Civil aviation ministry fails to take flight

Uncertainty looms large over the expected key civil aviation policies and decisions of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

The sector is waiting for the government to take decisive steps on aviation policy, new flying abroad rules and route dispersal guidelines.

The draft rule for airlines to fly abroad, scrapping the incumbent 5/20 rule, was unanimously opposed by sector players. At present, airlines need five years of flying experience, along with at least 20 aircraft, to fly to international destinations. The government decided to replace it with a credit-based system, linked with route dispersal guidelines. After sending the proposal for inter-ministerial consultation, the government reportedly formed a committee to look into the ministry's proposals.
26/05/15 Somesh Jha/Business Standard

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India Air Traffic Management. Unique CAPA report: the ATM system and AAI's plans for integration

The most comprehensive (170 page) report ever produced on India's ATM system reviews the structure, governance and operation of Air Navigation Services in India. The global vision and plans set down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for the global Air Traffic Management system are also described and considered in their context for India’s air navigation services provider (ANSP), the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

India is the ninth largest aviation market in the world by annual seat capacity and CAPA projects it will be the third largest aviation market in the world by 2025. Today, approximately 80 Indian airports handle scheduled services, operated by nine domestic airlines, with a combined fleet of some 400 aircraft.
26/05/15 Unique CAPA Report

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Civil Aviation Ministry not to regulate airfares after analysis, okays price structure

NEW DELHI: The civil aviation ministry has dropped its plan to regulate airfares. The decision, which spells a relief for airlines, came after the ministry's analysis of lowest and highest fares showed fares have come down or only marginally increased in the past few years.
The ministry has decided against regulating fares even as members of Parliament and a parliamentary panel urged it to put in place a mechanism. Its analysis since January-March 2014 on six key routes showed fares have lowered or marginally increased.
25/05/15 Mihir Mishra/The Economic Times

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Predatory pricing a 'big issue', says aviation minister, favours airfare cap

Making a case for the capping of economy class airfares, which skyrocket during peak travel seasons and hit rock bottom in lean periods, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma has said that "predatory pricing" by the airlines is a "big issue" for passengers.

"Predatory pricing by the airlines is a big issue. A large section of the public and even parliamentarians have raised the issue that the airlines charge Rs 30,000-40,000 for a ticket when a passengers has to travel in some emergency," Sharma said.
24/05/15 PTI/dna

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Flyers' body opposes DGCA move on unbundling services

NEW DELHI: The Air Passengers' Association of India (APAI) has lambasted the directorate general of civil aviation's (DGCA) move to allow airlines to unbundle services, which means carriers can now put a separate price tag on services like selecting all seats in an aircraft.

The DGCA had three years back ruled that airlines can only charge pre-selection fees for 25% of seats. The idea was to ensure that families or groups travelling together do not per force have to pay additional seat selection charges to be seated together. But airlines petitioned the DGCA recently and the regulator immediately over-turned the earlier decision.
23/05/15 Saurabh Sinha/The Times Of India

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Rise in aircraft acquisition to boost MRO sector: Industry body

The exponential rise in aircraft acquisition by domestic passenger carriers has the potential to boost the local maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry in India, the association for the sector has said.

The industry's potential was revealed by Pulak Sen, secretary general of the MRO Association of India, who was speaking on Friday at the curtain raiser event for the first edition of international networking conference and exhibition-- IndiaMRO.

According to Sen, the sector has a promising future as 1,200 new aircraft would be acquired by domestic airlines by 2020 and aviation equipment worth $20 billion will be bought by the Indian armed forces in the next five to seven years.
23/05/15 IANS/Business Standard

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New rules for home carriers to fly global on the cards: Mahesh Sharma

The government may soon notify new norms for domestic airlines to commence international operations with the much-debated 5/20 rule been sent for Cabinet review, minister of state for civil aviation Mahesh Sharma said at Express Group’s Idea Exchange. Sharma said, “The positives and negatives of the 5/20 rule (which requires a domestic airline to have a fleet of 20 aircraft and operational experience of five years to start international operations) has been sent to the cabinet and will be up for review soon.”
22/05/15 E N S Economic Bureau/The Indian Express

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Carriers will need region-specific approvals to fly overseas: DGCA

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will withdraw permissions given to all air operators’ permit (AOP) holders to fly worldwide from July 1, 2015. All scheduled airlines and charter operators, henceforth, will have to submit requisite proposals and demonstrate operational capability to fly to different geographic regions across the world barring which their operations will be restricted to within India.
Experts have said the new norm will particularly hit hard non-scheduled operators (engaged in charter operations) as they have non-planned operations and it would be difficult for them to know before-hand what regions they need to have permits for. Besides, both scheduled airlines and non-scheduled operators may lose flexibility and find it difficult to schedule flight crew, given that they may require specific training to fly to different geographic areas.
22/05/15 Sharmistha Mukherjee/The New Indian Express

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Govt rapped on spraying of pesticides in aircraft

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up the government and private airlines for not filing satisfactory reply to the plea of a US-based neurologist against spraying of pesticides in aircraft with passengers on board.
A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar granted last opportunity to the Centre and other parties concerned to file their replies in the matter. Despite repeated requests, none of the respondents have provided satisfactory answer to the queries raised by the applicant as well as noticed in the order of the NGT.
22/05/15 Mail Today Bureau/Business Today

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Top US airlines are exiting India and the reason can seriously dent the Indian aviation market

Even though New Delhi and Washington share strong bilateral and trade relationship, especially in IT and agriculture sector, the US is not happy with the aviation trade between the two nations.

As per a top airlines executive, Government subsidies have forced major US airlines out of the Indian market.
19/05/15 BI Indian Bureau/Business Insider

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Aviation ministry to send back all junior staff on deputation from various PSUs to save sensitive data

NEW DELHI: The civil aviation ministry has for the first time decided to send back all executives below the rank of assistant manager who are on deputation to the ministry from various public sector undertakings, an attempt to further tighten loopholes that could lead to leakage of sensitive information.
"The decision to send back the subordinate staff on deputation was taken on Thursday at a meeting of senior officers to make security at the ministry foolproof," said a senior official. The staff on deputation at the offices of both Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati and the minister of state Mahesh Sharma will also be asked to return to the PSUs, added the official, who did not wish to be identified. Airports Authority of India, Pawan Hans Helicopters and Air India,the three PSUs under the civil aviation ministry, have staff on deputation to the ministry. "There are a large number of such employees working in the ministry and a list will be prepared in some time," said the official.
16/05/15 Mihir Mishra/The Economic Times

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DGCA examining high cancellation charges of airlines, may step in

NEW DELHI: Livid at most private Indian carriers sharply hiking ticket cancellation charges, flyers and passenger organizations have approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to stop this 'fleecing'.

DGCA chief M Sathiyavathy is now studying the complaints and may come to the rescue of passengers by asking carriers to review the same. "We have got several complaints on the issue of cancellation charge being hiked by airlines. We are examining them," said a senior DGCA official.
15/05/15 Saurabh Sinha/The Times Of India

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MPs oppose cancellation charge hike by airlines

NEW DEHI: Upset at the hike in cancellation charges by some Indian carriers, 20 MPs on Wednesday demanded that aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju rein in the airlines and get the hike rolled back. Led by BJP's Kirit Somaiya, the MPs gave a list of troubles that air travelers in India face — high fares in peak seasons, delayed and cancelled flights and "arbitrary and very high" cancellation charges.

"These companies control two-third of (domestic) air traffic. As there is no proper forum or redressal system, they go for cartelization and exploit travelers," Somaiya said.
14/05/15 Times Of India

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Indian Aviation: Flights of Fancy

The Indian civil aviation industry continues to lurch from one controversy to another, without much respite. The main reason is that India believes in governance by discretion. Every rule, and policy, remains on paper and is conveniently waived to suit specific political interests.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dr Subramanian Swamy has exposed this, once again, in the case of the SpiceJet deal in his explosive letter to prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi, on 6th May. He wants the PM’s office to set up a special investigation team and direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) to probe the various illegalities that he alleges. Owned by the powerful Maran brothers, SpiceJet was bailed out by its former promoter Ajay Singh who is known to be close to the BJP government. Dr Swamy alleges that Kalanithi Maran, the former owner of SpiceJet (and an accused in the Aircel-Maxis 2G scam being investigated by the CBI), “entered into an unholy agreement to transfer his shares at a secret price.”
11/05/15 Sucheta Dalal/money life

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Indian air traffic jumped 18% in March

According to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the country’s passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger kilometres, or RPK), jumped 17.9% year-on-year during the month.

This came despite the fact that India’s airline only added 5.2% more available seats, driving average aircraft load factors to a healthy 80.3%.
11/05/15 Mark Elliott/Travel Media daily/airlines

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Govt nod may clear skies for civil use of drones

In what would make civil use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) a reality in India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has forwarded for approval draft norms to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), based on regulations unveiled in Australia and the United States. It, however, remains to be seen whether India approves commercial operation of drones for deliveries by e-tailers as both United States and Australia currently require UAVs to be launched within line-of-sight of operators.
A senior official in the DGCA said, “We have readied a draft policy for operation of drones. It specifies the norms; the precautions and the clearances that an operator is required to take to launch UAVs. The ministry will now consult with MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs), DoT (Department of Telecommunications) and MoD (Ministry of Defence). The final policy would be notified shortly.”
10/05/15 Sharmistha Mukherjee/The Financial Express

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Airlines see passenger traffic rise by 17.9% in March: IATA

NEW DELHI: The International Air transport Association (IATA) credits the growth in passenger traffic in India during the month of March to market stimulation by local carriers and a strengthening economy.

"India's airlines saw traffic jump 17.9 per cent in March, likely reflecting market stimulation by local carriers and a strengthening economy," it said in a relelase.
06/05/15 Mihir Mishra/The Economic Times

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