Page 33 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2013 Online Magazine

INDIA SECTION

Spice Jet appoints
new COO
India’s low cost carrier SpiceJet
has appointed Sanjeev Kapoor as
COO, some three months after its
chief executive officer Neil Mills
resigned. Kapoor was previously
special advisor to the board of GMG
Airlines, Bangladesh and has also
been associated with consulting
firms such as Bain & Company and
Boston Consulting Group. According
to a company release, Kapoor
was responsible for productivity
improvement, cost control, customer
satisfaction and service quality at
GMG Airlines.
Etihad to buy AI 777s Kapoor’s entry into the budget
Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways disclosed. The United Arab Emirate’s carrier follows the resignation of Mills
plans to buy five wide-body Boeing national carrier, which plans to buy a in July. Prior to Mills’ resignation the
777-200 aircraft from Air India as part 24% stake in Indian private airliner Jet airline’s chief commercial officer
of its accelerated network growth plan. Airways, signed a Letter of Intent for the Harish Moideen Kutty had also put in
Subject to approvals, the aircraft will be purchase of the five aircraft, and plans his papers. Kutty resigned just days
delivered to Etihad from the beginning for putting them into service next April. after the airline announced a loss of
of 2014, re-fitted in a three class cabin It is expected that they will be used Rs.191 crore in 2012-13.
configuration. “The Boeing 777-200 LR on Etihad’s new route between Abu The company is expected to declare
is a fantastic addition, giving us extra Dhabi and Los Angeles, announced on the second quarter results on Nov 7,
reach immediately and complementing Tuesday, which is scheduled to start on 2013. Mills, who was hired by Kalanithi
our long term fleet strategy,” said James June 1, 2014. “We are looking forward to Maran, had been with the company
Hogan, CEO of Etihad. Cash strapped starting direct services to Los Angeles, since 2010. Maran, the promoter of
Air India put eight of its 777-200 LRs for as well as increasing our flying to South Sun Group, bought a majority stake in
sale as part of a turnaround plan, but America. This is the aircraft to do that,” the airline from non-resident Indian
the amount paid by Etihad has not been Hogan says. Bhulo Kansagra.

Mahindra eyes small aircraft market
at an Australian facility. U.S., Canada, and Europe. “We are
“Within a time-frame of confident of selling at least 25 aircraft
two years, we will have annually, once it gets the regulatory
a full-fledged eight- approval to fly eight passengers in
seater aircraft being India,” Luthra says. The In October,
manufactured in India,” Mahindra Group inaugurated its new
says Hemant Luthra, facility to manufacture aero-structures
President of Mahindra and components at Narasapura, about
Systech - of which 55km from Bengaluru. The company
Mahindra Aerospace has invested 1.5 billion rupees (US$24.5
is a part. Mahindra million) on the new facility. The aircraft
Mahindra Aerospace will soon start acquired the makers, GippsAero, in and components manufacturing arm of
production of the eight-seater GA8 in 2010. The company has so far exported the Mahindra group is also developing
India as the company plans to enter around 250 GA8 aircraft, used for the GA10, a 10-seat turboprop derivative
the market in the country with its first tourism, humanitarian aid, adventure of the GA8, for an expected market entry
utility aircraft, currently being made sports and other activities in the in 2014.

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