Age catching up with AI, snags multiply

New Delhi: The aged fleet that both national carriers — Air India and Indian Airlines — fly have made poor reliability and an even poorer inflight service their hallmark for travellers. Air India admits that its A-310s are 13 to 20 years old. Its fleet of 48 planes comprises aircraft that are mostly over a decade old.
On Monday — after the twin close shaves that AI faced at IGI — an aviation ministry spokesperson admitted that the airlines were facing problems because of the old fleet.
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AI plane still stuck on
Delhi runway
An Air India plane is still stuck on
the main runway of the Delhi airport
more than 24 hours after it made
an emergency landing. Air India
engineers are trying to remove the
Airbus A310. But sources say they
are taking their time since they want
to avoid any further damage to the
20-year-old aircraft whose nose wheel
broke. Because of the plane the
runway length was shortened and
many planes operated from the shorter
secondary runway, which affected
quite a few flights.
10/04/07 NDTV.com
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Recently, the ministry admitted before the standing committee of aviation that ‘‘hydraulic failures in Airbus aircraft i.e. Airbus A-320 is a known problem area’’ on a question involving Indian Airlines. About AI, it admitted: ‘‘Hydraulic leaks on AI aircraft is mainly experienced on A-310... (This) is an industry phenomenon mainly due to aging of aircraft... Airbus Industries have tried to address the issue by providing various improvements, suggestions.’’
The aircraft whose nosewheel snapped and hit the ground with a thud on Monday was, not surprisingly, an A-310.

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Worthiness of A-I, IGI
in question
It was not a pretty sight for the
country's flagship carrier Air-India
with nosewheel of its Airbus A310
collapsed while it was being towed
away.What is even more embarrassing
is that the country's premier airport,
the Indira Gandhi International
Airport, could not clear the runway
even after 12 hours, as it didn’t have
the equipment to do so.Only the Air-India
possesses the special recovery kit in
India, and the equipment was in Mumbai.
Apart from the airport's efficiency,
Air-India's airworthiness is also being
questioned.The Airbus A310 was 20 years
old but the airline contends all its aircraft
are air worthy. “Planes may be old but
unless they are airworthy, they do not
fly,” said Ministry of Civil Aviation
Spokesperson Maushmi Chakravarty.
09/04/07 Karma Paljor/CNN-IBN
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Without commenting on this report, Justin Dubon, Airbus’ regional press manager spoke to TOI from London on Monday’s incident: ‘‘Airbus is aware of this and has made contact with Air India. We will study why this happened and make recommendations.’’
10/04/07 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Air India Apr 2007, Airports Apr 2007, Safety Apr 2007