Cleared To Approach: The Aviation Blog

  NEWS HEADLINES THIS WEEK: Pakistan Closes Airspace for Indian Aircraft: Pakistan has shut off its airspace for Indian aircraft amid rising tensions due to a terror attack which killed 26 in Kashmir, allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan. This attack led to diplomatic tension between the two nations and only seems to escalate further. The ban went into effect at 12:30 UTC, 24th of April. Indian aircraft operating flights to Europe and North America will have to reroute, adding between 60 and 120 minutes of flying time; and also leading to increased fuel consumption.  Indigo Appoints Independent Director: InterGlobe aviation (indigo's parent company) has appoint former FAA administrator, Michael Whitaker as its Independent Director.

Air India Major 777 Refreshment Program: Some of Air India's Boeing 777s (e.g- VT-ALK) have been refreshed and are being rolled out on major international routes. These 777s have brand new interiors, including a new premium-economy cabin as well as refreshed Business (in 2-3-2 configuration) and first class seats featuring lie-flat beds. Old Air India aircraft are generally worn-out and sometimes untidy. The new A350s as well as the new / retrofitted A320 and A321 neos take the experience to another level. The 777s have been refreshed and will be retrofitted  in 2026, which will include the addition of IFE screens. 787s will also undergo a $400,000,000 retrofit program. First, old Air India aircraft will be retrofitted and will then be followed by the newer, better (compared to old AI aircraft) Vistara jets. The airline has committed to retrofit all 27 of its narrow-bodies by mid 2025. All of these aircraft will feature the newer livery, seats and 3-class configuration.

 The United States' President Donald Trump's trademark tool- tariffs- are being employed in abnormal amounts, aiming to boost domestic industries but will have serious ripple-effects on one of the world's most interconnected industries: aviation . The most obvious repercussion is at International Carriers flying into the States. While tariffs will not directly affect passenger operations, they may increase airport fees and heavily impact cargo operators. Following the 2018 tariffs, air cargo demand growth slowed from 9% in 2017 to 3.5% in 2018, and then declined by 3.9% in 2019.  Moreover, retaliation from other countries could affect the operations of US carriers such as Delta, United and American.  Reportedly, RyanAir will face ~500 million USD in import fees due to tariffs on the B737-Max. International air fare is projected to increase by 2-4%.  An airliner such as the A350 or B787 has parts sourced from more than 7 different countries, including some where not o...