Airport
The Office Boy Who Became An AirAsia Pilot…!
After 9 years and 11 failed attempts Kugan Tangiisuran, 31 is now able to smile after flying the Airbus A320 to more than 10 destinations around the world with 700 of flight hours under his wing.
The inspirational story of Kugan who joined Air Asia as an office boy and has become a first officer August last year has moved even the CEO and Director of Air Asia Berhad Tan Sri Tony Fernandes to tears. It is a dream he harboured since he was young while watching planes land and takeoff from relatively close range at the Penang International Airport. reported by CJMY
Hailing from Perai in Penang, Kugan had aspired to become a pilot since he was eight. However, it wasn’t going to be an easy ride. After Kugan finished school, he couldn’t study to become a pilot as the courses were too expensive for his middle-class family.
“I ended up studying in the hospitality management field and worked in various hotels in Penang for several years,” Kugan was quoted as saying my FMT.
The inspirational story of Kugan who joined Air Asia as an office boy and has become a first officer August last year
“Then, one day, a friend who worked with AirAsia told me to join the company. He said it gave opportunities to its staff to move between departments,” said Kugan, following which he applied for a job with the airline and was offered the position of despatch boy.Kugan, who wasn’t put off by the offer, saw the post of an office boy as a stepping stone to his childhood dream to fly and joined AirAsia in 2006.
@fmtoday | The despatch boy who became a flier https://t.co/I8naFAjjRm pic.twitter.com/lbruXwxnOp
— Aziz Laikar (@AzizLaikar) April 5, 2016
In the same year, Kugan passed the exam to become a cadet pilot However, a policy which required Kugan to have served for at least two years at his current department dashed his hopes and he wasn’t allowed to proceed further.
It didn’t deter him. Kugan continued carrying out despatch duties and delivering letters while still keeping alive his dream of becoming a pilot one day. For the next seven years, he kept trying, sitting for exam three more times. Throughout the seven years, even after numerous failures, Kugan never gave up and applied 11 times and sat for 4 qualification examinations.
His perseverance caught the attention of none other than AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes, who personally pushed him to keep trying. Then in 2013, Kugan successfully passed all the required exams and was accepted into Asia Pacific Flight Training (APFT). He completed his training at APFT to become a co-pilot in June last year. reported by says
News courtesy : Citizen Journalists Malaysia.
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Airlines
Air India B787 Dreamliner Cabin Experiences Water Leak During midflight
On November 29, an Air India flight en route from Delhi to London Gatwick Airport faced a mid-flight cabin leak originating from an overhead storage unit. The incident involved a water leak within the cabin of an Air India 787 Dreamliner while flying over India.
Despite the unexpected situation, the cabin crew maintained a reassuring demeanor, encouraging passengers to remain calm. There was also a leak of water from the plane’s roof, so the pilot urged the passengers not to panic.
The odd thing is that, based on videos posted online, passengers did not appear to be significantly impacted when the leak was reported by a crew member. The leak may have been caused by a cooling system malfunction, though this is suspected.
A passenger shared the video on X, showing water continuously dripping onto passengers’ seats from overhead bins. A user commented, “It’s possible that some travellers left their fully filled water bottles in their cabin luggage, which could be the cause of this. They advise us to carry water bottles because of this. The company may not be the only one at fault. “Can passengers request a refund in situations like this?” asked another.
Airlines
flynas partners with Eve Air to bring eVTOL operations to Riyadh and Jeddah
Eve Air Mobility has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the possibility of operating electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Saudi Arabia.
Flynas is the top low-cost airline in the Middle East and the world. In 2026, the partners plan to investigate the feasibility of launching eVTOL operations in Riyadh and Jeddah.
“This collaboration is a significant step towards realizing our common goal of sustainable air travel, as well as a demonstration of our dedication to establishing an eco-friendly, accessible, and efficient transportation system,” stated Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve.
“We are excited to start this revolutionary journey with flynas and work together to improve Saudi Arabia’s air mobility in the future.” The agreement will help Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector by establishing and bolstering the region’s potential electric flight ecosystem. Additionally, the partnership will support the ambitious targets in the aviation sector as well as the sustainability goals of Vision 2030.
More than 1,500 flights per week are offered by flynas to more than 70 domestic and international locations. The launch of eVTOL flights to Saudi Arabia as well as the joint venture between Eve and flynas will give passengers another choice for urban transportation while reaffirming the companies’ dedication to influencing the direction of electric aviation and offering effective, secure, and environmentally friendly transportation to the area.
Airlines
Embraer gets new order from Porter Airlines for 25 jets
Porter Airlines has added to its 50 existing firm orders with the exercise of purchase rights to place a firm order for 25 Embraer E195-E2 passenger jets.
With the new aircraft, Porter will be able to reach more locations across Porter and continue its highly regarded service. With 25 purchase rights left, Porter’s orders with Embraer now stand at 75 firm, valued at US$2.1 billion at list price. This deal will be added to the Q4 backlog.
The E195-E2’s North American launch customer, Porter, has already accepted delivery of 24 of the aircraft and has just revealed plans to fly to new locations in Mexico and the Caribbean in addition to Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. At the moment, the planes are being used out of Eastern Canada, primarily targeting Ottawa and Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The E195-E2 is also bringing new services to Halifax and Montreal. Porter has decided to set up the 146-seat aircraft in a cosy all-economy configuration with 132 seats, offering 36, 34, and 30-inch seat pitches to their guests.
Airlines
Etihad to fly A380 superjumbo on Abu Dhabi-New York route
Etihad Airways is happy to announce that on April 22, 2024, it will begin operating double-decker flights on the A380 to New York JFK.
Etihad’s ability to connect to the larger GCC and Indian subcontinent, as well as the US market, has been greatly enhanced with the launch of the A380. It will also bring in more tourists who want to take in the sights of the energetic city of Abu Dhabi.
On one of the two daily flights from Etihad to New York, the A380 will be in service. A 787-9 aircraft with First, Business, and Economy classes will fly the other daily route. Now that Etihad has brought its superjumbo back to the skies, the US route is the second destination—after London—to experience the amazing A380.
The cabin includes 337 Economy Smart seats with large pillows for maximum comfort and Etihad’s signature fixed-wing headrests, as well as 68 extra legroom seats with an extra 4 inches of space.
The Business Studios, which offer 70 private spaces on the upper deck, offer a private sanctuary that relieves stress during travel. The Lobby, a serviced lounge and bar area situated between the First and Business cabins, is also located on the upper deck.
Currently, etihad.com makes the dream of seeing The Residence just a click away. * Guests can upgrade from a First-class ticket for an absolutely unforgettable journey, with special offer prices starting at 10,999 AED ($2,990).
- Special deal: Upgrades are available for purchase between November 29 and December 12, 2023, for 10,999 AED for a single person or 14,999 AED for two, one-way. Travelable starting on April 22, 2024 (except June 14–24, 2024).
The standard one-way residence upgrade fare from Abu Dhabi to New York is 16,600 AED per person.
Airlines
U.S. airlines lose 2 million suitcases a year. Where do they end up?
The holidays are expected to be extremely busy, according to the Transportation Security Administration. A fortunate few will be among the millions of people returning home without their bags as they head back from their Thanksgiving vacations.
Where do all those misplaced bags wind up, next? Journalist Melanie Peeples set out to investigate. All suitcases that are misplaced by US airlines and are not picked up by their owners ultimately arrive at Unclaimed Baggage.
In Scottsboro, Alabama, it occupies an entire city block and is a massive store. Every day, 7,000 new things are added to the inventory. And all of it is offered at a steep discount.
It is set up like a department store, with bookshelves filled with books and clothing and shoes around because, let’s face it, who hasn’t misplaced a book on a plane? But the jackpot is just up these stairs.
The mezzanine is the most crowded part of the store. Thus, this is where our electronics division is located. However, things up here are even more fascinating. It functions as follows: Up to three months are spent by the airline attempting to return a misplaced suitcase or pole-vaulting shipping container to its owner. However, the airline gives up after three months and compensates the owner back up to $3,800.
Statistically speaking, 99.5% of checked luggage on airlines does not disappear. All of it just adds up to a lot—the 0.5% that does.
Airlines
Comac unveils new smaller and larger variants of the C919
China’s leading aircraft manufacturer, Comac, has announced that two new C919 narrowbody aircraft variants are being developed to meet a variety of operational needs both inside and outside of China.
The C919 Stretched Variant and the C919 Shortened/Plateau Variant are the names of these variants that were on display at the Shanghai International Commercial Aviation & Aerospace Industry Exhibition. Comac seeks to emulate Airbus’ A320 series and Boeing’s 737 MAX models by providing a range of sizes for its standard narrowbody model.
With 210 seats in a two-class arrangement, the C919 Stretched Variant, according to Comac, “conforms to the trend of large-scale development of single-aisle aircraft market.”
The Shortened/Plateau configuration can accommodate 140 passengers and has takeoff and landing performance suitable for all high-altitude airports in China. It has “good potential,” according to Comac, for more derivatives.
With over 10 million passengers flown, Comac’s regional jet, the ARJ21, has achieved a noteworthy milestone. A China Southern Airlines ARJ21 aircraft on the Guangzhou-Jieyang route served as a symbol of this accomplishment. As a result of its increasing presence in regional aviation, the ARJ21 is currently estimated to operate 1,800 weekly flights throughout China and Indonesia.
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