IATA urges India to enhance safety and security

Mumbai: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for government and industry to join forces on a series of projects to enhance safety, security and efficiency in India. These would align with IATA's calls for improved infrastructure, cost reduction and a relief from excessive taxation.
"I propose a series of projects to enhance the safety, security and efficiency of Indian aviation. The interests of government and industry are aligned. Aviation and aviation-related tourism drives 1.5% of India's GDP and supports jobs for 1.8% of the workforce. A stronger aviation sector will be a catalyst for even wider economic benefits," said Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO, in his keynote address at the inaugural India Aviation Day earlier this month.
31/03/13 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Cautious approach towards Indian carriers by leasing cos: CAPA

The court battle among airport operators, tax authorities and Kingfisher Airlines' lessors over repossession of its planes may have a negative impact on other Indian carriers leasing aircraft from global leasing companies, a leading aviation consultancy firm has said.
Major aircraft leasing companies and financers have started adopting a cautious approach towards Indian carriers, with some even threatening to pull out of India, it said.
Keeping this in mind, the Civil Aviation Ministry is contemplating issuing some guidelines to airport operators and government agencies not to hold on to or seize aircraft as security for unpaid dues of an airline, official sources said.
The primary aim of these guidelines would be to prevent foreign lessors from avoiding the India market by telling the airport operators and other agencies not to take aircraft as collateral from an airline company, they said.
31/03/13 PTI/NDTV

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AirAsia incorporates Indian venture; files all papers with MCA

New Delhi:  Gearing up to launch services in partnership with Tatas, Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia has incorporated a company in India with the filing of all requisite documents with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
The venture, AirAsia (India) Pvt Ltd, was incorporated as an "Indian non-government company" with its registered office in Mumbai. It will be an "unlisted" company, as per the documents filed with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).
The private sector company was incorporated on March 28, 2013 with an initial authorised capital of Rs 5 lakh. A company can change its share capital, as also other details, at a later stage.
Most of the existing air carriers present in the country, including SpiceJet, Go Air, Kingfisher, Jet Airways and IndiGo have authorised share capitals running into hundreds of crores of rupees, their RoC filings show.
31/03/13 Economic Times

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Surat-Bhavnagar flight service discontinued

Surat: Deccan Charters Limited (DCL) has called off its flight service on Surat-Bhavnagar route due to increased cost of operations and want of passenger traffic.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) authorities said DCL submitted an official letter on Friday intimating that it wanted to terminate the Surat-Bhavnagar operations with effect from March 31 and that it wished to surrender the office space and other facilities at Surat airport.
Diamantaires in world's biggest diamond cutting and polishing centre in Surat seem to have been a big disappointment for DCL. The airline company, operating shuttle services between Surat and Bhavnagar five days a week, was not able to break even due to want of traffic.
Anticipating good amount of traffic due to presence of diamantaires hailing from Bhavnagar and diamond cutting and polishing job work going there from Surat, DCL had included Bhavnagar in its intra-state flight service operations in August 2012. In just a few months of connecting Surat with Bhavnagar, the company started facing problems as far as passenger traffic was concerned.
31/03/13 Times of India

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Airlines to provide WiFi, extra legroom & more tailored services for frequent travellers

Buying tickets from airline websites or price-comparison websites that hook up with airline servers is usually a picnic. Travellers know how much they must pay: total airfare, even the breakup (taxes, airport charges etc), and what for: additional services such as access to airport lounges, speedy boarding, onboard WiFi and the like.
Airlines call this the direct channel, where they are able to tailor offers to even the most finicky customers. The experience is similar to shopping on a retail website.
The indirect channel is primitive in comparison. Here, airlines distribute flight tickets through computerised reservation systems ” known by the more regal-sounding Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) ” or physical or online travel agents who rely on a GDS. Information is limited: typically, travellers must be satisfied with just the schedule, airfare and, if lucky, the breakup.
The reason is simple. The indirect channel of distributing flight information conforms to a pre-internet standard. The older language, so to speak, cannot easily support the display of ancillaries â those extra fees airlines make from meals, checked bags, more legroom and so on.
31/03/13 Binoy Prabhakar/Economic Times

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Kalanithi Maran's Sun group paid a fine of Rs 60 cr for import violation

A month before the CBI raid on M K Stalin’s residence which triggered a political controversy, another member of the DMK’s first family quietly coughed up a Rs 60 crore-penalty for import violation.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had found post-import violation by a Bombardier aircraft belonging to the Sun group owned by M Karunanidhi’s grand-nephew Kalanithi Maran.
In February, the DRI had served notice to Sun for violation of import obligations under the category of non-scheduled passenger service aircraft. The group had claimed duty exemption under this category, which is meant to provide services on non-chartered routes. However, the aircraft was used by the directors of the group, which has interests from media to civil aviation, effectively using it as private jet.
30/03/13 Appu Esthose Suresh/Financial Express

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Wanna gape at Kolkata from top?

Kolkata: If you have cash to spare, here's the opportunity to splurge. From Romeos keen to propose on "cloud nine" to friends eager to make a celebration memorable by catching a bird's eye view of the city's landmarks, Rs 2,000 is all that one needs to shell out to take a 10-minute helicopter ride for a Kolkata Darshan package.
Launching heli-tourism at the Behala aerodrome on Friday, Prayag group MD Avik Bagchi said the brief helicopter ride at an affordable price will offer tourists a tantalizing view of south Kolkata with multi-storied buildings, the Esplanade-Dalhousie heritage zone, the meandering Hooghly river with two majestic bridges, the wide expanse of the Maidan with a glimpse of the Victoria Memorial Hall before returning to the aerodrome.
While Bell 407 helicopter with a capacity to seat six passengers can be hired for Rs 90,000 an hour, Bagchi hopes the Kolkata Darshan package will become popular enough to encourage a weekly operation.
30/03/13 Times of India

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Crash-landing aircraft put up for sale by govt

Lucknow:  The aircraft which crash landed while carrying senior UP Cabinet minister ShivpalYadav and other senior officials on board last year is all set to be put for sale by the UP government. Purchased during the tenure of former chief minister Mayawati in 2008 at an estimate cost of over Rs 40 crore the six-seat aircraft, Premier-1A (VT-UPN) is not being used anymore ever since the incident, which happened in September 2012 and left the top brass of the civil aviation department red faced. And if sources are to be believed, then the aircraft will be sold off along with three other aircraft and one Chetak chopper soon.
Civil aviation department has decided to invite bids from private consultants to evaluate these state-owned aircraft.
30/03/13 Pankaj Shah/Times of India

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LCCs spread their wings overseas

New Delhi: After controlling a lion's share of the domestic market, pure low-cost carriers (LCC) are now going to spread their wings overseas. The move comes at a time when some startups, most prominent being AirAsia India, are on the horizon and will face a five-year waiting period to fly abroad. So securing a good international network has emerged as one of the key ways to face the upcoming competition from the prospective startups.
For instance, SpiceJet - the only Indian LCC that flies to China - wants to expand its footprint there. "We have four flights a week to Guangzhou and want the number to go up to six. Flights to Hong Kong will also be launched soon though there are no dates yet," SpiceJet CEO Neil Mills said.
The airline says its flights to Kabul are doing very well - mainly due to rising medical tourism in India and redevelopment work there.
30/03/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Domestic air tickets to cost more; Air India and Jet Airways hikes fuel surcharge

Mumbai: Domestic air travel is going to be costlier again with both state-run Air India and private carrier Jet Airways hiking fuel surcharge on flight tickets by up to Rs 150.
"Both Jet Airways and Air India have revised their fuel surcharge on domestic network by up to Rs 150," an industry source said.
The increase has been effected from the second fortnight of this month, sources said, adding that the fuel surcharge has been revised upwards by Rs 150 for travel above 1,000 km and Rs 100 for travel up to 1,000 km.
No-frill carrier IndiGo may take a call shortly on the issue, airline sources said.
28/03/13 Economic Times

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Military airspace to be opened up for commercial flights

Flights will soon take straight routes from Chennai to Mumbai,Delhi and Kolkata and save time and fuel as pilots will not have to take detours to avoid military airspace. The aviation and defence ministries have approved flexible use of military airspace, and have set up a mechanism to allow commercial flights through restricted airspace.
When perfected and extended to other routes , the move will save time and fuel on flights connecting ChennaiwithM adurai ,Bangalore andThiruvananthapuram . Flying time is likely to reduce by six to 15 minutes on different routes . Fuel savings are expected to be 20,29 ,380 kg a year and emissions are likely to reduce by 63,93,600 kg a year on theseven busiest routes—Chennai-Mumbai , Chennai-Delhi , Chennai-Kolkata , Delhi-H yderabad , Delhi-Mumbai , Delhi-Kolkata , and Delhi-B angalore . These routes have been selected because the air trafficcontrolsystem is automated andcivil and military flight plans can be shared electronically .
29/03/13 Economic Times

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BEL, Boeing spread wings for building fighter aircraft

New Delhi: US aerospace major Boeing and the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) on Thursday expanded their two-year relationship with the American company, placing a follow-on order with its Indian partner for building sub-assemblies for its F/A-18 combat plane.
Boeing had tied up with the BEL in 2011 and placed orders with it for both the combat jet and its P-8I maritime reconnaissance plane.
This fresh order from Boeing comes despite it losing out in the Rs1 lakh crore-worth “mother-of-all deals” for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft.
Boeing was eliminated during the shortlist stage in the August 2007 tender in which French firm Dassault Aviation’s Rafale has been chosen as the lowest bidder.
The BEL delivers components for the Super Hornet and P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft, and is a partner with Boeing at the Analysis and Experimentation Centre in Bangalore that opened in 2009.
29/03/13 New Indian Express

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Changes to improve Indian aviation

Delhi: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for government and industry to join forces on a series of projects to enhance safety, security and efficiency in India. These would align with IATA’s longstanding calls for improved infrastructure, cost reduction and a relief from excessive taxation.
“I propose a series of projects to enhance the safety, security and efficiency of Indian aviation. The interests of government and industry are aligned. Aviation and aviation-related tourism drives 1.5% of India’s GDP and supports jobs for 1.8% of the workforce. A stronger aviation sector will be a catalyst for even wider economic benefits,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO, in his keynote address at the inaugural India Aviation Day which IATA is jointly organizing with the GMR Group and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
“This is my third major speech on Indian aviation issues in under a year. I have not spoken this much in or about any other single country in my time at IATA.  The reason is two-fold.  The first is that India is the great potential market of the future, and the industry here has only just begun to realize its enormous promise.  The second is that if we are to realize that future, we must successfully overcome some major issues,” said Tyler.
28/03/13 Theodore Koumelis/TravelDailyNews

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Environmental groups pressure UN body for carbon aviation deal

Washington: Environmental groups have urged the United States to back a global deal to curb carbon emissions produced by planes, noting that global aviation emits more of the greenhouse gas than all but six of the world's nations.
The groups, alarmed at scant progress toward an agreement within a United Nations aviation body, presented a petition with more than 60,000 signatures on Monday to a representative of the US State Department.
The petition asked US Secretary of State John Kerry to secure agreement under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for a market-based approach to curb heat-trapping emissions produced by planes.
29/03/13 Reuters/Times of India

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International air tickets may cost more: sources

New Delhi: International air travel may cost more from April across all airlines due to hike in fuel surcharge. Tickets are likely to be costlier by Rs. 1000 each, sources told NDTV Profit.
Jet Airways and Air India have hiked fuel surcharge cost by Rs. 100-150 per passenger from last week, sources said adding, "Budget Airlines like Indigo, SpiceJet, Go Air may hike fuel surcharge from April."
The price of jet fuel or Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) has crossed Rs. 70,000 per kl mark in Delhi and Rs. 72,000 per kl in Mumbai. The government does not provide any subsidy on ATF.
28/03/13 NDTV

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Chennai all agog over new airline

Chennai: AirAsia has entered the Indian aviation scene and its plan to make Chennai its hub of operations has brought cheer to stakeholders.
There is great hope of a positive growth trajectory for the various service sectors that have mushroomed around the industry. This is apart from additional revenue that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) might get.
On Tuesday, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) of the Finance Ministry cleared the proposal of Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia and Tata’s joint venture for a passenger airline in India. But the airline is yet to get the flying permit and clearances from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA.).
Flyers, who are set to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this venture, said that apart from the affordability, the fact that new airline’s fleet consists of Airbus A-320s is great news.
28/03/13 The Hindu

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HAL gears up for the first flight of Tejas LSP-8

Belgaum: The near-perfect production-standard version of India’s light combat aircraft Tejas is ready for its first flight at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) airport in Bangalore. Sources confirmed to Express on Wednesday that the Flight Readiness Review Board has cleared the Limited Series Production (LSP-8) of Tejas for its flight, with a rider that it needs to undertake one more engine-ground run , low-speed taxi trial and high-speed taxi trial.
“We are closing in and the flight is expected in the next couple of days, if there are no last-minute surprises,” a source said. The last LSP variant of Tejas is gearing up for the flight just after Defence Minister A K Antony recently asked its makers not to extend the final operational clearance for Tejas. The LSP-8 is of the initial operation clearance configuration and marked for the Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots to undertake flight evaluation trials, along with LSP-7.
28/03/13 Anantha Krishnan M/New Indian Express

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FIPB clears AirAsia, Tata joint venture plan

New Delhi: The Foreign Investment and Promotion Board (FIPB) on Tuesday approved AirAsia’s plans to enter Indian skies, according to a Finance Ministry statement.
The Malaysian budget carrier has plans of starting a new passenger airline in partnership with Tata Sons and Arun Bhatia’s Telestra Tradeplace Pvt Ltd.
Malaysia’s largest budget carrier had proposed to induct Rs 80.98 crore to start the airline that would have a 49:30:21 joint venture with the Tata Group company and Telestra Tradeplace.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said that AirAsia hasn’t yet approached the ministry. “No, they have not submitted any application as yet. There are some concerns, some procedural issues with regard to the proposed airline. We will look into it quickly. But all that will depend on how fast they provide us the information regarding safety, aircraft, pilots and airworthiness of aircraft.
27/03/13 New Indian Express

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India Aviation Minister: Yet to Receive Any Application From AirAsia, Tata Sons

India's aviation minister said Tuesday he is yet to receive any application from the AirAsia-Tata Sons joint venture for setting up an airline license in India.
Ajit Singh also told reporters that "there are some procedural issues" with the proposed venture. He didn't elaborate.
He said that when the proposal will be approved by the aviation ministry depends on how soon the ministry is satisfied on safety issues, airworthiness of planes and engineers.
The proposal has already got a go ahead from India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board on March 6.
Under the plan, AirAsia, Southeast Asia's largest carrier by fleet size, is to own a 49% stake in the joint venture. Tata Sons--which controls India's diversified Tata Group--would hold a 30% stake and privately held Telestra Tradeplace Pvt. Ltd. the remaining 21%.
AirAsia's plans follow a government decision last September allowing foreign carriers to buy up to 49% stake in India's airlines.
26/03/13 Dow Jones Newswires/Fox Business

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AirAsia, Tata JV closer to take-off

New Delhi: Malaysian budget carrier, AirAsia’s joint venture with the Tatas and Telstra group for a domestic airline moved another step closer to take-off following approval from the government on Tuesday. AirAsia’s proposal, cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on March 6, was given a formal go-ahead on Tuesday, according to an official statement issued by the Finance Ministry which put the investment at Rs.80.89 crore.
The venture will now need operational clearances such as the Air Operator’s Permit from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Talking to journalists here, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said the AirAsia JV had not yet submitted any application to the Aviation Ministry. “There were some concerns and procedural issues with regard to the proposed airline. We will look into it quickly. But all that will depend on how fast they provide us the information regarding safety, aircraft, pilots and airworthiness of aircraft. Any clearance will depend on how fast they give all this information, which will be required by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” he said.
26/03/13 The Hindu

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CCI: Government can’t regulate airfares

New Delhi:  The aviation ministry's reportedly growing 'interference' in running of airlines by trying to fix upper and lower bands of airfares has invited the wrath of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Commission chairman Ashok Chawla has said the government cannot fix the "maximum retail price (MRP) of airfares" like other consumer items as fares are decided by market forces of demand and supply. This order effectively bars the government from regulating airfares.
Apart from the issue of regulating airfares, Chawla — a former aviation and finance secretary — had recently written to the aviation ministry's controversial and now-disbanded aircraft acquisition committee (AAC), whose nod airlines needed to bring in planes to India. The CCI action came after a complaint filed by advocate Ankit Jain against AAC after reports of airlines' request for importing planes being unnecessarily held up there.
27/03/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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'Cashlanding' choppers on EC radar

Bangalore:  Helicopters and private chartered air planes have come under the watchful eyes of the Election Commission (EC) in the Karnataka assembly polls.
Following seizure of over Rs 1 crore cash from a helicopter in Nagaland during polls recently, the EC and Karnataka chief electoral office (KCEO) are closely monitoring flow of cash for poll funding through chartered flights and helicopters not only in the state but also in airports in Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Goa and New Delhi. The KCEO held a meeting with the expenditure observers involved in the seizure of cash in Nagaland.
"A detailed discussion in this regard has been held with Air Intelligence Unit (AIC) of the income tax department.
27/03/13 Anil Kumar M/Times of India

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Fly from Kochi to Munnar, Pampa

Kochi: Helicopter services from Kochi to destinations like Munnar and Pampa have finally become a reality with the Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council entering into a pact with Chipson Aviation as part of its one-stop-shop Visitor Facilitation Centre(VFC) initiative.
The current DTPC information office near Gandhi Square is being revamped into the VFC from where both domestic and international tourists would get all tourism related services at a competitive rate.
“We’ve already signed an MoU with an aviation company and interested parties can book from tomorrow. Though, flying to destinations is a problem as helipads are present in only two to three places. Initially we’re looking to conduct a chartered service to Munnar and Pampa. The rate would come to nearly ` one lakh per flying hour,” said T N Jayasankar, Secretary, Ernakulam DTPC.
27/03/13 Deccan Chronicle

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Loose screws, fuel seepage and drunken pilots

Explosive findings of air safety audits conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have exposed major chinks in the aviation sector - planes with screws missing, a flight that took off without the essential explosive certification for refueling and routine inspections that were not carried out because of lack of trained manpower.
In response to an RTI filed by Mail Today, the DGCA conceded that there were safety gaps in air operations.
Sources said most safety inspections found improper documentation of air operations and engineering checks done on the ground, indicating your safety on flight may have been compromised.
In fact, DGCA itself is so staff crunched that it cannot complete safety inspections of all the airline operators in one year as per regulation. As a result, it outsources the primary obligation of conducting the safety audits to airline companies most of the time.
This undermines the system of impartial safety inspection, said former DGCA Kanu Gohain.
"How much sincerity can you expect after delegating the safety audit responsibilities to the airlines themselves?'' Gohain asked.
26/03/13 Maneesh Pandey/India Today

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Strict action against airlines flouting safety norms: DGCA

New Delhi:  Facing a severe staff crunch, the aviation regulator DGCA today said it was taking strict action against those flouting aviation safety norms, including airlines which conduct their own safety audits.
While a series of steps to recruit skilled manpower have taken place over the past year, staff shortage has led DGCA to outsource the primary obligation of conducting safety audits to airline companies most of the time under its overall supervision, official sources said.
Responding to a media report on several safety lapses over the past three years, the sources said strict action was being taken against those found flouting safety rules, including airlines and their staffers.
The actions were being taken in accordance with the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) and the Aircraft Act which provide for penalties for various kinds of violations, they said.
26/03/13 Economic Times

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After leap in Ch'garh aviation industry, Ajit Singh urges cut in Jharkhand ATF sales tax

Ranchi: In view of Chattisgarh recording an increase in air traffic and revenue by 5 times after a cut in sales tax on ATF by the state govt there could be pressure on ranchi to do the same.
 Apparently,  Ajit Singh, Minister for Civil Aviation, Government of India has asked the Jharkhand government to revise its policy on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), a highly taxed item in the state. Singh said this on his visit to Ranchi’s Birsa Munda airport recently.
27/03/13 Daily Bhaskar

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Time for India to have national aviation policy, says IATA chief

New Delhi: India should formulate a national aviation policy to facilitate growth in the sector, said Tony Tyler, Director-General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) here on Tuesday.
“The call is not for special favours or preferential treatment,” Tyler said at the inaugural Aviation Day India meet. The IATA head was of the view that the agenda to improve infrastructure, reduce costs and evolve a more reasonable taxation structure was absolutely critical to India’s long-term success.
Pointing out that security was a top priority not only of Governments but also airlines, the IATA chief was of the opinion that the current “one-size-fits all” prospective approach to security for both cargo and passengers is not sustainable.
26/03/13 Business Line

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'India is likely to become third largest aviation market by 2020': Ajit Singh

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Tuesday said that India would be the third largest aviation market by 2020.
Singh informed that studies suggest, the countries airports would be handling 336 million domestic and 85 million international passengers with projected investment to the tune of US$ 120 billion by 2020.
"The studies suggest that by the year 2020, India is likely to become the 3rd largest aviation market handling 336 million domestic and 85 million international passengers with projected investment to the tune of US$ 120 billion. Indian Aviation Industry has been instrumental in the overall economic development of the country," said Singh, while speaking at a function in the national capital on the occasion of Aviation Day.
"I am told that Oxford Economics report commissioned by IATA indicates that Aviation accounts for 1.5 percent of India's GDP and supports 1.7 million jobs - with a further 7.1 million employed in other sectors including tourism through the catalytic effects of aviation," he added.
Singh reminded the gathering that recently he took a decision to liberalize the process for airlines to acquire aircrafts by doing away with the Aircraft Acquisition Committee.
26/03/13 NewsTrackIndia

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57 new riders may delay Aerocity take-off

New Delhi: The state-of-the-art hospitality hub, Aerocity that is all set to come up near Terminal 3 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has been asked to meet 57 stringent security parameters before it can start operations, civil aviation ministry officials said.
Among other things mentioned in the 'security template', it has been stated clearly that nobody, including VIPs, will be allowed to carry firearms inside the hotels and if at all it is required, a separate area will have to be created for them. A strict background check of hotel employees and a thorough check of guests who will be checking in are also being put in place.
The hub, spread over 45 acres of land and comprising eleven five-star hotels and a shopping mall, had run into rough weather after Delhi Police had raised objections citing security risks in 2011, much after its construction had taken off in full swing. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) had also submitted a report following Delhi Police's objections.
26/03/13 Indian Express

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Rahul Gandhi draws up big aviation projects

New Delhi: Thanks to its close association with the Gandhis, Rae Bareilly's Fursatganj airport that houses the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) will soon have no fursat ke raat din. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday held a meeting with top aviation ministry officials ” who are ex-officio members of IGRUA ” and now the place is all set to get a world class national aviation university at an investment of Rs 150-200 crore.
"The governing council of IGRUA (Rahul Gandhi and aviation ministry brass) will finalize the plan for the university and send it to the Union Cabinet for clearance since IGRAU is funded by the Central government. The Cabinet note will soon be finalized," said sources. The governing council is headed by aviation secretary K N Shrivastava and the aviation minister is not a part of it.
26/03/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Govt clears AirAsia, Tata JV proposal for passenger airline

New Delhi: Government today said it has cleared Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia's proposal to start a passenger airline in India in partnership with the Tata Group with an investment of Rs 81 crore.
The proposal was cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), Finance Ministry said in a statement.
AirAsia recently said it would set up a 49:30:21 joint venture with the Tata Sons and Telestra Tradeplace of Indian investor Arun Bhatia to launch a new Indian airline.
Asked whether AirAsia and Tatas have approached his Ministry, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh today said: "No, they have not submitted any application as yet."
To further questions, he said there were "some concerns ... some procedural issues" with regard to the proposed airline.
26/03/13 Indian Express

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It is important India gets its aviation policy right: IATA chief Tony Tyler

New Delhi: The Director-General of the International Air Transport Association, Tony Tyler, has said that it is important India gets its aviation policy right.
Addressing the first Aviation Day here on Tuesday, Tyler said while big bang changes are difficult there are incremental changes which can be done.
He called for India to relook ground handling policy and combining forces to modernise cargo handling. He has proposed that just as in 2008 we said goodbye to paper tickets, we should now move on to e-freight.
Chairman of the Airports Authority of India, V.P. Agrawal, said that it plans to commission a study on the impact of the Chennai airport on the GDP of the city and the State. The Delhi Airport had got such a survey done which showed that Delhi airport contributes over Rs 20,000 crore to the city.
26/03/13 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

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Rs 12 cr spent on VVIP sorties

Jammu: The state government has, during the past three years, incurred an expenditure of around Rs 12 crore on the state plane and chopper sorties to facilitate movement of dignitaries including Chief Minister, Governor and other VVIPs. The State’s Civil Aviation Department has one aircraft, King Air-350 and two Helicopters, Bell-407 and Augusta-109E to facilitate the movement of dignitaries and VVIPs. Chief Minister has authorized the use of Aircraft and Helicopters for VVIPs like visiting union ministers, presiding officers of Legislature, his ministerial colleagues and senior officers of government of India and the state government.
Out of the total amount spent on these sorties, an amount of more than Rs 8.05 crore was spent on the maintenance of state Aircraft and Helicopters, while more than Rs 3.01 crore was spent on the fuel during the last three years.
25/03/13 Arvind Sharma/Greater Kashmir

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Slash tax on ATF to get more fliers: Ajit Singh

Ranchi: The Union civil aviation minister on Sunday asked the Jharkhand government to revisit its policy on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) which is highly taxed in the state. In Chhattisgarh, revenue collection and air traffic have gone up five times only because the state cut sales tax on ATF by 5%, Ajit Singh said while inaugurating the world-class integrated terminal building at Birsa Munda Airport here.
Jharkhand levies 20% sales tax on ATF which is extremely higher as compared to other states. A few states in the country charge less than 10% fuel surcharge on ATF. Maharashtra, Odisha and some other states have already shown their willingness to reduce the fuel surcharge. "It is the prerogative of the state government and I think that the government should consider a change," added the minister.
25/03/13 Alok KN Mishra/Times of India

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Reduction of aircraft limit for international flying good for industry: Experts

Mumbai: The reduction of aircraft limit for international flying may augur well for Indian aviation as well as passengers, say industry experts.
Most of them believe that this decision will bring in more Indian carries on the international platform leading to more competition and better quality of service.
Last week, the civil aviation minister said that the aircraft requirement to allow international operations might be reduced from 20 aircraft to 10.
If the proposal is accepted, it will be a big boost to low-cost-carrier, GoAir, which has applied for a permit to fly international with a fleet of 10 aircraft.
LCCs like Indigo and Spice Jet have already started operating to destinations like Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai etc.
25/03/13 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Overseas flying norms may be eased

New Delhi: The aviation ministry has decided to end the discrimination desi carriers face in flying abroad vis-a-vis foreign airlines that have flights to India. The current rule that an Indian carrier must complete at least five years of operation and have a fleet of 20 aircraft before being allowed to go overseas is all set to be relaxed. While the minimum age of five will remain for now, the fleet requirement could be cut by half to 10.
"The change of rules would have to be approved by the Union cabinet and we are preparing the papers for being put up there. Many foreign airlines that fly to India (like those of Bangladesh and Bhutan) do not have 20 aircraft in their fleet. Why should our carriers face such conditions then?" aviation minister Ajit Singh told TOI.Such a change would help airlines expected to be launched now after FDI rules have been relaxed and Wadia Group's GoAir that has sought exemption from the 20-aircraft rule to fly abroad. Airline industry officials question the five-year logic too. Many foreign carriers have had their launch flights to India.
25/03/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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AirAsia’s India launch may come with free seats to grab marketshare

AirAsia Bhd., the region’s biggest budget carrier, is considering offering some seats for free when it starts flying in India, a move that may frustrate rivals seeking to recoup $6.6 billion of losses.
The operator plans to give away vacant seats for nothing at airports, expanding similar promotional offers at home in Malaysia, a company official with direct knowledge of the matter said, asking not to be named citing rules. Passengers will have to pay taxes and other fees, the person said. AirAsia, which is awaiting a license after winning the Indian government’s approval this month to form a joint venture, is targeting to start operations by end-2013.
Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes, who has said ticket prices will be the “No. 1 differentiator” in India where 60 percent of the market is controlled by discount airlines, is counting on the South Asian country for growth. His strategy may threaten a recovery at Jet Airways (India) Ltd. and SpiceJet Ltd., which are raising fares to cover costs after cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. ended operations in October.
24/03/13 Karthikeyan Sundaram/Bloomberg/Skift.com

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Proactive minister turns the table

The recent decision by civil aviation minister Ajit Singh to abolish the Aircraft Acquisition Committee (AAC) of his ministry — in order to cut red-tapism — is being described by his well-wishers as another attempt to improve the working of the aviation sector in general and reduce procedural hassles.
The minister has been quite proactive during his term so far whether it be cracking down on alleged corruption in organisations under the purview of his ministry or improving the performance of national carrier Air India.
The recent decision is being described by his supporters as the latest in a long list of achievements as civil aviation minister.
Incidentally, Mr Singh’s earlier decision last year to reconstitute the AAC had attracted some criticism from various quarters but the minister appears to have turned the tables on his detractors by abolishing the AAC altogether.
24/03/13 Asian Age

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Air fares go into a tailspin, down 30% from last March

Mumbai: The domestic air traveller hasn't had it this good in over a year. Those who book for April or even the beginning of May can expect to bag fares almost 20% to 30% lower than those in March last year. April and May-beginning are usually lean travel months. Airfares for travel in April, even weekends, are already lower than the usual fares during lean months.
A search on Saturday through major online travel portals throws up a one-way fare of Rs 4,600 from Mumbai to Delhi on a weekend. The return on Monday morning is as cheap as Rs 4,300. A Mumbai-to-Delhi ticket, a few months ago, would cost at least Rs 6,000.
A Mumbai-to-Kolkata flight ticket for April could cost Rs 4,700. Another usually expensive destination, Chennai, comes for as low as Rs 4,100 for April.
23/03/13 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Boeing under pressure to provide cash refunds for grounded Dreamliners

Boeing Co. may have to provide cash to customers impacted by the 787 Dreamliner grounding, Reuters reports.
All Nippon Airways, which has had its fleet of Dreamliners grounded since January, is asking for cash refunds instead of discounts on future orders. A spokesman for Air India says that company will take the same position in favor of direct refunds.
All Nippon has 17 Dreamliners that have been out of service since battery problems forced the grounding of the fleet earlier this year. Air India has six of the aircraft and orders for 21 more.
23/03/13 Mike W. Thomas/San Antonio Business Journal

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When advertising takes wing

A Hyderabad-based start-up Atin OOH has made transit advertising its exclusive domain. Of advertising on and in aircraft, airports and point of display and anything that moves at airports – conveyor belts or luggage trolleys.
Its promoter Atin Gupta is a 35-year-old Hyderabadi, who is among the first to introduce advertising in and on airplanes. One of the recent ads was that of Nokia Lumia wherein an entire aircraft was wrapped in display material of the latest mobile phone.
The company has big plans but believes that small steps help achieve larger goals without stress.
“Even though some investors have evinced interest to be part of the company, we have consciously resisted the temptation. We do not need any funds. Once investors are there, we become accountable to them and are always under their pressure,” says Atin Gupta, Founder-promoter and Chairman of Atin OOH and Atin Promotions.
The company has grown steadily over the five years making money right from the first year of inception.
23/03/13 V Rishi Kumar/Business Line

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Geetika suicide: Supreme Court declines to entertain Kanda's bail plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday declined to entertain the bail plea of Haryana lawmaker Gopal Goyal Kanda currently in judicial custody for allegedly abetting the suicide by air hostess Geetika Sharma and subsequently by her mother Anuradha Sharma.
The apex court bench of Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad and Justice V Gopala Gowda while declining to entertain the bail plea by Kanda asked senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi to approach the sessions court for the relief.
"You can go to the trial court. You have to follow the procedure as followed by others," Justice Prasad told Rohtagi.
Unmoved by the persistent plea by Rohtagi to hear the plea, the court said let him (Kanda) to go the court seized of the trial and it would decide the bail plea on its merits.
22/03/13 IANS/ZeeNews

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Open skies, bottomless pits

Mumbai: Last September, when India’s government said it planned to let foreign airlines buy up to 49% of domestic carriers, the offer seemed as tempting as a stale chapati. India’s six largest airlines will post combined losses of $1.6 billion this fiscal year, predicts the Centre for Aviation, a Sydney-based consultancy, and have a combined debt of $13 billion. State-owned Air India, which accounts for most of those losses and debts, lives off government bail-outs while launching price wars that keep its rivals’ fares unsustainably low. Jet Airways, one of the largest private carriers, has not reported a full-year profit for five years. Kingfisher Airlines, a once-popular carrier founded by a booze tycoon, has been too broke to fly since October.
Yet AirAsia of Malaysia, one of the continent’s most successful airlines, announced last month that it was setting up an Indian carrier with the Tata group and another local investor. The Tata family has a soft spot for aviation: it started the country’s first airline in 1932, which was nationalised as Air India, and has since tried unsuccessfully to re-enter the business.
23/03/13 Economist

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Early discount schemes may push summer airfares of domestic airlines up by 40%

New Delhi: Holidaymakers who missed out on the recent spate of discounted domestic airfares may have to pay 30-40% more for tickets to popular summer destinations in the country.
Nearly 40% of domestic airline tickets available for the mid-March to June period were snapped up earlier this year as airlines offered discounted fares. Tour planners say that seat availability has been further crimped due to the grounding of Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines. "People who did not book in advance could face a fare hike of at least 30%. Airfares will spiral for holiday destinations anywhere from 30-40%," said Richa Goyal Sikri, director, group business development, STIC Travel Group. "We estimate that advance bookings have probably increased by 25%, if not more, this year."
Since January, SpiceJet and Jet Airways have given away three million air tickets for as less as Rs 2,000-3,000 in the latest move by the slowdown-hit industry to win back passengers lost to the railways.
22/03/13 Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times

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West Bengal signs MoU with Pawan Hans

Mumbai: The West Bengal government, earlier this week inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with state-run helicopter firm Pawan Hans Ltd., to avail services of sea-planes, helicopters and fixed-wing planes to boost its tourism and industrial potential, according to a report by IANS.
"From the beginning, we have tried to fix the services. We have the potential to be a top tourism, environmental and cultural destination," said Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, Government of West Bengal after the signing of the MoU.
22/03/13 TRavelBizMonitor

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New policy for sustainable growth of aviation space soon

Civil Aviation Ministry has prepared a white paper for preparation of a new policy for sustainable and orderly growth of the aviation sector, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. "To have a sustainable and orderly growth of the aviation sector, the ministry has felt the need to spell out a long term Civil Aviation Policy addressing various issues related to the sector," Minister of State for Civil Aviation K C Venugopal told the Upper House.
Accordingly, a consultation paper was prepared and placed on the ministry website inviting comments of stakeholders. Based on the comments received from the stakeholders, a white paper on new civil aviation policy has been prepared, he said.
22/03/13 moneycontrol.com

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'Copter service for remote areas soon'

Itanagar: The government has decided to extend helicopter services for people residing in remote and inaccessible areas to carry passengers and transport essential commodities.
"We will be extending helicopter services to remote far-flung districts and administrative headquarters such as Anini, Anjaw, Mechuka, Yingkiong and Tuting, which do not have good road communication ," chief minister Nabam Tuki informed the assembly on Thursday.
22/03/13 Times of India

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India Liberalizes Aircraft-Import Rules

India's existing airlines as well as private aircraft owners and flight training institutes no longer need federal government approval to import planes, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said Thursday.
The move will be a relief to airlines such as Jet Airways (India) Ltd., SpiceJet Ltd.  and InterGlobe Aviation Ltd.'s budget carrier IndiGo which until now needed to get their aircraft purchase plans cleared by a panel of bureaucrats from the aviation ministry and also by the minister himself. These companies will now need only get approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the sector regulator, a government statement said.
New airlines and aircraft importers will require federal no-objection certificates for flights and initial import approvals, it added.
21/03/13 Santanu Choudhury/Wall Street Journal

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Central Bank to cut lending to aviation sector

Kolkata/Bhubaneswar: Taking a grim view of the slippages on its credit to the aviation sector, Mumbai-based Central Bank of India has decided to curb lending to the sector.
“We have recorded the highest slippages in the aviation sector. Our exposure to the sector stood at Rs 3,000 crore. Our NPA (non-performing asset) in the sector stood at Rs 455 crore. We are curbing lending to the sector,” said Malay Mukherjee, executive director, Central Bank of India, who was on a two-day visit to Odisha.
He, however, refused to divulge the amount the bank’s exposure to the ailing Kingfisher Airlines.
The bank’s NPA climbed to 5.63 per cent as on December 2012, and it plans to bring it down to 3.5 per cent by March-end. The state-run bank, which has already clocked a business of Rs 3.77 lakh crore by December 2012, is eyeing business of around Rs  4 lakh crore in FY13 with a profit of around Rs 1,000 crore.
21/03/13 Business Standard

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Soon, photo must to buy air tickets

New Delhi: India’s aviation security establishment plans to set up a massive logistical exercise for domestic passenger profiling to create a database of passengers and enable their instant identification with photographs and other details.
If a passenger books a ticket on a travel portal or directly with an airline, he/she will soon be asked to upload or submit his/her photograph and other personal details.
This data will then be forwarded to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to be stored in the database. The ticket barcode will instantly display the passenger’s photo at airport entry points, sources said.
21/03/13 Asian Age

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International Air Transport Association raises its profit forecast

Mumbai:  International Air Transport Association, an international industry trade organisation of airlines, revised its profit forecast upwards as carriers expect better-than-estimated revenues on back of stronger demand, and improved business confidence.
Closer home, the global airline body said Indian environment will remain challenging due to high costs and a challenging regulatory environment.
Airlines are projected to post a net profit (post tax) of $10.6 billion as against the earlier projection of $8.4 billion with a revised profit margin of 1.6%, up from the earlier estimate of 1.3%, IATA said. The revised forecast was announced via global teleconference by Tony Tyler, IATA's director general and CEO.
21/03/13 Manisha Singhal/Economic Times

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Secretary Kerry: Secure Global Agreement to Reduce Aviation Pollution

Aviation is a major contributor to global warming with its pollution projected to grow significantly if left uncontrolled. With devastating droughts, floods, fires, and storms devastating communities around the world, we need all the global warming reductions we can get. The aviation sector shouldn’t be left off the hook to help address global warming. Next week Secretary Kerry has the chance to help advance an international agreement to cut aviation’s global warming pollution. It is time for his leadership on this issue.
Key countries will meet – on March 25-27 – in Montreal for a “High-Level Group” meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – the U.N. body established in 1944 to regulate international aviation. This High-Level Group—which includes representatives from the U.S., Europe, China, India, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico – are tasked with developing a global agreement to reduce aviation’s carbon pollution. Unfortunately the negotiations aren’t going well as the U.S. has been resisting proposals that put in place a global approach.
21/03/13 The Energy Collective

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Kannada lovers get foreign airlines to do a namaskara

There’s no politics in their actions, only genuine love for the Kannada language. A group of 300, comprising mostly techies, has done what many will consider impossible: Get some international airlines to have menus and announcements in Kannada. Even the national carrier, Air India, does not do that on its Bangalore-Hubli flight.
 The Kannada Grahakara Koota (Kannada consumers forum) has been striving to make manufacturers, service providers and sellers use Kannada in their day-to-day business.
 In the last five years, it has taken up over a 1,000 issues, including seeking the playing of Kannada songs in malls and flight announcements in Kannada in the state airports.
While foreign airlines, including Lufthansa, Dragon Air and British Airways, introduced menus and announcements in Kannada, state-owned Air India continues with English and Hindi announcements even on flights within the state. Same is the case with Indian Railways.
 “We wrote many letters to the Railways to have tickets and booking forms in Kannada, but they replied only after we sent them a letter through the chief minister. The reply said they do not have funds for forms in Kannada.”
21/03/13 S Shyam Prasad/Bangalore Mirror

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Air travel: As small-town Indian soars, men from metros go limp

On air travel small town Indians' have grounded their cosmopolitan cousins and SpiceJet shows way, shows Airports Authority of India. Even as people in big cities are refraining from travelling by air, travellers from smaller cities have shown preference for flying over other modes of travel. The air travel data between April and December of the current fiscal show that smaller airports in the country have registered an increase in the total number of domestic passengers while airports in larger cities are seeing a decline.
Data compiled by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) show that 17 large international airports have registered a decline during the period. Of the 17 airports, six are private airports that include Delhi and Mumbai and have registered the highest decline of 8.6 per cent followed by 11 other international airports that has seen a decline of 4.5 per cent.
Smaller airports’ increase in domestic passengers, however, did not help the overall numbers from falling.
20/03/13 Mihir Mishra/Financial Express

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Airlines from India to fly to Msia, says MAHB

Mumbai: Airlines from India, which have yet to make a foray into Malaysia are now keen to do so, says Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) marketing general manager Mohamed Sallauddin Mat Sah.
"We have had discussions with several Indian airlines that are keen to fly to Malaysia," he said.  
The airlines might start flying to Malaysia by year-end, said Mohamed Sallauddin but he, however, declined to give details.  
"We can't reveal their names as yet as usually we give the benefit of announcing the new routes to the airlines themselves," he told Bernama on the sidelines of Routes Asia 2013, an annual networking gathering for airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policy leaders and exhibitors.  
As for Indian Airlines which is currently operating in Malaysia, he said MAHB would try to see if there is an opportunity to increase capacity and expand its services.
19/03/13 New Strait Times

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Chopper services to be extended to far flung areas: Arunachal CM

Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to extend helicopter services to far-flung inaccessible areas of the state which are devoid of proper road communication, for transporting passengers as well as essential commodities, including life-saving drugs.
"We are going to extend very soon the helicopter services to the remote and far-flung district and administrative headquarters such as Anini, Anjaw, Mechuka, Yingkiong and Tuting which are not having good road communication or facing communication bottleneck," Chief Minister Nabam Tuki informed the assembly today.
While replying to a supplementary question from BJP member Tamiyo Taga, the chief minister also holds the Minister in-charge of Civil Aviation said the government's latest decision came nearly two months after re-introduction of the Pawan Hans (MI-172 type) helicopter services on the Naharlagun-Mohanbari route and the selection of another aircraft operator, Deccan Charters Pvt Ltd, which is all set to induct a MI-172 helicopter on the Guwahati-Tawang sector shortly.
20/03/13 ZeeNews

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Seat credit system mooted for regional air connectivity

The civil aviation ministry has mooted a carbon credit-like system which will allow airlines to trade seat capacity as a part of its plan to promote regional routes.
“It is an idea. We are discussing it with airlines. If we mandate an airline to fly to the Northeast and it is unable to operate, it would be able to trade seats under this policy. It will be akin to carbon credits,” Minister for Civil Aviation Ajit Singh said while speaking at the Routes Asia conference in Mumbai yesterday.
This carbon credit system is expected to generate greater financial viability for regional operators.
“Instead of scheduled carriers flying half empty A-320 and B-737 aircrafts to small airports to comply with their obligations under Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG), the same can be done by smaller aircrafts operated by regional air taxi operators.  The regional operators would operate on high seat factors and provide greater frequency of service to smaller locations,” explained Amber Dubey, Partner and Head-Aviation at global consultancy KPMG.
Each available seat-km (ASKM) operated by regional operators can be given one ‘credit’. The credits can then be auctioned off to a national carrier that is ready to pay the highest. This value of the seat credit would be market determined and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) can play an observer’s role.
19/03/13 Aneesh Phadnis & Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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India's aviation sector catches tail wind of recovery

Mumbai: Signs are pointing to a revival of India's aviation sector this year thanks to Air India's recovery, a flood of new seat entitlements and measures that will tackle the hot-button issue of high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) sales taxes.
Revealing this at Routes Asia, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said recent discussions with Maharashtra state representatives would see changes on the ATF front that will be announced tomorrow.
Maharashtra’s Mumbai airport is a key gateway to India, but has one of the highest ATF sales taxes in India, at about 25 per cent. One of the primary issues facing carriers in India is the inconsistent tax rates across the country.
 He also said that Mumbai had the potential to serve as a hub, but this would work only when tier two and tier three cities were connected and plans were in place to “incentivise” rather than “mandate” carriers to fly to smaller cities.
19/03/13 Renuka Vijay Kumar/TTG Asia

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Pawan Hans to start operations in WB

Kolkata: To give tourism a boost in the sky, the West Bengal government on Monday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here with Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL), a Government of India Enterprise.
Aimed at improving the pace of in-state air connectivity and to ensure a faster freight disposal at industrial destinations of the state, the MoU was signed between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and PHL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Anil Srivastav.
Besides the PHL officials, cabinet members Partho Chatterjee, Amit Mitra and Madan Mitra, Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee were also present on the occasion.
There will be three types of air services - fixed wing, chartard helicopter and sea-plane, available after completion. The choppers would also be used in case of disaster management.
19/03/13 India Blooms

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Indian airlines keen to fly to Malaysia

Mumbai: Airlines from India, which have yet to make a foray into Malaysia are now keen to do so, says Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) general manager for marketing Mohamed Sallauddin Mat Sah.
"We have had discussions with several Indian airlines that are keen to fly to Malaysia," he said.
The airlines might start flying to Malaysia by year-end, said Mohamed Sallauddin but he, however, declined to give details.
"We can't reveal their names as yet as usually we give the benefit of announcing the new routes to the airlines themselves," he told Bernama on the sidelines of Routes Asia 2013, an annual networking gathering for airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policy leaders and exhibitors.
19/03/13 Business Times

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Indian aviation must avoid "complacency" and "arrogance", warns IndiGo chief

India must slash aviation taxes and costs, reform its air traffic management and regulatory frameworks and build dedicated low-cost airport facilities, whilst avoiding “complacency” and arrogance” if it is to kick start growth of its fragile aviation sector, IndiGo's CEO has warned.
India’s airlines are barely scratching the surface of demand and is at least 15 years behind its neighbour China and must implement reforms to narrow the gap Aditya Ghosh, told delegates at the Routes Asia Strategy Summit in Mumbai this week.
 Slashing aviation taxes, building dedicated low-cost airports and terminals, make better use of bilateral rights to encourage hub operations and price deregulation would all boost growth, Ghosh said, while urging both the public and private sector to take the initiative.
 “In the last year, the overall capacity has gone down, increasing the demand–supply gap where demand continues to outstrip supply in the medium to long term. Once corrected, this would mean lower fares and growth in air passengers,” argued Ghosh.
19/03/13 Routes news

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Govt to seek more flying rights from Abu Dhabi: Ajit Singh

Mumbai: The civil aviation minsterAjit Singh said that the Indian government is in the process of negotiating for more flying rights with the Abu Dhabi government as they have been fully utilised by both sides.
It said it is looking at the request of Jet Airways for a code partnership as country's second-largest private carrier is in crucial negotiations with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways for a possible equity deal. Addressing the media at the 11th Routes Asia Summit, Singh said that Jet's deal with Etihad 'seems to be on track' as Jet sold and later leased back its Heathrow London slots to Etihad (for $70 million) in February but refused to say when and how soon this transaction would fructify.
The civil aviation minster also said that the report on airline safety by the UN body ICAO that reportedly clubbed India with some of the African countries makes no such conclusions. He also added that ICAO has communicated everything verbally and the report is likely to come out by March 20.
18/03/13 Economic Times

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Civil Aviation Ministry to improve facilities for cargo trade: Ajit Singh

Mangalore: The Civil Aviation Ministry has decided to improve the facilities for cargo trade development activities in the country, Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said on Monday.
Declaring this at the inauguration of international cargo complex at the airport, Mr Singh said the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has strategically decided to utilise the old passenger terminal buildings, where new terminal buildings have been commissioned, as cargo terminals with minor modifications.
Under this plan, 24 airports are envisaged to be undertaken as domestic cargo operations and requisite cargo terminal facility will be set up after feasibility study, thereby meeting socio-economic responsibility to develop the region, Mr Singh said.
19/03/13 PTI/NDTV

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Open sky: Controversy put to rest

Inadequate infrastructure and transportation has been India's biggest hurdles in the growth and development of its economy. The state monopoly, particularly in civil aviation and railways, had effectively trapped these sectors in a time warp. Civil aviation is an instance where the government-owned carriers, with high costs, non-availability of seats, recurrent delays and cancellations and the patronage of vested interests, made the experience of taking a flight a harrowing nightmare. However, in 1999, initiatives were taken by the government for the disinvestment of Indian Airlines and Air India, which was approved by the Cabinet, but this process was abandoned in midstream, when there was an in-principle consensus for 40 per cent divestment of which 26 per cent was to be held by a foreign airline/partner. Instead, there was this disastrous merger between the two entities and the unified Air India is yet to recover and is essentially operating on bailout packages and government largesse.
Private participation in airlines was permitted in the 1990s. The aviation sector was one of the early ones to open up. Unfortunately, the open-sky approach did not work out well. Of the initial players, only Jet has survived, with Sahara in its portfolio. New investors and operators made their entry, of whom a few, such as Paramount, have shut shop.
17/03/13 Business Standard

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Ajit admits delay in AI turnaround fund

Mangalore: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ajit Singh said on Monday that there has been slight delay in Air India receiving turnaround money for its revival. Once Air India receives the money, it would pay dues it owes to private airline operators, he said.
Briefing reporters on the sidelines of inauguration of air cargo complex and CUTE facility at Mangalore Airport he said Air India too has identified few properties on an internal turnaround plan after complaints on poor financial management, weak performance and customer dissatisfaction.
On delay in payment of salaries to Air India staff, he said, “We have sorted out the issue. Now, there has been no complaints on delay payment.” On promotion, he said the process is on.
18/03/13 Deccan Herald

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Civil aviation ministry favours more flights to Abu Dhabi

Mumbai: India will negotiate with Abu Dhabi for additional seat entitlements, a move which will enable Jet Airways and Etihad. Airways to add more services on the route.
 Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh, on Sunday, said seat entitlements on both sides were full and the ministry will negotiate for additional traffic rights. He said the ministry was also considering Jet Airways proposal to extend its code share agreement with Etihad.
 He said deal was course adding that nothing can be said until an agreement is signed. The two airlines are negotiating a stake sale deal under which Etihad will pick up 24 percent in Jet Airways.
17/03/13 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Kerala woos tourists with seaplanes

Chennai: Houseboats and catamarans not your style? Come April, tourists headed to Kerala can hop on to swanky sea-planes to visit little-known destinations along the idyllic backwaters. Six private companies have signed up to provide air connectivity using seaplanes from the three international airports at Cochin, Trivandrum and Calicut, to 20 different pockets of the State. Each plane will have a capacity of around 10 passengers, and can land in water and on land.
Discussing the `172 crore seaplane project at a cultural event held in Chennai to woo travel agents, a representative of Kerala’s tourism department said, “We have finished constructing ‘water domes’ or floating jetties at six different locations. The tourism department is only providing the infrastructure for the service; the civil aviation authorities are taking care of the logistics.”
The seaplanes will ferry passengers to destinations like Astamundi, Punnamada, Bolgatty, Bekal, Kumarakom and Munnar.
16/03/13 New Indian Express

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Hike in air fare leads to drop in passengers’ number

Indore: After registering consecutive double digit growth for last several years in domestic air traffic, there has been a decline in passenger growth from Indore in 2012. Phenomenal hike in air fair is being sighted as one of the main reasons behind the decrease in number of flyers from the city.
According to latest statistics released by Airport Authority of India (AAI) on air passenger traffic, domestic air passengers have registered a 3.8% decline in 2012. Only 7,93,992 people flew in 2012 as compared to 8,25,384 flyers in the previous year. Aircraft movement, however, increased by 1.95% during the same period.
Ironically, since 2006 number of domestic air passengers has registered phenomenal growth from Indore. In the year 2006 Indore had just 2,66,188 air flyers but with the starting of low cost airlines in the country and increase in connectivity from Indore, number of air flyers had gone up to 8,25,384 in 2011.
16/03/13 Bagish K Jha/Times of India

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AirAsia India optimistic on licence, hopes to get AOC by year-end

Kuala Lumpur: AirAsia, which got the green light last week to take up a 49% stake in a joint venture to set up AirAsia India, is optimistic about clinching the air operator's certificate (AOC) in India.
AirAsia co-founder and deputy group chief executive Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said this is because AirAsia had not received any negative response from Indian authorities since its investment proposal was cleared last week.
“It is too soon to tell but AirAsia got the preliminary approval at record speed'. Hopefully, we can get the AOC licence by the end of the year but it's not our call,” he said.
Thus far, Kamarudin said “we have not received any documentation querying us in return on this”, which he added was a sign that AirAsia's application should be smooth-sailing.
15/03/13 Liz Lee/The Star Online

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Aero Club under probe for plane import without DGCA nod

The civil aviation ministry has ordered a probe into the import of three trainer aircraft by the Aero Club of India (ACI), headed by Congress MP Capt. Satish Sharma, after it was found that the planes were not certified, the terms of reference were tweaked without the permission of regulator DGCA, and the machines were subsequently dumped.
However, even as the ministry investigates the tender process and has asked the club to produce documents related to payments made to the manufacturer of the CTLS aircraft, the DGCA has decided to amend rules to allow the registration and operation of the light sports aircraft.
ACI is the apex body of over 22 flying and gliding clubs and other aerosports organisations under the ministry, and is funded by the central government. It had placed orders for the three planes, each costing Rs 1 crore, in April 2011.
15/03/13 Ajmer Singh/Indian Express

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ICAO has raised objections but no safety audit report yet:DGCA

New Delhi: UN aviation watchdog ICAO had raised objections on licensing procedures for non-scheduled operators and airworthiness of some of the aircraft modified abroad but India is yet to receive the draft report of a December security audit from it, the DGCA chief said today.
"ICAO has not made the draft report available to us of the audit carried out by them in December last year, so there is no question of misleading the Parliament on the issue," Arun Mishra, Director General of Indian aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar.
He was replying to a question on reports raising doubts about Aviation Ministry's stand in Parliament that it had not received the safety audit draft report by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), of which India is also a member.
15/03/13 PTI/Economic Times

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MRP on air fares would be anti-competition: CCI

New Delhi: Terming supply and demand trends as key triggers for movement in air fares, fair trade watchdog CCI has ruled that the government or the aviation regulator can not be asked to cap the flight ticket prices as that would against the spirit of competition in the sector.
"Today, the forces of demand and supply govern the air fares. Whenever supply is more and demand is less, air fares fall and in lean season the airlines do decrease air fares," the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said in an order released on Thursday.
The order was passed following a complaint against the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, wherein they were accused of not having evolved a pricing policy of air tickets like Railways and State Transport Corporations so as to fix MRP of airfares to be charged from passengers by various airlines. Disposing off the complaint, CCI said the complaint does not raise any competition issues and "it is only when demand is more and supply is less that the airlines venture to increase the air fares."
14/03/13 PTI/Financial Express

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MRP on air fares would be anti-competition: CCI

New Delhi: Terming supply and demand trends as key triggers for movement in air fares, fair trade watchdog CCI has ruled that the government or the aviation regulator can not be asked to cap the flight ticket prices as that would against the spirit of competition in the sector.
"Today, the forces of demand and supply govern the air fares. Whenever supply is more and demand is less, air fares fall and in lean season the airlines do decrease air fares," the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said in an order released today.
The order was passed following a complaint against the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, wherein they were accused of not having evolved a pricing policy of air tickets like Railways and State Transport Corporations so as to fix MRP of airfares to be charged from passengers by various airlines.
14/03/13 PTI/Economic Times

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India: Aviation prepares for lift off

A ruling by India’s government last September to end more than a decade of protectionism in the aviation industry is expected to bring new investment to the sector and offer a lifeline to some of its carriers.
While India has played a significant part in the global aviation industry’s growth story, the country’s carriers found themselves struggling in recent years, following the introduction of a government policy in April 2000 barring international airlines from investing in the sector.
The policy remained in place for 12 years, upheld by successive governments, during which time the air transport sector attracted less than $500m in foreign direct investment (FDI), according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). However, with protectionism now lifted, India will be hoping to attract significant support for aviation infrastructure, which is in need of a major overhaul, and cash-strapped domestic airlines.
14/03/13 Oxford Business Group

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Private airlines owe Rs 526 crore to AAI

New Delhi: Private airlines, including those who have closed down, have a due of Rs 526 crore towards the state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) till December last year.
"The total traffic and non-traffic dues of private airlines as on December 31, 2012 amounts to Rs 526.75 crores to the AAI," K C Venugopal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation informed Lok Sabha today.
Of these, Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines has a due of Rs 295.50 crore, Jet Airways has Rs 82.17 crore while its subsidiary JetLite has Rs 27.62 crores.
Kalanithi Maran-owned SpiceJet owes Rs 58.77 crore, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd ( IndiGo) owes Rs 9.26 crore and GoAir has a due of Rs 8.55 crore to the AAI, he said.
Among the airlines, which have shut down, East West Airways owes Rs 14.15 crore, Paramount Rs 4.80 crore, Mesco Airlines Rs 2.49 crore, Skyline NEPC Damania Airlines Rs 1.35 crore, NEPC Airlines Rs 3.04 crore while others owe Rs 19.05 crore to the AAI.
13/03/13 PTI/Economic Times

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India maintains A380 ban

The Indian Government persists with its ban, disallowing Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft to serve in India.
Overseas carriers flying aircraft bigger than the Boeing 747 are not permitted to service the country.
India’s concerns that travellers will desert local carriers in favour of larger aircraft operators, such as Emirates’ A380 fleet, remain prevalent since the ban was enforced in May 2008, Air Transport World reported.
14/04/13 eTravel Blackboard

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15 firms approaches govt to start regional airlines services

New Delhi: The Centre today said it has received application from 15 private companies for starting regional airlines services but none from any of the state governments in the last three years.
Since 2010, the Civil Aviation Ministry has granted permission to nine companies to begin their services.
"No application from any state government to start a new airlines has been received in the ministry during the said period (since 2010 till date)," K C Venugopal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, told Lok Sabha in reply to a written query.
In 2010, five applications were received and permission granted to three of the companies; in 2011, four companies had applied and three were given nod to operate.
13/03/13 PTI/Economic Times

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Government Ensuring Low-Cost Air Connectivity in Regional and Remote Areas

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation Shri K.C Venugopal informed Lok Sabha today that operations in domestic sector have been deregulated and flights are being operated by concerned airlines on the basis of commercial viability subject to adherence to Route Dispersal Guidelines laid down by Government in 1994 with a view to ensure better connectivity to remote regions of the country. According to these guidelines, all scheduled operators are required to deploy in the North Eastern region, Jammu & Kashmir, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep (Category-II routes) at least 10 percent of their deployed capacity on trunk routes (Category-I routes). Further, at least 10 percent of the capacity thus required to be deployed on Category-II routes, is required to be deployed for connectivity exclusively within these regions (Category -II A). All scheduled operators are required to deploy at least 50 per cent of their deployed capacity on trunk routes (Category-I routes) onto Category III routes.
To enhance regional connectivity in the country, Government has already introduced a separate category of Scheduled Air Transport (Regional) Services in 2007.The Scheduled Regional Operators are bound to pirate mainly in the region for which they have been granted permission, however, in operational exigencies, they can connect cities except metro cities of other regions also.
Further, to enhance regional connectivity in the country, Government has already introduced a separate category of Scheduled Air Transport (Regional) Services in 2007.The Scheduled Regional Operator are bound to operate mainly in the region for which they have been granted permission, however, in operational exigencies, they can connect cities except metro cities of other regions also.
13/03/13 Press Information Bureau

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Things that may halt AirAsia's takeoff in India

New Delhi: Even though the proposed AirAsia-Tata joint venture (JV) got Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval last week only, it will be interesting to see how this proposal sails through in the civil aviation ministry as there have been some points of contention over this issue already.
Under the JV, AirAsia will have 49% stake, Tata Sons 30% and Delhi based real estate player Arun Bhatia 21%. However, operation control over the airline will be with AirAsia and Tatas have made it clear that they will only be investors. The next big challenge will be to get a no objection certificate from the ministry and an air operator's permit from the DGCA which could take up to six months.
Firstly, FIPB approved of this proposed Joint venture even as the civil aviation ministry raised some issues over  this if the new guidelines applied only on foreign carriers investing in existing domestic ones or even those setting up joint ventures for greenfield operations.
DIPP's press note 6 on the issue had read: "Foreign airlines are allowed to invest in the capital of Indian companies, operating scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services, up to the limit of 49% of their paid-up capital.
13/03/13 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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Will AirAsia Be a Game Changer for Indian Aviation?

When India opened its ailing aviation sector to foreign airlines last September, not many thought the sector, which is reeling under heavy losses, would attract foreign investment.
A few months down the line and AirAsia, a successful budget carrier based in Malaysia, has tied up with Indian conglomerate the Tata Group and another Indian investor to set up a new airline called AirAsia India. This has ignited hope in an industry, which despite seeing a huge growth in passenger numbers is suffering due to over-regulation and intense price competition.
"Having a foreign carrier such as AirAsia come in, is a good sign," Binit Somaia, South Asia director at the Centre for Aviation (CAPA) said. "They have experience, expertise, good management - all of that - if they bring it into the country, it helps lift the entire industry."
12/03/13 Rajeshni Naidu-Ghelani/CNBC

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Ministries to sort out differences to pave way for AirAsia India: Montek Singh Ahluwalia

Mumbai: Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Government of India has said that inter-ministerial differences would be sorted out paving the way for Tata Sons to set up an airline company, AirAsia (India) Private Ltd,  in collaboration with Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Berhad. "I don't know what the detailed differences are. I am sure they will be sorted out. If Tatas and an international airline want to set up an Indian airline as long as the international fellows (hold up to) 49 per cent, they should be allowed to do so," Ahluwalia told reporters yesterday in New Delhi. “In my view, if Tatas want to set up a company to run an airline within that 49 per cent limit, the intention of policy as far as I know, is quite clearly that they should be allowed to do it," he added. Last week, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) cleared the Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia's bid to launch an airline in India by joining hands with Tata Sons. But, the Ministry of Civil Aviation sought further clarity on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy in aviation, particularly on whether a foreign airline could invest in a new venture after the approval.
12/03/13 TravelBizMonitor

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Airlines term mishaps minor but are you safe?

New Delhi: Flying is, perhaps, the shortest and the best way to reach your destination on time. But while flying, do you always feel safe or fear grips you thinking anything could happen up there in the air or while landing? After all, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the United Nations’ aviation watchdog, in a compiled report in December 2012, had ranked India amongst the 13 worst-performing countries in terms of aviation safety parameters.
Moreover, as per a report in a leading English daily, aviation safety experts have alleged that Indian carriers tend to underplay major incidents as minor with the ‘help’ of the aviation regulator and continue with their duty putting the safety of passengers at risk.
The experts also alleged that the tradition of airline officials joining the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was causing conflict of interest and harming the airlines and their safety in the process.
13/03/13 ZeeNews

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Probe picks holes in DGCA's zero accident figure

The Indian civil aviation watchdog -- Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA ) -- is often accused of classifying serious accidents just as incidents in a bid to artificially improve the country's safety record. A Headlines Today investigation unravelled the DGCA 's false claims on safety issues.
Headlines Today probed the truth behind the DGCA's zero accident figure. Aviation insiders claimed that the watchdog repeatedly classified accidents in which substantial damage occurred to the aircraft as mere incidents. They said that this use of semantics helps the DGCA improve its records on paper. But it also means that serious accidents are swept under the carpet and are not investigated properly.
Despite the DGCA's year-on-year claims of no accidents, the country sees several reports of planes colliding or going off the runway. Moreover, the Mangalore airport which saw a major air crash that claimed 158 lives in 2010 continues to fail safety audits. Headlines Today found three sets of reports that contradicted DGCA claims. In 2003, DGCA tabulation claimed that there were no accidents in the year even as a plane was reported to have suffered substantial damage in Mumbai on November 25.
13/03/13 India Today

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India Registers Case in Finmeccanica Probe

New Delhi:  India's top investigation agency on Wednesday registered a case of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating against former Indian Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi and several others as part of its probe into allegations that Italy's Finmeccanica  paid bribes to Indian officials to help the group's helicopter division get a 560-million-euro contract in 2010.
India's Central Bureau of Investigation said it has registered similar charges naming Finmeccanica and its former chief executive, Giuseppe Orsi; Finmeccanica's U.K.-based AgustaWestland unit and its chief executive, Bruno Spagnolini; two Indian companies as well as three middlemen and five other individuals who are being probed in the case.
This follows CBI's move to launch an initial inquiry on Feb. 25 into the allegations following the Feb. 12 arrest in Italy of Mr. Orsi, Finmeccanica's then-chief executive, for bribery, and a subsequent request for a probe by the Indian government.
13/03/13 R Jai Krishna/Wall Street Journal

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AirAsia-Tata Sons JV positive for aviation industry: Experts

New Delhi: Experts say Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia's entry into India with a new partnership with Tata Sons will help the domestic aviation industry grow and get better deals to passengers.
The joint venture would represent the first foreign company trying to capture the rising demand in India's aviation sector.
"It is a very positive move for the industry and the passengers. As more players would help in development of the industry which is at a very nascent stage," Ankur Bhatia, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) national committee on civil aviation, and executive director, Bird Group, told IANS.
AirAsia last week received regulatory approvals from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to invest in the venture and hold up to 49 per cent stake.
The company plans to start an airline from Chennai which will focus on providing connectivity to smaller cities by the end of 2013.
12/03/13 Business Today

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Ministries to fix AirAsia issue: Montek Singh Ahluwalia

New Delhi: Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said interministerial differences would be sorted out paving the way for Tatas to set up airline company in collaboration with Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia.
"I don't know what the detailed differences are. I am sure they will be sorted out. If Tatas and an international airline want to set up an Indian airlines as long as the international fellows (hold up to) 49%, they should be allowed to do so," Ahluwalia told reporters here.
"In my view, if Tatas want to set up a company to run an airline within that 49%limit, the intention of policy as far as I know, is quite clearly that they should be allowed to do it," he added.
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on March 6 cleared the Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia's bid to launch an airline in India by joining hands with Tata Sons.
12/03/13 Economic Times

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AirAsia fast-tracks filing process for Indian venture

New Delhi: Gearing up to launch services in India in partnership with the Tatas, Malaysia-based low-cost airline AirAsia has got the Ministry of Corporate Affairs approval for the name of its Indian venture, which will be called AirAsia (India) Private Ltd.
The name of the new company has been registered in Maharashtra, a senior official said.
The company is now in the process of incorporating itself in India and completing other formalities of submitting the required documents and certificates with the Ministry, he said. The filing process for the new venture is being completed on a fast-track basis, he added.
Before incorporating itself in India, a company needs to get its name approved by the MCA, after which it is required to file an application for incorporation.
Thereafter, the company needs to file a notice of situation of registered office, followed by filings related to particulars of appointment of managing director, directors, manager and secretary.
10/03/13 Business Line

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AirAsia entry unlikely to change fare situation

Get set to loosen your wallet if you wish to fly anytime soon on key metro routes!
While the clearance to the induction of the low cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia to fly within India has fueled hopes of sustained discounted fares, the results of the recent fare cuts by some airlines have not been too encouraging.
January air traffic this year fell by five per cent in face of some bold cuts announced by airline companies facing sustained demand slump. Domestic passenger traffic has declined by around 5 per cent in 2012 when compared to 2011. The decline began May 2012.
SpiceJet and Jet Airways announced early this year select ticket auctions raising hopes that the worst was perhaps over. Go ahead to AirAsia’s proposal lend credence to the hope that discounted fares were here to stay forever. The LCC announcement preceded Dubai based Ethiad’s decision to partner Jet Airways in India.
12/03/13 Rohit Joshi and Siddharth Tak/Zee Research Group/ZeeNews

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Airlines cannot refuse data on air fares, says Ajit Singh

Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh is firm on the issue of transparency in air fares and has stated that airlines cannot refuse to divulge information on how many tickets are sold in each fare slab.
Singh's reaction comes in the wake of media report which said airlines turned down suggestion to reveal number of seats sold in each fare slab or share other details related to pricing. Chief executive officers of domestic airlines met Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Mishra last Friday and told him it was not possible to reveal data on number of seats sold in each fare slab or fare bucket as it would lead to unhealthy competition and price fixing and also objected to reducing the total number of fare slabs.
The DGCA's intervention comes in the backdrop of a supreme court order which banned airlines from collecting transaction fee. In its order in January the court also asked the DGCA to take a fresh look at airline tariff structure.
The civil aviation ministry  has been attempting to bring in transparency in air fares and plans to set up a fare monitoring unit for the purpose. "We will discuss the issue with airlines. We will also study international practices,'' Singh told Business Standard on Tuesday. He added that the ministry will work out system to collect the information from airlines.
12/03/13 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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5 aircraft firms show interest to operate seaplanes in Kerala

Bangalore:  Five aircraft companies have evinced interest to operate seaplanes from airports in Kerala to prime destinations within the state, Kerala Tourism Department said today.
The Kerala Department of Tourism said 20 destinations have been identified for the 'Seaplane Project', and five of them -- Astamudi, Punnamada, Kumarakom, Bolgatty and Bekal -- would be taken up initially.
The project is aimed at improving last mile connectivity by air to such destinations, from the airports of Thiruvanathapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.
"Five aircraft companies have shown willingness to fly. We (Kerala government) are mainly doing infrastructure. We are constructing water domes there", Anil V S of Kerala Tourism Department said on the sidelines of a Kerala Tourism road-show here.
12/03/13 PTI/Economic Times

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Delhi gangrape victim’s brother promised seat in Rae Bareli institute for pilot training

New Delhi: The brother of the 23-year-old gangrape victim, who succumbed to injuries in December last year, has been promised a seat in Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) in Rae Bareli. The offer came after the government expressed its inability to fulfil his first demand for admission to National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, on the ground that admission rules for the country's premier defence training institute do not allow for a student to be taken in on compassionate grounds.
"I had asked for admission to NDA, but was told that the NDA admission procedure is sacrosanct and there is no room for any adjustments. He asked me what my second choice is and I said I want to be a pilot, at which the official said a seat in IGRUA is possible but I would have to sit for an examination," said the 18-year-old who skipped his Class XII Board examinations because of the turmoil the family has been through in the past three months. The youth is also preparing for his engineering entrance examinations.
12/03/13 Abantika Ghosh/Indian Express

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AirAsia gets govt. approval for name of Indian JV

New Delhi: Gearing up to launch services in India in partnership with Tatas, Malaysia-based low-cost airline AirAsia has got the Ministry of Corporate Affairs approval for the name of its Indian venture that is to be called AirAsia (India) Private Ltd.
The name of the new company has been registered in the state of Maharashtra and the approval was granted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) earlier this month, a senior official said.
The company is now in the process of incorporating itself in India and completing other formalities of submitting the required documents and certificates with the Ministry, he said. The filing process for the new venture is being completed on a fast-track basis, he added.
Before incorporating itself in India, a company needs to get its name approved by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, after which it is required to file an application for incorporation.
10/03/13 PTI/ZeeNews

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Ajit not against AirAsia getting national permit

New Delhi: Differences seem to have emerged within the civil aviation ministry on how to deal with the proposed AirAsia-Tata joint venture (JV).
On the one hand, minister Ajit Singh says his ministry is open to giving the proposed airline firm a national air operator's permit to fly across the country; on the other, senior ministry officials say they would prefer the company be given a regional permit before being allowed to fly national later.
Singh told Business Standard: "The AirAsia-Tata alliance has not yet applied, but we have no problem in giving it all-India permit. As for demand-supply mismatch on trunk routes and growth in traffic, why should we worry? The airlines should be worried. The market forces will take care of that. Competition always benefits consumers."
A senior ministry official, however, said: "We have concerns over the firm being issued a national permit in the beginning. The ministry is about to bring new route dispersal guidelines for regional connectivity. If all start deploying planes on metro routes, there would be a demand-capacity mismatch."
11/03/13 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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Greater Noida all set for helipad

Noida:  After the international airport in Jewar proposed by the erstwhile Mayawati government was scrapped, the state government had been mulling on providing air connectivity of some sort to the region. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has now decided to launch the ambitious heliport project in which the first one will be constructed in Greater Noida. This land has been chosen from three proposed sites in Noida and Greater Noida.
Speaking to TOI, the CEO of Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities, Rama Raman, said that the blueprint for the helipad is ready and 22 acres have been earmarked for it. "There is a need of world class heliports to come up at strategically suitable locations. The authority was exploring three sites, two in Sectors 143 and 144 of Noida and one in Knowledge Park-II in Greater Noida. Finally, the site in Knowledge Park-II was given the go-ahead for the project," Raman said.
11/03/13 Purusharth Aradhak/Times of India

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Southeast Asian Aviation Industry Poised for Success

Kuala Lumpur:  The recent continued reform of various agreements is expected  to drive the development of 'Open Skies' policies in various regions of Southeast Asia, which in turn will increase air travel and boost growth of the aviation industry in the region.  Increased flexibility, route coverage and profitability as a result of these open skies policies is expected to contribute to these developments.
According to Neil Dave , Consulting Analyst, Aerospace & Defense, Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific, "The ASEAN aviation market will develop significantly in the next few years with considerable increases in infrastructure investment and planned policies in the making which will encourage this growth momentum."
"Consumers will look to benefit from increased choice of destinations, routes and greater affordability with rising standards of living and cost-savings passed down from airlines due to improved efficiency and maximization of profits," added Dave.
According to Frost & Sullivan, the demand for a well-knit air travel infrastructure system and the increasing demand for low-cost travel are the main drivers for the implementation of open skies policies in the ASEAN region.
"Many ASEAN countries currently lack comprehensive and well developed ground transport infrastructure and countries in these regions are divided by vast seas, therefore there is a demand for a well-knit, flexible air-transport system," said Dave.
11/03/13 PR News wire

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Overseas flying rules under fire

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry may have another policy battle on its hands soon. Sections of the government want the ministry to change the rule that makes it mandatory for a domestic airline to have at least 5 years of experience before flying abroad.
Several ministries, including finance and corporate affairs, and the Planning Commission feel the policy has no logic as India allows the entry of foreign start-up airlines.
Among the start-ups allowed to fly into the country are Air Arabia, Tiger Airways and AirAsia.
India also does not insist on the foreign newbies the other norm that is a must for domestic carriers flying abroad — a fleet strength of 20.
Last year, the ministry of corporate affairs commissioned a study — Competitive Framework of Civil Aviation Sector in India — which recommended the removal of this discrimination.
The battle for policy change assumes significance against the backdrop of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board’s permission to AirAsia-Tata to start an airline.
11/03/13 Jayanta Roy Chowdhury/Telegraph

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