Airline to Launch Flights to Secondary Cities in India from Birmingham Airport
A new UK-based airline Hans Airways is now one-step closer to launch scheduled flights to secondary cities in India from Birmingham Airport this year. Hans Airways, the UK’s newest airline, has announced that it has secured its first aircraft after signing a Letter of Intent for an Airbus A330-200 (MSN 950) in the first week of the new year.
In a press release, the airline revealed that its new aircraft has been operating with a leading European airline since 2008, configured in a two-cabin layout, which Hans Airways will operate with 275 economy and 24 premium economy seats. The airline added that the A330 aircraft will be registered as G-KJAS, adopting the surname of one of Hans Airways’ principal early investors, Kirpal Singh Jass, who has believed in its community airline model since the project was conceived in 2019.
“We are delighted to have achieved this very important milestone in our two-year journey,” said Hans Airways’ CEO Satnam Saini. He further added, “Our scheduled operations centre on the Airbus A330, a popular and spacious long-haul widebody, excellent for cargo too, and we are grateful to everyone who has helped us to ratify this agreement at the start of the new year.”
Hans Airways UK base in Birmingham
According to the press relesae, Hans Airways has applied to the UK Civil Aviation Authority for its Air Operator’s Certificate and is hopeful of obtaining the status in time to start revenue service this summer. Its application for an Operating Licence and Route Licence has already been published by the UK CAA.
The airline is the UK’s newest hybrid, long-haul airline venture, blending value for money fares with a quality inflight service offering. Hans Airways will offer two classes of cabin – Economy (with 31″ seat pitch and 274 seats) and Economy Plus offering a 56” pitch and 24 seats). It will offer a high quality of complementary inflight entertainment and catering as standard.
Pilot and cabin crew training commenced January 3
The first set of flight crew (four pilots and cabin crew) commenced their first day of training January 3rd in Crawley, UK with Hans Airways’ flight training partner IAGO Flight Training and L3 Harris Commercial Aviation for the simulator. The new recruits were welcomed by Satnam Saini, investor Kirpal Singh Jass, and Nathan Burkitt, the airline’s Director of Flight Operations and Crew Training.
HAPEEI – Frequency Flyer Programme
The airline also shared details about its planned loyalty programme to be known as HAPEEI (Hans Airways Passengers Environment Education Initiative), it will reward passengers with all the regular benefits of a frequent flyer programme and with a strong emphasis on corporate social responsibility, create opportunities to donate to children’s educational charities in India or conservation and water preservation projects.
Hans Airways’ senior management has identified a high demand for regular secondary city air links between the UK and India, drawing on its CEO’s considerable experience instigating a series of charter flights for Monarch Airlines and FlyJet. It intends to have a close working relationship with travel agencies and travel management companies, said the press release.
Hans Airways hasn’t announced any Indian city as its future destination from Birmingham. FlyAmritsar Initiative is hopeful that the airline is considering Amritsar in the State of Punjab as Birmingham is home to one of the largest Punjabi Diaspora in the UK. This route is currently served by Air India since February 2018. The holy city could be a lucrative destination for a direct Birmingham – Amritsar flight in the future.