AITC appeals for independent examination of Umroi Airport

Shillong: The scepticism of Airports Authority of India (AAI) over the feasibility of runway expansion at Umroi Airport on Wednesday raised eyebrows of the Opposition during the ongoing Budget Session, which called for an independent examination of the airport by a third party.

Raising a discussion during the voting on demands for grants, Opposition Chief Whip George Lyngdoh said that the AAI had recently proposed an alternative site for a greenfield airport project.

Astonished over the AAI affidavit, Lyngdoh, who is also the Umroi legislator, said that a lot of resources of the state and central governments have already been exhausted for the revamp of the airport and if a new site is proposed, there would be wastage of public resources.

The AITC leader also contended that the state government must engage a third-party examination of the airport for independent views on the improvement of the airport.

In his response, Transport Minister, Dasakhiatbha Lamare, however, denied any proposal from the AAI for an alternative site for a greenfield airport project.

He also informed that the idea of appointing a third party for examination of the airport has not been initiated yet.

17/03/22 Shillong Times

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Silchar airport gets 'Ambulift' to serve people with reduced mobility

Silchar: In a major development, the state-of-art Ambulift services have been introduced for the first time at the Silchar airport located at Kumbhirgram. Arnab Kumar Das, an official of the Airports Authority of India and OSD to the Airport Director at the airport while taking to The Assam Tribune informed that with the introduction of the Ambulift facilities, passengers with reduced mobility using stretcher and wheelchair will get more comfort while embarking and disembarking and flights.

Also, the services will be a boon for the geriatric patients who cannot climb the stairs as the passenger cabin inside the Ambulift is fully air-conditioned with oxygen cylinder and other necessary medical equipment available and it can be operated on all tyres of aircrafts, the AAI official said.

Das added to inform that the airport is undergoing major infrastructural facelift in a bid to offer additional facilities to the air travellers. Currently there are around 10 flights to and from Silchar connecting Guwahati, Kolkata and Delhi, Das informed.

17/03/22 Assam Tribune

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Kolhapur airport rating rises in customer satisfaction survey

Kolhapur: The Kolhapur airport has improved its rating in the second round of the customer satisfaction index (CSI) survey conducted by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) between December 2021 and February 2022.

Of the 61 airports in India, Kolhapur airport has ranked 39th with ratings of 4.55 for this quarter. While the Aurangabad airport is at 38th position with 4.56 ratings on a scale of 5.

Kamal Kumar Kataria, the director of Kolhapur airport said, “ The AAI, through a third-party organisation, conducts a survey routinely on the customer satisfaction index. The survey conducting authority directly interacts with the passengers to get their feedback about their satisfaction with check-in time, luggage checking counter, toilet facilities, car parking, cleanliness, the help provided by the airport officials, food quality at the food counter, etc. The first-time flyers play a vital role in this survey.”

“In the first round conducted last year, Kolhapur had a rating of 2.80, which increased to 4.55 in the second round. The third round is ongoing while the fourth and fifth rounds will be conducted in the later part of the year. We are looking forward to reaching 4.98 similar to Trichy airport,” he said.

17/03/22 Rahul Gayakwad/Times of India

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Srinagar-Sharjah flight, cargo operations resume after two-month hiatus

Srinagar: Direct international flights as well as international cargo operations of Go First between Srinagar and Sharjah, resumed operations on Wednesday after a two-month break owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The direct flight service, which was flagged off by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 23 last year, had witnessed several roadblocks.

However, GoFirst (formerly known as GoAir) on Wednesday resumed its operations from Srinagar to Sharjah. Under the air bubble agreement, Go First was the first airline to launch direct service on this route last year.

“GoFirst flight G8 1595, after a hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, departed from Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar at 19:45 hours and arrived in Sharjah at 22:30 hours. On the return, GoFirst flight G8 4095 will operate from Sharjah International Airport at 00:05 hrs and arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at 05:10 hrs. Go First will operate two flights a week between Srinagar and Sharjah,” said the airline spokesman, as reported by Zee News.

The resumption of operations in this sector will boost trade and tourism between Jammu and Kashmir and the UAE.

"UAE and Srinagar are popular holiday destinations and Go First flights will usher in convenient travel options. These services will also support burgeoning trade and investment links between Srinagar and Sharjah," the spokesperson added.

17/03/22 India Today

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Bengaluru: Man held for duping people on pretext of promising airport jobs

Bengaluru: A 25-year-old man has been arrested by Bengaluru police for allegedly cheating people on the pretext of promising them jobs at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The accused has been identified as Deependra Bahadur Dhami, a resident of Bengaluru and has been booked under sections 406 (Criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The accused had put up notices at several spots at the underpass under the Hebbal flyover assuring jobs pertaining to cleaning, maintenance and other jobs at the airport. Till now, police have identified four victims who fell into his trap and lost their money.

When the victim used to dial Dhami asking for a job, he would ask them to pay sums ranging between Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. After collecting the money, he stopped taking calls and made himself unreachable, police said.

"The individual had put up bit paper notices at many spots at the underpass under the Hebbal flyover assuring jobs pertaining to cleaning, maintenance and other ordinary jobs at the airport. One individual, Sudhakar, had paid him Rs 37,000," DCP (North East) Anoop A Shetty was quoted by the New Indian Express as saying.

Police said most of the victims who lost their money were migrant labourers looking for better job opportunities.

17/03/23 India Today

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Karnataka airport bomb planter had shopped on Amazon, assembled bomb at home

The man, who was awarded 20 years of imprisonment for planting an improvised explosive bomb at the Mangaluru International Airport in January 2020, had managed to get raw materials to prepare the explosive from online service provider Amazon, as per the judgement.

Investigation agencies have submitted a report to the court about the accused Aditya Rao (37) procuring raw materials to make explosives online and in the 80-page judgement, the court mentions the same.

They found that the accused with an intention to explore the substance so as to cause terror and endanger human life, had pre-planned an outline and collected the information for preparing improvised explosive substances by calling up 'Just Dial' company, the investigation agencies have stated.

Rao had visited several cyber centres, browsing centres as well as internet centres and collected the information. Upon such collection of information, he had ordered the necessary raw materials for explosives from the Amazon website, theinvestigation report says.

After collecting the raw materials without any license, the accused had discreetly stored them in the staff quarters of a family restaurant in Mangaluru.

Without permission from any authority, he had mixed the raw materials and prepared improvised explosive substances. After this, he had kept that improvised explosive substance in a black bag and moved it to the sensitive and crowded area at the departure gate of Mangaluru International Airport, the report says.

17/03/22 IANS/Deccan Herald

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Expansion of Shillong Airport unfeasible, AAI proposes new airport

Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has directed the state government to file a preliminary report on whether to build a greenfield airport or expand the existing Umroi Airport as the Airport Authority of India has said extension of the runways at Shillong Airport may not be feasible, officials said.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) implicitly asked the state government to identify land for a greenfield airport project, during a hearing yesterday. In its affidavit filed before the Meghalaya High Court, the AAI said, "It is not optimistic about the feasibility of the extended runways at the Umroi Airport or the extent to which it may be possible to extend the runways."

Since the state appears to be keen to have an airport that would cater to the needs of the residents in the State and others intending to visit the State without having to endure the present three-hour ordeal of travelling from Guwahati Airport to Shillong proper, it is hoped that something concrete regarding the development of the State is planned, with a greenfield airport project or an expanded Umroi Airport as its centre being a harbinger or catalyst for the overall development of the State that would create employment opportunities and add to the wellbeing and happiness quotient of the residents here, the high court said.

It gave eight weeks' time for the state to file a preliminary report on the matter. The court said that the state appears to be keen that bigger aircraft are able to land either at Umroi Airport or any other place closer to Shillong than the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport at Guwahati.

16/03/22 PTI/India Today

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Why Meghalaya regrets Shillong-Delhi flight agreement with flybig

Shillong: Meghalaya Transport Minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare on Tuesday stated that the agreement signed with flybig airline for Shillong-Delhi flight was done in a hurry and was a lesson to be learned after the airline failed to provide its services.

The transport minister’s statement was in response to a question by MLA Mohendro Rapsang about the status of Shillong-Delhi flights, during the Budget Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

AITC state president Charles Pyngrope came in with a supplementary question mentioning that they can now draw a conclusion that flybig as an operator has no aircraft of its own.

“Is it prudent to sign an agreement with an operator who has no aircraft or shouldn’t we look at options where we sign an agreement with an operator who has at least one or two aircraft of its own?” asked Pyngrope.

The transport minister agreed with the member and said the agreement was signed in a hurry. “It (flybig) has promised us that it will avail an aircraft, which is the Bombardier Q400. Since this was the first experience, it was a lesson for us. Let us see till the end of this month if the airline can provide us the services we need or else we will take another step,” the minister said.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma also quickly jumped in to clarify more on the agreement. Sangma said the selection process was done through a tendering process and two parties had applied. Both were asked to give the technical specifications of the airlines or the aircraft that they’ll be using and how they’ll be getting it.

The chief minister added that the second party quoted a very high price compared to flybig because they were using a jet whose cost was much higher than a Q400.

“Secondly, this agreement was signed and the tender process done before COVID-19 happened and the entire process of getting a wet-lease for an aircraft had started during that time,” said Sangma.

The chief minister informed the House that flybig has signed an agreement for the wet lease and they are supposed to get an aircraft very soon.

Earlier, flybig had signed an agreement with Spicejet to use a Q400 but then that agreement fell through and Spicejet stopped giving their aircraft. The government had issued a show-cause notice last December. The airline has asked for time till the end of this month to resume their services.

The Shillong-Delhi flight currently is not operating and the state has incurred a total cost of Rs 2.5 crore (approx.) for 16 flight operations performed by flybig.

15/03/22 Princess Giri Rashir/EastMojo

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Runway resurfacing delayed by 2 hrs to let London flight depart

Ahmedabad: In a special case, authorities of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahmedabad delayed the start of the runway resurfacing activity by about two hours, so that an international flight can depart, on Tuesday morning. London-bound Air India flight, AI-171 which was scheduled to depart at 7.10am was delayed by at least three hours due to some operational constraints.

The runway resurfacing activity begins at 9am every day and continues till 6pm at the airport, during which the runway is shut for flight movements.

Yet another Air India flight, AI-1919 from Ahmedabad to Nairobi also was delayed due to a technical glitch on Tuesday itself, confirmed sources. “Both the flights had at least 400 international passengers who would have been stranded at the city airport for at least 10-11 hours due to the runway closure. Therefore, under special circumstances, the departure of both these flights was enabled by the SVPI airport operator to avoid passenger inconvenience,” said a source.

The London-bound flight ended up departing at 10.45am according to sources.

16/03/22 Niyati Parikh/Times of India

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Working on expanding runway at Baljek airport in Garo Hills: Meghalaya CM

Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed the House on Tuesday that the government is working towards creating a 2.2 kilometer plus runway at Baljek airport located at Jengjal in Garo Hills region.

A question was raised by North Garo Hills MLA from Kharkutta constituency Rupert Momin asing about the non-functional Baljek airport. Momin said the airport was sanctioned in 1995 for the cost of Rs 12.52 crore and inaugurated in 2008. “Is there any plan to upgrade this airport in the future?” asked Momin.  

 Transport minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare said the department is still working on it since it is a very important airport and will try to get it operational.

Adding in with the transport minister’s reply, the chief minister said the process of land acquisition to expand the runway at Baljek airport is on as they speak.

Sangma said at Baljek, they don’t have the challenge like in Shillong at Umroi airport, where there is a huge mountain that blocks the instrument landing systems operation which actually leads to the inability of larger flights landing.

“We are working towards creating a 2.2 kilometer plus runway in Baljek airport and that process of land acquisition is on. We’re hopeful that things will move much faster,” informed Sangma.

15/03/22 Princess Giri Rashir/EastMojo

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Rourkela Airport upgradation for Hockey World Cup has new October deadline

Rourkela: Upgradation and restoration of commercial flight services at the Rourkela airport in view of the Men’s Hockey World Cup next year do not seem a reality before October this year. The tournament is scheduled for January 2023.

Sources familiar with the project said the revised target for operationalising the airport is October this year.  Considering the monsoons ahead, only three months are left in hand. In June 2021, work had begun for a new apron and taxiway at a cost of Rs 5.69 crore. But even after nine months, little progress could be seen on the ground. While tenders for new terminal building and carpeting of runway have not yet been awarded, nothing has been done for widening of the connecting road or construction of the new perimeter walls with increased height.

For expansion of the existing runway,  Rourkela Steel Plant has provided 146 acre, but presently, less than 15 acre has been used by Airports Authority of India (AAI). All these works are time consuming and completion within a few months is doubtful, sources added.

Incidentally, expecting airport upgradation by May, the AAI had earlier set time to apply to the DGCA for upgradation of the existing ARC 2B licence to ARC 2 which now looks improbable.

Meanwhile, replying to BJD MP Amar Patnaik, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday made a statement in the Rajya Sabha regarding status of the Rourkela airport. 

The Minister said the airport owned by SAIL is licensed for Aerodrome Reference 2B operations (suitable for 20 seater aircrafts). It has received bids  for ATR-72 aircraft under the RCS-UDAN scheme. The implementing agency AAI has undertaken upgradation of the airport for Code 3C suitable for operation of ATR 72 type aircraft. He further clarified 1,349 feet of the existing runway is serviceable.

16/03/22 New Indian Express

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India doubles up investment in airports

Delhi: India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation outlined this week a plan to finance 21 new greenfield airports while improving existing airports over the next five years.

A fund of Rs250,000,000 (USD3,268,910) will support projects linked to existing airports, according to a Press Information Bureau media statement released on Monday.

Based on the substantial growth in airline travel across the country, the Airports Authority of India’s forecast indicates all-India passenger throughput growth continuing over the next three years, requiring a considerable investment in greenfield airport projects to keep pace.

But the authority cautioned the projections are subject to reassessment given the unpredictable nature of the Covid pandemic and the sharp increase in aviation fuel prices.

Airports Authority of India will develop existing airports over the next five years, build new terminals, expand and modify existing terminals, expand and strengthen existing runways, aprons, Airport Navigation Services (ANS) infrastructure and control towers.

Public-Private Partnership airports at Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru are undertaking major expansion projects costing around Rs300,000,000 (USD3,922,692) by 2025. Additionally, Rs360,000,000 (USD4,707,450) will be invested in new greenfield airports under the PPP model.

16/03/22 TTRW

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Chennai airport passengers can now avail stay option between transit flights

Chennai: With the number of people travelling nearing the pre Covid-19 levels, the Chennai International airport has to handle more transit passengers. Transit passengers having long hours of stay in the terminal now have an option to use the 'stay' option and take some rest between flights.

Transit passengers have to stay for long hours in the terminal to catch a domestic or an international flight and to provide relief for them. The airport authorities have created a facility. Passengers who travel through the Chennai airport can avail the 'stay' option located adjacent to the airport terminals. The facility also offers overnight stays.

A single occupancy room will cost a passenger Rs 2,000, excluding the Goods and Service Tax (GST) and the charge for a double room is Rs 2,500. Passengers can also rent a room if they wish to stay for a couple of hours. Talking about the occupancy, with 20 rooms there is about 80 per cent these days and most of the bookings are done online.

The authorities have built the rest area inside the Chennai Airport Metro station and it is a 10-minute walk from both the domestic and international terminals.

16/03/22 India Today

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Cracks on runway trigger seven-hour halt in flights at Bagdogra

Siliguri: Flights remained suspended for over seven hours at the Bagdogra airport on Tuesday as cracks were spotted on the sole runway.

The delay of the flights inconvenienced hundreds of passengers at the second-most important airport in Bengal. They swarmed at the airport in the morning hours and had to wait till late evening when the services became normal after necessary repairs.

Sources said three flights had landed at the airport in the morning. However, as the cracks were noticed on the runway around 9.30am, the authorities decided to halt services.

As the Bagdogra airport is a civil enclave — the runway and the air traffic control are maintained by the Indian Air Force — the IAF authorities carried out necessary repairs so that flight services could be restored.

“There had been a problem in the runway and hence, flight operations had stopped. There are chances that the operations might start around 4.30pm,” said an official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the afternoon.

The sudden halt in the operations occurred around a month ahead of the planned closure of the airport. From April 11 till 26, flights will remain suspended at Bagdogra because repairs would be carried out on the runway.

As the flights stopped landing at or leaving Bagdogra on Tuesday, the crowd swelled as more and more outbound passengers arrived. Altogether, 26 flights or 52 flight movements were scheduled for Tuesday.

“I am taking my uncle to Delhi for treatment. We were supposed to take a flight at 1pm but representatives of the airline have told us that it has been delayed,” said Rakesh Kothari, a stranded passenger.

The suspension of the operations for a few hours also brought to surface the inadequate infrastructure at the terminal. Many passengers iterated the need for the immediate expansion of infrastructure.

16/03/22 Avijit Sinha/Telegraph

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Teejay Sidhu stranded at Delhi airport with 3 kids, not allowed to board flight due to visa issue

Teejay Sidhu is having a nightmare. As you read this, Teejay is caught up in a visa fracas for no fault of hers per se. The lady is at Delhi's Indira Gandhi international airport with her 3 kids and has been disallowed to board the Emirates flight to Dubai which took off at 4:15 pm, despite having her tickets for the same.

The story goes that Teejay took off first to Delhi from Mumbai and from there, was flying out to Dubai with her children. At the checking counter, she was told that she cannot embark on the flight she had booked for. "The tickets have gone waste and the Emirates officials here acted very rude, especially a guy called Ujjal. Another girl by the name of Divya was of no help either."

Teejay tells ETimes TV that she was told that the visa of her two kids was only till January 2022, while the visa of her third kid was okay till March. "Now, how this happened is beyond my comprehension. I had got the visas for all my three kids together," says Teejay.

She continued, her voice rising in anger, "What ruffled me further was that I was told that I need to go to the Immigration Office in a cab and get it all cleared. The 4:15 pm flight for which I was booked took off. It was only later that a senior from Emirates told me that I could speak to the Immigration office they had at the airport. Once I went there, things got sorted. Pray, why couldn't I have been told this before?"

Teejay added, "Worse, I have now been told to buy new tickets and they are not letting me remain in the airport premises until I buy those. They are saying I was late to arrive but then why did they stop me only at the Customs counter after issuing me boarding passes. I have put my foot down, let them throw me out and I shall see. I will buy my new tickets alright- but can't they wait for a lady who has three li'l kids, one of whom is an infant? They have said that they'll call the security for me and I have told them that they can do whatever they want. I repeat, I shall buy the tickets at my convenient hour."

And why is she going to Dubai from Delhi and not Mumbai? "There was nothing available on the ticket front from Mumbai, so I decided to first land in Delhi and I had taken separate tickets of Delhi-Dubai from Mumbai itself. Anyway, I want to see how they can throw me out," Teejay concluded on a furious note.

16/03/22  Vickey Lalwani/ETimes.in

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Utilisation of full length of tabletop runway at Calicut airport mooted

Kozhikode: Even as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is remaining indecisive on the matter of giving its approval to resume the operation of wide- bodied aircraft at the Calicut international airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is looking at an ambitious proposal to use the full length of the airport’s 2860-m tabletop runway and reconstruct its Runway End Safety Area (RESA).

Sources said the AAI authorities had mooted an option to utilise the land in its possession as well as acquire additional land, totalling 20 acres, for the expansion of the RESA. The development comes close on the heels of the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s decision to cancel its order last month to reduce the length of the runway for the expansion of RESA. 

If that order had been implemented, the runway would have been further reduced to 2,540 m from the existing 2700 m, thereby permanently scuttling the demand to resume the operation of wide-bodied aircraft at the airport.

The AAI, the sources said, would explore the possibility of identifying land for increasing the RESA by 240 m, on both sides of the runway, a mandatory provision of International Civil Aviation Organisation for tabletop airports. In fact, the existing runway was shortened from its earlier length of 2,860 m for increasing the RESA four years ago.

Modalities for expanding the RESA would have to be worked out in the coming months as the next re-carpeting and strengthening works of the runway was due in 2024. One of the options was to construct an elevated RESA instead of filling the terrain on both sides of the runway so as to reduce the cost, sources said.

The expansion of RESA at Calicut airport was recommended in 2012 after the Reappraisal of Court of Inquiry Report on the Mangaluru airport crash. This was after the Air India Express from Dubai overran the tabletop runway at Mangaluru airport and crashed down the hill at its far end in May 2010, claiming 158 lives.

16/03/22 Biju Govind/The Hindu

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Tata Steel to approach Air India for feasibility of flights from Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur: The request to start Air India flight services from Jamshedpur made by Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has got a response from Tata Steel vice president (Corporate Services) Chanakya Chaudhary.

In a letter to the SCCI president Vijay Anand Moonka, Chaudhary said, “Since the airport at Jamshedpur is constrained by its size with limited runway length, there is a need to have a separate airport which can handle commercial aircraft, operated by the airlines. Towards this, the Union Government and State Government have jointly embarked on the Dhalbhumgarh Greenfield airport project, which is expected to further the cause of regional connectivity. We are hopeful that many airlines would start operations once this airport is made operational. We would in any case share your request with Air India for them to consider the feasibility of starting operations in Jamshedpur in case they have smaller aircrafts.”

Moonka had written to Tata Steel CEO and MD TV Narendran on 5th January last, requesting for Air India flights from the city to provide better air connectivity to city businessmen and people in general.

In the letter, Chaudhary also said, “You may recall that during the centenary celebrations of Tata Steel in 2007, we had obtained the approval from Government of India for operation of commercial flights from Jamshedpur airport. Some airlines like Deccan Airways, Kingfisher airlines etc had started operations but stopped due to techno economic feasibility and operations not being sustainable.”

16/03/22 Avenue Mail

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AirAsia launches special ICB fares

Pune: AirAsia India on Tuesday announced the launch of special discounted International Connecting Baggage (ICB) fares.

The ICB fares empower guests connecting from or to AirAsia India domestic flights to international flights on other airlines to save on the standard excess baggage charges on their domestic flight, airline officials said.

Guests can pre-book ICB fares and choose from three excess baggage slab options in addition to the standard 15 kgs free check-in baggage allowance.

The excess baggage slabs have been configured in line with the predominant international baggage allowances of major international carriers, i.e. 8kg at Rs 1,600; 15kg at Rs 3,000 and 30kg at Rs 6,000.

ICB fares can be pre-booked upto 2 hours prior to the AirAsia domestic flight departure while booking or checking-in, or using manage my booking on airasia.co.in.

Guests will be asked to show their boarding pass of their international flight within 24 hours of their domestic AirAsia India flight at the check-in counter.

15/03/22 Joy Sengupta/Times of India

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Man gets 20 years in jail for planting bomb at Mangaluru airport

Bengaluru: A Karnataka court on Wednesday sentenced a man to 20-year imprisonment under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for planting an explosive near the departure gate of Mangalore International Airport.

A live explosive was found in an unattended bag near the airport gate on January 20, 2020. It was defused by a bomb squad. Two days later Aditya Rao, a resident of Mangaluru, surrendered before the police.

The judicial magistrate court of Mangaluru sentenced Rao under Section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 10,000 fine, failing which he will have to undergo six months’ simple imprisonment in addition. He was also handed five years’ rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 10,000 fine, failing which six more months will have to be spent in jail, under Section 4 of the Explosives Substances Act, 1908. Both sentences will run concurrently.

The Mangaluru police, which had investigated the case, filed their chargesheet in June 2020.

16/03/22 Indian Express

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Work without tools: Air India staff stage novel protest at Chennai airport

Chennai: Air Indian staff were engaged in a novel protest of working without using tools at the Chennai airport.

The airlines' staff complained of salary issues and lack of medical facilities. Condemning the carrier's "apathy" and to bring their woes to its authorities' notice, the engineering staff all over India have decided to work with bare hands with no tools for today.

Following the suit, 23 Air Indian employees at the Chennai airport after an hour's demonstration went back to work in this manner. However, incoming and outgoing Air India flights at the city's airport were on schedule.

15/03/22 DT Next

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Srinagar International Airport gets custodian status

Srinagar: An international cargo terminal facility at the Srinagar International Airport, Kashmir was inaugurated on Friday. The new facility is aimed at providing a major boost to exports of horticulture produce, handicrafts and other goods from Kashmir.

An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official called the day of the inauguration, March 10, 2022.

He said, “On this day, the Government of India acting through the Commissioner of Customs has notified us as custodian for the import and export of goods from abroad at our cargo terminal,”

Officials said that the Government of India, acting through the commissioner of customs, has notified the Srinagar airport as custodian for the import and export of goods from abroad at the airport’s cargo terminal.

The officer invited all the airlines to make full use of this facility and commence their cargo operations from Srinagar airport.

Business community of Kashmir has welcomed the decision, but sought an enhanced direct connectivity between Srinagar and other international airports like Jeddah and Sharjah.

14/03/22 India Today

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Passengers at the Chennai airport now have the option to catch up on sleep between transit flights

Chennai: Now, transit passengers who travel through the Chennai airport can opt for a ‘stay’ option to provide them with some much-needed rest between flights. Located close to the airport terminals, the facility also offers overnight stays.

The rest area is located inside the Chennai Airport Metro station, which is about a 10-minute walk from both the domestic and international terminals. While a single occupancy room will cost a passenger ₹2,000 (sans GST), a double room will set them back by ₹2,500 (sans GST). Those who wish to stay for a couple of hours can also rent a room. With 20 rooms, there is about 80% occupancy these days, many of them being online bookings.

Officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said many transit passengers were either those from other cities here to catch an international flight or those who arrive from abroad to head to another district. “These passengers sometimes have to stay put for over six to 12 hours. While some may choose to walk around the terminals, most want to rest,” an official said.

14/03/22 The Hindu

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AAI affidavit casts doubts on feasibility of runway expansion at Umroi airport

Shillong: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has filed an affidavit before the High Court of Meghalaya, expressing its lack of optimism over the feasibility of extending the runways at the Shillong Airport at Umroi or the extent to which it may be possible to extend the runways.

The court perused the affidavit while hearing a PIL and said what the AAI is hinting at is for the state to identify one or more areas for a greenfield airport project for which the AAI is conducting a cost-benefit analysis and preparing a feasibility report with the help of experts.

The division bench in its order said that the state appears to be keen that bigger aircraft are able to land either at Umroi Airport or any other place closer to Shillong rather than the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport at Guwahati.

The order said that the present airport at Umroi is about 35 km from Shillong proper, whereas the Guwahati Airport is about 120 km from Shillong. However, the cost involved, whether in expanding Umroi Airport or in setting up a new greenfield airport, will depend on the projected use, both on the basis of AAI expert’s understanding in such regard and the extent to which the state government intends to give a fillip to tourism and make Meghalaya or the area around Shillong a lucrative tourist destination.

“In fact, the idea of a bigger airport is intricately connected with the vision of the state over the next 40 to 50 years, how it intends to attract the kind of industry that may be sustainable here or develop tourism without compromising with the pristine nature that the state is endowed with. The overall picture has to be in place, including development of roads, creation of employment opportunities, setting up of educational institutions, augmentation of healthcare facilities and the like; and, the airport project can be used as central to the overall scheme of development in the state. It may well be beyond the five-year horizon of thinking that is the fashion of the day, for projects of such kind have long gestation periods and pay back after decades,” the order stated.

“Since the state appears to be keen to have an airport that would cater to the needs of the residents in the state and others intending to visit the state without having to endure the present three-hour ordeal of travelling from Guwahati Airport to Shillong, it is hoped that something concrete regarding the development of the State is planned, with a greenfield airport project or an expanded Umroi Airport as its centre being a harbinger or catalyst for the overall development of the state that would create employment opportunities and add to the wellbeing and happiness quotient of the residents here,” the order stated.

14/03/222 Shillong Times

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BCAS allows Sikh aviation sector employees to carry kirpan within airports

New Delhi: Aviation security regulator BCAS has permitted Sikh aviation sector employees to carry kirpan on person within the airport premises, a document stated.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) order on March 4, banning Sikh aviation sector employees from carrying kirpan on person within any Indian airport premises, was criticised by leading Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

Subsequently, on March 12, the BCAS removed the ban.

Kirpan, a curved dagger, has to be worn next to the body in Sikh religion.

In the March 4 order, the BCAS said, "Kirpan may be carried only by a Sikh passenger, on his person, provided the length of the blade does not exceed six inches and the total length does not exceed nine inches".

Kirpan is allowed while travelling by air on Indian aircraft within India, it noted.

"This exception shall be for Sikh passengers only as stated above. And, no stakeholder or its employee at "This exception shall be for Sikh passengers only as stated above. And, no stakeholder or its employee at airport (including Sikh) and working in any terminal, domestic or international, shall be allowed to carry Kirpan on person," it added.

14/03/22 PTI/Business Standard

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Kol airport ramps up infra for drone surveillance

Kolkata: Even as civil work on the new technical block nears completion and construction of the air traffic control tower gains momentum at Kolkata airport, the air traffic management team has called for the construction of an annexe building to house new facilities that have been proposed after the design was drafted and space allocated for various functions.

Among the new facilities that are proposed to be housed in the air traffic navigation complex include an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Control Centre (UAVCC), an Aviation English Learning & Training Organisation (AELTO) and a Regional Airspace Management Cell (RAMC). The UAVCC is critical as drones are predicted to play an important role in aviation in the near future. In several countries, drones are already being used to transport packages, medical supplies, food and other goods. Though it is yet to take off in a big way in India, controllers are sure that it will be integrated into the airspace management in major urban centres like Kolkata in the future.

The AELTO facility that also requires accommodations will be key to training and assessment of English proficiency among controllers. “There is increased stress in AELTO among both controllers and pilots to minimise misunderstanding that can lead to an incident,” said a controller.

The RAMC is a facility for coordination of flexi airspace in the region comprising operation of commercial flights through passages in the sky reserved for use by the Indian Air Force.

The Kolkata cell will be responsible for coordination of flights in the east and the north-east.

14/03/22 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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Srinagar Airport can now operate exclusive cargo flights

Srinagar: The Government of India acting through Commissioner of Customs has notified the Srinagar International Airport as custodian for the import and export of goods from abroad.

“Our airport has been notified as a Custodian for the import and export of goods by the Commissioner of customs. Now our facilities can be used by the airlines for commencing cargo flights. The passenger flights can also take cargo in the belly,” Srinagar Airport tweeted.

In a statement, director airport said that with this authorisation and notification they can now offer their services to the business community for import and export of goods directly from Srinagar.

The statement reads that the airlines can operate exclusive cargo flights. “They can also take cargo in their international passenger flights. We invite all airlines to make full use of this facility and commence their cargo operations from Srinagar airport,” it said.

The Director has also called upon the business community of Srinagar and surrounding areas to expand their horizons, dream big, and turn the world into their market by making full use of this great opportunity.

“We are very hopeful that this facility will be a huge step in the direction of economic development and create many jobs by multiplier effect in the catchment area of our airport. Give wings to your dream and you will see that the sky is the limit,” the statements said.

13/03/22 Kashmir Images

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Ministers’ busy schedule keeps Keshod airport grounded

Rajkot: Even thought it was scheduled to start on March 12, the inauguration of Keshod airport and operation of the first flight to Mumbai from the airport remained postponed . Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was supposed to come for the inaugural function.

Director of Keshod airport, P L Prasanna said, “The civil aviation minister was busy in bringing back Indian students stranded in Ukraine and the chief minister too is not available today owing to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Gujarat visit. The new schedule of inauguration will be announced very soon.”

However, a test flight operated between Keshod and Mumbai on Saturday though commercial operation will start only after the formal inauguration of the airport. According to sources, about 22 people had booked tickets for the first flight from the airport that has been developed under the revival of airports scheme of the central government at a cost of Rs 25 crore.

Alliance Air, under regional connectivity scheme (RCS)-UDAN, will start the flight operations.

13/03/22 Times of India

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Mumbai Airport staff returns lost Rs 20,000 cash to flyer; shows integrity

Due to the usual hustle and bustle at the airport, people tend to lose their personal and valuable belongings, and there is a near impossible chance of getting it back. However, in an extraordinary act of integrity and honesty, an airport staff at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) returned a hefty wad of cash back to the airport authorities after one of the passengers left it behind at the airport. 

Passenger handler, Massiullah Khan, who was deployed at Terminal-1 departures was in his night shift when he found the wad of Rs 20,000 cash unattended and lying on the ground. He immediately took the wad and handed it over to the CISF who was stationed near him. 

The CISF inspector took the amount to his custody and deposited it to the Duty Terminal Manager’s (DTM) office. The DTM’s team is following all the necessary protocols to identify and verify the rightful owner to whom the cash will be returned. Massiullah’s honesty and quick to feet thinking was appreciated by the airport officials and was rewarded on the spot with Rs 1000 for his act of sincerity.

Massiullah is one of the many diligent CSMIA’s staff who everyday reach out to weary and lost passengers and go out of their way to resolve their issues in a quick and hassle-free manner. These Champions of Goodness exhibit empathy, integrity, and loyalty which CSMIA stands for. 

13/02/22 ZeeNews

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Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurates FlyBig Airlines’ Indore-Gondia-Hyderabad flight

Indore: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday virtually inaugurated the FlyBig Airlines’ Indore-Gondia-Hyderabad flight.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was also virtually present at the launch event.

Scindia said, “Today, we have connected Madhya Pradesh with Maharashtra and Hyderabad. Apart from big cities, Indore needs to be connected with other smaller cities. Indore and Gondia share old relationships and it is our responsibility to bring these cities closer. So, this is the beginning.”

According to Scindia, Indore is now connected with a total of 21 cities, earlier it was 12. “In the coming days, we are planning for smaller planes and helicopters to connect each city across the country till the last mile,” he added.

Indore-Gondia-Hyderabad flight services will be run under UDAN RCS (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik- Regional Connectivity Scheme) with a reasonable fare, the FlyBig Airlines’ CEO earlier said.

The Civil Aviation Minister informed that from March 27 onwards, the government would be removing the restrictions on global connectivity while domestic restrictions were removed on October 18, 2021.

13/03/22 ANI/Print

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New system to help better plan flights at Chennai airport

Chennai: Pilots need no longer fly into crowded airspace and hover longer waiting for landing permission. AAI has introduced a IP-based communication system which will alert airlines and pilots about ground delays, weather, air force activity and rocket launches and other airspace and airport disturbances faster at Chennai airport.

This will help airlines plan their flights better. The airport was using conventional fixed line telecommunication network to share messages which caused delays.

The IP-based Automatic Message Switching System (IP-AMSS) software, developed in-house by AAI engineers, helps the airport share information automatically and faster through its ground communication network and with airlines and pilots to ensure that flights can be planned and operated efficiently by minimising delays when traffic is high.

Though there are several ways airports communicate with one another, flights often reach their destination without having accurate information about air traffic congestion caused by fog, bad weather or ground delays. This is because the information is not shared as fast as it is required. With internet protocol (IP), delays are avoided. Airlines will be able to plan their flights, get the required permissions including air force clearance.

"It will also offer a pre-flight information bulletin in which information about facilities and airspace across the world will be provided to airline operators to help them plan the flights, '' said M Suresh, member, ANS of AAI who inaugurated the system at the air traffic control complex at Chennai airport on Saturday.

13/03/22 Times of India

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Jharkhand’s Deoghar airport all set for domestic flight operations

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is all set to start its operations soon at the newly built Deoghar domestic airport. Deoghar, a holy city famous for Baba Baidyanath Dham, one of the twelve jyotirlingas, is ready to be connected with air transport as AAI has completed the construction of the airport. 

“The operations will begin soon after formalities of technical NOC and trials are completed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” said an official. 

The airport will be the second airport in the state after Ranchi. Spread in a vast area of 650 acres, the design of the terminal building is inspired by the structure of Baba Baidyanath Temple. Paintings of tribal art, handicrafts, and local tourist sites are showcased on the terminal building. 

The terminal with beautiful architecture is equipped with modern facilities including 24-hour medical assistance for passengers. With six check-in counters, the airport has a peak hour handling capacity of 200 passengers. 

Sandeep Kumar Dhingra, Airport Director of Deoghar Airport said, "Deoghar Airport is a domestic airport where Airbus A-320 & A-321 can land on a runway, which is 2,500 meters. Its width is 45 meters. It has four parking bases for A-320 & A-321. We have six check-in counters, a departure conveyor, and two arrival conveyor belts. 

X-rays, security equipment, and CCTVs have also been installed inside the terminal". To protect the environment the airport has installed solar energy and water harvesting systems. With its strategic location, the airport will provide air connectivity to people from Dumka, Gonda, Banka, and the neighboring state of Bihar. 

13/03/22 ZeeNews

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Visakhapatnam: Issues related to airport would be resolved soon

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam MP MVV Satyanarayana and Chairman of Airport Advisory Committee (AAC) assured the committee members that efforts were on to bring the pending issues of the airport to the notice of the concerned higher authorities in Delhi and initiate necessary action to resolve them.

Chairing the half-yearly meeting of the AAC at Visakhapatnam Airport here on Saturday, the MP said issues pertaining to the international cargo terminal, increase of slots for commercial flights during peak hours, restoring direct connectivity to Dubai and early inauguration of expanded building, among several others, will be looked into. Speaking on the occasion, Airport director and convenor of AAC K. Srinivasa Rao briefed about the latest developments.

The committee deliberated on various issues related with passenger facilitation, commencement of new flight routes, availability of night parking stands, status of the ongoing expansion of terminal building, measures by airport management to make it more passenger-friendly, transport services and improving connectivity from the airport, maintenance of essential services and constraints related to the smooth operation of the airport.

13/03/22 Hans India

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IndiGo to begin non-stop flight services between Delhi-Pantnagar from March 27

IndiGo Air is going to start daily nonstop flights between Pantnagar-Dehradun-Delhi from March 27. For this, Indigo has started booking tickets by releasing the flight schedule. With the start of this flight, now the distance between Pantnagar to Delhi will be reduced to just one hour.

IndiGo Airlines had proposed to the Airports Authority of India to start air service between Delhi-Pantnagar-Dehradun about a month ago. After agreeing on all the terms and conditions between the authority and the company, now this air service is going to start from March 27. For this, Indigo management has started online booking of tickets by releasing the flight schedule.

While the daily running of this flight will bring relief to the passengers, tourism will also get a major boost in Kumaon.

13/03/22 Uttarakhand News Network

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International services set to restart from Vijayawada airport soon

Vijayawada: Development committee of Vijayawada airport is planning to rope in reputed airlines to restart the international services from the city. The committee has discussed a few key development measures including the completion of the works on the integrated terminal at the earliest.

Vijayawada airport registered around 500 per cent growth in terms of passenger footfall and movement of aircraft between 2014 and 2019. The airport handled around 11.4 lakh passengers in the financial year 2018-19 which is the highest ever footfall registered in the city. The footfall gradually reduced and operation of flights came down due to Covid-19.

The maiden international flight service to Singapore received a huge response from the public. It operated with around 85 per cent occupancy.

The service operated by the Indigo was cancelled in June 2019 as the state government decided not to provide viability gap funding for the service thereafter. Though many airline operators did surveys to start direct services to Dubai, Muscat and other Arab countries, no airlines dared to operate the service in view of the Covid-19 situation.

Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani), and Machilipatnam MP Vallabhaneni Balashouri highlighted the need for operating more international services from city.

13/03/22 Venu Lanka/Times of India

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Youth seek sustainable initiatives from aviation business: BIAL CEO

Bengaluru: Bangalore International Airport Limited CEO and Managing Director Hari K Marar on Saturday said that the aviation sector must strive towards becoming both socially-inclusive and sustainable. Addressing a conference on aviation and aerospace, he elaborated that while the former is a result of India’s diverse nature, the latter is because the younger generations are working towards holding corporations accountable.

The international virtual conference -- the Future of Aviation and Aerospace 2022 (FoAA 2022) -- was hosted by the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore on Saturday. Marar, along with Tata Singapore Airlines (Vistara) Chairman Bhaskar Bhat, and IIM-B Director Rishikesha T Krishnan, inaugurated it, with a focus on ‘how the future of the aviation industry must work towards becoming environmentally sustainable and making positive developments’. 

Bhat said, “The younger generations are starting to demand more and more responsible initiatives from corporations and that is something that needs to be kept in mind when discussing the industry, alongside the fact that it is not just a potential to make billions of dollars, but it also relies on the value that the customer or consumer ascribes to that service.”

13/03/22 New Indian Express

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Amritsar airport fiasco: SpiceHealth, AAI pass the buck on 'contamination' of COVID-19 testing machines

SpiceHealth and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are putting the onus on each other for the "contamination" of COVID-19 testing machines at the Amritsar airport that led to approximately 64 percent of the passengers on two international flights falsely testing positive on arrival in January.

SpiceHealth, which was then operating in the airport's arrival area, had on January 6 and January 7 tested 469 passengers who arrived on two charter flights from Italian capital Rome and found 298 of them to be COVID-19-positive. This led to turmoil at the airport as passengers started protesting against the test results.

SpiceHealth - which is owned by SpiceJet's promoters Avani Singh and Ajay Singh - told PTI that it conducted an investigation in the matter with the testing machine manufacturer 'Thermofisher Accula' and found that the testing machines got contaminated as they were kept in an open space in the arrival section of the Amritsar airport.

SpiceHealth then informed AAI about these findings and "advised that the docks (machines) be protected and test performed in a covered space and not directly exposed to conditions favouring contamination", it said.

13/03/22 PTI/Economic Times

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Chennai airport gets IP-based navigation services system

The IP-based automatic message switching system (AMSS) has been commissioned at Chennai airport. Nearly 120 hours before the departure of an international flight, a flight plan is prepared, sent to the origin, destination and airports enroute. From aeronautical to meteorological information, several crucial operational messages are shared among several departments to transport a passenger safely. This new software does all of this seamlessly.

V. Muruganandham, General Manager, Communication and Navigation Systems, Airports Authority of India (AAI), said they had upgraded the system from the old technology to IP-based AMSS because the old system had some inherent limitations and was becoming obsolete.

“A team of experts from Chennai and Kolkata developed this system at a cost of ₹12 lakh. It has been designed with global standards, keeping in mind the specifications required for India. This AMSS is available at other major airports in the country, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru,” he said.

AAI officials said before a flight’s departure, the airline had to file a flight plan fed into this system from the departure destination and through a routine directory. It reaches all the airports enroute in a standard format designed by International Civil Aviation Organisation. “Once this plan is done, AMSS sends out this information to the air traffic management automation system, departure clearance system, Airport Command and Control (AOCC) which in turn goes into the display boards for passengers in the terminals,” an official said.

This was like a base system for all major airports in the world which helped them stay interconnected. “If I’m filing a flight plan from Chennai to New York, I can just send it via my system and based on routing directories, it will reach New York within seconds,” the official said.

12/03/22 The Hindu

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Alliance Air Flight Skids Off Runway During Landing At Jabalpur Airport

New Delhi: A major tragedy was averted when an Alliance Air flight from Delhi carrying 55 passengers overshot the runway while landing at the Jabalpur airport on Saturday afternoon, reported news agency ANI. The Delhi-Jabalpur flight was operated using an ATR-72 aircraft, which departed from Delhi at around 11.30 AM and landed in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh around 1.15 PM.

There were 55 passengers and five crew members on board and they safely disembarked after the incident without any injuries. None of the passengers or crew members were injured, the airline said. “We are grateful that all the passengers and crew are safe, their safety and evacuation are our priority. While we follow all safety policies by regulatory authorities, we regret the unfortunate incident and have initiated an investigation into the same,” the Air Alliance said in a detailed statement.

The airport at Dumna, where the incident took place, is located around 21 km from Jabalpur city. Airport director Kusum Das told PTI that operations at the airport have been suspended for four to five hours. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started an investigation into the incident.

12/03/22 India.com

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Vistara Launches 6th Flight Between Delhi & London

Indian carrier, Vistara, is set to increase its frequencies on routes between London Heathrow and Delhi. From 2 April, Vistara will offer six weekly flights, taking off every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Vistara has seen a rapid expansion of its services in the past few years, currently operating 250 daily flights to 42 destinations across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

The carrier has seen a big boost from “air transport bubbles” between India and European destinations, operating flights between London, Frankfurt, and, most recently, Paris. The carrier is likely to benefit from European sanctions on Russian airspace as it does not need to reroute any current flight paths, saving on flight time and increasing demand.

India will terminate its air bubbles from 27 March, opening the country to all international carriers and expanding Vistara’s presence further.

Vistara is expected to launch direct flights between the United States and India in the coming months, pending FAA approval and the delivery of four outstanding Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The carrier has already received approval from the Department of Transport.

The young airline recently celebrated its seventh birthday, welcoming over 30 million passengers in that time. Vistara has managed to bounce back from the pandemic quite quickly, retaining all staff members, doubling its market share, and adding additional aircraft to its fleet.

Vistara’s current fleet is expected to grow even further throughout the year, aiming to expand from 51 to 70. It currently operates a mix of Boeing and Airbus narrowbodies for its short-haul routes and two 787s for international operations.

12/03/22 Molly Russell/Simple Flying

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Tirupati international airport expansion works to be taken up soon

Tirupati: Tirupati international airport expansion works are all set to begin soon and the state government of Andhra Pradesh has immersed itself in addressing the land acquisition related issues mired in legal tangles.

Speaking to TOI in Tirupati on Thursday, MP Dr M Gurumoorthy said that Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during his recent interaction with Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia at New Delhi, asked the centre to clear all decks for the expansion of the Tirupati and the Bhogapuram airports.

Following the Chief minister's directive, Tirupati MP Dr M Gurumoorthy held a series of meetings with the airports authority of India officials, the Chittoor district administration and a group of farmers who filed cases against land acquisition linked to the airport expansion works.

"The runway was proposed to extend from the existing 2,285 metres to 3,810 metres to facilitate the landing of wider aircraft like B-747-400, B777-300 ER type. Airport Authority of India has proposed to extend the runway by 240 metres at one end and 1,284 metre at another end for the purpose was caught in some land issues which we are sorting out now to speed up the labd acquisition process", asserted Dr M Gurumoorthy.

The MP added that the shifting of high-tension electric line works will also be completed soon.

10/03/22 Sandeep Raghavan/Times of India

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CM air turbulence: Representatives of Civil Aviation Ministry, AAI meet home secy

Kolkata: Representatives of the Civil Aviation Ministry and Airport Authority of India (AAI) met Home Secretary BP Gopalika on Tuesday and talked about the air turbulence faced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s flight.

A Home Department official, however, said, “It was just a meeting. They did not submit any report, but they talked about the incident.”

However, there were no official words on the issue.

On Friday, on her way back to West Bengal from Uttar Pradesh after campaigning, Banerjee boarded a chartered flight that faced major air turbulence just before landing in Kolkata. The Chief Minister hurt her back during the turbulence, and doctors advised her to rest.

On Saturday, the Home Secretary sought a report from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and asked to mention why the flight of the Chief Minister went through huge turbulence just before landing at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. Also, after the incident, Gopalika ordered a probe into the incident.

09/03/22 Indian Express

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Flights to resume from Puducherry to Bengaluru and Hyderabad on March 27

Pudhucherry: Commercial flight operations from Puducherry Airport are set to resume with Spice Jet launching operations on the Hyderabad-Puducherry-Hyderabad and Bengaluru-Puducherry-Bengaluru routes from March 27. The flight operator has communicated its decision to the government, Director of Tourism P Priyartarshny said. The booking of tickets for travel on these routes has opened. Flights will be operated daily on the routes by a single aircraft.   

On both the routes, the flight operator is operating on its own and not under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) as the bidding for RCS routes is yet to commence, she said. However, the flight operator has sought support from the government, which will continue to provide VAT free aviation fuel, since Puducherry is on RCS route, she said. The government has requested them to test the viability, because in the earlier operations the flights were booked adequately and there was no need for Viability Gap Fund (VGF) to be provided.

SpiceJet commenced operations on the Hyderabad-Puducherry-Hyderabad route in 2017, under UDAN, the RCS scheme and in the subsequent year, it launched daily flights on the Bengaluru-Puducherry-Bengaluru route. Following the Covid pandemic hitting the country, both services were stopped.

09/03/22 Debjani Dutta/New Indian Express

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Kolkata airport’s international wing gets ready for operations with reopening of forex counters, retail stores

Kolkata: As Kolkata airport prepares to welcome back scheduled international flights that have been off air for over two years, the authorities are gearing up to reopen foreign exchange counters, international SIM cards stalls, retail outlets and food courts. The agencies have been asked to deploy additional manpower at the immigration and customs counters.

Before international flights were suspended from March 23, 2020, the international wing used to buzz with activity as duty-free shops, utility stores and retail as well as food outlets doing brisk business with 27-33 flights flying in and out of the city daily.

While domestic traffic that had resumed from end-May 2020 has steadily improved, the terminal's international wing continued to remain deserted as only five-seven flights operated a day under the bubble arrangements.

Pre-pandemic, there were around seven forex counters, an international calling card and SIM card kiosk, a baggage wrapping agency, at least seven retail outlets and a large food court.

Even as international flights resumed, first under the Vande Bharat scheme and then under the bubble arrangement, the services never took off as passenger traffic was low. Some food counters were temporarily opened when passengers had to wait for six hours for on-arrival Covid reports, but the stalls are yet to begin full-scale operation.

09/03/22 Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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GMR Group & BW Businessworld join hands to launch monthly publication - Aerocity Live

GMR Group, one of the largest private airport companies in India, has joined hands with the country’s leading business publication, BW Businessworld, to launch a new monthly publication–Aerocity Live.

Over the years, GMR Aerocity has become the go-to place for the connoisseurs of the good life. It offers a sustainable, smart, and resilient infrastructure with premium office spaces, world-class hospitality, 100+ world’s most exquisite F&B brands, and a vibrant urban environment, GMR Aerocity is not only a popular destination for the active & tasteful city dwellers, but it routinely gets a marquee mention in major travel itineraries for travellers coming to the capital.

Aerocity Live aims to become the voice of this bustling urban district that witnesses millions of footfalls every month.

Modelled on the smart city concept by the GMR Group, GMR Aerocity boasts of futuristic offerings such as safe and walkable districts with multi-modal connectivity, open spaces, and modern amenities. Designed to ensure low environmental impact, it even encourages resource conservation.

09/03/22  exchange4media

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SGPC flays ban on 'kirpan' for employees at airports

Amritsar: The recent orders of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation putting restriction on carrying ‘kirpan’ (Sikh religious symbol) by the baptised Sikh employees on duty at the airport has invited the ire of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

Terming it as an attack on fundamental religious rights of Sikhs, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has written a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia, expressing strong resentment against the order and demanded its withdrawal.

As per the notification dated March 4, on page 5 Section 20 (ii)(b), it is written that exemption shall be given to Sikh passengers only, whereas no stakeholder or its employee at airport (including Sikh) and working at any terminal, domestic or international, shall be allowed to carry a ‘kirpan’ on person.

As per the guidelines for a Sikh passenger, the ‘kirpan’ may be carried, provided the length of its blade does not exceed six inches and its total length does not exceed nine inches. It is allowed while travelling by air on Indian aircrafts within India (domestic routes of fully domestic flights operating from domestic terminals only).

The issue was also raised by an NGO — Amritsar Vikas Manch. Sandeep Singh Gumtala of Amritsar Vikas Manch said: “If Sikh passengers are allowed to wear a ‘kirpan’ on domestic flights, it is hard to believe that Sikh employees pose a greater security threat after undergoing security clearances. To my knowledge, Sikh employees at airports in UK, Canada are permitted to wear a ‘kirpan’ at the airside,” he said.

The SGPC president said: “The governments should refrain from adopting such policies which hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs.”

09/03/22 Tribune

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All-woman teams manage ops at Patna airport, different stns

Patna An all-female team managed operations and maintenance at the Patna airport, various stations throughout Bihar, and power sub-stations on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Tuesday.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) assigned all duties to women employees to manage air traffic control (ATC), communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS), operations (terminal management and airside), finance, human resource, civil and electrical engineering, and other maintenance work.

The airport’s officiating director, A K Pathak, told TOI that a special health camp was organised for all female employees. “Altogether 189 women assumed leadership roles in all departments. A cultural event dubbed ‘Kalyanmayi’ was also organised for employees, their families, and children,” he said.

09/03/22 Faryal Rumi & Kumod Verma/Times of India

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Infrastructure push at Kolkata airport ahead of international flight resumption

Kolkata: As scheduled international flights prepare to resume from March 24 after a two-year gap and domestic traffic grows steadily towards pre-pandemic numbers, Kolkata airport has put in place key infrastructure to make the airport more efficient in handling the additional passenger load.

In the international wing, the two security check portals have been equipped with an automatic tray retrieval system (ATRS) that will improve the throughput of passengers queuing up to undergo frisking and get cabin bags scanned.

In domestic wing, one of the five portals that did not have inline baggage scan (ILBS) facility has now been integrated with the rest and is expected to be commissioned in April. This will improve the throughput of registered bags deposited for carriage in cargo hold of flights.

The airport has also added 5,000 new and versatile luggage trolleys to its current inventory of 3,500 trolleys in anticipation of passenger rush once flight count returns to 2019 level.

“The airport is geared to handle growth in flights and fliers as India along with the rest of the world returns to normal. We have checked the passenger facilitation systems and tried to plug the lacunae so that once passenger rush increases, we are ready to handle it,” airport director C Pattabhi said.

Introduction of two ATRS units in the international wing and another one in the domestic-to-domestic transfer will speed up security checks. The system is capable of recycling 550 trays per hour instead of 400 trays manually. The investment in the three ATRS units is Rs 6 crore.

09/03/22 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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Second airport for Chennai: Four locations suggested

Preliminary work on the location for a second airport for Chennai has begun with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) inspecting four potential sites identified by the Tamil Nadu government for setting up a greenfield facility. 

The new airport will function in addition to the existing facility in Meenambakkam, located close to the city, state government officials said. They added that four places – Tirupporur, Parandur, Pannur, Padalam – have been suggested for Chennai’s second airport to the AAI by the Tamil Nadu government.

Though the number of flights and the daily footfall have increased manifold over the years, the city is bereft of a swanky airport like the ones Bengaluru and Hyderabad boast off. The AAI has been expanding the terminal buildings in the existing airport to cater to the ever-increasing rush but a new airport is long overdue.

The government’s 2006 plan to construct a greenfield airport in Sriperumbudur, an industrial hub just outside Chennai, did not take off due to a slew of factors, including opposition from PMK, which was an ally of the then DMK government. Efforts by the AIADMK government between 2011 and 2021 in this regard also did not fructify.

“We have now begun the work on the second airport. The Tamil Nadu Industrial Corporation (TIDCO) has suggested four locations close to Chennai for the second airport. AAI is inspecting the four sites, which is the preliminary step. Once the inspection is over, the work on identifying the site will begin after discussions,” a government official told DH.

Tirupporur is the closest of the four locations in the city with a distance of 44 km, while Padalam is the farthest located at around 78 km. Pannur is 54 km away from Chennai and the distance between the state capital and Parandur is 69 km.

09/03/22 ETB Sivapriyan/Deccan Herald

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Airport advisory committee meeting held in Coimbatore

Improving passenger facilities and expansion of the stretch from Avinashi Road to Coimbatore International Airport were discussed at the meeting of the Airport Advisory Committee on Wednesday.

Coimbatore MP P.R. Natarajan, who chaired the meeting, put forward a proposal for the expansion of the road. A release issued by the MP said that officials who took part in the meeting promised to take the demand to the attention of the District Collector.

Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara, Coimbatore District Revenue Officer P.S. Leela Alex, Kavundampalayam MLA P.R.G. Arunkumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police E.S. Uma, Airport Director S. Senthil Valavan, CISF commander Pawan Kumar, former Singanallur MLA N. Karthik, officials from the Airport Authority of India and other stakeholders took part in the meeting.

09/03/22 The Hindu

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Tripartite MoU signed to set up Barak Valley greenfield airport

Silchar: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Doloo Tea Company Private Limited, various trade unions representing the tea garden workers and the district administration at the office of the Cachar deputy commissioner here to set up a greenfield airport in the tea estate.

The new proposal said around 2,500 bighas of land will be provided by the tea estate for the construction of a greenfield airport for Barak Valley.

An MoU was signed on Monday to protect the jobs of the tea garden workers so that the reduction in the land pool does not result in job loss.

The agreement also stated that upon receipt of compensation from the state government, all the dues to the tea estate’s workers will be cleared and the company will not retrench or lay off any worker.

09/03/22 BB Goswami/Times of India

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CISF personnel save man attempting to commit suicide at Delhi airport

New Delhi: A passenger who allegedly tried to end his life by jumping off an elevated bridge at the Delhi airport was stopped from taking the extreme step by CISF personnel, a senior officer said on Wednesday.

The incident was reported at around 8:20 am on Monday.

Constables Anurodh Kumar Manjhi and Agmeera Thirupathi Nayak of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Quick Reaction Team noticed that the man was attempting to jump off the bridge in the departure area of terminal-3 at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, the officer said.

The personnel acted swiftly and prevented the passenger from jumping, he added.

The man, who was supposed to board a Vistara flight to Kochi, was apprehended. Subsequently, his family members took him with them from the airport, the officer said.

09/03/22 PTI/Print

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Air connectivity to busy Bhavnagar city halved

Rajkot: Keshod’s gain seems to be a loss for the industrial city of Bhavnagar.

Alliance Air, which is beginning Keshod-Mumbai flight from March 12, the first from this 75-year-old airport after 20 years, has discontinued its Bhavnagar-Mumbai service from March 7.

This has caused a huge resentment among industrialists, who said the stopping of this tri-weekly flight will impact their business.

The 72-seater aircraft had one of the highest occupancies.

When contacted, Bhavnagar airport officials told TOI: “We have been informed by the airline that they have suspended the operation from March 7 for commercial reasons.”

Bhavnagar airport now has only one flight run by SpiceJet thrice a week to Mumbai. Sources claimed that they were suspended temporarily because of commencement of Keshod-Mumbai for the want of slots at Mumbai airport.

Bhavnagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) aggressively protested against suspension of the flight. The chamber’s president Kirit Soni said, “Starting Keshod-Mumbai flight is welcome, but it can’t be done at the cost of discontinuing flights to another big city.”

According to Soni, they are also demanding air connectivity for Pune and Delhi.

Haresh Parmar, secretary of Ship Recycling Industries Association of India (SRIA), said, “The Alliance Air flights had good occupancy, despite the fare being highest around Rs 12,000 for Mumbai. This will adversely affect the business and industry in the entire district.”

09/03/22 Nimesh Khakhariya/Times of India

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Kolkata: Quarantine clause scrapped for jabbed flyers visiting Singapore

Kolkata: From March 16, vaccinated flyers from Kolkata can now travel to Singapore without having to undergo any mandatory quarantine. The decision has come as a huge relief to flyers as well as the travel trade industry that has been at wit’s end over poor loads since Singapore Airlines had resumed operations in November 2021.

With Singapore Airlines being the only operator carrying passengers to and from Singapore daily, it has been assigned the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) status, paving the way for people to travel without getting quarantined on arrival in Singapore from next week.

“On these flights, passengers can travel without any restrictions on the purpose of the trip. No quarantine is required. Hence on such flights, the window opens for travellers for tourism, visiting friends and family and for business and meetings," explained Travel Agents' Association of India chairman (east) Manav Soni.

Prior to the pandemic, there were at least three operators — Singapore Airlines, IndiGo and Air India Express — that used to operate direct flights between Kolkata and Singapore. Thai Airways also used to operate a flight in the sector via Bangkok. So far, however, Singapore Airlines is the only carrier who has resumed the operation.

08/03/22 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Benerjee/Times of India

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34-year-old woman CISF officer Rashmi Bedwal supervises Bengaluru airport security

A high pressure job of supervising the security at the terminal of the Kempegowda International airport (KIA) is handled by 34-year-old Rashmi Bedwal. This Deputy Commandant of the Central Industrial Security Force, also the mother of a little girl, is the only one in Karnataka and one of the few women in the country holding the post. 

Hailing from Uttarakhand, Bedwal is a B.Tech graduate in Biotechnology from the Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology. “After clearing my CAPF Assitant Commandant exams in 2013, I began my career at the Mumbai International Airport. There was enormous resistance from my relatives who felt it was a male-dominated field.  However, I decided to take the plunge,” she said. Her mother, Nirmala, is a homemaker and her father, MS Bedwal, a PWD engineer, backed her, she added. 

In her batch, she was the only woman. Bedwal met her husband, Anuranjan Kumar Anuj, also a Deputy Commandant at KIA now, during her training at the National Industrial Security Academy at Hyderabad. After completed 4.5 years at Mumbai airport, she was posted at Bengaluru. 

Now, she heads around 300 women in the rank of constables, Sub-Inspectors and Inspectors. “At CISF, women are completely accepted into the fold. I have never faced any discrimination in my career and in fact, it is a very encouraging environment,” she said. 

08/03/22 S Lalitha/New Indian Express

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MoD gives nod to transfer 13 acre land for Pune Airport expansion

Pune: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and the chairman of infrastructure committee of Union government, Nitin Gadkari, said on Friday that the Ministry of Defence has approved the allocation of 13 acres of land of Barrack Store Office of Pune Air Force to Airports Authority of India (AAI) for expansion of cargo infrastructure at the airport.

The idea was first floated in 2017-18 and was being pursued with the Ministry of Defence since. Last year, Gadkari, while on a visit to Pune had said that the MoD has agreed to provide the land to Pune Airport if it was provided land of its choice in Chandigarh.

On Monday, Gadkari posted on social media that the final approval for the transfer of land has been given by the MoD.

“I am very happy to announce that Ministry of Defence has approved to allot 13 acres of adjacent land of BSO yard to Airports Authority of India for construction of International and Domestic cargo infrastructure at Pune Airport. This will benefit the western Maharashtra region for export of agriculture and Industrial Products,” Gadkari said in a Twitter post.

As per officials, the Air Force requires a plot of land held by the Airports Authority of India in Chandigarh.

The AAI had agreed to barter the land in Chandigarh for the 13-acre BSO land in Pune.

08/03/22 Indian Express

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Hollongi Airport likely to start operations from August 15

Itanagar: The greenfield airport at Hollongi, near here, is likely to be made operational on August 15 this year, with the Arunachal Pradesh government asking the executing agencies to finish the project at the earliest.

Developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) with an estimated cost of Rs 645 crore, it is designed to be a greenfield airport with eight check-in counters and can accommodate 200 passengers during peak hours of the day.

Hollongi is about 15 kilometres from state capital Itanagar.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig Dr B D Mishra (Retd) and Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday reviewed the progress of the construction of the airport along with state Civil Aviation Minister Nakap Nalo, Rajya Sabha MP Nabam Rebia, local MLA Tana Hali Tara and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar besides senior officials of the AAI.

The governor stressed that every component builder should realize the pressing need, the urgency and the necessity to finish the project at the earliest.

He advised the project managers and officials for weekly reporting and monitoring for all components of the airport and to take immediate actions to expedite the progress of the work.

Mishra suggested for the involvement of local MLAs and district administration to address the public grievances, administrative bottlenecks and accelerate the work.

08/03/22 PTI/New Indian Express

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AAI technical team visits proposed site of Puri international airport

A seven-member technical team of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Tuesday undertook an on-the spot verification of Sipasarubali area in the outskirt of the pilgrim town, for the proposed international airport in Puri. The technical team's visit came after Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia during his visit to Jharsuguda said that the AAI had already sent a complete report for an international airport at Puri to the Odisha government and is awaiting its response on developing a greenfield airport at Puri.

The team comprised AAI's four officials from Delhi and three from Bhubaneswar airport. They conducted a survey at Sipasarubali in Puri Sadar block and also examined the land map and other documents in presence of Puri Sub-Collector Bhabataran Sahu.

The team also held discussions with Puri Collector Samarth Verma on the proposed project.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik last year had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi where he strongly demanded setting up an international airport at Puri.

08/03/22 PTI/Economic Times

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Soon, SpiceJet, A-I to resume Dharamsala flights

Palampur: Air India and SpiceJet will resume all flights on  the Delhi-Dharamsala circuit from  March 27. These were suspended two years ago because of Covid. 

Since the tourist season is about to begin and  Covid cases have come down, both airlines  have agreed to  resume the flights.

Official sources said  SpiceJet  and Air-India will operate two flights each between Delhi and Dharamsala daily,   while Air-India will also launch a flight to Dharamsala via Chandigarh and back  daily.

Besides,  in April,  IndoGo will also start one more flight between Dharamsala and Delhi. IndiGo will be the third airlines to operate from the Gaggal airport. With the number of flights increasing to six a day, airfares are likely to come down. Besides, it will also increase the tourist inflow to Kangra.

The Gaggal airport is the busiest airports of Himachal Pradesh. The airport strip is 1,372 metre. As only small planes can land here, the airfare is among the highest in the country. It touches Rs 21,000 for one-way trip from Dharamsala to Delhi in the peak season.  It is expected that with the addition of new flights in this circuit,  the airfare  will   also come down. 

07/03/22 Ravinder Sood/Tribune

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Arunachal's Hollongi airport to be operational from August 15: Airport Authority of India

Arunachal Pradesh’s Hollongi airport is expected to become operational from August 15, said the Centre on March 3. The 'greenfield airport' in Hollongi is 15 km from the state`s capital Itanagar and is being developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The airport is planned for operationalization on August 15, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement, adding that the project, with an estimated cost of Rs 645 crore, includes the construction of airport pavements, airside work, terminal building, and city side works.

According to the ministry, the proposed airport is designed for operations of the A-320 category of aircraft and future extension of runway by 500-meter length to cater to the A-321 type of aircraft. Besides, the airport will feature a terminal building that will be able to handle 200 passengers during peak hours.

"Equipped with eight check-in counters, the terminal building will have all modern passenger facilities," the statement said.

"Development work is in full swing and almost 80 percent of airside work is completed," the ministry said. Furthermore, the progress of construction of the new interim terminal building is 30 percent, it added.

06/03/22 ZeeNews

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Chennai Rights Activist Slams Airline For ₹ 2,500 Wheelchair Service

Chennai: Disability rights activist Rajiv Rajan was stunned when US-Bangla Airlines charged him ₹ 2,500 for the wheelchair service at Chennai airport on Sunday.

Mr Rajan, who was dismayed by the treatment meted out to him by the air carrier, had sought wheelchair assistance at Chennai airport to board the flight to Dhaka.

After he protested, the airlines agreed to refund the money, but allowed him to board the flight only after he signed an indemnity.

Mr Rajan told NDTV "This is like charging for my legs. This is illegal and violates the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disability". "It's not only about money. It's about how you treat a person with disabilities," he added.

Calling it a blatant violation of basic human rights, he is now planning to take up the matter with the relevant authorities.

His wife Meenakshi Rajan, who is also a rights activist, has urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to look into the matter.

"We cannot start all over again. This issue - Airlines charging additional for ground services and taking indemnity (we thought got sorted in 2007). This shall not be the case in 2022 with RPDA 2016 and UNCRPD," she tweeted.

On being asked about the incident, an official at the US Bangla Airlines' Chennai office told NDTV that Mr Rajan was charged ₹ 2,500 to pay a local airline for its ground support.

"We are an international airline and the charge is nothing but a collection of what we pay a local airline for ground support. This is not a revenue stream for us. For wheelchair services we pay 35 USD actually," the official said.

06/03/22 J Sam Daniel/NDTV

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Bengaluru: Flyer held up over soft copy of ID proof

Bengaluru: Earlier this week, a young woman who showed a soft copy of her ID proof on her mobile phone was denied entry into Kempegowda International Airport. She was allegedly made to wait outside the gate by Central Industrial Security Force personnel for an hour before being let in with a warning that she had violated rules as a soft copy is permitted only on government-specified apps.

Yamini Soni, 23, a finance consultant and resident of CV Raman Nagar, was going to Bhopal because of a medical emergency involving her mother. It was her first flight.

Around 4.45am on Monday, her husband Anusheel Soni, a scientist with DRDO, dropped her off at the airport. At one of the departure gates, a CISF constable inspected Yamini’s documents and denied her entry stating she needed to show a hard copy of her ID card instead of a soft copy. Realising something was amiss, Anusheel rushed in to check.

06/03/22 Petlee Peter/Times of India

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Public transport facility to MIA still remains on paper

Mangaluru: Mangaluru International Airport, the second busiest after Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, has no public transport facility even after several decades. There is a growing demand from flyers for a bus facility to the airport, which is about 14km from the city.

Currently, flyers solely depend on taxis, auto rickshaw or their private vehicles to reach the airport. A few years ago, KSRTC had planned to start a direct bus service to MIA, but it did not materialise.

“We pay a hefty fare for taxis to MIA both for inward and onward journeys. It is better that a few bus services are introduced to the airport. It will benefit both passengers and airport staff. Those who complain that buses are not viable due to poor passenger load factor is just an excuse,” said a frequent flyer.

On average, taxis charge anywhere between Rs 650 to Rs 1,300 for either airport drop or pick up. “The MIA has a footfall of nearly 10 lakh passengers with close to seven lakh domestic passengers alone in a year. Therefore it is the need of the hour to have sophisticated bus service dedicated to MIA,” he added.

Expressing disappointment, Twitterati Gopinath Prabhu @gopinathprabhu tweeted: Even after a decade our MPs have not been able to start a bus service to airport from City, making it perhaps the only international airport in India without any public transport. @HardeepSPuri@PMOIndia @mlrairport @AdaniOnline @AAI_Official (sic)

The MIA officials pointed out that the district administration must facilitate the bus service. When TOI contacted deputy commissioner KV Rajendra, he said KSRTC has been granted permission to run bus services to MIA during the last meeting of the District Road Transport Authority (RTA).

06/03/11 Times of India

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Mangaluru: MIA operations go all women, lady passengers get flowers

Mangaluru: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Airports Authority of India conducted a day-long programme for staff, officials, CISF officers, women employees and passengers at the airport on Friday, March 8. 

As a mark of respect to women, the control room and other technical departments were completely handled by the lady engineers and technicians.

Hazel Concessao, co-ordinator, MIA and PA to Airport Director, G S Lakshmi, senior manager of Operations, Anjitha, assistant general manager, Communications, Kanthi Kini, M Kamala, Shyma Prabhu, Rinpy and Adithya Banerjee were present. Reena Nair, VP, quality control from Adani headquarters  as a surprise for this celebrations.

The women's day coordinator was Hazel Concessao, who was assisted by sonia for the  games session in the day. In the morning ession of the celebration, the Kalyanmayee members wished the lady passengers with roses and sweets.

The afternoon session began with a cake cutting and later a fun-filled games session was held in which the airline staff from Indigo, Spice  Go First, Air India, CISF, immigration wing and all employees and staff of MIA participated.  Various entertainment programmes were also held. 

The passengers thanked airport officials for the surprise welcome and gifts. Latha Krishnamoorthy from Udupi recalled a similar warm welcome she received three years ago at Mangaluru Airport on the occasion of International Women's Day.

06/03/22 Daijiworld

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Indore: Flights for Gondia, Jammu to start this month

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Air passengers from the city are going to get direct flights to Gondia (Maharastra) and Jammu from this month. The Jammu flight will be a boon for devotees of Maa Vaishno Devi shrine, which is located close to Jammu town.

Ahead of the official announcement of Summer Schedule of domestic flights , Indigo and Flybig have announced the launch of their flights from this month.

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Air passengers from the city are going to get direct flights to Gondia (Maharastra) and Jammu from this month. The Jammu flight will be a boon for devotees of Maa Vaishno Devi shrine, which is located close to Jammu town.

Ahead of the official announcement of Summer Schedule of domestic flights , Indigo and Flybig have announced the launch of their flights from this month.

TK Jose, chairman of MP Chapter of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) informed that Flybig Airline is stating direct daily flight to Gondia on March 13 under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).

Flight 59401 Gondia-Indore will depart from Gondia at 8.35 am and arrive in the city airport at 10.00 am. Flight S-9402 will depart from the city at 10.20 am and reach Gondia at 11.45 am. The aircraft will come Hyderabad to Indore via Gondia and go back to Hyderabad via Gondia. In this way the passengers are getting a flight for Hyderabad also.

Ullas Nair, proprietor of Vistaar Travels, informed that IndiGo is starting the Indore-Jammu-Indore direct flight on March 28 under the upcoming Summer Schedule effective from the same date. The flight 6E-6404 Indore-Jammu will depart from the city at 10.10 am and reach Jammu at 12.10 pm. In the return flight, 6E-6402 Jammu-Indore will depart from there at 12.40 pm and land in the city at 2.45 pm. Nair said that the flight will be operated on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

05/03/22 FreePressJounal

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No dip in Goa air traffic despite Russia-Ukraine war: Official

Panaji: There has been no dip in air-traffic at Goa's Dabolim International Airport in wake of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, airport director Gagan Malik said.

Malik told reporters late Thursday night that Air India had sought one more additional slot for a London-Goa flight.

"I do not see a difference in the air traffic, nor have my number of incoming passengers come down. If my incoming passengers have not dropped, then the outgoing passenger numbers will also not drop."

The Airport Authority of India official also said that flights operated by Russian charter group Rossiya Airlines, continued to fly to and from the Goa airport.

"Rossiya is operating on approved slots. Today (Thursday) there was a charter from Russia in which more than 506 passengers had arrived and 489 passengers had departed. No slot has been cancelled by Rossiya. Domestic flights have peaked very well and it shows that we are heading for normalcy.

04/03/22 IANS/Daijiworld

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Domestic flights soon from Uttarlai airbase near Pakistan border

Domestic flights will soon start operating from Uttarlai Air Force Station in Barmer near the Pakistan border, a senior official said on Friday. Ministry of Defence has granted sanction to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to operate air services from the runway of the Uttarlai Air Force Station, Defence Estate Officer Abhinav Singh said.

After Jodhpur Air Force Station, this will be the second airbase in Western Sector to allow the operation of civil domestic flights from its runway.

The airbase played an important role in the Indo-Pakistan war. The squadron of upgraded MiG-21 Bison is deployed here.

Defence Estate Officer Singh said that land measuring 4,568 sqm would be given to the AAI on the annual lease of Rs 10,670 in the air force station as per the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between the IAF and AAI.

"Besides this land, a parcel of 7.1 bighas between the adjacent railway line and air force station has already been allotted to the AAI for construction of a terminal for the airport," said Singh.

The permission is in pursuance of the regional connectivity scheme 'UDAN' introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2017 with the objective of expanding air services in the country and making them economic.

The AAI had expressed its intention to operate civil flights from Uttarlai Air Force Station in 2018 keeping in view the growing importance of Barmer as a centre for crude production and its refining and generation of non-conventional energy.

While construction of the refinery and crude exploration by the oil exploration giant Cairn Energy is already in full swing in Barmer, many other companies are engaged in minerals, oil and gas exploration and solar and wind energy generation.

The Estate officer said that the sanction has been granted to the AAI for construction of temporary/minimum infrastructure on and near the defence land at/inside perimeter wall and between the railway line and air force station boundary wall without alienation/transfer of ownership of land.

04/03/22 PTI/Economic Times

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CISF constable shoots himself dead at Chennai airport

Chennai: A 26-year-old Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable shot himself dead inside a restroom at the Chennai international airport on Thursday.

The deceased, Yashpal, was a native of Rajasthan. The reason for his suicide was not unknown, police said.

Yashpal used his self-loading rifle (SLR) to shoot on his forehead. He died on the spot. He was on duty at the departure terminal.

The airport police have registered a case and were trying to find whether he had left behind any suicide note.

03/03/22 Sindhu Kannan/Times of India

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Kolkata-Thailand tourism back on track after two-year Covid lull

Kolkata: Air travel between Kolkata and Thailand is set to resume after a gap of two years following the India-Thailand air travel bubble approved by both countries on Tuesday. The travel and trade community in Kolkata believe this will revitalise foreign travel from Kolkata.

Already, at least three domestic carriers and one international airline have announced flights between Kolkata and Thai cities starting March 9-10.

IndiGo Airlines, SpiceJet and Go First have announced daily flights to Thailand starting next week. While IndiGo and SpiceJet will operate daily flights to Bangkok, Go First will operate daily to the popular island beach destination, Phuket. Thai Smile, a sister airline of Thai Airways, plans to start thrice-a-week flights between Bangkok and Kolkata from March 16. Sources said IndiGo has applied for a second daily connection, anticipating huge travel demand during the Easter holidays and summer vacation.

03/03/22 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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Vadodara to Jaipur flight service starts

Vadodara: The city got connected with fifth destination on Tuesday.

After Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Vadodara has got air connectivity with Jaipur.

The inaugural flight from Jaipur to Vadodara airport was given the customary water cannon salute by the fire staff of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) as it landed at the airport here.

In the first flight, 46 passengers travelled from Jaipur to Vadodara whereas 66 passengers travelled from Vadodara to Jaipur. The fight operated by Indigo Airlines with ATR 72-500 aircraft has seating capacity of 72 passengers.

The flight will daily depart from Jaipur at 12.40 and land at Vadodara airport at 14.25. It will depart from Vadodara at 15.10 and land Jaipur at 16.50 hours.

The ceremony was celebrated in presence of Vadodara district collector, members of the Vadodara airport advisory committee, airport director, chief airport security officer of Central Industrial Security Force and staff members of IndiGo airlines.

02/03/22 Times of India

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Ukraine crisis: Haryana to set up help desk at Mumbai airport from Wednesday

Chandigarh: The Haryana government shall be setting up a helpdesk at Mumbai airport to help students returning to the country from Ukraine, which will start functioning from tomorrow — Wednesday.

Three police personnel and a HAFED official have been sent to Mumbai who shall be stationed at the desk, government officials said.

The help desk, officials said, will make arrangements for students from Haryana who arrive at Mumbai to reach Delhi. In view of the Ukraine crisis, the Haryana Government has already set up a help desk at Delhi Airport to help students.

“Meanwhile, to assist the residents and students of Haryana stuck in Ukraine, the government has appointed Sanjay Joon as the nodal officer at the state-level. At the district level, the Deputy Commissioner will be the nodal officer. The government has set up a State-Level Control Room at the Divisional Commissioner’s office, Faridabad. This control room will function 24×7 with employees working in shifts throughout the day,” a government spokesperson said, Tuesday.

“The government has contacted all such families based in Haryana whose family members have gone to Ukraine. Now, the government has put an officer of at least Tehsildar level to interact with these families. The officials have been instructed to go to the homes of people whose kin are stuck in Ukraine and assure them that the administration was doing everything to get them back home safely. The government has already managed to help Mansi Mangla from Ballabhgarh. Mansi has reached the Indian Embassy in Poland, where she is being taken care of. Chandigarh administration officials talked to Mansi and assured her that soon arrangements will be made for her safe return to India. In a conversation with the SDM of Ballabhgarh, Trilokchand, Mansi’s family has expressed satisfaction over the efforts of the government and said that thanks to the help of the government, their daughter will be able to return home soon”, the spokesperson added.

02/03/22 Indian Express

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Delhi Airport Update: DIAL, IIT-Delhi sign agreement to improve operational efficiency at IGI Airport

The operator of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport- Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi in a bid to enhance the experience of flyers as well as operational efficiency at its terminals by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) – based predictive analytics. The analytics will benefit the airport operator in improvising its allocation of resources in response to dynamically changing passenger loads at the Delhi airport, according to a PTI report. Also, it will help in better understanding of passenger preferences and enable Delhi International Airport Limited to design customised services for them.

According to the report, a team from IIT Delhi will carry out AI-based predictive analytics on identified areas of improvement as well as come up with next-level innovative solutions. The agreement, signed between DIAL and IIT – Delhi on 21 February 2022, will remain in force for a period of five years, the report added.

A few days ago, the newly-constructed state-of-the-art arrival terminal at T1 of the Delhi Airport was made operational. The IGIA has three terminals- T1, T2 and T3. With the opening of this new arrival hall, the entire arrival operations of T1 of the IGI Airport shifted from the existing facility to the new one. The airlines- IndiGo and SpiceJet currently operate flight services from T1.

However, the departure operations are being continued from the existing terminal, and eventually, it will be integrated with the new arrivals hall after the overall completion of the expansion works. Developed by Delhi International Airport Limited, the new arrival terminal, is part of the airport’s ongoing phase 3A expansion project. According to the airport operator, the facility would offer a distinctive experience with a contemporary zone for ‘meet and greet’, including landscaping and kiosks for food and beverage, retail, plush forecourt area as well as expanded parking space for cars.

01/03/22 Financial Express

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