Tag Archives: Boeing

Air India starts rolling out new global brand identity

Air India has started rolling out its recently unveiled global brand identity across guest touchpoints, beginning with a full switch to the new look across digital and online channels and rebranding at Delhi and Mumbai airports.

The new identity, unveiled in August 2023, is centered around the ‘Vista’, Air India’s logo icon and a symbol of limitless possibilities and progressiveness. The new look features Air India’s new brand colours, including Air India red, aubergine, rose gold, and accents of gold, as well as the extensive usage of customised iconography and a bespoke font, Air India Sans – all crafted to reflect a bold, modern, and world-class airline with an Indian heart. This spirit is now reflected in:

● A redesigned website, airindia.com, and a new mobile app: Air India guests will now be able to enjoy a more seamless and intuitive online experience with streamlined booking flows, faster performance, new features, and a refreshed design that showcases the airline’s new brand identity. The new website and mobile app were designed and architected by Air India’s teams in Kochi and Silicon Valley.

● New social media avatar: Air India’s social media platforms have been revamped to reflect the new brand identity, offering engaging content and an interactive platform for guests to connect with the airline and fellow travellers.

● Gradual rollout at airports: Starting with Delhi and Mumbai airports, guests will begin to see the new branding come alive at various touchpoints, including check-in counters, boarding gates, lounges, and newly designed boarding cards. The rollout will progressively extend to other airports across Air India’s growing global network in the coming weeks.

“The network-wide switch to our new global brand identity is a landmark moment for Air India,” said Campbell Wilson, CEO & Managing Director, Air India. “It’s not just about bringing our new logo and colours to customer touchpoints; it’s a promise to our guests of a transforming travel experience that is modern, seamless, and infused with the warmth and hospitality that defines a new India and a new Air India. We are confident that the modern, world-class look of Air India will appeal to our guests globally and serve as a strong reminder of all the remarkable changes that have come or are to come to their Air India experience.”

The new Air India livery will feature on the A350 fleet and subsequently on other incoming brand-new aircraft. The in-flight rollout of the new global brand identity is linked to the airline’s soon-to-be-inducted Airbus A350 fleet as well as subsequent refurbishment of cabin products over the next few months.

“This is a transformation of great scale, and therefore, it may take us a while to achieve consistency in our product, service, and the overall ‘new Air India experience’. We will continue to seek the support of our guests as we modernise Air India and make it a world-class airline that India deserves,” Campbell Wilson added.

Earlier this year, Air India placed record-setting orders for 470 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing for USD 70 billion (at published list prices), from which the much-anticipated Airbus A350 aircraft will start arriving this month. A USD 400 million project for the refurbishment of 43 of Air India’s legacy widebody aircraft begins mid-2024, which will lead to the installation of brand-new seats in every cabin, new inflight entertainment systems, and inflight Wi-Fi internet connectivity.
Air India last week revealed new uniforms for its cabin and cockpit crews, designed by the famed Indian couturier, Manish Malhotra. The new uniforms will be introduced in a phased manner over the next few months, starting with the entry of service of Air India’s first Airbus A350. The airline will also soon reveal new uniforms for ground staff, engineers, and security personnel, designed by Manish Malhotra.

 

Boeing to invest $100 mn in infra, pilot training in India

Boeing has announced a significant investment of $100 million in infrastructure and pilot training programs in India, the White House said in a statement.

The move is a response to Air India’s recent firm orders for over 200 jets from Boeing, which includes a variety of aircraft such as the 787 Dream liners, 777Xs, and 737 MAX narrow body planes.

The development also comes along with a flurry of deals signed by US and Indian companies on the sidelines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington.

The statement highlights the strategic importance of Air India’s agreement with Boeing, emphasising its contribution to the modernization of India’s civil aviation sector, which is one of the fastest-growing in the world.

Initially announced in February 2023, the purchase agreement is expected to support more than one million American jobs across 44 states. It also aligns with Air India’s fleet expansion plans under the ownership of the Tata Group.

Boeing’s investment in India aims to address the country’s growing demand for pilots, projected to reach 31,000 over the next two decades.

Furthermore, the statement highlights Boeing’s previous initiatives in India, including completing a C-17 aftermarket support facility and a new parts logistics centre. These facilities position India as a regional maintenance hub and contribute to the country’s overall aviation capabilities.

While the White House statement primarily focusses on Boeing’s investment and its significance for India’s aviation sector, it acknowledges the broader context of recent deals signed between US and Indian companies. (Source: The Business Line)

Air India makes pre-payment to Boeing for 220 planes

Air India has made pre-delivery payment to US-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing for the 220 planes, Chief Financial Officer Vinod Hejmadi has said.

Pre-delivery payments (PDPs) are instalments that an airline has to pay the manufacturer when the aircraft are being built. It can amount to about 30 per cent of the price of the aircraft.

A year after being acquired by the Tata group, Air India had in February placed an order for 470 planes — 250 with European plane maker Airbus and 220 with Boeing — in the world’s largest single-tranche aircraft purchase order. The list price for 220 Boeing planes is approximately $34 billion.

In a message to employees, Hejmadi said, “Glad to inform you that yesterday Air India made the payment for PDP to Boeing for the aircraft deal. This was the largest deal in the history of Air India. The funds were arranged from multiple banks at a very competitive rate and converted to $ at the best rates.”

He said the airline had a “very short period” to arrange the funds and the entire deal was ably executed by its finance department and the commercial department. (Source: Business Standard)

 

Air India’s deal with Boeing and Airbus to create 10000 Jobs in India: NLB Services

Air India’s latest deal last week with Airbus and Boeing is just not a landmark moment for job creation in the US and UK, it is a great opportunity for job creation in the India market as well. The industry currently employs over 2.5 lakh employees and it is expected that the demand for both tech and non-tech talent to rise by 10-15% owing to the manpower needed to operate on a large scale.

“This deal will directly impact the Indian talent industry by creating tremendous employment opportunities across various domains. We expect at least 10000 new jobs in both tech and non-tech roles to be created in the aviation sector in the next 2 years in the country. The aviation industry generates multiple jobs each year, whether it lies within the industry or through aviation’s supply chain,” said Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services

India currently has 141 operational airports and the Government of India is expected to invest $1.83 bn in the development of airport infrastructure to build nearly 60 more airports by 2026. All these developments together are expected to boost the overall sector, enabling India to cement its positioning as one of the top three aviation markets in the world.

India is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. The demand for certain profiles like Aircraft maintenance engineers, Aerospace engineers, Flight engineers, Pilots, Flight attendants and Ground staff will grow in the next few years. Industry reports suggest that the country will require around 2,210 new aircrafts in the next two decades and also pegged annual domestic air traffic growth to be nearly 7 per cent through 2041.

Here are some of the profiles which are expected to benefit from the deal

PROFILES EXPECTED GROWTH OF JOB CREATION ADDITIONAL DEMAND FOR JOB PROFILES EXPECTED SALARY JUMP IN %
Aircraft maintenance engineers 14-15% 1000 15-17%
Aerospace engineers 14-15% 1000 15-17%
Flight engineers 12-14% 1000 15-17%
Pilots 10-12% 1000 15-17%
Flight attendants 15-16% 2500 15-17%
Ground staff 15-16% 3500 15-17%

Indian carriers planning to order around 1,200 aircraft: CAPA

After Air India’s historic order of 840 planes to Airbus and Boeing, other Indian carriers are planning to order close to 1,200 more aircraft in over 24 months, reports ANI.

According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation India (CAPA India), Indian carriers are expected to place orders for additional 1,000-1,200 aircraft, starting off with another large order from IndiGo.

According to a CAPA report, almost every carrier in India is expected to order more aircraft in the next couple of years, for fleet replacement as well as growth, given that the order book for most incumbent carriers could be considered conservative relative to the growth potential of the market over the next decade and beyond.
IndiGo had been planning to place a significant order of around 300 aircraft prior to Covid-19, which was deferred due to the pandemic. This is now likely to proceed and could be even larger than previously envisaged, increasing to around 500 aircraft now, according to the CAPA report.

In recent months, there have been numerous cases of aircraft deliveries being delayed where the airframe was ready, but the engines were not available due to supply chain issues. The incidence of such cases is expected to ease by the end of FY2024 (2023-2024).

However, even after supply-side challenges are resolved, aircraft and engine original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) face a very significant backlog of orders that could take years to address, the report said. Airbus and Boeing combined had 12,669 unfulfilled orders as on December 31, 2022. Delivery slots are very hard to come by for at least the next couple of years, while for narrow bodies the situation is reportedly tight until 2029, CAPA said in the report released on Friday.

On Thursday, Nipun Aggrawal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer (CCTO), Air India, posted on a social media site that out of the airline’s order of 840 aircraft from European giant Airbus and US Boeing, the firm’s order is for 470 planes and the remaining 370 are options.

In a LinkedIn post, he mentioned, “The order comprises 470 firm aircraft, 370 options and purchase rights to be procured from Airbus and Boeing over the next decade.” (Source: ANI)

 

Boeing receives largest order from Air India in South Asia

After Air India, India’s flag carrier announced the signing of a letter of intent with Boeing to acquire modern fleet, the US aerospace company said that it will be the largest Boeing order in South Asia. In a statement, Boeing said that the agreement between Boeing and Air India includes options for 50 additional 737 MAXs and 20 787- 9s. “When finalised, this will be the largest Boeing order in South Asia and a historic milestone in the aerospace company’s nearly 90-year partnership with the carrier. The order will post to Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website when final,” it said. Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, Air India said that the acquisition of nearly 300, highly advanced Boeing jets is a core element of Vihaan.

“AI, the comprehensive transformation and growth strategy we are pursuing at Air India,” he said. “These new airplanes will enable us to dramatically expand our network, both domestically and internationally, and will come with a completely new, worldclass onboard product enabling passengers to travel in the highest levels of comfort and safety,” the CEO added. Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said that Air India’s selection of Boeing’s passenger jets shows their confidence in its products and services.

“Their decision will support engineering and manufacturing jobs at Boeing factories in Washington state, South Carolina and across our supply base,” Deal said. “With the industry-leading fuel efficiency of the 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner and 777X, Air India is well positioned to achieve its expansion plans and become a world-class global airline with an Indian heart,” the CEO added. Air India has also contracted with Boeing Global Services for lifecycle support services, including digital solutions, spare parts and landing gear exchange programs, pilot and maintenance technician training, aircraft modifications and other services.

Boeing said that the 737 MAX will provide flexibility across Air India’s domestic and international network while reducing fuel use and emissions by 20 per cent compared to the airplanes it replaces. “The 737-8, seating 162 to 210 passengers, depending on configuration, and with a range of 3,500 nautical miles, is the market’s most versatile single-aisle airplane, capable of operating profitably on short- and medium-haul routes,” the statement said. “The 737-10, the largest airplane in the 737 MAX family, offers the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle commercial jet, seating 188 to 230 passengers, depending on configuration with a range of 3,100 nautical miles,” it added.