Showing posts with label Airports Jul 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airports Jul 2009. Show all posts

Friday, July 31, 2009

India to develop airstrip near Indo-China border for better communication

New Delhi: In a bid to ensure a better communication infrastructure along the Indo-China border, the Indian Air Force (IAF) contemplates setting up an another airstrip at Ladakh, a hill station in the countrys northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir, in near future, reported Press Trust of India (PTI).
A full-fledged airstrip will be built at Niyoma near the district capital Leh (adjoining Ladakh) to strengthen air maintenance for far-flung posts as well as to give a boost to tourism in the area, said the report.
Besides, the Air Force has already re-commissioned two airstrips at Daulat Begh Oldi near the Karakoram pass in central Ladakh, and Niyoma would be the third airbase to come up.
30/07/09 KUNA/Khaberin.info

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Nagpur airport to be handed to MIHAN in a week

Nagpur: The long-standing dispute over transferring the Nagpur international airport to MIHAN Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) and Airports Authority of India, was finally resolved on Tuesday with civil aviation minister Praful Patel directing AAI chairman VP Agrawal to ensure the handing over of the airport within a week. This was disclosed by MIHAN chairman and MADC managing director R C Sinha to The Indian Express. “I met the minister yesterday and requested him to expedite the handover process. He has issued the necessary directives,” Sinha said. Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari was also present during the meeting. “Gadkari also pressed for a quick end to the impasse,” Sinha added.
“We are deputing two of our officers for the job of taking possession of the airport. One of them V S Mulekar has a 30-year experience of running airports and has retired as the Amritsar airport director,” Sinha said.
30/07/09 Vivek Deshpande/Indian Express

Chennai airport to have the country's first walkalator

Chennai: The country's first walkalator (horizontal escalator) inside an airport will be opened at Chennai airport next month.
The conveyor belt that transports people, which is a common feature in most major airports abroad, is installed to connect aerobridges so that passengers can use it to reach the aircraft. It will reduce the distance passengers have to walk inside terminals.
The facility is being installed at a cost of Rs 7 crore as part of efforts to enhance passenger amenities and optimise use of infrastructure in the airport. There are five aerobridges in the international terminal and three in the domestic terminal.
Airport director K Natarajan said, "The facility would be installed in a phased manner and the first unit of the walkalator was expected to be opened by mid August."
The first stretch of the walkalator will be useful for passengers using the recently unveiled bus lounge inside the passenger terminal. Sources said that the machines would be installed in small stretches along a 300 metre connecting corridor between terminals so that airport would be able to use all aerobridges round the clock.
30/07/09 V Ayyappan/Times of India

CIAL announces 10 percent dividend

Cochin: Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), the fourth largest airport in India, Wednesday announced a divided of 10 percent up from eight percent given last year.
A top CIAL official told IANS that the decision was taken at the board of directors meeting held late Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.
'The annual general body meeting of CIAL has been fixed for Sep 28 and also the audited accounts for the last fiscal reveal a profit of Rs.57 crores,' said the official.
The profits of CIAL grew from Rs.47.12 crore in 2007-08 to Rs.57 crore in the last fiscal.
About 10 domestic and 16 international airlines operate from CIAL and in the last fiscal 3.5 million passengers used the airport.
29/07/09 IANS/Sify

Passenger traffic dips at Chennai airport

Chennai: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) may be going ahead with airport expansion, but passenger traffic continues to decline at Chennai airport.
According to statistics compiled by AAI, domestic passenger traffic declined by 12% (April-June), compared to the corresponding period in 2008. Overall, in the past three months, the number of passengers who used the airport dipped by 9%, while aircraft movement declined by 4%. However, domestic cargo movement showed a substantial increase of 71%.
International passenger traffic declined by 2%, from 9,26,894 passengers during April-June 2008 to 9,07,68 passengers during the same period this year. Indeed, international traffic had declined by 2008-end.
Domestic passenger traffic has been showing a declining trend because of increase in airfare coupled with the economic recession. The situation has led domestic airlines to introduce short-term offers or low fares to attract passengers, especially during festivals and holidays.
30/07/09 Times of India

Amdavadis hail change in airport terminal plan

Ahmedabad: The decision to turn the under-construction international airport building into a domestic terminal after investing a staggering Rs300 crore may have angered the aviation experts here, but has been welcomed by the city's frequent fliers.
Apparently, while deciding to construct an international terminal, aviation sector sources said, the union ministry had speculated the volume of international traffic increasing significantly by 2012-13. However, now the ministry realises the plan was far from feasible.
But, the aviation experts here believe that the abrupt change in the civil aviation ministry shows a clear lack of planning and foresight on the part of the airport planners. For example, while the airport is spending big amount of money on constructions of facilities, there are no sufficient provisions to regenerate remunerations through these infrastructures.
This is despite the fact that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is facing a financial crunch. Even at Ahmedabad airport, several airlines owe the AAI big amounts, but there is no sustained effort to recover the dues. Between April 1 and June 30, 2009, the airport authorities sent bills to various parties including airlines, shops and restaurants which amounted to Rs32.22 crore.
30/07/09 Satish Jha/Daily News & Analysis

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Turning Back of Aircraft at Take Off Stage - Two suspended

Mangalore: In connection with the requisitioning of a Mumbai-bound Kingfisher aircraft that was about to take off on Sunday July 26 night, for picking up a passenger it had left behind at the local airport, two employees who were on duty at the time of the incident, have been suspended by the local station manager of Kingfisher Airlines.
A staff manning the boarding gate and a ramp staff were suspended for dereliction of duty.
It may be recalled that Rishi Mehta, local head of Kingfisher Airlines, had asked the aircraft pilot to abort take off and come back to the tarmac to pick up a lady passenger, who had been left out at the lounge, even though her baggages had been loaded on to the said aircraft.
29/07/09 Daijiworld.com

Kingfisher Flight aborts Take-off: Returns to pick Lone Passenger

Mangalore: The 9.30 pm Kingfisher flight to Mumbai from Kochi via Bajpe airport here, was about to gain speed after taxing for take off, when it was directed to return to the tarmac to pick up a lady passenger, who had been left behind on Sunday, July 26.
It is said, that a lone lady passenger, who was waiting at the VIP lounge of the local airport, ensured that she was picked up by the flight that was about to take off. Reportedly, the woman, who is a member of the advisory committee of Airports Authority of India, came to know about the departure of the flight late, and immediately confronted local head of Kingfisher Airlines, Rishi Mehta. He thereafter asked the Air Traffic Control officials to summon the aircraft back, which was done. The flight took off after a delay of about an hour.
The incident was reported by the pilot, as per rules, to the Director General of Civil Aviation and an investigating team arrived at the local airport to investigate the incident.
Kripa Amar Alva, who was the passenger in question, said that her bags had been loaded on to the aircraft and that she was unaware that the flight had left. The airport officials, while providing her a seat in the lounge, had promised that she would be informed when the flight is ready, she claimed. When she came out to check as to why the flight, scheduled to leave at 7.45, had not yet departed, she found to her dismay that the flight was on its way, she explained. Alva said, other passengers in the flight were furious, thinking that she had caused the delay, but asserted she was not to be blamed for the incident.
28/07/09 Daijiworld.com

Major domestic airlines owe around 250 crore to AAI: Govt

New Delhi: Government on Tuesday said that the major domestic airlines owe around Rs 250 crore to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for using its facilities at different airports across the country.
"The amount due from major private airlines as on June 30 is: Go Airlines- Rs 1,335.82 lakhs, Interglobe Aviation Limited - Rs 989.91 lakhs, Jet Airways Rs 3,309.12 lakhs, Jet Lite (India)- Rs 1,418.42 lakhs, Kingfisher Airlines- Rs 14,968.70 lakhs, Paramount Airways-Rs 1,300.76 lakhs and Spicejet Limited- Rs 1,655.28 lakhs," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
He said invoice for airport charges are raised on fortnightly basis against the airlines and 15 days credit is allowed to the private domestic airlines against security deposit equivalent to their two-month billing.
28/07/09 PTI/Economic Times

After dispute with developers, AAI reworks airport tender

New Delhi: After a dispute with private developers over whether to develop only city side or both city side and terminal side of airports, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had cancelled the bids for Amritsar and Udaipur airports and revised the scope of work under the new tender document, said a top official.
In the new tender document, terminal development has been taken. The authority will now issue tenders for undertaking only city-side development work at selected airports. “Now, new tenders will be issued soon on a pilot basis for undertaking city-side developmental work at four or five airports in northern India,” said the official. These may include Amritsar, Jaipur, Udaipur and Lucknow. If successful, the model may be replicated for city-side development of the rest of the non-metro airports.
The city-side development of non-metro airports had run into trouble after developers were denied the right to develop the terminal side.
29/07/09 Smita Aggarwal/Indian Express

Online scan makes Ahmedabad airport exit quicker

Ahmedabad: International passengers may soon have a smooth sailing as far as customs clearance at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in the city is concerned.
The customs department is all set to modify its procedures and is coming up with several other user-friendly technologies to give passengers a hassle-free clearance at the airport.
To streamline the customs clearance facilities at the airport, the department will set up two scanners. One scanner has already been installed and will begin functioning within a day or two, while the other one will be installed soon.
Once these scanners start functioning, it will considerably reduce the clearance time. For the first time, there will be online scanning of passengers' baggage.
The scanners will be attached to the conveyor or baggage belt and the clearing of the baggage will be shown to the customs official via the electronic board attached to the belt. In case of a suspicious bag, the customs official will put a cross mark on the bag and then physically check it.
The passengers whose bags have been cleared by the scanners will not face any other hassles.
29/07/09 Satish Jha/Daily News & Analysis

Ahmedabad airport loses new international face

Ahmedabad: In what is undoubtedly disappointing news for Amdavadis, the new swanky international terminal being built at the city's Sardar Vallabhbhai Airport will now be used for domestic traffic. Officials of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) said that this decision had been taken because future projections about the volume of international traffic at the airport were inaccurate.
Highly placed sources said the international terminal of the airport, once complete, would be able to handle 1,000 passengers at a time. This is more than double the airport's current capacity. However, the AAI now says that the volume of traffic needed to fully utilise the "massive additional space", is unlikely to be generated for several years to come.
Confirming the development, Union ministry of civil aviation spokesperson, Maushami Chakravarty, told DNA that the decision had been taken after considerable thought.
The proposed international terminal, which was to cost Rs300 crore, had evoked much interest when it was first announced in 2006. The terminal's design is modelled on Singapore's famed Changi airport.
29/07/09 Satish Jha/Daily News & Analysis

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Southern airports to get modern systems

Coimbatore: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is embarking on an ambitious plan to adopt digitalised Performance Based Navigation (PBN) systems and Geo Augmented Global Satellite Navigation (GAGSN) technology at all southern airports in a phased manner.
AAI Regional Executive Director (Southern Region) D. Devaraj told The Hindu that as part of the continuous safety audit and safety conscious initiatives of the AAI, the PBN systems would be introduced in a phased manner.
“There will be less communication and less noise, and the language barrier that existed between the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and pilots can be easily overcome with the help of the digitalised and codified navigation procedures,” he said.
The proposals have been sent to the Director General of Civil Aviation and after 58 days of mandatory notification, the PBN systems were expected to come into effect by October.
It would be first experimented in Chennai and extended to all 27 airports in the southern region.
On the GAGSN technology, he said once the Indian Space Research Organisation completed the requirements, it would become operational.
28/07/09 V.S. Palaniappan/The Hindu

Air travel set to become more expensive

New Delhi: Flying is set to become dearer as the state enterprise Airports Authority of India (AAI) is finalising a proposal to levy development fee on departing passengers from 10 major non-metro airports across the country, a top official has said. The proposal is likely to be fast-tracked as the company faces shortage of funds to undertake the upgrade of key non-metro airports.
For the modernisation work currently under way at the Chennai and Kolkata airports, the authority would levy development fee, similar to the fee charged at the Delhi and Mumbai airports, to meet the estimated capital expenditure shortfall of Rs 1,300 crore.
“AAI has engaged a third party consultant to undertake an independent study to estimate the fund shortage and recommend the development fee to be charged from passengers flying out from each of these airports,” the official told The Indian Express. Earlier, four private airport developers were allowed to charge airport fee from departing passengers at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Once the authority firms up the actual charges, the proposal will be vetted by the civil aviation ministry before a cabinet note is prepared for the consideration of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). AAI is likely to finalise the proposal in a month’s time, the official said.
28/07/09 Smita Aggarwal/Indian Express

Finally, AAI gets veto in Mihan JV

Nagpur: As Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) finally formed a joint venture company for the ambitious Mihan project, AAI has been given a veto power in the new entity Mihan India Private Limited (MIPL).
MADC is the majority shareholder with 51% stake in this venture while AAI has 49%. But it has been decided that when it comes to major decisions, both partners will have an equal say, irrespective of the stake. The issue had been hanging fire for quite some time now, with AAI insisting for a right to refuse.
MIPL chairman R C Sinha said the issue has been sorted out. While routine decisions will be taken by MADC, whenever it comes to taking a key step, such as liquidation, declaration of bankruptcy, taking over any other airport or even transferring work to some other party, it would be decided along with AAI, he said.
When asked if a minority shareholder can have veto power in a company, he said, "There is no question of majority or minority stake and all major plans have to be decided mutually." MIPL has a total share capital of Rs 20 crore, which includes subscribed capital of Rs 10 crore.
With this issue being solved it is now hoped that the issue of transfer of Nagpur airport to MIPL will also be sorted out. Even as the process of valuation of assets to be pooled in by both partners would continue, the transfer of land can be done before that, said Sinha.
28/07/09 Shishir Arya/Times of India

Monday, July 27, 2009

Airport nod for tall bldgs can be granted locally

Mumbai: Apart from increasing the permissible maximum height limit for structures around the airport, the Union civil aviation ministry has also decentralised the process of obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) for them.
The two-member committee, comprising former director general of civil aviation Kanu Gohain and former Airports Authority of India (AAI) member A K Mishra, had recommended that the sanction be given from regional offices and not the AAI headquarters in Delhi. Hence, all NOC applications for buildings will now be processed within the city itself. However, an aeronautical study will still be mandatory before sanctioning a height of 150 metres or more.
TOI had reported on Friday that the ministry and AAI have hiked the permissible maximum height of structures within a 20 km radius of the airport from 150 metres to 300 metres.
"Now all applications will be sanctioned at the local AAI office. This will reduce the time that lapses between making the application and getting it sanctioned or rejected,'' an official said.
Sources said that the decision was taken considering the huge backlog of applications piling up at the AAI headquarters in Delhi. Pressure by the applicants and the long time for clearance made it necessary that the sanction-granting authority be given to regional headquarters.
Earlier, an application for an NOC had to be made at the local AAI office, which verified its credentials and forwarded it to the regional headquarters.
27/07/09 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

Residents seethe as AAI delays feasibility study for new Chennai airport

Chennai: Uncertainty continues for the residents whose property is stuck in the airport expansion tangle as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is hesitant to drop the proposed parallel runway project for the existing airport. AAI has also delayed a planned International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) study on the feasibility of a second airport at Sriperumbudur by over eight months.
For over 2,000 families in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tarapakkam and Kovur, a nod for the greenfield airport (now called a second airport because the state government wants two functioning airports) means their land otherwise marked for acquisition for expansion of the existing airport would be saved. Residents are furious that AAI did not take steps to start the study though it was planned several months ago.
"All along we assumed the ICAO study was on and the report on the new airport will come at any time. Now, AAI's declaration that the study is yet to start is a shock. This has only extended the uncertainty," said G Mohan Kumar, who has bought a house in EVP Township in Tarapakkam.
"Ninety per cent of my house was completed when the state government marked the land for acquisition two years ago. But the bank is putting pressure on us to pay up the instalments," said Somasekharan, another resident. They are also appalled at the indifference of the state government towards them.
The residents, who were on the verge of launching a massive protest to get their land denotified, had remained quiet because AAI had promised that they would ask ICAO to do a feasibility study for Sriperumbudur airport eight months ago.
27/07/09 V Ayyappan/Times of India

Mysore Airport modernisation first phase near completion

Mysore: The first phase of modernisation of Mysore Mandkali Airport was in its final stages and the critical navigational instruments at the Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers await installation and calibration.
Mysore District Incharge Minister Shobha Karandlaje, along with Deputy Commissioner P Manivannan and other airport officials, inspected the progress of the work last evening.
Talking to UNI here, Mr Manivannan said the district administration had wirtten to the Regional Exeuctive Director of Airports Authority of India(AAI) (Southern region), Chennai, seeking permission for its inauguration before the world famous Mysore Dasara festivities during September next.
He said Director General of Civil Aviation was yet to visit and inspect the airport. However, the major portion of the work, including main terminal building, ATC towers and runway, was completed.
26/07/09 United News of India/Central Chronicle

Guess who dropped in at the airport?

Mangalore: Little Master Sachin Tendulkar creates ripples wherever he goes. The last 24 hours was no different from the time Sachin landed in this port city enroute Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada to attend the marriage of a close acquaintance to the time he left on Sunday morning. There was absolute chaos at the airport with the media doing everything possible to ferret out information on the batsman's itinerary, which was kept under wraps.
The secrecy behind Sachin's visit was such that even the authorities concerned chose to downplay his presence in their area, lest knowledge of it causes undue problems for this master blaster. SP A S Rao said Sachin, who has `Y' category security classification was provided with an armed personal security officer. Jurisdictional police provided proximity security to see that he was not hassled in places that he visited, the SP added. Given Sachin's inclination to turn to the famous pilgrimage centre at Sri Kshetra Kukke Subrahmanya for his personal problems, mediapersons made a beeline for the place, some 110-km from here in the hope that he would land up there on Nagarapanchami day.
Sachin, with close members of his family had performed `sarpa samskara' at the Sri Kshetra three years ago on advise from family priests.
26/07/09 Times of India

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Mumbai-bound Air India flight makes emergency landing

Mumbai: An Air India flight bound for Mumbai from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, with 91 passengers on board made an emergency landing at the international airport here yesterday owing to hydraulic failure, an airport official said.
"Full emergency was declared after the Mumbai-bound Air India flight IC-169 reported hydraulic failure," a Mumbai International Airport Limited (Mial) spokesperson told the Press Trust of India.
Airport authorities received the information at 4:34pm. The aircraft landed safely at 4:43pm, the spokesperson said. It was then towed away from the runway to a bay.
26/07/09 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

Bird hit grounds Emirates flight at IGI

New Delhi: A bird flying over Runway 28 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport forced an Emirates flight, EK 510, to land under emergency conditions after being hit on its right engine. The flight was able to land safely at the airport, sources said, adding that the aircraft has been grounded for repairs and is still in Delhi. According to ATC sources, the Dubai-Delhi flight was scheduled to land at 9.05 am when the pilot suspected the bird hit. The pilot informed ATC about the same and later a dead bird was found on Runway 28.
Airport sources said the incident delayed the return Delhi-Dubai flight, and passengers had to wait several hours. Sources said Runway 28 had to be shut for sometime after the dead bird was found. Orhan Abbas, Emirates vice-president for India and Nepal, has confirmed the incident. He said an inspection of the flight has been carried out and it has now been cleared for departure.
26/07/09 Indian Express

Darkness at IGI as power trips

New Delhi: The domestic arrival hall of the IGI Airport faced a blackout for nearly 40 minutes late Thursday evening as power tripped on two occasions. Though there was little trouble inside the airport, thanks to the backup, there was complete darkness outside the airport around 9.30 pm.
“I had come around 9 pm to receive a friend and was waiting outside when there was a powercut at 9.30 pm,” said Ananya Singh, whose friend arrived on a 9.50 pm Spicejet flight from Bangalore. “There was complete darkness both in and outside the arrival hall for a few minutes, after which supply inside the terminal was restored with backup. But it remained dark outside.” While power was back after 10 minutes the first time, the second power failure around 10 pm lasted about half-an-hour, it was informed.
Sources said the flight information display system did not function.
26/07/09 Geeta Gupta/Indian Express

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Quietly, permissible height of buildings around airports hiked

Mumbai: The Union civil aviation ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have quietly doubled the maximum permissible height of constructions allowed around airports in India. Civil aviation minister Praful Patel said a major reason for the increase — from 150 to 300 metres — is that more permissions are being sought for taller buildings in all major metros, including Mumbai.
In Mumbai, this would mean that taller structures could be allowed in areas 1.5km or more from the airport. Builders wanting to go vertical in areas like Andheri, Santa Cruz, Kurla, Bandra, Ghatkopar and other regions further from the airport stand to benefit. According to airport rules, no construction is allowed upto 150 metres from runways. From 150 metres to around 500 metres, construction is allowed only for airport operations. After that, a 1-metre high construction is allowed for every 7 metres one moves further from runways, except for take-off and landing paths, for which a 1-metrehigh construction is allowed for every 20 metres one moves further from the runways.
Roughly speaking, this means a 100-mt-high construction can be 1.2km from the runways and a 150-metre-high construction can be around 1.5km from runways. But whereas earlier the construction limit would be capped at this distance, now builders can go in for taller structures the further a plot is from the airport. A 200-metre-high construction could be 1.9km away and a 300-metre-tall building could be 2.6km away.
25/07/09 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

No FIR on Kalam check yet because Govt can’t figure out which law to invoke

New Delhi: Contrary to the Government’s claim, no FIR has been registered so far by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security against Continental Airlines over ex-President A P J Abdul Kalam’s security check.
Not because the Government has had a rethink over its VIP obsession but because it can’t figure out which law is being violated. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had said that the FIR would be registered for “gross violation of BCAS Circular No.6/2008, which exempts specified VVIPs/VIPs from pre-embarkation security checks.”
This circular, however, doesn’t fall under the purview of The Aircraft Act and officials are exploring how to take legal action.
When contacted, Joint Commissioner of Police (Operations) Satyendra Garg said: “No FIR has been registered yet.”
Incidentally, the US Transportation Security Administration has already made it clear that the airline followed its rules and that India’s VVIP list doesn’t meet TSA norms under which all US-bound passengers — even former Heads of State — flying in on US commercial planes have to go through pre-boarding security checks.
25/07/09 Geeta Gupta/Indian Express

Kalam frisking: Continental top brass summoned

Peeved at the US stand that the Indian policy of exempting dignitaries from frisking at airports was not mirrored in its security policy of frisking everyone flying to the US, the civil aviation ministry on Friday summoned the top brass of Continental Airlines. The airline, which had recently asked ex-President A P J Abdul Kalam to take off his shoes and undergo frisking just before boarding a plane to Newark, was asked to get its country’s authorities to reconcile to Indian laws.
According to highly placed sources, officials of the US Transport Security Administration (TSA) — which had on Thursday said that Dr Kalam was required to undergo preboard screening in accordance with TSA regulatory requirements immediately prior to boarding the aircraft — could be in India soon to discuss this issue.
‘‘TSA rules may mandate frisking for all but we also have a list of dignitaries who are exempt from security checks at airports. Now, there seems to be confusion as to whose rules will prevail at the aerobridge of an American plane at an Indian airport? The TSA has officials posted in Singapore and we expect them to be here to sort this issue out in a way that reconciles with requirements of all,’’ said a source. The TSA team would hold talks with their Indian counterpart, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
25/07/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

Four US airline officials booked for frisking Kalam

New Delhi: The Government has filed an FIR against four employees of a US airline for frisking former Indian president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at the Delhi airport on April 21.
Continental Airlines has apologized to Kalam for the incident. Kalam was made to take off his shoes, hand over his belongings for scrutiny, and asked to wait before being frisked.
The airlines called the incident a misunderstanding/inconvenience after the government filed an FIR against it for allegedly breaching Indian aviation rules. "Our intention was never to offend Dr Kalam or the sentiments of the people of India. Continental Airlines takes great pride and is honoured to have flown a respectable leader such as Dr Kalam," said the airlines on Wednesday.
CNN-IBN learns the FIR has been lodged against Laurent Recoura, country director, Allen Field, station manager of Continental, Cynthia Carlier, area security manager, and Jaideep, security in-charge.
24/07/09 CNN-IBN

Chennai parallel runway proposal on hold

Chennai: “Plans for a new parallel runway at the Chennai Airport have been put on hold as the Tamil Nadu government is keen on the new airport in Sriperumbudur,” Airports Authority of India chairman VP Agrawal said on Friday.
He said the government was looking at better opportunities for the new airport. “We have conducted a small feasibility study from our side mainly to understand if making the runway there is feasible as that will be the most basic function. While our studies have shown positive results, yet another has to be commissioned by the International Civil Aviation Organization,” he added.
AAI chairman had earlier said that the feasibility study had already been given to ICAO which was due to give its reply by July. Clarifying that ICAO had not started the study yet, Agrawal said that AAI would sign an agreement with ICAO for taking up the study, sometime next week.
25/07/09 Mamta Todi/ExpressBuzz

Step motherly treatment to Amritsar Airport: AVM

Amritsar: The Amritsar Vikas Manch (NGO) has blamed the Punjab Government for giving step motherly treatment towards Amritsar International Airport.
In a joint press note Prof. Mohan Singh Manch Patron and. Amrit Lal Mannan General Secretary said that present state government seemed much worried for the Mohali Airport and is least bothered for the Amritsar airport.
The Manch leaders added that the Punjab Government instantly provided eleven hundred Crores rupees in the budget for the Mohali Airport but has not bothered to spare even a single penny for Amritsar Airport . Punjab Govt has acquired 300 acres of land for the Mohali Airport at an exorbitant price of Rs. 450 Crores in a record time of three to four months and handed it over to the Airport Authority of India. While on the other hand the required acquisition of only 44 acres of land costing only 20-22 Crores for the Amritsar airport is hanging for the last two years, thanks to the anti Amritsar policy of the Punjab Govt.
One fails to understand the over anxious stance of the Punjab government. for the introduction of International flight from Chandigarh while both the Chandigarh administration and Haryana government are silent or not so active, NGO alleged.
24/07/09 Jagmohan Singh/Punjab Newsline

Friday, July 24, 2009

Mid-air bomb scare creates panic

Mumbai: Panic gripped 169 passengers on board a Mumbai bound Delhi-Mumbai Indigo Airlines flight on Thursday, when a man created commotion by claiming that there was a bomb on the aircraft. The passenger, later identified as Sanjay Kumar Malik (28), further claimed that the aircraft was being diverted to Karachi in Pakistan, thus adding to the panic.
Airport police said Malik had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in the Ganganagar district of Rajasthan and his family was not aware of his travel from Ganganagar to Delhi and then subsequently to Mumbai.
An official from Indigo Airlines said the entire drama began 45 minutes before the flight was scheduled to land at the Mumbai airport.
“About 20 minutes after boarding the flight, Malik asked the airhostess for some water. The airhostess got him an apple juice instead, and seeing that, he started saying loudly that there was a bomb on the plane. After that he started saying that the flight would be diverted to Karachi in Pakistan among other things,” said a CISF official, who questioned the four airhostesses on board the flight.
Officials also said a separate CISF team in Delhi got in touch with Malik’s family, who are residents of Balia village in Haryana.
Malik’s father added that Malik had met with an accident on June 30 that resulted in a severe head injury. As a result, he was admitted to a hospital in Rajasthan’s Ganganagar district. According to CISF officials, Malik ran away from the hospital and made it to Delhi. He then boarded the Indigo flight this morning to meet someone in Mumbai’s Oberoi mall in connection with a job offer. CISF officials also said Malik was in a relationship with a woman who was not approved by the family.
24/07/09 Indian Express

Airline followed rules, India’s VIP list irrelevant: US

New Delhi: Two days after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) — directed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation — registered an FIR against US carrier Continental Airlines for carrying out a pre-embarkation check of ex-President A P J Abdul Kalam, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has come out squarely behind the airline. And made it clear that it couldn’t accept India’s list exempting select VIPs from airport checks.
Referring to India’s list which exempts VIPs and their spouses from pre-board screening procedures, the TSA said that “such a list does not mirror US requirements for passengers that are exempted from pre-board screening when traveling aboard US commercial aircraft.”
The US agency also clarified that as per its rules, former Heads of State and other VIPs traveling from an international location to the US on a US commercial aircraft were “screened according to the same screening procedures as for any other passenger”.
“If requested, private screening can be provided,” the TSA said. The TSA said that only “active Heads of State” travelling “under protective escort of the US Secret Service or “high level active foreign dignitaries under the protective escort of the US Diplomatic Security Service” and “vetted through the Department of State and TSA,” were exempted from the screening process.
24/07/09 Raghvendra Rao/Indian Express

The Continental defence

If Continental Airlines really gets to a stage of needing a defence of its frisking of our former President, it might not do too badly to point
out that it was actually acting in perfectly good faith. The rules of passenger profiling and the criteria of various terror watchlists that US airlines follow would make Dr APJ Abdul Kalam a prime candidate for the kind of secondary screening that the he was forced to undergo.
South Asian? Check. Muslim? Check. Unusual amount and style of hair? Check. Grew up in a small town known for its places of worship? Check. Attended Arabic school to learn the Koran as a child? Check. Technical post-graduate degree? Check. Worked with ballistic missiles? Check. Played a significant role in nuclear weapons programme of third world country? Check.
Kalam, mercifully, does not carry the surname Khan, which has been the bane of other Indian celebrities who had earlier been at the receiving end of US immigration authorities. So in terms of basic profiling, Kalam would be a sitting duck.
All of this pales before the fact that the subject was a former President, and as per protocol, exempt. But to that defence, may we suggest that he was a Head of State who isn’t elected by the popular vote, and a Head of State of a large and fractious developing country with at least two domestic terror insurgencies that it is struggling to control.
So Continental seems perfectly justified in picking on Kalam.
24/07/09 Economic Times

Drunk pilot grounded, flight delayed

Chennai: A pilot of a leading low cost airline was grounded on Thursday after the airline’s medical officer found traces of alcohol in his breath in a pre-flight medical check, leading to a delay in the flight’s takeoff from Chennai.
The issue came to light when passengers of the JetLite flight to Delhi threw a tantrum in the security-cleared area of the airport in the wee hours following an inordinate delay in the flight.
The flight that was to takeoff at 6.20am could do so only at 10.45 am after the airline flew in a replacement pilot from Delhi.
According to the Civil Aviation Requirements (section-5 of Air Safety, seris F, Part-3), it is mandatory for each airline to conduct a pre-flight medical check to clear all crew members of a flight as ‘safe to fly’. After reporting to the medical officer, the crew member signs an undertaking: “I confirm that I am not under the influence of alcohol.”
After the doctor suspected a mild presence of alcohol on the pilot, he was given 15 minutes after which the test was repeated, in accordance with the aviation rules. Though the level was low, the pilot tested positive and was grounded.
24/07/09 Mamta Todi/ExpressBuzz

Airport work on defence land resumes

Chennai: Following the intervention of Chief Secretary K.S. Sripathi, expansion work on the defence land at the Chennai airport resumed on Thursday.
A team of revenue officials, led by A. Nambirajan, Collector-in-charge of Kancheepuram district, visited the defence land, where the defence authorities had prevented Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials from taking up the work since July 17.
Mr. Nambirajan said a Revenue Divisional Officer and a Tahsildhar along with AAI officials visited the spot. “The work at the defence land site would continue without any problem. AAI officials in coordination with the Revenue authorities are supervising the progress of the work,” he said. A Revenue Divisional Officer would monitor the progress of the work. In case of any problem, he would be available at the site to sort it out.
Foundation concrete work, earth excavation and clearing of bushes were taken up on Thursday on the 16.24-acre defence land.The board put by the defence authorities was replaced with a new board stating: ‘Chennai Airport Modernisation Work in Progress.’
24/07/09 P. Oppili/The Hindu

HC orders status quo on HAL airport

Bangalore: The High Court has ordered status quo on the HAL airport, which is now being dismantled.
It was hearing an interlocutory Application filed by the Airport Authorities Employees Union (AAEU), which had sought the court’s directions to prevent the ongoing dismantling of the airport.
Division bench comprising Justice K L Manjunath and Justice Ravi Malimath ordered the status quo.
The petitioners said that the respondents were trying to defeat the purpose of reopening of the HAL airport.
24/07/09 Deccan Herald

(In)security at Ahmedabad international airport!

Ahmedabad: Security measures at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport has always been slack and instances of it being breached, have often reflected its vulnerability to terror attack.
On occasions when terror threats or incidents where security had been breached inside the airport, besides finger raising and mudslinging exercises between the airport authority and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) not much is done to prevent its recurrence.The most vulnerable sites within the airport, according to a recent visit, appeared to be the parking and the entrance gates.
Physically there a police check-post before entering in the periphery of airport; however, it was hardly functioning. There have also been numerous instances when people have allegedly sneaked inside the terminal without undergoing proper security check. No vehicles are checked by the police with bomb detectors.
Only last year the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had bagged around Rs2.5 crore funds to upgrade security measures at the airport after the deadly terror attacks in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. According to sources the plan stated that the AAI will replace the old boundary wall, spread in a radius 3 km, as well as installing a high mast lighting system.
While tenders have been floated for replacement of the old boundary wall and installation of the lighting system, the entire project will take around five months for completion. The move, sources say, is also part of the airport modernisation programme where funds have been earmarked for developing airport security infrastructure. According to airport sources the work has started but the speed is sluggish.
24/07/09 Daily News & Analysis

Surveillance system updated at Lohegaon airport

Pune: With cases of H1N1 flu increasing steadily, the Lohegaon airport authorities have further tightened the surveillance system by installing two laser thermoflash infrared digital thermometer gun with laser sight (non-contact) for noting down body temperatures from a distance. The facility will be operational from today (July 24).
"Earlier, we had aural hi-tech digital thermometers, now we have upgraded the surveillance facility by adding two advanced laser thermoflash for fast and accurate detection of the virus," said S B Nadoni, senior regional director (health and family welfare), Government of India, on Thursday.
Around 8.98 lakh passengers arriving from international flights in the state were screened for H1N1 flu in the last two months. "Of which, the medical health officials detected 78 passengers as suspected cases. Later, throat swab reports of 11 confirmed the presence of H1N1 flu. All the 11 positive cases were spotted at the Mumbai airport. Not a single case was detected at Lohegaon airport in Pune and the Nagpur airport," said Pradip Awate, head of the swine flu control room in Mumbai.
Of the 34 positive cases in Pune, 13 developed symptoms after reaching the city from some international destinations. While 21 are school-goers who started contracting the virus one after the other after one of them caught the virus from a relative who had gone to the USA under a cultural exchange programme and later tested positive.
24/07/09 Umesh Isalkar/Times of India

Chandigarh airport must not become another hawala channel

Qila Raipur MLA Jassi Khangura today cautioned against the possible misuse of international flights from the Chandigarh airport, which are likely to begin soon, by the politicians keen to stash away their ill gotten money to foreign countries.
In a letter addressed to the Director General, Central Industrial Security Force, Khangura said, the ruling politicians in Punjab have amassed huge sums of money which they would be keen to shift to other countries. He cautioned, “I feel concerned that the huge sums of black money that have been accumulated by the ruling political alliance partners in Punjab might be rushed away from India using these flights”.
The Qila Raipur MLA pointed out, it is a known fact that Punjab remains one of the most corrupt states in the country. “That the current Punjab administration has broken all corruption records surprises no one”, he remarked, while adding, “it is common knowledge that corruption permeates every part of the administration, its tentacles reaching to every city, town and village, from where it is funneled to the powers that be in Chandigarh and much of this cash ends up being invested overseas”.
He suggested, the CISF at Chandigarh Airport must start planning now to ensure that adequate measures are implemented to prevent the smuggling out of cash before international flights start.
He asserted, this is a serious issue because like the drug and land grabbing trades, the hawala trade too enjoys political patronage in Punjab.
Khangura said, the Chandigarh Airport is also likely to be used by private jets, many of which are owned by the companies having a close association with the ruling alliance in Punjab, and particularly with the ruling family.
23/07/09 The Sikh Times, UK

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Chennai airport expansion work on defence land ordered stopped

Chennai: Expansion work at the Chennai airport on land in the possession of the Defence Ministry was stopped last week by the Defence authorities.
A board put up at the site said: “This is Defence Land. All construction activity be halted henceforth till further notice.”
Airports Authority of India officials said that following a meeting with the Chief Secretary, the AAI had entered the 2.99 acres of defence land, part of a 19.24-acre parcel of defence property, in February this year for construction activities. The defence authorities had agreed to the AAI proposal to construct a new building for the defence instead of the existing structure at Pallavaram. Already, the AAI had completed the construction of the new technical office complex and erected signal transmitters on the land by May. The defence authorities had visited the new building, expressed their satisfaction and commended the AAI for completing the work in record time.
Following this, the AAI had approached the defence authorities to take over the building with proper inventory.
The defence authorities had informally allowed the AAI to start the earthwork and clear the bushes on the site, measuring 16.25 acres. However, on July 17 a section of defence authorities entered the project site (measuring 16.25 acres area) with armed personnel and stopped construction at the site. The AAI authorities have sent a letter to the State government stating that the stoppage of work “would adversely affect” the ongoing mega expansion project.
23/07/09 P. Oppili/The Hindu

Kalam episode demeans whom?

The political and official outrage at ex-President Abdul Kalam having to undergo an airline security check, like everyone else has made all-India news. The incident, as reported, happened in April at a Delhi airport before he took a US flight; the check was by airline personnel.
There is a clash of cultures: that rules are to be impartially applied to all is an alien concept to us. No one expects a minister or an IPS officer to use public transport or do his or her own shopping, unless occasionally from a chauffeured car. For that matter, if the boss in a non-government office joined the lunch queue counter, waiting his turn, it would make most people around uneasy, or be seen as condescending. The concept of an official circular which exempts large sections from any queue or security procedures comes naturally to us, unlike many other societies. Is this state of affairs desirable? We disagree, strongly. Kalam himself didn’t object to the frisking here and complied with the same procedure when he disembarked there, as did everyone else. Our point remains, though, even if he had thrown a tantrum at one or both ends; we commend the airline for not making an exception for a VIP. We are clear on the allied point, that a democracy uncomfortable with the equal and impartial application of rules is storing no small degree of peril for itself. Besides ensuring lack of needed change, many things are unsatisfactory since rule-makers are never at the receiving end. The Kalam episode looks like reinforcing VIP privileges; it should be a signal to mobilise against such notions.
22/07/09 Editorial, The New Indian Express/ExpressBuzz

Frisking issue before Parliament, how can I comment: Kalam

Kochi/New Delhi: "I am smiling," quipped former President A P J Abdul Kalam on Thursday apparently not wanting to make much fuss over frisking by staff of an American airline at the Delhi airport.
"It is true that such a thing (frisking) has taken place," Mr. Kalam told reporters in Kochi.
But "the issue has been discussed in both Houses of Parliament. It is before Parliament now. How can I comment?"
The 77-year-old former President, who is among those exempted from security checks at airports, was replying to questions on whether he felt insulted on being subjected to a security check by staff of Continental Airlines on April 21.
"I have not yet received it," said Mr. Kalam, who is on a visit to Kerala, when asked about the apology sent by the airline.
When contacted, Continental Airlines today said it had sent the apology letter to Kalam's Delhi office as directed by his official staff and since the former President was travelling, his staff may not have been able to communicate to him about the letter.
"We are waiting for him to return to Delhi so that we can apologise to the former president in person," a spokesperson of the airline said in Delhi.
23/07/09 PTI/The Hindu

Much ado about minor breach

The pre-embarkation check of Kalam was in violation of a BCAS circular that exempts certain VVIPs/VIPs from security checks. Civil aviation minister Praful Patel has gone so far as to call the breach in protocol "unpardonable".
It seems simple on the face of it there exists a law to deal with precisely such violations and which lays out punishment. But consider that in India, more VIPs are exempt from security checks than any other democracy in the world. In the US and Europe, the general rule is that only heads of state travelling by their own aircraft are exempt from these checks. In India, on the other hand, the VIP list has become a status symbol. It includes the president, vice-president, prime minister and cabinet ministers, former presidents, Lok Sabha Speaker, chief ministers, chief justices of the Supreme Court and high courts and also the Dalai Lama. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her family members are on the roster too, as are the three services chiefs. Robert Vadra, Priyanka Gandhi's husband, is also exempted when travelling with SPG cover.
The question is, why should there be such a long list of exclusions? Not only that, while most exclusions are by dint of the posts they hold or once held, why should Robert Vadra be mentioned by name? In these terror-struck times it's important that security protocols be taken seriously, and VIPs themselves should set an example in this regard.
23/07/09 Times of India

Frisking national icon outrageous

When it became known that the people's president as former president A P J Abdul Kalam is popularly known was subjected to frisking before he boarded a Continental Airlines flight to the US, it's but natural that the Indian public was miffed. The issue rocked Parliament this week with members cutting across party lines condemning the incident and the media has splashed the story all around. Are we overreacting? Not quite.
The outraged responses are a reflection of the immense popularity Kalam enjoys with the Indian public, as well as against what is perceived as a blatant violation of ground rules by a foreign airline. Indian law clearly mandates that certain people are exempt from body checks before they board an aircraft. These include the head of state, and an assortment of politicians and other public personalities.
The airline claims that it was following standard operating procedure, which requires passengers to be frisked if they are flying to the US. But the aircraft was taking off from Indian soil, and therefore had to abide by the regulations that are binding in this country. All international airlines are given a list of people exempt from body checks by the Indian authorities, and they ought to know that Kalam was one of them.
Not following Indian rules in India is a calculated insult to the nation. Imagine what would have happened if Barack Obama were to be frisked by Air India crew. Now that would create quite a hullabaloo, wouldn't it?
23/07/09 Kaurvaki Rao/Times of India

Fernandes demands public apology from US for Kalam frisking

New Delhi: Former Defence Minister George Fernandes has demanded a public apology from the United States in the wake of reports that a US airline recently subjected former president A P J Abdul Kalam to a physical search at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Fernandes said in a statement here on Tuesday that it was ironic that while “India hosts Hillary Clinton like a visiting queen and provides massive security to protect her,” a US airline (Continental Airlines) had “subjected our greatly loved and respected former president Abdul Kalam to a humiliating security check.” Fernandes recalled that he was subjected to similar treatment when he was travelling to the US as India’s Defence Minister. He said, “While Indians are expected to take such insults graciously, and I believe that VIPs must not expect special privileges, in the case of someone with the stature and credentials of Kalam, the US administration should publicly apologise to India for their crass and disrespectful behaviour.”
22/07/09 PTI/Indian Express

Govt knew about Kalam incident, had issued show cause notice

New Delhi: A day after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security filed an FIR against Continental Airlines for frisking former President A P J Abdul Kalam, the government on Wednesday said it knew about the incident and had issued a show cause notice to the airline on July 9. "The BCAS after getting the information in time, first conducted an inquiry and then issued the show cause notice on July 9 and yesterday they filed an FIR also (against Continental Airlines)," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told reporters here. "BCAS was doing its job, whatever was necessary and that is why I said that yesterday was only July 21, the show cause notice had been issued already on July 9. This shows that the preliminary inquiry was being done and based on that, further action is being taken," he added.
The 77-year-old former President was frisked in violation of the mandatory protocol at Delhi International airport before he was to board the US-bound Continental Airline flight on April 21.
22/07/09 Indian Express

Rs16 crore boost to fire safety at Ahmedabad int'l airport

Ahmedabad: As part of a plan to meet the international standards for fire fighting at different airports of the country, Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport, Ahmedabad has received four new state-of-the-art fire-fighter and rescue vehicles from the Airports Authority of India. The total cost of these vehicles amounts to Rs16 crore, with each vehicle costing Rs4 crore.
Similar vehicles have been provided to the Mumbai and Delhi airports, while the remaining airports across the country will get them in the coming months.
According to airport officials, these vehicles arrived at the fire department on Wednesday. The vehicles have been made in Austria by a leading fire-fighter and rescue vehicle manufacturing company of the world, Rosenbauer, and supplied by its Indian partner, Bharatiya Vehicles and Engineering Ltd (BVEL).
These fire fighters are also called automatic transmission vehicles and have a number of modern features. According to the joint director of BVEL, Gaurav Bhartiya, these are the latest-generation vehicles fitted with modern equipment for fire-fighting and rescue operations at airports.
Each vehicle has a capacity to carry 10,000 litres of water and 1,300 litres of foam at a time, which is much more than that of the six old vehicles owned by the Ahmedabad airport as of now. The unique feature of these vehicles is that it can be be handled by just one driver.
23/07/09 Satish Jha/Daily News & Analysis

One held at airport for smuggling three primate species

Mumbai: One person has been arrested at the Mumbai Airport for allegedly smuggling three primate species into India, Customs' authorities said.
The accused, Thomas Ignatius Fernandes, who arrived from Bangkok by a Thai Airways flight, was arrested yesterday by the Air Intelligence sleuths after they found one live and two dead primate species in his possession, a release said.
22/07/09 Press Trust of India

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Government to rethink protocol after Kalam frisking

New Delhi: Was former president APJ Abdul Kalam frisked by an American airline because his name implied a particular religious identity or is India particularly generous to foreign dignitaries without other countries returning the favour?
Whatever the case, the government has promised a re-look at the "meet and greet" protocols at Indian airports for foreign dignitaries after MPs cutting across party lines protested the outrage to India's honour.
Civil aviation minister Praful Patel said he would be speaking to his external affairs counterpart SM Krishna to modify protocol rules. "Protocol rules are drawn after consulting the external affairs ministry. I will refer the matter to him," he said.
Taking serious note of the incident, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, "Why are our dignitaries mistreated every time they travel on another airline or to another country when we take cars up to the tarmac to pick them up and bypass all security checks?"
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury had another take on the matter. "Was he frisked because his name is Abdul Kalam? If so, this is a serious matter," he said.
Government sources, however, said the matter was of grave importance as Kalam had been frisked not on foreign soil but in India. "Then why should we roll out a red carpet for their dignitaries?" a senior minister said.
22/07/09 Nistula Hebbar/Daily News & Analysis

Continental Air Apologizes to India's Ex-President

New Delhi: Continental Airlines Inc. Wednesday apologized to India's former president, APJ Abdul Kalam, for frisking him before he boarded a flight to New York.
The apology comes a day after the country's Bureau of Civil Aviation Security filed a complaint with the local police against the Houston-based carrier for "wrongfully" frisking Mr. Kalam on April 21, in contravention to bureau rules that exempt specified VIPs from such body checks.
The bureau, which is part of the civil aviation ministry, is responsible for laying down standards of pre-embarkation security and antisabotage measures for all civilian flights in India.
The filing of the first information report by the bureau followed strong protests by lawmakers in the Parliament earlier Tuesday over the frisking of the former president.
Continental said in a statement that it has formally apologized to the former president for any "misunderstanding and/or inconvenience related to the security screening on April 21."
"Our intention was never to offend [Mr.] Kalam or the sentiments of the people of India," a spokesman for Continental said.
Separately, Praful Patel, the country's civil aviation minister, said he isn't aware of the apology tendered by Continental to Mr. Kalam.
"The steps that were required to be taken have been taken by BCAS (bureau of civil aviation security)," Mr. Patel told reporters on the sidelines of an industry conference. "This is entirely a legal process and the law will take its course."
Tuesday, Laurent Recoura, Continental's senior country director in charge of India said the frisking was done because it had to follow the rules of the Transportation Security Administration/U.S. Department of Homeland Security for all carriers flying to the U.S. from most of the countries and there isn't any exemption to the rule.
The police complaint was filed after Continental failed to respond to a show-cause notice issued by the bureau July 9, seeking an explanation within the stipulated seven days.
22/07/09 Santanu Choudhury/Nikhil Gulati/Dowjones/Wall Street Journal

Private airlines are advised on VIP movement: Patel

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today said that all airlines operating from Indian airports have been advised to ensure proper facilitation of VIPs upon timely intimation of their movement.
Asked whether there was any mechanism in Airport Authority of India (AAI) to ensure that protocol is strictly followed by private airlines for VIPs, he said that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) provides stipulated facilities to the VIPs such as reserved lounges and free access to terminals and visitors' galleries at the airports.
The private airlines are according advised regrading the VIP movement, Patel said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
21/07/09 Press Trust of India

Anil to invest in airports

Mumbai: Anil Ambani intends to invest in airports — and he isn’t fazed by the loss of the Mumbai and Delhi airports in a bidding war three years ago.
“We will keenly pursue the upcoming projects for international airports at Navi Mumbai, Pune and Goa,” Ambani told shareholders of Reliance Infrastructure here today.
He said the government wanted to modernise 35 non-metro airports, and it had opted for a public-private participation model for the purpose.
“Taking air travel to India’s remoter regions and rural hinterland will throw up the next big opportunity for growth in the aviation sector,” he said.
In 2006, Ambani was a serious contender for the modernisation of both the Delhi and Mumbai airports. He, however, lost out in the race to two consortia led by GMR and GVK, respectively.
The younger Ambani, however, sees good potential in the sector as there has been a sharp growth in air traffic in India in the past few years, and existing infrastructure at most airports is inadequate to deal with the surge in traffic.
21/07/09 The Telegraph

AAI to upgrade infra at 35 non-metro airports

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will complete the airport-side upgrade of 35 non-metro airports by the year-end.
“We will complete the airport-side upgrade of the 35 airports by the end of this year,” said a senior ministry official.
The official explained that every airport has two sides. One is the city side, which has parking space, hotel, restaurants and other amenities, while the airport side includes everything inside the airport.
The modernisation of the city-side development is part of the upgrade programme for the 35 non-metro airports in the country by 2010.
The authority is also planning to develop the city side of 24 airports, including Jaipur, Udaipur, Lucknow and Amritsar, on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.
“At airports where we have land, we will deve-lop the city side on the PPP basis,” the official added.
He said consultants were working on the PPP structure, to be used for these projects, and they would submit their report by the end of this month.
21/07/09 Mihir Mishra/Business Standard

NE MPs decry apathy in air services

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MPs hailing from the North-east today decried the apathy to air services in the Region, disputing claims by Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel that night landing facilities were available at Dibrugarh and Silchar airports. Two back-to-back questions in the Rajya Sabha on air services in the North-east led the MPs from Region to express their dismay at the air services. The MPs also demanded introduction of daily morning and evening flights between Guwahati and Delhi.
Replying to a question by Silvius Condpan, Patel claimed that night landing facilities were already available at Dibrugarh and Silchar airports.
However, Condpan countered this claim pointing out that it is a frequent experience of the air passengers to deplane at Guwahati, as airlines refuse to fly to these two destinations because of lack of night land landing facilities.
Meanwhile, replying to another question by Kumar Deepak Das, Patel said that there has been no cancellation or delayed flights for low visibility due to fog or dust storm at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport during the last two years, barring the period between March 4 to March 17.
21/07/09 Assam Tribune

Airports authority to cut wage bill by Rs 300 crore

Following in the footsteps of Air India, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to slash its wage bill by Rs 300 crore.
As part of its austerity measures, the government-owned airport operator has cut over-time payments; out-of pocket expenses, travel and hotel stay allowances to its personnel.
“The officials have been asked to travel by trains instead of airlines. Our hotel stay has been reduced. For employees, particularly deployed at the airports in services such as fire, the over-time money has been reduced,” said an AAI official, who did not wish to be named. AAI at present has 19,573 employees and it annual wage bill is about 1,087 crore. The paid allowances and other staff bills add another Rs 374 crore. The official said the idea was to save a large chunk of the Rs 374 crore.
Another official, who confirmed the cost cutting measures, said the organisation might also freeze appointment of new executive directors (EDs) and filling up vacancies at higher echelons. “They (AAI) need to control their wage cost. For this, they may do away with the system of having two-three EDs for the same departments. There will be no job cuts but they may reshuffle the staff from one department to another and may not hire new people,” said another official.
21/07/09 Parul Chhaparia/mydigitalfc.com

AAI proposes ADF on flights to non-metro destinations

Mumbai: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is proposing an Airport Development Fee (ADF) of Rs 300 on flights to domestic non-metro destinations and Rs 1,000 on international flights. According to a report in Economic Times by Mithun Roy, the proposal will be sent to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for approval next week and may come into effect from September 1, 2009. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) in a statement has opposed the fee.
Initially, the ADF will be imposed on passengers flying to 12 airports, according to the proposal. Some of the destinations earmarked among those selected for the Fee include: Ahmedabad, Mangalore, Udaipur, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram. In the second phase, ADF will cover another 23 non-metro airports. The Fee will be charged for ten-15 years and will be put into an Escrow account.
21/07/09 TravelBizMonitor

Airport misery for passengers

Air India passengers were left stranded for more than an hour last night after their flight was temporarily refused permission to land in Bahrain, the GDN has learnt.
Bahrain International Airport (BIA) officials informed Air India representatives that the IC997 flight from Calicut to Bahrain, via Doha, would not be able to land on its allotted time due to a lack of parking space.
The scheduled flight was due to take off from Doha at 5.40pm and arrive at 6.20pm, but as the plane taxied down the runway, officials revealed there was no landing space for the plane at the BIA.
The passengers on-board - believed to be around 20 - had to wait more than an hour before finally arriving in Bahrain at around 7.30pm.
Air India's country manager for Bahrain Meenakshi Mallik told the GDN last night that the situation at the BIA was totally unheard of.
"It is unimaginable and we have informed BIA authorities that if this continues, we will have to reconsider whether Air India wants to fly to the BIA," she declared.
22/07/09 Daniel Munden/Gulf Daily News, Bahrain

AAI asks for its dues from AI

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has again asked National Aviation Company, which runs Air India (AI), to clear its dues of over Rs 600 crore. The authority charges airlines for using airports maintained by them. Barring New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, all others airports in the country are maintained by AAI.
“Yes, we have asked Air India to clear our dues, which is over Rs 600 crore,” said a senior AAI official.
The official added, “We were hopeful that AI would pay our dues after it receives equity infusion from the government.”
There were reports that Fraport AG, the management of Frankfurt airport, had demanded bank guarantees for continuation of services to AI.
As on March 31, 2009, Kingfisher Airlines owes Rs 181.43 crore, Go Air (Rs 8.18 crore), IndiGo (Rs 5.17 crore), Jet Airways (Rs 22.08 crore), Jet Lite (Rs 11.41 crore), Paramount Airways (Rs 12.22 crore) and SpiceJet (Rs 13.85 crore).
In case any airline fails to pay the dues to AAI, the authority levies interest for the overdue period on the defaulting airlines.
21/07/09 Business Standard

Less taxiing time when new terminal is ready in Delhi: Patel

New Delhi: The time taken by an aircraft to taxi from runway to terminal at Delhi airport will be considerably reduced once the new terminal is operationalised in April 2010, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel informed the Rajya Sabha today.
Replying to questions, Patel said air traffic congestion at Delhi airport will come down once operation of domestic and international flights shifts to the new terminal from April 2010.
The operationalising of the new terminal would also cut down the long distance an aircraft has to travel from the new runway to the old terminals, he said.
Patel said operation at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Borjhar at Guwahati is maintained as per standards laid down by International Civil Aviation Organisation and licensed by Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
The airport has all facilities including customs and immigration for operating international flights but it is up to the airlines whether they fly from Guwahati airport or not, he said.
21/07/09 Press Trust of India/Business Standard

Faster baggage clearance at Lohegaon airport

Pune: Lohegaon Airport authorities pressed two imported conveyor belts into service at its new terminal on Wednesday, which has cut baggage clearance time from 20 minutes to seven.
The Airport Director, Capt S K Mahajan informed MiD DAY, "The trial run on Wednesday was smooth. The commuters were delighted with the new terminal, which has more open space than the over-crowded terminal."
The new arrival terminal will mostly serve domestic flights. It will be some time before the terminal receives passengers from international flights too.
Airport authorities informed MiD DAY that it would be another fortnight before the new terminal is opened to international passengers.
"While the domestic passengers are already using the new state of the art terminal, which has features like imported conveyor belts, escalators, elevators, restaurants and duty-free shops, international passengers will have to wait a little longer," he added.
21/07/09 Aanchal Kurmi/MiD DAY

Overall Passenger Traffic at Bajpe Airport Falls

Mangalore: There has been a marginal decline in overall passenger traffic at the Mangalore airport in the first half of this year vis-À-vis the corresponding period last year.
International traffic at the airport, which is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), went up during the period, contrary to the general perception that the global economic meltdown might have affected it. But there was decline in domestic traffic during the first six months of this year.
Sources in the airport at Bajpe told The Hindu that the decline in domestic passenger traffic might be due to the hike in air fares and shifting of domestic flight operations from HAL Airport to Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli in Bangalore from May 24, 2008. Considering the commuting time between Bangalore city and the new airport, many domestic passengers preferred other modes of transport between the two cities, the sources said.
Overall passenger traffic at the Mangalore airport decreased by 0.39 per cent during the first six months of this year. The number of passengers arriving in and departing from Mangalore airport was 3,63,917 last year. It came down to 3,62,480 this year.
Statistics show that the number of international passengers arriving in and departing from the airport went up from 86,921 last year to 1.15 lakh this year. Domestic passenger traffic came down from from 2.76 lakh to 2.47 lakh. Sources said that the airport witnessed a steady growth in annual passenger traffic between 2002 and 2008. It was 2.02 lakh in 2002, 2.03 lakh in 2003, 2.64 lakh in 2004, 2.77 lakh in 2005, 4.52 lakh in 2006, 4.8 lakh in 2007 and 7.07 lakh in 2008.
Aircraft movements (arrivals and departures) too came down from 6,156 in the first half of last year to 5,630 this year, the sources added.
22/07/09 Raviprasad Kamila/The Hindu/Daijiworld

Mumbai airport’s traffic control tower design bags award

Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport’s proposed air traffic control (ATC) tower design has bagged a prestigious international award, an airport spokesman said here Tuesday.
Designed by HOK International, the tower design has been conferred ‘Autodesk Hong Kong Building Information Modeling (BIM) Award-2009'.
The award is organised by the Hong Kong-based Autodesk Far East Ltd to recognise innovations in the building industry.
The award also recognised Mumbai International Airport Ltd’s (MIAL) modernisation efforts to upgrade aeronautical related facilities at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA).
The 83-metre tall tower will be built over 1,200 square metres in the forecourt of the domestic terminals in Santacruz.
It will be operational by 2011, the spokesman said.
21/07/09 IANS/Thaindian.com, Thailand

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Kalam issue: Continental Airlines served show cause notice

New Delhi : Taking a serious note of the "unpardonable" act of frisking of former President A P J Abdul Kalam at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, government has slapped a show cause notice to the US-based Continental Airlines for violating guidelines.
"Not only the preliminary inquiry has been ordered but we also have a preliminary report on the basis of which the Continental Airlines has been issued a show cause notice why action for wilful violation should not be taken," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Mr. Kalam was frisked by the Airlines at the embarkation point some time back when he was going to the US.
21/07/09 PTI/The Hindu

Praful says Kalam frisking will be probed

New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation minister for State (Independent charge) Praful Patel today has said that a probe into conducted in the alleged mesbehavior by an American Airlines' officials with former President APJ Kalam when he reached IGI to catch a New York bound flight.
"Whatever is needed, the government will do. I have just been told about this issue. If anybody is found wrong, they will have to tender an apology," Patel told reporters.
The former president was reportedly subjected to a full body check and even asked to remove his footwear as he waited on the aerobridge of the Newark-bound flight at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) recently.
21/07/09 Sudhir Kumar/SamayLive

Dr Abdul Kalam frisked at Delhi airport

In what is seen as a clear violation of protocol, former President APJ Abdul Kalam was treated as a commoner as he was frisked by the ground staff of Continental Airlines at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) on April 24, 2009 at the insistence of the company's American boss. The former President was on his way to Newark on Continental Airlines Flight CO 083.
Kalam was reportedly forced to wait on the aerobridge even as the airlines security personnel debated whether to put him under the security scanner or not. Kalam was asked to surrender before the security officials for a complete body check and remove his footwear as well.
However, the Continental Airlines defended the same saying that it was a regular security check as the policy of the company is to frisk everyone. They also went on to add that there is no special rule for VIP or VVIP's.
In fact, Kalam was cooperative and underwent the entire process which happened over a month ago," said the Public Relation Officer of Continental Airlines.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said, "We will ask for correction action from the airlines and in case they are proven wrong, we will ask them to tender and apology."
Any airline operating in India is given a set of guidelines, which includes the point that our presidents and former presidents are on the VIP list and are exempted from security checks-let alone frisking.
21/07/09 Times of India

Airport fee will add to your travel bills

Mumbai: Airfares are set to rise again, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) proposing an Airport Development Fee (ADF) of Rs 300 on flights to domestic non-metro destinations and Rs 1,000 ($20) on international flights. The proposal will be sent to the civil aviation ministry for approval next week, and may come into effect from September 1 this year, said an AAI official, who did not wish to be named.
The International Air Transport Association has said in a statement they have opposed the fee.
To begin with, ADF will be imposed on passengers flying to 12 airports, according to the proposal. Among the destinations earmarked for the fee are Ahmedabad, Mangalore, Udaipur, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram. In the second phase, ADF will cover another 23 non-metro airports. It will be charged for 10-15 years and will be put into an escrow account, said the official.
An escrow is maintained by a third party, which makes sure funds will be disbursed only after pre-agreed conditions have been fulfiled.
AAI will earn Rs 700-800 crore from ADF, which will be used for development and upgradation of non-metro airports. It will also finance its airport modernisation programme, which is under way across the country. AAI has earmarked Rs 3,000 crore for undertaking developmental projects across various airports during 2009-2010.
21/07/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times

Finally, AC for steel city airport

Jamshedpur: Jamshedpur’s airport is in for a much-needed facelift with Tata Steel, its owners, having decided to spend at least Rs 6 crore to upgrade passenger facilities, including air-conditioning of the terminal building.
The need for a revamp was felt after two private airlines, Kingfisher and MDLR, began services from the steel city.
“There is a need to renovate the airport as private operators have started commercial flights linking the city with other parts of the country,” said Prabhat Sharma, the head of corporate affairs, Tata Steel.
“Renovation was also necessary for passenger comfort. Once work is complete, we hope passengers will have a better travel experience,” he added.
On any given day, Jamshedpur airport sees as many as five flights. While Kingfisher Airlines operates two daily flights (morning and evening) between Jamshedpur and Calcutta, MDLR Airlines operates one morning flight between Jamshedpur and New Delhi via Ranchi (except Sundays).
This apart, there are usually at least two chartered flights of Tata Steel daily. Passengers travelling in and out of Jamshedpur have often complained about the lack of air-conditioning in the terminal building that is woefully small with inadequate passenger amenities. The two baggage X-ray machines are frequently on the blink.
Sharma said the renovation would include new floor tiles and a false ceiling for effective air-conditioning. “The two X-ray machines will be replaced which is important from the security point of view. Check-in facilities will also improve considerably,” he added.
An airport official said though there were no plans to expand the working area of the commercial building, some other technological upgrades were being studied and if found necessary, would be implemented in due course.
20/07/09 Antara Bose/The Telegraph

Jackal on runway

Calcutta: A Mumbai-Calcutta Air India flight was forced to hover in the city sky for 15 minutes on Monday after the air traffic control (ATC) at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport warned the pilot of a jackal straying on the runway.
Airport officials said that at 9am, the pilot of a Bangalore-Calcutta IndiGo flight that had just landed spotted the animal and informed the ATC.
ATC officials passed on the message to the Air India pilot and instructed him to hover for 15 minutes. “The flight landed at 9.15am after the jackal was shooed away,” said an airport official.
The airport official said a team from the forest department had visited the area around the airport last year to conduct a survey and relocate the animals.
“A survey was conducted but nothing was done after that,” said the official.
21/07/09 The Telegraph

Runway switch to reduce taxiing time at Delhi airport

New Delhi: India’s civil aviation ministry and aviation regulator are working with Delhi International Airport Pvt. Ltd, or DIAL, the operator of the Capital’s airport, to reduce taxiing delays by shuffling the use of runways by airlines starting late August.
Several passengers have complained of having to sit in taxiing planes for at least 20 minutes after touchdown on a new runway at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Planes often have to taxi up to 9km from the runway to the domestic departure terminal. Airlines complained of burning extra fuel while taxiing on the ground.
The key change being planned is that, of the three runways at IGI airport, two old ones will be likely reserved for use by all domestic flights. Since these runways—27 and 28—are close to the departure terminal, planes will spend less time taxiing.
Only when the two runways cannot handle such operations—for instance, because of weather conditions—will airlines be allowed to use the new runway (Runway 29).
“We will use (Runway) 28 primarily and when not possible because of winds, (Runway) 29 will be used. Trials are on from today,” a civil aviation ministry official, who asked not to be named, said on Monday. According to this plan, the new runway will be used for international flights as also Runway 28.
20/07/09 Tarun Shukla/Livemint

Raytheon Selected to Deliver GPS-Aided Indian Air Navigation System

Washington: The Indian Space Research Organization has awarded an $82 million contract to Raytheon Company to modernize the Indian air navigation system.
Raytheon will build the ground stations for the GPS-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation System, and ISRO will provide the space segment and additional ground equipment. GAGAN will provide satellite-based navigation for civil aviation over Indian airspace and adjoining areas in South and East Asia.
"GAGAN will be the world's most advanced air navigation system and further reinforces India's leadership in the forefront of air navigation," said Andy Zogg, Raytheon Network Centric Systems vice president of Command and Control Systems. "GAGAN will greatly improve safety, reduce congestion and enhance communications to meet India's growing air traffic management needs."
Raytheon plays a major role in designing innovative solutions for air traffic management. The company offers a broad range of automation and surveillance systems in use today in more than 50 countries around the world. GAGAN will be the newest addition to the ATM portfolio.
Raytheon is the only company that has delivered satellite-based augmentation systems that have been certified for safety-of-flight operations. The company developed the Federal Aviation Administration's Wide Area Augmentation System and was engaged in the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau's Multi-Function Transport Satellite Augmentation System.
Raytheon will continue the work it began several years ago and expects to have the GAGAN system fully functional by 2013.
20/07/09 PRNewswire

Monday, July 20, 2009

Pilots fear rain effect, feel planes skid on runways

Mumbai Besides causing departure and arrival delays, heavy downpour at Mumbai airport has also resulted in anxiety among pilots. They say they can feel the aircraft skidding while approaching the intersetcing runways of the airport. Speaking to Newsline, many pilots said the condition of runways after heavy showers is such that you could feel the aircraft skidding on the runway after touchdown.
“The runways are extremely slippery after rains and if you sit inside the cockpit you will feel the aircraft skidding and it becomes very difficult to control it,” said a senior pilot from Jet Airways.
“A critical safety concern at airports is the runway surface condition. Water and rubber deposits can make the runway slippery, causing loss of control during braking. It also makes surface movements hazardous,” states the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Research & Development branch on runway safety.
The fact that Mumbai’s cross-runways are considered sub-standard by many airlines and pilots is well known. “A critical point is the fact that there is little awareness on the issue and only the pilots face the brunt,” said an Air India pilot. “After touchdown, till the aircraft comes to almost a standstill, we use only automatic brakes or else the plane would easily overshoot the runway,” he added.
But senior MIAL officials, on condition of anonymity, bluntly say that there was hardly any proper upkeep of the airport’s runways under the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
MIAL is presently undertaking a major overhauling work of the airport’s secondary runway — the 9,596 feet long runway which, officials say, is often waterlogged at its end. Also, according to the spokesperson, major reconstruction of the airport’s main runway is also in the pipeline, although the exact dates are still to be worked out.
20/07/09 Shashank Shekhar /Indian Express

Delhi fifth worst airport to sleep in, Mumbai seventh

From flea infestations to filthy toilets, overzealous security guards and bird poo, travellers have revealed the world's top 10 worst airports to sleep in.
Website www.sleepinginairports.net has given travellers a voice, allowing them to review the best and worst airports around the world for travellers needing some shut-eye.
While Paris’s Charles de Gualle was voted the worst airport to sleep in, airports in Europe, the US and India were also mentioned.
The website has received more than 6200 reviews and was created by frequent traveller Donna McSherry, a former travel agent from Canada.
1. Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris
Slammed by travellers as the dirtiest airport in the world and "worse than a Third World airport", Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport is reportedly smelly, hot, full of homeless people, lacks comfortable seating and is prone to losing luggage.
"I could not believe the filth from hell, the bathrooms were worse than some I have seen in Africa! Smell of Urines all over the floor, faeces on the walls, toilet papers all over the place and rude workers," Baron Kodjo said.
"All the terminals were full of homeless people who smelled bad and touched themselves in inappropriate places," Briggew said.
2. Sheremetyevo Airport, Russia
This airport has been described as a dark, dirty cave with limited and uncomfortable seating, long lines, unhelpful staff and expensive food. One traveller dubbed it “hell on earth”.
“(My wife) moved from her bench after a woman nearby vomited. Several hours later my wife passed the spot and the vomit had not been cleaned," Gibby said.
3. JFK Airport, New York City
Travellers found this airport overcrowded, dirty and uncomfortable.
"JFK was probably the most confusing and filthy airport terminal I have ever been in," Amy said.
4. Los Angeles Airport
Reviewers said Los Angeles Airport has dirty bathrooms, metal benches, is cold, and there are frequent and loud announcements.
"At 1am a security guard woke me and told me I had to leave because the 'airport was closed'," Savvy said.
5. Delhi Airport
This airport has been described as being full of mosquitoes and birds, filthy, crowded, has poor signage and frequent announcements that increase at night.
"Had to change in the toilet which made the one in Trainspotting look like the Ritz," Moray said.
"It was dirty, with all pervasive smell of sweet over powering phenyl which they use for disinfecting. The departure lounge has this odour mixed with that of cigarettes," Amit Mathur said.
6. O’Hare airport, Chicago
Sleepy travellers have been warned away from this “dirty” and noisy Chicago airport.
"I believe it would be easier to sleep in the engine of a plane than to sleep in this place," Derek Blice said.
7. Mumbai Airport
A lack of food and shops open at night, “beyond disgusting” toilets, and poor air conditioning turns travellers off this airport.
"The heat and smell was ominous as soon as I left the plane," Amanda Hillis said.
“There is nothing to do at the Mumbai airport. There are no shops in the main part of the terminal. Chilled (sweated, actually) on a chair for about 10 hours...the seating area was rather dirty,” Laura P said.
8. Manila Airport
If visiting this “chaotic” airport be prepared for people wanting bribes, tourists warn.
"Everywhere everyone asks for bribes. Never offer them anything. Act as if you do not know what they are saying and just walk past them," Native Filipino said.
9. Rome Airport, Fiumicino
Frequent announcements, bird poo and the tendency to be kicked out at night have turned travellers off this airport.
"Birds live in the ceiling so look out for falling bird crap and bird crap on the seats,” TH said.
10. Heathrow Airport, London
Several travellers complained about flea infestations as well as smelly carpets, confusing signs, a general dirtiness and lack of places to lie down.
"My god... I would sooner eat my own face than sleep here again. I was contemplating suicide at 3.30am," one traveller said.
Worst airports by region
South Pacific/Oceania: Tonga
Asia: Delhi, India
Africa: Abuja, Nigeria
20/07/09 Kate Schneide6/News.com, Australia
Middle East: Sanaa, Yemen
South America: Buenos Aires Aeroparque, Argentina
North America: Los Angeles, USA
Europe: Paris Charles de Gaulle, France
20/07/09 News.com, Australia

Rel Infra may bag small airport deals

Mumbai: Reliance Infrastructure, part of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, is learnt to have emerged as the highest bidder to develop and operate small airports at Nanded, Latur, Yavatmal, Baramati and Osmanabad in Maharashtra, a state government official said. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), the nodal agency for the project, is expected to award the contract this week, if not Monday, he added.
If Reliance Infra wins the bid, it will mark R-ADAG’s entry into the country’s fledging airport development space. The group had made an abortive attempt to win the contract for the modernisation of Delhi airport three years ago.
The scope of the contract for these five airports includes design, develop, finance, operate, maintain and manage for 95 years. The other bidders are learnt to be GVK, Lanco Infratech, Maytas Infrastructure and Essel Infraprojects.
However, this could not be independently verified with these firms. When contacted by ET, Reliance Infrastructure spokesperson declined to comment on this. The five airports will initially be used for cargo handling before being turned into full-fledged commercial ones. They will also house aviation academies. Mumbai-based Darashaw is the consultant for the project.
An analyst said the opportunity in the airport infrastructure space was huge as Indian airports were estimated to handle 100 million passengers and 3.4 million tonne of cargo every year beginning 2020.
20/07/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times

Lufthansa seeks nod to fly in A-380

New Delhi: Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. German airline Lufthansa is adopting this strategy for its India plans. While it will seek permission to fly in the world’s largest commercial airliner, Airbus A-380, into Delhi, the airline has sharply reduced business seats in the Boeing 747s flying here. In wake of corporate travellers giving up business class for cost-cutting reasons, the number of economy seats has been increased in the biggest plane in its fleet at present, the Boeing 747.
Lufthansa has ordered 15 of the world’s biggest commercial airliner that would start joining its fleet from early next year. “We need two things — government clearance under bilateral agreement to fly this plane and an airport that’s ready for it. Delhi is an interesting destinations for this aircraft to be deployed in. Once we have the clearance and Delhi airport terminal can receive this plane, our planning team will decide when to get the same here,” said Axel Hilgers, Lufthansa’s director (south Asia). The superjumbo is likely to be used for commercial purposes next summer.
12/07/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

Pvt airport firms form lobby to take up common issues

New Delhi: Five private airport operators, controlling 61% of the country’s passenger traffic, have joined hands to form a new association to lobby on common issues that they face as air traffic expands in the country.
The new industry lobby’s formation comes just ahead of a new airport regulator, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority, or Aera, becoming fully functional next month. A domestic airline grouping, Federation of India Airlines, has been in existence since 2006.
Joint effort: Delhi International Airport Ltd, which runs the Indira Gandhi International Airport, is one of the body’s five members. Madhu Kapparath / Mint
Joint effort: Delhi International Airport Ltd, which runs the Indira Gandhi International Airport, is one of the body’s five members. Madhu Kapparath / Mint
The Association of Private Airport Operators, or Apao, has been registered under the Societies Registration Act and is in the process of appointing staff.
“The purpose of the association is to support the activities and bring synergies between private sector, the government and the airlines to grow the aeronautics industry in India,” said C.G. Krishnadas Nair, managing director of Cochin International Airport Ltd, or Cial, India’s first private sector airport.
Apao members include Delhi International Airport Ltd and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, both controlled by GMR Infrastructure Ltd; GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd-run Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd, which makes for the country’s single largest airport with 22% of passenger traffic; Siemens Project Ventures GmbH-led Bangalore International Airport Ltd (6%) and Cial (3%). The GMR airports together account for 27% of passenger traffic in the country.
19/07/09 Tarun Shukla/Livemint