Gaya airport gears up to operate in two shifts

Gaya: With the expected arrival of about 100 CISF personnel to strengthen the existing manpower, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) now gears up to operate at Gaya airport in two shifts. As of now, about 160 CISF personnel provide security to the airport. The present strength is inadequate for two-shift operations.

According to AAI sources, Ministry of Home Affairs has cleared the deployment of additional forces and if everything goes as per plan, they are likely to be deputed there before March-end. Refusing to share details, Gaya airport director Dilip Kumar said the airport would be soon in a position to handle air traffic in two shifts. As of now, the airport operates in a single 8-hour shift from 8am every day.

The AAI also needs another 25 officials, including those skilled in air traffic control, communication navigation and fire fighting etc for two-shift operations. Regular personnel for these positions are required, an AAI official said. The airport director said getting more skilled manpower would not be a problem.

Earlier in November, 2019, a SpiceJet team conducted survey to start operations on the Gaya-Delhi route. However, the airlines, according to sources, has not as yet formally applied for a time slot. Two-shift operations may give impetus to private operators to introduce more flights via Gaya.
25/02/20 Abdul Qadir/Times of India

Read More

Over 50,000 travellers screened at Mumbai airport for coronavirus symptoms

The health department of Maharashtra on Monday said that over 50,000 travellers have undergone screening at the international airport in Mumbai for novel coronavirus since January 18.

The screening for the deadly infection started at the busy airport more than a fortnight after the coronavirus (named by the WHO as Covid-19) outbreak was reported from the

Hubei province in central China in December-end. According to the department, in additional to certain countries, it has also started screening air passengers arriving here from Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia as per the guidelines of the Union government.

Earlier, the department, since January 18, was doing the screening of travellers coming from China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

A total of 50,091 travellers have been screened at the Mumbai International Airport till now, it said in a release here.

It further informed that 85 symptomatic travellers (showing symptoms of the disease) were kept at specially set up isolation facilities over the suspicion of Covid-19 infection.

Of these, only two are currently under observation - one each at isolation facilities in Mumbai and Pune, the department said.
25/02/20 PTI/India Today

Read More

Tension grips Nanded over change of name of airport

Nanded: Tension prevailed in the city for a while, after the name of Shri Guru Govind Singh ji airport was changed to the Indira Gandhi International Airport, on Monday.
The airport was named after the 10th guru of the Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 2008, by the then Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, however, its name was changed to the Indira Gandhi International Airport overnight, sources said.
24/02/20 UNI

Read More

Mumbai Airport opens world’s largest and fully automated Export Cold Zone

GVK led Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) managing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) launched the world’s largest airport-based temperature-controlled facility – Export Cold Zone. The terminal encompasses unique facilities for the processing and storage of Agro and Pharma products.
The facility can hold over 700 tons at one-time with a combined annual throughput of 5,25,000 tons. The fully automated infrastructure caters to the ever-burgeoning demand for pharmaceutical and agricultural goods. The Export Cold Zone is equipped with Truck docks with dock-levellers, spacious acceptance & examination area, automated work stations, X-Ray machines, ULD storage, Ballmat system for ULD transfer and cold rooms.
25/02/20 ITLN

Read More

Airport director says cargo export short of expectation

Pune: International cargo exports from the city airport had not been impressive and far short of expectation, said airport director Kuldeep Singh on Monday, citing non-availability of land for shifting the current cargo complex as one of the major hindrances.
“We have 10 international flights per week. If we take optimum load of 2 tonnes per flight, our monthly international cargo handling should be in the range of 70 to 100 tonnes. We are far short of that figure. The constraints are the weather during summer, and the runway length,” he said.

Currently, the airport handles around 20-30 tonnes of international cargo per month, said officials. As the international cargo mostly comprises perishable goods, it poses a problem during summer as the airport does not have a cold storage facility. Though there has been some improvement in figures as per the data of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), constraints related to land availability and runway length are major roadblocks, he said.

Close to 260 tonnes of international cargo were handled by Pune airport in 2019 compared to 68 tonnes in 2018. “The present cargo complex will have to be demolished to pave way for the new terminal building. I am sure our operations will record a huge surge once we get a new cargo complex,” he said.
25/02/20 Joy Sengupta/Times of India

Read More

2 addl flights will push up cargo volume: Exporters

Trichy: Exporters in Trichy airport exuded confidence that the introduction of two more flight services to Abu Dhabi and Doha will help them handle more volume of cargo. The old terminal at the airport was converted into an international cargo complex and was commissioned for operations on November 21, 2011.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs approved and notified the airport as an air cargo complex. Ever since the airport started to handle cargo, the terminal has been witnessing increase in handling cargo consignment when compared the previous year.

Export of perishables commodities like vegetables, fruits, flowers constitute 90% of the total volume of consignments handled here. Singapore, Dubai, Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur and Colombo are the main destinations. The remaining 10% of export included are non-perishables like garments, leather etc.
Air India Express, Air Asia, Scoot Air, Malindo Air, Sri Lankan Airlines and IndiGo Air have been providing 91 services per week to Dubai, Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Colombo. The total volume of cargo handled in 2009-10 was 1,349 and it started going upward year by year. In 2018-19, the total volume of cargo handled registered as 6,932 tonnes. It was 6,787 tonne till January 2020. As two months are remaining to complete the financial year 2019-20, the terminal is likely to touch a volume of 8000 tonne, airport authorities said. It will be a reality when the newly launched flights - Abu Dhabi and Doha - accommodate significant volume of cargo, they said.
25/02/20 D Vincent Arockiaraj/Times of India

Read More

Bengaluru International airport is winning at handling perishables

Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (KIAB or BLR Airport), in its commitment to enable faster and seamless processing of cargo shipment, has incorporated cutting-edge technologies and built cargo infrastructure that also provides finest and rapid distribution of perishable cargo.

Air India SATS and Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore terminal operators along with the 15 freighter connecting global destination play a key role in BRL Airport’s efficient logistics solutions and safe delivery of products. 

The cargo facility is powered by tech assets such as: Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems (ASRS), Elevated Transfer Vehicles (ETVs), Very Narrow Aisle Trucks (VNAs) and high rise racking systems, lift and run systems (for ULD movement), reach stackers with bar code readers, and handheld devices.

The logistics solutions ensure that all farm-fresh commodities such as Mango, Capsicum, Baby Corn, Papaya, Sweet Corn, Pomegranate, Chilly, Gourds, Cabbage, Cauliflower, exotic vegetables such as Zucchini and Celery reach their destinations within 24 hours of harvest.
The cargo infrastructure provides rapid distribution of perishable cargo, making KIAB the most-preferred cargo airport in South India. BLR Airport has a dedicated cold zone- AISATS Coolport- with the capacity to handle 40,000 MT per annum and temperature zones ranging from -25 to +25 degrees Centigrade under the same roof. Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore, too, has cold zone, measuring 8,500 sft with the capacity to handle 20 ULD Pallets from 15 to 25 degrees Centigrade and 2 ULD for 2 to 8 degrees Centigrade.
24/02/20 STAT Times

Read More

Thrice-weekly Mumbai - Doha AI service takes flight

Doha: Air India started thrice-weekly operations on the Mumbai — Doha sector using the state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with effect from Friday.
The flight AI 969 departs Mumbai at 10.20am and reach Doha at 11.15am. Flight AI 970 leaves Doha at 12.45pm and reaches Mumbai at 6.45pm.
Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner has two configurations with 18 business class and 238 seats in economy.
Air India had earlier recommenced Delhi — Doha — Delhi operations after a gap of 12 years in October last year, connecting the two capitals.
In quick succession, Air India has also introduced a flight on the Mumbai-Doha sector connecting the Qatari capital with India’s commercial capital.
23/02/20 Gulf Times

Read More

Ahmedabad airport advisory: Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo, Vistara and GoAir say passengers need to reach early

In view of US President Donald Trump`s visit to Ahmedabad on Monday, airlines have come out with advisories for their passengers scheduled to travel out of the city and asked them to reach the Ahemadabad airport at least three hours prior to the departure time.

All the major airlines, Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo, Vistara and GoAir tweeted that heavy traffic, roadblocks and stringent security checks are expected on the route to the airport between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday, February 24.

They also asked the passengers to carry a hard copy of their itinerary and a photo indentity card to access the blocked roads and said that only passengers will be allowed to proceed, while no accompanying person would be permitted.
"Passengers travelling from #Ahmedabad Airport may kindly note that security arrangements have been made in view of arrival of US President on 24th Feb, between 0800-1600 hrs on road leading to airport," Air India said in a tweet on Sunday.

"Passengers with physical copy of Ticket and Photo ID will be allowed to enter the cordoned area. Please be at airport at least 3 hrs before departure time," said another tweet from the national carrier.
24/02/20 IANS/ZeeBiz

Read More

Six things you need to know about how Bengaluru airport transports perishables

Time always plays a critical part in perishable logistics - to ensure that products reach their destination while still offering the same freshness, quality and appeal for consumers.

Read six facts on how the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB or BLR Airport) is making a difference by committing itself to enable faster and seamless processing of cargo shipment.

1. 2 Terminal operators and 15 freighters
Powered by superior logistics and backed by two reputed cargo terminal operators – Air India SATS and Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore- BLR Airport and supported by 15 freighters connecting global destinations.

2. Handling facilities are enabled by cutting-edge technology
Enabling a seamless processing is the cutting-edge tech assets that includes Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems (ASRS), Elevated Transfer Vehicles (ETVs), Very Narrow Aisle Trucks (VNAs) and High Rise Racking Systems, Lift and Run Systems (for ULD movement), Reach Stackers with Bar Code Readers, and handheld devices.

3. 24-hour delivery promise
All farm-fresh commodities such as Mango, Capsicum, Baby Corn, Papaya, Sweet Corn, Pomegranate, Chilly, Gourds, Cabbage, Cauliflower, exotic vegetables such as Zucchini and Celery reach their destinations within 24 hours of harvest.

4. Dedicated cold zone to ensure zero temperature excursion
The cargo infrastructure has been built to provide a solution for the rapid distribution of perishable cargo. BLR Airport has a dedicated cold zone- AISATS Coolport- with the capacity to handle 40,000 MT per annum and temperature zones ranging from -25 to +25 degrees centigrade under the same roof. Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore, too, has cold zone, measuring 8,500 square feet with the capacity to handle 20 ULD pallets from 15 to 25 degrees centigrade and 2 ULD for 2 to 8 degrees centigrade.

The timely delivery of perishable items with a limited shelf life to consumers presents complicated challenges in terms of maintaining quality and freshness. To retain the freshness, all perishables at both terminals are received, stored, cleared and moved to the aircraft within the required temperature on priority, reducing dwell time at terminals.

The biggest value-add for the customers is that there is no temperature excursion at the cold chain facilities. This essentially means that the required temperature is maintained not only in storage, but also in the pre-loading area, right up to the time the cargo is loaded onto an aircraft.

5. Supporting South Indian perishable exports
South India exports 51,428,000 MT of both fruits and vegetables (excluding onions) of which 35% accounts for farm-fresh produce. We account for 27% of total South India's near- 90,000 MT agricultural air exports, and these exports are largely to Asian and European countries. Of the 27%, 70% of the exports are produced within Karnataka. With facilities to process temperature-controlled products, BLR Airport also plays a role in augmenting the agricultural economy in the region.

6. First Indian cargo terminal to become IATA e-freight complaint
BLR Airport Cargo Terminal is the first in India to become IATA e-freight complaint and also the only airport in India to have both terminals compliant with the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO). The cargo facilities are also TAPA and ACC3 certified.
24/02/20 ITLN

Read More

Marine, perishable exports get wings

Visakhapatnam:  Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Sunday announced the schedule of the first dedicated cargo flight to be operated by SpiceJet, a private airliner. The Chennai-Surat via Vizag cargo flight will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while Chennai-Vizag-Kolkota flight will be run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
According to officials, there has been steady increase in cargo transport from the city in the past five years. However, it has witnessed a quantum jump last year. There has been an increase of 55 per cent and 68 per cent in domestic and international cargo, respectively. Besides if Visakhapatnam is formed as the executive capital of the State, a quantum jump in cargo exports is likely in the near future. In the absence of dedicated cargo flights, most of the cargo is currently being transported from the city by road.
Speaking to TNIE, Visakhapatnam International Airport director M Raja Kishore said the dedicated cargo flight will meet the long-pending demand of exporters, particularly marine and perishable goods, from the city.Kishore said shrimp formed a bulk share of exports from Vizag and the shrimp seed from East and West Godavari and Nellore districts and Pondicherry were being transported from Visakhapatnam. Only a small quantity used to be transported by air due to availability of limited belly space  in passenger flights.
24/02/20 New Indian Express

Read More

Varanasi Airport Airlines diverted and plenty of delayed as a consequence of dangerous climate in Varanasi – Babatpur Airport: plane diverted as a consequence of dangerous climate, many delayed

Varanasi: Due to the sudden worsening of the climate on Sunday, the alarm at Varanasi Airport was that IndiGo plane coming from Bangkok to Varanasi diverted to Kolkata Airport on 6E98 and Go Airways plane diverted from Bengaluru to Varanasi G8-403 for Lucknow Airport. Has been completed. After the climate cleared, the planes began touchdown on the airport. During this, passengers confronted troubles.
The sudden arrival of the climate delayed the flights arriving at Varanasi Airport and departing from Varanasi on Sunday. Most of the plane had been delayed from one and a half hours to four hours.

Go Airways plane G8-404 arrived from Delhi to Varanasi 4 hours late, SpiceJet plane SG 2981 arrived from Delhi to Varanasi three hours late, SpiceJet plane SG2538 arrived from Delhi to Varanasi one hour 25 minutes late, SpiceJet plane SG 708 reached Varanasi Airport from Hyderabad with a delay of 1 and a half hours.
23/02/20 Abigale Lormen/OBN

Read More

US backup planes at Jaipur airport for Donald Trump in case Delhi weather fails

Jaipur: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) Jaipur is geared up to receive Air Force One carrying US president Donald Trump in case weather plays truant in Delhi on Monday.

As a backup plan, a US Air Force Boeing 757 landed here on Sunday evening to ferry Trump in case there is a technical snag in his plane. In addition, a C-17 Globemaster landed here for the second day with some more equipment needed for ground-handling.

According to sources, at least 50 people including security personnel, officials of US embassy, technical surveillance experts and others are already in town to take care of arrangements.

Reliable sources from Jaipur airport said security personnel from the US arrived in the Boeing 757. The aircraft landed at 7.48 pm.

However, citing security concerns Jaipur airport authorities refrained from commenting much on the developments.

“We are not much aware on this. We have received a Boeing 757 aircraft of America at our airport. We don’t have any further directions or intimation about it,” said a senior officer at the airport.
24/02/20 Ashish Mehta/Times of India

Read More

'True Legend': Sachin Tendulkar's Airport Video Wins Netizens For This Gesture

Mumbai: Cricket is known as the ‘Gentleman’s Game’ and one of the pioneers of this statement has been Sachin Tendulkar. The Master Blaster terrorised opponents with his swashbuckling batting, but only his bat did the talking as bowlers were so awed that they rarely tried to sledge him. Like his non-controversial persona on the field, the legendary cricketer is also known for his humility off the field.

This side of Sachin Tendulkar was visible recently when arrived at the Mumbai airport for his journey. The former Indian captain was seen standing alongside his driver to collect his luggage, before setting it up himself and then carrying his own luggage.

Netizens, who are familiar with seeing celebrities walking empty-handed and letting their employees carry the luggage, were impressed. One wrote how celebs do not even close the door of their car on their own, but here he was carrying his own bag. One hailed the ‘true legend’ and another termed him as ‘grounded’.

Not just that, an interesting bit about his travelling style was how he wrote ‘Tendulkar’ on his bags. A paparazzi had shared the video to show how it was important to have a distinct identification on a bag after Sonam K Ahuja had recently lashed out at an airline for losing her bags. Many netizens wrote how it was a good idea, and how it was important to put one’s ‘claim’ on it.
23/02/20 Joel Kurian/Republic World

Read More

Seal on Calcutta airport expansion plan

A new boarding area with at least 10 aerobridges, more security check-in and airline check-in counters and additional parking bays....

Work is set to start on Phase I of the expansion of the Calcutta airport following the approval of the project by the Airports Authority of India.

Officials said the Airports Authority of India had recently sanctioned the master plan of the expansion, designed by Landrum & Brown, a US-based firm which specialises in aviation planning and development.

“We will appoint a project management consultant for the project. We hope the first phase of expansion will be ready in two-and-a-half years, after which the airport will handle more flights and passengers,” airport director Kaushik Bhattacharya said.
The consultant will come up with an estimated cost of the expansion.

“The second phase of expansion will involve demolition of the air traffic control building and the old international terminal. The designs of the second phase are yet to be finalised,” Bhattacharya said.

In the first phase, a building with 7,000sq m space will come up on the plot where the old domestic terminal stands. The new building will be connected with the integrated terminal in use.

“Almost the entire area on the departure level in the new building will have security hold. This is being done to avoid congestion and long queues for security check and boarding,” an airport official said.
“The new facility will only be used for domestic flights,” the official said.

The airport now has 18 aerobridges, through which passengers board aircraft directly from the terminal building. At least 10 more aerobridges will be installed in the new building, which will be linked to the current terminal.

A number of boarding gates on the ground floor are also being planned for passengers who will take a coach ride to board flights in remote parking bays.

Also as part of the Phase I expansion, the airport will have 25 more parking bays — 15 remote and 10 contact bays. An aircraft parked in a contact bay can be reached from an aerobridge.

The airport now has 63 parking bays, of which 18 are contact and the rest are remote bays.

The integrated terminal, spread across 2,30,000sq m, can handle 26 million passengers annually.
24/02/20 Sanjay Mandal/Telegraph

Read More

True Jet flights from Kadapa Airport on March 1st 2020

Kadapa: Here is good news for people who were traveling in flights from Kadapa air port as air port authorities decided to operate True jet flight from Kadapa to Belgaum of Karnataka state from 1st March 2020.

According to the True Jet operational manager Bhavyan the flight departures from Belgaum at 9.40AM and reaches Kadapa 11.10AM. Later it will starts from Kadapa at 11.30AM and reaches Hyderabad by 12.45PM.

Another flight from Chennai starts at 1.15 PM and reaches Kadapa by 2.15PM. Again it will starts from Kadapa at 2.35PM and reaches Vijayawada by 3.35PM.

Another flight from Hyderabad starts at 3.05PM and reaches Kadapa 4.30PM to Belgaum and reach their by 6.00PM. He said that the inaugural ticket price is Rs 999 plus taxes to Belgaum from Kadapa.
23/02/20 Hans India

Read More

Air Force One lands in Ahmedabad, Modi welcomes Trump

Ahmedabad: US President Donald Trump arrived in Ahmedabad on Monday for the first leg of his India trip. The Air Force One plane carrying Trump and his wife Melania landed at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport here at 11.37 am. It was scheduled to land at 11.40 am.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Ahmedabad over an hour before Trump did, was present at the airport to welcome the US president at the airport. In Ahmedabad, Trump will visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, take part in a roadshow with Modi and jointly address over one lakh people at a cricket stadium, before heading for Agra to see the iconic Taj Mahal with Melania.
The US president and Modi will participate in a roadshow from the airport to Sabarmti Ashram and from there to the newly-built Motera cricket stadium, where over a lakh people are expected to be present for the 'Namaste Trump' event.
24/02/20 Kerala Kaumudi

Read More

The Delhi Airport advises passengers to leave for the airport early due to ongoing road construction

Passengers commuting to the Delhi Airport are advised to leave a bit early as, starting from January 19, certain roads will be shut for over a year. The road that connects the airport to Rangpuri roundabout on National Highway 8 is under construction for the Eastern Cross Taxiway, as part of the Delhi Airport’s Phase 3A expansion plan. The traffic will be diverted to the Central Spine Road that connects Terminal 2 and the International Terminal 3 from Mahipalpur. For passengers driving from Dwarka, Gurgaon and Shiva Murti to these terminals, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has commissioned and constructed the Radisson Bypass Road. This six-lane road will ease up any congestions.
23/02/20 Outlook Traveller

Read More

Chennai: Plan to get more cabs at airport stalled

Chennai: Hiring a cab has become a hassle for passengers who arrive at Chennai airport yet again.
After Ola’s contract got over by the end of January, passengers who arrive have to book cabs using apps as counters run by the aggregator are no longer available. Domestic passengers who have apps on their phones hail cabs, but those who do not, have to depend on the black-and-yellow taxis operated by drivers’ cooperative. But these taxis are expensive. International passengers who have heavy luggage have no option but to depend on touts.

Airport Authorities of India’s (AAI) attempt to rope in more cab aggregators is getting delayed. This has led to chaos in front of the international and domestic arrival terminals. The black-and-yellow taxis are not able to handle the crowd because the drivers cooperative, which has a counter outside the terminals, has only around 100 cabs at its disposal.

Since the only licensed app-cab operator has exited, there is no restriction for any cab company from entering the lane infront of the terminals to pick up passengers. Still, passengers have to walk to the parking lot to board the cabs.

Sources said AAI should try to rope in more cab operators by charging a fee rather than going for a tender which makes the operator to pay a licence fee in crores to bring their cabs to pick up passengers.
24/02/20 Times of India

Read More

Cabinet okays Indo-Lanka MoU to upgrade Jaffna Int’l Airport

The Cabinet has approved the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of India to upgrade the Jaffna International Airport in Palaly with a Rs.300 million grant, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga says.

Through the financial grant it is expected to improve the facilities in the areas of airport terminal modification, electricity supply, solid waste management system and utility and transit services.

By now in the Palaly airport a Temporary aviation control tower is fixed. Airport Runaway lighting system is already under procurement.

Facilities at the Passenger Transport Terminal at the Palaly airport will also be upgraded. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of Jaffna International Airport with the Government of India.
24/02/20 Dinuli Francisco/Daily News

Read More

Panel set up to intensify airport expansion drive

Kangra: Hundreds of residents of villages surrounding the Kangra airport today gathered in a local ground at Icchhi near Gaggal to form an action committee to lead an agitation against the expansion of the Kangra airport.

Vijay Kumar Sharma, member of the action committee, said a 50-member committee had been formulated to take forward their demand that the Kangra airport should not be expanded as the expansion would destroy Gaggal, Icchhi, Soura and other surrounding villages and it would be difficult for villagers to get reestablished anywhere else.

He said the meeting was attended by the ‘pradhans’ and ‘uppradhans’ of these villages, among other, to raise their voice against the airport expansion. He said the office-bearers of the action committee would be nominated on February 26 and the same day, residents would hold a protest at Gaggal.
He said the protesting residents had decided not to give their land to the government at any cost. Earlier, people had agreed for the expansion of the airport up to the Manji river but the people are now against any expansion of the airport.
23/02/20 Ashok Raina/Tribune

Read More

SpiceJet cargo flight from Visakhapatnam to three Indian cities

Visakhapatnam: SpiceJet, a private airliner, will operate a dedicated cargo flight from Visakhapatnam to Surat, Kolkata and Chennai from February 25, general manager Omkar Singh said on Saturday. Speaking to TNIE, he said that Boeing 737 flight will be operated from Vizag on six days of the week, except Sunday. The service is expected to give a big boost to marine and pharmaceutical exports from the city. Currently, a lot of cargo is going by road to Chennai and Hyderabad airports for onward export due to lack of cargo flights from Visakhapatnam. 

For instance, due to the delay in delivery of live shrimp to Surat has been causing losses to domestic exporters for quite sometime. Dedicated cargo services from the city is the only solution to the problems of entrepreneurs, Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers’ Association (APATA) said in a statement. It said the SpiceJet cargo service will give a boost to Brand Vizag as this is the first dedicated cargo flight from the city. The flight will carry cargo mostly perishable foods, including marine cargo, it said. “We have requested SpiceJet to introduce another flight to carry pharmaceutical cargo as there is immense potential.  The SpiceJet CEO chief executive officer has agreed to start that once the first cargo flight is a success,” APATA representatives Naresh Kumar, DS Varma and Kumar Raja said.
23/02/20 New Indian Express

Read More

More flights to withdraw from Vizag

Visakhapatnam: The summer schedule is expected to bring some gloom as well as cheer to the aviation sector of Visakhapatnam as a number of flights are going to be withdrawn and some new flights introduced from the Visakhapatnam international airport.
Reliable sources have indicated that the Air Asia morning flight from Kolkata to Visakhapatnam and back will be withdrawn from March 29. The Air Asia flight leaves Kolkata at 05:20am and arrives in Visakhapatnam at 06:30am. Subsequently, it departs from Visakhapatnam at 07:05am and reaches Kolkata at 08:30am.
Vijay Mohan, president of Tours and Travels Association of Andhra Pradesh (TTAA) said, “Although it has not been announced officially, online slots for booking tickets on the flight cannot be seen.”
“Sources in Air Asia have informed that they are going to operate in the Pune to Kolkata sector instead of the Visakhapatnam to Kolkata sector as the former will be more economically viable,” he added.
23/02/20 Reshma Jain/Times of India

Read More

Trump in India: Are you flying out of Ahmedabad on February 24? Advisory issued for flyers

Are you flying out of Ahmedabad on February 24? Keeping in view the much-anticipated visit of US President Donald Trump to Ahmedabad, authorities at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have advised passengers to reach the airport three hours before the time of flight departure. The authorities have also informed the flyers that the schedule for flights would be maintained, a PTI report quoted Airpor Director Manoj Gangal as saying. According to the report, US President Trump’s flight would land at the international airport in Ahmedabad at around noon on Monday. He is then scheduled to attend the ‘Namaste Trump’ event to be organised at the Motera Stadium and depart from Gujarat in a few hours.

Apart from requesting passengers to arrive three hours before departure, the authorities also issued a statement asking flyers to carry hard copies of the details of their flights so that the security personnel can facilitate their travel at the airport. Moreover, the snack counters inside the airport have been told to maintain extra stock of food for the convenience of passengers who would have to wait at the airport due to ramped-up security.
US President Donald Trump will be accompanied by his wife Melania Trump, a high-level delegation, and, according to reports, his daughter Ivanka Trump. During his two-day visit to India, according to President Trump’s tentative schedule, he will visit Gujarat’s Ahmedabad and Uttar Pradesh’s Agra on February 24 and on February 25, he would visit the Rashtrapati Bhawan for a ceremonial welcome and Rajghat to pay obeisance to Mahatma Gandhi.
23/02/20 Bulbul Dhawan/Financial Express

Read More

CONVID 19: Airports to screen passengers from 4 more countries

New Delhi: Aviation regulator DGCA has ordered screening of passengers from four more countries -- Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, as part of efforts to prevent spreading of coronavirus.
Now, fliers from as many as 10 countries would be screened at Indian airports.

Already, passengers travelling in flights from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore are being screened at Indian airports in the wake of the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (CONVID 19).

Cases of the virus infection have been reported in many countries, including India.

In a communication issued on Sunday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it has been decided to expand universal screening of all passengers arriving in flights from Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

The screening must be ensured immediately "once they step out of the specific locations at all the airports and getting the self-declaration form filled by the passengers as per the instructions of the health and family welfare ministry, it said.

In this regard, the watchdog said all airlines should make in-flight announcement in flights coming from these countries.
23/02/20 PTI/Outlook

Read More

Coronavirus screening tightened at Mumbai airport

Mumbai: International Airport (CSMIA) has started screening passengers flying from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Nepal to Mumbai as well as those arriving from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
The Ministry of Health has tightened screening and has issued an advisory requiring all passengers arriving from these countries to undergo screening for coronavirus infection. Health counters and thermal scanners have been stationed at the pre-immigration area for the arriving passengers by the APHO team.
Furthermore, the airport has ensured that alert messages are placed strategically across the terminal and that airlines have been sensitized and informed to follow the instructions of the Government.
 23/02/20 Deccan Herald

Read More

Jaipur airport 3rd cleanest in India: Survey

Jaipur: The terminal 2 of the Jaipur airport has secured third position in cleanest and safest airport category, handling more than 50 lakh passengers per year.
The survey was conducted by the ministry of civil aviation and it was named as Swachhata Awards 2019. The airport authorities would be getting an appreciation award in this regard. Kolkata secured top slot, while Chennai came second.

According to the airport authorities, the survey was conducted during November in which the airports were categorized in three segments– airport handling more than 50 lakh passengers per year, airport handing 15 lakh to 50 lakh passengers per year and airport handling less than 15 lakh passengers per year.
“Safety and cleanliness aspect were considered for this award by a two-member team that had visited our airport in November last year. We have secured second position and as an award we would receive an appreciation certificate,” said Jaideep Singh Balhara, director, Airport Authority of India (AAI), Jaipur.
23/02/20 Times of India

Read More

Coronavirus: Screening at Bangla border, Agartala airport

Agartala: The Tripura health department on Saturday reiterated that nobody in the state had contracted the novel coronavirus (nCoV) and health screening facilities have been installed at India-Bangladesh checkpost and Agartala airport.

Director of health and family welfare Dr Radha Debbarma said the health screening had been installed after the ministry of health issued an alert against nCoV and that the health department had been continuously monitoring people entering into the state from affected countries.

Debbarma said the health department has identified 22 people who recently returned from nCov-affected countries such as China, Singapore and Thailand, but no one has tested positive. The department asked the 22 people to stay alert and remain in touch with state-run isolation ward at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC).
23/02/20 Times of India

Read More

India’s Booming Bangalore Airport Racks Up New Markets - Munich, Seattle, Tokyo Are Coming This Year

Last week’s surprise announcement that American Airlines will begin Seattle-Bangalore service in October may have been the first time the U.S. airline industry turned its attention to India’s third largest airport.

But the rest of the world had already caught on to Bangalore’s potential, enabling hugely rapid growth for the airport that serves the region known as the Silicon Valley of India.

In March, Lufthansa will begin Munich-Bangalore and Japan Air Lines will begin Tokyo Narita-Bangalore.

“Bangalore’s time has come,” said Hari Marar, airport managing director and CEO of Kempegowda International Airport.

 “Bangalore is the technology capital of the country,” Marar said. “It has an edge over the rest of the country: It has a knowledge economy. A lot of youngsters are here and they do a lot of travel. We have a large population of Indian urban migrant labor, educated people who come to Bangalore to work.

“This has always been a city of tremendous potential,” now being realized, he said. Bangalore joins Delhi and Mumbai in offering non-stop U.S. service.
21/02/20 Ted Reed/Forbes

Read More

Russia meets Mumbai: Aeroflot, Ural Airlines mulls launching weekly flights

Mumbai: Indian and Russian carriers plan to introduce new flight services from Mumbai and Delhi to Moscow. Aeroflot and Ural Airlines plan to launch Moscow-Mumbai services in summer schedule. Kazakhstan's Air Astana will begin four weekly flights between Almaty and Mumbai increasing connectivity to Central Asia as well. Currently Uzbekistan Airlines has two flights weekly to Mumbai. By July, Mumbai airport will have eighteen weekly flights to Russia and Central Asian countries.
IndiGo and Vistara, too, are planning flights between Delhi and Moscow to tap growth in trade and tourism. "We do plan to start flights to Russia sometime during the course of this year. The exact timelines are yet to be finalised," IndiGo said in a statement. "We will be sharing details about our new international destinations at an appropriate time," a Vistara spokesperson said.

The new flights come against the backdrop of the Indian government's move to boost air connectivity with Central Asia and tap thd interest of Russian investors in India. Russian companies and government-backed funds have showed interest in the high speed rail projects in Gujarat and revival of Jet Airways.

Around 450,000 people flew between India and Russia in twelve months ending December 2019, a growth of around ten per cent over the previous year. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have seen 24 and 50 per cent year on year growth in passengers to/from India, respectively7. Tajikistan's Somon Air which launched two weekly flights to Delhi last December sees lot of tourist and student traffic from India.

"Around 80 per cent of Russian tourists visit Goa and the rest visit Kerala, Delhi and Agra. The new flights will bring more tourists to Mumbai but will largely benefit outbound travel as Indians are now exploring new destinations," said H S Duggal, managing director of Minar Travels which specialises in inbound tourism.
22/02/20 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

Read More

No hiccups for those taking flight

Those flying on day of US Prez Trump’s visit have been advised to carry hard copy of ticket and leave 3 hrs before flight Passengers taking flight from Ahmedabad airport on February 24, the day US President Donald Trump visits Ahmedabad, will have to carry hard copy of their ticket and a photo identity card to ensure smooth passage to the airport, the airport director has said.
Digital copy of your ticket might not work as police personnel on the route have been recommended to check hard copy of tickets. Though no flight schedules have been changed, travellers have also been advised to leave before three hours of their flight.
As per sources, around 60 flights are expected between 10 am to 4pm at the airport. With preparations for Trump’s visit to city in full swing and roads leading to Motera stadium and to the airport closed for vehicular traffic from 8 am till the US President leaves on February 24, there were apprehensions among those flying out of Ahmedabad.
Airports Authority of India after discussion with the city police commissioner has arrived at a solution to allow fliers with hard copy of ticket and photo ID to enter airport. The top traffic cop has told Mirror that they will not allow passengers to pass by if timing clashes with timings of VVIP convoy. As there may be delay in departures following the VVIP movement at airport, passengers have been advised to leave at least three hours before the scheduled flight timing.
 When asked about the flight rescheduling and other arrangements, Airport Director Manoj Gangal told Mirror, “We have talked to police commissioner who has agreed to permit passengers who show hard copy of their travel itinerary and photo ID. I request passengers to keep these with them and show it to security officials. I also appeal to passengers to keep three hours in hand before the flight timing. There is no rescheduling of flight or cancellation due to the VVIP visit.”
22/02/20 Vishal Patadiya/Ahmedabad Mirror

Read More

IGI Airport is Now Single-Use Plastic Free

While New Delhi might face nation-wide criticism for its alarming pollution levels, the city doesn’t disappoint in terms of single-use plastic. The Indira Gandhi International Airport has now become free of single-use plastic.
According to reports, the Confederation of Indian Industry-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CII-ITC CESD) that supports the business community towards achieving sustainability, has certified DIAL for its successful voluntary implementation of single-use plastic-free airport measures within IGI Airport's operations.
The theme for World Environment Day 2018 was ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ and Delhi Airport was the first Indian Airport to make a ‘single-use plastic-free’ commitment in 2019.
21/02/20 Outlook

Read More

Kolhapur airport may soon begin flights to Panaji & Ahmedabad

Kolhapur: With passenger traffic crossing 1.25 lakh mark within 14 months of resuming operations and taking more destinations under its purview, the Kolhapur airport has opened new avenues for the city’s development.
Kamal Kumar Kataria, director of Kolhapur Airport, said that with the current development work, the airport will be an integral part of the city.

He said that two new routes — Kolhapur-Panaji and Kolhapur-Ahmedabad — are on the cards for the convenience of passengers. “The decision on the same is yet to be taken, but we will soon see these new destinations on offering,” he said.

The officials from the traders’ union said that the connectivity of the airport to the metro cities has highlighted its importance.

According to Kataria, the airport currently hosts refuelling facility which has proved to be an important asset. When asked on its impact on the current aviation scene, he said that earlier when any aircraft arrived at the Kolhapur airport, the operators had to ensure that they carry extra fuel before departing to their next destination. The limited availability of the fuel restricted the number of passengers to be boarded on a plane. However, it is not a scenario any more. With the availability of aviation fuel, the airlines are able to carry more passengers than before.

Kataria said that they are working relentlessly on the development of the airport which is now an integral part of the city’s transportation needs.

He said that during the floods in August last year, the airport was the sole land mass that was available for rescue and rehabilitation operations which averted any unwarranted situation in the region.

According to Kataria, the air service resumed from December 9, 2018, with Bengaluru and Hyderabad as its to and fro destinations by Air Alliance. At present, the airport is served by Air Alliance, IndiGo, and TruJet on the Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Tirupati and Mumbai routes respectively.

22/02/20 Piyush Bhusari/Times of India

Read More

Mumbai airport launches exclusive terminal for storage of agro, pharma products

Mumbai airport, run by a joint venture between Airports Authority of India and GVK, on Friday announced the launch of an exclusive terminal for processing and storage of agro and pharma products. Touted as the world's largest airport-based temperature-controlled facility, the 'Export Cold Zone' can hold over 700 tonnes of such cargo at one time with a combined annual capacity of 5.25 lakh tonnes, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said in a release.
The facility will be operated by cargo handling service provider and MIAL's business partner, Cargo Service Centre, it said.
Mumbai airport is the largest gateway for movement of pharma and agro products in the country, MIAL said, adding that the fully automated infrastructure caters to the rapidly growing demand for pharma and agri goods.
It connects to over 500 cargo destinations across 175 countries through 60 airlines.
The export cold zone is equipped with 12 truck docks with dock- levellers, spacious acceptance and examination area, automated workstations, X-Ray machines, unit load device (ULD) storage, ballmat system for ULD transfer and cold rooms, the release said.
Spread over an operational area of 6,000 square metres, the facility is equipped with 10 ULD build-up workstations and as many as 172 ULD storage positions.
21/02/20 PTI/India TV

Read More

Vietjet offers 50% discounts on new routes from India

Mumbai: Vietnamese carrier Vietjet Friday announced discounts up to 50% on all routes with a booking time till Feb 29.
The tickets are valid for travel between February 20, 2020 to April 27, 2020.
“Further expanding the international flight network, Vietjet connects many new, attractive and safe destinations with unique and beautiful culture such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka (Japan), Bali (Indonesia) and especially New Delhi and Mumbai, the two biggest hubs of India, with amazing destinations in Vietnam such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, etc.
Equipped with a modern, fuel-efficient fleet, Vietjet's eco-friendly flights will bring new and emotional flying experiences to people and visitors at an altitude of 10,000 meters,” said the airline's vice president Nguyen Thanh Son..
21/02/20 Economic Times

Read More

Flight crew, air traffic controllers to undergo random drug tests

New Delhi: In a bid to make flying safer, flight crew and air traffic controllers (ATCO) will now be tested for drug abuse, just like the breath-analyser (BA) checks to ensure they are not tipsy.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Arun Kumar has ordered “random drug testing for the consumption of (10) psychoactive substances” like cocaine, marijuana/hashish, MDMA or ecstasy and morphine/opiate. A pilot or ATCO testing positive for drug abuse for the first time will be grou- nded and undergo de-addiction/rehabilitation programme. Failing for the second time will mean cancellation of licence, which means such a person will not be able to work as a pilot or controller again.

People refusing to undergo this test “shall be removed from the safety sensitive duties until they clear detailed drug testing profile within a week, failing which the license of the involved person shall be suspended for three years,” the order stated.

While a start has been made with key positions, the DGCA will gradually bring more aviation personnel under the drug test. Testing will be done by a DGCA-authorised laboratory at six airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad in phase 1. Airlines and Airports Authority of India (which provides ATC services) “shall ensure that at least 10% of (their flight crew and ATCOs) are covered in a year.”
22/02/20 Times of India

Read More

Jaipur airport to be alternative landing for Trump's aircraft in case of bad weather

Jaipur: A special aircraft of the US Army carrying top officials arrived on Saturday at Jaipur International Airport to take stock of security arrangements ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to India, an airport official said.

"The aircraft landed at the airport at 9 am and flew out at 11 am. US Embassy officials took stock of the security measures at the airport. There is no scheduled programme at the airport but precautionary measures are being taken," Jaipur International Airport Director J S Balhara said.

Trump will be on a two-day visit to India from February 24 to 25 and Jaipur airport will be the first alternative for landing his aircraft in case of bad weather, the official said.
22/02/20 PTI/India Today

Read More

CCI approves stake sale in GMR Airports to France's ADP

New Delhi:  The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the sale of 49 per cent stake in GMR Airports to France's Groupe ADP through the green channel mechanism.
Green channel is an automatic approval system, whereby a combination is deemed to have been approved by the CCI upon receiving the filing of the notice for the combination by the parties concerned.
"The Competition Commission of India (CCI) received the following green channel combination of acquisition by Atropos de Paris SA (ADP) of equity share capital of GMR Airports Limited (GAL), and GMR Infra Services Limited (GISL)," an official statement said.
Late on Thursday, GMR Infrastructure Ltd (GIL) announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Groupe ADP to sell 49 per cent stake in its airports arm for an equity consideration of Rs 10,780 crore.
The CCI said that under the proposed combination, ADP would acquire up to 100 per cent of the equity shares of GISL directly and 49 per cent of the equity shares of GAL directly and indirectly.
ADP is an international airport operator based in Paris, and carries out the financing, designing, and operating infrastructure, for a network of 25 airports in 13 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
Currently, ADP and its group have no operations in India, and do not have any shareholding or investment interest in any entity that carries on business in India.
22/02/20 IANS/Sify

Read More

Tripura: 3 Northeast airports identified as plastic-free airports

Agartala: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has declared altogether 85 airports across the country as single-use plastic free airport within a year and among them three are from the Northeast -- Agartala, Guwahati and Imphal.

A press statement issued by the AAI informed, “As per the directions issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to beat plastic pollution, in first phase, 35 AAI Airports namely Agartala, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Calicut, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Goa, Guwahati, Imphal, Indore, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Patna, Port Blair, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Srinagar, Tiruchirappalli, Tirupati, Trivandrum, Udaipur, Vadodara, Varanasi, Vijayawada & Visakhapatnam had been declared ‘Single-Use Plastic Free Airport Terminals’ in January 2019.”

Various steps were undertaken by the AAI to eliminate the single-use plastic items at passenger terminals and city side of AAI Airports, making a total of 85 airports across India single-use plastic free zones. These steps include banning of single-use plastic items like straws, plastic cutleries, plastic plates etc and switching over to other packaging alternatives and replacements.
22/02/20 Chandan Panday/Eastmojo

Read More

Cochin International Airport Ltd to install full-body scanners

Kochi: Cochin International Airport Ltd will soon deploy full-body x-ray passenger scanners in its departure counters. The move is in line with bureau of civil aviation security's (BCAS) decision to install scanners in airports to accelerate the passenger clearance process and end manual frisking without compromising security.

The scanners will increase the effectiveness of security checks owing to its ability to identify non-metallic as well as concealed metallic weapons and explosives. The plan is to buy nine x-ray scanners at cost of around Rs 27 crore. The tender for their supply, installation, testing and commissioning has been floated.

BCAS had in August 2019 made it mandatory for 84 airports in the country to install full-body scanners to screen air travellers within a year and issued a standard operating procedure for their use. Authorities said Cial, which is one among the busiest airports in south India, is in the list, hence the airport is going with the technological upgrade.
22/02/20 Anantha Narayanan K/Times of India

Read More

At 222 Km Per Hour, Air India Pilots Spotted Jeep, Man On Pune Runway

New Delhi: Hurtling down the runway in Pune at a speed of more than 222 kilometres per hour this morning, pilots of an Air India aircraft noticed a jeep and a man in their way, prompting them to carry out a premature and emergency takeoff. Though a major catastrophe was averted, this resulted in the tail striking the surface of the runway, damaging the fuselage.
The Airbus A-321 aircraft carried on with its flight to Delhi where it landed safely. There were 180 passengers and crew on board the flight. The incident is now being investigated by the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and both the pilots have been de-rostered till the end of the probe.

It is unclear at this stage why the pilots chose to continue their flight to Delhi instead of returning to Pune to make an emergency landing. Investigators will try to understand whether the pilots were aware of the extent of the impact that the rear fuselage of the airliner made with the runway. It is also currently unclear whether a 'tail-strike' sensor was installed on this aircraft which would have alerted the pilots of the impact with the runway when the aircraft made its emergency take-off.

The Pune Airport is also an Indian Air Force airfield, like several other airports in the country, where armed forces personnel carry out routine activity. The DGCA has asked the Indian Air Force to preserve the recording of Air Traffic Control. Meanwhile, Air India has been advised to remove the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) for its analysis, a DGCA official said after the flight landed in Delhi.

"During the morning hours a service vehicle was cleared for routine task on the runway at Pune Airfield, it reached close to the runway at a time when an Air India flight was on the takeoff roll. Due to the presence of the vehicle near runway the Air India pilot had to do an earlier rotation, than what was planned by the crew of the aircraft...," the Air Force said.

A DGCA official, who is aware of preliminary investigation into the incident, said, "The aircraft has been withdrawn from service for investigation. Air India has been advised to coordinate with Pune ATC (air traffic control) also to find out any marking on runway."

When asked about the incident, an Air India spokesperson said, "The A321 aircraft that was scheduled to operate AI 825 (from Delhi) to Srinagar was observed to have certain marks towards the empennage area. This aircraft had arrived from Pune on AI 852. The aircraft has been withdrawn for detailed investigation. The CVR and SSFDR (solid state flight data recorder) readouts would be carried out and the findings shared appropriately."
16/02/20 Vishnu Som/NDTV

Read More

Disaster averted: Jeep on runway forces Air India plane to lift off early from Pune

New Delhi: An Air India aircraft on high speed take off roll at Pune airport Saturday morning was forced to get airborne earlier than planned to avoid a possible collision with a jeep that was dangerously near the airstrip. The aircraft had a speed of 220 kmph when an alert Captain Vikram Singh Besoa and first officer Mansika Harlan decided to go for early rotation — lifting nose wheel off the ground — instead of completing the take off roll as planned before doing so. The jeep belongs to Indian Air Force (IAF), which operates the Pune defence airfield, and there was also a man near the runway.
The rear section of Airbus A321, which has a longer fuselage than A320, scraped the runway in the process. Luckily it (VT-PPU) took off uneventfully at 7.55 am and flew all the 190 on board, including 180 passengers, safely to its destination Delhi as AI 852 where it landed at 10.17 am. “Prima facie, Captains Besoa and Harlan have prevented a disaster,” said a senior pilot.
Damage on the fuselage was discovered during inspection of the aircraft before being released for the next flight it was to operate to Srinagar as AI 825. AI has grounded the aircraft for checks and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing this incident.
In a statement, IAF confirmed that on Saturday morning “a service vehicle was cleared for routine task on the runway at Pune airfield. It reached close to the runway at a time when an Air India flight was on the take off roll.”
“Due to the presence of the vehicle near runway, the AI pilot had to do an earlier rotation, (earlier) than planned by the crew of the aircraft. The AI aircraft has landed safely in Delhi. The matter is under investigation by IAF,” the statement added.
As per protocol, the crew has been taken off flying duty for so that they are available for the investigation. “We will have interaction with them shortly. IAF has been requested to preserve ATC recording for investigation,” said a DGCA official.
“The average decision speed (V1) — by which any decision to reject a takeoff must be made — for an A321 is 240-250 kmph, depending on various factors like temperature and weight of aircraft. The Pune-Delhi flight may have been below V1 but averting take off might have meant ramming the jeep and a disaster. So the pilots decided to get airborne as soon as possible. The A321 has a longer fuselage (compared to A320) and in almost all tail scrape/strikes involving this aircraft, the same is realised on seeing the marks after landing,” said one of the senior most commanders of AI.
15/02/20 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

Read More

Nagaland: Dimapur Airport to be developed in two phases

A meeting of Nagaland governor RN Ravi and senior officials of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) from Delhi in Kohima decided to develop Dimapur Airport in two phases.

The meeting on Friday follows a recent meeting of Ravi and union minister of state for civil aviation (independent charge) Hardeep Singh Puri.

The meeting also decided to further improve the air connectivity in the state, Raj Bhavan said in a statement on Saturday.

In the phase-I of improvement, it was decided to ensure required extensions of the runway of the airport to enable Airbus and other modern aircraft to operate from Dimapur Airport and also cater to the required security and safety needs besides increased passenger amenities.

The Alliance Air, which is operating on the Guwahati-Dimapur-Imphal route thrice a week, is considering to increase its services and make it daily.

Indigo Air under Regional Connectivity has also assured to introduce its air service from the first week of March by connecting Dimapur with Guwahati, Imphal, and Dibrugarh, it said.
15/02/20 Bhadra Gogoi/NorthEast Now

Read More

Govt mulls light rail system to link 2nd airport in Parandur

Chennai: As Parandur in Kancheepuram district has been zeroed in as venue for the proposed second airport, the state government is exploring the possibility of introducing a mass rapid transit link to connect it with the existing airport. While a light rail may link the airport in Meenambakkam to Parandur 62km away for transit passengers, there is also a plan to extend metro rail line from Poonamallee to connect it. Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to shift international flight operations to the second airport.
Sources in the industries department said the suggestion for light rail was floated during discussions about setting up the second airport. “Light rail is the only option for passengers landing at Meenambakkam to proceed towards Parandur. For city passengers, metro rail is an option,” an industries department official privy to developments told TOI. The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited, which will appoint a consultant for the second airport, would also study which option will be feasible.
15/02/20 Yogesh Kabirdoss/Times of India

Read More

Pondy CM calls on Civil Aviation Minister in Delhi

Puducherry: Chief Minister V Narayanasamy along with Tourism Minister Malladi Krishna Rao and Welfare Minister M Kandasamy on Friday called on Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in New Delhi and urged him to sanction new Air routes from Puducherry.
 A release from Chief Minister Office on Saturday said, Mr.Narayanasamy requested the Minister to start Air traffic from Puducherry to Tirupati, Kochi, Coimbatore, Chennai and Mumbai.
 He also urged Mr Puri to sanction a new Airport in Puducherry in view of the increasing tourists and growth in industrial development and also to expand the existing Airport by the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the release said.
 15/02/20 UNI

Read More

DGCA asks airports to screen passengers from Japan, Korea

New Delhi: Not ready to take any chance in the wake of the spiraling cases of coronavirus across the countries, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked airports and airlines on Friday that passengers arriving in flights from Japan and South Korea must be screened once they step out of aerobridges in order to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus infection.

 Till date, only passengers arriving from four countries -- China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore - were being screened for possible

exposure to the respiratory virus at 21 identified airports in India.

 The Indian Embassy in Japan said on Friday that a third Indian crew on board a cruise ship off the Japanese coast has tested positive for the novel coronavirus as authorities confirmed that total 218 people have been infected with the deadly virus on the quarantined ship.

 Two crew members, out of total 138 Indians on board the cruise ship Diamond Princess, were tested positive for the virus earlier.

 In a circular, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated, "Universal screening of all the passengers coming in flights directly from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore besides the flights from China and Hong Kong shall be ensured immediately once they step out of the specific identified aerobridge."
 "It is advised to place the suitable signages at strategic locations at all the airports and getting the self-declaration form filled by the passengers as per the instructions of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," it added.
15/02/20 Pioneer

Read More

Anoushka Shankar slams airport for damaging equipment

Sitar exponent Anoushka Shankar on Friday became the latest victim of the insensitivity of the Indian aviation industry towards musicians, their musical instruments and their equipment.
Shankar performed at the Sri Shanmukhananda Hall on Thursday night as part of her India tour to promote her latest album, Love Letters. On Friday, at 4.15 pm, she tweeted angrily, “Security at Mumbai airport has
gone through my sound man’s luggage, removed cables!!! Left our in-ear monitors unpacked, so they are smashed! Delhi show is gonna be fun tonight.” Her second show was scheduled at the Siri Fort Auditorium at 8
pm on Friday.
Shankar’s India manager Anujita Jain told Mirror from Delhi, “During transit from Mumbai to Delhi, the pelican case was opened without knowledge of the passenger. Two inear monitors were broken, which are important
for our performance today.” The in-ear monitors are speakers positioned on stage so as to enable the musician to hear the music during the live performance.
Though Shankar blamed the Mumbai airport security, the airport officials said such equipment is strictly allowed in check-in baggage and airport security, which is handled by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF),
has no role to play. CISF officials were not aware of the incident. Shankar or her manager did not name the airline on which they travelled.
15/02/20 Satish Nandgaonkar/Mumbai Mirror

Read More

Adani group, AAI sign deal for operating three airports

New Delhi: The Adani group on Friday signed agreements with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for operating the airports in Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru. The group had earlier won the bids for operating six AAI airports. “Over the past 30 years, @AdaniOnline has catered to critical demand gaps in India. Today, as we sign the concession agreements for Mangaluru, Lucknow & Ahmedabad with the AAI, it’s the beginning of another historic journey catering to India’s exponential airport infra demands,” Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani tweeted.

The AAI said the concession fee would be utilised for the maintenance and development of brownfield airports along with RCS-UDAN and other greenfield airports. The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) is also known as Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN).

Three subsidiaries of the group – Adani Ahmedabad International Airport Limited, Adani Lucknow International Airport Limited and Adani Mangaluru International Airport Limited – signed concession agreements with the AAI.
15/02/20 New Indian Express

Read More

Dilip Buildcon receives EPC project

In an exchange filing made after market hours on Friday, 14 February 2020, Dilip Buildcon said the company has received the letter of acceptance (LOA) from the Airport Authority of India for the EPC project in Gujarat.
The order is for construction of new Greenfield airport at Hirasar, Rajkot, Gujarat. The order is worth Rs 570.06 crore without GST. The completion period of the order is 30 months.
Dilip Buildcon is engaged in the business of infrastructure facilities on engineering procurement and construction (EPC) basis. The company undertakes contracts from various government and other parties and special purpose vehicles promoted by the firm.
15/02/20 Capital Market/Business Standard

Read More

Yaduveer suggests naming Mysuru Airport on Jayachamaraya Wadiyar

Mysuru: The Mysuru airport at Mandakalli on the outskirts of the city may be named after the last Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, whose birth centenary is being celebrated this year.
 A suggestion to this effect was made by the titular king Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar at the centenary celebrations of the last Maharaja organised by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage and the JSS Women’s College in the city on Saturday.
 This was in response to Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha’s request to Mr Yaduveer to suggest a name from the family in view of their contribution in various spheres in the socio-economic, cultural and industrial development of the State.
 Mr Yaduveer responded stating that Jayachamarja Wadiyar’s name would be apt in recognition of his contribution to the development of aviation in India. He said that the last maharaja backed the idea of manufacture of Aircraft in India.
Though the promoters Walchand Hirachand approached many rulers across India most backed out but Jayachamaraja Wadiyar not only invested in the project but alloted nearly 700 acres of land for the establishment of the factory. Mr Yaduveer pointed out that the airstrip at Mandakalli was completed sometime around 1940- 41 where many of the planes would land during World War II. In addition, his grandfather (JC Wadiyar) had procured one of the planes for personal transportation but it was mostly used by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for his travels.
 Minister for Kannada and Culture C T Ravi said the contribution of the Wadiyars, whose history spans more than 600 years, has not been nationally acknowledged. Historians tend to be biased and write hagiography and reduce everything to caste.
15/02/20 UNI

Read More

Fog disrupts flight operations in Mangaluru

Atleast five flights were affected at Mangaluru International Airport on Saturday morning owing to fog and poor visibility. A SpiceJet flight from Dubai was scheduled to land at 8.40 am.
Owing to fog and poor visibility, the flight was diverted to Bengaluru and finally landed at Mangaluru at 11.05 am. Bengaluru bound Indigo flight landed at 11.30 am instead of 8.35 am.
The spiceJet from Bengaluru landed at 10.35 am instead of 8.50 am. Indigo flight to Bengaluru was supposed to take off from Mangaluru at 9.05 am, but it departed at 12.07 pm.
15/02/20 Naina JA/Deccan Herald

Read More

Kolkata airport domestic wing gets inline bag scan

Kolkata: Authorities at Kolkata airport kicked off the soft launch of inline baggage screening system (ILBS) in the domestic wing on Thursday with Air India getting the checked-in bags of six flights screened by the new system. With three portals in the international wing already in use, the addition of portal E in the domestic wing meant more than half of the portals that are to be commissioned between February 18 and 28 are currently undergoing live trials.
“The E portal that is reserved for Air India was put into use on Thursday. The shift went glitch-free and for Friday, we have planned to put one more domestic portal into use,” said a senior official at the airport. This is likely to be portal D used by SpiceJet and Vistara. IndiGo that operates over 100 flights daily uses two portals — B and C. Portal A used by AirAsia India and GoAir will get the ILBS system later.
While the soft launches have been glitch-free till now, four passengers had to be escorted to the ILBS area in the terminal basement to remove power banks from their checked-in baggage. Three of these passengers were travelling to Dubai on Wednesday evening and one by an Air India flight on Thursday. “Six flights with 820 passengers availed of ILBS on Wednesday. Altogether, 1,145 checked-in bags were screened on portal G and H. Of them, only three went to level 4 check requiring passengers to be summoned to remove restricted items from bags. All other bags were cleared at either level 2 where the screener checks the 3D image of the bag and its contents generated by the CTX machine or in level 3 where screeners get more time to review the image or use standalone X-ray and explosive trace detector to clear the bags,” said airport director Kaushik Bhattacharjee.
14/02/20 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

Read More

More morning flights from Chennai

Chennai: There could be more early morning flights from the city airport as SpiceJet is looking at increasing the number of planes that will be parked at the airport to fly early morning schedules.
Ajay Singh, chairman, SpiceJet, said that the airline has asked for more parking slots as there was scope for fleet expansion in the south and to small towns.
"We have asked for six parking bays at Chennai. The airport is also expanding the airside capacity. The routes will be decided later," he added. “Airside” capacity is the number of landings and takeoffs an airport can accommodate in an hour. Spicejet currently has 16 aircraft parked overnight at the airport.
The airport now has 46 domestic flights in the 4am to 8.30am window. IndiGo has the maximum number of planes parked overnight and operates around 26 flights in that window, while SpiceJet operates 11 flights in the same window.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is also expanding its airside capacity by adding more parking bays, rapid exit taxiways, straightening of taxiways connecting runways so that more planes can be operated.
"The idea to allow airlines to park planes at night is to have more early morning flights. The planes will be used to fly multiple sectors before they return at night for parking. This means the airport will get more morning flights and also a few more evening flights. Once the airside capacity augmentation work is over, we can encourage airlines to build a base here,” said an AAI official.
If airlines park more planes overnight at the airport, including small 70-seater ATR types, there will be more flights to smaller cities too.
14/02/20 V Ayyappan/Yimes of India

Read More

Delhi airport sets Valentine's day goals with IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, Air India

It is Valentine's day and the romance is literally in the air at Delhi airport. The GMR group-run airport kick-started the day with a romantic Twitter conversation with IndiGo, asking the airline to "never run away from its runway."
Excited about the capacity addition by IndiGo, whose total neo-order-book comprises 730 aircraft, the airport also added that it is looking forward to "so many future planes together."
Moving on to the national carrier Air India, the largest airport in India called the airline its "first love". Air India reciprocated and said that it is glad to have found a special place in the Delhi airport hub.
For Vistara, the joint venture of Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, the airport had a special plan. Delhi airport asked the youngest airline out on a date. Vistara, which will soon be inducting the wide-body B787 aircraft, has readily agreed to this date and has also informed the airport that it will be wearing purple for the special occasion.
The airport then sent a romantic message to the Gurugram-based low-cost carrier SpiceJet. The airline responded by telling the airport that Delhi airport is always in its heart.
14/02/20 Anu Sharma/CNBC TV18

Read More

E-Cigarettes Banned Across All Indian Airports and Aircrafts - Aviation Security Regulator

Aviation security regulator BCAS has banned e-cigarettes and similar products on all airports and aircraft in India, according to an official document. "Upon the prohibition of electronic-cigarettes by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it has been decided that e-cigarettes include all forms of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), heat not burn products, e-hookah and the like devices," stated the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security circular dated January 10.

Distribution, sale, storage and advertisement of such products is prohibited on any airport premises or any aircraft departing or arriving in India, the regulator added. In September last year, the Central government banned production, sale and import of e-cigarettes and similar products citing health risk to people, especially the youth.
14/02/20 PTI/News18

Read More

Coronavirus: Around 13K flyers screened at Jaipur airport

Jaipur: A total of 12,992 passengers have been screened at Jaipur International Airport in the wake of coronavirus alert coming in from 84 international flights till Friday.

In a release by the Directorate Medical & Health Services, it was informed that screening of all passengers has been going on since January 28. Five doctors and 5 paramedical nurses have been deputed at the airport.

Samples of 80 patients were collected out of which all 80 have been found negative. Till date, no patient has been declared positive for coronavirus here, confirmed health officials.

Additional Chief Secretary medical and health, Rohit Kumar Singh issued directions to all health officials to remain sensitive about the issue.

He also asked officials to identify tourists who have been coming from China and get their thermal screening done.

A total of 239 patients were under observation after coming from China, out of them 26 have completed 28 days of surveillance, 3 passengers have gone back to China, 6 to Phillippines and 204 are under surveillance.
14/02/20 IANS/Outlook

Read More

1.85 Lakh Passengers Use Mysore Airport In 28 Months

Mysuru: From Sept.17 2017 to Jan. 20, 2020, a whopping 1,85,254 passengers have landed and taken off from the Mysore Airport at Mandakalli, the Airport that was once a grazing land for bovines.

A total of 90,398 air passengers have arrived at the Airport through many flights operated by TruJet, Alliance Air and Indigo Airlines and over 94,856 passengers have taken off to various destinations. The Airport that handled only one flight to Chennai in 2017 now handles eight flights and 16 routes including Belagavi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, Goa and Chennai.

The Kochi flight has been grounded as works on upgrading the Cochin International Airport is on and will be completed by March this year when the flight services will resume. Then, the total flights operated from Mysuru will touch nine and there are plans to introduce more flights to different destinations.
This increased flight operations from the Airport became a reality after the Narendra Modi government introduced the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagarik) scheme under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) and after Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha took keen interest in convincing the Civil Aviation Ministry to introduce more flights as Mysuru has the potential. Following this, many new flights were introduced and this saw a healthy rise in the occupancy rate over a period of time.
14/02/20 Star of Mysore

Read More

Mock anti-hijack exercise at Visakhapatnam airport

Visakhapatnam: In an effort to test the efficacy of contingency plans and procedures to deal with hijacking threats, an anti-hijack exercise was conducted by INS Dega at Visakhapatnam airport recently. In course of the exercise, a mock situation was created, which involved actions by various agencies including Marine Commandos (Marcos), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Airport Authority of India (AAI) and other state government agencies.
The mock situation was created using a naval Dornier aircraft for initiating coordinated action by all stakeholders from the Navy, the airport and other central and state government agencies. Upon completion of the exercise, a de-briefing was held and standard operating procedures were revalidated.
14/02/20 Times of India

Read More

Delhi airport starts doorstep baggage pick-up and drop service for Terminal 3

New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday announced that it has started a doorstep baggage transfer facility for passengers flying to and from its Terminal 3.

This service will also be extended to Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 of the airport, stated the press release by GMR group-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

"The service has been introduced (at Terminal 3) in collaboration with Bengaluru based 'CarterX'," it said.

To avail the facility, a passenger can make a booking through CarterX website or app or counters at the airport for the baggage to be picked from their home in the National Capital Region (NCR).

"Each bag thus booked is then secured in a separate tamper-resistant sealable bags, which are marked and bar-coded for easy identification. On arrival at the airport, passengers can collect their baggage at the departure forecourt area and proceed for check-in," the press release explained.

Similarly, if luggage has to be sent from the airport, passengers can book the service online or at the baggage pick-up and drop counter, located in meters and greeters area of Terminal 3.
14/02/20 PTI/Times of India

Read More

IGI to install 69 ‘precise’ full-body scanners soon

New Delhi: The new German-made full-body scanners being tested at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport are providing better results than the previous scanners that have been tested in the past, CISF officials said. The testing process, which began last year, is expected to continue in the next two months, with officials stating that any improvements required will be made to fine tune the machine.

The airport operator — Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) — will meanwhile be responsible for installing these full-body scanners and officials said the process to start installation will begin soon.

“Based on the specifications provided by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the new German-made full-body scanner is providing better results than those that have been tested in the past. The next few months will only be able to provide us more data and allow any flaws to be fine-tuned. Information on the machine has already been provided to DIAL, who in the end is responsible for installation at the airport,” said Hemendra Singh, assistant inspector general (AIG), PRO, CISF.

DIAL said the process to identify the requirement of body scanners was complete, while the installation process will begin soon. “A total of 69 full-body scanners will be installed at IGI airport. These body scanners use millimetre wave technology, which is non-intrusive in nature, and takes care of the privacy norms and conforms to all BCAS specifications,” said a DIAL spokesperson.
14/02/20 Jasjeev Gandhiok/Times of India

Read More

India’s first unisex airport salon opens in Mumbai

NS Style Salon was launched to provide express beauty and grooming services for both men and women inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at two outlets — one at Terminal 1-C, Departure, Opposite Gate 26, and the second at Terminal 2, Domestic Departure, next to Irish Cafe.
Many travellers looking for a quick grooming-fix at the airport will now be pleasantly surprised with NS Style Salon offering a wide range of beauty, hair, skin, and nail care for women, along with some customized services for men such as haircut/hair trimming, hair styling, beard styling, a luxurious shaving experience, and beard spa, among other services at both its airport outlets.
“The airport outlets will offer time-based service packages — Express Services (within 15 minutes), Deluxe Services (30-45 minutes), and Premium Services ( more than 45 minutes). We have hired the most experienced and internationally trained professionals to help people travelling from Mumbai look their best,” said Amyn Manji, Founder, NS Style Salon.
14/02/20 ANI/Telangana Today

Read More

Prosperity from Jewar airport brings the good life, alcoholism and suicides to UP villages

Jewar (UP): Raja Thakur, a 24-year-old resident of Jewar on the outskirts of Delhi, is planning to drive down to Goa in his newly-bought car, an SUV worth Rs 14 lakh.
The SUV isn’t something he could have aspired to purchase until recently.
Not until his family farmland was acquired for the upcoming Jewar airport, which will serve as a much-needed second international airport for the bustling Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
The airport is going to be built in partnership with a Swiss company, Zurich Airport International AG, and around 1,334 hectares of land has been acquired in Jewar towards the first phase.
Compensations handed out by the Uttar Pradesh government total around Rs 3,000 crore, with payouts for individual families extending to Rs 8.4 crore for nearly 40 bighas (a land unit with varying definitions used across India) or Rs 21 lakh/bigha.
Read how the the sudden arrival of big money has spelt massive lifestyle changes for local residents >>

Read More

Coronavirus: Kolkata airport dismisses reports claiming it detected two positive cases

The Kolkata international airport on Thursday refuted media reports that claimed it had detected two positive novel coronavirus cases in recent weeks. The airport authorities clarified that it had referred three passengers to a city hospital earlier this week as they were “suspect cases”.

“Media reports mentioning about coronavirus positive cases detected at NSCBI airport is totally wrong and baseless,” tweeted the airport’s official account. “Three passengers travelling through Kolkata airport were referred to ID Hospital, Beliaghata by airport health office as suspect cases.” It added that 21,792 passengers had been screened at the airport so far.
Kolkata airport is among the several airports where thermal screening is been conducted since January 17. At present, passengers arriving from Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok are being screened as no flights are operating to and from China.

News agency PTI had reported that two Indians had tested positive for the virus after they arrived from Bangkok. It attributed the statement to Kolkata airport director Kaushik Bhattacharjee. However, in an updated report PTI clarified that the two had been placed in isolation as suspected cases, while another woman had showed signs of fever during thermal scanning.
13/02/20 Scroll.in

Read More

DGCA temporarily suspends 2 SpiceJet pilots for damaging runway-edge lights while landing

Mangaluru: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) o Tuesday has suspended the license held by two SpiceJet pilots - the one is Pilot in Command and First Officer of Dubai- Mangalore flight, for a period of four-and-half months, for runway edge light damage during landing at Mangaluru airport on 31st October 2019.
Both the pilots have been suspended by the DGCA for a period of 135 days damaging runway-edge lights while landing B737 plane at Mangaluru airport in last year October.
Earlier, India's aviation regulator DGCA had also temporarily banned the license of IndiGo airlines pilot for threatening and intimidating a senior citizen on a flight between Chennai and Bangalore during January.
Reportedly, in January the IndiGo pilot misbehaved with the lady and even threatened her with jail after she asked for a wheelchair for her 75-year-old mother.
It is seen that the DGCA has been taking strict measures against any kind of misbehaviour from the airlines staffs.
13/02/20 Akriti Dixit/One India

Read More

Equipped with new rules, ATC officers to make air journey safer

Directorate General of Civil Aviation has brought new rules to equip the Air Traffic Control Officers at airports in India. It has issued the licenses to the officers who acquired training with new rules. This will make air journey safer. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) at Nagpur imparted the training with new rules to its ATC officers and distributed licenses to these officers. It was a proud moment for AAI at Nagpur when all the Air Traffic Control Officers of this ATC centre were awarded licenses by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Besides the creation, up-gradation, maintenance and operation of the ground infrastructure for Indian Civil Aviation, AAI is also entrusted with managing the safe operations of aircraft not only in Indian sovereign airspace but also airspace well into the high seas. The Indian ATC system ensures safe movement of aircraft in 2.8 million sq. km. of Indian and delegated airspace. For the past many decades, Indian ATCOs have been very successfully handling this challenge. The Nagpur ATC centre is a very complex and strategically located central Indian ATC center which plays a vital role in the entire Indian aviation system. Being a part of a global air-safety mechanism, the skill and expertise of all the Indian ATCOs are always maintained at a very high level.
 
Like any other global safety system Indian ATC is also periodically subjected to universal safety audits by ICAO, the Global Safety Aviation Regulator of which India is a member state. At the behest of the ICAO, Indian ATM system is made to pass through a rigorous certification procedure to enable it to discharge its function safely. Towards this, the Government of India had undertaken a massive exercise to license the Indian ATCOs. This exhibits Indian commitment towards safety of International Civil Aviation. Besides ensuring safety of the millions of flying public, this also demonstrates to the world that India is a safe country to do business. The ATCOs of Nagpur ATC center have been certified by DGCA and Government of India licenses have been issued for all the ATCOs.
13/02/20 Hitavada

Read More

Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru to become aviation hubs soon! Here’s what Hardeep Singh Puri said

New Delhi: Big aviation hubs in India! Cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata or Bengaluru can soon become the big-four aviation hubs in India in the years to come. According to a PTI report, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said that the country will soon be home to at least four big aviation hubs in the coming years. Speaking at a Vietjet event where the low-cost Vietnam carrier launched flights to India, Puri said that Kolkata is already an aviation hub.

The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata caters to flights that travel to most parts of the southeast Asia region, East Asia and beyond. Apart from Kolkata, Puri said, the other three upcoming aviation hubs could either be Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru or Hyderabad. The Civil Aviation Minister was attending a ceremony by Vietjet in New Delhi, where he said that currently, India is the third-largest domestic civil aviation scene in the world.
During her Union Budget 2020 speech on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that in the next five years, the government planned to set up 100 more airports across the country. Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), also known as UDAN or Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik scheme, the government of India will set up these 100 airports by 2025.
13/02/20 Diksha Modi/Financial Express

Read More

Expats elated over resumption of Air India service to Calicut from Sunday

Jeddah: Hundreds of thousands of Indian workers from the southern state of Kerala living in the western region of Saudi Arabia are delighted over the realization of their long-time demand for the resumption of direct flights of Air India, the national carrier, between Jeddah and Calicut. The flights will resume after a hiatus of nearly five years.

The Jumbo aircraft 747-400 with the capacity of 423 passengers will leave King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah at 11.15 p.m. on Sunday and will land at Calicut International Airport in Karipur on Monday morning. Hundreds of local people, led by K.M. Basheer, president of the Calicut-based Malabar Development Forum (MDF), will accord a rousing reception to the flight and the passengers.

Around two million Gulf expatriates from the northern Malabar region of Kerala use Calicut airport, which was the seventh busiest airport in India in terms of passenger traffic and is often touted as the gateway to Malabar. The airport was closed for wide-bodied aircraft since May 2015 for repair and recarpeting of the runway, forcing Air India, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Emirates to divert their flights to Kochi, 155 km away.

Air India and Saudia operated direct flights, using wide-bodied aircraft, between Jeddah and Calicut. Air India later started operating a connection service to Calicut via Mumbai.

The suspension of wide-bodied aircraft has affected hundreds of thousands of expatriates and their families living in the Gulf, especially in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which operates the airport, had undertaken a Rs1 billion overhaul of the extensively damaged tabletop runway.

After a long interval of 18 months, the airport was opened for round-the-clock service by the end of 2016 with a revised runway schedule, but services of large aircraft remained suspended. Among the airlines, Saudia grabbed the first opportunity to resume direct flight in December 2018 after the authorities gave the green signal following agitations and a legal battle to save the airport by the MDF and a number of mass organizations based in Kerala and their affiliated bodies in the Gulf.

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, R. Prabu Chandran, manager of Air India, western region of Saudi Arabia, expressed happiness over the decision to resume operation of the Jeddah-Calicut service.
13/02/20 Hassan Cheruppa/Saudi Gazette

Read More

American Airlines to offer new flights to India from an unlikely place: Seattle

American Airlines will become the first airline  to offer nonstop flights between the United States and Bangalore, India, in October, from an unlikely departure city.
American is adding the daily service to the southern India technology center not from Dallas, Chicago or one of its other big hubs, but from Seattle, where it has a small presence.
It's all part of an expanded partnership with Alaska Airlines announced Thursday, where the airlines will feed each other passengers and offer travelers reciprocal frequent flyer benefits to lure more passengers. Bangalore isn't the only new international flight planned from Seattle. American said it will offer nonstop service to London Heathrow beginning in March 2021.
Alaska, a mostly domestic airline with a loyal following in California and the Pacific Northwest, is based in Seattle. It's been battling American rival Delta Air Lines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport since Delta established a hub there in 2014 and has aggressively added flights. Delta now considers Seattle its primary West Coast gateway to Asia, with nonstop flights to Japan, Korea and China, but none to India.
American's 16 hour, 20 minute flight from Seattle to Bangalore's Kempegowda International Airport will be Seattle's first nonstop flight to India and will mark American's return to the Asian nation after nearly a decade.
The carrier ended flights between Chicago and New Delhi in 2012. It will be American's second longest flight behind Dallas-Hong Kong at 17 hours, the airline said. Tickets go on sale in late February.

Seattle will be American's first international gateway in the United States outside of its hubs, and the expanded partnership reverses American's earlier decision to end key parts of its partnership with Alaska beginning next month.

"This is going to come as a bit of a surprise to the world,'' Vasu Raja, American's senior vice president of network strategy, said in an interview. "I'm not sure anyone has done anything like this.''

Why Bangalore instead of other destinations in India, such as New Delhi and Mumbai, which some of American's competitors already serve from other U.S. airports?

Raja said Bangalore is the the No. 1 destination the Dallas-based airline's top corporate customers have been requesting for more than two years. Big technology companies such as Dell and Texas Instruments and other large companies have a presence there, he said.
13/02/20 Dawn Gilbertson/USA Today

Read More

Villages downhill of Shimla airport fear repeat of environmental tragedy

Solan: Once upon a time, the residents of Sayari and Kahla villages in Himachal’s Solan district grew all kinds of winter vegetables on their fertile land, irrigated by water from natural springs. Today, the springs are gone, the fields are barren, and the water has turned turbid.

The proposed expansion of the Shimla airport at Jubbarhatti has now revived fears of further ecological damage among the area’s residents, who are still suffering due to the environmental tragedy that followed its construction in the 1980s.

According to residents of villages lying downhill from the hilltop airport, heavy blasting and reckless dumping of debris when the airport was being built dealt a severe blow to the agricultural economy of the area — natural water springs that irrigated farms were destroyed, and the soil stopped supporting crops which grew in abundance earlier. The most devastating effect of the project, residents said, is the long-term contamination of water in the area, which has permanently turned either reddish or milky white.
“It (agriculture) is over. Nothing grows here anymore. We grew all types of winter vegetables here before the 80s. This was a very fertile area,” said 74-year-old Ram Lal from Kot village.
“When we attempted to use this water for growing potatoes and tomatoes, they turned a strange bluish colour. Now, nobody here even washes hands with this water as it’s sticky. Vegetables don’t grow. Before this destruction, agriculture flourished in this valley throughout the year and any other job was unheard of, as this was a land of plenty. Now, people have been forced to find other jobs,” said Sumitra Jaswal, 67, another resident.
12/02/20 Gagandeep Singh Dhillon/Indian Express

Read More

Pakyong flight services closed since June last year is likely to resume soon

The Airline that is closed since June last year following suspension of the lone service to Kolkata, flight operation is likely to resume from the Pakyong airport soon as the airport authorities have communicated about the airport’s readiness of the runway for flight operations.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials of the airport have written to low-cost carrier Spicejet, which operated the flight service until its suspension last year, to resume services from Pakyong airport. Flight operation was cancelled as a portion of the runway had slipped causing difficulties in landing and takeoff. The runway width has now been extended and ready for flight operation, the AAI officials has informed.

Spicejet, the lone operator from the airport, had cancelled its flight citing low visibility at the airport during the rainy season. Also, at least 75 meters basic stripe (width) was needed at both sides of the runway to land the aircraft, the hills side width was only around 30-35 meters, causing difficulty for the aircraft to land.
The landowners at the hillside of the airport were also not allowing the AAI to extend the width over land damage compensation issues. They feared that excavation for widening could further damage their land and demanded that compensation be paid by the State government.
12/02/20 Sentinel

Read More