GMR Group says it will continue to participate in airport privatisation in India and abroad

Despite the impact of one-off events on its quarterly results, GMR Group remains committed to achieving their targets and expanding their operations both domestically and internationally. With their participation in airport privatisation initiatives and their focus on West Asia, GMR Group aims to solidify its position as a prominent player in the aviation industry while driving growth and innovation in the sector.

Saurabh Chawla, Executive Director (Finance & Corporate Strategy), GMR Group, shared his insights on the Group's performance and future plans in an interview >>

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Indian Airlines Increasingly Face Parking Challenges At Airports

The rate of growth of the aviation sector in India has been remarkable. Big aircraft orders, along with the increasing hunger of airlines to expand their network and market share, means that the Indian skies are going to be a lot busier in the coming years. And while there’s enough space in the air to accommodate flights, the same can’t be said of major airports in the country as far as parking of planes is concerned.

India’s major hub airports of Delhi and Mumbai are perennial favorite of airlines. Both provide a steady flow of traffic, and carriers try their best to get important slots here to capitalize on demand. But parking spaces at big airports like these are now in short supply, and airlines have to find other ways to park their aircraft for the night.

An analysis done by The Hindu reveals that Delhi and Mumbai together have a parking space for a little over 360 aircraft for various Indian airlines. That’s around half of the entire commercial fleet of Indian carriers. Both these cities are also significant bases for airline crew.

According to the Aeronautical Informational Publication, Delhi airport has 233 parking stands for narrowbody and widebody planes, while Mumbai can accommodate 131 narrowbodies. Both these airports account for nearly one-third of the domestic and international traffic out of the country, and airlines naturally want to get as many parking sports here as possible.

But major airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, and Vistara, which operate a bulk of Indian flights currently, can only get around half of the parking spots they actually need for commercially viable network planning. The problem has also been exacerbated by the recent grounding of aircraft belonging to Go First and IndiGo due to the Pratt & Whitney engine problems.

30/06/2023 Gaurav Joshi/Simple Flying

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Govt accused of pressuring int'l airlines to shift to Mopa

Vasco: The Congress on Thursday made damning allegations targeting the BJP governments at the Centre and Goa for pressuring international airlines to shift from Dabolim Airport to Manohar International Airport at Mopa to benefit the GMR group.

Congress leader Elvis Gomes, addressing a press conference, said that a conspiracy has been hatched to close down the Dabolim Airport which was built in 1955 and exhorted even traditional BJP voters not to vote for BJP as a mark of protest. He said that the highly convenient Dabolim-Gatwick sector would be the first casualty if Air India succumbs to government pressure disregarding the interests of the people of Goa who have been patronising Air India.

“People are emotionally attached to Dabolim airport. However, the government is working in the interest of GMR who is running Mopa Airport. Presently due to less operations, it is facing loss and hence trying to pull operations from Dabolim. This practice will definitely close down Dabolim,” he said.

Adv Melwin Fernandes, President of Vasco Congress Block, Peter D’Souza, President of Cortalim Congress Block, Niyazi Shaikh and others were present.

“BJP government is not working in the interest of the public, but it wants GMR to earn profits. I appeal to people not to give a single vote to BJP,” he said, condemning the conspiracy of BJP.

“The civil aviation ministry and state government is pressuring international airlines like Air India, Qatar Airways and others to shift from Dabolim to Mopa. If international operations from Dabolim are disturbed then sooner than later Dabolim will close down. BJP should clarify whether it is not pressuring and should promise that Dabolim will not shut,” Gomes said demanding Transport Minister and Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho as also all MLAs from Mormugao taluka to come clear on what the government was up to.

30/06/2023 The Goan

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Indira Gandhi Airport set to start operations on fourth runway from July 13

New Delhi: The long-awaited fourth runway, named 'Runway 29 Right and 11 Left' (29R/11L), of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), will commence operations on July 13. According to a Times of India report, the Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirmed the dates.

The fourth runway at Indira Gandhi International Airport will enhance the hosting facility for domestic and international flights in the National Capital. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said, initially, the runway will be used for departure purposes only.

The DIAL further said that once the fourth runway gets operational, they will close the main runway between terminals 1 and 3 and the closest to the Shivaji statue for repair purposes.

If everything goes well, then IGIA will have all four runways functioning within a year, which will increase its capacity to 100 flights an hour.

In 2016, Delhi Airport ranked 9th among the world's ten busiest airports, as it handles 5.9 crore people annually.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has prepared a trained Air Trained Traffic Controller (ATC) to manage the operations on the new runway. 

Delhi Airport will become the first Indian airport with four runways. With this fourth runway, IGI will soon become the world's busiest airport.

30/06/2023 Sudeep Singh Rawat/Business Standard

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Manohar International Airport overtakes Dabolim in connectivity in five months

The Manohar International Airport (MIA) at Mopa in north Goa started commercial operations on January 5, 2023.

The project had seen its fair share of issues, with court cases and then pandemic delaying construction. When it was finally ready, IndiGo became the lead player by launching flights to the new airport in an unprecedented manner.

This was soon followed by Go First, which is no longer in operation. Eventually, Akasa Air, Vistara and SpiceJet joined, with the new airport proving to be a blessing at least to Akasa, which did not have operations to Goa.

Five months after starting operations, MIA may still have fewer flights than Dabolim, in Goa itself, but is connected to more destinations than Dabolim. While Dabolim is connected to 15 domestic destinations, MIA is connected to 21.

Dabolim Airport is operated by the Indian Navy, which has an offshore testing facility among other assets. The airport is closed from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm on weekdays and the Airports Authority of India (AAI)-constructed and operated civil enclave has limited bays and terminal area. This combination means giving out additional slots to airlines is always a challenge.

A tourist destination thrives on flights which arrive between 11 am and 2 pm since they overlap with check-in / check-out timings. With the new airport, there was the availability of slots. While luxury resorts are in the south of the state and closer to the Dabolim airport, not all travellers head south and that makes the new airport at Mopa attractive.

Goa is also undergoing a transformation when it comes to surface transport. When all new bridges and roads become operational, it will help one travel from north to south faster. A new airport which blends with the local style, has a large retail area and an uncongested runway and apron has led to some flights shifting from Dabolim, and not all are additional flights.

29/06/2023 Ameya Joshi/Moneycontrol

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As Kerala plans for 5th international airport, Kannur airport in doldrums

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala boasts of being the only state in the country with four international airports, while a fifth one at Sabarimala is on the anvil, but the sad fact is the fourth international airport at Kannur is presently having a hand to mouth existence.

The Kannur airport revenues are rock bottom with just two airlines -- Air India Express and Indigo -- operating a handful of flights.

The airport operations have been hit hard after Go First which operated over 200 flights a month temporarily stopped their services and before that when Air India also withdrew.

Kannur airport opened amid big fanfare in 2018 and in less than a year there were 50 daily flights, but five years later the airport is undergoing difficult times.

Despite numerous representations to the Centre, foreign airlines continue to duck this airport on the grounds that Kannur airport is not in the metro category, and the 'point of call' does not become applicable, which is a criterion for foreign airlines to operate.

Former Leader of the opposition and veteran Congress legislator Ramesh Chennithala has alleged that the government was deliberately allowing the Kannur International Airport to be in the red so that it can be 'gifted' it to Adani Group and wanted a Comptroller and Auditor General of India audit to be conducted at the airport.

29/06/2023 IANS/Daijiworld

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Ayodhya airport will be completed by September: Jyotiraditya Scindia

Lucknow: The Ayodhya airport construction will be completed by September, said civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in a tweet on Wednesday.

Five days ago, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had told TOI that with an airport with night and fog landing facilities in place, the first first phase of airport operation is expected to receive licence by October this year from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Once the licence is received, the airlines can kickstart commercial transportation of passengers and goods.

The minister further said that “spread over 6,250 sqm area, the terminal building of the airport, depicting a grand Ram temple, will provide a spiritual experience to the passengers, also depict the life cycle of Lord Ram and open new doors of regional prosperity through religious tourism”.

29/06/2023 Times of India

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IGIA likely to rank among Top 5 busiest airports globally as 4th runway will begin operation on July 13

New Delhi: By becoming operational on July 13, the fourth runway at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital will finally be put into use enhancing the hosting facility for domestic and international flights. Initially, it will be used for departures only, airport authorities said.

According to the Times Of India (TOI) report, the head of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Sanjeev Kumar confirmed the date of the opening saying when the runway will be operational the IGIA will have an equal number of runways to Dulles International Airport in Washington.

The first elevated taxiway in India and an upgraded Terminal 1 are scheduled to open by September, so the upcoming few months at India’s biggest airport should be extremely exciting.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) reportedly plans to close the other two runways, the main runway between Terminals 1 and 3 and the one nearest to the Shivaji statue, for maintenance once the fourth runway is put into service. If all goes according to plan, IGIA should have all four runways operational in a year, increasing its capacity to well over 100 aircraft per hour.

The main runway (10/28), according to TOI will be closed for recarpeting (after the fourth runway is put into operation) and should start handling aircraft by the end of the year or early next year, according to a senior airport official.

The runway ‘Runway 29 Right and 11 Left’ (11R/29L) that is closest to the side of the Shivaji statue will be closed for about two months in March of the following year to undergo minor repairs. IGIA will have all four runways operating by next June or July, he added.

28/06/2023 Junaid Dar/News Nine

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Prayagraj airport to get 4 more aerobridges before Mahakumbh

Prayagraj: To improve air connectivity of Sangam city with the rest of the country before the Mahakumbh, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to give the Prayagraj airport a major uplift.

From air connectivity to expansion of terminal and number of flights, Prayagraj airport has left behind the airports of many cities.

The revamp of the Civil Enclave or popularly known as Prayagraj airport is being done keeping in mind the convenience of tourists and devotees coming from other countries in the Mahakumbh to be held in Prayagraj in 2025.

According to airport director RR Pandey, the government plans to redevelop the airport at a cost of Rs 175 crore. Th works has been initiated and the tender process will be completed next month.

The number of aerobridges, passenger boarding bridge which connects the aircraft doors to the airport terminal, will be added as the expansion of flight movement in the airport would increase, he said.Deputy general manager of Prayagraj airport Pramod Kumar Singh said at present the number of aerobridges is two and four more would be added before Mahakumbh. With this, the airport will become the first in UP with six aerobridges.

The official added that there has been continuous expansion of air connectivity of city. After Lucknow and Varanasi, Prayagraj airport has now reached the third position in terms of flights and passenger movement.

“Currently, 24 domestic flights operate from this airport to 12 cities. After the expansion, their number will also increase to more than 16,” Pandey said.

The number of passengers traveling by air from here is also increasing daily. Last year 5,48,310 had traveled by air from Prayagraj airport.

The airport has achieved an important position in terms of increasing number of passengers every month and every year and at present it is at the third position in the state.

27/06/2023 Rajeev Mani/Times of India

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Cochin International Airport flies high with record annual profit

Kochi: Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) plans to commission five mega projects, including a new import cargo terminal, this year. At its board meeting on Monday, the company reported the highest profit in its 25-year history and said it would achieve a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore in the current financial year, an increase of nearly 30% from 2022-23.  

CIAL posted a net profit of Rs 267.17 crore for 2022–23 on an operating profit of Rs 521.50 crore. It also announced a dividend of 35%, which is subject to the ratification of the annual general meeting on September 28. “This is the highest-ever dividend offered by CIAL in its 25 year operational history,” the company said. 

Approving its blueprint for infrastructure development, CIAL said the new import cargo terminal, which is expected to increase its cargo-handling capacity by 150%, is due to be inaugurated by September. It also decided to commence work on four infrastructure development projects. These include the Rs 500-crore expansion of Terminal 3, the commissioning of a new cargo terminal, the beginning of city-side infrastructure projects; a transit accommodation facility at T2, a commercial zone near T3, and a tourism project at the CIAL golf course. It will focus on completing the projects in a time-bound manner. 

In 2022–23, CIAL registered a turnover of Rs 770.90 crore. This was Rs 418.69 crore in the previous year. The airport handled 89.29 lakh passengers and 61,232 aircraft movements during the period under review. 

After posting a loss of Rs 85.10 crore in fiscal 2020-21, CIAL registered a strong comeback by focusing on generating new revenue streams from the non-aero sector and undergoing major financial restructuring.  

27/06/2023 New Indian Express

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Belagavi airport sees a major surge in passenger traffic

Belagavi: Here is some good news for Belagavi residents, especially those who prefer air travel. According to the latest release from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the passenger traffic at Belagavi Airport saw a remarkable surge in May-2023.

The report says the airport has witnessed 23.15% increase in passenger traffic in the month of May, when compared to April. This is proof for the growing popularity of the airport. Along with this, the airport also experienced a notable increase in aircraft movements.

As per the AAI report, Belagavi airport recorded total of 18,992 passenger footfall in the month of April. However, it went up to 23,304 in the month of May, which is an increase of 4,382 passengers within a month. The release says Belagavi airport witnessed total of 538 aircraft movements in May. ,

27/06/2023 Ravindra Uppar/Times of India

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Calicut airport land issue: Scindia writes to Kerala CM; expresses 'deep anguish' over delay

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has expressed "deep anguish" to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the state government's delay in providing the required land for having a runway end safety area at Calicut airport, which witnessed a fatal plane crash in 2020.

Scindia also said that if the land is not provided to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), then the civil aviation ministry will be left with no choice but to proceed with action to curtail the runway length for safe aircraft operations from August.

The airport at Calicut, also known as Kozhikode, is operated by AAI.

27/06/2023 PTI

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Fairfax India boosts stake in BIAL, Bengaluru airport

The story states that Fairfax India Holdings Corporation has obtained an additional 3% stake in Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) from Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, a division of Siemens Financial Services. The acquisition was made for $75 million.With this transaction completed, Fairfax India's total ownership in BIAL has risen to 57%, consisting of a 13.4% stake held by its wholly-owned subsidiary and a 43.6% stake held by its indirect subsidiary, Anchorage Infrastructure Investments Holding.

Furthermore, Fairfax India, via its wholly-owned subsidiary, has entered into an agreement to purchase an extra 7% equity interest in BIAL from Siemens Financial Services for $175 million. The completion of this acquisition is subject to certain performance conditions being met by BIAL, along with other closing conditions, which are anticipated to be evaluated after October 31, 2023.

It should be noted that BIAL serves as the operator of Kempegowda International Airport, and it holds exclusive rights, as per an agreement with the government of India, to undertake the airport's development, design, financing, construction, commissioning, maintenance, operation, and management until 2068.

27/06/2023 Contruction World

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KIAL takes a nosedive with Go First’s exit

Kannur:  Kannur airport seems to be experiencing severe turbulence. It handled a mere 92,040 passengers in May, down 25,270 from 1,17,310 passengers that it serviced in the previous month, according to available data.     

The drop has been attributed to the exit of crisis-hit Go First from the scene. The airline temporarily suspended operations and filed for insolvency on May 2. It is currently under bankruptcy protection.     

Go First used to operate 42 international and 14 domestic services every week from Kannur. Now, only two airlines use the airport, Air India Express and IndiGo. According to estimates, KIAL — a public-private consortium that owns and operates the airport — suffers a loss of around `13 lakh daily as a result of Go First’s departure. 

In May, the airport scrapped 206 services -- 150 international and 56 domestic. From 994 in April, total services declined to 788 in May. 

Speaking at a meeting organised by the district committee of the Global Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) to discuss steps to bail out the airport, K Sudhakaran MP said that though he had approached the central ministry, nobody has done anything to resolve the crisis. “Union minister V Muraleedharan is from Thalassery. But he has failed to act, too,” said Sudhakaran. 

It was amid much fanfare that the airport was inaugurated four years ago. It was expected to alter the development prospects of the district and the entire north Malabar. But within a short span of time, authorities realised that unless foreign airlines operate from Kannur, the chances of turning around the airport were dim. 

27/06/2023  M A Rajeev Kumar/New Indian Express

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Bad weather causes diversion of Air India Delhi-Port Blair flight

More than 150 Air India passengers travelling from Delhi to Port Blair spent a night in the city after their flight was diverted on Sunday due to inclement weather.

Air India on Monday said it sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers. There were 152 passengers in the flight.

"Air India flight AI 485 from Delhi to Port Blair (of June 25) was diverted to Vizag due to the inclement weather at Port Blair... all the passengers were provided with food and accommodation," Air India said in a statement on Monday.

According to the airline, the flight with all the passengers took off for its destination at 2.15 pm on Monday and landed in Port Blair at 4 pm.

26/06/2023 Business Standard

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Ayodhya airport to blend modernity with tradition; airlines keen to start flights as construction of temple nears completion

The Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport, located 8 kms from the upcoming Ram temple, will blend modernity with tradition, officials said.

As per plans, the phase-1 of the airport, expected to be completed in August this year, will see an interim terminal building over an area of 6,250 sqare metre. The terminal will be equipped to handle 300 passengers during peak hours with an annual handling capacity of over 600,000 passengers.

The roof of the terminal, which will have decorative columns displaying important events from the story of Ramayana pictorially, is proposed to be adorned with Shikharas (dome like structures) of varying heights to convey a sense of grandeur to the structure. The glass facade of the terminal will be designed to recreate a sense of being in the very palace of Ayodhya.

The building, officials said, will shine aesthetically and functionally, displaying a perfect mix of local architecture with a modern architectural note.

The building also incorporates environmentally responsive systems that reduce the consumption of energy and improve overall efficiency using skylights, solar power systems, and efficient rainwater harvesting amongst others, sources say. 

The terminal will also feature eight check-in-counters, and three conveyor belts, two in arrival and one in departure areas.

Airlines are gearing up to operate flights to Ayodhya, which is expected to become a major transit point for pilgrims from across the world after the Ram temple is constructed.

In 2021, Ayodhya attracted around 154 milion tourists, showed figures from UP Tourism. This number is expected to grow exponentially.

Industry insiders told Fe several domestic airlines were eager to operate flights to the airport in anticipation of heavy passenger traffic from all over India, especially from the southern and western parts of the country.

26/06/2023 Rohit Vaid/Financial Express

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Bengaluru Airport Launches BLR Pulse App: Check Real-Time Flight Status, Queues & More

Passengers flying through Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) will now have a new way of experiencing the airport with the launch of 'BLR Pulse' – a personalised digital travel buddy to cater to their needs. Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) - the operator of BLR Airport, in collaboration with GrayMatter Software Services, has created 'BLR Pulse', an omnichannel platform. "This app alleviates common pre-travel apprehensions like long security queues, wait times, etc. It allows passengers to navigate within the terminal buildings and take control of their journey at departures and arrivals by providing essential information about the airport in real-time," BIAL said.

The interactive chatbot feature in the app enables a self-sufficient mode of finding answers to various questions, which will be further curated over time, it said. BLR Pulse offers real-time updates on various passenger processing touchpoints, including entry gates, check-in counters and security check areas, while delivering flight status updates directly to passengers' mobile or email inboxes.

In addition, the 'WayFinder' feature allows passengers to find their way through the airport easily. Passengers can book a transit hotel for their short-term stay or complete their last-minute flight check-ins, BIAL said.

Speaking about the new offering, BIAL MD and CEO Hari Marar, said, "Travelling through BLR Airport gets more seamless with the BLR Pulse app. The objective is to help passengers plan their travel on the go even before they reach the airport.

26/06/2023 ZeeNews

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Bad weather forces diversion of Air India Delhi-Port Blair flight; passengers spent 1 night in Visakhapatnam

More than 150 Air India passengers travelling from Delhi to Port Blair spent a night in the city after their flight was diverted on Sunday due to inclement weather. Air India on Monday said it sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers. There were 152 passengers in the flight.

"Air India flight AI 485 from Delhi to Port Blair (of June 25) was diverted to Vizag due to the inclement weather at Port Blair... all the passengers were provided with food and accommodation," Air India said in a statement on Monday.

According to the airline, the flight with all the passengers took off for its destination at 2.15 pm on Monday and landed in Port Blair at 4 pm.

"We sincerely regret the delay and inconvenience caused to our guests due to the reasons beyond our control," it added.

26/06/2023 PTI/Economic Times

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DIAL unveils self-baggage drop facility at Terminal-3 of Delhi's IGI Airport, to save 15-20 mins of wait time for passengers

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL),a GMR Airport Infrastructure Limited-led consortium that operates and manages Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, has introduced a self-baggage drop facility at Terminal-3 of IGI Airport. This facility allows passengers to check in their own baggage without the help of airport staff. 

The step has been taken to streamline the baggage drop-off process, reducing the wait time for passengers by approximately 15-20 minutes.

For travellers, the self-baggage drop facility involves a two-step process. First, passengers can generate their boarding passes and baggage tags at the Self Check-In kiosk. Then, after tagging their check-in baggage, passengers will proceed to the SBD facility, where they will scan their boarding pass, declare that their luggage is free of prohibited/ dangerous items, and load their baggage onto the designated belt. 

Once completed, the baggage will be automatically transferred to the sorting area and subsequently onto the aircraft. It is important to note that passengers will not have to register separately to utilise this facility.

The self-baggage drop facility, which has the capability to serve up to three passengers every minute, is located at Check-in Row – P of Terminal-3 and is available for domestic passengers and post mandatory approvals it will be available for international passengers as well. 

For passengers, 14 self-baggage drop machines have been installed, including 12 fully automated and two hybrids, with the initial calibrated weight for each machine set at 120 kgs for baggage processing.

Currently, passengers travelling in Indigo can use the facility. Five other airlines including, Air India, Vistara, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and British Airways are expected to allow usage of self-baggage drop for their passengers soon.

26/ 06/2023 Business Today

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Flights would operate from Aug 11 at Shivamogga airport

Shivamogga: The newly-built airport in Shivamogga which inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will start flight operations from August 11. The first flight will operate between Shivamogga and Bangalore. Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra told reporters that Indigo Airlines officials visited the airport last week and inspected various facilities including bus services.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport by landing at Shivamogga from Delhi on February 27. For the first time, the Prime Minister’s plane arrived at Shivamogga airport It was a historic moment for us. Raghavendra said that the inauguration of the airport on the birthday of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa is also a matter of happiness for us. According to sources, Indigo Airlines will soon start flights from Shivamogga to Delhi and Mumbai. Asked about the fare between Shivamogga and Bengaluru, the MP said it may be between Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per person. The airport will help promote tourism in the district. He said famous Jog Falls and many religious places are located in the district which will help tourists to visit them. The airport will play a big role in the development of neighbouring districts like Davanagere, Chitradurga and Chikkamagaluru. He said that the start of flight service from Shivamogga will give a big boost to the industrial sector of the district.

25/06/2023 Hans India

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Airports Authority of India identifies 24 routes under UDAN and VGF

 Guwahati: Under the first phase of Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) and viability gap funding (VGF), the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has identified 24 routes in Assam to provide selected airline operators (SAOs) for operating UDAN flights under the scheme. However, there are many Airports in Assam that have not been covered under the UDAN Scheme, with the most important ones being those at Dibrugarh, Kumbhigram in Silchar, Lilabari in Lakhimpur, and Jorhat. Dibrugarh being the hub of industry, trade, and commerce, with oil and gas, tea, polymers, manufacturing, and tourism industries flourishing in and around the city, and also due to Dibrugarh’s geographic proximity, connecting the North Bank through airways, and its proximity to the neighbouring State of Arunachal, it has become vital to improve air connectivity and facilitate increased air traffic in the region.

Similarly, the airport at Kumbhigram in Silchar is also vital for connecting the Barak Valley and the Brahmaputra Valley, as connectivity gets disrupted at times due to floods. Presently, few flights are available on the route, and due to the increased demand, airfares have spiked. Hence, it has become imperative to revive the underserved airports at reasonable prices through VGF. Further, the districts of Dhemaji and North Lakhimpur, located on the easternmost corner of the North Bank of the Brahmaputra, are connected to the rest of Assam and the country through the only airport located at Lilabari, which is functional but underserved.

Till recently, Fly Big Airlines was operating in this sector, but that was also discontinued owing to less traffic and commercially nonviable flights. As per the approval of the State Cabinet, operation of flight services between Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Guwahati-Silchar sectors has been started through Flybig under ‘Capital Subsidy under Non-UDAN Sector, wherein the State Government is providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF). In this regard, the Government of Assam is pleased to direct all officers and officials of the Government of Assam that they are to mandatorily make official travels through these flights only. In exceptional cases, officials will use other airlines, but not otherwise.

25/06/2023 Sentinel Assam

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Air connectivity to Raj's Bikaner, Kishangarh airport likely to enhance soon

Jaipur: Air connectivity to Rajasthan's Bikaner and Kishangarh airports from other parts of the country is likely to enhance as the Airport Authority of India along with the Ministry of civil aviation has put up both the airports for bidding in order to start new flights.

The development came after the Rajasthan government's resident commissioner in New Delhi held a meeting with the secretary of the union ministry sometime back regarding the expansion and development of airports in the state, an official said here.

Commissioner of Rajasthan Foundation Dhiraj Srivastava said Bikaner and Kishangarh airports have been included in the bidding process for starting new flight services. Rajasthan Foundation is a body of the state government to address the needs and concerns of non-resident Rajasthanis (NRR).

"The bidding process will go on till July 15. By August 15, it is expected that airlines will come up to operate more flights from these two airports," Srivastava said while referring to the outcome of the meeting of the resident commissioner in Delhi with the secretary of the union minister of civil aviation. He said the foundation has requested the chief minister to expedite efforts to enhance air connectivity to the cities of Rajasthan, following which the meeting in Delhi took place.

At present, one flight is being operated at Kishangarh and Bikaner airports each, which, too, is irregular, he said, adding that in view of the high footfall of tourists and celebrities, international flights should be operated from Udaipur Airport. 

"There is one flight for Surat from Kishangarh while a flight for Delhi operates from Bikaner airport. The flight operations are also irregular. In view of the high potential of tourism in the state, enhanced air connectivity to various destinations of the state will be very useful," he said.

25/06/2023 PTI/Deccan Herald

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Appoint Nagpur Collector as Joint MD of MIHAN to expedite its development: Gadkari to Maha govt

Nagpur: Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said he has requested the Maharashtra government to appoint Nagpur District Collector as the Joint Managing Director of MIHAN to expedite its development.

MIHAN stands for Multi Modal international Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur, an airport-cum-special economic zone (SEZ), a flagship project of the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC).

Speaking at an event here, Gadkari described MIHAN as the growth engine for Nagpur and the Vidarbha region.

“I have requested the chief minister (Eknath Shinde) and deputy chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) to make Nagpur Collector the Joint MD of MIHAN as it will enable its expeditious development,” he said.

The state government plans to expand the MIHAN SEZ, he added.

According to Gadkari, by 2024, MIHAN will have one lakh employees.

24/06/2023 PTI/Print

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7 taxi touts held from Kol airport

Kolkata: More than half a dozen taxi touts were arrested from in and around Kolkata airport premises on Tuesday and slapped with stringent extortion charges by the Bidhannagar City Police. The move partially rid the airport of the menace of taxi touts for the time being.

According to officials of the airport division of Bidhannagar Commissionerate, seven persons were picked up during a raid when touts were negotiating with passengers. “We initiated a drive against men who’ve been illegally approaching passengers. We will continue it for a few days and have slapped them with sections pertaining to extortion and criminal conspiracy,” said a senior officer of Bidhannagar Commissionerate.

The arrests came after a passenger approached the officers of airport traffic guard, complaining that he was being harassed by touts. “Being denied, the drivers threatened the passengers and said they’re the only option at the airport,” the officer said. The accused are Aktarul Hossain, Sadhu Singh, Abdul Ali, Mithu Mistri, Sujoy Sarkar, Debu Ghosh and Dinabandhu Tiwari.

15/06/2023 Tamaghna Banerjee & Mayukh Sengupta/Times of India

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Karnataka govt to object to handing over Mangaluru International Airport to Adani Group

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government revealed that it will write to the Centre, objecting to the decision of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to hand over operations and management (O&M) of Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) to the Adani Group.

MB Patil, infrastructure development minister, who on Tuesday said the state government is planning to operate all new airports, told TOI: “While we cannot undo what has been done, we will question the decision. ” The minister said letters will be sent to AAI and the Centre.

“I was shocked with the decision,” he said. “It suggested the Karnataka government was not consulted on the issue. We will see how the Centre responds to handing over O&M of the airport to a private player. ”

Patil was also critical of AAI and the central government’s policy of using state resources for airports but not sharing any revenue with the state. “We pay for the land, we pay for the basic infrastructure, and then they [AAI] take over for what purpose? To distribute them to private players?” he said.

Patil said the state government pays Rs 6-8 crore as recurring costs — for water, electricity, and other amenities — to run airports. “Whyshould we pay when a subsidiary company of the state government can do the same work? We will at least have control of the airport’s capital investments,” he said. Patil said the government is also planning to suggest to AAI and the Centre that all land on which airports are constructed should be in the name of the Karnataka government. “We will give land on long-term lease and renew it on a 30-year or more basis,” he said.

15/06/2023 Sandeep Moudgal/Times of India

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Tata, Adani in race for new airport near Chennai Auto hub

 Chennai is all set to get a second airport in the next few years with the Centre and state government rolling out the project to meet future demand. Chennai, which has many automobile companies as well as old manufacturing companies, is in need of a big airport.

The second airport is to come at a place called Parandur which is around 60km from the city. Last year, the state government announced its decision to build a second airport for Chennai to meet the increasing passenger traffic.

"Our end goal is to make Tamil Nadu a $1 trillion economy. For that we need to achieve $100 billion in exports and when we look at the infrastructure, we realise that in Tamil Nadu, specifically in Chennai, we need a new airport. This will be important for us to reach a $1 trillion economy," said a senior minister of the DMK government.

Chennai's existing airport at Meenambakkam will co-exist with the new airport that is planned to be built, and operate simultaneously.

"The existing airport (within the city) is not equipped to cater to our growing demands in the future so we certainly need a new greenfield airport which will take care of the future demands," the minister said.

He explained that the existing airport cannot be expanded as it has its own challenges of space and being surrounded by a hills, river, habitation and a defence establishment.

"With the present airport likely to reach saturation point soon in terms of capacity and with complaints pouring in from passengers about the congestion during peak hours and lack of hygiene, the government went ahead with its proposal to build a second airport at an estimated cost of ₹20,000 crore and subsequently identified 4,790 acres of land at Parandur," said an additional chief secretary.

Parandur was chosen as it is on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway and is also very close to Sriperumbudur which has all the automobile companies. "On a daily basis many CEOs as well as high-level officials of various companies land in Chennai airport and go by road to their factories. Once the new airport is ready, it will not take more than 30 minutes for the company officials to reach their factories," said the official.

15/06/2023 B Sivakumar/Fortune India

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Airports Authority of India begins probe into Kolkata airport fire

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has begun an investigation into the incident of fire at the Kolkata airport, officials said on Thursday. The fire broke out at the check-in area of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport around 9.12 pm on Wednesday, leading to chaos and panic among passengers, they said.

West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose earlier told PTI, "Initially, it seems that some fault related to the air conditioning system caused the fire."

The exact reason behind it will be known after an investigation, he had said

A probe has been started into the incident of fire, an AAI spokesperson said.

The fire was doused by 9.40 pm, and check-in service resumed at 10.25 pm, officials said.

No one was injured in the mishap, they said, adding that no arriving flight was delayed.

15/06/2023 PTI/Economic Times

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50km from China border, Naini Saini airport in Uttarakhand gets DGCA nod

The Naini Saini airport in Pithoragarh, at an aerial distance of 50 km from the China border, can now be open for flight operations, connecting the remote, hilly area of Uttarakhand to the rest of the country.

An aerodrome licence has been given for the airport by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, which currently manages it.

Confirming the news, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "It is a major boost for air connectivity in Uttarakhand, especially in the Kumaon region. We want to thank PM Narendra Modi and the civil aviation ministry."

The Uttarakhand cabinet had earlier approved handing over of the strategically-placed Naini Saini airport to the Indian Air Force even as commercial flights would continue to operate from it. As of now, the airport, made in 1991 for administrative use, is operated by the state civil aviation department. The airstrip, 1,508 metres long, is currently used by the state-owned Pawan Hans heli services for mostly chopper landings and take-offs, which don't happen on a regular basis.

14/06/2023 Kautilya Singh/Times of India

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Special assistance counter at Kolkata airport to help all passengers with special needs

The special assistance counter at the Kolkata airport should help all passengers with special needs, not just those who need wheelchairs, said a speaker at a workshop held at the airport on Monday.

“The airport and airlines provide assistance to passengers needing wheelchairs. But what about those who are intellectually challenged? The authorities need to provide proper assistance for them also…” said Minu Budhia, psychotherapist and founder-director of Caring Minds, an OPD mental health clinic.

Caring Minds, in association with the Airports Authority of India, held the sensitisation workshop. The aim was to bring about an inclusive flying experience by reaffirming the commitment of the airport staff and airlines to the challenges faced by individuals with special needs. 

The awareness is needed because intellectual challenges are at times not visible. “A passenger with special needs may not always appear to be someone who needs assistance,” said Budhia.

She said a dedicated corridor for intellectually challenged passengers and those accompanying them, should be created. There should be a dedicated queue and counter for them at the security hold area, too.

13/06/2023 Sanjay Mandal/Telegraph

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CISF Personnel Saves Woman Attempting Suicide At Hyderabad International Airport

Airports in India have tight security, which is taken care of by CISF (Central Industrial Security Force). The department is responsible for security of nearly all airports in India, and it is, in fact, praised for its superior services. Recently, a CISF personnel further showcased the prompt response of the force at the Hyderabad International Airport. The security personnel saved a young woman’s life, while she was attempting to commit suicide by jumping off the terminal building. The video of the incident is posted on Twitter via the official handle of the security forces.

The video was posted with the caption, “CISF: Always at service to win hearts and minds. Prompt response by CISF personnel foiled suicide attempt of a young woman by jumping off from Terminal Building @ Hyderabad Airport. #PROTECTIONandSECURITY with #HUMANITY.” In the video, the lady can be seen on the other side of the guard rails, while the masses and security personnel are pulling her back from behind the guard rails.

The incident saw reactions from netizens in a positive manner. A Twitter user commented, “Everything evolves.CISF has evolved over a period of time. Nothing is perfect. You being a public interface of a Service Industry, keep improving qualitatively. Look for silent indicators for improvement.” Another said, “This is why we feel safe at the airports.”

12/06/2023 ZeeNews

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Woman tries to enter airport to get a selfie with Ranbir Kapoor, stopped by security

Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor’s upcoming film Animal is already making waves on the internet following the release of its pre-teaser on Sunday. On Monday morning, Ranbir was spotted at the Mumbai airport sporting a casual look. The actor interacted with the paparazzi and even posed for them. However, a fan’s disappointed reaction who missed the opportunity to take a selfie with Ranbir has caught the attention of netizens. 

In the video doing the rounds on the internet, Ranbir was seen hurriedly walking towards the airport gate. The actor posed for the paps and left for the departure gate. A female fan who was seen running towards Ranbir with a phone in her hand, was stopped by the officials since Ranbir was already inside the airport. The fan came back, but was still smiling as she expressed disappointment. 

One of the fans said, “If she’d have called him, he’d have definitely come. He’s the most down to earth person.” Another said, “Women and their obsession with Ranbir.”

In the upcoming film Animal, Ranbir will play the role of a gangster. Helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the film also stars Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna and Triptii Dimri. Talking about the film, Ranbir told Pinkvilla, “I am looking forward to Animal because that’s a script that’s way out of my comfort zone. I am scared, but at the same time very excited.” The film is all set to hit the theatres on August 11. 

12/06/2023 Indian Express

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Jolly Grant Airport upgraded to Level 2 even as Vistara begins another flight to Mumbai

Dehradun: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has upgraded Jolly Grant Airport (Dehradun Airport) from Level 3 to Level 2. The Airport has been upgraded to Level 2 on the basis of increased number of air passengers during a year at Dehradun Airport. The air passenger traffic to and fro Dehradun Airport crossed the standard figure of 15 lakhs per annum during the last Financial Year that ended in March this year and therefore the upgradation of the airport was being expected from April itself. In addition, work in respect of the new terminal at the airport is also under advance stage of completion. Once the new terminal becomes operational, the capacity to handle the number of passengers at the airport will increase by ten times to over 36 lakh passengers every year. The new terminal will have a space of 42 thousand square metres.

According to the Airport Authority, more than 4,000 passengers are flying to or from Dehradun everyday now. The cities to which direct flights are available from Dehradun include, Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Varanasi and Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir).

12/06/2023 Arun Pratap Singh/Garhwal Post

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All international flights from Bengaluru airport will move to Terminal 2 from September 1

Bengaluru: Come September 1, all 28 international airlines, including two Indian carriers, currently flying from Bengaluru, will move their operations to the newly-unveiled Terminal 2 (T2) of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here.

Terminal 1 (T1), which currently handles all international flights, in addition to a major chunk of domestic operations as well, will then be converted into an exclusive domestic-only terminal and will undergo renovation and refurbishing.

According to sources at the airport, the decision to switch all international operations to T2 was taken by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) that operates KIA.

Interior work at the terminal is in progress, covering an area of 2,55,645 sqm, which is part of phase 1 of T2, often referred to as 'Terminal in a Garden' for its architecture depicting Bengaluru as the 'Garden City'.

Airport sources confirmed that the move to T2 will be a gradual one with August 31 being the last day when international flights will take off from and land at T1. Workstations for Customs officials and other agencies related to handling international passenger operations are being set up at T2, apart from an advanced baggage drop and screening system.

Work is also under way for other facilities, including duty free outlets, dining areas and lounges at T2.

09/06/2023 Times of India

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Pune-Bengaluru flight delayed by over nine hours, passengers hassled

Pune: About 150 flyers booked on an AIX Connect (formerly Air Asia) flight to Bengaluru spent about half of Wednesday languishing in the city airport as it got delayed by more than nine hours.

The scheduled departure time of the flight (I5611) was 5.30am. It took off around 3pm, nine-and-a-half hours after its expected time of departure.

The same aircraft was slated to fly from Bengaluru to Chennai, and then to Hyderabad. According to data from FlightAware, a flights’ tracking app, AIX operated a different aircraft on these sectors.

Cut back to Pune. “Like many others on the Pune-Bengaluru flight, I reached the Lohegaon airport by 2am. There was no prior information about the delay. We first learned about the delay when some flyers asked the airline’s ground staffers why the boarding hadn’t begun. They told us that the flight would take off at 6.30am. Many passengers lost their cool when they were told around 6.30am that the flight would take off at 9.30am,” Pushpak Singh, one of the flyers, told TOI.

Some passengers shouted slogans like “Air Asia Hai”. A flyer leading the protest, according to CISF, turned violent. CISF personnel carried him away forcibly, a viral video showed. A senior CISF officer said, “No flyer was arrested or detained. That flyer turned violent and so he had to be removed from the boarding gate. He was later allowed to board the aircraft,” a senior CISF officer at the airport said.

Another flyer said the airline did not provide proper information and refreshments despite passengers waiting at the airport from early hours. “When we asked the ground staffers around 9.30am why prior information was not given about the flight’s delay, we were offered refreshments. An email was also sent stating that the flight had been delayed until 9.30am. This angered the flyers more as the ground staffers had said the flight would take off only at noon,” he said.

08/06/2023 Joy Sengupta/Times of India

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Calicut International Airport completes runway re-carpeting works in record time

With meticulous planning and efficient project monitoring and execution, the Airports Authority India (AAI) Team accomplished an incredible milestone by completing re-carpeting work at Calicut International Airport in a record time of 120 days, much ahead of the scheduled date.

The project, with an estimated project cost of Rs. 60 Crore included re-carpeting of the 2.86 km Runway, fixing of Runway Centre Line lights and Touchdown Zone lights, aimed at enhancing the safety standards of the airport.

The re-carpeting work of any runway of over 2.5 kms takes eight to nine months on an average. The work for re-carpeting of Runway of Calicut International Airport commenced on 27 January 2023 and successfully completed on 02 June 2023, well before the onset of monsoons in Kerala. The re-carpeting work included milling – i.e. removal of previous bituminous layer surface, re-carpeting (2860 meters long runway, runway shoulders, taxiway and RESA), providing glass fibre reinforcement grid and laying of Runway Centre Line Lighting (RCLL) and Touch Down Zone Lights (TDZ), which was completed in just 120 days. This feat could be achieved by AAI owing to efficient project monitoring & execution and un-interrupted availability of runway for works due to clear weather.

Airport runways are built to comply with internationally mandated standards. Frequent landing and take-off of flights lead to wear and tear of runways over a period of time. Natural weather phenomena like rain and sun also affect the runway surface. Thus, depending on the volume of traffic and the variety of aircraft, the runway needs to be re-carpeted as per the operational requirements. This is done by taking into consideration of various factors including, how busy the airport is and the variety of aircraft that it handles etc.

07/06/2023 International Airport Preview

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Kanpur Airport gets new terminal building, first flight welcome with water salute

Kanpur Airport's new terminal building opened for routine flight operations on Wednesday. A passenger flight from Bengaluru was the first one to operate from the new terminal building. The flight was given a ceremonious water salute on its landing at the Kanpur Airport.

The passengers of the flight were greeted with Jai Ho slogans on their arrival at the terminal building. The flight later took off for Bengaluru with around 140 people.

This new terminal is 16 times bigger than the previous building, which was constructed over 50 years ago. Built over an area of 6,243 sqm, the new terminal building is equipped to handle 400 passengers during peak hours. Eight check-in counters, three luggage belts, and a refreshments area, among other amenities have been provided. The city-side of the new terminal building has a 150-car parking area.

The new terminal building was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on May 26, but could not become operational immediately due to issues relating to equipment. The new terminal was opened for passenger services 12 days later.

07/06/2023 Simer Chawla/India Today

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Surat airport to add 6 more parking bays from July 13

Surat: With six more parking bays for aircraft to become operational at Surat airport from July 13, Surti flyers can expect to be connected by more early morning flights. The total number of parking bays at the airport will now reach 11 from the existing five.

After the Airport Authority of India (AAI) will make it operational, the possibility of late flights from other destinations to Surat also increases as night parking will be available henceforth. When asked about the new terminal building, Surat airport director Rupesh Kumar said : “It will be operational within one or one and half months.”

Kumar told TOI, “Now, we will be able to more scheduled and non-scheduled flights at Surat airport. We expect that more airlines will come as they will get parking facility to overnight halt. Airlines will be able to use this parking bays for their base flights also. At present, we have five parking bays which will be increased to 11. Earlier, SpiceJet had one parking bay for their base flight but it was discontinued. With airlines like Vistara and Akasa Air approaching us for more flights, we are hopeful that these parking bays will prove to be a boost for Surat’s flyers and also airlines.”

07/06/2023 Vishal Patadiya/Times of India

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IndiGo flight diverted to Vijayawada due to strong winds at Vizag airport

Visakhapatnam: Strong winds forced an IndiGo flight to divert from Vizag to Vijayawada on Wednesday night. Flight number 6E969 Bangalore-Visakhapatnam flight hovered for almost 15 minutes before it was diverted to Vijayawada by the authorities due to strong winds.

According to sources, the flight departed from Kempegowda International Airport at 5.05pm on Wednesday instead of 5.03pm. It has to reach Vizag at 6.35pm. But the blowing winds could not give space for the aircraft to land at Visakhapatnam International Airport.

The authorities diverted the flight, which onboarded 180 passengers, to Vijayawada. It had started at 8.15pm at Vijayawada and was scheduled to reach Vizag at 9.15pm.

07/06/2023 Siva G/Times of India

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'Inhumane Act': Mamata Banerjee After Nephew Abhishek's Wife Stopped At Airport

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after her nephew and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira was stopped from boarding a UAE-bound flight. Speaking to reporters, Mamata described it as nothing but an 'inhumane' act.

"Rujira Banerjee's mother is unwell and her health is deteriorating... She was going abroad to meet her ailing mother. The Supreme Court has not imposed any restrictions on her foreign tours. The apex court only asked her to inform the ED once before going out of the country and she had informed the ED well in advance about her scheduled tour," Mamata Banerjee said.

The TMC supremo added that the ED could have denied her permission at that point in time but instead, she was stopped from boarding the flight on Monday morning.

"Handing her the summon at the airport and asking her to come back on June 8 is nothing but an inhumane act," the West Bengal CM added.

She said the Centre is not 'ashamed' over the rising deaths in the June 2 Odisha trip train accident. Instead of helping the people, they are trying to divert attention from the entire incident, she said.

Rujira reportedly reached Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata with her two children around 7 am on Monday and was stopped before immigration.

Last year, the ED questioned her in connection with the coal pilferage case. The CBI had also questioned her in 2021 in the same case.

Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said the 'harassment' of his family was aimed at stopping his outreach campaign ahead of the panchayat elections in West Bengal. Addressing a press conference in Singur in Hooghly district, he also dared the ED to arrest him or his wife.

06/06/2023 ZeeNews

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Kolkata Airport Bomb Scare: Qatar Airways London-Bound Flight Grounded After Hoax Threat

A passenger, suspected to be a victim of psychosis-related disorder, was detained at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport for unnecessarily raising a bomb scare alert at a London-bound aircraft.

Airport sources said that the incident took place at around 3.39 a.m. when a London- bound aircraft of Qatar Airways via Doha was just about to take off. One of the passengers suddenly started shouting, claiming that a bomb had been implanted in the said aircraft.

Following his panic alert, the 531 passengers, who were onboard, were taken out of the flight, and the security forces engaged in airport duty conducted thorough search operations within the aircraft. However, the search operation did not result in the recovery of any bombs or explosive.

The security forces deployed at the airport first detained the passenger raising the bomb alert and then handed him over to the cops at the local police station. In the face of questioning, the passenger concerned claimed that he was informed by someone else about the existence of the bomb within the aircraft. Police suspect that the passenger is a victim of a psychosis-related disorder like schizophrenia.

06/06/2023 IANS/ZeeNews

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Virgin Atlantic aims for larger share in India with Heathrow to Bengaluru daily flights

Virgin Atlantic today announced expansion in India with the upcoming launch of new daily flights from London Heathrow to Bengaluru, as the British airline continues to boost its international network and tap connection to a city considered to be the Silicon Valley of the Asian nation.

Virgin Atlantic will connect London Heathrow to Bengaluru from March 31, 2024, for both customer and cargo operations, marking its rapid growth in the India region with a capacity increase of 250% since 2019.

"The new service will boost the airline’s international network and will be the airline’s fourth daily service to India. As Virgin Atlantic returns to growth post pandemic, Bengaluru will complement its long-established double daily services between London Heathrow and Delhi, daily flying to Mumbai as well as its growing codeshare with IndiGo, India’s leading airline, which covers 34 destinations across India," the company said in a release.

India is Virgin Atlantic's largest area of growth outside the US. With the launch of Bengaluru in summer 2024, the airline will offer almost 500,000 seats each year between the UK and India, it added.

The Bengaluru flights will operate on Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

05/06/2023 Economic Times

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Dasara deadline for Kolhapur new airport terminal: Scindia

Kolhapur: Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday asked the airport authorities to complete the work on the new terminal building, coming up on 3,900 sqm at Kolhapur airport, before Dasara this year, which is on October 24.

Scindia is on a two-day tour of Kolhapur as part of the BJP’s Sansad Pravas Yojana. As part of the yojna, ministers are allocated Lok Sabha constituencies to review Centre-sponsored schemes and projects.

On the first day of his visit, Scindia went to the Kolhapur airport. He had visited the airport earlier this year, in January, as well as in October 2022. In January, Schindia had asked the authorities to complete the work by March 31. However, due to certain undisclosed reasons, the work slowed down. The civil aviation minister has now set another deadline for the project. He said the work should be wrapped up by Dasara, which is on October 24 this year.

“I have asked the authorities to complete the work before the Dasara festival. The new building will showcase the history and culture of Kolhapur city to the passengers arriving from everywhere,” said Scindia.

He further said a vast garden will be developed in the surroundings of the new terminal building.

“I have asked the authorities to set up a statue of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj. Attractive lights will be installed. I will try to ensure more flights operate from the airport as well,” he said.

04/06/2023 Times of India

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Upcoming ATC tower to equip Bhopal's Raja Bhoj airport for flights 24 hours

The only airport in Madhya Pradesh's capital city Bhopal, Raja Bhoj Airport is getting ready for round-the-clock air services. The induction of several new generation technologies is in the process.

A newly constructed 32-meter tall air traffic control (ATC) tower will become operational from October 1. According to Raja Bhoj Airport director Ramji Awasthi, it would be the highest ATC tower in Madhya Pradesh, which will cover the entire runway area besides catering to the need of handling more flights and modern facilities.

"The new air traffic control tower, which is facilitated with modern technology and auxiliary structures such as a fire station and cargo complex, will be ready for operation from October 1. It will be the highest ATC tower in Madhya Pradesh. It will enable air traffic controllers to have a 360-degree view of the airport and operational area. Indore airport has a 27- meter high ATC tower," Awasthi told IANS.

04/06/2023 IANS/Economic Times

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CIASL aims high in aircraft maintenance & repair biz

Kochi: With aircraft servicing poised for a significant growth in the years ahead, Cochin International Aviation Services Limited (CIASL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cochin International Airport Limited (Cial), is vying to tap the business opportunities in the industry.

CIASL is expanding its focus on aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services by improving the infrastructure and the plans include setting up a new MRO hangar at the facility.

There has been a steady increase in the number of aircraft seeking MRO services at CIASL over the last three years. CIASL marked a major milestone by carrying out the maintenance and repair of the first foreign aircraft at the facility a week ago. Four more aircraft are undergoing servicing at the facility.

In FY 2021-22, CIASL provided MRO services for 56 aircraft while in 2022-23, it did maintenance and repair for 98 aircraft. In FY2023-24, so far, 20 aircraft, including five foreign aircraft of Saudi Arabian airline Flynas, flew to CIASL for MRO. The plan is to eventually transform Kochi as an MRO hub in South India, not just for domestic airlines but also for international airlines.

“Indian aviation sector is growing fast with a year-on-year growth of around 11%. Currently, around 850 aircraft are operating in India and 1,200 more are expected to join the fleet in the next five years, which means there will be a huge potential for MRO business. Cial aims for marking its identity and share in the business. The state government has decided to include aircraft maintenance too as a focus area in the industrial policy. The sector also opens up a lot of job opportunities,” said Cial MD S Suhas.

The services at CIASL are handled by aviation service provider Air Works. CIASL offers both base and line maintenance for airlines. Base maintenance includes heavy maintenance checks on aircraft taken out of service, while line maintenance is maintenance carried out before each and every flight to ensure that the aircraft is fit for flight.

04/06/2023 Anantha Narayanan K/Times of India

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With four runways, Delhi Airport to soon become the world’s largest airport

The Indian aviation industry is growing at a rapid pace and India has built 74 small and big airports in the past 9 years. Among these, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi has managed to grab headlines, with its capacity rising day by day.

Ministry of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia has stated that the IGIA can soon become the world's largest airport and, with the ongoing massive expansion of the airport, it will definitely become one of the world’s biggest, even surpassing the Atlanta airport in terms of passenger capacity wise.

The Minister added that at present, the Delhi airport caters to 70 million passengers, which will likely go till 109 million by the end of this year. It is the only Indian airport with three runways, and the fourth one will likely become operational in September.

This will also make it the only airport in India with four runways. There are three terminal buildings in the airport, and the passenger capacity will likely surpass 100 million by the end of 2023.

04/06/2023 Times Travel

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Odisha gets flights to Singapore and Bangkok, to be operated by IndiGo airlines

Odisha will have direct flights from Bhubaneswar to Singapore and Bangkok from Saturday. The direct flights will be operated by IndiGo and available on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Odisha will have direct flights from Bhubaneswar to Singapore and Bangkok from Saturday.

 The direct flights will be operated by IndiGo and available on Tuesdays and Saturdays. There is an introductory offer of Rs 15,000 per round trip. In order to ensure that IndiGo continues with its service uninterruptedly, the Odisha government agreed to bear the costs of unsold tickets.

 In the current budget, Odisha has made an allocation of Rs 100 crore to support the viability gap funding. Bhubaneswar has been directly connected to Dubai since May 15 with IndiGo operating its flight.

 03/06/2023 Telegraph

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Fresh DPR to be submitted for expansion of Mys airport

Mysuru: Mysuru MP Pratap Simha on Friday said that a fresh detailed project report (DPR) will be submitted to the Union government for expansion of the runway at the Mysuru airport to 3.2 km to facilitate operation of long-haul flights.

Presently, the airport has a 2.7-km long runway, which limits its ability to operate wider bodied aircraft. Speaking to reporters after holding a progress review meeting with officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Simha said that Shivamogga airport has been built on 775 acres of land at the cost of Rs 449.22 crore. The runway is 3.2-km long, and the passenger terminal has a built-up area of 4,320 sqft. Shivamogga airport can handle aircraft ranging from the ATR 72 to the Airbus A320.

“If a city like Shivamogga is having a bigger airport, then Mysuru which is rapidly developing in all areas also needs a similar airport to run long-haul flights to connect to major cities, mainly metros, in view of its future growth,” he stated.

Expansion of the runway and Mysuru-Nanjangud National Highway widening are crucial for promotion of trade and commerce and to boost tourism, industries for employment generation, he said.

An additional 240 acres of land is required and the KIADB is involved in the acquisition of land, the BJP MP said.

As Mysuru airport runway is to be extended, he said additionally 92 acres of land has to be acquired by the state government and it should be handed over to AAI to facilitate the work.

03/06/2023 Times of India

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Shanghai-bound UPS cargo flight makes 'emergency diversion' to Delhi Airport for maintenance

A UPS cargo plane travelling from Cologne to Shanghai was forced to make an emergency diversion to Delhi on Saturday due to issues with unreliable airspeed and the availability of a maintenance team at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Boeing 747 UPS10 aircraft landed safely in the Indian capital, where the necessary resources were available to address the aircraft's problems.

"UPS Airlines cargo flight from Cologne, Germany to Shanghai, China requested diversion to Delhi due to unreliable airspeed and availability of maintenance team at Delhi. The flight landed safely," ANI quoted Delhi Airport sources as saying.

Delhi was chosen as the emergency diversion point due to its capacity to handle such situations. The airport boasts sufficient resources and expertise to promptly resolve maintenance issues, making it an ideal location for UPS to address the problems with the aircraft. Additionally, Delhi has become an important destination for UPS, thanks in part to the availability of Boeing 747 aircraft, including those from Air India's fleet.

UPS initiated its freighter aircraft services from Delhi Airport around four years ago. The company began operating six weekly flights from Delhi using its largest freighter aircraft, the Boeing 747-8F, which arrived from Bangkok. UPS deploys various aircraft models, including Boeing's B747-400, B747-8, and B767, for its operations.

03/06/2023 Free Press Journal

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Two pole vaulters part of Asian U-20 Athletics C’ships team leave for Korea but their poles stuck at Delhi airport

The participation of two Indian pole vaulters in the Asian U-20 Athletics Championship in Yecheon, South Korea, beginning on Sunday was rendered doubtful after their equipment was not permitted in a South Korean as well as an Air India aircraft due to “technical issues” related to length of the poles.

Dev Kumar Meena (men’s pole vault) and Sunil Kumar (decathlon, of which pole vault is one of the 10 events) were to compete in their respective events on Sunday but they left for Seoul on a South Korean flight on Friday, which is in alliance with Air India, without their poles.

Even Air India refused to carry the poles in its 12:05am flight on Friday, according to an official of the Athletics Federation of India.

The AFI official said that Air India refused to carry three poles measuring 5m each to be used by the two athletes, on the ground of some “technical issues” concerning the prescribed length of the items.

“The two athletes have already reached South Korea but their poles are stuck here in Delhi airport. Air India said they cannot allow the 5m-long poles under the current rules. It is strange that our athletes had gone to Busan (South Korea) with the same kind of poles only last year,” the AFI official told PTI.

“We have been running here and there since yesterday afternoon but Air India is not relenting. We are now trying, through our travel agent, to send the poles to Korea by FedEx Express Cargo flight later today. Let’s see,” the official said.

In fact, the 55-member Indian contingent was to leave for South Korea from the Indira Gandhi International Airport here at 6:30 pm Friday on a Seoul-based Asiana Airlines flight, but the Indian coaches were told that they would not be allowed to take the three poles as well as the javelins.

The AFI had booked the tickets through Air India with the help of a travel agency.

“All the paperwork relating to bookings and luggage was done by Air India as they have a tie-up with Asiana Airlines. On May 26, a mail was sent to Air India informing about the number of poles and javelins we will be taking to Korea, along with their size specification.

“But when the contingent reached IGI yesterday to board the flight, Asiana Airlines said Air India has not informed them about it and so the poles and javelins could not be allowed inside the aircraft,” the AFI official said.

03/06/2023 PTI/Sports Star

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Air India Express to start Haj flights from Kannur, Kozhikode on June 4

Air India Express will start operating Haj flights from Kannur and Kozhikode on June 4. In a release on Friday, the airline said the Haj charters will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, it will operate 44 flights from Kozhikode and 13 flights from Kannur to Jeddah and plans to carry 8,236 Haj pilgrims.

In the second phase, the carrier will operate 44 flights from Medina to Kozhikode and 13 flights from Medina to Kannur.

"This is the first time the airline is operating Haj services after winning the government-released bid for the two cities in Kerala," the release said.

According to the release, the airline has introduced colour-coded pouches for elderly pilgrims to carry their boarding passes and brightly coloured luggage tags for easier identification and to prevent baggage mishandling.

The airline will transport Zam Zam water on the return ferry flights and keep it at Kozhikode and Kannur airports. Upon arrival, each pilgrim will be offered a 5-litre can of Zam Zam water, it added.

02/06/2023 PTI/Economic Times

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Soon, a centre for animals relocated from airport site

Noida: A rescue and rehabilitation centre will come up in Dhanauri for wild animals affected by the construction of the Noida international airport.

Officials said the state government had asked the forest department to complete the construction work within six months. The facility will come up on 10 hectares and cost around Rs 4.5 crore.

The move to set up the rehabilitation centre comes after the Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), the developer of the airport in Jewar, urged the government to relocate the wildlife from around the project site as they were hampering construction activities.

YIAPL CEO Christoph Schnellmann had informed the government that since full-fledged construction had begun at the site with manpower and machinery, it had caused a depletion in food sources for the animals. Among animals found around the site are nilgai, blackbuck, Indian gazelle, monkeys, golden jackals, jungle cat and sarus cranes.

On May 9, the chief secretary had chaired a meeting on the biodiversity conservation plan around the airport site.

“Officials discussed how the airport project could impact the wildlife in the region. The special secretary of the civil aviation department had suggested that an interim rescue and rehabilitation centre was required to mitigate this impact,” said Arun Vir Singh, the CEO of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA).

“The additional chief secretary of the forest department said the construction of the centre could be completed in six months if the necessary funds were made available,” he added.

02/06/2023 Aditya Dev/Times of India

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‘Approval for booze sale at Mopa airport will benefit outsider’

Panaji: A notification to issue a licence for liquor sales at airports in Goa is in the pipeline, prompting the Goa Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) on Thursday to allege that the government is moving towards “cartelisation of liquor sale”.

GLTA president Dattaprasad Naik alleged that the notification — which will be issued on the premise of promoting tourism — is “for the benefit of someone from outside Goa.” “If issued, it will be a big injustice to the state’s liquor trade which is dominated by the Bahujan samaj and minority communities,” Naik said. “The Bahujan samaj will not support BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls if the government proceeds with its plan.”

The Mumbai-based entity, he said, plans to set up a large wine store at the entrance of Manohar International Airport, Mopa, and another outlet near the check-in lounge. “This will enable a traveller to carry bottles in check-in luggage as well as hand baggage,” he pointed out while disclosing that the entity in question already has 120 wine stores in Mumbai.

02/06/2023 Times of India

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With 4 Runways, Delhi's IGIA To Become World's Largest Airport Surpassing Atlanta: Aviation Ministry

The Indian aviation industry is growing at a rapid pace and at the heart of it is the exponential infrastructure development in India under the current BJP regime led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India built 74 small and big airports in the past 9 years, similar to what previous governments had built till 2014 since independence in 1947. Among these, the Delhi International Airport, also known as the Indira Gandhi International Airport is the largest and busiest domestic as well as the international airport. The IGIA's capacity has risen in the past few years and since Covid-19, the airport has become one of the largest in the world. 

Speaking at a conclave recently, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Civil Aviation said that the Delhi International Airport can soon become the world's largest airport. The massive expansion of the airport will make it one of the biggest in the world, surpassing the Atlanta airport, which is widely considered as the biggest airport in the world (passenger capacity wise).

“At present, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport currently caters to 70 million passengers and this number is likely to increase to 109 million by the end of this year. It is the only Indian airport with three runways. Delhi’s new runway and the fourth runway are likely to be operational in September. It will become one of the largest airports in the world even beyond Atlanta airport," said Scindia.

The Delhi International Airport will soon get its fourth runway, making it the only airport in India to have 4 runways. There are three terminal buildings in the IGIA and the passenger capacity is expected to surpass 100 million by the end of 2023. 

Speaking on the aircrafts in India, he said that India will be needing 1200 planes in the next 5 years. "Aircraft capacity of 400 in 2013 has now grown to 700 today and in the next 5 years, this number will increase to 1200. Along with increasing fleet capacity, Civil Aviation will expand to tier 2 and tier 3 cities," he added.

"Last-mile connectivity is very important, focusing more on 20-seater aircraft and other small-size aircraft to connect more secluded areas of the country. Udaan 4.2 is more in smaller aircraft containing 182 aircraft routes and in the coming months Udaan 5.2 will be launched,” Scindia further said.

01/06/2023 ZeeNews

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Panic At Mumbai Airport After Woman Claims To Have Bomb In Bag; Arrested

Panic broke out at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday after a woman passenger claimed that she was carrying a bomb in her luggage. The incident took place when a woman passenger travelling from Mumbai to Kolkata was asked to pay extra for her luggage.

Reportedly, the woman was carrying two bags and hence was asked by the airport staff to pay the extra charges. However, she refused to pay and got in a spat with the airport staff. Later, claimed that she was carrying a bomb in her bag.

The female traveller's bag was then inspected by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) with the help of sniffer dogs to find out she had nothing in her luggage.

After the incident, a case was registered at Sahar police station against the woman under sections 336 and 505 (2) of IPC, and she was arrested. IPC Section 336 addresses act endangering the life or personal safety of others, while Section 505 (2) addresses the statements conducing to public mischief. With these charges, the woman was then produced in the court, which later granted her bail.

01/06/2023 ZeeNews

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CBI files case against Mumbai airport worker for demanding bribe from bizman

New Delhi/Mumbai: The CBI has lodged a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against a man working at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for allegedly demanding a bribe on behalf of a customs official from a businessman to clear his imported goods.

A senior CBI official said that on May 30 a complaint was received in this regard from Nikesh Lokhande, who owns Unique Machineries.

Lokhande alleged that Rajesh Rane, a Freight Forwarder, demanded a bribe from him to facilitate the clearance of his consignment of High Frequency Electric Spark Machines from Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai, on behalf of Jaiswal, the customs official cum examiner.

"The above complaint was verified in the presence of independent witnesses. However, the role of Jaiswal could not be conclusively established during verification proceedings," said a CBI official.

01/06/2023 IANS/Daijiworld

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