Latest news with #AirbusA350
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
IndiGo to terminate Turkish Airlines lease deal by end of August after final extension
By Abhijith Ganapavaram NEW DELHI (Reuters) -IndiGo will terminate its leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines by August 31 after India's aviation regulator said on Friday it would only extend the deal for three months, a move that will push the carrier to seek alternatives. The agreement between the two airlines has come under public criticism in India after Turkey came out in support for Pakistan during the recent conflict between the two South Asian neighbours. The pact has also been opposed by IndiGo's rival Air India, which has lobbied the Indian government to end the deal, citing business impact and security concerns, Reuters has previously reported. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said it had denied IndiGo's request for a six-month extension and approved only three months, citing passenger convenience, confirming an earlier Reuters report. The lease was due to expire on Saturday. The regulator said IndiGo gave an undertaking that it will terminate the lease with state-owned Turkish Airlines by August 31 and will not seek a further extension. IndiGo was not immediately available for comment. It has previously defended the Turkish partnership, saying it offers multiple benefits to Indian travellers and boosts aviation growth and jobs. Turkey's support for Pakistan during the recent conflict has sparked a boycott of Turkish products, including chocolates, coffee and clothing in India. IndiGo has had a codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines since 2018 and has used that to connect travellers from India to a growing number of destinations in Europe and the U.S. in the last few years, making Istanbul an important hub for India's largest domestic airline. Since 2023, Turkish Airlines has leased to IndiGo two Boeing 777 aircraft with pilots and some crew. The aircraft currently operate on the Delhi-Istanbul and Mumbai-Istanbul routes, allowing IndiGo to carry more passengers, compared with the narrowbodies it operated previously. IndiGo has been leasing aircraft to tide over aircraft delivery delays and expand internationally. The airline expects its first Airbus A350 by early 2027 and the long-range A321XLR this financial year. In the absence of the leased 777s, IndiGo could go back to operating narrowbody aircraft on the two routes, or it could use widebody aircraft it has leased from Norse Atlantic Airways. It could also deploy the XLRs once they are delivered, analysts have said. The regulator's decision to give a limited extension comes after the Indian government earlier this month revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground handling service firm Celebi, citing national security, prompting a lawsuit from the Indian arm of the Turkish firm.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Saudi firms to place orders for dozens of Airbus jets, sources say
NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia is set to place orders for billions of dollars of Airbus jets as the kingdom balances suppliers in its quest to match the aviation growth of Gulf neighbours, industry sources said. Leasing company AviLease, which placed an order for 30 Boeing 737 MAX jets during a visit to the region this month by U.S. President Donald Trump, could place a comparable order for Airbus A320neo jets at next month's Paris Airshow, they said. The fast-growing company, which aims to be one of the world's top lessors, is also potentially interested in Airbus A350 freighters, they added. Barring a problem in negotiations, startup airline Riyadh Air appears poised to select the Airbus A350 over Boeing's delayed 777X, they said. Saudi Arabia to invest $600bn, says White House as US, KSA sign $142bn defence deal The possible Riyadh Air A350 deal, which Bloomberg earlier reported could involve 50 jets, would also be announced at one of this year's trade shows. Airbus declined comment. AviLease was not immediately available. Riyadh Air reiterated it was studying an order for large wide-body planes. 'A decision will be made in the coming months,' a spokesperson added.
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Saudi firms to place orders for dozens of Airbus jets, sources say
NEW DELHI, May 30 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is set to place orders for billions of dollars of Airbus ( opens new tab jets as the kingdom balances suppliers in its quest to match the aviation growth of Gulf neighbours, industry sources said. Leasing company AviLease, which placed an order for 30 Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 737 MAX jets during a visit to the region this month by U.S. President Donald Trump, could place a comparable order for Airbus A320neo jets at next month's Paris Airshow, they said. The fast-growing company, which aims to be one of the world's top lessors, is also potentially interested in Airbus A350 freighters, they added. Barring a problem in negotiations, startup airline Riyadh Air appears poised to select the Airbus A350 over Boeing's delayed 777X, they said. The possible Riyadh Air A350 deal, which Bloomberg earlier reported could involve 50 jets, would also be announced at one of this year's trade shows. Airbus declined comment. AviLease was not immediately available. Riyadh Air reiterated it was studying an order for large wide-body planes. 'A decision will be made in the coming months,' a spokesperson added.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
India extends IndiGo's Turkish Airlines lease by just three months
NEW DELHI: IndiGo's Turkish Airlines lease has been extended by three months, less than the six-month extension allowed under current rules, India's aviation regulator said on Friday, giving the Indian airline a temporary boost in its international expansion plans. There has been public pressure on the Indian government to review its business ties with Turkey after Ankara's support for Pakistan during a recent conflict with India, which sparked public anger and boycott of Turkish products, including chocolates, coffee and clothing. IndiGo was not immediately available for a comment on Friday. IndiGo has had a codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines since 2018 and has used that pact to connect travelers from India to a growing number of destinations in Europe and the U.S. in the last few years, making Istanbul an important hub for India's largest domestic airline. Since 2023, Turkish has leased to IndiGo two Boeing 777 aircraft with pilots and some crew. The aircraft presently operates on the Delhi-Istanbul and Mumbai-Istanbul routes, allowing IndiGo to carry more passengers, compared with the narrowbodies it operated earlier. India's IndiGo co-founder to sell up to $1.4 billion worth of shares, term sheet shows IndiGo has been leasing widebody aircraft to tide over aircraft delivery delays and expand internationally. The airline expects its first Airbus A350 by early 2027 and the long-range A321XLR this financial year. The agreement with Turkish has faced calls to be scrapped. Rival Air India has lobbied Indian officials to halt the leasing tie-up, citing the business impact as well as security concerns sparked by Turkish support for Pakistan, Reuters reported earlier this month. IndiGo has previously defended the Turkish partnership, saying it offers multiple benefits to Indian travelers and boosts aviation growth and jobs. The government's move to give an extension follows its announcement earlier this month revoking the security clearance of Turkish ground handling service firm Celebi, citing national security, inviting a lawsuit from the Indian arm of the Turkish firm.
Time Out
2 days ago
- Time Out
The fifth longest flight in the world operates out of Melbourne – but a new Aussie route is set to be a record-breaker
Don't get us wrong, we love living in Melbourne (duh, have you been to our restaurants, bars and coffee spots?). But it's really not cute having to sit in a plane for 14-plus hours whenever we want to visit our fave overseas destinations. Nevertheless, we do it – and frequently. Did you know a popular route that connects Melbourne to the USA is actually one of the longest in the whole world? Qantas' Dallas to Melbourne route clocks in at around 14,472 kilometres – that's 17 hours and 35 minutes in the air. But that's nothing compared to Qantas' ambitious plan to launch a direct 20-hour flight between Sydney and London. So how do these local long-haul flights stack up against other routes? Let's find out. As of 2025, the world's longest flight is the 18-hour 50-minute journey between New York City and Singapore. First launched by Singapore Airlines in 2020, this 15,349-kilometre route is operated on an Airbus A350, which features 67 business class seats and just 94 premium economy seats (there are no standard economy seats on board). In that time, you could binge-watch all eight Harry Potter movies and still have one minute to spare. Singapore Airlines also runs the second-longest flight on Earth, an 18-hour and 45-minute journey spanning 15,344 kilometres from Newark in New Jersey to Singapore. If we're measuring by distance, Qatar Airways' Doha to Auckland route is the next longest, covering 14,535 kilometres in roughly 17 hours and 35 minutes. But if we're going off estimated flight duration, Qantas' Perth to London route takes the bronze, with the 14,499-kilometre journey taking around 17 hours and 45 minutes. The sixth longest flight in the world by distance also depart from Australia, and is also run by Qantas. The Perth to Paris flight follows at 14,264 kilometres (17 hours, 15 minutes). In 2027, all these flights will be bumped down the rankings when Qantas debuts its non-stop Sydney to Heathrow route. With an air time of around 20 hours across 17,015 kilometres, it'll be more than an hour longer than the current longest flight! Qantas has also teased a direct 18- or 19-hour flight from Sydney to New York, which will cover roughly 16,200 kilometres. However, we'll have to wait and see when this one is ready for takeoff. The 10 longest flights in the world, by miles New York (JFK) to Singapore (SIN) – 15,349km (18 hours, 50 minutes) Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) – 15,344 km(18 hours, 45 minutes) Auckland (AKL) to Doha (DOH) – 14,535km (17 hours, 30 minutes) Perth (PER) to London (LHR) – 14,499km (17 hours, 45 minutes) Dallas (DFW) to Melbourne (MEL) – 14,472km (17 hours, 25 minutes) Perth (PER) to Paris (CGD) – 14,264km (17 hours, 15 minutes) New York (JFK) to Auckland (AKL) – 14,207km (17 hours, 30 minutes) Auckland (AKL) to Dubai (DBX) – 14,200km (17 hours, 5 minutes) Shenzhen (SZX) to Mexico City (MEX) – 14,147km (16 hours, 20 minutes) Los Angeles (LAX) to Singapore (SIN) – 14,114km (17 hours, 15 minutes)
