India worst performing domestic air travel market globally: IATA

New Delhi: From being the fastest growing aviation market in the world, India is now the "worst performing" domestic air traffic country globally. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has termed the 12.4% plunge in domestic air travel recorded here in October 2012 over same month a year ago — highest fall anywhere — as a reflection of "the weakening economy and struggles" within the domestic airline industry . "Weakness in India, Japan and the US, stands in stark contrast to the strong growth experienced in China and Brazil ," IATA's report on global traffic results for October says.
Senior officials of Indian carriers warned that unless the government does something fast on rationalizing jet fuel prices and lowering landing and parking-charges and steep airport user fees on passengers, especially in Delhi, the cost of flying would get prohibitively high and kill the fabled Indian aviation story. Domestic air travel in November 2012 has fallen by 15.7% over same month last year, IATA said.
30/11/12 Times of India

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CCI to look at air fare cartelisation after getting more information

New Delhi: The Competition Commission today said it will take a decision on whether to probe alleged cartelisation among airliners in fixing air fares, after getting more information on the issue.
Recently, Captain Gopinath, the pioneer of low-cost airlines in the country, had talked about cartelisation in air fares.
The Competition Commission of India ( CCI) Chairman Ashok Chawla today said the regulator has taken note of a statement at a public platform by Captain Gopinath that there is cartelisation amongst the companies (airliners).
"So, we have asked him to share whatever information he has... He has asked for a meeting (with me). We are awaiting further inputs from him before we take another look at this matter," Chawla said here.
He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar organised by PHD Chamber.
Chawla said the Commission had looked into this issue in the past.
29/11/12 PTI/Economic Times

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Prime-time flying slots to be auctioned

The peak-hour vacant slots, which have been allotted but are not being used by airlines, would be auctioned "on an experimental basis", according to a proposal of the Civil Aviation Ministry.
The airlines wanting prime-time departure and arrival slots would have to bid for their preferred choices if the experimentation was successful, the sources said.
As per the current practice, an airline has to file its flight schedule with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation which allocates them in consultation with airport operators in line with the World Slot Guidelines of the global airlines' body International Air Travel Association (IATA).
An airport slot is defined by IATA as a permission given by a coordinator for a planned flight operation to use the full range of airport infrastructure necessary to arrive or depart at an airport on a specific date and time.
The auction move has been adopted following complaints of partiality by some airlines, especially at busy airports like the ones in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, with all carriers clamouring for prime-time slots at these airports.
30/11/12 Samay Live

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Aviation ministry looks for ways to slash jet fuel prices

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry will try to convince the country's petroleum ministry next week to declare jet fuel as a "notified good," which would lead to exemption from high state taxes, providing some relief to battered local carriers.
Jet fuel makes up about half of an airline's costs. Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh will meet petroleum minister M. Veerappa Moily early next week to discuss the matter, the former told reporters on Thursday.
State taxes of as much as 30 per cent make jet fuel more than 50 per cent expensive in India compared with the global average, and global airlines have often criticized such high taxation.
29/11/12 Reuters/Economic Times

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Plan for new Aircraft Acquisition Committee put on hold

Mumbai: The proposal of Ajit Singh, Minister for Civil Aviation, Government of India to constitute a new Aircraft Acquisition Committee headed by him to recommend the import of aircraft, has been put on hold by Prime Minister’s Office (PMO),  as per a report by The Indian Express. The Ministry already has such a committee headed by an additional secretary, who is the final authority to recommend as well as approve aircraft procurement.
In a communication sent on October 30, 2012 the PMO directed the Civil Aviation Ministry to put the move, which would have given Singh discretionary powers by making him the final sanctioning authority — “in abeyance”. The PMO directed that status quo be maintained until “a final view is taken in the matter”. A two-page note sent along with the communication suggested that having such a committee would “delay” the process and promote “licence raj”.
“Somebody had complained to the PMO, that is why they wrote to us. Where is the question of licence raj, delaying proposals? I clear it much faster, within two to four days,” Singh said.
29/11/12 TravelBizmonitor

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Spotted on HAL runway: A deadlier Jaguar

Bangalore: The maiden flight of upgraded Jaguar aircraft ‘Darin III’ was successfully carried out at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport on Wednesday.
The Darin III upgrade carried out by HAL, with re-engining and changeover to higher capacity alternators is expected to make Jaguar one of the most potent aircraft in the arsenal of IAF with an extended life-span.
The upgrade incorporates new state-of-the-art avionics architecture including Mission Computer (MC), Engine and Flight Instrument System (EFIS), Solid State Digital Video Recording System (SSDVRS), Solid State Flight Data Recorder (SSFDR) and additional functions in inertial global positioning system (INGPS), autopilot, radar and RWR.
The upgrade covers modern navigation, EW and weapon delivery system with INGPS using primary and reversionary modes, state-of-the -art, man-machine interface (near glass cockpit) with two smart multi-function display and head-up display.
29/11/12 Daily News & Analysis

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Removed anomalies in aircraft import process: Ajit Singh

Mumabai: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has said newly-constituted aircraft acquisition committee is functioning and there was no stay order against it. "The committee  is in existence and it met on November 27," Singh said on Thursday.
He was reacting to media report which said the PMO had written to the Civil Aviation Ministry to put in abeyance the committee following complaints that it will lead to licence raj and delay acquisition process. Singh, however, confirmed that PMO did send such a letter to his ministry.
"I am not chairing the committee. We have decided to streamline the acquisition process fixing timelines for the approval process and in process removed certain anomalies. I am not taking away anybody's powers," he said.
According to Singh, the aircraft acquisition committee was first constituted by an executive order in 1994. In 2003, it was made an empowered committee. Two years later, it was given recommendatory powers in respect to acquisition of new airlines and in 2011 the power to sanction aircraft import of scheduled airlines was given to the civil aviation minister.
29/11/12 Business Standard

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Bangaloreans prefer trains over flights

Bangalore: Despite budget airlines and greater air connectivity, Indian Railways remains the most preferred mode of travel. A trend in Google shows there are more people searching for train tickets in the country than for air tickets. Bangalore ranks third in the online searches for rail tickets while it figures only at No.8 among top 10 cities looking for air tickets.
Google Trends shows more demand for rail journeys in the top 10 cities compared to flights between January 2006 and November 2012. Also, Karnataka ranks third when searches for train tickets are compared in sub-region wise data put together but ranks fourth in airline ticket searches. This pretty much shows there are more people on a given day who travel by train than by air.
The reasons are not too far to seek. People who travel from the city to Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Hyderabad find it easier to travel by train because there are more trains to these destinations.
29/11/12 Times of India

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Aruna Chaddha moves high court for bail

New Delhi: Aruna Chaddha, an accused in former flight attendant Geetika Sharma's suicide case on Thursday moved a bail application in the Delhi High Court.
The matter will come up for hearing on Friday.
Chadha was an official of the now-defunct MDLR Airlines where Geetika too worked.
She was arrested on August 8 and the trial court rejected her bail plea on October 15.
29/11/12 NDTV.com

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Sudden spurt in airfares: Govt to tighten noose

New Delhi: The freedom of airlines to charge public at their whim may soon be over with the Aviation Ministry planning to announce a more rationalised fare structure in a fortnight and keep a strict vigil on sudden and unexpected rise in airfare.
In the long run, the Ministry is also planning to have a regulatory mechanism to monitor fares, implying the demand and supply mechanism to determine airfares may also come to an end.
The move comes in the wake of an exorbitant rise in airfares during Diwali this year. On Diwali-eve, the economy class tickets from Mumbai to Kolkata went up between Rs 35,000 and Rs 43,000, while business class tickets were sold for as high as Rs 60,000.
Similar problems were faced in almost all metro routes prompting Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to order an inquiry into the matter. Now, the Ministry is planning to tighten the regulatory mechanism to monitor fares.
“Our focus right now is to maintain and rationalise the fares. This we are going to announce in the next fortnight,” Aviation Secretary K N Srivastava told Deccan Herald.
28/11/12 B S Arun & Annapurna Singh/Deccan Herald

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Aviation sector readies flight plan to beat the blues

The month of October had traditionally been a strong season for air traffic. But this year, domestic passenger traffic declined steeply by 15.7 per cent in October. Industry players and aviation analysts say that the reason behind this is a combination of factors, including high air fares and a slowing economy.
The air fare jump was nearly 30 per cent as compared to last year, according to aviation experts. The grounding of Kingfisher Airlines, which had 19 per cent market share last year, has had an impact on the soaring air fares.
“Though Indigo and SpiceJet have added capacity, the presence of an additional airline makes a difference in the air fares, especially during the peak season,” said Sanjay Bhasin, Managing Director (MD), Goibibo, online travel portal.
According to data submitted by various airlines, the number of domestic passengers dropped to 45.55 lakh in October from over 54 lakh during October 2011.
25/11/12 Nivedita Ganguly/Business Line

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HAL To Sell 10% of Market Share

New Delhi:  India’s monopoly military aircraft manufacturer — Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) — plans to offload 10 percent of its 100 percent government-owned equity in the market to garner resources for expansion and better management.
However, analysts and users of the aircraft say the plan doesn’t go far enough. A complete restructuring is needed, they say, and merely selling a small stake in equity will not help it revamp itself. HAL, with an annual sales figure of about $3 billion, has an order book of more than $10 billion. That number is poised to balloon when HAL begins license production of the $11 billion Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and the $20 billion Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programs.
HAL will need to spend $4 billion in the next five to seven years to build additional capital and human infrastructure to support the aircraft programs.
25/11/12 Vivek Raghuvanshi/Defencenews

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Much-hyped Nagpur air show fails to take off

Nagpur: A fleeting fly-past of the Sukhoi 30s and absence of the much loved Suryakiran dampened the spirits of people who had flocked the surrounding areas of the airport at Sonegaon to watch the air show organized by the Air Force Maintenance Command on Sunday.
Many terraces in the vicinity of the airport had turned into picnic spots as people gathered along with their friends and families to watch the much-awaited air show which they later dubbed as 'flop show'. For many of them it turned out to be a get-together sans excitement.
The only thing which people could witness in the name of the 'air show' was a brief sighting of the Sukhoi aircraft which had arrived from Pune for the fly past. "It did not last even for a few minutes! I didn't even realize when the planes flew over us like three huge birds," said CV Raghav, a student. The Sukhoi 30s, which were supposed to perform two sorties, had to abandon the second one due to miscalculations regarding fuel consumption, said an IAF source.
26/11/12  Shishir Arya & Aparna Nair/Times of India

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MLA demands air fare revision

Mumbai: The Vile Parle MLA Krishna Hegde has written to the union civil aviation minister, Ajit Singh, complaining that all domestic airlines have a minimum base fare starting from Rs 3000 to Rs 4000 but no upper limit in fares when it come to charging the flyer or consumer.
"A ticket to Goa costs Rs 3500 on a normal day and on weekends it goes up to Rs 8000. During the year end, a ticket to Goa goes up to a whopping Rs 80,000 (one way)" stated the MLA.
"Even the so called Budget Airlines are charging the flyers very heavily." said Krishna Hegde. Hegde strongly recommended a cap on the upper limit of airlines fares and said that a regulatory body like TRAI should be set up on the lines of the telecom sector. This should be done on an urgent basis.
26/11/12 Vijay Singh/Times of India

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Airlines, airport brace for the fog

New Delhi: The Delhi Airport authorities and airlines are getting ready with a series of measures to deal with the fog season which causes flight delays every year.
According to the Meteorological Department, the airport will see fog from mid-December to February. Fliers will be worst affected in January, the peak fog season.
The airport authorities have decided to set up additional help desks and put more customer care executives on duty to help out passengers during the fog season. Traffic marshals will be deployed to clear roads leading up to terminals, which get clogged with traffic due to poor visibility. According to airport sources, parking boys will be deployed to deal with fog at the airside.
Air India, which has the largest number of pilots trained to fly in low visibility conditions, is preparing for the fog season. IndiGo spokesperson said the airlines pilots have been adequately trained to fly in the fog season. Besides, all the airlines aircraft are CAT III compliant.
25/11/12 The Hindu

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Ajit Singh orders redressal mechanism for pilots

Mumbai: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to set up a redressal mechanism for pilots following complaints of discrimination and favouritism in training.
Examiners are senior pilots who check the proficiency of junior pilots in simulators and on flights.
In view of a large number of complaints regarding various in-service tests and proficiency checks conducted by airline examiners, the minister reviewed the current system and has directed the DGCA to immediately propose an institutional mechanism for pilots not satisfied with their examination results.
Although the redressal mechanism will function for all airlines, the infighting among Air India (AI) and erstwhile Indian Airlines (IA) pilots for the Boeing 787 training seems to have triggered the minister's action.
25/11/12 Business Standard

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Sultanate & India Regulate Air Transport Services

Muscat: The official talks session between the Civil Aviation Authorities in the Sultanate and the friendly Republic of India will start at the premises of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) tomorrow (Sunday). The talks' session related to regulating the air transport services between the two countries.
During the talks, the Omani side will be chaired by Eng. Salim bin Nasser bin Said al-Oufi, CEO of PACA whilst the Indian side will be chaired by Dr. P. Kumar, Assistant Undersecretary at the Civil Aviation Ministry in the Republic of India who will arrive in Sultanate later today.
The talks will discuss what is related to increasing the number of flights between the two friendly countries and other technical and operation matters in the field of air transport and civil aviation to cope with the latest developments in this field.
24/11/12 Oman News

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Sending gifts by air to get costlier soon

Mumbai: This Christmas, if you plan to send some gift by courier to your relatives in India or abroad, be prepared to shell out more by way of courier charges.
Sending off gifts to your near and dear ones during any festive season could get more expensive. This is thanks to the implementation of paying off arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission to Custom officials.
An application by Express Industry Council of India (EICI), a body that handles courier services at Mumbai international airport, filed with the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), a demand for revision of charges has been made. Though EICI is a non-profit body, there are certain charges that it collects from customers and pays them to the government or agency which renders its services to them.
25/11/12  Shahkar Abidi/Daily News & Analysis

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Air Kerala to approach DGCA for NOC

Kochi: Air Kerala, the proposed airline of Kerala, will put in a formal application next month before the director general of civil aviation ( DGCA) for getting the no objection certificate for services.
This was stated here on Monday by minister fisheries, port and excise K Babu, who is also a member of the director board of Air Kerala. He was speaking after inaugurating the covered passenger alighting and boarding facility at the international terminal of Cochin airport.
The minister said the consultancy firm assigned to prepare the feasibility report on the proposed airline would submit its report in three months .
"But we are not waiting for the report and are planning to go ahead with other pre-launch activities. All such works will be undertaken simultaneously,'' Babu said.
Cochin International Airport Limited (Cial) had launched a fully-owned subsidiary, Air Kerala International Services Limited in 2006 to launch international flight operations. However the proposal had to remain in cold storage because of 'regulatory hurdles'.
23/11/12 T Ramavarman/Times of India

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Govt allows Maya car to drive up to plane

In a stunning volte-face in the background of the growing proximity between the Congress-led UPA government and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the civil aviation ministry on Thursday allowed vehicles carrying BSP chief Mayawati to drive right up to her aircraft on tarmacs at civil airports across the country. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security issued orders on this after the Union home ministry gave its go-ahead on security grounds, top aviation sources told this newspaper.
When she was UP chief minister, Ms Mayawati had asked that her bulletproof car be allowed up to the tarmac at civil airports, but this request was rejected in February this year, just months before the Uttar Pradesh polls.
23/11/12 Asian Age

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Reduce airlines` business costs to turn business around

If Indians are developing a fear of flying, don't blame them. With airfares soaring, the boon of low-cost carriers seems a thing of the past. Starting this year, ticket fares have risen by as much as 30%-50%. Latest DGCA numbers show domestic air traffic fell sharply by 15.7% in October as well as declined in the period between January and October, compared to a year ago. With the pre-2008 aviation boom going bust, it`s natural that the government and industry players are seeking ways to get more people up in the air.
For starters, cartelisation on prices must be checked. But if carriers do gang up to overcharge passengers, the Competition Commission of India can look into it. The way to protect passenger interests isn`t to create a government watchdog to control or fix fares. Rather, aviation needs a regulator promoting competition, the best way to reduce prices. Let`s create a genuine level-playing field where state-owned Air India (AI) is denied favoured status. The privileged access AI`s had whether to taxpayer-funded bailouts or lucrative routes has demoralised private players.
23/11/12 Times of India

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New research from Hawker Beechcraft suggests demand for aviation finance in Asia

New research from Hawker Beechcraft and Corporate Jet Investor suggests that there may be strong growth in demand for business aviation finance across Asia throughout the next five years.
Research amongst business aviation experts reveals that 24.1 percent anticipate demand for business aviation finance in Asia outside of India and China to increase dramatically between now and 2017. Overall, 82.7 percent expect demand to increase over the five-year period.
Demand is expected to grow the most in China, where 63.6% of experts anticipant a dramatic increase in demand, followed by Brazil and India, where the corresponding figures are 46.9 percent and 26.7 percent respectively. In Western Europe, demand is expected to remain relatively flat.
23/11/12 Corporate Jet Investor

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Govt may unveil aerospace policy immediately after winter session

Bangalore: An aerospace policy aimed at attracting global investments and making Bangalore a major aerospace hub in South Asia may be unveiled by the government immediately after the assembly winter session at Belgaum.
"We have an aerospace policy, which may be announced immediately after the Belgaum winter session. We are scheduling it. It is ready," Principal Secretary (Industry) M N Vidyashankar told reporters here.
He said government had taken inputs from all stakeholders in the aerospace sector before framing it and claimed Karnataka was the first state to announce such a policy.
Vidyashankar said Karnataka would become the largest knowledge hub in the world. "It may not happen in two or five or ten years, but it will happen," he said.
21/11/12 PTI/ZeeNews

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Karnataka aerospace policy soon

Chennai/Bangalore: An aerospace policy aimed at attracting global investments and making Bangalore a major aerospace hub in South Asia may be unveiled by the government immediately after the assembly winter session at Belgaum .
“We have an aerospace policy which may be announced immediately after the Belgaum winter session. We are scheduling it. It is ready,” Principal Secretary (Industry) M N Vidyashankar told reporters here. He said, government had taken inputs from all stakeholders in the aerospace sector before framing it and claimed Karnataka was the first state to announce such a policy. Vidyashankar said, Karnataka would become the largest knowledge hub in the world.
“It may not happen in two or five or 10 years, but it will happen,” he said. He also said that no other city can beat Bangalore as a ‘knowledge city’ as it boasts of 396 research and development laboratories. Cities like the National Capital Region and Pune boast of only 107 and 103 laboratories respectively, he said.
“Twenty years down the line, the world will depend on India and Karnataka for high-end manpower,” Vidyashankar said. On the progress on Aerospace Park near the Bangalore International Airport, he said three units are almost ready and one of them would launch production on January 25, 2013.
22/11/12 PTI/Business Standard

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Will disinvestment help HAL take wings?

Bangalore: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, or HAL, is at the top of the government’s disinvestment list. In 2013, the government hopes to offload 10 per cent of its equity in the aviation company in an initial public offer (IPO). The move is a part of the government's larger plan to raise Rs 30,000 crore by selling its stake this financial year. The induction of non-government shareholders in the Bangalore-headquartered maker of aircraft, engines, components and accessories, if the IPO happens, will complete a circle of sorts. HAL traces its roots to a company called Hindustan Aircraft, which was set up in December 1940 by Seth Walchand Hirachand in association with the then princely state of Mysore. The government became a shareholder in 1941 and took over the management in 1942. In 1964, it was merged with Aeronautics India and Aircraft Manufacturing Depot , Kanpur, to form HAL.
HAL has a virtual monopoly in the sector. It is only now that large business houses ( Tata , Godrej , Mahindra and Larsen & Toubro, to name a few) have shown interest in defence. But, they are all too small when compared to HAL, though at least one of these business houses, Mahindra, is known to be very keen to build its aviation business. As a result, HAL’s financial performance has been strong and steady (see table). It reported a profit before tax of Rs 3,200 crore on sales of Rs 14,001 crore in 2011-12. Its net profit margin has been upwards of 17-18 per cent. Its capital assets have risen from Rs 8,143 crore in 2008-09 to Rs 9,628 crore in 2009-10 and then to Rs 11,230 crore in 2010-11. HAL has huge land parcels in places like Bangalore, Nashik, Koraput (Odisha), Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kanpur.
22/11/12 Praveen Bose/Business Standard

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IBS ties up with Lufthansa for handling air cargo

Thiruvananthapuram: Technopark-based IT solutions provider IBS has entered into a contract with Lufthansa Cargo AG -- the airline cargo service Lufthansa Group for the implementation of its iCargo solution.
The solution would manage the airlines' entire air cargo movement worldwide, Executive Chairman of IBS V K Mathews told reporters here last evening.
The company billed the contract as one of the largest IT system deals by Lufthansa Group.
IBS' new generation iCargo system would replace the legacy Unisys-based MOSAIK application which Lufthansa has been using for past 30 years.
22/11/12 PTI/Economic Times

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Kanda left to suffer in jail without bail

New Delhi: Bringing more embarrassment for former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda, Delhi High Court on Monday, Nov 19 refused to give him bail over Geetika Sharma suicide case. Kanda, the owner of MDLR Airlines where Geetika was an employee, is the main accused of the suicide case. It is been months that the former minister has been left to suffer in jail. Kanda along with his aide Aruna Chaddha was charged with abetment to suicide, criminal intimidation and destruction of evidence. A Delhi court earlier had taken cognisance of the charge-sheet and a case was filed under Sections 306, 506, 201, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code and 34/66 of the IT Act. Geetika committed suicide in her apartment in Delhi on Aug 5. In her suicide note, Geetika had alleged that Kanda and Aruna Chaddha were responsible for compelling her to end her life.
19/11/12 One India

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Air travel sees steepest slide of 16% in Oct

With airfares defying gravity, the holiday season has failed to arrest the free fall in domestic air travel this year. October 2012 saw the highest ever year-on-year fall in domestic air travel with a 15.7% drop over the same period last year. The slide is accelerating as it is higher than the 12.4% recorded in the lean travel month of September 2012, over the same month last year.
However, October (which marks opening of peak travel season) saw 45.4 lakh people flying within the country, which is higher than in September and August.
Apart from the economic slowdown, October saw less traffic over the same month last year for one more reason. Diwali this time was in mid-November and so the festive season travel shifted to this month, say travel agents.
But the biggest reason for constant fall in year-on-year domestic flyers in 2012 is that private airlines have decided to hike fares by 30-50% to recover costs to stay alive even if it means sending price-sensitive passengers back to trains. The decision comes after they saw the fate of near-bankrupt Kingfisher, which has been grounded since October 1.
21/11/12 Times of India

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Flying cheap is history now: No-frills carriers use wide fare bands to inflate ticket prices

New Delhi: The next time your grandparents boast having bought a litre of petrol for less than a rupee or a tola of gold for Rs 4000, join the conversation with a similar sigh. Tell them you flew Delhi-Mumbai for Rs 200-3,000 or Delhi-Hyderabad for Rs 324-3,500. This was in the heady launch phase of low-cost carriers in India between 2004 and 2006. Like your grandparents, you too would be longing for the good old days of flying. For, no frills, lowfare flying is now history.
Since early 2012 Indian carriers have steadily raised fares by 30%-50 %, the price graph resembling the Manhattan skyline in the April-June and October-December peak travel months. Passengers complain of what they term "exploitation", especially in peak rush periods like Diwali or the Christmas-New Year weekend. Aman Verma, a Delhi-based exporter had to shell out a princely Rs 1 lakh for an emergency trip to Thiruvanthapuram.
21/11/12 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Kerala government to go ahead with Air Kerala Project to operate flights to Gulf sector

Thiruvananthapuram:  Kerala government today said it has decided to go ahead with its Air Kerala project to operate flights to the Gulf sector, despite reservations by certain quarters on the feasibility of the state operating an airline.
"A study on the project during the previous UDF regime had found that the project is fesible. The present government has asked for an update on the project," Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters during the cabinet briefing.
He said government cannot abandon the project because of the 'indifferent' attitude of Air India towards passengers from Kerala to the Gulf region, he said.
Air Kerala project plans to start low cost services to the Gulf from different parts of state with a view to help NRK's.
The proposed state-run airline Air Kerala plans to raise Rs 200 crore through equity as initial capital. While 26 per cent shares will be held by government, Cochin International Air Port Limited and public sector undertakings, the remaining 74 per cent will be held by shareholders.
21/11/12 PTI/Economic Times

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Will Air India's Jaldi Jaldi scheme trigger fare war?

At a time when airline operators are crying hoarse about higher operating cost and steep losses, will Air India's 'Jald Jaldi' scheme upset them?
Air India has launched a special promotional scheme in which an all inclusive Mumbai-Delhi fare would be Rs 3,699 which is almost 80% less than what it is on other days. The sale opens on November 19 and closes on 21st of the same month and tickets booked through the scheme is for travel on specified domestic sector between Jan 16-March 31, 2013.
The fares, inclusive of all taxes, under this scheme have been kept low ranging from Rs 1,799 to Rs 4,199. The fares quoted are for one-way journeys. The fares have been launched for travel on more than 325 city pairs.
21/11/12 Moneycontrol.com

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Govt may unveil aerospace policy soon after winter session

An aerospace policy aimed at attracting global investments and making Bangalore a major aerospace hub in South Asia may be unveiled by the government immediately after the assembly winter session at Belgaum.
"We have an aerospace policy, which may be announced immediately after the Belgaum winter session. We are scheduling it. It is ready," Principal Secretary (Industry) M N Vidyashankar told reporters here.
He said government had taken inputs from all stakeholders in the aerospace sector before framing it and claimed Karnataka was the first state to announce such a policy.
Vidyashankar said Karnataka would become the largest knowledge hub in the world. "It may not happen in two or five or ten years, but it will happen," he said.
21/11/12 Moneycontrol.com

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Shivraj Chouhan meets Civil Aviation Minister

New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today met Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh and briefed him about key aviation needs of his state.
Chouhan requested Singh to grant Indore airport the status of an 'international' airport as it has been upgraded and modernised with extended cargo handling facilities for to and fro operations of flights from foreign shores.
The grant of this status will "benefit trade, industry and agri-growers" of the state, the Chief Minister was quoted as telling Singh.
"He (Chouhan) requested Singh to restore the earlier schedule of Indian Airlines flight between Bhopal-Delhi sector which made the journey to and fro on the same day possible.
"He also said that there is an urgent need for perishable cargo hub at Indore which will cater to the need of floriculture and pharmaceutical sector which has immense potential," a state government spokesperson said here in a statement.
21/11/12 PTI/Business Standard

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Delhi cops seek more time to examine Kanda aide’s statement

The Delhi Police on Tuesday sought two more days from a court here to examine the statement of former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda’s aide Chanshivroop to see if he could be made an approver in the Geetika Sharma suicide case.
Appearing before a local court, police said it needed two days more to examine accused Chanshivroop’s statement, recorded before a magistrate after he wanted to to become an approver in the case. Kanda too is an accused in the case.
The Delhi Police had earlier said Chanshivroop, an assistant manager in MDLR, was the person who had gone to Dubai where Geetika was working with Emirates Airlines and told its officials that she had secured a job with MDLR on the basis of fake and forged documents.
21/11/12 Indian Express

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Malaysia urges airlines to grab stake in India carriers

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian airline carriers should consider acquiring stakes in ailing Indian airlines, to tap into the strong domestic demand offered by the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, the Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia said on Wednesday.
Vijay K. Gokhale said the potential for growth was vast for an airline from Malaysia or Asean investing in the once-vibrant Indian civil aviation industry.
He said the industry, which was previously closed to foreign ownership in India, has very few players, thus opening more space for competition and connectivity.
“These are commercial decisions. The Indian market is of course very huge. It will be a very interesting business proposition for any airline from Malaysia.
“What needs to be realized is that Indian airlines have very strong routes connectivity, and the acquirer will also benefit tremendously from the foreign travel rights, adding to the strong domestic demand,” Gokhale told Bernama.
21/11/12 Bikya Masr

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Air traffic up 13% on fests, Indigo tops

New Delhi: The number of people travelling by domestic airlines grew by over 13 per cent in October, as high demand during holiday season arrested a five-month downward streak, with low-cost carrier IndiGo retaining its position as the market leader.
The total number of passengers carried by scheduled domestic airlines grew to 45.55 lakh in October, from 40.18 lakh in previous month, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a release.
IndiGo carried the largest 12.66 lakh passengers, commanding a market share of 27.8 per cent in the month of October. Its market share has risen from 27.2 per cent in the previous month, when it had carried 10.94 lakh passengers.
National carrier Air India also saw its market share growing from 19.3 per cent in September to 20.8 per cent, while its number of passengers rose from 7.75 lakh to 9.49 lakh.
Private carriers like Jet Airways and SpiceJet also saw increase in their market shares and numbers of passengers in October, which is considered a holiday season due to various festivals.
20/11/12 Indian Express

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IAF to celebrate 80th anniversary with air show

Nagpur: As part of commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Indian Air Force (IAF), its Headquarters Maintenance Command (HQMC) located at Nagpur has planned an aerial and static display, at Air Force Station Sonegaon on November 25, a release from IAF's public relations officer said here Tuesday.
The aim of the display is to enhance public awareness of the potential and lethal capability of the IAF and instill a feeling of "pride and security" in the hearts and minds of the viewers, the release said.
IAF to celebrate 80th anniversary with air show on November 25 The event would showcase the Air Warriors Drill Team, the Akash Ganga paratroopers and a performance by the Air Force Band, the release said.
The display will last for one and a half hours, from 8.30 am to 10 am and will encompass a static display of transport aircraft and helicopters such as AN 32, Avro, Advance Light Helicopter and Mi-17, the release said.
20/11/12 PTI/ZeeNews

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Spain is eyeing a slot in IT City’s aerospace park

One of the biggies in the aerospace industry, Spain, is looking at setting up a base in the IT city. It is eyeing the upcoming aerospace park next to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) at Devanahalli.
 The state-of-the-art 985-acre facility is being developed by the state industries and commerce department. It also has a 252-acre Special Economic Zone in its premises.
 The aerospace park has already got investors and project proposals from HAL, Jupiter Aviation, Dynamic Technologies, Centum Electronics, AMADA, BEML, Wipro, Tyco and Aero Electronics Private Limited.
 With Bangalore being a hub for research and development  in aerospace technology in India, Spain is keen on a presence and had initiated talks when its ambassador visited the city recently.
 Surbhi Sharma, honorary consul of Spain, told Bangalore Mirror, “With Bangalore being the centre of R&D in aerospace, Spanish companies’ priority would be to set up a base here. Spain is in the forefront in aerospace industry and its first choice of investment in aerospace sector would be Bangalore.’’
20/11/12 S Kushala/Bangalore Mirror

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Govt may tweak FDI norms in aviation:Chidambaram

New Delhi: Government may be open to tweaking FDI norms in the aviation sector to attract investment, for which there has to be "willing buyer and a willing seller", Finance Minister P Chidambaram said today.
"What is there to tweak, we have allowed 49%. Let us see whether there are potential investors. These are executive decisions, they can always be tweaked," he told PTI in an interview.
"See, merely because you raise it (the 49% limit) to 51% does not mean somebody is going to come. There may be a willing buyer, there has to be a willing seller also. The Indian company must be willing to yield control. And (there is) no evidence of that. There are only half a dozen players in the sector," Chidambaram said.
He was asked whether there was a possibility of tweaking the FDI norms for the aviation sector due to the lack of response so far.
Under the changes brought about by the government in the FDI norms in September, foreign carriers were allowed to pick up stake of up to 49% of paid-up capital in domestic airlines.
18/11/12 PTI/Business Standard

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Passenger traffic growth hits turbulence

Domestic airline passenger traffic growth is set to nosedive into negative territory in 2012-13 due to the ongoing economic slowdown, coupled with high airfares. Fuel prices too will remain high and the rupee will remain weak against the dollar. Yet, the airline industry will, ironically, be in a better position on the margin front this fiscal than it was in 2011-12.
Lower competition arising from Kingfisher Airlines’ exit due to financial turmoil and subsequent consolidation in industry will shore up realisations in 2012-13. This is borne out by data for the first half of 2012-13, which reveals that domestic and international realisations of Indian carriers [considering the financials of Jet Airways (standalone domestic) and SpiceJet] have risen by around 30 per cent and 14 per cent year-on-year, respectively.
However, unlike in the past when higher ticket prices resulted in lower passenger load factor (PLF), this time around the PLF is steady despite the hike in ticket prices because of the loss of seat capacity emanating from the problems surrounding Kingfisher.
18/11/12 Ajay DSouza/The Hindu

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EU gambles with aviation levy

When the European Commission launched its controversial levy on airlines, by including aviation emissions in its emissions trading scheme from January this year, opposition was vociferous and surprisingly united.
Airlines and governments from the US to India to China joined forces to rail against what they labelled as a breach of sovereignty, even warning that the consequence could be a trade war.
At first the Commission stood firm, warning that threats of a trade war should not be made lightly. “It is not right that by threatening us they think they can make a democratic system change democratically made laws,” Connie Hedegaard, the EU’s Commissioner for Climate Action, told this paper in an interview back in March, insisting even if there were retaliatory action, the Commission would not back down.
Eight months later, however, things have taken a surprising turn: last week Hedegaard announced that — subject to agreement by the EU’s 27 member states and the European Parliament — the Commission planned to “stop the clock” on enforcing the inclusion of aviation in the ETS for flights in and out of Europe until after the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) general assembly meeting next autumn.
18/11/12 Vidya Ram/Business Line

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Air traffic talks likely with neighbours

New Delhi:With the civil aviation ministry granting 60 per cent more traffic rights to Indian air carriers on international skies, it is likely to engage in fresh bilateral negotiations with the governments of Oman, Macau and Afghanistan for enhancement of traffic rights. Bilateral traffic rights define the number of weekly flights or seats a country’s designated airlines are allowed to operate in another country’s specified points. Both countries can seek more numbers of services or seats in a week or more places to fly to, through enhancement of traffic rights.
In an interview with Business Standard, Ajit Singh, the minister, had said, “We would explore possibilities of enhancing additional traffic rights with those countries with whom existing rights have almost got exhausted from both sides.” The government had imposed a freeze on private carriers expanding abroad in March last year.
According to ministry data, this winter season will see Indian carriers utilising 42 per cent of the quota of seats allowed under bilateral traffic rights with various countries or 377,724 seats per week, compared with about 20 per cent utilisation in the year-ago season.
19/11/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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Diwali air fares set off government probe

New Delhi: Alarmed by the rocketing air fares this Diwali, aviation minister Ajit Singh on Saturday ordered a probe into the pricing mechanism of airlines, saying "there must be some reasonableness and limit" despite the demand-supply maths. Alongside, the Competition Commission of India may look into complaints that airlines acted as a cartel to push up prices in the festive season.
On Diwali eve, economy-class tickets from Mumbai to Kolkata went for up to anything between Rs 35,000 and Rs 43,000, while business class tickets cost over Rs 60,000. A Delhi-Ahmedabad economy ticket of a full-service airline on Diwali was between Rs 6,500 and Rs 39,000.
"I have received complaints of overcharging. Airlines have a system of putting seats in different fare buckets (fares rise as an aircraft gets filled). The range of fares in this bucket system must have some logic," said Singh.
18/11/12 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Govt may tweak FDI norms in aviation:Chidambaram

New Delhi: Government may be open to tweaking FDI norms in the aviation sector to attract investment, for which there has to be "willing buyer and a willing seller", Finance Minister P Chidambaram said today.
"What is there to tweak, we have allowed 49%. Let us see whether there are potential investors. These are executive decisions, they can always be tweaked," he told PTI in an interview.
"See, merely because you raise it (the 49% limit) to 51% does not mean somebody is going to come. There may be a willing buyer, there has to be a willing seller also. The Indian company must be willing to yield control. And (there is) no evidence of that. There are only half a dozen players in the sector," Chidambaram said.
He was asked whether there was a possibility of tweaking the FDI norms for the aviation sector due to the lack of response so far.
18/11/12 PTI/Business Standard

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Economic slowdown? Corporate jets get set for second rising

From a utilitarian standpoint, corporate jets should always be insulated from economic cycles. They take their owners or users closest to a final destination in the fastest time possible. Travel is unavoidable. So even if economic conditions are biting, corporate jets are not really politically incorrect possessions.
TS Kalayanaraman of Kalyan Jewellers agrees. He purchased a seven-seat Embraer Phenom 100 in, of all places, Kerala. The private jet helps him supervise his 30-odd jewellery stores that span Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.
"A private jet is not a luxury; it is a necessity," he told ET in an earlier interview, referring to the poor air connectivity in India. Kalayanaraman had trouble reaching small towns like Hubli, Belgaum and Tirupati. Travel took days — one flight a day, a couple a week or no flights at all — but now thanks to the jet, he zips from Bangalore to Hubli in half an hour.
18/11/12 Binoy Prabhakar/Economic Times

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Indian carriers beat foreign rivals in seat utilisation

New Delhi: Indian airlines are set to witness over 42% utilisation of seats allowed for overseas destinations, government data shows, surpassing for the first time in eight years the capacity used by foreign carriers flying into the country.
According to data provided by the civil aviation ministry, the current winter season will see Indian carriers utilising 42.56% of the quota of seats allowed under bilateral traffic rights, or 377,724 seats per week, compared with about 20% utilisation in the year-ago season.
On the other hand, foreign airlines flying into India are expected to clock 39.78% this season, compared with over 40% utilisation a year ago.
Although domestic carriers were granted permission to fly to overseas destinations in 2004, they were, until now, unable to match the capacity utilisation of foreign airlines flying into India largely due to policy constraints.
According to officials, the improvement in capacity utilisation follows the civil aviation ministry's move to give in advance traffic rights up to three seasons to all airlines.
16/11/12 Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times

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Slowing economy, capacity cutbacks hit domestic air traffic in September

Chennai: Indian domestic air traffic in September plummeted 9.9 per cent compared with a year ago. This was the worst performance for any market, reflecting the slowing economy and capacity reductions that have suppressed domestic air travel.
The September capacity fell 5.9 per cent, decreasing the load factor 2.9 percentage points to 64.9 per cent, the lowest of any market, says International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents some 240 airlines comprising 84 per cent of global air traffic. IATA drew a parallel between China’s domestic travel growth due to that country’s growing economy, and the drop in India’s traffic due to slowing economic conditions.
Among domestic markets, the IATA report said that air travel in China grew strongly, expanding 11.4 per cent in September compared to the same month last year.
15/11/12 TE Raja Simhan/Business Line

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Asia bright aviation market despite slowdown: Study

New Delhi:  Asia remains a “relatively bright” aviation market despite the recent slowdown, with a fast-expanding middle class providing the launchpad for further growth, a study by an airlines’ body said today.
While China continues to be the largest engine for growth in Asia, other parts of the region were also seeing significant increases in demand for travel with a fast-expanding middle class providing a “brighter outlook” for Asian carriers, the latest study by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has said.
The outlook for the Asian market “remains relatively bright” for 2013 despite a recent slowdown in traffic growth, challenging conditions in the cargo sector, stubbornly high oil prices and continued economic weakness in Europe, it said.
While it is unlikely that the peak of 2010 would be reached anytime soon, Asia remains a dynamic and generally profitable high growth market that outperforms all other regions, AAPA Director General Andrew Herdman said.
15/11/12 Business Line

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India open to tweaking FDI in aviation policy: Govt source

New Delhi: India is open to further reforms to lure overseas investors into its airlines, a government source said, after a dearth of interest following changes to investment rules left Kingfisher and others still short of much-needed funds.
The aviation ministry will meet local carriers soon to ask what changes were needed in the policy, added the source, with direct knowledge of policy developments.
India changed its Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy in September to allow foreign carriers to buy stakes of up to 49 per cent in domestic airlines, a move seen as a potential boon especially for debt-laden Kingfisher Airlines Ltd.
All three listed Indian carriers - Jet Airways and SpiceJet as well as Kingfisher - are said by some analysts to be on the lookout for investment from a foreign carrier, providing a new source of funding for the industry.
15/11/12 Reuters/IBN Live

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International airlines renew India connection

New Delhi: After a lull, international carriers have renewed their interest in the Indian market and are launching flights, adding new destinations and increasing frequencies from some destinations.
The airlines, who have added or plan to add new destinations in India, are Richard Branson-promoted Virgin Atlantic and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific.
Virgin Atlantic in October added Mumbai as a new destination. The airline restarted operations apart from New Delhi.
Cathay Pacific has announced Hyderabad as its new destination from December. The airline operates from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, and its wholly-owned subsidiary Dragonair flies to Kolkata and Bangalore. The new airline on the block is Maldivian Airline that has announced flights connecting Mumbai and Chennai to Male.
15/11/12 Indian Express

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International airlines renew India connection

New Delhi: After a lull, international carriers have renewed their interest in the Indian market and are launching flights, adding new destinations and increasing frequencies from some destinations.
The airlines, who have added or plan to add new destinations in India, are Richard Branson-promoted Virgin Atlantic and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific.
Virgin Atlantic in October added Mumbai as a new destination. The airline restarted operations apart from New Delhi.
Cathay Pacific has announced Hyderabad as its new destination from December. The airline operates from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, and its wholly-owned subsidiary Dragonair flies to Kolkata and Bangalore. The new airline on the block is Maldivian Airline that has announced flights connecting Mumbai and Chennai to Male.
Existing player Air Asia has plans to increase frequencies from a large number of destinations they currently operate from. The airline is planning to increase its flights from Delhi, Kochi, Tiruchirappalli and Chennai.
15/11/12 Mihir Mishra/Indian Express

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For every hijack or bomb scare, a draining, straining drill

New Delhi: Last week, a city court sentenced chartered accountant Jitendra Kumar Mohla, 45, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of having created a hijack scare on an Indigo flight three years earlier. The ruling was the first of its kind but the scare that he was convicted of having created, whether it is about a hijack or a bomb, is something very frequent.
In the past two years, there have been 30 such hijack alerts, say officials of security agencies involved in airline and airport operations. They say the alerts, which always turn out to be hoaxes, are a drain on resources, besides creating a strain on passengers.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and cricketer Zaheer Khan have been among the passengers of the flights involved in these fake alerts. In December 2011, the Chennai police received a call that there was a bomb on the prime minister’s special aircraft when he arrived at Tiruchi airport in Tamil Nadu. Since it concerned the PM, the anti-sabotage check was conducted by Special Protection Group personnel while the terminal buildings were sanitised by the CISF. It took three hours of checks to conclude that it was a hoax call.
15/11/12 VijaitaSingh/Indian Express

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Students get up close with naval aircraft

Panaji: As part of the Navy Week celebrations by the Goa naval area, around 150 students from 15 schools across the state were provided an opportunity to get up-close with various aircraft that the Indian Navy operates from INS Hansa at Dabolim on Wednesday.
The visit was scheduled on the occasion of Children's Day on November 14. They were taken around a static display of aircraft which included MR aircraft IL-38 and Dornier, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter Kamov-31, search and rescue helicopter Chetak, fighter training aircraft Kiran, aircraft carrier-borne vertical take-off and landing fighter aircraft Sea Harrier and the advanced carrier borne fighter aircraft MiG 29 K.
The visit provided the students with an opportunity to have a closer look at many different types of aircraft at one place. The children were awe stuck to see the fabulous machines that the Navy operates from Goa and showed keen interest in the manner in which they are operated. Their queries were answered to their satisfaction by qualified naval personnel present.
15/11/12 Times of India

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EU freezes carbon tax on aviation

New Delhi: The European Union (EU) announced on Monday deferring plans to charge a carbon tax on passengers flying to and from its 27 member countries.
European Commissioner for EU, Connie Hedegaard, said, "In order to create a positive atmosphere around these very important negotiations, I have just recommended in a telephone conference with the 27 member states that the European Union stops the clock when it comes to enforcement of the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS to and from non-European countries, until after the ICAO general assembly next Autumn."
India, China and several other countries had strongly opposed the carbon tax, sparking a heated trade war that was hurtling towards a diplomatic crisis. TOI had earlier reported on International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) proposal to create an international market-based mechanism for taxing international flights which would apply to flights between developing countries at a later date, and initially covering only the developed countries.
13/11/12 Nitin Sethi/Times of India

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Centre for rise in air fare for Haj travel under govt quota

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the cost of air travel for Haj pilgrims under the government quota was not high and also indicated a rise in air fare in a bid to reduce air travel subsidy. Last year, the Centre had given a subsidy of Rs 55,000 per air ticket, which increased the total subsidy to Rs 690 crore.
In a response to the apex court’s query on whether the government could find a better economic choice for Haj travel, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said the fare charged by the Haj Committee of India was much lower than those charged by private operators. “Despite higher costs as a result of these special arrangements (extra baggage, extra meal), even today pilgrims travelling through the Haj quota pay much less than general passengers or Haj pilgrims travelling through private operators. The contention that air travel through Haj panel quota is more expensive is erroneous,” said the affidavit filed through advocate Haris Beeran.
13/11/12 Utkarsh Anand/Indian Express

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Lufthansa to use IBS solution for air cargo management

Kochi: Technopark-based IBS Software Services (IBS) has won a major contract from European cargo airline Lufthansa Cargo AG to implement iCargo, an air cargo management solution developed by IBS.
The deal, supposed to be one of the largest in the air cargo industry, is also viewed as a significant achievement for the Indian IT industry. "We can confirm having signed the contracts with IBS," Matthias Eberle, director of communications of Lufthansa Cargo, replied to an email query of The Times of India. The company is planning a press conference with IBS in Thiruvananthapuram on November 25 to announce the deal.
IBS developed iCargo in collaboration with major airlines like South African Airways Cargo, Gulf Air, Air New Zealand Cargo, Qantas Freight and Australian Air Express. The solution helps airlines to improve cargo revenues and volumes, along with profitability and customer service, while cutting down operational costs.
13/11/12 Shenoy Karun/Times of India

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Civil aircraft may soon get new air routes

New Delhi: Civil airlines may soon get new air routes between cities in India, which could cut flying hours. The government is planning to open restricted airspace for flexible use by civilian airplanes, a move that will increase airspace capacity, according to Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials.
AAI, the country’s military and air navigation service providers have joined hands for allowing flexible use of restricted Indian airspace. The move is a part of the Central Air Traffic Flow Management (C-ATFM) system that the airport regulator is expected to put in place by 2014.
Restricted airspace is an area over which the local controlling authorities limit movement of aircraft for safety concerns or security reasons. Flexible use means airspace would not be designated as purely civil or military airspace but be allocated according to user requirements.
12/11/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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Airport baggage scanners didn’t detect explosives: panel

New Delhi: New-generation baggage scanning machines installed at major Indian airports have become a bone of contention between aviation authorities and security agencies with the latter claiming that the scanners failed a test to detect explosives as specified. Aviation authorities and the manufacturers of the machines have, however, rejected those claims and said officials who tested the machines may not have known how to use them correctly.
The scanners — installed at Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kochi airports — were procured in 2010 at a cost of Rs 2 crore per unit and continue to remain in service. They “failed” the tests conducted in July-August 2011, after which security agencies introduced manual verification of images of every bag produced by the scanner about six months ago as an interim measure until the row over the machines’ capabilities is resolved.
12/11/12 Ajmer Singh/Indian Express

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Flyers take to more satisfactory middle

New Delhi: The Cathay Pacific airline’s introduction of a premium economy class on its Delhi-Hong Kong route is the latest instance of the segment, comprising service-and-cost-conscious travellers, making their presence felt in the Indian market.
Positioned between the economy and business class in terms of pricing and comfort, it is becoming a preference on routes of more than five hours, for both business and leisure travellers. Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Air France and Turkish Airlines are among those offer premium economy on long-haul routes.
Says Tom Wright, general manager -- South Asia, Middle East & Africa-- for Cathay Pacific, “We have introduced premium economy in India for the first time; the product is also new to us and we’re introducing it on the Delhi-Hong Kong route on A-330 aircraft, with 28 out of 242 seats. We see a big opportunity here. Eventually, we will introduce it on other routes. We expect to address a niche market of frequent flyers who want better service than economy, yet can’t afford as high as business class.”
12/11/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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European Union panel puts carbon emissions law for airlines on hold

The European Union will put on hold its rule that all airlines must pay for their emissions on flights to and from Europe, but will resume enforcement if a UN airline body fails to deliver a global deal, Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said.
The European Union has come under intense international pressure to tear up its law making all airlines using EU airports buy carbon allowances on its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). "To create a positive atmosphere, we have agreed to stop the clock," Hedegaard told a news briefing on Monday.
12/11/12 Reuters/Daily News & Analysis

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Inter-city Bangalore buses in demand due to high airfare

Bangalore: Thanks to the soaring airfare and the absence of Kingfisher Airlines flights, more and more commuters are relying on bus services for inter-city travel. According to players in the bus ticketing industry, demand has been 15-20% higher this season compared with the same period last year.
According to Aurvind Lama, cofounder and director, travelyaari.com, a real-time bus ticketing company, sales of tickets more than doubled during the current festival season. During the Diwali season last year, the company had done business worth Rs23 lakh per day, while this year the figure touched Rs75 lakh per day.
Same is the case with TicketGoose.com, a leading south Indian online bus-ticketing portal. According to Arun Athiappan, cofounder and CEO, TicketGoose.com, people who usually commute by train and air have shifted to bus this year.
12/11/12 Suparna Goswami Bhattacharya/Daily News & Analysis

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UFOs over India-China border could be Chinese lanterns: Probe

The mystery over the unidentified luminous objects seen on the horizon over a lake in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir appears to have been cracked with security agencies believing it to be "Chinese lanterns".
Earlier last month, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) wrote to the government about sighting of some Orange-Yellow luminous flying objects on the horizon over Pangong lake, located 160km from Leh township.
The Leh-based 14-Corps was alerted by the ITBP which also reported sighting of the light-emitting body to its Udhampur-based Northern Command prompting an intensive monitoring of the flying object, official sources said.
Scientists from various organisations were brought to Himalayan township of Leh and a thorough study was conducted in consultation with experts of the Indian Air Force, whose radars were also unable to pick up any signal due to the flying of the unidentified objects on the horizon of the lake, 45km of which is in India while the remaining 90 km lies in under control of China's People Liberation Army.
Intelligence agencies, with their sparse presence in this region, however, opined that this could be a psychological operation of the Chinese army and a possibility of launching "Chinese lanterns" during day break and in night was looked into by various astronomers, scientists and experts who have studied glaciers for years together, the sources said.
11/11/12 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

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Premium economy class becoming popular on international flights

With Hong Kong based airlines Cathay Pacific introducing Premium Economy class on its Delhi-Hong Kong route, the potential of the Premium Economy segment, comprising of service-and-cost-conscious travelers, is making its presence felt to the Indian market.
Positioned perfectly between economy and business class in terms of pricing and comfort, it is becoming a preferred product type on long haul routes of more than 5 hours, for both business and leisure travelers.
Among other international carriers, Virgin Atlantic, British airways, Turkish airlines, Air France, etc also offer premium economy on long haul routes.
Addressing this segment of the market, Tom Wright, GM - South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Cathay Pacific said, “We are introducing new product on Delhi-Hong Kong route on A-330 aircraft. With 28 premium economy seats out of 242 seats, we have introduced premium economy in India for the first time. The product is new to us as a company also. We see a big opportunity here. Eventually, we will introduce it on other routes also.”
11/11/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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Civil Aviation Ministry approved New Traffic Rights to Indian Carriers

The Civil Aviation Ministry in the first week of November 2012 approved new traffic rights to Indian carriers for the next three seasons to expand international air travel out of the country. The new cities include Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Sydney, Melbourne, Nairobi, Al Najaf in Iraq, Moscow, Zurich, Macau,Tashkent and Ho Chi Minh City.
Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express got their number of weekly flights enhanced. Air India has also got the rights for the first time to fly on sectors like Delhi-Rome-Madrid/Barcelona, Delhi-Moscow, Delhi-Sydney/Melbourne, Mumbai-Nairobi and Mumbai-Al Najaf.
11/11/12 Jagran Josh

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Agra to get regular air connectivity soon

Agra: The Agra tourism industry welcomed the civil aviation ministry's announcement Saturday that the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport here was operational, paving the way for the city to get regular air connectivity.
The tourism industry has welcomed the "rather prompt" response from Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, who interacted with a local delegation Friday and promised he would take up the demand of regular air connectivity to Agra on priority.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) had installed ILS at the airport about a year ago at a cost of about Rs 4 crore. The system had to be certified by the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Up to 700 charter flights come into Agra every year, each bringing 80-100 foreign tourists each.
10/11/12 IANS/Zee News

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Like realty, airfares from Mumbai most expensive

Mumbai:  The cost of commuting, real estate, petrol and essential commodities has always been higher in Mumbai compared to other Indian cities. Now, airfares have made it to that list.
Air ticket prices have jumped across the board, but when fares on flights originating from six Indian cities to six international destinations in the neighbourhood are compared, it emerges that, this season, rates from Mumbai have witnessed the steepest hike.
A case in point is tickets to Dubai. "Airfares on the Mumbai-Dubai and Delhi- Dubai flights were almost on a par," said Anoop Kanuga, director, Bathija Travels. Not any more. To go to Dubai next week, a passenger from Mumbai will need to pay at least Rs 34,000, the cheapest return fare this weekend. But a passenger from Delhi can do a Dubai return for Rs 22,000.
Similarly, the cheapest return flight to Singapore from Mumbai costs Rs 7,000 more than that from Delhi.
11/11/12 Manju V/Times of India

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Ajit Singh wants more sky opening

Mumbai: Reversing its stance, the civil aviation ministry has decided to negotiate with the governments of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Singapore to allow more flights between India and these countries.
Minister Ajit Singh has also given a nod for Indian carriers to start more foreign flights, allocating additional traffic rights till the winter of 2013. New routes are also being opened, with the ministry giving permission to start services to Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Moscow, Sydney/Melbourne, Nairobi, Al Najaf (Iraq), Jakarta, Zurich, Ho Chi Minh City and Macao. At present, these cities are not served by Indian carriers.
In last summer’s schedule, Indian airlines were allowed to operate 1,074 services a week. This has been increased to 1,526 for next summer and 1,695 for next winter.
The government has decided to resume negotiations with foreign states to enhance the seat entitlements available to either side, thereby enabling an increase in services.
10/11/12 Business Standard

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Air fares skyrocket ahead of Diwali

Last-minute plans of spending Diwali away from the city may be hurt by air ticket costs increasing 150 to 200 per cent on some high-density corridors.
Industry insiders and travel portals reveal fares have shot up, especially on routes to Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. Fares for Bangalore, Goa and Kerala are also high these being tourist destinations.
“During festivals, a marginal increase is usual. This year the rise is huge. People have to rely on air transport as trains get booked much in advance. Also, working professionals don’t have time for long-distance train journeys,” said Gour Kanjilal, executive director, Indian Association of Tour Operator
10/11/12 Manasi Phadke/Indian Express

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Geetika suicide: JC of Kanda and Chaddah extended till Nov 21

New Delhi: The judicial custody of former Haryana Minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and his aide Aruna Chaddah, arrested for their alleged roles in the Geetika suicide case, was today extended till November 21 by a Delhi court.
Kanda and Chaddah were produced before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate D K Jangala after expiry of their judicial custody.
During the hearing, the counsel for the accused also told the court that the process of scrutiny of documents was still going on.
Both 46-year-old Kanda and 40-year-old Chaddah have been accused of abetting the suicide of former air hostess Geetika Sharma.
Geetika was found dead on August 5 at her Ashok Vihar residence in North West Delhi. In her August 4 suicide note, the 23-year-old victim had said she was ending her life due to "harassment" by Kanda and Chaddah.
09/11/12 PTI/Business Standard

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Demand for air connectivity to Taj city

Agra: A group of tourism industry leaders and politicians from here met Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh in New Delhi to demand the introduction of Air India flights to the Taj city, a member of the delegation has said.
K.C. Jain, president of REDCO (Real Estate Developers and Colonizers Organization) told IANS on phone from New Delhi that the civil aviation minister has given a firm assurance on this on Friday. They also demanded starting work on the new civil terminal at Kheria Air Force Station.
"Work on the new terminal building will start as soon as the Uttar Pradesh government acquires the 60 acres of identified land," Jain told IANS after the meeting that also included Agra's Bharatiya Janata Party MP Ram Shankar.
"Flights between Agra and Delhi, Khajuraho and Kolkata by Air India could start soon, once the instrument landing system (ILS) is certified by the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation)," he said. "A team is likely to be in Agra this weekend to review available facilities," Jain said.
The delegation members told the minister that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has installed the ILS about a year back at a cost of about Rs.4 crore.
10/11/12 IANS/News Track India

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Travelling with pet made easier

Bunty or Bumba or Sonu can. But what about Coco or Toffee or Mini? This question has long dogged the city's pet owners. While the holiday season is just around the corner, and the lure of the hills, or the thought of enjoying the autumn sun by the seaside too tempting to resist, leaving the blameless dearies back home is no less a pet peeve for many. But now, help is at hand. A number of entrepreneurs have come up with planned holidays to take care of pet needs for travel. Be it travelling by air or train or putting up at a hotel or resort, now plan your vacation with your furry friend.
International pet travel consultant Anupama Vinayak, who started her travel portal, Pet Vacations, in 2009, receives around five queries daily. "Bengalis are really fond of their pets. A lot of Kolkatans call me up for advice while planning holidays with their pets," she says. Anupama herself has a pet dog and the portal was formed out of her own concerns while travelling. "Problems arise out of the lack of clarity. Airlines don't write down the rules clearly, nor do railway authorities make them known. Here, we have pitched in to make pet travel stressfree for our customers," she explains.
10/11/12 Dibyajyoti Chaudhuri/Times of India

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Civil Aviation Ministry grants new rights to Indian carriers

Mumbai: Reversing its stance the civil aviation ministry has decided to negotiate with governments of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Singapore to allow for more  flights between India and these countries.
Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh also given nod to Indian carriers to start more foreign flights allocating additional traffic rights till winter 2013. New routes are also being opened up with the ministry giving permission to start services to Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Moscow, Sydney/Melbourne, Nairobi, Al Najaf (Iraq), Jakarta, Zurich, Ho Chi Minh City and Macao. At present these cities are not served by Indian carriers.
In the last summer schedule Indian airlines were allowed to operate 1074 services per week and the number of services have been increased to 1526 for next summer and 1695 for next winter.
Importantly the government has decided to resume negotiations with foreign states to enhance the seat entitlements available to either side thereby enabling increase in services. The government had come under fire from the Comptroller and Auditor General for  liberally enhancing seat entitlements on demand from Gulf and European airlines. These carriers particularly Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines  were thus able to increase number of flights to India and tap the market to feed their global networks.
09/11/12 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Over 600 international flights to be added by Oct 2013

New Delhi: Indian airlines will see the number of international flights go up to 1,695 a week by October next year, from 1,074, an increase of almost 58 per cent.
This follows the Indian Government allowing domestic airlines to not only operate on new routes connecting India with Rome, Madrid, Moscow, Barcelona, Zurich, Dusseldorf, Ho Chi Minh city and Al Najaf (in Iraq), but also permitting them to increase the frequency of flights to international destinations. It will be a phased increase over the next 15 months.
From the summer schedule 2013, Air India has been permitted to operate daily flights from Delhi to Rome-Madrid-Barcelona and Moscow, while from winter schedule 2013, the Maharaja has been allowed to launch a daily flights between Mumbai and Nairobi.
The summer schedule runs from the last Saturday of March till the last Saturday of October, while the winter schedule extends from the last Sunday of October till the last Saturday of March.
In effect, this means that an airline permitted to operate a flight in the summer schedule 2013 can start the service anytime between March 30 and October 20, 2013.
09/11/12 Business Line

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Indian skies unattractive for FDI

It has been nearly two months since the government opened up the skies to FDI in aviation, but till date no foreign carrier has flown in to buy a stake in any Indian airline. While some, especially cash rich middle-east players like Emirates and Etihad, have afforded only a lukewarm response, foreign low cost carriers say that there is a lot more that needs to be done if they are to fully tap the huge market here.
Sunanda Jayaseelan of CNBC-TV18 reports what international low cost carriers are making of the post-reform aviation sector in India.
It has got the green signal, but FDI in aviation is yet to take-off in India. While full service carriers are moving cautiously, low cost carriers like Air Arabia says its wings are being clipped. India, is the perfect market for a low cost carrier (LCC), according to Adel Ali Group CEO, Air Arabia, who’s company entered India in 2007.
However, he says, there are a lot of issues that need to be urgently addressed for low cost carriers to fly smoothly,  like taxes at airports and bilateral air service agreements.
09/11/12  CNBC-TV18/moneycontrol.com

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Marshals missing in the sky

New Delhi:  The growing menace of unruly flyers — who are increasingly putting lives of fellow passengers at risk — may have instilled fear of flying among air travellers but the government is yet to provide adequate safeguards against this risk. India is awaiting the result of an International Civil Aviation Organization's working group recommendation to tackle this issue and then consider them for implementing here.
But the simplest thing that can be done — increasing the presence of sky marshals from the elite National Security Guard (NSG) — is being shied away from due to logistical issues like lack of personnel and costs involved for airlines in providing hotel accommodation to them. At present, sky marshals are mostly provided on some international routes and some sensitive
domestic ones.
"The requirement is constantly assessed by the Bureau for Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), security and intelligence agencies. The threat perception determines deployment of sky marshals. Under no circumstance are they present on each and every flight. That is simply not possible," said sources.
09/11/12 Times of India

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DGCA: Only fog trained pilots for winters

New Delhi: With the winter setting in and a blanket of fog having already engulfed the national capital, the Union civil aviation ministry has asked the authorities concerned to take all necessary steps in advance to meet eventualities arising out of fog during the winter season, especially at the airports in North India.
In its report to the aviation ministry, the meteorological department has said the period of fog during 2012-13 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi will be from December 10 to February 10.
The ministry has stressed on the fact that authorities should ensure that flight cancellations should be minimal and passengers should not be put through unnecessary inconvenience.
Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh has asked the authorities to ensure that the passengers should be provided timely information, food and beverages, etc in cases of flight delays.
08/11/12 Daily News & Analysis

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India to sell 10% stake in aeronautics firm

The government released a statement saying it had "approved divestment of 10 percent equity in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) out of its holding of 100 percent through an Initial Public Offer (IPO) in the domestic market".
HAL, which is managed by the ministry of defence, ranks among the country's leading aerospace companies with an annual turnover of 131 billion rupees ($2.4 billion) in the 2010-11 financial year.
The partial sell-off is expected to aid the government in its plans to cut the national fiscal deficit to three percent of GDP by 2017, from 5.8 percent last year.
"The divestment is likely to happen in the next financial year," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters.
08/11/12 AFP/msn news

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Ajit Singh interfering with duty hours, pilots tell court

Accusing civil aviation minister Ajit Singh of undue interference, the Association of Indian Commercial Pilots has moved the Delhi High Court against the new flight duty hours.
The petition, which is likely to be taken up for hearing on Thursday, blames Singh for tinkering with the duty hours of pilots without consulting them or the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as is mandatory.
Arguing that it was the sole prerogative of the DGCA to lay down maximum daily hours to be flown by pilots, the maximum daily duty hours as well as the daily landings permitted by a pilot, the pilots alleged that the minister had stepped beyond his jurisdiction.
08/11/12 Abhinav Garg/Times of India

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Indian aviation sector capable of growing by 130%: Bird Group

New Delhi:  Bird Group today said the Indian aviation sector can achieve growth of up to 130 per cent with the relaxation of FDI norms but the step should have been taken much earlier.
"I think the FDI in aviation should have come much earlier," Bird Group Executive Director (India) Ankur Bhatia said at the World Economic Forum on India here.
With FDI coming in, the Indian aviation sector is capable of growing 120-130 per cent, he added.
"We do not have regional infrastructure where there is potential of people flying more. If foreign airlines come in, they will look at the infrastructure first," Bhatia said.
07/11/12 PTI/Economic Times

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AN-32 Courier Service to Kargil from Nov 26: Akhoon

Jammu: Indian Air Force (IAF) will start operation of AN-32 Courier Service to Kargil from November, 26 and remain operational during the winter season after closure of the surface link – the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway.
The Minister for Transport and Consumers Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD), Qamar Ali Akhoon, informed,  while chairing a high level meeting of the officers of Civil Administration, Air Force (AF), Airport Authority of India (AAI) Civil Aviation, Police, Transport and other Security agencies, here today.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Dr Asgar Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Mr. Pradeep Gupta, Commissioner, Civil Aviation Department JK Mr. S. Katoch, Secretary, CA&PD and Transport, Mr. Muhammad Abbas Dar, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu Mr. Sanjeev Verma, Deputy Commissioner, Kargil Mr. M. Raju, SSP Airport Jammu Mr. Ashok Sharma, Managing Director, JKSRTC, Mr. J. S. Tondon, representative of AOC, HQ, Udhampur, Station Commander Air Force Station, Jammu, Chief Operation Officer, Jammu.
07/11/12 Kashmir Observer

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Rapid expansion of aviation has given impetus to economy: Prez

Raipur: Noting that airports serve as gateways, President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday said rapid expansion of the aviation sector in the country has given significant boost to the economy.
"The aviation industry has grown world over and India is no exception. Air travel is no longer a luxury or the exclusive privilege of the rich.
"The rapid expansion of aviation in India has provided significant impetus to the economy," he said inaugurating the integrated terminal building of Swami Vivekananda Airport here.
He hoped the airport will help build bridges between Chhattisgarh and the rest of India as well as the world.
"I am confident it will help bring a large number of tourists and business people to the beautiful and mineral resource rich state which has a hard working and talented population," he said.
Mukherjee, who is on two-day visit to the state, said airports serve as gateways to the country.
07/11/12 ZeeNews

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Woes of Kerala fliers: Vayalar Ravi seeks Ajit Singh's intervention

New Delhi: Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi today sought the intervention of Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to solve problems faced by fliers from Kerala due to frequent cancellation of Gulf-bound flights.
Ravi, who held the additional charge of Civil Aviation Ministry before it was given to Singh, said the Minister assured him that all steps will be taken to resolve the issues related to services of Air India Express to Kerala from different Gulf countries.
"I met Ajit Singh today to apprise him of the misery of overseas-based Keralites, who face problems due to the steep increase in Air India fares and continuous flight disruptions. He told me that steps are being taken to solve the problems," Ravi said..
Air India CMD Rohit Nandan was also present at the meeting in which the recent hijack alarm incident at the Thiruvananthapuram airport was also discussed.
06/11/12 Indian Express

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‘Airline costs are 40% higher in India’

Mumbai: Air Arabia, one of the largest low-cost carriers in the Middle East, operates in 13 cities in India. Adel Ali, Group CEO, Air Arabia, in a media interaction, spoke about the challenges and potential of the Indian market.
How much does the Indian market contribute to Air Arabia in terms of passengers and revenues?
It is 10-12% for both passengers and revenues.
How has growth been so far in India?
We had good year-on-year growth until about 2010. But in the last two years we have not grown at all because we have used all our allocated capacity under bilateral and the seat factors have been high.
Is there a room for expansion if you have used the allocated capacity?
I think there is a room for expansion. For governments, it is a routine thing that they need to do every year or every two years. And one remains hopeful that both parties are sensible and they recognise the potential. It will be a gradual process. In a business you always want to grow. We aim for more because there is a demand for it and I am optimistic that if the talks happen, things will be positive.
06/11/12 Yuga Chaudhari/Daily News & Analysis

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Kerala’s dream takes flight, once again

Thiruvananthapuram: Two decades into India’s open skies policy, a period marked by takeoffs as well as crash landings for many private airlines, Kerala wants to fly to the Middle East on its own wings.
The Congress-led government has decided to revive Air Kerala, conceived by the party’s previous government in 2005. If it takes off, it will be the country’s first airline with a state government as one of the primary stakeholders.
Under the proposal, the airline will cater to the Middle East sector, where around 2.5 million people from Kerala are employed. What has led to a fresh look at the proposal is the frequent cancellation of Mideast-bound flights from Kerala and high Air India fares, particularly during peak season.
The government recently reconstituted a board of directors for Air Kerala, with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy as chairman. In 2005, a feasibility report by Ernst & Young estimated Air Kerala would require an investment of Rs 200 crore for starting operations with five leased aircraft. A revised estimate is expected this year.
06/11/12 Shaju Philip/Indian Express

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Airlines, tour agents make offers to lure shopaholics

Mumbai: With the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) scheduled to be held from January 3, different airlines and travel agencies have begun making special offers to Mumbaikars for visiting the "shopping Mecca."
According to an estimate, of the seven to eight lakh Indians who visit Dubai every year, more than a lakh of them go there during this festival alone.
People familiar with the tourism industry claim that about 25% of the shoppers who visit the mega event avail of early-bird discounts every year and book their accommodation.
"DSF is one of the most anticipated events for shoppers. Most of these people make their bookings in advance," says Mayur Shah, the proprietor of an Andheri-based travel agency, Shah Travels.
06/11/12 Daily News & Analysis

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Air Works Engineering: Flying First Class

Sixty-year-old Air Works Engineering is a leading provider of aircraft services with its presence in 20 cities. The company is certified to maintain 50 different types of aircraft—ranging from small, single-engine machines to turboprops and the B737s and A320s that are the mainstays of domestic airlines. Air Works moved into the fast lane in 2007 when the founding family, the Menons, realised it needed capital and professional management. GTI Capital, a New York-based venture capital and private equity firm, and construction and engineering firm Punj Lloyd came in first, investing $10 million each. Other investors like Silicon Valley-based venture firm NEA and Elephant Capital followed. The Menon family stake is now down to about 9 percent.
The new management was led first by Suresh Soni, the man who recognised Air Works for the hidden gem it was. Soni began investing in equipment to build capability and diversifying the business overseas. He began with a majority stake in the UK-based aircraft paint and refinishing company, Air Livery. Air Works also built its own paint facilities at Hosur in Karnataka. Painting now accounts for 30 percent of the business.
06/11/12 Cuckoo Paul/Forbes India

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India seeks direct flights to Nairobi

Indian airlines will return to Nairobi, if talks between Kenya and their government succeed.
At a press briefing last week, Indian External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid said his government was actively trying to re-establish a direct air link to Nairobi.
At the moment, Kenya Airways flies directly from Nairobi to New Delhi. However, no Indian airline flies directly to Kenya’s capital since Air India stopped in 2010.
“We have lost that,” said Mr Khurshid.
But this may prove difficult as Indian airlines are grappling with tough financial times.
In 2011, three of the country’s top airlines lost more than 60 per cent of their market value. One of the airlines, Kingfisher, ceased operations. Air India is still in the skies largely due to government bail-outs.
06/11/12 Daily Nation

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Bhagalpur people demand resumption of air services soon

Bhagalpur: Upset by the inordinate delay in resumption of commercial air services from Bhagalpur, the denizens vented their ire at a meeting held under the aegis of Eastern Bihar Industries Association (EBIA).
At present, the Bhagalpur airfield caters intermittently to high flying politicians and bureaucrat only, lamented the denizens and sarcastically said that 'sirf neta hi nahi janta bhi udey jahaz mey (not only the politicians, but common people should also avail air-services)'.
Demanding introduction of commercial air-services from Bhagalpur air field, they said that it has necessary premises and basic infrastructure for starting commercial air-services.
President of EBIA Mukutdhari Agarwal said commercial air-services are available till nearly 30 years back from Bhagalpur airport.
06/11/12 Kumar Rajesh/Times of India

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Air Arabia keeps Indian aviation on hold

Mumbai: Sharjah-based low-cost carrier Air Arabia has said it will not rush to invest in the troubled Indian airline sector.
"We don't want to rush into buying or investing in a market that we are not expert of. Operating from UAE to India and back is one thing and picking up stake here is another, as we don't have the required expertise," Air Arabia board member and group chief executive Adel Abdullah Ali said.
"One needs to look at the policy framework in detail and understand what it exactly offers."
But Ali was quick to add that India is a good business opportunity, and global airlines may look at it in future.
Air Arabia connects 80 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.
05/11/12 Indian Express

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Airlines may be able to save 10-20 per cent fuel while flying

Mumbai: Airlines will be able to save 10-20 percent fuel while flying. With the Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) and Gagan satellite, airlines will be able to save fuel and reduce carbon emissions significantly. When fully in place, the two facilities would also enable even shorter air trips.
ATFM is a system where airlines would be given more straighter routes, with least diversions in the air. This would save the fuel and reduce the flying time as well. This may take about one to two years, but at the end of it, airlines will be accruing optimum benefits. Talking at the Center For Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) summit, Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman, VP Agarwal, said that the fuel saving due to the two facilities would be around 10-20 percent. "The fuel impact would vary from sector to sector and the amount of diversion the aircraft would be taking," said Agarwal. "Airlines will be given optimum routes which will help reduce carbon emissions," he added. Agarwal said that the focus is also on reducing the flying time as it will benefit passengers immensely.
04/11/12 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Anil Baijal quits as Federation of Indian Airlines Secretary General

New Delhi: Former bureaucrat Anil Baijal has quit as Secretary General of Federation of Indian Airlines -- an apex body of scheduled Indian carriers.
"I have resigned from the post of FIA Secretary General. I had been on this post for three years and worked for the betterment of the industry," Baijal told PTI.
FIA was formed as the voice of India's airline industry. It identified and took up issues on behalf of the industry with various regulatory authorities, government departments and other key stakeholders.
The Federation provided a platform for consensus-building amongst the member carriers.
According to sources, Baijal resigned due to friction over some issues among the members and their failure to pay their annual subscription fees.
05/11/12 PTI/Economic Times

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Indian air travellers most keen to stay connected on-board

New Delhi: Indian air travellers are keen to stay connected not only on the ground but also in the air. And that too on their own mobile phones.
The Skyscanner survey of over 10,000 travellers across Asia Pacific shows that, across Asia Pacific, there is much less enthusiasm for allowing passengers to make calls on their mobiles while in-flight, with 51 per cent against their introduction. The figure drops even further among travellers from Europe.
The survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Indian air travellers favour the use of mobile phones on-board flights.
In a similar survey conducted earlier this year, an overwhelming 86 per cent of travellers said they were against the introduction of mobile phones on planes.
05/11/12 Business Line

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India Lines Up Boeing for $2.4 Bln Helicopter Orders

New Delhi: Boeing Co.appears set to get about $2.4 billion in military contracts from India, with a senior official saying that the country's the U.S. company's Chinook and Apache helicopters, and that commercial negotiations will begin soon.
India plans to buy a total of 15 Chinook CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters and 22 AH-64D Block III Apache helicopters, the official said.
He added that Boeing's twin-rotor Chinook was chosen recently as the preferred bidder over Russia-based MiL Moscow Helicopter Plant's Mi-26, while the Apache was selected over the Mi-28.
05/11/12 Santanu Choudhury/Wall Street Journal

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Airline woes over stranded passengers

As scientists and politicians debate the relationship between carbon emissions and storms such as the one that devastated the US east coast last week, some people in the airline industry are more worried about a different kind of problem.
As with the EU's emissions trading scheme, where battles over jurisdiction have led to cancelled aircraft orders and threats of trade wars, the industry foresees schisms over European rules on how to cope with air passengers stranded by hurricanes and other disruptions.
While travellers who fell victim to hurricane Sandy may have all been facing the same challenges regardless of their country of origin, customers of European airlines had far stronger legal rights - to room and board, for example, if not for compensation for the inconvenience.
 And with the protection of passenger rights strengthening in Europe in recent weeks thanks to a ruling by the European Court of Justice, experts see conflict arising over which country's regime applies in an industry that is almost by definition international.
"The industry has always wanted to do things on a global basis," says Michael Burns, an aviation consultant with PwC. "We've seen that on the environmental front, and in terms of passenger rights and compensation we're going to run into the same issue."
05/11/12 moneycontrol.com

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Govt to slash approval time window for flights by private jets registered abroad

New Delhi: In a move that would benefit corporates having aircraft registered outside India, the civil aviation ministry has agreed to reduce the period prior to which they have to inform Indian agencies before flying into the country.
The civil aviation ministry and the home ministry, in a meeting held in the last week of September, have agreed to reduce the duration to three days prior to flying into India from seven days earlier.
“Our argument was that any passenger normally a businessman, flying by a corporate jet, can also fly into the country by a scheduled commercial flight without asking for any approval from anyone. Why does the same person need to inform seven days in advance, when he comes by a private jet? We have agreed to reduce the period and the proposal will be send to committee of secretaries for a final approval,” said a senior ministry official.
04/11/12 Mihir Mishra/Indian Express

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