Why GMR had to bail out of Maldives

In the end it was tiny Maldives which crashlanded the Bangalore-based GMR Group’s international plans.
Earlier this month, the Maldives Government cancelled the group’s contract for modernising the Male Ibrahim Nasir International Airport after a legal battle fought in a Singapore court. The matter is still sub judice and this time the GMR Group is fighting over the compensation amount due to it for cancellation of the contract.
The diversified GMR Group has interests in roads, energy and airports. It is present in Turkey, South Africa, Indonesia and Singapore and operates assets worth about $5 billion (over Rs 22,000 crore). Assets worth about $6 billion are under construction.
The Male International Airport was the group’s second project in modernising an international airport, the first being in Turkey where it modernised Istanbul’s Sabiha Gocken airport. Domestically, the Group has built the Hyderabad airport but is perhaps best known for modernising the Delhi airport’s Terminal 3 in record time.
30/12/12 Ashwini Phadnis & K Giriprkash/Business Line

Read More

Full-service airlines' alliance woos Indian low-cost carriers

New Delhi: With low-cost and hybrid air carriers having 70 per cent of the market, SkyTeam, the second biggest global airline alliance, with only full service carriers as members, is trying to woo some Indian low-cost carriers (LCCs) to join. The target it particularly favours is IndiGo.
SkyTeam is a 19-member airline alliance, with 17 per cent of the world’s airline capacity. It has only seven per cent of the Indian market but hopes to change this, with a platform for LCCs to be finalised in early 2013.
The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) says there has been discussion between IndiGo and SkyTeam. The latter’s spokesperson did not deny it and the IndiGo leadership team was not available to comment on this.
“We will not make them members of the alliance. They will be only partners, not members,” SkyTeam chairman Leo van Wijk had said at the annual general meeting in Beijing of the International Air Transport Association. Not being a member of the alliance would mean the hybrids and LCCs would not have to spend the time and resources involved in alliance management, which can include meetings and working groups.
29/12/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

Read More

China Aviation Oil looks overseas to India, Middle East

Singapore: China Aviation Oil (CAO), Asia's top jet fuel buyer, is planning to tap newer growth markets like India and the Middle East as part of its plan to expand globally, its chief executive said.
CAO's immediate plans are to focus on setting up its first European trading office in 2013 to meet growing demand from budget airlines, while it might target the Gulf and Indian markets for next year, chief executive Meng Fanqiu said.
It will also study the Australian market to identify growth opportunities as the country's imports of oil products increase with the closure of ageing refineries, Meng said.
"While China will still be the main locomotive (for jet fuel demand), other newer economies in Asia-Pacific will also fuel demand," he said.
CAO imports most of China's jet fuel needs and its top customers include the nation's three biggest international airports.
29/12/12 Reuters/South China Morning Post

Read More

Air India plane chartered to bring back the body of rape victim

New Delhi: An Air India aircraft has been chartered by the government and sent to Singapore to bring back the body of the gangrape victim and her family members here.
The chartered plane, an Airbus A-319, left the IGI Airport at 0800 hours for Singapore and expected to return around 2000 hours tonight after taking off from there around 1700 hours local time, Air India officials told PTI.
The aircraft is carrying some senior government officials, including those from the Union Home Ministry.
29/12/12 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Jet Airways launches second Delhi-Dubai flight

New Delhi: Jet Airways today announced launch of its second flight to Dubai from the national capital.
The airline would begin the day service between India and the financial hub of United Arab Emirates from January 18.
"This would complement the night flight presently operating between Delhi and Dubai. The introduction of this new flight would strengthen the presence of Jet Airways in the Indo-Gulf sector," an airline spokesperson said.
The airline would be operating the flight with new generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft in twin class configuration of 16 business (Premiere) and 138 economy seats.
28/12/12 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Allowing foreign airlines to invest in domestic carriers was the game changer

New Delhi: The year 2013 will provide a good setting for domestic airlines to look at reviving their fortunes and improving their image, nationally and internationally.
This follows the Central Government changing the rules in 2012 and allowing foreign airlines to invest in domestic carriers. The move could not have come at a better time, as most Indian banks are reluctant to invest in domestic airlines.
Already, at least three Indian carriers – Jet Airways, Kingfisher and low-cost airline SpiceJet – are said to be in stake sale talks with various foreign carriers. There are indications that Jet Airways could be the first off the blocks.
In another positive move this year, the Government decided to become liberal in granting permission to Indian carriers to fly abroad.
27/12/12 Business Line

Read More

Jet to fly Boeing 737-800 on Mangalore-Dubai route

Mangalore: Jet Airways will fly six times a week on the Mangalore-Dubai sector from January 3, 2013.
The airline will deploy a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 170 economy seats on this route. The flight 9W532 will depart from Mangalore International Airport at 8pm and reach in Dubai at 10.30pm local time there on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. On the return, the flight 9W531 will depart from Dubai at 11.30pm (local ) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The flight 9W531 will arrive in
Mangalore at 4.30am (local time) the next day.
27/12/12 Times of India

Read More

Handsome pay packages lure Air India pilots to Gulf

Mumbai:  Lured by fatty pay packages and "better" work conditions, flag carrier Air India's pilots are taking a flight to the Gulf airlines leading to a severe shortage of commanders, sources said today.
The Gulf carriers were offering over "40 per cent more money" than Air India, leading the pilots to make a beeline to serve them, sources claimed.
"Many commanders on Boeing 777s have already quit Air India and moved to airlines like Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates in the last few months. As many as 35 more commanders are all set to take up assignments with these airlines in the next 2-3 months," sources told PTI here.
Such a drain could lead to "a substantial shortfall of commanders," they said.
Air India currently has around 115 commanders to operate the Boeing 777 fleet, comprising 15 B777-300 (Extended Range) and eight B777-200 (Long Range).
26/12/12 Economic Times

Read More

Why FDI isn’t enough to help KFA or civil aviation revive

If one were to look at airline shares, it would seem as if happy times are just round the corner.
The Kingfisher share started flying earlier this week even before the airline’s grounded fleet was given the go-ahead to bring it out of mothballs. Jet and SpiceJet shares are now quoting at three times their 52-week lows, and they are just 10-15 percent below their 52-week peaks.
It is the job of the market to discount the future, but this time they may be discounting it with unnecessary abandon.Shares went up on every false signal – when the government said that it would allow airlines to import jet fuel directly; when 51 percent FDI was permitted in aviation; when anonymous source-based news appeared that Jet was close to a deal with Etihad for a stake sale; and even when Kingfisher claimed to be talking to Etihad; or, more recently, when Kingfisher presented a watered-down revival plan to the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation for allowing to fly again.
26/12/12 The Business Blog/First Post

Read More

Air India international flights grounded as DCGA finds 50 pilots unfit to fly

Over 50 Air India (AI) pilots, including several commanders deployed on international routes, have been declared temporarily unfit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) or have fallen sick throwing many international flights out of gear during the year-end, when the demand for air travel is at its peak.
A senior pilot with AI (International) said that some pilots have reported sick as they have not taken leave for quite some time.
AI has around 430 pilots flying wide-bodied planes on international routes. They include 120 commanders, 150 executive pilots and 160 co-pilots. Thirteen of these commanders still remain suspended since May for spearheading the month-long agitation.
26/12/12 India Today

Read More

'FDI won't come to Indian aviation till costs come down'

Foreign airlines would not pick up stakes in cash-strapped Indian carriers till steps are taken to stem the high costs of aviation operations in India, International Air Transport Association (IATA) chief, Tony Tyler, has said.
“No, I don’t think it (allowing foreign airlines to invest in Indian carriers) is a game-changer but it is a good thing. But it will not solve the problems of Indian aviation. It certainly is a step in the right direction but it is not the panacea that some believe it is,” the director general and CEO said at his operational headquarters here.
“As long as high taxes prevail, high airport costs and congestion, and poorly developed air navigation (services) means more congestion, high cost of operations exist, you are not going to get a lot of people to invest in airlines.”
He was replying to questions on the government’s recent decision to liberalise FDI policy in aviation, allowing foreign carriers to pick up a maximum of 49 per cent equity in their Indian counterparts. Observing there were restrictions on investing in airlines around the world which was “a problem for the industry”, Tyler said, “Any move that we see in liberalising, is a good thing.
26/12/12 PTI/Business Standard

Read More

Sikh hardliner preacher arrested at Airport

Amritsar: Sikh hardliner Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal was detained Tuesday by immigration staff at Guru Ramdas International Airport here as soon as he landed from UK in connection with a case in Haryana. In the wake of a look-out circular issued by the Sirsa police for Daduwal, the preacher was detained at the airport this morning by the immigration staff, officials said here. The Sikh preacher would be later handed over to the police for further investigation in the case, they said.
26/12/12 Indian Express

Read More

Air India Expands GCC Operations In 2012, Looks To Grow

India’s national carrier, Air India, has expanded its operations to the GCC and the wider Middle East region in 2012 and plans to further increase regional capacity, a senior official has said.
Speaking to Gulf Business, Rambabu Ch, UAE country manager for Air India and low-cost carrier Air India Express, said that the recent introduction of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the New Delhi –Dubai route has increased capacity between the regions.
“With the introduction of the B-787 Dreamliner aircraft into our fleet, the capacity available for flight operations has increased. The Gulf and Middle East region will be the priority region for adding additional capacity as and when necessitated and feasible,” he said.
Currently, Air India and Air India Express together operate 326 flights per week to 16 Indian destinations from the GCC region, out of which 202 flights fly out of the UAE.
26/12/12 Aarti Nagraj/Gulf Business.com

Read More

High costs preventing FDI in aviation for India

New Delhi: According to the chief of International Air Travel Association (IATA) Tony Tyler, the higher input costs make it harder for Indian companies to get FDI in the sector. "No, I don't think it (allowing foreign airlines to invest in Indian carriers) is a game changer but it is a good thing. But it will not solve the problems of Indian aviation. It certainly is a step in the right direction but it is not the panacea that some believe it is," is what Tyler said during an interview to PTI, when questioned about how he sees the aviation market in India.
 With reference to the costs, he was pointing at the high taxes, higher airport costs, congestion and poorly developed navigation services which he feels are the main obstacles to Indian carriers finding foreign based partners to operate in the country. He was questioned in an interview related to the government's decision to allow 49% FDI in aviation in India. He described the cyclic problem as, "But unless conditions in India are improved for the airlines, you are not going to see a flood of foreign carriers coming into the industry.
25/12/12 Daily Bhaskar.com

Read More

Zambian woman with party drug worth Rs6 crore arrested at IGI

New Delhi: A  Zambian woman was on Tuesday arrested for allegedly smuggling narcotics worth over Rs six crore at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport here. Acting on intelligence inputs, 32-year-old Emely Chilonga Chibuye was intercepted near the check-in counter of the departure hall and was interrogated, which resulted in the recovery of Ephedrine Pseudoephedrine, a controlled substance under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
"The recovered substance in the form of powder weighed 41.5kg, whose approximate international market price is Rs6.22 crore," an official release said. An anti-depressant, ephedrine pseudoephedrine is a commonly abused as party drug.
25/12/12 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

Read More

Airbus bets on fuel-efficient aircraft to bag Indian orders

Airbus has expressed confidence about holding its strong position in the Indian market as well as securing significant number of orders over the next 10 years as the aircraft manufacturer is pinning hopes on more fuel-efficient and modern passenger aircraft family to meet the requirements of Indian operators.
Led by China and India, Asia Pacific region is expected to lead world traffic over the next two decades. Amid high cost business environment, Indian market promises huge growth potential for the civil airline firms due to strong growth in passenger traffic aided by buoyant economy, improvements in airport infrastructure, favourable demographics, rising disposable incomes and lower penetration levels. Thus, leading aircraft makers, like Airbus and Boeing have been aggressively fighting for market share and securing orders.
Airbus is reported to have established a strong position in the Indian market with over 60 per cent in the aircraft market.
24/12/12 G Balachandar/mydigitalfc.com

Read More

‘FDI in domestic airlines will not solve Indian aviation issues’

After regaling the global media with songs over a traditional European meal, the newly appointed Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Tony Tyler took time off to speak to the Business Line on issues connected with Indian aviation in his office in Geneva.
The Indian Government is looking to lower Airport Development Fee (ADF) but the period of levy will increase. What are IATA’s views on this?
We are very much against this whole airport development fee. We do welcome the fact that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is getting involved in this area and instructing the Airports Authority of India not to seek ADF in Chennai and Kolkata and also to reduce ADF in Mumbai and Delhi.
These are significant steps for reducing the cost for passengers in Delhi and Mumbai. But we are concerned that it will go from one hand into the other. The revenue shortfall from one will somehow be offset by the other by increasing airline charges somewhere else. So, we will have to make sure that does not happen. The Ministry has listened to the industry but we wish it would listen a bit more.
23/12/12 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

Read More

Government regulations hinder private jet industry: VistaJet

New Delhi: VistaJet, the Switzerland-based luxury aviation company that operates private jets for top corporates and business honchos, thinks some government regulations are working against this niche sector's growth and should be re-looked at.
Thomas Flohr, founder and chairman of VistaJet, said some of the issues faced by private operators include delays in getting statutory clearances, lengthy paper works in all destinations of port and cash payment hurdles.
"Schedules of our clients who happen to be business heads are not known in advance, but the regulation says that there needs to be an application before a certain number of days (six days). This either delays the trip or cancels it," Flohr said in an interaction with IANS.
24/12/12 ZeeNews

Read More

Paramount Airways Working on Revival Plan

With a British court awarding Rs 1,650 crore compensation in a law suit, defunct Paramount Airways is working on a revival plan and talking to overseas carriers for investment, according to industry sources.
"Paramount is quite upbeat over the Rs 1,650 crore compensation awarded by a London-based international arbitration court. With this money on the table, the carrier has initiated its efforts to take to wings again," a source close to the development told PTI here.
With the aviation regulator DGCA giving its nod to the airline to restart operations a couple of months ago, the airline is now in discussion with certain foreign carriers, taking advantage of the recent liberalisation of the FDI policy in aviation.
In all probability, the airline may take off again by the early next fiscal, the sources said.
"Paramount promoters recently held preliminary discussions at the board level with some Far-East based carriers and a Gulf-headquartered airline to rope in one of them," the source said, adding one top official of a low-cost carrier held deliberations in Coimbatore to explore investment possibilities.
23/12/12 Outlook

Read More

German bank sues DGCA, Kingfisher

Germany's DVB Bank SE has sued aviation regulator Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Kingfisher Airlines to have two planes it financed for the troubled carrier deregistered, a possible first step towards recouping its funds.
The case underlines the problems that leasing firms and financing companies face in recovering grounded planes from Kingfisher, as airports, banks and tax authorities scramble for the crisis-hit carrier's assets.
International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC), owned by US insurer AIG, is also struggling to take back Kingfisher planes it owns, one of which, an Airbus A-320, has been impounded by tax authorities for non-payment of dues by the carrier.
The DGCA must deregister the DVB-financed Airbus planes, now parked in Istanbul, before the bank can put them to use or lease them out.
22/12/12 Deccan Herald

Read More

Oman Air to increase flights to India, Pak

With the recent signing of memorandums of understanding (MoU) with aviation authorities of India and Pakistan, Oman Air may announce an increase in the frequency of flights to both the countries in 2013.
The national carrier is likely to double its frequency on the Delhi and Chennai routes in India by introducing two flights a day from the current one while plans are afoot to increase the frequency of flights to both Islamabad and Lahore to daily. Currently, the airline flies four times a week to Lahore and three times to Islamabad.
The MoU signed last month between Omani and Indian aviation authorities paved the way for increasing the number of seats offered by airlines from India and Oman to 16,016 per week, up from the previous 11,550.
22/12/12 M Najmuz Zafar/Muscat Daily.com

Read More

ILFC wants aircraft returned

New Delhi: International Lease Finance Corp ( ILFC), the plane-leasing business of insurance giant American International Group Inc, has asked India’s aviation regulator to deregister four aircraft leased to Kingfisher Airlines Ltd after termination of a contract. This happens shortly after Germany-based DVB Bank SE, the world’s largest aircraft financer, filed a case against Kingfisher for pending dues and taking back two aircraft, which are now in Turkey.
ILFC is also seeking return of the four aircraft, one of which was impounded by Indian tax authorities after the Vijay Mallya-led airline defaulted on payments. “We are examining the matter. Apart from deregistering, we will also have to issue export certification of airworthiness for those aircraft,” according to a senior civil aviation ministry official, who requested anonymity.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will take a decision on the matter.
21/12/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

Read More

New Dreamliners for five routes

New Delhi: Air India is drawing up plans to deploy five new Boeing Dreamliners B-787, which it expects to receive in the next few weeks, on the Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, Bali and Istanbul routes, Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said on Thursday.
So far Air India has received three Dreamliners.
Mr. Singh has asked Air India to explore the possibility of flying to Indonesia, including Bali, Istanbul and beyond too.
The Minister made this suggestion at a meeting called to review the functioning of Air India, including its revenue generation and cash flow management as part of its turnaround and financial restructuring plans.
21/12/12 Sujay Mehdudia/The Hindu

Read More

Special aircraft to fly Italian Marines home

Kochi: A special aircraft landed here Friday morning with top Italian officials to take back the two Marines who have been allowed by a ruling of the Kerala High Court to return home for Christmas.
The rare exemption came thanks to the central government. Sources at Kochi airport said the special aircraft sought permission to take off late in the evening Friday. The Italian diplomats and officials are certain that they would be able to abide by the directives of the Kerala High Court.
The Kerala High Court ruled Friday that the two Italian Marines charged with the killing of two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February can be allowed to go home for Christmas.
The court had caveats too: the Marines could be allowed to go, provided they return latest by 3 p.m., Jan 10, 2013, and the Indian government allows them to go. A bank guarantee of Rs.6 crore should also be furnished.
21/12/12 IANS/Deccan Herald

Read More

Malaysia raised GMR airport issue: India

During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had raised the matter of the Maldives scrapping an airport deal with GMR, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said on Friday.
"The matter (regarding GMR) was mentioned," Khurshid told media persons.
The Malaysian government-owned MAHB holds 23 percent while Indian construction major GMR holds 77 percent stake in the joint venture GMR Male International Airport Pvt Ltd, which was formed to develop the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Male.
The Maldives government had scrapped the $500 million deal with GMR on Nov 27, leading to India voicing concern over the step and calling on the Maldives to ensure the safety and security of Indian people and business in the archipelago nation.
21/12/12 IANS/Daily News & Analysis

Read More

India-Malaysia share ‘disappointment’ over Maldives’ move

New Delhi: The termination of $511 million GMR Male airport project by the Maldivian government was “mentioned” in the bilateral meeting between India and Malaysia, which was the project partner, with both sides sharing their “disappointment” over the development.
“The matter was mentioned. I would not say that it was discussed in great detail. We wanted an update on their impression because their foreign minister had visited there (Maldives) briefly.
“His take away was more or less the same understanding that we have that there were two separate issues and we would rather have two issues not confused or converged,” External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said on Friday.
He said while one was pure assessment of contract and legal steps taken, and other is if there were political reasons behind such a termination.
21/12/12 PTI/The Hindu

Read More

Mangalore: Special fares from Jet Airways for Dubai sector

Mangalore: Jet Airways has introduced special fares from Mangalore to Dubai to encourage people to take advantage of Dubai shopping festival which begins on January 3, 2013 for a month. The new special promotion fares are on sale with immediate effect and are available with approved travel agents and at all offices of Jet Airways and on its website.
Jet Airways is all set to commence its direct operation from Mangalore to Dubai on January 03, 2013, six times a week except on Saturday due to non availability of landing space at Dubai. The direct flight from Mangalore to Dubai is a boon to the city which will promote business, tourism and will invite more investments from expats from the Middle East, specially into real estate and other businesses.
21/12/12 Bellevision

Read More

Man caught smuggling Rs 30L probed by NIA, ATS

Mumbai: The arrest on Tuesday of a 24-year-old man who was allegedly trying to smuggle Rs 30 lakh in cash to Dubai has led to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the National Investigating Agency (NIA), and the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) launching a parallel probe.
The accused, Sheikh Haji Miyaz, who resides near Crawford Market, checked in at Jet Airways counter around 1 pm, and was intercepted by the Customs officials on suspicion. On checking his bags, the officials discovered Indian currency worth Rs 30 lakh (as per rules, a passenger is allowed to carry only Rs 15,000 in cash), and Miyaz was arrested on the spot.
21/12/12 Bipin Kumar Singh/Mumbai Mirror

Read More

DVB Bank, world’s largest aircraft financier drags DGCA to court

Mumbai/New Delhi: DVB Bank, the world's largest aircraft financier, has filed a case against the country's aviation regulator for delayed deregistration of two Kingfisher Airlines aircraft, accusing the Indian administration of helping Vijay Mallya, the bankrupt airline's billionaire owner.
The German firm has also vowed to suspend all funding to Indian carriers casting doubts over future purchase programmes of airlines such as Indi-Go and Jet Airways.
The two Kingfisher aircraft in question are now located in Turkey and under the possession of DVB, but the hapless German bank is finding it impossible to deregister the aircraft from India and proceed with its sale. DVB took possession of the aircraft when it landed in Turkey in August for regular maintenance.
20/12/12 Satish John & Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times

Read More

Dreamliners make Air India's Delhi-Frankfurt route profitable

Mumbai: Air India, which is struggling to make money on international routes, has managed to turn around its loss-making Delhi-Frankfurt sector after it deployed Boeing's 787 Dreamliners in this route since October this year.
The national carrier, which has ordered 27 Dreamliners, maintains that the superior technology of this aircraft will help the company reduce maintenance and fuel cost.
"The airline is able to save at least Rs 20 lakh per flight after the Dreamliner is deployed. After four long loss-making years, we are making profit on this route now," said a top Air India official, who didn't wish to be identified.
Air India wants to strengthen its London route and launch the 787 on its Paris sector as well. AI, which has three 787s, will have seven by the end of the financial yearThe carrier also plans to start flights with the Dreamliner on popular routes like Sydney and Melbourne while another aircraft will do a mix of Hong Kong and Singapore.
20/12/12 Manisha Singhal/Economic Times

Read More

Amnesty windfall for budget carriers

Dubai: The two-month amnesty has brought an unexpected windfall to the airline industry.
Airlines could rake in up to Dh40 million in ticket sales as thousands of illegal residents fly out of the UAE between December and February 4 when the amnesty ends.
“It is big business for airlines as it’s peak season and the fares are high,” said the regional manager of a leading Dubai-based travel agency. He said a one-way ticket to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia or Nepal will cost an average of Dh600 during these months. The majority of the UAE’s unskilled workers come from these countries.
19/12/12 Anjana Sankar/Gulfnews.com

Read More

GMR has done only peripheral work at airport, says Maldives official

Masood Imad, the media Secretary to the President’s Office in Maldives, has been quite blunt about alleged wrongdoings by GMR Infrastructure in bagging the Male International Airport development project and subsequently operating the airport.
GMR, the largest foreign investor in Maldives, was evicted from the airport earlier this month and has now claimed $800 million in damages.
Maldives continues to allege that GMR did little to develop the airport . AFP
But Maldives continues to allege that GMR did little to develop the airport and has also been disputing the $800 million compensation being sought.
20/12/12 Sindhu Bhattacharya/Firstpost

Read More

Emirates turns up the heat on India-US sector

New Delhi: At a time when most airlines have cast a weary eye towards expansion, West Asian airline Emirates is expanding its presence in the US as it looks to tap into the growing traffic between India and that country.
India has gained centre stage in the carriers' plans as it is among the top 20 traffic generating countries in the world. In 2011, outbound traffic from India to the US was around 0.6 million while from US to India was 0.9 million, and it is rising at around 16 per cent annually, according to data from the office of Travel and Tourism Industries in the US.
The traffic from India has been climbing even as globally it has been on a downward spiral because of high fuel prices and the economic slowdown. The airline says the US continues to be a popular destination among students and corporate heads.
This offers a huge opportunity for Emirates, which already enjoys a leadership position among foreign carriers in India with around 13 per cent of the market share when it comes to outbound traffic. Besides, with the US under-represented in the portfolio of West Asian carriers, it is also an opportunity for Emirates to expand its presence in the US and leverage its popularity among Indians flying abroad.
20/12/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

Read More

Singapore woos Indian tourists with new offers, to hike flights

Hyderabad: The Singapore Tourism Board is wooing India tourists with attractive offers, assuring a heightened leisure experience while airliners Singapore Airlines and Silk Air are seeking to expand connectivity to more cities.
Silk Air is set to add three more flights each week to Hyderabad from January 1, 2013, and is open to connectivity to new locations in India.
With the addition of three flights to Hyderabad from seven each week now, between Singapore Airlines and Silk Air, they will have 97 flights from 11 locations. In October, Visakhapatnam was added to the network.
“Travel from South India to Singapore continues to be high as travellers tend to visit and revisit Singapore to enjoy its evolving tourism offerings. With new attractions and the promise of a personalised experience, we will offer Singapore as the holiday you can take home with you,” G.B.Srithar, Area Director, South Asia, Singapore Tourism Board, said.
20/12/12 V Rishi Kumar/Business Line

Read More

Dnata commences new contract for Air India

Dnata's ground handling teams at London's Heathrow airport have recently commenced provision of passenger services for three daily flights for Air India.
Air India, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, operates three flights daily using Boeing 777 aircraft, from Heathrow to Mumbai and Delhi. Under the new contract, Dnata is now providing passenger services to the airline, which include checking in passengers, operation of Air India's ticket counter and Maharaja VIP Lounge and lost luggage staff to assist with queries in the arrivals hall as well as a range of special services.
19/12/12 AMEinfo

Read More

Flyer tries to smuggle Rs 30L to Dubai, held

A passenger, Sheikh Haji Miyaz, was arrested at Mumbai airport while trying to smuggle Indian currency worth Rs 30 lakh to Dubai.
On Tuesday, around 1pm, Miyaz checked in at Jet Airways counter to board a flight to Dubai. However, customs officials intercepted him on suspicion. Officials said Miyaz tried to feign illness when he stopped. "He was asked to hand over his bags. On searching the bags, we found Rs 30 lakh," an official said. A passenger is allowed to carry only Rs 15,000. Miyaz was immediately arrested.
Last week, officials arrested a passenger, Manish Bhavnani, who had arrived from Bangkok and was allegedly trying to smuggle gold worth Rs 48 lakh.
20/12/12 Times of India

Read More

Multi-billion dollar chopper deal: Defence Ministry asks vendors to extend commercial offer

New Delhi:  In view of delays in the tender to procure 197 light helicopters, the Defence Ministry has asked the two vendors in the race for the multi-billion dollar deal to extend the validity of their commercial offer.
"One of the firms, European Eurocopter has told the Ministry that 'in absence of any visibility regarding the finalisation of the case, we are unable to grant a further extension to our commercial offer'," defence sources told PTI.
The other company in the over 48-month-old tender is Russian Kamov, which is offering its Ka-226 Sergei choppers.
The 197 light helicopters are being procured by the Army and the IAF to replace their fleet of vintage Cheetah/Chetak fleet of choppers, which are critical for providing supplies to troops deployed in Siachen Glacier and other high altitude areas.
19/12/12 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Malaysia to persist with GMR despite Maldives setback

Malaysia will press ahead with its alliance with the GMR group despite the setback to the joint venture Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) project in Maldives, Malaysia's industry minister said.
Mustapa Mohamad told reporters on Saturday that Malaysia is "pleased" with its partnership with GMR in developing two airports in India (Delhi and Hyderabad)) and the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, Economic Times (ET) reported.
Many countries in Central Asia have ambitious plans to expand their airports and Malaysia will actively pursue these opportunities with GMR, he said.
"We are very disappointed that the (airport) contract was terminated by Male. We hope this is not going to prevent Malaysian Airports and GMR to go to other countries in future."
18/12/12 haveeru online

Read More

India detains Israeli caught with rifle bullets

An Israeli man was detained in Mumbai, India last week after he was found carrying two rifle bullets in his backpack, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday. Israel is working to secure his release.
 The man, in his 20s, was on a post-army trip to the Far East and had apparently forgotten the bullets in his backpack during his service in a combat military unit.
Last Thursday, he landed in Mumbai where he was meant to board a flight to another destination.
 At the airport, security guards found the bullets in his backpack and took him for questioning. He explained that the bullets were left there from his military service but failed to convince the Indian authorities which held him for two days before releasing him to house arrest.
 India is now pursuing legal action against the Israeli and has banned him from leaving the country. It remains unclear whether he will be indicted.
18/12/12 Ynet News.com

Read More

Indian route is very profitable, says Cathay Pacific official

Chennai: With 80 per cent passenger load factor in its aircraft, India is a top destination for Cathay Pacific Airways to focus. India and China are the fastest growing destinations for the airline, said Tom Wright, its General Manager, South Asia, Middle East and Africa.
The Indian route is very profitable, he told newspersons.
“We are comfortable with 75-80 per cent load factor. If it goes beyond that, it will create a spill over effect,” he said at the launch of the airline’s new business class and new premium economy cabins on the Chennai-Hong Kong route from January 1.
The global aviation sector is going through a turbulent time while the Indian market is at a ‘low point.’
18/12/12 Business Line

Read More

Etihad in final talks to buy India carrier stake - source

New Delhi: Gulf carrier Etihad Airways, seeking to widen operations in India and other Asian markets, is in the final stages of talks to buy part of either Jet Airways or grounded rival Kingfisher Airlines, an Indian government official said on Monday.
A deal, which the official said could be announced by next week, would be the first since the government relaxed ownership rules in September to allow foreign airlines to invest up to 49 percent in a domestic carrier.
"Etihad has not yet decided. They are talking to both," said the officials, who has knowledge of the talks but declined to be named as the negotiations are confidential.
Buying into Jet is seen as more lucrative for Etihad as the two carriers already have a code-sharing agreement and could target the market share of state-owned Air India and Dubai-based Emirates Airline EMIRA.UL, which dominates routes between India and the Middle East.
17/12/12 Anurag Kotoky/Reuters.com

Read More

Malaysia eyes opportunities in monorail, roads, MRO sectors

Hyderabad: The Malaysian companies are eyeing opportunities in the country’s infrastructure sector with accent on roads, real estate, mono rail projects and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) business in the aviation sector.
Scomi, a monorail services company based in Malaysia, has executed its first project in Mumbai and is now in talks with a few other cities, including Kolkata, exploring the potential to offer its services, Mustapa Mohamed, Malaysian Minister for International Trade and Industries, said.
During his visit to Hyderabad, as part of a delegation he is leading to India, he interacted with companies for potential areas of cooperation and said they see immense scope to expand business and trade ties.
17/12/12 V. Rishi Kumar/Business Line

Read More

Middle East private aviation industry set to boom

Despite the current challenges facing the sector, the private aviation industry in the Middle East could triple over the next 20 years, according to industry experts at a recent Clyde & Co seminar.
Clyde & Co LLP, the leading international law firm, held a seminar titled 'Middle East Business Aviation Market Update' in conjunction with Bombardier Business Aircraft, the global leader in business jets.
The inaugural seminar, organised ahead of the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) conference, was opened by Oliver Tebbit, Partner at Clyde & Co, and featured a keynote speech by Khader Mattar, Regional Vice President, Sales, Middle East, Africa and India, Bombardier Business Aircraft, as well as panel discussions involving a host of leading figures in the private aviation industry. According to Bombardier, orders for large cabin aircraft remain the most popular in the Middle East. The seminar addressed what is needed to help further drive growth levels, with Khader Mattar stating that Bombardier's market forecast predicts the business aviation fleet in the Middle East to increase by 1,185 jets from new aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years.
17/12/12 AME Info

Read More

DVB Halts Indian Plane Finance After Kingfisher Repossession

DVB Bank SE (DVB), one of the most active aircraft financiers in India, suspended all financing to Indian carriers after the country’s administration failed to deregister two airliners following their repossession from Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. (KAIR)
DVB repossessed two Airbus A320 aircraft earlier this year from Kingfisher after terminating leases on the planes, the lender said in an e-mailed statement. The bank still hasn’t gotten the necessary documentation that would let it place the jets elsewhere, Bertrand Grabowski, managing director for aviation and rail at the Frankfurt-based bank, said in a telephone interview.
“Until we have the planes deregistered, we can’t redeploy the airplanes and that means a loss for DVB,” Grabowski said. Financing into the Indian market is suspended until further notice, he said.
17/12/12 Bloomberg

Read More

‘Bird-hit’ forces Air Mauritius flight to land at IGI airport

An Air Mauritius flight, with 287 passengers on board, was forced to land at Indira Gandhi International Airport under emergency condition allegedly due to a bird-hit on Sunday.
Flight MK 745 (Delhi-Mauritius) took off around 8.30 am and had reached a height of 400 metres when the pilot requested emergency landing. A few blades of one of the engine propellers were found broken, but there was no damage to the engine.
Airport officials said six to seven blades of one of the engine propellers broke, after which the pilot made an announcement alerting the passengers on board. Emergency procedure was observed and fire service team, ambulances, Central Industrial Security Force QRT and doctors at the airport were alerted and put on stand by.
17/12/12 Shalini Narayan/Indian Express

Read More

GMR seeks over $ 800 mn; Maldives insists on forensic audit

Male: Indian infrastructure firm GMR will seek a compensation of over $800 million from Maldives for the termination of its airport deal here but Male is insisting on a “forensic audit” as it feels the actual amount would be less than half.
“We have sent a letter to the Maldivian government indicating a number of more than $800 million as compensation amount. This is our initial estimate. The final figure would be based upon various calculations, loss of profit among others,” GMR (Airports) CFO Sidharath Kapur said.
The Maldivian government, however, debunked the calculations and insisted on getting a forensic audit done through an international firm.
“We will go in for a forensic audit as we want to see how much money has poured in to GMR coffers through the Male International Airport and how much actual money has been spent here. As per our information, GMR has cashed in only $150 million of the about $350 loan it had bagged through a bank,” Maldives President Mohamed Waheed’s press secretary Masood Imad said.
Asked if GMR is open to a forensic audit, Mr. Kapur told PTI, “Our books are transparent. The concession agreement signed with Maldives government did not have the clause of forensic audit. Having said that, I must add that we don’t have any objection to an audit but it has to come through proper legal process”.
16/12/12 PTI/The Hindu

Read More

GMR Maldives spat: Malaysia to discuss issue with PM Manmohan Singh

Hyderabad:  Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is scheduled to visit New Delhi for India-Asean meet between December 20-21, is likely to discuss with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the issue of GMR's now scrapped Male Airport project in which MAHB holds 23 per cent stake.
"The heads of the governments (Malaysia and India) are going to meet in New Delhi next week. There may be some discussion (on Male airport issue). There will be sideline meetings in Delhi," Malaysia's Consul General in Chennai Citra Devi Ramiyah told reporters here. Malaysian government owned MAHB holds 23 per cent, while GMRBSE 0.27 % holds 77 per cent stake in GMR Male International Airport Pvt Ltd, a joint venture formed for developing Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Maldives.
Ramiyah said the Malaysian government has not yet initiated any move towards claiming compensation form the Maldivian Government for abruptly terminating airport.
16/12/12 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

India-Oman weekly seats to increase 40%

New Delhi: With the seating capacity in flights between India and Oman increasing by 40 per cent, the traffic between the two countries is expected to get a boost. The capacity addition will see weekly seats go up from 11,500 to 16,000. India has already exhausted 86 per cent of the seat capacity.
State-owned Air India and Jet airways are already flying to Muscat, Khasab and Salalah in Oman. According to aviation ministry sources, IndiGo Airlines has also elicited interest in flying to Oman. Oman Airways is operating from 10 destinations in India.
However, critics say that this reflects Oman Air’s focus on traffic beyond Oman and trying to follow the growth model of other Gulf carriers. The other gulf carriers except Gulf Air have focused on traffic beyond Europe and Africa.
16/12/12 Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

Read More

Air India offers special package for illegal immigrants in the Gulf

Kochi: Air India will introduce a special discount package for Indians returning to the country based on the amnesty scheme initiated by the UAE Government for all illegal residents.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation K.C. Venugopal said that the package would come in to force by the first week of January. The details of the package will be worked out soon, he said.
To address the problems being faced by the Gulf passengers, he said the Ministry is in the process of setting up a complaint redressal cell in his office at New Delhi.
The passengers can email the complaints to ixmailstominister@nic.in. The officials will file the reply within a week.
The operations of Air India Express will be shifted completely to Kochi by January. The heads of departments will be available in Kochi regularly.
14/12/12 Business Line

Read More

Confusion over plane clearance delays Malik

New Delhi: Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik’s India visit landed in trouble even before he left Islamabad on Friday. Malik, who was originally scheduled to land at 2 pm, landed only at 6 pm.
The Pakistani minister’s decision to fly in a military aircraft instead of a civilian aircraft was apparently the cause of the confusion and delay.
 Top home ministry officials said Pakistan had earlier informed India he would be travelling by a “special aircraft” which the authorities cleared for landing at the Palam Technical Area of Delhi airport.
But late on Thursday night the Indian government was informed that Malik would be arriving by a Pakistan Air Force plane. This threw the Indian security establishment into a tizzy.
Home ministry officials said Malik’s flight got security clearance from the Indian Air Force after the requisite procedures were completed by the Pakistani side following its change of plans.
 IAF sources denied any procedural delay in giving clearance.
15/12/12  Namrata Biji Ahuja and Sridhar Kumaraswami/Deccan Chronicle

Read More

GMR-Maldives spat: China behind scrapped GMR deal to extend footprint in Maldives?

New Delhi: China's growing ties with the Maldives, blamed discreetly for the scrapped GMR airport deal, may be part of its larger scheme to dominate the strategically-important sea lanes of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), according to an assessment of the Indian intelligence agencies. Beijing is reportedly wooing Male to pre-empt a US move to set up a new military base in the Maldives' southernmost island of Gan.
Incidentally, though the ministry of external affairs was rather discreet about the involvement of a 'foreign hand' in the GMR episode, intelligence assessments coming in from Male are more upfront in outlining fears of a China factor.
Gan, a tourist destination in Addu Atoll that also has an international airport, is considered safe for deep anchorage. The US, sources in the Indian security establishment told TOI, has evinced interest in the former British naval and air force base in Gan for servicing its naval fleet, launching surveillance operations and routing military supplies. This is in sync with US President Barack Obama's "pivot towards Asia" policy.
15/12/12 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Manufacturing Details Stall Franco-Indian MMCRA Negotiations

More than 10 months after India chose the French Rafale to meet its $15 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) requirement, contract negotiations are mired in issues related to offsets, the transfer of technology and the role of Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). The Press Trust of India quoted industry sources as saying that Dassault has requested from the Indian Ministry of Defence the freedom to decide the proportion of work to be done by HAL, versus private Indian companies. Last February, Dassault signed an MoU with Reliance Industry, India’s largest private-sector company, for collaboration in manufacturing.
At a French parliamentary hearing on December 4, Dassault Aviation CEO Charles Edelstenne expressed “relative optimism” about the progress of talks.
14/12/12 AIN Online

Read More

787s and 777s have great potential in India: Boeing

Singapore: Boeing does not expect a widebody order from India in 2013, but stands firm that its 777 and 787 aircraft have great potential in the country.
The airframer has 37 widebody aircraft on order from India - 24 787s and three 777s from Air India and 10 787s from Jet Airways.
"This is a fair amount of orders and some serious money," says Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' senior vice-president for Asia-Pacific and India sales. "It's still a long backlog and I don't see any widebody order for next year for India."
He adds that although there has been much turmoil in the Indian market, strong GDP growth and changes in policies such as allowing foreign airlines to invest in local carriers will give the country's aviation industry a boost and allow airlines to buy more jets.
14/12/12 Mavis Toh/Flight Global

Read More

Indian techie convicted of groping woman during flight

Washington: An Indian software consultant, on a work visa in the US, was convicted by a Chicago court of groping a woman while they were seated next to each other aboard an airplane.
Srinivasa S Erramilli, 45, remains free on bond pending sentencing, which has been set for April 26, 2013, by US District Judge Joan H Lefkow.
He faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine. Incidentally he was convicted twice previously for nearly identical crimes.
Evidence at the trial showed that Erramilli was the last passenger to board a Southwest Airlines flight to Chicago's Midway Airport on June 14, 2011, and was seated in the only open seat available between the victim, who had chosen a window seat to sleep during the flight, and her husband, who had chosen an aisle seat to enable easier access during the flight.
The couple had travelled to Las Vegas for their 34th wedding anniversary, the Department of Justice said in a statement.
The victim testified that Erramilli groped her three times aboard the plane.
14/12/12 Indian Express

Read More

Kingfisher Keeps FII Cap, Readies for Possible Stake Sale

Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. Thursday said it will retain its cap on foreign institutional investments at 3%, a move which analysts see as an effort to ensure that it can offer attractive options to any foreign airline interested in buying a stake.
It said that it is retaining the limit to keep its capital structure in "readiness for transactions."
Indian regulations allow foreigners to own a total of 49% in local air carriers. So, with Kingfisher leaving its FII cap at 3%, it is now free to sell a 46% stake to overseas airlines such as Etihad Airways.
Tuesday, cash-strapped Kingfisher confirmed that it is in stake sale talks with Etihad and other investors.
13/12/12 Dow Jones Newswires/FoxBusiness.com

Read More

World airlines on track for safest year ever: IATA

Global airlines are heading for the safest year on record with an average by the end of November of only one accident of any type for every 5.3 million flights, the international airline body IATA reported on Thursday.
The Geneva-based IATA also said that so far in 2012 for the first time since the infancy of the industry in the second and third decades of the last century there had been not one loss of a Western-built jet aircraft among its 240 members.
"As of November 30, if you were to take a flight every day, the odds are that you would fly 14,000 years without an accident," its chief safety officer Gunther Matschnigg told reporters at a briefing. Overall fatalities across the industry, including airlines that do not belong to IATA or have not yet been admitted because they do not conform to its safety standards, came to 401, compared with 490 in the January-November period in 2011, Matschnigg said.
13/12/12 Reuters/Daily News & Analysis

Read More

Man stranded at airport returns home

An Indian worker, stranded at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) for four days after losing his passport, has finally gone home.
Sidhik Thajuddeem, a driver based in Dammam, landed at the airport from Saudi Arabia on Saturday and was supposed to board a connecting flight to Thiruvananthapuram.
However, he is believed to have lost his passport, cell phone and other documents at King Fahad International Airport after checking in - and was therefore unable to clear security in Bahrain.
Airport authorities informed Indian Embassy, which asked Octic International to issue new travel documents on his behalf.
"I met the worker and contacted his brother in India to send us Mr Thajuddeem's passport copy, to process his application for an emergency certificate," said Octic International general manager Fazal Haq.
13/12/12 Gulf Daily News

Read More

India, China set to propel global airline industry growth

Geneva:  The global airline industry is likely to post a net profit of $6.7 billion during 2012. This is likely to grow to a net profit of $8.4 billion in 2013, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced on Thursday.
The latest data for 2012 are $2.6 billion upgrade from what IATA had predicted in October this year.
According to IATA, improved prospects for 2012 are being driven by airlines’ strong performance in the second and third quarters and also the performance of growing economies such as India, China and Latin America.
Releasing the latest data, IATA Director General Tony Tyler said that after an expected $637 billion in revenues, a net profit of $6.7 billion or a net profit margin of one per cent this year, this figure will rise to a net profit margin of 1.3 per cent next year.
13/12/12 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

Read More

Turkish Airlines eyes expansion in India; add Hyderabad, Kolkata as new destinations

Turkey's national carrier Turkish Airlines plans to double flights between Delhi and Istanbul and add Hyderabad and Kolkata as new destinations next year, its chief executive, Temel Kotil, told ET.
"We will expand into 250 destinations by next year and offer more connectivity to Indians," Kotil said. "We've better connections than Gulf carriers and have 85% loads from India. This is much more than our network-wide average of 77%."
The airline also plans to approach an Indian celebrity to promote Istanbul as a tourist destination and lure Indians to use its hub there to fly to the West. Last week, the carrier announced the appointment of soccer star Leo Messi as its global brand ambassador.
An estimated 90,000 Indians have already visited Turkey this year, compared with 75,000 in 2011. Kotil said the country offers a perfect getaway for the growing middle class in India.
12/12/12 Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times

Read More

Etihad airline linked again with Indian deal

Mumbai: Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways was again linked with a move into India on Tuesday, as a report claimed it was considering taking a 48-percent stake in stricken carrier Kingfisher.
The Mumbai Mirror, citing unnamed sources at the airlines, said the deal worth more than 30 billion rupees ($553 million) would be announced about December 18, the birthday of Kingfisher's flamboyant boss Vijay Mallya.
The report, the most recent in a string about potential tie-ups between domestic and foreign carriers, came a week after Etihad was reported to be looking at Jet Airways, India's biggest carrier by market share.
Kingfisher shares climbed nearly five percent on Tuesday, trading at 15.67 rupees in the early afternoon.
Etihad chief executive James Hogan told an Indian television channel last week that it was in talks in India to add to its foreign holdings, which already include stakes in Virgin Australia, Air Berlin, Air Seychelles and Aer Lingus.
12/12/12 AFP

Read More

Boeing, TCS to begin operations in MIHAN by March 2013: Prithviraj Chavan

Nagpur: Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport (MIHAN) is on track and by March 2013 work on Boeing's maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility would be completed.
Similarly, Tata Consultancy Services oo is setting its base in MIHAN to begin functioning by March, he said.
He was replying to a question raised in the legislative council on Tuesday during question hour.
12/12/12 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Now, KFA says in stake sale talks with Etihad, scrip up 5%

Mumbai: On a day when service tax department detained another Kingfisher plane for default, the second in two days, the airline announced it was in discussions with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways for a stake sale which could revive the troubled airline’s fortune. Executives from Etihad Airways visited Kingfisher offices in Mumbai and Bangalore last week.
Kingfisher stock was up five per cent on Tuesday after a media report said a deal between the two would be announced next week. The report said Etihad had agreed to pick up 48 per cent in the airline for Rs 3,000 crore. While Etihad offered no comment for the story, its chief executive James Hogan told media last week that India and China were now key regions of focus for the airline. He said Etihad was in due diligence with a "couple" of Indian airlines. When asked about a possible deal, he replied : "Ask me in a couple of weeks.''
Kingfisher informed the Bombay Stock Exchange it was in discussions with many investors, including Etihad, but said no agreement had been signed. Kingfisher's market capitalisation is Rs 1,267 crore at current price and the UB Group owns a little over 35 per cent stake. The share price closed at Rs 15.67, up five per cent.
12/12/12 Business Standard

Read More

Two arrested for smuggling saffron

Ahmedabad: Two Mumbai-residents were arrested with 34 kg of saffron that was worth more than Rs 60 lakh at Sardar Vallabhbhai International airport on early Tuesday morning. The duo came to Ahmedabad in an Air Arabia flight from Sharjah. Mohammad Yunus and Sultama Yunus were nabbed on basis of intelligence. Customs officials said that the two had concealed the saffron in two cartons.
"We believe they are carriers and part of a saffron smuggling racket. The duo had purchased the saffron of Iranian quality from Dubai. Saffron smuggling has increased in India after production in Kashmir started declining two years back," said a senior customs official. The officials said that such carriers get Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for making one such trip.
12/12/12 Times of India

Read More

Three foreigners held at Delhi airport

Three foreign nationals allegedly attempting to smuggle out consignments of pseudo-ephedrine and methaqualone, precursor and recreational drugs, have been arrested by the Central Industrial Security Force at Indira Gandhi International Airport here. The consignment purportedly seized from them is worth Rs.2.34 crore in the international market.
In the early hours of Tuesday, the CISF personnel intercepted a foreigner at the Gate No.3 of Terminal-3 on suspicion that he was carrying some contraband, as indicated by the baggage scanner. During questioning, he identified himself as Karimazondo Mike (35), a Zimbabwe national. The security personnel seized 25.7 kg of methaqualone, which is used as a recreational drug. The accused was to board a flight to Johannesburg via Abu Dhabi.
12/12/12 Devesh K Pandey/The Hindu

Read More

Three international airlines show interest in Kolkata

Kolkata: After witnessing an exodus of international fliers over the last decade, Kolkata airport has finally got something to cheer about ahead of the launch of the new terminal at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI) at Dum Dum here.
According to Kolkata airport officials, three international airlines from Japan, Turkey and Dubai have expressed there willingness to operate to and from the city. “Japan Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Fly Dubai have evinced interest in starting operations from Kolkata,” chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), VP Agarwal said.
Japan Airlines and Turkish Airlines, in fact, have already sought detailed report about Kolkata airport. “There should not be any problem with the flying rights in case of thses two airlines. However, things need to be worked out for Fly Dubai, since they’ve exhausted all their flying rights to India,” Agarwal said.
Over the last few years, the Kolkata airport has witnessed many foreign airlines withdrawing  their services from Kolkata over the years, which many say, was in tandem with the the anti-industry image the state developed over the years and poor airport infrastructure.
12/12/12 Probal Basak/Business Standard

Read More

Kerala mulls chartered flight for UAE returnees

Kochi:  The state government is likely to introduce chartered flights to bring in Keralites who want to return from the UAE taking advantage of the amnesty declared there.
Immigrants from other countries who are staying in the UAE without proper documents can return if they are not involved in any criminal case, as per the two-month amnesty that began on December 4.
"We are considering chartering flights as a last option to bring in those Keralites who are staying in the UAE illegally if they are absolutely unable to pay their travel bills. A flight chartering company based out of the Fujairah airport in the UAE has agreed to operate flights to bring in Indians during the period. The company had operated chartered flights to India during an earlier Haj season,'' a top official of the non-resident Keralite affairs (NoRKA) department told TOI here.
The chartering company representatives had reportedly made this assurance during their talks with NoRKA officials who had visited the UAE last week to make arrangements for the return of Keralites under the scheme.
11/12/12 T Ramavarman/Times of India

Read More

Investors Shun Struggling Indian Air Transport Sector

Policy-making paralysis over much-needed reforms and liquidity concerns raised by the grounding of Kingfisher Airlines has deterred investors, vendors, lessors and suppliers from doing business in India’s air transport sector, according to delegates attending last month’s Asia-Pacific Airlines Association Assembly of Presidents in Kuala Lumpur.
“Airlines in India are scared of rising fuel prices and airport charges, and are waiting for the regulatory environment to pan out,” a senior AAPA airline executive told AIN, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Besides, we do not expect much to move in India until the elections are over [in 2014] so we lose another two years.”
Meanwhile, the failure of cash-strapped Kingfisher to meet a deadline for repaying the agreed $1 billion out of $1.5 billion it owes a consortium of 17 Indian banks has raised doubts about whether the airline can restart operations, further eroding confidence in the industry overall.
10/12/12 Neelam Mathews/AIN Online

Read More

Air India offers attractive promotional fares on international sectors

Kolkata: Air India on Monday launched a special all-inclusive promotional return fares on its international destinations as well after receiving overwhelming response to its promotional fares for the domestic sector.
The scheme is valid for out-bound travel with immediate effect to the Far East and near east. On sectors to the USA, UK, Europe and UAE, the validity of travel will be from January 21, 2013. The sale is open for seven days, i.e. from December 10 to December 16, 2012.
The return fares, inclusive of all taxes, under this scheme range from Rs 15,999 in the UAE to Rs 51,999 for the US. For travel originating from Delhi, the fares would be higher by Rs 2,000 to all the destinations. The fares have been launched for travel on more than 15 city worldwide.
10/10/12 Anuradha Himatsingka/Economic Times

Read More

VistaJet eyes Indian aviation market for expansion

Mumbai: After it placed the biggest order in business aviation history of 142 aircrafts (56 firm orders and 86 optional worth over $7 billion) with Bombardier, its exclusive operator for high-end business jets, Swiss operator VistaJet has now set its eyes on expansion in the Indian market as part of its wider strategy to make business jets easily available for use of clients in the emerging markets.
One of the fastest growing business jet operators in the world, VistaJet said that with its unique business model that makes aircraft available within 24 hours for its clients, it is betting big on the important shift in world trade that is moving now from western-centric economies to eastern-centric economies and this is the reason why India is an important market for VistaJet.
11/12/12 Times of India

Read More

India, Boeing haggle over aircraft deal

New Delhi: India has offered one-fourth of the price reportedly quoted by US aviation major Boeing to purchase 15 heavy-lift Chinook helicopters and 22 Apache attack helicopters for the air force.
India’s combined offer for the two deals was around Rs 5,500 crore while Boeing demanded close to Rs 20,000 crore.
“The acceptance of necessity cost for 15 heavy-lift helicopters and 22 attack helicopters is Rs 2,468.41 crore and Rs 3,094.98 crore respectively. Boeing’s Chinook-CH-47F (I) and Apache AH-64D has emerged as the L1 vendor (lowest bidder) respectively,” Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Boeing had reportedly quoted $ 1.4 billion (Rs 7,600 crore approximately) for the Apaches and $ 2.4 billion (about Rs 13,000 core) for the Chinooks.
10/12/12 Deccan Herald

Read More

I tried hard, but initially GMR was stubborn: Waheed

Male: Asserting that Maldives throwing out the Male airport operator, Indian multinational company GMR, had not affected India-Maldives ties, President Mohamed Waheed said he had tried his best to avert the awkward situation.
“I really want to assure you that we tried as much as we could under the circumstances. It just did not happen. But this should not be taken as change of policies or any lessening of our will to continue to work with foreign investors, especially from India,” he told The-Hindu in his first interview ever since the government’s differences with GMR came out in the open.
Dr.Waheed said that he was grateful to both the GMR and the Indian government for the professional manner in which the issue was handled. “I think the government of India has been very supportive. We have been having almost daily communication with senior officials of the government in India to brief them on how things were developing. Of course, we were always told to renegotiate… You see, we tried… this is why it took so long. I tried very hard. But initially GMR itself was very stubborn. They were not flexible at all. By the time they started saying okay, we can talk, it was already late, too late. That’s what happened.”
10/12/12 RK Radhakrishnan/The Hindu

Read More

Maldives denies China role in GMR row

Male: Maldives President Mohamed Waheed has denied the suggestion in the media that China nudged his country to push out the Male airport operator, Indian multinational company GMR.
“Absolutely no. Absolutely no,” he said. “The only significant cooperation we have with China at this time is through development assistance… like building the museum, housing projects. I don’t think India should worry about it at all.”
Dr. Waheed said that Maldives was not looking for a foreign investor to develop the Ibrahim Nasir Airport in Male. “Male International Airport was the single largest development project undertaken by the people of Maldives. It is a very sensitive and very emotional project. Some of that emotional part contributes to the political uproar. But we tried over the last nine months to look at this very objectively and not rush into things. We inherited the problem from the last government. Over a period of seven months, we tried to understand what the legal implications are, what the technical problems are, what the business implications are.”
10/12/12 RK Radhakrishnan/The Hindu

Read More

Maldives groups should not misuse GMR issue: Khurshid

New Delhi: The scrapping of the GMR airport deal by the Maldives government was a legal issue, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said Monday and hoped that the controversy would not be "allowed to be used" by fringe groups in that country to lead to deterioration in ties.
The Maldives government's scrapping a USD 500 million deal with Indian construction major GMR is "is an issue essentially legal in nature", Khurshid told reporters.
He also expressed hope "that this will not be used or allowed to be used by some fringe political groups that would lead to deterioration of relations between two, which we value immensely on both sides".
10/12/12 ZeeNews

Read More

Changi may increase stake in Andal airport project

Kolkata: Singapore-based Changi Airports International (CAI) has expressed interest to increase its stake in the upcoming airport city project in West Bengal to about 51%.
Changi Airport India, a wholly owned subsidiary of Changi Airports International (CAI), currently owns 26% stake in Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL), which is executing the airport city project at Andal in Bardhaman district.
“Changi has expressed their willingness to further increase their stake in the airport project here,” West Bengal fiance minister Amit Mitra said.
West Bengal urban development minister Firhad Hakim recently met Changi officials to discuss the matter.
“They have indicated that they are increasing their investment from 26% to about 51%,” he said.
Earlier, Changi CEO Lim Liang Song understandably had mooted the stake increase proposal during his meeting with West Bengal Industry minister Partha Chatterjee in October.
10/12/12 Probal Basak/Business Standard

Read More

A terminal, two runways, some resorts

Male: In the 1960s, Maldives was not the tourist hotspot it is today. Fishing was the main occupation. Every week, a Ceylonese (as Sri Lankans were then termed) carrier operated a flight to and from Colombo with dried fish export from the islands. One day, old timers said, Sri Lanka stopped this service, citing poor landing conditions in the aerodrome, a British-era relic with a runway of steel plates.
The move hurt President Ibrahim Nasir and the Maldivians deeply and they took it as a challenge. “It is legendary,” says Moosa Latheef, editor of Haveeru, the most circulated newspaper in the archipelago’s capital here. “The president called the people to come together to build the airport. People not only contributed money from whatever little they earned, they took boulders from the sea with bare hands. They brought sand on dhonis (boats),”he adds, describing the birth of the airport on Hulhule island, a 10-minute ferry ride from here.
Many Maldivians opposed to the agreement with GMR assert this history and emotional attachment are not the primary reasons they oppose the deal. “The agreement had many flaws,” said Abdullah Humaid, a leader of the Adhaalat Party, perceived to be a radical right-wing party. Adhaalat’s chief, Sheikh Imran, has been spearheading the “Go home, GMR” campaign in the neatly-laid and narrow magus (roads) of Male.
10/12/12 N Sundaresha Subramanian/Business Standard

Read More

Bharat Electronics signs MoU with Israel Aerospace Industries

Bharat Electronics Limited India (BEL) has signed an MoU with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for cooperation on future Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM) Ship-defence Systems. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on December 5, 2012 between the company and Israel Aerospace Industries Limited for their co-operation on future LRSAM ship-defence projects.
For several years IAI has been engaged in joint development programs with the DRDO and Indian defense industries for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, including joint manufacturing of sub-systems. The MoU lays out framework for BEL-IAI co-operation, under which BEL will function as the Lead Integrator and produce major sub-systems. IAI will continue to act as Design Authority and to produce sub-systems as a main sub-contractor of BEL.
10/12/12 Equity Bulls

Read More

No Chinese parts in US aircraft: India

New Delhi: the Indian Air Force (IAF) has not encountered any faulty Chinese spare parts and equipment in military aircraft made in the US, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Monday.
"While the government is aware of media reports regarding possible usage of Chinese counterfeit electronic parts in military aircraft manufactured in the US, no P81 aircraft has so far been delivered to India," he said.
The minister added in a written statement that in the last four years of operation of American military equipment, including C-130 J30 transport aircraft, IAF had not encountered any faulty spares and equipment.
10/12/12 News Track India

Read More

Luxury aviation firm Vistajet to focus on Indian market

New Delhi: After placing a record order worth USD 7.8 billion to Bombardier, luxury aviation firm Vistajet today said it will focus on the Indian market and hopes to have a base of around 200 business-flyer clients in the country in next five years.
"We have plans of opening up an office in India and we are hoping to have a client base of around 100-200 people in India who fly out frequently on business trips to international destinations," Vistajet advisory board chairman Rob Hersov told reporters here.
Vistajet has placed an order for 56 new Bombardier 'Global' aircraft with options for 86 more planes for USD 7.8 billion. The deliveries of the order are expected to commence in 2014.
08/12/12 Indian Express

Read More

Air India flight to Sharjah makes emergency landing, pilot asked ‘to land in sea in case of fire’

Passengers of an Air India flight from Kozhikode in Kerala to Sharjah, UAE, had a miraculous escape following a freak accident.
The Airbus A321 fight had to be flown back to the Kozhikode airport for an emergency landing immediately after takeoff at around 8.15pm on Saturday.
Passengers on board told Emirates 24l7 that the aircraft started vibrating as soon as it took off from the runway, followed by sparks from one of the wings.
“There was panic within the flight. I was seated on the right side and saw the sparks from the winds. We were even able to smell something burning. Soon the air condition inside he flight went off, ” said Samir MP one of the passengers.
09/12/12 Joseph George/Emirates 24|7

Read More

GMR-Maldives spat: India loses strategic advantage in Indian Ocean

In a "solemn" ceremony at midnight on Saturday, the Maldives government took over control of the Male international airport from GMR, an Indian company, that had made the largest-ever FDI investment in the tiny island country in the Indian Ocean. On Thursday, a Singapore court of appeal had ruled that the Maldives had the right to take back its airport.
The Maldives government does not have the wherewithal to manage and run this airport. Having done a Dabhol on GMR, they are likely to scare away other international investors who might feel vulnerable to rampaging Islamists who might turn against international deals. It is, therefore, not inconceivable that the Maldives could turn to the only other country that has deep enough pockets to absorb all this. Welcome, China.
The current coalition in Male supporting Mohamed Waheed is a hodgepodge of Islamic parties that thrive on an anti-India platform, some of it indigenous, much of it, observers say, inspired by Pakistani elements and allegedly funded by money from certain sections in Saudi Arabia.
Waheed has also shown that the anti-India plank is a perfectly successful political one. Scalping a big company like GMR can be expected to keep the Islamists to his side and produce political results in the next elections.
09/12/12 Indrani Bagchi/Economic Times

Read More

Indians in Maldives heave a sigh of relief

Male: Indians in Male and elsewhere in Maldives heaved a sigh of relief as the stand-off between Male airport operator GMR, and the Maldives government fizzled out and Maldives took over the running of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport from the midnight of December 7.
“There are no problems in the [running of the] airport,” said GMR spokesperson Arun Bhagat. GMR personnel are still handling most operations, though Finance Minister Abdullah Jihad had handed over to CEO and MD of Maldives Airports Company Mohamed Ibrahim a document authorising him to operate the airport.
No GMR representative was present at the handing over ceremony. Asked about this, Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor said it was not necessary for GMR to hand over the airport. With the notice period ending at 23:59 on December 7, the government became the owner of the airport from midnight, she said.
Some crew of a few international airlines to whom The Hindu spoke to were not even aware of the stand-off.
09/12/12 RK Radhakrishnan/The Hindu

Read More

With sunset in Male, it's darkening elsewhere too

Bangalore: With GMR Infrastructure forced to give up on its $511-million Male airport, the latter has become the second major global project for the Bangalore-based company to be lost. In late November 2010 two years ago, GMR Infra had sold its 50-per cent stake in US-based power generation company InterGen for $900 million, saying it intended to focus on opportunities in India.
GMR Infra had held InterGen asset for two years after acquiring a 50 per cent stake for $1.2 billion mid-2008. However, while selling this to Huaneng Group, a Chinese major, GMR retained a 800-Mw gas-fired power project in Singapore, expected to be commissioned late 2013. GMR has already offloaded 30 per cent in this $800-million project to Malaysian oil & gas conglomerate Petronas, which is being executed in a 57:43 debt to equity ratio.
With the exit of InterGen and the airport project in Maldives, GMR Infra is left with an airport project in Turkey, two coal mines in Indonesia and one coal mine in South Africa as part of its global portfolio, besides two hydro-projects in Nepal due to be commissioned by 2016.
The performance of Turkey airport is far from convincing for GMR, as during last fiscal it bled as much as Rs 104 crore on a topline of around Rs 680 crore. Continuing the losses at this airport, during the first half of this fiscal, the project had a loss of Rs 45 crore on a topline of Rs 400 crore. GMR Infrastructure owns 40 per cent in this airport, while the rest is held by Malaysian Airports and Limak Holdings of Turkey.
09/12/12 Raghuvir Badrinath/Business Standard

Read More

AI official held in ‘emigration racket’

New Delhi: The cover was blown off an alleged human trafficking racket at Delhi airport this week after a group of people from Andhra Pradesh turned up at an immigration counter different from the one the racketeers had told them to go to.
An Air India official is in police custody; an immigration official alleged to be part of the ring is on the run. “Rahul Roy, an employee of Air India, has been arrested for facilitating the racket,” DCP (IGIA) S S Deswal said.
An Andhra man complained to the Bureau of Immigration’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on December 6 that a man called Shekhar Kutubudeen had promised to get him to Kuwait without clearance from the Protector of Emigrants despite his ECR (Emigration Check Required) passport. The complainant had given Kutubudeen Rs 28,000, police said.
09/12/12 Indian Express

Read More

Jet Airways starts flights to Dubai from Jan 3

Mangalore: Jet Airways will start its inaugural Mangalore-Dubai flight on January 3 next year, breaking a six-year-long monopoly of Air India Express in the Middle East sector. The inaugural flight coincides with the month-long 18th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival which also starts on the same date.
India's second largest airline, Jet Airways, will offer eight business class and 162 economy class seats to start with. The flight (9W532) will depart from Mangalore at 8pm and arrive in Dubai at 10.30pm. The corresponding flight (9W531) will depart from Dubai at 11.30pm and reach Mangalore the next day at 4.30am.
08/12/12 Stanley Pinto/Times of India

Read More

Sri Lankan model behaves weird on Delhi airport

New Delhi: A Sri Lankan model, who was to board a flight back to her home after an assignment in Delhi preferred staying on IGI terminal for two entire days, without eating, sleeping or talking to anyone.
Reportedly, 25 year old model named Shamla kept roaming in the departure area of Terminal 3. This alarmed the airport securities who then kept a close watch on her. At times, she tried to jump off the railings but was rescued in time.
Sources say that the girl faced sexual assault and the activities were just fits of depression. The counsellor who spoke to her reportedly said that there had been an attempt.
CISF PRO Hemendra Singh said, "The woman had missed her flight to Sri Lanka, which she was supposed to board on December 5. I cannot say what happened to her but she had secluded herself. On Friday night, she was sent back to her country."
09/12/12 Pardaphash.com

Read More

Dassault Aviation seeks clarity on role of HAL in supply of Rafale fighters to Air Force

New Delhi: After bagging the multi-billion dollar deal for supplying 126 Rafale fighter aircraft to the IAF, French firm Dassault Aviation has asked the defence ministry to define the role of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in the project.
If the contract is finalised, the first 18 aircraft would be supplied by Dassault directly to the Indian Air Force and the remaining 108 would be licence-produced at HAL facilities in Bangalore.
The French Dassault has asked the ministry to define the role of the premier Indian aerospace company in the final delivery of the 108 aircraft to be produced in India, industry sources told here.
As per the IAF tender issue for the project, the primary role for integration and supply of these aircraft would be of the HAL, which is successfully working on several important fighter aircraft projects such as the Su-30MKI project.
The French company has told the ministry that if it is given the overall responsibility for the project, it should be given the freedom to decide on the proportion of work to be done by the HAL and private companies in the programme, they said.
09/12/12 PTI/Times of India

Read More

GMR begins check-out from Male

Maldives: The GMR colours of blue, yellow and orange are prominent on the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport trollies and some flex banners that promise a “better airport in 2014.” That promise will obviously remain unfulfilled, as GMR Male International Airport Ltd announced on Friday that it would begin the process of handing over the airport to Maldives Airport Company Ltd at midnight tonight.
Agency reports said GMR Group Chairman G M Rao met the Maldives President on Friday and had a cordial meeting, and the state-run Maldivian company had agreed to retain all staff on the same terms as before and promised to employ Indian nationals hired by GMR.
The decision, GMR said, was in deference to the orders of the Singapore Court of Appeals and was without prejudice to its legal rights. “We are taking requisite steps to work out the compensation receivable from the Maldives government,” the statement said.
It’s obvious that GMR had seen the writing on the wall soon after the court order. A group of senior GMR officials and lawyers, who arrived here by a Bangalore flight full of honeymoon couples, tried their best to hide the disappointment and refused to give anything away. But some of GMR’s employees at the airport still retained a sense of humour. “The marriage seems irretrievable – only the alimony needs to be figured out,” one of them said.
08/12/12 N Sundaresha Subramanian/Business Standard

Read More

Maldives govt completes take over of airport from GMR

Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) has been officially taken over by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) from its operator GMR Infrastructure Limited just past midnight on Friday.
A ceremony was held at the VIP lounge of INIA attended by Acting Transport Minister Mohamed Nazim, Attorney General (AG) Aishath Azima Shakoor, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb, Economic Minister Ahmed Mohamed and MACL Chairman.
Maldives government brought the 25 year contract with GMR to develop and run the airport signed during the former government in 2010 to abrupt end and given the Indian infrastructure giant seven days to hand over the airport to MACL which ended at midnight on Friday.
The present government has maintained that the contract was signed under "dubious" conditions and was "void", a charge hotly denied by the Indian firm.
It is believed that GMR had also been invited to participate in the ceremony, but at the last moment the company had informed that it is not able to do so.
An official of the government told Haveeru that once the seven day notice expired, the contract with GMR would be terminated and the company would have two days to return the aerodrome certificate to the government.
A statement by GMR revealed that GMAIL was currently valuing the compensation that would be owed to the company following the government's decision to annul the contract signed on June 28, 2010 and the Singapore Appeal Court's ruling that the Maldives government had the authority to terminate the contract and expropriate the airport. GMR also insisted that it will cooperate in the handover of the airport and relayed the assurances given by the government that the employees and other relevant parties will not suffer as a result of the change of management.
08/12/12 Haveeru Online

Read More

Maldives takes over airport, to retain all staff, including Indians

New Delhi: The Maldivian government has offered to retain all employees at Malé airport, which it took over after a hotly contested legal battle with Indian infrastructure major GMR, including the 105 Indians working at the facility. The peaceful transfer took place on Friday.
It has offered that the employees, numbering over 1,700, will be retained at their current salaries, positions and terms and conditions by the Maldives Airports Company Limited. A government spokesperson confirmed this, negating earlier reports that the work permits of Indians would be revoked by Malé.
Earlier, Maldives had revoked a 25-year-lease granted to GMR to run the Ibrahim Nassir International Airport, a decision backed by the Singapore Court of Appeal. It had sparked a diplomatic row, with India warning Maldives that bilateral relations could be harmed if the legal process was not followed.
08/12/12 Indian Express

Read More

China to gain most from GMR’s Male woes

China could well turn out to be the biggest beneficiary of GMR Infrastructure’s forced exit from the Male airport project following a dispute with the Maldives government and Tuesday’s Singapore court ruling upholding the government’s right to take over the airport.
External affairs ministry officials told FE on condition of anonymity that China was keen to get a foothold in the Male airport asset as a base in the Maldives would put the dragon state in control of the oil routes in the region and give it greater dominance over sea lanes.
More than 80% of international trade to and from Asia passes through Maldivian territory. And while India and the Maldives have been enjoying strong relations, the nation is of strategic interest to China.
“China’s foremost interest in the Maldives is to protect its increasingly important supplies of energy that need to transit the Indian Ocean,” said former Major General Dipankar Banerjee, a mentor of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.
08/12/12 Huma Siddiqui/Indian Express

Read More

GMR Infra set to lose out on hockey stick growth at Male Airport

Bangalore: It was just about the start of a hockey-stick growth which GMR Infrastructure was poised on at Male International Airport, when it is being forced to vacate by the Maldives Government. With the Government of Maldives firm on evicting GMR Infrastructure-led consortium from managing the Maldives International Airport, the Bangalore-based company will be losing Rs 1,200 crore revenues on an annual basis, a sixth of the total revenues of Rs 7,600 crore which GMR reported for last fiscal.
The Male International Airport operations, which GMR-Malaysia Airports combine were running for the past nearly three years, reported a 2.5 times jump in net profit at Rs 83 crore for the first half of this fiscal and a 34% jump in revenues at Rs 600 crore. The operating margins too have been improving at a good pace and it doubled to 22% for the first half of Fy13 as against 11% during Fy12.
One of the key elements for the growth in revenues in this airport has been owing to high percentage of revenue inflow from fuel sales rather than revenue from passengers passing through. As much as 75% of the revenues come from fuel sales and this is one of the key reasons that GMR entered this airport as well as into another international airport in Turkey.
07/12/12 Raghuvir Badrinath/Business Standard

Read More

Maldivians divided on GMR issue

Male: The announcement that the Maldivian government had taken control of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport from the airport operator GMR was celebrated at a public meeting here late on Friday, though some ordinary Maldivians were not sure if it was the smart thing to do.
Maldivians who support ‘Anni’ (former President Mohamed Nasheed) feel that GMR got caught in a political crossfire, while other shades of opinion held that the issue could have been handled more sensitively. “This is not about GMR; this is not about managing an airport. This is about targeting Nasheed,” said Mickail Naseem, who is here on a semester break from Cambridge.
“If they [the government] really had the interests of the country at heart, they should have made sure that GMR built a better airport,” said Naseem, who volunteers for the youth wing of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) but does not hold a position.
Ali Yousuf, a journalist, held that the government was right in taking back the airport, but felt it should have handled the issue better.
A few youth, who said that they support parties in the current government, were vehemently critical of the decision to give the airport to a foreign company. “Oh yes, we do want a second Heathrow, but the point is, can we do it?” asked one youth, who gave his name as Abdullah, a local businessman. He said that this gateway airport, one of the two international airports in the country, should not be handed over to a foreign company to run it.
07/12/12 RK Radhakrishnan/The Hindu

Read More

Maldives to protect lenders’ money: Indian Overseas Bank

Mumbai: The Maldives government has given a comfort letter to Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), which has $25-million exposure to GMR Group’s Male airport project, assuring safety of lenders’ funds, a top bank official said today.
The quantum of compensation, however, will be decided through an arbitration process.
The Maldives government is poised to take over the Male International Airport with GMR agreeing to meet the midnight deadline to hand over the operations after the Indian infrastructure major lost a week-long legal battle.
“The Maldivian government has sent us a comfort letter, through Axis Bank, which is the lead lender to the Male airport project, to protect our money. The quantum of compensation will be decided through an arbitration process,” the state-run Indian Overseas Bank CMD M Narendra told PTI.
07/12/12 PTI/First Post.com

Read More

Emirates rules out any plans to acquire stakes in Indian airlines

Emirates, the world’s fastest growing airline, has ruled out any plan to acquire stakes in India’s struggling carriers even as Etihad Airways, another UAE flagship carrier, continued its negotiations to acquire a stake in Jet Airways, a leading player in India’s domestic aviation sector.
Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ executive vice-president for Passenger Sales Worldwide, said the Dubai-based carrier, which is now flying to 126 destinations with the launch of services to French city of Lyon, is only keen to acquire more aircraft rather than looking for an airline acquisition.
“We have no intention as of now to look for stakes in any other airlines. Our focus is on expanding our fleet and route network across the globe,” Antinori told Khaleej Times as Emirates’ inaugural flight touched down at Lyon Airport as this city of 2.6 million people prepared to celebrate the annual Festival of Lights.
Most of the Indian carriers, including embattled Kingfisher, have been making huge losses and are looking for foreign direct investments to prop up their flagging fortunes.
08/12/12 Issac John/Khaleej Times

Read More

Etihad may buy 24% stake in Jet Airways for Rs 1,600 cr

Mumbai: The Jet Airways share gained 5.14 per cent on the bourses on reports of a 24 per cent stake sale to Etihad Airways. The deal, expected to be completed by the year-end, is likely to fetch Jet Airways Rs 1,600 crore, according to Aviation Ministry sources.
Jet Airways and Etihad have a code-sharing agreement. “This deal will be profitable to both. Jet can gain larger market share while Etihad will get a major exposure in India and strengthen its position in West Asia,” said an aviation analyst. In a statement, Jet Airways said: “There has been widespread media speculation on the potential stake sale by Jet Airways. The company cannot comment on speculative reports. As and when we do undertake any strategic initiatives, Jet Airways will advise the concerned authorities and relevant exchanges accordingly.”
03/12/12 Business Line

Read More

Maldives must rein in quarters harming bilateral ties, India says

New Delhi: Amid a diplomatic row over cancellation of the GMR contract, India on Friday asked Maldives to control any quarters which may be trying to harm bilateral relations saying the issue should not put a "question mark" on the ties between the two sides.
"If they have to take a decision in interest of their society and country and if that decision is taken properly as per laws there, what objections can anyone have there. We would want that whatever is the decision, it should not put any question marks on our friendly relations," external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said. The minister was asked to comment on the developments in the GMR issue outside Parliament house complex.
"If any quarters there (in Maldives) want that our relations should be harmed, then they should be controlled. I think Maldives and its people know this thing properly and I am sure that they will do the same thing," Khurshid said.
07/12/12 Times of India

Read More

Mihin Lanka flies Madurai-Colombo

Madurai: Setting the tone for a busier air space over Madurai in the coming days, Mihin Lanka, the domestic airlines of Sri Lanka commenced its flight operations from Madurai to Colombo on Friday.
Mihin Lanka is the second carrier to commence overseas operations from Madurai after it received the tag of international airport. SpiceJet had started the first commercial flight operations out of Madurai airport to Colombo on September 20 this year.
The much-awaited Mihin Lanka Airbus A-321 carrier landed at the airport here around 3pm and made a return journey about an hour later. For Mihin Lanka, Madurai is the ninth international destination that they cater to. The airlines will operate three flights a week to Colombo on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Members of the trade bodies and Travel Club greeted the passengers from the first flight at the airport.
08/12/12 Times of India

Read More

Jet to fly to Dubai daily from Mangalore

Mangalore: Jet Airways will commence its daily flight service from Mangalore to Dubai from January 3, 2013, according to sources.
It would be the first private airliner to operate from Mangalore to any international destination after the Union government declared Mangalore as an international airport recently. Now only the Air India Express operates its flights from Mangalore to West Asia. The Air India Express was not operating its flights to any other international destination from Mangalore.
08/12/12 The Hindu

Read More