Boeing, Airbus vie for $2 billion order from India's Air One

India's Air One Aviation Pvt. is seeking $2 billion of jets to take on Singapore Airlines Ltd.'s venture in the country, stoking competition in a market where carriers lost almost $10 billion in seven years.

Air One, among six companies that last month got initial approval to start airlines in India, is looking at Airbus Group NV's A320s and Boeing Co.'s 737s, its director Alok Sharma said in an interview yesterday. At list prices, 20 Boeing 737-900ERs cost $1.98 billion, although airlines typically get discounts.

Air India wants Boeing to give more compensation for the grounding of Dreamliners

New Delhi: Perturbed by the recurring glitches in its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, Air India's management has asked Boeing to compensate for the grounding of the aircraft due to these problems and the subsequent loss of revenue because of bad publicity. These compensations would be over and above the demand for initial deliveries not being as fuel-efficient as promised, which is being negotiated.
Air India (AI) asked for this compensation in its meeting with Dinesh Keskar, senior vice-president, Boeing India, in the beginning of August. "The faults with Dreamliners are just refusing to die and we are facing a lot of losses due to aircraft on the ground, adverse publicity in media that takes away a lot of our passengers. We have asked Boeing to compensate us for the same," said a senior AI official.

Boeing, Airbus Vie for $2 Billion Air One Order in India

India’s Air One Aviation Pvt. is seeking $2 billion of jets to take on Singapore Airlines Ltd.’s (SIA) venture in the country, stoking competition in a market where carriers lost almost $10 billion in seven years.

Air One, among six companies that last month got initial approval to start airlines in India, is looking at Airbus Group NV’s (AIR) A320s and Boeing Co.’s (BA) 737s, its director Alok Sharma said in an interview yesterday. At list prices, 20 Boeing 737-900ERs cost $1.98 billion, although airlines typically get discounts.

“You can’t start with one plane and wait for another six months to get the next one,” Sharma said in his office near New Delhi’s airport, adding Air One plans to provide full-service flights from mid-2015. “The launch will be decided by availability of aircraft in a contiguous manner.”

Sharma, undeterred by one of the world’s costliest aviation markets, said he sees growing demand for air travel and reduced capacity because some airlines in India are struggling. Singapore Airlines -- partnering with the Tata Group -- plans to fly its full-service Indian venture Vistara this year. AirAsia (India) Pvt. began operating a low-cost carrier in June.
Read news in full 28/08/14 Bloomberg.com

Boeing to replace AI Dreamliner windshields

New Delhi: After a series of incidents of cracks in windshields in Air India’s Dreamliners, manufacturer Boeing has said that it is developing a new design with improved features.

Boeing has also promised to replace the old windshields, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Monday. Four cases were reported between November 3, 2013 and June 17, 2014.

“Ongoing investigations by Boeing indicates that moisture ingress has resulted in an increased rate of occurrence of cracking on non-structural outer glass ply, which does not affect the safety of the aircraft due to windshield’s multiple-layer construction,” Raju said.
The first case was reported on November 3 in a Delhi-Melbourne flight after landing there, while the second incident took place on a Mumbai-Delhi flight on December 14.

IndiGo Said in Talks With Airbus on $20.6 Billion Order

IndiGo is talking to Airbus Group NV (AIR) about an order for 200 additional A320neo jets valued at about $20.6 billion as India’s biggest domestic airline taps rising travel demand, people familiar with the plans said.

The purchase may be announced as early as next week’s Farnborough International Airshow in England, said two of the people, who asked not to be identified because the details are private. While IndiGo has talked with Boeing Co. (BA:US), the airline’s preference is to stick with Airbus, the people said.

After Air India fiasco, Boeing working on new windshield design for Dreamliners

New Delhi: US aircraft manufacturer Boeing is working on a new design for windshields of Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes following a series of incidents of cracks appearing in the aircraft owned by Air India, Rajya Sabha was told today.
"The ongoing investigation by Boeing indicates that moisture ingress has resulted in an increased rate of occurence. A new window design with improved features is in progress to reduce such incidents," Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara said in reply to a question.
Air India has taken up the issue with Boeing which has informed it that "old windshields shall be replaced by new ones with improved design features," he said.

Overweight 787s Prompt Air India to Ask for Compensation

Air India Ltd. said it’s demanding compensation from Boeing Co. for delivering 787 Dreamliner aircraft that don’t meet promised fuel-efficiency targets because the planes are heavier than planned.
Design changes made after targets were set meant some 787s are heavier than required, Air India Chairman Rohit Nandan said in an interview in Doha, Qatar. The national carrier and the planemaker are negotiating a formula for compensation, which may be finalized after the 18th Dreamliner is delivered to the Mumbai-based carrier, he said.