Showing posts with label Airports Dec 2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airports Dec 2016. Show all posts

Saturday, December 31, 2016

DGCA finds liquor stash in private jet at Delhi airport

Carrying liquor bottles is proving to be far more dangerous than having demonetised notes onboard for private plane operators. Sources said Directorate General of Civil Aviation recovered a "large" quantity of liquor bottles from the private plane of a leading Indian corporate house.
The regulator made this discovery while conducting surprise checks at Delhi airport earlier this week. The Pune-based company's luxury aircraft had flown into Delhi from its headquarters. Sources say almost 50 bottles were found.
Since the plane had flown on a domestic sector (Pune-Delhi) where consumption or serving of liquor is banned, the regulator is now contemplating strict action against the company which is into several fields like automotive, power, oil, construction and mining.
31/12/16 Saurabh Sinha/The Times Of India

Airports Authority of India defends safety record of traffic control as among best globally

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has defended the safety record of air traffic control (ATC) at all airports in the country as being very good and comparable to the best in the world.
In a statement issued here on Friday, the AAI said, “At times, it may not be possible to eliminate human error, whether it is aviation or other industries, but continuous efforts are being made by the Airports Authority of India to offset such human errors through Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), recurrent training to the controllers and introducing technology.
It may be noted that the safety record of ATC provided by Airports Authority of India at Indian airports has been very good and comparable to best in the world.” The AAI said that various reports appearing in the media were giving exaggerated versions about airline passengers having experienced close shaves, indicating a distorted interpretation that may create fear in the minds of air passengers.
30/12/16 The Financial Express

Restrictions for visitors at airport

In keeping with the advisory issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to all Indian airports, restrictions have been imposed with immediate effect on the entry of visitors inside the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. A similar restriction has been put in place with regard to the sale of visitors' entry tickets at airport, authorities said on Thursday . The restriction will be in place till January 30.
30/12/16 The Times Of India

Airports on high alert, security stepped up across south India

Following an alert of possible terror strike in airports in Kerala, security has been stepped up at all airports across south India, since Wednesday midnight, airport sources said here.

Following the heightened security, visitors’ entry into the airport has been banned with immediate effect till January 31, sources added.
30/12/16 Deccan Chronicle

AAI defends safety record as among world's best

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has defended the safety record of air traffic control (ATC) at all airports in the country as being very good and comparable to the best in the world.

In a statement issued on Friday, the AAI said, "At times, it may not be possible to eliminate human error, whether it is aviation or other industries, but continuous efforts are being made by the Airports Authority of India to offset such human errors through Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), recurrent training to the controllers and introducing technology. It may be noted that the safety record of ATC provided by Airports Authority of India at Indian airports has been very good and comparable to best in the world."
30/12/16 PTI/Bureaucracy

On 'win-win' runway, aviation no more rich man's tarmac: Raju

Indian aviation is no more a rich man's prerogative and growth will continue on high trajectory in the new year, Union Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said as the sector saw the much-needed reforms taking off in 2016 with new policy and ambitious regional connectivity plans.

2016 bloomed as a "very meaningful year" with over 20 per cent domestic air passenger growth while scrapping of the once famous '5/20' overseas flying norms and relaxing of foreign domestic investment rules added to the sector's mojo.

Turning operationally profitable in the last financial year provided the much-needed impetus to Air India amid stiff competition among domestic carriers in 2016 even as they reaped benefits of lower oil prices -- a scenario unlikely to remain the same next year with changing geopolitical vibes.

Against this benign backdrop, passengers have a lot to cheer with airlines -- from budget to full-service ones -- coming up with discounted ticket prices as they look to fill more seats even as many ancillary services come at a price.

Also, biometric access for passengers has been tested at Hyderabad International Airport while tag-free hand baggage system is being tried at various airports.

As Raju remarked about the aviation sector, "It is a win-win situation."
30/12/16 PTI/Business Standard

IGI Airport serves about 50 lakh flyers in December 2016

By the end of this December, Indira Gandhi International (IGI) is all set to become the first airport in the country to serve over 50 lakh flyers in a month. The airport operator, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), said the travellers included both domestic and international flying in and out of the IGI Airport. DIAL also said that among the highest travelled places from the airport, Dubai remained on top among international destinations while Mumbai topped the domestic chart.

"By December 31, we will witness the highest number of passengers ever recorded in a month at any airport in the country. The data shows the airport's efficiency in handling heavy passenger traffic and offering the best services," said an airport official.
31/12/16 Travel Biz Monitor

1.2 kg gold seized at airport, four smugglers held

Detectives from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs and the Hyderabad Task Force police arrested four gold smugglers at RGI Airport on Friday and seized 1.2 kg of the yellow metal from their possession.
At the passenger screening area, customs' sleuths intercepted two passengers who arrived from Jeddah in Air India's flight (AI 966) on Friday morning. "The passengers had concealed broken pieces of gold biscuits in a custom-made secret pocket in their underwear," said a customs official.
The metal detectors beeped when the two passengers passed by and the sleuths pulled them aside for frisking. While they were questioning the two offenders to find out if they had any associates, Task Force sleuths, waiting outside the international arrival hall, nabbed two more passengers who managed to hoodwink their customs counterparts.
31/12/16 The Times Of India

Fog at Bengaluru delays 14 Vizag-bound flights

As many as seven pairs of flights to Vizag from Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai were delayed due to inclement weather conditions prevailing at Bengaluru International Airport on Friday. According to airport sources, fog conditions had delayed take-off from Bengaluru due to which consequential flights towards Vizag were also delayed.
Three flights from Bengaluru to Vizag suffered delays of more than three hours including two AirAsia and one IndiGo flight.
While the Bengaluru-Vizag Indigo (6E 288) was scheduled to arrive at 7.25 am, it arrived in the city at around 11 am with a delay of 3 hours and 20 minutes. On its return journey, as against the scheduled departure of 7.55 am, it left Vizag at around 11.40 am.
31/12/16 The Times Of India

Friday, December 30, 2016

AAI defends safety standards of ATC; says comparable to best globally

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has defended the safety record of Air Traffic Control (ATC) at all airports in the country as being very good and comparable to the best in the world.

In a statement issued in New Delhi on Friday, the AAI said, "At times, it may not be possible to eliminate human error, whether it is aviation or other industries, but continuous efforts are being made by the Airports Authority of India to offset such human errors through Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), recurrent training to the controllers and introducing technology. It may be noted that the safety record of ATC provided by Airports Authority of India at Indian airports has been very good and comparable to best in the world."

The AAI said that various reports appearing in the media were giving exaggerated versions about airline passengers having experienced close saves, indicating a distorted interpretation that may create fear in the minds of air passengers. In order to avoid such fear, the incident may be clarified to the public as under, "Indigo Airlines flight No 6E-769 from Lucknow to Delhi, after landing on runway-28 was taxing via Taxiway 'E2' for parking stand 12 as advised by ATC.
30/12/16 ANI/Business Standard

Air India to operate additional flights on Tirupati-Hyderabad route

Hyderabad: Alliance Air, the wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, will operate additional flights from Hyderabad to Tirupati in view of ensuing festival season.

These additional flights will be operated on January 7 and January 8, Air India said in a statement on Friday.

Alliance Air will operate an ATR-72-600 aircraft. On January 7, AI 9535 will leave Hyderabad at 2.50 p.m. to reach Tirupati at 4.10 p.m. The return flight AI 9536 from Tirupati will leave at 4.40 p.m. to reach Hyderabad at 6 p.m.

The next day, flight AAI 9535 will leave Hyderabad at 3.20 p.m. to reach Tirupati at 4.40 p.m. The return flight AI 9536 from Tirupati will leave at 5.10 p.m. to reach Hyderabad at 6.30 p.m.
30/12/16 IANS/CanIndia.com

India airports piloting Aadhaar-based entry authentication

Taking the lead from a successful pilot phase at a Hyderabad, India airport where security officials processed travellers using Aadhaar-based airport entry authentication technology, Mumbai and Bengaluru airports are also planning to implement similar pilot projects next year, according to a report by The Hindu.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad launched a pilot project in 2015 in which travellers had the option of entering their Aadhaar number at a kiosk located at one of the entry gates.
The airport now plans to expand the pilot to all entry gates, however, the Aadhaar-based entry authentication will be optional and those travellers who do not have a Aadhaar number can proceed after displaying physical identity documents at the entry gate.
“After successfully completing the POC [proof of concept] at the Hyderabad airport, we have formally asked UIDAI [Unique Identification Authority of India] to recognise us as authorised user agency,” S.G.K. Kishore, CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), said at the India Aviation ICT Forum 2016.
Kishore said the initiative will enable the airport to request UIDAI to speed up the kiosk processing at all the entry points to prevent any potential delays to travellers.
29/12/16 Justin Lee/Biometric Update

IGI high: 50L flyers a month

By the end of this December, IGI is all set to become the first airport in the country to serve over 50 lakh flyers in a month.
The airport operator, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), said the travellers included both domestic and international travellers flying in and out of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. DIAL also said that among the highest travelled places from the airport, Dubai remained on top among international destinations while Mumbai topped the domestic chart.
"By December 31, we will witness the highest number of passengers ever recorded in a month at any airport in the country. The data shows the airport's efficiency in handling heavy passenger traffic and offering the best services," said an airport official.
DIAL CEO I Prabhakara Rao said the operator was excited about handling so many flyers in one month. "These are indicators of positive growth in the aviation industry, which is already growing at 20%. DIAL aims to set new standards—from the best on-time performance to highest flight movements. Breaking own records is a healthy habit and we hope to carry forward this tradition to 2017."
30/12/16 Anvit Srivastava/The Times Of India

Union Minister lauds CIAL over intl terminal construction

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju today lauded the Cochin International Airport Limited for the cost effective measures taken by it for constructing its new international terminal.
"CIAL is a model for other airports in building basic infrastructure facilities," the minister said in a release issued by CIAL here.
Chairing a meeting with top airport officials here, the minister noted that Airport Economic Regulatory Authority has fixed Rs 65,000 per square meter as benchmark cost for constructing airport terminal buildings, it said.
29/12/16 PTI/India Today

Pondicherry airport slated to restart operations Jan 17

The Government of Pondicherry (also known as Puducherry) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union Government to have Pondicherry airport operational by January 2017 The Hindu has reported. The airport is slated to launch with a Bangalore Int'l to Pondicherry via Tiruchirapally service using a 70-seater turboprop. The reopening had been mooted earlier in December when the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) submitted a proposal to the Pondicherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy.

Pondicherry airport stopped operations in October 2015 over government subsidy disputes. At the time, regional carrier Alliance Air (India) (9I, Mumbai Int'l) was operating flights to Bangalore 6x weekly using a 48-seater ATR 42-320, but withdrew when it could not reach an agreement with the local government as part of its Viability Gap Funding scheme. Other airlines which have previously served Pondicherry include SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int'l) – which withdrew in 2014 after a year of operations – and Air Pegasus (OP, Bangalore Int'l). Following Alliance Air's withdrawal, the government invited expressions of interest from airlines to provide services to the airport.
30/12/16 ch-aviation

Restrictions on visitors' entry at RGIA

As per the advisory issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to all Airports in the country, restrictions have been imposed with immediate effect on visitors' entry along with the sale of tickets at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), here till January 30.
During this period it is advised that the meeters and greeters accompany passengers only till the car park area of the Airport, a statement from RGIA said here today.
29/12/16 web india 123

AAI defends safety record of traffic control as among best globally

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has defended the safety record of air traffic control (ATC) at all airports in the country as being very good and comparable to the best in the world.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the AAI said, "At times, it may not be possible to eliminate human error, whether it is aviation or other industries, but continuous efforts are being made by the Airports Authority of India to offset such human errors through Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), recurrent training to the controllers and introducing technology. It may be noted that the safety record of ATC provided by Airports Authority of India at Indian airports has been very good and comparable to best in the world."
30/12/16 Business Standard

Mohali administration bans kite flying around airport

Citing security reasons, the Mohali district administration has imposed a ban on kite flying and sky lanterns within a 2km radius outside the boundary of the international airport. The ban will be in effect till February 22. Mohali deputy commissioner Daljeet Singh Mangat said the ban was imposed under Sections 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). He said heavy fine would be imposed if anybody is caught flying kites around the airport.
Mangat added that the ban was imposed after the civil aviation department sent a letter stating that kites and sky lanterns could pose a danger to planes and therefore, should be banned with immediate effect. The deputy commissioner also issued directions to the police administration to ensure that the ban is implemented properly.
30/12/16 The Indian Express

127 flights disrupted at Kempegowda International Airport

Thursday saw the highest flight disruptions at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) with 90 departing flights being delayed due to dense fog. This included three international flights, one each of British Airways, Indigo and Air Arabia.
Another 21 arriving flights were delayed and seven Bengaluru bound flights including a Lufthansa cargo carrier were diverted. Indigo airlines also cancelled nine flights, including four departures from KIA and five arrivals. Cascading effect continued till the day break and thousands of passengers were left stranded at the airport with cancellations of flights to Delhi, Lucknow and other northern cities.
29/12/16 Aparajita Ray/The Times Of India

Kolkata: Sri Lankan nationals arrested at airport with fake passports

Two Sri Lankan nationals were arrested at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport with fake Indian passports on Thursday.
The two accused, identified as Suresh Karani and Jebanesam Ramerswani, sneaked into India from Sri Lanka around 10 years ago and were operating with fake documents since then.
They had been living as citizens of the country after procuring forged documents.
29/12/16 Manogya Loiwal/India Today

CISF returns $3,100 to flyer at airport

CISF personnel at the Indira Gandhi International airport found an unattended pouch containing US dollars worth Rs 2.11 lakh on Thursday morning. The pouch was returned to the owner, who had arrived from Zurich after being traced near the arrival terminal with the help of CCTV footage.
The incident took place during the early hours when the personnel spotted an unattended pouch at arrival alighting area of Terminal 3. The pouch was scanned and USD 3100 were found in it, worth Rs 2,11,500 approximately.
30/12/16 The Times Of India

Long wait for air passengers

Passengers of five flights suffered major delays due to late arrivals of different flights from various cities to Visakhapatnam Airport on Thursday. According to Visakhapatnam airport sources, bad weather prevalent in Bengaluru and Delhi led to consequential delays for different flights being routed from these two cities.
Flights of Air India (AI651) from Raipur to Vizag with onward journey to Mumbai was delayed by nearly five hours, whereas two AirAsia flights (I5 1452 and 1458) from Bengaluru to Vizag were also delayed by more than three hours.
Similarly, Indigo flight (6E 288) from Bengaluru to Vizag was delayed by more than three hours and SpiceJet flight (SG502) from Chennai to Vizag also was delayed by five hours.
According to airport sources, Indigo flight from Bengaluru to Vizag, which was scheduled to arrive in the port city at 7.25 am, arrived at 10.30 am and departed at around 11 am on its return journey. The delays were attributed to inclement weather at Bengaluru Airport.
30/12/16 The Times Of India

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Jet Airways to start direct flight to Delhi from Mangaluru

Mangaluru: Reaching national capital New Delhi from this coastal city is now a direct flight away. Come January 16, Jet Airways will bridge a long felt need for direct connectivity to Delhi, which has come in fits and starts. Incidentally, Air India had introduced a direct flight to Delhi, six years ago, but was discontinued due to lack of patronage. Anyone for now wanting to commute to Delhi by flight for now have to go via Bengaluru or Mumbai, which is time consuming.
The new flight will enable a traveler reach Delhi in 2 hours 50 minutes. Jet Airways will deploy a Boeing 737 aircraft with 160-seating capacity. Flight 9W 763 will leave Mangaluru at 8am and reach Delhi at 10.50am and the return flight 9W 764 will depart Delhi at 3 pm and reach Mangaluru at 5.50pm. The other alternative to reach Delhi by superfast train (Rajdhani) takes no less than 30-hours and flights via Bengaluru and Mumbai take more than five hours.
J T Radhakrishna, airport director, Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) said introduction of this flight will provide easy and direct commuting option for those who have work in Delhi. When Air India withdrew the service it had introduced using a small aircraft, demand for direct service to Delhi never declined, he said. Jet Airways that has pulled out a schedule to Sharjah from MIA due to internal reasons is now operating the aircraft on the Delhi-Mangaluru sector.
29/12/16 Jaideep Shenoy/Times of India

Air India to start Leh-Chandigarh flight from Saturday

Chandigarh: Air India (AI) will start a flight between Leh and Chandigarh from December 31, an official said here today.

The flight will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday every week, an AI spokesman said.

The flight AI-457 would depart from Leh at 0805 hrs and arrive in Chandigarh at 0900 hrs.
In the return journey the flight, AI-458, would take off from Chandigarh at 0940 hrs and arrive in Leh at 1020 hrs, he said. The flight would be operated by an A-319 Airbus.
29/12/16 PTI/Economic Times

'Mallu Cyber Soldiers' Attack Pak Airport Website, Avenge Hacking Of Thiruvananthapuram Airport Site!

After Pakistani cyber attackers hacked Thiruvananthapuram airport's website yesterday, a group of cyber experts from Kerala - the 'Mallu Cyber Soldiers' - decided to respond in kind: by hacking the website of a Pakistani airport.
But the 'soldiers' weren't content just to hack the site. They invited others to log in and "nail the site," too.
The hackers, who're from all over the state, obtained the login information for the website of the Sialkot International Airport in Pakistan's Punjab province. The changed the password to 'malayalees' and shared the new login details with the public.
And they had some advice for potential 'trollers' - in other words, Internet users who might use the information to post provocative content on the site.
29/12/16 India Times

A new identity on global air map

Mohali: Getting connected internationally through air was the biggest achievement of Mohali this year. The people of the region had to wait for exactly one year after the inauguration of the Mohali airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2015 for the start of first international flight from the new terminus. The maiden international flight to Sharjah had taken off on September 15 this year from here. After 10 days, the air connectivity between Mohali-Dubai was established. Now, the authorities are all set to connect it with Middle-East countries in the coming year.
The international airport at the ‘Gateway of Punjab’ would not only benefit the people of the region but also the economic scenario is all set to get a boost with the development.
After witnessing delay of nearly five years, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister’s dream project, ‘Busopolis’, fully air-conditioned bus stand having facilities of escalators, lifts, top-class shops, digitalised time table of buses, at Phase VI here, finally took off on December 16. The project is being termed as the first-of-its-kind in the country. If one goes by the claims of the authorities, the premises would have multiplexes, shopping malls, five star hotel, business centres, top class office space and a helipad soon. So far, the authorities are struggling hard to streamline the things at the most advanced Baba Banda Singh Bahadur ISBT, here.
Apart from these two major developments, India’s first Punjab Kisan Vikas Chamber has started functioning here. Just six months after laying its foundation stone on April 30 this year, the construction work of the chamber was completed in a record time and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal inaugurated it on December 15. The chamber is said to be the first-of-its-kind in the country, which would help agrarian economy to stage a comeback.
29/12/16 Akash Ghai/Tribune

Air to airport, choke is on Calcutta

Calcutta: Calcutta is poised to claim the crown of most polluted Indian city from Delhi this winter.

The central pollution control board's Air Quality Index (AQI) shows the city ahead of the capital in this winner-loses-all race, based on the severity of pollution in some locations.

Independent reports generated by a pollution measuring Android app called Plume Air Report suggest that Calcutta's air quality is even worse than some of the world's more lung-unfriendly cities.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the city has been experiencing the worst spell of air pollution this year since December 23.

The AQI, calculated after collating data sourced from various government agencies on different kinds of air pollutants, including particulate matter, shows that the average pollution count between December 23 and 27 was 363. A count above 300 is categorised as "very poor".

On December 25, the AQI spiked to 414, which is considered "severe". Pollution at this level can "affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases". The AQI varied between "very poor" and "poor" over the next two days.

The index is calculated on the basis of the dominant pollutants in an area, which in most parts of India is the concentration of particulate matter. The figures highlighted by Metro are from the pollution monitoring centre at Rabindra Bharati University. Victoria Memorial, the other centre in Calcutta, generated less data.

Pollution researchers believe that the data from Rabindra Bharati is more representative of the city since the monitoring station at Victoria Memorial is housed amid greenery.
29/12/16 Jayanta Basu/Telegraph

Both ATC and airline blamed for IGI ‘face-off’

A day after two planes of SpiceJet and IndiGo came face-to-face on the same taxiway at the IGI Airport, the civil aviation ministry clarified on Wednesday that an air traffic controller inadvertently had given some instructions to one of the aircraft, leading to the incident. It also blamed the SpiceJet pilot as he "did not question the incomplete ATC instruction for taxiing".
"IndiGo Airlines flight number 6E-769 from Lucknow to Delhi, after landing on runway-28, was taxiing via taxiway 'E2' to parking stand 12 as advised by ATC. Departing flight of SpiceJet Airlines SG123 was not able to take off from runway 28 due to poor visibility and therefore, was waiting to return to apron for parking," a statement issued by the ministry said.
Accordingly, the controller instructed SG123 to move via taxiway 'C' and hold short of the taxiway 'E2' so that Indigo flight and SpiceJet flight would not collide with each other, the statement added. "The traffic density being high and complex, the controller inadvertently gave instructions to SG123 to continue taxi via E to stand 130, mixing its location with the location of SG263, which was holding on another taxiway 'E' for departure. However, SG123 also did not question the incomplete ATC instruction for taxiing."
The statement also mentioned that these human errors resulted in traffic conflict situation. "However, both aircraft stopped at safe distance and there was no risk to aircraft or passengers," it said.
29/12/16 The Times Of India

Shirdi airport: Maha to allot land to IOC for aviation

To make the Shirdi airport functional at the earliest, the Maharashtra government today decided to allot land to Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for setting up aviation fuelling point.

The decision was taken at the 57th Meeting of Board of Directors of Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited (MADC) here.

State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is the Chairman of MADC.

"Many decisions taken to make Shirdi Airport functional at earliest;allotment of land to @IndianOilcl for setting up of aviation fuelling point," the Chief Minister's Office tweeted.

"Extension of terminal building,extension of runway from 2500m to 3200m, parking & other infrastructure were some other important decisions taken," it added.
28/12/16 PTI/Business Standard

Air passenger traffic rises by 44 per cent in State

The number of air passengers from the State has witnessed a growth of around 44 per cent from April to November this year. While the number of total air passengers stood at 16.91 lakh during the corresponding period last year, it swelled to 24.28 lakh during the same time period.
Interestingly, the passenger traffic growth stood at only 19 per cent between April and October this year. Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada witnessed 76 per cent passenger growth with industrialists and eminent persons from different parts of the country as well as abroad coming to Amaravati.
While Tirupati airport registered a growth of 43 per cent, Visakhapatnam recorded 39 per cent and Rajahmundry airport witnessed a growth of 21 per cent. The number of passengers to the newly-inaugurated Kadapa airport stood at 65,444.
29/12/16 The New Indian Express

Mumbai: City airport data on our performance is wrong, says IndiGo

Long delays while flying in and out of Mumbai have been a sore point with passengers for years. But now the issue on-time performance (OTP) has become a bone of contention even between the choked airport and airlines operating from there too.Some carriers are alleging that they are being wrongly shown as being less punctual at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport—where all airlines record lowest on time performance (OTP) among the metros (see box)—according to monthly data issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).Budget airline IndiGo has questioned OTP monitoring by Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) and complained to the DGCA on this issue on Tuesday.The airline has accused MIAL of monitoring in a way that shows some 'competing airlines' as more punctual than they may be in reality.While IndiGo's USP for long was its punctuality, in recent months, the regulator's monthly data for OTP of domestic flights shows that other airlines overtook it on this front many times. For instance, in November, IndiGo was at number four—after SpiceJet, Jet and Vistara.
28/12/16 Nyoooz

Airports authority of India sets ball rolling on new airport roads

The Airports Authority of India has started working towards developing three new roads to the Lohegaon Airport in a bid to decongest the existing roads.
Recently, Sanjay Prakash — the DIG in charge of the western zone of Central Industrial Security Force — visited the airport on an inspection and expressed concerns about the traffic congestion.
Last week, airport director Ajay Kumar said the AAI is working towards new road projects.
"Currently, the Pune Municipal Corporation is in the process of acquiring land for main approach road — the proposed 30-metre DP Road from Sanjay Park to Airport Parking No.1. Land acquisition is on for another road, connecting Lunkad property to 509 Chowk. This road will act as diversion for the vehicles coming from Vimannagar, and going toward Vishrantwadi, Dhanori and Yerawada, and vice versa," Kumar added.
29/12/16 Joy Sengupta/The Times Of India

Direct Flights From Chandigarh Airport to Goa, Pune & Leh on Cards for 2017

After the functioning of Chandigarh International Airport in Mohali, the city beautiful has been directly connected Nationally and Internationally via air. Chandigarh Airport Authority is all set to give a New Year gift to people of the city. The city beautiful is likely to be connected with 5 more cities of India via flights in 2017 that include Goa also. As of now, there are 24 flights operating from Chandigarh International Airport to different parts of the country. But from 2017, there will be more add-ons in the number of flights from Chandigarh.
29/12/16 Gurjit Kaur/Chandigarh Metro

Soon, lie-detecting security kiosks at airports!

You may need to convince a computer that you are telling the truth during future airport security checks, thanks to a new lie-detecting kiosk that can spot changes in physiology and behaviour during interviews with travellers.
The Automated Virtual Agent for Truth Assessments in Real Time (AVATAR) is currently being tested to help border security agents determine whether travellers coming into Canada may have undisclosed motives for entering the country.
"AVATAR is a kiosk, much like an airport check-in or grocery store self-checkout kiosk," said Professor Aaron Elkins from San Diego State University in the US.
"However, this kiosk has a face on the screen that asks questions of travellers and can detect changes in physiology and behaviour during the interview.
"The system can detect changes in the eyes, voice, gestures and posture to determine potential risk. It can even tell when you are curling your toes," said Elkins.
Passengers would step up to the kiosk and be asked a series of questions such as, "Do you have fruits or vegetables in your luggage?" or "Are you carrying any weapons with you?"
29/12/16 PTI/India Today

Severe fog delays flight movement in Bengaluru

Several flights out of Bengaluru were delayed due to fog early on Thursday morning at the Kempegowda International Airport. Two flights also had to be diverted while at least 10 more arrivals were delayed as well.

Fog settled in at the airport around 5 a.m leading to the cancellation of flights to New Delhi and Lucknow. Most flights resumed after 8:45 a.m but the cascading effect led to delays down the line.

This is the second time in the past one week that fog has led to so many delays as the KIA website showed that atleast 40 flights to various locations like Mumbai, Goa, New Delhi, Indore were also delayed.
29/12/16 The Hindu

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Mumbai architect among injured on Goa flight

Mumbai: When city-based architect Vidya Dhole picked her seat on the flight to Mumbai, little did she know that her Goa vacation would end with a crash. "People were shouting, asking us to evacuate saying there was a fire. We could see smoke coming from the cabin," Vidya told TOI, saying she let her son jump first from the exit point about 20 feet above the ground. Luckily, he was caught by someone standing below. But Vidya was not so lucky. She fractured her left hand as she landed on the ground.
"Only passengers were seen helping one another. Help from the Navy arrived only after a while, may be more than 20 minutes later," said Dhole, adding they were scared the aircraft might explode and rushed towards a small structure near the runway, away from the plane. Her husband, also an architect, had left Goa earlier as he had to travel to Ahmedabad. Dhole has been advised surgery, which she plans to do in Mumbai.
Since the aircraft was resting on its nose and tilted forward, passengers began to panic. The rush towards the exit and passengers insistence on carrying their hand baggage while exiting the aircraft led to some of the "minor" injuries, airline officials claimed. "Passengers violated safety procedures," an airline official said.
There were 154 passengers and seven crew members on board who were safely evacuated via the emergency escape chutes.
"A few guests have sustained minor injuries during the evacuation process and medical assistance is being coordinated by the Jet Airways team and the airport authorities," the airline said in a statement. Jet Airways pressed a larger aircraft into service to fly stranded passengers back to Mumbai.
The airline's statement maintained that the aircraft skidded off the runway due to a technical glitch while aligning for take-off.
28/12/16 Times of India

Come 2017, you may fly to Goa, Chennai from Chandigarh

Chandigarh: City beautiful is likely to get connected with four more cities including Goa and Chennai from next year, airport authority officials said on Tuesday. As of now, 24 flights operate daily from Chandigarh International Airport to different parts of the country including two flights to the Gulf. Airport officials said that they are in talks with several airlines to start flights to new destinations. “We are hopeful that in 2017, we will have flights to four new cities. We are in talks with few airlines and they have showed interest for it,” Chandigarh Airport CEO Sunil Dutt told Chandigarh Newsline on Tuesday.
Informing that the likely cities will be Pune, Hyderabad, Goa and Chennai, Dutt said, “We believe that these cities have a good traffic from Chandigarh.” According to Dutt, 2017 will witness several flights to new International destinations as well. “We are expecting to start flights to Singapore and Bangkok from next year from Chandigarh,” he said.
At present, two international flights operate from Chandigarh International Airport. IndiGo airlines is operating a daily flight to Dubai, while Air India Express too operates a flight to Sharjah from Chandigarh thrice a week. In October, Jet Airways had also said that they are planning to start a daily flight from Chandigarh International Airport to Abu Dhabi(AUH) in 2017. In September last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the new terminal christened as the Chandigarh International Airport, located in Mohali. It was constructed at a cost of Rs 1,400 crore.
28/12/16 Adil Akhzer/Indian Express

Weighing scales will take the weight of fliers minds

Chennai: It’s a minor feature, but one that will be of immense benefit to passengers taking flights out of Chennai, particularly those travelling abroad. Chennai airport is planing to set up weighing scales outside the terminals to allow passengers to discard any excess baggage there itself.

Airport director G. Chandramouli said they have called for tenders to procure machines and have them installed soon. “We plan to have seven machines outside both terminals. It should be in place in two months. This will help passengers to a great extent as they can weigh and leave the excess baggage with those seeing them off,” he said.

Airlines charge a hefty sum for each kilo beyond the allowed baggage allowance. For instance, Air India allows passengers to carry 25 kg as check-in baggage (for destinations like London and the U.S., it permits 46 kg). In case the passenger exceeds the limit, she has to pay Rs. 250 per kg for the domestic sector and ₹ 1,250 and above in the international sector.

Similarly, in IndiGo, the free check-in baggage allowance is 15 kg. The airline charges ₹ 100 for first five kilos extra and Rs. 250 for every kilo after that in the domestic sector. and ₹ 525 for each kilo in the international sector.

Passengers say this initiative will save them last-minute anxiety about paying for excess baggage. Right now, baggage is only weighed when a passenger checks it in.
28/12/15 Sunitha Sekar/The Hindu

Another jackal caught, sent to zoo

Lucknow: Another jackal was trapped at Lucknow airport on Tuesday. The female has been sent to Lucknow zoo.
This is the second female to have been trapped since December 24. "We do not move in that area where cages have been put up so that there is minimum disturbance for animals and they are not alert. But we keep checking the cages every hour," said Sarojininagar range officer MP Gautam.
The jackal was seen trapped inside the cage at around 2.30pm. Meanwhile, the ten cages and sensor-enabled cameras installed at Lucknow airport will continue to be in place as there might be more animals present.
28/12/16 Times of India

Shillong airport runs into land trouble

Shillong: The runway expansion project for Shillong airport is yet to cross land acquisition hurdles.
The project, which was put on the priority list during the 65th North Eastern Council (NEC) plenary session in May, has not been taken up since the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has not submitted its detailed project report, said R. Muivah, secretary of the nodal agency for the development of the region.
“It (AAI) says it cannot submit the DPR since there are still some land disputes and 2-3 land owners have not been paid their compensation,” he added.
The NEC secretary also assured that the council would arrange for funds for the project worth around Rs 184 crore from other sources.
Reacting to a query on introducing more flights from the airport to other parts of the country, Muivah said the connectivity would improve largely once the regional aerial connectivity scheme is implemented where the Centre would provide funds on a 90:10 ratio.
28/12/16 Shillong Times

Airport's notorious glass panels defeat Vardah

Chennai: While cyclone Vardah wreaked havoc in Chennai, the much maligned glass panels in the new terminal buildings of the city airport came out with flying colours. Since the past few years, the panels had been collapsing for no apparent reason. That trend changed during the cyclone, since the 22,000 glass panels withstood the nature’s fury.
Chennai Airport Director G Chandramouli claimed that the sound design, high quality of materials used in installation and workmanship were proof for the strength and stability of the facades even during cyclonic storm.
“The glass facades in Chennai Airport ( upto 30 m in height and 250 m in length) have been critically tested and have practically proven for its strength and safety.  This should put to rest any doubts and fears in the minds of public,” he said.

Interestingly, a study commissioned by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, had said that breaking of glass is not due to inadequate supporting system or quality of glass or worksmanship.
“Nickel sulphide induced fracture is the only cause for the spontaneous breakage of glass and this phenomenon will reduce drastically over a period of time,” the report said.
28/12/16 New Indian Express

Kerala airports deny websites hacked

Kochi: Officials of two airports in Kerala have dismissed reports that their websites have been hacked. According to the Thiruvananthapuram airport authorities, the website that was hacked was one developed by some regular passengers and was in no way connected to the airport.
 “There is no separate website for the airport. The website which was hacked was being run by a private agency. The official details of the airport are posted on the website of the Airports Authority of India,” said George G Tharakan, director of the Trivandrum International Airport.

A website trivandrumairport.com was hacked by anonymous hackers on Tuesday. The home page showed the message that the website was hacked by 'Kashmiri Cheettah' which allegedly belongs to the group Pak Cyber Attackers. The page also displayed a danger symbol. However, it was restored by Wednesday morning.
Cochin International Airport also denied the report.
28/12/16 New Indian Express

Thiruvananthapuram airport’s website, which was hacked, restored now

In what seemed to be another case of cyber crime, the official website of Thiruvananthapuram airport was hacked by a group which claims to be from Pakistan earlier Wednesday. The recent cyber attack comes following several events of hacking of Indian websites by Pakistani groups. However, thirty minutes after it was hacked, the website was found to be restored to its original form.
Calling themselves ‘Kashmiri Cheetahs’, the group was responsible for the hacking of AIIMS Raipur’s website earlier this year.
28/12/16 Indian Express

Flying Blind: Near-misses and other mishaps highlight the need for upgrading air safety

Raising serious industry-wide concerns, two incidents within the same day highlight the precarious nature of aviation safety in the country. In the first case, a Mumbai-bound Jet Airways flight with 154 passengers on board skidded off the runway at Dabolim airport in Goa while aligning for take-off. In the other incident, a major mishap was averted at Delhi airport when an Indigo and a SpiceJet aircraft came face to face on the same runway.
The two incidents come on the heels of a mid-air near miss earlier this month when a Jet Airways flight and an Alliance Air ATR aircraft came into close proximity over Nagpur. In fact, data shows that the number of such near misses has been steadily increasing since 2011 with a whopping 78% rise between January and May this year compared to the same period last year. Clearly, India’s air safety infrastructure is rotting. It’s well known that Air Traffic Control (ATC) faces a severe staff crunch and is working without a quarter of its sanctioned strength. This can’t continue if India’s aviation sector is to boom.
28/12/16 The Times Of India

IndiGo wants Mumbai airport probed

The delays faced while flying in and out of Mumbai have been a sore point with passengers for years. But now the issue of on time performance (OTP), a measure of the ability of transport services to be on time, has become a bone of contention between the authorities at Mumbai's choked airport and the airlines operating from there.
Among the metropolitan cities, the OTP of all airlines is the worst at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), according to monthly data issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Now, some carriers are alleging that they are being "wrongly" shown as being less punctual at the airport.
India's biggest budget airline, IndiGo, questioned the OTP monitoring done by Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL), and filed a complaint with the complaint with the DGCA on Tuesday. The airline has accused MIAL of monitoring OTP in a way that shows some "competing airlines" as more punctual than they may be in reality.
28/12/16 Saurabh Sinha/The Times Of India

Glass panels of airport terminals withstood Vardah; shows quality of work: AAI

The glass facade of the new terminals at the Chennai airport withstood the fury of cyclone Vardah that struck with a wind speed of over 140kmph on December 12, says Airports Authority of India (AAI). The facade comprises 22,000 panels.
The storm damaged the glass cladding and facade of several buildings in the city and suburbs.
The AAI cited a study by IIT-M on stray incidents of spontaneous falling of glass panels. The study says, "The glass breakage is not on account of inadequate supporting system or quality of glass or workmanship. Nickel sulfide-induced fracture is the only cause for the spontaneous breakage of glass. This phenomenon will reduce drastically over a period of time. Moreover, as the glass are toughened and when the glass breaks, it is likely to fall in fragments and may not cause serious injury to anybody."
Earlier, there were several instances of glass panels shattering at the airport which lead to complaints about quality of the glass used and workmanship. The AAI has taken safety precautions and implemented recommendations of experts from IIT-M. The precautions included installation of barricades or dividers in areas where there is movement of people.
28/12/16 The Times Of India

Air safety incidents at Delhi and Goa: Is it 'human' factor or shortage of staff at ATC?

Two air safety incidents on a single day, at Delhi and Goa airports, have led many of us to once again question India's air safety record. Remember, India was downgraded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States in 2014 for failing to have enough safety personnel, and a restoration of the rating took several months. Though it won't be clear till a probe is completed on what lead to incidents this morning at Goa and Delhi, the fact is that manpower shortage in critical air functions could be a factor in frequent air incidents.
Take the critical ATC function - the Air Traffic Control (ATC) is still short staffed. Sources tell us the manpower needed is 3,600 personnel and only about 2,900 have been recruited till now. "These positions are being filled,"said an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official. A short staffed ATC apart, this story from Bloomberg quotes data from India's safety regulator DGCA to say that air safety incidents, which prompted regulatory action, reached 280 this year till August, beating the 275 all of last year. It went on to predict that "At this pace, the number may rise to more than 400 by the end of 2016, making it the worst in three years for aviation safety".
27/12/16 Sindhu Bhattacharya/F.Business

Number of airports to be doubled to 150 : Jayant Sinha

Aviation sector is the sunrise sector of growth and going through profound changes, remarked Mr. Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, while addressing the 89th Annual General Meeting of FICCI.

The aviation sector has dramatic headroom for growth with 150 million passenger trips a year as compared to China with 450 million passenger trips and USA at 800 million passenger trips a year. The total revenue of airlines is Rs 1.4 lakh crore and is growing at a rate of 20%. He added that as of today 9 crore passenger travel domestically and 5 crore internationally.

He emphasized that the government is committed to safety and security and will launch the unified command of CISF in the entire aviation system.
28/12/16 Business Standard

Delhi: Soon, no entry for airport staff without Aadhaar

Ahead of Republic Day, Central Industrial Security Force has thrown a security blanket in and around Indira Gandhi International Airport. As part of a new initiative, after January 1, all airport entry passes will be issued only on the basis of Aadhaar number.
All employees have been asked to carry their Aadhaar cards for access to the building. CISF DG O P Singh said that the step was necessary to avoid unauthorised entry. There has been a spurt in incidents of trespass with people entering the premises using forged passes. When the new rule comes into effect, more than 25,000 employees working at the airport, including porters, housekeeping members, loaders and ground staff, will be under close watch.
Singh told TOI: "These passes are renewed every year. The deadline for renewing passes that were expiring this month has been extended to March 31. For others, carrying Aadhaar will be mandatory." The step has been taken in consultation with Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
28/12/16 Anvit Srivastava/The Times Of India

Demonetisation: Rs 69 lakh seized from Mumbai airport, four arrested

Mumbai Customs sleuths today seized cash totalling around Rs 69 lakh in two separate cases here, which included recovery of Rs 25 lakh in 2,000 rupee notes. The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs made these seizures at the international airport here in the wee hours and four persons were arrested in this connection. In the first case, foreign currency worth over Rs 43 lakh was recovered from three passengers — Shaikh Waheed Ali, Mohammed Sohail and Shaikh Pasha — who arrived here from Hyderabad.
“A detailed examination of the baggage of Ali resulted in recovery of 1,39,000 Saudi Riyals, 5,65,000 UAE Dirhams and 14,000 Australian dollars,” said a Customs official, adding that the total value was Rs 43.97 lakhs.
This money was found wrapped in newspapers and was concealed in their check-in baggage.
The trio in their statement have said that they brought the foreign currency from Saudi Arabia during their visit last week but did not declare the money before the Customs.
“They have also said that they came to Mumbai for conversion of the currency expecting good returns,” the official said.
28/12/16 PTI/The Indian Express

Solution in sight for airport land dispute

With the state government considering higher compensation rate for Bishunganj villagers for the 70.2 acres of land required for the expansion of Gaya airport runway from the existing 2,286 metres to 2,886 metres to facilitate the landing and take off of wide-body jumbo planes, the one-and-a-half-decade stalemate on the issue is likely to end.
According to sources, during his Bodh Gaya visit a few days back chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh directed the district officials to settle the land issue at the earliest and pay compensation as per the new Act, four times the market value as demanded by the landowners.
Gaya DM Kumar Ravi said after the Kalchakra Puja, the airport land issue will be given top priority. "Compensation as per new Act would be given due consideration," he said.
28/12/16 The Times Of India

Shirdi runway damaged, repaired for Rs. 7 crore

Work on the much-delayed airport at Shirdi has suffered yet another setback, one that has cost the exchequer crores of rupees. Due to the delay in implementing the project, the only runway of the airport was damaged by two-wheeler riders and motorists, who used it as a short-cut between Sangamner and Shirdi. The runway had to be repaired at a cost of Rs 7 crore, informed officials.
Work on the airport started in 2010 and was expected to be completed by 2012. The 2.5-km long and 60-metre wide runway was constructed by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), the implementing agency of the project. “However, due to the unavailability of funds, the project was stuck,” said Vishwas Patil, vice-chairman and managing director of MADC.
Before the project came to a grinding halt, the MADC had managed to construct the 2.5-km long runway and a compound wall which stretched over 6 kilometres. “Work on the compound wall remained incomplete. It was supposed to be a 14-km long wall, built around the 1,100-acre airport. As only part of the wall had been constructed, the area became a freeway for two-wheeler riders and other vehicular traffic. It suffered massive damage and had to be recarpeted and redone,” said MADC officials.
The open and unfenced land was used as short-cut by two-wheeler riders and motorists from Sangamner to reach Shirdi, said Patil. “This route was a shortcut… they had to travel 7-8 kilometres less to reach Shirdi,” he said.
28/12/16 Manoj More/The Indian Express

Air gun seized at airport

A parcel reportedly containing an air gun was seized by security personnel deployed in Madurai Airport on Tuesday.

Sources with Madurai district police, to whom the parcel was handed over for investigation, said that the gun was being returned through India Post by an advocate from P and T Nagar to a seller in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, apparently due to some issues with the purchase.

The seized gun had been sent to the police armoury to assess its specifications, a senior police official said. The Perungudi police have registered the incident in the Community Service Register for further investigation as required.
27/12/16 The Hindu

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Goa airport reopens, Jet pilot derostered

Panaji: Following a detailed inspection, authorities have allowed flight operations to resume at Goa International Airport. An early morning mishap involving a Jet Airways flight had prompted naval officials and Airports Authority of India to shut down the runway as a precautionary safety measure.
A Jet Airways flight with 161 people on board veered off the runway at 5:30 in the morning at Goa International airport while aligning for takeoff.
Around 15 passengers suffered bruises and fractures during evacuation and the runway was partially damaged prompting Naval and airports authority of India authorities to shut down the airport for nearly five hours.
After a thorough inspection and some minor repairs, the runway was cleared for flight operations, airport director B. C. H. Negi said.
Jet Airways Flight 9W 2374, which had arrived at Goa from Dubai, was enroute to Mumbai. The commander of the aircraft had taxied to the end of the runway after the air traffic control had given clearance for take-off. Representatives of Jet Airways said that a "technical glitch" led to the aircraft skidding off the runway.
27/12/16 Newton Sequeira/Times of India

Leopard spotted at Udaipur Airport

Maharana Pratap Airport, Udaipur had an unwelcome visitor yesterday night when CISF team spotted a leopard during their regular airport patrol.

The CISF team is deployed at airports for anti-hijacking and other security duties. The team was however in for a surprise when they spotted the animal. As per the CISF team member, the CISF bus with members was about to leave the airport at night when they spotted a leopard jumping from over the perimeter wall towards the outside wall.
Given that the leopard was spotted in operational area, a thorough screening of the area was initiated but the leopard could not be traced.
27/12/16 UdaipurTimes

Jet Airways Flight Takes 360-Degree Spin At Goa's Dabolim Airport Runway, Some Passengers Injured

A Jet Airways plane carrying 161 passengers and crew took a 360-degree spin as it skidded off the runway while taking off at Goa's Dabolim airport this morning.

Emergency slides were used to move passengers out of the plane. Fifteen passengers suffered minor injuries while being evacuated, said officials.

Images showed medical staff treating injured passengers lying on stretchers. Some may have suffered fractures, said officials.

The plane was seen partly on the runway. The airport was closed for a while.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are inquiring into the incident.

The Jet Airways flight was heading to Mumbai.
27/12/16 Sandeep Phukan/NDTV

Gajapathi Raju flies in face of CIDCO deadline, says Navi Mumbai airport to take 8-9 years

It will take eight to nine years for the Navi Mumbai airport to be built, civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju told FE. The minister’s statement is in direct contrast to the ones made by the Maharashtra government body City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), tasked with the pre-development work for the airport, which has repeatedly said that the airport will become operational by the end of 2019.
For the record, the pre-development work is yet to be completed and the bidder that will partner CIDCO in constructing and maintaining the airport is yet to be finalised.
“The capacity constraint at the current Mumbai airport is a concern for all of us but constructing the new airport will take at least four years if the development work takes place efficiently. If we take into consideration the time taken to build a greenfield airport in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, it was more than eight to nine years. More so, this airport will be based on a marshy land unlike Bengaluru and Hyderabad, hence it will take more time,” Raju said in the course of an interview.
Speaking about the development of airports in the country, the minister said that R15,000 crore will be spent by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) towards this task in the next few years.
According to him, the financial condition of debt-ridden state carrier Air India is a matter of concern and the prevailing condition is a kind of ‘debt trap’; some kind of financial reconstruction is the need of the hour to bring down the interest cost. At present, Air India has a total debt of R50,000 crore and an annual interest outgo of almost R4,000 crore.
27/12/16 Malyaban Ghosh/The Financial Express

Puducherry airport may be revived by January: CM

The territorial administration is hopeful of operationalising the defunct airport here by January next year, Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said here on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here, he said following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Government of Puducherry and the Union Government, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had revived projects to operationalise the airport by next month.

The Ministry had come to the conclusion that a 70-seat aircraft operating from the airport here to Bengaluru could get full occupancy if routed through Tiruchi. Along with Puducherry-Bengaluru sector, the Ministry was considering operating flights from here to Tirupati, Coimbatore, Kochi, and Hyderabad, he said.

The Ministry had floated tenders inviting private players to operate flights from here, he said.
27/12/16 Rajesh B.Nair/The Hindu

Delhi Int’l Airport Ltd. Defers Fee On In-Flight Refreshments Till February 2017

In a hearing that took place in the Delhi High Court this Wednesday, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has agreed to defer its decision to levy a fee on in-flight food and beverages provided by private airlines like Spice Jet, Indigo, Go Air and Jet Airways till 8th February, 2017.

The verbal declaration by DIAL was given in the presence of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva who further issued notice to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DIAL, Airports Authority of India (AAI), and four flight kitchen operators namely, Oberoi Flight Services, Taj Sats Air Catering Ltd, Ambassador (SkyChef), and Sky Gourmet Catering Pvt. Ltd. The notice has been issued to request the aforementioned parties’ responses on a plea by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) regarding a 16% fee on the cost price of food and beverages procured by the carriers.
26/12/16 Ankita/Hungry Forever

Robots to Reduce Turnaround at India's Busiest Airport

India’s busiest airport, the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, is embracing robotics for cleaning aircraft. The Nordic Dino robot, to be procured from Sweden’s Aviator, will first be used at Terminal 3 of IGI for washing narrow-body aircraft. The first machine is expected to arrive in February next year and start operations by April.

Around 100 airplanes are washed at the IGI every day. It takes at least 10 hours, 20 persons and gallons of water as well as high lifts, ladders, hefty brushes and quite a bit of muscle to clean one aircraft. Cutting labor costs and water consumption and above all minimizing the ground time for exterior washing has been a priority area for flight operators.
26/12/16 Sputnik

Thick fog at Dabolim disrupts flights

Several flights arriving at and departing from the Dabolim airport were delayed on Monday, while some flights were even diverted to other airports in view of the dense fog that descended on the airport since the wee hours of Monday.
The thick fog over the Dabolim airport left passengers high and dry. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at the integrated terminal building of the airport due to the fog since the wee hours of Monday.
Several flights including domestic, international and chartered were delayed while some of them were forced to divert to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Cochin airports due to low visibility. Hundreds of passengers travelling to various destinations were inconvenienced and had to face hardships due to the delay in the arrival and departure of flights.
27/12/16 The Navhind Times

Monday, December 26, 2016

Pune Airport To Boast NewTerminal Building

Pune Airport is set to have a new terminal replete with high-tech infrastructural facilities. The move comes after the Airport Authority of India (AAI) approved plans to build a new building for a terminal under the expansion scheme.

Speaking about the development plans, Ajay Kumar, director Pune Airport, told Mirror, “The AAI approval came through only earlier this month. The AAI has sanctioned Rs 408 crore for the new terminal building. The new building, equipped with high-tech infrastructure, will be built in a 35,000 square metres space. Work will begin in the new financial year, which is April 2017 and we will try to finish before the end of 2019.” On May 15, 2016, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had allotted 15.84 acres of land under the air force to Pune airport on a 30-year lease.
26/12/16 Defence Aviation Post

Rough weather ahead for UDAN

Come January 2017, and you will be able to fly from Jamnagar to Ahmedabad or Allahabad to Gorakhpur… or so claims the government. The Modi government’s ambitious regional connectivity scheme (RCS) promises convenient travel between state capitals and remote regional areas, efficient business and trade opportunities, and profitability for under-served and unserved airports.
While launching the scheme, titled UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik), on October 21, civil aviation minister A Gajapathi Raju said, “UDAN is the result of the prime minister’s vision of getting ‘every hawai chappal wearing Indian to board a hawai jahaz’. We are cautiously optimistic about it.”
But can a country like India, where regional airlines have never really flourished, give wings to the aam aadmi in his hawai chappals? All said and done, it comes as a surprise that neither the Airports Authority of India (AAI) –  the implementing agency for the scheme – nor the “interested” airline companies have conducted surveys to find out how many passengers are likely to take these flights and how much they will be able to afford.
26/12/16 Ankita Sharma/Governance Now

Customs seize 25 kg of Agarwood at Mumbai Airport, one held

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Mumbai Airport intercepted a passenger smuggling 25 kg of Agarwood. The passenger belonged to Jugijan, Assam.
The valuation of Agarwood is approximate Rs 5-6 lakh per kg, in India. In the international market, the price goes up by 2-3 times depending on the market.
As per the rules, the export of Agarwood is restricted and is allowed only under licence and shall also be regulated according to the rules notified under the Biological (Diversity) Act, 2002.
25/12/16 Virendrasingh Ghunawat/India Today

Runaway jackal finally trapped at airport

It was after a fourmonth-long hunt that a jackal was trapped from the premises of Lucknow airport on Saturday . The animal, a female, was sent to Lucknow zoo.
After pug marks of a jackal were seen as close as 900 metres from the runway in August, the Lucknow airport authorities had brought the matter to the notice of the forest department. Ten cages and 10 sensor-enabled cameras were installed across the 4sq km area of the airport premises to trap jackals.
The cages and camera will continue to be in place."There might be more jackals," said range officer, Sarojininagar, MP Gautam.
The camera feed had shown a pair of jackals and their young one.
Forest officers have tried various strategies to rid the place of jackals. One such strategy was to scare the animals away. Tiger and leopard stool was collected from the zoo and strewn around the area where pugmarks were found. "The scent of the stool gives jackals a feeling that big cats are around and they leave the place," said the range officer.
25/12/16 The Times Of India

Soon IGI Airport to get aircraft washing robots

Indira Gandhi International Airport will soon get aircraft washing robots to clean the jumbo jets. According to a Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) official, the washing technique will be imported from Sweden.
Till now, more than dozens of people were involved in cleaning the aircraft and they were consuming a lot of time and the quality of work was not up to the international standards either. But with these robots, aircraft will be cleaned in less time with more accuracy.
In this regard, DIAL has issued tender to Air India SATS as well. In India, this will be the first technique of its kind to be installed.
According to Air India spokeperson Dhananjay Kumar, the washing machine will come to India by January-March 2017. Thereafter, they will start working at IGI Airport. Air India SATS has entered into the contract for this automatic technique named Nordik Dino of Aviator Group of Sweden.
It is to be noted that presently the washing and cleaning of aircraft in India is done by manual labor. One average Jumbo 707 aircraft takes eight to ten hours to be cleaned by 15 to 20 people. And it is a risky job as well. And there is more likelihood of workers getting injured by even slight carelessness.
26/12/16 Prateek Chauhan/The Tribune

Plans afoot for airport in Kottayam

Tens of thousands of Kerala expatriates working around the world and millions of pilgrims who make an annual pilgrimage to the Sabarimala temple in the state are hopeful once more as talks are afoot for a new international airport in Kottayam or Pathanamthitta district.
The airport is likely to be established near Erumely, the gateway to the Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta district.
If a formal announcement regarding the airport comes soon, it will be an ideal Christmas gift for millions of people in the area.
The airport will benefit expatriates from Kerala’s Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Alappuzha districts, who now have no option but to land at the Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram airport and take the expensive and time-consuming road journey to reach home.
The new airport is seen to be a necessity for people in the central Travancore area, who make up a significant percentage of the Kerala expatriates around the world.
25/12/16 Akhel Mathew/Gulf News India

No new airport infra for vibrant 2017

The air passenger and aircraft traffic has seen substantial increase with every biennial Vibrant Summit. During January 2013 summit, 4 lakh passengers and 3,244 aircraft arrived at the city airport which increased to 5 lakh passengers and 3,350 aircraft during January 2015. Expecting increase in passenger and private aircraft traffic during the upcoming January 2017 Vibrant Summit, hectic parleys have started between the state government and Airports Authority of India. It should be noted that such exercises and plans are carried before every Vibrant Summit but nothing emerges from it.

Ahead of 2015 Summit, it was decided to allot additional space for private aircraft, install two aerobridges and set up additional check in counters but none of the proposed measures are likely to be installed before the Summit. This year, the Summit will be held between January 9 and 13. Twelve countries will be participating as partner countries. The addition to 2017 Summit is the Noble Prize Series on January 9, involving participation of nine Nobel laureates. Post-summit, like every time, there will be Ahmedabad Kite Festival which attracts several international kitists to the Sabarmati Riverfront.
26/12/16 Alok Brahmbhatt/Ahamedabad Mirror

Quicker link from Delhi's IGI Airport to CP in the works

For quick access to IGI Airport, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is exploring the possibility of developing a route connecting the two terminals—T1 and T3—with Connaught Place in central Delhi and the neighbouring areas. The land-owning agency has already invited expression of interest (EOI) from consultants for a feasibility study.

The project, proposed in a high-level meeting of urban development (UD) ministry officials, also plans to decongest the stretch from 11 Murti on Mother Teresa Road to CP, which sees heavy traffic during peak hours, through a new route. “The IGI route is the priority as air travel has become common and vehicular load on the existing route has gone up. But the other stretch is also congested and another route is required for easy traffic flow in the surrounding areas,” said a DDA official.
26/12/16 Risha Chitlangia/ET Reality

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Airports In India May Soon Have Biometric Security Checks: Civil Aviation Minister

Fliers may soon be able to use biometric details for security checks at airports as the government works on putting in place such systems after receiving 'good feedback' for a pilot project.

Giving strong indications, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that having biometric systems for passengers at airports appear to be a good idea.

The innovative idea, close on the heels of authorities doing away with tagging requirement of hand baggages at select airports, comes at a time when efforts are being made to ensure that aviation security procedures are more efficient and less intrusive.

"Biometric access was experimented at Hyderabad (airport). The feedback was good... Biometric system is appearing to be a good system security-wise," Mr Raju told news agency PTI in an interview.

Authorities have carried out a short duration pilot project using biometric system at Hyderabad international airport recently. The exact details on how it is used could not be immediately ascertained.
23/12/16 PTI/NDTV

Nashik Inc invites pvt, public airlines to start flights

Industrialists from Nashik on Thursday invited private and public airlines to commence their services from the Ozar airport, around 20km from the city.
At a meeting called by the state government in Mumbai on Thursday, the Nashik Industries and Manufacturers' Association (NIMA) invited airlines like Air India and Jet Airways to commence their air services from the Ozar airport. The meeting was attended by principal secretary of civil aviation Shyam Lal Goel, respresentatives of Air India, Jet Airways and a few small airlines. Also present were local MP Hemant Godse, vice-chairman of Maharashtra Airport Development Committee Vishwas Patil and NIMA office-bearer Manish Rawal.
Incidentally, Goel and Air India officials will visit the Ozar airport in the first week of January to check the viability of air service from Nashik.
Speaking to TOI, H S Banerjee, president of NIMA, said, "Presently, the Union government has already invited bids from some airlines under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, for which January 9 is the last day. We had a meeting with the airline representatives where Air India and Jet Airways were invited to commence air services from Nashik."
24/12/16 Tushar Pawar/The Times Of India

No stamps for hand-luggage soon to get permanent

Airlines will soon stop stamping hand luggage with security tags in a bid to cut down travellers reporting time.
On Friday, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security chief Rajesh Kumar Chandra asked the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to make non-stamping at airports a permanent feature after a successful week-long pilot project in metro cities. CISF chief O P Singh has said that the agency will take a call on the issue of non-stamping at metros after January 26. The pilot project was undertaken at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports from December 15 to 22. From Monday, non-stamping will start at Guwahati, Patna, Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Trivandrum and Kochi airports.
24/12/16 The Times Of India

Plea to name airport after Simhadri Appanna

Sri Simhadri Appanna Prachara Samithi of Madhavadhara met the Airport Director Vinod Sharma and submitted a memorandum to him seeking the naming of the proposed International Airport at Bhogapuram near Visakhapatnam as ‘Simhadri Appanna International Airport’.

The Airport Director assured the samithi members that he would send the representation to the higher authorities. Samithi members S. Narayana Swamy, S. Dhanunjaya Swamy, GV Ramana, Pedada Sattibabu, N. Ravi and S. Chanti were among those who met him.

‘Simhadri Appanna’ is the popular name of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, the presiding deity of Simhachalam in Visakhapartnam.
24/12/15 The Hindu

Hardik Patel 'detained' at Jaipur airport

The flag-bearer of Patidar movement in Gujarat, Hardik Patel, was stopped from entering Jaipur city after he landed at the airport from Delhi on Friday. The police took him along with his supporters directly to Udaipur by road.
Patel arrived in the morning and was scheduled to meet some of his relatives at Civil Lines. However, the police forbid him from stepping out of the airport citing orders from top officials. Patel levelled charges against the Rajasthan government and held home minister Gulabchand Kataria responsible for the police action.
24/12/16 The Times Of India

Fog disrupts air traffic at Karipur

Thick fog disrupted flight operations to and from Karipur Airport Friday morning causing nine inbound flights to be diverted to other airports.
Airport Director K Janardhanan said that low visibility caused by the fog affected flight operations at the airport for four hours from 5.30 am to 9.30 am.
Four Air India Express flights- from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Dammam- along with Air India flights from Sharjah and Dubai were diverted to the Nedumbassery Airport.
Oman Air flight from Muscat and Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi were diverted to Thiruvananthapuram Airport while the Spice Jet flight from Chennai was diverted to the Coimbatore airport due to the adverse weather conditions.
All diverted flights arrived at the airport later in the day after considerable delays thereby delaying the return flights as well.
Airport sources said that 14 flight arrivals and 13 flight departures were delayed and one flight had to be cancelled due to the adverse weather condition.
24/12/16 The Times Of India

Heavy traffic gives flyers tense moments

Twelve passengers booked on an Etihad Airways flight to Abu Dhabi were left arguing with the airline staff on Friday evening, after they were told they were being offloaded. All the 12 passengers said they had reached the airport on time, with their boarding pass printed out after a web check-in.
For some of them, especially those who travelled from south Mumbai to the airport, it was a double whammy. They started their journey on a stressful note as they spent a long time stuck in traffic jam, enroute to the Mumbai international terminal 2. With security measures put in place for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Saturday visit to Mumbai, the roads that lead to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link were choked.
24/12/16 The Times Of India

Erumely airport: Study finds two estates as suitable locations

IndoHeritage International Aeropolis Pvt Limited, the promoters of the Erumely airport project, has submitted a feasibility study report on the project proposal in Pathanamthitta to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The study, conducted in five estates in Pathanamthitta by an US-based agency , AECOM, has observed Cheruvalli and Laha estates as preferred locations for the project.
"The report has been submitted before the chief minister for the principal approval of the state government. The state government has reacted positively to the project and the decision has to be taken on the land for the project. Either the government should take over the land and hand over to us or we should purchase the land," said Rajeev Joseph, managing director of Indo-Heritage International Aeropolis Pvt Limited The feasibility study was conducted in Laha, Cheruvalli, Kumbazha, Kalleli and Kuttikkal estates. The report said that the best suitable location for the airport project was Cheruvalli estate.
Since there are some cases related to Cheruvalli estate, the report has observed that the airport project could be executed in Laha estate as well. "In case of any legal issue in taking over the land from these two estates, then the third alternative will be Kumbazha estate.This is the same agency which is currently executing the Kannur airport project,'' said Joseph.
23/12/16 Rajiv G/The Times Of India

Friday, December 23, 2016

Dramatic scenes at CIAL as pilot refuses to fly

Kochi: The Cochin International Airport on Friday witnessed dramatic scenes after an Air India Express pilot refused to take off, after the flight was diverted to Kochi due to bad weather conditions at the Kozhikode airport.
The Dubai-Kozhikode flight was diverted after dense fog hampered visibility at Kozhikode in the morning.

“The pilot refused to fly out from here, saying the number of flying hours permitted for him for the day had exceeded. The incident prompted passengers to stage a protest at the airport,” said airport officials, adding that a total of four Kozhikode-bound flights were diverted to Kochi between 6 am and 7 am, due to poor visibility at Kozhikode.   “Three Air India Express flights and one Air India flight - from Dubai, Sharjah and Muscat - landed here. While the three other flights left for Kozhikode later, pilot of the Dubai-Kozhikode flight refused to fly, citing the DGCA’s duty time rules,” said sources. “The three other flights left by 1 pm. Meanwhile, the 180-odd passengers who were de-boarded from the flight IX-350 staged a protest at the airport. Later, the flight took off around 2 pm after another pilot was arranged,” said said officials.
23/12/16 New Indian Express

Long wait for those flying abroad

Visakhapatnam: Even though passenger traffic at Visakhapatnam airport has increased significantly in the last couple years, passengers going abroad - especially to the US - are complaining that lack of direct flights to various international destinations is leading to longer waiting times at airports such as Delhi and Mumbai. Apparently, passengers heading to London, Paris, Frankfurt or Rome in Europe are being forced to wait anywhere between 3 and 11 hours for a connecting flight from Delhi or Mumbai.
According to air travellers, passengers have to wait for anywhere between 4 and 15 hours to get a connecting flight from airports such as Delhi and Mumbai to reach the US. Passengers complain that apart from the travel time of around 15 hours from India to Delhi, the additional layover time for 15 hours of waiting in airports is tiring, especially when elderly people and businessmen from north coastal AP head to the US for work or to visit their children.
23/12/16 Manish M/Times of India

Solar power project starts at HAL airport

Bengaluru: To harness solar energy, a 3.5MW solar power project has been taken up by the HAL at its airport in the city.
The project spread over 23 acres with 12,985 solar modules installed was inaugurated by HAL CMD T Suvarna Raju on Friday.

“We are pleased to be a part of this environment friendly initiative by focusing on renewable energy to meet our demand for electricity. It is perfect example of promoting climate protection and conserving precious energy resources,he said. The power requirement of LCA-Tejas Division would be met to begin with, he added.

The project is commissioned by the Amplus Energy Solutions. Speaking on the occasion, Sanjeev Aggarwal, Managing Director & CEO, AES, commended HAL’s decision to install a significant renewable energy capacity for its power consumption in Bengaluru. As part of its commitment given to the government, HAL is in the process of establishing 50 MW capacity renewable energy in next two years.
23/12/16 New Indian Express

T2 ties up with Uber for smooth arrivals

Mumbai: Problems in finding app based cabs at the airport will soon be a thing of the past with airport operator Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) offering an exclusive space to appbased cab aggregators right outside the arrival gates, as a strategy to clear them from the roads around the airport.

“The idea is to decongest the roads outside airport. Cars coming to the airport for picking up passengers are not supposed to linger outside the departure terminals. By offering them a dedicated area, we hope to improve commuting,” said an airline official.

Currently, cars plying for aggregators have to be parked at the pay-and-park lots at domestic and international airports. This translates to an additional parking fee on the commuter who end up shelling Rs 110 in parking costs over and above the fare.

With the new pact, riders who request an Uber, from both the domestic and international terminals, will only have to pay a single fee which will be all-inclusive and will be directly included in the rider’s receipt, thus making the airport experience more seamless. “For added convenience, Uber representatives will be on-ground at both airports to help travellers book an Uber and guide them to the pickup points,” a spokesperson of the cab aggregator said.

23/12/16 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror

Airport expansion: Rs. 20 cr. sanctioned for R&R

Vijayawada: The State on Thursday sanctioned Rs.20 crore to meet relief and rehabilitation expenses while expanding the Gannavaram airport.
This was stated in a G.O. issued by the Energy, Infrastructure and Investment Department. The package covers 401 beneficiaries identified by the enumerator, Chirala-based Rakshana.
The R&R package, which is based on micro-plans prepared by the NGO, is estimated to cost approximately Rs.56 crore.
The Roads and Buildings Department has prepared estimates for construction of the R&R Colony in 49.35 acres under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Davajigudem village has the highest number of affected families at 203, followed by Buddhavaram 83, Rajendra Nagar 56, Pamarthi Nagar 26, Ajjampudi 24 and Pedavutapalli 9.
The Government will provide all facilities required for the package such as houses, transportation, rental value, subsistence allowance and grants for kiosks and cattle sheds.
23/12/16 The Hindu

Solar power project starts at HAL airport

Bengaluru: To harness solar energy, a 3.5MW solar power project has been taken up by the HAL at its airport in the city.
The project spread over 23 acres with 12,985 solar modules installed was inaugurated by HAL CMD T Suvarna Raju on Friday.

“We are pleased to be a part of this environment friendly initiative by focusing on renewable energy to meet our demand for electricity. It is perfect example of promoting climate protection and conserving precious energy resources,he said. The power requirement of LCA-Tejas Division would be met to begin with, he added.

The project is commissioned by the Amplus Energy Solutions. Speaking on the occasion, Sanjeev Aggarwal, Managing Director & CEO, AES, commended HAL’s decision to install a significant renewable energy capacity for its power consumption in Bengaluru.
As part of its commitment given to the government, HAL is in the process of establishing 50 MW capacity renewable energy in next two years. The Company plans to install 35.8 MW capacity solar plants. Out of this, 9.275 MW will be from roof-top solar systems. Approximately, 15 MW capacity will be from wind power plants.
23/12/16 New Indian Express

Uber now at 20 Indian airports, to make travel better

New Delhi: Online cab-hailing firm Uber on Friday announced that it will focus on improving the airport travel experience for both riders and driver partners in India.

"Uber is now available at all of the top 20 airports in India and at more than 200 airports globally, with presence at almost all major US and European airports," said Amit Jain, President, Uber, India and South Asia in a statement.


"Visitors from over 70 countries have used Uber in India while Indian travellers are using their Uber app most frequently in the US, followed by United Kingdom, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Malaysia," Jain added.

As part of its "UberSHAAN" initiative, Uber last week urged ex-servicemen in India to avail entrepreneurship opportunities with the company as driver partners.

Uber has partnered with Ministry of Defence to facilitate interested personnel join the Uber platform as driver entrepreneurs.

"UBERSHAAN programme is all about empowering these individuals to support their families and provide an opportunity for people to get to know India's veterans better," Uber founder and CEO Travis Kalanick told reporters during his Delhi visit.
23/12/16 IANS/Business Standard

Centre gives promise on Karipur airport

Malappuram: Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has assured Sunni leader Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar that he would take the initiative to clear hurdles to the smooth functioning of Karipur airport. A delegation led by Kanthapuram met Mr. Naqvi in New Delhi recently and presented a memorandum seeking his intervention to restore wide-bodied aircraft services at Karipur. Following the cancellation of services at Karipur, Haj services were shifted to the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery.

Quoting the Minister, Mr. Kanthapuram said Mr. Naqvi had assured them that he would take the initiative to solve the issue with the help of the Union Minister for Civil Aviation. He told Kanthapuram that the airport was more important for the State than the issue of Haj subsidy.

Mr. Naqvi told Kanthapuram that the Union government had not taken any decision to implement the Uniform Civil Code. As it required constitutional amendment, no change would be made without considering the opinion of the people, he said. Kanthapuram was accompanied by former Haj Committee chairman A.K. Abdul Hameed, Kerala Haj Welfare Association vice chairman Tharayittal Hasan Saqafi, and V.T. Abdullakoya of Indo-Arab Conference
23/12/16 The Hindu

Kidnap bid foiled at Bhubaneswar Airport

Bhubaneswar: A kidnapping bid by three youths was foiled at the Bhubaneswar Airport Terminal 2 today after the victim shouted for help and police rushed in. The victim had arrived in the city from Delhi.

At around 12 noon, three youths were seen taking away a man forcibly, pushing him out of the terminal exit. When the man shouted for help, the airport security rushed in after which the youths left him and ran away.

The rescued man said he was being forced by the three youths who were local but were following him from Delhi and travelled along with him after becoming friends with him. “They know that I belong to a well-to-do family and were trying to kidnap me,” he alleged.
23/12/16 Pregativadi

NIA Arrests Fake Currency Kingpin Abdul Salam From Delhi Airport

Saudi Arabia deported a ring leader of a fake Indian currency note racket, Abdul Salam, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after he landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Thursday.

Abdul Salam, also known as Podi Salam, is a resident of Kerala’s Malappuram. He was wanted in a case of smuggling of fake Indian currency notes (FICNs) with a face value of Rs 9.75 lakh which was seized from Abid Chullikulavan Hassan by Customs wing (Rummage & Intelligence Unit), Kochi at Nedumbasserry International Airport.

A case was registered against Abdul Salam in 2013 after a raid was conducted in Kerala, in which a large number of fake currency notes were recovered. Officials said that he Abdul was operating the racket while in Dubai.

The NIA had taken over investigation into the case on July 13, 2014 from Kerala Police and filed a charge sheet against five accused, including Abdul Salam on July 23, 2015.
23/12/16 Times Now

Tagless travel at Nagpur airport from Monday

Passengers flying out of Nagpur will not have to get the security checked stamp on their cabin bags. This may start from as early as Monday, said highly placed sources.
Apart from Nagpur, Guwahati, Patna, Lucknow, Jaipur, Trivandrum and Kochi airports too would do away with stamping hand bags.
The government took this decision as the weeklong pilot project for not stamping hand bags at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru came to an end on Thursday, said a senior official. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will discontinue the no-stamping at these metro airports, which means flyers from there will again have to get the hand bag tags stamped - at least for some time.
CISF and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will "analyse the feedback of the pilot project" before deciding on extending the same," the official added.
The ministry and BCAS are trying to get security agencies to agree on doing away with putting security checked stamps on hand bag tags and then on boarding cards so that this will lead to e-boarding cards.
"The security checked stamp mentions at what position the bag was checked, enabling CISF to hold the staffer responsible in case of any lapse. Our point is that CCTVs at baggage X-ray and passenger frisking areas can be used for the same thing—identifying who checked a cabin bag in case of fixing responsibility for a lapse," said a source.
With this reasoning, aviation authorities want stamping of bags and boarding cards to be done away with at all airports where security counters have 100% CCTV coverage. In fact, doing away with stamping makes available one more person—who would otherwise be busy putting stamps—to focus on baggage X-rays.
23/12/16 Saurabh Sinha/The Times Of India

Five sites identified for new airport

Five sites have been shortlisted in Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts for a Rs.2,500-crore greenfield international airport to be developed by a joint venture of Non-Resident Indians.

Close on the heels of abandoning the controversial airport project at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district, the New-Delhi-based Global Indian Association (GIA), a non-political organisation working for the welfare of NRIs, has approached the State government seeking in-principle approval for the aeropolis. The GIA has floated a company, Indo-Heritage International Aeropolis Pvt. Ltd., for executing the project and opened its office in Pathanamthitta.

The site selection report of the AECOM, global provider of technical and support services to airport owners, investors and aviation clients, has been submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The U.S.-based AECOM is the technical consultant for Kannur International Airport
23/12/26
23/12/16 S.Anil Radhakrishnan/The Hindu

Money mule with Rs 28L grounded at international airport

The air intelligence unit (AIU) of the Customs arrested a man, Ashraf Veettil (30), carrying Rs 28 lakh on Thursday. The cash belonged to the man's handler identified as Siddhique.
Customs officials set a trap to catch Siddhique and instructed Ashraf to ask his handler come to the airport. However sensing trouble, Siddhique changed his mind at the last minute. The Customs officials released the carrier on conditional bail after recording his statement and questioned him about Siddhique and his associates.
Ashraf, who was flying to Dubai, had hidden the currency in his clothes contained in his checked-in baggage. He had also placed toys, cooking utensils and foodgrain along with the clothes to mislead the Customs. At the airport, officials intercepted Ashraf after they grew suspicious. They found his replies unsatisfactory and checked his baggage in which they found Rs 28 lakh in notes of Rs 2,000. Ashraf told them he was transporting the money on behalf of Siddhique and that he had been promised Rs 20,000 as his "commission" along with the return airfare.
23/12/16 Vijay V Singh/The Times Of India

Mumbai: Rs 28 lakh cash seized from Dubai-bound passenger at airport

Cash worth Rs 28 lakh in new Rs 2,000 denomination notes was seized from a Dubai-bound passenger at the city international airport on Thursday, a Customs official said. The passenger, identified as Ashraf Veetil (30), was scheduled to board a Jet Airways flight to Dubai when he was intercepted by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs, the official said.
A search of his check-in bag disclosed that he was carrying Rs 2,000 notes worth Rs 28 lakh, the official said.
“These bills were hidden inside a jeans pant, over which he had kept various items like cooker, toys and tissue papers,” he said.
22/12/16 PTI/The Indian Express

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Soon, bus feeder from Marol Metro station to T2 international airport

Mumbai: In yet another initiative to ensure last-mile connectivity, the Mumbai Metro and BEST have planned to start two important bus feeder routes, one of them linking Marol Metro station to T2 international airport.
Sources in the Mumbai Metro said on Wednesday that the second route planned (and which could be inaugurated in next few days) was that of a bus service connecting Magicbricks WEH Metro station to Goregaon.
"The two new bus routes can cater to hundreds of commuters who travel by the Metro daily ," said a BEST official."Also, if there is a direct bus connect between Metro station and T2, this will enable passengers arriving at the international airport to take a bus to the nearest Metro and then travel to the western (Andheri) or central (Ghatkopar) sectors. One can also switch to local trains to travel to other parts of the city," the official said.
22/12/16 Somit Seni/Times of India

IGI Airport theft case cracked; 218 mobile phones, goods worth Rs 21 lakh recovered

New Delhi: Indira Gandhi International Airport Unit has arrested a person, identified as Jumman Khan in a theft case.
The IGI Airport Unit has recovered stolen mobile phones, garments and sports shoes worth Rs 21 lakh.
The theft had taken place on December 16. Three days later, the authorities received a complaint of theft.
Trader Inder Singh filed a complaint with the IGI Airport authorities about a theft of goods that took place on December 16.
Inder Singh told the authorities that he had a transport business in the name of I-Trans. He claimed that he had a contract with E-com Express Private Ltd for transportation of their goods.
Inder Singh hired Jumman Khan as driver for transportation of goods as his regular driver was on leave.
On the night of December 16, Jumman Khan was sent to cargo terminal of the IGI Airport, New Delhi to pick up goods off-loaded from a flight in Eicher truck.
Jumman Khan received the goods at the cargo terminal complex but he did not deliver them at Inder Singh's place at Samalakha. He took all the goods to his rented accommodation at K-block, Mangolpur in Delhi.
Jumman Khan came back to the IGI Airport and abandoned the truck there before vanishing from the scene.
Three days later, Inder Singh lodged complaint with the authorities.
On December 20, the accused was apprehended from K-Block, Mangolpuri. Later, all the stolen goods were recovered from his rented accommodation.
22/12/16 Anuj Mishra/India Today

Haryana to have direct access to international airport

The Air Force authorities have agreed to the Haryana’s demand for direct connectivity of the state to the international airport. Haryana will now have an access to the airport through an underpass on the National Highway-21.
The development is significant as travelling time to reach the international airport from Panchkula side will be reduced by nearly 20 minutes. Currently, the passengers from Haryana side have to go to Mohali side for reaching the airport.
The information was provided to a Division Bench of the High Court. The Bench was told that a consensus on an underpass was reached in a joint meeting of the Indian Air Force, the Airport Authority of India and the state governments of Punjab and Haryana.
Haryana was demanding direct connectivity with the airport through an underpass from NH-21. For the purpose, it had sent a proposal to the Defence Ministry. But following objections from the Air Force authorities on the directions of an underpass, it could not be matured.
21/12/16 The Tribune