First Commercial Jet Flight Using Jatropha Biodiesel a Success

After postponing the flight for about a month, Air New Zealand has become the first airline to test a 50/50 blend of second generation jatropha biodiesel and standard A1 jet fuel in a Boeing 747-400 passenger jet. The company has hailed the test as a milestone for commercial aviation.
The flight lasted two hours and ran one of the plane’s Rolls-Royce engines on the jatropha biodiesel blend. Air New Zealand has previously stated that they want to become the world’s most sustainable airline and hopes that by 2013, 10% of its flights will be powered by biofuel blends such as the jatropha biodiesel blend used in this test flight.
Air New Zealand said the the jatropha used to make the fuel came from South Eastern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania) and India. They also claim that the oil was produced from Jatropha seeds grown on “environmentally sustainable farms.”
As a second generation biofuel, jatropha is grown on land that doesn’t compete with food. Jatropha requires almost no care and very little water. Another major benefit of jatropha is that, due to its ability to take hold in harsh wastelands, it can be used to help stop erosion in these areas and reclaim them for agricultural production.
Air New Zealand says that it will be at least 4 years before they can get access to enough jatropha to make the fuel needed to run 10% of their flights.
30/12/08 Nick Chambers/Gas2.0

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India airline targets $2m rise in revenue

Manama: Air India and Indian Airlines, which are being merged, are expected to increase their net revenue out of Bahrain from $18 million to $20m a year, it was revealed yesterday.
Aviation industry veteran Meenakshi Mallik has arrived in Bahrain as country manager of both, which will now be known only as Air India.
Ms Mallik, who has more than 18 years' experience with Indian Airlines, was earlier the airline's airport manager at Calcutta International Airport, where she handled almost 90 flights a day.
"I am delighted to be in Bahrain at a challenging time when our two national carriers are being merged into one airline," she told the GDN.
"The merger process is now in the final stages, and in Bahrain we shall soon have only one office and one general sales agent (GSA)."
As Air India's country manager she is in charge of both Bahrain and Jordan, and as Indian Airlines' country manager she will be responsible for both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
"Jointly, both airlines made a net revenue of $18m this year, and I hope to increase it to $20m in one year," said Ms Mallik.
Ms Mallik said both Air India and Indian Airlines were competing each other all these years.
"Now, with the merger, we have become a very strong carrier, and we will revise schedules for the convenience of the travelling public," she said.
Air India's GSA is Kanoo Travel and that of Indian Airlines is Dadabhai Travel.
31/12/08 Soman Baby/Gulf Daily News, Bahrain

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Agents' Gandhigiri: Chewing gum gift for airline staff

Kolkata: In yet another unique form of protest against some airlines' decision to slash commission, travel agents on Tuesday presented boxes of
chewing gum to Singapore Airlines with the message, To keep your staff occupied'. Incidentally, chewing gum is banned in Singapore.
This is the third edition of Gandhigiri by the members of Travel Agents Federation of India, Travel Agents Association of India and IATA Agents Association of India.
In July, travel agents had presented the Jet Airways staff with samosas and sweets to protest against the airline's decision to scrap the 5% commission on tickets. In September, they presented rose bouquets to Kingfisher Airlines, which had done the same.
The protests led to the restoration of commissions, although the rate was reduced from 5% on the basic fare to 3% on the gross ticket price. While Jet Airways restored it on December 8, Kingfisher followed suit on December 11 and Air India on December 26.
With the national carrier relenting to Gandhigiri, the agents are planning to turn the ratchet on foreign carriers that have done away with commissions despite pleas from the fraternity. "From Tuesday, all agents have stopped selling Singapore Airlines tickets. The chewing gum is a stunt. But we hope the message will stick," said Anil Punjabi, chairman of TAFI's eastern region.
The agents are now demanding a 5% commission on the gross price of tickets from Singapore Airlines.
31/12/08 Times of India

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'Jetropha' flight takes to skies

A jet takes to Auckland's skies this morning for the world's first commercial test flight powered by a second-generation biofuel.
A 50:50 blend of the oily nut from the jatropha tree and Jet A1 fuel will power the two-hour exercise that will be monitored by representatives from Boeing, Rolls-Royce and biofuel specialist Honeywell's UOP.
The flight crew will conduct fuel tests measuring the performance of the engine and fuel systems at various altitudes and under a variety of operating conditions.
Air New Zealand said it expected biofuel to make up about 10 per cent of its total fuel burn of 9 million barrels a year by 2013, thereby reducing its carbon footprint by 400,000 tonnes a year. It was the first airline in the world to set such a target.
With analysts widely tipping fuel will dominate the airline's financial results this year the search for a sustainable aviation biofuel has taken on renewed emphasis.
If the jatropha-based biofuel can be produced economically in large volume it will provide a useful hedge against rising crude prices. Moreover, the airline will save on carbon dioxide emissions and the charges on them planned by the European Union.
In June, the airline's chief executive, Rob Fyfe, said jatropha-based fuel would be at least 30 per cent cheaper than jet fuel after oil reached a record US$174 a barrel.
But the global economic crisis has since driven the price down 70 per cent to below US$40 a barrel, well below the forecast airlines had pencilled in when they picked up their hedge protection several months ago.
For the test flight one of the Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400's engines will run on the biofuel, after which it will be stripped and examined.
Chief pilot David Morgan, the general manager of airline operations, says Air New Zealand and its partners will not budge on the three criteria any environmentally sustainable fuel must meet: social, technical and commercial.
Biofuels emit as much carbon as kerosene-based fuel, but the 125,000 hectares of jatropha tree plantations in East Africa and India, where the beans are sourced, are expected to absorb the equivalent of about half the biofuel emissions.
Jatropha is considered the best option to provide commercial volumes of fuel because of its high oil content 30 per cent to 40 per cent and ability to grow readily on non-arable land, so that it does not compete with food crops.
30/12/08 Kris Hall/The Dominion Post /stuff.co.nz

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Ban PIA flights at Mumbai airport, demand protestors

Mumbai: The residents of Sahar Village along with the members of Mitra Mandal, a non-governmental organisation, staged a protest against the recent terror strike on Mumbai at the Chhattrapati Shivaji International Airport in the city on Monday.
The protestors urged the airport authorities to ban all aircraft of the Pakistan International Airlines from taking off or landing at the airport. It also urged airport workers to refuse to undertake any work such as loading, unloading, ground handling and catering of PIA flights.
29/12/08 Rediff.com

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Delhi Police bust global e-ticketing racket, 4 held

New Delhi: Delhi Police have busted a major inter-state e-ticketing scam with global links and arrested four persons, including a woman.
At a press conference held on Sunday, Delhi Police officers said three of the accused were arrested in Kolkata while the woman was arrested in Delhi.
The alleged masterminds are a Bangkok-based woman and her brother. The police are trying to get their Thai counterparts to nab them.
Naeem Ahmed, 24, Shahid Iqbal, 25, and Feroz Alam, 23, all resident of West Bengal, were arrested in Kolkata on December 20, while their accomplice Kanika Budhiraja, 27, was arrested from Rana Pratap Bagh area in the Capital on Thursday.
Delhi Police went to Kolkata to bring them back to the city. They are now in the custody of the Delhi Police.
Budhiraja’s mother Manjit Kaur alias Karampal Kaur and brother Sanjit Singh, both residents of Bangkok, are suspected to be the kingpins, police said. Iqbal and Alam run travel agencies in Kolkata.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Neeraj Thakur said the accused would buy airline and rail tickets on the Internet using credit card details obtained fraudulently. “Budhiraja’s mother Manjit provided credit card details to Ahmed, who then purchased airline and rail tickets. He then gave the tickets to Iqbal and Alam,” said Thakur.
“The two sold tickets in cash to customers by offering huge discounts. To pay Manjit for the information he received by email, Naeem would then deposit money in an Axis Bank account,” Thakur added.
This account was opened in the name of Budhiraja, who would withdraw money and send it to her mother in Bangkok through illegal channels.
29/12/08 ExpressIndia

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Indian agents now set to boycott international airlines

After a series of successful boycotts which saw Indian airlines reinstating travel agent commissions, associations are now set to boycott international airlines which have implemented zero commission policies.
Earlier in the year, many Indian airlines declared they would move towards a zero commission policy, but after several Indian agent associations stop selling tickets until the policy was removed, the airlines begrudgingly reinstated commissions.
It appears that the associations are now ready to tackle international airlines who have also withdrawn commissions, naming Singapore Airlines as a potential boycott target.
“Barring a few, most foreign carriers, including Singapore Airlines, are not paying any transaction fee or commission. We will begin boycotting foreign airlines if they don’t fall in line,” Rajii Rai, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) President, said in the Economic Times India.
Major international airlines including Air France–KLM, Lufthansa, Continental and JAL stopped paying travel agents’ commissions in November.
Travel agents argued that the travel market in India is still in its infancy, and travellers were not ready to pay a transaction charge for their services yet.
28/12/08 e-Travel Blackboard Asia

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Slash in Singapore Airlines fare

Kolkata: In a bid to overcome the current economic crisis that has shrunk air traffic, Singapore Airlines has announced mega discount deals that could act as booster shots to revive travellers' confidence. The discounts ranging from 40% to 60% are being handed out on key sectors in South East Asia and Australia.
Tickets on the return flight to Singapore has been slashed by 52% to Rs 18,830, close to discounted rates offered nearly two years ago when there was stiff competition on the sector. A to-and-fro ticket to a slew of popular South-East Asian destintations like Bangkok, Denpasar, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Lankawi will cost Rs 23,980, down by 42 to 59%.
For those keen on travelling to cities in Australia, a return fare to Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney or Melbourne will cost Rs 41,350, a reduction by 44%. All prices are inclusive of taxes and surcharge.
"Bookings for the offer can be made from now till January 15, 2009 and will be valid for travel from December 29, 2008 to March 31, 2009 for Singapore and South-East Asia and from February 01, 2009 to June 30, 2009 for the Australian destinations," said Singapore Airlines general manager (India) C W Foo.
29/12/08 Times of India

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Aerobridge accident victim operated on

New Delhi: Eight-year-old Varunabh Bhatnagar, who injured himself after falling from an aerobridge at the IGI Airport on Thursday, underwent surgery late on Saturday night in a private hospital in South Delhi. As per sources at the hospital, Varunabh had responded well to the neurosurgery. The boy had been crossing over the aircraft onto the aerobridge when the accident occurred and had developed a clot in his brain after the fall. He had been admitted to the hospital on Friday.
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways, the airline on which the boy and his family had travelled back to Delhi, clarified the aerobridge had been fixed properly to the aircraft and efforts were on to determine what had caused the fall. They also added the duty manager and two ground handling staff members were present at the site when the incident occurred. However, unable to explain the reason for the accident, they said investigations were on.
29/12/08 Times of India

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Travel takes a cut in climate of fear

New Delhi: Even though air traffic between India and Pakistan has never been too heavy, the passenger load of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has taken a severe hit in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks on November 26. Its Indian counterpart had already snapped services, more due to cost-cutting measures than the recent developments.
The National Carrier of India Limited (NACIL) discontinued flights to Pakistan four months ago due to poor passenger load. According to information received from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and the Pakistan High Commission in India, the total volume of air traffic between the two countries from January to November 2008 stood at an estimated 2.5 lakh passengers.
“After the Mumbai terror attacks, there have been 80 per cent cancellations in this sector. Now, with India having issued an advisory against travel to Pakistan, the Indo-Pak air traffic will see a more than 50 per cent drop. The outlook for the next six months remains uncertain,” said Raji Rai, President, Travel Agents’ Association of India (TAAI).
The association also sees a significant loss of revenue owing to the recent straining of relations between the two neighbours. “There has been a 15-20 per cent fall in bookings since 26/11,” Rai said.
At present, PIA flies on a weekly schedule of four Delhi-Lahore flights, three Delhi-Karachi flights and five Mumbai-Karachi flights. There is, however, no flight from Mumbai to Lahore. According to PIA officials, the air traffic load has already seen a 50 per cent dip in this sector after 26/11.
28/12/08 Geeta Gupta/ExpressIndia

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Muscat flights rescheduled

Thiruvananthapuram: Due to operational reasons, Air India Express flight IX-349, Thiruvananthapuram-Muscat, scheduled to depart at 10.35 a.m. on Monday is rescheduled to depart at 7.30 a.m. on the same day.
Jet Airways too has rescheduled its Thiruvananthapuram-Muscat flight on Monday. Flight 9W-530 Thiruvananthapuram-Muscat has been rescheduled to depart at 8.35 a.m. Passengers have been instructed to check-in at 5.35 a.m
28/12/08 ExpressBuzz

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Gulf Airways flight makes emergency landing at Kolkata airport

Kolkata: A Bahrain-Dhaka flight of Gulf Airways made an emergency landing at the NSC Bose International airport in Kolkata on Friday due to fog in Bangladesh capital.
The pilot of the flight (GF41) with 284 passengers on board sought permission for unscheduled landing in Kolkata at 3 am due to dense fog at Dhaka airport, airport sources said.
The plane would fly to Dhaka at 8.30 am on Saturday. Officials said the pilot decided to stay put as the situation at Dhaka airport did not improve till later in the day.
One flight each of Air India Express and Jet Airways too were delayed by two and three hours respectively to fly from Kolkata to Dhaka on Friday.
26/12/08 PTI/Times of India

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Passengers opting for ‘stopovers’ over direct flights

Kochi: The concept of direct flights to the European countries and the Americas are fading away with passengers opting for a stopover before reaching their destination.
Only a few passengers demand direct flights for long distance destinations. The aviation companies are not able to introduce direct flights as the number of passengers who prefer a direct journey is very less.
Most carriers are operating direct flights from one or two destinations in India with connection flights from different airports within the county.
Sources from Kingfisher Airlines said that they have started a connection flight from Kochi to London via Bangalore. But they are not able to operate the direct flight as the number of passengers are less to the European countries, except the Gulf.
Now there are facilities for providing two boarding passes and completing the emigration proceedings from the domestic terminal of the Cochin International Airport and also at the stopover in another airport in India. The check-in for passengers arriving in the connecting flight at Bangalore is more flexible as the movement from domestic to international terminals can be had from inside the airport.
Air India sources said that the company had no immediate plans for direct flights to long distance destinations from Kerala. They pointed out that the majority of the passengers opt for a stopover or a break during the journey which has become a trend.
“Those who fly on long distance flights to India usually demand a stopover in the Gulf countries or in Singapore for three or four days. The majority of them get off there for shopping and others to visit their friends or relatives”, sources said.
27/12/08 Express Buzz

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Air Services Agreement between India and South Africa revised

The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal submitted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for superseding the existing Air Services Agreement (ASA) signed on 5th December, 1998 between India and South Africa by a revised ASA between the two countries. This ASA is based on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) template.
The revised ASA signifies an important landmark in civil aviation relations between India and South Africa. It has the potential to spur greater trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchange between the two countries.
26/12/08 Press Information Bureau

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Fliers protest as heavy fog delays flights

Mumbai: Thick fog at Sharjah on Thursday upset the travel plans of passengers who were to fly there from Mumbai airport. Two Air Arabia flights, which were to take-off from the city were delayed, as the aircrafts arrived late.
The flight scheduled at 9.45 pm on Thursday was delayed by almost six hours. The other took-off at 6.45 pm on Friday instead of 4.35 am. "The passengers were stranded inside the airport till the time they were intimated that the flight won't take off for at least six to seven hours,'' said a security officer.
According to security officers, while most passengers went to accommodation provided by the airline, 38 stayed inside the terminal. Some even tried to prevent other passengers from boarding Air Arabia flights to other destinations, they added.
However, many passengers were subsequently accommodated on other airlines' flights to Sharjah.
Air Arabia confirmed the delays.
27/12/08 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Foreign airlines’ staff challenge new ground handling policy

Mumbai: Employee Unions of Gulf Air, British Airways and Saudi Arabian Airlines have challenged a notification issued by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) disallowing foreign airlines’ employees from handling ground services at any of its airports from January 1, 2009. This would lead to job losses for over 50,000 workers, the unions fear.
According to the petitioner unions, the DGCA’s circular dated September 28, 2007, and the AAI notification dated October 18, 2007 — to be effective January 1, 2009 — lays down that airlines cannot employ their own staff for ground handling, or cannot engage outside agency at the six major airports (Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Banglore). Simultaneously, it also makes it clear that only domestic airlines can handle the ground services at the other airports. Consequently, the foreign airlines ground handling staff working at Indian airports will be rendered jobless from January 2009, petitioners have said.
The unions have challenged the circular before the Bombay High Court as it prohibits self-handling system, wherein airlines employ their own staff for ground handling tasks. Ground-handling work involves passenger check-in, cleaning, aircraft handling, fuelling, baggage handling, boarding and passengers disembarkment.
The DGCA, however, has said in its affidavit before the HC that the decision was taken by the government after deliberations “to provide ground-handling services of international standards in a competitive environment, balanced by the paramount considerations of aviation safety and security.”
26/12/08 Economic Times

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Cathay Pacific Airways to focus on online and corporate sector

Mumbai: Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airways, which operates 35 flights a week from India is charting out its plan of action for next year. Currently, the airline is planning to focus on the online sector by enhancing the B2B interface of its portal for both travel agents and corporates. Talking about the future plans of the airline for the Indian market, Tom Wright, General Manager – Middle East, India & Africa, Cathay Pacific Airways said, “Due to various hurdles faced by the global aviation sector this year, the coming year is obscure. The only thing we can focus upon is technology. We are looking at strengthening our online gateway to receive higher sales margins through direct sales. We are also going to enhance the online space for our corporate clients and travel agents.”
Apart from focusing on the online gateway there are no plans for expanding the route network or increasing the frequencies between India and Hong Kong. Elaborating further Wright stated, “We increased our frequencies from eight flights a week to 35 flights a week this year. So, the bilateral rights signed between India and Hong Kong is saturated. We cannot expand our route network in India any more.” Currently the airline operates a total of 28 flights a week, while the remaining flights are operated by Dragonair (affiliate airline of Cathay Group) from Bangalore to Hong Kong.
The airline is also planning to work closely with Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to promote the nation in India for tourism and business.
24/12/08 Anita Jain/TravelBizMonitor

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Emirates appeals Indian court order

Dubai: Emirates is appealing an Indian court decision ordering it to pay Rs1.1 million (Dh84,360) in compensation for causing "inconvenience, discomfort and mental harassment" to a passenger couple.
A consumer court in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh entered the order after Indian passenger Manmohan Lal Sarin, flying from New Delhi to Johannesburg with his wife, alleged that the cabin crew offered a "large metal box" with a pillow on it to replace a broken footrest, The Times of India reported.
The couple also alleged that on the return journey they were put in business class despite holding a first class ticket.
Contacted by Gulf News, an Emirates spokesperson in Dubai said the airline is appealing the judgment.
24/12/08 Shakir Husain/Gulf News, UAE

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Police takes drunk Jet Airways pilot away at Heathrow

Gun cops swooped on a Heathrow airliner because the pilot reeked of booze as he prepared to take off with 300 passengers.
Dad-of-two Michael Harr, 62 — who had been to a Christmas party the night before — was breath-tested and hauled out of the cockpit of the Boeing 777.
He was marched off the flight to Mumbai in India as colleagues preparing for the 4,400-mile, nine-hour trip watched in horror.
Police were tipped off when airport staff smelt alcohol on the veteran flier as he passed through routine security.
Former US marine Harr — the jet’s first officer — was taken to Heathrow police station for a blood test and bailed until next year.
Passengers on Sunday’s Jet Airways flight — which was delayed until a replacement pilot was found — included relatives of people killed and injured in the Mumbai massacre last month.
“Security were immediately suspicious about him and deemed that he wasn’t fit to fly.
“He was arrested and now faces losing his job. He is only a couple of years away from retirement and has blown everything.
“Apparently, he and some of his younger colleagues had been out on Saturday night and the drinking got out of hand.
“He thought he could keep up with the youngsters.” Airline pilots are meant to avoid alcohol for eight hours before flying.
A spokesman for Indian-based Jet Airways said of the drama on Flight 9W119: “The first pilot was replaced and passengers were only delayed by ten minutes.”
The scandal comes two months after Heathrow police held a fellow American aged 44 on suspicion of being over the limit minutes before he was due to fly a United Airlines jet to San Francisco.
23/12/08 Anthony France/Lynsey Haywood/The Sun, UK

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Fire in plane's engine before take-off

Mumbai: It was a close shave for 124 Bahrain-bound fliers, as one of the engines of the aircraft caught fire minutes before it was to take off.
Gulf Air flight GF 065 was lined up on the main runway for departure at 7.30 pm when its left wing engine caught fire, only nine minutes prior to the departure. All passengers on board were evacuated. No one was reportedly injured. MIAL confirmed the incident.
As soon as the pilot informed the authorities about the fire, apron control and fire officials rushed to the site. "There was utter chaos for a while as everyone rushed to escape a possible mishap,'' said a security official.
The passengers were accommodated in a hotel near the airport. The main runway, from where the aircraft-an Airbus 321-was preparing to depart, had to be shut down for 45 minutes while the airport officials cleared the way.
Two Indian Airlines flights, one from Delhi and the other from Bangkok, which were about to land, had to hover in the air for almost 30 minutes. Three other flights had to be diverted to Ahmedabad.
21/12/08 Times of India

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IATA forecast for 09 showing an industry loss of US$ 2.5bn

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced its forecast for 2009 showing an industry loss of US$2.5 billion. All regions, except the US, are expected to report larger losses in 2009 than in 2008.
Forecast highlights are:
* Industry revenues are expected to decline to US$501 billion. This is a fall of US$35 billion from the US$536 billion in revenues forecasted for 2008. This drop in revenues is the first since the two consecutive years of decline in 2001 and 2002.
* Yields will decline by 3.0% (5.3% when adjusted for exchange rates and inflation).
* Passenger traffic is expected to decline by 3% following growth of 2% in 2008. This is the first decline in passenger traffic since the 2.7% drop in 2001.
* Cargo traffic is expected to decline by 5%, following a drop of 1.5% in 2008. Prior to 2008 the last time that cargo declined was in 2001 when a 6% drop was recorded.
* The 2009 oil price is expected to average US$60 per barrel (Brent) for a total bill of US$142 billion. This is US$32 billion lower than in 2008 when oil averaged US$100 per barrel (Brent).
“The outlook is bleak. The chronic industry crisis will continue into 2009 with US$2.5 billion in losses. We face the worst revenue environment in 50 years,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
IATA also updated its forecast for 2008 to a loss of US$5.0 billion. This is slightly improved from the US$5.2 billion loss projected in the Association’s September forecast primarily as a result of the rapid decline in fuel prices.
20/12/08 Moneycontrol.com

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Senior citizen dies at airport

Mumbai: A 72-year-old passenger aboard an Air India flight died at the airport soon after his flight landed in the city on Saturday morning. This is the second death reported from the airport in the last five days. The deceased, Laxman Meghraj Punjabi, was a heart patient and was travelling alone from Addis Ababa to Mumbai.
The MIAL authorities got a call from the airline at 5.40 am. An airport official said a doctor rushed to attend to Punjabi, who was bleeding.
The doctor found no pulse and couldn't record blood pressure. "Our doctor checked the patient's respiration and used the defibrillator to revive him,'' said the official. An MIAL spokesperson said the patient was given adrenaline and atropine injections and put on a drip.
"The passenger was declared dead at 6.25 am,'' said an MIAL spokesperson.
Punjabi's relatives, who arrived later, informed the airport officials that he had been fitted with a pacemaker.
21/12/08 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Finnair's vision of future flying

“In aviation industry, we are passing through a very difficult phase due to the present global financial crisis. There is a general feeling that the coming year is going to be even more difficult. There will be many new challenges on the way ahead,” said Mr Christer Haglund, Senior Vice-President, Finnair.
“Airlines are currently battling through the worst crisis in their history. The only airlines to survive will be those that adapt best to changes in the operating environment and are able to invest in modern, energy-efficient fleet. Over time, however, new technology and new business models will create better conditions for sustainable growth,” he said.
He was speaking at the launch ceremony for his book, ‘Departure 2093: Five visions of future flying’, which was jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Finnair here today. In the book, Finnair enlists the aid of experts to highlight the perspective that are both essential and fascinating when addressing the future air of travel.
Mr Christer, while talking about Finnair and its commitments, said, “At Finnair, our target is not to be the biggest or the cheapest airline in the world. But rather, we aim at being the most preferred choice with the highest quality of products.”

“Today, customers have the power to make eco-friendly choices. With these choices, if properly executed, the emissions can be cut by up to 30 per cent,” he added.
Finnair, which is one of the oldest airlines in the world and is celebrating 85th anniversary this year, has decided, instead of recalling the past, to embrace the future and take a peak all the way to 2093. Finnair started its operation in India just two years ago. It launched direct flights between Delhi and Helsinki on October 30, 2006. The flights between Mumbai and Helsinki were launched on June 27, 2007. Finnair currently operates 13 flights a week between Helsinki and Delhi/Mumbai.
20/12/08 Moneycontrol.com

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SriLankan Airlines to suspend flights to Calicut, Kochi, Coimbatore and Hyderabad

Mumbai: SriLankan Airlines’ flight schedule is undergoing several temporary changes and so the Airline is temporarily suspending services to four of its less popular destinations - Calicut, Kochi, Coimbatore and Hyderabad from January15, 2009 until the end of the winter season. According to a TravelDaily News report, the Airline is introducing new aircraft and retiring four older ones in its narrow-body fleet. Two new Airbus A320 aircraft have already been acquired, the first of which arrived on November 30 this year and the second is due to arrive within this month. Two more are being actively sourced, until then services to Calicut, Kochi, Coimbatore and Hyderabad have been stalled temporarily.
SriLankan Airlines will continue to serve all of the other destinations in its route network. In India, the airline continues to serve major destinations including its political capital New Delhi, commercial capital Mumbai and IT capital Bangalore. It will also maintain a major presence in Tamil Nadu, the state with closest links to Sri Lanka, through its 15 flights a week to Chennai, and daily flights to Trichy. All Southeast Asian and Far East destinations will remain unchanged.
19/12/08 TravelBizMonitor

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Aviation pioneer has fond memories

One of the pioneers of Bahrain's aviation in-dustry is retiring to his native India after 35 years.
Aircraft engineer George Philip said he and his wife Susan would be returning to India this week with warm memories of what became their second home.
Mr Philip, a helicopter engineer with the BDF until two years ago, came to Bahrain 35 years ago with his wife and their two children - daughter Asha and son Anil - as an employee of the Gulf Aviation Company, which is now Gulf Air.
He went on to achieve an aircraft maintenance engineer's licence from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), along with American licences in aircraft engine maintenance and air frame maintenance.
Mr Philip was later transferred from Gulf Air to the then newly-formed Bahrain Airport Services (BAS) to establish its engineering division.
He studied abroad for different courses with his best friend Ibrahim Nabi, who is the present superintendent of engineering division of BAS.
Mr Philip was later recruited for the then newly-formed Bahrain Defence Force by Captain Abdul Latif Zayani, who was maintenance commander of BDF helicopter Air wing.
"I received a lot of encouragement from Major General Dr Abdul Latif Zayani, who is now the chief of Public Security," said Mr Philip.
"During the interview, he said: 'We in military cannot make you a millionaire, but we can offer you an excellent working environment for you to remember'.
"After working for 26 years with BDF, I realise how truthful and genuine were his words."
Mr Philip, now aged 70, left the BDF to take care of his wife, after she suffered a stroke two years ago.
"I shall always remember with gratitude the support I received from BDF during my wife's illness," he said.
"I am especially thankful to Wing Commander Brigadier Maher Musallam, Colonel Khalid Ansari, Lieutenant Colonel Nabeel Barjas and the BDF Hospital doctors and other staff."
"Bahrain has been our second home, and we have only good things to remember of this great country," he said.
20/12/08 Soman Baby/Gulf Daily News, Bahrain

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Parents of killed trainee pilot waiting for justice

Thiruvananthapuram: It has been eight months since the parents of the trainee pilot Varsha Gopinath received the Aircraft Accident Investigation Report from the Philippines Government establishing that their daughter’s death in a mid-air crash in that country was caused by error and negligence on the part of the Air Traffic Controller (ATC). Read On >>

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Now, travel agents target foreign airlines over commissions

Mumbai: Travel agents have threatened to boycott international airlines from January for non-receipt of commission. They have taken the decision
after their meeting with Singapore Airlines on Wednesday night failed to arrive at any solution. The agents will also take a call on their future course of action on Air India by this week.
State-owned National Aviation Co of India (Nacil), which runs Air India, is supposed to get back to them on Friday.
Rajii Rai, President of Travel Agents’ Association of India (TAAI) told ET, “We will take action against foreign carriers if they don’t bring back the previous practice of paying 5% commission to us.” International carriers such as Lufthansa, Qatar Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Air France, United, Continental, KLM and Japan Airlines had stopped paying 5% commission to agents since November. Since then, the agents have been demanding re-introduction of the same.
The agents also want Air India to follow the other domestic carriers which started paying 3% commission. “We have met the civil aviation minister Praful Patel. We understand that the government will ask Air India to give commission to travel agents,” Mr Rai added. Industry sources are, however, not certain on whether the minister would back the agents on the issue. The minister had recently said that the payment of commission is a commercial matter between travel agencies and airlines.
19/12/08 Mithun Roy/Economic Times

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S'pore firm chief beaten up at Sahar

Mumbai: In an ugly turn of events, the chief operating officer of SATS, a Singapore-based company, was beaten up on Thursday by a group of Air India employees protesting the new ground handling policy at the Mumbai airport. No police complaint has been filed.
The incident took place at around 11 am in the international terminal of Mumbai airport where officials of NACIL (National Aviation Company of India Air India Air Transport) and Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) were to meet to discuss ground handling issues. "When Air India employees learnt about the meeting, they gathered in hundreds to protest the new ground handling policy,'' said an airport source.
"Five SATS officials had come for the meeting and the protesters pleaded with them to leave. Seeing the mob, four of them left. The chief operating officer, Karamjit Singh, refused to accept the protesters' demand and there was an altercation between him and the protesters,'' the source added. "Soon tempers were flying and the protesters got violent. Even as blows rained on Singh, other protesters tried to pacify the crowd and escorted him to safety to his vehicle. An executive director of Air India was also roughed up in the melee,'' the source said.
It was not known whether Singh sustained any grievous injuries. "We have no comments on the matter,'' said an Air India spokesperson.
19/12/08 Manju V/Times of India

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Your pilot: I’m not qualified to land

London: Flight BE1431 was thousands of feet above the ground when the pilot remembered something.
He grabbed the intercom and announced: “I am not qualified to land the plane.”
Passengers looked at each other with what the British, with typical understatement, would call “surprise”.
It’s unlikely anyone was reminded about the joke: “This is your Captain speaking, you are at 35,000ft and I hope you are having a lovely time. I am also having a lovely time – in the airport bar.”
Which was good because BE1431’s British pilot was not joking.
It was all very technical but the pilot had decided, barely 20 minutes before landing in a foggy Paris, that although he was very experienced, he did not have the rating necessary to bring his turboprop aircraft down. Not in that fog, oh no.
Unlike the pilot in the joke, though, he was in the cockpit and if he couldn’t land the machine he could jolly well fly it. So, BE1431 flew all the way back to Cardiff.
Passenger Cassandra Grant, flying for a job interview, was not pleased. She had booked with Flybe, a British airline based at Exeter International Airport that operates over 150 routes between 50-odd European airports. But BE1431 was jinxed by fog, just as many flights have been in Calcutta and elsewhere in India this week.
It should have left Cardiff at 8.45am yesterday but was almost three hours late taking off because of fog around the Welsh capital. Once the fog cleared in Cardiff, the plane took off but it then became too foggy to land in Paris. Pilots need extra training to land in poor weather.
Grant told her local newspaper, the South Wales Echo: “The captain said, ‘Unfortunately I’m not qualified to land the plane in Paris. They are asking for a level two qualification and I only have a level five. We’ll have to fly back’.”
Grant said: “The whole thing beggars belief. If I had not been on the plane, I would not have believed it.”
British pilots believe the Flybe pilot behaved correctly and that “passengers should be grateful to him”. This show of loyalty, however, does not explain why the unnamed pilot was placed in command.
But an Indian airline source said instead of returning to Cardiff the pilot should have asked to go to an “alternative designated airport”, waited there and then flown to Paris when the fog cleared. “The pilot did absolutely the wrong thing.”
19/12/08 Amit Roy/The Telegraph

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Hang Kandahar hijacker Latif, upset CBI to HC

Chandigarh: Just like the nation, the CBI too is simmering with rage at terrorists and in an unprecedented action has now moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking death for Abdul Latif, one of the main accused in the Kandahar hijack case of December 24, 1999.
Bitter that Latif, in a Punjab jail right now (TOI doesn't want to reveal his exact location for security reasons) has been sentenced to life by a Patiala sessions court, the CBI in its petition to the high court said, "Justice demands that courts should impose punishment befitting the crime so that courts reflect public abhorrence of the crime. Latif deserves death in public interest and in interest of justice as his existence will be a threat to the society and the world." In a crucial note, the central agency has emphasized in its plea that India needs to dispel the impression that it is a soft state.
The case is scheduled for hearing on Friday (today).
Latif, a Mumbai resident and allegedly a member of Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Patiala sessions judge (a specially designated court under anti-hijacking Act) on February 5, 2008, for "conspiring in and abetting of the hijacking of an Indian Airlines-IC-814 Kathmandu-New Delhi flight on December 24, 1999''. The plane had 179 passengers and 11 crewmembers on board. The hijackers had ruthlessly stabbed passenger Rupin Katyal to death and gravely injured another, Satnam Singh.
According to CBI, the hijacking was masterminded by various Pakistan groups to be used as a bargaining chip for securing release of dreaded terrorists like Maulana Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh and Mohammad Zargar from an Indian jail. Maulana's name, incidentally, has cropped up again with India asking Pakistan to hand him over after the Mumbai attacks of November 26.
CBI has also claimed that Latif not only provided logistical support to the Pakistani hijackers but ensured their safe transit to Nepal. Post hijacking, Latif passed on a message to the BBC, London, voicing their demands and the impending threat to passengers' lives.
19/12/08 Vishal Sharma/Times of India

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Indian girl student die in New South Wales plane crash

A teenager killed in a plane crash in New South Wales yesterday had been "hyped up" about learning to fly before taking the controls of the doomed aircraft. Read On >>

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JAL flight to test camelina-jatropha-algae fuel

Japan Airlines will use second-generation feedstocks camelina, jatropha and algae oil for a demonstration jet flight in Japan on Jan. 30. Japan Airlines announced plans Dec. 16 for the one-hour demo flight from Tokyo. A blend of 50 percent biofuel and 50 percent Jet-A (kerosene) fuel will be tested in one of four Pratt & Whitney engines in a JAL-owned Boeing 747-300 aircraft. The biofuel component will be a mixture of three second-generation feedstocks: 84 percent camelina, 16 percent jatropha and less than one percent algae.
According to JAL’s announcement, the flight will have several firsts. It will be the first biofuel demonstration by an Asian airline, the first biofuels test using Pratt & Whitney engines, the first to use camelina and the first to use a combination of three sustainable feedstocks.
The camelina used in the JAL demo flight was sourced by Sustainable Oils Inc., a Montana-based developer of camelina-based fuels. India-based Terasol Energy sourced and provided the jatropha oil and the algae oil was provided by California-based Sapphire Energy.
The biofuel for the JAL demo flight was processed by UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, using proprietary hydro-processing technology. The fuel was then blended with Jet-A fuel to create the 50 percent blend. The flight test is the culmination of nearly a year’s work, which included laboratory testing by the Boeing Co., UOP and several independent laboratories.
17/12/08 Susanne Retka Schill/Biodiesel Magazine

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Foreign airlines drop peak-season airfare

Mumbai: With lower oil prices and slumping demand for air travel, airlines across the United States and Europe have dropped peak-season air fares, hoping to bring in a rush of last-minute holidayers to fill up empty aircraft. In India, however, despite a fall in passenger traffic as well as ATF prices, air fares continue to stay north.
A Mumbai-Delhi ticket for Thursday mid-week fares on this route should be on the lower side started at Rs 4,937 for Go Air, a low-cost airline; for full-service carrier Air India, it was Rs 6,395. The high fares are an index of the high fuel surcharge at a time when ATF prices have hit the bottom of the barrel; it now comes between Rs 32 and Rs 38 a litre, the lowest it has fallen in the last three years (see box on top).
In December 2005, when ATF cost as much as it costs now, a Mumbai-Delhi low-cost carriers ticket came at Rs 1,000. Even last December, when fuel surcharge was Rs 1,650, mid-week tickets on this route started at a low of Rs 1,900. There is no justification for airlines to levy a fuel surcharge. This came into existence 18 months ago.
But ATF is now cheaper than what it was three years ago, Air Passengers Association of India chairman Sudhakara Reddy said. Civil aviation minister Praful Patel has been urging airlines to bring down fares but none has bitten the bullet so far (though airlines brought down the fuel surcharge by Rs 400 after Air India took the step).
Airlines were expecting the government to put ATF under the declared-goods category in December but that decision has been put on hold.
17/12/08 Manju V/Times of India

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FDI by PIOs in aviation

The Government has put in place a liberal and investor-friendly policy on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) under which FDI up to 100% is permitted on the automatic route in most sectors / activities. The policy on FDI, including policy for investment by Person of Indian Origin (PIOs), is reviewed on a continuing basis for addressing specific concerns, such as security, and providing a conducive investment climate to attract FDI.
As per extant policy, FDI is permitted in the Civil Aviation sector as under:
(i) Scheduled domestic airlines - FDI up to 49% and investment by Non-resident Indians (NRIs) up to 100% is permitted under the automatic route subject to no direct or indirect participation by foreign airlines and sectoral guidelines
(ii) Non-scheduled airlines/chartered airlines and Cargo airlines - FDI up to 74% and investment by NRIs up to 100% is permitted under the automatic route subject to no direct or indirect participation by foreign airlines in Non-scheduled and chartered airlines.
(iii) Ground Handling services - FDI up to 74% and investment by NRIs up to 100% is permitted under the automatic route subject to sectoral regulations and security clearance.
17/12/08 Press Information Bureau

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Explain shoplifting, AI tells airhostess

Mumbai: Nearly four months after an Air India (AI) hostess was detained at Frankfurt for shoplifting, the airline has asked her to explain the incident.
On August 27, 2008, DNA had reported that the airhostess from Mumbai had stolen a perfume from a duty free shop at Frankfurt airport and the airline manager had to pay the fine. At that time the airline denied the allegations claiming that the hostess was fined not for shoplifting but for having accidentally broken the bottle of a perfume.
However, in a letter written by AI’s in-flight services department, a copy of which is with DNA, the assistant general manager agreed that the incident did actually take place. The letter said: “Manager Frankfurt has brought to our notice that you were involved in a shoplifting case in November 2007 at Frankfurt. It has also been brought to our notice that you were allowed to leave Frankfurt on that occasion on the basis of an undertaking that you would pay up the money prescribed by the German authorities on your next visit to Frankfurt”
The letter also said that the hostess operated on several flights to Frankfurt after the said incident but failed to pay the amount. On August 12, 2008, she again went to Frankfurt and this time was caught by the immigration authorities.
17/12/08 Navita Singh/Daily News & Analysis

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Emirates to continue agents commission

Mumbai: Marking a crucial victory in the battle by travel agents to regain their commissions on air tickets, Dubai-based Emirates Airline has decided to continue paying 5% commission even as National Aviation Co. of India, or Nacil (that runs Air India), and Singapore Airlines are set to discuss the issue as well.
As a part of domestic and international carriers abolishing existing 5% commission to travel agents, Emirates had written to agents that it will implement 0% commission in line with others.
“This is a landmark victory for Indian travel agents as an international carrier has informed us that it will continue to pay 5% commission on the gross fare,” said Iata Agents Association of India, or IAAI, president Biji Eapen.
Mint reviewed a letter written by Orhan Abbas, vice-president (India and Nepal) of Emirates Airline, to travel agents informing of the decision to continue paying a 5% commission even after 1 April.
Last week, Jet Airways (India) Ltd and Kingfisher Airlines Ltd decided to give a 3% commission on gross fare.
Last week, Jet Airways (India) Ltd and Kingfisher Airlines Ltd decided to give a 3% commission on gross fare.
“Chennai-based Paramount Airways has also informed us to give 3% commission on gross fare, that is including base fare and fuel surcharges,” said Eapen, who also runs a travel agency, Speedwings Travel and Cargo Pvt. Ltd, in Kochi.
16/12/08 P.R. Sanjai/Livemint

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Air India suspends Haj flights for three days

Jeddah: Hundreds of Indian pilgrims have been stranded for three days at the Haj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport here due to no available seats on return flights. The Haj Terminal opened for the post-Haj operations on Dec. 12.
Among the stranded pilgrims are those bound for Kolkata who were originally scheduled to take off on Sunday. Air India officials told Arab News yesterday that they are looking into the matter.
“The problem surfaced due to the late arrival of some of the pilgrims from Makkah,” said an airline official, who did not want to be named. He said the pilgrims who were scheduled to fly at 2:30 p.m. on the first day reached the terminal 12 hours late.
According to Indian officials overseeing the arrangements in the holy cities, some pilgrims chose to offer Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque before leaving Makkah. Their arrival at the Haj Terminal was further delayed due to traffic snarls at some points.
According to Saeed Ahmad Baba, India’s consul general in Jeddah, buses were not allowed inside Makkah on Dec. 12 to pick up the pilgrims due to huge crowds attending Friday prayers. The buses reached the pilgrims’ accommodation at 2:30 p.m., instead of 11 a.m. as per schedule, resulting in a delay in transporting them to the Haj Terminal.
On the consul general’s request, Air India officials are in touch with Saudi authorities to solve the issue.
“The late arrival of these pilgrims, which resulted in flight delays that had a snowballing effect, created chaos at the airport. So Air India has suspended all return Haj flights for three days from today to clear the backlog,” said the airline’s Jeddah-based Regional Manager Deepak Anand.
17/12/08 K.S. Ramkumar /Arab News

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Airline staff raise a stink over foreign ground-handling firms

* In 2001, airport ground-handling licences were granted to foreign companies, including one called DNATA. The parliamentary cabinet committee later withdrew the licence after it learnt that DNATA had nearly 100 retired Pakistani air force officials on its roll.
* Among the companies selected to do ground-handling in Mumbai airport are Celebi, a Turkish ground-handling company, and NAS, a Kuwaiti company. Very little is known of these two firms as they do not have presence outside their countries. Is it a sound decision, especially as the defence minister has warned that "the next terror attack could come from air''? Another firm cleared is Menzies, an European ground-handling company. But, only two weeks ago, the UK department of transport confiscated its licence for security lapses.
* These foreign companies have engaged several foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis, as employees. In case of Indian employees, verification of character and antecedent is carried out before recruiting them. How can that be done in case of foreign nationals?
* The government does not allow foreigners to hold position of security chiefs in airlines but it has allowed foreign ground-handling companies with foreigners in India's airports.
These are some of the points on security concerns raised in a letter sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by Air India employees protesting against a government policy on ground-handling. Ground-handling jobs cover functions like passenger check-in, aircraft handling, fuelling, cleaning, mooring, baggage handling and boarding/deplaning passengers.
The matter pertains to a Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) circular on ground-handling in Indian airports, scheduled for implementation from January 2009. The circular says airport operators will give the contract for ground-handling to three select companies-which could include foreign ones -and airlines will have to choose any of the three for their ground-handling jobs. Currently, multiple agencies do ground-handling at Indian airports and the policy aims to limit the number of operators to three for security reasons.
16/12/08 Manju V/Times of India

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Fliers land in Mumbai, luggage still in Chicago

Mumbai: When Atul Singh (25), a Mumbai resident pursuing an Economics degree in the US, landed at the city airport on Monday morning for annual vacation, he was received by airline employees instead of his parents. The airline staff approached him even before he could reach the baggage claim area, and informed him that his luggage, along with another five to six passengers, had been left behind at the Chicago airport.
So, all Singh, the Andheri-resident who arrived here on an early morning Lufthansa LH 756 flight was carrying with him was his laptop and a few books.
While passengers losing baggage is a well-documented fact at airports across the world, airlines misplacing baggage is another regular occurrence that irks flyers’. Sudhakar Reddy, president, Air Passengers Association of India said the problem lies in the fact that airlines, especially from within the US, fly from eight to nine airports and disembark at hubs like Frankfurt from where all of them are further redistributed to another six to nine destinations in India. “At an airport like Frankfurt, you need at least an hour and half to transfer luggage from one flight or gate to another. If you have to change your flight in lesser time, there is no chance that you’ll get your luggage on time,” he said.
But airlines do not buy that argument. “At the end of the day, we are a service industry so why would we like to irk our passengers,” said a spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic airlines.
The basic baggage handling procedure includes moving baggage from check-in area to the departure gates, then interchanging passenger baggage between the gates and eventually moving them from arrival gates to baggage claim area.
But often the fault lies with passengers as well. “I have seen so many times when passengers pick up and walk away with wrong bags without even realising,” said an airline executive.
16/12/08 Shashank Shekhar/Expressindia

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Jet Airways wins 'Airline with best first-class service' award

Jet Airways has been voted as the ‘Airline with Best First-Class Service in the World’, by readers of the prestigious Business Traveler magazine, at the 20th Annual ‘Best in Business Travel’ Awards.
The airline received the award at a gala ceremony at the Sofitel, Los Angeles on December 11, 2008.
With the introduction of its award-winning First Class, Jet Airways created the first airline ‘suites in the sky’, offering passengers the ultimate in privacy and luxury.
Each First Class suite features dual sliding doors that create complete privacy for every passenger, the world’s longest First Class bed at 83 inches, a massive 23 inch flat screen monitor and carefully designed storage areas that include a personal hanging wardrobe, dual credenza and under ottoman stowage, among other amenities.
Menu choices are exquisite and extensive, and plated on hand painted Bernardaud porcelain dinnerware. Passengers may also choose from the finest of French champagnes, including vintage Dom Perignon and Krug, the finest wines from around the world and a library of single malt whiskies, all served in Mikasa crystal.
Jet Airways’ First Class product is available on the airline’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, currently deployed on the airline’s long-haul services to North America and the UK.
Speaking on the victory, Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, CEO, Jet Airways said, “Jet Airways’ is arguably the finest First Class product in the skies today. The airline has invested a lot of time and money in the development of the same, and this award is a proud affirmation of the quality of our product.”
Business Traveler has earned the distinction of being the world’s premier business travel publication. With its start in the U.K. more than 30 years ago and introduction to the U.S. in 1988, the consumer-focused magazine has since grown to include nine editions worldwide.
For further information, passengers may log onto jetairways.com or call our toll-free numbers 39893333 / 1800-22-55-22.
16/12/08 PRESS RELEASE/Jet Airways

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India trade likely to help carriers ride out the storm

Los Angeles: Air freight will face an extremely challenging year in 2009, but pockets of growth will be found, particularly in US-Asian trade, predicted Gloria Whittington, managing director, DAX-Dependable AirCargo Express, an air freight forwarder that specialises in US-Asian and South Pacific trade.
"Greatest growth, on the order of a 10 per cent increase, is expected to be in US-Indian air cargo as that nation continues to expand its production base in a number of hi-tech and traditional industries.
"China, the perennial leader in cargo growth, will fall behind India in its growth rate to about eight per cent, down sharply from its usual double-digit increase as production in that nation slows, reflecting lower demand from outsourcing manufacturers.''
Whittington said there definitely would be less growth in 2009 than in past years due to the economic slowdown. "We expect a growth rate of no more than two per cent in the year ahead, down sharply from the eight to 10 per cent growth rates air cargo has enjoyed in the past."
Comparing the growth of air freight, however modest, to an expected sharp decline in ocean volume during the coming year, Whittington explained this discrepancy by noting that "types of cargo carried by air generally consists of high-value industrial items or hi-tech components and finished products which are less vulnerable to an economic slowdown. Ships, however, move primarily a wide range of consumer goods whose importers have been hard hit particularly by consumers' pocketbooks slamming shut during this current recession."
She sees greater use of the just-in-time (JIT) system for delivering parts and components for assembly line production as manufacturers attempt to decrease inventory levels to an absolute minimum.
Whittington also sees a strong potential for growth in the field of project cargo. "The project cargo segment of the transportation business always has been dominated by ocean carriers. Air never has played a significant role in this segment of the market. However, a greater number of heavy equipment makers are finding that if freight is properly disassembled, large cargo aircraft such as the Boeing 747-8 and the Russian-built Antonov can accommodate heavy loads with deliveries even to remote mines and oil fields in a matter of hours rather than weeks."
15/12/08 Cargonews Asia, Hong Kong

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Stranded, Air India flight takes off after 16 hours

New Delhi: An Air India flight to Jeddah finally took off after being delayed for 16 hours.
Among the passengers were people who feared that their work visa may expire if they didn't reach the countries of their work by the prescribed dates.
These passengers were at the limit of their patience. Some of them even swore that they will never ever fly the airline ever again.
Air India flight AI 891 to Jeddah was delayed thrice on Saturday and recheduled for the next morning.
This time it was not the fog to blame but operational reasons.
The Air India authorities on their part have assured the passengers that they could sort out some of their problems.
Manju Puri, Assistant Manager of Air India Passenger Sales said, "Air India is talking to Jeddah and will make sure people whose visas have expired will get entry."
Some passengers complained that Air India had not informed them about the delay in flights till very late.
14/12/08 Devashree Mahajan/CNN-IBN

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Singh fighting to retain Amritsar flights for Southall residents

The new Tory parliamentary candidate for Southall is campaigning to keep flights to an Indian province.
Jet Airways has announced it is stopping flights to Amritsar, in the Punjab reason, where thousands of Indians who live in the borough hail from and regularly travel back to.
Now Councillor Gurcharan Singh, is urging Jet not to pull the plug on the service, which would mean people have to fly to Delhi and then face a nine hour trek.
He said: “This is a real blow thousands of families in Southall who want to be able travel as quickly as possible to the Punjab.
“Forcing people to travel by land from Dehli will add several hours to journey times, and make it far harder and less comfortable to see love ones or maintain other links with India.
“I believe we can fight back by pointing out that demand for flights to Amritsar is as strong as ever and that it is the economy of Amritsar that will really suffer.
“I am writing to the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, who himself has roots in Amritsar – to point out the damage this will do to the Indian economy.”
15/12/08 Alex Hayes/EalingTimes, UK

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Air India Executive: Boeing Informs Co Of 787 Delivery Delay

New Delhi: Air India said Friday Boeing Co. (BA) has informed it of another delay in delivery of the 787 Dreamliners the Indian flag carrier had ordered.
"Yes, we have been informed by Boeing about the delay in delivery," Jitender Bhargava, Air India's executive director for corporate communications, said in an email to Dow Jones Newswires. This is the fifth time that Boeing is delaying the delivery.
He said under the contract with Boeing, Air India will get compensation for the delay.
Bhargava didn't comment whether the delay would hurt the state-run carrier's expansion plans. Air India has 27 787 Dreamliners on order.
12/12/08 Nitin Luthra/Dow Jones Newswires/CNN Money

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Bilateral air services pact hampering connectivity: Finnair

New Delhi: Finnish carrier, Finnair has according to a PTI report, expressed that Indo-Finn air services agreement is hampering connectivity between the two countries and its plans to operate flights to more cities in India. "At the moment, it is impossible to connect Finland with more than two India cities. The bilateral agreement between both the countries forbids it," stated Kari Stolbow, Director, Indian Subcontinent, Finnair. Currently, the airline connects Finland's capital Helsinki with New Delhi and Mumbai. The airline plans to operate six-hour flight between Helsinki and Indian cities while gearing up to connect North America with Indian cities through Finland.
"We want to offer our services to Southern cities of Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, where big MNCs like Nokia are located," said Stolbow. He further added that Finnair, which has an alliance with Kingfisher Airlines, is talking to more Indian carriers for cooperation. "We have a 'through fares' alliance with Kingfisher Airlines and are talking to many others, including Jet Airways," Stolbow informed.
Admitting that Finnair's connectivity with India will be affected by its own shortage of aircraft, Stolbow said the airline will be operating two flights less this winter to Mumbai and a flight less to New Delhi. Currently, the airline connects Finland with Mumbai six times a week and it has seven flights to New Delhi in a week. The carrier is in process of upgrading its fleet, which might get completed by 2017. It expects deliveries of five Airbus 330-340 out of the 15 ordered by next March, while deliveries of Airbus 350s will start from 2014. The total cost of upgrading aircraft is estimated to be around 700 million Euro.
12/12/08 TravelBizMonitor

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Dassault Aviation and Tata Technologies sign MoU for ESO services

Dassault Aviation and Incat's parent company, Tata Technologies, have signed a memorandum of understanding for ESO services.
Under the terms of the MoU, Incat, a global provider of engineering services outsourcing (ESO), will provide Dassault Aviation with engineering services in a number of critical domains, in support of the Indian Air Force MMRCA program, which involves significant offset requirements.
Utilizing Incat's global delivery model, the services will be delivered largely from the recently established Incat HAL Aerostructures (IHAL) dedicated aerospace engineering services centre in Bangalore, India, and backed up by Incat's delivery teams in France and the US.
Incat, is a provider of engineering services outsourcing and Enterprise IT Services for the manufacturing industry and delivers services for Product Lifecycle Management, Enterprise Resource Management and Application Development and Maintenance to the automotive, aerospace and durable goods manufacturers and their suppliers.
Eric Trappier, executive vice president international of Dassault Aviation, said: "It is essential to find partners with the right expertise and experience in both aerospace engineering and working in India. Incat and Tata Technologies have proven credentials in both these areas."
12/12/08 Computer Business Review, UK

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PPLML opens Arrival lounge at Hyd airport

Hyderabad: Plaza Premium Lounge Management (PPLML), which is currently managing and operating 21 airport lounges in seven international airports in different parts of the globe, has launched "Arrival Lounge" at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here on Friday.
The new lounge comprises 28 spa rooms with nap and shower facility, a business centre, self service buffet counters and drinks bar and massage services. It is the first lounge to be managed by PPLML in India.
This apart, PPLML today manages lounges at Hong Kong International Airport, Changi Airport in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Guangzhou International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
12/12/08 Business Standard

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Lankan budget airline to resume operations, to fly India

Colombo: Sri Lanka's budget airliner 'Mihin Lanka', which had shut down its operations since May this year due to global financial crisis, is all set to resume its operations to India and other countries from December 21.
The airline will lease an aircraft from France to re-launch these operations and will fly daily to Dubai, Trichy and Trivandram with the resumption of the flight, the state owned "Daily News" quoted an official as saying.
"The airline is now in the process of evaluating tenders to seal the best option to wet lease the aircraft. It is expected that the lessee would provide us with pilots and some crew members," an airline official said.
It is expected that the government would once again come out to fund the airline, the newspaper reported.
However, the official dismissed speculation that the airline would merge with Lankan Airlines.
"We are looking at synergies where both could work together," official said.
Mihin, which was flying to Bodhgaya, Maldives, Bangkok and Singapore, temporarily halted operations six months ago. It was flying both to Trichy and Trivandram thrice a week, prior to suspending its work, officials said.
The airline is planning to resume its flights to Bodhgaya in Bihar also. It had started its non-stop weekly service to Bodhgaya from September last year, catering to its lakhs of Buddhist citizens.
11/12/08 PTI/Economic Times

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Flights to Mumbai from Heathrow Airport

Flights to Mumbai from Heathrow AirportIndian carrier Kingfisher Airlines has announced it will provide new services between Heathrow Airport and Mumbai from the New Year.
The airline will begin flying between London and the major Indian city on January 5th.
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and chief executive officer of Kingfisher Airlines, said: "I am delighted to announce the launch of daily non-stop flights between Mumbai and London.
"Given the strong linkages between India and the United Kingdom, we believe that there is untapped potential and this new route promises to serve the unmet needs of discerning corporate and leisure flyers to these destinations."
Flights will leave London each day at 20:30 (GMT) and arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 11:00 local time.
11/12/08 Graham Greenaway/FHR Travel Services, UK

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Jet’s Indian pilots firm that before pay-cuts, expats must go

Mumbai: The stalemate between the Jet Airways management and its domestic pilots continues with the latter firm in their stand that the airline must first terminate the services of its expat pilots before discussing any pay-cut proposals with them.
“We are firm in our stand. We will not accept any pay cut, voluntary or otherwise, unless the management does away with expat pilots whose pay packets are much higher than ours,” a Jet Airways pilot told PTI here today.
“We (pilots) also wish that the company remains financially stable and are willing to negotiate with the management on salary cuts, but it (management) should also meet us half way. The management must accede to our demands on the expat pilots issue,” he said.
Jet Airways Chairman, Naresh Goyal, had recently requested the airline’s staff to take a voluntary pay-cut in view of the financial turbulence worldwide. He had also told the employees that the airline’s top management had already agreed to take a 25% cut in its salaries.
Subsequently, the airline fixed 10 December as the date by which the employees should respond to the management’s proposal.
11/12/08 PTI/Livemint

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Travel advisories discouraging, MEA should act: Praful Patel

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel plans to ask the Ministry of External Affairs to help dissuade foreign countries from issuing advisories against travelling to India. Negative advisories are hitting the tourism and hospitality sectors, Patel said at the sixth Galileo Express TravelWorld Awards here today.
“Terrorism isn’t unique to India; the US, Spain and other countries have been targeted in the past. It is extremely discouraging that foreign countries have been issuing travel advisories to their citizens. The impact has been far-reaching and is affecting hotels and other allied services,” Patel said.
“I would like the ministry to take up the issue with foreign countries,” he added.
Several countries put out travel advisories after the attacks in Mumbai. The advisories are not binding, but influence travellers nonetheless. Over the past few days, the US, Britain and Australia have softened their warnings, but continue to advise their nationals to exercise caution while visiting India.
The blow is harder because it has come is the peak tourist season. India might lose 10-15 per cent of expected tourist arrivals because of the Mumbai attacks, it is feared.
11/12/08 Indian Express

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International airfares may decline by Feb

New Delhi: Airfares on some international routes are likely to drop by as much as a fifth by the end of next month as the entry of Kingfisher Airlines Ltd into sectors already serviced by multiple airlines triggers new price competition between carriers early in the new year, some travel industry executives say.
Kingfisher Airlines plans to launch Mumbai-London, Mumbai-Hong Kong and Mumbai-Singapore flights in January, competing with National Aviation Co. of India Ltd-run Air India, Jet Airways (India) Ltd and several international carriers.
“The additional capacity is likely to result in lower fares on the routes which they plan to operate,” said Sydney-based Binit Somaia, regional director for the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.
Airlines have been battling a slump in domestic traffic amid a crisis and high aviation fuel prices that have dented profitability. Kingfisher’s new international flights will mark the end of its freeze on new overseas operations.
A Kingfisher Airlines spokesman said the carrier may announce promotions for its new flights but has no intention of offering cheap tickets. “We are definitely not going to do cheap pricing. It will be on par with the market and offer a value proposition,” the spokesman said.
In September, Kingfisher’s entry into the London sector with a flight from Bangalore led to rivals like British Airways Plc., Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd, Air India and Jet Airways slashing fares by Rs10,000-12,000. This time, the airline has opened bookings just a month in advance in the peak season. Seat bookings on international flights typically open at least three months in advance.
Neither international nor Indian carriers have hastened to announce promotions or discounts in response to Kingfisher’s imminent entry because market dynamics are different, said Sanjeev Bhasin, assistant vice-president at travel portal Makemytrip (India) Pvt. Ltd.
10/12/08 Tarun Shukla/Livemint

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British Airways looks for tie-ups for flights to Hyderabad

Here's evidence of India emerging as a lucrative market for airline companies. At a time when airlines around the world are struggling for survival, UK's flagship airline British Airways wants to link Londoin directly to Hyderabad becoming the first airline to launch five weekly non-stop flights between The Queen's seat, and the Nizam's capital.
Robbie Baird, Regional Director - AsiaPac British Airways said, "It's a city of interest to business travelers from Europe and North America."
India is the second largest market for British Airways, after the US, in terms of passenger volumes. According to media reports, British Airways has been in talks with Indian airlines, like GoAir, for a possible merger or tie-ups. Something the company's now willing to comment on at the moment.
But British Airways has had to layoff staff and review routes, in the wake of high fuel prices and the global credit crunch.
In India, the Kolkata route might be affected from March next year.
10/12/08 Akanksha Banerji and Isha Dalal/CNBC-TV18/Moneycontrol.com

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Jet Airways partners with Emirates

Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, and Emirates Airline, the award-winning international carrier with extensive services from India, have announced their partnership plans spanning a reciprocal frequent flyer arrangement and unilateral code share agreement.
Effective December 15, 2008, the two airlines will launch a reciprocal frequent flyer arrangement whereby members of Jet Airways' JetPrivilege, India's largest frequent flyer programme, may earn and redeem miles across Emirates' rapidly-expanding international network, with the exception of flights between India and Dubai. Members of Emirates' Skywards programme may also earn and redeem miles on all Jet Airways flights operating within India.
The same day, Emirates will also commence a unilateral code share on Jet Airways' daily flights from Mumbai and New Delhi to and from Dubai, offering passengers enhanced connectivity and a range of services between India and Dubai.
Jet Airways operates daily services on the Mumbai/New Delhi-Dubai sectors aboard its state-of-the-art Airbus A330-200 and B737-800 aircraft respectively, with a two-class configuration: Première (Business) and Economy. Jet Airways' flights on these sectors will be identified with its '9W' code as well as with the Emirates 'EK' code.
According to Mr. Wolfgang Prock Schauer, Chief Executive Officer, Jet Airways: "Dubai is an important market for Jet Airways and there is significant demand from our customers to travel to and beyond Dubai. We are delighted to be able to get this exciting, new agreement up and running quickly for the benefit of our customers. The frequent flyer partnership with Emirates, particularly, is a mutually beneficial one, enabling JetPrivilege members to tap into Emirates' impressive international network while earning and redeeming frequent flyer miles, and vice-versa vis-à-vis Jet Airways' unmatched pan-India domestic network."
Mr. Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, West Asia, Indian Ocean and Africa stated: "The agreements between Emirates and Jet represent a significant step forward in strengthening the relationship between our two airlines and between long-standing partners, India and the UAE. The pact will enable us to offer passengers enhanced flexibility and at the same time it will boost trade and commerce between the two countries."
Currently, Jet Airways also has code share agreements with Air Canada, American Airlines, ANA, Brussels Airlines, Etihad, Qantas and JetLite.
11/12/08 PRESS RELEASE/Jet Airways

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SriLankan Airlines introduces SMS Check-In service for IGI Airport

Mumbai: SriLankan Airlines recently introduced SMS Check-In service for Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Passengers can now check-in through an SMS from their mobile phones and this facility has significantly enhanced the level of passenger convenience. According to a release from the airline, passengers can SMS on the special Check-In Hotline number +91 99 108 88260 and give their booking reference number to check whether their check-in was successful. The boarding passes will be issued by the airline staff on arrival at the airport. Through this SMS Check-In passengers can also request for seat preference (window or aisle).
The SMS Check-In service is available eight hours prior to the flight and closes two hours prior to the scheduled departure. This service is currently only available for individuals and cannot be used to check-in multiple passengers. Passengers need to collect their boarding passes at the airport at least one hour prior to the flight, to avoid cancellation of their SMS Check-In. A special counter has been reserved at the New Delhi Airport for SMS and On-Line Check-In.
The SMS Check-In is in addition to the Internet Check-In service currently provided by the airline.
11/12/08 TravelBizMonitor

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Asia-Pacific airline losses may touch $1 billion

Geneva: Asia-Pacific air carriers are expected to suffer a heavy blow next year with losses mounting to over $1 billion in 2009.
Unlike other regions, Asia-Pacific carriers are going to experience heavy losses, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) forecast made public today. The total loss to these carriers is estimated at about $500 million this year.
While global airlines are likely to have a soft-landing with less dramatic losses next year than initially feared, mainly due to continued drop in fuel prices, Asia-Pacific carriers are witnessing a different trend, IATA’s chief Giovanni Bisignani told reporters. IATA said its forecasts for next year were based on an average oil price of $60 per barrel.
The total losses in airline industry which are estimated at US $ 5 billion this year are expected to shrink to $ 2.5 billion next year, the director general indicated.
In sharp contrast, Asia-Pacific carriers which currently account for 45% of the global cargo market are disproportionately hit largely due to a precipitous drop in trade, he suggested.
The airlines industry is in a “sick” state, he said, adding, “the outlook is bleak.” Further, “ the chronic industry crisis will continue into 2009,” he said. “We face the worst revenue environment in 50 years.”
10/12/08 D Ravi Kanth/Business Standard

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Phishing at gate B22

Richard Farina booted up his computer on an American Airlines flight in October from New York to San Francisco. It was one of the first commercial flights to offer wireless Internet service. Within a couple minutes of reaching 10,000 feet, Farina was snooping the airwaves with the ability to see what his fellow passengers were doing without having to leave his cramped middle seat.
Farina isn't a bad guy. He was just doing his job as a so-called white-hat hacker for AirTight Networks, a manufacturer of wireless intrusion protection hardware and software that was invented in India and brought to market in the U.S.
AirTight's chief executive, David King, sends hackers out for unsolicited security assessments. Earlier this year he dispatched Farina and a few other of his 100-plus employees (most of whom work out of the company's offices in Pune, India) to collect wireless security data at 20 U.S. airports and eight in Asia.
They found rampant phony Wi-Fi hot spots created by phishers and, at several large airports, plenty of open or insecure networks run by critical operations such as baggage handling and ticketing. Almost all public networks allowed data such as user names and passwords to pass through the air unencrypted. Only 3 per cent of people used something more secure.
To be sure, King's missions are self-serving; he runs a business that sells the devices that plug security holes. But King says that U.S. airports have a genuine problem.
Very few, such as McCarran International in Las Vegas, monitor all wireless traffic for intruders. (The Vegas airport officials are quick to add that they don't censor for content.) Others, like San Francisco International, are laissez-faire. AirTight found that 47 wireless networks used for SFO's airport operations were wide open or poorly secured.
09/12/08 Taylor Buley/Forbes.com/CBC.ca, Canada

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Air India Express Announces New Flight Timings for Dubai - Mangalore Sector

Mangalore: As announced on daijiworld.com last month, the flight timings of Dubai - Mangalore route have been changed effective January 12, 2009
Air India Express, in an official communiqué to daijiworld.com informed that as per the new schedule the flight from Dubai will now leave at 1.05am UAE time and reach Mangalore airport around 6.00 am IST.
The flight from Mangalore will depart at 9.30 pm and is expected to arrive at Dubai airport around 11.30 pm.
New timings will come as a boost to the business community as the entire day at both the destinations can be fully utilized for business or leisure purposes.
Similarly, as announced on daijiworld.com recently with effect from Jan 8, 2009 Kuwait will have a direct flight departing Mangalore 08.45pm and arrival Kuwait at 11.15pm
Departure from Kuwait is at 00.30 am and Arrival at Mangalore 07.30am
10/12/08 Daijiworld.com

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Jet leases five aircraft to foreign carriers

Mumbai: Faced with slowing passenger growth, instability in its international network and dwindling revenues, India's largest private carrier Jet Airways has leased two A330s to Gulf-based carrier, Gulf Air and three B-777 to Turkey's national carrier, Turkish Airlines. In an announcement to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the carrier stated that these aircraft were rendered surplus consequent to the route re-structuring and cost saving programme undertaken by the airline to counter the global economic slowdown.
However, an executive at the airline told FE, “Apart from leasing five aircraft, there are high level discussions going on with other international carriers for leasing out at least five more aircraft. The move comes after the airline's pilots, over 700 in number, refused to accept a 10% salary cut. The airline has posted losses of Rs 384.5 crore in the second quarter of this fiscal and is desperate to post better financials in the ensuing quarter.
Dinesh Keskar, Boeing's vice-president, (sales) told FE that the aircraft manufacturer has orders of 3,700 aircraft including that of Turkish Airlines but manufacturing has not begun since there was a workers stir at their facility recently. To conclude, Turkish Airlines has aggressive plans to spread its wings in Europe globally and is looking at all options to lease aircraft until it acquires them from the manufacturers. However, Jet's CEO, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer and its executive director, Saroj Datta did not respond to calls to confirm the latest development.
09/12/08 Financial Express

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Mangalore Airport to go international by Feb

Chennai/Mangalore: The much-awaited international status for Mangalore airport is likely to be accorded over the next couple of months as a major part of the work on the second runway and a terminal building is nearing completion at Kenjar, about 20 km from Mangalore. The expansion of the airport for Rs 214 crore is expected to be completed shortly.
International operations began at the airport on October 3, 2006, with Air India Express, the low cost carrier of the Air India, introducing a flight to Dubai. Now the airline is operating 25 flights from Mangalore to major destinations in West Asia like Sharjah, Dubai, Muscat, Kuwait, Bahrain and Doha. In addition to the national carrier, international airlines like Saudi Airlines and Kuwait Air are waiting for Indian approval to start operations to Mangalore, M R Vasudeva, director, Mangalore airport told Business Standard.
“Mangalore airport is now equipped with necessary infrastructure to operate international flights and we expect the ministry of civil aviation to give the green signal so that the airport can be declared an international airport,” he said.
He said Mangalore airport is the second airport in south India to have two runways. The second runway, built for Rs 55 crore, is 8,000 ft. The terminal building being built for Rs 147 crore is expected to be completed by February. The AAI has acquired 364 acres of additional land to expand the airport.
The expanded airport will have two aerobridges, eight remote parking bays with provision for three more bays. With the commencement of full-fledged international operations, Mangalore airport will be capable of handling nearly 1 mn passengers. Presently, it is handling over 725,000 passengers per annum, a growth of two and a half times in just two years. Between 2003 and 2005, the airport handled over 277,000 passengers. The growth has come mainly from international flights that started in 2006, he said.
08/12/08 Mahesh Kulkarni/Business Standard

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Punjabi group withholding information on Air India blasts, RCMP say

Vancouver: A Punjabi group who said it has identified those who participated in the Vancouver-based plot in 1985 to bomb Air India flights has not shared its information with the RCMP, a spokesman for the Mounties says.
RCMP officers were in India last month to interview several people and pursue leads in the continuing investigation into the unprecedented disaster, the deadliest terrorist bombings in aviation history except for the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.
But the Mounties did not meet with members of the Punjab Human Rights Commission who had prepared a new report on the Air India disaster.
The PHRC says they have spoken to some people who took responsibility for the disaster and said the crash was a victory for Sikhs in India, leading to an accord with the Indian government in July, 1985, one month after the explosions. A partial list of names of participants in the plot released by the group included some who have not been previously linked to the bombings.
The PHRC members refused to talk with the RCMP as long as officers from India's Central Bureau of Investigation were in the room, RCMP Sergeant Tim Shields said in an e-mail to The Globe and Mail
RCMP investigators had sought permission from the government of India to meet with PHRC members, following the protocol that restricts the activities of a government police agency in a foreign country, Sgt. Shields said.
The Indian government permitted the Canadians to speak with the PHRC so long as Indian investigators were present for the interviews. PHRC members refused to meet under those terms, Sgt. Shields said.
The RCMP cannot operate unilaterally in a foreign country, Mr. Shields said. "The RCMP are in essence agents of a foreign government when working in India. The RCMP does not have legislated police authority or police powers when working in a foreign country," he said.
"When the RCMP is granted entry to India, it is done so with limited diplomatic status and the RCMP are bound to adhere to the preconditions in how they operate when in India. The RCMP would have violated international law and conventions by agreeing to meet the [PHRC members] without representatives of [India's] Central Bureau of Investigations being present."
In a letter to victims' families sent last week, PHRC chairman Ajit Singh Bains stated the group was aware of more than 12 people who were involved in the plot and more than 50 with knowledge of the blasts.
08/12/08 Robert Matas/Globe and Mail, Canada

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Talks on with US & UK for commandos on intl flights

New Delhi: Alarmed by terror attacks on Mumbai, India is in talks with some western countries for deployment of sky marshals — commandos trained
to prevent hijacks — on flights connecting India with some key international destinations.
While officials are tightlipped due to obvious security implications, highly-placed government sources said that talks are on with the US, Germany and the UK to beef up aircraft safety through random use of sky marshals. While sky marshals were pressed into service soon after the 1999 hijack of an Indian Airlines aircraft which took off from Kathmandu, detailed guidelines have not been laid down for use of these commandos on international flights. Therefore, the purpose of the current discussions is to put in place clear-cut guidelines for use of sky marshals on international routes and co-ordination between the security apparatus of the countries concerned.
Indian civil aviation authorities are now considering if the enabling provisions can be incorporated in the bilateral air service agreements (ASA) with these nations. While deployment of commandos was resorted to in recent years to spruce up security of Indian flights connecting Kathmandu, Dubai and Bangkok, there is no clear set of guidelines to be followed in such situations.
“We are in touch with the US, the UK and Germany for formalising an agreement to put air commandos on flights. Though the existing ASA with these countries does not prohibit deployment of sky marshals, clarity on the issue is required. We are considering their proposals positively,” a government official told ET on the condition of anonymity.
08/12/08 Nirbhay Kumar/Times of India

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Nepal to start air service to Indian metros

Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Hisila Yami on Sunday revealed that the government will soon commence regional air service to more than 18 destinations to Indian metros, reports The Himalayan Times.
While speaking on the occasion of International Civil Aviation Day, Yami said, “The government is gearing up to launch regional flights from Biratnagar, Jhapa and Lumbini to connect Nepal with 18 more destinations of India.”
She also divulged that the government is in touch with the International Civil Aviation Organisation to propel foreign investment in Nepali aviation industry.
Stating that the government is committed to bring greater efficiency in rules and regulations pertaining to aviation sector, Yami further remarked, “As the sustainable growth of Nepali tourism sector largely hinges on the efficaciousness of air service, the synergistic efforts between the public and private sector is essential in this regard.”
08/12/08 Nepalnews.com, Nepal

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SriLankan scraps fuel surcharge

Manama: SriLankan Airlines has removed fuel surcharge on fares throughout its network with effect from January 1.
The move was aimed at passing on the benefits of reduced fuel prices to passengers, said a statement.
The Airline has completely removed its fuel surcharge on all tickets to short-haul and medium-haul destinations.
These include all cities in India and the Middle East, as well as Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Beijing, Male and Karachi.
The fuel surcharge on fares between Colombo and just five long-haul destinations - London, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Tokyo - has also been greatly reduced.
A flat rate surcharge of 25 euros will be levied for one-way fares purchased in Europe, and 50 euros for return tickets.
SriLankan introduced the fuel surcharge in July this year for short, medium and long-haul journeys when fuel prices reached a record high $147 per barrel of crude.
07/12/08 Gulf Daily News

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Duo swapping boarding passes arrested

Chennai: Immigration officials at the Chennai airport on Friday nabbed two persons, an Indian and a Sri Lankan national, while they were exchanging their boarding passes just before boarding a Sri Lankan Airlines flight bound for London via Colombo.
The vigilance teams of the airport immigration wing noticed them on the closed circuit television and immediately intercepted them. The sleuths found both of them were carrying Indian passports with the same name ‘Sampath Kumar’.
On further verification, the police recovered another Sri Lankan passport bearing a name Gangadharan from one of them. Gangadharan (39), a native of Vavunia in Sri Lanka, had planned to leave for London. As he could not get a visa for his travel, he had come to Chennai as a tourist and had stayed here for more than six months. He approached Sampath Kumar, who was running a private travel agency, and asked him to prepare a fake Indian passport to travel to London.
Sampath Kumar devised a plan: he applied for a visa at the British embassy and got it. Meanwhile, he also forged an Indian passport for Gangadharan with the name ‘Sampath Kumar’. He collected Rs 5 lakh from Gangadharan for faking the passport.
Sampath Kumar then booked himself a ticket for London via Colombo on Sri Lankan Airlines (UL - 124) and also bought another ticket to Colombo for Gangadharan on the same flight. The plan was to get the original Sampath Kumar to acquire a visa for UK and clear immigration formalities before exchanging seats with the fake Sampath Kumar on the stopover flight. The original Sampath Kumar would then get off at Colombo and return to India while the impersonator would fly onwards to London.
07/12/08 Times of India

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BA has confidence in India

London: While not negotiating for a stake in Kingfisher Airlines, British Airways is still bullish about its prospects for India, its second-largest international market outside the US.
It plans to continue to boost capacity into India despite cutting routes globally, reports the Economic Times of India. BA had been mentioned as one of several potential suitors eyeing a stake in Kingfisher, including Virgin and Singapore Airlines.
"We normally don't comment on speculation, but no, we're not in any talks with Kingfisher," BA chief executive Willie Walsh told ET in an interview in London before the airline launched a direct London-Hyderabad route. "In fact, the last time I met [Kingfisher chairman] Vijay Mallya was certainly more than a year ago."
In an earlier ET interview, Mallya said he had received several expressions of interest from foreign airlines to pick up a stake, but did not name any suitor.
Walsh said he hoped to increase BA's capacity into India from the 40-odd weekly flights it runs now, even though the carrier has vowed to slash 1% of its global routes next year.
Walsh already has three deals in the pipeline for BA – a proposed merger with Qantas and Spain's Iberia, and a commercial joint venture with American Airlines, on the lines of the Star Alliance.
07/12/08 Aviation Record, Australia

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