Chennai airport to get separate travellers’ helpdesk

Chennai: Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to set up a facility to guide passengers who arrive and depart the city.

The meet-and-greet counter and its staff, popular in other airports, will assist departing passengers to fasttrack check-in formalities while assisting those who arrive with baggage, transport options to the city.

A tender has been floated to identify a company which will be able to carry out the work. The work is likely to be awarded next month.

An AAI official said a meet-and-greet facility is available at all airports and there has been a demand for the service for some time, especially from passengers who arrive for the first time and those who travel on business.

Passengers will have to pay a fee to use the service, but many have expressed that the absence of the service was an inconvenience, especially because of the ongoing construction work that makes alighting from vehicles and boarding cars a hassle. The service will be of use for business class passengers and is crucial as scheduled international flights may resume mid next month.

Barricading, movement of heavy vehicles, workers and equipment to build integrated terminals and two multi-level car parks is causing a hassle for passengers. As travel has resumed in a big way and the domestic terminal alone has started to see 20,000 passengers per day, there is congestion at check in counters and at security check in.

The assistance facility including a helpdesk is likely to be of help in this scenario, said an airline official. The airport is also not able to install enough signage on the city side due to construction work.

31/10/21 Times of India

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Jaisalmer to be back on tourism map as airlines announces its flight services

Jaisalmer: The tourism industry here will soon get a new lease of life with SpiceJet announcing air services connecting Jaisalmer to several cities from October 31. SpiceJet has announced its winter schedule in which Jaisalmer will be connected to Jaipur, Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Airlines company TruJet is already operating flights between Jaisalmer and Ahmedabad. Now, with more flights to other cities there is optimism that domestic tourism will pick up. The flight services will continue till March 22, 2022.

Confirming the news, Jaisalmer airport authority officer Mukesh Meena said that many airlines have announced plans to start air services to Jaisalmer from different cities during the tourist season. SpiceJet from Jaisalmer will start its Boeing and ATR direct services to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Jaipur from October 31.

Direct connectivity to many cities will also benefit the Army, Air Force, BSF etc. along with domestic and international tourists.

According to the new winter schedule, SpiceJet from October 31 flight from Bengaluru will reach Jaisalmer at 4.25pm and return at 4.55pm on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Similarly, Spicejet from Delhi will reach Jaisalmer at 3.15pm and will depart at 3.45pm, from Mumbai it will reach Jaisalmer at 4.05pm and will depart at 4.35pm. Similarly, flight from Jaipur will reach Jaisalmer at 2.30pm and will return at 3.10pm. Trujet flight from Ahmedabad reaches here at 11.40am and departs at 12.10pm. These services will continue till March 22, 2022.

31/10/21 Vimal Bhatia/Times of India

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Aaditya Thackeray gives wings to plan for third airport at Palghar

Mumbai: State tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray said Maharashtra government was considering a third airport in Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR), near Palghar.

The project is in its preliminary discussion stage. He said a site was yet to be identified. “This was part of a preliminary discussion, seeing the needs of the region. However, we will initiate the process soon,” Thackeray told TOI. Officials said with Mumbai airport being used to its full potential and the delayed Navi Mumbai airport too may be insufficient to meet requirements, the state government was considering a third airport.

Airline officials lauded the decision but air safety experts warned against early announcements, citing developments after the Navi Mumbai airport project was announced. “Builders lapped up land around the proposed Navi Mumbai airport and the area went into a construction frenzy,’’ said an aviation source.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) grants a no-objection certificate (NOC) for height clearance of buildings that are within a 20km radius of an airport. For instance, buildings within a 4km radius from airport centre point can be a maximum of only 45m tall (around 15 storeys). “But for Navi Mumbai airport, Cidco started granting NOCs for building heights in accordance with AAI norms only after 2012, which was decades after the airport project was announced,’’ the source said.

31/10/21 Bhavika Jain & Manju V/Times of India

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Baggage belt fails at Bengaluru airport, IndiGo's flights delayed

The check-in baggage belt failed at the Bengaluru airport on Sunday leading to delay in IndiGo's flights, a statement said.

"Owing to the check-in baggage belt failure at Kempegowda International Airport, our flights from Bengaluru are facing delays," the statement issued by IndiGo said.

The airline is proactively implementing measures to minimise the impact on other flights, it said.

"We are also working with BIAL (Bangalore International Airport Limited) to resolve this issue. We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers," it mentioned.

31/10/21 PTI/Economic Times

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After 18 Months, Delhi’s IGI Airport Resumes Flight Operations From Terminal 1

New Delhi: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday resumed its flight operations from Terminal 1 after 18 months. To recall, the terminal was shut last year due to the spike in Covid cases across the country. The T1 terminal did not handle any flights since March 25, 2020, when scheduled domestic flights were suspended for a two-month period.

The T3 terminal and the T2 terminal of the Delhi airport resumed handling flight operations from May 25, 2020, and July 22, 2021, respectively, the GMR group-led DIAL said.

As per the statement released by the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the Indigo and SpiceJet airlines will take off from this terminal. The first flight scheduled from T1 after its reopening would be an Indigo flight which will depart for Mumbai.

The official Twitter handle for the Delhi Airport also shared video and photos of the first scheduled flight arriving at Terminal 1 after 18 months. The first flight scheduled from T1 after its reopening was an Indigo flight that departed for Mumbai at 0105 hours.

The T3 terminal and the T2 terminal of the Delhi airport resumed handling flight operations from May 25, 2020, and July 22, 2021, respectively, the GMR group-led DIAL mentioned. The operations at Terminal 1 will resume with pre-COVID operators IndiGo and Spice Jet, DIAL had said.

31/10/21 India.com

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Flight movement to resume at Pune airport from today

Pune: Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke said on Friday that flight operations will resume at 8 am on Saturday as the Air Force authorities have conveyed that the runway will be made available for civil operations.

The airport had shut down for operations for 14 days, starting from October 16, as the Air Force had decided to undertake runway resurfacing work. Several airlines, which had already made passenger bookings for the period, had to cancel the flights and reschedule or reimburse the flyers after the announcement was made by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on October 5.  Passengers and airlines had opposed the move, which was announced suddenly and in the middle of the festive season, when many people make travel plans.

Airport Director Dhoke said the airlines have been informed about the Air Force confirmation.

According to AAI officials, a total of 108 flight movements have been scheduled on Saturday, of which 56 are arrivals and 52 scheduled departures.

Officials have advised passengers to reach the terminal two to three hours prior to the scheduled departure. “It’s festival season and the airport is reopening after a break of 14 days. We are expecting rush for next few days and hence we are advising passengers to reach the airport two to three hours prior to the scheduled time of departure,” Dhoke said.

30/10/21 Indian Express

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Kolkata airport team helps rescue runaway cat

Kolkata: Two weeks after Kolkata airport officials rescued a pet cat lost in transit and reunited it with its owner in Silchar, airport officials repeated feat on Friday — this time tracking an 11-month-old cat that lives in a one-storey house in the Biman Vihar locality in Ganganagar next to the airport’s wall and had crossed the wall on Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon, pet parent Swani Dey found Leo had gone missing while his mother Michhi was wailing.

“I had been looking for Leo everywhere until I spotted her on the other side of the airport wall from our terrace. But I had no clue how to get her back. I ran to a CISF official guarding a watchtower but he said he couldn’t leave the post and we needed permission to enter,” said Dey, a first-year PG student.

By 11.30pm, one of Dey’s friends posted a tweet tagging civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. “Our home is alongside the airport wall of Kolkata airport. Our cat fell to the other side and is in danger as the wall is unscalable. Authorities have declined to help. Please save the animal. It is an Emergency,” the post read.

On Friday morning, the family rushed to the airport terminal and explained the issue to CISF officials and airport authorities, who immediately agreed to help.

The officials appointed a team and circulated a photograph of the cat on their WhatsApp groups. “They allowed me on the airport premises and airport officials and the garden maintenance team helped me. It took us two hours before one airport staffer spotted Leo hiding in a bush,” said Dey.

A senior airport official said they were happy to help.

30/10/21 Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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Passenger footfall up at city airport this month

Patna: Since the festive season is just around the corner and travel restrictions have been eased, the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport has witnessed a surge in the number of passengers travelling to and out of Patna in October.As per the data on Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) web portal, 1.99 lakh passengers had flown to and from Patna airport in September and 2.71 lakh flyers have done so in October so far, according to the information available on AAI-Patna’s Twitter handle. There has been a 34% growth in passenger footfall at the city airport due to the festive rush and a 36% rise in flight movement when compared to the previous month.

The airport handled 2,600 flights in October and 1,754 in September. The highest footfall was recorded on October 17 just after Durga Puja when 6,541 passengers arrived at the airport and 6,584 left. Altogether 43 flights landed in the city and 43 took off from here.

The executives of different airlines told this reporter, “With the easing of travel restrictions, more flights and passengers are expected to travel by air especially when Diwali and Chhath are round the corner. Compared to last month, the passenger footfall has increased. Almost all the flights travelling to and out of Patna are full.”

The officials of CISF at the Patna airport said, “Most airlines are checking the vaccination certificates and RT-PCR reports of passengers travelling to other cities. Besides, random testing is also being done by the district administration.”

Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh pointed out that over 700 people were undergoing test at the airport and Patna Junction every day to keep tabs on Covid-19. “Besides, a vaccination site has been created at the airport for those who have not been inoculated. We are planning to collect more samples of passengers arriving in Patna,” he said.

30/10/21 Faryal Rumi/Times of India

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Planning airport in Palghar: Aaditya Thackeray

Mumbai: Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Friday said the state government would set up an airport in Palghar, considering that the Mumbai airport is being used to its full potential while the Navi Mumbai airport, which will be operational in future, might be insufficient to cater to requirements.

Thackeray added while a decision on the Konkan Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) is expected to be taken by January, steps are being taken to set up a Bollywood and cricket museum in Mumbai.

He made the announcement at a tourism conclave, organised by Loksatta, the Marathi daily of The Indian Express group, to discuss the development opportunities of the tourism sector in the state. Puneet Chhatwal, Chairman-CII National Committee On Tourism & Hospitality and MD & CEO, Indian Hotels Company Ltd was present as a special guest.

Thackeray, who inaugurated the conclave, also discussed various schemes being implemented by the government for the growth of tourism in the state. “Compared to the facilities available in Mumbai, Palghar has less facilities and more attention is being given there. In future, there will be a lot of strain on the Mumbai and the Navi Mumbai airports and another airport is needed. Considering the period of few years required to develop a new airport, planning has already started for the construction of an airport at Palghar,” he said.

He noted that the government is considering setting up a cricket museum at the Wankhede stadium and the search is on to find a suitable location for setting up a Bollywood museum.

“Even though everything was stalled due to Covid restrictions, a number of policy decisions were taken and tourism policy was formulated in consultation with all the stakeholders on how to develop the tourism industry (in the state) in the next few years. It has been decided recently to keep the CRZ area in Mumbai up to 50 meters and a decision is expected to be taken by January regarding Konkan CRZ,” Thackeray said. “In many important cities of the world, life goes on 24 hours a day. Therefore, it is important to have ‘Mumbai 24 Hours’ all day of the week,” he said.

30/10/21 Indian Express

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Prayagraj to Indore journey in just 2 hours

Indore: There is a piece of big news from Indore. In fact, Indore is now going to connect Sangam Nagari by air. Let me tell you that the flight to Indore is starting from 31st October i.e. Sangam city has now been connected by air to 12 cities of the country. This will boost trade and tourism with this flight. At the same time, visitors from Prayagraj to Ujjain will be able to reach there in a short time.

Let me tell you that the airline to Indore is being started by private company IndiGo. The aircraft which will now go to Indore will arrive at Bamrauli airport from Raipur at 11:15 am on Sunday. It will then leave for Indore at 12:10 pm. The flight will reach Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport in Indore at 2:15 pm. Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia will welcome the passengers and bid farewell to the Prayagraj flight from Indore. The flight from Indore will fly to Prayagraj at 2:45 pm and then from here, will reach Raipur at 4:55 pm. such Indigo Airlines flights will take off daily. There are also reports that this will boost both tourism and trade between Indore and Prayagraj. In Ujjain, the philosophy of Mahakaal will also become easier.

30/10/21 Laxman Chaurasiya/News Track

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Indore: Air India cancels new flight to Sharjah

Indore: Air India has cancelled planned operation of Indore-Sharjah international flight, two days before scheduled date of launch of flight from Indore.

Local officials with the airline said that flight has been cancelled due to operational reasons.

"The direct flight between Indore and Sharjah (UAE) has been cancelled. We received an intimation regarding cancellation from headquarters today," Vikas Shah Air India (Indore) station manager said on Friday.

Shah added that booking for the flight was however not started.

Airline sources however claimed that the flight has been cancelled due to unavailability of aircraft. "There is still no confirmation about the date for launch of the international flight from Indore," they said.

Air India had on October 8 announced to operate a regular international flight between Indore and Sharjah (UAE) from November 1.

The flight was announced to operate for twice a week including Mondays and Saturdays, and the announcement had brought cheers among people travelling regularly between Indore and Sharjah.

30/10/21 Times of India

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More flights to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Tirupati from Visakhapatnam announced

More flights will be operated to and from Visakhapatnam as part of the winter schedule. The schedule includes new flights to Tirupati, Rajahmahendravaram, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.

SpiceJet will be operating a new flight from Bengaluru to Vizag from October 31. Similarly, Indigo will be operating an early morning flight from Hyderabad to Vizag from December 16. The airlines have also announced the schedule to operate flights from Vizag to Tirupati from December 16.

Speaking to TNIE, Visakhapatnam airport director K Srinivasa Rao said Air Asia will be operating a late-night flight from Vizag to Delhi from October 31.  The flight will leave Vizag at 11 pm and reach Delhi by 1 am.At present, two flights leave for Delhi from Vizag. While Air India leaves at 5.55 pm, an Indigo flight to Delhi departs at 6.45 pm. The Air Asia flight will be the first late-night service to Delhi. This will help passengers to catch early morning flights from Delhi to domestic destinations. 

29/10/21 New Indian Express

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Chennai Airport Begins Sensitisation Training For Staff On Handling Passengers With Disabilities

Chennai International Airport has begun to sensitise its staff members on handling passengers with disabilities. The welcome move comes in few days after actress Sudhaa Chandran's video went viral on Instagram, where she expressed her anguish about being asked to remove her prosthetic leg in Mumbai during security check. The clip caused uproar online and demanded an apology from the CISF personnel.

As reported by The Times of India, the CISF and the airport staff are trained on how to handle a wheelchair-bound passenger during security checks as well as while boarding or disembarking the flight. They will be taught on giving the necessary assistance to them when they are transferred from one wheelchair to the other for the same.

For this, inputs were taken from disabled passengers who found air travel tougher than usual. They were asked about the problems they faced while they were at the airport. Very often, they are told to stand up or untie their clothes in order to show the prosthetic body part or calipers during security check, that does more harm than good.

In light of what happened to Sudhaa Chandran, prominent people with disabilities as well as activists came forward and expressed the need for the CISF staff to be sensitised accordingly. A member of the 'Disability Rights Alliance', Vaishnavi Jayakumar, told the publication about making this an integral part of the CISF Aviation Security Curriculum. She added, "It would help if airlines have proper special service request options when tickets are being booked during pre-journey."

While the training session is step in the desirable direction, more needs to be done to make airports more accessible around the country. The president of the Spinal Injured Persons Association, D Gnana Bharathi, who participated in the programme, said, "The CISF and Airport need sensitisation. They often look at us with suspicion, often instructing us to stand up or taking us to another room for further checks." He also asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to make room for adequate facilities that will help these passengers can be taken to their cabs or metro station near the airport.

28/10/21 Akanksha Saxena/The Logical Indian

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Jewar airport eyes September 30, 2024 opening date, to handle 12 million passengers a year

Jewar airport, on the outskirts of New Delhi, is looking to start operations by the end of September 2024. Zurich Airport International AG won the bid to develop Noida International Airport, a single runway facility designed to handle 12 million passengers a year, in 2019. 

Excerpts from an interview with Christoph Schnellmann, chief executive officer of Noida International >>

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Niti Aayog green lights study on facial recognition technology in India

New Delhi: The Niti Aayog has given the go-ahead for a study on facial recognition in India. The study will focus on the pros and cons of facial recognition and will be carried out by an independent not-for-profit Delhi-based legal think tank, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

The research proposal will look into the ramifications and safeguards that need to be ensured, legal positions and technical errors that could possibly arise in the near future.

The research proposal is in line with DYCE (Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem) program of Civil Aviation, which would enable passengers a smoother entry into airports across the country without showing their IDs.

As per the details, the latest study by the Niti Aayog was undertaken after the Ministry of Civil Aviation approached them asking for a central platform to be developed which could be used for airports across the country.

This was initially launched in 2018 and then several airports came up with their own applications/software for the same. The DYCE wanted it at a central level with an aim to leverage technology for smooth travel of passengers, a Niti Aayog official said.

"We had been approached by them (Digi Yatra) for developing a central system which could be rolled out on a national level. However, before developing something like this on a massive level, we decided to develop the platform on a Minimum Value Product, and the final applicants in the initiative are developing a system for the same," said an officer in Niti Aayog.

28/10/21 Mohit Sharma/India Today

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Kolkata: Lone ground-handling agency at airport leads to flight delay fears

Kolkata: The Airlines Operators’ Committee at Kolkata airport has expressed fears of flight delays next month when flight count returns to pre-Covid strength with just one ground handling agency (GHA) required to cater service to over 80 flights a day.

A second GHA that was present earlier has exited after its term expired. A new GHA has been appointed but will be able to start operations only in December 2021 or January 2022 when various approvals are in place.

Ground handlers are the wheels that run airline industry and provide a host of services that are crucial for aircraft operations, including guiding aircraft into and out of parking position, towing with pushback tractors, lavatory drainage, water cartage, airstart units, luggage handling, ground power, passenger stairs, wheelchair lifts and hydraulic mules.

“Ground handling staff board passengers, load and unload bags, clean planes and get them ready. All these operations have to be done within an hour for international flights, and within 25 to 40 minutes for domestic flights. The only agency currently available at Kolkata airport has been handling a maximum of 40-50 flights a day. Handling twice the number is a big challenge and is already affecting services,” an airline official said.

Apart from more manpower, AI Airport Services Ltd (AIASL) requires more equipment to handle so many flights. AIASL CEO Rambabu Chintalacheruvu said the organization was ready to handle the flights with the manpower and equipment. “Since scheduled international flight operations have not commenced as yet, entire staff are being used for the flights now. We are gearing up for handling the scheduled international flights. We are fully aware of the challenge and take every step to handle our client airlines flights,” he said. While IndiGo and SpiceJet have their own ground handling teams, all other airlines operating from Kolkata airport are serviced by AIASL after the exit of Bhadra International. Prior to Bhadra’s exit, AIASL was handling two domestic airlines — Air India and Go First.

29/10/21 Subhro Niyogi/Times of India

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Nearly 39 lakh passengers travelled across India during July-Sept via Mumbai airport

Mumbai: In line with the recovery in demand for air travel, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has seen a gradual growth in passenger numbers with a total of nearly 39 lakh (38,96,380) passengers travelling across India via the airport between July and September this year, an analysis by the Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has shown. MIAL, controlled by the Adani group, operates the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).

The highest passenger movement was witnessed along western India (Goa, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and other cities) with over 12,46,230 passengers travelling via CSMIA. This was closely followed by northern India that saw over 11,49,420 passengers, while 10,69,320 passengers from the south and over 4,31,410 passengers from the east travelled via the airport.

Comparatively, in April-June 2021, only 4,74,830 passengers transited through CSMIA from West India, while North India led with over 6,29,170 travellers. Approximately 4,81,150 and 3,32,420 passengers were seen travelling to southern and eastern India.

Passenger flow from the western region, hence, saw the highest increase compared to the other three regions, with 162 per cent rise. This is followed by the southern region which witnessed a 122 per cent jump. Travellers from the north witnessed an 83 per cent increase, whereas the east saw a 30 per cent rise in passenger traffic through CSMIA.

With 2,89,425 passengers, Delhi emerged as the top destination in north India with the most travellers, followed by Chandigarh and Lucknow. In the south, Bengaluru saw the highest number of passengers with over 3,18,310 travellers, closely followed by Hyderabad and Chennai.

Kolkata was the destination most travelled to in the east with over 1,49,070 passengers, followed by Bhubaneswar and Patna; while Goa hosted a total of over 2,76,790 passengers, making it the top destination in the west, followed by Ahmedabad and Nagpur.

During this period, passenger flow was higher on weekdays compared to weekends in all four regions of the country, with weekdays witnessing over 21,42,490 passengers and weekends witnessing over 17,53,890 passengers at CSMIA.

29/10/21 Yogesh Naik/Indian Express

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Kochi airport's winter schedule to increase domestic connectivity

Kochi: The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) announced the winter schedule for the domestic sector on Friday. As per the new schedule, which will be effective from 31 October 2021 to 26 March 2022, there are 50 departures a day and 694 weekly operations.

The ongoing summer schedule has been handling 456 aircraft movements weekly. CIAL said that the flight operations as per the new schedule are at par with pre-pandemic period and the domestic sector is on the path of revival.

Daily services to Trivandrum, Kannur and Goa, operated by Indigo airlines have been resumed and there are 14 daily flights to Bangalore. Flight to Goa will depart at 11.10 pm. An ATR flight operated by Indigo from Kannur will land at Kochi at 9.25am and leave for Trivandrum at 9.45am. Indigo operates another ATR flight in the Trivandrum-Kochi-Kannur sector and it will arrive from Trivandrum at 6.25pm and leave for Kannur at 6.45pm.

Delhi and Chennai will be connected with six daily flights each whereas Hyderabad and Mumbai will be connected by 7 daily flights each. The weekly operations, seven flights each to cities like Hubli , Kolkata, Mysore and Pune remain the same.

CIAL managing director S Suhas said that the airport has been trying to improve connectivity in international sectors also as per the instructions of CIAL chairman Pinarayi Vijayan and the Board of Directors. “We are happy about the resumption of domestic services to many cities. It has been a long time demand of the passengers. And we hope that by the end of this year the air traffic movements at Kochi will be back to normal,” he said.

29/10/21 Anantha Narayanan K/Times of India

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Direct flights between Delhi-Sydney to start from November 15

India’s national-carrier Air India has announced plans to resume direct, non-stop flights between Delhi and Sydney from November 15. As per the reports, the flights will operate thrice a week. This move comes after the Australian flag-carrier Qantas announced to make new flights operational on the said route from December 6, which is after almost a decade.

Qantas will be resuming flight operations on the Sydney-Delhi route via Darwin, whereas flights from Delhi to Sydney would be operating non-stop.

Reportedly, Qantas will be initially operating flights between Sydney and Delhi thrice-a-week on its A330 aircraft, which will likely be increased to daily flights by end of the year. Reports have it that the flights would operate until at least late March 2022, which will then remain in place if there is sufficient demand.

India’s national carrier, while sharing this information via tweet, stated that booking would start from 1200 hours on Wednesday through booking offices, the Air India website, authorised travel agents, and booking offices.

As reported earlier, the New South Wales state of Australia will be opening borders for international travellers, without quarantine, starting from November 1, which will mark the full return of overseas travel after more than 19 months.

The said move will allow both the airlines to resume flight operations between India and Australia, which will be beneficial for tourists as India will also start issuing tourist visas for international travellers starting November 15.

29/10/21 Times Travel

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Non-stop flight to begin from Vizag to Tirupati

As flight services at Visakhapatnam International Airport are returning to normal, good news arrives. A non-stop flight has been announced from Vizag to Tirupati, the temple city of Andhra Pradesh, and vice-versa. This flight is scheduled to begin operations from 16 December, 2021 onwards. Till now, it takes at least 6 hours for travellers to get from Vizag to Tirupati by air, due to layovers at other airports. But now, the travel time between these two holy cities has been reduced to 2 hours. 

This non-stop flight from Vizag to Tirupati, and vice-versa, will be run by Indigo Airlines. Both the flights will run in the morning on a daily basis. 

This flight will take off from Visakhapatnam at 7 AM to land in Tirupati at 9 AM. Thus, the flight’s duration will be exactly 2 hours. 

This flight will take off from Tirupati at 9:20 AM to arrive in Visakhapatnam at 11:15 AM. Thus, this flight’s duration will be 1 hour 55 minutes. 

The Visakhapatnam International Airport, the busiest in Andhra Pradesh, runs direct flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, along with other cities like Kurnool, Vijayawada and Port Blair. Last month, a non-stop flight from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai was announced by SpiceJet. Next up, non-stop flights are expected to be launched to Ranchi & Udaipur as well. Also, a non-stop flight to Rajahmundry is also launching on 31 October 2021. 

28/10/21 Yo! Vizag

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4 spots identified for cargo terminals

Ahmedabad: As the Krishi UDAN 2.0 scheme was released by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday, four locations in Gujarat have been identified for setting up of cargo terminals. These include Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. The scheme proposes to facilitating and incentivizing movement of agri-produce by air transportation.

The ministry will facilitate the development of a hub-and-spoke model and a freight grid at the identified locations for cargo terminals.

“This scheme will open up new avenues of growth for the agriculture sector and help attain the goal of doubling farmers’ income by removing barriers in supply chain, logistics and transportation of farm produce,” said Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union minister of civil aviation.

28/10/21 Times of India

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DHL Express opens newly expanded facility at Bangalore airport

Mumbai: DHL Express on Thursday opened its new and expanded express handling airside facility within the Bangalore International Airport with an investment of EUR 22 million (about Rs 200 crore) over the next 10 years.

Spread over 112,000 sq ft of space, and four times larger than the previous one, the facility can handle over 90,000 tonnes of shipment per year when operating at full capacity, the company said.

The additional capacity at the expanded Bengaluru Gateway enables DHL Express to offer 12 to 24 hours faster connection and delivery of imported goods across India, and reduce daily cut-off time for shipment pick-up by up to 60 minutes, it said.

Using 11 DHL-operated intercontinental freighters, 30 international commercial airlines and 70 domestic flights on a weekly basis, the Bengaluru Gateway at present connects both South and West India to over 220 countries and territories through DHL's unrivalled global network.

28/10/21 PTI/New Indian Express

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Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia visits Delhi airport to supervise progress of Digi Yatra

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia visited the Delhi airport on Thursday to supervise the progress of Digi Yatra mechanism that allows the passengers to check-in at the airport using biometric technology.

The minister said on Twitter, "Visited the Delhi airport and supervised the progress of Digi Yatra, a forward-looking mechanism to digitise passenger processing-from entry to boarding."

"It will be a milestone towards realising the PM's goal of Digital India. Glad to see the Ministry of Civil Aviation's ambitious mission taking shape," he added.

The Digi Yatra initiative seeks to promote paperless and hassle-free air travel.

It is a biometrics-based digital processing system for passenger entry and related requirements at the airport.

The minister also visited the CISF security centre at the Delhi airport to understand the systems that were being used.

"Visited the CISF Security Center at the @DelhiAirport to understand & learn about the systems in use. Safety, security & a smooth passenger experience is our utmost priority. Not to mention that our Jawans keep strict vigil 24x7. My salute to them, including the support staff," he tweeted.

The minister said he also met a few workers, who were travelling abroad, from Jharkhand at the T3 terminal of the Delhi airport on Thursday.

"Had a brief chat about their experience and wait time at the airport. On being told it was 10 hours, requested airport officials to serve food and ensure their well being," he tweeted.

28/10/21 New Indian Express

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Delhi Airport portal updated after international travel allowed

The Delhi airport has updated its ‘Air Suvidha’ portal, as new guidelines for incoming international passengers come into effect, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The union government had on October 20 issued a new set of guidelines for passengers from 20 countries travelling to India. The move comes following continued decline in global COVID-19 cases and increased vaccination. Based on reciprocity, the travellers from all such countries, that provide quarantine-free entry to Indians, will get certain relaxations on arrival (Category A countries) such as no mandatory 14-day quarantine on arrival.

The category-A countries include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Nepal, Belarus, Lebanon, Armenia, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary, and Serbia.  The other category countries (Countries at-risk) are those from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing, DIAL said.

28/10/21 New Indian Express

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Coimbatore: Flight services increase by two in October

Coimbatore: The city airport is slowly getting busier with more flights resuming operations after a lull that was induced by the second Covid-19 wave.

In October, two new flights were introduced to Hyderabad and Bengaluru from the city, taking the total number of flights being operated from the city to 18, compared to 16 in September. The city now operates three flights each to Hyderabad and Bengaluru alone. There is also an international flight to Sharjah.

N Muguntha Kumar, an aviation enthusiast, said the airport used to handle 40 incoming flights and as many outgoing flights during the pre-Covid times. “However, a comparison will be unfair as many of the 40 flights were smaller aircraft that could carry just up to 78 passengers.”

The airport’s performance in operating scheduled flights is also commendable. It is ranked third in the country and 32nd globally in this front in September as per a report by an international monthly - OAG magazine. According to the report, the airport had operated 95% scheduled flights in September compared to 92.5% in August.

According to the magazine, Tuticorin was ranked second globally and first in India in operating scheduled flights. Travel agents said most people were now travelling for either business purposes or leisure.

27/10/21 Times of India

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Govt waives charges on cargo flights to boost agro exports from North East

Mumbai: The civil aviation ministry has announced waiver of landing, parking and route navigation charges for freighters at select Airport Authority of India-operated airports to promote transport of agricultural products from North East states and hilly and tribal regions.

The sops are a part of the revised version of the Krishi Udan scheme which prioritises seven cargo routes and aims to create a hub and spoke model for transport of agro-produce within and outside India. The revised policy was announced today.

The move will benefit SpiceJet which operates Bombardier Q-400 and Boeing 737 freighters. Concessions in landing, parking or navigation charges will not be available for cargo carried in the belly of a passenger flight. The government has also modified the provision which required an airline to carry a minimum 50 per cent agro-produce in a flight to claim the concession.

Krishi Udan 2.0 will be a vehicle for value creation for farmers, help reduce wastage and improve margins, civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said while highlighting the success of flower exports in Kenya.

The Krishi Udan scheme was first announced in the union budget of 2020. Last December the scheme was aligned with the Operations Green Scheme of the ministry of food processing industry and a 50 per cent subsidy was proposed on domestic air freight and terminal storage and processing charges at airports. The subsidy was provided for 41 fruits and vegetables. An official said shippers would be able to get subsidy benefits under food processing ministry schemes which too are being modified to include more products.

27/10/21 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Address flight suspension from Pakyong airport on priority: Sikkim High Court

The Sikkim High Court disposed of a Suo Moto PIL, with the observation that all stakeholders shall consider the issues which led to the suspension of flight operations from Pakyong Airport and address them on a priority basis.

The division bench of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder and Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai noted, “Various reports and pleadings, however, clearly indicate that there are several issues which are required to be addressed by the stakeholders, especially, with regard to acquiring of land and setting up of proper and essential navigational equipment.”

Based on a news article titled “SpiceJet suspends Pakyong flights for four months,” which was published in an English daily newspaper, on 2nd June, 2019, the suo motu Public Interest Litigation was registered.

The first order is dated 6th June, 2019, and thereafter, the matter has been heard from time to time for more than two years. Pleadings have been exchanged and reports have been filed by various authorities. As of now, the bench was informed that flight operations have resumed at Pakyong Airport.

The bench remarked, “It does not intend to enlarge the scope of the  suo motu Public Interest Litigation beyond the issue for which it was initiated, i.e., suspension of flight operations from Pakyong Airport. The reason is, flight operations have resumed from Pakyong Airport.

“We, however, dispose of this Public Interest Litigation with an observation that all stakeholders shall consider the issues which are involved, particularly, those which led to the suspension of flight operations from Pakyong Airport and address them on a priority basis so that the object of creation of Pakyong Airport is not frustrated due to those reasons. This suo motu Public Interest Litigation stands, accordingly, disposed of ”, the order reads.

27/10/21 India Legal

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Mangaluru: Kuwait flight schedule changed, fare hiked - Passengers inconvenienced

Mangaluru: The flight schedule of the night flight to Kuwait from here has been changed to daytime. As a result, passengers from coastal Karnataka and Malnad region are facing hardships for the last 18 months. The flight charges have been hiked. The flight has not resumed operations even after the second wave ended. Therefore people from the coast and Malnad are now opting to travel through Kannur airport.

In the past, the flight to Kuwait used to leave at 8.45 pm and reach Kuwait at 11.15 pm. From Kuwait, the flight departed at 12.15 am and reached the city at 7.30 am. This timing was very convenient for the passengers who used to leave or arrive here on Thursdays and Fridays.

In the past, the passengers who left Kuwait late night on Thursdays used to reach here on Friday morning. The weekly offs in Kuwait are on Friday and Saturday. These two days could be put to use beneficially. People coming on a week's holiday could make the best use of this timing. When going to Kuwait too they used to get rest for a day and start work on Sunday.

After the first lockdown, the Air India flight schedule to Kuwait was suddenly changed when the flights resumed. So far no plausible reason could be attributed to this change. This time, the schedule was changed from night to day. Now the flight leaves Mangaluru at 7 am and reaches Kuwait via Bahrain at 11.05 am. From there, it leaves at 12.15 pm and reaches here at 7.15 pm. This time table of Wednesdays and Saturdays is not convenient for the people of coastal Karnataka and Malnad employed in Kuwait. Now people have to leave during the mid-week. They have to arrive at the airport three hours in advance to catch the 7 am flight. From Kuwait, they have to leave during the day. The timing is not at all suitable for NRI Kannadigas from Kuwait who have weekly offs during the week ends. Therefore the travellers have been demanding to stick to the earlier schedule. Various organisations including Kuwait Tulukoota, Kuwait Kerala, Muslim Association Karnataka, GSB Sabha and Tulukoota have submitted petitions through MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, but so far the time table has not undergone any change.

After Covid19 second wave, flights to other nations have resumed but not to Kuwait and Dammam. The passengers hope that if the flights begin in November, the schedule will be changed to a convenient time but the Air India Officials are not ready to commit anything.

27/10/21 Daijiworld

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Elderly Woman Found Infected in RT-PCR Test at Indore Airport Prevented from Boarding Dubai Flight

A72-year-old woman was not allowed to board the Indore-Dubai flight on Wednesday after she tested positive for coronavirus at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar international airport here following which she was admitted to a COVID care centre, an official said. Every passenger of the weekly Indore-Dubai flight is subjected to undergo the Rapid RT-PCR test at the Indore airport. Today, 104 passengers were examined and among them, a 72-year-old woman was found coronavirus positive, health department’s medical officer Dr Priyanka Kourav told PTI.

The infected woman is a resident of Indore’s Bijalpur area. She had already taken both doses of the vaccine against COVID-19, she said. As a precautionary measure, we have admitted her to a COVID-19 care centre, though she was not having any symptoms of the disease. Till recently, she had not travelled anywhere outside Indore, Dr Kourav said.

Earlier, a 26-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were prevented from boarding the Air India’s Dubai flight on September 15 and October 13, respectively, after they tested positive for coronavirus during the Rapid RT-PCR test at the Indore airport.

27/10/21 News18.com

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Shooter Ayushi faces security hassle at Kolkata airport

Kolkata: Rising Bengal shooting star Ayushi Podder faced some uncomfortable situations at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in the city here on Wednesday evening. The youngster, on way to rejoin the Gagan Narang Sports Promotion Foundation in Hyderabad for practice, was asked to offload some of her essential shooting equipment.

In spite of disclosing her identity as an India international shooter, the security staff at the airport refused to help her out. She was taken all the way to the check-in luggage counter where she was asked to remove the gun oil containers from her checked-in baggage. The girl from Bhadreswar, Hooghly, tried to convince the staff about their utility, but in vain. Finally she had to offload those cans.

"The oil is required for cleaning my gun and it is difficult to find those in India, especially the one I got from Germany," she said. However, the airline she was taking tried to come to her rescue, but even they could not make the security people change their stand. The 20-year-old was a bit rattled since she had never faced such a situation in spite of travelling abroad too for different tournaments.

Podder had recently won two silver medals in the junior world championship in Lima, Peru, winning the medals in 50m rifle 3 position team and mixed team events. She was returning to her training base in Hyderabad after enjoying the Durga Puja break with the family. She will next take part in the national shooting meet which is scheduled to be held in Bhopal.

27/10/21 Archiman Bhaduri/Times of India

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NRI turned back from Delhi airport: Badal seeks PM intervention, SGPC slams govt

Chandigarh: Reacting to the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport authorities sending Darshan Singh Dhaiwal back to the United States after denying him entry to India, five-time Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “intervene personally and effectively to get the injustice vacated immediately”.

Pointing out in a written statement that Dhaliwal was sent back from the IGI airport on October 23-24 night with the authorities saying that this was being done as a punishment for organising langar for agitating farmers at Delhi borders, Badal called it “an affront to the sacred practice of langar started by the great Guru Sahiban”.

Requesting the PM to personally invite Dhaliwal as a “goodwill gesture which will send a great positive signal to NRIs”, Badal also sought “stern action against the erring officials who brought a bad name to the country with their action”.

Badal said Dhaliwal and his family were coming to India to attend a wedding in the family, but were told to choose between supporting the farmers and entering the country. He (Dhaliwal) was specifically asked to stop organising langar for agitating farmers at Delhi borders if he wanted to come to his homeland.

Badal said that organising or sponsoring a sacred socio-religious work such as ‘langar’ has always been regarded as one of the highest and noblest duties for every devout follower of Sikhism. Doing so for the country’s ‘annadata’ (bread winners) is a noble task that needs to be emulated rather than penalised.

He demanded “revocation of three black laws” and said stakeholders be brought “on board before any legislation affecting them”. Badal also demanded setting up a panel with farmers and farm experts to advise the government on agriculture policies and enlarging the list of crops for ensured marketing with MSP.

27/10/21 Indian Express

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Centre aims to privatise 13 airports by March, list sent to aviation ministry

The government plans to complete the privatisation process for 13 airports run by the state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) by the end of this fiscal year.

"We have sent a list of 13 airports to the aviation ministry that are to be bid out on PPP (public-private partnership). The plan is to complete the bidding of these airports by the end of this fiscal," AAI chairman Sanjeev Kumar told ET in an interview.

"The model to be followed for bidding would be the per-passenger revenue model. This model has been used earlier and is successful and the Jewar airport (in Greater Noida) was also bid out on the same model," he said.

There will be takers for these projects despite Covid, as the impact of the disease is short term and the airports are on offer for 50 years, he said.

AAI has decided to club seven small airports with six big ones--Varanasi with Kushinagar and Gaya; Amritsar with Kangra; Bhubaneswar with Tirupati; Raipur with Aurangabad; Indore with Jabalpur; and Trichy with Hubli.

As part of the National Monetisation Plan (NMP), the government plans to award 25 airports in the next four years, including the above 13. This follows the six awarded to the Adani Group in 2019 at the beginning of the second phase of privatisation after the airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad were handed over to private operators in 2005-6.

The government's plan is to liberalise the sector with the privatisation of profit-making airports. AAI's mandate will be expanded to develop new ones in areas where the private sector may not want to venture through profits earned through revenue share from the privatised airports.

AAI's earnings took a hit from Covid. It posted a record loss of Rs 1,962 crore in FY21 and was forced to borrow Rs 1,500 crore from State Bank of India to meet working capital requirements, including salaries. With the situation returning to normal and passenger traffic picking up, AAI will not have to borrow for working capital needs this year.

Despite the loss, capital expenditure was Rs 2,100 last year. It has borrowed Rs 1,000 crore for the purpose this year.

26/10/21 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

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CM Khattar reviews work progress of Hisar airport

Hisar: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held an impromptu meeting of officials to review the work of second phase of Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Hisar today.

The CM landed at the airport and was scheduled to go to Sirsa for campaigning in Ellenabad byelection. He visited the extension of runway and directed officers of the departments concerned to ensure that all work related to the airport was completed within the stipulated time frame.

The officials of the Civil Aviation Department and district administrative officials attended the meeting. Divisional Commissioner, Chander Shekhar, Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Soni and officials of the Civil Aviation Department apprised the Chief Minister about the progress of the work done so far.

Captain Rajesh Pratap Singh, senior member, Joint Working Group of the Integrated Aviation Hub project, apprised the Chief Minister of further action being taken after completing all formalities required for the expansion of the runway and other construction works.

The Chief Minister was apprised of various other works going on, including shifting of Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam high tension power line, setting up of 33 KW sub-station on two acres of airport land, construction of alternative route from Barwala road, observation home shifting, cat lighting works, shifting of the water supply channel and terminal. Work is being done at an accelerated pace to complete other projects, including building of boundary wall on time.

26/10/21 Tribune

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All about Srinagar-Sharjah flight: Immigration check, arrival-departure segregation timings, other details

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to deploy special officers for immigration checks to ensure fool-proof security and passenger safety at Srinagar International Airport.

This follows the resumption of international traffic at the airport.  Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the first Srinagar-Sharjah flight on Saturday. International flights formally will resume from November 3.

An official document accessed by The Kashmir Monitor reveals that Divisional Commissioner PK Pole has directed the airport administration to set up separate immigration and customs counters

“It has been decided that ADGP will provide adequate manpower for immigration checks. There is enough manpower available for the customs,” the document said.  

The government has decided that barriers will be placed to preclude the possibility of intermixing of International and Domestic passengers at the Srinagar international airport. 

Adequate space for 180 arriving passengers in the international arrival hall and 53 counters are placed for registration of other arriving passengers,” the document said.

The document said the arrival segregation on Wednesday and  Saturday will be needed from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm and the departure segregation on Wednesday and  Saturday will be needed from 3 pm to 7 pm.

Director Health Services Kashmir has been directed to set up separate cabins for COVID testing at the airport.

Officials said traffic has increased by 170%. Around 12,000 passengers arrive and depart from the airport daily.

The first international flight from the Srinagar airport to Dubai was started on February 14, 2009, by Air India Express. It was a once-a-week service. However, it was later discontinued due to low demand.

26/10/21 Firdous Hassan/Kashmir Monitor

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Thoothukudi airport ranks second globally in 'On-Time Performance'

Thoothukudi: Thoothukudi airport has been ranked second by an international monthly magazine assessing On-Time Performance of airports worldwide.

For the month of September, the OAG magazine had declared rank 1 for Nakashibetsu airport of Japan for its 100 per cent operation of 94 flights without any cancellations. Thoothukudi airport, which operated 99 flights, was ranked 2.

However, the Thoothukudi airport had managed to achieve rank 1 in asia pacific regional ranks, in which Nakashibetsu airport slipped to second rank.

It may be noted that Thoothukudi airport held the first rank in both the categories of global and Asia pacific region in August, 2021.

Thoothukudi Airport Authority of India (AAI) Director N Subramanian told The New Indian Express that 99 flights were operated in the month of September as per the time schedules, without any cancellation and delay. 

Attributing the outstanding performance to the "consistent team work", Subramanian said that the Air Traffic Control department, Communication & navigational services department, terminal management, electrical department and the police are in tune with one another to ensure a safe and quick service to the passengers. The airport serves the passengers with a workforce of 43 AAI staff, 50 Indigo airlines staff and 27 police personnel, he said.

The airport in the coastal city of Thoothukudi, a busy industrial hub, operates three flights to Chennai every day, and three flights to Bengaluru per week. At least 500 passengers cross the airport every day.

Meanwhile, other Indian airports found in top 100 global airports in September issue includes - Vadodara airport ranked 21 with 95.7 percent operations, Coimbatore airport ranked 32 with 95 percent operations, Nagpur ranked 35 with 94.8 percent operations, Indore ranked 76 rank with 93.2 percent and Udaipur airport ranked 81 with 92. 8 percent.

Similarly, in the ASPAC (Asia Pacific) airport performance in which Thoothukudi airport ranked 1 with 100 percent operations, followed by Nakashibetsu airport of Japan ranked 2 and Port Moresby of Papua New Guinea ranked 3 with 99.8 percent.

As per the ASPAC ranking, Indian airports - Vadodara ranked 14, Coimbatore ranked 20, Nagpur ranked 22, Aurangabad ranked 31, Indore ranked 34, Udaipur ranked 36, Thiruvananthapuram 37, Kannur 39 and Rajamundry 47, in the top 50 airports.

It shall be noted that Chennai which ranked 112 in global performance, ranked 52 in Asia Pacific regional score.

26/10/21 New Indian Express

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Haryana: CM inspects airport runway extension works

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal while reviewing the work of second phase of Maharaja Agrasen Airport has directed the officers of the concerned departments to ensure that all the work related to the airport is completed within the stipulated time frame. While chairing a review meeting of the officers of the Civil Aviation Department and Administrative Officers at the airport on Tuesday, the Chief Minister also reviewed departmentwise progress of various ongoing works.

In the meeting, Divisional Commissioner Chander Shekhar, Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Soni and officials of the Civil Aviation Department apprised the Chief Minister about the progress of the works done so far.

After the meeting, he also inspected the runway extension works near Talwandi Marg and gave necessary directions to the officers of the Civil Aviation Department.

Captain Rajesh Pratap Singh, Senior Member, Joint Working Group, Integrated Aviation Hub, apprised the Chief Minister that further action is being taken after completing all the formalities required for the expansion of the runway and other construction works.

26/10/21 UNI

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Air traffic controllers seek to oust 'misbehaving' Surat airport director

Mumbai: A day of celebration turned into one of confrontation and controversy instead of spreading cheer. On the `International Day of the Air Traffic Controller’ which was celebrated last week, tempers flew at the Surat air traffic control tower after the airport director allegedly chided and shouted at the controllers who were on duty. On Monday, the Air Traffic Controllers’ Guild, a union representing controllers across India, called for the removal of the said airport director.

The incident occurred on October 20 when the said airport director walked into the Surat air traffic control tower (ATC) along with officials from the HR department. The director berated the controllers saying they were showing themselves to be unnecessarily occupied and busy when there is no air traffic, said a complaint letter was sent by the controllers to their senior.

She then asked the controllers whether they knew why she had visited the tower. When the controllers responded negative, the director said she and others were there to wish the controllers on their special day. Then she started clapping loudly and repeatedly shouted, ``Shame on ATC”, the controllers alleged. ``She asked other AAI officials to join her,’’ the letter said. She said she didn’t care if they recorded it all. A controller on the active channel asked her to not to disturb him and other controllers.

The controllers guild in an October 25 letter to the Airports Authority of India chairman said: ``The inexcusable act of disturbing the controllers on duty who are entrusted with the responsibility of safe flight operations is an attempt to disrupt air traffic services.” The union called for an investigation and CCTV footage of the said incident. An aviation source said: `` Under the Aircraft Rules, 1937, Rule 159, the penalty for obstructing a person on duty is Rs 5 lakh.”

J T Radhakrishna, regional executive director, Airport Authority of India said that they’re looking into the matter. TOI contacted the said Surat airport director. ``Nothing happened,’’ she said initially. When asked whether she had seen the complaint sent by the controllers, she said: ``We’re working on it. There is nothing to be reported. This is an internal matter.”

The Guild in its letter pointed out that Surat ATC is short-staffed which has forced the controllers to handle non-air traffic control duties as well such as aerodrome safeguarding, licensing, bird and wildlife hazard management, etc. ``The increased stress is already disturbing their work-life balance, which in itself is a serious concern... Such unethical and unprofessional act by an accountable officer not only has demoralized and demotivated the air traffic controllers but also has left them disturbed to the core," said the guild letter.

26/10/21 Manju V/Times of India

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Sudha Chandran ‘harassment’ fallout: Govt issues draft guidelines for ensuring accessibility to flyers with disabilities

New Delhi: Days after actor Sudha Chandran shared her ordeal at an airport after being asked to remove her prosthetic limb at security check and appealed for Prime Minister Modi’s intervention, the Union aviation ministry on Tuesday issued “draft accessibility standards and guidelines for persons with disabilities” — laying out dos and dents for both airlines and airport operators. The ministry has invited suggestions and comments on the same within three weeks, and then after studying them the final guidelines will be issued, as envisaged in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017.

Accordingly, airports may soon need to have dedicated parking lots for persons with disabilities (PwD) very close to terminal buildings. And there could also be earmarked pick-up and drop zones for the physically challenged at city-side kerbs, with kerbs or ramps at level changes. Airports will need to have check-in counters accessible by wheelchair where priority will be given to those with reduced mobility. They would also require to have accessible toilets.

Security check areas will have a lane each for males and females with disabilities. The advisory includes how to sensitively screen passengers with prosthetics. Such passengers will inform airlines beforehand and pass through door frame metal detectors. They would then “be taken to a private screening point and made to sit comfortably… will receive additional screening, including pat down. If necessary, screening thorough explosive trace detector (ETD) will be adopted. While dealing with prosthetic device and during taking off and putting clothes, privacy of passengers to be maintained,” the draft says. Two officers will carry out screening — one with and held metal detector and pat down and the other to inspect the prosthetics/braces and subject them to additional screening.

Baggage claim areas will also need to have an earmarked space for the disabled, with the space clearly visible through the universal symbol of accessibility marked on the ground.

The draft guidelines cover all aspects of air travel — right from coming to an airport to catch a flight at the origin to leaving the destination airport. It also provides for a service animal/pet relief area (SARA). Low floor buses have been proposed, preferably with retractable steps or ramps, to be used for seamless movement of wheelchair users while travelling between aircraft and terminals.

The draft advises people with disability should inform airlines 48 hours before scheduled departure time so that the latter can serve them better. Airlines could be asked to have PwD-related information on their website along with the feature to book a wheelchair. While airport operators are primarily responsible for provision wheelchairs, airlines have also been asked to keep some. “In case a customer wants to check-in own wheelchair (manual/automated), airline shall ensure that the same is duly tagged and sent to baggage make up area..” the draft says.

Customers have been advised to check with airlines on the specific requirements to bring a service animal on the flight. Transit passenger will need to check if all the airlines they are travelling on allow service animals.

“Customers should not be insisted to check-in their assistive equipment. They may give (the same) at aircraft door which would be given back after landing,” the draft says.

26/10/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Chennai airport sensitises staff on handling disabled passengers

Chennai: As flying continues to be a hassle and often a humiliating experience for passengers who use wheelchairs, the Chennai airport has started to sensitise CISF personnel and airline staff on security checks for disabled people.

Last week, Sudha Chandran, an actor-cum-dancer was made to remove her prosthetic limb at security check at Mumbai airport, causing an uproar followed by an apology by the CISF.

The CISF personnel and airport staff are also being sensitised in handling wheelchair passengers who need assistance for moving from one wheelchair to another, and also to board the aircraft.

The session included inputs from disabled passengers who have faced difficulties while using airports. With passenger numbers increasing, the airport has resumed the training which was not there for the last two years.

Nevertheless, in the absence of adequate explosive trace detectors, disabled passengers are often told to stand up, lift or untie their clothes to show calipers by the CISF personnel who handle the security check.

Vaishnavi Jayakumar, member of Disability Rights Alliance, said that much of this could be avoided by sensitisation as part of CISF aviation security curriculum. She said that asking people to remove their prostheses could be painful as well as humiliating. "It would help if airlines have proper special service request options when tickets are being booked or during pre-journey," she added.

D Gnana Bharathi, president, Spinal Injured Persons Association, who took part in the sensitisation programme held at the airport, said that more needs to be done. "The CISF and airport staff need sensitisation. They often look at us with suspicion, often instructing us to stand up or taking us to another room for further checks."

He also said that the way airline or airport staff carry the disabled into the flight via the boarding ladder is not very comfortable. "I have requested the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to allow passengers to use their wheelchairs to avoid the unpleasant experience of being carried by four people into the aircraft." The airport also should create a facility by which the disabled who arrive by flights should be dropped to the cabs, metro station or suburban trains outside the airport.

26/10/21 Times of India

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Expansion of Bhuntar airstrip hangs fire

The expansion of the runway at the Kullu-Manali Airport at Bhuntar is hanging fire for a long time. Many surveys regarding the runway expansion have been conducted in the past but nothing concrete has happened.

The runway expansion is a must to enable medium-size aircraft to operate and ferry more passengers, say hoteliers.

It will also encourage other airlines to start operations in this sector, thereby reducing airfares, and in turn promoting tourism and boosting the economy of the region.

The airport expansion is a long-pending demand of the region’s hoteliers as well as other stakeholders of the tourism industry. Due to the short runway, a routine aircraft packed with passengers cannot land or take off, which forces travellers to pay hefty charges for travelling between Delhi and Kullu.

At present, a 70-seater ATR-72 aircraft of Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of national carrier Air India, is operating from the airport. The aircraft is allowed to ferry only around 20 passengers due to load stipulation because of the short runway.

The airline generally charges above Rs 22,000 for a Kullu-Delhi ticket and over Rs 20,000 for Kullu-Chandigarh travel.

The hoteliers said the runway expansion was a must to enable medium-size aircraft to operate and ferry more passengers. It would also encourage other airlines to start operations in this sector, thereby reducing airfares, which, in turn, would promote tourism and boost the economy of the region.

A team of senior officials of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation had carried out a survey on March 6 to explore the possibility of runway extension. There is a proposal to increase the length of the runway from 1,052 metres to 1,712 metres by diverting the Beas.

Mukesh Thakur, president of Hoteliers Association Manali, said, “The association has raised the issue with the state and Central Governments. However, there is little possibility for its expansion. The government is constructing a big airport in Mandi and we are hopeful that it will give impetus to the tourism industry here”. 

25/10/21 Dipender Manta/Tribune

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28 New Domestic Flights To Be Launched By SpiceJet Connecting Tourist Hotspots

Guwahati: Spicejet Airlines said on Monday that it will begin operating 28 additional domestic flights across the country on October 31. SpiceJet would also launch two more flights on the Bengaluru-Pune route, connecting Bagdogra with Ahmedabad and Kolkata with Srinagar. "As part of its new winter schedule," the airline stated in a statement, "it will start many new non-stop flights linking the tourism hubs of Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Udaipur in Rajasthan with significant metros and towns." When the government restarted scheduled domestic flights following a two-month hiatus on May 25, last year, the ministry only authorized airlines to run 33% of their pre-Covid services. Until September of this year, the maximum was steadily extended to up to 85 percent.

Ajay Singh, SpiceJet's chairman and managing director, congratulated Tata Group on winning the Air India bid. SpiceJet was also in the running to buy the debt-ridden national carrier, but was defeated by Tata by a margin of 2900 crore. With a proposed price of $18,000, Tata-owned Talace Pvt Ltd emerged as the winning bidder, while SpiceJet-led consortium had quoted $15,100 crore.

25/10/21 Sentinel

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SpiceJet pilots derostered after landing flight on 'wrong' end of Belgaum runway; DGCA orders probe

New Delhi: In a serious lapse, the crew operating a SpiceJet flight from Hyderabad to Belgaum on Sunday landed on the "wrong" end of the runway. The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has ordered a probe into this and has derostered (taken off flying duty) both the pilots pending inquiry. Luckily, the Q400 landed safely at Belgaum.

Comments have been sought from SpiceJet and are awaited.

"SpiceJet DASH8 Q400 aircraft VT-SQC operated flight SG-3733, (Hyderabad - Belgaum) on Sunday. Air traffic control had cleared the aircraft to land on runway 26 at Belgaum.

However, the landing was carried out on runway 08 (meaning, it touched down on the other end of the runway instead of the designated end). 

24/10/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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India high cost environment for airlines; critical that AERA is empowered further: IATA official

India continues to remain a high cost environment for airlines to operate in and it is critical to empower the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) further to safeguard the interest of passengers, said Philip Goh, Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific of global airlines body IATA.

AERA decides what tariffs -- such as base airport charges, landing charges, parking charges and passenger service fee -- can major Indian airports charge an airline or a passenger for a particular period after considering the airports' expenditure and revenue projections for that period.

Goh told PTI in a statement last week, "Over the past year, with the third control period tariff reviews for India's major airports, AERA has demonstrated its effectiveness as an independent regulator."

"At a time when the government is planning on a big thrust on monetisation of airport assets under its National Monetisation Pipeline, it is critical that AERA is empowered further to safeguard the consumer interest," he added.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in February last year, AERA has rejected the demands of operators of major airports such as Delhi and Mumbai for a major increase in tariffs for third control period, which began on April 2019 and ends on March 2024.

For example, AERA had in December 2020 rejected the Delhi airport operator DIAL's demand to increase base airport charges by 424 per cent.

Similarly, AERA had in February 2021 rejected Mumbai airport operator MIAL's demand to impose an ad-hoc user development fee (UDF) of Rs 200 on domestic outbound passenger and Rs 500 on international outbound passenger.

If the demand for ad-hoc UDF at the Mumbai airport was permitted, it would be unfair and an additional burden to passengers who should instead be getting the benefit of "reduced tariff" as they have "already overpaid in the prior years", the AERA order had said.

Last month, AERA had issued an order stating that the UDF at the Bengaluru airport will remain unchanged till March 2022 and will be increased every financial year from April 2022 to March 2025.

In reaction, Bengaluru airport operator BIAL had expressed its disappointment stating that the AERA order was likely to be "seriously inadequate to meet our cash flow requirements and will also pose a challenge when it comes to meeting our operational expenses".

24/10/21 PTI/Moneycontrol

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Handing over HAL Airport to BIAL on cards

Hubballi: Hopes on the revival of HAL Airport for domestic operations were rekindled on Saturday by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, who said that handing over the airport to Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL), which manages the Kempegowda International Airport, is under consideration.

Responding to a demand during an infrastructure meeting here, Joshi said that he and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai have already spoken to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jotiraditya Scindia about the need. The state government has been pushing for the reopening of HAL Airport, which was shut in 2008, for civilian traffic through BIAL for the last several years. 

The facility is now being used by military aircraft, VIP and chartered flights. As the HAL Airport is in the heart of the city, all sections of people and the business community have been demanding that domestic operations be resumed here. It is argued that since the Kempegowda International Airport is far from the city and passengers are facing inconvenience, reopening of HAL Airport would be a win-win for all.

However, an agreement between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and BIAL does not allow any operation of commercial flights within the 150 km radius of KIA for 25 years, which is till May 2033. 

24/10/21 Pramodkumar Vaidya/New Indian Express

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Commercial Flight Service To Commence At Jeypore Airport Soon!

Koraput: Commercial flight service may soon commence at the Jeypore airstrip/airport in Koraput district of Odisha. Meanwhile, the administration is working in full swing to complete all the works in the next two months.

Earlier, the width of the runway was 900 meter which was later extended to 1200 meter. But, as per the latest orders, the runway will be extended to 1500 meter and the work is under progress for the same after the tender approval.

24/10/21  Pragativadi

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Ranchi airport to get latest in-line baggage screening for passengers

Ranchi: Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi will soon get the latest In-Line Baggage Screening (ILBS) system, which will automatically screen the baggage of travellers at the check-in counter with minimal human intervention, thereby saving passengers from the hassle of standing in long queues for X-Ray screening of their luggage prior to the check-in process, airport officials said on Sunday.

“Once the latest system is installed, passengers will be able to directly move to the check-in counter without having to take the trouble of getting their baggage screened at the X-Ray screening machines at the departure,” said the Director of Birsa Munda Airport, Vinod Sharma.

According to Sharma, the latest ILBS system will not only help passengers save time, but also enhance the security at the airport by detecting explosives and items prohibited in aircrafts with more efficiency. “We have set a target of installing the system by November 15. Even if we take a few extra days, the ILBS system should be operational latest by November 30,” he said.

The decision of installing ILBS system has been taken in compliance with the latest security norms of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), said airport officials, adding that the latest ILBS system is already operational in some of the busiest airports in India.

Currently, passengers have to first stand in a line at the baggage screening centre where their luggage is screened manually, and then move to the check-in counter. The process of getting baggage screened manually often becomes time-consuming during busy hours at the airport, causing trouble to passengers who are either running late or are unwell, sources said.

24/10/21 Pioneer

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AAI officials inspect Baljek Airport for runway expansion

Shillong: A high-level delegation of Airports Authority of India (AAI) from Delhi, led by its Executive Director, on Saturday conducted inspection at Baljek Airport for runway expansion, suitable enough for landing Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircrafts.

The delegation also comprised Joint Secretary and Managing Director of Meghalaya MTC, and officials from the West Garo Hills district administration.

Meanwhile, the district administration, on its Facebook handle, informed that a report in this regard will be submitted within a month’s time.

The Baljek Airport, which is suitable only for ATR landing at present, requires further expansion.

Meanwhile, in a first, as many as eight flight movements took place in Shillong Airport on Saturday.

As many as 267 passengers landed at the airport while 171 passengers departed from here during the day.

24/10/21 Shillong Times

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Delhi Airport to Undergo Major Operational Changes From 31 October

New Delhi: Planning to take a flight from Delhi Airport soon? We have some important news for you. The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi will undergo some major changes from October 31, reported the livemint. Budget carriers SpiceJet and IndiGo will be shifting part of their domestic operations to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) Terminal 1 (T1) with effect from October-end, it said.

Informing about the impending changes, SpiceJet on October 14 tweeted: “Attention Delhi Flyers! From October 31 2021, domestic SpiceJet Delhi flights (4 digit flight nos. starting with “8″) to operate from T3. Remaining Delhi domestic flights to operate from T1. 

“Starting 31st October all domestic flights will operate from both Terminals 1 and 3 of IGI Airport, New Delhi, SpiceJet said. Flight No. SG8000-8999 will operate from Terminal 3 (T3). All other domestic flights will operate from Terminal 1 (T1). International flights will continue to operate from only Terminal 3 (T3),” noted the carrier on its website. International flights from T3, it added. The airline also shared a link for fliers to check the status of their flights in another tweet.

24/10/21 India.com

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CISF apologises to Sudhaa Chandran for airport prosthetics trouble

Mumbai: Dancer and actor Sudhaa Chandran, an amputee, in a video statement posted on a social media platform, said she is made to remove her prosthetic limb to clear airport security every time.

On Thursday, the 56-year-old accomplished Bharatnatyam dancer had reached the Mumbai airport to board a flight to Hyderabad when she was asked to remove her prosthetic limb to clear security, said an aviation source. In a video clip posted later, Chandran said: “Every time I go on my professional visits, each time I am stopped at the airport and when I request CISF security officers that please do an ETD (explosive trace detector) test for my artificial limb, they still want me to remove my artificial limb and show it to them.” She added it is “very disheartening and humiliating at times when I am told to show or remove my artificial limb”.

Four years ago, India had amended security norms for disabled passengers, under which their prosthetics or wheelchairs are to be put through an X-ray check only on sufficient reason and justification. Chandran appealed to the Prime Minister to intervene and make airport security less of an ordeal for senior citizens.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the agency in charge of airport security, issued a public apology and stated under the existent security protocol, “prosthetics are to be removed for security checks only under exceptional circumstances”. The CISF tweeted: “We will examine why the lady personnel concerned requests Chandran to remove the prosthetics. We assure Chandran that all our personnel will be sensitised again on the protocols so that no inconvenience is caused to travelling passengers.”

Nipun Malhotra, a wheelchair user, said: “In 2017, O P Singh, the then director-general CISF, had amended security screening protocol to bring dignity to wheelchair users. Since then, clearing airport security hasn’t been an ordeal. So I was sad to hear about Chandran’s experience.” Communications professional Antara Telang, an amputee, said: “I fly largely out of Mumbai and Bengaluru. My airport experience improved after the security norms were amended a few years ago. Not every security personnel is conversant with these amendments though, in which case, I inform them. Then their superior intervenes and they let me clear security without ordeal.”

23/10/21 Manju V/Times of India

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AAI apprenticeship notification issued for graduates, diploma holders

New Delhi: Airport Authority of India (AAI) has issued apprenticeship notification for the engagement of graduates and diploma holders.

As per the notification, the training program will be held in various airports in the northern region. The duration of the training is one year.

Candidates who have completed a four-year degree or three-year diploma in Engineering are eligible for the apprenticeship. The year of passing should be 2019 or later.  

They should also satisfy age criteria. The maximum age of the candidates can be 26 years as on September 30, 2021.

Apart from educational qualification and age limit, the candidates must be Indian citizens from the northern region.

The training will be held at airports in Adampur, Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Bikaner, Dehradun, Gorakhpur, Gwalior, Hindon, Hisar, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Kangra, Kanpur, Khajuraho, Kullu, Kushinagar, Pathankot, Pantnagar, Pithoragarh, Prayagaraj, Shimla, Udaipur, etc and various offices in New Delhi.

Selected graduate apprentices and Technical (Diploma) apprentices will get a stipend of Rs. 15000 and Rs. 12000 per month respectively.

For further details, candidates can read the official notification (click here).https://www.aai.aero/en/recruitment/release/231276

Interested and eligible candidates can apply through BOAT’s web portal (click here)http://www.mhrdnats.gov.in/. Prior to applying for the AAI apprenticeship program, candidates must register with the concerned portal (NATS).

23/10/21 Sameer/Siasat Daily

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Amit Shah flags off inaugural Srinagar-Sharjah direct flight

Srinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the inaugural Srinagar-Sharjah flight from the Sheikh Ul-Alam international airport here on Saturday, reviving the direct airlink between the valley and the UAE after 11 years.

The flight, operated by Go First, took off for Sharjah at 6.30 pm IST and is scheduled to land in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) around 9 pm IST.

Shah flagged off the flight virtually from the Raj bhawan here.

The first international flight from the Srinagar airport to Dubai was started on February 14, 2009 by Air India Express, but the once-a-week service was discontinued due to a low demand.

Go First, formerly known as GoAir, is the first airline to start direct international connection and direct international cargo operations from Srinagar.

It will operate four flights a week between Srinagar and Sharjah.

"The introduction of the direct flight to Sharjah will boost trade and tourism between Srinagar and the UAE," the airline said in a statement.

It is offering a special ticket price of Rs 5,000 on the flight to Sharjah.

"The UAE and Srinagar are popular as holiday destinations and Go First flights will meet the demand for convenient travel options. The new services will also support the growing trade and investment links with both Srinagar and Sharjah," the airline said.

"Having been in operation here for over 15 years, we at Go First share a special relationship with the region and are committed to its growth. We are delighted to be the first airline to connect Jammu and Kashmir with the UAE and it bears testimony to our commitment to the region.

"We believe that this connectivity will be pivotal in bilateral exchange of trade and tourism between the two regions," Go First's chief executive officer Kaushik Khona said.

The direct flights from Sharjah will offer seamless connections to Srinagar and beyond to Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu, Leh and Mumbai and vice versa.

Go First is the only airline appointed for the cargo movement of the horticultural, perishable and agricultural produce of the Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Products, a state-owned company, the airline said.

23/10/21 PTI/Business Standard

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Kangana Ranaut comes out in support of Sudhaa Chandran after airport incident

New Delhi: After Sudhaa Chandran made a request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue a specific card for senior citizens, Kangana Ranaut came in her support. Hailing Sudhaa Chandran's professional achievement, Kangana wrote that the veteran actress must get her due respect. Taking to Instagram Stories, Kangana wrote, "Sudhaa Ji is a veteran artist…. A great dancer and actor…. Inspite of losing her leg she achieved great heights in the field of dance… hope she gets due respect." For the unversed, Sudhaa revealed she was asked at the airport to remove her prosthetic leg for ETD.

On October 21, Sudhaa Chandran who is specially-abled and uses a prosthetic leg, was flying for work purposes when she was stopped by the security personnel. Sudhaa, felt hurt and shared her ordeal of going through security 'grills' each time. 

She shared a video on her Instagram handle and said, "This is an appeal to the central government and the state government, I am Sudhaa Chandran, an actor and dancer professionally, I have danced with an artificial limb and created history, making my country proud. But every time I go on my professional visits, each time, I am stopped at the airport, and when I request them at the security, to the CISF officials, that please do an ETD (Explosive Trace Detector) test for my artificial limb, they still want me to remove my artificial limb and show it to them. Is it humanly possible Modi ji?"

Posting the video, Sudhaa Chandran wrote "Totally hurt ....each time going thru this grill is very very hurting....hope my message reaches the state Nd central govt authorities....and expecting a prompt action."Sudhaa also expressed her grief over how women of this country shall not be this disrespectful to each other." Watch the video here:

23/10/21 India TV

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Travel agents want runway work deferred

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat chapter of the Travel Agents’ Federation of India (TAFI), has sought a deferment of re-carpeting of the runway at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahmedabad to March, instead of in January.

TAFI members contend that the resultant reduction in flights will affect passenger movements into Gujarat, adversely affecting tourism, which has just begun to revive since the pandemic hit. An email representation was sent to officials of Adani Airports and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), a copy of which is with TOI.

The city airport has a complete re-carpeting of the runway scheduled from January 3, 2022 to May 31, 2022, for which it recently received approval from the aviation regulator, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA). In this period, the runway will be closed for flights from 9am to 6pm, which means flights will operate either before 9am or after 6pm.

“Due to the Covid pandemic, tourism has been one of the worst hit industries. In the recent days, travel companies are getting some business due to the increase in domestic tourism. The timings and dates for the runway repair will adversely affect business pace for the tourism industry,” the representation by TAFI states.

TAFI members have proposed that repair and maintenance work be executed at night i.e. from 10pm to 5am and begin from March 2022. The original plan of the city airport authorities was to undertake the re-carpeting work from November 10, 2021 till May 31, 2022. “Generally, Gujarat sees a lot of in-bound tourist traffic in January and February, especially due to the wedding season,” said Manish Sharma, chairman of the Gujarat chapter of TAFI.

22/10/21 Times of India

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Chennai airport gears up to handle more traffic due to an increase in passengers

Chennai: As there is a decline in the number of Covid-19 cases, more passengers are taking flights at the Chennai Airport. The Chennai International Airport is gearing up to handle more domestic and international flights in a few months as flights may resume in a full-fledged manner in November.

According to a report published in The Hindu, airport officials said that more manpower will be deployed in time and the airport is bracing up to handle passenger and cargo aircraft in an efficient manner with a single ground-handling agency. From handling baggage to assisting airlines on the tarmac, a ground-handling agency carries out a host of jobs at the airport.

However, international passengers may have to face inconvenience due to the presence of only one firm handling ground operations.

Quoting the Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials, The Hindu reported that there were two firms for ground handling operations till last year but there is only one operator now. After the previous contractor Bhadra's term ended last year, Air India Airport Services Ltd. took over as the ground-handling agency.

According to an official, at present, there are around 230 domestic flights, 40 international flights and 25 cargo flights and there have been no hassles. But, from the next year, the number of flights may increase and the airport authorities must be able to handle it without any problems.

22/10/21 India Today

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Passenger traffic at Mumbai airport on Sun highest since Mar 23'20

Mumbai: The city's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), handled a record over 91,000 travellers on October 17 in a single day, the highest passenger volume since March 23 last year when scheduled international flight services were suspended to and from India.

Two days later on March 25, the domestic air services were also halted as the government announced a nation-wide lockdown to deal with the pandemic at that time.

While the ban on operations of flight services on the local routes was lifted on May 25, 2020, scheduled flights services on the overseas routes have still not been restored.

With an increased vaccination rate, a sharp reduction in the number of Covid-19 infection cases and further easing of travel restrictions, there has been a steady rise in the number of passengers choosing to travel by air, said in a release on Wednesday.

After nearly one-and-a-half years, since the commencement of the pandemic in 2020, Mumbai Airport, which is the second largest such facility in the country after Delhi's IGIA, witnessed a record 91,904 passengers on October 17, which is the highest movement since March 23, 2020, the CSMIA said.

Of these, around 75,944 passengers travelled through Terminal 2 (T2) with 37,315 passengers arriving at the CSMIA, while 38,629 passengers departed through the airport.

Another 15,960 passengers travelled through Terminal 1(T1) with 7,690 departing passengers and 8,270 passengers arriving at the CSMIA, it said, adding on this day, Terminal-1 catered to a total of 114 domestic flights and T2 handling 494 flights.

Of the 494 flights operated from T2, 415 were domestic while the rest 79 international, it added.

21/10/21 PTI/Business Standard

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CHIAL approves freight charges for integrated cargo complex

Mohali: The Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL) has finalised freight charges for handling the domestic and international cargo at the airport.

The CHIAL is set to start an integrated cargo complex with perishable cargo centre, giving a fillip to both perishable and non-perishable exports from the region.

CHIAL chief executive officer Ajay Bhardwaj said, “We have finalised the freight charges for cargo which would start functioning from first week of November. This will enhance the capacity of cargo complex, including the facility of international cargo, with the arrangement of storage of perishable cargo. Total area of new complex is 14,127sqmt.” Bhardwaj said Air India, IndiGo, Vistara and Go Air are doing self-handing of cargo. Only domestic facility for common screening is available and other functions are done by airlines themselves. The total area of cargo facility is 575 sqmt. The airport is handling predominantly belly cargo in some sector.

21/10/21 Barinderjit Saluja/Times of India

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Will resume flights from Mamnoor airport to boost international tourism: G Kishan Reddy

Mulugu/Hanamkonda/Warangal: Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy said that the Union government would soon restart flights from Mamnoor airport to develop tourism in the district.

“Ever since the Ramappa temple was inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list, international tourists have been flocking to Warangal, which has many other historical spots too. The Centre will operate flights at the lowest price with the cooperation of the Tourism Department,” he said.

He visited the Ramappa temple in Palampet village and unveiled the world heritage site plaque alongside Telangana Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud. Speaking to the media, Kishan said that nearly 90 per cent works of the Kalyana Mandapam at the Thousand Pillar temple have been completed, and that the government has taken up lighting works around the temple.

“There’s an urgent need to operate the Mamnoor airport for the convenience of world tourists. However, the State government’s negligence in handing over the runway of the airport is causing a delay,” Kishan said.

22/10/21 New Indian Express

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Chandigarh airport all set to launch cargo facility next month

Chandigarh: The Chandigarh International Airport is all set to start its cargo facility in the first week of November. According to a report published in the Hindustan Times (HT), the rates for both domestic and international cargo, including perishable goods, have been fixed by the airport authorities.

The cargo complex, built at a cost of Rs 11.5 crores, has come up on 14,127 square meters. Five cargo sheds have been built for the cargo facility, stated the reports.

Ajay Bhardwaj, chief executive officer, Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHAIL), was quoted by HT as saying that the cargo facility at the airport will be the biggest after Delhi in north India and reasonable rates will be offered as compared to other airports. Bhardwaj said that they are hopeful to start the cargo facility by November 1.

Air cargo facility will ensure speedy transportation of commercial goods through an air carrier as CHAIL only provides a common screening facility for domestic cargo as of now. Other airlines such as IndiGo and Vistara handle their own freight.

The cargo facility at the Chandigarh airport was announced by the Punjab government in the budget this year. The new facility will give a boost to the industry and will also provide better access to international and domestic markets.

21/10/21 India Today

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Top brands check in at Bengaluru airport as passenger traffic builds up

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB), the major air travel hub in the southern region, has garnered the attention of big brands even as air traffic volume is increasing. A JCDecaux India release states that since the lifting of bans and easing of regulations, air traffic has been on the rise at the Bengaluru airport and brands have claimed their spot to advertise at KIAB. JCDecaux owns the advertising rights to KIAB.

An increasing number of brands, taking cognizance of the growing air passenger traffic at this airport, are unfurling their campaigns and messaging.  Multi-Verse Technologies, Samsung, Toyota, VMware, KIA Motors, Oneplus, among others have created domineering brand presence at vantage points there.

“KIAB is a harbinger for brands looking to tap the right audience. Not only the dynamic passenger profile but also strategically positioned media at the airport give each brand optimum interest from the travellers. With a further increase in passenger traffic, JCDecaux is confident of bringing back the positive brand recognition amongst affluent audiences,” says Raheel Amjad, Deputy MD, JCDecaux India.

21/10/21 Rajiv Raghunath/Media Growth

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Ranchi airport to install latest in-line baggage screening for passengers

Ranchi: Passengers travelling from the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi will no longer have to stand in long queues to get their luggage screened manually at the departure area as the airport authorities have decided to install the latest In-Line Baggage Screening (ILBS) system, which will automate the process  at the check-in counter with minimal manual intervention, airport officials said on Thursday.

“Passengers will be able to directly move to the check-in counter without taking the trouble of passing their baggage through the X-Ray scanners once the ILBS system is installed,” said the director of Birsa Munda Airport, Vinod Sharma. “We have set a target of installing the ILBS system by November 15,” he added.

According to Sharma, the latest ILBS system will not only help passengers save time, but also enhance security at the airport by detecting explosives and items prohibited in aircrafts with more efficiency.

At present, passengers have to first fall in line at the baggage screening centre where their luggage is screened manually, and then move to the check-in counter. The process of getting baggage screened manually often becomes time-consuming during busy hours at the airport, inconveniencing passengers who are either running late or are unwell.

The decision of installing ILBS system has been taken in compliance with the latest security norms of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), said airport officials, adding that the latest ILBS system is already operational in some of the busiest airports in India.

The Ranchi airport will also get two new aerobridges, the moveable tunnels that connect airport buildings to the aircraft and help in hassle-free boarding or deboarding for passengers, Sharma said. At present, the airport has two aerobridges. The additional two aerobridges will help in easing flight movement.

21/10/21 Telegraph

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Kol airport opens terminal for int’l courier clearance

Kolkata: The city airport has opened an international courier terminal to facilitate express cargo clearance from here itself. This will enable direct export and import of courier which had to be routed via Delhi or Mumbai till now and required an addition two days in transit.

The 1,120 sqm facility is located next to the existing cargo terminal. It has started operation in phases with dedicated Customs officers handling courier operations. The terminal has dedicated XBIS, CCTVs, ETD, handheld scanner and dedicated staff for fast and reliable processing of over 6,000 tonnes of courier cargo annually and will be managed by a software Express Cargo Clearance System (ECCS) – that enables faceless, contactless and efficient mechanism for customs clearances of courier.

“International courier cargo operation was rerouted mostly via Delhi which used to delay the shipment and at the same time hampered business. With the start of this facility, which will cater to the complete eastern and north eastern India, it is going to cut short the transit time from airport to warehouses,” said Kolkata airport deputy general manager (cargo head) Rahul Nandy.

“Earlier courier clearance was done only at Mumbai or Delhi which meant we were losing almost a day in the clearance itself. The courier had to be offloaded at domestic terminal, then sent to international, where it had to be cleared before being put on an international cargo carrier. At times there are queries and that meant someone had to fly from Kolkata to Delhi,” said Jetex Ocean Air Pvt Ltd managing director Jaideep Raha. The facility was inaugurated last week by M Ajit Kumar, chairman Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) in presence of Keku Bomi Gazder, CEO of AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Co Ltd (AAICLAS), airport director C Pattabhi along with customs, CISF and other AAI officials.

21/10/21 Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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Hyderabad airport to see major expansion

Hyderabad: Following ongoing expansion, the Hyderabad International Airport will be augmenting its passenger handling capacity from the current 21 million (pre-Covid, 2019) to 34 million per year. According to the white paper issued by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), the airport has embarked on a major expansion to cater to the rising demand in passenger traffic. 

In addition to a revamped terminal, the expansion project involves augmentation of both terminal and airside areas. Post expansion, the airside infrastructure will be able to accommodate 93 code C aircraft stands (comprising 44 contact and 49 remote stands). To ensure safe operations and passenger movement, a new tunnel is being built to minimise the time loss during the criss-cross movement of Ground Service Equipment (GSE) vehicles and Aircraft. Four new Rapid Exit Taxiways have been added to enhance runway capacity and improve operational efficiency.

21/10/21 New Indian Express

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