Aviation News

For the first time in the history of “Mountain Flight,” a popular flight of 50 minutes that takes off from Kathmandu airport for sightseeing of the Himalayan peaks, including Mt. Everest, a private airline’s plane crashed at Kotdanda hill in Kathmandu Valley on Sunday morning around 7:35 am.

The US-made Beechcraft 1900-D of Buddha Air was preparing to land with 16 passengers and 3 crew members on board this ill-fated aircraft. Eighteen persons were killed on the spot, while 1 passenger was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival.

Out of the 19 persons, there were 10 Indians, 2 Americans, 1 Japanese, and 6 Nepalese.

This morning, the sky over Kathmandu Valley was cloudy. In the past, Nepal has witnessed air crashes, especially during the monsoon. The safety of the Nepalese sky is a big challenge to ensure the success of “Tourism Year 2011,” and it is an absolute must to ensure the utmost safety of the aviation sector.

Interestingly, Buddha Air, operating with the latest American aircrafts and ATRs, was considered to be the safest and most reliable airline, which did not have to claim any accidental insurance in its 14-year-long operations. An investigation team has been formed by the Nepal government in order to investigate the reason behind the accident so as to ensure better safety measures ahead.

source: http://www.eturbonews.com/

Philippine Airlines (PAL) starts paring down today its flight frequencies as a temporary measure to keep operations “manageable” amid expected strikes against an outsourcing program.

Larger windows, electric sunshades and bidets in the lavatories are just a few of the features of the 787 Dreamliner that All Nippon Airways Co. passengers will experience starting next month as the first of the new Boeing Co. jets begins commercial service.

The Japanese airline took contractual delivery Sunday of the first of the long-range planes. A ceremony to mark the delivery of the long-awaited airliner—more than three years behind Boeing’s original schedule—is planned for Monday at Boeing’s wide-body jet factory here.

With the twin-aisle Dreamliner, Boeing is promising passengers a more comfortable flying experience.

By making the plane largely with plastic composite materials instead of aluminum, Boeing was able to make a number of improvements for passengers. The windows will be the industry’s biggest, permitting more natural light. Lower cabin pressure and increased moistness of cabin air are expected to reduce dryness in the nose and throat.

Airlines work with Boeing to offer their own custom features, and ANA is providing some twists as it prepares to start regular, domestic flights in Japan with the Dreamliner in November. The first long-haul international flights, from Tokyo to Frankfurt, will start in January.

The media on Sunday got a chance to tour one of the Dreamliners that ANA plans to fly.

A trip to the restrooms reveals one of the more unusual ANA features. The toilets—for both economy and business-class passengers— include bidets with various spray options, controlled by push-button electronics. Bidets are commonly used in Japan and ANA wanted “to provide the best services we can for our passengers,” said Satoru Fujiki, ANA’s senior vice president for the Americas.

One of the most noticeable new features for all Dreamliner passengers will be the bigger windows, which are more than 30% larger than those on the Boeing 767, a similar-size jet, according to ANA.

Another key feature: Out are pull-down window shades and in are electrochromatic shades that allow flight attendants and window-seat passengers to dim windows to a range of settings with the push of a button. The technology enables fliers in a window seat to still see outside even when the shades are at their darkest setting.

One lavatory on the ANA plane brings all these features together. The carrier’s 787 is one of the few commercial jetliners in the world to sport a window in the restroom—a feature that other carriers can order as an option, Boeing officials say.

Other Dreamliner amenities include overhead bins that Boeing says will be the largest in the industry. Boeing says the 787 also offers a more-spacious cabin than a typical twin-aisle plane.

source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204010604576592890660125236.html

Air India’s flights have hit a rocky patch with words like CAG and Praful Patel figuring in household conversations daily. But the airline seems to have found a temporarily solution to all its problems.

Of all weaknesses the CAG report could find, the airline is concentrating on something else completely. Air India has decided that it’s the matronly air hostesses that are its Achilles’ heel and is demanding a makeover. The snappy aunties will be replaced by younger (err… that’s what Air India thinks 45-year-olds are) and better-dressed attendants. This has drawn praise from those who’ve faced the ire of a stern Air India stewardess in the past, and flak from most, considering that Air India has never really been, well, subtle before either. Remember when they openly fired air-hostesses for being too fat? Can hostesses be behind an airline’s failure?

The symbiotic relationship between air-hostesses and airlines has been understood for years. Airlines go out of their way to hire attractive and young air hostesses by the hordes. Has someone ever questioned whether they’re relevant to the airline’s status or ranking? No, but if one looks at two recent polls – one rating the most attractive air hostesses in the world, and another ranking the top ten airlines – the two have no less than four in common.

How much importance do airlines give to air hostesses?
The answer is – too much. There are numerous air hostess training institutes in India, out of which more than 13 in Delhi. One of the most important lessons they teach is grooming. The average requirement for a candidate to train at these institutes is “below 25 years of age with a minimum height of 157.5 centimetres. The weight should be in proportion to height. One must be unmarried.” Sounds like beauty contest requirements? Says an ex-air hostess, who quit due to the monumental requirements demanded by her job, “It is all about glamour. If you look good, any airline will hire you. You can literally see them drooling. The whole while that you’re on a flight, you can’t have one hair out of place. Chipped nail-polish is a no-no. Your grooming is checked before each flight. If out of place, they give you a warning letter. Smelling good is very important. Often, they have grooming coaches who check you in the middle of the flight, and they reprimand you in front of customers.”

An air hostess working with a leading airline adds, “They keep forcing us to get re-bonding or different haircuts. Your weight needs to be in check. You get three warning letters if you weigh more. After that, a gram extra, and they cut your salary.”

Airlines have also upped stakes in recent years by roping in well-known designers to dress up their crew. So while the Air Sahara crew wears silk saris by Ritu Beri, Kingfisher Airlines crew sport outfits by Manoviraj Khosla. Spice Jet collaborated with Yatan Ahluwalia, while Jet Airways had its uniforms designed by Ravi Bajaj.

Notice the world’s most attractive cabin crew*:
1. Virgin Atlantic
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Etihad
4. Emirates
5. Aer Lingus
6. Lufthansa
7. Cathay Pacific
8. TAP
9. KLM
10. Iberia

World’s best airlines**:
1. Qatar Airways
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Asiana Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. Thai Airways International
6. Etihad Airways
7. Air New Zealand
8. Qantas Airways
9. Turkish Airlines
10. Emirates

*Survey by Business Travel and Meetings Show
**2011 World Airline Awards

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com