Children fly to India for surgery

Ten children born with congenital surgically repairable heart defects will fly to India from Zanzibar today for subsidized heart surgery.
They will fly by Ethiopian Airlines to Jaypee Heart Hospital in New Delhi, India, under the banner of Lions Club of Dar es Salaam (Host), Regency Medical Centre and the Ministry of Health in Zanzibar.

They will fly along with two medical escorts from Zanzibar and their parents. According to the statement released by Lions Club of Dar es Salaam Host, Convener of heart surgeries Lion Dr Rajni Kanabar, patients will return after two weeks of stay in India. Dr Kanabar said in the group nine children are from Zanzibar and one hails from Moshi in Kilimanjaro region.

“In the group there are five infants, the youngest being baby Glory Goodluck from Moshi who is three months old. The infant has three major heart defects which require very delicate heart surgery which can cost up to 15,000 US dollars in South Africa,” he said.
29/02/16 Daily News

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Qatar Airways to exhibit its A350 at India aviation show

Doha: Qatar Airways will exhibit its Airbus A350 new-generation jetliner at India Aviation 2016 in Hyderabad from March 16 to 20.
The A350, for which Qatar Airways was the global launch customer, will make its debut at India’s largest civil aviation and aerospace show.
The theme of this edition of the biennial international exhibition and conference at Begumpet Airport is “India’s civil aviation sector - potential as global manufacturing & MRO hub,” and the event is expected to bring together 250 exhibitors and up to 50,000 visitors from around the world.
Organised by India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the event will be inaugurated by India’s President Pranab Mukherjee, and will feature static displays, demonstration flights and aerobatic shows.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said, “We are proud to showcase our A350 for the first time in the Indian market, giving prospective clients and visitors a glimpse of what to expect when they fly on board. We recently celebrated the first anniversary of our A350 operations, which demonstrates our technologically-advanced and fast-growing young fleet. The aircraft is the very latest in design, technology and comfort, and will be making its debut appearance on the Indian shores soon.
29/02/16 Gulf Times

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Fight in the skies: GCC price war over airfares

Travellers in the UAE are reaping the benefits from a price war among the major Gulf airlines who are fighting for regional market share.

The airlines are increasingly competing head-to-head on many Middle Eastern routes with their hubs only a short distance from each other. The falling oil price has helped cut fares with fuel often the single largest operating cost of carriers worldwide.

Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have launched promotions this year that has seen the average fare on some Middle East routes from the Emirates drop by more than 10 per cent.

According to data from travel portal Cleartrip, the average Emirates round-trip fare from the UAE to a destination in the Middle East last January was Dh1,441, 17.6 per cent cheaper compared to the same month in 2015.
28/02/16 Albawaba

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Indian carriers wary on plans to liberalise and auction bilateral flying rights

 Indian airlines are fiercely debating proposed policy changes which they fear could result in Arabian Gulf carriers being given an unfair advantage to expand in the country.

The areas of India’s draft ­civil aviation policy which have raised concerns include plans to liberalise and auction bilat­eral flying rights and raise the cap on foreign direct investment in Indian carriers, which is currently restricted to 49 per cent.

Gulf airlines, including Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia, have been very vocal in the past about the fact that they are being held back from expanding in India because of limitations on seats and have called for bilat­eral rights to be relaxed.

But they have opted not to wade into the fresh debate so far.

“India is an important market for flydubai and we work within the bilateral agreement discussed at a government level,” flydubai simply said in statement, without expanding further.

Ghaith El Ghaith, the chief executive of flydubai, speaking last year at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, highlighted that the carrier could “double in size” if India had a “more liberal approach”.

“All Indian carriers are deeply worried about the bilateral rights given to Gulf carriers,” said Satish Modh, who has a background in the aviation sector and is now the director of the VES Institute of Management Studies and Research in Mumbai.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), a lobbying group which represents a few major Indian carriers, is opposing the proposal in the draft aviation policy to auction bilateral rights, India’s Business Standard newspaper reported last week.
27/02/16 Rebecca Bundhun/The National

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After Ratan Tata, AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes attacks older airlines over 5/20 rule

New Delhi: The war of words over 5/20 norm continues with AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes on Saturday After Ratan Tata, AirAsia chief joins fight over 5/20 norm asking whether all of them live in India, in an obvious reference to Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal, an NRI living in the UK.
Goyal's airline along with three budget carriers - IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir - are opposed to change in the existing regulation, popularly known as '5/20 norm' for international flying by domestic carriers, which the government is mulling as part of its proposed new civil aviation policy.
AirAsia India and Vistara - two airlines operated by the Tatas through joint ventures - are presently ineligible to operate overseas as the 5/20 norm requires an Indian carrier to have minimum five years domestic operational experience and at least 20 planes to go international.
"Reading all the stuff on TATA and Airasia. Quite crazy 5/20 hasn't been solved. Are owners of Indian airlines living in India. Naresh? NRI," Fernandes said in a series of tweets.
Tata Sons runs joint venture airlines, Vistara and AirAsia India, with Singapore Airlines and AirAsia respectively. Arun Bhatia of Telestra Tradeplace is the third partner in AirAsia India.
27/02/16 PTI/Times of India

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Fraport looks to exit Delhi Int'l Airport venture

New Delhi: Germany's Fraport is looking to sell its entire stake in DIAL, a joint venture that operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital.

Fraport holds 10 per cent shareholding in Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), a three-way joint venture where the majority is held by diversified group GMR Infrastructure.

According to a source, Fraport is looking to exit from the DIAL amid concerns that it was not getting returns on investment as expected. Specific details about the plan of the German entity, which operates Frankfurt airport, could not be ascertained.

When contacted, a Fraport AG spokesperson said, "It is not our policy to comment on speculation regarding our business partnerships".

A DIAL spokesperson said it does not wish to comment.

Currently, GMR holds 64 per cent in the airport venture while Fraport has 10 per cent and the remaining 26 per cent shareholding is with the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
28/02/16 PTI

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Fares for summer flights to India from Oman spike despite low crude prices

Muscat: Oil prices have been low since mid-2014 but the air fares for south Indian destinations for summer from the region continue to skyrocket as usual, digging a deep hole in Indians’ pocket.

A research by the Times of Oman found that a to-and-fro ticket to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of south Indian state of Kerala, was costing between OMR300 and OMR385 from Muscat during the summer. This is the time when majority of them will be flying home as schools close for vacation at that time.

“Last year, when the ticket prices were high during the peak season, the airlines said that the dip in oil price has not helped them since they had purchased fuel much in advance when the prices were high. They assured that ticket fares will come down gradually. However, that has still not happened. Prices are the same as these were last summer,” a travel agent representative said on condition of anonymity.
To fly on July 1 to Thiruvananthapuram from Muscat and return on July 30 from the same destination to Muscat, it will cost around OMR384 via Oman Air and OMR364 via Jet Airways.

Oman Air and Jet Airways are the only two airlines which fly direct between Muscat and Thiruvananthapuram.
27/02/16 jimon K /Times of Oman

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Gulf airlines in a price war as they compete for market share

Dubai: Travellers in the UAE are reaping the benefits from a price war among the major Gulf airlines who are fighting for regional market share.

The airlines are increasingly competing head-to-head on many Middle Eastern routes with their hubs only a short distance from each other. The falling oil price has helped cut fares with fuel often the single largest operating cost of carriers worldwide.

Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have launched promotions this year that has seen the average fare on some Middle East routes from the Emirates drop by more than 10 per cent.
27/02/16 Gulf News

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Maldives, India look to expand air connectivity with Delhi, Mumbai flights

Government announced Saturday that negotiations have been carried out with airlines from India to begin direct flights between Male and Indian city of New Delhi and Mumbai.

Tourism minister Moosa Zameer, back from an official visit to India, told reporters at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport that discussions were held with Indian authorities to begin direct flights between Male and the Indian capital and the neighbouring country’s commercial hub. Negotiations also were held with India’s flagship carrier Air India and IndiGo to expedite the plan, he added.

“There are no challenges to operating flights to Delhi and Mumbai. Indian Airlines [Air India] has expressed interest in that sector,” Zameer said.

The minister, however, admitted that existing agreements between Maldives and India have to be amended in order to begin the operations.
27/02/16 Ali Naafiz and Mohamed Yameen/Haveeru Online

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Singapore Airlines to scale up ops from Mumbai

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has said it will scale up operations from Mumbai with four new weekly flights from the country's financial capital to the city state in April to cater to the rising demand on the route.

The airline currently has two daily flights, one each in morning and evening, on the route, run by Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 respectively.

"The additions in frequency have been made to meet growth in demand for travel to and from India's business capital. With peak summer travel season approaching, increased flight connections will help the anticipated surge in holidaying traffic to Singapore and beyond," SIA India General Manager David Lau said in a release.
26/02/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Embraer unveils new greener, quieter aircraft

Embraer, the Brazilian planemaker, has unveiled its new E2 aircraft, the first in a series of new fuel-efficient, quieter passenger jets.

The E2 series, which ranges from 70 to 130 seats, will feature new engines, fly-by-wire flight controls and aerodynamic improvements, including a new wing design, to reduce fuel burn, CO2 emissions and noise.

The first aircraft unveiled this week was an E190-E2, which will be able to carry between 97 and 106 passengers depending on the layout. This will be followed by the smaller E175-E2 and larger E195-E2.

The new aircraft was unveiled in a ceremony at the company’s headquarters in the state of Sao Paulo.

“Today we have taken another step into the future of Embraer commercial aviation with the world premiere of our second-generation E-Jets,” said Paulo Cesar Silva, Embraer’s president & CEO. “I’m sure that as a result of this event, the market’s interest in the E2 will grow even further, increasing the commercial success of this programme throughout the world.”
With an investment of US$1.7 billion, the E2 programme was launched in June 2013 and to-date the company has taken orders for 640 E2s, 267 of which are firm orders. China’s Tianjin Airlines, India’s Air Costa and US-based SkyWest Airlines have all committed to the aircraft.
26/02/16 Mark Elliott/Travel Daily Asia

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Expat pilots get breather, to fly in India till 2018

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry has accepted a demand to extend the deadline to phase out expat pilots by December 2016, providing relief to companies that are planning to expand their fleet substantially.

The decision comes after the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sent a letter to the ministry asking for the extension, based on a request from airlines.

"The ministry has decided to extend it as airlines are expanding rapidly and need commanders," a senior ministry official said. "The deadline is to be extended by two years to December 2018," he added.

Leading domestic player IndiGo plans to induct 430 A320 neos, the delivery of which has been delayed by Airbus because of operational issues. Go Air has ordered 72 A320 neos. Spice Jet chairman Ajay Singh said the airline was in negotiation with both Boeing and Airbus for an order of 150 planes by the end of this financial year.

DGCA issues Foreign Aircrew temporary Authorisation (FATA) licence after scrutinising documents. This data is sent to the home ministry and Intelligence Bureau and narcotics department.
25/02/16 Arindam Majumdar/Business Standard

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Tatas refute accusations of foreign control in AirAsia India, Vistara

New Delhi: The Tata group flatly denied accusations by rivals that the carriers it held stakes in were violating the law on management control as the ill-tempered argument between the two sides showed little sign of abating.

"Majority ownership and effective control of both airlines - AirAsia India and Vistara - are with the Indian parties as per the requirements of press note 6," parent Tata Sons said in a release. "All the important decisions concerning the day-to-day operations of the airlines are taken by the management teams of these airlines under the overall supervision, control, and direction of the respective boards of directors (which include a majority of Indian nationals)."

Tata Sons added that its opposition to the 5/20 rule stems from its belief that such a move is in national interest. Indian rules currently stipulate that local carriers can only start international flights if they have been operating for five years and have 20 planes. Tata Group Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata had said in a post on Sunday that older carriers were resisting its abolition as a protectionist measure, unleashing a torrent of criticism.
25/02/16 Economic Times

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Jet Airways, Korean Air ink codeshare pact

New Delhi: Private carrier Jet Airways today said it has inked a codeshare pact and loyalty exchange programme with the Korean Air which will allow passengers of the two airlines seamless travel between India and South Korea.

As part of the pact, which will come into force on March 1, Jet Airways and Korean Air will be able to connect from multiple points in India to Seoul over various gateway points in Asia.

Korean Air operates over 462 flights per day to 129 cities in 46 countries with a fleet of 167 aircraft, including 10 jumbo jets A380s.

Under the arrangement, Jet Airways will place its marketing code on Korean Air-operated non-stop flights between Incheon, Seoul and Mumbai, as well as flights between Incheon, Seoul, Bangkok and Singapore.

Similarly, Korean Air will place its marketing code on Jet Airways flights on Singapore-Mumbai and Bangkok-Mumbai-Delhi routes, a release said.

Codesharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless transport to multiple destinations where it has no presence.
25/02/16 PTI/The Hindu

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India-Maldives to scrap double taxation on airlines

India and Maldives are set to scrap the double taxation for their airlines operating between the two countries.

Indian media reports said the Indian union cabinet on Wednesday gave the green light to sign the agreement with the Maldives that will provide relief from double taxation.

"The agreement provides for relief from double taxation for airline enterprises of India and Maldives by way of exemption of income derived by the enterprise of India from the operation of aircraft in international traffic, from Maldivian tax and vice-versa," an official release said.

Under the pact, profits from the operation of aircraft in international traffic will be taxed in one country alone.

Accordingly, the taxing right is conferred upon the country to which the enterprise belongs. The agreement will provide tax certainty for airline enterprises of India and Maldives, it added.
25/02/16 Mohamed Visham/Haveeru Online

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Briton held at Kochi airport

Kochi: UK native Aron David (41) was arrested by Nedumbassery police on Wednesday after he tried to manhandle the CISF personnel at the Cochin international airport who tried to remove a prohibited article which he carried in his baggage.

Aron arrived at the airport to proceed to Thiruvananthapuram by an Indigo flight and when his baggage was subjected to screening, an automatic cigarette lamp was detected. When the CISF official tried to remove the lamp, Aron tried to manhandle him.

Aron also tried to manhandle the constables at the Nedumbassery station when he was brought to the station. Later he was put in a cell with high security. He is expected to be produced in the court after a medical examination to verify whether he uses drugs.
25/02/16 Deccan Chronicle

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The real life 'air-lift; Goan hero in Kuwait

Margao: The movie Airlift has generated a lot of buzz across India. But the story of a Goan in Kuwait, who played a massive role in the events that unfolded during the invasion in the 90’s, has been creating a buzz in Goa and among the Goan Diaspora worldwide.
Speaking about the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, Carmo recalls that there were at least 10,000 Indians left behind until the Gulf state was liberated on February 26, 1991.
Carmo’s gallant efforts have recently made it to the news as several national publications have written about him in view of the criticism the movie received for its inaccurate portrayal of what had happened.
“The whole evacuation of stranded Indians was arranged free of charge by our Indian Government under the leadership of late Chandra Shekkar, then Prime Minister of India. All the credit goes to our Indian Government, Air India, Indian Air Force, Indian Embassy in Baghdad, Indian Embassy in Kuwait who used to shelter Indians inside Indian School, Salmiya, Kuwait instead of Indian Embassy premises. It was a history created by Air India to ‘Air Lift’ majority of the Indians,” added Carmo.
24/02/16 Goa.com

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‘Woman’ who robbed Air India pilot at Wacker Drive hotel was no lady

Chicago: As if the case could get any stranger, court documents in the lawsuit of an Air India pilot say the woman who robbed him in 2013 at what is now the Wyndham Grand Riverfront Hotel was actually a man dressed as a woman.

On a two-day layover in Chicago on April 15, 2013, before flying a Boeing 777 back to Delhi, where he lived, Pankul Mathur says he was awakened at 10:40 p.m. by a “loud banging” on his door. When he opened the door, without looking through the peephole or asking who was there, what he originally thought was a large African-American woman barged in and took $500 from his wallet next to the bed.

“I ran to the phone to pick up the phone and to call to the security,” said Mathur (right) in a March 17, 2015, deposition, only recently made public, “at which point she yanked the cable off from the base unit and I was just left with the handset in my hand, at which point I just ran out of the room yelling at the top of my voice, saying ‘Help me. I’m being robbed.’” Pankul Mathur
But the hotel, he says, starting with a housekeeper named Anthony Downs who was standing outside his door, ignored his pleas.

The robber got away that night but was caught on security video. Chicago police watched the video and within a week made an arrest – of a man who went by the name Audrey James. James had been arrested twice before for prostitution. He told police he was a massage therapist and that Mathur had contacted him through a website, which Mathur denies.

The charges, this time, did not stick. Police say Mathur never showed up to identify James as the robber. Mathur says police never told him they had made an arrest, only that they had someone who fit the description.

Judge unsure if case can continue in federal court

Mathur is suing Hospitality Properties Trust, owner of the hotel, and the hotel’s operator, Wyndham Hotel Management.

On February 10, 2016, Judge Sharon Coleman dismissed two of three counts in the lawsuit, filed in United States District Court. One count, for negligence, survives but Mathur cannot recover punitive damages – money that goes beyond compensation and is intended to punish the defendant.
24/02/16 Steven Dahlman/Loop North News

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Bangladeshi stranded at Kolkata airport

Indian daily The Statesman on Wednesday reported that a Bangladeshi national was stranded at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Tuesday evening, unable to fly to Dhaka due to bureaucratic bungling.

It says Ishrat Ara Karim (36), an Indian national married to a Bangladeshi man, entered India with a handwritten passport on 11 February for treatment of some neurological ailment.
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka had issued her the passport and allowed her to travel to India. Trouble for Ishrat Ara started when she went to catch the return flight to Dhaka this evening. Immigration officials allowed her to board the Air India flight. But the airline officials stopped her from boarding the flight on the ground that she didn't have a machinereadable passport with computerised entries, the Statesman also said.
24/02/16 Prothom Alo

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Etihad seeks to ramp up stake in India's Jet Airways to 49%

Etihad Airways  has held talks with Jet Airways  over the proposed acquisition of a further 25% stake in the Indian carrier.

Sources who spoke to India's Financial Express indicate the two sides have now reached a tentative deal after agreeing on a valuation of the shareholding.

Jet, whose total debt stands at INR119.2 billion (USD1.734 billion), reportedly plans to raise USD300-400 million through the issuance of convertible bonds to which Etihad would subscribe. Once the conversion takes place, Etihad’s stake will increase to 49%.
22/02/16 ch-aviation

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Not Just Assemble, Boeing Keen To 'Make In India' Super Hornet Fighters

New Delhi: Boeing wants to build a globally competitive industrial base in India and it is in "exploratory" talks to see if they can manufacture F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters in the country, the American aviation giant said today.

The company is not interested in just assembling the aircraft but making it completely under the 'Make in India' initiative, Boeing India President Pratyush Kumar said.

However for any such initiative the US and India's strategic convergence would be critical, he said.

"Offer is too strong a word. There is no such thing as an offer. There is an initial thinking. We want to create a globally competitive industrial base in India," Mr Kumar told Press Trust of India when asked about Boeing's reported offer to the Indian government to manufacture F/A-18 locally.

He said the company thinks that F/A 18 Super Hornet could be an important wedge to create that scale and get going on defence manufacturing on a very large scale.
22/02/16 PTI/NDTV

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Campaign on in social media for Dubai flights

Coimbatore: Tired of petitioning Ministers, politicians, and bureaucrats over the years seeking flights from Coimbatore International Airport to Dubai, a few associations have decided to use the social media to press the demand.

Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) and Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Coimbatore (ICCIC) have also decided to make it a poll plank.

Votes

“In just a day our petition onwww.change.orgreceived more than 1,000 votes from residents and Coimbatore citizens living elsewhere,” said RAAC secretary R. Raveendran.

He told The Hindu that the petition has also been posted atwww.skyscrapercity.com, in various Coimbatore-related websites, Facebook, and Whatsapp groups.

On September 10, 2015, the ICCIC, and the RAAC petitioned Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju during his visit to the city seeking flights to Dubai. They sought inclusion of Coimbatore in the Bilateral Services Agreements (BASA).
22/02/16 MK Ananth/The Hindu

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Sikh comedian forced to remove turban at US airport

San Francisco: An Indo-Canadian Sikh comedian was forced to take off his turban here during a security check, weeks after a Sikh-American actor was barred from boarding a flight in Mexico for refusing to take off his turban.
Jasmeet Singh, who's known on the internet as "JusReign," posted about the incident on Twitter, NewYork Daily reported.
"So the (agents) made me take off my turban in extra screening or they said I wouldn't be able to be let through to catch my flight," he tweeted.
"After finding absolutely nothing wrong because a turban is just cloth and the whole thing is stupid I ask for a mirror to tie it back again.
"The agent tells me there are no mirrors and that I can just walk down the terminal to the nearest restroom without my turban on," Singh tweeted.
Turbans are mandatory in public for Sikh men, and are worn to protect the hair, as well as to convey a sense of identity.
22/02/16 Tribune

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Oman Air, Cargolux introduce two weekly cargo flights to Mumbai

Dubai: Oman's flag career and Luxembourg's cargo airline have expanded their partnership with the addition of two weekly cargo flights to Mumbai from next month.

The move is in line with a Joint Venture agreement signed by Oman Air and Cargolux in April last year and follows the successful launch of joint cargo flights to Chennai.

"The new service builds on the success of the second frequency to Chennai that we launched together in August last year. It will enable us to further strengthen our presence within the Indian market," Abdulrahman Al Busaidy, Chief Operating Officer of Oman Air said.
He said Oman Air and Cargolux will offer a new twice- weekly cargo service between Luxembourg and Mumbai starting from March 8.
22/02/18 PTI/Economic Times

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Drunken plane passenger pulled down his trousers before urinating in the aisle on Air India flight to Birmingham

A drunken plane passenger pulled down his trousers and boxer shorts before urinating in the aisle on a flight to Britain, a court has heard.
Jinu Abraham, 39, was aggressive to cabin crew on the flight from India and had to be restrained until the plane had landed at Birmingham Airport.
The hospital porter from Northfield, Birmingham, was on an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner with his ten-year-old son and had been refused further alcohol after becoming drunk.
Abraham admitted being drunk on an aircraft and was fined £300 at Birmingham Magistrates' Court as well as being ordered to pay £500 compensation and £185 costs.
According to a report in the Birmingham Mail, the father refused a request to return to his seat when he became aggressive after drinking alcohol.
John Cardiff, prosecuting, said: ‘About 40 minutes prior to landing he removed his trousers and stood in the aisle. He pulled down his boxer shorts exposing his buttocks.
‘(He) then began urinating on the floor and seat of the aircraft. He was restrained by crew with plastic handcuffs and seat belts for the rest of the flight and was arrested on landing.’
Abraham admitted that he had drunk two whiskies while on anti-depressant medication, insisting that he could not remember anything he had done, reported the newspaper.
Alan Newport, defending, said Abraham had been on medication after one of his children died at birth and his wife had already returned from India on another flight with their 15-month-old child.
21/02/16 Mark Duell/Mail Online

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Air India To Start Non-stop Flight To Vienna From April 6

State-run Air India Ltd will connect Delhi to Vienna, the capital of Austria, with a non-stop flight from 6 April. This will be the national flag carrier’s eighth European destination.

Currently, Air India connects seven European destinations in five countries, including London and Birmingham in the UK, Frankfurt in Germany; Paris in France, Rome and Milan in Italy and Moscow in Russia.

Air India has said that the Vienna non-stop service will operate thrice a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with a Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft.
20/02/16 Haider Ali Khan/Businessworld

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It was uncomfortable to get stuck in an airport for 2-3 hours: SRK on being detained at US airport

Nearly four years after he was detained at New York airport for over two hours by immigration officials, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan today (February 21) said he holds no grudge even though it was very uncomfortable to be stuck for no reason.
Shah Rukh Khan said he would be the first person to demand strengthening of security if a situation demands in India.
“It just was very uncomfortable. To land up somewhere and getting stuck in an airport for 2-3 hours for no reason at all,” he said describing his April 2012 experience.
SRK joked that since the incident he has started travelling light but sees the issue in a larger context.
“God forbid if there was a problem in India, I would be the first to say that we have to strengthen our security. One has to see it in a larger context, it’s a sign of the times.
‘”The world is that kind of place… you cannot hold grudges against people. We have to live with it and and just be prepared for some of this stuff,” he said.
The actor said his namesake who was on the lookout list in US has been found and so he can now travel freely. -
21/02/16 PTI/Indian Express

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Ahmedabad woman lands in US, finds her jewellery missing

Ahmedabad: City-based Kavita Jain had a horrific journey to the US after she found that her jewellery worth Rs 1.5 lakh was missing from her bag. Kavita has filed a complaint with Central Industrial Security Force at Mumbai airport through her family member. It has been a week but her jewellery has not been found.

Last week, Kavita left from Ahmedabad for New York after meeting her parents in Isanpur.She reached Mumbai, and from there she boarded Turkish airlines flight to New York.
Upon reaching NY, to her horror she found that her bag was open and her jewellery box missing. When she wrote to Turkish airlines, they told her that the airlines had instructions on tickets that passengers should not put valuable items in checked-in baggage and if it was lost, the airline would not be held responsible for it. Kavita had come to Ahmedabad to attend a marriage function.
"I had two luggage bags, a hand baggage and a purse. I had flown by Turkish airlines flight from Mumbai to New York via Istanbul. Since I was alone and had arrived late at JF Kennedy International Airport in New York, I straight away went ho me. Next day , when I checked the bags, lock of one of the bags was missing," said Kavita in an emailed response.
22/02/16 Times of India

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, TASK sign MoU

Hyderabad: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Asia (ERAU), and Telangana Academy for Skills and Knowledge (TASK) on Friday entered into a memorandum of understanding for skill development in the aerospace domain.

A release on the MoU signing at the Singapore Air Show said the institutions have agreed to collaborate on providing curriculum and instructional design for creating and assessing training and educational programmes, faculty development and career counselling.

TASK chief executive office Sujiv Nair said one of the key focus areas of the MoU is to enhance professional skills for youth, ranging from semi-skilled to highly skilled segments like technicians, instructors, engineers and scientists over the next few years.
20/02/16 The Hindu

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Air India to launch direct flights to Vienna

New Delhi: Air India on Friday announced the launch of non-stop flight services to Vienna from New Delhi following the Austrian Airlines' decision to opt out of the route for unspecified reasons.
Starting from April 6, the national carrier would operate flights three times a week to the Austrian capital city, Air India Director for Commercial Pankaj Srivastava told reporters here.
The new route would be serviced by the 256-seater Dreamliner Boeing 787-800 plane with 18 business class seats and the rest in economy, he said.
"Air India has taken a conscious decision to grow further in the European market and operate as a dominant player on the (new) route," Srivastava said while announcing the new flight in the presence of Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani.
19/02/16 PTI/Zee News

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Ramco Systems, AIR FRANCE KLM open MRO IT Lab in Singapore

Ramco Systems, along with Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M), has opened Singapore Aviation MRO IT Lab. Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) lab combines engineering and research from Ramco, with AFI KLM E&M as co-innovator partner.

Launched at the Singapore Airshow, the lab will work on next-generation applications and develop intellectual property (IP) to solve major problems facing the MRO industry. The formation of the lab comes amidst rising concerns that the global MRO industry is trailing in innovation and could face major bottlenecks amidst continued growth in international air traffic, as well as expansion of airports. The lab is located at Ramco’s regional headquarters in Singapore.

The lab will gradually scale up to employ more than 50 global innovators in Singapore, who will work on solutions such as embedded sensors for aviation components, machine learning equipment which can cut down on manual maintenance and checking, analytics for engineering planning and optimisation to reduce aircraft on ground, robotics for the shopfloor and drones to inspect aircraft on the tarmac, and wearable devices including Google Glass for on-ground engineers.

The facility will serve as a collaborative platform for airlines and disruptive tech companies, which Ramco and AFI KLM E&M intend to facilitate with other aviation-related researchers.
19/02/16 Financial Express

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Russian woman held with Rs 24 lakh worth US dollars at IGI

New Delhi: A Russian woman has been held for carrying US dollars worth over Rs 24 Lakh in an unauthorised manner at the Delhi airport here.

Officials said the incident occurred yesterday when G Khosiyatkhan arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) to take a flight to Bishkek and her suspicious movements were detected by CISF security personnel.

"USD 34,950 were recovered from the woman's inner wear after she was frisked. She was later handed over to Customs authorities," a Central Industrial Security Force spokesperson said.
19/02/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Air India tops in passenger complaints, cancellations; Vistara pax happiest

Air India had the largest number of passenger complaints in January, according to numbers released by the Airports Authority, while Vistara passengers complained the least.

Among the big domestic airlines, both Indigo and Spicejet scored high with low levels of passenger complaints while Jet Airways and Go Air saw passenger complaint rates that were double or more compared to these airlines.

Some of this could be attributed to the pressures of running a commercially viable airline service with high levels of occupancy. For example, Vistara had the lowest levels of occupancy among all the airlines in India. Just 77.6% of Vistara’s seats were filled on average.

In contrast, the airline with the biggest discounts — SpiceJet — had the highest occupancy levels: 92.1% of its seats were filled with passengers on take-off during the month.

Air India, which topped in passenger complaints, saw passenger load factor improve from 81.7% in December to 86.7% in January, marking the biggest improvement in occupancy levels seen by any airline during the month.
18/02/16  S Nambrath/RTN.Asia

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Jet Airways set to expand operations to Dubai from next month

Private carrier Jet Airways will expand flight operations to Dubai from its Delhi and Mumbai hubs from next month.

The airline would launch a sixth flight of daily frequency on Mumbai-Dubai route from March 1, while a third daily frequency will be added from Delhi for Dubai on March 27, Jet Airways said in a release.

The carrier will deploy Boeing 737-800 aircraft for the new services, offering business and economy passengers the best-in-class in-flight product, it said.
With the launch of the new frequencies, Jet Airways will operate a total of 11 daily flights between India and Dubai, including services from Kochi and Mangalore, it said.

The international traffic at Dubai Airport reportedly increased by 10.7% to more than 78 million in 2015 over the year-ago period, making it the busiest airport for the international passengers in the world.
18/02/16 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

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Malindo Air stops Kuala Lumpur flight from Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: Malindo Air has stopped its direct flight service from the city to Kuala Lumpur without notice to passengers with effect from February 13. The flight was introduced by Malindo on February 15, 2015.
Even though the flight garnered 70% passenger load, the service was stopped by the authorities in an alleged attempt to reintroduce it from Hyderabad, sources said.
The three-day-a-week flight service was initially introduced with 180-seats and later changed to 160 seats, sources said. Following Malindo, Air Asia had also introduced a flight from the city to Kuala Lumpur. "The Malindo Airlines flight was good and we don't know why the service was discontinued," Tours and Travels Association of Andhra Pradesh president K Vijaya Mohan told TOI. Malindo Air had witnessed around 30,000 passengers to and pro for the past one year.
According to sources, Malindo Air has stopped booking tickets beyond February 13 since December, 2015. No government authority or travel associations had noticed this earlier.
18/02/16 Times of India

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Turkey keen to operate more flights in India

New Delhi: Turkey is looking to renegotiate the "outdated" civil aviation agreement with India and operate more flights to the country, Turkish Ambassador to India Burak Akcapar said today.

"The current civil aviation agreement is outdated and far too limited...," Akcapar said here.

Currently, Turkish Airlines operates one flight each from Delhi and Mumbai daily. Turkey's national carrier flies to 105 countries and connects around 230 cities in different parts of the world.

"We are waiting for a new civil aviation agreement between the two countries that would (not only) increase the current frequencies but also open up not less than six cities through connections with the world," he said.
18/02/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Make in India: Sukhoi hopes to sign deal with Tata to manufacture airplane parts for Superjet

Singapore: Russia's top aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi hopes to sign a partnership with Tata this year to manufacture key airplane parts for its 100-seat Superjet which it aims to market in India, an official said today.

Talks are at crucial stage with Tata Advanced System which will include outsourcing manufacturing of the aircraft parts, said Eugene Andrachnikou, senior Vice President for sales and marketing at Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCA), producer of Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100).

CA investment, sharing of technology and knowhow as well as procurement of the parts for the plane, he said.

"We are aiming to sign a partnership with Tata this year, Andrachnikou said, adding that once all specifics are agreed, production of SSJ100 parts would start soon given Tata Advanced Systems wide range of industrial production.
17/02/16 PTI/Economic Times

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Fiji, India ink air deal

FIJI and India have agreed on a new Air Services Agreement.

The agreement follows discussions with Fiji's Civil Aviation Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and his Indian counterpart Shri P Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

In a fruitful meeting, the two ministers also discussed the need to explore new avenues to further strengthen India's engagement not only with Fiji but with the Pacific region.

The A-G informed the minister that from April this year, there would be direct flight routes from Fiji to Singapore.

"The shorter travel time together with visa on arrivals for Indians presents an opportunity for more trade and investment for both countries and also for the region, through Fiji," Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.
18/02/16 Nasik Swami/Fiji Times

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Make in India: Sukhoi hopes to sign deal with Tata to manufacture airplane parts for Superjet

Singapore: Russia's top aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi hopes to sign a partnership with Tata this year to manufacture key airplane parts for its 100-seat Superjet which it aims to market in India, an official said today.

Talks are at crucial stage with Tata Advanced System which will include outsourcing manufacturing of the aircraft parts, said Eugene Andrachnikou, senior Vice President for sales and marketing at Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCA), producer of Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100).

CA investment, sharing of technology and knowhow as well as procurement of the parts for the plane, he said.

"We are aiming to sign a partnership with Tata this year, Andrachnikou said, adding that once all specifics are agreed, production of SSJ100 parts would start soon given Tata Advanced Systems wide range of industrial production.
17/02/16 PTI/Economic Times

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Etihad flies record 3.3m passengers on Abu Dhabi-India routes

UAE’s Etihad Airways reported a 63 per cent increase in full-year passenger traffic with partner Jet Airways to and from India, carrying a record 3.3 million passengers between Abu Dhabi and the subcontinent, compared to the 2 million flown in 2014.

Etihad Airways became the first foreign airline to invest in an Indian carrier under the current Indian Foreign Direct Investment Rules when it invested $750 million in Jet Airways for a 24 per cent equity stake in 2013. Etihad Airways today operates 175 flights each week to and from 11 Indian gateway cities. The combined networks of Etihad Airways and Jet Airways offer over 250 weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and 15 cities across India.

Together, both carriers are the market leader in terms of travel between India and the UAE. In terms of the overall international market, they fly between them approximately 20 per cent of all worldwide travellers to and from India, representing a large share of the country’s booming air travel industry.

In addition, Etihad Airways Cargo operates 14 weekly freighters to four cities in India and flies around 120,000 tons of cargo each year in and out of the country – representing around nine per cent of the total international market.
16/02/16 Gulf Digital News

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Dubai seeking to expand air traffic with India; wants to fly 50,000 more passengers per week

Mumbai:  Dubai is seeking to expand air traffic with India by adding as many as 50,000 seats a week to the current two-way capacity, a proposal that is sure to be opposed by local and foreign airlines as they see it disproportionately benefiting the emirate's flag carrier at the cost of others.

If the move goes through, carriers from the two sides will be able to fly up to 1.13 lakh seats every week, higher than the combined entitlements given under bilateral air traffic agreements with Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Sharjah and Oman. Last Friday, the aviation ministry asked Indian carriers for their views on the proposal.
Dubai's Emirates, the world's third largest carrier by number of passengers flown, would be the biggest beneficiary of the move. It already operates 183 weekly India-Dubai flights, compared with the combined number of just over 300 by India's four international airlines - Air India, Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet. Emirates, referred to in a lighter vein as India's national carrier, ferries the largest chunk of overseas travellers out of India, many of whom further travelling to western destinations.
16/02/16 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

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Dubai wants to fly 50,000 more passengers from India per week; Indian airlines wonder why

In the recent past, Dubai has emerged as the favourite holiday destination for Indians looking for a quick escape from their hectic lives, which is why we see almost everyone from the upper middle class of the society either visiting or planning to visit Dubai. However, if you think that the number of Indians visiting Dubai has already reached its height, you would be amazed to know that Dubai isn't yet tired of hosting Indians, which is why it is seeking to expand air traffic with India and adding 50,000 more seats per week to the current two-way capacity.

However, the proposal will surely be opposed by both local and foreign airlines as it would disproportionately benefit the emirate's flag carrier at the cost of others.

If the proposal is accepted, carriers from the two sides will be flying up to 1.13 lakh passengers every week, a number higher than the combined entitlements allowed under bilateral air traffic agreements with Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Sharjah and Oman.
16/02/16 Business Insider

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'India's decision to auction air-traffic rights disappointing'

Singapore: Disappointed at India's decision to auction air-traffic rights, Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al-Baker today said it was against the country's interest to "restrict" foreign carriers from operating freely in its air space.

"It is not in the interest of India to restrict foreign airlines from operating freely in the Indian air space," he said at a press conference held at the Singapore Airshow 2016.

Al-Baker said he was very disappointed at India's decision to auction air traffic rights called bilaterals.

"I am very disappointed to note that the aviation policy in India... The Indian authority wants to auction traffic rights into India," he said.

The chief executive of the Doha-based premier Gulf airline stressed that the air traffic rights were a sovereign property and should not be auctioned, pointing out the risks in auctioning such rights, for it could be given to an entity in which India might not have a strategic interest.
15/02/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Bharat Forge forms JV with Sweden's Saab for air defence

Mumbai: Bharat Forge Ltd’s wholly-owned subsidiary Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL), the defence arm of Kalyani Group, has signed an agreement to form a joint venture with Saab, the Swedish defence and security company, for the SRSAM and VSHORAD air defence programmes.

The joint venture, which will be set up by Saab and KSSL, will handle the main part of production and delivery of these air defence systems to the Indian customer. The production in India will comprise of subsystems and systems for SRSAM and VSHORAD with the aim to transfer production as well as development knowledge to India.

“The joint venture company will combine Saab's knowledge and experience as a developer and supplier of high-technology radar and missile systems, with the engineering excellence and manufacturing capabilities of the Kalyani Group. The joint venture will create a global supplier in the area of ground based air defence systems based in India,” said Amit Kalyani, executive director at Kalyani Group.
14/02/16 Business Standard

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Garuda Indonesia Plans To Launch India Flights

Indonesia's national carrier Garuda aims to launch direct flights to India this year to cater to the growth in business and tourism traffic between the two countries.

Garuda Indonesia has received the Indian government's permission and the first service is likely to connect Mumbai, Jakarta and Bali, according to Indonesian officials.

Further discussions in this regard are expected between Indonesia's transport minister and the Indian civil aviation minister at an airline industry event in Hyderabad in March, according to Indonesian ambassador Rizali Wilmar Indrakesuma.

Indonesia has seen a spike in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) from India, but its tourism promotion efforts have been stymied by a lack of direct air connections.

The Indonesian ambassador said Garuda has had permission to fly to India since 2008 and should have started flights much earlier.

The number of Indians visiting Indonesia is projected to grow to 500,000 in four years compared with 262,000 in 2015, according to Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism.
15/02/16 Shakir Husain/Business World 

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Iranian held for alleged gold smuggling at IGIA

New Delhi: An Iranian was arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold worth around Rs 24 lakh at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here.

The passenger was intercepted by the customs officials after his arrival from Tehran on Saturday. He was allegedly carrying four gold chains weighing about 800 gms, a press release issued today by the Customs said.

The accused did not declare the gold chains, which were coated in white colour, it added.
15/02/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Jet, Etihad ride on tie-up, become fastest growing airlines in India

New Delhi:  UAE national carrier Etihad and Jet Airways have emerged as the fastest growing airlines in India, thanks to their partnership which has allowed these two airlines to collectively use Abu Dhabi as a hub for Indian globetrotters to travel between their country and the rest of the world.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation data on international traffic for calendar year 2015 shows that the top 10 airlines in terms of flying passengers in and out of India remained largely the same as the previous year (see graphic) but for one exception. Etihad entered the list at number five position by flying 21.4 lakh passengers in and out of India. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier was at number 16 in 2014 with a traffic of under 10 lakh in and out of India.
And, its partner Jet Airways - which remained the single largest airline here in terms of international passenger carriage - carried 70.7 lakh flyers in and out of India in 2015 - up 27% from previous year's figure of 55.6 lakh. While Etihad's over 100% growth in India is mainly attributed to its competitive pricing, Jet is witnessing a surge in international passengers as it feeds into Etihad's hub at Abu Dhabi from 10 Indian cities - a number that will rise to 23.
13/02/16 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Meet Abhishek Roy, the Indian designer who is giving wings to Charles Bombardier’s Antipode project

Abhishek Roy tries ridiculously hard to underplay his achievements. Roy is part of Canadian engineer-inventor-investor Charles Bombardier's Antipode project, which seeks to develop a luxury aircraft that can fly from New York to Dubai in 22 minutes, or do a transatlantic flight in half that time, cruising at 24 times the speed of sound. The 27-year-old is the only designer in the team.

"The design that you see of the plane - I drew them. It's a very 'dumb blonde' sort of an input," Roy said of his contribution to the project. "You take it to an aircraft engineer, he may crumple and throw it away."

The hypersonic aircraft that Bombardier is imagining to make will be launched by reusable rocket boosters. Counter-flowing jets of air on its leading edges will reduce heat and the sonic boom - the enormous amont of sound energy created by objects travelling faster than sound. The concept on many accounts is an improvement on the Skreemr, another hypersonic aircraft project Bombardier announced just last year. The Skreemr could do Mach 10, or ten times the speed of sound. The maximum speed of the Concorde, the supersonic airliner that was discontinued in 2003, was Mach 2.
13/02/16 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

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Ethiopian Airlines to Start Double Flights Daily to Delhi

Ethiopian Airlines announced that it would start daily flights twice a day to Delhi as of March 26, 2016, Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, stated that they were pleased to offer their customers a double daily service to Delhi. India, being one of the strongest economic muscles zooming into the global economic picture, availing more flights would catalyze the channeling of investors from both countries and facilitate business.

The CEO also stated that these flights would have a paramount significance in strengthening the growing economic, political, and social relationship of the two countries in particular and the two continents in general. He added their customers would be able to make an immediate connection to cities like Hargiesa, Khartoum, Nairobi and some southern African flights.
13/02/16 2Merkato.com

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Plane sale to Pak: India unhappy with US

Washington/ New Delhi: The Obama Administration said it has decided to sell eight nuclear-capable F-16 fighter jets worth nearly USD 700 million to Pakistan, a proposal that is likely the face stiff resistance in the Republican- controlled Congress.

India today summoned US Ambassador Richard Verma and conveyed its "displeasure and disappointment" over Obama administration's decision.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned Verma to the South Block and told him about India's concerns over US military aid to Pakistan which New Delhi believes goes into anti-India activities.

External Affairs Ministry also issued a strong statement expressing its disappointment over the US decision. It also said that it disagrees with the rationale that these arms transfer to Pakistan will help in combating terrorism.

"We are disappointed at the decision of the Obama administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircrafts to Pakistan. We disagree with their rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism. The record of the last many years in this regard speaks for itself," the MEA statement said.
14/02/16 PTI/News Today

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India's Open Skies policy matter of concern: UAE minister

Mumbai: India's latest Open Skies policy to countries that are 5,000km away is a matter of concern for the UAE, said Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy. "We feel that together, India and UAE should be united to create a fantastic hub. From our side, there are millions coming to India as tourists, and so there is a direct benefit to the Indian economy."

Al Mansouri said the UAE is looking to invest in civil aviation, infrastructure and airlines.

"So this is quite an important subject for us in the next few months and so we would like the Indian government to look into this. We have talked to them about it and they understand and they will come back to us with answers."

While in India, Al Mansouri held talks with the Indian ministers of trade, civil aviation and finance to streamline the bilateral process and open opportunities for investments.
13/02/16 Sunita Menon/Khaleej Times

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Air India refancies Toronto flights

New Delhi: Government-owned Air India is mulling whether to resume non-stop flights between here and Toronto, Canada, a route it shut down in 2012 due to losses.

According to a senior AI official, it is considering the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner for the route.

“We are looking at new routes where Dreamliners can be inducted. Toronto is one destination we are considering seriously,” said the official. “It’s yet to be decided whether we will fly a Boeing 787 or 777-300 ER. Depending upon feasibility study, we will take a final call but with fuel consumption being lower in the Boeing 787 than other aircraft, induction of this on many of our routes has brought economic benefit.”

While a 787 Dreamliner has 18 business class and 238 economy seats, a 777-300 ER has 35 business class and 303 economy seats.

Air Canada operates four weekly non-stop flights between Delhi and Toronto. “Air Canada is operating a 787-9. So, we see good potential in operating the 787,” the official said.
11/02/16 Arindam Majumder/Business Standard

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Boeing Gives More Work to India

Boeing and India’s Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) recently announced a joint venture that will manufacture aerostructures–initially for the AH-64 Apache helicopter. This followed a promise made by Boeing Chairman James McNerney when he visited India last summer. He spoke of partnerships and wanting to keep the initiative of manufacturing in India to continue, with Boeing as an involved partner. “I want to play,” he said.

In July, the two companies announced a strategic aerospace partnership to support the “Make in India” movement and collaborate on integrated systems-development opportunities, including unmanned aerial vehicles. The facility will be located at Hyderabad where TASL already has a components factory, and another facility where it manufactures cabins for Sikorsky’s S-92 helicopters. An industry official said that with 110 of the cabins delivered, Tier 1 supplier TASL is expected to draw on its experience as it works to supply materials for Boeing fuselages.

McNerney said Boeing was “much closer to having final assembly [of] Apache or Chinook helicopters [in India],” and AIN has found that India is likely to get some contracts for the Chinooks as well as Boeing’s MD helicopters division.
12/02/16 Neelam Mathews/AINonline

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Will bilateral reforms help Indian carriers?

Except for the US, India doesn't have an open skies arrangement with any major economy. Open skies would allow airlines to manage capacity with no restrictions. Viewed from that prism, bilaterals are as ancient as they are restrictive.

"They (bilaterals) have gone the way of steam engines, slide rulers, and smoking cigarettes in restaurants," says Craig Jenks, president of Airline/Aircraft Projects Inc, a New York-based air transport consultancy.

Amber Dubey, head-aerospace and defence at KPMG, a consultancy, says by limiting the seat quota of foreign carriers, India has created an artificial supply constraint. "It is time we junk it." Indian carriers, in stark contrast, are not even making full use of these agreements.
They use only a third of the capacity allotted to them under bilaterals. A report in the Business Standard said during 2014-15, Indian carriers used seat entitlements only in 29 out of the 109 countries. Through the proposed auctions of unutilised seats, the ministry is also attempting to tilt the balance in their favour.
11/02/16 Binoy Prabhakar/Economic Times

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Standoff ends, Sikh-American actor flies home wearing his turban

Ending his two-day standoff with Aeromexico, Sikh-American actor Waris Ahluwalia has returned home on board Mexico’s flag carrier after he was barred by it from boarding a flight as he refused to remove his turban.
Ahluwalia, 41, landed in New York yesterday, after being allowed to board a new Aeromexico flight without removing his turban for a check.
“I was asked to rub it with my hand, then present my hand for swabbing, which I did. That had been the past security practice,” the actor, model and designer was quoted as saying by the New York Times.
Before takeoff from Mexico City, he posted a photograph online of himself inside an aircraft with his arms around the shoulders of what appeared to be two Aeromexico pilots.
“He told us that the check was smooth,” said Harsimran Kaur, the legal director for the Sikh Coalition, a civil-rights group that worked to resolve the impasse while Ahluwalia spent two days at the airport.
Yesterday, Aeromexico apologised to Ahluwalia, saying it “recognises and is proud of the diversity of its passengers”.
11/02/16 Tribune

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Cambodia looking at direct air connectivity with India

Manila: Cambodia is looking at improving air connectivity with India through direct flights. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld at the ongoing ATF 2016 in the SMX Convention Centre in Manila, Prak Vuthy, deputy director, marketing and promotion department. ministry of tourism, Cambodia said, “The airport authority of Cambodia is talking to airlines in India to open up this sector for direct connectivity. Though no names can be revealed we hope the talks will come through.”
10/02/16 Steena Joy/Financial Express

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Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s visit puts focus on aviation and energy deals with India

The aviation sector is expected to drive trade between India and the UAE as the pair seek to boost commercial ties.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, arrived in India yesterday on his first official visit to the country. Billions of dollars in investment deals are expected to be finalised this week with aerospace and energy likely to be key areas of focus.

Etihad has invested heavily in increasing passenger traffic to and from the UAE with India becoming the busiest destination from Abu Dhabi last year, according to airport data.

That helped Abu Dhabi International Airport to achieve record traffic figures of more than 23 million passengers.

“India is a key market for Etihad Airways and, with our equity partner Jet Airways, we have significantly grown our business. Together, we are the market leader with 21 per cent share of total passenger traffic carried to and from India,” said Hareb Al Muhairy, the senior vice president of corporate and international affairs.
10/02/16 The National

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Passenger stopped by airport staff after attempting to bring cow pat into New Zealand

A passenger who carried cow faeces on an 11 hour flight found himself in a sticky situation when it was seized by security.
The man, who had just arrived at Auckland Airport in New Zealand following a lengthy flight from Malaysia, attempted to bring the dung into the country.
Heading to the 'something to declare' desk, the traveller told Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) that he had 'commercially packaged dung' in his luggage.
The faeces was flown over to the country for a ritual burning ceremony at a Hindu temple in Otahuhu.
Cow pats, which contain gas that is rich in methane, have been used in rural areas of India and Pakistan to light fires for centuries.
New Zealand's MPI said the discovery was one of the 'more unusual biosecurity finds so far this year'.
Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Dave Sims, MPI's Auckland Airport manager, said: 'Cows pats are now a commercial product. There's even a website selling them and some customers want gift wrapping.
'In this case, the passenger did the right thing by declaring the cow pat.'
10/02/16 Georgia Diebelius/Mail Online

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Waris Ahluwalia Accepts Airline’s Apology After ‘Racism’ Row

An Indian-American actor and designer who says he was not allowed to board a Mexico City-to-New York flight because he refused to remove his turban says he’s satisfied with an apology by the airline, Aeromexico.
Ahluwalia says he is now just waiting for the carrier to implement special training on how to treat Sikh passengers, for whom the headgear carries deep religious significance.
10/02/16 AP/The Quint

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Sikh actor barred from boarding Mexico jet

An American actor and designer said he was barred from boarding a plane in Mexico yesterday for a flight home to New York because he refused to remove his turban during a security check.

The actor, Waris Ahluwalia, who follows the Sikh religion and wears a turban, said he checked in at the Aeroméxico counter at Mexico City's international airport about 5.30am (local time) and was given his first-class boarding pass with a code that he said meant he needed secondary security screening.

When he showed up at the gate to board Flight 408 to New York City, Ahluwalia said, attendants told him he needed to step aside and wait for other passengers to board.

After they did, his feet and bag were searched and swabbed, he was told to remove a sweatshirt and he was patted down. Then, he said, he was asked to take off his turban.

"I responded matter-of-factly that I won't be taking off my turban," he said in an interview yesterday afternoon from the airport in Mexico City. "And then they talked amongst themselves and they said, 'OK, then you are not getting on the flight.'"

He said he was told by another airline security official that he would not be boarding any other Aeroméxico flight until he met their security demands.

"It is a symbol of my faith," Ahluwalia said, explaining why he would not remove the turban. "It is something that I wear whenever I am in public."
A statement released by the airline yesterday said that Ahluwalia's screening was in compliance with Transportation Security Administration protocol and that the airline had offered him alternatives to "reach his destination as soon as possible".
It gave no further details but added that it regretted the inconvenience. However, today Ahluwalia finally received an apology from Aeroméxico.
10/02/16 Christine Hauser/Telegraph

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SIA passenger dies on en route from New Delhi to Singapore

Singapore: A passenger died during a Singapore Airlines flight heading to Singapore from New Delhi in India on Wednesday morning (Feb 10).

The airline spokesperson said in an email reply to Channel NewsAsia: "We can confirm with regret that a passenger had passed away on flight SQ403 from New Delhi to Singapore today."
The plane was not diverted, added the spokesperson.
According to a source who was onboard the flight, the deceased was "a man in his 30s, and was travelling with his wife and child".
10/02/16 Channel NewsAsia

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Air India Express launches Dubai and Sharjah service from New Delhi

New Delhi:  Air India Express will introduce flight services to Dubai and Sharjah from New Delhi from May and also enhance connectivity to the Gulf region from Mumbai. It is also adding Ras al-Khaimah as its new destination in the Gulf region.

This is the first time since its launch in 2005 that the Kochi-based airline, the international budget arm of national carrier Air India, will be spreading its wings to the national capital. The flights from Delhi are set to be launched from May 10 and are a part of the recently announced summer schedule of Air India Express, a release said.

The two new routes will be serviced by one of the six brand new Boeing 737 leased aircraft, which are being inducted in the Air India Express fleet, it said.
09/02/16 eTurboNews

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Indonesia, India to explore direct flights

Chennai: Talks on beginning direct flight services between India and Indonesia might move forward when Indonesia’s Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan visits India next week, a top Indonesian official said.

Indonesia has set a target of attracting 20 million tourists by 2020. Last year, 1.5 lakh Indians visited Indonesia and the country expects 3.6 lakh Indians this year, Saut Siringoringo, Consul General of Indonesia, told The Hindu on Monday.

With tourist flow from India and China growing about 10 per cent each year, Mr. Siringoringo said direct flights will be beneficial to Indian travellers as well as Indonesia’s tourism sector, which the country hopes will be the biggest contributor to its GDP by 2020. Last October, Indonesia waived off visa fees for Indian tourists travelling to the country. India and China contribute the maximum number of tourists travelling to Indonesia, he said.

“Our Transport Minister will be in Mumbai from February 13 to 18 to attend the Make in India programme. Hopefully after India (visit), we will have an idea to insist our airlines (to start direct flights),” Mr. Siringoringo said.
09/02/16 TK Rohit/The Hindu

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Air India flight landed in Frankfurt as snag forced pilot to switch engine off

London:A London-bound Air India flight from the national Capital, landed at the Frankfurt Airport after one of the Boeing 787-800 (VT-ANO) aircraft engines had to be switched-off mid-air.

All the 90 passengers on board, landed safely. An Air India spokesperson said “Air India engineers are inspecting the aircraft engine to fix the snag that forced the flight to land at the German airport at 1332 hours (local time) today”.
09/02/16 Siasat Daily

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Patel opposes proposal to dilute airlines' substantial control

New Delhi: Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today strongly opposed NDA government's proposal to hand over substantial control of Indian airlines to foreign carriers, terming the suggestion "ridiculous" and saying such a move, if approved, would harm national interests.

Patel, during whose tenure the civil aviation policy was formulated, also stressed that the government should not be seen to be favouring select Indian carriers while bringing in a new policy and instead ensure a level-playing field for all of them, while continuing the "time-tested" route dispersal guidelines to ensure air connectivity across the country.

Asked about the proposal to raise the FDI cap in airlines from 49 to beyond 50 per cent, he said "all over the world, the issue of substantial ownership and effective control (of an airline) is very minutely scrutinised" as aviation industry is different from any other and is affected by several factors including external.

"I am surprised that the draft aviation policy carries a provision to increase the FDI limit over 50 per cent. That is ridiculous. You have already done 49 per cent. 50 per cent or more will hurt the country," Patel told PTI.
07/02/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Air India holds special screening of 'Airlift'; officials recall Kuwait evacuation

Dubai: A special screening of the movie 'Airlift', based on the evacuation of the stranded Indians in Kuwait, was organized by Air India in Dubai on Friday February 5. Air India had invited community leaders, corporates, retail customers, travel agents and the officials of the Indian Consulate in Dubai for the screening.
Welcoming the gathering, Melwin D’Silva, regional manager, G, ME & A said that it was a pleasure to have all the invitees to share and relive the moments of pride for all Indians especially those in the Gulf, and added that the incident had been depicted well in the movie. Further, he informed that the evacuation in this scale had got Air India in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest evacuation of civilians by a commercial airline.

"Though, being a commercial airline, the primary function of Air India is to take care of the travel needs of the clients, Air India goes the extra mile when the nation looks towards it. The Kuwait evacuation was not the first and may not be the last," he said. He went on to narrate more incidents quoting the Yemen evacuation which, he said, in a scale of 1-10, he would rate it as high as 10 because during the Yemen crisis, Air India flew in to a war zone on an oral assurance from both the conflicting parties. Each day Air India got a window of three hours during which it would fly in to the conflict zone with crew and ground staff on board and evacuate around 6,500 people including the citizens of other 33 countries, he said.
While addressing the audience, the Consul General of India mentioned about the controversial hug between Saddam Hussain and the then foreign minister of India I K Gujral during the Gulf War, the goodwill hug that cast a temporary shadow on the career of I K Gujral which led the way for the evacuation of a large number of Indians.
07/02/16 daijiworld

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British Airways’ love is unnecessary, unbelievable

Here we go again. There’s a new ad and it’s got lakhs of views on YouTube and everyone seems to love it – and I don’t.
The ad is the new British Airways six-and-a-half minute commercial, ‘Fuelled by Love’. “In this ad, British Airways gives us a simple, beautiful story about falling in love with India. England and India have always had a complicated relationship, but British Airways just sent a love letter to India on Britain’s behalf. It’s the simple, true story of flight attendant Helena Flynn, whose generous nature led to a connection with an even more generous Indian grandmother,” gushes Adweek, a leading and respected publication focused on advertising.
As I read praise all over the place, I try to decode what makes me reject this ad. The ad is well produced and directed, the casting seems perfect, the dialogues are delivered effortlessly, the accents are real, and it’s a syrupy-sweet story with a happy ending.
The happy ending is my first reason for rejection. When you’re about a minute into watching this spot, you can predict precisely how the story ends, reducing the need for you to watch for another five-plus minutes in this attention-deficit world we live in.
The second reason for rejection is far more important – the believability.
Even a cynic like me finds it easy to believe that the commercial is, indeed, inspired by a true incident. But if the intended message is to suggest that Indian passengers will find the cabin crew on BA flights as warm and friendly as the attendant we see in the film, it doesn’t work for me. It’s not just BA. It’s the category. Check out Google for ‘British Airways racism’ or ‘Lufthansa racism’ or ‘United Airlines racism’ and so on. The results do not make for happy reading.
In most cases, it is the individual who has racist leanings, not the airline – and that’s the problem. The attitude of an individual is all but impossible to monitor or guarantee – and that makes one question the cornerstone of the BA film.
08/02/16 Anant Rangaswami/The Hindu

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Sky War: Indian Carriers Protest Dubai Diktat

New Delhi:  India has lodged a strong protest with the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority for turning down the requests of Indian carriers for viable and feasible slots at Dubai International Airport. The Dubai authority’s move has come as a big setback for Indian carriers, leaving 13,000 unutilised seats per week.

The option for shifting of operations from Dubai International Airport to the new Dubai World Central Airport, 30 km from the city, is not commercially viable for Indian carriers, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said in a letter to the president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

“Designated UAE carriers such as Emirates or Fly Dubai are being given their request slots and India has always recognised their requirements and responded in a positive manner. UAE and India have strong ties in the civil aviation sector... I shall be grateful if you could look into the matter on priority and direct Dubai International Airport authorities to facilitate Indian carriers in getting commercially and operationally feasible slots,” Raju requested Al Maktoum.

Considering the traffic potential on the India Dubai sector, both sides mutually agreed in 2014 to enhance the capacity entitlements from 54,200 to 65,200 seats per week.
07/02/16 Samiran Sarangi/New Indian Express

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AirAsia X starts direct New Delhi-Kuala Lumpur flights

With the take-off of its maiden flight on Wednesday from Indira Gandhi International Airport, the AirAsia X started direct flights from New Delhi to Kuala Lumpur. The Asia Pacific bound airline group now provides India with better connectivity, low-fares and high-value service straight to the capital city of Malaysia.
AirAsia X has announced a promotional offer that provides all-in-fares from New Delhi to Kuala Lumpur from as low as Rs 6,790 one way for standard seats or from Rs 29,990 one way for the award-winning Premium Flatbed seats.
The online booking for promotional fares stated today through their website airasia.com and new mobile app on iPhone and Android devices, and mobile site at mobile.airasia.com.
06/02/16 Shah Mohsin/Financial Express

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Fiji Airways in Talks on Code-sharing

Chennai: Seeking to boost trade and tourism ties, Fiji Airways is to soon finalise code-sharing negotiations with an Indian airline, amove that would improve connectivity between the two countries.

With the flag carrier of Fiji all set to launch a new service to Singapore in April, it is holding talks with Air India and Jet Airways for a code-sharing agreement that would enhance connectivity to Indian cities with the Southeast Asian nation. This comes in the wake of Fiji actively wooing Indian investors to the archipelago, with an Indian origin population of 37 per cent.
07/02/16 New Indian Express

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Two Afghan nationals detained for carrying undeclared cash

New Delhi: Custom officials on Saturday detained two Afghan national at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport for carrying massive amounts of undeclared cash.

The two men were held with $ 1 lakh and $ 90,000 respectively.

Meanwhile, custom officials have also arrested a person from Delhi airport for carrying 1800 gms of gold in form of ornaments and also recovered four small gold bars from him.
06/02/16 Siasat Daily

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Airasia x offers all-inlcusive fare on Delhi-Kuala Lumpur

New Delhi :AirAsia X today rolled out an all inclusive one-way fare for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from here, starting from as low as Rs 6,790, a day after the airline re-launched its flight services in India.

AirAsia X is the long-haul arm of the Malaysian airline AirAsia Berhad. It resumed flight services to Delhi yesterday, four years after discontinuing the route along with Mumbai, citing high airports cost.

“We are excited to be here (again) today. We now have stronger foundation to be in the market, complementing the existing route network of our affiliates AirAsia Berhad, Thai AirAsia and AirAsia India, in addition to the growing demand for connectivity between New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur,” AirAsia X Chief Executive Officer Ben Ismail said today.

He said the airline in its second coming would be selling the network unlike point-to-point travel in the past and focus would be on traffic emanating from India for regions such as Australia, North Central Asia, China and Thailand, among others.
06/02/16 Siasat Daily

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Singapore Airlines appoints David Lim as General Manager India

Mumbai: Singapore Airlines has appointed David Lim as the General Manager India, effective April 3, 2016.

Lim, who will be taking over from David Lau, will be overseeing all India operations of Singapore Airlines, the company said in a release on Friday.

Lim began his career at Singapore Airlines in 1988, after graduation from the National University of Singapore.

With over 27 years of experience with the company, Lim worked in various capacities within passenger and cargo service operations.
05/02/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Thumbay medical tourism opens ‘Welcome Center’ at Sharjah airport

Sharjah: Thumbay Medical Tourism (TMT), the award-winning medical tourism initiative of Thumbay Group - UAE has opened its welcome center at the city's international airport, which is a first of its kind in the UAE. The kiosk, which is intended to welcome medical tourists from different countries, will provide them information on wellness checkups as well as TMT’s wide range of surgeries and treatments across all the major specialties offered by Thumbay Group’s network of academic hospitals.
The new center was opened on Thursday February 4, in the presence of Akbar Moideen Thumbay - vice president of the healthcare division of Thumbay Group and Dr Benazir Ameer Ali - director of Thumbay international medical and health tourism department. Located within the airport, the kiosk acts as a facilitation center for medical tourists visiting the country through Sharjah International Airport, and will be their first point of contact, taking care of all their needs right from when they disembark.

“A medical tourism welcome center within an airport is a new concept implemented by Thumbay Group. Apart from taking care of the needs of medical tourists, it will also act as an information kiosk for prospective customers passing through the airport, providing them firsthand information about Thumbay Group’s range of healthcare services and medical tourism services,” said Akbar Moideen Thumbay. He added that more such centers were planned at the other airports in the UAE as well.
06/02/16 daijiworld

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Now, we have a support team: AirAsia X CEO on re-entry

New Delhi: AirAsia X, the long-haul, low-cost affiliate carrier of the AirAsia group, re-entered the Indian market with the first of its four-times-a-week flights landing in Delhi on Tuesday night. Soon after, Benyamin Ismail, its Chief Executive, met BusinessLine. Edited excerpts from the meeting:

Could you spell out the road map for AirAsia X’s expansion into the Indian market?
The first stage is to come back where we left off, which is Delhi. The reason we chose Delhi is we took the opportunity of grabbing the extra bilateral that was available… We applied, we got it and we are flying four times a week.

I guess the next is to try and get bilaterals into Mumbai, a route which we have operated on in the past. If we can get that, then it will be massive for us. We will continue to fire fight to get the bilaterals.

At the moment, let us just focus on making Delhi work.

The first flight to Delhi was a success. The (passenger) load factor was 92 per cent. Looking at the next two months, the loads look good.

Any timeframe for more flights? Have you approached the authorities?
No. The regulatory guys are constantly asking for it. The difficult part of the bilaterals is we are utilising all our entitlements under it, while the Indian side is not utilising any (of its entitlements). So, the justification to give us more is hard when there is no Indian airline operating into Malaysia.

One of the reasons for AirAsia X withdrawing from Delhi was the high airport charges here. Have the charges been off-set by the global decline in fuel prices?
Yes and no. Fuel has helped us in terms of costs. Of course, when you look at that, your breakeven in terms of routes comes down, which is a positive thing.

The difference from the past is that we have a team here that on the ground supports us in terms of distribution.

We have the AirAsia India team which has been set up here. We also have a ready team which focuses on southern Indian routes into Malaysia. For example Bengaluru, Trichy, Kochi, which already fly into Kuala Lumpur.

We have the infrastructure. Sales support is there. That is why I was confident to come back.
05/02/16 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

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Visas of two Pakistan International Airlines officials not renewed by India

Visas of two Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) officials have not been renewed by India for nearly a month, an act termed as "unfair" by Pakistan, which said it would impair people-to-people contact between the two countries.
PIA's Saeed Ahmed Khan and Shabbir Ahmed, who are station managers for the airlines in Delhi and Mumbai respectively, applied on December 21, 2015 for the renewal of their visas valid till January 7, 2016, according to Pakistani sources.
"Despite their applying well in time for the renewal, the Indian authorities have not renewed the entry documents. This is creating big problems for the duo in discharging their professional duty apart from facing personal difficulties," the sources sai.
PIA, the national carrier of Pakistan, is the only airline that provides direct air link between the two countries.
05/02/16 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

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ExecuJet set to enter Indian market

ExecuJet Aviation Group is set to expand into the Indian market for the first time, following a successful tender bid for new fixed-based operation (FBO) and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India.

Together with its Indian partner, The Bird Group, ExecuJet has been awarded one of a limited number of licences to develop, construct and operate an FBO and an MRO facility as part of the airport’s overall development strategy.

Mike Berry, Vice President of ExecuJet Middle East, says:

“This is a significant win for ExecuJet as we have had India on our radar for many years. The airport has awarded only two licences in order to consolidate and improve its MRO and FBO services. These new facilities will provide ExecuJet with the platform to expand our geographic footprint and service proposition, in line with our own growth strategy. I would like to congratulate Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) for running a transparent tender process."
05/02/16  Aviation Tribune

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Russian aircraft service centre soon in India

“ASC Aeronautical Equipment, part of the Technodinamika Holding, will open a service centre in India before the end of the first quarter of 2016,” Oleg Vasiliev, CEO of the Aviation Service Center (ASC) Aeronautical Equipment, a member company of the Technodinamika Holding, told RIR..

“This company will be engaged in repairing Russian military vehicles currently operating in India, supplying accessories and ground equipment, and ensuring all aircraft and helicopters have the parts they need. Technodinamika has already concluded long-term agreements for repairs with local operators,” Vasiliev said. In particular, they will repair and maintain components of the Antonov and Ilyushin transport aircraft and Mi series helicopters.

Active work on organizing repair works in India started last year. In early 2015, ASC became accredited with the Indian Air Force, giving it the opportunity to participate in tenders for supply of components and assemblies, as well as maintenance of the Air Force’s aircraft fleet.
05/02/16 Georgy Uvarov/Russian & India Report

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Canadore College opens training facility in India

North Bay’s Canadore College has opened an aviation training facility in India.

The college and Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) announced Feb. 4 of the opening of an Aviation Technical Training Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, in the state of Karanataka.

The centre will offer training in aviation maintenance, avionics, aircraft structural repair and aircraft maintenance engineering.

The establishment of the facility was done with the aid of the National Skills Development Corporation of India.

The announcement was made in concert with Premier Kathleen Wynne’s trade mission to New Delhi during the first week of February where $98 million in deals were announced between Ontario and Indian partners.

Bengaluru (also known as Bangalore) is considered the Silicon Valley of India, and is headquarters to some state-owned aerospace companies and institutions, including the National Aerospace Laboratories and Indian Space Research Organization.
05/02/16 Northern Ontario Business

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AirAsia X offers all inclusive fare on Delhi-Kuala Lumpur route

New Delhi: AirAsia X today rolled out an all inclusive one-way fare for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from here, starting from as low as Rs 6,790, a day after the airline re-launched its flight services in India.
AirAsia X is the long-haul arm of the Malaysian airline AirAsia Berhad. It resumed flight services to Delhi yesterday, four years after discontinuing the route along with Mumbai, citing high airports cost.
"We are excited to be here (again) today. We now have stronger foundation to be in the market, complementing the existing route network of our affiliates AirAsia Berhad, Thai AirAsia and AirAsia India, in addition to the growing demand for connectivity between New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur," AirAsia X Chief Executive Officer Ben Ismail said today.
He said the airline in its second coming would be selling the network unlike point-to-point travel in the past and focus would be on traffic emanating from India for regions such as Australia, North Central Asia, China and Thailand, among others.
04/02/16 PTI/Economic Times

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India-Russia project on military transport aircraft almost ‘frozen’

Mumbai:  A joint project between Russia and India to create a military transport plane has been frozen, according to the CEO of the Russian company. Military transport aircraft (MTA) are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment.

The proposed medium-airlift MTA is being developed as a joint venture project between the Russian concern of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), which has under its umbrella Defence firms such as Ilyushin and Irkut, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. Sources indicated that around $600 million was to be spent on the MTA’s development, with both nations sharing the investment equally.

Speaking about the plane – Il-214, Sergey Velmozhkin, CEO, Ilyushin Aviation Complex, the Russian aircraft manufacturer, told Russian news agency TASS that the contract on the Il-214 has not been concluded with the Indian Defence Ministry yet.
03/02/16 Business Line

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Singapore Airlines wants to Scoot into India

Scoot, the wholly owned, low-cost, medium and long-haul airline of the Singapore Airlines Group, is planning to commence operations in India next month.

A top company official said the airline would offer fares 15 to 50 per cent cheaper than full-service carriers. With Scoot, the group is expanding its wings in India. The airline, which started operations in June 2012 from its base in Singapore, operates an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet to 18 destinations and plans to open three destinations in India by May.

“We are looking at three cities in India. We have already applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for an air operator’s permit. We hope the first flight will land in India by March-end subject to DGCA approval,” Bharath Mahadevan, country head, Scoot, told The Hindu .

The airline is yet to name the airports it will fly to. While one Indian destination will be served in March, two more will be added in May, once the airline gets a new aircraft in its fleet.
04/02/16 Lalatendu Mishra/The Hindu

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Etihad Airways increases Abu Dhabi-Cairo flights, Indians may benefit

Dubai: Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has announced an increase in capacity between Abu Dhabi and Cairo, a move which could also benefit Indian travelers to the region.

Etihad Airways daily flies three scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Cairo and the fourth one will start from March 27.

"Etihad Airways is focused on offering guests more choice. Attracting both commercial and leisure business, the additional flights linking Cairo and Abu Dhabi with connections beyond will help cater for the growing demand on one of our most popular North African and global routes, said Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways' Chief Strategy and Planning Officer.
Passengers traveling between Egypt and Gulf Cooperation Council, South and North East Asia, and India will benefit from increased and better connecting options over the airline's Abu Dhabi hub. To India, Etihad Airways and its strategic equity partner Jet Airways offer more than 250 weekly flights across 15 destinations, the airline said in a statement.
02/02/16 PTI/Economic Times

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British Airways rolls out special fares under three-day special scheme

Mumbai: British Airways today announced a three-day special scheme under which it is offering economy class return trip tickets to London starting at Rs 53,542.
It is also offering business class return trip tickets to London starting at Rs 1,45,517.

"The offer is valid for sale period, February 2-4 and for outbound travel period until June 30, 2016," the airline said in a statement.

The scheme is part of the company's new brand campaign, a short film titled 'Fuelled by Love', inspired by a real-life experience of a British Airways cabin crew member.

"India is British Airways' second largest market outside the UK and after the US. Through this film and the brand campaign, we want to show the actual experiences of our cabin crew members serving customers on our India routes," British Airways' South Asia Regional Commercial Manager Moran Birger said.
02/02/16 PTI/Economic Times

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India is a very important market for British Airways, second largest outside UK and US: Moran Birger

British Airways recently unveiled its latest brand campaign for the Indian market titled ‘Fuelled by Love’. Keeping in tune with their previous campaigns, the new digital ad is high on emotional quotient. It is based on the real life incident of a UK based cabin crew member who forges a special bond with one of the customers during her maiden trip to India. The campaign has been conceptualised by Sapient Nitro and directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the critically acclaimed director of the Hindi film, Masaan.

Commenting on the film, KV Sridhar, Chief Creative Officer, Sapient Nitro said, “The brief given to us was the relationship of British Airways with this country, which is 90 years old, so how do we bring out the bond between both the airline and the customers. The reason why most of their campaigns are touching is because personal travel is always filled with emotion, there is a reason and purpose why people travel and the question comes- how do we really exploit that. Therefore, we searched for real life stories, we spoke to the cabin crew members and got rich stories from them. Some of them probably will come as a follow up to the main film.”
03/02/16 Sarmistha Neogy/Exchange4Media

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Singapore Airlines announces special airfares

Chennai: Singapore Airlines and Singapore Tourism Board have announced special, all-inclusive return fares to Singapore starting at Rs 22,000 for economy class and at Rs 40,000 for premium economy class.
These special fares are on sale from February 1 to February 29 for travel from February 1 to March 31.
The economy class fare is applicable on all Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights from India. Premium economy class fares are valid on Singapore Airlines flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Singapore.
In conjunction with Singapore Tourism Board, customers are also entitled to choose from a host of complimentary Singapore attractions which includes a one day pass to Universal Studios Singapore, executive lunch set at Punjab Grill restaurant in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer Moet & Chandon Champagne Flight, Singapore delights onboard Singapore cable car and Gardens by the Bay (with two conservatories and skywalk), according to a release from Singapore Airlines.
02/02/16 Vinayashree Jagadeesh/Times of India

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The new British Airways film's real-life story about visiting India is a tear-jerker

A touching new film released by British Airways follows the real-life story of a cabin crew member Helena Flynn, who is flying to India for the first time. It has been directed by Indian director Neeraj Ghaywan, who's debut feature film Masaan had won two awards at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015.
The film strikes the right note by focusing on the flight attendant Flynn's special bond with an elderly Indian woman passenger on the flight. Afterwards, the lady invites her to visit her home in Hyderabad and Flynn shares a meal with her family. The pleasant encounter stays with her, making her fall in love with the counry.
The airlines has been operating in India since 1924, and the country is its second-largest market outside the UK after the US.
03/02/16 Sonam Joshi/Mashable

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Indian copters made difference in Afghanistan

Washington: The three Mi-35 Indian multi-role helicopters donated to Afghanistan have made a big differencein the offensive against militants in the war-torn country, the outgoing commander of US forces in Afghanistan has said.

"They do have three Mi-35s (sic) - really Mi-24s and Mi-35s from India. They'll have a fourth one coming in pretty soon that will add to their inventory as well and that'll make a great difference," Gen John Campbell told members of the House Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing in Afghanistan yesterday.

The Mi-35, a comprehensive upgrade of the Mi-24, is a versatile helicopter gunship with troop carrying capabilities.

Campbell, who has commanded US and international forces in Afghanistan for the past 18 months, is expected to retire. Lieutenant General John Nicholson has been chosen by President Barack Obama to replace Campbell.
03/02/16 PTI/News Today

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