Average airfares fall 18% last year, says Civil Aviation Min

Average airfares dropped 18 percent in 2016 and additional capacities can further bring down the fares, Union Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today said as he disfavoured the idea of capping ticket prices.

Scheduled airlines carried more than 10 crore domestic passengers in the year ended March 2017, an increase of around 19 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

Briefing reporters about the achievements of the ministry during the three years of the NDA regime, he said the aviation ecosystem has been reshaped for affordable and convenient flying.

The civil aviation minister said average fares in the country have come down by 18 percent in 2016. "Average airfare fell by 18 percent in 2016 over average airfare in 2015, making air travel affordable for everyone with unprecedented capacity enhancement in aviation system," as per a document released by the ministry at the press briefing.
30/05/17 PTI/Moneycontrol

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Why India needs EU style rules to keep airlines in check

Given how the rule book had little that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) could use to punish erring airlines and airline officials for minor infractions—though the regulator has the power to suspend or terminate licences, this is unwarranted in cases of minor compliance violations—it is good that the regulator may now be able to impose fines. This is likely to make airlines fall in line without jeopardising their businesses.
While most nations impose monetary penalties on airlines for violation of norms, India is one of the few that is yet to have such provisions. While it is not clear how the country plans to do this, a good example to follow would be the European Union—not just for penalising violations, but also for compensating passengers, which has been another pain point for the industry.
In EU, the norms clearly stipulate fines for local carriers plus compensation to customers in case of delays. For instance, an airline is liable to pay compensation of 250 euros for cancellation of short-haul flights, 440 euros for medium-haul flights and 600 euros for long-haul ones. Moreover, passengers who reach their destination more than three hours late must each be given an amount between 200 and 600 euros as compensation, depending on the length of the flight and the delay. While India had also laid down rules for delays last year, these only apply in the case of delays of more than nine hours.
31/05/17 Financial Express

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Aviation: Karnataka on top among southern states

New Delhi: Karnataka airports had the highest number of fliers among South Indian states while it ranked third nationally in 2016-17.

According to the statistics provided by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Karnataka also topped the number of aircraft movement among five South Indian states and two Union Territories.

There were 247.4 lakh passengers who took flights from Karnataka in 2016-17, clocking a growth of 21.2% compared to 2014-15, according to a report by Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Only Delhi and Maharashtra is ahead of Karnataka when it comes to a number of passengers -- 577 lakh and 543.2 lakh respectively. The growth rate for Karnataka has been impressive compared to Delhi (18.7%) and Maharashtra (12.6%).

Among the South Indian states, Tamil Nadu follows Karnataka with 229.1 lakh fliers (13.8% growth) and Kerala at 154.9 lakh (12.8%), Telangana 151 lakh (20.5%) and Andhra Pradesh 37.3 lakh (46.8%).

When it comes to aircraft movements, Karnataka had 1.95 lakh services in 2016-17, which is a growth of 15% compared to 2014-15. Delhi and Maharashtra had 3.97 lakh (15%) and 3.95 lakh (7.2%) aircraft movement.
30/05/17 Shemin Joy/Deccan Herald

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Bureau of Civil Aviation Security weighs exempting pilots from briefings by sky marshals

 New Delhi: Indian airlines, under the time gun to get their planes airborne at the earliest, have requested the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to exempt the cockpit crew from routine briefings by sky marshals at airports across the country.

The BCAS is working on this request made by airlines that believe their seasoned pilots do not need the routine skymarshal briefing: Skipping the chore could help pilots get the aircraft ready more quickly for the take-off, argue the carriers.

“The BCAS has asked Air India to compile the responses of all airlines and present it to BCAS, which will then call a meeting of all airlines to discuss the issue,” said an aviation ministry official, who did not want to be named.

This decision was taken in a monthly meeting held in April. A large number of international flights to destinations such as Nepal or Germany have sky marshals on board. Domestic flights to Jammu & Kashmir, and random flights to the North East, also follow the practice.

Sky marshals are armed, plainclothes security officers travelling on passengers jets. In India, they are drawn from the elite National Security Guard, an anti-terror force also equipped for, and trained in, anti-hijacking duties.

Since sky marshals carry a gun on flights, a briefing of the cabin crew, cockpit crew and other airline staff is called before the flight to acquaint them with the crew. Airlines believe that the cabin crew would need to interact with the sky marshal, and not the cockpit crew who remain beyond closed doors for the duration of the flight. Analysts also say there is no need for marshals to be acquainted with the cockpit crew.
30/05/17 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

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Foreign Players owning Indian aircraft can pose security threats

Kolkata: The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) vehemently protested the government’s plan to allow 100 pc Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in scheduled Indian carriers as it could pose a serious security threat to the country’s national security.
Allowing foreign firms to completely claim a local aircraft could have genuine security suggestions, other than offering ascend to different issues, the FIA has advised the government. “The decision to relax the foreign investment norm (in aviation) to 100 pc is unprecedented. No substantive country allows this,” the FIA wrote in a current letter to the government. “By India permitting 100 pc foreign direct investment (FDI) in scheduled airlines, the Indian government will have no visibility on where control lies. Such a move could also have serious repercussions on India’s national security.”
As per the FIA, such “foreign owned and controlled domestic airlines” will likewise increase unhindered access to resistance airfields. Last year, remote financial specialists, with the exception of abroad aircrafts, were permitted to claim up to 100 for every penny stake in neighborhood air transporters by changing the nation’s FDI directions.
Nonetheless, existing standards order that significant proprietorship and viable control (SOEC) of an aircraft must rest with Indian nationals, and the chairman and 66 pc of the board of directors of the carrier must be Indian citizens. “It must be noted that permitting 100 pc FDI in scheduled airlines and removing the SOEC requirement skews the creation of a level playing field,” the FIA stated.
30/05/17 Shalini Dasgupta/Media India Group

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Gujrat government seeks new aircraft operator

Amendments in aviation rules have prompted the State government to look for a new company to provide operation services to the aircraft owned by the Gujarat government. The current service provider, say officials, lacks required permits as per revised rules. The hunt for a new company has been expedited after the Maharashtra Chief Minister recently escaped unscathed when his helicopter crashlanded in Latur district.
The company that maintains that helicopter also operates the Gujarat government's aircraft. The State owns an 18-year-old twin engine Beechcraft B200 that has been operated and maintained by Mumbaibased Indamer Aviation Private Limited for six years now. As per revisions made to the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and implemented in June 2016, permission for undertaking aircraft operations under CAR can be granted only to an organisation that has 'adequate number of appropriately licensed flight crew either state government employed or on deputation from defiance forces or from Non- Scheduled Operator Permit (NSOP) holder having the requisite flying experience.'
An NSOP is issued to a company that has pilots qualified — according to DGCA guidelines — to operate VIP flights. The permit is granted only if the licenses and flying hours meet bare minimum requirement as per DGCA rules.
30/05/17  Alok Brahmbhatt/Ahmedabad Mirror

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Travel document missing, boy left alone at airport

A businessman, who recently underwent an angioplasty, was in for a shock when he learnt in the dead of night that his six-yearold son headed for a trip to South Africa with his brother's family was barred from flying and had to be abandoned at Mumbai international airport due to an alleged goof-up of travel papers.
Piyush Thakker, owner of a renowned advertising agency called MAD, has blamed the travel agency that arranged the trip for the fiasco, which caused his son, Jay, to be stranded alone at the airport while his uncle's family took the flight.
Thakker has issued a legal notice to Heena Tours and Travels, seeking compensation and also a free 12-day trip to South Africa for Jay during his Diwali holidays.
According to Thakker, he had originally planned the vacation for himself, wife Falguni and Jay. He also decided to take his brother's 12-year-old son Rishi with them and approached called Heena Tours and Travels.
"We got to know from them that the South Africa Rules are a little different and strict, as compared to other countries, especially concerning kids. We completed all necessary formalities as Rishi was travelling without his parents. We were supposed to leave on May 19. All of a sudden, on April 18, I had to undergo angioplasty at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, and was advised complete rest. I was also told not to take any stress for 3 months and not to travel. Hence, Icancelled my and wife's tickets, while my brother Manish and his wife decided to go in our place," said Piyush, adding that they took a call that Jay would travel with Manish and his family.
"So, now we had to do the entire procedure of parental consent at the SA consulate as my son was travelling without us," he said.
According to Thakker's complaint, the family received the four passports, ticket copies and itinerary copy around 11.30 am on the day of travel. When they reached the airport, Rishi and Jay, who were very excited, headed with the rest of the group to the counter of the airline in which they were flying.
But Manish was shocked to learn that Jay could not fly as his parents were not travelling with him and also because, he did not have the required documents. The travel agent had forgotten to send the required affidavit, which was mandatory for a child travelling without his parents, said Thakker.
Manish and his wife pleaded the airline authorities to let Jay travel with them, but they refused to budge, he added.
As time ran out, Manish had to take an immediate decision of dropping Jay out and proceeding with the trip as the check-in counter was closing.
30/05/17 Nazia Sayed/Mumbai Mirror

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Airlines should appoint dirs only after security nod: Govt

New Delhi: Airline companies should appoint directors only after receiving security clearance and they have at least 90 days time to make the appointment under the companies law, according to the Civil Aviation Ministry.
The ministry has come across instances where airline companies have been found violating norms by appointing directors on their boards without getting prior security nod from the government.
While reiterating that airline companies would face punitive action in case of violations with respect to appointment of directors, the ministry said it is felt that there might not be difficulty in complying with the prior security clearance requirement.
Ninety days’ period or time till next board meeting is available with the companies for appointment of directors under the provisions of Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, the ministry said in an order issued earlier this month.
These rules come under the Companies Act, 2013 — which is implemented by the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
29/05/17 PTI/India.com

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Abolishing FIPB: Would be even better if India modified restriction in aviation, retail

Nothing symbolises how far, and fast, India has moved in terms of opening its markets than last week’s abolition of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). Set up as part of the 1991 economic reforms, the FIPB was a high-level inter-ministerial group that cleared foreign investment proposals in the country at a time when most investment avenues were off bounds. At a time when bringing in foreign investment also meant a plethora of clearances from various ministries, the FIPB served as a one-window clearance—and no matter which ministry it was housed in, the prime minister’s office was always keeping a watch on it.
Over a period of time, as the economy grew stronger and corporate India became more competitive, various restrictions on foreign investment started getting relaxed. Indeed, relaxing of FDI restrictions went almost hand in hand with the lowering of import duties since both symbolised the ability of Indian firms to take on global competition. In the initial years, for instance, India restricted how much foreign investment was allowed in the telecom sector; later, however, even 100% FDI was allowed. Till even a few years ago, while foreign pharmaceuticals firms were allowed to set up new plants in India—greenfield, in jargon—they were not allowed to take over Indian firms; indeed, at one time, the fear was foreigners would buy out Indian firms and that this would raise medicine prices and reduce availability.
29/05/17 The Financial Express

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DGCA to get more teeth soon

The country's civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is likely to get new powers including that of imposing penalties for violations. At present, the watchdog can debar, suspend and even cancel the permission to fly for the carriers as well as individual pilots and engineers. However, it cannot impose any monetary penalty.

The government has started working on the proposal, which has been in the works for some time. A senior official from the civil aviation ministry said the procedure to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 has been initiated and the idea is to have "more graded granular penal provisions" for the DGCA in dealing with violations.

The government is actively working on the proposal considering the country's domestic aviation sector has been seeing healthy double-digit growth for over two years and entry of new players are expected with the inauguration of more flights under the regional connectivity scheme.
29/05/17 DNA

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'17 new highway stretches for India's borders to double up as airstrips'

After decades of neglect, India is building roads, including 17 highway stretches, in areas near its international borders that will double up as airstrips, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said.

While the previous UPA government had sanctioned construction of 73 strategic roads along the border, Gadkari is scaling it up with timely completion.

"People residing in border areas need highway network and better infrastructure. We are building 17 such highways which can be converted into airstrips," he told PTI in an interview here.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is working on the project in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence.

The roads will double up as airstrips and traffic will be stopped when an airplane lands or takes off. The road and air connectivity will also provide better access to remote areas.
28/05/17 PTI/Business Standard

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Ever Wondered How Much Advertising Happened on Cabin Luggage Tags in Indian Airlines? All That is Gone Now

If you are a frequent flyer, you must have noticed that you don't need to get those cabin luggage tags in some cities and in the others just the tag without any stamping at the security check is sufficient. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in March-end had announced phased discontinuation of cabin luggage tags from April 1, 2017. As per published reports, while the aviation security regulator, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), was thinking of doing away with these tags last year itself, CISF wanted to deploy appropriate security infrastructure before this could be implemented.

It may be observed that over the past few years, the number of people flying has increased significantly as has the disposable income. And, as they say 'Be Where Your Customers Are', the advertisers have followed to catch the attention of the flyers who today are not just the elite but belong to the different strata of society.

Sydney-based aviation think-tank Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) said in its latest report that India has become the third largest aviation market in terms of domestic passenger traffic, beating Japan. India's domestic air passenger traffic stood at 100 million in 2016 and was behind only the US (719 million) and China (436 million). Such is the number of people the advertisers can reach to.
29/05/17 Prachi Srivastava/Advertising Age

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IAF chief commends test pilots, flight engineers

IAF chief B.S. Dhanoa on Sunday commended 12 test pilots and three flight test engineers who graduated from the Air Force Test Pilot School here.

"You need to ensure that the systems meet the operational needs and are inducted fast for optimum utilisation of resources," said Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa after presenting the certificates to the graduating officers of the 46-week 39th flight test course.

The pilot school is part of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), a premier unit of the Indian Air Force.
29/05/17 Sify

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IAF’s Sukhoi-30 jet crash: Black box recovered

The black box of the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet that went missing with two pilots on board has been recovered from a dense forest in Arunachal Pradesh, two days after wreckage of the plane was sighted.

However, the fate of the crew was not yet known.

“A ground search and rescue party has reached the crash site. The black box of the aircraft has been recovered. Further search is in progress,” IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said in Delhi.

The identity of the missing pilots has not been disclosed and the worst is feared.

The jet had gone missing shortly after taking off from Tezpur Air Force station on Tuesday on a routine training sortie and its wreckage was found on Friday in a dense forest, 60 km from Tezpur airbase.

The Indian Air Force has already ordered a court of inquiry into the crash.
28/05/17 Defence Aviation Post

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Too good to be true: Why those Rs12 air fares are only a flight of fantasy

Come June, the lean season for the airline industry takes off. The country’s largest carriers have begun to roll out their discounted ticket schemes, some announcing base fares as low as Rs11. But if these fares sound too good to be true, it’s because they are.

The actual ticket price depends on the fuel surcharge collected by the airline and the taxes collected on behalf of the government. However, airlines are not transparent about how they determine the fuel surcharge. As a result, a ticket with a base fare of Rs11 orRs12 could finally cost much more.

For example, SpiceJet currently has a five-day fare discount scheme to celebrate the airline’s 12th anniversary. It promises low base fares starting at Rs 12 on some sectors; the offer ends on midnight, May 28. Indigo has a six-day special sale, from May 23 till May 28, with a base fare of Rs11.

However, a Mumbai-Delhi one-way ticket for July 17, on Makemytrip, costs Rs2,183 on both airlines.

On SpiceJet’s Rs12 base fare, it adds on Rs2,171 as fees and surcharge. Indigo’s base fare is Rs312, but it comes with an additional Rs1,871 levey as fees and surcharge.

So why does the fuel surcharge differ on the same route? No one in the airline industry wants to talk about it.

Kapil Kaul, CEO (India and Middle East), CAPA India, an aviation advisory firm, said, “While the taxes are fixed, the fuel surcharge component is the airline’s prerogative. Ideally, this should be distance-based. The surcharge was introduced when crude oil prices were between $90-110 a barrel. With Brent Crude now at around $55, the surcharge does not seem logical.”

A Spicejet spokersperson said the airline has the “prerogative to fix the fuel surcharge, which may vary from flight to flight. By giving out a break-up of the base fare, fuel surcharge and taxes, SpiceJet is not only being transparent but is also... educating the customer on various charges that constitute his final ticket price.” A spokesperson for IndiGo said, “Our fares include base fare, fuel charge and the CUTE charge (applicable in few stations only). In our discounted (base) fares, the fuel surcharge remains the same as that of regular fares.”

Notably, discounted tariffs are available only on a limited number of seats, and those numbers are never disclosed.
27/05/17 Tanya Thomas/Business Line

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Spot air fare rates up 30% as holidayers eye foreign shores

Making last-minute plans for an international holiday this summer will leave you sweating. Spot ticket prices to popular destinations have gone up by as much as 30% from last summer with London witnessing the highest jump in air fares.
But even these high spot fares are not deterring last-minute holidayers. For them, leaving on a plane this summer break is proving tough as visa processing is taking long at consulates of most 'hot' destinations owing to the rush. Indiver Rastogi, president of corporate travel at Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, says bookings are witnessing a "surge of over 40%" over last year.
Tourism Australia recently sent a mail to travel agents about increased waiting periods to get visas due to a rise in applications. Advising that applications at the Australian High Commission be made four to six weeks before departure dates, its mail said: "With the rising popularity of Australia as a holiday destination, there has been a significant rise in demand for Australian visas. As an example, visitor visa applications received in New Delhi during the first quarter of 2017 have increased by 32%, when compared with last year, and the trend appears to be continuing...we acknowledge the inconvenience and frustration that longer processing times can cause..." Tourism Ireland is also seeing an "unprecedented" demand.
27/05/17 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Fly High, But Lie low: The DGCA's new Civil Aviation Requirement

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation watchdog, recently issued a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) regarding handling of unruly/disruptive passengers. Issued under the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and framed in pursuance of the Indian Aircraft Act, 1934, the CAR acknowledges that unruly behavior of any sort, on board an aircraft or during embarkation/disembarkation, interferes with the performance of crew members’ duties.

It also notes that such disruptive behavior jeopardizes the safety of the aircraft, the persons on board and most importantly, affects good order and discipline on a plane. Recognizing the potential harm, any kind of disruptive behavior is now likely to invite penal action in accordance with these proposed requirements.

The definition of “disruptive passenger” under the CAR is very wide and also somewhat vague to include any passenger who disturbs “good order” and “discipline”. These terms haven’t been defined in the proposed requirements, but include, inter-alia, individuals who illegally consume narcotics or cigarettes while on board, individuals who refuse to comply with safety instructions, any passenger who verbally or physically confronts a crew member or other passengers or threatens them which could affect the safety of the crew, other passengers and aircraft, or any individual who sexually abuses or harasses a member of the crew or another passenger.

The proposed requirements contain 3 levels of interference, level 1 (light), level 2 (moderate), level 3 (serious/flight decks), bringing the CAR in consonance with international industry recommendations.

The above noted CAR applies to all Indian operators engaged in scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services both on the domestic and international sector. They also apply to foreign carriers engaged in scheduled air transport operating to and from India, all airport operators within Indian territory, and all passengers during their air travel in India.
26/05/17 Satvik Varma/Vikrant Pachnanda/Bar & Bench

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No-fly list effect: Cases of unruly passengers less now, says Aviation Min

New Delhi: Airlines are reporting lesser number of cases of unruly passengers following the government's decision to come out with a 'national no-fly list' to deal with such incidents, Civil Aviation Minister Gajapathi Raju said on Friday.

Raju said he had advised Air India to lift the ban imposed on Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who had claimed to have hit an Air India staffer, after the lawmaker assured that he would not repeat such a behaviour.

"Airlines are reporting lesser problems," Raju told NDTV when asked what impact has the proposed 'national no-fly list' had.


The minister added that Gaikwad had written to him saying he will behave himself and such a thing will not happen.

"I advised the airlines to withdraw the ban because the civil aviation requirement isn't in their favour till the government amends it (the rules)," Raju said.

27/05/17 PTI/Business Standard

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Reaching For the Skies: A Career in Air Force

No land battle can succeed without a strong and well-prepared Air Force. Whether it is to defend one’s own forces and vulnerable areas or to carry the war into enemy territory, the Air Force is indispensable for the country’s defence.

For all those nurturing their childhood dream of being a fighter pilot or an officer, the Indian Air Force (IAF) offers some excellent career opportunities.

The Flying Branch is the prime branch of the Air Force. As an officer of the Flying Branch, you may seek a career as a fighter pilot, a pilot for transport aircraft, helicopter, or as a navigator. As an Air Force pilot, you’ll be flying state-of-the-art aircrafts and will be trained for air fight, shooting down enemy aircraft, attacking ground targets and rescue and relief operations. The Air Force provides sophisticated training to youth who are totally inexperienced and takes them through various stages till they can fly the best aircraft in the world.
27/05/17 Northeast Today

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HAL Flies A Second Light Utility Helicopter

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) flew a second prototype of its Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) on May 22. The flight lasted approximately 22 minutes, said the government-owned manufacturer. HAL has an order for 187 LUHs from the Army Aviation Corps and the Indian Air Force, to help replace the aging Cheetah (Alouette II) and Chetak (Alouette III) fleet.

The LUH design is derived from HAL’s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), and its single Safran Ardiden 1U turboshaft engine is derived from the Ardiden 1H, two of which power the ALH. Certification of the Ardiden 1U—named the Shakti in India—is planned for 2018. HAL said that the engine “has sufficient power margins to cater to demanding high-altitude missions.” Benoit Gadefait, vice president, Safran medium helicopter engines program, said: “The  LUH will benefit from robust support under a new joint venture, formed recently by Safran and HAL [Helicopter Engines MRO Pvt. Ltd], to provide MRO to engines installed on HAL-built helicopters,” The facility in Goa has the capacity to service 50 engines a year.

Compared with the first LUH, which made its maiden flight last September, the second one has a modified tailboom. HAL said it hopes to freeze the configuration by year-end.
26/05/17 Neelam Mathews/AINonline

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DRDO’s aero test range to be inaugurated on Sunday

Challakere: Over a decade ago, when a new international airport for Bangalore was being planned at Devanahalli, its private developers feared that the new landing site and paths of its civil flights would clash with a World War II airfield, some 70 km away at Kolar. The Defence Research & Development Organisation was using the airfield to test its new projects.

To cut the story short, Bangalore (as it was then called) got a new civil airport in May 2008 and, in the bargain, the DRDO got a new flight testing place for itself — although much farther than Kolar.

The new Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) has been up and running for a few months. It will be formally inaugurated on May 28 by acting Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. The Hindu had a special preview of the range that nestles in an undulating, almost barren sprawl of shrubs and lined with hillock.

The ATR is a facility under the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) which works on a range of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles). It will be an integrated test centre for the DRDO’s cluster of aeronautical laboratories, most of them based in Bengaluru, according to a few scientists.
26/05/17 Madhumathi D.S./The Hindu

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Airfares soar as Indians pack bags for foreign holidays

New Delhi: Making last-minute plans for an international holiday this summer will leave you sweating.
Spot ticket prices to popular destinations have gone up by as much as 30% from last summer with London witnessing the fastest jump in airfares.
But even these high spot fares are not deterring last-minute holidayers.
Indiver Rastogi, president of corporate travel at Thomas Cook (India) Limited, says airline bookings are witnessing a "surge of over 40%" as compared with that in last year.
However, leaving on a jet plane this summer break is proving tough as visa processing at the consulates of the most popular destinations is taking a lot of time due to the rush.
Sample this: Tourism Australia recently sent a mail to travel agents about increased waiting periods to get visas due to increase in applications.
Advising them to file applications at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi four to six weeks before departure dates, its mail said: "Visitor visa applications received in New Delhi during the first quarter of 2017 have increased by 32%, when compared with last year, and the trend appears to be continuing...." VFS, which handles visa processing for most countries, says its application centres are seeing huge rush this summer due to increase in outbound travel from India.
26/05/17 Times of India

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Aviation ministry to thrash out new bi-laterals policy not to clear any more requests from other countries, airlines

 New Delhi: The ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) is in the process of devising a comprehensive, long term policy, which would guide the country’s bilateral agreements with other countries. No request from any country or airline for an increase in seats would be entertained till such a policy is in place, official sources told FE. The government’s civil aviation policy had skipped bilaterals in the absence of a wider consensus on the subject. This stand of the aviation ministry is significant since in recent times some of the Gulf states like Dubai and Qatar have sought increase in the existing number of seats by revising the existing bilateral agreements.
“Bilaterals are an important tool for the growth of civil aviation sector in India and we are going to use it wisely to ensure the growth for the sector in the country. We are trying to take a long term approach in the bilateral related issues and have to talk to the domestic airlines to formulate a long term policy on bilaterals,” a senior official in MoCA told FE. Going by the agreement with Qatar currently airlines on both sides have 24,292 seats and airlines from Qatar have utilised 80% of the deployed seats while the the Indian airlines haven’t.
26/05/17 Malyaban Ghosh/Financial Express

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Indian carriers are against Qatar Airways' India plans and their points are valid; govt should take heed

New Delhi: India has removed or relaxed foreign investment caps in several sectors since last year and one such sector is domestic airlines. So as of today, a foreign airline can pick up 49 percent equity in an Indian carrier and then also collaborate with an investment firm from parent country to pick up the remaining 51 percent, effectively owning 100 percent of an airline in India. This proposal has been opposed tooth and nail by incumbent Indian airlines SpiceJet, IndiGo, Jet Airways and Go Air under the aegis of the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA).
This airline lobby group was also similarly opposed to the entry of Singapore Airlines and AirAsia BhD in India earlier – both forged separate partnerships with Tata Sons to set up two new airlines from scratch, when the FDI caps were relaxed in the first round in 2012. At that time, the FIA had used every available means to thwart the Tatas’ plans and though both airlines did eventually get established, the matter is still pending resolution in the courts.
Now, when Qatar Airways has been hinting at starting an airline from scratch in India by using the newly opened 100 percent FDI route (along with Qatar Investment Authority), the FIA has upped the ante again. This time, the FIA has raised some valid points and the government would do well to listen to what it has to say. Why allow a powerful global airline, with deep pockets and a vast network, to come to India and provide unnecessary competition to local airlines when the latter are already suffering in a high-cost and hostile operating environment?
Besides, there has been growing rivalry between the powerful Gulf airlines and those from Europe and the USA on global routes, with non-Gulf airlines closing ranks against the rapidly advancing Gulf carriers. Why should India open its arms to airlines from the Gulf?
In a fresh letter to the government, the FIA has raised some valid points against allowing 100 percent foreign investment in airlines.
25/05/17 Sindhu Bhattacharya/First Post

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Foreign players owning airlines in India can have security issues: FIA

Mumbai: Continuing its opposition to the government allowing foreign players to own an airline in India, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) has said the move could have serious "security" implications besides other issues.

In a letter to the government recently, the FIA also said that the decision to allow foreign carriers owning an airline in the country will create a very inequitable competitive environment for them.

The letter comes against the backdrop of Qatar Airways announcing its plans to set up an airline in India with the Gulf nation's sovereign wealth fund, and the government recently saying that it is looking at bringing the rules and regulations regarding ownership and control of an airline in conformity with the new FDI norms. "By India permitting 100 per cent FDI in scheduled airlines, the Indian government will have no visibility on where control lies. Such a move could also have serious repercussions on India’s national security," the FIA said in the letter.

The FIA has four private airlines --IndiGo, SpiceJet, Jet Airways and GoAir as its members. The four airlines together command around 75 per cent share of the total domestic air travel market. "Such foreign-owned and controlled Indian airlines will also gain unhindered access to defence airfields in India.
25/05/17 PTI/New Indian Express

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DGCA rules on no-fly list: Regulations need to balance passenger rights too

New Delhi: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation watchdog, recently issued a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) regarding the handling of unruly and disruptive passengers. Issued under the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and framed in pursuance of the Indian Aircraft Act, 1934, the CAR acknowledges that unruly behaviour of any sort, on board an aircraft or during embarkation and disembarkation, interferes with the performance of crew members’ duties. It also notes that such disruptive behaviour jeopardises the safety of the aircraft, the persons on board and, most importantly, affects good order and discipline on a plane. Recognising the potential harm, any kind of disruptive behaviour is now likely to invite penal action in accordance with these proposed requirements.
The definition of a disruptive passenger under the CAR is very wide and also somewhat vague to include any passenger who disturbs “good order” and “discipline”. These terms haven’t been defined in the proposed requirements but include inter-alia individuals who illegally consume narcotics or cigarettes while on board, individuals who refuse to comply with safety instructions, any passenger who verbally or physically confronts a crew members or other passengers or threatens them which could affect the safety of the crew, other passengers and aircraft or any individual who sexually abuses or harasses a member of the crew or another passenger.
The proposed requirements contain three levels of interference – level 1 (light), level 2 (moderate), and level 3 (serious/flight decks) – making the CAR in consonance with international industry recommendations.
The above-noted CAR applies to all Indian operators engaged in scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services, both in the domestic and international sector. They also apply to foreign carriers engaged in scheduled air transport operating to and from India, all airport operators within Indian territory, and all passengers during their air travel in and over India.
The CAR also stipulates that conditions of carriage shall include statutory warnings specifying the acts which have been declared as unlawful or disruptive. Airlines are now also expected to establish standard operating procedures to deal with unruly or disruptive passengers while at the airport or on board an aircraft.
25/05/17 Satvik Varma & Vikrant Pachnanda/Business Standard

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Changes to aviation plan on anvil

The government is considering a string of amendments with prospective effect on fresh forthcoming second round of bidding for its ambitious aviation Regional Connectivity Scheme, which may lead to more economic viability and boost in connectivity.

This will also move the focus towards “unserved routes” apart from “unserved” airports. According to suggested amendments, neither of the two destinations linked as part of the RCS may be either unserved airports although other conditions to be part of the scheme have to be met.

If the amendments go through, RCS air-traffic on routes such as the one from Lucknow to Varanasi (which happens to be PM Narendra Modi’s constituency) may receive a boost. Also, the rule stipulation that at least 50 per cent of the seats on the RCS flights have to be RCS (subsidised) seats may be removed and the percentage of such seats may fall.

“Before the launch of the second round of bidding, a stakeholder consultation meet will be held on June 7 to discuss the proposed amendments on certain key aspects,” the civil aviation ministry said on Wednesday. On the routes awarded during the first round of bidding, any amendments will not apply as these will be prospective and not restrospective.

“The civil aviation ministry)/AAI (Airports Authority of India) is in the process of taking stock of the RCS documents for making it more simpler so that more airline operators could participate for wider implementation of the scheme (RCS) across the country,” the ministry said.  
25/05/17 The Asian Age

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Will Airlines Cut Air Fares After GST Rollout? Don't Count On It

The Goods and Service Tax (GST) for most products and services have been finalised by the GST Council headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Srinagar last week. As the Ministry of Civil Aviation tries to make flying affordable for the masses, GST on the economy class air travel has been lowered to 5 per cent, down 100 basis points from the existing service tax rate. Meanwhile, GST on business class air travel has been raised 3 per cent to 12 per cent. However airlines may not transfer the benefits of a lower tax on economy class tickets to passengers, said credit rating agency ICRA Ltd, adding that the GST tax reforms will not have any material impact on air passenger growth either.

"With airlines generating a major portion of their revenues from economy class, disallowance of input tax credit on inputs (excluding services) for economy class would result in an additional cost to the airlines. In the current scenario of pressure on yields due to increasing capacities and competitive intensity, the ability of the airlines to pass on the increased cost to the customers too will be restricted," Ms. Kinjal Shah, AVP and Co Head, Corporate Sector Ratings, ICRA Limited, said.

Breaking down the numbers, ICRA said while airlines can claim input tax credit on inputs such as spare parts, food items etc. but not on fuel charge on business class, for economy class they can only claim input tax credit on input services. In the current tax regime airlines can claim Cenvat (Central Value Added Tax) credit on all inputs (goods and services) excluding aviation fuel.
25/05/17 NDTV Profit

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Central Govt. likely to allow Wi-Fi on flights by August-end

As per the TNN report, Central Government of India is likely to approve Internet on flights by the end of August this year. Lalit Gupta, Joint DG, Directorate General of Civil Aviation said, "We're awaiting clearance from the Department of Telecommunications.”

Gupta said, "International airlines are in talks with the aviation ministry. Currently, they have to switch off Wi-Fi in the Indian airspace (where inflight internet is banned on security grounds)." He also said that Indian carriers like Jet Airways and SpiceJet are slated to take deliveries of the Wi-Fi-fitted Boeing 737 MAX by mid-2018.
24/05/17 Travel Biz Monitor

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Civil aviation dept’s letter blasts off from future, lands in present

We all know bureaucracy moves at snail’s pace. But sometimes it can still amaze you with its ‘post-dated’ communication. And you thought there were only post-dated cheques? Mirror correspondent filed an RTI application with Director of Civil Aviation, which dispatched a reply on ‘May 26’. The reply reached Mirror on May 24, with request to remain present for a meeting with a civil aviation official on May 25.

And the letter was unsigned by the director though the letter showed him to be the undersigned. Director of Civil Aviation Captain Ajay Chauhan served as a helicopter pilot and has over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry. In addition, he is also an MBA from one of the prestigious management institutes in the country. An RTI application was filed by Mirror correspondent on February 20 asking for several public documents pertaining to developments in the aviation sector.
25/05/17 Ahmedabad Mirror

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China says no information on Sukhoi fighter jet, asks New Delhi to stick to arrangements

China said today it has no information on the missing Indian Air Force Sukhoi fighter jet with two pilots on board and asked India to stick to the arrangements reached between the two sides to maintain peace. “For the situation you mentioned, I have no relevant information to offer at the moment,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters when asked about the missing Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet and whether China would assist India in finding the plane that took off from the Tezpur base in Assam for a routine training sortie nearly 24 hours ago.
The fighter plane has since been untraceable. “We have been following the situation in South Tibet (Arunachal Pradesh) very closely,” he said, apparently referring to reports that the jet was flying over the area before it was reported missing.
At the same time, he referred to the border dispute between India and China, saying that “first of all on the eastern section of the India-China border, China’s position is consistent and clear.” “We hope India can stick to the arrangements reached between the two sides and avoid disrupting peace and stability at the border areas,” Lu said.
24/05/17 PTI/Financial Express

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‘Make in India' in Indian Air Force kicks off

New Delhi: The 'Make in India' in Indian Air Force has been launched with an aim to promote Indigenous design and manufacturing for self-reliance in the Defence sector.

The event organized jointly by the Indian Air Force and the CII, is a part of the Defence Procurement Program (DPP) 2016 including IDDM and ‘Make’ category, Bureaucracy Today has learnt. It also focuses to enhance engagement of the Indian Air Force with private industry for local manufacturing.

Present at the occasion, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa stressed Indian industry’s effort on manufacturing indigenously designed helicopters and fighter planes.
24/05/17 Nikita Rana/Bureaucracy Today

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Focus Needed on Indigenisation in Air Force: Dr Subhash Bhamre

Indigenous design and manufacturing has been promoted for self-reliance in the defence sector through the Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufacturing (IDDM) program, said Dr Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State for Defence while inaugurating the seminar on ‘Make in India in Indian Air Force’ organized by the Indian Air Force and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Dr Bhamre outlined the initiatives taken by the Government as part of the Make in India initiative under the DefenceProcurement Program (DPP) 2016 including IDDM and ‘Make’ category. These would also bring significant investments in the Defence R&D by the private sector.  He also outlined the other major initiatives such as Strategic Partnership, Technology Development Fund and mandatory outsourcing by DPSUs / OFBs, which are aimed at facilitating Indian private industry investments in defence manufacturing.

Dr Bhamre also informed that the Ministry of Defence is reviewing the Defence Procurement Manual 2009 which deals with procurement  through revenue budget to make it user friendly and effective. The seminar was organized to enhance engagement of Indian Air Force with private industry for local manufacturing.

The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa,PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VM, ADC, stressed that Indian industry has taken long strides by manufacturing indigenously designed helicopters and fighter planes.

Air Marshal Sanjay Sharma, AVSM, Air Officer In-charge Maintenance, Indian Air Force, stressed that the operational capability of any Air Force depends largely upon reliable and timely maintenance support for its combat assets.  He also mentioned that procurement of new equipment, its maintenance and the need to sustain existing assets offer huge scope and opportunity for indigenization. Base Repair Depots (BRDs) with active support from DRDO and CEMILAC, have indigenized more than 47,000 lines of spares for maintenance and sustenance of our aircraft fleets and systems.
23/05/17 Defence Aviation Post

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Bhubaneswar gets paramotoring ride facility

BHUBANESWAR: Adventure lovers in the city can now enjoy short flying trips with paramotoring here. The new facility inaugurated at Jatni, in the outskirts of the city, where people can take a joy ride and get an aerial view at a height of 300 feet above the ground. The first-of-its-kind fun ride in the state will help in promoting tourism, said organisers.
"There is excitement in the air. People of Bhubaneswar have not experienced something like paramotoring in their neighbourhood. On the first few days as many as 60 persons have registered so far and we hope tourists will love to have an aerial view of the beautiful scenery and enjoy the sports," said Bibhu Santosh Rout, promoter of the facility.
Paramotoring is an easy and safe form of powered aviation. The paramotor is a small aircraft where two engines are attached along with a paraglider wing and a parachute. The paramotor can fly at a speed of 30 to 50 km per hour and can fly at a height of 200 feet to 18,000 feet height. The speed of the paramotor also depends on the direction and speed of wind.
23/05/17 Minati Singha/The Times Of India

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'Pilots’ retention move to bring stability'

The Centre defended its proposal to double the notice period from six months for pilots quitting their jobs and said it would bring stability to the market.

“Globally, there has been a situation where pilots have been difficult to retain for companies,” Minister of State Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told The Hindu. “Since air service is so important in India, we wanted to ensure that there is market stability and we think this will lead to strong market stability.”

Mr. Sinha was confident that the proposal would be acceptable in the market and said the government will go through a consultation process with pilots, who have opposed the move.

“Our understanding is that it will be well received in the market place. We have to see how it plays out in the longer run,” he said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued draft rules on May 15 proposing a notice period of one year for airline commanders, up from six months at present. In case of co-pilots, the notice period will remain six months after quitting their jobs.
23/05/17 Somesh Jha/The Hindu

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Light Utility Helicopter PT-2 completes maiden flight

The second prototype of the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH PT-2) completed its maiden flight at the premises of state-owned aviation major, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) here on Monday.

Coming close on the heels of the maiden flight of HTT-40 (PT-2), the helicopter's first flight was flown by Chief Test Pilot Wing Cdr (Retd) Unni K Pillai and Test Pilot Wing Cdr (Retd) Anil Bhambhani. The flight duration was 22 minutes. Both the pilots reported zero snag.

HAL chairman and managing director T Suvarna Raju said the maiden flights of the two aircraft were part of the company's progress towards ‘Make in India’ campaign both in fixed and rotary wing segments. These prototypes add strength to ongoing test flights to achieve operational clearance cutting the time frame, he said.

The LUH PT2 has modified tail boom and incorporates improvements based on feedback from testing of LUH PT1. The first flight of LUH PT1 was carried out on September 6, 2016 andfurther envelope expansion flights are in progress.

LUH PT-1 had made its flight demonstration during the international air show Aero India-2017 held in February.

HAL has proposed to carry out further flight testing on PT1 and PT2 in the months ahead to freeze the helicopter configuration by the end of this year. Senior officials from HAL, representatives from the Indian Air Force and Army were present during the flight.

The LUH is a three-ton class new generation helicopter being indigenously developed by HAL to meet the requirements of both military and civil operators. The helicopter, with glass cockpit, will be deployed for reconnaissance, surveillance roles and as a light transport helicopter.
24/05/17 Deccan Herald

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Army set to get 11 attack helicopters

After several years of wrangling, the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) are both likely to operate the Apache multi-role attack helicopters.

The Army, which has long pitched for its own dedicated fleet of attack helicopters, is likely to get its way through, sources said. The issue was discussed by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley last week.

The Army had initially asked for 22 attack helicopters to be transferred to its custody, which was rejected by the Air Force. The IAF has strongly opposed the creation of a separate mini-Air wing by the Army, which the former felt would reduce its role.

“The Army will get 11 Apache helicopters, while the original order of 22 helicopters will be with the IAF. It will go through,” a senior officer told The Hindu on Monday.

For this, India will exercise the optional clause in the original deal signed with the U.S. in November 2015. Under a $3-billion deal, India has contracted 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters through the Foreign Military Sales program.

This means that both the services would operate several helicopter types which would mean duplication of efforts for logistics, maintenance and support.

Air Vice-Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies, noted that the IAF would always have a need for attack helicopters. “While there is no doubt that there would be duplication of maintenance and logistics, there are specific IAF roles like Special Heli-borne Missions and Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR).”
22/05/17 Dinakar Peri/The Hindu

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Airlines go big on monsoon sale, offering tickets as cheap as Rs 11!

Domestic airlines are all offering mega discounts as a part of their monsoon sale. The base fares are as low as Rs 11-12 on selected destinations and for specific periods.
Here are the details:

IndiGo
IndiGo is offering air tickets at Rs 11 (basic fare) and all-inclusive fare starting at Rs 899 during the six-day sale from May 23-28. The offer is valid for travel period between June 26 and March 24, 2018.

SpiceJet
To celebrate its 12th anniversary, SpiceJet has announced special one-way airfare starting at just Rs. 12 for all its domestic and international flights. Offer is valid for a booking period of May 23-28. Travel period for this is from June 26, 2017 to March 24, 2018.

Jet Airways
Jet Airways also announced its monsoon sale on Tuesday on selected domestic routes for booking period of May 24-26. Customers can book flight for dates between June 15 and September 20.

Air Asia
AirAsia’s discounted one-way fare starts at Rs 1, 699 applicable on selected fare classes from May 23 until November 23. Offer is valid for booking period between May 23-28.
23/05/17 Moneycontrol.com

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'Pilots’ retention move to bring stability'

New Delhi: The Centre defended its proposal to double the notice period from six months for pilots quitting their jobs and said it would bring stability to the market.

“Globally, there has been a situation where pilots have been difficult to retain for companies,” Minister of State Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told The Hindu. “Since air service is so important in India, we wanted to ensure that there is market stability and we think this will lead to strong market stability.”

Mr. Sinha was confident that the proposal would be acceptable in the market and said the government will go through a consultation process with pilots, who have opposed the move.

“Our understanding is that it will be well received in the market place. We have to see how it plays out in the longer run,” he said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued draft rules on May 15 proposing a notice period of one year for airline commanders, up from six months at present. In case of co-pilots, the notice period will remain six months after quitting their jobs.
23/05/17 Somesh Jha/The Hindu

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DGCA to make its engineers 'airworthy' before international audit

New Delhi: Nearly three to four years after hiring 120 engineers as airworthiness officers (AO), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is training them to be fit their job description — inspecting planes and ensuring they fly safely.
The reason: These 120 engineers are from electrical or mechanical streams and know precious little about aircraft or aviation apart from having flown as passengers. Their recruitment was a bid back then to fill up vacancies in crucial wings of DGCA and get back India's safety ranking.
"The AOs hired are not at fault. Those who hired them have moved out from DGCA. They are very young people and have their entire life in front of them. We have to find a way of making them useful for the DGCA," said a highly-placed source.
DGCA chief B S Bhullar, who is preparing the ill-equipped DGCA for yet another international audit later this year, is learnt to have tied up with Air India engineering and Airport Authority of India's (AAI) National Institute of Aviation Management & Research (NIAMAR) for training the AOs.
Bhullar has worked out a six-month program for these yet-to-be airworthy AOs where they will undergo go three-month classroom sessions by NIAMAR and be taught all about aircraft. Then spend the remaining three months with AI engineering for practical training on aircraft.
23/05/17 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Suresh Prabhu’s flight arrives late, Tejas Express’s inaugural ride delayed

Mumbai: The inaugural ride of the premium luxury train Tejas Express from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) to Karmali in Goa on Monday afternoon was delayed by almost 45 minutes. Delay in the arrival of Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu at the inaugural function postponed the train’s departure. A technical discrepancy in one of the flights at the Mumbai airport delayed the arrival of the Union minister. The CST-Karmali Tejas Express was scheduled to depart at 3.25 pm from CST after Prabhu would have inaugurated it from Yogi Sabagruha Hall, Dadar, through video-conferencing.
The train’s journey, however, commenced around 4.10 pm.
“I was at Kudal yesterday for a different function. While coming, my flight was delayed today due to congestion of flights at the Mumbai airport caused by an emergency landing of the Mumbai-Bhubaneswar Air India flight,” Prabhu said. His flight from Goa airport was delayed by almost half an hour and reached Mumbai airport at 3.30 pm.
23/05/17 Neha Kulkarni/Indian Express

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Hacker reveals how a bug in Air India, ClearTrip, SpiceJet apps could have allowed one to roam the world for free

Ever aspired to take the air route to travel the world, but always ended up with disappointment owing to costly fares? Then you might find this interesting. Kanishk Sajnani, a 20-something guy with enormous interest in meddling with codes discovered vulnerabilities in the ticketing systems of some of the most popular airlines operating in India and not only did he discover threats, but was able to exploit the bug to demonstrate the possibilities of booking flights, hotels, etc. all across the world and paying nothing, all without being traced.

A self-proclaimed white hat hacker, Sajnani detailed his adventurous encounters with the bugs in applications of Air India, SpiceJet and travel site Cleartrip in his Medium post. Sajnani’s hacking spree dates back to 2015 when he hacked into Air India’s API to discover a vulnerability that allowed him to book a ticket at more than 95 percent discount. After duly informing the company about the bug, he assisted them in resolving the issue in turn for an internship opportunity at the national carrier (although, he says he never took up that opportunity).

“The major flaws were in the Website-Payment Gateway Integration. Somewhere in the middle, I was able to change Transaction Values due to reasons such as Improper checksum validation Or Poor client-side APIs. I exploited the flaws using Proxies such as Fiddler Or Burp suite. I have not mentioned any technical details in my article due to the fact that there are still many websites/ applications that can be exploited because of the same vulnerability,” Sajnani told BGR India.

While Air India officials were prompt in acknowledging and resolving the matter. People at SpiceJet appeared to have misunderstood Sajnani’s emails about bugs as a job application and redirected him to a different email address. Even reaching out to the c-suite executives failed to get him the response he desired – of acknowledging there was a security vulnerability in the system. To demonstrate the bug, Sajnani booked a ticket from SpiceJet’s mobile app where instead of the Rs 4,028 ticket, he paid just Rs 4. After waiting for weeks to see if the systems detected the erroneous payments before his date of travel, Sajnani canceled his ticket.
Now instead of locating the bug, the company instead sent him a mail for cancellation of the ticket and that he was eligible for Rs 2,000 of refund. So, not only the bug allowed him to book a ticket for just Rs 4, but also made him eligible for a hefty refund. Despite reaching out to the company, Sajnani’s concern went unheeded and as he says in his post, he left the company to “God’s good grace.”
Even bizarre was the bug-hunting experience with ClearTrip. Not only the bug could allow one to book tickets, but also restaurants, hotels, even massages for free. For making payments, Sajnani used MobiKwik wallet and realized that payments could be tempered with. As a proof, he sent the company reproduction video of the whole episode. As soon as Sajnani reported, the company took down the app without further informing him about whether his efforts were acknowledged and if the bounty was flowing in.
22/05/17 Deepali Moray/BGR

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Aadhaar Will Completely Digitise Air Travel, Says Jayant Sinha

The government plans to use Aadhaar to ‘completely digitise’ air travel amid a raging debate on privacy concerns regarding the world’s largest biometric ID database.
Through verification by Aadhaar, travellers will be able to get a digital boarding pass long before their flight, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said in an interview with BloombergQuint’s Sanjay Pugalia.
On reaching the airport, Aadhaar biometrics would allow seamless entry through the security and check-in points, avoiding the need for a hard copy of the boarding pass, Sinha said.
22/05/17 Mahima Kapoor/BloombergQuint

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Tourist season clocks rise in domestic fliers

New Delhi: With the tourist season beginning, the number of domestic fliers rose by 15.15% in April, compared with the same month, last year.

A report from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that airlines carried 91.34 lakh passengers last month, compared with 79.32 lakh in the same period of 2016. In March this year, 90.45 lakh people flew with domestic carriers.

For the first four months of 2017, airlines flew 364.13 lakh passengers, against 309.35 lakh, clocking a growth of 17.71%.

According to the DGCA, the passenger load factor in April has shown an increasing trend, compared with the previous month, attributed primarily to the onset of the tourist season.

Except for GoAir and Trujet, all airlines witnessed a rise in seat occupancy.

SpiceJet continued to be the leader in this group with 93.4%, up from March’s 91.4%. AirAsia India continued to be in second for another month, at 90.1%.

IndiGo had a rise in seat occupancy from 81.6% to 86.9%, while flag carrier Air India saw an increase from 74.6% to 78.7%.
22/05/17 Deccan Herald

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Neerja Bhanot's family to sue filmmakers, says won't tolerate injustice

New Delhi: Bollywood movie 'Neerja' grossed an estimate Rs. 125 crore worldwide. It also bagged the National Award for Best Hindi Feature Film, along with several other film awards. But now, it seems it could be headed for a legal tussle with the family of braveheart Neerja Bhanot.

The main contention of the Bhanot family is that the makers of the successful film did not honour their commitment to share 10 per cent of the box office collections with the Neerja Bhanot Trust and the family

"I will not comment on this issue at this stage. All I can tell you is that we will not tolerate injustice," Aneesh Bhanot, brother of Neerja Bhanot, told IANS here.

Aneesh refused to give any details about the legal case, saying that the family lawyer will be able to give the exact status.

Sources, however, said that the family is moving the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard and a legal notice has already been served on the makers of "Neerja".
Neerja Bhanot gave up her life, two days before she would have turned 23, to save travellers during a terrorist-hijack of a Pan-Am flight at Karachi international airport in Pakistan on September 5, 1986.
21/05/17 India TV 

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Govt wages linguistic war in air, wants Hindi newspapers on board

New Delhi: After making Hindi compulsory for CBSE till class X, the BJP-led Centre has asked all airlines and airports across the country to make available Hindi newspaper and magazines on board and at all airports. While the move is in line with the NDA government’s Hindi policy, airports in the south are skeptical of the same.
Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj held a meeting with Hindi Salahkar Samiti (HSS) recently and wrote to Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju in Hindi asking him to provide Hindi newspapers. After which, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has asked all airports and airlines to implement it. At present, no airline provides Hindi newspapers on board.
MoCA officials said the minister’s letter has been sent to all airlines and airports and the aviation ministry has asked them to submit the action taken report soon.
21/05/17 Ankur Sharma/New Indian Express

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Domestic air traffic grows over 15% in April

As per the PTI report, after two consecutive months of slowdown, domestic air traffic witnessed a marginal growth with demand for travel going up by a little over 15% in April over the year-ago period. Indian carriers together flew 91.34 lakh passengers in April, 2017 as compared to 79.32 lakh passengers in the corresponding month of the previous year, as per monthly traffic data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday.

After posting over 20% growth in the domestic passenger market for 13 consecutive months till January this year, the demand for air travel dropped to 15.77% in February and 14.91% in March, respectively. This marginal increase is due to the onset of the tourist season.

However, the demand between January-April period of this year rose 17.71% compared to the same period last year with the total number of passengers at 309.35 lakhs. Low-cost carrier IndiGo flew the maximum number of passengers at 37.79 lakh garnering 41.4 per cent of the total market share.
19/05/17 Travel Biz Monitor

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Economy class air travel to attract 5% GST; business class 12%

New Delhi: The growing aviation sector of India will get a boost once Goods and Service Tax (GST) is implemented as the tax rate on air travel would be 5 per cent, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday.
This is lower than the prevailing rate as currently air travel attracts tax rate of 6 per cent and 9 per cent for economy and non-economy travel respectively.
“Considering that it is an essential mode of transport, taxation on airline services and railways has been kept at the minimum bracket of 5 per cent,” Jaitley said in a press conference in Srinagar.
The components of service sector were broadly divided into four brackets of 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent.
Another reason for keeping taxation rate on transport services in the lower bracket is because unlike other sectors the players in this sector will not get input credit on taxes. This is due to petroleum (aviation turbine fuel) for airlines being kept out the GST regime.
Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju earlier wrote to the finance ministry suggesting ways to compensate airlines that will not be able to take input tax credit on aviation turbine fuel under GST.
19/05/17 Arindam Majumdar/Business Standard

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Lower service tax on economy class to boost air traffic

New Delhi: The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is likely to continue to fuel the growth in domestic air traffic although the import of private jets for personal use will become more expensive under the new regime.
Kapil Kaul, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), South Asia, termed the Government’s decision to levy a 5 per cent service tax on economy class tickets and 12 per cent on business class tickets as a “very good decision which will continue to support the affordable fare regime in the country.”
CAPA expects the high growth rate in domestic traffic to continue in the near term with further upside once the GST’s impact on the economy is visible in one-two years.
“The new rates in the aviation sector generally seem to follow the Government principle that services for the common man be kept at lower rates. This probably explains why economy class is being pegged at 5 per cent (down from the 6 per cent earlier) and business class tickets at 12 per cent up from 9 per cent,” said Anita Rastogi, Indirect Tax, PwC.
19/05/17 Business Line

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Indian Army may acquire 39 American Apache choppers

New Delhi: The Indian Army is planning to pitch for acquiring a fleet of lethal Apache attack helicopters in a key meeting with Defence Minister Arun Jailtley scheduled this weekend. Highly placed sources in the Army told Mail Today that the combat helicopters for its aviation wing will enhance the firepower of its strike forces along the borders with China and Pakistan.
Aggressive air support is crucial for advancing ground troops in a short-term strike.
"The Army wants the latest version of the American Apache 64D attack choppers from the US through the Foreign Military Sales case for its aviation arm," the sources said. The Army seeks to buy 39 units at a cost of more than Rs 12,000 crore.
If the procurement gets the ministry's approval, it will make the Army one of the biggest operators of these choppers in the country; the Air Force recently finalised a contract for 22 of these flying machines.
The Army has been in a bitter tug of war with the Air Force over the control of attack helicopters for it feels that its own personnel flying the choppers would be in a better position to help ground forces during a conflict because they understand land warfare better than the Air Force personnel.
20/05/17 Ajit Kumar Dubey/India Today

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HAL basic trainer’s second prototype makes maiden flight

Bengaluru: The second prototype of the indigenously-developed basic trainer HTT-40 made its maiden flight here on Friday, the HAL said.
“The first flight of prototype two of HTT-40 was successful today. Flight took place at HAL, Bangalore,” Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Chairman and Managing Director T. Suvarna Raju said in a statement.
“The second prototype was made ready within one year and flew for one hour carrying out important manoeuvres,” he added.
The Hindustan Turbo-prop Trainer-40, which made its maiden flight in June 2016, is a basic flying trainer being development by the defence aviation major through its internal resources.
It would be used for basic flight training, aerobatics, instrument flying and close-formation flights whereas its secondary roles would include navigation and night flying.
The commercial production of the trainer aircraft can generate nearly Rs 3,000-4,000 crore. While the IAF will procure 70 HTT-40, the number may also go up to 200, based on demand.
19/05/17 IANS/India.com

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Airlines’ on-time performance data on DGCA radar

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will direct Indian carriers to install the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) on all their planes to ensure that the on-time performance (OTP) they report is authentic.
The step is being recommended by a committee headed by joint director-general Lalit Gupta that was formed to look into a complaint by IndiGo about discrepancies in timings reported by rivals at Mumbai airport. The report will be made public in a week, said a senior DGCA official, who did not want to be identified.
“ACARS will ensure there is minimum manual intervention in reporting of landings and takeoffs at airports,” he said.
IndiGo had questioned OTP monitoring at Mumbai airport in December last year and filed a complaint with DGCA after a decline in ranking from the top spots that it traditionally occupied.
In November, IndiGo was at number four after SpiceJet, Jet and Vistara, with only GoAir and Air India ranked below it. Its ranking has since improved and the airline’s OTP out of Mumbai airport was second best at 78.8% in April, trailing only Vistara that clocked 81.7% with a much smaller fleet.
20/05/17 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

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France ready to sell new fighter jets, submarines to India

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Under new President Emmanuel Macron, France will continue to beef up the Indian military arsenal with fighter jets and submarines. French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation and state-owned shipbuilder DCNS are in fact negotiating new deals with the Indian government for the sale of their Rafale multi-role aircraft and diesel-electric attack Scorpene-class submarine respectively.

Last Sunday, coinciding with Macron’s inauguration, Dassault Aviation chief executive Eric Trappier revealed to French daily Sud-Ouest that its company was talking to India about the sale of a further 57 Rafales.
Last September, Dassault Aviation secured an US$8.8 billion contract to supply the Indian Air Force with 36 Rafale jets. It is said that, once inducted, they will form two squadrons. One will be stationed in the state of Haryana, near the Pakistani border, and the other in West Bengal to face possible threats posed by China on the eastern front.

The new batch of 57 Rafale aircraft is intended for the Indian Navy, which must still develop the aviation complex for its domestically built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The Indian government says the new flattop will be delivered in December 2018, but a national auditor reported last year that it might not be combat-ready before 2023. New Delhi has weighed other options for a new fighter platform for its aircraft-carrier force, including Sweden’s Saab Gripen, the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Russia’s MiG-29K.
19/05/17 Emmanuele Scimia/Asia Times

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City kids fly high in aeromodelling contest

Nagpur: Five kids have brought laurels to the city by winning prizes at the 1st National Indoor Aeromodelling Championship held at Sonipat in Haryana from May 12 to 14.
The kids bagged 1st prize in the rubber powered glider team category and 2nd prize in the individual foam plate glider category.
Nihar Radke, Abhigyan Patel, Nishad Gedam and Sparsh Rannaware along with team leader Maheshwar Dhone took part in the national championship in which more than 250 participants from across the country took part.
Aero Modelers Association (AMA) organized the championship to spread awareness about aeromodelling among youngsters and children. The main aim of the competition was to promote the positives of aviation sector and introduce the people to the concept.
The championship included competitions in various categories such as balsawood chuck glider, foam plate glider, rubber powered glider, radio controlled glider, etc.
19/05/17 Times of India

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India's airline passenger growth rises 17.71% in April

Indian domestic carriers recorded a passenger growth grew by 17.71% higher than the same period in the previous year, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a report on Thursday.

“Passengers carried by domestic airlines during Jan-April 2017 were 364.13 lakhs as against 309.35 lakhs during the corresponding period of previous year thereby registering a growth of 17.71%,” DGCA said.
The total number of passengers in the month of April alone reached 91.34 lakh. In March the passenger count was 90.46 lakh.
There has been an increase in the passenger load factor (PLF) in April, with SpiceJet topping the list at 93.4% PLF.

“The passenger load factor in the month of Apr 2017 has shown increasing trend compared to previous month primarily due to beginning of tourist season,” DGCA said.
Highest level of cancellation was witnessed by Air Carnival at 58%. In the previous month its cancellation rate was 9.68%.

Overall cancellation rate of scheduled domestic airlines for the month of April was at 0.43%.

Majority of the complaints at 1.9 complaints per 10,000 passengers from national carrier – Air India.
On Time Performance (OTP) of most of the airlines were in close proximity of each other with Vistara taking the lead at 87.4%.
The market share of IndiGo increased in April, taking the lead at 41.4% and Jet Airways coming in second with 15.2% market share.

Air India and SpiceJet’s total market share dipped from 13% and 13.2% respectively in March to 12.9% each in April.
18/05/17 ZeeBiz

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Domestic air traffic: How IndiGo, Jet Airways, Air India, Go Air, AirAsia India, Vistara performed in April 2017

India's civil aviation ministry released the provisional domestic air traffic data for April 2017 on Thursday. Overall, 12 carriers flew 91.34 lakh (9.13 million) passengers during the month, up 15.15 percent from 79.32 lakh (7.93 million) flown in April last year and slightly higher from 9.04 million passengers in March this year.
Budget carrier IndiGo improved its market share to 41.4 percent for April from 39.9 percent in March, while rival SpiceJet fall to 12.9 percent last month from 13.2 percent in March.
National carrier Air India's market share marginally declined to 12.9 percent from 13 percent in March while full-service carrier Jet Airways (excluding Jet Lite) saw its share drop to 15.2 percent in April from 15.4 percent in the previous month.
Nusli Wadia-owned budget carrier GoAir also saw its share fall to 8.1 percent from 8.9 percent in March.
Among smaller carriers, AirAsia India and Vistara saw their market share stay more or less stable at 3.3 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively.
For the four-month period ended April, the total number of passengers carried rose 17.7 percent to 364.12 lakh (36.4 million).
Passenger load factor (PLF), which measures efficiency of carriers, was the highest for SpiceJet at 93.4 percent, followed by 86.9 percent for IndiGo, 84.7 percent for GoAir, 82.8 percent for Jet Airways and 78.7 percent for Air India.
18/05/17 S V Krishnamachari/IBTimes

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Aviation Ministry issues guidelines: Commander should serve 1-year notice period, co-pilots 6 months on resignation

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday issued strict guidelines over resignation and said commanders should serve notice period of one year and co-pilots a notice period of six months on resignation.
The Ministry said that during the notice period, pilot will not refuse to undertake flight duties. The employer will also not deprive pilot of legitimate rights, the ministry added.
Earlier this month, the ministry came down heavily on passengers behaving unruly on flight and announced new rules for a no-fly list. The ministry has divided the punishment for unruly behaviour into three categories. The first category is three-month ban, second level is six months ban and third level is ban for two years or more, said Civil Aviation Secretary RN Choubey.
17/05/17 India.com

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Organ transport: Maha govt seeks pvt aircraft rate regularisation

Mumbai: With rates of private air-carriers that transport cadaver organs for life-saving transplantation procedures continuing to vary, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) claims to have made an appeal to state medical education department to push Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to regularise rates of private air-carriers flying inter-city and inter-state for medical purposes. “This issue has been ongoing for sometime now. We requested the medical education department to approach the union aviation ministry to make air-travel affordable for poor patients,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, Director, DMER.
According to Lalit Gupta, joint general manager at DGCA, no such communication has come from any state so far. State medical education secretary Rajagopala Devera said, “If charges are too high, we will see how to bring them down. A reasonable price is necessary for patients. Discussions will start now.”
In a letter to state medical education department, DMER stressed on the need for affordable prices for cadaver organ transplant. Cadaver organ transplant is a procedure to retrieve organ from brain-dead patients to save the life of a chronically ill patient. In 2016, Mumbai saw 58 cadaver donations, and in 2017, 15 donations so far. Doctors claim that if people in Mumbai donate organs following brain stem deaths, dependence on other cities will drastically reduce. “Inter city transport also needs close coordination. If say, a heart is not transported from retrieval site to recipient patient in four hours, it may go waste,” said Dr Anvay Mulay, heart transplant surgeon.
At least three private air carriers— MAB Aviation, United Helicharters and Leo Air Charter Services— have shown interest in flying cadaver organs for transplantation. In December 2016, a heart transport procedure between Nanded and Mumbai was called off after a private carrier demanded Rs 10 lakh to fly a heart to Mumbai’s Fortis Hospital.
17/05/17 Tabassum Barnagarwala/Indian Express

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TU-142M Aircraft Museum To Debut On April 15

Vishakhapatnam: The much anticipated TU-142M aviation museum at the Beach Road will soon pick up pace. The deadline for this tourism project has been set at August 15. District Collector Pravin Kumar held a meeting with the tourism officials of APTDC and local officials to review on the progress.

He has directed the officials to complete the museum works within 45 days. It will cost Rs 10 crore to do so and the museum will be opened to public by August 15. Andhra University is yet to hand over the land requested, so Varsity Registrar V Umamaheswara Rao has been asked to complete the process and hand over the land to APTDC immediately.

The dismantling works of the aircraft will begin from tomorrow and the aircraft will be set up at the allocated site soon. VUDA Vice Chairman Basanth Kumar has been asked to invite tenders for the development of Beach Road as a mega tourism complex. The collector has asked the Executive Director of the APTDC M Sriramulu Naidu to begin the dismantling of the aircraft.
17/05/17 Yo!Vizag

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Indian Air Force deploys new Rafale combat aircraft with Pakistan and China in mind

Faced with a two-front war scenario against Pakistan and China, the Indian Air Force is set to deploy its latest Rafale combat aircraft at Ambala in Haryana and Hasimara in West Bengal.
In September 2016, India signed a deal with French Dassault Aviation to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets for close to Rs 60,000 crore to meet the urgent requirements on the eastern and western fronts.
'One squadron (comprising 18 aircraft) would be based in Ambala, while the other would be deployed at Hashimara.

'These would cater to requirements on both the fronts,' a government official told Mail Today.
After aggressive patrolling by the Chinese on the eastern and northern borders and its increasing defence ties with Pakistan, the Indian military has been preparing itself for a two-front war and developing infrastructure on both sides.
The earlier plan was to deploy one squadron at Sarsawa air base in Uttar Pradesh, but that did not work out due to land acquisition issues, after which Ambala was chosen.
The Ambala base has some jaguar aircraft squadrons catering to the western front.
On the eastern front, the Hasimara air base close to the China border would see Rafale planes replacing the existing MiG 27 squadrons, which are on their way out of the air force.
16/05/17 Ajit K Dubey/Daily Mail

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Kedarnath chopper service a big hit among pilgrims

Dehradun: Helicopters services in the Kedar valley are proving to be a big hit for well-off pilgrims. The service not only helps them avoid arduous trekking but also saves them precious time. Chopper services are already all booked till May 20 in the region.
Chopper services from Guptkashi till Kedarnath have been there for some years now. These choppers fly from three locations in Guptkashi — Narayan Koti, Sirsi and Phata — and reach Kedarnath and vice versa. The popularity of the heli services can be gauged from the fact that there is a mad scramble among pilgrims to avail the chopper service to reach Kedarnath.
Apart from saving time and hard physical activity involved in trekking, a ride in chopper helps tourists get a bird’s-eye view of the Kedar valley. A large number of pilgrims, particularly from southern states and western states of Gujarat, prefer taking to chopper services.
The Divyadham chopper service that operates from the Narayan Koti helipad has put up a notice seeking excuse from pilgrims uptil May 20 due to all packed bookings. Same is the case with other aviation companies that are all booked by May end.
Indo copter aviation pvt limited manager Madan Mohan said most bookings were done online while some book at the very helipad office at Guptkashi. He said helicopter services are quite popular with pilgrims.
16/05/17 Jotirmay Thapliyal/Tribune

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Tributes paid to aviation pioneer Maneck Dalal in UK

London: Tributes were paid to Maneck Dalal, the aviation pioneer behind international expansion of Air India, who recently passed away here.

Speaking at a condolence meeting held at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan here, India's High Commissioner to the UK Y K Sinha described Dalal, 98, as a "legendary figure" for the immense contribution he has made in the field of aviation by starting the first flight of Air India from Heathrow to New Delhi and Bombay in 1948.

He died on March 6 this year.

At the age of 29 and at the behest of his hero JRD Tata, the young post graduate from Trinity Hall, Cambridge University, started Air India Office in London in 1948.

He had joined Tata Airlines (Air India) in 1946 and was its Manager in New Delhi, when he had the opportunity to meet Mahatma Gandhi in 1946-1947.

Two years later he was sent to London.

Dalal was truly one of the builders of Air India and was its regional director from 1959-1977.
When he started the twice weekly operations for Air India in 1948 in London, only eight airlines operated out of Heathrow Airport, which was only a collection of huts - one of them being Dalal's office, the Times newspaper said in its recent obituary column.
16/05/17 PTI

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Passengers could soon fly direct from Manchester to India, Bangkok and Shanghai

Passengers could be flying direct from Manchester to India, Bangkok and Shanghai in the next two years.
Airport bosses are eyeing up launching services to the Far East, Middle East and the USA if deals can be hammered out.
It follows a booming year for new direct destinations, which have included Houston, Oman and Casablanca.
Thomas Cook has this week launched its route to San Francisco , joining Virgin Atlantic in offering a direct service to the tech hub.
Collette Roche, interim managing director of Manchester Airport, said: “We are looking to launch new routes in the US, Far East and Middle East.
“In the Far East we are looking to pursue the likes of Bangkok and Shanghai. We are really quite interested in securing an India route quite soon. It’s about working with the regions to forge links with the Indian government to make sure they support their airlines over here. We are in talks with a number of airlines. We’d like to have the same success with India as we have with China.
16/05/17 Charlotte Cox/Manchester Evening News

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39% flyers willing to switch to airlines that offer free meals: ixigo

New Delhi: An ixigo survey studying flight booking trends shows that if one doesn’t take air fares into consideration, 39% flyers would choose an airline that serves free in-flight meals! In addition to this, other important factors impacting choice of airline when flying were on-time performance (26%), checked-in luggage allowance (16%) and in-flight comfort (11%).

Of the 8455 online bookers who took part in the survey, 71% prefer to book their air tickets through online travel agencies such as Makemytrip, Cleartrip, Yatra while 29% prefered to book directly with airlines. Over 22% of travellers surveyed had used meta-search engines such as ixigo to book on airline websites and OTAs.

App usage (56%) surpasses website usage (44%), as more and more people choose to make bookings on the go. While most people still prefer booking their flights & hotels seperately, 32% of the people now opt to book a complete package in one go to save on time & effort.
16/05/17 TravelBizMonitor

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‘It is difficult to harmonise airline services’

As Star Alliance, a club of 28 global airlines including Air India, celebrates its 20th anniversary, its Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey Goh, met global media to outline the Alliance’s plans. Excerpts

A lot of customer service issues have been raised by various airlines with United being the big one? Has there been any discussion at the Alliance on common standards of customer service?

We should recognise that certain operational matters remain the prerogative of our members. In terms of cooperation, Star Alliance is not all-encompassing.

On the issue of more standardised service, it is not easy to achieve because our members are of different size, cultural backgrounds and have different business models... it is very difficult to try and harmonise service standards. In the case of United, there has been a lot of interaction within the Alliance...The resulting new policy for this airline (United) is certainly one of communication and exchange with other members. The discussion was not across the Alliance but among members.

In a large country like India, is one airline enough for the Alliance, or will you look at another partner?

India and Brazil are big and fast growing markets. We are constantly assessing to see whether one, two or even a third member will meet our purposes.

Will that be a low-cost carrier or a full-service airline?

The Connecting Partner Model gives us the option of working either with a full-service carrier or with, I will not call it a low-cost carrier, a hybrid carrier, on a more local or regional basis. (Launched in December 2015, the Connecting Partner Model allows low-cost and hybrid airlines to connect to the Alliance network.)

In its 20th year, will you look at advocacy as the Alliance has not really spoken up on issues concerning the industry?

If it is an industry issue, we think the better people to advocate it will be the International Air Transport Association or the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

But almost three-fourth of the passengers flown globally are on your partner airlines...

It will depend on the issues.

Which are the issues?

Our voice may add, but it is not going to change, for instance, the electronic devices ban. We have a view on this and we will share it with IATA and ICAO.
14/05/17 Ashwini Phadnis/The Hindu Business Line

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Maha CM lauds Praful Patel's contribution to aviation sector

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today recognised contribution of senior NCP leader and former Union minister Praful Patel for the face-lift of the aviation sector in the country.

"The changed face of the country's aviation sector is pushed by Praful Patel and people are thankful to him," Fadnavis said after the launch of Patel's photo-biography.

Patel, a Rajya Sabha member, is a former Civil Aviation Minister.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani also attended the function.

"There was a time when landing at any Indian airport from an international flight was enough to notice that you have arrived in India. The odour and looks of the airport were disappointing.

"Now, things have changed for better and world class airports that can handle millions of passengers are well managed by our companies. The decision of privatisation of airport development and management turned crucial and all are thankful to Patel," said the Chief Minister.

Praful Patel has achieved several things but his closeness to people is still intact and it is commendable, added Fadnavis.

Uddhav said he and Patel represent different political parties but that did not affect their friendship.
15/05/17 PTI/DNA

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India’s Light Combat Aircraft: What does the future have in store?

The Tejas Mk 1 had delivered an agile performance at Aero India 2017 last February. The smallest combat aircraft in its class, it keeps costs down and its small size contributes to its agility — a vital capability for an interceptor. It can turn circles around other larger and less agile aircraft.

However, there is a flip side to its small size. It adversely affects Tejas’ payload and range performance. Thus, in a ground attack role, its performance is, at best, mediocre. It will be able to deliver fewer weapons, and over shorter ranges than any other combat aircraft.

An aerospace industry analyst had once said that the Saab Gripen is about the smallest aircraft that can undertake ground attack as well as air interception missions adequately — a multi-role aircraft. Clearly, Tejas will not do well as a multi-role aircraft. It will be best as a point defence — and not even an area defence — interceptor.

Remember the IAF’s Folland Gnat? It was the smallest combat aircraft of its day to enter service. It could carry little armament beyond its two 30 mm Aden cannon. However, its astonishing agility made it known as the “Sabre Slayer”

Some time back, India had demonstrated two Tejas Mk 1s at the Bahrain air show. Sri Lanka and Egypt were said to have “shown interest.” That is where things rest.

Frankly, that was predictable. It is not even to fourth-generation technology standards, and has a mediocre performance.

By contrast, the Tejas two-seat trainer is almost unique as a supersonic advanced jet trainer and has little competition. Also, it is much less affected by Tejas’ poor payload and range performance. Most air forces in the region have some supersonic fighter aircraft, but the two-seat “type trainer” variant of those fighters are horrendously expensive for conversion training.

Air forces worldwide try to transfer as much training as possible to less expensive aircraft. As an example, the very expensive US F-22s and F-35s do not have two-seat trainer variants. Their pilots are trained on smaller and much less expensive T-38s.

A flyaway cost of only about $20 million has been quoted for the Tejas Mk 1. (Around $100 million for the F-35). Clearly, the trainer will be much cheaper. Also, because of its very small size, its operating and life-cycle costs will be very competitive. It could be a winner in the export market. However, it needs to be developed more vigorously.
15/05/17 Hormuz P Mama/DNA

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Dassault Aviation sees new deal for its Rafale fighter jet in 2018: report

French plane-maker Dassault Aviation SA sees a new sale contract for its Rafale fighter jet in 2018, Chief Executive Eric Trappier said in an interview with French regional newspaper Sud-Ouest on Sunday.

"After a contract signed in India, regarding the delivery of 36 Rafale jets, and the order of 24 of these aircraft by Egypt and 24 other by Qatar, we should soon conclude a fourth contract abroad, but it will rather be in 2018," Trappier said in the interview.

Dassault Aviation is also in talks with India over a potential second contract, Trappier added.

"We're notably in talks with Malaysia over 18 aircraft, but also with India over a second contract," the plane-maker's CEO said. "India's needs are enormous. Hence, for its navy, 57 aircraft are considered," he added.
14/05/17 Reuters

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India’s first ATR simulators inaugurated in Gurugram

In an attempt to uplift the country’s civil aviation sector, the Flight Simulation Technique Centre (FSTC) acquired India’s first ATR 72-500 full flight simulator in the previous year. Issued to be certified by the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) India, FSTC officials informed that it was the first of its kind simulator in the South East Asian region.
FSTC, one of the largest training organisations registered under Approved Training Organization (ATO), has a substantial number of full flight simulators catering to all the airlines in India flying various fleet types. The pilots trained by the institution are placed in major domestic airlines like Indigo, Vistara, Jet airways, Spice Jet and Air India.
According to the official announcements, the ATR simulator will help pilots who have to travel to Toulouse, Madrid and Bangkok for type-rating training. ”This is a fruitful measure that will help trainee pilots gain more confidence and also reduce the cost and time spent on training,” the spokesperson stated. The move was welcomed as a part of the Centre’s increased emphasis on Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). According to the official report, IndiGo announced that it will be purchasing 50 ATR 72-600 aircrafts. Air India’s subsidiary, Alliance Air also plans to expand its fleet by leasing 10 ATR planes this year.
Captain Sanjay Mandavia, MD & Accountable Manager, FSTC, commented, “FSTC’s decision to bring India’s first ATR 72-500 state of the art simulation in the heart of the Gurugram, where we are already providing instructor-led ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ training for the Airbus A320 & Boeing B737 further extends FSTC’s commitment to the aviation community in India and the region. Positioning this simulator close to Indian customers and operator’s base of operation will enable them to be more efficient while continuing to train the pilot skills and decision making that enhances safety and effectiveness.”
12/05/17 Shalini Dasgupta/MIG

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