After 11 years, runway over Adyar to cater to wide-bodied aircraft

Chennai: Nearly 11 years after building its second runway over the Adyar river, Chennai Airport is finally going to use it to cater to wide-bodied aircraft. A total of 194 obstructions, including 90 buildings, would be removed so that the runway can be used by large ‘Code-D’ and ‘Code-E’ aircraft.

Currently, only 2,100 metres of the 2,890-metre-long runway is being used. Clearing the obstructions would free up 780 metres more, according to sources. International Civil Aviation Organisation has classified aircraft under different codes based on their size. Code-D aircraft, including Boeing 767 and Airbus A-310, have a wingspan of 36-52 metres, whereas Code E aircraft have a wingspan of 52-65 metres. Currently, the second runway caters to only Code-C aircraft like Airbus A-320, Airbus A-321 and Boeing 737-700, which have a wingspan of fewer than 36 metres.

Work on the second runway, worth `450 crore, began in 2009 with the construction of a bridge on the Adyar river and was completed in 2011. However, many obstructions prevented it from meeting specific standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Chennai Airport Director Dr Sharad Kumar said while the primary runway, which is 3.66 km long, was catering to wide-bodied aircraft, the secondary runway could not be put to use for such aircraft because of the obstructions like 90 buildings, constructed beyond permissible height; 102 mobile phone towers; poles; and trees.

Chennai Airport can currently handle 36 aircraft an hour. If both the runways are put to use, it will be able to handle around 45-50 aircraft an hour. Moreover, Chennai Airport has received 10.2 acres of defence land at St Thomas Mount for CAT-1 approach light system. The lights will help pilots identify the runway environment and align the aircraft. 

31/08/22 C Shivakumar/New Indian Express

Read More

Direct Jodhpur flight to resume on September 8

Indore: There is good news for passengers travelling from the city to Jodhpur, the historic city of Rajasthan. IndiGo, a leading airline, is going to restart its direct flight for Jodhpur from September 8. The airline had stopped the operation of this flight on March 27 this year following a drop in passenger traffic.

However, IndiGo has announced that it will restart the daily flights. The airline has started bookings for the flight, as well, just after the announcement. TK Jose, chairman of the MP Chapter of Travel Agents’ Federation of India (TAFI) said the flight would be operated both ways daily between the city and Jodhpur.

Currently, the airline has opened ticket bookings till October 29 owing to the currently applicable summer schedule. However, the airline is planning to continue it further even in the winter schedule. The passengers travelling between the city and Jodhpur will benefit a lot from this.

At present, flights are being operated for the two cities of Rajasthan, Jaipur and Kishangarh, from the city. IndiGo is operating a daily flight for Jaipur, while the flight for Kishangarh is being operated by Star Air. In this sense, the flight for Jodhpur will be the third one to Rajasthan.

31/08/22 FreePressJournal

Read More

Day-time flights at Calicut airport to be rescheduled for runway recarpeting from January

Day-time flight operations at Calicut International Airport at Karipur will be rescheduled for eight months from January next year as the airport is getting ready for recarpetting of its runway.

A team of Airport Authority of India (AAI) experts who visited Karipur on Tuesday examined the runway, the runway end safety areas (RESA), and other operational areas of the airport.

Airport officials said that the runway recarpetting and runway centre-line lights installation would take place from January 2023. The work is scheduled to continue for eight months, and will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. so that day-time operations will be shifted to night.

The team held discussions with various stakeholders, including revenue officials, airline officials and airport officials. They also examined the 14.5 acre land acquired by the State government for the purpose of RESA expansion.

The AAI engineering wing will study the possibilities of building a high embankment for the runway and RESA expansion. As it is a table-top runway, any extension of the runway or RESA would involve a lot of filling work.

RESA expansion has become a crying need at Karipur, especially after the tragic crash of Air India Express flight 1344 on August 7, 2020, in which 21 people, including two pilots, were killed and 167 others wounded. It was assessed that a longer RESA could have prevented the accident. The flight from Dubai overshot the runway touchdown point while landing and fell off the tabletop runway into a depth after wading through the 90 metre RESA.

31/08/22 The Hindu

Read More

Alliance Air to restart Delhi-Shimla flight from September 6

Mumbai: Alliance Air on Tuesday said it will restart flight services to Shimla from Delhi, starting September 6. Earlier, the services on the route were withdrawn due to several reasons.

In July 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the first flight between Shimla and Delhi, operated by Alliance Air under the government's regional connectivity scheme.

Alliance Air said it will now fly daily with its regional jet, ATR42-600, from September 6.

With the vision of connecting New India and offer better air connectivity between Tier-II and Tier-III towns with their closest city hubs, Alliance Air is expanding the air connectivity in North India by recommencing Delhi-Shimla-Delhi with a daily flight.

30/08/22 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

AAI and Sweden inks an MoU for sustainable aviation Tech

At the AAI Corporate Headquarters in New Delhi, the LFV Air Navigation Services of Sweden and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. In order to investigate smart aviation solutions, the agreement netween Sweden and Airports Authority of India (AAI) brings together two air navigation service providers, India and Sweden, who have a track record of developing and implementing the newest generation of environmentally friendly aviation technology.

This MoU will open the door for bilateral aviation technology and expertise exchange between the two nations.

By utilising Swedish innovation and knowledge, it would enable Indian businesses to grow faster. The companies may work together in areas of common interest under the auspices of the MoU.

Mr. M. Suresh, Member (Air Navigation Services), AAI, and Mr. Magnus Corell, Deputy Director General, LFV Sweden, signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Ms. Malin Cederfeldt stberg, State Secretary, Swedish Ministry of Infrastructure, H.E. Klas Molin, Swedish Ambassador to India, and H.E. Tanmaya Lal, Indian Ambassador to Sweden, all attended the ceremony. Senior representatives from Airports Authority of India (AAI), LFV, the Swedish Embassy in New Delhi, and Business Sweden—the Swedish Trade & Invest council—were present at the occasion.

On this occasion, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, commended the governments of Sweden and India for taking the initiative to work together to support India’s efforts to establish a productive, secure, and sustainable aviation industry.

He stated his belief that the cooperation between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and LFV Sweden in the field of civil aviation will significantly advance the development and implementation of the next generation of smart and environmentally friendly aviation technology.

30/08/22 Madhavi Gaur/Adda247

Read More

Kolhapur Airport develops world class facilities at new terminal

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has initiated a new development project to allow additional capacity for passenger traffic at Kolhapur Airport (KLH). The development project includes construction of a new terminal building, widening of the existing runway, extension of runway, construction of new aprons and isolation bays.

KLH has been identified for RCS operations under UDAN scheme and is currently connected to Hyderabad, Baglore, Mumbai, and Tripit. Recently, the Aerodrome Lysas has been deployed for 24/7 flight operations.

The new terminal building is being constructed over an area of 4000sqm and will be capable of handling 300 passengers during the stipulated time, aided by 10 check-in counters, all of which will aid a seamless passenger airport journey. A four star tower (GRIHA) rated energy with building sustainable sewers will be efficient. The new parts of the building will showcase the art and culture of local civilisation and heritage. The façade of the new terminal building has been influenced by the commonly used toranawars in heritage structures like Maharaja Raj Bhavan, Bhawani Madpan, Pahalla Fort of The City of Hamirpur. More than 60 per cent of the construction of the terminal building is expected to be completed and the building will be completed by 31 March 2023.

A new Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower is also being constructed to meet the traffic congestion in its additional area. The parking area with a capacity of 110 cars, 10 buses is also part of the development work.

30/08/22 International Airport Review

Read More

Fly Bengaluru to Hong Kong direct with Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific will operate two non-stop weekly flights from Bengaluru to Hong Kong  from 11 October. This mark’s the Hong Kong flag-carrier’s entry into Bengaluru skies. This will connect Bengaluru with Hong Kong and connect customers to popular international destinations within the USA, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines.

Rakesh Raicar, regional general manager, South Asia, Middle East and Africa, said: “We are delighted to once again serve the residents of Bengaluru. As a group, we have had a long-standing history with the city and now we will be taking to the skies from the third-largest airport in India – Kempegowda International Airport on 11 October with Cathay Pacific.”

“A wide-body aircraft on this route will not only cater to the travel needs of corporate and leisure travellers but provide each segment with a cabin of choice and allow them to travel with enhanced comfort to Hong Kong and beyond. Moreover, launching Cathay Pacific in the city also gives us an opportunity to service our customers and partners, whilst providing them with a comfortable and a premium experience on our world-class products.”

30/08/22 Kanchan Nath/Travel Daily Media

----------------------

Read More

Show clearances to buildings around Navi Mumbai airport are illegal: HC to petitioner

The Bombay High Court on Monday was informed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) that it has received 123 applications seeking No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for construction of buildings above permissible height restriction of 55.1 metres within 20 kilometre radius of proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport. As many as 104 of them were cleared while 19 were pending approval, it added.

The AAI had, last month, decided to relax the height restrictions for construction of buildings near the Navi Mumbai airport from 55.1 metres to 160 metres.

The court raised concerns about high-rises coming up even before the airport is ready and said that if this continues, authorities will have to find out how the airport can be accommodated within the structures around.

“What is amusing to us is that the airport is yet to come up, but buildings are coming up first. Ideally, the airport should come up first. Here, you have to check how airport can be accommodated. That is amusing to us. Even before the airport has come up, you (authorities) want to have all constructions done. If you make it so tight, does it not raise concerns? Development is needed but not at the risk of people,” the bench orally remarked.

The bench also asked the petitioner, who in his PIL raised concerns over structures around airports posing a threat to the take-off and landing of flights, to specify the laws under which it can question AAI’s decision to clear the constructions above permissible height of 55.1 metres and approval by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the planning authority in Navi Mumbai, which gave permissions for such constructions.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Makarand S Karnik on August 25, while hearing PIL filed by advocate Yeshwanth Shenoy in 2019, asked the AAI if it had relaxed height restriction norms.

The petitioner said several structures were constructed in violation of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (Height Restrictions for Safeguarding of Aircraft Operations) Rules, 2015. The petitioner referred to a July 30 press note by CIDCO and said the authority amended the norms to grant no-objection to construction of buildings within a 20-kilometre radius of the airport as it raised the height limit from 55.1 metres to 160 metres above mean sea level (AMSL).

On Monday, AAI submitted an affidavit stating that 2015 rules permit construction of buildings above 55.1 metres within 20 kilometre radius of the airport.

30/08/22 Indian Express

Read More

Noida International Airport will cater to 4 million passengers in its first year of operation: Christoph Schnellmann

While accepting that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the air passenger traffic in India, Christoph Schnellmann, Chief Executive Officer, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), the entity set up to manage and run Noida Airport, still expects the airport to serve around 4 million passengers in its first year of operation.

Excerpts from the interview>>

Read More

Parandur residents reject 3.5 times market value offer, ask govt for find another site for airport

The residents of Parandur, who are up in arms against the proposed airport in the region, rejected the government's land acquisition offer and said that they will not hand over the land for the project. The residents of 13 villages said that they do not trust the government's promises. The government on Friday offered 3.5 times the market value for the land.

The protesting villagers demanded the authorities find another site for the project as it would destroy their livelihood. The majority of the families are into farming and are not ready to sacrifice their agricultural lands.

The Parandur region which falls in the Kancheepuram district is located 59 km southwest of the existing airport. The Airports Authority of India’s pre-feasibility study had identified 4791 acres of land for the airport, including 2605 acres of wetlands. However, there has been no official statement on the extent of land that will be acquired. According to unofficial estimates, As many as 1005 houses will have to be razed down for the construction of the airport in 13 villages.

Announcing the compensation, Tamil Nadu’s Minister of Public works EV Velu assured the villagers that their concerns will be taken care of. State Government also offers alternative lands, and financial assistance for housing, besides promising government jobs to people in the 13 villages.

“We have decided to provide 3.5 times more than the market value as compensation for acquiring their land. We will also allocate them an alternate land for their house and assist them financially to build their house. We will also provide a job to one member of each family that will be relocated due to the project. The person will get a job based on his/her qualification,” the minister said on Friday. However, the villagers rejected these offers.

29/08/22 TimesNow

Read More

Akasa Air inaugurates maiden flights on the Bengaluru-Mumbai route

Akasa Air, India’s newest airline, today inaugurated its first flights on the Bengaluru-Mumbai route enabling the airline to offer twice-daily flights in each direction on the Bengaluru-Mumbai route. This came after the airlines successfully took off on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Bengaluru-Kochi routes.

According to Akasa Air, the airline will commence one additional daily flight from August 30, 2022, and another from September 19, 2022. The airline has also added a new route between Bengaluru and Chennai, which will commence from September 10, 2022. "In line with the airline’s vision of adopting a phased approach to grow its network across India, Akasa Air has already announced flights for six routes across five cities, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Bengaluru, and Chennai," the airline mentioned.

The airline has even started its commercial operations with two aircraft and received its third aircraft on August 16, 2022. "It will continue to grow its fleet by adding one new aircraft every two weeks with a view to establish a strong pan-India presence with a focus on metro to tier 2 and 3 route connectivity. Akasa Air’s fleet size will be 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 and over the next four years, the airline will add 54 additional aircraft, taking its total fleet size to 72 aircraft," Akasa Air stated.

19/08/22 BusinessToday.in

Read More

Sleeping pods set up at Chennai airport

For the benefit of transit passengers, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has set up sleeping pods at the arrival hall of the domestic terminal at Chennai airport. 

The facility “Sleepzo” has four bed-sized capsules near the baggage belt no. 1 and will help those who have to stay long to take their connecting flights get some sleep, according to a release.

“The sleeping pod facility at Chennai Airport can be availed on an hourly basis and has amenities like reading lights, charging station, USB charger, luggage space, ambient light & blower control and a nice plush bed. Each capsule can accommodate one person (and kid, if under 12) offering full rest to the tired passenger,” the release said.

17/08/22 The Hindu

Read More

​UDAN Scheme turns 5: 220 airports​ planned to be facilitated under the scheme ​by 2026

New Delhi: Aimed at connecting small and medium cities with big cities through air service, the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s flagship program Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) has completed 5 years of success since the launch of it first flight by PM Narendra Modi on April 27, 2017. The scheme was initiated on October 21, 2016.

From just 74 operational airports in 2014 (when the Modi-led government came in power), the number has jumped up to 141 by now, according to the ministry. 68 underserved/unserved destinations which include 58 Airports, 8 Heliports and 2 Water Aerodromes have been connected under the scheme.

Moreover, the ambitious scheme has provided air connectivity to more than 29 States/UTs with the initiation of 425 new routes. The UDAN scheme has benefited over 1 crore passengers as on August 4, 2022 and the government is expecting 40 crore travelers through Civil Aviation in India in next four years.

Further, 220 destinations (airports/heliports/water aerodromes) under UDAN are targeted to be completed by 2026 with 1,000 routes to provide air connectivity to unconnected destinations in the country. Under UDAN, 954 routes have already been awarded to connect 156 airports.

On the occasion, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “The Success of RCS UDAN is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to PM's vision of ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik’. In next 4 years we are expecting 40 crore travelers through Civil Aviation in India.”

That day is not far when along with rail transport and road transport Civil Aviation will become the bulwark of the transportation in India, he highlighted.

17/08/22 ETNow

Read More

RSIC plans to set up air cargo complex at Dabok airport in Udaipur

Jaipur: The Rajasthan Small Industries Corpor ation (RSIC) is planning to set up an air cargo complex at the Dabok airport in Udaipur to facilitate import and export of goods in the next few months. At present, businessmen based in the lake city of Udaipur and nearby places are required to travel to Ahmedabad or RSIC, a government of Rajasthan undertaking, had forwarded a proposal to the ministry of civil aviation which has been given in-principle approval and the land for the project has also been identified. 

RSIC Chairman Rajiv Arora said the work on the complex will soon start and it is expected to be commissioned by early next year. Udaipur is a hub of handicrafts. Apart from handicrafts, building stones and mineral products are also exported from the region. The city is also emerging as a top wedding destination in the state and many items like fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other items, which are not available locally, are imported. 

Since there is no facility for the air cargo complex at Udaipur, the businessmen have to go to the nearest airport in Ahmedabad (Gujarat). In Rajasthan, the facility of the air cargo complex is available at the Jaipur airport only. "With the air cargo complex in Udaipur, the local businessmen will not be required to go to Ahmedabad or Jaipur to get the facility. This will save time and resources for the businessmen and it will help the local business," Arora told PTI. He said that the complex will be set up in an area of close to 2,000 sq metres for which the land has been six months to get ready once all formalities are completed. 17/08/22 PTI/ETInfra

Read More

GMR Hyderabad International Airport is first Indian airport to launch biodiesel filling station

GMR Hederabad International Airport (GHIAL) recently launched two sustainable initiatives - a biodiesel filling station at the public transportation centre (PTC) and an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at the main car park.

By integrating the use of sustainable resources, the airport said these initiatives are "significant steps in the direction of carbon neutrality" it is aiming for.

GHIAL's biodiesel filling station is a first for an Indian airport. Biodiesel is the only alternative diesel that can run any conventional, unmodified diesel engine. Biodiesel is 11% oxygen by weight and contains no Sulphur. It produces approximately 80% lesser carbon dioxide, and almost 100% less sulphur dioxide emissions. The use of Biodiesel can extend the life of diesel engines because it lubricates better than petroleum diesel, while diesel consumption, auto ignition, power output, and engine torque remain unaffected. It also has a cleansing effect on engine walls.

Benefits of an EV charging station include encouraging the use of EVs, making the airport an enabler of clean energy. EVs prevent pollution and maintain the optimum level of ambient noise around the airport premises, and improve the air quality index of the airport.

The Fast-charging station is accessible to all EV users who wish to avail the service.  With 30 KW, it can charge a four-wheeler from empty to full in about an hour.

The charging station is app based and compatible for use through Android and IOS App mobile devices.

17/08/22 Biofuels International

Read More

Villagers oppose land-pooling for Chennai's second airport

Chennai: The first public hearing for acquiring land for Chennai’s second airport under the land pooling scheme on Tuesday evoked a strong response from the residents of 12 villages. They opposed the proposal fearing a loss of their livelihood.

The meeting, which was to start around 10 am, was delayed by more than two hours, resulting in many villagers walking back home from the collectorate. The meeting finally began after noon and was attended by MSME Minister T M Anbarasan, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu and PWD Minister E V Velu.

K Balaraman, Parandur Panchayat President, told TNIE that almost all land from Nagapattu in the panchayat will be acquired. “We oppose the move as it will rob us of livelihood. If they give us money, it will last for a few years. How will we survive after that? This is the land of our ancestors and we don’t want to give our land for the airport,” he said.

Ramdas, deputy panchayat president of Parandur, who also did not attend the meeting said, “We urge the government not to rob us of our livelihood.” Suresh Babu, president of Thandalam panchayat, which consists of Nelvoy, Thandalam and Kalipatti villages, said it was announced that only five persons from each village will participate. “We were asked to be present by 9.30 am.

Till noon, we were unaware that the ministers were coming. Almost all village representatives had left and only a few elderly persons were waiting,” said Suresh. “We will oppose the move to acquire our lands. Why have they not zeroed in on Pannur. Is it because the land belongs to powerful people,” he asked.

Meanwhile, Kancheepuram Collector Dr M Aarthi told TNIE that there was representation from almost all the 12 villages. Dr Aarthi said Chief Minister MK Stalin has instructed that the needs of people should be taken care of before acquiring the land.

The second airport at Rs 20,000 crore will handle almost 10 crore passengers annually. 

17/08/22  C Shivakumar/New Indian Express

Read More

Airbus A380 to land at KIA on Oct 31

Bengaluru: The world’s largest passenger airliner — Airbus A380 — will make its debut at Kempegowda International Airport courtesy Emirates. The flight EK 568 will depart from Dubai International Airport at 9.25 pm on October 30 and reach Bengaluru at 2.30 am the next day. EK 569 wlll depart from Bengaluru at 4.30 am on October 31 and reach Dubai at 7.10 am. It will be second airport in India to host A380 with Mumbai being the first.

“Flagship A380 service to be introduced as a daily service and allows customers travelling to and from the South Indian city to enjoy the much-loved signature experience,” stated a press release. Bengaluru will join Emirates’ network of over 30 destinations served by A380. 

The deployment of the double-decker aircraft will complement its existing services, EK564/565 and EK566/567, each also operating on a daily basis with modern wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft. From October 30, Emirates’ will therefore run three daily flights to and from Bengaluru, the release said.

17/08/22 New Indian Express

Read More

Digitise Air Travel: How Contact-Less Check-In Will Work At Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport

Bengaluru: Domestic passengers at Bengaluru airport will now be able to have a smoother travel experience after it introduced facial recognition systems on Tuesday. A beta version of Digi Yatra at the airport will automatically process passengers’ entry based on the facial recognition system at all checkpoints. These include entry to the airports, security check and boarding gate. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) too had launched a beta version of the DigiYatra app on the Android platform that will allow passengers to avail quicker check-in at the airport’s Terminal 3.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) said the platform secures privacy. “Passengers need not worry about sharing their data as it is secure and will be deleted after 24 hours following their travel,” BIAL said in a press release.

Digi Yatra is a project of the civil aviation ministry and it has been under trial since 2017. It was rolled out for domestic passengers at Delhi airport’s T3, where AirAsia India, Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara operate. In Bengaluru, AirAsia India and Vistara airlines are integrated with Digi Yatra.

A beta version of Digi Yatra app is available for Android users and will be available for the iOS platform in a few weeks. Participation in the Digi Yatra scheme is voluntary for passengers and those opting for it will have to download the app, register themselves, link Aadhar details, take a selfie and add Covid-19 vaccination information.

16/08/22 India.com

Read More

Delhi, Bengaluru airports start facial recognition for quicker boarding

Mumbai: Domestic passengers at Bengaluru airport and Delhi’s T3 terminal will have a smoother experience after the places introduced facial recognition systems on Tuesday.

A beta version of Digi Yatra at the two airports will automatically process passengers' entry based on the facial recognition system at all checkpoints. These include entry to the airports, security check and boarding gate. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said each passenger would need less than three seconds at each touchpoint, and Digi Yatra would also improve security.

Digi Yatra is a project of the civil aviation ministry and it has been under trial since 2017.

It was rolled out for domestic passengers at Delhi airport’s T3, where AirAsia India, Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara operate. In Bengaluru, AirAsia India and Vistara airlines are integrated with Digi Yatra.

A beta version of Digi Yatra app is available for Android users and will be available for the iOS platform in a few weeks. Participation in the Digi Yatra scheme is voluntary for passengers and those opting for it will have to download the app, register themselves, link Aadhar details, take a selfie and add Covid-19 vaccination information.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) said the platform secures privacy. “Passengers need not worry about sharing their data as it is secure and will be deleted after 24 hours following their travel,” BIAL said in a press release.

Digi Yatra Foundation, a joint venture (JV) company with equity shareholding of Airport Authority of India and private airports, is the nationwide custodian of passenger ID validation process. The JV company will conduct regular audits of various compliances and guidelines including security, image quality and data privacy, the ministry of civil aviation said last month.

15/08/22 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

Read More

DigiYatra App: How To Avail Services, All About Contactless Travel Experience At Airports

The 'DigiYatra' is a Biometric Enabled Seamless Travel experience (BEST) based on Facial Recognition Technology for the identification of travelers in order to pass through various checkpoints which would be linked to the boarding pass. It aims to provide a paperless and seamless travel experience to the passengers.

The passengers' entry would be automatically processed based on the facial recognition system at all checkpoints including entry into the airport, security check areas, aircraft boarding, etc with the help of this technology.

DigiYatra will further make the boarding process significantly faster and more seamless as each passenger would require less than three seconds at every touchpoint. Their face would act as their documents, like ID proof, Vaccine proof, and also act as a boarding pass.

This technology will also ensure enhanced security at the airport as the passenger data is validated with Airlines Departure control System, thereby only designated passengers can enter the terminal. The entire process is non-intrusive and automatic leading to optimization of staff for stakeholders like CISF, airlines and others.

How To avail DigiYatra facility?

In order to avail the DigiYatra app, firstly the passengers will have to download the DigiYatra app. The beta version of the DigiYatra app is presently available at Playstore (for the Android platform). The same app will be available at App Store (for IOS platform) in a few weeks' time.

After downloading the app, the users can register on the app using Aadhaar credentials, followed by a selfie with the Aadhaar card for verification. 

Following the verification, the vaccination details using CoWIN credentials will have to be added to the app. 

The users then will have to scan their boarding pass with the QR code or Bar code, after which the credentials will be shared with the airport.

The passengers will need to scan their boarding passes at the e-gate for entry into the airport, and look into the facial recognition system camera installed there. A similar method will be available for entry into other checkpoints.

15/08/22 Astha Singh/Republic World

Read More

Planning big moves to develop airport infra, says AAI

Celebrating the 75th Independence Day and India’s overall success in all sectors, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said that they are planning some big moves in an attempt to develop the airport infrastructure and air connectivity in the country. 

“Expansion works of airports, improvement, and enhancement of facilities on the air side, increasing the ATC strength and equipment will need a lot of funding,” AAI chairman Sanjeev Kumar told ANI.  

Earlier this month, a report by the Committee of Estimates of the Civil Aviation Ministry tabled in the Lok Sabha highlighted that around 10 operational airports of the total 109 are generating revenues for the institution. There are 136 airports managed by AAI, of which only 109 are operational.  

The profitable airports in FY2021 mentioned in the report are Port Blair, Visakhapatnam, Patna, Kandla, Porbandar, Srinagar, Pune, Juhu, Kanpur Chakeri, and Bagdogra. It mentioned that all the others were “running in losses”. 

The report mentioned a few recommendations to bring about a change in the system. It has emphasised aspects like “technological solutions to bring efficiency at reduced costs in a time-bound manner”. 

Besides, the committee has urged the government to look into the land availability issue, which is a huge hurdle in the growth of the aviation sector. 

The report has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to develop a few more greenfield airport projects, like Jewar and Navi Mumbai airports to ease the heavy passenger volume. 

15/08/22 Business Today

Read More

DGCA issues new guidelines for airports in India to prevent bird hit in aircrafts

With increasing bird hit and other animal incidents with aircrafts, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued guidelines for airports across India. The guidelines include carrying out routine patrols in random patterns and informing pilots whenever there is any wildlife activity. There have been various incidents of bird hits during the last few weeks.

On August 4, Go First's flight to Chandigarh returned to Ahmedabad on Thursday after suffering a bird hit. On June 19, an engine on a SpiceJet Delhi-bound aircraft carrying 185 passengers caught fire soon after it took off from the Patna airport and the plane made an emergency landing minutes later. The engine malfunctioned because of a bird hit.

The regulator stated in its Saturday circular that all airport operators are requested to review their wildlife hazard management programme to identify the gaps and ensure its strict implementation in and in the vicinity of an aerodrome. The DGCA asked the airports to carry out a wildlife risk assessment and rank them according to the risk posed to aircraft.

The airports must have a procedure to monitor and record wildlife movement data, it said. The airports should also have a procedure to notify pilots "in response to any significant wildlife concentration or activity both on and in the vicinity of the airport," it mentioned. Routine patrolling is the core of the wildlife hazard management programme, it said.

The patrols should be carried out in random patterns rather than a regular route so that wildlife do not learn or become accustomed to the timing of patrols, it mentioned.

"Aerodrome operators are directed to forward monthly action taken reports on the implementation of wildlife hazard management programme and also provide wildlife strike data...By 7th of every month," it noted.

13/08/22 ZeeNews

Read More

Druk Air to Resume International Flights from Guwahati Airport

Guwahati: Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is all set to resume international passenger flight services from September 3, 2022. Bhutan's national airline, Druk Air, will resume its service to Guwahati, providing international connectivity to North East India with Paro in Bhutan and Singapore. Notably, Bhutan's Druk Air is the only international carrier that operates flights to Guwahati, the gateway to Northeast India.

Assam is in line to get connectivity to five more international destinations under India's International Udan scheme. For more than two years, Druk Air's services were suspended due to the pandemic. Bhutan recently opened its international borders to visitors and now, with Druk Air resuming flight services to and from Guwahati, more travellers from eastern and northeastern India will be able to fly directly to Paro instead of taking the long route to Bhutan.

The flight will travel through Guwahati two days a week," said Utpal Baruah, chief airport officer at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport, when contacted. The Airbus-319 to be deployed in the operation will have over a 100-seat capacity.

13/08/22 Sentinel

Read More

Plans for Birmingham Airport to India flights as Hans Airways prepares for take-off

An airbus has arrived at Birmingham Airport ahead of the anticipated launch of four new weekly flights to India. Hans Airways hopes to launch its first UK flight between BHX and Amritsar in North India next month.

But first, it must complete a route-proving flight and secure the seal of approval of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The start-up airline celebrated the arrival of its first Airbus A330-200 into the city last week, ready for the all-important test flight which is expected to go ahead at the end of the month.

According to the carrier's website, Hans Airways intends to combine the 'value for money approach' adopted by low-cost airlines, with the quality of service expected from traditional long-haul providers. Officially founded in the UK in October 2019, bosses have been in 'extensive discussions' with the CAA for the last two years.

Once it receives its air operator certificate, as well as similar accreditation from India’s DGCA, the airline says it will be ready for flights to take off as early as September. The company has already recruited and trained a full crew of pilots and cabin crew who are now on standby.

Hans CEO Satnam Saini said: "Our first widebody airbus arriving into the UK is a big and significant milestone on Hans Airways’ journey to launch. These past 12 months we are very pleased to have added a wealth of competence and experience to our leadership and management team and recruited and trained up a full complement of exceptional pilots and cabin crew who will be ready to fly as soon as the airline’s AOC is awarded."

Once flights are given the green light to run, Hans bosses say they intend to focus initially on secondary routes between the UK and India, but added that other markets feature in the long-term plan. The aircraft will be configured with two classes - economy plus and economy classes - and feature an inflight entertainment system. A frequent flyer programme will give passengers the usual benefits of being a loyal member, while also offering customers the opportunity to donate to children's educational charities.

11/08/22 Emily Collis/Birmingham Mail

Read More

9 South Korea fighter jets make unplanned stop at Kolkata airport

Nine Black Eagle jets landed at Kolkata airport one after the other on Tuesday, August 9. Supersonic sounds tore through the sky as the jets made their landing.

The fighter jets made a landing at Kolkata's New Town for refuelling and for crew rest.

Kolkata Airport Authority tweeted on Wednesday, "Jet, set, rest! After participating in one of the largest aerospace exhibition held in Europe, these 9 striking Korean airforce ferry flights (Aircraft type: T50B) returned from the Airshow in UK and landed at #KolkataAirport for refueling and crew rest on 9th August 2022."

The Korean fighter jets (T50B) returned from an airshow - Europe’s largest aerospace exhibition - in Britain.

These airplanes are used for training purposes and are mainly used by those who are training to fly.

11/08/22 Sujay Ghosh/India Today

Read More

BIAL invites proposal for 20-metre sculpture

Bengaluru: Airport operator, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), has invited artists and art groups to submit proposals for a 20-metre-high monumental sculpture at the forest belt area in the upcoming Terminal 2 (T2) of Kempegowda International Airport.

“The art programme in T2 at BLR Airport will mirror two themes - Karnataka’s rich heritage and culture and Naurasa - the nine emotions highlighted in Bharata’s Natyashastra. The shortlisted proposal will be commissioned and displayed at the forest belt area that is located between the main terminal building and the boarding gates,” BIAL said.  

The proposals must be original and not a replica of previous works. It should be inspired by the rich art and cultural heritage of Karnataka or South India. The proposals will be reviewed by an independent advisory panel and BIAL stakeholders.

All submissions must be emailed to artprogramme@bialairport.com by September 15. The winner will be announced by October 10. BIAL’s first open call for the art programme in 2020 was a massive success and received 300 entries. This second open call for a monumental sculpture offers a great opportunity for artists to showcase their talent.

12/08/22 New Indian Express

Read More

Delhi International Airport installs IoT devices to track vehicles, boost safety

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has started the installation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in its vehicles to enhance safety, track locations of vehicles and schedule their maintenance as well as save fuel and reduce carbon emissions. 

The GMR Group-led DIAL, which operates and manages the Indira Gandhi International Airport, will install IoT devices in a phased manner on all its vehicles by the end of this month, a statement noted.   

Around 1,000 diesel and petrol-operated vehicles, including two-wheelers, light motor vehicles, heavy motor vehicles and tractors, are being used in the vicinity of the Delhi airport, it said.   

“Since the installation of the IoT devices in these vehicles, DIAL has witnessed enhanced safety standards on the airside and landside. The devices send alerts to authorities concerned whenever there is any violation of safety rules, like driving above the permitted speed limits, driving in or out of designated areas on the airside, etc,” said DIAL.   

These devices also help in saving 23% fuel in the utility vehicles used by airport rescue and firefighting (ARFF), airside operations, security and project and engineering (P&E) teams, it noted.   

The move will also help the airport operator check fuel and cut down around 8,82,200 kilograms of carbon emissions per year. In five years, these IoT device-fitted vehicles are likely to help DIAL in reducing nearly 44,10,922 kilograms of carbon emissions, it added.   

11/08/22 TechCircle

Read More

MoCA Annual report 2021-22 : Approval given to these works at Belagavi airport

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has published its Annual Report 2021-22. The Report inter alia, details the achievements of the MoCA and its various affiliate organisations such as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Airports Authority of India.

MoCA has given approvals to these works at Belagavi Airport during 2021-22 :

Pilot training institutes and FTOs : AAI has issued award letters on 31 May 2021 and 29 October 2021 for nine FTOs to be established at five airports including Belagavi

Approval for construction of localizer platform over pile foundation at M/s Belagavi airport (Concept/Design & Execution Level).

Approval for repairs to runway, turn pad, taxiway, fire pit approach road up to perimeter road at Belagavi airport (Concept/Design & Execution Level).

Approval for provisioning of perimeter lighting at Belagavi airport (Concept/ Design & Execution Level).

Approval for construction of hanger, link taxiway and its associated apron for establishment of flying training organization at Belagavi airport (Concept/Design & Execution Level).

Renewal of License of Belagavi Airport

Surveillance Inspection at Belagavi Airport

12/08/22 Belagavi Infra

Read More

Alliance Air To Operate Triweekly Mysuru-Chennai Flight From Aug. 12

Mysore/Mysuru: Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Indian Airlines and mainly operates domestic routes as part of the Government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme, has announced a direct flight service connecting Mysuru and Chennai thrice a week with effect from Aug. 12.

The operator will deploy a 70-seat aircraft to connect the two cities, and the flight will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flight 91-893 will depart from Chennai at 9.25 am to reach Mysuru at 10.55 am. Flight 91-894 will depart from Mysuru at 11.30 am to reach Chennai at 1 pm.

The Mysuru-Chennai route has many takers and the occupancy rate of the existing flights between the two cities is above 80 percent. At present, Indigo operates a daily flight connecting the two cities.

According to a statement from Alliance Air, the all-inclusive attractive one-way inaugural fares for the Chennai-Mysuru will start from Rs. 4,678. From the coastal Tamil Nadu to Karnataka’s Heritage City, this flight will open trade and tourism in this sector.

This flight will also give travellers from Mysuru and Chennai multiple options for onward connectivity to the rest of the country. Airport Director R. Manjunath said that the new service will help augment air connectivity to and from Mysuru and Chennai.

11/08/22 Star of Mysore

Read More

Delay in flights at Goa Airport after Coast Guard's Dornier plane suffers tyre burst

A tyre of a Dornier Do-228 of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) suffered a tyre burst during routine tests on a runway at the Dabolim airport in Goa on Thursday, resulting in disruption of commercial flight movements at the airport, a senior official said.

The incident, which took place in the afternoon, delayed several flights operating from the airport, airport sources said. The Coast Guard operates from the INS Hansa naval base which also houses the Dabolim civilian airport. A tyre burst when the aircraft was undergoing routine tests, Deputy Inspector General of ICG Arunabh Bose told.

11/08/22 Zee News

Read More

Indigo to start daily flight services between UAE’s Ras Al-Khaimah and Mumbai

From September 22 onward, IndiGo will begin operating flights between Mumbai and Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. Ras Al-Khaimah will be the airline's network's 100th destination, according to a statement from IndiGo. With India projected to be the third largest international source market for the city in 2021 and traffic predicted to surpass pre-pandemic levels this year, these additional flights will meet the strong demand for travel to Ras Al-Khaimah.

Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo, said, "We are pleased to announce our entry into the fourth Emirate with Ras Al-Khaimah as our 26th international and 100th overall destination."

The daily flight will depart from Mumbai at 11 pm (local time), and land there at 12.35 am (local time), the airline said. The return flight will depart from Ras Al-Khaimah at 2.05 am (local time) and land in Mumbai at 6.40 am (local time), it mentioned.

Meanwhile, All of Indigo's domestic route customers can now take advantage of a "sweet 16" anniversary promotion. The promotion honours Indian Airlines' sixteen years of commercial aviation. It should be noted that the deals on air travel began today, August 3, and end on August 5. The starting cost of the aeroplane tickets in the promotion will be Rs 1,616. Additionally, the promotion is applicable for travel between July 16, 2023, and August 18, 2022. The latest incentives for domestic fly travelers were announced via Indigo Airlines' official Twitter account.

The airline recently announced a 25% cashback offer on Ka-ching cards in exchange for up to 1000 reward points. Customers can also make reservations using their HSBC credit cards and receive a 5% cashback offer of up to Rs 800 on transactions with a minimum value of Rs 3500.

11/08/22 Zee News

Read More

Hanimaadhoo Airport redevelopment awarded to India's JMC Projects

India's JMC Projects Limited has been awarded the development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport.

JMC is already involved in flat construction and water and sewerage projects in the Maldives.

An announcement issued by the Economic Ministry on Wednesday said the project was awarded to JMC for USD 136.6 million. 

The Hanimaadhoo International Airport is being redeveloped under a USD 800 million line of credit scheme provided by Exim Bank of India. Therefore, only Indian companies shortlisted by the Exim Bank were given the opportunity to submit bids for the project. The deadline for submission of bids expired on March 21 this year.

The Hanimaadhoo Airport redevelopment project will include a 2.46 km runway and a brand new terminal with a capacity to accommodate 1.3 million passengers annually. Other facilities needed to expand international flight services will also be established. While the airport's reconstruction is scheduled to begin later this year, it is expected to reach completion and start service in 2024.

After the completion of the airport project, the airport will be able to accommodate Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft for international flights. As per the Economic Ministry, direct flights to the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Africa will be operated from Hanimaadhoo.

11/08/22 Avas

Read More

Delhi airport’s 4th runway to get running by early 2023 increasing its capacity to fly 14 crore people annually

New Delhi: With the completion of instrument landing system installation and other works like painting runway markings and calibration by December, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport’s fourth runway is set commence operations by early next year.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman Sanjeev Kumar confirmed the development with TOI saying, “The fourth runway should get operational by early 2023.” With this, the IGI airport will become the only Indian airport to have four runways.

With a total of four runways, the most for an airport across the country, Delhi airport will become capable of flying in and out as many as 14 crore passengers annually, showed a capacity study conducted by the UK-based air traffic management firm, NATS.

The 14-crore figure is more than double of the 6. 9 crore international-cum-domestic (both arrival and departure) numbers in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019. However, reaching the number will require air traffic management techniques to safely handle more planes by reducing their separation along with other technical methods.

However, it must be put here that currently there is a shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCOs) as air traffic and new airports are on a rise in India. “Given the kind of traffic IGIA — India’s busiest airport — handles, we need experienced ATCOs,” said senior ATCOs.

AAI chairman Kumar, meanwhile, shared there were firm plans to have more ATCOs and upgrade the air traffic control (ATC) systems across India. “We have drawn up a 10-year plan to increase ATC capacity by replacing old equipment and upgrading them across India.”

10/08/22 ETNow

Read More

StarAir to operate a special flight from Belagavi to Bengaluru on Aug 10

Star Air, a regional commuter airline, with tag connecting the real India, to operate Special one-way flight from Belagavi to Bengaluru on 10th August.

flight S5-9106, will depart Belagavi at 11.30 pm and reaches to Bengaluru at 12.30 pm on 10th August and no return journey offered.

Currently, Only IndiGo airlines operating a daily non-stop flight in this sector though there is much demand.

Star air also operating direct flight between Belagavi-Mumbai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Nashik, Tirupati, Surat, Indore.

09/08/22 Belagavi Infra

Read More

Silchar-Imphal Flight Connectivity To Resume After 10 Years, Confirm Airport Officials

The flight services between Silchar and Imphal are set to resume after a gap of over 10 years, officials from the Silchar Airport revealed in a Twitter post. This will take place with effect from October 30 this year, under the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik). According to the official airport sources, Alliance Air, which is a division under the Air India Asset Holdings Private Limited, will be operating flight services on a daily basis from the Silchar Airport in Assam.

“The much awaited Silchar - Imphal flight connectivity is getting resumed w.e.f 30.10.2022, after a long break of more than 10 years. We welcome Alliance Air once again at #IXS. The Flt no. 9I 743/742 will operate daily and the STA/STD is 1305/1330 hrs,” said the tweet by Silchar Airport announcing the development.

Silchar Airport is a Civil Enclave situated on the foothills of the Barail Hill range. According to the Airports Authority of India, it is the second busiest airport (with 70 civilian flights per week) in Assam and the 4th busiest in the northeast after Guwahati, Agartala and Imphal.

Alliance Air is a keen participant of UDAN, or Regional Connectivity Scheme, which is a flagship scheme by the government of India. The scheme plans to connect the underserved airports in the country to the key airports through flights costing around ₹2,500 per hour. The first UDAN flight was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Shimla-Delhi sector on April 27, 2017, with Alliance Air being the launch carrier.

09/08/22 News18.com

Read More

SpiceJet flyers walk on Delhi airport's tarmac after waiting for bus for 45 min; DGCA probe begins

A significant number of passengers who disembarked from SpiceJet*s Hyderabad-Delhi flight on Saturday night walked on the airport*s tarmac as the airline could not provide a bus for around 45 minutes to take them to the terminal, sources said.

Aviation regulator DGCA is investigating the incident, sources told PTI on Sunday.

Spicejet, however, said there was a brief delay in the arrival of coaches, and once the buses came, all the passengers, including those who had started walking, travelled on them from the tarmac to the terminal building.

"Despite repeated requests from our staff, a few passengers started walking towards the terminal. They had barely walked a few metres when the coaches arrived. All passengers, including those who had started walking, travelled on the coaches to the terminal building Passengers are not allowed to walk on the Delhi airport*s tarmac area as it is a security risk. There is a demarcated path on the tarmac for vehicles only.

Therefore, the airlines use buses to take passengers from terminal to aircraft or vice versa using the demarcated path.

Currently, SpiceJet is operating not more than 50 per cent of its flights as per the orders of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The regulator had in July imposed the curb on the airline*s flights for a period of eight weeks as its planes were involved in at least eight incidents of technical malfunction in the June 19-July 5 period.

SpiceJet*s Hyderabad-Delhi flight -- which had 186 passengers on board -- landed at its destination at around 11.24 PM on Saturday, sources said.

One bus came immediately and took a section of the passengers to the terminal 3, they said.

The rest of the passengers waited for about 45 minutes, and as they didn*t see any bus coming for them, they started walking towards the terminal which was about 1.5 km away, they noted.

After these passengers walked for around 11 minutes on tarmac, a bus came at around 12.20 PM to take them to the terminal, they said. 

07/08/22 PTI/Mid Day

Read More

Airports Authority of India to refund Surat taxpayers’ hard-earned money to the Gujarat Government

Surat (Gujarat) [India]: Finally, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will reimburse the Gujarat Government for Surat taxpayers' hard-earned money. Because of an alert citizen, AAI has admitted its error and begun the refund process for the electricity charges collected from commercial rented stores and other concessioners inside the airport terminal building over the last few years to the Roads and Building (R&B) department.

According to an agreement signed in 2006 between the Gujarat Government and the AAI, the latter is provided with various utility services, including water and electricity, at no cost for the development of the Surat airport. Because of the rapid development of Surat airport in recent years, AAI rented stores, and back and front offices for airlines and provided them with electricity connections while failing to deposit the electricity charges to the R&B department—the R&B department ultimately pays the airport's electricity charges to the Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Limited (DGVCL).

The concerned person, who requested that The Blunt Times not reveal his identity, finally filed a complaint on the Government of India's Public Grievance (PG) Portal after numerous follow-ups and inquiries with the AAI.

The Public Grievance Officer (PGO) on behalf of the AAI sent a reply to the concerned citizen stating that it is intimated that as per the Electrical Section, the procession of the refund of the amount collected from the concessionaries and private parties against the electricity consumption has already been initiated. Once all the involved formalities are completed; the refund shall be made to the Executive Engineer, Surat ( R&B) Division-1.

07/08/22 Blunt Times

Read More

Kozhikode: Air India Express completes payout to victims

Air India Express has completed the settlement of compensations for passengers and crew who were on board the flight (IX 1344), which crashed on landing at Calicut International Airport on August 7, 2020.

According to sources with Air India Express, 165 injured passengers, four crew members, kin of 19 deceased passengers and two deceased pilots have been compensated within two years of the crash. "The process adopted by the airline includes a Kozhikode-based helpdesk, which is still live. All communications were through WhatsApp. Usually, documents are sought through email or post. We eased the process by accepting the documents through WhatsApp to avoid delays," said an airline official.

All passengers were given a contact person to coordinate the compensation process, the official said. "We were with the passengers through every step. We accepted consultations with private hospitals too. Their treating doctors certified whether the injuries were grievous or non-grievous. The amount was decided based on their treating doctors' report. We didn't set up a medical board to examine them, thus easing the process," he added.

Top management of the company had camped in Karipur to coordinate the process. Besides the compensation, the airline handled the hospital and travel expenses relating to the process, the official added. "Airline had handled the transportation cost for the passenger and bystander for travelling to hospitals. Also, out of pocket expenditure, including rent for staying near hospitals, were handled on humanitarian ground," said the source.

The survivors of the crash at Calicut International Airport had decided to pool money from the funds they have received as compensation to build a new hospital building for the local bravehearts of Kondotty who fought heavy rains and disregarded the Covid pandemic scare to rush the injured passengers from the flight wreckage to nearby hospitals.

07/08/22 Times of India

Read More

Uttar Pradesh to soon have five international airports

As per the latest developments, Uttar Pradesh is all set to become the country's only state that will boast of five international airports.

Reports have it that with 63 air routes being allotted to Uttar Pradesh, the state will now have many more such connectivity under the regional connectivity scheme of the Centre, which will increase the number of new routes to 108.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently after inaugurating direct flights between Lucknow and Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Goa, informed that the state will also have five international airports in the coming time.

The Minister also added that Lucknow is now connected to Delhi with three flights, Bengaluru with two flights, Mumbai with one flight, Kolkata with one flight and Goa with one flight a day.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia further stated that they have also marked 18 airports in Uttar Pradesh under the UDAN scheme which will require an investment of INR 1121 crore for infrastructure development, and that Uttar Pradesh will have five international airports which itself will be a landmark in the country.

07/08/22 Times of India

Read More

Phase-1 of Bengaluru Airport City to open by 2025

Bengaluru: On a sprawling 463 acres of land on the premises of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), a multi-billion dollar Smart City, encompassing many worlds including business and entertainment, is getting ready. Though the pandemic had delayed construction of the futuristic Bengaluru Airport City, it has now picked up momentum with the first phase set to be opened in 2025.

Rao Munukutla, Chief Executive Officer, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd -- a wholly owned subsidiary of KIA operator Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), told The New Indian Express, “Our key assets such as concert arena, Retail, Dining and Entertainment (RDE) Village, first business park, a combo hotel with 775 rooms (operated by Ginger, Vivanta), SATS Central Kitchen and lush central park are expected to be completed by 2025. Every two years, one can see new assets getting operational and within 15 to 20 years, we plan to complete most of the Airport City.”

He said, “At the heart of the Airport City are the business parks and technology hubs. These have been designed as best-in-class business destinations, creating an environment of innovation that acts as a magnet for talent as well as the location of choice for employers, investors and businesses of the future.” 

They will be seamlessly connected to the RDE Village, designed by DP Architects, Singapore, to be launched soon. The SATS (Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd) Central Kitchen will prepare 1.7 lakh ready-to-eat meals per day.

Advanced technology clusters, including advanced electronics manufacturing, robotics & artificial intelligence, space technology, 3D printing, quantum computing, chip design, digital content, online gaming, online education and agricultural technology are being planned, he said.

08/08/22 S Lalitha/New Indian Express

Read More

Monkeypox screening for int’l flyers starts at airport

Indore: People arriving from Dubai to Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport of Indore will have to undergo strict health screening for monkeypox.

Air India’s weekly international flight from Dubai to Indore arrived on Saturday night at 11.45pm - after 24x7 operations were resumed at the airport.

The flight was carrying 155 passengers and health screening was done by a team of the district health department. “None of the arriving passengers had any symptoms and all were found to be negative for the disease,” officials at the airport claimed.

Airport’s officiating director Sudha Rangnathan said that they are following the prescribed government protocols for safety of passengers at the airport.

“We have a weekly international flight between Indore and Dubai, and it has been made compulsory for all arriving passengers to undergo strict health screening as per the ministry of health and family welfare’s guidelines for management of monkeypox disease,” she said.

08/08/22 Times of India

Read More

Two aviation engineers hospitalised after lightning strike in Nagpur airport

Nagpur: Two aviation engineers were struck by lightning and suffered injuries on Saturday evening at Nagpur airport in Maharashtra, an official said.

While one engineer fell unconscious on impact, the second has weakness in his right hand, Mohammad Etesham, duty doctor of Kingsway Hospital at the airport, told PTI.

They were talking on their walkie-talkie sets to the captain of an Indigo flight that had arrived at the bay at around 5pm when the incident took place, Etesham informed.

The two are under observation in the Intensive Care Unit of Kingsway Hospital, he added.

06/08/22 PTI/Mid Day

Read More

Air Asia starts flights from UP; will connect Lucknow to 6 Indian cities

Budget carrier Air Asia started five flights from Lucknow to different parts of the country on Saturday. The airline has started five daily flights from Uttar Pradesh’s capital to Delhi, Goa, and Bengaluru and will also begin three additional flights to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata from September.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the inaugural flight from Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport.

Union Minister for civil aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia lauded UP CM Adityanath for his vision in improving air connectivity in the state.

“To develop UP according to its potential, as many as 63 new routes have been added recently which will also be increased to 108 routes,” the aviation minister added.

UP CM Adityanath said, “The rapid expansion in air connectivity is a testament to PM Modi’s commitment where he said that even those who wear ‘Hawaii slippers’ should be able to travel in flights. Before 2017, UP had only two properly functioning airports, Lucknow and Varanasi while the ones in Gorakhpur and Agra were partially functional. Now air services have been extended to nine airports.”

He further added that over the past few years connectivity to Lucknow has improved from 15 cities to 30 cities. The government has prioritised the creation of expressways, air services and other means of travelling.

06/08/22 ETNow

Read More

Trial sortie to Kullu airport soon: Ex-MP

Manali: Alliance Air will soon conduct a trial sortie to Kullu-Manali Airport at Bhuntar as the company has added ATR-42 aircraft to its fleet, four-time MP from Mandi constituency Maheshwar Singh said on Friday.

The former MP and veteran BJP leader said he was informed about the development by Union minister of state for civil aviation Gen V K Singh (retd). Maheshwar said he has been raising the issue of operating small aircrafts to all three airports of Himachal for the last two decades.

“The runway of Kullu airport is very short and large aircrafts cannot land here. Our tourism industry is being hit hard due to limited sorties and high airfare. The Union minister has assured that ATR-42 will conduct sorties to Kullu very soon. It will provide relief to residents. Today, I spoke to the minister over the phone and I thanked him on behalf of the public of Kullu,” he said.

06/08/22 Times of India

Read More

Bird Menace: 5 Flights Kept On Hold At Airport

While bird hits are common during monsoon, the runway at Ahmedabad airport continued to see flights of birds even after a bird-hit incident with a Chandigarh-bound on Thursday morning. The pilot informed the air traffic control and jeeps were run to chase away the birds even as 5-6 flights were kept on hold.

During peak hours on the same day, a Vistara flight, a chartered aircraft and then three other flights came to the runway but one pilot noticed birds on runway and informed the ATC, which sent out a jeep to shoo away the birds. Meanwhile, the chartered flight took off, while the other two aircraft waited their turn.

On Thursday, a Go-First flight to Chandigarh with 100 passengers made an emergency landing due to a bird-hit, minutes after take-off.

06/08/22 Ahmedabad Mirror

Read More

Trial run at Jeypore airstrip begins

Jeypore: The trial run at Jeypore airstrip began on Wednesday with a nine-seater plane arriving at the airstrip from Bhubaneswar with four persons on board and later taking off back to the Capital.

The India One Air flight from Bhubaneswar took off at 10 am and landed in Jeypore airstrip at 11.40 am. Similarly, it departed from Jeypore airstrip at 12.40 pm on the day.

The upgradation work of the airstrip started three years back with plans to install new infrastructure and runway expansion from 915 metre to 1,200 metre. Though the work was completed a few months back, minor compliance issues on security was flagged by the district administration leading to a delay in making the airstrip functional.

In the third week of July, a three-member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation visited the airstrip to oversee safety and security. Administration sources said regular flight services will begin only after all compliance norms are met.

04/08/22 New Indian Express

Read More

5 flights from Middle East bound for Calicut Airport diverted to Kochi.

Kochi: Five flights from the Middle East bound for the Kozhikode International Airport has been diverted to Kochi airport due to bad weather.

The diverted flights include Air Arabia from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, Gulf Air from Bahrain, Air India Express from Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways from Doha.

Of these four flights (except Qatar Airways) returned to Kozhikode airport as the weather condition in Kozhikode became favourable.

A red alert was declared in 8 districts of Kerala on Thursday by the India Meteorological Department as rain continued to lash the state.

04/08/22 ANI/Print

Read More

Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet approves the naming of the under construction Greenfield Airport as “Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar

Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet approved the naming of the under construction Greenfield Airport as “Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar”.

Government of India accorded approval for setting up of the Greenfield Airport under the Capital Connectivity Scheme to build up fixed wing air connectivity facility to the State Capital which was a long cherished dream of the people of the State.

According to the state government this name of the lone Airport in the Capital city will symbolize the age-old tradition and rich cultural heritage of the tribal State and also will reflect the people’s age-old indigenous reverence on the Sun (Donyi) and the Moon (Polo).

04/08/22 Bikash Singh/Economic Times

Read More

Draft DPR made for Mandi airport

Mandi: After the meeting of RK Agrawal, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, WAPCOS Limited, with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in Delhi last week, WAPCOS has prepared a draft DPR for the Mandi airport in record time and will be submitting to Department of Civil Aviation this week.

According WAPCOS sources, the site clearance for the Mandi airport was received by the state government from the Ministry of Civil Aviation on July 20. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked the state government to submit the DPR to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for in-principle approval of the airport.

The sources said a draft DPR had been prepared by WAPCOS and would be submitted shortly to the state Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation. WAPCOS is also doing the environmental impact assessment for this project for the environmental clearance of the site.

02/08/22 Tribune

Read More

Rs 20,000 cr second airport coming up near Chennai: Tamil Nadu CM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday announced that a second airport for the city would come up at Parandur near here at an estimated Rs 20,000 crore with an annual capacity of 10 crore passengers. It will have two runways, terminal buildings, taxiways, apron, cargo terminal and other required amenities.

"The plan estimate for the new airport will be finalised after preparing the detailed project report (DPR). The tentative plan estimate as of now is Rs 20,000 crore," the chief minister said in a statement here.

The implementation of the project by the DMK government would be a stepping stone for the state's growth and yet another effort in taking it towards the USD one trillion state economy target, he added.

The present airport could handle 2.2 crore passengers annually and this could go up to 3.5 crore at the end of the ongoing expansion work after 7 years.

Considering the growing passenger and cargo volume, state-run TIDCO took up the work of identifying land for another airport. Four sites were selected and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) recommended two out of them and finally Parandur was zeroed in, Stalin said.

The existing and the proposed airport will operate jointly, he noted.

02/08/22 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Will have 220 airports operational in India by 2027: Scindia

New Delhi: The number of operational airports has increased from 74 to 141 between 2014 and at present. Also, the aircraft with India carriers have gone up from 410 to 686 in the same period. Union aviation minister J M Scindia on Monday said in a Parliamentary reply to a question from BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi the number of pilot licences issued by DGCA in this period rose from 28,599 to 40,276; flying schools have gone up from 29 to 34 and will further increase to 49 in coming times and licenses have been issued to three new airlines.

“Seventy-four airports were functional in the country till 2014. At present, there are 141 operational airports including 8 heliports and 2 water aerodromes. Moreover, government plans to develop/operationalise 220 airports in the next 5 years,” Scindia said in Rajya Sabha.

“As on July 25, 2022, aircraft fleet stands at 686, compared to 410 pre 2014. Further, aircraft fleet is expected to grow by 10-12% in the coming years. Fleet expansion is a continuous process and decisions to be taken in accordance with demands of aviation sector by airlines.”

“As per DGCA, there were 40 Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) in June 2014. After extensive review in FY16, 11 FTOs were closed following non-compliance with requirements. As on March 31, 2022, there are 34 FTOs. 15 new FTOs expected to be added by December 2023 taking the count to 49. Of these 15, 4 have already commenced operations during Q1 FY23, 2 at Kalaburgi (Karnataka) and 1 each at Jalgaon (Maharashtra) and Lilabari (Assam),” he said.

01/08/22 Times of India

Read More

Jharkhand To Have 3 Extra Airports Following IndiGo Deoghar-Delhi Flight Launch

Following IndiGo's inaugural flight from Delhi to Deoghar on Saturday, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has announced that the state of Jharkhand will see three new airports. The expansion will see the state now host five airports, up from just one last week, as the government makes a push to make air travel accessible to the population.

In a statement seen by Business Standard, India's Civil Aviation Minister announced three more airport projects in the eastern state of Jharkhand. Until this week, the state only had one airport in the capital of Ranchi, but the government has made it clear that it wants to connect all population centers of the country to main hubs through UDAN-RCS (regional connectivity scheme).

Jamshedpur, Bokaro, and Dumka will also see new facilities constructed on their nonactive airfields. A timeline for the project has not been announced, with the airports first listed as options in 2018. However, given the rapid pace at which flights are starting across India, we can expect to see scheduled flights reasonably quickly.

Dumka will see connections to the capital Ranchi and neighboring hub Kolkata, while Bokaro will see flights to Patna and Kolkata. Scindia did not mention which airline has won the bid to operate these routes yet, a process that will be finalized closer to the start of operations.

While the Civil Aviation Minister looks to the future, Deoghar (DGH) is currently the country's newest commercial airport. IndiGo flight 6E 6191 is scheduled to leave Delhi's IGI Airport at 13:00 and arrive in DGH at 14:45 local time, operating daily. The return flight departs at 15:15 and lands in DEL at 17:20.

01/08/22 Pranjal Pande/Simple Flying

Read More

7 of 20 busiest international air travel routes from India in May were to Dubai

New Delhi: Seven of the 20 busiest international air travel routes from India in May were to Dubai, according to data provided by aviation analytics company Cirium.

In May 2019 — before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted the global aviation sector — only two of the top 20 international air travel routes from India were to Dubai, according to the data, which has been accessed by PTI.

“International air travel is guided by bilateral rights. In case of Dubai, (the number of) Emirates flights are back (to the pre-pandemic level) but that is not the case with every other region. This made Dubai climb up the list faster than others,” said Ameya Joshi, aviation analyst and founder of aviation blog “Network Thoughts”.

Emirates was one of the first airlines to deploy full capacity on routes to India, taking a lot of traffic to the European Union, Russia and North America, he noted.

COVID-19 had significantly curtailed international travel since the beginning of 2020 to the beginning of this year. Its impact is now receding and airlines across the world have largely resumed their international flights.

In May 2019, the busiest international air travel route from India was Kolkata-Dhaka with 301 flights, the data mentioned. However, the busiest international route in India in May 2022 was Mumbai-Dubai with 406 flights.

Not just that, the second busiest international route in May 2022 was Delhi-Dubai with 332 flights.

There were 167, 152, 136, 133 and 131 flights on the Cochin-Dubai, Hyderabad-Dubai, Chennai-Dubai, Bengaluru-Dubai and Calicut-Dubai routes in May 2022 respectively, the data showed. These seven routes to the city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were among the top 20 international air travel routes connecting India in May 2022, it mentioned.

In comparison, there were just two Dubai routes — Mumbai-Dubai (252 flights) and Delhi-Dubai (218 flights) — among the top 20 routes in May 2019, it noted.

Meanwhile, according to Cirium’s data, while there were four India-Kuala Lumpur routes among the top 20 routes in May 2019, there was none in May 2022.

01/08/22 PTI/Indian Express

Read More

Forgetful flyers left behind 32,000 items at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport

Bengaluru: Forgetful air passengers have ensured that the ‘Lost and Found’ section at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) remains buzzing with activity. A whopping 32,169 articles have been deposited here in the first half of this year. 

A spokesperson of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) told The New Indian Express that the rush to catch flights makes passengers often leave behind items in the security hold area (the space where passengers wait after security checks and before boarding their flight). “Electronic items like data cables, ear pods, ear phones, pen drives, mobile phones and watches are frequently received at the ‘Lost and Found’ section,” the spokesperson said. 

The handing over of items which have enormous sentimental value to a person evokes strong emotions. “In a recent incident, a passenger was in tears when a bangle belonging to her mother was safely returned to her,” she added. 

If you spot an item inside the airport unattended, just alert any Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel or an airport staffer. “The ‘Lost and Found’ section has a dedicated team that safely stores the articles reported to it. They also alert the item owner if contact details are available, “ the spokesperson said. One needs to access this to section, which is updated regularly: https://www.bengaluruairport.com/travellers/passenger-services/lost-found

A quick analysis of the last three years indicate that only one-fifth of the flyers end up collecting their articles (see box). The uncollected items are disposed by different modes by BIAL.  

01/08/22 S. Lalitha/New Indian Express

Read More

Navi Mumbai Airport Update: AAI to start giving height approvals for buildings near airport

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has consented to start giving height NOCs (no objection certificates) for structures close to the projected Navi Mumbai airport after efforts and relentless pursuit from the City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). According to the official, NOCs will be issued for projects located within a 20 km radius of the projected Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) for buildings with planned elevations greater than 55.10m AMSL and up to 160.10m AMSL based on the obstacle limitation surface (OLS) criteria.

"The citizen-friendly decision will pave the way for the smooth development of Navi Mumbai International Airport, complementing the growth of not just the surrounding NMIA area, but the MMR region as a whole," Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, the vice-chairman and managing director, CIDCO, said.

The decision to give NOC to constructions in this area will help speed up the work of the model project, which will contribute to the development of the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the CIDCO stated in a release.

As per the aviation regulations, obtaining valid height NOC from the AAI is mandatory, prior to the grant of any construction approval by the local town planning authorities, in respect of all buildings located within a 20 km radius of any airport.

31/07/22 ZeeNews

Read More