Recent radar malfunction paints a worrisome picture for air traffic

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set up an investigation into the instance of the radar control and monitoring system in Andheri malfunctioning a few days ago.
During the evening peak hours on June 20, the system, set up at the ATS complex in Andheri (East), began buzzing with numerous desperate calls from air traffic controllers, complaining about software malfunction. The controllers were worried that if the problem was not fixed immediately, it would have a cascading effect on the air traffic in the region. The situation was rectified after an hour of hectic efforts as there were just two CNS officials on shift, one of whom had to compulsorily sit at the monitoring station.
Around 50 flight movements on an average take place during the peak hours at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), which is considered among the busiest airports in Asia.
A senior CNS official said, " We were fortunate that there were two officials on duty that day. On most days, we have just one." Generally, at least three CNS officials are required per shift.
30/06/15 Shahkar Abidi/Daily News & Analysis

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Jewar airport is not about politics, says Mahesh Sharma

New Delhi: Many see Union Cabinet approval's for a second airport in the National Capital Region at Jewar, about 100 km from New Delhi, as the BJP's political strategy in Uttar Pradesh ahead of next assembly elections and some call it a political victory for Civil Aviation Minister Mahesh Sharma.
However, Sharma plays down the political buzz around Jewar airport saying, "It's a long pending demand addressed in nick of time. At times politics is not everything."
Speaking to Mail Today, Sharma, who is an MP from Gautam Budh Nagar, said, "I am a public servant working in the larger interest of the national civil aviation sector and the consumers linked to it. There is nothing like political victory or defeat in such public-centric infrastructure projects. It has been a long pending demand and how long eight crore population in the NCR will have to depend on one airport in New Delhi, which three-four hour drive away."


The proposed airport at Jewar near Greater Noida will cut down travel time to only international and domestic airports in New Delhi by almost two to four hours for those coming from as far as Greater Noida, Mathura, Aligarh, Agra and Alwar. But it is not as easy as said. The Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government may not let the BJP have it easy.
30/06/15 Maneesh Pandey/India Today

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Ladakh: Bikers’ paradise to lose air connectivity?

Ladakh, one of the buzzing travel hubs in India that invites a huge number of visitors from across the globe, might face a drop in its tourist foot-fall soon. A recent report appeared in Economic Times suggests that the Union of Air India (domestic) pilot has asked its members not to operate flights to Leh, the only air connectivity resource to Ladakh.

Indian carriers that fly to Leh, one of the highest altitude airports in India, include Air India, Jet Airways and GoAir. The move by The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) came after a private airline complained against AI and other airliners for landing in Leh without meeting the minimum visibility norms.

A senior pilot, on condition of anonymity, said, "Flights to Leh almost never meet all the safety requirements as set by the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) and this is one of the worst kept secrets of Indian aviation. Still all pilots risk their licenses to fly there as flights are the only fast way of connecting Ladakh to rest of India and in winters the only link with the country as highways are closed. There are instances when a sick patient has to be flown out of Leh or critical supplies are required to be flown in there."
29/06/15 Business Insider

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Restoration of stream begins at Aranmula

Pathanamthitta: For the first time in its history, Kerala is witnessing the restoration of an illegally converted natural stream as well as a hill that had been razed

A sizeable portion of the natural stream, Karimaramthodu, cutting across the Aranmula Puncha (paddy fields) had been converted by a private party to set up an airport there 10 years ago. The land owned by Abraham Kalamannil of the Mount Zion Trust was sold to the Chennai-based KGS company for setting up an international airport later..

However, the controversy over the proposed private greenfield airport hotted up following strong public protests against the airport project which required conversion of the biodiversity-rich wetland and paddy land in Aranmula.

The National Green Tribunal had set aside the environment clearance granted for the project by the Ministry of Environment and Forests a year ago, followed by the cancellation of clearances by the Union Ministries of Civil Aviation and Defence.
30/06/15 Radhakrishnan Kuttoor/The Hindu

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AAI corporatisation likely to be delayed

New Delhi: The long-awaited measure of corporatising and listing the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on the bourses is unlikely to be completed by the end of the current financial year as planned by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).
A senior official in the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said, “We have to hive off air navigation services (ANS), form a company, get it rated and then go for listing. All this will take at least three years, if not longer.”
Earlier this year, AAI kicked off the divestment process and subsequent listing on the bourses by hiring SBI Caps to guide them through the process. However, AAI insiders point out that the biggest hurdle that has emerged in corporatising AAI is its huge land bank. AAI has 58,000 acres of land dotting the country.
30/06/15 Sharmistha Mukherjee/Indian Express

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Proposed 2nd NCR airport lands in controversy before take off

New Delhi: The proposal for a second airport in the National Capital Region (NCR) has landed in a controversy over Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma having cleared the project and not the Cabinet Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

Questions are now being asked as to whether such an important decision can be taken by a junior minister at all, official sources said today.

"Such a proposal has to be cleared by the Cabinet Minister as he is the overall in-charge of the ministry. However, the junior minister cleared the proposal in the absence of Cabinet Minister. So, the decision is bound to come under question," sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A top ministry source, however, said he was not aware of any explanation having been sought from Sharma.
30/06/15 PTI/Deccan Herald

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Transfer of officials might cripple CIAL’s emigration wing

Kochi: Notwithstanding reports about 17 per cent shortage of staff at the emigration wing here, the State home department is going ahead with a plan to transfer 23 police personnel deployed at the emigration wing of the Cochin International Airport Limited to their parent units.

Emigration officials at the airport here have confirmed the receipt of an order in this direction from the State home department. The move assumes significance in the wake of the recent arrests of a couple of policemen at the emigration wing here for their alleged involvement in gold smuggling.

“The proposal is to transfer those officials who have completed their deputation period in December last and are now operating on a work arrangement,” officials said, while insisting that the step had nothing to do with the recent arrest of two policemen.

However, no steps have been made so far to replace the outgoing officials. The total staff strength at the emigration wing here is around 220 officials, who operate in four shifts.
30/06/15 Hiran Unnikrishnan/The Hindu

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CPI(M) to take out march to Karipur airport on July 2

Kozhikode: The district unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has alleged that “vested interest groups” are acting behind the Airport Authority of India’s decision to partially close down the Calicut International Airport for repairing and carpeting works starting from this June.

Announcing that the party will lead a mass protest march to the airport on July 2 against the “clandestine efforts” to slowly obliterate the airport by truncating its services, CPI(M) district secretary P. Mohanan in a press conference here on Monday said the authorities were more interested in closing down the airport than finishing the repairing works with minimal effect to the services.

Explaining the far-reaching implications of a partial closure of services of wide-bodied aircrafts from the airport, Mr. Mohanan said the decision would affect the interest of the traders as well as the expatriate community from the region in a big way.
30/06/15 The Hindu

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Old Airport Officials Urged to Relax Rules

Hyderabad: Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) officials may soon write to the old airport officials to relax the rules for issuing permissions for constructing houses at Mahendra Hills, which falls under the SCB limits.

As Mahindra Hills is located perpendicular to the old airport’s runway, there are certain restrictions in getting approvals for any kind of construction in that area, due to which the residents have been facing problems.

Even for constructing up to the first floor, prior permission has to be taken from not just the SCB but also from the airport officials. Even for minor constructions, residents have to obtain permission from the airport officials and it takes months sometimes for these permissions to come through. This creates an inordinate delay in the construction works, said J Ramakrishna Ward Five member of the SCB.

As the airport has been shifted now and only a limited number of flights are being operated from here, we want the rules to be relaxed now, explained J Ramakrishna. Residents of Mahendra Hills have made a representation to the SCB for taking steps to relax the rules for issuing permissions for any new construction work.
29/06/15 New Indian Express

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Mumbai: Sexually harassed airport staffer lodges FIR against senior

Despite a case being registered against the senior security manager of the MIAL-GVK at the international airport by his junior on June 18, officials from Sahar police station are yet to arrest Lalsingh Bhandari (38). In her complaint, the 32-year-old woman accused Bhandari of subjecting her to mental and sexual harassment for the last one year.
Speaking to mid-day the complainant said, “It started a year ago, after I committed a small error while on duty. He summoned me to his cabin, claiming he wanted to talk about it. However, he started leching at me the moment I entered and even tried to touch me. Though it went on for a while, I ignored his behaviour thinking that it would end soon. But one day he crossed his limits.
Since my ex-husband used to work for the same company in the night shift, he (Bhandari) asked me how do I spend my nights in his absence.” The woman also accused Bhandari of insulting her following a miscarriage.
The day I resumed work after suffering a miscarriage, Bhandari summoned me to his cabin. Instead of offering his sympathies, he said that a woman like me wasn’t fit to bear a Punjabi child because they are naturally healthy.”
“One day, he called me to his cabin and asked ‘now how will you take care of your sex life?’ His remark shook me to the core. If this wasn’t enough, a few days later he groped me in his cabin while we were discussing my appraisal. When I got up from my seat to leave the cabin, he forced me back on the chair.
30/06/15 Saurabh Vaktania/Mid Day

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Air India Flight Delayed by Chief Minister Fadnavis' Aide

Mumbai: At a time when India's repeatedly expressing its frustration with VIP culture, politicians and their aides appear to remain in thrall to special treatment. On Monday morning, an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on board, was delayed by nearly an hour on account of a member of his entourage, sources said.

Sources said the politician's aide, Praveen Pardeshi, arrived at the airport with an outdated passport. Passengers were then forced to wait for over 50 minutes while the bureaucrat's new passport was delivered to him, said sources.

The Chief Minister is on an official trip to the US. Mr Pardeshi is a member of his delegation.

Air India, however, has denied that the delay was due to the boarding pass episode.
30/06/15  Saurabh Gupta/Aashna Harjani/NDTV

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AP takes to land pooling for Gannavaram airport expansion

Hyderabad: The Capital Region Development Authority and the Krishna District administration have been empowered with the task of pooling land for the expansion of the Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada.

The airport located about 18 km from Vijayawada is proposed to be upgraded to an international airport.

The State Ministry of Municipal Administration and Urban Development has made CRDA a coordinating agency for land pooling as it had been entrusted with similar task for land pooling for the construction of a new capital city of Amaravati.

The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act was enacted in 2014 December for the purpose of planning, execution, financing and promoting the capital region and capital area for Andhra Pradesh.
30/06/15 V Rishi Kumar/Business Line

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Delhi airport expansion plan may be delayed by four years

New Delhi: : Delhi airport may have to face a delay in getting a new terminal building and a fourth runway, with the plan likely to be deferred to 2021 from 2017 owing to losses and underutilisation of the existing capacity.

If this happens, it will lead to a delay in the plan to build a capacity of 100 million passengers per annum at the airport from the current capacity of 62 million.

Officials said the plan for a new terminal building and fourth runway is likely to be deferred because the existing demand is just 40.9 million passengers per annum.
30/06/15 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

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7 more airports to be declared as entry points for e-visas

Centre will soon declare seven more airports as entry points along with the existing nine where citizens from eligible countries can land with an e-tourist visa.
The move comes in the wake of PM's promise to roll out e-tourist visa facility to Chinese nationals along with citizens of 31 more countries soon.
Airports that will be declared as the entry points include Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi, his home state Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Amritsar, Gaya, Lucknow and Trichy.
30/06/15 iamin.in

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Review meet held on proposed airport

Visakhapatnam: Surveys are being conducted by three teams for acquisition of 5,040 acres of land for the proposed new Visakhapatnam International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district.

Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao held a review meeting here in this regard on Monday.

The Minister sought information from officials about the status of land acquisition. The officials informed that two plans had been made for land acquisition. The three teams would be headed by Deputy Collectors.
30/06/15 The Hindu

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Two held at IGI with live ammunition

New Delhi:  Two persons have been arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport in separate cases of carrying live ammunition. A passenger from Delhi, Naushar Ali, who was scheduled to board an Air India flight AI-803 from Delhi to Bangalore on Monday morning, was caught by security officials carrying ten live cartridges in his hand baggage. "Around 4.20am, a passenger was found carrying ten live cartridges of .32 calibre, which were detected when his handbag was screened. The passenger failed to produce any legal documents or licence for the ammunition," an official said.
30/06/15 Times of India

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Panel to examine PPP of Kolkata, Chennai airports

The government's move to hand over Kolkata and Chennai airports to private companies on long-term lease has come under scrutiny of a parliamentary panel of law-makers.

The parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture would take up the issue on Monday and seek reasons of privatising services at the two airports even as state-run Airport Authority of India (AAI) has started a two-stage bidding process for the projects.

"Besides privatisation of Chennai and Kolkata airports, the violent incident at Kozhikode airport in Kerala is also on the agenda of the meeting," official sources said.

Aviation ministry officials led by newly appointed aviation secretary RN Choubey would brief the panel on the issues. A section of AAI employees have opposed the government's decision to take up airport projects on PPP as AAI has already invested about Rs 5,000 crore in upgrading infrastructure at these key airports as part of its modernisation programme.
28/06/15 Nirbhay Kumar/mydigitalfc.com

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GMR group begins construction of Philippines airport

Mumbai: GMR group has commenced the construction of Mactan-Cebu International Airport's second terminal, the Bengaluru based infrastructure company announced today. The terminal will be complete by 2018.

The project is being executed by GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), a joint venture between GMR Infrastructure and Megawide Construction Corp. of Philippines. The ground breaking ceremony was held today.

GMR Infra JV won the contract to expand and modernize Mactan-Cebu airport in Philippines on BOT basis for 25 years. GMR Infra is the designated operator for the airport and the company officially took over the responsibility of operations of the airport last November.

Srinivas Bommidala, chairman of airports business, GMR group said, “Given our impressive record of building Delhi airport and Istanbul airports in record time, we are confident that we will open T2 to passengers by mid-2018”.
29/06/15 Business Standard

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Strict hand baggage rules in UAE for Air India passengers

Dubai: India's national carrier Air India and its budget airline will restrict the weight of hand luggage carried by passengers from the UAE from July 1.

The free allowance for hand luggage will be strictly restricted to 8kg for Air India and 7kg for its budget airline Air India Express inclusive of duty free items.

Also, the carry-on bags will be weighed at the gates before passengers board the flights, a senior airline official was quoted as saying by The Khaleej Times.

"If the baggage weighs more than the free allowance, a fee of 60 Dirhams (USD 16) per excess kilo would be charged at the gate," said Prem Sagar, manager of Air India and Air India Express in Dubai and Sharjah.

This is introduced at the peak time of summer travel from the UAE, Sagar said most other airlines flying to India have already been charging excess carry-on baggage at the gates.
29/06/15 PTI/Deccan Herald

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Civil aviation ministry opposes plan to reopen Bangalore's-HAL airport

It’s a move that would be greeted with much glee by harried Bangaloreans, but commercial considerations are understood to have forced the civil aviation ministry to oppose the reopening of the city’s old airport at HAL.
The airport in Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd was shut down in 2008 when the GVK-group’s Bangalore International Airport Ltd became operational about 1.5-2.0 hours away from the city center.

According to Indian laws, no two airports are allowed within 150 km of each other, to prevent high competition in the space. However, the rule may be scrapped to allow airports in Navi Mumbai and NOIDA.

For now, however, the civil aviation ministry has turned down a request by the defence ministry to allow HAL to operate the airport.

HAL’s airport is practically in the center of the city and is only about 0.5-1.0 hour away from key areas.
28/06/15 Deepti Rajan/RTN.Asia

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Modernisation of four airports will be delayed further

Delhi/Chennai: The modernisation of Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Ahmedabad airports, through public-private partnership mode (PPP), has been delayed further. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to extend the last date for interested parties to put in bids to be considered for qualification to August 1.

This is the fourth successive delay with the original deadline of March 24 being extended to May 26 and then to July 1 and now to August 1.

Till late Monday evening there was no clear indication on why the deadline was extended. GMR Airports, the GVK Group, Tata Realty, Essel, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd., Siemens Postal Parcel and Airport Logistics Pvt Ltd, International Business Development Flughafen, Zurich, Flemingo Duty Free Shop Pvt Ltd and Cochin International Airport have shown an interest in taking part in the modernisation process.
29/06/15 Business Line

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Ladakh at risk of losing air connectivity

New Delhi: Ladakh's connectivity with rest of India could get curtailed with the union of Air India (domestic) pilots asking its members not to operate flights to Leh. AI, Jet and GoAir are among the Indian carriers that fly to Leh.

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) took this move after a private airline complained against AI and another airline for landing in Leh without meeting the minimum visibility conditions of this high altitude airport.

"Flights to Leh almost never meet all the safety requirements as set by the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) and this is one of the worst kept secrets of Indian aviation. Still all pilots risk their licences to fly there as flights are the only fast way of connecting Ladakh to rest of India and in winters the only link with the country as highways are closed. There are instances when a sick patient has to be flown out of Leh or critical supplies are required to be flown in there," said a senior pilot.
29/06/15 Times of India

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Forest Ministry okays Navi Mumbai airport on condition it will make adjoining area unattractive for birds

Mumbai: While the United Progressive Alliance government struggled for years over granting green clearances to Navi Mumbai airport, located in an area rich in mangroves, the Modi regime is making a significant exception that will allow the long-pending project to take off.
The Prakash Javadekar-led environment ministry has made a key exemption for Navi Mumbai International Airport, waiving an earlier requirement that a mangrove sanctuary be created by the airport's developers. Instead, the ministry has now asked for ways to make the designated mangrove area adjoining the airport 'unattractive' to birds.
The exemption for the project comes within days of the green clearance given by the ministry for Mumbai's Coastal Road.
29/06/15 Anubhuti Vishnoi/Economic Times

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Airport authority hopeful of getting defence land soon for expansion

Coimbatore: Talks between senior defence personnel and Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials that was chaired by District Collector Archana Patnaik here on Friday has given hope to AAI officials that the transfer of 134.32 acres defence land to AAI for the expansion of the Coimbatore International Airport could soon be completed.

Defence Estate Officer, Chennai Circle, P.N.P. Sharma, Regional Executive Director for AAI, I.N. Murthi, Joint General Manager and Airport Director (in-charge) Mahalingam and District Revenue Officer D. Christuraj took part in the meeting.

District Revenue Officer (DRO) for Airport Land Acquisition, S. Gunasekaran, told The Hindu that they were in the process of acquiring 627.89 acres – in Irugur and Neelambur in Sulur taluk, Kalapatti in Coimbatore North taluk and Singanallur and Uppilipalayam in Coimbatore South taluk – for the expansion of the airport that has been pending for years due to various reasons.
29/06/15 MK Ananth/The Hindu

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Trial run for first international flight to Odisha on July 8

Bhubaneswar: There will be a trial run of international flights to Odisha’s Biju Patnaik International Airport on July 8, two days before actual international operations take off.
Air India officials today visited the airport to do a reality check of the facilities and assess the preparedness of the airport for international flight operations.  They also held a meeting with airport authorities.

“We have been preparing for this day since the past 3-4 years. All equipment are in place. We had made a few trial runs earlier as well. Given that international operation had not begun then, we had to notify all concerned agencies for another trial run. Our terminal is ready for the trial run. I expect other airlines to take a call on starting their international operations once Air India starts flying,” said Director of Biju Patnaik International Airport Sharad Kumar.
29/06/15 Odisha Sun Times

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Coimbatore airport to go wifi by end of next month

Coimbatore: Long waits at the airport may soon cease to be boring and unproductive. Be it official work or catching up with friends via social networking sites, you can do them all thanks to the new plan to provide wifi access to passengers in the check-in lounge of the Coimbatore international airport. The service is likely to be available by July end, said airport authorities.

Prakash Reddy who was recently appointed as the airport director had promised to provide wifi access at the airport at the earliest. "It has become a basic necessity expected in every international airport across the world," he said.

Though he is yet to take charge officially, authorities have started talking to telecom operators to provide the service.
29/06/15 Pratiksha Ramkumar/Times of India

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Touts outside IGI worry court, one convicted

New Delhi: A trial court has expressed concern over the practice of touting outside airports while convicting a man of luring passengers outside a domestic airport by offering them cheap taxi fares and hotel.

The court observed that such practices by "unscrupulous" autorickshaw and cab drivers were prevalent and common. "It is in knowledge of everyone that in airport outside arrival hall, several unscrupulous autorickshaw and cab drivers allure passengers to cheap hotels, low fares and other benefits, and in most of the cases autos do not have registration with the pre-paid taxi booth," metropolitan magistrate, Pankaj Sharma, said.
29/06/15 Times of India

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Murder accused held at Mangaluru International Airport

Mangaluru: Mangaluru International Airport Immigration officials handed over a murder accused, to the police on Monday.
According to police, the arrested Bipin Rai, was involved in the murder of Abdul Hameed, at Vaidyanatha Nagara, in Shakthinagara, on October 7, 2014. Hameed had borrowed loan from a firm owned by Rai. As the latter failed to repay the loan, he was murdered. Though police had arrested two persons - Harish Kembar and Abhishek, the duo had reportedly told the police that at the behest of Bipin Rai and Harish Sapalya, they had murdered Hameed.
After committing the offence, Rai had escaped to foreign country and the police had issued Look Out Circular (LOC) to all international airports.
30/06/15 SahilOnline

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First Intl Flight of AI from City before Nabakalebara

Bhubaneswar: National carrier Air India has stolen a march ahead of the private operators by deciding to start international flights from Odisha ahead of Nabakalebara. The first flight will operate between Bhubaneswar and Dubai by July 10, if everything moves as planned.

This was revealed following a meeting between Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma at New Delhi on Saturday.

To popularise the festival and bring in more foreign tourists for the religious event, the decision to introduce international flights from Biju Patnaik Airport was taken, he said.

During the meeting, Pradhan and Sharma also took stock of different schemes being used by the Centre for promotion of Nabakalebara in social, print and other mass media in India as well as abroad. Sharma informed that the entire campaign related to Nabakalebara is being taken up as part of ‘Incredible India’. A separate function for issue of commemorative stamp and coins for the festival will also be organised soon.
28/06/15 New Indian Express

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Indians top Abu Dhabi airport passengers list in May

Dubai: Indians have topped Abu Dhabi International Airport's passenger traffic list with over 305,000 people passing through it in May, up by 58.6 per cent from the same period last year.

According to the official figures, a total of 1,877,440 passengers frequented the airport in May, resulting in nearly 15,000 aircraft movements recorded during the month.

The Cargo traffic of the UAE's second largest airport also showed a healthy growth with 9.8 per cent increase in overall tonnage to 73,476 compared to 66,944 in May last year.
28/06/15 PTI/Economic Times

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AAI nod for buildings near airport to be made faster

City developers can rejoice. In six months, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to make issuance of no-objection certificates (NoCs) easier.

AAI-standardised height restrictions of buildings within a specified distance of the airport will also be revised. This would also reflect in the upcoming development plan.

So, how will AAI make NoC procurement easier?

To begin with, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) auto-DCR software, which scans through building proposal files, will be integrated with the NOCAS software of the AAI that determines the latitude, longitude and the elevation of a plot.
28/06/15 Amrita Nayak Dutta/Daily News & Analysis

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Six stranded flyers find their seats in AI flight occupied

Bhopal: They had confirmed tickets, but six flyers on Saturday could not board Air India flight AI-633 from Raja Bhoj airport as their seats were occupied. After passengers protested, Air India authorities booked their ticket for another flight during the day.

Denied his scheduled flight, Pawan Sharma, said this was an unimaginable scenario in air travel. "It was like travelling on public transport bus and someone occupied my seat. This is funny. I had an important assignment in Delhi which I missed," he said.

Sharma said he had booked a ticket for a Delhi-bound flight which was scheduled for takeoff at 8.15am. "When I reached the airport, AI officials said owing to a problem, I cannot take this flight. Plane landed at 9.15 am and it took off at 10.30am," Sharma said.

In normal course, AI 633 flight comes to Bhopal from Mumbai and then flies to Delhi. On Saturday, it went to Indore and then came to Bhopal.
28/06/15 Times of India

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Gold Smugglers Flock to Cochin Airport

Kochi: Smuggling of gold into the country through foreign destinations, especially from Middle Asian nations, has always been a cause of  worry for security agencies more so in Kerala, which forms a large share of the NRIs across the globe. But recent revelations on the new trends in gold smuggling made by The Sunday Standard has exposed some major chinks in the airport security armour in the country.

The Cochin Customs have intensified raids at the airports from last month following SS report that gold smuggling syndicates have been smuggling in tonnes of gold in collusion with the security staff deputed at airports by various agencies. The Customs has also arrested 28 persons, including 25 ground-handling staff, at the Cochin International Airport for facilitating gold smuggling through the domestic terminal. Those arrested have confessed to having smuggled in over 400kg of gold in the last few months.
28/06/15 Dhinesh Kallungal/New Indian Express

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Cocaine worth Rs 11cr Seized in Chennai

Chennai: In a major drug bust last week , the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) nabbed a 35-year-old Colombian, a courier from an international drug cartel, from the Chennai airport with 2.35 kg of cocaine in its purest form. The drug, in possession of Edwin Enrique, is worth about Rs 11 crore in the international market. This is the single largest cocaine seizure in Chennai, said NCB officers.

The sleuths picked up Enrique, who arrived from Dubai, as he was coming out of the airport. Enrique claimed he was in India to impart professional boxing training. Investigations revealed he was acting at the behest of an international drug cartel operating from Bogota, say NCB sources.
In his luggage were 219 whiteboard marker pens, all stuffed with about 10g of the drug carefully packed in aluminium foils, instead of the ink core. In all, there were 22 packets with 10 pens each.
28/06/15 R Prince Jebakumar/New Indian Express

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Rs 2.92 cr worth gold goes missing from customs warehouse

New Delhi: Gold worth Rs 2.92 crore seized from smugglers has mysteriously disappeared from customs warehouse at the Delhi airport following which an FIR has been registered.

Gold, weighing about 11 kgs, was seized in five incidents from passengers who allegedly tried to smuggle it via Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), official sources said.

The incident came to light when packets containing the yellow metal, covered and sealed at the instance of courts, were opened before a departmental committee as part of inventorisation proceedings. A test revealed the sealed material was not gold, they said.

An FIR under Section 409 for criminal breach of trust by public servant was registered against unknown persons on Friday at the IGIA police station as it was suspected to be an insider's job.

Interestingly, while seized gold weighing 11.261 kg had been covered and sealed in packets, the metal with which it was replaced weighed only 8.725 kg.
28/06/15 PTI/Business Standard

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Air India flight grounded for 10 hours

Raipur: Over 100 odd passengers travelling on Air India flight 469 to Delhi had a harrowing time at Raipur airport following the grounding of the aircraft due to a "technical snag" on Saturday morning.

The snag was reportedly discovered after the passengers had boarded the plane, which was ready for take off at 9 am. The passengers were deboarded from the aircraft after about half an hour of wait, as the snag could not be fixed.

Till the filing of this report at 5 PM the flight was still not ready to take off and all the passengers were stuck in the security holding area. According to some passengers, they were initially told that it would take "10 minutes" to fix the snag but were later informed that the aircraft required a "spare part", which was being brought in from Mumbai.
27/06/15 Anuja Jaiswal/Times of India

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Abu Dhabi airport passenger traffic up 14.9% in May

Abu Dhabi: Passenger traffic through Abu Dhabi airport grew by 14.9 per cent in May to reach 1.8 million people, mainly fuelled by increased traffic on flights from the US, Italy and India.

The airport saw nearly 15,000 aircraft movements in May, airport authorities said in a statement.

Passengers from Italy grew 166.5 per cent year-on-year during May to reach over 50,000 passengers, buoyed by Alitalia’s new routes to Milan and Venice.

A similar rate of growth was also seen in passenger traffic on US routes with more than 106,000 travellers, up 49 per cent from the same period last year.

Meanwhile passengers from the Indian flights rose 58.6 per cent to reach 305,000 in May, the statement said.
27/06/15 Mary Sophia/Gulf Business

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Govt promises to set up Arunachal Pradesh's first airport

New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh may finally have an airport with the Centre assuring chief minister Nabam Tuki of "seriously pursuing" the long-standing demand in order to bolster connectivity of the border state.

In a meeting with Tuki here on Saturday, Union minister for development of north eastern region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh said he had realized the "prime need" of Arunachal Pradesh having an airport and promised that the "government will seriously pursue the case of a civilian airport for Itanagar", the state's capital.
Singh said the proposal had got delayed due to several factors including the decision regarding its exact location.

"Initially, Bandardawa/Karsingsa had been proposed as the site for the airport but later the state government was of the opinion to have it at Hollangi, which is located about 20 km on the outskirts of Itanagar, close to the Arunachal-Assam border," an official release said.
27/06/15 PTI/Times of India

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Pawan Hans to start Bhubaneswar-Paradip chopper service

Bhubaneswar: With the Pawan Hans Limited agreeing to begin commercial chopper service between the state capital and Paradip, the Odisha government today asked the authorities of Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and IOCLBSE 0.01 % to consider some of the requirements of the helicopter company.

The state government informed this to the PPT and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), while state Chief Secretary G C Pati reviewed the progress on Pawan Hans's proposal.

The meeting resolved that the company would operate between Bhubaneswar and Paradip, an official at the chief secretary's office said.
27/06/15 PTI/Economic Times

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IAF wants Chandigarh airport shut for 9 months, Centre says no

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has sought a nine-month closure of the Chandigarh air base, while the Ministry of Defence has opposed the long break in operations as it would cause inconvenience to passengers taking commercial flights that use the same landing strip.
Militarily, it would not affect much as the IAF can temporarily relocate its Chandigarh-based fleet of IL-76 and AN-32 transport planes to nearby bases like Ambala or Sarsawa (Saharanpur).
However, 25 civilian domestic flights daily would be affected and the expected commencement of international flights from the city beautiful, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, would have to be suspended.
Top sources have confirmed, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has made it clear to the IAF that “nine months is too long a period to close the airport of a city which is the capital of two states”. He wants the IAF to work out a solution that prevents such a long closure and study the model adopted for re-carpeting of the landing strip in Goa, which is the Indian Navy’s biggest air base and home for Navy’s sea-going fleet of MiG29-K fighter jets.
27/06/15 Ajay Banerjee/Tribune India

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Gold worth Rs 75 lakh seized from Mumbai airport in one day

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs seized over three kilos of gold worth around Rs 75 lakh at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, on Friday.  In the first case, Ashraf Ali was caught with three cut pieces weighing 491 grams valued at Rs 12,20,221. In the second case, Najakat Ali was caught with 9 pieces along with one 5 gram and one 30 gram gold pieces weighing around 302 grams valued at Rs 7,50,523. The third case was made against Nasir Ali who had 9 pieces weighing 1139 grams valued Rs 28,30,614. In the fourth case, Mohammed Muhajid had 4 pieces and one biscuit weighing 10 gram and two biscuits weighing one gram each weighing around 754 grams valued at Rs 18,73,822. In the fifth case, Rizwan Ahmad had 2 pieces weighing 359 grams valued at Rs 8,92,178.
26/06/15 Mid Day

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2,997 gram golden coil in transformer seized at airport

Panaji: Goa customs on Saturday seized 2.997 kilograms of gold valued at Rs 80.14 lakh from an international passenger, Oomer Abdul Razak Khan, 32, a resident of Mumbai, Maharashtra who arrived from Sharjah.

This is the fifth seizure of gold at the Dabolim airport this month. Goa customs arrested Khan in the case.

Instead of gold bars, the metal was rolled into wires and concealed inside the coil of a transformer of a soldering machine.
27/06/15 Murari Shetye/Times of India

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Smuggled gold, liquor bottles seized at airport

Madurai: Customs officials at the Madurai airport seized 604 grams of raw gold chains (unfinished 24 karat gold chains) and 35 bottles of foreign liquor from 11 persons, all Indian citizens, who arrived from Sri Lanka on Thursday.

The gold chains, numbering seven, were recovered from as many persons. The officials confiscated the gold and registered a case under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, against them.

Assistant Commissioner (Customs) M. Chandrasekaran said that the customs officials on duty grew suspicious with 11 persons, who arrived by a Mihin Lanka flight.
27/06/15 The Hindu

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Maharashtra government to upgrade airports at Shirdi, Solapur

Mumbai: Maharashtra government plans to upgrade airports in Solapur, the religious town of Shirdi and Amravati as part of its efforts to encourage air connectivity.

"A new airport will come up in 550 hectare area in Solapur. Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) will sign a MoU with Airport Authority of India (AAI) soon," an official in General Administration Department (GAD) said.

Similarly, the existing air strips at Shirdi and Amravati will be expanded. MADC plans to have a Special Purpose Vehicle to execute the project, he said.
Meanwhile, the state government's proposal to provide flights on low-connectivity routes from bigger cities to smaller towns has come as a cropper because of its unfeasibility, he said.
26/06/15 PTI/Economic Times

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Aviation Ministry gives nod to second NCR airport

New Delhi: The ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday approved a proposal for setting up a second airport in the National Capital Region.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said the GMR Group, which operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport Ltd here, would be preferred for developing the proposed airport. The proposal would soon be sent to the Cabinet for approval. Once the project gets the required approvals, the civil aviation ministry will offer the contract for building and running the proposed Jewar airport in Greater Noida to the GMR Group. The GMR Group has the right of first refusal (RoFR) for any airport that is built within a 150-km radius of the existing airport in Delhi.
Under RoFR norms, the existing airport operator will be asked to match the lowest bid arrived at after the bidding process for the proposed Jewar airport. According to the rules, GMR’s bid will be accepted only if it is equal to or less than 10 per cent of the bid offered by the lowest bidder.
26/06/15 Indian Express

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Low-cost carrier Air Pegasus to launch Bangalore-Madurai flight today

Madhurai: Low-cost carrier Air Pegasus that started its operations in India in April has said that it would launch its Madurai-Bengaluru flight today.
A 66-seat capacity ATR 72-500 has joined the fleet, and was slated to take off from Bangalore at 10:40 am today and reach Madurai by noon. On the return path, the plane will leave Madurai at 12:30 pm and reach Bangalore at 1:50 pm. For now, the Bangalore-Madurai flight will operate on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays only. It might be converted into a daily flight depending on the demand and success. Since its launch three months ago, this is already the fourth city that the airline company has set up shop. So far, Air Pegasus had a base in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Hubballi in Karnataka and Cudappah in Andhra Pradesh.
26/06/15 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

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Karipur airport violence: nine CISF personnel denied bail

Malappuram: The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Manjeri on Thursday denied bail to nine Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel who were in remand in connection with the June 10 violence at the Karipur airport.

Judge S. Jayakumar John refused to grant them bail on the ground that the investigation was in the initial phase and giving bail at this stage would encourage them to go into hiding.

The judge observed that it would be difficult for the investigation team to find them as they were from different States.
26/06/15 The Hindu

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AAI to meet SpiceJet next week to discuss payment of pending dues

New Delhi: State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) is scheduled to meet senior executives of SpiceJet next week to discuss payment of dues mounting up to Rs 235 crore.
The meeting comes in the wake of the budget carrier seeking a deferment of three years in clearing outstanding dues to AAI. A senior official in AAI said, “SpiceJet has asked for a three-year moratorium on payment of dues besides a complete waiver on the interest payables. It is not likely that we will give them such an extension for clearing outstanding dues because the airline is now far more financially stable than the last year.”
AAI’s per-day billing to SpiceJet towards landing, parking and other support services currently stands at around Rs 75 lakh. The airline is making additional payment of Rs 25 lakh per day to clear pending dues.
26/06/15 Sharmistha Mukherjee/Indian Express

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KGS’s right to present airport details questioned

Pathanamthitta: Aranmula Heritage Village Action Council chief patron Kummanam Rajashekharan has called upon the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) attached to the Ministry of Environment and Forests not to invite KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd., Chennai, to appear before the 149th meeting of the committee to be held in New Delhi on Friday.

In his letter to the EAC, Mr. Rajashekharan said KGS did not have any legal right to appear or present the details related to the technically and legally non-existing Aranmula greenfield airport project for finalisation of Terms of Reference for further consideration. Mr. Rajashekharan said the National Green Tribunal Bench in Chennai had already set aside the environmental clearance given by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the proposed airport and restrained the proponent from carrying out any activities, constructional or otherwise, regarding the airport project.
The Supreme Court too dismissed all the appeals filed by KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd. against the decision of the green tribunal on November 21, 2014. The Ministry of Defence has withdrawn the No Objection Certificate (NOC) given to the Aranmula greenfield airport on May 8, 2015, on account of non-compliance with the conditions that were imposed while issuing the NOC, he said.
26/06/15 The Hindu

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Karipur airport violence: nine CISF personnel denied bail

Malappuram: The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Manjeri on Thursday denied bail to nine Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel who were in remand in connection with the June 10 violence at the Karipur airport.

Judge S. Jayakumar John refused to grant them bail on the ground that the investigation was in the initial phase and giving bail at this stage would encourage them to go into hiding.

The judge observed that it would be difficult for the investigation team to find them as they were from different States.
26/06/15 The Hindu

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Bird-hit Air Arabia flight takes off from Jaipur International Airport

Jaipur: The Sharjah-bound Air Arabia (AA) flight which suffered a bird hit during take off at the international airport here forcing the aircraft to land back, took off for its destination today morning with 124 passengers. The aircraft with 165 passengers on board made an emergency landing after being hit by a bird at Jaipur International Airport.
As all of them could not be sent in the same plane, the flight, after fixing problem, took-off with 124 passengers, including one child this morning. Flight no. 436 of Air Arabia took off at 10:49 AM after repair of the same plane which suffered hit in engine (outside), an AA official said. Passengers were being adjusted in other flights since last night, he said.
26/06/15 Indian Express

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Domestic common air cargo terminal at Mangaluru International Airport commissioned

Mangaluru: A domestic common air cargo terminal was commissioned at Mangaluru International Airport on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Director of the airport, J.T. Radhakrishna said that Mangaluru was among the 22 airports in the country permitted by the AAI to have domestic air cargo terminals with cargo handling outsourced to private agencies. Of them, the airport here was the first to get the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) approval and set to start the operations with the handling outsourced to Cargo Service Centre India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai.
25/06/15 The Hindu

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GVK to launch Rs 3,500 cr IPO for airport arm, stock jumps

GVK Power & Infrastructure   is going to launch an initial public offering of its airport arm, reports CNBC-TV18 quoting unnamed sources. The company is planning to raise Rs 3,500 crore by listing its airport arm, GVK Airport Developers, that operates in Mumbai & Bangalore airports. The IPO proceeds will be used to de-leverage GVK's balance sheet. GVK Power and Infrastructure has debt of Rs 3,500 crore at holding company. It is learnt that GVK has undertaken structuring of the company to meet SEBI listing norms. GVK Airport will file draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) by July-end and launch IPO by December-end.
26/06/15 Farah Bookwala Vhora/CNBC-TV18/moneycontrol.com

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Five yrs on, airport project yet to take off

Meerut:  Lack of coordination among various authorities, farmers' pressure to increase land compensation, delay in the release of funds from the state government and inaccurate maps are some of the causes that have bottlenecked the progress of the ambitious airport project in Meerut.

More than five years have passed since UP government had decided to shift the proposed airport from Noida to Meerut. The then principal secretary for civil aviation, UP government, had issued a notification in this regard in February 2010 and had invited bids for appointment of consultants for setting up of the airport.

The Meerut Development Authority (MDA) was appointed the nodal authority. However, the project that was slated for completion in 2016 is yet to start.
It took years of negotiations before an an MoU was signed between UP government and Airport Authority of India (AAI) to develop seven airports in Uttar Pradesh, including one in Meerut, on February 24, 2014.
25/06/15 Sandeep Rai/Times of India

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U'khand seeks change of Dehradun airport name

New Delhi: Uttarakhand government today approached the Centre, seeking to change the name of the airport at Dehradun and augment its night landing facility.

Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai, who met Union Minister of state for Civil Aviation and Tourism, Mahesh Sharma here, told reporters that the state government has sought the centre for changing the name of the Jolly Grant Airport located in Dehradun.

Meanwhile a Union tourism ministry statement said that highlighting the potential of tourism in Uttarakhand state, quoted Dhanai as saying that the state government wishes to develop tourism through an ambitious project of ropeways.

He sought assistance for development of Kedarnath-Lincholi ropeway and ropeway between Tehri Lake and New Tehri which provide a scenic view of the Himalayas.
25/06/15 PTI/Business Standard

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e-tourist visa facility at Tiruchi airport likely by August

Tiruchi: Tourism in the central region is set to get a big push with the e-tourist visa facility meant for foreign travellers arriving at the Tiruchi International Airport poised for implementation soon.

Works connected with putting in place the facility were apace at the Tiruchi airport, which witnessed a quantum jump in the movement of overseas travellers’ last fiscal.

The Bureau of Immigration (BoI), coming under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), are actively involved in the implementation of the e-tourist visa, essentially “tourist visa on arrival” at the Tiruchi airport.
26/06/15 R Rajaram/The Hindu

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No decision on extension of MMTS to airport

After several representations from MLAs and MPs, the decision on extending the MMTS to the Shamshabad Airport still hangs in balance. Railway officials say that the revised proposal is with GMR and it is up to the State Government to pursue the matter with GMR officials.
It may be noted that a few months back, MPs submitted a proposal for works to be taken up in several areas and also pitched for the extension of MMTS to the airport. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recently said that the issue would be taken up with GMR officials.
25/06/15 The Hans India

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Airports to get special Doppler radars to prevent flight delays

Chennai: In a bid to prevent flight delays and disruptions due to turbulent weather, the Indian Meteorological Department is working on a proposal to install Doppler weather radars exclusively for airports. The move comes after airlines and Airports Authority of India (AAI) made requests stating that inefficient forecast has often caught airlines off-guard at major airports including Chennai and Bengaluru.

A few days ago, a Colombo-Chennai flight was diverted to Bengaluru due to strong crosswinds at night at Chennai airport. Similarly, several flights were disrupted when thunderstorms and hailstorms hit Bengaluru a month ago.

Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) used exclusively for aviation can monitor low-level rapidly changing wind current and other weather patterns so that the current weather report issued to airlines can be comprehensive.
26/06/15 V Ayyappan/Times of India

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Clamour for expediting runway work gets louder in Kozhikode

Kozhikode: Even as Karipur Airport is all set to be partially closed from July 1 to facilitate the preparatory works for the proposed runway re-carpeting, public demand has been mounting to complete the works within a shorter time than currently scheduled.

According to the schedule, the airport will be closed for two hours daily from July 1.

The airport had banned the operation of wide-bodied aircraft from May 1 onwards, due to safety concerns. The commencement of the partial runway closure for re-carpeting works would necessitate revising the schedules of various airlines.
Meanwhile, political organizations and business groups have demanded the completion of runway strengthening works on a war footing. They said the current work schedule spanning around 18 months was too lengthy and unjustified.
26/06/15 Times of India

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CM Misses Flight To Delhi, Smart City Project Launch

Puducherry: Chief Minister N Rangasamy missed his flight to New Delhi on Wednesday night for participating in the launch of guidelines for the Smart City project by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
Rangasamy who was scheduled to fly on Air India flight at 9 pm on Wednesday reached Chennai airport at 8.50 pm, but the flight took off 10 minutes ahead of schedule, said Sekhar  Private Secretary to CM. Rangasamy returned to Puducherry at 1.30 am and did not attempt the morning flight at 6 am as he would still be late for the launch, said his office.
However, the Chief Minister’s missing the flight sparked off speculations of a rift with BJP and denial of Smart City project to Puducherry. It was also felt that the Chief Minister was trying to avoid meeting the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, after the police accepted a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over allegedly insulting the national flag during the  International Yoga Day celebrations. Though after the BJP protest no case was made and the complaint was closed after inferring that Prime Minister was wearing a tricolor towel and not a flag, it caused embarrassment to the AINRC government and
26/06/15 Debjani Dutta/New Indian Express

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Airports to Step up MERS Vigil

New Delhi:  As the death toll due to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS) rose to 455, the government has asked the immigration officials to tighten their surveillance and checks on passengers arriving from the Middle East and South Korea.

Travellers arriving from 25 countries, including Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Lebanon, would be thoroughly screened.
26/06/15 New Indian Express

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Protest against New Airport

Visakhapatnam: Agitations in protest of setting up Bhogapuram airport have been continuing. In the latest incident, a large number of farmers and locals near the Bhogapuram area staged a protest at the Mandal Revenue office at Bhogapuram Thursday.

A large number of farmers from Munjera, Chakivalasa, Bhogapuram and a few other panchayats staged a massive protest in front of the tahsildar’s office at Bhogapuram against the proposed International Greenfield airport.
Police said the customs authorities received a tip off about a courier who would land in the city from Dubai with a large consignment of gold.
26/06/15 Daniel George/New Indian Express

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AAI to publish Coffee Table Pictorial Brochure on Biju Pattnaik International Airport

Bhubaneswar: Airport Authority of India to publish Coffee Table Pictorial Brochure on Biju Pattnaik International Airport.

AAI official informed that Biju Pattnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar is gradually emerging as one of the ultramodern Airports of the Country and has been bagging the rare distinction of being the number one Airport in customer satisfaction survey across the country in recent years.

Bhubaneswar is not only the State Capital of Odisha but also the Gateway to the State of Odisha which is known worldwide for its rich heritage, pristine nature, exquisite handicrafts, excellent artefacts and historic monuments.
25/06/15 OdishaDiary

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8 Indians held at Lanka airport for smuggling gold

Colombo: Eight Indians were on Thursday off loaded from a Chennai-bound flight and arrested by Sri Lankan customs officials at the international airport here for allegedly smuggling 1.2 kg of gold to India by hiding it in their rectums.
The eight Indians were nabbed along with a Sri Lankan national while they were on board a flight to Chennai at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
The men, aged between 19 and 58, were deboarded from the Sri Lankan airlines flight UL 125 and on search 1,200 gm of gold was recovered from them.
25/06/15 Tribune 

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2 Japanese arrested at Cochin Airport for smuggling Snakes out of Kerala

Athirapally: Authorities in Kerala arrested two Japan nationals, accused of smuggling live and exotic reptiles and insects.

Forest officials said Suita Shibasaki and Murai Yojka were arrested when they were trying to board a flight to Japan from Cochin International airport. The duo has been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act and Biodiversity Act.

Airport authorities sounded an alert after reptiles and snakes along with scissors and suspicious objects were recovered from their bags during scanning. Forest range officer and investigating officer in the case, Norbert Delep, said the duo initially claimed that they were researchers in wildlife and were not aware of the country’s laws.
25/06/15 ANI/Bihar Prabha

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Air India plane makes emergency landing in Melbourne

An Air India flight from Melbourne to Delhi has made an emergency landing at Melbourne's Tullamarine airport after nearly an hour of dramatically flying around the city this morning.
Flight AI309 departed Tullamarine at 10.38am AEST before the aeroplane experienced unknown 'technical complications'.

According to the flight's path, the pilots of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner made a U-Turn shortly after Kyneton and then circled Port Phillip Bay for almost an hour and dumped fuel, before setting it's course back to Tullamarine for an emergency landing.

This comes less then a fortnight after Malaysian Airlines flight MH148 made an emergency landing at Melbourne Airport shortly after taking off.
25/06/15 The Vine Life

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AAI seeks increase in charges levied on airlines for services at 82 non-major airport

New Delhi: Flying in and out of the country's 82 non-major airports is set to get costlier with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) seeking an increase in charges it levies on airlines for services and facilities. Charges at these airports mainly include landing and parking fees. They were last raised in 2001. Any increase in the charges will add to the cost of airlines, which usually pass them on to consumers.

"Our costs have increased and we have requested the civil aviation ministry to push for an increase," a senior AAI official said on condition of anonymity. "A detailed proposal will be submitted to the ministry for approval."

The AAI also requested for an increase in charges in a recent presentation to the civil aviation secretary RN Choubey.
25/06/15 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

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Rough handling: Accused CISF sub-inspector a repeat offender

New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) sub-inspector Sitaram Chaudhuri — one of the main accused in the scuffle at Calicut Airport and the owner of the pistol from which the fatal shot was fired killing CISF head constable SS Yadav — was hauled for rough frisking by hand-held metal detectors and was transferred to cargo area two months before the incident in April this year.
He was transferred after a complaint against Chaudhuri and one more official was filed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to CISF. Both of them were then transferred to the cargo side of the airport.
Sources in the Ministry of Civil Aviation said a close analysis of recorded footage has shown the rough frisking of an official of AAI’s fire and rescue wing Aji Kumar with a hand-held metal detector, his protest and subsequent beating up by sub-inspector Chaudhuri led to a violent clash and resulted in the death of Yadav in an accidental firing.
The local police have arrested 10 AAI employees and 13 CISF personnel involved in the incident till date. “This is not the first time … In April, the Airports Authority of India had filed a complaint against Chaudhuri for rough handling. He was consequently transferred to the cargo wing from the passenger area,” said a senior ministry official who did not wish to be identified. The official added that the video shows Kumar discussing something with Chaudhuri and pointing towards his legs.
25/06/15 Sharmistha Mukherjee/Indian Express

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Kempegowda International Airport set to sport a trendy look by October

Bengaluru: The terminal one (T1) at the Kempegowda International Airport is set to sport a trendy look by October - four years after Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) started the work on the project.

As part of this face-lift, the airport will also be hosting new brands in food and beverages, cosmetics, etc. A new kids' play area will also come up at the domestic waiting area.

"Through our efforts to bring meaning and purpose, along with the efficiency and customer-friendliness that the traveller expects, we will soon realise our vision to be the 'Gateway to South India'," said GV Sanjay Reddy , managing director at BIAL. The expansion undertaken was for the east and the west of T1, and renovation of the center portion is aimed at a seamless integration of design through the entire terminal.With an investment of about `1,500 crore, T1 was designed by HOK, a US-based engineering and interior design firm.
25/06/15 Athira Nair/Economic Times

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Sydney-Dubai flight lands at T2 after medical emergency

Mumbai: An Emirates flight, an Airbus 380, had to make an emergency landing at the city’s international terminal (T2) on Wednesday afternoon. The flight was flying to Dubai from Sydney and had to make an emergency landing after two passengers complained of feeling sick.
The non-scheduled Emirates flight EK 415 (registration A6-EDE) that landed at T2 at 2.10 pm on Wednesday could depart only at around 4 pm. Two of the passengers on the flight complained of feeling sick, after which the pilot sought the city’s Air Traffic Control’s (ATC) permission for emergency landing.
One of the passengers, Stefan Spatino (seated on 76 H), a 21-year-old Australian complained of chest pain and was offloaded. “After seeing him, another onboard passenger, a senior citizen complained of high blood pressure,” said an MIAL spokesperson.
There were total of 444 passengers and 26 crewmembers on board. The MIAL on duty doctors were immediately called and initial medical attention was provided to Stefan and Henson Carmel (a 64-year-old passenger). After that these passengers were rushed to the SevenHills hospital for further treatment.
A total of five passengers were offloaded after completing the immigration formalities. These five include Stefan’s parents John and Caterina, and Henson’s husband Malcolm.
25/06/15 Neha LM Tripathi/Mid Day

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Panel to probe plaint by airport trolley porters

Panaji: Goa International Airport director Srinivas Rao has decided to institute a committee to look into complaints of harassment and extortion of trolley porters at the airport. The trolley porters had written a complaint to various authorities and had threatened to commit suicide if their complaint was not looked into.

"I have yet to find out the facts, but, since it is a fight between two parties, we will appoint a committee to look into the issue and only then will we take further action," Rao said.

Two days ago, trolley porters had written to Rao as well as the director general of civil aviation, police authorities, the labour commissioner and Human rights commission claiming that the contractor, had allegedly blackmailed the porters and was demanding 15,000 per year.

The contractor would allegedly demand 10,000 during season time and 5,000 in the off season. Failure to do so would result in the particular porter's entry permit remaining unsigned.
25/06/15 Times of India

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AP govt steps up efforts to secure intl status for Gannavaram airport

Hyderabad:  The Andhra Pradesh government has intensified efforts to secure international status for Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada. The Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (Incap) has undertaken a survey of in-bound and out-bound domestic passenger traffic from the airport.

Once the survey is conducted, a report would be submitted to the state cabinet which is scheduled to clear the proposal to declare Gannavaram as an international airport and sent it to the Union civil aviation ministry for final clearance. The survey is being conducted by a private consultant, sources said.

Similarly, Gannavaram airport authorities have taken up a study to assess international passenger and cargo capacity from the airport. Official sources said that in united Andhra Pradesh, most international flyers travelling through Shamshabad international airport in Hyderabad are from Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari districts. "If direct international connectivity is made available for them, they would prefer travelling from Gannavaram instead of Hyderabad or Chennai," sources said.
25/06/15 Sribala Vadlapatla/Times of India

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Dholera airport work to take off in Q3 of FY’16

Ahmedabad: The work on much awaited international airport at Dholera, a major transport link for the industries coming up in the 920 sq km Dholera special investment region (SIR), is likely to begin in the third quarter of 2015-16.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has approached Union ministry for environment and forests (MoEF) for final environmental clearance. The public hearing for the proposed airport, some 20 kms from the port town of Dholera in the Gulf of Cambay, was completed in April with no major objections raised by the local villagers.

The airport was the dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. It is being touted as the second international airport in Gujarat, about 100-km from state's financial hub Ahmedabad.

The state government has formed Dholera International Airport Company Ltd (DIACL) as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for development of the airport. "The airport will be developed alongside the activation area of the SIR spread in 22-km radius. The development of the SIR and the airport complement each other," said Amit Chavda, managing director, (DIACL).
25/06/15 Premal Balan/Times of India

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AAI seeks land for airport work

Thiruvananthapuram: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has mounted pressure on the State to provide land for the development of the Thiruvananthapuram and Calicut International Airports in the State.

AAI Chairman R.K. Srivastava, in the capital on Wednesday for signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kannur International Airport Ltd. (KIAL) for equity investment in the upcoming Kannur airport, said the AAI was committed to the development of the two airports.

The capacity of the new international terminal that had come up on the city side in the capital was underutilised. Delay in handing over the land had held up the construction of the domestic terminal, he said. The AAI chairman said the concerns of the people near the existing domestic terminal at Shanghumughom that their livelihood would be affected once the terminal was shifted needed to be addressed.
25/06/15 The Hindu

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Airport police station likely to take flight

Thiruvananthapuram: The unsavoury episodes at Calicut International Airport at Karipur seem to have triggered a few positive outcomes for the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Efforts to step up the police presence, and in turn, ensure safety of passengers here saw the City police setting up an aid-post at the airport late last week. Now, move to set up a long-awaited airport police station is gathering steam.

The aid-post, for which the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has extended facilities to the police, has seen 10 personnel being deployed. The post is located close to the international terminal. One sub-inspector and four personnel will be on duty at the aid-post, which will function round-the-clock. Earlier, there was only one policeman from the City police who was posted 24x7 at the airport.

The AAI has also handed over 10 cents of land to the police, along with sketches, to set up the airport police station, for which proposals were pending for several years. The plot is one side of the flyover, on the Chaka side of the international terminal. It will be only procedural matters that have to be completed before work starts on the new police station, a police official says.
25/06/15 The Hindu

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AAI to invest in Kannur airport

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Kannur International Airport Ltd. (KIAL) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 26 per cent equity in the Rs.1,892-crore greenfield airport coming up at Mattannur in Kannur.

The MoU was signed between AAI Chairman R.K. Srivastava and KIAL Managing Director G. Chandramouli at a function here. Minister for Aviation K. Babu; Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson; Additional Chief Secretary, Aviation, V.J. Kurian; Executive Director, Finance, Rajesh Bhandari; and Regional Executive Director, AAI, I.N. Murthy were present.

The AAI has come forward to invest Rs.100 crore in the equity capital of KIAL. The State has 35 per cent equity (Rs.350 crore), public sector undertakings 23 per cent (Rs.230 crore), and private sector 16 per cent (Rs.160 crore). The remaining Rs.892 crore needed is term loan from banks.

Addressing the gathering before signing the MoU, Mr. Babu urged the AAI Chairman to take steps to invest the remaining Rs.160 crore in the equity capital of the KIAL.
25/06/15 The Hindu

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Now, fishy odour delays AI fl

Ahmedabad:  Delays are not new to Air India. Last week, flights were delayed for three days at a stretch, inconveniencing even former president APJ Abdul Kalam. The reasons for AI delays are so diverse that the airline could consider coming up with a menu card, allowing flyers to choose the kind of delay they would like for themselves - shortage of cabin crew, crack in the windshield, malfunctioning toilets, malfunctioning AC, absence of pilots, and unbearable stink.

On Saturday, smell of fish in the AI aircraft caused much brouhaha, forcing the airline to delay the flight by over three hours, infuriating the passengers further. The 'olfactive delay' was caused at Mumbai airport. It was around 2 am on Saturday when the passengers on board AI 131 London-Mumbai-Ahmedabad flight complained of a fishy smell. The flight door was about to close when passengers on the seats near the exit started talking about unbearably pungent odour. Confused where the smell originated from, they even checked underneath their seats before one of them reported the matter to the cabin crew.
The crew tried to convince the passengers that all was well, but soon passengers on board began protesting. When the arguments reached a crescendo, the crew informed the captain about it and soon, the passengers were deplaned. The aircraft was cleaned up thoroughly and deodorised in the exercise that lasted an hour. Around 4 am, the passengers were allowed on board again and the plane took off from Mumbai airport. The flight, which was to reach Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport around 2.50 am, arrived at 6.17 am, more than three hours after its scheduled arrival.
24/06/15 Hemington James/Ahmedabad Mirror

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‘Airport fracas should have been probed by Centre’

Thiruvananthapuram: The recent violent clash between CISF jawans and airport staff at Kozhikode, leading to one death and vandalisation of facilities, represented the ‘gravest of all unlawful acts’ in the civil aviation sector.

But the case is sought to be investigated in violation of the laws of the land, says Jacob K Philip, a Doha-based aviation analyst. He is also honorary editor of Indian Aviation News Net.

Indian Aircraft Act requires that the Union Civil Aviation Ministry – not the State government, as in the instant case – take up such cases and initiate action.

“It never was the responsibility of the local police to do the investigation, collect evidence and make arrests,” Philip said.

‘The Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act’ (which forms a part of Indian Aircraft Act) should have been invoked here and the investigation entrusted with an officer deputed specifically for the purpose by the Civil Aviation Ministry, Philip said.

Sections 3A and 4 of the Act states: 3A. Offence at airport

(1) Whoever, at any airport unlawfully and intentionally, using any device, substance or weapon,

(a) Commits an act of violence which is likely to cause grievous hurt or death of any person; or

(b) Destroys or seriously damages any aircraft or facility at an airport or disrupts any service at the airport…shall be punished with imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

4. Destruction of, or damage to, air navigation facilities

(1) Whoever unlawfully and intentionally destroys or damages air navigation facilities or interferes with their operation…shall be punished with imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.
23/06/15 Vinson Kurian/Business Line

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Air India Employee Returns Passengers' Lost Cash, Passport

New Delhi: A dedicated Air India employee has come in for praise for restoring passports and Rs 11 lakh cash of two passengers who left it in a flight from Raipur.

Shivashankar, Air India security officer, who was carrying out security checks on AI-469 from Raipur to Delhi, had recovered a pouch carrying two Indian passports belonging to passengers Gurmet Singh Bhambra and Ravindar Bhambra, besides foreign and Indian currency of about Rs 11 lakh.

The Air India official not only desposited the pouch in the "Left Luggage Unit" but also traced out contact number of the passengers who were from Raipur.
23/06/15 PTI/New Indian Express

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Vistara to launch air service on Mumbai-Goa route in July

Mumbai: Vistara, the joint venture carrier between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines Wednesday announced the start of weekend flights from Mumbai to Goa from July 17.

Ticket sales on this route have already started.

The flight from Mumbai will start at 1:35 pm and reach 2:40 pm while the return flight will leave at 3:20 pm and reach 4:35 pm.

It will be enhanced to daily flights from September 14.
24/06/15 Economic Times

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Only one city airport will survive

Mumbai: Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Tuesday said in the absence of a fast connectivity corridor between Mumbai and the proposed Navi Mumbai airports - one of the two airports will kill the other.

"I don't know which of the two will survive, but in the absence of quick connectivity one of the two airports will kill the other," said Raju, speaking to a select group of journalists during his day-long visit to Mumbai when he met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Raju added that the state government wants an increase in FSI in areas like BKC, and that he has asked him ministry to examine how the skies can be freed up so that the surrounding areas can be exploited for taller buildings. He added that it will also explore how the radars that will be affected by the taller structures can be re-located.
24/06/15 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror 

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Chennai may get direct flights to Seoul

Chennai:  Korean Air, the largest airline in South Korea, is exploring the possibility of starting services between Seoul and Chennai or Bengaluru as there is no direct flight from the south though there is a sizeable Korean diaspora living in these two cities.

Sources said that a delegation from Korean Air visited the city recently to study feasibility of starting services. They travelled to Bengaluru also. Direct flights are available only from Mumbai and Delhi.

Travellers from Chennai fly via Singapore or Hong Kong to Seoul. More than 3,000 South Koreans live in Chennai where Hyundai, LG and Samsung have manufacturing plants. They live in close knit community congregating at Korean restaurants, cultural centres and churches. Many of them have to travel to Mumbai to board direct flights.
24/06/15 Times of India

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Strong, gusty winds sweep City, KIA alerted

Bengaluru: Chill, gusty winds, blowing at the speed of 50-60 kmph, have been sending shivers for City residents. In fact, warnings have been issued to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), HAL airport and VIPs who use helicopters or light aircraft.

Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials say that the City is experiencing this high wind speed as rain bearing clouds were drifting away.This phenomenon will continue until the next fortnight, officials add.

Warnings have been issued to fishermen, farmers, locals and aviation companies. The IMD has also been sending alerts every four hours to the KIA and HAL airport authorities. VIPs flying in private helicopters have also been alerted.

“The changing winds will affect aircraft while landing and taking off. It is also important for Dornier aircrafts. The department is also gearing up to set up a dedicated research centre to analyse and study wind speed and patterns,” L Ramesh Babu, director in-charge, IMD- Bengaluru, said.
24/06/15 Bosky Khanna/Deccan Herald

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Domestic cargo facility at airport in a week

Visakhapatnam: Nearly two weeks after an office was formally opened by Union Minister of Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, cargo operations from the ‘Domestic cargo’ section at the Integrated Terminal Building at Visakhapatnam International Airport are yet to commence.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has appointed an outsourced agency in February this year for establishment of Common User Domestic Air Cargo Terminal (CUDCT) at 24 airports, including Visakhapatnam, the Civil Aviation Minister said in the Lok Sabha in response to the query raised by Visakhapatnam MP Kambhampati Haribabu towards the end of April.

It may be recalled that the conversion of the old terminal building at the airport into an integrated cargo complex was inordinately delayed due to lack of coordination between two government agencies in the past.
24/06/15 B. Madhu Gopal/The Hindu

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Man barges into jet, locks himself in loo as officials give chase

Mumbai: A 30-something man pushes past airport security, runs into the aircraft and locks himself up in the aircraft's lavatory. An engineering crew has to be called in to unhinge the toilet door and get the man out... It was nothing short of a nightmare for passengers travelling to Brussels from Mumbai on a Jet Airways flight some ten days back.

The drama unfolded on June 14 when Ali arrived by Jet Airways flight 9W-251 from Colombo. Abushammla Ali, a Palestinian national,  was en route to Brussels via Jet Airways flight 9W-228. He was stopped at the boarding gates by the airline staff as his travel entry documents for Belgium were not in place.

After a brief argument, Ali pushed the airport staff and darted across the aerobridge, into the aircraft and locked himself up in the washroom. Crew and security staff ran after him and kept knocking on the door but he refused to open it. Finally, Jet Airways engineering staff had to be summoned to unhinge the door from the outside and get the man out of the plane.

The flight, scheduled to depart at 2.05 am, finally took off at 4.20 am.

Some of the passengers were so traumatised by the incident that five of them chose to be offloaded and cut short their journey.
Abushammla Ali, a Palestinian national, has been detained at the Refusal Room of Mumbai Airport's integrated Terminal 2 ever since he created a ruckus on the Jet Airways flight. He is now demanding entry into Egypt and the Palestinian embassy is said to be processing his visa.
23/06/15 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror 

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The dargah at the IGI Airport

New Delhi: Unknown to many, located within the vast precincts of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, near Terminal-2, is the ‘Peer Baba ki Dargah’. The resting place of two Sufi saints, the shrine is held in high esteem and reverence by a large number of employees working at the Delhi airport. The shrine has been there for as long as old employees can remember and over time has acquired an almost cult status.
People throng to the shrine to pay reverence, make a mannat (wish), offer prayers for the well-being of near and dear ones, safety of the air travellers or just spend a quiet moment with the Almighty.

The mazaar is open to the public on Thursdays, and the Airports Authority of India provides a free bus from the Cargo Complex T-2 to the shrine between 2 pm -5 pm. This is because Thursday is considered to be the Jumme Raat, or a day considered
to be auspicious for the people visiting the shrine and praying there.
23/06/15 Vidushi Sagar/Deccan Herald

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NAAI nod for Bhogapuram airport plan, says Minister

National Airports Authority of India (NAAI) has approved plan on the basis of the technical feasibility report for construction of Greenfield international airport in an extent of 5,040 acres at Bhogapuram, said Kimidi Mrunalini, Minister for Rural Development, at a press conference here on Monday.

Of the total land identified in 20 habitations under eight revenue villages, 3,873 acres was private land and 1167.47 acres government land. The choice either to acquire land or pooling system was left to the farmers and they would be paid better compensation than offered to the farmers in the capital region. Further, 10,241 people would get displaced and the government would construct a house for each family on five cents of land either in Bhogapuram/Poosapatirega or Bhimili mandals, she said.
23/06/15 Correspondant/The Hindu

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In Biggest Bust, 2.2 kg Cocaine Seized at Airport

CHENNAI: In the single largest seizure of cocaine here, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Monday nabbed a 35-year-old Colombian national, a suspected courier from an international drug cartel, who landed at Chennai airport with 2.2 kgs of the drug, worth about `11 crore.

The sleuths picked up Caldera Carlos Enrique, who arrived in an Emirates flight from Dubai, as he was coming out of the airport. Caldera had taken a flight from his home country to Rio in Brazil, and then took a flight to Dubai before boarding the Chennai-bound flight.
23/06/15 R Prince Jebakumar/The New Indian Express

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Kozhikode airport clash: CISF jawans brought to Malappuram Police Station

The CISF personnel, who have been arrested for their involvement in the violent clash with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) employees at the Kozhikode Airport, were brought to the Malappuram Police Station on Monday.
One CISF personnel was killed in the clash, which took place on June 10.
22/06/15 Ani/The Financial Express

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Airport harassment probe goes slow due to techie’s ill-health

Mangaluru:  The investigation of the alleged harassment and abuse of an IT professional by taxi operators at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) on June 12 has been going at a slow pace.

The IT professional who had to appear before the police to identify the accused in the CCTV camera footage at the airport is unwell. "I'm down with high fever. As soon as I recover, I will meet the investigating officer and do the needful," said Sunitha (name changed) who is recuperating at her home here.

Meanwhile, police sources said the MIA CCTV camera footage has drawn a blank as far as the ruckus in the areas covered by the cameras. "We don't see any indication of any altercation taking place between the taxi drivers and the woman in the CCTV footage handed over to us," said a police official on condition of anonymity.
22/06/15 Stanley Pinto/Times of India

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Passenger with undocumented foreign currency detained at Mangaluru airport

Mangaluru: Custom officials seized foreign currency equivalent to Rs. 7,54,411 from a passenger at Mangaluru International Airport on Sunday when he was allegedly attempting to smuggle them out of the country without valid documents.

The foreign currency seized included 18,250 Saudi Arabian Riyals, 1,075 UAE Dirhams, 860 Kuwait Dinars, 3,650 Qatar Riyals, 735 Omani Riyals, 55 Bahrain Dinars and 500 U.S. Dollars in various denominations.
22/06/15 The Hindu

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Mohali Int’l Airport hangs fire as PM cancelled visit

Chandigarh: Local residents’ hopes of the Mohali International Airport becoming operational in the second week of this month were dashed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his visit to the region on June 19. Modi was to inaugurate the 300-acre airport during his visit to the region to celebrate the 350th foundation year of Anandpur Sahib.
Sources said neither the PM nor the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had given a positive response to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s repeated pleas of Modi inaugurating the airport.
With fissures appearing in the SAD-BJP alliance, the PMO also didn’t pay heed to the pleas of Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapati Raju in this regard. Sources said the SAD and the BJP had disagreements over the levy of entry tax on sugarcane and the shifting of militant Devinder Pal Bhullar from Tihar Jail in Delhi to Amritsar Central Jail.
22/06/15 Varinder Singh/Tribune India

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Five flight collisions averted in Mumbai airspace in 4 months

Mumbai: Every commercial passenger aircraft has a set of life-saving devices that check for possible mid-air collisions. If two aircraft come dangerously close, the collision avoidance system of both planes work together to blare a persistent "climb, climb" instruction in one cockpit and "descend, descend" in the other. Had the technology not existed, between January and April this year, five collisions involving 10 passenger jets would have taken place in the Mumbai airspace.

In these four months, the Mumbai ATC registered 21 "reportable incidents" as against 19 registered in 2013. A reportable incident could be a minor case like an aircraft forced to do a second attempt at landing or a major one, like the five near-misses, where the planes came within 30 seconds of colliding with each other.
21/06/15 Manju V/Times of India

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Mumbai Air traffic control faces acute staff crunch

Mumbai: Every commercial passenger aircraft has a set of life-saving devices to guard against possible mid-air collisions. If two aircraft come dangerously close, the collision avoidance system of both planes work together to blare a persistent "climb, climb" in struction in one cockpit and "descend, descend" in the other. Had the technology not existed, between January and April this year, five collisions involving 10 passenger jets would have taken place in the Mumbai airspace. In all of 2014, only 7 near-misses were reported in the area.

But in the four months this year, the Mumbai ATC registered 21 "reportable incidents" as against 19 registered in 2014. A reportable incident can be a minor case like an aircraft forced to do a second attempt at landing or a major one, like the five near misses, where the planes came within 30 seconds of colliding with each other. During the critical stages of a flight -approach, landing and take-off -14 incidents took place in the airspace between January and May this year as against 13 registered in all of 2014. Five near-misses involving 10 passenger jets in Mumbai airspace have been reported between January and April this year.
21/06/15 Manju V/Economic Times

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Navi Mumbai airport vets four global bidders

Navi Mumbai: Rs 14,000-crore Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) crossed a major milestone with four global consortiums being qualified for bidding.

The NMIA project is proposed to be developed through public private participation (PPP) by establishment of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with 26 per cent equity contribution from CIDCO.

The Project Monitoring and Implementation Committee (PMIC) chaired by Chief Secretary Swadhin Kshatriya qualified all the four bidders, the CIDCO officials said.

CIDCO commenced the first stage of the two-stage bidding process by issuing request for quali?cation (RFQ) vide a global tender notice on February 5, 2014. Four major global players namely GMR Airports, Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), Zurich Airport and Voluptas Developers (Hiranandani Group) and MIA Infrastructure (VINCI Airports International S A and Tata Realty) submitted the application for pre-qualification, highlighting the keen interest elicited by this project .
21/06/15 Deccan Herald

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New airport to come up at Dagadarthi

Nellore: Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana said they had identified 2,600 acres of land at Dagadarthi for airport and the Union government had also expressed its nod for the facility. He was addressing a workshop organised by the APIIC on Saturday in the city.

He said not only promoting industrial organisations but it was also essential to encourage marketing for supporting the entrepreneurs. He said airport facility enables improving business opportunities for industrialists. He directed the officials to consider the suggestions provided by experts for improving basic infrastructure in the industrial parks.
21/06/15 The Hans India

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Passenger traffic surging at AP airports

Visakhapatnam: Passenger traffic has surged at airports in Andhra Pradesh during the last five years. While Vizag international airport recorded the highest passenger footfalls in AP, Tirupati airport incidentally clocked higher passenger traffic than Gannavaram airport in Vijayawada, which is now the capital of the state.

Though Tirupati recorded passenger traffic of around 2.45 lakh in 2014-15 as compared to 2.31 lakh during the same period at Gannavaram airport, it has seen gradual decline in passenger traffic over the last three fiscals after the Kingfisher flight to Mumbai was withdrawn.

At the same time, Rajahmundry recorded the highest aircraft movement after Vizag in 2014-15 at 7,101, including commercial and private flights, as compared to 4,639 aircraft movements at Vijayawada airport and 2,985 at Tirupati airport in the same fiscal. Sources said that aircraft movements are higher at Rajahmundry as it is frequently used by lot of non-scheduled helicopters of oil companies such as ONGC as well as politicians.
21/06/15 Manish/Times of India

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Kozhikode airport rampage: Nine more CISF officials held

Kozhikode: Nine more CISF officials were arrested on Sunday for destruction of public property at the Kozhikode international airport during a fracas earlier this month, taking the number of arrested officials to 13, a Kerala Police official said. Ten AAI officials have also been arrested.

The nine have been booked for destruction of public property, Circle Inspector B. Santhosh, the police officer investigating the happenings on June 10 at the airport, told IANS.
Four more CISF officials were arrested on June 14.

An argument on June 10 between officials of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) ended in accidental firing from the pistol of a CISF officer after AAI officials tried to snatch the weapon.

In the melee, a bullet hit 44-year-old CISF trooper A.S. Yadav, who died instantly.
21/06/15 New Kerala

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Tiruchi-Bengaluru sector air service set to resume

Tiruchi: Air connectivity to Bengaluru from Tiruchi is poised to resume after a gap of several years.

Fly Easy, a Bengaluru-based regional airline has conveyed to Tiruchi airport officials that flight operations from the Rock City to the IT city will be launched in a couple of months.

A top-level executive of the airline visited the Tiruchi international airport a few days ago and held discussions with the officials regarding commencement of the service.

Tiruchi Airport Director B.C.H. Negi said the Fly Easy executive had conveyed to him that flight operations in the Bengaluru-Tiruchi-Bengaluru sector would be launched either in August-end or September.
21/05/15 The Hindu

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Flying In For Treatment, Man From Andaman Dies on Plane

Chennai: A stretcher-bound 46-year-old passenger from Andaman, being brought to the city on an Air India flight from Port Blair for treatment of his head injuries, was found dead on arrival by paramedical staff attached to the Airport on Saturday.

Robert Johnson, a native of Shoal Bay village of Ferrargunj Tehsil in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, had sustained grievous head injuries on June 6 after the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a road accident. After initial treatment, he was being brought to the city for advanced care by flight number AI 550 Port Blair - Chennai, on Saturday. Stretchered to a bed but in a conscious state, he had boarded the flight at around 11.15 am. He was accompanied by a doctor and his father-in-law on  the flight.

After landing in Chennai at 1.30 pm, paramedical workers waited until other passengers alighted, as per protocol, before proceeding to attend to the patient. It was then that they noticed a motionless Johnson and alerted the accompanying doctor as well as the Apollo Hospitals doctor on Airport duty.
21/06/15 New Indian Express

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Singapore Airlines plane makes emergency landing at KLIA

Putrajaya: A Singapore Airlines (SIA) aircraft, Flight SQ425, made an emergency landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Sepang, after encountering a technical problem.

A Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) spokesman said the Boeing 777-200 aircraft carrying 190 passengers had departed from Mumbai, India at 8.44am and expected to arrive in Singapore at 4.44pm, made the emergency landing at KLIA at 4.05pm.

"The plane landed safely and all its passengers and crew were also reported to be safe, with no injury sustained," he said when contacted.

The spokesman said the cause of the incident was still being investigated.
21/06/15 Malaymail Online

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Navy transfers Kiran jet trainers to Air Force

New Delhi: The Navy has transferred nine Kiran jet-trainer aircraft from its inventory to the Air Force, which is facing an acute shortage of intermediate jet trainers.

Naval sources have confirmed that the assets have been transferred from the Naval air station INS Hansa in Goa where the Kiran fleet is based.

“The ab initio training takes place with the Air Force. The Navy now has the Hawk advanced jet trainers and so they [Kiran] have been transferred to the Air Force,” a senior Navy official said.

Naval aviators are oriented on the Kiran trainers after which they graduate to frontline fighter jets such as Sea Harriers and MiG-29 Ks. However, the Navy recently inducted the Hawk advanced jet trainers (AJT) and has completely migrated to them for this stage of training.
21/06/15 Dinakar Peri/The Hindu

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Airlines to govt: Don’t pat down 'clean' flyers

New Delhi: Air travellers may not be required to undergo pat down frisking at airports if a Door Frame Metal Detector (DFMD) check reveals nothing.

The DMFD emits a beep when locates anything metallic.

Airports in Europe and US, where threat perception is very high like India, make passengers pass through metal detectors and/or body scanners and 'clean' flyers can just walk through without requiring pat down frisking.
"Airlines and airport operators had recently asked us to do away with the need for 100% pat down checks at airports. They pointed out there was no need to do pat down on everyone who had passed through the DFMD without it detecting anything and giving a beep. Airlines and airport operators pointed out that such a move will cut down serpentine queues at security check areas, especially during peak departure times," a senior aviation ministry official said.
20/06/15 Times of India

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