News Broadcasting
Airlines first a380 in Qatar airways colours takes flight carrier will take delivery of its first A380 in spring 2014
MUMBAI: The much anticipated delivery of Qatar Airways’ first A380-1000 is one step closer to joining the airline’s fleet, as the aircraft was ferried from Toulouse to Hamburg during a test flight last week.
The Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft, is one of thirteen on order by Qatar Airways. The airline is set to take delivery of the aircraft in spring 2014.
The aircraft will be fitted in a tri-class configuration with seats in First Class, Business Class and Economy Class. The first route will be to a European destination, with the city to be confirmed at a later date. The airline’s original order of 8 A380-1000 aircraft was made at the Dubai Air Show in January 2004, and then nearly doubled with an order for an additional 5 aircraft at the Dubai Airshow in 2010.
Qatar Airways’ future home, the Hamad International Airport, scheduled to open in the beginning of 2014, has been specially designed to cater to the A380, with 6 contact gates designed with specifications required for the super jumbo. In addition, the maintenance hangar at HIA – which will be the largest in the world – is able to accommodate two of A380s simultaneously.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said that the airline is pleased to see the progress being made on their first A380.
It is thrilling to see the A380 painted in Qatar Airways colours on display during its test flight from Toulouse to Hamburg. We have been awaiting the delivery of our first A380, and are delighted to soon operate passenger services with this fantastic aeroplane.
“Our mission is to provide our passengers the best – whether it is comfort, cuisine, the most expansive route network, or the best connectivity. By introducing the A380 to our ever expanding young and modern fleet, we are keeping to our commitment of ensuring that our passengers have the best possible experience when travelling with Qatar Airways,” he added.
The airline has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 129 aircraft to 130 key business and leisure destinations worldwide.
Qatar Airways has so far launched eight destinations this year – Gassim (Saudi Arabia), Najaf (Iraq), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Chicago (USA), Salalah (Oman), Basra (Iraq), Sulaymaniyah (Iraq) and Chengdu, (China).
Over the next few weeks and months, the network will expand with the addition of further destinations – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (September 18), Ta’if, Saudi Arabia (October 2), Clark International Airport, Philippines (October 27), and Philadelphia, USA (April 2, 2014).
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
