging year for the aviation industry and people as a whole, Virgin Atlantic Holidays says it has seen an increase in demand for vacations at 5-star resorts. Virgin Atlantic also says that after months of travel restrictions that kept families apart, customers are increasing the length of their stays while visiting loved ones overseas.

Virgin Atlantic wants to make it a special experience

When speaking about the upcoming holidays and what Virgin Atlantic has planned, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic, Corneel Koster, said:

“We know customers are so looking forward to their holidays or to be with their loved ones over the festive period, so we are eager to delight our customers from the moment they board our flights this Christmas. Surprising our customers with delicious feasts and treats is our way of creating memories and saying thank you for choosing to travel with Virgin Atlantic.

“Understanding the current challenges, our teams will ensure all customers fly safe and well and are more than ready to celebrate the festive period onboard, as we get our customers to their destinations in style. Many of our customers are flying to reunite with friends and family, so it’s incredibly important to us that we help make this a special experience.”

Will you be flying with Virgin Atlantic over the holidays? If so, please tell us what you are looking forward to the most in the comments.

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In October 2016, the Government of India unveiled the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, which loosely translates to “flying made possible for the common citizen.” The project aims to connect small towns in India through subsidized air routes and developing regional airports. Through this initiative, the Indian government intends to build infrastructure and a culture of air travel for people in tier 2 & 3 cities by making flying cheaper and more accessible.

Indian Government’s UDAN scheme aims to provide affordable air travel to all citizens. Photo: Getty Images

Boost for regional aviation

While we talk about India being one of the largest aviation markets in the world, and rightly so, air travel still remains out of reach for millions of Indians. The LCCs have certainly revolutionized aviation in India, but there’s still much to be done to bring affordable flying to the regional parts of the country. The UDAN scheme – intended to run for ten years – has been implemented to do just that.

The scheme aims to enhance regional air connectivity in two ways:

Developing new and existing regional airportsCreating hundreds of subsidized air routes to underserved and unserved airports

The initiative has planned to develop 100 new airports, heliports, and water aerodromes between 2019 and 2024. So far, more than 750 valid routes have been allotted to shortlisted airlines after four rounds of bidding. For the development of airports, the Airports Authority of India has designated funds of around ₹ 25,000 crores (approx. $3.3 billion) for a period of five years from 2019 to 2024.

The scheme offers subsidized routes to underserved airports. Photo: Getty Images

Funding

To fund such a project, the government has to infuse cash and provide concessions, which it does in three ways:

Central government concessionsState government concessionsAirport operators’ concessions

The central government provides what is known as Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to make routes financially viable for commercial airlines. VGF is reduced if the passenger load factor remains high and is discontinued after three years when the route becomes self-sustainable.

The center also provides relaxation on Goods and Service Tax (GST) and freedom to some airlines to enter into codesharing arrangements with domestic and international airlines.

Support from state governments comes in the form of reduction of Value-added Tax (VAT) to 1% or less for ten years to airports developed under the scheme, providing land for airports and other utilities at subsidized rates.

The airport operators contribute by waiving parking, landing, and storage charges at participating airports, no TNLC (Terminal Navigation Landing Charges), and other such subsidies.

To boost regional flights, the scheme also calls for air caps from Rs 1,420 to Rs 3,500 for fixed-wing aircraft (based on distance and duration) for flights to unserved and underserved routes. Such fare caps are subsidized by imposing a small levy on every departure on major routes.

Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik!#UDAN-RCS is a first-of-its-kind scheme that aims to create affordable yet economically viable and profitable flights on regional routes along with boosting tourism and creating new jobs in the sector. #SabUdenSabJuden pic.twitter.com/FSwjFis5ds

— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) September 9, 2021

Slow progress

The implementation of the scheme, however, has been slow, and several targets have not met their deadlines. An Economic Times report in July this year cited the rating agency ICRA, which said that not even 50% of the routes had been made operational, and the second wave of the pandemic impacted the plan even further. As of May this year, 47% of total routes and 39% of airports (unserved and underserved) were operational.

Shubham Jain, SVP and Group Head for Corporate Ratings at ICRA, stated,

“The slow progress of UDAN implementation is attributable to delayed upgradation of infrastructure and readiness of airports, due to lack of adequate right of way (including insufficient runway lengths) at some of the RCS airports and delays in securing necessary regulatory approvals.”

According to ICRA estimates, the target of operationalizing 100 airports under the UDAN scheme could face a two-year delay, pushing it to 2026 from the earlier deadline of 2024.

What are your thoughts on the Indian government’s UDAN scheme? Please share your comments below.

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Recently in Zurich, the testing of a pair of GE90 engines on a SWISS Boeing 777 took a dramatic turn when the thrust of the powerplants caused damage to parts of a noise protection hangar. The visually spectacular incident left acoustic protection material strewn all over the surrounding area, giving the impression that a tornado had touched down in the middle of the hangar. Using this example, let’s look at just how powerful the Boeing 777’s GE90 engines are.

The GE90 is one of three engine types for the Boeing 777. Often dependent on the aircraft variant, other options include offerings from Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce. Photo: GE Aviation

Record-setting thrust

According to GE Aviation, the -115B variant of the GE90 set a world record for thrust during its certification testing in 2002. During the 60 hours at “triple red-line conditions,” a maximum of 127,900 lbf was achieved. This testing of operational limits saw the engine run at maximum fan speed, core speed, and exhaust gas temperature.

Precise numbers are all well and good, but they might not mean much to most people who never come into contact with these types of units and measurements. Put into perspective, a contributor on the website Quora notes that the force of a GE90 would be able to “blow the heaviest tank in the world like the wind blows a leaf. Maybe throw it 50 meters away.” That would be quite a sight to see!

Of course, the most obvious and visible ‘application’ of the engines’ thrust is the fact that just two of these powerplants can take a behemoth machine like the Boeing 777-300 into the sky and up some 30,000+ feet. More impressive is the fact that just one running (as per ETOPS certification) would be able to keep the aircraft airborne for quite some time. It’s something most of us see regularly (at least in planespotting videos) but maybe don’t reflect on too often.

GE90 engines- and essentially every commercial aircraft engine, is a marvel of engineering. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple FlyingStay informed:Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

Destroying a hangar

It was on December 4th, 2021, that the Twitter account “Breaking Aviation News and Videos” posted a video showing a Boeing 777 test going wrong (at least with the structure around it).

A SWISS 777-300ER parked at Zurich Airport was undergoing some engine tests at an unspecified date and time. Portuguese media outlet Aeroin reports that engaging the aircraft’s powerful GE90 engines had an unfortunate effect on the bespoke noise protection hangar that it was situated in.

The video and photos embedded below show that one of the hangar’s deflection panels was destroyed while acoustic protection material was blown up and away, strewn about the tarmac around the hangar. Indeed, the video captured of the incident shows the pieces of material floating and falling, as if a small storm had somehow parked itself over the hangar.

pic.twitter.com/zpyHnOtrDz

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) December 4, 2021

Made by WTM Engineers for Zurich Airport, the noise protection hangar is meant to contain engine noise during aircraft engine testing (as is somewhat obvious in the name). In containing noise, residents and the surrounding community are shielded from the incredible roar of massive powerplants like the GE90 during testing.

Aeroin notes that the hangar was designed to accommodate aircraft as large as a Boeing 747-8 and can suppress noise emissions as high as 156 dB (measured near the engine) down to less than 60 dB in areas outside the hangar.

What’s next (for aircraft engines)

The GE90 and its carbon fiber fan blades made their debut in 1995 on a British Airways 777. While engines from other manufacturers power some variants of the 777, the GE90 is the exclusive powerplant on the -300ER, -200LR, and Freighter.

“It took GE another 15 years to break the record, which they did at 134,300 lbs. of thrust with the new GE9X engine,” GE Aviation’s website notes. The GE9X is the exclusive powerplant of the Boeing 777X, an aircraft that will hopefully see its entry into commercial service sometime in late 2023 or early 2024.

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The new owners of India’s former full-service carrier Jet Airways are reportedly in talks with airplane manufacturers for a huge order. For months now, Jet Airways’ revival plans have intrigued industry professionals, former Jet loyalists, and aviation enthusiasts alike. News of Jet’s potential aircraft order worth billions has further added momentum to the carrier’s second attempt at taking to the skies. Here’s what we know so far…

New owners of Jet Airways are reportedly planning a new airplane order. Photo: Getty Images

Giant order

A report by Bloomberg News suggests that the new owners of Jet Airways, the Jalan-Kalrock Consortium, are in conversation with both Boeing and Airbus for an order of at least 100 narrowbodies for around $12 billion.

Ankit Jalan, the nephew of one of the winning bidders Murari Lal Jalan, spoke with Bloomberg about Jet 2.0’s resurrection strategy. If all goes according to plan, the group could infuse around $200 million via equity and debt over the next six months.

The latest news follows a series of steps in the carrier’s revival plans – from the new owners winning the bid and the National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT) approving Jet’s revival plan in June to the renewal process of the airline’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

The new order could be at least 100 narrowbodies worth almost $12 billion. Photo: Getty Images

Speaking about how Jet is gearing up for its relaunch in the coming few months, Jalan said,

“We are working on all the things that we need to do to make an airline operational — whether that’s the training infrastructure, whether that’s the IT systems, whether it’s the marketing plan — all that is being worked upon as we speak. All these things will come beautifully together in the next two or three months.”

irbus or Boeing?

Jet Airways is left with just a handful of planes and will need fleet consolidation before restarting operations. The plan for 100+ airplanes is aligned with the company’s long-term expansion strategy, and the latest report has left many wondering whether the new planes will be American or European.

Airbus has delivered a hit with its A320neo family of jets, with customers lining up with purchase orders. Naturally, the European manufacturer’s delivery slots are booked for several years. But it’s being reported that Airbus is looking for a possible early delivery schedule, should a deal with Jet materialize.

While Airbus has its hands full with many A320 orders, Boeing could win over Jet with a competitive price for its MAX planes. Photo: Getty Images

Then we have Boeing, which recently got a new lease of life in India’s narrowbody market with a lucrative deal with Akasa. To further bolster its position in India, Boeing could offer a competitive price to Jet to outbid its European competitor. Jalan also hinted that Boeing could dust off the previous order of 225 MAX airplanes by Jet before it went bust.

Creating space again

The aviation landscape in India has seen significant changes since Jet Airways’ demise in 2019. Jet’s new owners are infusing working capital to resurrect a full-service airline at a time when Indian skies are set to witness a huge churn.

Jalan has said that Jet’s second stint will be like the first one – it will be a full-service carrier with a business class and a frequent flyer program. The airline will once again look to woo the corporate traveler, particularly on busy trunk routes as it once did in its glory days.

But with the Tatas most probably merging Air India and Vistara for a solid full-service product and the ever-hungry low-cost carriers dominating the domestic market, just how much space is left for Jet 2.0?

Jalan believes there is “enough room” in India for more airplanes and says that Jet also has the advantage of its legacy and loyal customer base, stating,

“The reaction that we saw of the Jet Airways brand coming back was motivation in itself. That’s exactly why Jet is coming back; to serve the loyal fan base, to serve the people who miss Jet.”

What are your thoughts on Jet’s revival plan? Please share your comments below.

Isles of Scilly Skybus is down by one aircraft as one of the fleet’s Twin Otters has been drafted to support an Aurigny Air Services route. Guernsey-based Aurigny had to borrow the plane for its Alderney air routes due to one of its Dornier Do-228-200s undergoing maintenance.

The aircraft coming from Isles of Scilly Skybus is a Twin Otter registered G-CEWM. Photo: Isles of Scilly Skybus

G-CEWM chosen for the mission

According to the BBC, an aircraft from the Isles of Scilly Skybus fleet has been drafted to cover for an Aurigny aircraft while it undergoes maintenance. The Skybus aircraft, a Twin Otter, will operate Aurigny’s Alderney routes.

Temporarily out of commission and undergoing routine maintenance is one of Aurigny’s Dornier Do-228-200s, of which the airline has three. In its place is the De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter registered G-CEWM.

Since yesterday, November 25th, the aircraft has been operating a number of Aurigny routes, with data from RadarBox.com showing the following flights completed by the Twin Otter:

GR202GR501GR502GR505GR506Aurigny tells the BBC that the Isles of Scilly Skybus plane would be used until the completion of the Dornier’s scheduled maintenance.

The Skybus Twin Otter replaces one of Aurigny’s Dornier turboprops, pictured here. Photo: David Jones via Wikimedia Commons Stay informed:Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

bout the aircraft

The aircraft called upon to fill in at Aurigny Air Services is a De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter, currently registered G-CEWM. The turboprop took its first flight in December 1979 and was initially registered as PZ-TCE to fly with South African carrier Surinam Airways.

The Twin Otter then spent some time with Desert Sand Aircraft Leasing, registered as N70551. It wasn’t until 2008 that the plane joined the fleet of Isles of Scilly Skybus. According to Planespotters.net, the 42-year-old aircraft had initially been configured with 20 seats but now only seats 19.

The Skybus aircraft is now 42 years of age. Photo: Rob Hodgkins via Flickr 

Where do these airlines fly?

Both airlines connect mainland Britain to various islands located south of England in the English Channel and the Celtic Sea. Skybus has eight aircraft while Aurigny has seven (including a single 122-seat Embraer E190).

While two carriers and their small fleets of island-hopper aircraft have no overlap, both serve the city of Exeter.

The route map belonging to Aurigny Air Services. The carrier notably offers service to London Gatwick. Photo: Aurigny Air Services

While Skybus’ home base is Land’s End (LEQ), Aurigny’s hub is Guernsey (GCI). However, Aurigny also has bases located at Alderney Airport (ACI) and Jersey (JER).

Flying since 1984, Skybus operates routes to St. Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly, which is just a short 20-minute flight from Land’s End Airport or 30 minutes from Newquay and 60 minutes from Exeter. This allows for connections to regional services throughout the UK.

The small route map belonging to Skybus. Photo: Isles of Scilly Skybus

Have you ever flown with either of these airlines? Which route did you fly, and on what aircraft? Share your experiences with us by leaving a comment.