Cape Town: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Thursday admitted it does not have the regulatory authority to reprimand airlines that rent out their aircraft as charters.
IATA has 240 member airlines, which account for 84 percent of global air traffic.
The association's chief gave an overview of safety and financial constraints facing the industry ahead of its annual general meeting in Cape Town next week.
IATA CEO Tony...
Showing posts with label Airports May 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airports May 2013. Show all posts
Friday, May 31, 2013
Guptagate: flight plan confusion
Cape Town: Transport Minister Ben Martins has given Parliament a copy of the flight plan used by the Gupta family for the Waterkloof Air Force Base landing, but it has left some confused, the Cape Times reported on Thursday.
Democratic Alliance MP Ian Ollis reportedly received a reply to a parliamentary question from Martins on Wednesday, detailing the plan used by the Jet Airways plane which landed exactly a month ago.
According to the newspaper,...
Parrikar's deal: Take Mopa, give Dabolim
Margao: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said he would raise the issue of Mopa with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and offer Mopa to the Indian Navy in exchange for Dabolim.
Trying to assuage the feelings of anti-Mopa activists, Parrikar said the appointment with the prime minister was yet to be fixed but he would bring up the issue and propose this exchange where Dabolim would be retained as a civilian airport and the Navy could take...
Green field international airport at Mopa being deliberately delayed
Panjim: Is the delay in release of a request for qualification (RFQ) for proposed green field international airport at Mopa has been triggered by the resurgence of Dabolim airport issue on a bigger scale?
There are reasons to believe that the government may be deliberately going slow on the release of RFQ in a view of the Dabolim issue getting momentum in South Goa.
The chief minister Manohar Parrikar had announced in Goa Assembly last month that...
Heathrow to crack down on noisy airlines
London: Heathrow airport has decided to impose fines of up to USD 1500 on airlines found guilty of breaking noise limits, as they try to garner public support for a controversial expansion of the busiest airport in Europe.
In an effort to make the surrounding residential area in south-west London quieter, the airport authority will rank the 80 airlines that use the facility according to how noisy their aircrafts are.
Fines for carriers that break...
Landing lot easier at Sahnewal Airport now
Ludhiana: The electronic navigation instrument, Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range (DVOR), which was installed the Sahnewal Airport in August 2012, was made operational on Thursday, which will make landing of aircraft easy even in low visibility conditions especially during winter months.
The airport officials said that aided by DVOR, the visibility requirement for landing of airplanes has now been reduced significantly to 2,400 metres from...
Mumbai Airport cancels HDIL slum redevelopment pact
Mumbai: Realty developer Housing Development and Infrastructure (HDIL) has received a termination notice from the Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) for its 275-acre slum rehabilitation project, citing non-completion of the project on time.
The slum rehabilitation major has not accepted the notice and is planning to move court against it. The company, however, has now accounted for costs of Rs 440 crore into its profit & loss account resulting...
Madurai airport to handle foreign cargo
Madurai: Here is some good news for trade and industry in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The Central government has allowed international freight movement from Madurai airport.
According to Madurai airport director K. Sangaiah Pandian, the Union finance ministry has issued customs notification dated May 28, 2013 to handle cargo at the Madurai airport. “All types of goods right from perishable to industrial and textiles can be exported. And,...
GMR Infra returns to profit in Q4 on sale of subsidiary
GMR Infrastructure has turned profitable in the March quarter on one-time gain of Rs 1231 crore from sale of subsidiary. The firm has reported Rs 579 crore profit in Q4 versus Rs 366 crore loss year-on-year.
Sales climbed over 22 percent year-on-year to Rs 2571.07 crore on improved performance from airport division. The firm's aviation vertical which runs Delhi and Hyderabad airports reported Rs 552 crore profit against Rs 7 crore loss after...
Mumbai airport to adorn Kashmir's pride
Mumbai’s swank T2 terminus is set to outshine the magnificent T3 terminal at Delhi airport. The T2 terminus, which is due to open in September, will have a Kashmiri touch — a 6,800 sqft mural featuring a range of crafts that the state is famous for. These include papier mache and walnut-wood carving, terracotta glazed tiles, Khatamband (a kind of wood-panelling done on walls and ceiling of Kashmiri wooden houses) and Pinjrakari (lattice work used...
Autos can now drop you near airport gate
Mumbai: The domestic airport authorities has permitted autos to enter the canopy at the departure terminal and leave passengers right up to the main gate, in view of the coming monsoons.
Veena Pillai from MIAL said, "We decided to shift the auto drop point for passengers in consultation with the traffic police. In fact, autos will be directed to a dedicated lane closer to the terminal and passengers will be dropped right near the gate."
31/05/13...
Hyderabad airport awarded 5-star rating
Hyderabad: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), operated by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), has been awarded the prestigious 5-star rating by the British Safety Council for its health and safety management system.
RGIA is the only airport in the world to receive this award, said a GHIAL statement.
Outside the aviation industry, only a few organisations in India like Asian Paints, Tata Motors, GAIL, Reliance and L&T...
Impersonation arrests puts Nigerians under airport scanner
New Delhi: Nigerian nationals are under the scanner at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after eight people from the country were caught in separate cases this year for impersonation, police and immigration officials said.
Security staff at the airport here are carefully scrutinising the appearance and documents of passengers from the African country to ensure they are not conned again, a Delhi Police official said.
The eight Nigerian...
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Dead bird on runway forces two Mumbai flights to land in Gujarat
A Jet Airways and a SpiceJet flight were diverted to Vadodara and Ahmedabad respectively on Wednesday as their designated runway was occupied by an Air India flight being inspected after a bird hit.
ATC sources said that the aircraft were diverted as both were running short of fuel.
According to airport sources, the Air India flight - scheduled to land before Jet Airways and SpiceJet flights - had reported a bird hit while landing on runway 09/27.
30/05/13...
Mushrooming meat shops give rise to bird-hits
Mumbai: With an alarming number of meat shops cropping up near the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), the number of bird-hits being reported has gone up again.
As per the latest statistics available with Airport Authority of India, 14 bird hits were recorded at the airport in 2012. In comparison, there were 12 cases of bird hits in 2010, which came down to 10 in 2011. The highest number in recent years was recorded in 2009, with 15...
Kishangarh airport land handed over to AAI
Ajmer: District administration today handed over the land for Kishangarh Airport, which is expected to be ready by 2016, to Airports Authority of India.
The facility, with 2,152-meter long runway will come up at a sprawling 441.7 acres of land and is aimed at giving air connectivity to the city, famous for Pushkar fair and Dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moindudin Chisti.
Initially, aircraft with maximum 90 passengers capacity would be able to land...
Minister's stand on Aranmula airport irks public, activists
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government’s move to grant exemption to the excess land under the possession of the KGS group, the main promoters of the private airport project at Aranmula, has evoked strong protest from social, political and environmental groups citing that the the government stand is against public interest.
Anti-airport activists said that Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash’s statement that the government had discretionary powers...
Pannian flays government stand on Aranmula
Thiruvananthapuram: CPI state secretary Pannian Raveendran on Tuesday criticised the UDF Government for its stand on the controversial Aranmula airport project issue, alleging that the government’s decision was a challenge to the existing land rules in the state.
The statements of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash that the government would go ahead with the proposed airport project in Aranmula were only to protect the...
MIAL ends airport rehabilitation deal with HDIL
Almost six years after the contract was awarded, the Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) has terminated its agreement with Housing Development & Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) to rehabilitate almost 28,000 slumdwellers spread across the airport land. MIAL took the decision, saying HDIL has breached many conditions, including not completing the rehabilitation work as per schedule in 2011.
HDIL has not accepted the termination notice and will...
Bangalore International Airport Ltd has the highest per passenger spends: MD
After much delay and amidst a chorus for the city's old HAL Airport to continue operations, Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) took-off on the mid-night of May 21, 2008. In the five years since, it has handled 500,000 air traffic movements and 50 million passengers and the airport has come to be regarded as one of the best greenfield airports in India, with even its critics admitting so. In an exclusive interview to TOI, G V Sanjay Reddy, MD...
Only pass-holder allowed inside airport premises
Mumbai: Santa Cruz police requested the Juhu airport authority to ensure that the government employees and private individual allow inside the premises only with the valid airport passes. There is security threat to the Juhu airport and Santa Cruz police managing its security arrangement. The police have deployed heavy policemen for the airport security
The airport officials and Mumbai police were at loggerheads over the security issue recently....
Kashmir craft to adorn Mumbai International Airport
Srinagar: In a major boost to its handicraft industry, traditional craft works of Kashmir will soon adorn the new terminal of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. The state-of-the-art terminal-2 which is all set to open in September has an area of over 4,39,000 square meters.
To make it look like a modern day living museum, the GVK— considered to be India's largest infrastructure developers— has decided to adorn the interiors...
CIAL trafficking case: Nine policemen to be arraigned
Kochi: The Organised Crime Wing of the Crime Branch is all set to arraign nine policemen in the Nedumbassery Human trafficking case.
These police officers are under suspension for assisting people travel abroad without proper documents from the Cochin International Airport Ltd. The department is also planning disciplinary action against two SPs and four DySPs.
According to sources in the Crime Branch, they have sought permission of the...
Man held at RGIA for tampering with passport
Hyderabad: RGI Airport police arrested a 47-year-old man from Vijayawada who arrived here from Hong Kong with a tampered passport.
Police arrested Mohammed Nayeem, a private employee from Vijayawada. In 2003, he went to London on a tourist visa and overstayed there. He finally came to India in 2009 and for overstaying UK authorities put a a 'red stamp' on his passport.
On May 15, Nayeem went to Hong Kong from Hyderabad using the same passport with...
No end to ramp troubles at Chennai airport
Chennai: First, it was the new domestic terminal that had a ramp problem – a faulty baggage ramp that gave airport officials trouble for weeks. Now, it’s the new international terminal’s turn – it has just one ramp leading to the baggage-handling area, and this may cause problems, airport officials said.
“While the new domestic terminal has two ramps – one each for the entry and exit of the battery-operated vehicles (known as tugs) that carry the...
Soon, evening flights at Bagdogra airport
Kolkata: Travellers to North Bengal, Darjeeling and Sikkim may soon be offered evening flight options to Bagdogra airport. Located near Siliguri, Baddogra now offers flight services only during the day time.
At a meeting with the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Arun Mishra, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), indicated that it would take steps to install night landing facility at the airport.
“We have found a way out (to...
Visitors can’t stay calm at airport
Madurai: The airport here boasts of an Rs.128.57-crore terminal building made of glass and steel. Yet, it is no better than the Mattuthavani bus terminus in the city when it comes to providing passenger friendly amenities.
A media contingent, gathered outside the terminal on Friday on official work, witnessed that the absence of basic facilities such as drinking water, telephone booth and chairs provided a harrowing experience for the visitors.
The...
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Government dangles tulips to hard-sell airport projects
Kozhikode: Call it the government PR machinery going overboard with the hard-sell, the state industrial development corporation (KSIDC) has promised the moon to quell farmer protests against airport projects in Wayanad and Idukki. The benefits of projects enlisted in a multi-page brochure border on the fantasy -- like making the two districts go the Holland way in tulip farming, forgetting that it is impossible to grow the plant in the state.
The...
False ceiling hangs loose at airport’s new terminal
Chennai: A few panels of the false ceiling at the arrival hall of the new domestic terminal at Chennai airport were found loosely fitted on Wednesday.
“Passengers entering the arrival hall notice ceiling panels hanging loose. It may not be dangerous now; but if we are faced with a windy situation, like the last time, then the loose panels may pose a risk to passengers,” said an official of Airports Authority of India.
On May 12, about 20 false ceiling...
Delhi-bound Air India plane diverted to Nagpur
Nagpur: A Visakhapatnam-New Delhi Air India Airbus A-321 made an emergency landing at city's Dr BabasahebAmbedkar International Airport on Monday morning when one of its engines developed a technical snag, sources in Nagpur airport said. All 180 passengers and crew members on board the plane are safe.
A relief aircraft arranged by the Air India to ferry the stranded passengers from here also developed a snag.
On Monday morning, captain of...
Cabinet will take decision on Aranmula airport project: Adoor Prakash
Thiruvananthapuram: The Cabinet would consider the issue of the proposed KGS Aranmula International Airport in Pathanamthitta and take a decision on necessary steps to facilitate its implementation, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash said here on Monday.
Responding to a question at a press conference here, the Minister said all the allegedly controversial decisions pertaining to the proposed project were taken during the tenure of the previous government...
'New landfilling for Aranmula airport will not be allowed'
Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that after the UDF Government came to power it had taken a stand that no new landfilling would be allowed for the Aranmula airport.
Speaking at the inauguration of lecture series, ‘’Contemporary politics and Kerala Development’’ on Monday, Chandy said: ‘’Our stand is transparent and clear. We have made it clear that no new land will be filled for the Aranmula airport. Additional land will...
Alchemist buys 20 acres for residential development in Aerotropolis
Mumbai: Alchemist Township India Limited, a Delhi-based real estate developer, has bought 20 acres of prime land in the Aerotropolis being developed by Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL) at Durgapur, 180 kilometres from Kolkata. Leading international property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) were the transaction mediators for this deal, which is West Bengal's largest land transaction in 2013 to date, said a press statement from JLL, the...
14th annual day of CIAL celebrated
Nedumbassery: The 14th annual day celebrations of the Cochin International Airport Ltd were inaugurated by managing director V J Kurien on Saturday. The anniversary cake was cut and distributed by him to all CIAL employees and their families on the occasion.
Kurien also lit the traditional lamp to officially inaugurate the functions in connection with the anniversary celebrations. Speaking on the occasion, he reiterated that it was the sincerity...
Techie loses jewels from checked bag
Bangalore: A city-based software engineer alleged that a gold coin and a diamond ring were stolen from his check-in baggage on a private airlines flight that he took from Indore to Bangalore via Mumbai on Sunday.
The theft came to light when the aircraft landed in Bangalore around 12.30pm.
Brijesh Arya, 31, resident of HSR Layout, said when he went to the police outpost on the premises of Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) to file a complaint,...
Monday, May 27, 2013
Farmers protest de-notification of land for Hubli airport
Chennai: Farmers from the Gokul village in Hubli are up in arms against the state government for denotifying the land acquired from them for expansion of the Hubli airport.
The farmers are miffed over the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board allegedly handing over the land acquired from them for the expansion of the airport to a non-government organisation. The farmers also prevented the drilling of a borewell on the land.
Later, they held...
Ground Mopa cry echoes in Salcete
Margao: Opposition to Mopa airport reverberated around Salcete countryside on Sunday with as many as five gram sabhas joining their counterparts to oppose the proposed airport.
At Assolna, gram sabha members in one voice opposed government’s plan to build the airport at Mopa, demanding that Dabolim be expanded and retained as Goa’s lone international airport. Members urged the government to scrap Mopa and respect the sentiments of the people.
The...
Delhi-bound Air India plane lands in Nagpur following engine problem
New Delhi: A Delhi-bound Air India plane from Vishakhapatnam with 174 passengers and crew onboard had to be diverted and landed at Nagpur after pilots detected problem in its engine parameters.
Flight AI 452, an Airbus 321 aircraft, took off from Vishakhapatnam around 9 AM as per schedule but after 90 minutes in air, the pilots witnessed fluctuations in the engine parameters on the instrument panel in the cockpit.
Keeping in mind the safety of passengers,...
Jetlite plane emergency lands in New Delhi after pilots find cracks in windshield
New Delhi: A Mumbai-bound Jetlite plane, with 117 people on board, today landed under emergency conditions at IGI airport in New Delhi, returning within minutes of take off after pilots detected cracks in the wind shield.
Flight S2 4107 landed safely and the emergency was terminated by 4.55 PM but it led to delay in arrival and departure of some flights, airport sources said.
27/05/13 PTI/Daily News & Analys...
Airport capacity constraints are a concern for aviation: CAPA
Mumbai: Capacity of Mumbai airport is a cause of concern, said a recent report by the Centre of Asia pacific Aviation (CAPA). The constant delays in the land acquisition for the Navi Mumbai airport means that there will be no growth in aviation once Mumbai airport is saturated by 2012-15.
The report said that Mumbai airport is currently operating at a maximum runway capacity of around 35 movements per hour for 19 hours a day. Mumbai International...
Singapore shows interest in Navi Mumbai airport project
Mumbai: Singapore has shown interest in investing in infrastructure projects in the state. In particular, it has shown interest in international airport projects and building new cities.
Deputy prime minister of Singapore Therman Shanghurathnam visited the country's financial capital earlier this week to explore investment opportunities.
His visit came only three days after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held discussions with CM Prithviraj Chavan regarding...
SA, India face off in Gupta row
A diplomatic scuffle may be looming between the high commission of India and the South African government.
This as the directors-general's report into the Gupta plane landing scandal accuses an official in the Indian office of "manipulating" circumstances to enable a private plane chartered by the Gupta family to land at the Waterkloof Air Force Base last month.
On Tuesday, the high commission released a statement absolving itself of any wrong-doing.
In...
Jamshedpur-Ranchi flight service to be started by DTDS
Jamshedpur: DTDS Travel and Tour Planner Private Limited, which is operating flight service between Kolkata and Jamshedpur, on requests from Corporate customers, was planning to introduce flight between Jamshedpur and Ranchi.
Shyamal Chakraborty, Sales Manger (East)of the Bangalore based DTDS said to help the corporate officials who can do business in the Jharkhand capital Ranchi, the company was thinking of starting the flight between Jamshedpur...
No idli-vada on buses to Bengaluru International Airport
Bangalore: An ambitious plan by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to serve piping hot idlis and vadas besides other snacks on buses headed to the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) has fallen flat, owing to poor response from caterers.
The idea behind serving snacks and breakfast on airport-bound buses was to ensure that air passengers flying long distances didn't end up missing a meal. But the tenders that were floated...
Southern twist to duty-free shopping at BIAL soon
Bangalore: Come August-September, duty-free shopping at the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) will never be the same again. Chettinad pillars, kolam-inspired patterns and jhumka-influenced lighting will greet travellers.
Airport retailer Nuance Group (India), which was awarded a five-year extension of the concession contract in May 2013, has drawn up big plans.
With a proposition for new décor and complete revamp of the shopping experience at...
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Lack of airlines connecting non-metros to each other a cause of concern: CAPA
Mumbai: India has no successful regional airline which can facilitate connectivity between tier II and tier III cities, a fact that should be a cause of concern for the government.
In a recent analysis, the Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) said that while government is trying to device policies for creating a robust regional connectivity, they lack feasibility. The scenario is not supportive of small regional ventures like MDLR and Deccan...
Death at airport: probe ordered
Kozhikode: Union Minister for Civil Aviation K.C. Venugopal has ordered an inquiry into the circumstances in which a passenger booked for journey to Muscat from the Calicut international airport by an Air India Express collapsed and died at the airport before he could be given medical help.
The Minister has also ordered a probe to find out how cracks had developed in the runway of the airport.
The Minister has asked Chairman of Air India Rohit Nanda...
Juhu airport gets CCTVs, additional cops for security
Mumbai: Closed-circuit cameras and additional police personnel have been deployed around the Juhu airport in an attempt to make it more secure.
The Juhu airport, located by the Arabian sea, is at threat from anti-national elements who can use it as a launching pad to attack the city and its main airport which is in the vicinity.
Despite a number of alerts regarding this by intelligence agencies in the past, not a single armed guard had been manning...
Fire station at Tiruchi airport adjudged best in South India
Tiruchi: The fire station of Tiruchi International Airport has been adjudged the best in “Group B” airports in Southern Region in 2012-13.
The Tiruchi Airport was chosen for the “Best Fire Station Award” after an intense scrutiny and evaluation of various parameters and the level of preparedness of its fire services personnel. The scrutiny was conducted in 11 “group B” airports in the southern region by a committee comprising top officials of the...
Diamond heist on Jet Airways flight to Brussels
Mumbai: The Mumbai airport seems to have turned into a hotbed for thefts-the latest incident being diamonds worth Rs 3.89 crore going missing from a consignment bound for Brussels in Belgium two weeks ago.
On May 13, a consignment of 24 packets of diamonds was sealed and sent as valuable cargo on Jet Airways flight 9W 228. But in Belgium, when the client collected the consignment, there were only 23 packets.
The flight's scheduled departure...
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Kovai ATC gets tech savvy for flier safety
Coimbatore: The Air Traffic Control (ATC) section of the Coimbatore International Airport has been upgraded with the ATC automation system which will ensure safe landing and takeoffs of flights.
The consoles of the ATC section have now been equipped with the AirCon 2100 and the Quadrant ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast) system developed by the Spanish company Indra and German firm Comsoft respectively.
Though ADS-B facility is...
Aranmula Airport project: AAAC plans to launch agitation in five constituencies
Kochi: The agitation against the proposed Aranmula Aiport is all set to spread wings out of the region. The Anti-Aranmula Airport Agitation Council(AAAC) will convene meetings at all the five Assembly constituencies in the district on June 5, the World Environment Day, to spread awareness about the environmental hazards caused by the project.
The council alleged that the State Government is trying to safeguard the interests of the promoters of the...
Afghan national arrested with gold worth Rs. 40 lakh
New Delhi: An Afghan national has been arrested by customs officials for allegedly smuggling into the country gold valued at about Rs. 40 lakh at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi.
41-year-old Ahmad Fardin, a resident of Shahre-Mazar Sharif, had yesterday arrived from Kabul.
Customs officials intercepted him after he was moving towards the exit gate.
25/05/13 PTI/NDTV.c...
'Mopa will lead to government collapse'
Margao: 'Goans for Dabolim Only' on Friday questioned chief minister Manohar Parrikar's motives after his recent statement that the Navy will not part with land at Dabolim, and demanded the government correct its "deeply flawed stand on Mopa". Forum convener Fr Eremito Rebello warned that if the government goes ahead with the Mopa airport, it would lead to the collapse of the government on the same issue.
On the CM's statement that a binding...
Educated women roped in as drug carriers: Customs
Mumbai: The drug dealers attempting to smuggle are now roping in educated women with steady professions as their carrier, say air intelligence unit (AIU) officials. In the last four cases of attempted drug smuggling, the AIU arrested four women one of whom was an event manager, the other, a beautician.
The idea, officials said, is to hoodwink authorities who rely heavily on profiling. Well turned out women pursuing a profession in their home countries...
Kolkata airport metro on slow track; awaits airports authority clearance
Kolkata: The airport metro project in Kolkata may have to wait till the end of this year to get due clearances for construction from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Promoted by Metro Railway, Kolkata – a wing of Indian Railways – the Rs 4,260-crore project will connect eastern fringes of the city with airport via IT hub in Salt Lake.
While construction of elevated rail track is on in the 25 km stretch, the Metro Rail authorities are waiting...
Coimbatore Airport gets high capacity recording system
Coimbatore: Even as the Air Traffic Control operations of Coimbatore Airport are all set to take a huge leap forward with sophisticated aircraft tracking equipment being installed, the Airports Authority of India is also upgrading the data recording system, which will provide vital information during disasters.
An official said that existing data recording system, considered the ‘black box’ of the airport, will retain information related to flight...
Kerala governor turns commoner at airport
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Nikhil Kumar turned a commoner after flying in from New Delhi when Air India failed to open the VIP exit door for him, airport sources said Friday.
The incident took place almost a week ago.
Kumar arrived by Air India close to 11 p.m. As per protocol, the governor is entitled to board his car on the tarmac.
24/05/13 IANS/News Track Ind...
Friday, May 24, 2013
Medha wants lands denotified
Chennai: Social activist Medha Patkar has urged the government to de-notify the land that it had notified for the airport expansion project. Addressing a public meeting at Manapakkam on Wednesday, Ms Patkar said the 850.81 acres, not required by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), should be de-notified so that the residents can lead a peaceful life.
The AAI had earlier planned to construct a parallel runway to the existing one, but in 2011, it...
AAI gives green signal to bridge over river adyar
Chennai: Noting that the apprehensions raised about the bridge over Adyar river by residents of Maxworth Nagar are untrue, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) told reporters that the bridge would soon be partially opened for operations. “We are waiting for Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) clearance to use 7,500 feet length of the runway,” said AAI executive director (projects) S. Bhaduri.
Refuting the claim by residents that the...
Mangalore airport to have new taxiway for rush days ahead
Mangalore International Airport is getting future-ready to handle back-to-back flights without much time-break. At present, aircraft that are ready to take off will have to wait for 10 to 15 minutes if their departure timing clashes with a flight that is about to land. It has to wait till the arriving plane completes its course on the runway and rolls into the parking area (apron) at the terminal building. This is set to become a thing of the past.
The...
Mangalore air cargo complex handles first consignment
Mangalore: The first consignment of air cargo was shipped from Mangalore airport to Dubai on Thursday.
J.T. Radhakrishna, Director, Mangalore International Airport and Custodian of Mangalore International Air Cargo Complex, said that the first consignment of around 500 kg of machinery spare parts was exported in the Air India Express flight to Dubai at 2 pm on Thursday.
Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh had inaugurated the air cargo complex at...
Probe into flight protocol violation
Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation K.C. Venugopal has ordered a probe into the lapses in providing protocol facilities to Governor Nikhil Kumar while arriving at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on an Air India flight from New Delhi on May 16. Air India chairman Rohit Nandan has been asked to probe into the incident and submit report at the earliest, according to a communication from the Union Minister’s office.
24/05/13...
Malaysia Airlines adds daytime service to Mumbai
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia Airlines is increasing its frequency from Kuala Lumpur into Mumbai to 12 times weekly effective June 3.
Following greater demand from the market, one additional service will be made to the current daytime schedule of services put in by the national carrier since September 2012.
Starting June, daytime services from Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai on flight MH174 will depart every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Monday is the...
NSG team inspects Nagpur airport
Nagpur: A team of National Security Guards (NSG) came down to Nagpur for a meeting with security officials of MIHAN India Limited (MIL), the operators of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur.
The meeting was scheduled for two days, Thursday and Friday, and discussed anti-hijacking measures and other security matters with MIL officials, and the Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF), which is responsible for the security of the...
MIAL set to award advtg rights for swanky new Terminal 2
Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) is gearing up to enrich the swanky Terminal 2 at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport with various commercial activities. The Terminal, which is set to open in September this year, had invited outdoor owners to bid for advertising rights of various media formats. The tender for the same was closed sometime early this month and the announcement of the win is expected soon.
The GVK-led consortium that...
Missing Indore MBBS student found in Delhi
Indore: A city-based MBBS student, who went missing from Indore airport on May 13, was on Friday found at Old Delhi Railway station, police said here.
The girl, a second year student at Indore's Aurobindo Medical College, had disappeared after landing here by a flight from Ranchi via Delhi at around 7.30 pm, SP (West) Anil Singh Khushwaha told a news agency.
This morning, the 20-year-old's relatives, who live at Dwarka near the national capital,...
Zambian woman held with 6cr drugs at Mumbai airport
Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) arrested a Zambian national for smuggling drugs at Mumbai airport early on Thursday morning. The passenger was carrying six kilograms of amphetamine drugs worth Rs 6 crore. The drugs were concealed in thread bobbins. This is the second case of drug seizure in a week where the contraband was hidden in thread bobbins.
Mphakati Alice was on her way to Lilongwe in Malawi. She was checking in for an Ethiopian Airways...
Thursday, May 23, 2013
RIL jet makes emergency landing at Mumbai airport
Mumbai: A Falcon 900 business jet belonging to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries made an emergency landing with three passengers on board at the city airport due to an engine failure, airport authorities said on Thursday.
Aviation regulator DGCA has reportedly ordered a probe into the incident, which took place on Wednesday afternoon.
"A full emergency was declared at 1435 hours at the airport for the Falcon 900 VT-ISH flight due to an engine...
Air India flight grounded after bird-hit
Guwahati: Air India flight 890 from Imphal to New Delhi, which was hit by a bird mid-air some time before landing in Guwahati, was grounded on Wednesday evening. The plane safely landed here but its onward journey to New Delhi was cancelled as the bird-hit damaged the aircraft's windshield.
23/05/13 Times of Indi...
Passenger traffic at Surat airport up by 25%
Surat: In what could be seen as music to the ears of airline companies planning to start operations from Surat, the outbound passenger traffic from the airport catered by two airlines - Indian and SpiceJet - on the Mumbai and Delhi routes has gone up to 20,000 per month.
The official statistics of the passengers travelling from Surat airport maintained by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) suggest a 25 per cent increase in the passenger traffic...
Protest against transfer of official in Aranmula
Pathanamthitta: The Aranmula Paitruka Grama Karma Samiti has accused the government of unseating A. Abdul Samad from the post of the Kozhencherry Taluk Land Board Chairman with a design to abet unlawful activities of a private airport company at Aranmula.
In a statement here on Tuesday, Samiti general convener P. Induchoodan alleged that the government’s act of punishing honest officials by transferring them to far-off places just because they...
Mockery of security: In and out of 4 airports in 3 nations with 2 live bullets
Mumbai: You might call this a slap in the face of security in these times of terror. A Delhi-based businessman, who was found with two live bullets tucked into his baggage, managed to saunter in and out of four airports in three countries over the span of last week without the cartridges being detected.
It was only at the fag end of his return trip that security officials at Mumbai airport spotted the bullets. They were found in a shaving kit in...
Preity Zinta misses flight, creates ruckus
Ahmedabad: Actress Preity Zinta created a ruckus at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Wednesday night after she was denied permission to board a flight for being too late. According to airport officials, Zinta was to catch Ahmedabad-Mumbai flight departing at about 9:45 pm. However, she reached after the Air India aircraft had closed its doors and was about to take off.
"Air India station manager refused to allow her to board the...
Air route to the Roerich estate in the Indian Himalayas reopens
India’s national air carrier Air India today opened flights to the Indian town of Kullu in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. Not far away is the village of Naggar, where the former estate of the Roerich family, the site where Russian painter Nicholas Roerich was cremated, is located.
Up until the beginning of 2012, India’s second-largest privately-owned air carrier Kingfisher Airlines had offered regular flights to Kullu. But financial difficulties...
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Waiving airport charges in non-metro cities: AAI wants freebies
New Delhi: As government considered ending most airport charges in non-metro cities to encourage regional connectivity, state-run airports body AAI, which owns most airports in the country, wants free land, tax exemption and other freebies to help it waive these charges for airlines.
While free land should be provided by state governments for developing or extending runways, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) should be exempted from municipal...
Subsidy scheme likely for regional airports
Mumbai: Domestic airlines are likely to get a waiver in landing, route navigation and security charges as part of government policy to encourage regional air transport.
aviation Minister Ajit Singh chaired a meeting with officials here today on plans to boost regional air connectivity. Naresh Chandra, a former cabinet secretary, and Deepak Parekh, chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation, also attended.
The new policy would replace the...
Medha Patkar meet villagers affected by Chennai airport expansion project
Chennai: Social activist MedhaPatkar on Wednesday addressed a gathering of more than 100 residents who are affected by the Chennai airport expansion project.
Medha, prior to her meeting with the state chief secretary SheelaBalakrishnan was making a personal visit to assess the impact of delay in land de notification at five villages- Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugamapakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur.
In 2007, government of Tamil Nadu notified 1069.99...
Love angry birds, save planes
Ahmedabad: To check the menace of bird-hits, the authorities of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have decided to launch SAVE (Save Avians and Save Environment) campaign. The aim is to reduce bird-hits to the minimum by sensitizing those living near the airport to the menace.
From firing crackers to laser guns and zone guns, the airport authorities have tried many measures to curb the menace of bird-hits but they haven't been very...
Hyderabad, Delhi airports floor London Mayor Boris
Hyderabad: Hyderabad and Delhi airports are top class. Waxing eloquent on the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in the city, London Mayor Boris Johnson said a similar airport would be built in East London.
Mr. Johnson visited RGIA and the Delhi airport in November 2012 and had expressed his desire to emulate these models to create a new airport in East London as the present international airport at Heathrow was running at 98 per cent capacity.
He...
Leaky loos add to Chennai airport’s tale of woes
Chennai: The steel and glass new terminals at the airport may look snazzy, but the toilets inside are a mess. Passengers cringe at the toilets made in a crude fashion with poorly fixed floor tiles. Commodes in the new domestic terminal are fixed on raised platforms from where water run off to other cubicles.
Things are no different inside the new international terminal which may be opened in a month following an ultimatum from the civil aviation...
Chennai airport’s a mess: ACI survey
Chennai: Bad toilets, poor internet connectivity and crowded parking spaces — passengers’ displeasure over such issues at the old terminals at Chennai airport has been backed by the findings of an Airports Council International (ACI) survey.
In its international benchmarking and customer satisfaction survey, ACI gave Chennai airport an Airport Service Quality (ASQ) rating of 3.21 out of five for the year 2012, which is much lesser its target of...
Visa on Arrival extended to Hyderabad airport
Hyderabad: The central government has extended Visa-On-Arrival facility to international passengers travelling through Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad managed by the GMR Group.
Visitors from 11 countries will be eligible to get a VoA from May 31 at RGIA, a GMR press release said.
The Centre had introduced an Indian tourist VoA scheme on January 1, 2010 at certain airports which was initiated for citizens of five countries....
BEST plans AC buses every 15 minutes from airports
Mumbai: BEST plans to start air-conditioned buses from the domestic and international airports every 15 minutes at one-fifth the fares of prepaid cabs.
There could be point-to-point services for business passengers to hubs like Lower Parel and Nariman Point. "We are in talks with the airport authorities and may get a bus-hold area at the new airport terminal," BEST general manager Om Prakash Gupta told a committee meeting on Tuesday.
He said BEST...
Power cut leaves fliers stranded at airport
Kolkata: On Tuesday afternoon, passengers flying into Kolkata could not fathom what was wrong at the terminal. It was only after a prolonged wait at the baggage carousals that some realized the lights were out. A few Still others noticed that the air-conditioning system wasn't functioning. But for those bewildering 30-40 minutes, there was no attempt by airlines to inform passengers what was wrong.
The terminal went on the blink around 2pm as power...
Passenger dies after mid-air cardiac arrest
Kochi: An Irish national flying on Qatar Airways flight on the Melbourne-Qatar route died after he suffered cardiac arrest mid-flight on Wednesday morning. Even though the flight made an emergency landing at Cochin airport and the passenger was rushed to a nearby hospital he was declared dead on admission.
The body of the passenger identified as Raymond Mc Morrow (68) is being kept in the hospital mortuary after embalming. The airport sources old...
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Aerocity project near Indira Gandhi International airport gets security clearance
New Delhi: The Aerocity project - a bunch of five-star hotels near the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport - has cleared the first major hurdle with a high-level committee giving the green light to it subject to some security riders.
The committee, comprising a panel of experts from government's various departments, has recommended that bulletproof heavy glass should be used in all hotel windows facing runways. It has also advised using censor...
Madurai, Tuticorin airports to get land soon for expansion
Chennai: Airports in Madurai and Tuticorin will soon get additional land for their ambitious expansion plans. The State government has almost completed the necessary formalities for acquiring land and vast stretches will soon be handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Land acquisition for public projects is a two-stage process, involving a preliminary notification and a final one for acquisition.
D. Devaraj, Regional Executive Director,...
Voices raised in Pernem in support of airport
Pernem: With South Goa recently witnessing a series of 'Dabolim only' meetings that had slammed the government's move to construct a Greenfield airport at Mopa, Pernem taluka, where the new airport will come up, is witnessing voices raised in support of the project.
Recent gram sabhas in Arambol, Morjim and Paliem village panchayats saw resolutions passed supporting the government move.
The taluka's most prominent NGOs-Morjicho Ekvott in Morjim...
Smart intranet to end airport woes
Kolkata: Acknowledging the lack of coordination between various stakeholders at the airport, Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Mishra told TOI that the industry needed to make a paradigm shift. "At present, partners like airport operator, airlines and controllers function in compartments. Walls need to be pulled down. We need to adopt a system in which everyone will know what is happening around. Lack of situational awareness is a major safety...
GMR asked to pay Rs 70K to man who tripped on pipe at IGI
New Delhi: A 67-year-old flier, who was injured after tripping over some construction material lying around at the IGI airport terminal, has been granted compensation of Rs 70,050 by a district consumer forum.
The South West District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed that there was deficiency in service on the part of the airport authorities and GMR Group, which manages the Indira Gandhi International airport, as the passenger was hurt...
Glass panel at Kolkata airport breaks again
Kolkata: A glass panel near boarding Gate No. 59 crumbled at the new airport terminal on Monday morning. No one was injured as the area was empty around the time. Airport authorities have decided to install fiberglass canopies over the boarding gates and airport entrances to minimize chances of injury from glass breakage. Till now, more than 100 glasses have shattered in the terminal with the number inching close to a dozen since the terminal became...
Tata DOCOMO inks pact with GMR Airports
Tata DOCOMO, the mobility and business services brand of Tata Teleservices, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive partnership with GMR Airports, a global leader in creating world class private Airport infrastructure, to offer high-speed Wi-Fi services at Indira Gandhi International Airport- Terminal 3 in Delhi and Rajiv Gandhi Hyderabad International Airport, Hyderabad.
The coming together of Tata DoCoMo and GMR Airports, both leaders...
Monday, May 20, 2013
Air passengers worry over privatisation
Chennai: For those who have not visited other privately maintained airports in the country, the massive chrome and glass structure of Chennai airport might look awe-inspiring. In reality, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has just spent public money to construct two new terminals which are in no way better than the old buildings. Further, after having built such swanky terminals, the move to lease them to private hands has added fuel to the fire.
“In...
CM to meet project-affected persons of Navi Mumbai airport
Mumbai: The stand-off between the Maharashtra government and the Navi Mumbai International Airport project-affected persons (PAPs) is expected to end soon as the chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has decided to intervene and directly hold talks with them in the next 10 days.
The PAPs are pressing for the allotment of 35 to 40% of the developed land while the state government has shown its willingness to provide 22.5% of developed land.
At the detailed...
Sonam Kapoor or Sridevi: Who’s a bigger airport style disaster?
The two actors were seen at the Mumbai airport on the weekend. While Sonam Kapoor was returning from the Cannes film festival, we wonder if Sridevi and husband Boney Kapoor were getting back from an exotic holiday destination!
Sonam Kapoor is done spreading her charm on the red carpet of the 66th Cannes International Film Festival. She finally returned home and Ms K who usually flies in style opted for a very thanda look this time around. Settling...
Consuls visit SA woman held in India
South African consular officials on Monday visited a South African woman held in Mumbai, India, for alleged drug trafficking, a Pretoria official said.
International relations spokesman Nelson Kgwete said the woman was confirmed to be a South African citizen.
"Her next-of-kin has also been informed of the arrest. She did not give permission for any further information to be shared with the media."
The woman was arrested when drugs were allegedly...
Probe initiated into diamond theft case
Mumbai: Sahar police have initiated a probe into the disappearance of a packet of diamonds worth Rs 3.91 crore, which allegedly went missing during transit to Belgium earlier this week.
The complainant is an employee with a diamond trading firm based in the city. On May 16, the complainant sent a consignment containing 24 packets of diamonds to a firm based in Belgium by air cargo. A representative of the Belgium-based firm was to receive it at...
We Need an Independent Investigation Into Guptagate By the Public Protector
From the start, the investigation into the landing of the Guptas' chartered Jet Airways Airbus at AFB Waterkloof was a carefully crafted damage control exercise designed to protect President Jacob Zuma and members of his Cabinet from the political fallout generated by "Guptagate". It comes as no surprise therefore that the investigation effectively exonerated President Jacob Zuma and members of his Cabinet.
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional...
The Great Gupta Farce
On the face of it, the South African government acted with unprecedented high speed to deal with the fallout over the landing of the Guptas’ private jet carrying wedding guests from India at the Waterkloof Air Force Base. Within three weeks of the show-stopper wedding of the niece of the Gupta brothers, Cabinet ministers trotted out to present to the public the findings of a government investigation. So far, so good.
The report by a team of directors-general...
Guptagate report shows manipulation, collusion and illegal blue lights
Manipulation of processes and collusion between officials led to the politically connected Gupta family being allowed to land their private jet carrying VIP wedding guests at Waterkloof Air Force Base last month, after having two requests for landing rights elsewhere turned down, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe said on Sunday.
“The breach in this instance was a consequence of manipulation by the responsible persons,...
'Guptagate': SA/India relations not strained
Johannesburg: International Relations insists the Indian government has not requested a diplomatic apology following the Gupta jet debacle.
The Sunday Independent on Sunday reported that President Jacob Zuma should expect an angry reception when he visits India in two weeks' time.
Fingers have been pointed at Indian High Commissioner Virendra Gupta for the role he apparently played in the saga.
However, International Relation's Clayson Monyela...
Guptagate: Zuma and Co in the clear
Johannesburg: The names of President Jacob Zuma and other government ministers were used to push officials into allowing the Gupta family’s wedding guests to land at Waterkloof Air Force Base last month, but no members of the executive gave their say-so.
A team of directors-general appointed to get to the bottom of the Gupta scandal took sworn statements from implicated officials – among them chief of state protocol Vusi Koloane – which absolved...
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Now Zaidi wants to be exempted from frisking
New Delhi: AS civil aviation secretary, S N A Zaidi had strongly advocated reducing the list of over 30 categories of VIPs exempted from security checks at airports. As Election Commissioner, Zaidi has raised the matter again — now he wants to be exempted from frisking at all Indian airports.
In a letter to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in the first week of May, Zaidi said that as EC he enjoys the status of a Supreme Court judge and was, therefore,...
Not a single flight goes to Jalgaon airport
Jalgaon (Maharashtra): The then President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, at the fag end of her tenure, hurriedly inaugurated an airport in her home district Jalgaon, but airline carriers are showing scant interest in flying their planes to this place.
The only plane to land at this airport was that of the then President's in March last year, when she descended to cut the ribbon and inaugurate the airport.
Since then not a single flight has...
AAI team inspects land identified for Jhansi airport
Lucknow: With the UP government identifying land for developing a civilian airport in Jhansi, a team of senior officials from Airports Authority of India (AAI) and UP Civil Aviation have visited the proposed sites for the first airport in Bundelkhand region.
Last year, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh had written a letter to CM Akhilesh Yadav, asking him to hand over the Jhansi airstrip run by the Army to AAI so that a civilian airport...
AI loaders left high and single, for decades
Mumbai: When Keshav Gundal, 43, a casual loader with national carrier Air India, solemnized his marriage on Saturday, with family members and relatives in attendance, he had conflicting emotions. Friends said he was naturally thrilled that his bachelor days were over. However, he still felt remorse about the lost years of his youth as a daily wager with the country’s national carrier.
Gundal is one of about three dozen daily-wage casual loaders...