AAI to add 160 parking bays at 27 airports in connectivity push

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will add 160 aircraft parking bays at 27 airports in two years to expand air connectivity. The capacity expansion will aid domestic airlines that are adding aircraft to meet the growing demand. Air India and IndiGo have around 1,500 aircraft on order that would be delivered over a decade. In FY 2024 domestic airlines are expected to induct around 100 planes.

“By the end of year 2023, 104 bays will be constructed at 16 airports and in 2024, an additional 56 bays will be constructed at 11 airports. All the bays are suitable for Code ‘C’ type of aircraft ranging from ATR-72 to Airbus A321,” AAI said in an emailed response.

Amritsar, Goa (Dabolim), Kolkata and Patna, which feature in the top twenty airports for domestic passenger traffic will see addition of aircraft bays. While Amritsar and Kolkata airports will see the increase in 2023, Goa and Patna will get new parking bays next year.

Other airports that will see additional parking bays include Leh, Raipur and Tirupati. Extra parking bays at Leh would especially be useful, given the short operating window at the airport due to weather conditions. The list of 27 airports also includes the airfields in Datia, Rewa (both Madhya Pradesh) and Solapur (Maharashtra) which currently see no scheduled airline flights. “Any capacity addition at tier-II airports is good and will especially help government’s regional connectivity scheme. Along with increase in parking bays, AAI should also provide night landing and round-the-clock air traffic services at some of the smaller airports,” said Ameya Joshi, founder of aviation blog Network Thoughts.

“By FY30, the combined fleet size of Indian airlines is likely to double to 1,400 and thus we will require additional 600-700 aircraft parking bays at in the country,” said Kapil Kaul, CEO (South Asia), aviation consultancy, CAPA.

17/09/2023 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Line

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Chennai airport enhances safety with runway expansion

Chennai: Flying into the city is going to be safer as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will soon start work to extend the runway end safety area at both the ends of main runway and the second runway.

The runway end safety area is created to stop the plane and prevent damage to the aircraft if it overshoots a runway or it lands well before the touchdown point. It will be made of soft material so that the wheels get buried stopping the plane in the process. Around 60 metres of space is usually left at either end of the runways as the runway end safety area.

The move comes after the airport has received land from the state government and the defence. This will help the airport to use the full length of the runways without restriction, especially the Manapakkam-end of the second runway.

The main runway of the airport has adequate safety buffer area on both ends but it had its limitation because of lack of land and presence of houses and other facilities.

The GST-road end of the second runway has a metro rail line running just below the ground while there are buildings on one end of the main runway.

A pilot said that it will be an additional safety mechanism which is ideal for an airport that is located inside a city surrounded by obstructions caused by buildings. “The runway at the airport is fine now. The runway end safety area will be useful in case of an accident when an aircraft overshoots the runway. It should not go and hit the compound wall or some other building outside the airport campus. The safety area will prevent damage to the aircraft and will also save the people. This comes in handy for the airport to get international ratings for complying with safety norms,” he said.

18/09/2023 Times of India

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DRDO developing portable automatic weather stations for airfields and helipads located in remote areas

Chandigarh: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing portable automatic weather stations (AWS) for use at remote airfields and helipads where there are no facilities to monitor climatic parameters.

While all regular IAF airbases have full-fledged meteorological services or fixed AWS, such facilities are not available at advance landing grounds (ALG) and helicopter operating sites located in Ladakh and the north-east.

Meteorological information such as surface temperature, wind speed and direction, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloud cover and visibility is vital for aviation operations as these not only impact the performance of aircraft and helicopters but are also critical for flight safety, more so during take-off and landing.

According to DRDO scientists, flight operations to ALGs are not a regular basis but depend on particular requirements. ALGs are primarily unpaved airstrips or hardened mud in remote areas and have little navigation and support facilities except for possibly runway markers and a wind sock for indicating the direction and speed of the wind and a refuelling bowser and fire tender being stationed during a flight.

“Since operations to ALGs and other remote helipads are not frequent, there is no need to install permanent AWS as these will add to the maintenance effort,” a DRDO scientist said. “On the other hand, weather in the mountains can change without warning, which can affect flying. Portable AWS, which can be stored in nearby military units and deployed when needed, is an effective way to deal with this,” he added.

17/09/2023 Vijay Mohan/Tribune

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Air India Introduces Self-Baggage Drop And Check-In Facility At Delhi Airport

Air India is transforming the travel experience at Delhi’s Terminal 3 by introducing self-baggage drop and self-kiosk check-in services.

This innovation will prove beneficial for both domestic and international travellers. As of now, the service has been opened for all passengers flying to Australia and domestic flyers. With this, Air India passengers can now smoothly complete the check-in processes, including printing boarding passes and baggage tags and they can also independently drop off their luggage, bypassing the conventional check-in counters, reducing the wait time and providing convenience.

Other than this, travellers can modify their trips by choosing their desired seats, updating their frequent flyer numbers and making other necessary adjustments. This feature is set to improve the travel experience, enabling passengers to customize their journeys to match their preferences.

In a statement, Air India’s Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience & Ground Handling Officer told ANI, “This facility eliminates the queue waiting time for check-in over the counters and helps travellers to nearly breeze through the airport. We not only plan to extend this for flights to more countries around the world, but also intend to introduce it at other airports in India as well as at major airports in other parts of the world. Our continued effort remains to simplify processes and elevate customer experience, for our guests to enjoy travelling as much as we love flying them.”

18/09/2023 News18

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New Metro lines to ease your way to Mumbai airport

Connectivity to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) is set to improve significantly with the upcoming Metro projects, including Line 7A (Gundavali Metro station to CSMI airport) and underground Metro Line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ).

Earlier this month, tunneling work began on the 3.4-kilomtre Mumbai Metro Line 7A — an extension of red line or Metro 7 that connects Dahisar east to Gundavali, which will connect Andheri East to the airport.

While Metro Line 7A, an extension of the operational Metro Line 7 (Andheri East to Dahisar E) and the under-construction Metro Line 9 will provide a direct link from Mira Bhayander to the airport, reducing the travel time to the airport from over two hours by road to just one hour.

The underground Metro Line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) will also offer convenient access for commuters from Colaba to reach the airport station, named CSMIA T2.

Both the upcoming Metro lines will take passengers directly to the airport terminal area, eliminating the need of autos or cabs, unlike the existing airport station on Metro Line One (Ghatkopar to Versova via Andheri).

In addition to direct connectivity, the upcoming Metro Line 1, Line 6, 2A, and 2B will also have interchange stations, further enhancing the travel within the city and suburbs

18/09/2023 Sweety Adimulam/Indian Express

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Independence day weekend saw 8 % surge in passenger traffic at Mumbai airport

Mumbai: The Mumbai airport recorded a passenger traffic growth of 32 % in August with over 4.3 million passengers handled as against 3.2 million passengers the previous August.

During the Independence Day weekend, the airport witnessed an 8.4 % surge in passenger volumes. Over the years, Independence Day has turned into a popular short holiday with the only exception being the pandemic years. The trend returned strong this year with August 15 falling on a Tuesday and demand for air tickets rose as was indicated by comparatively higher fares.

On August 11 and 12, a Friday and a Saturday, the Mumbai airport handled 1.5 lakh passengers each, which was an 8.4% growth compared to 1.39 lakh average passengers it handled in August, said a Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) spokesperson. Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai emerged as the top domestic destinations out of Mumbai.

International passenger traffic too witnessed a growth, with 33% more flyers __ 1.1 million passengers in comparison to 0.84 million the same period last year__that is. Dubai, London, and Abu Dhabi remained the most preferred destinations in the international sectors. 

18/09/2023 Manju V/Times of India

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Man stalks Shruti Haasan at Mumbai airport. Irked actress asks 'who is he?'

During a recent incident, actress Shruti Haasan had a frightening encounter with a fan at the Mumbai airport. While searching for her car in the airport parking lot, she noticed a man dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans who began shadowing her and accompanying her team. This situation left the actress feeling uneasy, prompting her to inquire about the man with her team.

Shruti Haasan had a scary encounter with a fan at the airport where he followed her to the parking lot. The fan who tried to stalk the actress at the airport, irked her as she asked her team about the man. Shruti then told him she did not know him.

In the video, Shruti asks her team, “Who is he?" The fan keeps following Shruti and her team as they try to find where the car is parked. She asked her team multiple times about the man before she said, “Why is he standing there?" When the man attempts to speak to Shruti as she tries to get into her car, the actress first smiles at him and then tells him, “I don’t know who you are, sir."

18/09/2023 Prachi Arya/India Today

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Flights delayed, diverted to city airport due to poor weather

Jaipur: Due to poor weather conditions in the northern part of the country, several flights were delayed by hours at the Jaipur International Airport on Sunday, said officials.

Passengers took to social media to complain about the delays and poor management by airlines.

A Jaipur-Bareilly flight landed back in Jaipur on Sunday after it did not get clearance for landing at the destination airport due to bad weather. Pankaj Tiwari, a passenger took to social media platform X and said a Bengaluru-Jaipur flight scheduled at 3:40pm was cancelled on Sunday morning and an option was given to take a connecting flight to Jaipur via Surat. International flights from Dubai were also delayed on Sunday due to which the take off from here also got delayed. “Due to poor weather conditions, many domestic and international flights have been delayed on Sunday,” said an official.

18/09/2023 Times of India

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G20’S Impact On Indian Airports: Better Facilities, Higher Revenues

The G20 Presidency of India has been a boon for the airports of India. With a surge in tourist and delegate influx in the last 10 months of the G20 events in India, airports across major cities of India not only underwent a major makeover but also saw increase in revenue. 

Airport hospitality has gone bigger and better, making India a more appealing destination for both business and leisure travellers. As per statistics, the Delhi Airport which had the highest number of delegate arrivals, saw an incredible surge in air traffic with 73000+ domestic and 30000+ international arrivals. 

As per reports, the G20 Summit led to a 63 per cent YoY rise in international flight arrivals at IGI Airport, with Delhi's travel demand index clocking to 87, a whopping 40 per cent higher than usual. 

This is projected to benefit the country's economy in the long run by increasing tourism and attracting international investment. It demonstrated India's ability to host significant international events, improving the country's international visibility. It also positions India as a favoured MICE destination in the coming years, thanks to the country's fast growing infrastructure and innate ability to host world-class meetings, events, and exhibitions. 

Talking about the trend, Vikas Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, Encalm Hospitality which has lounges in Delhi, Hyderabad and Goa, said the summit saw the participation of a large number of foreign delegates and dignitaries, who were greatly benefited by a variety of hospitality services, including accommodation, dining, and transportation. “The G20 summit has had a positive impact on the airport hospitality industry, strengthening India's standing on a global level. This led to an increase in demand, and the industry responded by expanding its offerings to match the global standards. Leading players invested in new technology and training, in order to provide top notch service to the delegates. Moreover, during the G20 Summit, airport hospitality and meet-and-greet services upgraded their facilities,” said Sharma.  

17/09/2023 Tarannum Manjul/Businessworld

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Gehlot ‘least interested’ in Kota airport, says Scindia

Jaipur: Union minister for civil aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday accused CM Ashok Gehlot of tardiness in handing over land needed for the Kota airport.

On Wednesday, Gehlot had visited the site of the proposed airport in Kota and had claimed that his government had cleared the land for the airport but the Union government was delaying the process.

Scindia on Saturday posted a riposte on his offical X account: “Gehlotji is least interested in the development of Kota Greenfield Airport. The state government has only allotted 33.4 hectares of land in favour of the Airport Authority of India. The total land required is 440 hectares of land. The process of diversion of remaining land is yet it carried out by the state inspite of several reminders by the civil aviation minister to them.”

He further wrote, “We have completed the topographical survey of the site, soil investigation and the process for onboarding an agency for conducting architectural and engineering consultancy.”

Referring to an earlier communication with the state government, the Union minister said, “The state had been apprised of the fact that the process of shifting the power grid line is important for obtaining necessary clearances. It is still pending at the level of the state government.”

Gehlot in a press conference in Kota on Wednesday had said, “The local authorities in Kota have cleared 44 acres of land for free for the airport. Rs 21 crore has also been transferred for diversion of forest land. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla is not playing a positive role in the development of the airport.”

17/09/2023 Times of India

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'One of the best, very well done': R Madhavan praises Bengaluru international airport infrastructure; PM Modi reacts

Rocketry actor-director-writer R Madhavan on Friday praised Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, saying it was one of the best in the world. He said in a video the airport’s Terminal 2 is superlative. The actor found the infrastructure at the airport to be one of the best in the world and also called the garden-themed international terminal “exotic”.

"It's incredible what the infrastructure in India is becoming! I'm at the new Kempegowda International Airport. And I'm telling you, it looks like an exotic... exotic place! Nobody will believe that this is an airport," Madhavan said in a post on Instagram. In the video, Madhavan added that a lot of the construction at the airport is all made of bamboo and that the airport is themed around sustainability in India.

He added, "And all the plants you see hanging from the ceiling in different parts of the airport are actually real plants, that are being watered every day, from the ceiling. And a lot of the construction as you can see above is all made of bamboo. Just loo

k at the ceiling. And it's all themed around sustainability in India. Very proud! Very well done man!

Madhavan’s post garnered over 503,000 likes on Instagram and had several comments under it. The post went viral and caught Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention. Prime Minister Modi reacted to the video in an Instagram story and wrote: “Next-gen infrastructure for India’s growth."

17/09/2023 Mehak Agarwal/Business Today

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Land issue hampers civil aviation projects in Bihar, Kerala and Rajasthan: MoCA

 New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has told a Parliamentary Committee that the unavailability of proper land has been hampering the government of India’s bid to expand its civil aviation sector. Officials from the Aviation Ministry said that the much-needed Bhiwadi Airport in Rajasthan, Sabarimala Airport in Kerala, Gaya Airport as well as Civil Enclave at Bihta in Bihar have been struggling due to the unavailability of land.

Significantly, the Aviation Ministry has already given the approval to construct airports and Civil Enclaves in these States. The Ministry informed the Parliamentary Committee that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has projected a land requirement of 191.5 acres for a runway extension and eight acres for apron extension and city-side development to make the Civil Enclave at Bihta suitable for the operation of wide-bodied aircraft. “However, the land is yet to be handed over by the State Government.

Further development of the Civil Enclave is subject to the handing over of requisite land by the State government of Bihar. As regards the expansion of Gaya Airport, the Ministry informed that initially, 200 acres requirement for expansion of Gaya Airport was forwarded to the Bihar government way back in August 2009, which included 70 acres for runway extension, 30 acres for approach lights and 100 acres for future airport expansion. “Subsequently, based on the site conditions, the land requirement was revised to 212.76 acres, which included 70 acres for runway extension, 42.76 acres for approach lights and 100 acres for future airport expansion. This was forwarded to the Bihar government in July 2017. Out of this, 23.84 acres have been handed over to AAI for approach lights, runway extension and for future airport expansion remains to be handed over by the State government,” officials informed.

The Ministry further stated that on request of the Bihar government, a pre-feasibility study of the sites identified by the State government at Nalanda was conducted by AAI in 2009. Subsequently, another site was identified by the State government near the Punpun River.

“Both the sites were not found suitable for development of Greenfield Airport due to technical reasons,” officials said.

16/09/2023 ETV Bharat

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AAI engineers 'hailed' for highest ever capex last fiscal

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India Engineers Guild (AAIEG) on September 15 celebrated Engineers' Day by "hailing" AAI's highest-ever annual capital expenditure in 2022-23 at Rs 5,175 crore. This was spent on augmenting airport facilities, upgrading technology and improving operational efficiency. AAI member (planning) A K Pathak released new website of AAIEG at an event at Safdarjung Airport's AAI Officers Institute, Delhi.Among those at the event were Pathak, AERA member D K Kamra, member HR H Srinivas, member operations Sharad Kumar and executive directors, general manager and engineers and members of AAIEG.

For outstanding achivement in airport engineering, AAIEG gave the Sir Visvesvaraya Award was given to project teams of Chennai, Port Blair and Hirasar (Rajkot) airports for completing project "despite adverse conditions."

16/09/2023 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Jaipur-Mumbai flights delayed by 12 hours

Jaipur: Several passengers took to social media on Friday to complain about flight delays from Jaipur International Airport for up to 12 hours.

A flight from Jaipur to Mumbai, which was to depart at 11.55pm on Thursday, took off at 11.10am on Friday and was rescheduled four times.

"We were flying from Jaipur to Bombay...in flight number I5 337 Air Asia scheduled at 23.55, which got delayed and was rescheduled to 2.45am, then 3.15am, 6.20am and finally, 11.10am!

Almost a 12hr delay," said Yash Patel, a passenger on social media platform X.

Another passenger wrote, "24hr flight delay. No compensation, no food, no water, no baggage yet...stuck at Jaipur airport with a two-year-old baby!!!!."

Officials of Jaipur International Airport (JIA) said that the flights to Mumbai were delayed because a charter plane had veered off the runway in Mumbai, causing the operations stopped for some time.

16/09/2023 Times of India

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Jaipur-Mumbai flights delayed by 12 hours

Jaipur: Several passengers took to social media on Friday to complain about flight delays from Jaipur International Airport for up to 12 hours.

A flight from Jaipur to Mumbai, which was to depart at 11.55pm on Thursday, took off at 11.10am on Friday and was rescheduled four times.

"We were flying from Jaipur to Bombay...in flight number I5 337 Air Asia scheduled at 23.55, which got delayed and was rescheduled to 2.45am, then 3.15am, 6.20am and finally, 11.10am!

Almost a 12hr delay," said Yash Patel, a passenger on social media platform X.

Another passenger wrote, "24hr flight delay. No compensation, no food, no water, no baggage yet...stuck at Jaipur airport with a two-year-old baby!!!!."

Officials of Jaipur International Airport (JIA) said that the flights to Mumbai were delayed because a charter plane had veered off the runway in Mumbai, causing the operations stopped for some time.

16/09/2023 Times of India

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Decks cleared for shorter airport route, Banwarilal Purohit gives consent to land acquisition

Chandigarh: Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit has given an in-principle approval for the acquisition of land required to construct a shorter route to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport.

The UT Administration is set to acquire nearly 39 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 106.69 crore. This cost encompasses a 6.6-acre area situated between the proposed 60-metre right of way (RoW) of the road and the UT/Punjab boundary.

“UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit has given an in-principle approval for the acquisition of land for a shorter route from Chandigarh to the international airport,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, Deputy Commissioner, UT.

The cost of acquiring land has been determined on the basis of tentative estimates provided by the land acquisition officer. The decision to construct this route was taken during a meeting chaired by Purohit in May this year.

Crucially, the Ministry of Defence has granted working permission for the permanent transfer of 0.98 acres of defence land to Chandigarh.

16/09/2023 Dushyant Singh Pundir/Tribune

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Centre not helping in construction of airport in Kota, says CM Gehlot

Kota: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inspected the proposed Greenfield Airport land in Kota on Thursday. Gehlot said that the state government is committed to the development of greenfield airport. “We took a decision in Cabinet and got 34 hectares of land transferred free of cost to Airport Authority by the Urban Development Trust, Kota. Besides, the first installment of diversion amount of Rs 21.13 crore was also given to Forest Dept. Despite this, Centre has not been able to start construction work. We have fulfilled the promises made in the airport development. Now Centre and local MP and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla should make efforts. Gehlot said that if the Central Government refuses to do so, the State Government will complete it with its own resources. Interestingly, CM Gehlot also reached the house of Congress MLA Bharat Singh.

15/09/2023 Bhanwar S Charan And Shivendra Parmar/First India

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Air India introduces integrated self-baggage drop and self-check-in facility for travellers in Delhi’s T3

Pune: In a step to elevate customer experience, Air India has introduced an integrated self-baggage drop and self-kiosk check-in service at Terminal 3 of Delhi airport for domestic and international travellers, airline officials said on Friday.

The service is currently available for all Australia-bound flights as well as all for all flights within India.

Air India guests are now able to enjoy a seamless digital process to print boarding passes and baggage tags, and drop bags on their own, obviating the need to check-in over the counters.

The kiosks also allow travellers to easily customise their trips by selecting available preferred seats, updating frequent flyer number, etc.

15/09/2023 Joy Sengupta/Times of India

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Hyd airport holds CPR training for its staff

Hyderabad: The GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL), along with Apollo Hospitals, conducted a CPR training on Thursday. Nearly 450 airport staff took part in the training, with an objective of stepping up to save a life until medical help arrives. Pradeep Panciker, CEO-GHIAL participated the training. The camp was led by Dr. Imran Subhan, group head & emergency specialist of Apollo Hospitals.

15/09/2023 Times of India

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Mizoram to get new airport to meet both Civil and IAF purposes

A new airport with heliport facilities is likely to be built and utilized for both civil aviation and Indian Air Force (IAF) operations.

In a meeting with Minister Zoramthanga, the chief of the IAF's Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, reportedly addressed security issues in Mizoram and other northeastern states.

The establishment of a new airport with heliport facilities that can be used by both civil aviation and the Indian Air Force has been discussed by the Chief Minister and the Air Marshal.

According to Zoramthanga, the government has already chosen two areas for the proposed airport in southern Mizoram, which is bordered by Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The medium-sized Lengpui Airport in Mizoram, which is surrounded by beautiful green mountains, offers air service from the hilly state to Guwahati, New Delhi, and Kolkata.

15/09/2023 Prag News

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Airport authority to acquire 7.6-acre land for parking facility at Dabolim

Vasco: South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, who is also the chairman of the Dabolim airport advisory committee, said that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will acquire 7.6-acre land to create an additional parking facility for vehicles at the airport.

“AAI will acquire land belonging to the comunidade authority,” Sardinha said, adding that the multi-level car parking (MLCP) project that is lying unused will be made partially operational.

He was speaking to reporters after attending the airport advisory committee meeting on Wednesday.

Airport director S V T Dhanamjaya Rao said that, during the meeting, ways to improve the image of the Dabolim airport were discussed.

“We discussed the various facilities required to improve the airport. Dabolim airport is ready to receive more flights this season. The AAI is set to welcome the upcoming season,” he said.

On the upcoming tourist season, Sardinha said, “Whatever changes people expected at the Dabolim airport have been done. We are always safeguarding the interests of the airport.”

He also called for the Centre’s support in providing facilities to passengers, including reducing landing charges to keep the airport operational.

15/09/2023 Times of India

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Hirasar airport of Rajkot facing teething problems on various counts

Rajkot: Rajkot international airport will see increase in facilities gradually, said Airport Director Digant Borahe.

The airport will have 3 gates instead of 2 currently. It will have 9 lanes instead of 4 currently. The number of check-in counters will increases to 36 from 28 presently. Security check machines will increase to 10 from 5 currently. Passenger handling capacity will increase to 2800 from 1800 presently.

The airport director said that facilities will increase by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, there are complains that the new airport which is located 31 kms away from Rajkot city has not parking facility. The businessmen who need to park their vehicles and catch flight are not able to do so.

The other complain like no water supply in toilets was a short-time temporary glitch due to break down in pipe.

In another development, BJP leader Bharat Boghra has posted a video of Rajkot airport and stated that this airport has the longest 3 km runway in India. Boghra said the existing terminal of airport is temporary. He added that permanent terminal is under construction.

14/09/2023 Desh Gujarat

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Delhi International Airport: Flights Start Landing on Fourth Runway

In order to provide a seamless air travel expirence to flyers, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) started the flight landing operations on  IGI Airport’s latest runway 29R/11L. It has been reported that the steps have been taken after the old Warhorse Airstrip, 28/10 became non-operational due to renovation.

The report also says that the runway will remain in the non-operation category till mid-December.

While confirming the news, and reacting about the same, one of the officials from the DIAL said “Arrivals on runway 29R/11L have commenced, and the first flight to land on it was IndiGo from Mumbai (6E-2015) on September 9 at 3.09 pm on 11L side. In addition, he said the reason why the plane landed from the Gurgaon side, not the Vasant Vihar side, was because of the changed wind direction.

According to the reports, another runway soon will be captured by the concerned department for the repair work. All four airstrips at the Delhi airport will start functioning in full swing by the next summer, and will likely start handling somewhere around 100-105 flights per hour.

Delhi Airport, which is considered one of the biggest and busiest airports worldwide, is also expected to start expanding its T1, and the work will kickstart before next summer. After the expansion, the airport is expected to boost the passenger handling capacity and contribute in improving the air traffic.

14/09/2023 News18

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Multiple flights diverted after private aircraft skids off at airport

Mumbai: On Thursday, multiple flights were diverted after a VSR Ventures Learjet 45 aircraft VT-DBL on a flight from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai was involved in runway excursion (veer off) while landing at the domestic airport. The incident led to a temporary closure of runway 27, an official statement said.

According to airport officials, two Vistara and one Akasa Airlines flight were diverted towards Bangalore airport. An Air India flight coming from Dubai was diverted towards Ahmedabad. Also, a Vistara flight from Dehradun to Mumbai (DED-BOM) has been diverted to Goa's MOPA Airport.

Vistara posted on X, "Flight UK865 from Dehradun to Mumbai (DED- BOM) has been diverted to MOPA (GOX) due to runway closure at Mumbai airport and is expected to arrive in MOPA at 1815 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates." 

A total of five aircraft have landed at Surat airport and two flights are still hovering in the airspace. 

The spokesperson of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) confirmed that it was not a crash and an aircraft had veered off the runway at the domestic airport in Mumbai.

It said, The runway is operational post regulatory clearance from 18:47 hours after all safety checks were conducted.  CSMIA promptly responded to the situation with support from multiple stakeholders. Exemplary timely response from Regulatory bodies, Airports Authority of India-ATC, CISF, Airside Operations, Aerodrome Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) team, MIAL Medical Team, Ground Handling Agencies and Mumbai Fire Brigade ensured swift execution of rescue operations resulting in zero casualties, securing the airside with immediate removal of debris and safeguarding the well-being of all passengers and restoration of normal operations in peak hours.

DGCA stated that there were six passengers and two crew members on board. No casualties have been reported. 

As per the officials, three people were injured and taken to hospital.

14/09/2023 Mid Day

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Ayodhya airport may be a reality before Ram temple inauguration in January

Lucknow: e sleepy town of Ayodhya is likely to get its first international airport before the inauguration of Ram temple in January next year.

The Maryada Purushottam Shriram International Airport will witness the completion of its first phase, costing nearly Rs 400 crore, by October 2023. Commercial flights will start in November or early December 2023, according to sources.

Spread across 821-acre, the airport will connect the temple town in the initial stages with about four cities -- including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Later, more flights and destinations will be added, thus paving the way for the temple town to be transformed into a tourism hotspot in the subcontinent.

Ayodhya, the mythological birthplace of Hindu deity Ram, is a holy place and has immense potential to boost religious tourism.

The airport is equipped to handle commercial flights in different weather conditions and the construction of the 2,200-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runaway, as well as the air traffic control tower is complete.

13/09/2023 Virendra Singh Rawat/Business Standard

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‘Airport sees 46% growth in cargo volume’

Lucknow: After registering an increase in passenger traffic, Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) has recorded 46% growth in cargo movement.

Around 1,900 tons of goods were moved via airport last month as compared to 1,300 tons in August 2022.

Even for the April-August 2023 period, the cargo tonnage increased by 33% to 8,400 tons as compared to 6,300 tons in the same period previous year.

Speaking on the cargo volume growth, CCSIA spokesperson said, “Lucknow airport is gradually becoming a cargo hub as exporters from Kanpur and other neighbouring cities have started moving their items via CCSIA.”

“At present, readymade garments, meat, fruits, and vegetables are a major part of exported goods. While for domestic sectors e-commerce, mobile phones, auto parts and general cargo are major contributors for growth of cargo volume from Lucknow Airport in August 2023,” said the spokesperson.

13/09/2023 Times of India

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Agra airport to be upgraded as UP cabinet approves expansion proposal

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal to expand the proposed civil enclave project in Agra and upgrade it to an international category on the lines of Noida and Ayodhya.

A total of 19 proposals were presented in the cabinet meeting, out of which 15 were approved. One of these was a proposal to upgrade the civil enclave being built in Agra to an international category.

Under the proposal, the cabinet authorised a sanction of Rs 123.59 crore for the purchase of additional proposed land of 37.4336 hectares (about 92.50 acres) for the development of Agra Airport.

Apart from the financial approval for the project, the cabinet also approved the expenditure on work related to displacement and reconstruction of assets of various government departments present in the project area to be borne by the concerned departments from their budget.

These government departments will transfer their land and assets to the Civil Aviation Department free of cost.

It is expected that funds will be released soon for the additional land to be acquired. Three villages – Dhanauli, Abhaypura and Balhaira – fall within the limits of the proposed civil enclave, from which about 100 acres of land is to be acquired. Apart from government land, compensation at four times the circle rate will be given to the farmers for whatever private land will be acquired.

The Agra airport project is being undertaken under Gati Shakti Mission to complete the new civil enclave which has been pending for years.

13/09/2023 Siraj Qureshi/India Today

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AAI gets nod to install full-body scanners at 4 airports

To make security checks quicker and error-free at India's hypersensitive airports, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) received clearance from the Public Investment Board (PIB) to install full-body scanners that will cut down the passenger frisking time by half. These full-body scanners will be installed at four airports in the country including Kolkata, Chennai, Pune and Goa. In July, the government had floated a tender to procure 131 full-body scanners– that cut down the average passenger frisking time to 15 seconds from the current 30 and 600 new hand baggage scanners at over Rs 1,000 crore at airports run by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) but it was later withdrawn as it needed clearance from PIB.

Given that all the investment plans with an estimated cost of Rs 500 crores and more fall under the purview of PIB, the initial proposal was to install 131 full-body scanners and 600 new hand-baggage scanner machines at 43 airports that include Amritsar, Goa, Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Varanasi, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Raipur, Tirupati, Bhopal, among others at over Rs 1,000 crore at airports run by the AAI.

However, in a recent meeting between stakeholders involved in the safety and security of airports, it was decided that instead of going for the installation in one go as per the original plan, the PIB gave its nod for the installation of full-body scanners in the four airports that witness maximum footfall among all airports owned and managed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI). The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Home Affairs and others.

13/09/2023 ANI/ZeeBiz

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More transport options at SVPI for fliers

Ahmedabad: Adding to passsenger convenience at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport’s domestic terminal will be a dedicated cluster of transport options.

The airport operator has set up counters for passengers to book self-driven cars, prepaid taxis and auto rickshaws and cars rentals among others. Other than these transport options, passengers will also be able to use app-based cab services and rapid bus transport systems. 

13/09/2023 Times of India

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Cathay Pacific to resume direct flights between Chennai and Hong Kong

Hong Kong-based international airline Cathay Pacific is all set to resume operations of its non-stop weekly flights between Chennai and Hong Kong from February next year. 

According to a statement issued by the airline on Tuesday (September 12), Cathay Pacific is returning with its Boeing 777 aircraft after a hiatus of four years, ensuring a comfortable and premium travel experience for passengers between Chennai and Hong Kong.

The airline also highlighted that Chennai serves as an aviation hub that connects southern India to the rest of the world and the airline is gearing up to embark on a new chapter of connectivity, convenience, and customer satisfaction. 

These flight operations by the airline would serve as a gateway offering exceptional connectivity for business and leisure travelers via Hong Kong to other cities including the Greater Bay Area, the Chinese Mainland, the Southwest Pacific, North America and Northeast Asia.

It may be noted that these flights to Hong Kong would be operated from Chennai on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. In the return direction, the airline would fly from Hong Kong to Chennai on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Moreover, the configuration of seats comprises – 40 business class, 32 premium economy, and 296 economy class seating.

13/09/2023 Financial Express

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View of North runway from T2 of KIA: a sight for sore eyes

Bengaluru: Among the many attractions of Terminal 2 is the fabulous close view it offers of flights landing or taking off or just being parked on the North Runway. The Level 3 of the terminal, just near Gate 1 of the Departure Zone, is the perfect spot to view it. 

Anytime one visits the place, visitors and flyers are spotted ambling around and keenly watching the aircraft starry-eyed or clicking pictures.

A fleet of Indigo aircraft can be spotted parked on this side. When this reporter visited the spot, an Eithiopian Airlines flight was stationary while an Air Asia flight was landing and an IndiGo flight was preparing to take off making for a very colourful sight. 

Almost everyone who reaches this spot tries to capture a selfie with a flight as the background. Among them was S K Chellaiyan, a businessman, who was thoroughly excited. He was spotted making a video call and showcasing the fleet of aircraft to his relatives in Coimbatore. Gasps of admiration could be heard from those viewing it too.

“Just this spot could emerge as a big draw for Bengaluru. I travel extensively and have visited eight airports within India. Even in smaller airports like Pune or Madurai, we do not get such a close-up view of all flights. It is simply amazing,” he told TNIE.

Sanjana, a B.Com student along with her parents and siblings had come to see off her sister.

“I have never seen flights at such a close range. It is so thrilling to watch them take off and land like this,” she said.

Homemaker Shobha N, spotted viewing it said, “This is very nice. I am seeing such a sight for the first time.”

13/09/2023 S Lalitha/New Indian Express

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Bengaluru airport's Terminal 2 begins international flight operations

Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru commenced its international operations at Terminal 2 (T2) on Tuesday at 10.15 am, with the arrival of Saudi Airlines' flight SV866 from Jeddah.

IndiGo was the first Indian carrier to start international operations from T2 with its flight 6E1167 to Colombo.

While Terminal 2 at the Kempegowda International Airport will handle both international flights and domestic flights of AirAsia, Air India, Star Air and Vistara, Terminal 1 will serve as the operational hub for domestic flights of IndiGo, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, and SpiceJet.

The garden-themed terminal was formally inaugurated in November 2022. Terminal 2 can reportedly accommodate 25 million passengers per year.

13/09/2023 Sagay Raj/India Today

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Air India starts Project Abhinandan at 16 airports including Pune

Pune: Air India has rolled out ‘Project Abhinandan’ aimed at providing personalised and hassle-free on-ground experience to Air India guests at 16 airports including Pune.

As part of the project, Air India has deployed specially trained Service Assurance Officers at these airports, who will offer on-ground assistance across airport touchpoints to Air India guests who may require it – at check-in area or lounges, near the boarding gates, during transit, or at the arrival hall.

The airports include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Calicut, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Varanasi and Vishakhapatnam.

Air India’s Service Assurance Officers are trained to sense passenger concerns at airports and will be placed at strategic touchpoints to proactively engage with guests, provide support, or troubleshoot any issues. They are also trained to address unforeseen issues such as missed flights, delayed baggage delivery and misconnections at airports, among others.

Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience & Ground Handling Officer, Air India, said, “Airport experiences can be daunting for many air travellers, despite how frequently one travels. ‘Project Abhinandan’ is our sincere effort to simplify the airport experience for our guests and make a meaningful difference to their overall travel experience, and more broadly, to make them feel at ease and welcomed when they fly with us.”

13/09/2023 Joy Sengupta/Times of India

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T2 of Bengaluru airport commences international operations

The landing of a Saudia Airlines flight from Jeddah marked the shifting of all international operations at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to Terminal 2 on Tuesday. The flight, SV866, landed at the terminal at 10.15 am.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of the airport, said IndiGo was the first Indian carrier to start international operations from T2, with its flight 6E1167 to Colombo scheduled at 12.10 pm.

Passengers on the flight which made the inaugural landing were welcomed with a Dollu Kunitha and Yakshagana performance at the terminal’s arrival area.

The first international departure from T2 was Saudia’s Bengaluru-Jeddah flight (SV867), scheduled at 11.50 am.

From Tuesday, T1 will serve as the operational hub for domestic flights operated by Indigo, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, and SpiceJet. BIAL said T2 will be dedicated exclusively to all international flights along with domestic flights operated by AirAsia,Air India, Star Air, and Vistara.

Hari Marar, MD and CEO of BIAL, said T2, with its modern infrastructure, efficient processes and diverse retail and dining options, aimed to “redefine the passenger journey”.

BIAL had originally announced August 31 as the date for shifting international operations to T2 but deferred it a day before the scheduled start. The garden-themed terminal was formally inaugurated in November last year. Spanning 255,661 sq m, T2 is equipped to handle 25 million passengers annually.

12/09/2023 Deccan Herald

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Malaysia Airlines to Start Amritsar Flights: Diaspora, FAI Welcomes Greater Connectivity

In a significant development for travelers hailing from Punjab and the global Punjabi diaspora, Malaysia’s leading carrier Malaysia Airlines is set to become the third Malaysia airline to offer direct flights connecting Amritsar with Kuala Lumpur.

This momentous development has been met with resounding enthusiasm from the FlyAmritsar Initiative, a prominent civil society advocacy dedicated to the development and expansion of Amritsar airport as a major regional and international gateway and the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), a non-profit organization committed towards sustainable growth of Amritsar.

In a press release Sameep Singh Gumtala, Global Convener and Yogesh Kamra, Convener (India) for the FlyAmritsar Initiative and Secretary Amritsar Vikas Manch shared that starting from November 8, Malaysia Airlines will initiate non-stop flights connecting Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (SGRDJIA) in Amritsar, Punjab. Presently, Batik Air operates three weekly direct flights while Air Asia X is poised to commence four weekly flights on this route from September 3 onwards.

According to the schedule available on its website, the airline will launch this route with two flights per week on every Wednesday and Saturday. The airline will deploy its 160-seater Boeing 737-800 aircraft for this route. Departing from KLIA at 6:50pm, the flight will land at SGRDJIA Amritsar at 10:10pm. The return flight will take-off from Amritsar at 11:25pm and arrive KLIA at 7:30am in the following morning.

12/09/2023 IANS/Punjab News Express

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Indian Rafale, Su-30 MKI Warplanes Set To Operate From World’s Highest Airfield Near China Border

With no signs of tensions easing between the two countries, India on September 12 laid the foundation of its highest airfield along the border. Once completed, it will be the closest air base to the India-China border on the Indian side.

The Indian and Chinese troops have practically been standing eyeball-to-eyeball along the border following the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. Since then, it has been downhill for the bilateral ties, with the tension between the two countries not abating anytime soon.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation of Nyoma Airfield in eastern Ladakh. With just 50 km short of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de-facto border between the two countries, the project will bolster the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) capabilities along the northern frontiers. The project is estimated to cost INR.218 crore.

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), BRO said, “BRO India will be constructing the World’s highest fighter airfield at Nyoma in Ladakh. Shilanyas of this project will be done by Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on September 12 23 from Devak Bridge in Jammu. Jai Hind! Jai BRO!! (sic)” 

Nyoma has a mud-paved Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) and is unfit for fighter operations. During the ongoing standoff with China, the ALG has proved critical to moving men and material. Chinook heavy lift helicopters, Mi-17 helicopters, and C-130J Special Operations aircraft have been operating from Nyoma to maintain the forward posts in the region.

Nyoma has immense strategic importance and plugs the critical gap between Leh airfield and the LAC, paving the way for swifter movement of men and material in the treacherous terrain. Man-portable air defense missiles Igla has already been deployed here. The IAF has been operating its latest Rafale fighter jets along with MiG-29s in the sector, and they were based in Leh.

12/09/2023 Ritu Sharma/EurAsianTimes

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DigiYatra marks highest 1-day use with 8.5k flyers

Kolkata: More than 37% passengers used DigiYatra, the paperless check-in and boarding services using facial recognition technology, this Sunday registering the highest single-day use since its launch in March this year. On Sunday, 22,800 passengers had flown out on airlines that have DigiYatra facility. Among them, 8,480 had used the face-recognition technology, airport officials said.

Currently, only flyers who enroll with DigiYatra — that allows paperless transit and enables flyers to skip queues at the entry and security check — are allowed entry into the domestic terminal through gate no 3. More flyers use gate no 3 because check-in counters of IndiGo Airlines that operates over 100 daily flights out of the city, are located nearby. At gates 1 and 2, flyers who use DigiYatra and those who don’t have separate entry channels. Since the imposition of restrictions at gate no 3, DigiYatra usage had shot up by more than 50%.

“The facility is a digital revolution in the field of air travel. In April, only 5% of flyers were using the service and in June, it climbed to 11%. But since the restriction imposition was made during the last week of July, more than 35% of passengers are found using the service on average during the first week of September,” said an airport official.

The system is currently in operation at Kolkata airport along with Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Varanasi and Vijayawada. Since its introduction, over 7 lakh passengers have used DigiYatra till date. The official said around 20% flyers are now using the DigiYatra service on their own. “Most of them are frequent flyers who have experienced the benefit of using the service. A flyer with the app takes less than 10-12 seconds to enter the terminal and even less to reach the frisking point at security check,” he said.

13/09/2023 Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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International operations to take off at KIA's T2 tomorrow

Bengaluru: Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will start international flight operations Tuesday morning, with Saudia Airlines' flight to Jeddah. The first international flight to touch down in the new terminal will be Oman Air from Muscat Tuesday afternoon.

International operations of 29 airlines, including Indian carriers IndiGo and Air India, will shift from T1 to T2 on Tuesday morning.

Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), the operators of KIA, decided on September 12 as the fresh date after it missed the earlier one - August 31 - owing to incomplete works at the terminal.

KIA sources said Saudia flight SV 867 will take off from T2 at 11.50am to Jeddah, making it the first international flight from the terminal. Oman Air flight WY 283 from Muscat is set to be become the first arriving international flight when it lands at 2.05pm. However, flights and timings could change on Tuesday depending on weather and other factors, sources said.

11/09/2023 Times of India

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KIA’s Terminal-2 will handle both international and domestic flights

Terminal-2 (T-2) of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), which is scheduled to commence international operations from Tuesday onwards will also be handling domestic flights.

Flight operations at T-2 from 10.45 a.m. onwards on Tuesday includes all international flights as well as domestic flights operated by four airlines which are AirAsia, Air India, Star Air, and Vistara.

Meanwhile, Terminal-1 will only be handling domestic flights operated by Akasa Air, Alliance Air, Indigo, and SpiceJet.

“T-2 will have a dual operation of both international and domestic,” said an official.

T-2 was initially set to commence its international operations on August 31. However, a day before international operations were to start at T-2, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) announced that the proposed shifting of International operations to T-2 had been postponed.

“The last-minute decision was taken during the final preparedness review in order to provide an optimal and seamless transition for our passengers,” BIAL had said.

It later announced that international operations would start from September 12. 

11/09/2023 Hindu

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BRO to construct world's highest fighter airfield in Ladakh's Nyoma

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will construct the world's highest fighter airfield in the Nyoma region of Ladakh, an official statement said on Sunday.

BRO said that the foundation stone of the project will be laid by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Devak Bridge on September 12.

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), BRO said," BRO India will be constructing World's highest fighter airfield at Nyoma in Ladakh. Shilanyas of this project will be done by Hon'ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on 12 Sep 23 from Devak Bridge in Jammu. Jai Hind! Jai BRO!!"

Earlier, Border Roads Organisation chief Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry said that India will beat China in the next two to three years as the Narendra Modi-led NDA government is proactively working towards developing infrastructure along the 3,488 Km stretch of the Line of Actual Control.

11/09/2023 ANI/ET Infra

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New Rajkot International Airport officially commences operations

The new Rajkot International Airport in Gujarat officially commenced its flight operations on Sept 10, marking a significant development in the region's air travel infrastructure.

The old Rajkot Airport ceased its commercial operations from the night of September 8 after the final flight took off from there.

Budget airline IndiGo has transitioned its services to the new Rajkot International Airport, from where scheduled flights will now arrive and depart.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has shut down the former Rajkot Airport as the new greenfield airport became fully operational. During this transition, officials and equipment from the old airport were relocated to the newly established Rajkot International Airport.

Situated on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway, the new airport is 30 km away from Rajkot City and the former Rajkot Airport. The state government introduced a daily bus service from the ST bus stop to the new airport, with departures commencing at 6 a.m. and continuing every two hours. 

With a built-up area of 23,000 square metres (excluding the basement), the new terminal can accommodate up to 1,800 passengers simultaneously.

11/09/2023 Gujarat Samachar

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Toilet stink hits flyers at Pune airport when they disembark

Pune: Nishant Khanna recently came from Delhi to Pune on a business trip and was taken aback by the foul smell seconds after he stepped into the Pune airport building from the runway. "It was emanating from the washroom and followed me till the exit gate. It totally put me off from using the washroom even though I wanted to. I went to the Aero Mall and used their facility," he said.

There have been frequent complaints about poor upkeep of washrooms at the Pune airport. Flyers also said that there is no consistency in the cleanliness of the facility.

"I would not say that the washrooms are never clean, however most of the time, there is a foul smell in the facility. The housekeeping staff is constantly at work there but something seems amiss in terms of hygiene. The authorities need to seriously look into this," frequent flyer Karthik Angekar said.

Pune, with its IT, manufacturing and educational hub status, has a high demand for air services is high. At present, the Pune airport has a footfall of around 23,000 passengers each day and at least 183 daily flight movements.

There are two security hold areas, in addition to the one for international flights. The washrooms tend to get dirty during the peak hours in the mornings and in the late evenings.

10/09/2023 Times of India

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Upcoming airport to connect Ayodhya with Delhi, 3 other cities

Lucknow: Ayodhya’s upcoming Maryada Purushottam Shriram International Airport will be directly connected with the national capital and three other major cities of the country.

Airport director Vinod Kumar said, “The first phase of Ayodhya airport operation, which is set to kick-start in November, will connect the city with Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.”

Ayodhya district magistrate Nitish Kumar said, “The airport is being constructed in three phases. We have acquired 821 acres of land for the project.”

“In the first phase, the runway construction has been completed. The airport has capability to handle all-weather, day and night aircraft operations. The construction of the ATC tower has also been completed.”

A few weeks ago, the Airports Authority of India conducted calibration of various components of the airport, including the instrument landing system, that includes localiser, glidepath, marker, etc.

10/09/2023 Times of India

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Ayodhya Airport To Begin Flight Operations From November 2023

Flights from the Maryada Purshottam Sri Ram International airport in Ayodhya will begin from November to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Later, flight operations will be extended to other cities as well.

Vinod Kumar, director of the Ayodhya International airport, said, “Flights for Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad will be made operational from November. Later, flights for other cities will also be made operational depending on demand.”

Ayodhya District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said the runway for phase one of the airport has been constructed and 78 per cent work of the terminal building of the airport has also been completed. The airport will have a night landing facility, the district magistrate said.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is executing the Ayodhya airport project at breakneck speed. The airport is coming up on 821-acre land and the project is estimated to cost Rs 320 crore. The airport will have a parking facility for 24 airplanes.

Initially, small aircraft having seating capacity for 60 passengers will land at the airport. By the time the final phase of the airport is completed by 2025, it will be ready to land Boeings.

10/09/2023 ZeeNews

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Rajkot International Airport takes flight; IndiGo shifts operations

The Rajkot International Airport in Gujarat has officially commenced its flight operations on September 10. Meanwhile, the old Rajkot Airport has ceased its commercial operations, with the closure beginning on September 8 night.

Budget airline IndiGo will now operate all its services from Rajkot International Airport, with scheduled flights arriving and departing from this new facility. The last flight from the old Rajkot Airport took off on September 8.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has closed down the previous Rajkot Airport as the new greenfield airport becomes operational. Officials and equipment from the old airport will be relocated to the new Rajkot International Airport as part of the transition to the new facility.

Situated on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway, the newly built airport is located 30 km away from Rajkot City and the erstwhile Rajkot Airport. To enhance passenger convenience, the state government will provide a bus service from the ST bus stop to Rajkot International Airport, with daily departures starting at 6 am and every two hours after that.

Rajkot International Airport, dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July, covers a total land area of over 2,500 acres and was developed at a cost of more than Rs 1,400 crore. The construction includes a runway, apron, and parallel taxi track, among other features.

This international airport is envisioned as a transportation hub for travellers departing from the state and heading overseas. Its terminal building, with a total built-up area of 23,000 sqm (excluding the basement), can handle up to 1,800 passengers during peak hours.

10/09/2023 Moneycontrol

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Gujarat: Rajkot International Airport starts functioning, IndiGo to operate all its services from here

New Delhi: Attention flyers! Gujarat’s Rajkot International Airport has commenced its flight operation from today onwards. The newly built airport is located on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway. It is 30 km away from the Rajkot City and the existing Rajkot Airport. For the convenience of passengers, the state government will operate bus service from ST bus stop to Rajkot International Airport daily, starting at 6 AM and at the interval of every two hours.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has closed down the existing Rajkot Airport. Earlier, the AAI has said that the airport will cease operations once the functioning of the new Greenfield airport starts. 

IndiGo airlines will operate all its services from the Rajkot International Airport. In a statement, the airlines said, “Effective 10th Sep, all scheduled flights will arrive and depart from Rajkot International airport.” The last flight from Rajkot Airport took off on September 08, 2023.

The greenfield airport was dedicated to the nation on July 27, 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has been developed in a total land area of more than 2,500 acres and at a cost of more than Rs 1,400 crores. It includes construction of Runway, Apron, Parallel Taxi Track etc.

The Rajkot International Airport has been envisioned as a transportation hub for people traveling abroad from the state. With a total built-up area of 23,000 sqm (excluding basement), the terminal building of this international airport will be able to handle 1,800 passengers during peak hours.

10/09/2023 Anish Mondal/Financial Express

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Pune : New airport terminal to be operational from October 2023

Pune: The power supply to the newly constructed terminal building at Pune airport has commenced and the testing of the facilities has been successful. It has given rise to talks of the new Pune Airport Terminal being operational from October 2023.

As per the information provided, the Prime Minister’s Office is overseeing the progress of the project. The airport administration has conducted a meeting with representatives of all airlines, requesting them to relocate their offices to the new terminal within the next eight to ten days. This development has increased the possibility of the new terminal becoming operational in October.

The existing terminal building at Pune airport has limited space, which has restricted the movement of aircraft and affected passenger facilities. During peak seasons, there is a significant influx of passengers, which puts a strain on the available amenities. Long queues of passengers are observed at various checkpoints, from security check-ins to baggage belts.

Therefore, the Airports Authority of India recognized the need to expand the airport and constructed a new terminal building at a cost of approximately Rs 525 crore, which includes five aerobridges. The new terminal building will provide several benefits, including the take-off and landing of 90 aircraft from the current terminal, accommodating 20,000 to 22,000 passengers daily.

09/09/2023 Pune Pulse

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IndiGo Airlines’ latest offering: Direct flight introduced between Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh – Know timings, frequency and how to book ticket

IndiGo airlines is set to launch direct flight connectivity between Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh. The move aims at boosting the accessibility within the country and thereby promoting ease of travel by offering additional flight options.

The new flight connecting the North Eastern state with the national capital will commence from October 02, 2023. This is going to be the direct flight between Delhi and Itanagar. Presently, the carrier operates two direct flights from Itanagar’s Donyi Polo airport. These are – Itanagar to Mumbai and Itanagar to Kolkata. Both of these flights commenced operations from the airport on November 28, 2022.

From Delhi, flight number 6E 5927 will depart at 09:10 hrs and will reach Hollongi at 12:00 hrs. On the return journey, flight number 6E 5928 will depart from Hollongi at 12:30 hrs and will reach the national capital at 15:25 hrs. The flight will operate four days a week – Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

This non-stop flight will enhance connectivity between two parts of the country. This will also boost the local economy by providing opportunities such as employment, trade, tourism etc. 

08/09/2023 Anish Mondal/Financial Express

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Statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda unveiled at Ranchi Airport

Ranchi: In a momentous occasion a remarkable statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda installed by Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) was unveiled at Ranchi Airport today.

The unveiling ceremony was graced by the presence of distinguished dignitaries, including Speaker of Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha, Rabindra Nath Mahto, Member of Parliament, Sanjay Seth, Aditya Sahu; Ms. Mahua Maji, Chairman of Coal India Limited (CIL), P M Prasad; Chairman and Managing Director of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Dr. B. Veera Reddy, along with esteemed Functional Directors and CVO of CCL.

Bhagwan Birsa Munda, a legendary freedom fighter and social reformer, continues to be a source of inspiration for generations. His contributions to the struggle for tribal rights and social justice have left an indelible mark on the history of India. The newly unveiled statue at Ranchi Airport serves as a lasting tribute to his legacy and an embodiment of his enduring spirit.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, P M Prasad CMD Chairman CIL expressed his gratitude to all those who attended the event. He stated, “Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s life and ideals continue to guide us in our commitment to fulfill the energy demands of the nation through sustainable mining practices. This statue symbolizes our reverence for his principles.

08/09/2023 News Riveting

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Landings at newest runway of Delhi airport likely only after summit

New Delhi: The wait for Delhi Airport's newest runway to start handling landings has got longer and now the same may happen only after the G20 Leaders' Summit.

Airports Authority of India, which provides air navigation services including Air Traffic Control, was hoping landings can start on this runway - commissioned this July and since then being used only for take offs - from September 7, just in time for the summit. There were issues with the new runway's Russian instrument landing system (ILS) and a team of engineers from that country were here trying to operationalise it.

An AAI spokesperson on Thursday told TOI the runway (29R/11L) is "not yet" being used for landings. "Runway 29R is being used as departures runway only as of now," the official said. He said landings may start from September 11.

To be sure, the delay in using this runway for landings will in no way affect aircraft movement at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which has four runways - including three that handle both arrivals and departures - for the summit.

08/09/2023 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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1,000 cops deployed at UP's Hindon Airport for security of G20 delegates

A thousand police personnel have been deployed for the security of delegates arriving for the G20 Summit at the Hindon Airport in the Uttar Pradesh district, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Personnel will also be deployed on rooftops of high-rise buildings adjoining the airport and residents of nearby villages have been asked to avoid terraces during the movement of delegates, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Trans Hindon) Shubham Patel told PTI.

He added that personnel have also been deployed on rooftops in these areas. A thousand personnel from the civil and traffic police have been deployed to look after the security of foreign delegates from the airport to the border with Delhi.

No heavy vehicles will be permitted to enter Delhi from Thursday evening. This plan will remain in force till the end of the G20 Summit, Patel added.

Light motor vehicles will not be allowed to ply towards Delhi during the movement of the delegates from Ghaziabad to Delhi. All heavy vehicles will move towards Delhi via the Eastern Peripheral Expressway and National Highway 9, he said.

In emergency cases, commuters may seek the help of traffic police personnel. Notices have been served to locals not to flout orders, Patel added.

07/09/2023 PTI/India Today

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Bookings resume for flights to Bengaluru, Hyderabad from Puducherry

Puducherry: After a lull of around three months, Puducherry airport is set to resume flight operations to Bengaluru and Hyderabad from October 2. SpiceJet initially suspended operations on the Bengaluru-Puducherry-Hyderabad route from June 13 to July 2 and diverted its 76-seater Q400 bombardier aircraft on a new and more profitable route. 

Puducherry Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister K Lakshminarayanan had written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia seeking the resumption of operations and extension of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) on the route. 

“While the flight occupancy on Hyderabad-Puducherry sector is around 80% on weekdays and 90%-95% on weekends, occupancy on the Puducherry-Bengaluru sector is below 50%,” sources in SpiceJet said. 

Though the route was initially covered for three years under RCS in 2017, it is no longer under the scheme. With no viability gap funding available, the burden of loss fell on airline operators. Bookings for the flights have resumed now.

Puducherry government’s plan to expand the airport has hit a roadblock as the Civil Aviation Ministry has expressed doubts about the viability. Hence, the land acquisition for the expansion has not materialised even though the Tamil Nadu government said it was ready to provide land. 

07/09/2023 New Indian Express

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Mumbai Airport Receives India's First Level 4 ACI Customer Experience Accreditation

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has achieved Level 4 accreditation from the Airports Council International (ACI). CSMIA now stands as one of only three airports globally to attain this recognition, and the second airport in the Asia-Pacific region to secure this certification. Further, the Mumbai Airport has become the first airport in India to receive the Level 4 ACI Customer Experience Accreditation.

The airport has introduced a slew of enhancements to elevate the passenger experience, encompassing streamlined processes, valet parking facilities, efficient security screening equipped with e-gates, enhanced navigation signage, video analytics for managing wait times in passenger processing and real-time flight information through digital displays. These improvements aim to minimize wait times, augment comfort, and facilitate smoother journeys for passengers.

Among the technological and operational developments, the introduction of FASTag at CSMIA has contributed to a smoother traffic management within the airport premises. CSMIA recently unveiled expansion of its Pre-Embarkation Security Check (PESC) facility.

With this infrastructure augmentation, CSMIA now has a total of 5,735 square meters of dedicated space for security screening as against 4,570 sq.m space earlier, and 328 square meters of newly created domestic transfer security check area. The PESC now provides for a contiguous processing area of approximately 2,075 square meters, making it one of the largest in the country.

07/09/2023 Zee News

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Upcoming int’l airport at Halwara 90% complete, to be ready by September 30

Ludhiana: The upcoming integrated civil enclave and cargo terminal at the Air Force Station in Halwara, which is one of the oldest frontline airbases of the Indian Air Force (IAF), close to Ludhiana, has been completed 90 per cent and will be ready by September 30, the government has confirmed.

After missing the sixth deadline of completion, which was fixed as August 30, allied works of the Rs 47-crore civil aviation project are now targeted to be completed by October 31, officials have said.

Even as the big ticket project has missed several deadlines, the construction of the interim terminal building has touched 85 per cent completion while the sub-station and toilet block was 90 per cent complete till date.

The development assumes significance as the Union Civil Aviation Ministry had recently assured to launch flights from here once the airport gets operational.

Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora told The Tribune on Monday that the ongoing construction work had already reached the advanced stage of completion with the overall progress of the mega project touching 90-per cent mark.

Arora, who reviewed the progress of the project, said the recent incessant rains had delayed the ongoing work after the construction site was waterlogged. “Now, the construction firm has sought one more month to meet the deadline beyond the earlier fixed target date of August 30,” he revealed.

He said the state government had so far released a sum of Rs 30 crore to complete the ongoing balance work of the upcoming international airport and the demand of balance funds had already been forwarded to the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) and the Civil Aviation Department, which had been mandated to jointly bear the financial burden.

Divulging the component-wise status, the Rajya Sabha MP said the construction of the interim terminal building had touched 85-per cent mark, sub-station 90 per cent, and toilet block had been completed 90 per cent. All these three components of the new airport were now scheduled to be completed by September 30.

07/09/2023 Nithin Jain/Tribune

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Dream of mini airport gets life in Chikkamagaluru

With the process of additional land acquisition getting kick-started, the hopes are rife on the construction of the mini airport (air strip) in Chikkamagaluru city, even though it might take several years from now.

The district administration has been preparing an estimate towards the cost of land acquisition. The government had announced the project of air strip in Chikkamagaluru in the annual budget of 2023-24. A runway of a minimum of 1,200 meter length and 150 meter width is required for the landing of an airplane with 20 seat capacity. A total of 140 acres of land will be required for the airstrip.

A 105-acre land in the name of the department of industries and another government land of 15 acres nearby, are currently earmarked for the project. A total of 120.2-acre land is available and the rest of the 19.21 acres of private land has to be acquired.

The process of the mini airport will be started by Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) if the district administration provides the required land.

The Managing Director of the Corporation has written to the Deputy Commissioner to submit an estimate of the cost needed to acquire the rest of the private land.

Earlier, an estimate of Rs 39 crore was prepared and submitted to the government to directly purchase the land. Now, the district administration has dropped the proposal for the direct purchase and has decided to acquire the land through land acquisition. An estimation is being prepared through the Assistant Commissioner.

The horticultural, agricultural and forest departments have been directed to evaluate the cost of the trees in the earmarked land. Once this process completes, an estimate will be ready towards the cost of the land to be acquired. The land acquisition process will begin if the necessary grants are released.

Still, a lot of time is required to prepare the estimation list, release of grants and land acquisition. 

Later, a Feasibility Report and a Detailed Project Report will be prepared by KSIIDC. After these processes are carried out, the construction of the mini airport might take several years. If the airplanes land in Chikkamagaluru, the tourism will get a boost, the local people say.

07/09/2023 Vijaykumar SK/Deccan Herald

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Vijayawada airport receives hoax bomb threat call

Vijayawada: Vijayawada International Airport received a bomb threat call late on Monday night, which turned out to be a hoax.

According to airport authorities, Air India ticketing counter received a call from an unknown male at about 9:35 p.m., stating that a bomb had been placed in the airport.

Later, he made two blank calls. The person subsequently called up the same Air India ticketing counter, saying it was wrong information and advised them not to panic. He even offered an apology for doing so.

However, airport authorities initiated all standard operating procedures to check the entire premises of the airport, with security personnel and the bomb disposal squad looking for the possible bomb.

During the period, a Delhi bound Air India flight was getting ready for departure. Airport authorities de-boarded all the passengers and thoroughly checked the aircraft. Passengers later boarded and the plane took off nearly one-and-a-half hour late, instead of the scheduled time of 9:10 p.m., according to Vijayawada International Airport director M. Lakshmi Kanth Reddy.

06/09/2023 Deccan Chronicle

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Hyderabad-Based Grene Robotics Unveils India's First AI-Powered Anti-Drone System

For the first time in the country, a state-of-the-art autonomous anti-drone system, powered by artificial intelligence, that can protect not just vital installations like nuclear installations and oil rigs but a wide area encompassing even an entire city, from multiple drones of any kind. This advanced full-spectrum drone security system capability was demonstrated live on the outskirts of Hyderabad by Grene Robotics, a deep-tech company specialising in providing AI-driven security solutions for defence, enterprise and government sectors.

Named Indrajaal, this is said to be not just India's but the world's only wide area Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS), that can provide a comprehensive and integrated security mechanism against moving threats that cannot be tackled with static defence systems. Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh, who served as deputy chief of Army Staff between 2014 and 2016, sees Indrajaal as a futuristic answer in India's security landscape for defence, public infrastructure and private sectors.

"We will never forget the June 27, 2021, drone attack on Jammu airport and the June 15 Galwan attack. At that time, we thought what solution do we have against the drone and swarm? Today Indrajaal has given us the answers and shown it is possible," the governor said.

Indrajaal's design uses a LEGO-block like combination mechanism that offers 12 unique layers of technology powered by artificial intelligence, said Kiran Raju, founder of Grene Robotics established 12 years ago.

05/09/2023 Uma Sudhir/BQ Prime

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Tripura: AAI Officials Meet Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury; Kailashahar Airport Set For Revival After 32 Years

Agartala: In a significant development, the Tripura government has embarked on a mission to breathe new life into the long-abandoned Kailashahar Airport in Unakoti district. After years of neglect, this strategic move aims to revitalize regional connectivity and boost the local economy.

The revival efforts kicked off on August 1 when State Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury visited the derelict Kailashahar Airport. During his visit, Minister Chowdhury engaged in extensive discussions with local Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and high-ranking officials. The primary agenda of these talks was charting a path for the airport’s reactivation.

On September 4, a high-level delegation from the Airport Authority of India, a body operating under the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India, descended upon the Kailashahar Airport. The delegation comprised operational experts and a technical team, totaling eleven representatives, including three from Delhi, three from Guwahati, and five from Agartala.

Today, following a courtesy call with Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, the delegation convened an essential meeting at the State Secretariat. The discussions encompassed various critical aspects related to air services, with a strong focus on the reopening of Kailashahar Airport.

05/08/2023 Abhijit Nath/North East Today

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Karnataka’s Shivamogga Airport to provide job opportunities to farmers?

The farmers who gave away their land for the construction of the Shivamogga airport at Soogane, Karnataka, are now asking the Karnataka government to provide jobs at the airport to their family members, The Hindu reported.

As per the report, around 400 families had given their land for the airport. The flight operations began at the airport on August 31.

President of Sogane Bhoomi Hakku Horata Samiti, M B Krishnappa, said that so far none of the farmers’ families had been offered a job inside the airport. “We placed our demand before the officers, the district administration, and the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation,” he said.

The farmers were disappointed by remarks that the two persons, who were felicitated, were non-farmers. Krishnappa and Govindaraj had been felicitated as representatives of people who gave up their land for the project.

Krishnappa said that he is a farmer and gave up two acres and 18 guntas for the airport. “I have records. Similarly, Govindaraj’s father gave up two acres and 20 guntas. We are hurt by comments made by some people during the programme,” he added. He further urged the district administration to take action against those who made remarks.

04/09/2023 Financial Express

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Kolkata-Sikkim daily flight operations to start on September 15

Siliguri: Daily flight operations from Kolkata to Pakyong in Sikkim will start from September 15.

Sikkim's first greenfield airport at Pakyong has come back on the aviation map again after it resumed flight services to Delhi from Saturday following an extended hiatus. Pakyong airport director, Rajendra Grover, said the flight operations had commenced on March 14 and continued till June. On June 15, the flight to Pakyong had been diverted to Bagdogra due to inclement weather, after which the operations were stalled.

"The Delhi-Pakyong flight services are operational from Saturday. We will also operate Kolkata-Pakyong flight services from September 15. The Delhi-Pakyong flights will operate five days a week, except on Monday and Friday. The Kolkata-Pakyong flights will be operational on all days," said Grover.

The only airline operating at the Pakyong airport, SpiceJet, resumed services two and half months after it stalled operations from June15 due to operational constraints.

04/09/2023 Roshan Gupta/Times of India

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Dibrugarh Airport gets approval for runway restoration from Director General of Civil Aviation

Dibrugarh: The Dibrugarh Airport located at Mohanbari has got the approval from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for restoration of runway 05 threshold. The threshold was earlier displaced by 150 metres to facilitate completion of runway merging, which had also led to withdrawal of ILS facility. Now the merger of extended runway has been completed and with this restoration now, the pre-existing runway length of 1830 metres will be made available again and the ILS facility can be operationalized.

AAI is providing new and upgraded ILS facility corresponding to 2290 metre runway length, for which most of the infrastructural works have been completed. Installation, testing, optimization and commissioning of the same is expected to be completed by March 2024, after which the extended runway length of 2290 metres can be operationalized along with new ILS and category I approach lighting system.

04/09/2023 Sentinel 

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Bio-chemical threat lessons for airport emergency team

Bhopal: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a three-day training on ‘CBRN emergency management’ for airport emergency handlers.

Officials said that the purpose of the training was to provide basic knowledge and skills to identify chemical and biological threat agents, to manage casualties of chemical and biological agent exposures and to deliver basic life support in emergencies. Besides the theoretical part, the training also conducted of a practical component.

CBRN agents are hazardous materials either naturally occurring or artificially produced. Officials said that many CBRN agents are invisible which makes them difficult to detect. These types of agents could create mass casualty and vastly disrupt the society by causing illness or even death.

The gathering was informed that the CBRN agents are dangerous and it must be contained and isolated as soon as possible

03/09/2023 Times of India

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4% flights departing from SVPI airport face delays

Ahmedabad: A delay is likely for 14 of every 100 flights departing from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahmedabad. Estimates on the on-time performance of flights provided by airport sources privy to the development revealed that 14% of flights departing from the city airport were delayed in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023-24. "This is about three percentage points lower than the preceding quarter, when 17% of flights were delayed," a source told TOI.

For different airlines, the on-time performance (OTP) ranges from 70% to 97%, indicating a delay of 3% to 30%, said airport sources.

According to the OTP data provided by the city airport operator, Alliance Air (70%), Air India (70%), SpiceJet (80%), and Star Air (80%), accounted for most delays. On the other hand, IndiGo, which operates the highest number of flights at the city airport, posted a 90% on-time performance.

"Akasa Air and Vistara had 97% and 95% OTP, reflecting minimal delay. Akasa Air was among the domestic airlines that was recently awarded by the SVPI airport operator for better performance," a source told TOI. "In most cases, a delay is reported due to bad weather conditions in addition to technical glitches. Incoming flights getting delayed due to operational issues including occasional server failures and crew availability are among common reasons for departure delays. These were particularly high in June because of heavy rainfall and cyclonic conditions in parts of Gujarat," the source added.

According to airport sources, several other aspects also impact the OTP of flights. "These include delays by the air traffic controller (ATC) in giving take-off clearances to flights. Many a time, flights are also delayed if they're transiting from or to busier airports like Delhi and Mumbai, where air traffic is significantly high and clearances take time," said a well-placed source with an airline.

02/09/2023 Niyati Parikh/Times of India 

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Flights from Jaipur to connect seven new destinations soon

New Delhi: Here’s some good news for domestic flight travellers. According to authorities, direct flights to seven additional domestic destinations would likely begin from Jaipur International Airport in the winter schedule. According to him, airlines including as Indigo and SpiceJet have shown interest in launching additional routes to Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Jaisalmer, Bhopal, and Patna.

Jaipur is well-known for its beauty and for its unusual straight-line layout. Its buildings are mostly rose-coloured, earning it the nickname “pink city.” The City Palace, Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century open-air observatory that was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010, Hawa Mahal, Ram Bagh Palace, and Nahargarh, the Tiger Fort, are the main structures. A museum and a library are among the other public structures.

According to the official, as reported by NDTV, new air routes like as Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Jaisalmer, and Bagdogra are highly significant in terms of tourism, and having direct access to these will improve the local tourist sector. Direct service to Bhopal and Patna was previously announced in the ‘summer timetable,’ but Indigo was unable to function owing to a technical issue. The airline will now begin flights on both routes during the winter season.

02/09/2023 Saket Tiwari/News Nine

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Assam: Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh cleared for runway restoration by DGCA

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted approval for the restoration of runway 05 threshold for Mohanbari Airport. This restoration paves the way for the revival of the pre-existing runway length of 1830 meters, along with the reinstatement of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) facility, greatly enhancing the airport's operational capabilities.

Previously, the threshold had been displaced by 150 meters to accommodate the merging of the runway, which resulted in the suspension of the ILS facility. However, with the successful completion of the runway merger project, the airport is now poised for substantial improvements in its infrastructure.

The restoration of the runway threshold will not only bring back the original 1830-meter runway but also enable the reactivation of the ILS facility, a critical component for ensuring the safety and efficiency of flights. This development is expected to boost the airport's capacity and enhance its appeal to both airlines and passengers.

Additionally, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been actively working on providing a new and upgraded ILS facility tailored to the 2290-meter runway length. Most of the necessary infrastructural work has already been completed, setting the stage for the installation, testing, optimization, and commissioning of the system. The entire process is slated for completion by March 2024.

02/09/2023 India TodayNE

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Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Inaugurates Utkela Airport In Odisha

On August 31, 2023, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, accompanied by Gen Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd), Minister of State for Civil Aviation, marked a significant milestone with the inauguration of Utkela Airport in Odisha. This development comes as part of the ambitious UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity across India.

The key highlight of this inauguration is the introduction of a direct flight route between Utkela and Bhubaneshwar. This air link promises to strengthen regional connectivity and stimulate economic growth within the region.

Travel between Utkela and Bhubaneshwar will now be remarkably efficient, with the flight covering the distance in just one hour and twenty minutes. Minister Scindia emphasized that this improved connectivity would catalyze economic activities and create employment prospects in the area.

To facilitate this crucial air link, nine-seater Cessna C-208 aircraft will be deployed. Utkela Airport boasts a well-designed runway with a length of 917 meters (2,995 feet) and a width of 30 meters, ensuring safe and efficient operations.

02/09/2023 Piyush/Adda24|7

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Civil Enclave to come up near Ambala Air Force Station

Ambala: With the Haryana Government likely to get possession of a 20-acre defence land adjacent to the Air Force Station in Ambala Cantonment next week, the wait for a civil enclave, which has been hanging fire since 2018, is expected to end soon.

The government today also accorded administrative approval to release over Rs 133 crore to the Defence Estate Officer, Ambala, for the purchase of the defence land from the Ministry of Defence for the establishment of the civil enclave.

In December 2018, the civil airport project was approved under the Udan 3.0 scheme by the Centre.

In 2019, routes of Srinagar and Lucknow were awarded to an airlines by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the flights were expected to start from July 15, 2020, but it did not happen.

Later, land next to the Air Force Station was identified for the terminal, and in 2021, Rs 40 crore was approved by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for the construction of a domestic terminal.

In June, the Ministry of Defence had given approval for the transfer of land, for which Rs 133 crore were sought from the Haryana Government. The runway of the Air Force will be used for the project.

02/09/2023 Ambala/Tribune

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Delhi Police Releases Guidelines On How To Reach Airport During G20 Summit

In view of the upcoming G20 Summit, the Delhi Police has put in a few restrictions to ensure a smooth flow of traffic in the national capital. However, despite sharing the traffic advisory on social media handles, the Delhi Traffic Police (DTP) has still been receiving a lot of queries from the public about its traffic management plan for the summit being held from September 8 to 10. 

Now, in reference to this, the Delhi Traffic Police has shared guidelines for routes to be taken by flyers planning to head to Delhi airport during the G20 Summit. "What if, I have a flight on 08/09/10th September, 2023, and I have to reach IGI Airport during G20 Summit? Don't worry! Just follow the instructions in this video," the DTP wrote on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter). 

"My dear friend no need to worry, you can use the Metro services to go Airport from your nearest Metro Station," the officials informed in the clip. One can visit the official Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) website to check the exact Metro navigation for Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. 

"You can go anywhere in the Capital City by using Metro Service," the text on the clip read.

One can also use suggested road routes for the airport mentioned in the previously released traffic advisory. "Passengers should note that road journey towards IGI Airport will be affected from 0000 hours on the intervening night of 07 & 08.09.2023 to 2359 hours on 10.09.2023," it read. 

02/09/2023 NDTV

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'Keshod airport handled 13,324 passengers in a year'

Ahmedabad: An additional 205 acres of land are needed to accommodate A320 and B737 aircraft at Keshod airport, reported the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. In the fiscal year 2022-2023, the airport handled 13,324 passengers and saw 361 aircraft movements.

Keshod airport commenced operations in March 2022, and these statistics were provided in response to a query posed by Rajya Sabha member Parimal Nathwani.

The airport can currently handle 30,000 passengers annually. Nathwani emphasized the necessity for daily connectivity with larger aircraft at the airport, as it could cater to the needs of tourists visiting Somnath and Sasan Gir. He also stressed the "need to establish connectivity with Delhi and Mumbai to attract international tourists".

Regarding the 205 acres of land for expansion, Nathwani argued that the airport already possesses sufficient land and that the runway could be extended without acquiring more. The airport occupies 450.24 acres, negating the need for further land acquisition to extend the runway to 300m.

Nathwani had previously appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Civil aviation minister, leading to airport operations in 2022. In 2022, he had written to PM Modi, stating there was ample land within the airport premises to extend the runway to accommodate Boeing-type aircraft. The MP emphasized that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) did not require new land acquisitions. He called for simultaneous expansion of the runway along with the construction of a new terminal building and apron.

02/09/2023 Times of India

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AI at your service at airport T2

Bangalore: The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) will now be assisting with issues such as unattended luggage and monitoring queues with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the recently launched Terminal 2. Currently, AirAsia, Air India, Star Air and Vistara are providing their services in Terminal 2 as it is yet to commence international operations alone.

Nvidia Corporation, an American multinational technology company in a blog post on August 30, said, “A member of the NVIDIA Metropolis vision AI partner ecosystem, Industry.AI has deployed its vision AI platform across Bengaluru’s newest terminal, T2, known as the garden terminal for its green spaces, indoor gardens, and waterfalls. It’s one of the first deployments of intelligent video analytics at scale in an Indian airport.” The post further explained that Industry.AI platform enables connection between more than 500 live camera feeds across the Terminal 2 to vision AI technologies that have the ability to carry out various tasks in real-time.

02/09/2023 Bangalore Mirror

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Bengaluru Airport: International Flights To Operate From Terminal 2 Starting September 12

After postponing the proposed shift of international operations to Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, the BIAL has announced commencement of International operations at BLR Airport’s Terminal 2 starting September 12, 2023, from 10.45 am onwards. In a statement, the airport confirmed that the decision has been taken after careful evaluation and consideration of various factors, including regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and passenger convenience. Earlier, the shifting of International operations to Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru proposed on August 31, 2023, was postponed. 

Passengers travelling on Singapore Airlines flight SQ508/SQ509 between Singapore and Bengaluru will be the first to experience the international zone of the new terminal. IndiGo will be the first Indian carrier to start international operations in T2, with its flight 6E1167 to Colombo. Terminal 2 will facilitate 30 to 35 daily international departures on 27 airlines (25 International and 2 Indian).

"After consultation with regulatory authorities and other stakeholders, BIAL is pleased to announce the commencement of International operations at BLR Airport’s Terminal 2 on 12th September 2023, from 10.45 am onwards. This decision has been taken after careful evaluation and consideration of various factors, including regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and passenger convenience.

We are committed to ensuring a seamless transition for our passengers and will be taking all necessary measures to facilitate a smooth relocation of international operations to the new facility in close coordination with our Airline partners. We appreciate your continued support and understanding,” said BIAL in statement. 

The Kempegowda International Airport earlier announced to shift all its international operations from Terminal 1 to newly inaugurated Terminal 2 from August 31, 2023. However, due to lack of clearance from security agencies, the shifting was postponed. 

01/09/2023 ZeeNews

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Airport major GMR seeks opportunities in Greece, eyes Kalamata Airport

New Delhi: Infra major GMR Group on Friday said it "was actively looking for new investment opportunities in Greece". The airport major is developing a greenfield airport at Crete in Greece in partnership with GEK TERNA and wants to expand its presence in the country which it sees as 'gateway to Europe for Indians', — especially Kalamata Airport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was recently in Greece, the first visit by an Indian PM to the country in four decades. PM Modi and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis had elevated the bilateral relationship to 'strategic partnership'. GMR's business chairman (energy & international airports) Srinivas Bommidala was part of the business leaders at a luncheon hosted by the Greek PM in Modi's honour. Bommidala said: "Greece has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to foreign investors like us from India … GMR is passionately exploring investment opportunities in the country, notably at Kalamata Airport."

Heraklion International Airport (HER) in Crete is Greece's second busiest after Athens Airport. In collaboration with GEK Terna, GMR has undertaken a Rs 6,000-crore project to build a greenfield airport project in Crete which is expected to commence operations by February 2027.

01/09/2023 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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