Airlines Info

U.S. airlines largely stopped ordering new planes after Sept. 11, 2001, shrinking their fleets to adjust to a drop in demand. Travel has rebounded strongly, but airlines are, for the most part, years away from taking delivery on large numbers of new planes. A big reason is that Boeing and Airbus have committed most of their airliner production capacity in coming years to carriers in Europe and Asia.

The industry’s aging jets contribute to the general unpleasantness of air travel these days. They are often noisier and less comfortable than newer models. They are delayed by mechanical problems more frequently than new planes and often have built-up grime in passenger spaces. Add to that the fact that older planes are less fuel efficient and have worse emissions and you have supposedly one of the richest countries in the world producing some of the worst airplane pollution.

With the exception of Southwest Airlines, the major U.S. carriers have all either been through bankruptcy or narrowly avoided it in recent years. They returned to profit in 2006, but profit margins are still anemic – “amongst the worst industries in the country,” said Scott Kirby, president of US Airways. “The whole industry is hardly the poster child for strong credit.”

No doubt you'd like your children to have at least a short sleep on board a long haul flight, particularly if it's a red eye (overnight service). To help, always remember to pack your child or baby's favourite bed time cuddly toy and dummy (soother) as this really helps settle them into their new sleeping environment on board the plane. Some airlines provide bassinet cots (see right) for use in bulk head seat rows.

For babies and small infants who are too young to have their own seat on board a long haul flight, try to reserve a bulk head row seat with a Bassinet, by calling the airline in advance of your travel date to request one. Bassinet's allow you to move around the aircraft much easier, when your child is hopefully asleep!

A Dubai consortium is bidding to turn one of British Airways's seven remaining Concorde supersonic jets into a tourist attraction, a report said Wednesday, while BA said it was mulling its options.

The Times said that if the jet -- which reached supersonic speeds and halved the total flight time from London to New York -- were to be shipped to the Middle East, its wings would have to be clipped off to fit on a ship.

It cited a source close to the Dubai consortium as saying the group would spend millions of pounds (euros, dollars) to restore the interior of the plane, which is currently kept at London's Heathrow Airport.

"Sending it to Dubai would be a kick in the teeth for Britain's aviation heritage," Ben Lord, a spokesman for the Save Concorde Group, told The Times.

"Chopping off its wings and putting it on a ship would be the final insult."

Dubai: Kingfisher Airlines, a leading Indian carrier run by flamboyant businessman Vijay Mallya, will start flying from Indian technology hub Bangalore to Dubai from June 25.

The airline had earlier planned to start services to the UAE in March, but the global economic slowdown delayed the launch.

"The conditions have improved now. It is a good time to connect Dubai and Bangalore with the summer travel season starting," said Vinay Nambiar, Kingfisher's area manager for the UAE, Qatar and Oman.

Kingfisher also plans to start flights to Abu Dhabi and a couple of other destinations in the Gulf region, he said.

The daily Dubai services will be operated using an A320 aircraft. Flights from Bangalore will depart at 6.30pm and land in Dubai at 8.55pm local time. The return flight will leave Dubai at 11.30pm and reach Bangalore at 4.45am.

PIA Engineering is an established Aircraft Maintenance and Repair organization that provides world-class solutions to the aviation industry. PIA's Engineering Base, head-quartered at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, is acclaimed as one of Asia's best. Strategically located for the convenience of airlines whose operations extend to Asia, it is equipped with the most advanced, modern aircraft maintenance and overhaul facilities and is manned by a team of highly trained personnel.PIA Engineering delivers maintenance and overhauling services for customers as well as PIA's fleet of aircraft in accordance with the maintenance schedule approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, Pakistan and the European Aviation Safety Agency (under EASA PART-145 approval).

NEW DELHI, -- Kingfisher Airlines, India's second largest private airlines, will soon start daily flights from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur.

India's Civil Aviation Ministry is said to have granted permission for the airline to fly the Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore sector.

The Economic Times reported today that the Kingfisher, owned by the United Breweries Group, controlled by Indian industrialist, Vijay Mallya, would fly the new routes.

"We have granted permission to Kingfisher to operate daily services on three more international sectors, including Chennai-Kuala Lumpur, with immediate effect," a ministry official was quoted as saying.

The paper however did not name the official.

"The Aviation Ministry has asked the airlines to conduct proper study of air tr+affic on new routes before announcing the launch.

KUALA LUMPUR, -- Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has removed the fuel surcharge for its Singapore and Brunei flights effective Jan 30.

In addition, by Feb 1, the fuel surcharge on flights from China would be reduced by up to US$100.Flights from Australia and New Zealand will see a reduction of up to US$210 while those from the Middle East will have a drop of up to US$150, MAS said in a statement today.

Africa and North American flights will also see a reduction of up to US$160 and US$185 respectively, it announced.

The national carrier has slashed fuel surcharges on international flights by as much as 73 percent after taking into account the decline in fuel prices, competitive pressures and the need to boost air travel during this period of economic slowdown.