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.

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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.

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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

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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/

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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

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