Boeing 737-900ER Next Generation Delivers to SpiceJet

The Boeing Company and New Delhi-based SpiceJet today celebrated the
delivery of the airline's first Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended
Range) airplane. With this delivery, SpiceJet becomes the first
India-based airline to operate the 737-900ER. SpiceJet originally
announced its decision to purchase five 737-900ERs and five 737-800s at
the 2006 Asian Aerospace Air Show in Singapore.

"We are proud to
be the first Indian airline to operate the 737-900ER," said SpiceJet
board director Bhulo Kansagra. "With its reliability, low operating
cost and passenger comfort, the 737 provides value that is unmatched
and supports our mission of being India's preferred low-cost airline."

All
of the airplanes will be equipped with performance-enhancing Blended
Winglets, which improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions by up
to four percent.

"The 737 plays an integral role in meeting the
needs of India's rapidly growing aviation market," said Dinesh Keskar,
vice president of Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We look forward
to continuing to work closely with this valued customer as it expands
its operations and serves its passengers."

Boeing announced the
launch of the 737-900ER program in July 2005. The 737-900ER
incorporates a new pair of exit doors and a flat, rear-pressure
bulkhead that allow a maximum capacity of 220 passengers in a
single-class layout. Aerodynamic and structural design changes --
including strengthened wings, a two-position tailskid, enhancements to
the leading and trailing-edge flap systems, optional Blended Winglets,
and auxiliary fuel tanks -- will allow the 737-900ER to accommodate
higher takeoff weights and increase its range to 3,200 nautical miles
(5,900 km).

The 737-900ER has substantial economic advantages
over competing models including 6 percent lower operating costs per
trip and 4 percent lower operating costs per seat than the A321 --
which is more than 9,550 pounds (4,340 kg) heavier. The 737-900ER joins
the 737-600, -700, -700ER and -800 airplanes and will share the same
industry-leading reliability of the other Next-Generation 737 series
models.

As of Oct. 31, eight customers have placed orders for
169 Next-Generation 737-900ERs. The 737 is the best-selling commercial
jetliner in history, with more than 7,000 orders to more than 240
customers around the world. Boeing has nearly 1,800 unfilled orders for
the airplane with a value exceeding $125 billion at current list prices.

SpiceJet,
one of India's newest start-up private carriers, operates an all-Boeing
fleet and uses a single-class seating configuration on its short- and
medium-haul flights within India. SpiceJet began service in May 2005
with three leased Boeing 737-800s and today operates more than 86 daily
flights to 14 destinations.

Powered by ScribeFire.

One-Two-Go shuttle service to Chiang Mai

One-Two-Go Airlines is coming up with a new flight concept in the hope of gaining an edge over rival budget carriers by offering flexible boarding and better punctuality. The privately owned carrier will launch a new shuttle business model, which offers frequent service. It will also compensate customers for delays and extend ticket validity.

''The concept is like taking a shuttle bus that gets off regularly with no fuss,'' explained One-Two-Go chief executive Udom Tantiprasongchai, referring to the new service. The airline will launch shuttle service between Bangkok and Chiang Mai on Nov 22, offering the highest frequency of any airline operating on the route.

One-Two-Go would offer nine flights a day on the route, up from three currently, or roughly one flight every 90 minutes, with the first flight departing at 7 am and the last at 8 pm.

The airline would use the US-made MD-80 series jets jets, each capable of seating 172 passengers.

Such a high frequency allows last-minute purchase of tickets, and allows customers to change flights with minimum advanced notification and without risk of having tickets voided or subject to penalty charges. The ticket come in the form of prepaid card and are valid for one month.

Confident about its on-time performance, One-Two-Go will offer a 50% discount for the next purchase of a ticket if a flight is delayed more than two hours.

Current regulations by the Department of Civil Aviation require airlines to compensate passengers if flights are delayed by more than three hours.

Mr Udom said his airline could offer such punctuality guarantees because it is under-utilising its fleet of seven MD-80s. The airline operates them for an average of eight to nine hours a day, compared to more than 12 hours a day by competing LCCs. As part of the promotion of the ''Chiang Mai Shuttle,'' the airline is offering a 200-baht discount for round-trip tickets.

Of the Chiang Mai Shuttle proves successful, One-Two-Go may introduce the model for other high-traffic routes such as Bangkok-Phuket.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Jetstar to expand domestic and international operations

Jetstar will significantly expand its narrow body operations on
domestic and short haul international routes, with the first time
introduction of Airbus A321s, forming part of today’s major
announcement by the Qantas Group.

Configured for up to 213 passengers in single class, the first A321s to complement future deliveries of
A320
aircraft into Jetstar will enter service from March 2008. To support
the further expansion of Jetstar an order of up to 108 aircraft
including 68 A320 / A321 aircraft plus 40 options and purchase rights
for the value based carrier is to proceed.

Jetstar has an
existing fleet of 23 A320s and has previously announced an additional 9
A320s for its Australian domestic operations to enter service between
December 2007 and March 2009, initially including additional services
to the Gold Coast, Darwin and Newcastle.

Jetstar Chief Executive
Officer Alan Joyce said the larger A321 aircraft both complement
existing Jetstar operations and can be targeted at future new markets
in response to growth opportunities. Mr Joyce said the significant
narrow body aircraft order by the Qantas Group had provided Jetstar
with a platform for significant future growth of its short haul
operations alongside large scale international growth in long haul
markets with a future wide body fleet of 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

“Jetstar
has outlined further growth opportunities within both the Australian
domestic market and on short haul international routes from Australia
and these will now be actively pursued,” Mr Joyce said. “The
performance of a large number of Jetstar existing markets also warrants
further sustainable growth achieved through the larger A321s, which
deliver a further benefit in operational costs.”

Mr Joyce said
Jetstar would open new bases and hub a number of new narrow body fleet
in both Darwin and Perth within a two year period to serve fast growing
Asian markets creating hundreds of new aviation roles in both cities.
Mr Joyce said the airline would soon unveil the A321 launch operating
schedule as part of its future

Powered by ScribeFire.

Getting The Cheapest Possible Airline Tickets

For most people, trying to get a good rate on airfare is a necessity.
Most people spend the bulk of their vacation dollars on airfare. So
it's a good idea to put in the time necessary to finding a better deal.



There are a few things to keep in mind while you're researching that
will save you a good bit of money. So these tips will help with getting
better prices.



Be as flexible as you can



If you can leave a few days earlier or later, you can often save
significantly, because cheaper tickets may still be available on a less
popular day. Try to avoid the days most business people like to travel.
For example, Tuesdays and Wednesdays can be much less expensive days to
fly than any other day.



Look into consolidated airline tickets



Consolidators buy tickets in bulk and sell them at a discounted rate to
help airlines fill seats up. You can find ticket consolidators in your
newspaper's travel section or online at sites like Hotwire.com.



You should be aware of the fact that consolidated airline tickets have
more restrictions than others, but could be a really good buy if you're
willing to live with those restrictions. It's best to find out what
those restrictions are so you'll know if you'd like to go that route or
not.



Be aware of hidden costs



Ticket prices are often published without ticketing fees, airport
taxes, security surcharges, etc., which can raise your costs by 10 to
20 percent. Know these fees before you buy your tickets to avoid any
surprise. Read all fine print before giving up your money. It can mean
the difference in getting a really good hotel or a cheap motel.



Check out ticket prices online



Ticket prices can be less than 10 percent or more if you purchase them
online. Several online travel websites also offer package deals for
vacations that include flights, so be sure to shop around and prices
vary from website to website.



If you need cheap airline tickets, these tips work pretty well, as well
as the other tips you can find online. The trick is to take the time to
research well before you buy the tickets. You can often get good prices
if you take your time finding out what's available.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleJoe.com

Chloe Steele is webmaster of We Do Airline Tickets. A website dedicated to finding the very best deals possable for airline tickets. You can find it at www.wedoairlinetickets.com/

Powered by ScribeFire.

Which Airline Is Really The Best?

Pick up any newspaper or watch any news channel and many times you will
find something about the airline industry. Popular topics range in how
gas prices affect airline prices, the latest merger or bankruptcy
claim, an airline crash or problem with a flight and even terrorist
attempts. Airlines even capture our attention by running airfare
specials in the newspaper and on TV. The funny thing is, you don’t even
pay attention to these advertisements unless you travel often or are
planning a trip. So which airline is the best anyway?



There are a lot of things to take into consideration when deciding
which airline is the best for you. Price is usually a big factor for
most travelers. There are a few things to consider when thinking about
price. If you live near a hub for an airline you are certain to be able
to get better fares. Think about if it is worth it for you to travel to
a larger airport rather than taking a flight out of the airport that
you live 10 minutes away from. If you are only saving about $50.00 it
is probably better to just take a flight from the airport you live
closest to. Remember, you need to think of gas prices and traffic –
both of which are on the rise.



Consider being flexible in your travel days to receive the best prices.
If you can leave mid-week, then you are more likely to receive a better
deal than if you were to fly Thursday – Sunday. These are the busiest
travel days so the airlines take full advantage of this fact. Airlines
also run special deals if you are more flexible with your departure
schedule. This includes the time that you want to leave too. Early
morning flights – very early morning flights – are often less expensive
than mid-morning or evening flights. Think about rush hour traffic. If
you leave before rush hour in the morning, or after rush hour in the
evening you’ll most likely land a better deal.



The best time to book your own flight online is Tuesday evenings
between 12 and 1 a.m. Airline’s computers change their fares at this
point and this is when they are available to the public to be
purchased. If you catch an airline just right, then anyone of them can
be the “best” when it comes to pricing. There isn’t any one airline
that consistently has the best prices. Although, the discount airlines
like Air Tran and Jet Blue tend to be cheaper. But these flights are
only available in select areas so many times you cannot fly these
airlines.



Another factor to look at when deciding which airline is the best is
the percent of flights that they have on time. These are the results of
one survey that was conducted:



Hawaiian Air

Jet Blue

Southwest

ATA

United

Sometimes it’s better to drive than to be stuck on a flight that is delayed. Consider this on shorter distance flights.



Carry on luggage has become more popular with travelers because nobody
wants to be caught without their clothes and people want to get off a
flight and go – not wait around for their bag to come round the corner
of the luggage carousel. This is how airlines ranked for lost baggage:



1) Hawaiian Air



2) Jet Blue



3) Southwest



4) Alaska Air



5) Continental



It’s also pretty frustrating when you have booked a flight and you
aren’t allowed to get on it because someone overbooked the flight. How
does that happen anyway? Here’s how the airlines ranked on passengers
that were denied boarding:



Jet Blue

Hawaiian Air

United

American Airlines

US Airways

So which airline is the best? Everyone is going to have their personal
opinions. But according to this, you should book a trip to Hawaii right
away or else fly Jet Blue whenever possible.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleJoe.com

Find more information about airlines, quotes, last minute booking and more at www.airlineb.com

Powered by ScribeFire.

Low-cost Airlines History: How It All Got Started

America

The budget flight revolution began in America with Southwest Airlines in Dallas, Texas. With flights turning profitable in 1973 and remaining so ever since, former lawyer Herb Kelleher proved the viability of low cost flights. In terms of passengers carried each year, Southwest is now the biggest airline in the USA and the second biggest airline in the world. It has no plans to expand to international flights.

Virgin’s Richard Branson, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary and Easyjet’s Stelios have all acknowledged their debt to Southwest and its inspirational business model. Ironically US low cost carrier Skybus launched in 2007 modelling itself on the UK’s Ryanair. Branson has recently launched Virgin America, his own entry into the USA domestic market with low prices but better customer service options, such as pay per view movies and music, fresh food that can be ordered through the seat screen, mood lighting, and a power socket for laptops in every seat. Virgin Atlantic has also reintroduced a First Class option to its flights.

UK

London’s Heathrow remains the busiest airport in the world and the UK’s capital still the most important travel hub in the world. For decades Heathrow’s status meant that airlines operated a virtual monopoly and charged astronomical prices. First challenged by Freddie Laker in the Seventies with his budget Skytrain flights to the USA, the 1990s saw the rise of UK low budget pioneers Easyjet and Ryanair as they opened up London’s previously neglected Stansted airport. Easyjet and Ryanair have studiously avoided direct competition on the same flight routes and between them now offer cheap flights to a huge amount of destinations across Europe.

Asia

South East Asia has witnessed explosive growth in the budget airline market since 2000. Malaysia’s AirAsia has rapidly expanded to become the major carrier in the region, operating right across the subcontinent and opening up the possibility of flying to many Asians who previously would never have considered it due to the cost. AirAsia’s success has generated a host of rivals, notably Singapore’s Tiger Airways and Australia’s Qantas owned Jetstar. Both of these airlines are competing aggressively with each other on Asia to Australia routes as well as within the domestic Australian market, which is dominated by the low cost Virgin Blue. AirAsia’s next plan is to launch AirAsiaX, a budget long haul carrier to Europe

The Future - Long Haul Low Cost Carriers

Virgin Atlantic is bridging the gap between short haul and long haul with 3+ hour flights. Richard Branson has also taken a 20 per cent stake in AirAsiaX, the proposed low cost long haul carrier that will operate from Kuala Lumpur, following the model of its sister company AirAsia, which is the dominant low cost carrier in South East Asia.

In the emerging low cost long haul flight market, food, blankets and entertainment are much more important to travelers than on short hop flights. This "pick and mix" style of upgrades provides more comfort for travelers and more profit for the airlines, provided they can anticipate their customers needs correctly. Qantas owned Jetstar has already begun offering this method on 8 hour flights between South East Asia and Australia.

Budget Airlines: How Do They Manage To Be So Cheap?

Budget airlines revolutionized the air industry with low fares by adopting a completely different way of working to the traditional airlines. By ditching expensive overheads like free food and drink, only using the same type of airplanes to minimize maintenance, training and repair costs, and flying to airports with cheaper landing fees, the budget airlines have passed on huge savings to their customers. This business philosophy has been adopted by pretty much every budget airline around the world.

By selling tickets electronically online or via telephone, the budget airlines’ marketing costs are much lower too – no travel agent commissions to pay or paper tickets to print and post. Virtually all budget airlines use a system of dynamic pricing on their tickets, which means their prices change continually based on demand. Usually the further ahead you book a budget ticket, the cheaper it will be. Sometimes you can get last minute bargains on empty flights, but usually the closer you book to your departure day, the less of a bargain it will be.

You can get the best value from budget airlines by being prepared in advance:

• book your ticket as far in advance as possible to save money
• check the exact location of the destination airport and how far it is from the city you want to visit – and how to get there from the airport
• know your baggage limits and pack accordingly to avoid excess charges
• take a packed lunch with you (but leave the liquids at home)

Here’s a quick run down of the pros and cons of flying with budget airlines:

PROS

- Cheap!
The main reason why budget airlines are popular – you get there just as fast as a much more expensive, full priced airline for a fraction of the price

- Quick and convenient to book online
Selling tickets online is not only good for the airline but also much more convenient for the customer too – a couple of clicks and you’re done

- You only pay for what you want
Food and drink are not free on budget flights, which is no problem on short hops. On longer flights, budget airlines provide blankets, entertainment sets and hot meals all for a fee. If you’ve thought ahead, you can save on all of these costs.

- Frequent special fares with virtually free flights
Budget airlines run frequent promotions where they slash their ticket prices even further for a limited time period. Budget Airline Guide provides notification of these offers to make sure you don’t miss out.

CONS

- Airport can be difficult to get to and from
Budget airlines fly to more obscure airports to lessen landing fees, but the side effect can be that the airport can be a couple of hours journey away from the actual destination, eating up savings on air tickets for taxis and buses.. A new trend is the building of terminals specifically for budget airlines at existing airport locations – both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have recently opened Low Cost Carrier Terminals that provide basic facilities and still let passengers take advantage of the existing travel services into the city.

- Possible delays from turnaround
Just like a bus route, budget flights go back and forth on the same route several times a day. As the day progresses, small delays can accumulate into running an hour or more behind schedule.

- Restricted baggage allowance
Most budget airlines allow 15kgs of luggage, but are becoming more and more strict about their limits and will charge without exception for any excess baggage. Be aware of an airline’s stated baggage allowance.

- No transfer between flights – point to point only
If you’re trying to make a connection to another flight, don’t expect a budget airline to transfer your bags for you. You’ll need to collect them and check in all over again, as if for two separate flights. By only flying "point to point", budget airlines avoid the need for the complications of transferring passengers

- Minimal compensation if canceled
Don’t expect hotel accommodation at the airlines’ expense if flights are canceled for whatever reason. Budget airlines provide the absolute minimum of compensation as stipulated by international aviation laws.

- No seat allocation
Most budget flights let everyone pile on to the flight and sit where they want, which can be a little stressful but apparently helps the plane load faster. Some airlines have now introduced an optional seat allocation service which incurs a small fee when booking.

AirAsia

AirAsia is a low-cost airline based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It operates scheduled domestic and international flights and is Asia's leading low fare, no frills airline. It is also the first airline in the region to implement fully ticketless travel and unassigned seats. AirAsia has been expanding rapidly and is very popular among the traveling public thanks to its frequent low fare deals. Its main base is the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

AirAsia operates about 200 flights a day, to 48 destinations in 10 countries.

In Bangkok AirAsia operates all domestic and international flights from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Current Air Asia destinations include:

China
Macau (Macau International Airport)
Xiamen (Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport)
Shenzhen (Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport)

Brunei Darussalam
Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei International Airport)

Cambodia
Phnom Penh (Phnom Penh International Airport)
Siem Reap (Angkor International Airport)

Indonesia
Balikpapan (Sepinggan International Airport)
Banda Aceh (Sultan Iskandarmuda Airport)
Bandung (Husein Sastranegara International Airport)
Batam (Hang Nadim Airport)
Denpasar (Ngurah Rai International Airport)
Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport)Secondary Hub
Medan (Polonia International Airport)
Padang (Minangkabau International Airport)
Pekan Baru (Sultan Syarif Qasim II International Airport)
Solo (Adisumarmo International Airport)
Surabaya (Juanda International Airport)

Malaysia
Alor Star (Sultan Abdul Halim Airport)
Bintulu (Bintulu Airport)
Johor Bahru (Senai International Airport)Secondary Hub
Kota Bharu (Sultan Ismail Petra Airport)
Kota Kinabalu (Kota Kinabalu International Airport)Secondary Hub
Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) Hub
Kuala Terengganu (Sultan Mahmud Airport)
Kuantan (Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport)
Kuching (Kuching International Airport)Secondary Hub
Labuan (Labuan Airport)
Lahad Datu (Lahad Datu Airport)
Langkawi (Langkawi International Airport)
Miri (Miri Airport)
Penang (Penang International Airport)
Sandakan (Sandakan Airport)
Sibu (Sibu Airport)
Tawau (Tawau International Airport)

Myanmar
Yangon (Yangon International Airport)

The Philippines
Angeles City (Diosdado Macapagal International Airport)

Singapore
Singapore(Singapore Changi Airport)

Thailand
Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport)Secondary Hub
Chiang Mai (Chiang Mai International Airport)
Chiang Rai (Chiang Rai International Airport)
Hat Yai (Hat Yai International Airport||)
Krabi (Krabi Airport)
Nakhon Si Thammarat (Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport)
Narathiwat (Narathiwat Airport)
Phuket (Phuket International Airport)
Surat Thani (Surat Thani Airport)
Ubon Ratchathani (Ubon Ratchathani Airport
Udon Thani (Udon Thani Airport)

Vietnam
Hanoi (Noi Bai International Airport)

Goodrich to support Singapore Airlines` A380 charity flight

Charlotte, North Carolina, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) will support the charitable activity surrounding the first commercial flight of Singapore Airlines' A380 aircraft by waiving its service charges for the flight and donating the equivalent sum of money to designated charitable organizations.

These organizations include: Singapore's Community Chest, Sydney Children's Hospital Randwick, The Children's Hospital at Westmead (Sydney) and Doctors Without Borders.

In August, Singapore Airlines announced its plan to auction seats on the historic first flight, which will run from Singapore to Sydney and back, and donate funds from the auction to charities in both Sydney and Singapore. As a key business partner of Singapore Airlines and the A380 program, Goodrich welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the event.

According to Paul Snyder, President Goodrich Customer Services, "We are honored to be a part of the A380 program with Singapore Airlines and are proud to support the A380 charity flight. We've worked closely with Singapore Airlines to develop a unique support offering for their fleet of A380 aircraft and are delighted to be a part of this charitable first flight initiative."

In July 2007, Singapore Airlines chose Goodrich to provide asset management services, including component and system maintenance and technical support, for the airline's fleet of 19 A380 aircraft.

The long-term agreement covers Goodrich-produced technology ranging from primary and secondary flight controls to sensors and evacuation systems. Goodrich is a major supplier of systems and equipment on the A380.

Singapore Airlines' A380 charity flight is scheduled for 25 October 2007.

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.

AirAsia gets the nod for flights to Singapore

Now everyone can fly cheap to Singapore. AirAsia got the nod from the Government yesterday to operate two flights daily to the republic.

It is learnt that the Cabinet gave the nod at its weekly meeting. This decision comes a few days after Singapore's Transport Ministry said that it was keen to see further liberalisation of the air services agreement with Malaysia.

According to sources, Tiger Airways, Singapore’s own budget airline, would also be offered to fly the same route.

“This means that travellers will have a choice of not only one low-cost carrier to Singapore but two. This will surely spark a price war,” an aviation analyst commented.

On average, MAS flies seven shuttle flights a day to Singapore while SIA does it six times daily.

For the shuttle service, which is jointly operated by the two airlines, the price of a one-way ticket is RM167 while an economy non-shuttle one is RM266. Airport tax and surcharges cost RM140.

AirAsia and Tiger Airways are expected to charge about 30% of the non-shuttle fare but will have the usual cheap offers for limited seats. The two low-cost carriers will operate the route between the LCCT at KLIA and the Budget Terminal at Changi Airport.

It was learnt that AirAsia and Tiger Airways would only be allowed to operate the two flights each on off-peak hours. Sources expected the two carriers to start operations in January.

The analyst said the decision would be a big boost to the two airlines as Singapore and Malaysia were two popular international hubs aimed at different markets.

“The cheaper 40-minute flight between KLIA and Changi airports will mean more international passengers stopping in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur to make the extra hop to either place.

“AirAsia will benefit more than Tiger Airways because of the regional connections it already has. Couple that with the coming of AirAsia X, they will be able to even pull long-haul passengers from Singapore,” he added.

AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes could not be contacted for comment. AirAsia officials said he had flown to Singapore.

Fernandes had been vocal about the reluctance of the two governments to allow budget airlines to operate between the two countries ahead of the Asean open skies agreement, which will come into force in 2009.

Air Readers

nice blog for reference Air Readers