Tag: Air

Strikes bring air traffic to standstill in Germany

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Berlin: Collective bargaining strikes of public sector employees as well as ground staff and flight control at seven German airports have brought air traffic in the country to a virtual standstill.
Around 2,340 flights were to be canceled, affecting almost 300,000 passengers, the German Airports Association (ADV) said, urging that “solutions must be found at the negotiating table and not on the backs of passengers”, Xinhua news agency reported.
Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa alone had to cancel more than 1,300 flights. There are no departures from Frankfurt and Munich on Friday at all.
“There is still a catastrophic labor shortage among ground handling workers — travelers clearly felt that last summer,” Christine Behle, deputy chairwoman of the trade union Verdi, said on Wednesday when announcing the strikes. “To change this situation, they must be given an attractive wage increase.
Staff shortages caused by job cuts during the pandemic and various strike actions affected Europe’s entire aviation industry last summer and led to international travel chaos with thousands of cancellations. At many airports, queues reached lengths of a kilometer or more.
As air traffic is recovering from the pandemic, the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) warned that this summer could get even worse. “2023 will pose the biggest challenge in terms of coping with capacity issues and keeping delays down that the network has faced in over a decade,” Director General Eamonn Brennan said.
It was not a good week for German air travelers. On Wednesday, a company-wide information technology outage at Lufthansa caused by damaged fiber optic cables during road construction work already led to numerous flight cancellations.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 18, 2023
AP: Air Marshal J Chalapati visits Air Force Station Suryalanka

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Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Marshal J Chalapati visited the Suryalanka Air Force Station in Andhra Pradesh on February 16.
He inspected the operational preparedness and the infrastructural developments of the station. While addressing the gathering at the Suryalanka station, he emphasised on the need for continuous training, to conserve costly military weapon resources in peace time.
He reiterated the positive impact of physical fitness. He stated that discipline and maintaining a clean environment are essential ingredients of military ethos, according to a press note.
The Air Marshal was presented with a traditional Guard of Honour by Air Warriors of the Suryalanka Station. He was received by Group Captain RS Chowdhury, Station Commander of Air Force Station Suryalanka.
Air Force Station Suryalanka is a premier Surface to Air Guided Weapon (SAGW) Firing Range of the Indian Air Force and has fired more than 1000 guided weapons in various firing exercises over the years. Southern Air Command is responsible for air operations from southern states of India.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 17, 2023
Srinagar’s Air Quality Deteriorating, Air More Polluted In Winters

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SRINAGAR: The air quality in Kashmir has been consistently deteriorating for the past three years, reveals the data compiled by the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board (PCB).
Quoting Pollution Control Board (PCB) data news agency KNO reported that the air quality has been deteriorating more in winters and Lasjan area has the most polluted air.
The Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM or PM 10) levels at all four stations in Srinagar have shown a steep rise in the last three years.
At the Raj Bagh station, the yearly average of PM-10 level for year 2021-22 was 139.26 µg/m³ against the permissible limit of 60 µg/m³ while at the same station it was 73.88 µg/m³) in year 2019-20 and 89.61 µg/m³ in year 2020-21.
At the Khonmoh station, the yearly average of PM-10 level for year 2021-22 was 162.86 µg/m³ against the permissible limit of 60 µg/m³ while at the same station it was 120.03 µg/m³) in year 2019-20 and 163.97 µg/m³ in year 2020-21.
At the Khrew station, the yearly average of PM-10 level for year 2021-22 was 132.65 µg/m³ against the permissible limit of 60 µg/m³ while at the same station it was 119.48 µg/m³) in year 2019-20 and 127.98 µg/m³ in year 2020-21.
At the Lasjan station, the yearly average of PM-10 level for year 2021-22 was 227.80 µg/m³ against the permissible limit of 60 µg/m³ while at the same station it was 197.74 µg/m³) in year 2019-20 and 235.29 µg/m³ in year 2020-21.
As per the data, the highest RSPM levels have been reported in winter months as the RSPM level in year 2021at Rajbagh and Khonmoh were 237.41 µg/m³ and 255.43 µg/m³ respectively in month of December while at Khrew and Lasjan the levels were highest in month of November with 176.6 µg/m³ at Khrew and 330.08 µg/m³ at Lasjan.

However, as per data the Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels in Srinagar have been found below the permissible mark as average NO2 levels at Rajbagh, Khonmoh, Khrew and Lasjan were 20.27 , 20.09, 22.10, 20.84 respectively in year 2021 as compared to the yearly permissible level of 40 µg/m³ for NO2 while SO2 levels were below 11 at all stations.
Notably, Director SKIMS Dr Parvaiz Koul had recently said that yearly around 10 thousand deaths are attributed to particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) exposure and there is need to control it by countering it.
He said that air pollution is the main issue of J&K due to the increasing number of vehicles, construction, brick kilns, cement factories which emit pollutants and significantly pollute our air and affect “our health which makes air pollution a health issue.”
He said the measures, which can contribute to decreasing air pollution include using fewer vehicles, decreasing the use of unleaded petrol, decreasing use of biomass fuels, less use of Kangri, and using vented heaters.
He said air pollution is affecting every single organ of the body and ”we have work to reduce the pollution.”

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#Srinagars #Air #Quality #Deteriorating #Air #Polluted #Winters
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 16, 2023
Air India places order for 840 aircraft; includes option to buy 370 planes: Official

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New Delhi: Tata Group-owned Air India has placed an order for 840 planes with Airbus and Boeing, including the option to acquire 370 aircraft, with a senior airline official on Thursday saying the order is a “landmark moment” in the Indian aviation history.
The announcement by Air India’s Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer Nipun Aggarwal comes a day after the airline said it has placed a firm order for 470 aircraft — 250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing.
In a LinkedIn post, Aggarwal said the airline is humbled by the excitement generated across the world by the airline’s aircraft order.
“The order comprises 470 firm aircraft, 370 options and purchase rights to be procured from Airbus and Boeing over the next decade,” he said.
This will be one of the largest aircraft orders by an airline in the modern aviation history.
According to him, this order of 840 aircraft has been a culmination of a fascinating journey that began almost two years ago with the Air India privatisation process.
The Airbus firm order comprises 210 A320/321 Neo/XLR and 40 A350-900/1000. The Boeing firm order comprises 190 737-Max, 20 787s and 10 777s.
“We have also signed up for long-term maintenance of the engines with CFM International (CFM), Rolls-Royce and GE Aerospace,” he said.

This was also the first time in more than 17 years that Air India, which was acquired from the government by Tata Group in January 2022, has ordered planes. The first A350 plane will be delivered to the airline by the end of this year.
Aggarwal on Thursday said the order demonstrates the vision and aspiration of Tata Group to transform Air India into a world-class airline and connect India “non-stop” to every major city in the world.
“This order is also a testament to the tremendous economic potential unleashed by the Air India privatisation,” he said, adding that it is indeed a landmark moment in the history of Air India and Indian aviation.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Air India-Airbus transaction as a “landmark deal” that also reflects the deepening ties between India and France.
The prime minister along with US President Joe Biden also welcomed the landmark agreement between Air India and Boeing as a shining example of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Air India, earlier under the ownership of the government, had acquired new aircraft more than 17 years ago.
The airline’s last order was for 111 planes — 68 from Boeing and 43 from Airbus — and that deal was worth USD 10.8 billion. The order was placed in 2005.
Currently, in India, around 470 commercial aircraft of Airbus are in service and the European major’s order book for Indian airlines is around 850 planes. Indian carriers operate around 159 Boeing planes.
The country’s airline industry is poised for expansion with more than 1,100 planes on order by various domestic carriers.
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#Air #India #places #order #aircraft #includes #option #buy #planes #Official
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 16, 2023
Air quality worsening in India’s cleanest city Indore, say experts

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Indore: Indore may have earned the prestigious tag of being the cleanest city India, but its air quality is worsening due to rapid development in the transport, construction and industrial sectors, said experts on Wednesday stressing the need for intensifying efforts to control the situation.
As per the data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality of Indore on Wednesday was “moderate”, which can cause breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.
Indore has been selected by Clean Air Catalyst, a global alliance working to improve air quality, apart from Jakarta (Indonesia) and Nairobi (Kenya) for one of its projects.
As part of the project, three air pollution monitoring stations have been set up in Indore to record data on pollutants like fine particulate matter or PM2.5, carbon monoxide and black carbon, an official of the Clean Air Catalyst said.
“Indore is not among the most polluted cities in the world, but it is not even one of the cleanest cities in the world in terms of air quality,” Hisham Mundol, chief advisor in India for the Environmental Defense Fund associated with the Clean Air Catalyst, told PTI.
He said that the air quality in Indore is being affected due to the rapid activities taking place in the transport, construction and industrial sectors.
Mundol said that under the ‘Clean Air Catalyst’ project, the data on air pollution in the city will be studied for the next two years and after that appropriate solutions will be provided to the local administration.
According to Dr Dilip Vaghela, an environmental expert associated with the Clean Air Catalyst and a former officer of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the challenges of air pollution in Indore are increasing continuously.

“In Indore, the amount of pollutants like PM10 and PM 2.5 increases a lot, especially during the winter season and lack of wind,” he said.
Vaghela said that most of the roads in densely populated Indore, the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, are not very wide, while the density of vehicles on them is very high.
“The population of the city is between 38 to 40 lakh, while the number of vehicles is estimated to be between 18 to 20 lakh, which means, there is a vehicle for every two people in the city. This ratio is probably the highest in the whole country,” he said.
“Efforts need to be intensified to improve the air quality to prevent the situation in the city from deteriorating,” he said.
Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said the traffic and air quality problems in the city were like a “spot on the beautiful moon”.
“We have taken up the task of solving both these problems in a major way with the help of the Clean Air Catalyst,” he added.
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#Air #quality #worsening #Indias #cleanest #city #Indore #experts
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 16, 2023
Air India-Boeing deal to create 1M jobs in US: US Prez Biden to PM Modi

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Washington: The landmark Air India-Boeing deal will create up to 1 million jobs across 44 states in the US and will further deepen bilateral ties, President Joe Biden has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Boeing and Air India announced a mega deal on Tuesday under which the Tata Group-owned airline will purchase 190 B737 MAX, 20 B787, and 10 B777X for a total of 220 firm orders valued at USD 34 billion at list price.
The deal will also include customer options for an additional 50 Boeing 737 MAX and 20 Boeing 787, totalling 290 airplanes for a total of USD 45.9 billion at the list price.
While discussing the landmark deal with Prime Minister Modi, Biden said, he was looking forward to deepening the ties between India and the US.
This purchase will support over one million American jobs across 44 states, and many will not require a four-year college degree, Biden said in the call.
The Air India order is Boeing’s third biggest sale ever in dollar value and second in terms of the number of planes.
During the call, the two leaders also reaffirmed the strength of the US-India relationship and committed to continue working together and in groups like the Quad to advance economic growth for our two countries and expand cooperation on our shared priorities.
This announcement follows the inaugural launch of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) last month.

iCET is being launched at the direction of US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who after their Tokyo meeting in May 2022 had announced to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries.
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#Air #IndiaBoeing #deal #create #jobs #Prez #Biden #Modi
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 15, 2023
Air India order for Boeing planes will support 1 mn US jobs: Joe Biden

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New York: Ahead of next year’s election, US President Joe Biden on Tuesday termed Air India’s $34 billion order for 220 Boeing planes as a “historic” deal that will support his agenda with one million US jobs and promote its lead in technology.
He linked the orders to his domestic plans to create good jobs for the working class, noting that many of the one million jobs “will not require a four-year college degree” and will be spread across 44 states.
Biden has been pushing for creating better-paying industrial jobs for the working class beaten down by such works going overseas, mainly to China, as well as boosting manufacturing in the US.
Biden said that Air India’s Boeing purchase shows that “the United States can and will lead the world in manufacturing”.
The reference to jobs in the US, which a White House official said will, directly and indirectly, amount to 1.47 million, can also offset criticism in the US of tech jobs going to India by showing that US workers also benefit.
The Air India order will have a total economic impact of $70 billion, the official said.
The Air India order is Boeing’s third-biggest sale of all time in dollar value and second in quantity, according to the official.
The official said that the order for 220 planes from Air India is worth $34 billion and covers 190 Boeing 737 MAXs, 20 Boeing 787s, and 10 Boeing 777Xs.

The agreement includes an option to buy additional 50 Boeing 737 MAXs and 20 Boeing 787s and if they go through, the total purchases will be 290 planes raising the value to $45.9 billion, the official said.
Air India, which is now back with its original owner Tata Group after last year’s privatisation, also announced a deal to buy 250 planes from Europe’s Airbus – 210 A320neo narrowbody planes and 40 A350 widebody aircraft.
The “historic” Boeing deal, Biden said, “Reflects the strength of the US-India economic partnership.”
“Together with Prime Minister Modi, I look forward to deepening our partnership even further as we continue to confront shared global challenges – creating a more secure and prosperous future for all of our citizens,” he added.
The White House official linked the announcement to the inaugural launch of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) launched last month.
The initiative seeks to expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two governments, businesses, and universities.
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#Air #India #order #Boeing #planes #support #jobs #Joe #Biden
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 14, 2023
Air India to acquire modern fleet, orders 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing

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New Delhi: Air India, part of the Tata Sons conglomerate, on Tuesday announced that it has signed letters of intent with Airbus and Boeing to acquire both widebody and single-aisle aircraft.
The order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s widebody aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft. The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, and the B777/787s by engines from GE Aerospace. All single-aisle aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a video call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, Campbell Wilson, CEO, Air India, and Guillaume Faury, CEO, Airbus, on the occasion of the launch of a partnership between Air India and Airbus.
The Prime Minister highlighted the rapid expansion and growth of the civil aviation market in India, which will give impetus to greater connectivity between India and the rest of the world, and will in turn encourage tourism and business in the country.
Complimenting the strong presence of French companies in India, Modi also recalled the recent decision by French aerospace engine manufacturer SAFRAN to set up its largest MRO facility in India to service aircraft engines for both Indian and international carriers.
Commenting on the occasion, Tata Sons Chairman Chandrasekaran said: “Air India is on a large transformation journey across safety, customer service, technology, engineering, network and human resources. Modern, efficient fleet is a fundamental component of this transformation. This order is an important step in realising Air India’s ambition, articulated in its Vihaan.AI transformation programme, to offer a world class proposition serving global travellers with an Indian heart.
“These new aircraft will modernise the airline’s fleet and onboard product, and dramatically expand its global network. The growth enabled by this order will also provide unparalleled career opportunities for Indian aviation professionals and catalyse accelerated development of the Indian aviation ecosystem.”
The first of the new aircraft will enter service in late 2023, with the bulk to arrive from mid-2025 onwards. In the interim, Air India has already started taking delivery of 11 leased B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion.

“At long last, after many months of difficult negotiation, I’m delighted to finally share that Air India has signed letters of intent with Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace and CFM International for a fleet of brand-new aircraft,” said Air India CEO Campbell Wilson in a communication to the employees on Tuesday.
In addition to the 470 aircraft on firm order, Air India has secured a number of options and purchase rights.
“These give us the option, but not the obligation, to take additional aircraft at already-negotiated production slots and/or prices so that we can nimbly accommodate further growth and manage risk,” the CEO informed the employees.
The firm part of the order alone is not just the largest order ever made by an Indian airline, it is one of the largest single aircraft orders by any airline, anywhere, ever, and testifies to India’s unique combination of extraordinary scale and growth opportunity, Wilson said in the communication.
The acquisition of new aircraft, which will come with an entirely new cabin interior, complements Air India’s previously announced plan to refit its existing widebody B787 and B777 aircraft with new seats and inflight entertainment systems. The first of these refitted aircraft will enter service in mid-2024.
The Air India group currently comprises full-service Air India, as well as two low-cost subsidiaries — Air India Express and Air Asia India — which are in the process of merging.
Its parent, Tata Sons, recently announced its intention to merge Air India with full-service airline Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines in which the former holds 51 per cent share. In steady state, subject to regulatory approval, the group will comprise a single full-service airline, Air India, and a single low-cost airline, Air India Express.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 14, 2023
Air India orders 220 Boeing planes for $34 bn; Biden terms deal as historic

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Washington: Air India will purchase 220 planes from Boeing for USD 34 billion, with an option to buy 70 more aircraft that could take the total transaction value to USD 45.9 billion, a deal that US President Joe Biden described as a “historic agreement”.
While announcing the Boeing-Air India deal on Tuesday, Biden also asserted that together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he was looking forward to deepen the ties between India and the US.
As per an announcement from the White House, Boeing and Air India have reached an agreement under which the airline will purchase 190 B737 MAX, 20 B787, and 10 B777X for a total of 220 firm order valued at USD 34 billion at list price.
The deal will also include customer options for an additional 50 Boeing 737 MAX and 20 Boeing 787, totalling 290 airplanes for a total of USD 45.9 billion at list price.
“I am proud to announce today the purchase of over 200 American-made aircraft through a historic agreement between Air India and Boeing,” Biden said.
The Air India order is Boeing’s third biggest sale ever in dollar value and second in terms of number of planes.
This purchase will support over one million American jobs across 44 states, and many will not require a four-year college degree, Biden said, adding that this announcement also reflects the strength of the US-India economic partnership.
“Together with Prime Minister Modi, I look forward to deepening our partnership even further as we continue to confront shared global challenges — creating a more secure and prosperous future for all of our citizens,” Biden said.

This announcement follows the inaugural launch of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) last month. The initiative is aimed at expanding the strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and universities of the two countries.
Biden and Modi announced the iCET in May 2022.
Biden’s economic plan is about building an economy from the bottom up and the middle out, and revitalising American manufacturing, the White House said.
Over the course of production and delivery, the agreement will have USD 70 billion in total economic impact across the United States and support an estimated 1.47 million direct and indirect jobs.
The production of the aircraft supports three separate US-based manufacturing lines that include aerospace suppliers across 44 different states, the White House said.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 14, 2023
Air India to purchase 250 Airbus aircraft from France

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New Delhi: Air India will buy 250 aircraft from France’s Airbus, in what is billed as the world’s largest aviation deal in history.
“We have built a very good relationship with Airbus. Today I am happy to announce that we have signed a letter of intent to acquire 250 aircrafts from Airbus,” said Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, at a virtual unveiling of the announcement in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The deal includes 40 A350 wide-body ultra-long-range aircraft. The rest will be narrow-body aircraft.
“We have significant options to increase the fleet orders once we grow,” Chandrasekaran said.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, veteran industrialist Ratan Tata, and other leaders were present during the virtual conference.
“It is a historic moment for Airbus to help script Air India’s revival,” Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury said in a video conference.
Air India was looking for a remix of aircraft to boost their domestic and international network through recent orders. Soon after the divestment of the airline, CEO Campbell announced in its speech to the AI employees that the airline is going for a historic order.
On the occasion of its first anniversary on January 27 this year, Air India said the airline will transform itself over the next five years to being among the best globally with an Indian heart.

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#Air #India #purchase #Airbus #aircraft #France
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 14, 2023