India to help develop Palali airport

The Indian Government has agreed to assist Sri Lanka in the development of the Palali airport in Jaffna and the Kankesanthurai Port.
Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha conveyed this decision to Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne when he called on the Prime Minister to congratulate him on his assumption of office and have discussions yesterday.
A press release by the Prime Minister's office said the Indian Government always desired to widen economic, social and cultural ties with Sri Lanka at all times. India was also willing to assist Sri Lanka in its resettlement program in the North.
30/04/10 Daily News, Sri Lanka

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Airline crewmembers put pyramids before passengers

The harried passengers had literally been stood up by an Air India airline crew in Cairo, for 16 hours on end -- all because the crew members wanted to see the great pyramids of Egypt.
Several international flights were disrupted or delayed over the past few weeks due to volcanic ash from Iceland clouding up European skies. Recently, an Air India flight, which was originally scheduled from Mumbai to Toronto, had to be diverted to Frankfurt via Cairo. However, on April 15, when the Boeing 777 landed at Cairo airport, fliers had little idea of what was in store for them.
After waiting for a few hours, the passengers initially thought there was a technical snag. However, they were surprised to note that the pilot was there in his seat, but the seven-member crew from Cairo that was supposed to board the flight was missing. To add to their shock, they learnt that the missing members were actually sight seeing, which was why they could not return in time for the flight's onward journey.
30/04/10 Vikas Mishra/MiD DAY

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Air India opposes Kingfisher-BA deal

New Delhi: Air India has thrown a spanner in Kingfisher Airline’s proposed marketing alliance with British Airways on domestic network. The national flag carrier has written to the government not to allow the tie up, arguing that any such move will hurt its commercial interests. Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher is keen to partner with British Airways on the domestic network, an alliance that could give the cash-starved carrier some breather.
The agreement will allow Kingfisher to book a British Airways passenger even on a domestic leg, like Delhi-Chennai, under a code-share agreement. Alternatively, BA will be able to book a Kingfisher passenger on UK domestic route like London-Glasgow.
India currently allows the designated carriers of only two countries — France and the Netherlands — to share domestic networks in each other’s side. “The move to enter into a similar air service agreement with the UK would encourage other countries to place same requests,” an Air India official said.
Kingfisher has argued that the air service agreement between India and the UK allows the designated carriers from each side to operate flights beyond the two countries. The UK carrier currently operates 45 flights a week from London’s Heathrow to five Indian cities — Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Kingfisher operates daily service to London from Delhi and Mumbai. It had pulled out its maiden international flight to the British capital from Bangalore due to poor flight occupancy and mounting losses.
30/04/10 Nirbhay Kumar/Economic Times

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India, UK boost Dubai Airport passenger numbers in March

Dubai: High passenger volumes generated by aviation traffic to and from India, UK, Iran, Germany and Pakistan has helped Dubai airport register a 21.8 per cent jump in air travellers since March.
According to a statement released by Dubai Airports, the airport authorities, this rise takes the total to a record 3,968,672 in the month, compared to 3,259,072 during the same period the previous year.
Passenger numbers increased in March due to the worldwide economic recovery, capacity increases by Emirates throughout its network, new routes launched by flydubai along with additional frequencies and routes offered by other airlines operating by Dubai International, the statement said.
However, the detailed breakdown of passenger nationalities was not available.
In the statement, Dubai Airports said that during the first quarter of the year, Dubai's international passenger traffic grew 20.4 per cent, while cargo volumes rose 26.4 per cent.
Commenting on the figures, Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports, said: "The pace of the growth we're seeing is frenetic thanks to capacity increases, gradually improving economic conditions and rising consumer confidence.
"Although passenger numbers grew by 21.8 per cent, total aircraft movement rose just 9.6 per cent, indicating that load factors and average aircraft sizes had increased.
29/04/10 PTI/Economic Times

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Bravia Cap plans $40 million investment in SpiceJet

US investment fund Bravia Capital Partners has proposed to pump $40 million into SpiceJet, answering the country's second-largest low-cost carrier's call for funds to expand operations.
The SpiceJet board will meet this week to discuss the proposal, said a person with direct knowledge of the development, adding that the investment will be effected through a mix of shares and warrants.
If the investment is approved, the New York-based fund that has interests in the aviation sector and is engaged in aircraft financing will have a nominee on the SpiceJet board, he said.
SpiceJet chief commercial officer Samyukth Sridharan told ET NOW that the company does not comment on market rumour and speculation. Bravia Capital did not respond to emailed queries.
The budget airline has been scouring the market long for funds. It had appointed Edelweiss Capital in February to help raise up to $75 million from investors for fleet induction and expansion on international routes.
29/04/10 Mohit Bhalla/Economic Times

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Gopinath cuts costs, sends expats home

Bangalore/Mumbai: Domestic low-fare aviation pioneer G.R. Gopinath has taken the shears to his cargo airline, cutting costs by shedding expatriate employees at the company that recently sold a stake to Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).
The expat employees let go include Jude E. Fonseka, chief executive of Gopinath’s Deccan Cargo and Express Logistics Pvt. Ltd. Fonseka is a Sri Lankan settled in Australia.
RIL, India’s most valuable company by market value, bought a stake put at anywhere between 26% and 50% in the company that runs freighters under the Deccan 360 brand for an undisclosed amount, it announced on 16 April.
Fonseka, who used to work for FedEx Corp., will be retained as a consultant. He was hired to turn Deccan Cargo, which started cargo flights in May, into an Indian version of the global logistics provider.
Gopinath, chairman of Deccan Cargo, told Mint that senior expatriates had quit the company at intervals as contracts had ended.
“We had seven-eight expats at senior management. Now, we have no expats at the company,” he said. “However, Fonseka is now a full-time consultant at Deccan 360.”
Gopinath, who founded India’s first low-fare carrier Air Deccan (later sold to Kingfisher Airlines Ltd), said expatriates had to be paid top salaries and that local executives had been trained to fill those roles.
Fonseka declined to elaborate on his move.
28/04/10 K. Raghu and P.R.Sanjai/Live Mint

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Kandahar to kick off from June 13

Major Ravi directed movie Kandahar will start rolling from June 13. It cast Mohanlal playing the lead role as Major Mahadevan along with Amitabh Bachchan and Suniel Shetty playing side roles. Mohanlal is currently busy with his Shikari shooting.
Amitabh Bachchan in his blog wrote that he will be doing the film free of cost. He said that he would be doing a guest appearance in the film and the shooting is only for three days. So he won't be charging any money.
It was earlier reported that Mohanlal, Amitabh Bachchan and Surya will be seen together in the film directed by Major Ravi. But later news was heard that Surya backed out from the film due to date issues and that Mohanlal and Major Ravi are in search of another actor. Finally the lucky draw went for Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty.
29/04/10 Gayathry V Pillai/One India

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Exporters hit by freight rate hike

Mumbai: Exporters would now have to pay more for their shipments as most airlines, including state-run Air India, have raised freight rates between 15 and 30 per cent for both general cargo and perishables.
This has further squeezed their margins, which were already under pressure due a penalty they are paying for delays due to the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland.
Air India, Indian Airlines, Emirates, Jet Airways, British Airways, Kingfisher, KLM, Gulf Air and Air Arabia are picking the cargo of those exporters who are offering the highest freight per kg.
Air India sources confirmed revision in freight rates but refused to give details.
Exporters of fruits and vegetables are most concerned as they export 300 tonnes of goods daily, of which 150 tonnes is air cargo.
The fruit and vegetable exporters association has sought a 6 per cent packing credit line from the Centre along with transport assistance by way of subsidy. It has also requested airlines to reconsider their decision to raise freight rates.
28/04/10 Sanjay Jog/Business Standard

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Pilot error blamed for 2007 crash that killed 114

Nairobi, Kenya: An investigative report released Wednesday blamed pilot error for the 2007 crash of Kenya Airways flight in Cameroon that killed all 114 people on board.
The pilot of the Kenya Airways flight didn't notice the plane was banking right and when he did he turned farther right, triggering a downward spiral, the report found.
The crash of the Boeing 737-800 on May 5, 2007, occurred during a thunderstorm less than two minutes after take-off, but the report said weather did not likely cause the crash. Instead it blamed "spatial disorientation" by the pilot.
The report was posted early Wednesday on the website of the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority.
The report said the pilot didn't adhere to standard operating procedures, had poor situational awareness and "reacted inappropriately in the face of an abnormal situation."
No instrument scanning was done by the crew during the initial roll, and because it was night, the pilot had no visual references to correct the situation, the report said.
About 90 seconds into the flight, after the pilot notices the rightward drift, he says "we are crashing." Seconds later a young first officer mistakenly tells the pilot to turn right, before correcting himself and saying "left, left, left."
The plane crashed nine seconds later, a minute and 42 seconds into the flight.
The 114 people on board came from 26 nations, including an American AIDS expert who worked at Harvard University; business people from China, India and South Africa; Cameroonian merchants; a U.N. refugee worker from Togo; and Briton Anthony Mitchell, a Nairobi-based correspondent for The Associated Press.
Investigators at the time of the crash said the dive indicated that a violent gust of wind may have flipped the airliner over. But the investigation found that the pilot turned the plane to the right and into the fatal dive.
27/04/10 Associated Press/Fox News

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UAE balloon crash probe focuses on weather

Dubai: The investigation into Sunday’s deadly ballooning crash in the UAE has centred on windy weather conditions that forced the pilot to make an emergency landing, local daily the National reported.
“We mainly suspect the weather,” Saif al-Suwaidi, director general of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), was quoted as saying.
GCAA investigators were on Monday still collecting statements from witnesses and examining the crash site, the newspaper said.
Two people (including an Indian) were killed and several others injured, one seriously, in when a hot-air balloon with 14 people on board crashed near the city of Al Ain.
Peter Kollar, director of Balloon Adventures Emirates, has already said wind forced the balloon down, but maintained he or the pilots check weather forecasts every morning before flying and assess conditions prior to take off.
“The pilot waited for around 30 minutes for the wind to die down and then they had a normal take-off,” Kollar was quoted as saying in the National on Monday.
“There was an extremely strong and unexpected gust of wind about 10 minutes into the flight and the pilot had to make an emergency landing,” he added.
28/04/10 Maktoob News, UAE

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Kingfisher commences two new flights between UAE, India

Dubai: India's leading private air carrier Kingfisher Airlines has launched two new international flights connecting the UAE to New Delhi and Mumbai.
The new routes -- from Dubai to New Delhi, and Dubai to Mumbai, mean Kingfisher now operates 21 weekly flights between the UAE and India, the company said in a statement.
All flights on the new routes are being operated with Kingfisher Airlines' Airbus A320 fleet.
The flights on the Dubai-New Delhi route would include a dual-class cabin with five-star luxury on Kingfisher First and Kingfisher Class while the Dubai-Mumbai flight would include only the Kingfisher Class.
"I am delighted to announce the launch of the two new flights from Dubai to India," Vijay Mallya, the airline's chairman and chief executive officer said.
Kingfisher Airlines will be the only airline to operate from the UAE to Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore.
27/04/10 PTI/Economic Times

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Opposition’s Bharat bandh: Air, rail traffic disrupted

Kolkata: Total pandemonium is going on in some of the states due to the all India bandh called by the 13 non Congress and non BJP parties. Supporters of those parties are clashing with the police and public properties worth crores of rupees are being destroyed. Many trains have been cancelled and flights in various airports have been called off.
As the state of West Bengal is being ruled by the Leftists, this state is the worst hit. All the private airlines have cancelled their flights to and fro from Kolkata and no taxis or private cars are available at the airport.
Though Leftists have a good base in Kerala, flights have not been disrupted in the state. However, trains have been disrupted at various places and all schools, business establishments and educational institutional are closed.
Orissa is free from such problems as all trains and air traffic is normal.
27/04/10 JIT Mukherjii/DailyNews365

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Purulia arms drop case: CBI Director hopeful about Danish national's extradition

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Ashwani Kumar has said he is hopeful about securing the extradition of Danish national Kim Davy, the prime accused in the 1995 Purulia arms drop case.
Kumar noted that certain legal formalities are to be completed for the custody of Kim Davy.
"We are trying for his (Kim Davy's) extradition since 2002 and Denmark government has agreed for it. Diplomacy has also agreed. Only the legal process remains since Kim Davy has filed an application in a court there that he doesn't want to be extradited. India has given them all the guarantees but now we'll have to fight the case because Kim Davy also has his rights and he doesn't want the extradition," said Ashwani Kumar.
"Thus, we will have to fight the case and hire a lawyer. We'll fight the case and we have good evidence and government of Denmark is with us and I am sure we'll be able to get him soon," he added.
The Interpol had recently informed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that the Denmark authorities have decided to extradite Purulia arms drop case mastermind Kim Davy aka Neils Holck to India.
CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal had said the Interpol would facilitate the extradition of Davy to India after receipt of documents formally from the Danish authorities though diplomatic channels.
27/04/10 ANI/one india

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BIAL best airport on Indian subcontinent

Airports from rapidly growing destinations around the world have been awarded for their services in the inaugural Emerging markets Airports Awards on April 26.
The awards ceremony, which took place in Dubai, recognized the best places to fly to in the Middle East, Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe and parts of Asia, all areas that are experiencing significant growth in travel.
Tbilisi International Airport in Georgia took the prize for the best emerging airport in Russia CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), Eastern Europe, Baltic Republic, while Tunisia's Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport was judged the best in Africa.
Bangaluru International Airport, which opened only two years ago, was the best airport on the Indian subcontinent, while Abu Dhabi International was awarded Best Emerging Airport in the Middle East. In March, Abu Dhabi was deemed the "most improved airport" globally by consumer ratings site SkyTrax.
Dubai took several awards in the ceremony - Dubai International Airport was recognized as the most environmentally friendly airport in the world's emerging markets,
The awards organizers hope that the ceremony can provide a boost to airports operating in the region, which are often overlooked in favor of larger destinations.
27/04/10 Independant, UK

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Airport Show puts spotlight back on region's growth

Dubai: The 10th Airport Show in Dubai that ran from April 25-27, highlighted the growth potential of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia regions in the airports and aviation sector, and reiterated Dubai's standing as a premier destination for business negotiations in the region. The show attracted more than 4,700 attendees from 63 countries over three days.
"We are pleased with the results of this year's Airport Show that were reinforced with positive feedback from exhibitors and key industry leaders. The level of interest and engagement by the visitors at the event was outstanding," said Ara Fernezian, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions. "A highlight of the event was our Hosted Buyer Program which represented 54 executives in the process of equipping and upgrading infrastructure of over 30 airports' across the MENA and South Asia regions."
Global and regional exhibitors, buyers and pavilion leaders from Jordan to the UK called the 10th Dubai Airport Show a successful business event, and expressed their confidence in the Middle East as a leading region driving the aviation and airport industry.
Mr. S. Sittarasu, Marketing Manager, Maharashtra Airport Development Company states: "India is making remarkable progress in the aviation domain and has major plans for airport expansion and building a solid infrastructure equipped with the latest innovations. Investment of about 100 to 125 million US dollars is already in process at airports that are expanding the Maharashtra state in India."
"We are specifically looking for airport equipment such as ground security, surveillance, airway navigation and radar systems", said Mr. Sittarasu. "This exhibition provided us the opportunity to discover the latest products and services in the industry."
27/04/10 Zawya.om

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New investors may pick up stake in SpiceJet

Mumbai: About half a dozen fund houses have submitted proposals for a possible investment in India’s second largest low-fare carrier SpiceJet Ltd.
The proposals, also known as term sheets, come at a time when some of the airline’s investors are looking to exit their investment, said two persons with knowledge of the development. The Gurgaon-based airline, which is listed on the stock exchanges, is currently holding roadshows to raise $75 million (Rs332.3 crore) by selling new shares ahead of launching international flights.
“Including two very big financial investors, the airline has received good response for proposals for potential investment. More players may submit their term sheets in the coming days,” one of the executives said on condition of anonymity.
The airline’s fund-raising coincides with some of its strategic investors separately talking to Indian companies and financial institutions to exit from the airline. “The airline in its capacity is talking to potential investors, but at the same time several investors are talking to various companies and financial institutions at their own level. But nothing has been finalized as yet,” the second executive said.
In early February, the Dubai government’s investment arm Istithmar PJSC, which was an anchor investor in SpiceJet, sold bulk of its 13.39% stake to a clutch of domestic funds that included DWS Invest BRIC Plus Fund, Reliance Mutual Fund and Birla Mutual Fund.
27/04/10 P.R. Sanjai/Live Mint

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DGCA discovers cracks inside Emirates plane cabin

New Delhi: An initial inspection by India’s aviation regulator of the EmiratesBoeing 777-200 aircraft that encountered turbulence on Sunday found cracks inside the cabin.
Emirates flight EK530, carrying 350 passengers from Dubai to Kochi, hit clear air turbulence around 50km south of Bangalore at 4.14 am on Sunday, shaking it violently, slamming people not wearing their belts into the ceiling and causing injuries to at least 20 passengers and three crew members.
“There are cracks inside the cabin, which requires removal of panels to assess the actual condition,” said a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The regulator’s team investigating the incident in detail will be headed by S. Durairaj, a senior air safety officer.
The incident lasted about 15 seconds, the DGCA official said. The rapid “oscillation” that the Boeing 777 experienced could be one of the key reasons for the damage, he said.
Safety expert Mohan Ranganathan said gravitational forces could have caused structural damage to the plane, the extent of which depends on altitude and weight.
“The higher the altitude, the more risk there is of pressure on a fuselage—Air France AF447 for example,” said London-based aviation analyst Saj Ahmad.
26/04/10 Tarun Shukla/Live Mint

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DGCA official inspects plane that hit air pocket

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started its investigation into the incident in which a Kochi-bound Emirates aircraft from Dubai hit an air pocket and lost height violently, injuring 12 of the 364 people aboard.
Officials at the airport here said on Monday that M. Durairaj, Assistant Director of the DGCA's Chennai office, who reached the airport on Sunday evening, completed an inspection of the Boeing 777 aircraft and collected news reports and photographs of the incident. The inspection began on Sunday night and continued till the early hours of Monday. After assessing the damage to the aircraft, Mr. Durairaj ordered sealing of the cockpit voice recorder for investigations. He spoke with the captain and the crew and was expected to interact with some of the passengers and the airport officials. Sources said DGCA was coordinating with the General Civil Aviation Authority of UAE which has launched an investigation.
26/04/10 The Hindu

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Passenger jet in turbulence scare returns to Dubai

Dubai: The Emirates Airline plane on which 23 passengers and crew were injured when it lost altitude suddenly during turbulence was flown back to Dubai yesterday having passed safety checks in India.
The airline said in a statement that it had provided a replacement aircraft for yesterday’s return flight after the plane involved in Sunday’s airborne drama was grounded for inspections.
“A replacement aircraft carried passengers on EK531 – the return flight – to Dubai yesterday. The Boeing 777-200 involved in the incident has been cleared to fly by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and will return to Dubai at 11.00 GMT today with crew only,” said Majid al Mualla, the senior vice president, commercial operations West Asia and Indian Ocean in a statement.
The plane carrying 350 passengers was cruising at 35,000 feet on its way from Dubai to Kochi on Sunday morning when it dropped suddenly during severe turbulence.
The DGCA in India said the aircraft had sustained some damage in the incident and grounded it at Nedumbassery International Airport in Kochi until they had carried out inspections.
In a statement following the incident, the General Civil Aviation Authority in the UAE described it as a “serious incident” and said it would co-ordinate with Indian authorities in a thorough investigation.
27/04/10 Praveen Menon/The National, UAE

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Ash cloud lifts, airfares soar too

Mumbai: The flights have taken off, and so have the fares. In an attempt to make up for the losses when volcanic ash clouds grounded flights to the US and Europe for six days last week, airlines have started hiking fares. Travel agents say that fares have gone up by at least 20% on flights to the US and Europe .
The move comes despite a recent government request to domestic airlines not to profiteer from the disruption by hiking fares. Airlines, in their defence, claim that fares are anyway high during the holiday season, which have further gone up due to the eleventh-hour bookings. Flag carrier Air India and private carrier Jet Airways fly to European cities like London, Brussels and Frankfurt, while Kingfisher Airlines operates regular flights to London .
On April 19, the Union civil aviation ministry had requested airlines not to resort to ‘exploitative’ fares by overcharging stranded passengers or those who were transferred from one carrier to another. Over 40,000 passengers were stranded in India when the European airspace was shut following a volcanic eruption in Iceland, which spewed volcanic ash into the skies.
An analyst said: “It is unlikely that the lost revenues from the disruption can be recovered immediately. Hence, airlines have hiked fares on long-haul destinations.”
27/04/10 Shaheen Mansuri/Financial Express

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UK mayor delighted at removal from India blacklist

London: Joginder Bal, the Indian-origin mayor of Slough in Berkshire in the UK, is delighted that the Indian government has removed him from a "blacklist" of alleged Khalistan activists, enabling him to visit India after years.
Bal, who earlier this month visited Punjab, had been deported from the Amritsar airport in 2007 because his name was on the "blacklist" of people who were involved in anti-national activities in the 1980s.
A recent review of the "blacklist" has led to his removal. He told the Slough media on his return from India: "I had dreamt of going back to India many times before, but every time I was turned back. It was hard for me, and it was all because I had taken part in demonstrations in Punjab."
26/04/10 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

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Over 200 Exhibitors Participate in Airport Show 2010

Dubai: Over 200 exhibitors from 34 countries are participating in the Airport Show 2010 that opened here Sunday, an official said.
The three-day exhibition showcases latest technologies and advances in the airport industry from around the world, and hosts industry professionals who will share their expertise and insights on enhancing the operational efficiencies of airports.
Ara Fernezian, group exhibition director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East, the organisers of the event, said that the robust participation of key industry players at the Airport Show 2010 reflects the growing international interest in the industry.
26/04/10 IANS/WAM/Daijiworld.com

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DMIA Secures a Deal with Jet Airways

The Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association of America (DMIA) completed a strategic corporate agreement with Jet Airways for which members receive discounts on the price of travel as well as the removal of restrictions. This agreement is part of a comprehensive DMIA strategy to obtain significant discounts for its members to enhance membership value.
Under the terms of the agreement, DMIA members will enjoy substantial cost savings in both coach and business class travel to all major international diamond centers, including Brussels, Mumbai, and Tel Aviv, as well as many other international destinations. Additionally, the DMIA’s agreement with Jet Airways will eliminate all traditional fare restrictions, including cancellation and flight change fees and penalties, as well as minimum stay, Saturday night stay-over and advance purchase requirements.
26/04/10 Jeff Miller/Rapaport/Diamonds.net

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Two theories for turbulence that shook Emirates flight

Mumbai/Kochi: There were two theories for the turbulence that shook an Emirates flight from Dubai to Kochi on Sunday. While Emirates officials said the aircraft encountered turbulence “due to cloud’’, aviation meteorologists said that the route did not have any thunderstorm clouds in the morning and the aircraft could have flown into an air pocket. What is clear though is that there surely was poor weather enroute.
“Aircraft flying that route were all asking for deviations to avoid a thunderstorm cloud. The Emirates aircraft also asked for a deviation when it was over the Arabian sea north-west of Mangalore. The flight was cleared to proceed to Calicut,’’ said an air traffic controller from Mangalore.
An aviation meteorology expert had a different take. “The upper air wind/temperature charts issued by World Area Forecast centre did not show any thunderstorm clouds on that route in the morning. But it showed a slight wind shear condition (winds changing speed and direction rapidly) off the coast of Mangalore. At 35,000 feet, the chart shows strong westerly wind with a speed of 60 kts dropping to 25-30 kts. It’s one of the indicators of clear air turbulence (CAT).’’
Unlike thunderstorm clouds, CAT cannot be detected on an aircraft’s airborne weather radar. But it can be predicted by studying upper wind charts with indicators such as wind shear. The Emirates aircraft may have encountered CAT.
“The aircraft encountered a weather cloud near Bangalore and experienced a short period of heavy turbulence. The drop in altitude was minor, a descent of 200 feet, and the aircraft landed safely,’’ said Majid Al Mualla, Emirates senior vice-president, commercial operations, west Asia and Indian Ocean.
26/04/10 Manju V & Ananthakrishnan G/Times of India

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Civil Aviation official inspects Emirates plane

Kochi: An official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) completed the inspection of the Kochi-bound Emirates aircraft from Dubai, which experienced a major air turbulence prior to descent leading to injuries to as many as 23 people.
Dorairaj, Assistant Director of DGCA Chennai office, inspected the Boeing EK530 aircraft from last night till 4 am today, airport officials said.
There were 364 persons, including crew, on board the flight. The DGCA has already ordered an inquiry into the incident.
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has said it had also launched an investigation and was coordinating with Indian civil aviation authorities.
26/04/10 The Hindu

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Two dead in Al Ain balloon crash

Al Ain: Two people died when a hot-air balloon crashed in the desert during an emergency landing in high winds 50km north of Al Ain early yesterday.
The balloon’s gondola, with a pilot, one crew member and 12 passengers on board, was dragged through the desert for 300 metres after the initial impact. Two passengers were buried in sand inside the gondola, and had to be dug out by the survivors.
The two who died were thrown from the gondola on impact, along with a Tanzanian crewman who was on his first flight. He was seriously injured, and was in critical condition last night in the intensive-care unit of Tawam Hospital in Al Ain.
The passengers who died were Mukesh Shah, who was visiting from India with his wife and daughter, and a French national who has not been named.
Mr Shah had arrived in Dubai with his family a week ago, and took the balloon flight with his daughter.
The balloon was operated by Balloon Adventures Emirates (BAE), based in Dubai. The police and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) are investigating the crash and BAE have suspended operations pending the outcome of the investigation. The pilot is in police custody.
26/04/10 Essam al Ghalib and Anna Seaman/The National, UAE

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Two killed in hot air balloon crash

A French and Indian national were killed and 11 others suffered moderate to serious injuries when the hot air balloon in which they were on a tourist trip crashed as it was trying to make an emergency landing.
The incident took place at Nahel, near Suwaihan in Al Ain, on Sunday morning.
The police, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the embassies of India and France and the balloon operating company did not give out the names of the two killed in the accident. The 24-person capacity balloon had 14 people on board, including the captain.
“The pilot and 13 passengers took off early in light winds. But the wind picked up significantly and the pilot decided to make an emergency landing,” the BAE said in a statement.
‘‘Police and GCAA authorities are currently investigating the accident and BAE has suspended operations for the next few days pending the outcome of the investigation,’’ the statement said.
Alain Azouaou, the French Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, said the body of the French tourist, would be repatriated home for the funeral.
Indian Embassy officials said they would render support to the family of the Indian who died in the accident. ‘‘We understand the Indian who had died had come here on a tourist trip along with his family. The family members were also on board the balloon. We are told the body is being brought to Abu Dhabi from Al Ain tonight,’’ Indian Ambassador to the UAE M. K. Lokesh, said.
25/04/10 T. Ramavarman, Silvia Radan and Anwar Ahmad/Khaleej Times

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Pune-Frankfurt flights resume service

While the volcanic eruption had brought air traffic in almost all parts of Europe to a standstill, operations resumed on Tuesday. In Pune, however the only flight to Europe, Lufthansa’s Pune-Frankfurt flight resumed operations from Sunday.
Pune has only two international flights at present. One of them is Lufthansa’s Pune-Frankfurt and the other one is Air India’s Pune-Dubai flight. However the Pune-Frankfurt flight had stopped operations because of the ash from Iceland’s volcanic eruption.
Finally when airspace got cleared, the airline started its long-route operations, including flights to India. But the Pune-Frankfurt flight did not start its operations from Tuesday as the airline wanted to make some changes in the existing aircraft.
Ketika Manohar, Consulting Associate, Lufthansa said, “Earlier the Pune-Frankfurt flight operated by Lufthansa had only business class seats. There were no economy-class flights. But looking at the market demands the airline officials decided to include some economy-class seats in the existing flight.
26/04/10 Anurag Bende/Pune Mirror

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Emirates’ wide-bodied freighter aircraft to city

Thiruvananthapuram: For the first time, a wide-bodied freighter aircraft will be operated by the Dubai-based Emirates Airlines to Thiruvananthapuram this week.
A Boeing-777 freighter aircraft, EK 4908, would be departing for Thiruvananthapuram from Dubai at 6 a.m. on Tuesday and would arrive here at 11.30 a.m. There would be 100 tonnes of cargo on board the aircraft. From Thiruvananthapuram, the aircraft would fly to Hong Kong as a ferry aircraft by 1 p.m., it is learnt.
Though the service is being operated as a non-scheduled chartered flight, industry sources feel that it is a prelude to the commencement of regular freighter services from Thiruvananthapuram in the near future. Emirates officials had earlier hinted at plans to operate cargo services between Kerala and UAE, it may be recalled.
However, when contacted by Expresso, Emirates officials said that there was no decision to commence cargo services to Thiruvananthapuram or any other airport in Kerala.
26/04/10 Arjun Raghunath/ExpressBuzz

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Kingfisher services to India raised to 21

Dubai: Kingfisher Airlines, India's private airline, has commenced two new international daily flights — from Dubai to New Delhi and Dubai to Mumbai.
On Saturday, Kingfisher Airlines also launched a new route between New Delhi and Kathmandu.
The new routes mean Kingfisher Airlines now operates 21 weekly flights between the UAE and India.
All flights on the new routes are being operated with Kingfisher Airlines' Airbus A320 fleet.
Kingfisher Airlines chairman and chief exeutive officer Vijay Mallya said the flights on the Dubai-New Delhi route would include a dual-class cabin with five-star luxury on Kingfisher First and Kingfisher Class, the premium economy service, while the Dubai-Mumbai flight would include only the Kingfisher Class.
Mallya said guests in Kingfisher First would be pampered with a host of comforts.
Kingfisher Airlines will be the only airline to operate from the UAE to Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore.
26/04/10 Gulf News, UAE

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Emirates flight suffers air pocket fall, plunges several feet

Kochi: About 20 passengers and crew of an Emirates flight from Dubai to Kochi were injured today when the aircraft ferrying 364 people encountered severe turbulence while flying over Bangalore region shortly before landing at the airport here.
Immediately after the incident at 08.50 AM, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation launched an inquiry into the incident and grounded the plane.
The Boeing aircraft EK530 with 350 passengers and 14 crew members on board encountered a weather cloud near Bangalore. A short period of heavy turbulence prior to descent into India caused minor injuries to about 20 persons, Emirates said in a statement. "An inquiry has been ordered into the incident. DGCA is carrying out air safety investigation. The aircraft will leave the country only after it is certified," Directorate General of Civil Aviation Nazim Zaidi told PTI in New Delhi.
He said officials have started recording the statements of the injured, cabin crew and pilots as part of investigations into the incident.
Sources said the pilots requested for medical assistance while landing at the International Airport here.
25/04/10 PTI/Times of India

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More Air India flights for stranded passengers

Mumbai: Air India on Saturday said it will operate additional flights to Britain and the US to clear the huge backlog of passengers at various airports after the European airspace was closed for nearly a week following a volcanic eruption.
From Sunday, the airline will operate a Mumbai-London-New Delhi flight with a 342-seater Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft followed by a New Delhi-London-Mumbai service Monday, an Air India spokesperson said. On Tuesday, another flight will operate on the Mumbai-Hyderabad-Frankfurt-Chicago sector and back. Thousands of flights to and from the US, Canada and Europe were disrupted as the European airspace was closed after huge volumes of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland spread over a wide area. Soon after the European airspace was declared open April 21, Air India started plans to operate additional flights. It began operations with flights between Mumbai and London Friday.
Seven Air India aircraft and their crew were stranded at airports around the world.
24/04/10 IANS/Economic Times

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Iceland's volcanic ash hit India's exports as well

Even as India's airlines were struggling to get back to normalcy after weathering the global recession, the volcanic ash from Iceland has given the industry another jolt while also affecting the country's exports.
Just a few days before ash spewing out of the Icelandic volcano crippled Europe's airports, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel had said that Air India has now turned the corner. His comments about the national carrier may have been premature but he was certainly reflecting the general upbeat mood of the civil aviation industry in recent months. Traffic has been picking up and the bottomlines of companies are not looking as red as in the past.
In fact, the sudden shutdown of European airports last week has hit Indian exporters harder than the aviation industry itself. Some export associations peg the losses at as high as Rs.1,000 crore ($220 million) in this period while others say exports of $1 billion of high-end merchandise to the US and Europe may face delays or cancellations.
Higher freight rates now being charged by the airlines that have resumed flights are going to add on to costs and adversely affect competitiveness of Indian products in major markets of the developed world.
25/04/10 IANS/Economic Times

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Lack of air capacity hampers repatriation efforts

Tens of thousands of British passengers are still stranded abroad as the fallout from the volcanic ash plane groundings continues.
British airspace was reopened on Tuesday but airlines are still working through the backlog of cancelled flights, with some passengers facing a further week of waiting to return home.
The Association of British Travel Agents said it hoped to have repatriated more than 100,000 passengers by Monday.An estimated 10,000 are stranded in Egypt, 8,000 in India, 9,000 in Florida and 2,500 in Thailand, according to industry figures compiled by the BBC.
The skies over the UK and much of northern Europe were declared a no-fly zone for six days as a result of the ash cloud pouring from an erupting Icelandic volcano.
Virgin Atlantic boss Sir Richard Branson today criticised the Government for “overreacting” in banning all air traffic and is calling for them to compensate the industry. His airline is among those appealing to customers who are booked on flights for this weekend to volunteer to give up their seats to stranded passengers.
24/04/10 Robin Henry/Times Online, UK

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Kingfisher starts Delhi-Ktm flight

Kathmandu: Kingfisher Airlines — India’s only Five Star Airline rated by Skytrax — today announced the launch of daily flights from Kathmandu to New Delhi. The launch of this new route marks the first time that Kingfisher Airlines is commencing operations from Kathmandu.
In addition to this new route, Kingfisher Airlines also launched two other new international routes with the commencement of flights from New Delhi to Dubai and Mumbai to Dubai.
The flights on all these routes are being operated with Kingfisher Airlines’ modern fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft. The flights on the Kathmandu - New Delhi route will feature Kingfisher Class, the premium economy service from Kingfisher Airlines. The award-winning Kingfisher experience includes roomy seats with a wide seat pitch and ample leg room, in-flight entertainment, delectable cuisine, specially trained international cabin crew and a host of on-board comforts.
Guests flying in from Kathmandu to New Delhi will get easy and convenient connections to Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.
24/04/10 The Himalayan Times

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Sky Advertising makes foray into Middle East market

Dubai: There’s a new way to advertise in town — Sky Advertising. For the first time in the region, Air Arabia is going to implement a novel idea to generate revenues by placing advertising messages inside their cabin.
The region’s leading low-cost airline is working with the US company OnBoard Media Group to install the messages inside the cabin. The airline will install advertisements on its tray tables inside its planes, and its first advertising campaign started last Friday.
OnBoard Media Group, based out of Atlanta with a regional office in Doha, is working with Air Arabia and other airlines in the Middle East. The group works with several airlines and advertisers around the world, including Air Tran Airways (USA), Wizz Air (Hungary), and Jet Airways (India), for onboard advertising and expects future advertisements on seat-back tray tables to range from all types of industries, including travel-related companies, hotels, electronics, packaged goods, and more.
Adams said OnBoard works closely with the FAA/EASA and other governing entities to handle all necessary certification processes for airlines. The result: A patent-pending sticker on the tray table that is durable and has an attractive, glossy finish, and is large enough for an advertiser to clearly send their message across with images and text.
25/04/10 Muzaffar Rizvi/Khaleej Times

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Passengers marooned in India blame BA for ticket chaos

Dozens of British passengers, still stranded by the volcanic ash which snarled international air traffic for six days, queued for hours in steaming heat at Delhi's Indira Gandhi airport in pursuit of scarce seats back to the UK. Not for the first time, they came away empty-handed with nothing more to look forward to than another night on the terminal floor or a trek back to the hotel and hours on hold with an airline reservations centre.
After a week in which air traffic in Britain and Europe returned to close to normal, long-haul travellers from Mumbai, Dubai, Miami and beyond found themselves left behind, frustrated at becoming the forgotten victims of the Icelandic eruption.
"The situation at the airport is really quite serious," said Elizabeth Atwell from west London, who is with a group of 12 trying to get home from Delhi with British Airways. "There is a very high terror alert and there are armed guards everywhere at the airport. It's impossible to get into the building without a ticket for travel.
"It is really difficult to talk to BA. People are paying backhanders to get into the terminal. The last time we were at the airport there were 65 people [in line for seats] and only two people were allowed on the plane because they were deemed emergency medical cases. There are thousands more outside waiting to leave."
BA in particular seemed to be attracting anger after it emerged that the airline is not giving priority to stranded customers and has placed spare seats on the open market.
Marooned passengers can take seats at no extra charge, but the problem seems to be in getting hold of them – with phone lines jammed for hours, website access patchy and staff providing conflicting information.
The airline insists it is doing everything it can. "We understand how frustrated our stranded customers feel," a spokesman said, adding that extra flights will bring passengers home from Delhi, New York, Hong Kong, the Maldives and Bangkok this weekend.
24/04/10 Robert Booth and Matthew Weaver/The Guardian, UK

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'Secret' visitor from Australia deported

Bangalore: A passenger from Australia was reportedly deported upon failing to mention the nature of his visit to India. He instead maintained that the visit was ‘secret’ after he arrived at the Bengaluru International Airport on April 16.
The passenger, Mohammed Qadir, who had arrived from Sydney via Singapore had written in the immigration form that the purpose of his visit was secret, following which he was deported to Australia. His passport details revealed that he had studied in Afghanistan and had also spent considerable time in Pakistan.
24/04/10 Express Buzz

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Air India hearings could reopen with new anti-terrorism legislation

Vancouver: The federal government has re-introduced anti-terrorism legislation that could lead to the resumption of special investigative hearings into the Air India bombing.
Those hearings were derailed in March 2007 when earlier legislation allowing the special judicial hearings expired.
The RCMP's Air India Task Force had been preparing to go forward at the time with hearings to advance the mass murder probe that left 331 dead on June 23, 1985.
On Friday, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson introduced the "Combating Terrorism Act," which he said will provide more tools for police and prosecutors to prevent and investigate terrorist activities.
"These provisions are necessary to protect our country from the threat of terrorism," Nicholson said.
The investigative-hearing provisions of the bill would amend the Criminal Code to allow the courts to compel a witness who may have information regarding a terrorism offence to appear in court and provide information, he said.
Nicholson said the proposed legislation would add safeguards to those already included in the original legislation to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals who may be subject to these provisions.
"The first duty of every government is to protect the safety and security of its citizens, while also ensuring the protection of their fundamental rights," added Daniel Petit, Nicholson's parliamentary secretary.
23/04/10 Kim Bolan/Vancouver Sun

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Cavotec to deliver fuel hydrant pits for Mumbai International Airport expansion

Global engineering group, Cavotec MSL, has received a landmark order to install 53 advanced fuel hydrant systems and related materiel at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) as part of the airport’s modernisation programme.
Cavotec is to supply 44 hydrant pits, including Cavotec Dabico Cla-Val hydrant valves, and nine DAB-24 pits for low point drains and high point vents. Low point drain pits remove non-fuel fluids and other contaminants that can accumulate in aircraft fuel pipelines. Deliveries are due for completion in early August.
CSIA, formerly Sahar International Airport, currently handles more than 25 million passengers annually, and is served by international carriers such as Emirates, Lufthansa, British Airways and Cathay Pacific. CSIA is also a domestic hub for several Indian airlines including Air India, Blue Dart Aviation, Kingfisher, GoAir, Indian Airlines, IndiGo, Jet Airways, JetLite and SpiceJet.
The fuel hydrant systems project is one element in the first phase of a two-stage expansion programme at the airport. Launched in 2006, the improvements are designed to meet booming demand in India’s rapidly expanding aviation sector. The plans include a new terminal, a new air traffic control system and new taxiways and upgrades of existing terminals.
23/04/10 Cision Wire

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Ash clears, now fares touch the sky

Chennai: Airfares have started skyrocketting after airlines resumed their services to Europe after over five days of complete disruption because of volcanic ash cloud over European air space. Even though the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has warned airlines against overpricing, international airlines reservation system is displaying only the most expensive seats on sale for flights scheduled to leave in the coming days.
Passengers whose flights were cancelled in last couple of days are forced to cough up more money to buy tickets as fares have gone up by over 30% for flights to Europe. International fares were cheaper before the shutdown of airports in Europe. But the situation has changed post-shutdown as airlines have stopped offering low-fare seats.
Only the most expensive fares are showing up in the reservation database accessible to travel agents.
Fares to London or Frankfurt now range from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh as against the regular fare of Rs 30,000. Fare to New York ranges from Rs 70,000 to over Rs 1 lakh as against the regular fare of Rs 50,000.
23/04/10 V Ayyappan/Times of India

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AI, Jet plan additional flights to clear backlog

Mumbai: With air traffic between India and Europe returning to normalcy, national air-carrier Air India and private airline, Jet Airways, are planning to operate additional flights soon to clear the backlog of passengers.
Air India had yesterday announced that it would operate an additional flight between Mumbai-London on Friday.
Additional cockpit and cabin-crew are in a position to start extra flights, if needed, to clear the backlog of stranded passengers, Air India said.
Five of Air India's flights were stuck at various airports in Europe and the US after the air traffic was suspended last week because of volcanic ashes from Iceland.
Jet Airways expects to clear the backlog in the next couple of days, a senior airline official said.
22/04/10 PTI/Economic Times

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Jet Airways to operate relief flights to Bangkok, Kathmandu and London to assist stranded passengers

Jet Airways, today announced, that it will operate additional flights from Mumbai to Bangkok, Kathmandu and London respectively to enable the movement of stranded passengers from these cities to London via Mumbai.
The airline has received several requests from stranded passengers in Bangkok and Kathmandu requesting to mount additional relief flights enabling guests from Bangkok and Kathmandu to reach London.
Post the closure of London Heathrow Airport due to the volcanic eruptions in Iceland, Jet Airways hadbeen working closely with relevant authorities to evaluate the possibility of mounting additional flights to minimise the inconvenience and discomfort to its guests in a difficult situation, which has been beyond the airline's control.
The additional flights will operate as per the following schedule:

Delhi /London/Mumbai on A330 aircraft:-
On 23-Apr-10
9W-117D Dep London 0130 hrs Arr Mumbai 1430hrs

Mumbai /London/Mumbai on A330 aircraft:-
On 24-Apr-10
9W-118D Dep Mumbai 1630 hrs Arr London 2130 hrs
On 24-Apr-10
9W-117D Dep London 2300hrs Arr Mumbai 1235 hrs on the 25th

Mumbai /London/Delhi on A330 aircraft:-
On 25-Apr-10
9W-118D Dep Mumbai 1630 hrs Arr London 2130 hrs

On 25-Apr-10
9W-117D Dep London 2300 hrs Arr mumbai 1235 hrs on 26th

Upgrading our 9W 062/061 BOM/BKK/BOM flights to operate with an A330 aircraft ,ie offering additional capacity, as follows-

On 24th and 25th Apr 2010
9W 062 DEP BOM 0110 hrs ARR BKK 0705 hrs
9W 061 DEP BKK 0840 hrs ARR BOM 1130 hrs

Additional flight to KTM on B737-800Won 24th April as follows-

On 24th Apr 2010

9W 1266 DEP BOM 0700 hrs ARR KTM 0950 hrs
9W 1265 DEP KTM 1050 hrs ARR BOM 1320 hrs

The airline has also announced that it will allow guests to cancel/reschedule their travel plans at no penalty, uptil April 27, 2010, as a gesture of goodwill
Guests wishing to book their seats on these additional flights should contact their travel agent, log on to jetairways.com or get in touch with our call centre at 022 3989 33 33.
22/04/10 PRESS RELEASE/Jet Airways

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India Begins Pat-Down Search for Passengers Flying to U.S., U.K.

New Delhi: Passengers taking flights to the U.S., United Kingdom and Europe from any of the international airports in India will now have to face a pat-down search at the airport.
In the pat-down search, the security officer, in India’s case an officer from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), will run his or her hands over the passenger to detect weapons or other items.
The order is meant only for passengers going to the U.S., U.K. and Europe, while there will be no pat-down search for passengers to other international destinations.
An order to this effect was recently passed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation a few days after a member of the ground staff at the Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala was apprehended for planting a crude bomb inside a plane about to take off from the airport. There have been other recent incidents where security at the airport and inside the planes has been compromised.
Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior official in the ministry said that one of the reasons behind introducing the pat-down search at all the international airports was a request from U.S. security agencies that passengers on all West-bound flights, passing over the Middle East, be subjected to this search.
22/04/10 All Headline News

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Decades after Air India, victims’ families to finally get some answers

It has taken nearly 25 years, but the families of the victims of the Air India bombing are about to finally get some answers as to what happened, and why.
A federal commission of inquiry into the Air India massacre will release its final report in June, just in time for the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack that killed 329 people.
A federal tender for printing the report was issued Thursday, indicating that it will be printed by June 4. Commission spokesman Michael Tansey confirmed the report will come out in June and that a specific date will be announced soon.
For many families, the wait has been agonizing and the report is long overdue. The bombing occurred on June 23, 1985, as Air India flight 182 was over the Atlantic Ocean en route from Montreal to London and New Delhi. Two others died in a related bombing at Tokyo’s Narita Airport.
Those responsible for the bombing have never been found. Inderjit Singh Reyat was the only person convicted in the case, after he admitted to supplying bomb parts. Two others, Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, were acquitted in 2005 on murder charges related to the bombing.
Families of the victims spent 21 years trying to convince the federal government to hold an inquiry into the attack. That finally happened in 2006 and the commission, headed by former Supreme Court justice John Major, spent nearly two years hearing from more than 200 witnesses and reviewing 17,000 classified documents.
The public hearings wrapped up in February, 2008. But other issues surfaced last year when more documents turned up raising questions about Transport Canada’s security measures at the time and suggesting the Canadian Security Intelligence Service was hindered in its efforts by a bureaucratic “quagmire.”
22/04/10 Paul Waldie/Globe and Mail

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Flights resume, blame game begins

London: European skies have been reopened and passengers have started to arrive at London airports after the unprecedented six-day airspace lockdown sparked by a volcanic ash cloud from Iceland.
Aviation authorities in Europe agreed to change the size and shape of no-fly zones, opening air space through areas not polluted by the ash cloud.
Airlines now face a massive logistical operation to return hundreds of thousands of passengers to their destinations after the cancellation of an estimated 95,000 flights across Europe alone.
The British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh, warned that it would take ''weeks'' to get schedules back to normal.
The decision to reopen airspace, announced by the Transport Secretary, Lord Adonis, and the British Civil Aviation Authority, comes after intense lobbying from the airline industry in Europe.
Airlines have been forced to thrash out and agree to a ''safe'' level of volcanic ash under which flights can resume.
The Guardian reported that regulators in Europe have been trying for years to force airlines to set specific thresholds but they have been hampered by the aviation industry's fears of losing a plane in spite of a dust all-clear.
The Civil Aviation Authority has stated that its safety tests show that plane engines have ''increased tolerance levels in low ash density areas'' and has now set down strict risk assessment requirements for airlines to ensure aircraft are rigorously inspected and monitored.
Recriminations about Britain taking an overly conservative response to the crisis started with the Conservative Party's transport spokeswoman, Theresa Villiers, calling for an inquiry into the ''fiasco''. She said six days into the crisis, experts have suddenly stated that there are safe levels.
Mr Walsh has echoed her concerns: ''I don't believe it was necessary to impose a blanket ban on all UK airspace last Thursday. My personal belief is that we could have safely continued operating for a period of time.''
22/04/10 Paola Totaro/Sydney Morning Herald

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European airspace reopens; Air India, Jet resume flights

New Delhi: Air India has resumed its daily flights to Paris and Frankfurt as well as to New York and Chicago with the reopening of airports in European nations.
Large scale flight disruptions over the past week occurred due to drifting ash clouds from the eruption of a volcano in Iceland, affecting thousands of passengers at airports in Europe and elsewhere.
“In addition to the U.S. flights, Air India will be operating Delhi-London, Mumbai-London, Delhi-Frankfurt and Amritsar-Delhi-London-Toronto flights from Thursday,” an Air India spokesperson said here on Wednesday.
Private carrier Jet Airways has also resumed its flights operating to London from Delhi and Mumbai, and its flight to Heathrow from Mumbai departed on Wednesday afternoon.
Air India's stranded flight from Frankfurt has reached Delhi via Egypt. The national carrier will operate its Delhi-London and Delhi-Frankfurt flights on Thursday, as also its Amritsar-Toronto flight.
Additional cockpit and cabin crew of Air India are in position to start extra flights, if needed, to clear up stranded passengers, the spokesperson added.
22/04/10 Vinay Kumar/The Hindu

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Flights resume, but sky's still not clear for fliers

Mumbai: Airlines can finally breathe with the European airspace opening up after an asphyxiating six days brought on by volcanic ash from Iceland, but passengers may have to endure delays for at least another week, with the backlog throwing flight schedules into disarray.
Indian and European airlines said they would resume flights to the West with additional and bigger aircraft, soon after the European air navigation safety authority announced opening up of its airspace on Tuesday. However, they will not be able to accommodate new passengers as most of the cancelled flights were up to 90% booked, said an Air India spokesperson. The carrier has a backlog of at least 10,000 passengers.
On an average, 13 international flights take off everyday from India carrying 3,500 passengers.
Air-India plans to resume flights on European and Canadian routes from April 22 by deploying a jumbo jet, the Boeing 747-400, which can carry more passengers on than the Boeing 777-300 ER it currently runs on the routes.
The airline is adding almost 423 seats on these sectors. Private carrier Jet Airways is also likely to run an additional flight to London with over 300 extra seats on the route.
Kingfisher Airlines, which has not operated a single flight for the past six days to London, will start operations from Thursday. The airline has a backlog of about 7,000 passengers.
22/04/10 Manisha Singhal/Economic Times

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Airlines resume flights as ash cloud recedes

Mumbai: As European skies cleared up, airlines resumed normal services to and from Heathrow and other airports on Wednesday, a day after they operated some flights on partial opening of airports across the continent.
Thousands of passengers have been stranded at airports around the world since April 15 as Icelandic volcanic ash forced many European airports to close their airspaces.
But even as airlines announced resumption of flights, fliers like Nayana Dutia, booked on a Mumbai-London Jet Airways flight, were not sure till the last minute whether their flights would take off.
On Tuesday, Dutia’s flight was cancelled after passengers had boarded the aircraft. “Yesterday, we boarded the flight, but it got cancelled. This time we think we will make it to London,” he said. Dutia’s flight took off from Mumbai at 1.35 pm on Wednesday.
Several other flights left and reached Indian airports as per schedule — not just to and from Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and other continental airports, but London’s Heathrow too.
All international carriers, including Air India (AI), Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, Swiss International Airlines, Austria Airlines and Singapore Airlines, have fully resumed operations to Europe.
A statement issued by the ministry of civil aviation said: “AI has resumed its daily flights to Paris and Frankfurt besides New York and Chicago. Jet Airways has resumed its flights to London from Delhi and Mumbai.”
21/04/10 Naveeta Singh/Daily News & Analysis

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PM's aircraft to carry passengers to London

New Delhi: The Prime Minister's two Jumbo aircraft (Boeing 747-400) will be used to transport to London passengers stranded in India due to the closure of Heathrow and several other airports the past several days because of the volcanic ash clouding the European airspace. This is a special gesture by Air India to its passengers.
On April 23, passengers travelling with Air India from Mumbai to London will be flying the aircraft that was used by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to meet the US President, Mr Barack Obama, earlier this month. Security considerations require that two aircraft be prepared for a VVIP flight — one which is used to transport the dignitary and the other as a stand-by.
When the Prime Minister or other VVIPs use this aircraft, it has a special enclosure with a bedroom and a work-place, a first class section for the officials, and a small business class section for other travellers who generally number less than 100.
Official sources told Business Line that the state owned airline is working to reconvert the Boeing 747-400 aircraft, christened Air India-1 for VVIP travel, to a normal passenger aircraft capable of carrying 423 passengers in first, business and economy classes.
22/04/10 Business Line

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International Airline violates security norms

At a time when security concerns loom day to day, TIMES NOW has discovered a blatant violation of security norms at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi. Our investigation exposes an international airline's clear disregard for rules by sub-letting its ground operations to an unauthorised local travel agency, in blatant violation of the airport ground handling policy of the IGI airport.
The IGI airport - the Capital's premier airport - has a passenger traffic of about 23 lakh a year. When TIMES NOW decided to check operations here, there was a shock in store.
This reporter obtained documents to show that a Korean airlines by the name Asiana Airlines, operating in India for the last 11 years, has been defying the security norms listed by the Bureau of Civil Aviation and worse, this has apparently gone on unchecked and unhindered for years.
Posing as candidates seeking a job at the aiport, our TIMES NOW reporter found that Asiana Airlines has entered into a contract with a local travel agency called R L Travels - without clearance by the Bureau of Civil Aviation.
In an RTI reply the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has clearly mentioned that R L Travels does not have security clearance by the Aviation Ministry as a ground handling agency, nor is it authorised to issue Airport entry passes to employees of R L travels. In that case, how did the Ministry manage to overlook this lapse, and that too for such a long time?
22/04/10 Times Now.tv

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European airspace opens partially; relief for passengers

New Delhi: The partial opening of European air space on Tuesday provided some relief to air travellers stranded at various airports around the country. An official statement issued states that there are about 9,000 Europe bound passengers around the country waiting to be transported by Jet Airways and Air India alone.
EUROCONTROL expects 14,000 flights to take place today in European airspace, representing half of scheduled air traffic, its Web site said. EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, is an intergovernmental organisation made up of 38 Member States and the European Community.
Jet Airways is operating four daily flights to the US and Canada through Athens in an effort to transport stranded passengers. Sources said passengers were being taken to Athens and from there being taken by road to other destinations in Europe.
Air India has resumed flights to Chicago, New York and Newark from Mumbai and Delhi. In a statement late this evening, the state-owned airline said that it was hopeful of operating two of its Boeing 777 aircraft from Heathrow to Delhi and Toronto which have been grounded at Heathrow airport for the past couple of days.
21/04/10 Business Line

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Sigh of relief as some flights start taking off

New Delhi: There’s finally some good news for air travellers. Greece has allowed Indian carriers to fly passengers to and from Athens — that’s connected to the rest of Europe by land, rail and sea. This enabled Jet to fly passengers to Europe on Tuesday, the first time by an Indian airline in six days. German major Lufthansa operated flights to India on Tuesday and has scheduled six departures to Frankfurt and Munich in the early hours of Wednesday, along with flights to Vienna and Zurich on its umbrella carriers like Swiss and Austrian. More European carriers could restart flights, depending on the ash cover there.
Air India’s two aircraft that have been held up at the London airport will be deployed to fly stranded passengers to Delhi and Toronto on Tuesday, depending on clearances. In case the German air space is opened, there will be one flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt and another from Mumbai to London. The airlines US operations will continue with a technical halt at Cairo.
But the huge backlog has meant a massive rush and confusion among both passengers and airlines. According to the aviation ministry, Jet and AI alone have 6,000 and 3,000 Europe-bound passengers stranded in India.
21/04/10 Times of India

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First flight to London in 5 days takes off

Mumbai: The first flight in five days from Mumbai to London’s Heathrow, British Airway flight BA138, took off at 4:21 pm on Tuesday while another BA flight 198 took off for London at 6:59 pm.
However, Jet Airways’ flight NW118 to London, scheduled for departure at 4 pm, was called back to the bay area after it had taxied to the runway. Its departure was postponed to 9 pm and eventually cancelled. Kingfisher Airlines has cancelled all its London-bound flights on Wednesday.
The day was also marked by chaos for stranded passengers, as airline officials remained clueless about resumption in daily services, with fresh eruptions from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland spewing ash more than 15,000 feet into the sky sending fresh ash clouds into Europe on Tuesday, dashing hopes of resumption of daily services to Europe.
21/04/10 Ranjani Raghavan , Shashank Shekhar /Indian Express

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Take off but land at your own risk, airline tells fliers

Mumbai: The only airline that resumed flights from India to Europe on Tuesday did so with a rider.
Passengers of two British Airways flights to London were told that in case the flights could not land in London and had to be diverted to Europe, the airline would no longer be responsible for them. Volcanic ash in European skies has disrupted air traffic for six days.
"Before boarding the flight, airline staff told us we would have to manage on our own if the flight was diverted. We were allowed to board only after we accepted the conditions,” said Thangam Nair (72), Mulund resident, before boarding the flight with her husband and daughter.
"If a flight lands in a country other than the UK, passengers without the Schengen visa will be stranded,” said a travel agent requesting anonymity.
21/04/10 Soubhik Mitra/Hindustan Times

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Govt extends travellers’ visa

New Delhi: As volcanic ash continued to disrupt international flights forcing nearly 41,000 foreigners stranded in India, the government on Tuesday decided to allow special landing permit or extension of visa to them for a maximum period of 14 days without charging any fees.
"The powers for extension of visa or issue of special landing permits can be exercised by immigration officers not below the rank of inspector posted at the airports," the home ministry said in a statement.
Flights to the UK and other European destinations remained cancelled for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday in the wake of huge clouds of volcanic ash emanating from Iceland.
21/04/10 Times of India

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Air India Flies from Frankfurt; London Stays Canceled

New Delhi: Air India said Wednesday it has operated a flight from Frankfurt to Delhi but is yet to resume flights from London's Heathrow airport as European aviation authorities begin to lift days of restrictions caused by a cloud of volcanic ash.
"One of our aircraft was stranded in Frankfurt due to the airport closure and we received clearance to fly it back to India with the passengers," an Air India spokesman, who didn't wish to be named, told Dow Jones Newswires by telephone.
The nation's flag carrier has two planes stranded at Heathrow airport.
Air India said Tuesday it will use one of the planes to fly marooned passengers from London to Delhi and the other from London to Toronto, subject to clearances following the partial opening of European airspace.
The airline said it may also operate one flight to London from Mumbai on April 21.
The spokesman said Air India couldn't operate flights from London Tuesday as it didn't receive the necessary clearances. He didn't say when the approvals are likely to be given.
21/04/10 Santanu Choudhury/Wall Street Journal

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Fly out stranded passengers, govt directs airlines

Mumbai: With more than 40,000 passengers stranded in Mumbai and Delhi, the civil aviation ministry has stepped in to mitigate the effect of the crisis and help airlines deal better with the situation. Ministry sources said airline officials were told on Tuesday to ask their passengers to defer their travel plans to Europe till flights resume and the backlog of stranded passengers is clear.
The directive came as most flights are already booked to capacity and very few seats will be available even when airspace restrictions are lifted. The ministry asked airlines to request confirmed passengers to voluntarily postpone their travel plans if possible and accommodate those stranded as a priority.
‘‘The ministry cannot make recommendations to foreign airlines. However, Indian carriers have been asked to check if any of their booked passengers are willing to give up seats in favour of those stuck in the country,’’ a ministry official said.
21/04/10 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Cloud over take-off efforts

London: Aviation authorities began trying to implement a plan to ease six days of severe restrictions on aviation traffic around Europe on Tuesday, but a new ash cloud spreading south from the erupting volcano in Iceland threatened to undermine the efforts.
The reopening was cautious, patchy and unpredictable, underscoring the piecemeal nature of the European response to the unparalleled disruption that has drawn criticism from the airline industry, spread confusion among marooned travellers and stilled many of Europe’s busiest flight-paths.
The Eurocontrol air traffic agency in Brussels said it expected some 55 to 60 per cent of flights over Europe to go ahead on Tuesday, a marked improvement over the last few days.
By midmorning, 10,000 of Europe’s 27,500 daily flights were scheduled to go, the agency said.
In disparate ways, European governments sought to ease the inconvenience — and mounting cost — for passengers stranded in far-flung destinations.
The French consulate in Hong Kong urged French residents to open up their homes to stranded compatriots. With an estimated 150,000 citizens stranded abroad, Britain’s Royal Navy sent a warship to Spain to pick up troops returning from Afghanistan with a handful of civilians.
Several airports in southern Europe — notably Madrid, Athens and Rome — continued to serve as impromptu hubs for the rest of the continent on Tuesday, but the new uncertainty over weather conditions was
The region is grappling with a new blow to its ability to act decisively during an emergency. Most noisily, the head of the International Air Transport Association said before the announcement to partially lift the aviation ban that “the decision Europe has made is with no risk assessment, no consultation, no coordination, no leadership.”
21/04/10 Hindustan Times

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AI resumes flights from London

Mumbai: Air India will start its flights from the London airport, deploying the held-up aircraft at the Heathrow airport, subsequent to the partial opening of the European airspace on Tuesday, the airline said in a media statement. This operation, scheduled for Wednesday, will be on the London-Delhi and Toronto route, but is subject to due clearances from Eurocontrol.
Tuesday was the day sixth of disruption in air traffic due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland and the subsequent haze and volcanic ash cover. In India, this had impacted more than 40,000 passengers who were stranded across airports in the country.
On Wednesday, Air India may also operate one flight from Mumbai to London and subject to the opening of the Frankfurt Airport may decide to resume that flight, too. The airline will continue with its operations to the US, Canada and Chicago.
For all the passengers who were forced to reschedule their travel plans and are stranded at various airports across the country, the airliner will rebook tickets without any rebooking charges, but this facility is to be extended only to passengers who have confirmed bookings.
21/04/10 Economic Times

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Developments in volcanic ash affecting air travel

Weather conditions aren't set to change over Europe until Friday, meaning the volcanic ash may linger over the continent until then, a spokeswoman from Britain's weather service, the Met Office, said.
Starting Friday, southwesterly winds will start taking the ash away from the United Kingdom, the spokeswoman said Tuesday.
About 14,000 flights were expected to operate in European airspace Tuesday, half of scheduled air traffic, according to Eurocontrol, the intergovernmental body that manages European air travel. By the end of Tuesday, more than 95,000 flights will have been canceled since the ash shut down airspace on Thursday, Eurocontrol said.
All European airspace is available above 20,000 feet, Eurocontrol said. Lower air space is closed or severely restricted across Europe, it said.
FedEx announced its FedEx Express service would resume intercontinental flights via Europe, though not on a full schedule. It warned there may still be delays on inbound and outbound shipments from affected areas. Items will be prioritized on a "first in, first out" basis.

Indian authorities on Tuesday announced a two-week visa extension for Europe-bound foreign travelers stranded in the country because of the volcano. About 9,000 passengers booked by state-run Air India and private carrier Jet Airways have been left stranded, according to Indian civil aviation authorities.
Air India has resumed flights to Chicago, Illinois; New York's JFK airport; and Newark, New Jersey, from Mumbai and New Delhi, the civil aviation ministry said. The airline has two planes stranded at London's Heathrow and one at Frankfurt, it added.
India's Jet Airways has restarted its U.S. and Canada flights via Athens, Greece. The airline hopes Europe-bound passengers can travel onwards from Athens to other destinations on the continent.
21/04/10 CNN

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Volcanic crisis adds to airlines’ financial woes

Mumbai: Three Indian airlines operating on international routes — Jet Airways, Air India and Kingfisher Airlines — have lost at least Rs 200 crore in revenue due to cancellation of flights in the past five days as volcanic ash from Iceland blocked major routes.
The loss adds to their financial strain as they were just coming out of the red following the global economic slowdown.
But, compared to their international rivals, the impact is not so bad for these carriers that fly to UK, Europe and North America, because their major operations are in the domestic market.
More than 50 international flights of Jet Airways were cancelled after London Heathrow and Brussels airports were closed following volcanic eruptions in Iceland on April 16. Around 28 flights of Air India and 20 flights of Kingfisher were also cancelled during the period.
Prakash Mirpuri, vice-president of corporate communications at Kingfisher Airlines, said, “We saved on expenses to be incurred on aviation turbine fuel, which constitutes around 40 per cent of the operating cost, parking and landing fees at Heathrow airport.”
But airlines are yet to assess the net loss this quarter.
20/04/10 Rupesh Subhash Janve/mydigitalfc.com

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South Asia businesses and tourism hit by air crisis

Business and tourism in South Asia are increasingly being hit by airline inactivity caused by the spread of volcanic ash from Iceland.The export of garments and perishable goods from the region to Europe has been severely affected, as has the tourism industry in South Asia.No country in the region has escaped from the economic impact of the crisis.But officials say the priority is dealing with thousands of people across the region who are unable to fly.
Tourism in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives has also been badly damaged. For Nepal and Bhutan the crisis is even more serious because this time of the year is peak season.
At this time of the year tourism in the cooler north of India is also hugely popular.
According to figures from the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), 41,435 passengers have been affected by the flights crisis and it will take several days to clear the backlog.
All flights from India to London and Paris were cancelled on Monday, but Air India and Jet Airways resumed services to the US and Canada through Cairo and Athens respectively.
Many passengers whose visas have expired have been unable to leave the airport premises while several airlines are reported to have stopped paying for food and accommodation - arguing that they are not obliged to do so in the event of a natural calamity.
Meanwhile, exporters in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have borne the brunt of exporting losses.
20/04/10 BBC.co.uk

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European flight disruption hits Indian gold imports

Disruption of flights in Europe has hit gold shipments to India, the world's top buyer of the precious metal, potentially pushing up local prices ahead of a gold-buying festival next month, traders and dealers said.
"Shipments are getting delayed as sizeable gold is being imported from that part of the world," said Pinakin Vyas, assistant vice-president with Mumbai-based IndusInd Bank, a large gold importer.
India buys gold mostly from the UK and Europe, Zurich in particular, but air traffic in the region remains disrupted following last week's volcanic eruption in Iceland which has thrown up plume of ash.
Flights were set to resume on Tuesday under a deal to free up airspace but strengthened eruptions from the volcano threatened to unravel the plans.
The country's gold demand has soared since mid-April, an auspicious period for Hindu weddings, raising sales but depleting stocks.
"As of now, no one has kept big inventory," Vyas said.
This may lead to a scarcity as stocks are required to meet demand for the gold-buying local festival, Akshaya Tritiya, on May 16, dealers said.
20/04/10 Moneycontrol.com

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$1-bn Indian exports may go up in smoke due to Ash clouds

New Delhi/ Mumbai: Thousands of businessmen worldwide have suffered following cancellation of flights as the the volcanic ash clouds continued to spread across the the European skies.
Exporters are increasingly becoming jittery of making huge losses and apprehend large-scale cancellation of orders and delay in payments. High-end merchandise exports from India worth $1 billion are likely to be affected due to the air travel crisis, said Ajay Sahai, director general, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).
“Exports worth $10 billion are shipped annually by air via European air routes. For EU, consignments worth $1 billion is exported monthly. This is likely to be hit but it is yet to be evaluated. The problem would aggravate if the crisis is prolonged,” he told Business Standard.
While bulk orders for cheaper products are shipped, high-end luxury items and perishable products are sent by the air route from India. Exporters, particularly, those dealing with new clients are more at risk of losing their business, rejection of shipment and cancellation of order bookings, Sahai added.
According to industry estimates, exporters are incurring a daily loss of around Rs. 20 crore. In Maharashtra, exporters have stopped buying fresh vegetables and fruits from farmers because they expect air services to resume after April 23.
Industry sources said nearly 225 tonnes of vegetables and fruits are exported to Europe and the Gulf, out of which 150 tonnes are sent from Maharashtra and the rest from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
20/04/10 Nayanima Basu & Sanjay Jog/Business Standard

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Birmingham outdoor market affected by ban on flights

In the shadow of the famous Bullring shopping centre, crowds have flocked as usual to Birmingham's busy outdoor market in the sunny weather.
But the blue skies above are quiet, as the ban on flights in English airspace as a result of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland enters a sixth day.
Due to the airline chaos, the outlook is currently uncertain for stall owner Shujah Mir. He has six years' experience behind him selling specialist Asian and Caribbean produce.
But since the weekend his turnover has reduced by about 30% with revenue going down by about £200 to £230 a day.
As food goods face delivery problems, companies have suffered disruption on top of the huge loss in revenues for airlines.
Although air freight represents just 0.5% of the UK's international movement of goods, it accounts for 25% by value, and includes items like pharmaceuticals and luxury goods.
Mr Mir said there were four or five stallholders selling Asian produce at the outdoor market - and he said he was not alone in having problems.
Away from the specialist Asian and Afro-Caribbean produce, one man who has worked at the market for nearly three decades has been counting the cost of recent events.
Frank Finlan, 73, said items such as bananas, pumpkin and yam had doubled in price but he was not passing extra wholesale costs onto customers.
Over at Birmingham's nearby wholesale market, where that stall owner gets produce, one man has had empty pitches for the first time in 40 years in the business.
Naim Alvi, from Amin Sons & Co Ltd, added: "We have regular containers in by sea, which take at least 14 days to come, but by air we are grounded at the moment.
20/04/10 Andrew Dawkins/BBC.co.uk

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Europe airspace opens partially, flights from India still off

London/New Delhi: The European Union (EU) on Tuesday cleared a limited resumption of air traffic amid a warning by UK of fresh volcanic ash clouds even as flights from India to Europe remained cancelled.
In India, the volcanic ash over Europe continued to create chaos at the Delhi and Mumbai airports with thousands of fliers, including foreigners, stranded.
While Air India and Jet Airways had resumed services to the US through alternative routes and were working overtime to help the stranded passengers, the flights to Europe remained cancelled.
Air India resumed its long haul non-stop flights between India and the US on Sunday. Flights to London may resume after Tuesday night, depending on slots available.
The airports in Manchester, Birmingham and London are still closed.
The Indian civil aviation ministry set up a control room to coordinate with the external affairs ministry, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the airlines.
The DGCA is keeping a close watch on the pricing of tickets to prevent airlines from passing off their losses to passengers.
20/04/10 Headlines Today/India Today

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Bombardier opens new Bombay hub as India aviation soars

Bombardier Aerospace inaugurated a regional support office in Bombay on Tuesday boosting its presence in a market forecast to take delivery of 250 business jets over the next ten years.
The office is the company’s fifth regional service office to open outside of North America in the past three years, it said in a statement. It also plans to open similar facilities for business aircraft in Dubai and Shanghai by the end of the year.
India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world, with about $80 billion US likely to be spent on new aircraft over the next ten years and $30 billion on airport infrastructure, according to figures from the Investment Commission of India.
James Hoblyn, president, customer services and specialized and amphibious aircraft told reporters that India is expected to take delivery of 250 business jets over the next ten years, reiterating a forecast for the market made at last year's Paris Air Show.
20/04/10 OMI Agency/Toronto Sun

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Air Asia to start six additional flights to India

Bangalore: Low-cost airline Air Asia on Tuesday said it would start six additional flights from Kuala Lumpur to five cities of India, including Bangalore.
The daily Bangalore-Kuala Lumpur flight, to commence from May 20, would leave at 1715 hrs and arrive at Kuala Lumpur at 2340 hrs. The return flight would leave from there at 1510 hrs and arrive here at 1635 hrs, head of commercial PR Sherliza Zaharudin told reporters in Bangalore. One-way fare on this low-cost and no-frills airline sans administration fee, with only online fees being charged, would be around Rs 4,000-Rs 6,000.
The Kuala Lumpur-Chennai daily flight services would begin from May 17, while daily flights from Penang to Chennai would start from April 28. It would also start operating daily flight from Kuala Lumpur to Hyderabad from July 20 and from Delhi on August 4.
20/04/10 PTI/Economic Times

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Jet Privilege enters into partnership with lifestyle and retail partners

Mumbai: Jet Airways’ Jet Privilege, India’s largest frequent flyer programme, has entered into a partnership with twelve new partners across the Retail, Finance, Lifestyle, Hotels and Publishing categories.
In the retail category, Jet Privilege has partnered with Ethos, the largest chain of Swiss watch stores across the country, Arrow, a premium American lifestyle offering a wide array of men’s & women's apparels & accessories, Van Heusen, a premium lifestyle brand for men, women and youth, Titan Industries, the world’s fifth largest manufacturer of watches, and the largest in India, and Odyssey, a premier leisure store chain.
Effective April 16, 2010, members may shop at any exclusive Ethos Watch Studio in India and earn 5 JP Miles on every Rs100 spent on purchase of Swatch & Tissot watches, and 3 JP Miles on every Rs100 spent on purchase of all other watch brands.
Effective April 16, 2010 members may earn 20 JP Miles on every Rs 100 spent (exclusive of taxes) at exclusive Arrow showrooms across India, as well as 12 JP Miles on every Rs 100 spent (exclusive of taxes) at any Van Huesen outlet in the country.
Effective April 16, 2010, members may also shop at any exclusive Titan showroom across India and earn 7 JP Miles on every Rs 100 spent (exclusive of taxes), as well as earn 6 JP Miles on every Rs 100 spent (exclusive of taxes) at Odyssey stores (excluding at railway stations).
In the finance category, With effect April 16 2010, Jet Privilege has extended its Banking partnerships with Citibank across their U.A.E. markets, Standard Chartered Bank across their U.A.E and Sri Lanka markets and also with Kotak Credit Cards across India.
Citibank credit card holders based in UAE with valid Citi Premier Miles and Citi Premier Miles Elite credit card can now earn 1 JP Mile for every 1 Reward Point converted.
Standard Chartered Bank credit card holders in the UAE can earn 1 JP Mile for every 2.5 Reward Points converted; while those in Sri Lanka may earn 1 JP Mile for every 1 Reward Point converted.
Kotak credit card holders in India holding valid Kotak Royale, Kotak League Credit Card variants can earn 1 JP Mile for every 1 Reward Point converted.
In the lifestyle segment, Jet Privilege has entered into a partnership with Green Trends & Limelite, a family beauty salon focusing on affordable personal attentive grooming with an accent on signature products and services.
Effective April 16, 2010, Jet Privilege members may earn 20 JP Miles for every INR 100 spent at any exclusive Green Trends outlets in India.
whereas they will earn 5 JP Miles for every INR 100 spent on a bill value up to Rs 1500, and 15 JP Miles for every Rs 100 spend on a bill value of Rs 1501 and above, on all services availed at exclusive Limelite outlets in India.
In the hotel category, Jet Privilege has entered into a partnership with Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited for its Club Mahindra Resorts, Zests Resorts and Mahindra Homestays holiday brands. Club Mahindra Resorts are located in breathtakingly beautiful destinations across India and equipped with world class facilities, Zest Breaks, contemporary and trendy resorts themed for adventure, entertainment and romance, and Mahindra Homestay, which combines the comfort and individuality of a boutique hotel with the personal hospitality, informality and local knowledge that comes from staying with a friendly family.
Effective April 16, 2010, Jet Privilege members may earn 50JPMiles per Rs1000 spent (excl taxes & gratuities) per eligible stay at Club Mahindra Holidays and Zest Breaks, and 250 JP Miles on eligible stay at participating Mahindra Homestays properties.
In the publishing segment, Jet Privilege has entered into a partnership with Business world, India's largest selling business magazine and the only business weekly in the country.
Effective April 16, 2010, all Jet Privilege members residing in India can subscribe online and enjoy exclusive discount on the subscription price and earn JP Miles. Members who sign up for a three year subscription plan will be eligible for a special offer price of INR 1875, at a special discount of 20%, and earn 875 JP Miles. Members who sign up for a two year subscription plan will be eligible for a special offer price of INR 1275, at a special discount of 18%, and earn 500 JP Miles, while those who sign up for a one year subscription plan will be eligible for a special offer price of INR 675, at a special discount of 13%, and earn 220 JP Miles.
According to Mr. Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, "Jet Privilege has always endeavored to offer its members exceptional value and an enhanced lifestyle experience via its partnerships with a number of respected brands across a range of categories and segments. The introduction of these new partners to our Jet Privilege programme is yet another step in that direction, offering our members exciting and exclusive privileges across a range of categories, while earning additional JP Miles with their purchases."
Jet Airways' Jet Privilege currently has over 60 partners in categories, ranging from airlines to retail, hotels to telecom, lifestyle to publishing, car rentals to co branded credit card and many more.
20/04/10 PRESS RELEASE/Jet Airways

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Volcanic ash: Struggling Europe meets its 9/11 in ash attack

London: Eyjafjallajoekull, a word almost nobody had heard of, has suddenly topped the lexicon for thousands of stranded travellers, the travel and tourism trade, airlines, logistics companies, and now European governments.
The obscure Icelandic volcano, which continues to erupt, resulted in an almost total flight ban over Northern Europe for the fifth day Monday, and the fall-out of the volcanic ash cloud is beginning to take on the contours of a major economic disaster for an already beleaguered Europe — hitting airlines, travel and tourism, hospitality, insurance, air-cargo, fruit and vegetable trade, air-freight and the logistics industries, while aviation and travel stocks tumble across world markets.
Airlines on Monday, losing over $200 million per day according to IATA, lambasted European governments for delaying a co-ordinated response, and accused them of over-reacting to the safety issue, with European Commission weighing in on the side of airlines. Indian airline industry, struggling with fuel prices and recession, is estimated to have already lost about Rs 82 crore in terms of passenger revenue alone, both international and domestic, though proper estimates are yet to be done.
CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee estimates that the impact is tremendous for business travellers. “It is a great critical loss for many, especially the airlines in India, although we have not been able to quantify the loss as yet,” he said. The $60-billion technology services sector that gets about 30% of its revenue from the European market says it’s business as usual, so far, after the issue was discussed at Nasscom’s executive council meeting on Monday. “In fact, companies may be saving travel money as they rely more on video conferencing,’’ said Som Mittal.
20/04/10 Sudeshna Sen/Economic Times

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