Latest news with #787-9Dreamliner
Mint
21-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Mahakumbh propels IndiGo to best-ever profits, sets a new course on international
IndiGo, India's largest airline by fleet and market share, reported splendid results with best-ever Q4-FY25 at INR 3067.5 crore, and just short of its all-time best of INR 3089 crore reported in Q1-FY24. The airline ended the year with a profit of INR 7254.8 crore. As the airline turned 18 last year, it announced the launch of a new class of service named IndiGoStretch, its business class product. As it quickly scaled its dual-class fleet adding route after route, with an aim to have 45 aircraft in its fleet by end of this year, the airline shied away from offering hot meals, instead offering vegetarian only set meal boxes. With the launch of flights to Amsterdam and Manchester, this is set to change and possibly give a sneak peek into what its own A350s would look like, when they join the fleet in 2027. As IndiGoStretch took to the air, the preset Vegetarian box meals crafted by Oberoi Flight Kitchen were offered on a complimentary basis. With flights to Amsterdam and Manchester, the airline will be offering complimentary hot meals to all passengers on this flight. While complimentary meals have been around for a while, the Hot meals part makes a huge change since the airline kept out ovens for all these years, citing the high weight of ovens. The flights to Amsterdam and Manchester are operated by the 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft which come from Norse Atlantic which has ovens in their aircraft thus enabling hot meals. In the Premium Economy cabin of Norse Atlantic, sold as IndiGoStretch, IndiGo will offer complimentary hot meals and alcoholic beverages while the economy class will see hot meals and non-alcoholic beverages being complimentary. The airline will offer alcohol for purchase in the economy class. However, all meals are vegetarian by default and a passenger will have to select 'Non vegetarian' preflight if the passenger so desires. With six aircraft lined up for induction by the first quarter of calendar year 2026, the airline is aligning itself to what its final service levels will be when the A350s land in India in IndiGo colors. The A321XLRs which are expected to join before the end of this fiscal, will also have dual class operations One of the differentiators for Air India over IndiGo in the front cabin was lounge access, with Air India having their own lounge at Delhi. IndiGo has now added lounge access to their IndiGoStretch offering, but kept it restricted to intercontinental flights to Amsterdam and Manchester. The domestic flights and flights to Bangkok do not reflect the lounge access right now. The lounge would also be available to passengers boarding at Amsterdam and Manchester. Lounge is a costly affair for any airline. Rival on the route but codeshare partner KLM offers flat bed Business class on the route unlike IndiGo, which will best match the Premium Economy class of KLM. In terms of pricing, this will be tricky since the passengers will be eligible for a lounge with a product which is not lie flat business and at a cost which is much more reasonable than KLM. IndiGo is offering a 30 kg baggage allowance in economy class, compared to 23 kgs offered by Air India. However, the routes of IndiGo are exclusive to Air India. KLM, which also operates to Amsterdam from Mumbai, offers 23 kg allowance in Economy. IndiGo has a monopoly to Manchester, from any point in India. IndiGo's Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situation has improved significantly with nearly half of the aircraft being back in service or redelivered from its peak. The focus is now international, with or without their own planes. It is an irony or sorts that an all Airbus airline is relying on Boeing widebodies for the international foray. The Delhi - Bangkok sector is reverting back to narrowbody, which means as more aircraft join later in the year from Norse Atlantic, there are more and more destinations lined up from Mumbai. A lot will also depend on the geopolitical situation and the ability of other airports to swing the flight in their favor.
Mint
21-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
IndiGo announces its longest flight yet, to offer complimentary meals and beverages
IndiGo, the largest airline in India, has opened for sale its flights to Manchester and Amsterdam. The airline has been on a different trajectory on the other side of the pandemic, leaving the low-cost carrier mode long back. With a dual class on offer and a widebody order in place, and the intermediate induction of 787-9 Dreamliner from Norse Atlantic on lease, IndiGo is leap-frogging on the international side to take on Air India. IndiGo has been selling tickets to both Manchester and Amsterdam from Delhi via Istanbul on its codeshare partner Turkish Airlines. Manchester is one of the top unserved routes out of India, while Amsterdam has competition from KLM as well as Air India, both operating daily from Delhi, while KLM also operates from Mumbai and Bengaluru. The airline has been flying the B777s in its fleet for a while now; however, they do not operate to their full range potential and have replaced a route which was being flown by the A321neo/A320neo. With the Norse Atlantic Dreamliners, IndiGo is now venturing into routes which will test its operations even more as the routes are beyond the flying envelope of its backbone A320 family fleet. While the airline had announced flights from Delhi, the subsequent closure of Pakistani airspace and not having clarity on when it would reopen has meant that the airline has shifted its flights to originate at Mumbai instead of Delhi, an unlikely gain for Mumbai airport. One of the most important announcements that come with this is the change in service standards for the airline. IndiGo says that it will offer complimentary hot meals and beverages will be served to all customers on this route. The airline has not been serving hot meals to even its IndiGoStretch customers, which is its competition to Business class product in Indian skies. The hot meals have been possible since these two routes will see the Norse Atlantic-owned 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which are fitted with ovens and are configured with 56 Premium Economy seats, which IndiGo sells as IndiGoStretch and 282 Economy class seats. The airline will be serving meals and alcohol on a complimentary basis to IndiGoStretch customers, while only meals and non-alcoholic beverages will be served to Economy class, with alcoholic beverages available for purchase. IndiGo has partnerships with Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air France-KLM, American Airlines, Qantas and Virgin Atlantic. These partners have been looking at Indian traffic to fill their intercontinental flights from their respective hubs in addition to Origin-Destination traffic. All in all, flights to one or more of these hubs could pave the way for collaboration between IndiGo and these airlines. All Indian carriers have always had ambitions to fly to London; while initially it was expected that the A321XLR could achieve that ambition for IndiGo, it became clear that it wouldn't be possible with the XLR. If collaboration is on the cards, the next destinations for IndiGo could well be Paris (where Air France has a hub), in addition to London—which will be heavily dependent on the availability of slots. Can the airline snatch a bargain with the partner airlines to lease slots? This would be a game changer like no other. The Indian traffic is lucrative for all carriers because of the sheer volumes it provides, and a partnership where IndiGo helps add anywhere between 200 and 300 more passengers per day is definitely a win for the partner airlines, in return for a slot which also comes at commercial terms. IndiGo has a robust cost structure and a balance sheet which allows it to experiment and hold on to its plan for a little longer than what it would have otherwise been for the competition. Air India is into its fourth year of privatisation and has faced headwinds with slots for revamp of its legacy fleet. The airline has not been able to add many destinations, especially with the long-haul fleet. On routes which have bilateral or slot constraints, getting equal with Air India or ahead of Air India makes sense for the airline instead of waiting until late 2027 or early 2028 when it can deploy its own A350s. As Air India pushes Air India Express to lock horns with IndiGo on domestic routes, IndiGo is beginning to lock horns with Air India on international routes. Does it help negotiate better with Adani Airports to manage its slot portfolio at Mumbai? Time will tell.
CNBC
13-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
United to ramp up luxury services amid robust demand for premium travel
United Airlines will increase the number of premium seats and services on its upcoming fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, as it looks to cash in on rising demand for luxury travel. The carrier on Tuesday unveiled a new business class suite called 'Polaris Studio' for the new aircraft, which will have 25% larger seats, caviar service, skincare kits, 27-inch screens and other luxury offerings. The aircraft will also have a standard 'Polaris' business class suite, which has been upgraded with sliding doors and larger screens, among other changes. North American airlines are rushing to capitalize on surging demand for high-margin premium travel and safeguard profits against potential economic downturns. Travel habits have changed post the Covid-19 pandemic, as consumers look for experiences and hospitality rather than buying expensive goods. A rebound in corporate travel has bolstered this trend. Last month, United said it expected its financial performance to be resilient despite economic uncertainty stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, citing demand for premium offerings and international travel. The carrier expects the first 787-9 Dreamliner with the new interior before the end of this year, with the inaugural flight planned in 2026. It expects 30 of these jets to join its fleet by 2027.
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Introducing A New Era Of Travel: Air New Zealand Unveils Fully Redesigned 787-9 Dreamliner
Press Release – Air New Zealand Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran says its an incredibly special moment to launch the future of flying with Air New Zealand. Air New Zealand unveils its first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner in Auckland, New Zealand Seats are available for purchase from Wednesday 7 May, including the all-new Business Premier Luxe seats The first retrofitted aircraft will take to the skies for the first time on Monday 19 May, flying from Auckland to Brisbane return In what is a proud moment in Air New Zealand's 85-year history, from Wednesday 7 May, customers will be able to book seats on the airline's highly anticipated all-new cabin experience. This world-first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner ZK-NZH is in Auckland undergoing final testing before it takes to the skies for the first time on Monday 19 May, flying Auckland to Brisbane. Later that evening, the aircraft will complete its first long haul service from Auckland to San Francisco. Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran says it's an incredibly special moment to launch the future of flying with Air New Zealand. 'This aircraft spent 184 days in Singapore being retrofitted, the result of several years of extensive research, innovation, and design by our team to deliver a world-class onboard experience. 'This is the first ever full nose-to-tail retrofit of a 787-9 Dreamliner and marks the introduction of our first new onboard product in over 15 years. We've completely reimagined the experience of flying with Air New Zealand, incorporating elegant design elements, innovative Kiwi touches, and features informed by feedback from thousands of customers. 'As the national carrier, it's an immense privilege to showcase the best of New Zealand, and this is woven into every detail of our cabin design – from the textures you touch to the spaces you relax in, every element is a nod to our home, Aotearoa.' The airline's second 787-9 is up in Singapore undergoing its retrofit, with a total of seven aircraft expected to be completed by the end of the year. All 14 Boeing 787-9s in Air New Zealand's fleet will be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026. Customers can expect an elevated experience throughout the aircraft, with new seats in every cabin, an all-new inflight entertainment system, larger inflight entertainment screens, clever stowage options, and additional privacy in the premium cabins. Aircraft featuring the new cabin experience will fly predominantly between Auckland and Brisbane, San Francisco, Rarotonga, and Vancouver, with more routes to follow as more of the retrofits are complete. Introducing the new cabin experience Business Premier Our new Business Premier seats have a new angle and layout, meaning additional privacy and space. · Sliding privacy screens, wireless charging, and a 24″ inflight entertainment screen · Middle seats with a sliding divider, perfect for travel companions · Full lie-flat recline with a clever headrest lift for prime movie-watching or mid-flight novels Business Premier Luxe Four all-new seats in the front row of the Business Premier cabin. Business Premier Luxe will be able to be booked as a paid seat select product when purchasing a Business Premier seat. It has all the features of Business Premier, along with: · Full closing door, a larger bed, and additional space with room for two to dine Premium Economy Our new Premium Economy gives customer more privacy and thoughtful storage to help make the space their own. · All seats have a fixed outer shell, meaning your recline doesn't impact the person behind you · Side wings on the seat provide extra privacy · More storage space keeps your essentials within easy reach Economy You don't need to turn left to experience the future of flying with Air New Zealand. · 50% bigger inflight entertainment screens, clever little snack trays, and the new Economy Stretch option to give your legs a holiday too · Clever stowage options include a small tray table for snacks or your phone, and an elastic holder for your essentials Digital Innovation & Inflight Entertainment You'll find digital innovation in every cabin. · 4K HD screens with Bluetooth audio pairing
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Introducing A New Era Of Travel: Air New Zealand Unveils Fully Redesigned 787-9 Dreamliner
Press Release – Air New Zealand Air New Zealand unveils its first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner in Auckland, New Zealand Seats are available for purchase from Wednesday 7 May, including the all-new Business Premier Luxe seats The first retrofitted aircraft will take to the skies for the first time on Monday 19 May, flying from Auckland to Brisbane return In what is a proud moment in Air New Zealand's 85-year history, from Wednesday 7 May, customers will be able to book seats on the airline's highly anticipated all-new cabin experience. This world-first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner ZK-NZH is in Auckland undergoing final testing before it takes to the skies for the first time on Monday 19 May, flying Auckland to Brisbane. Later that evening, the aircraft will complete its first long haul service from Auckland to San Francisco. Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran says it's an incredibly special moment to launch the future of flying with Air New Zealand. 'This aircraft spent 184 days in Singapore being retrofitted, the result of several years of extensive research, innovation, and design by our team to deliver a world-class onboard experience. 'This is the first ever full nose-to-tail retrofit of a 787-9 Dreamliner and marks the introduction of our first new onboard product in over 15 years. We've completely reimagined the experience of flying with Air New Zealand, incorporating elegant design elements, innovative Kiwi touches, and features informed by feedback from thousands of customers. 'As the national carrier, it's an immense privilege to showcase the best of New Zealand, and this is woven into every detail of our cabin design – from the textures you touch to the spaces you relax in, every element is a nod to our home, Aotearoa.' The airline's second 787-9 is up in Singapore undergoing its retrofit, with a total of seven aircraft expected to be completed by the end of the year. All 14 Boeing 787-9s in Air New Zealand's fleet will be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026. Customers can expect an elevated experience throughout the aircraft, with new seats in every cabin, an all-new inflight entertainment system, larger inflight entertainment screens, clever stowage options, and additional privacy in the premium cabins. Aircraft featuring the new cabin experience will fly predominantly between Auckland and Brisbane, San Francisco, Rarotonga, and Vancouver, with more routes to follow as more of the retrofits are complete. Introducing the new cabin experience Business Premier Our new Business Premier seats have a new angle and layout, meaning additional privacy and space. · Sliding privacy screens, wireless charging, and a 24″ inflight entertainment screen · Middle seats with a sliding divider, perfect for travel companions · Full lie-flat recline with a clever headrest lift for prime movie-watching or mid-flight novels Business Premier Luxe Four all-new seats in the front row of the Business Premier cabin. Business Premier Luxe will be able to be booked as a paid seat select product when purchasing a Business Premier seat. It has all the features of Business Premier, along with: · Full closing door, a larger bed, and additional space with room for two to dine Premium Economy Our new Premium Economy gives customer more privacy and thoughtful storage to help make the space their own. · All seats have a fixed outer shell, meaning your recline doesn't impact the person behind you · Side wings on the seat provide extra privacy · More storage space keeps your essentials within easy reach Economy You don't need to turn left to experience the future of flying with Air New Zealand. · 50% bigger inflight entertainment screens, clever little snack trays, and the new Economy Stretch option to give your legs a holiday too · Clever stowage options include a small tray table for snacks or your phone, and an elastic holder for your essentials Digital Innovation & Inflight Entertainment You'll find digital innovation in every cabin. · 4K HD screens with Bluetooth audio pairing · Use your phone like a remote, build a watchlist, track your flight, or multitask with Picture-in-Picture functionality
