Fares to India from Oman slashed as airlines compete for fliers

Muscat: An airfare war has begun for getting the larger chunk of the Indian customer base as two festivals: Eid Al Adha and Onam will coincide in the early September.

According to a travel agent, flights to the South Indian state of Kerala and to most other Indian destinations are almost fully booked in early September.

Oman Air, the Sultanate’s national carrier, had already announced special fares in the economy class to selected destinations for a limited period of time.

The round trip prices to different destinations in India start from OMR80, if one has to purchase before August 15.

Prices to Mumbai and Hyderabad are between OMR75 and OMR85 and the round price rate for other Indian destinations are below OMR150.
30/07/16 Mobin Mathew Blesson/Times of Oman

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Chennai bound Oman Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Goa

A Chennai-bound Oman Airlines flight from Muscat made an medical emergency landing at Dabolim international airport in south Goa on Thursday morning as an elderly female passenger died due to cardiac arrest.

According to Dabolim airport police, the flight landed at Dabolim airport at round 7 am and the woman was rushed to Chicalim government hospital. However doctors declared her brought dead. She was accompanied by her relatives
28/07/16 The Hindu

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Manmohan's plane nearly crashed during Moscow landing

New Delhi: Sources told TOI that on November 11, 2007, Air India One flying the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on an official visit to Russia did not lower its landing gear as required when it was approaching to land in Moscow. The crew of the Boeing 747 did so only after being told by the Moscow ATC that the aircraft wheels were not down and warning lights in the cockpit.
The flight's data recorder (FDR) — which preserves recent history of a flight through the recording of dozens of parameters collected several times per second) —show that the VVIP aircraft flew below the 'electronic glide slope' for a while before corrective action was taken. The electronic glide slope is the flight path a descending aircraft has to follow to ensure it gently touches down on the runway. Despite repeated attempts, AI did not respond.
TOI spoke to many pilots to understand if safety procedures were breached on that VVIP flight. "What is perplexing is that according to the FDR data of this flight, the aircraft descended to a rather low height before corrective action was taken. Simultaneously, the ATC warned the aircraft that its landing gear is not down and alarm bell sounded in cockpit," said a senior commander who trains and examines junior pilots.
27/07/16 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Second air cargo takes off for Sharjah with 1,678 goats

Nashik: Around 2.50pm on Tuesday, the second air cargo of IL-76 left for Sharjah with 1,678 goats from the airport at Ozar.
This was the second flight to take off for Sharjah from the city in a fortnight. The first flight containing 1,548 goats and sheep left from here on July 15.
An official from HALCON, a joint venture between HAL and Container Corporation of India (Concor), said, "Nashik's Amgo Logistics have hired IL-76 air cargo and are sending animals from July 15. On Tuesday, a second cargo containing goats was sent to Sharjah. Presently, air cargo service is non-scheduled and will be operational once a week."
The asst vice-president of Sovika Aviation, which is providing ground handling services N S Hans, said, "There is a plan to send nine air cargos with 1,500 goats each to Sharjah by mid-August. Two flights have left with a total of 3,226 live animals- goats and sheep."
27/07/16 Tushar Pawar/Times of India

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Emirates flight, with 309 on-board, makes emergency landing at Mumbai airport

Mumbai: An Emirates flight from Dubai to Male with 309 passengers on board today landed under emergency conditions at the city airport after the pilot detected smoke on board.

"The ATC declared full emergency at the MIAL (Mumbai International Airport Limited) at 1359 hrs after a Boeing 777 flight of Emirates (EK 652) from Dubai to Male had to make an emergency landing following detection of smoke in the aircraft," a Mumbai airport official said today.

The flight with 309 passengers and crew landed safely at 1458 hrs on Runway 9 of the Mumbai airport, the official said.
26/07/16 PTI/New Indian Express

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Indian airlines reluctant to fly foreign routes

New Delhi & Mumbai: The much-awaited National Civil Aviation Policy got delayed multiple times as incumbent carriers furiously opposed a proposal by the civil aviation ministry to auction bilateral rights. The reason the government wanted to auction foreign flying rights was because it was concerned about the unutilised bilateral capacity by Indian carriers.

Data show domestic Indian airlines such as Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and IndiGo offer almost 50 per cent fewer seats than foreign airlines operating in India. The data on foreign bilateral utilisation is compiled by the ministry of civil aviation. As of June, domestic carriers were offering 242,365 seats on flights to and from India, compared with 432,456 seats by foreign airlines.
A senior official in the aviation ministry said: “On most international routes, capacity utilisation of Indian carriers range between 30 and 40 per cent. We are reviewing bilateral rights allocated to different airlines. Those not utilising these rights are being asked to surrender the same as we do not want our own airlines to lose out traffic share to foreign carriers.” He added with easing of ‘5/20 norms’ and new carriers such as Vistara and GoAir launching international operations, utilisation of seats will improve. The 5/20 rule allows only those Indian airlines which have a 20-aircraft fleet and have operated in the domestic sector for five years to fly abroad.

The data also show Indian carrier do not fly to 67 out of the 109 countries India has bilateral agreements with.

For instance, not a single Indian carrier flies to any of the five African countries with whom the country has bilateral seat-sharing agreements. India has signed air service agreements with Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles. On the contrary, Ethiopia flies 9,016 seats a week, which is 81 per cent of the total entitlements.
26/07/16 Arindam Majumder & Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Indian man dies at Abu Dhabi airport

Jet Airways passenger has died after suffering a heart attack at Abu Dhabi Airport today morning (July 25).

He suffered the fatal attack just hours before he was scheduled to board a flight from Abu Dhabi airport to his home country India.

George Philip, 61, suffered heart attack after he had checked-in and was walking towards the immigration counter.

He was immediately rushed to Mafraq Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Philip was going to Bangalore for his daughter's admission at a college in Mysore. His wife and two daughters were present with him at the time of the incident.
Phillip was an employee of Dubai based Al Akhilaa General Trading and had joined the company just over a year ago.
Hashim Sherif, CEO of Al Akhilaa General Trading LLC told Emirates 24|7 that Philip had requested emergency leave the previous day to travel to India.
25/07/16  Joseph George/Emirates 24|7

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Impact of FDI in Aviation Sector

Delhi: The Government has released the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016 on 15.06.2016. The NCAP 2016 covers the broad policy areas, such as Regional connectivity, Safety, Air Transport Operations, 5/20 Requirement for International Operations, Bilateral traffic rights, Fiscal Support, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, Air-cargo, Aeronautical 'Make in India'. The broad key features of the NCAP are as under:

i) VGF for operation under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).

ii) Revival of un-served or under-served routes under RCS.

iii) Introduction of a new Category 'Schedule Commuter Operator' under Commercial Air Transport Operations.

iv) Rationalization of Category-I routes under Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDGs) on the basis of criteria given in NCAP 2016.

v) The requirement of 5 years and 20 aircrafts for international operation has been modified to 0 years and 20 aircrafts or 20% of the total capacity (in terms of average number of seats on all departure put together) whichever is higher for domestic operations.

vi) Liberalization of domestic code share points in India within the framework of ASA.

The National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016 has been formulated after extensive consultation with all the stakeholders. With a view to aid in modernization of the existing airports to establish a high standard and help ease the pressure on the existing airports, 100% FDI under automatic route has now been allowed in Brownfield Airport projects. This move would also serve in further developing the domestic aviation infrastructure.
21/07/16 Business Standard

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Fine on Lufthansa for refusing to fly man

Pune: Pimpri resident Azhar Wadikar was excited about an upcoming tour of Germany in March 2014 to meet his wife, posted there on a work visa.
He had valid travel documents, including passport, confirmed air ticket and a tourist visa granted by the German Consulate, when he reported for his Mumbai-Munich Lufthansa airline flight in the wee hours of March 13, 2014.
But the airline's officials refused him to board the flight on the grounds that he could not properly explain the purpose of his visit to Germany.
For the next 27 hours, Wadikar found himself detained at the airport. It took an official from the German Consulate to visit the airport to clear the matter.
The airline then asked Wadikar to pay Rs70,000 for a fresh ticket for the flight on March 14, 2014. But he refused, arguing he was unfairly denied his flight the previous night, and preferred flying to Munich with another airline.
Responding to his complaint, the Pune district consumer court directed Lufthansa to refund the ticket amount - Rs46,580 - with Rs45,000 as damages to Wadikar for deficient service. The court has set 45 days' time, from the date of receipt of the order, for the airline to make the refund with damages.
"It is a common experience that at the time of granting visa, thorough enquiry is made by the Consulate and only after due satisfaction, visa is granted. In such circumstances, it was not fair for the airline to make a thorough enquiry again when the visa was already granted to the complainant by the German Consulate," the bench observed.
21/07/16 Times of India

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Wipro wins contract from Toronto Airports; shares up

Shares of Wipro   gained 1 percent intraday Thursday on the back of contract win from Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA). However, it had declined as much as 7 percent intraday on Wednesday dragged by weak second quarter guidance  and growth concerns. Meanwhile, GTAA has entered in to a seven-year strategic IT and business transformation partnership with the company. GTAA operates Toronto Pearson International Airports, the largest airport in Canada and the second largest in North America in terms of international traffic. The company was selected as the finalist vendor following a competitive process. Xavier Diniz, Country Head - Canada of Wipro said, "The company will leverage its innovation lab to provide access to advanced technologies such as digital, artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, big data and security technologies."
21/07/16 Moneycontrol.com

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Flight from Mumbai makes emergency landing in Nairobi

New Delhi:  A Kenyan Airways flight from Mumbai carrying nearly 150 passengers besides crew made an emergency landing at Nairobi today following rupture in a tyre in the main landing gear. The flight KQ 205 had departed from Mumbai at 0635 hours. After spotting pieces of tyre soon after take off, the Mumbai Air Traffic Control (ATC) centre informed the pilot about it, sources said.
There were around 150 passengers apart from crew members on the Boeing flight KQ 205. At Nairobi airport, the pilot made an emergency landing, the sources said. “On arriving in Nairobi, the flight commander first did a low pass to check the status, then landed on second time. It was a fabulous job on his part. All the passengers were safely deplaned,” sources said.
19/07/16 India.com

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Bird Travel to represent RwandAir in India

RwandAir, the national flag carrier of the Republic of Rwanda, appointed Bird Travels Pvt Ltd. as its new General Sales Agent (GSA) for the Indian market. RwandAir is planning to commence operations to Mumbai in the last quarter of this year.

John Mirenge, RwandAir’s Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We have selected Bird Travel to position our brand, create awareness of our products and sell our services in this important new market.”

The new GSA, Bird Travel will use its vast experience and will be the immediate liaison for the airline’s sales development in India, including ticketing and direct support services to the travel trade.
20/07/16 Voyeger's World

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100% FDI in aviation: Future domestic airline completely foreign owned? ICAO clears fog

New Delhi: The International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations body that sets guidelines and standards for the sector, has allayed concerns that a foreign-owned airline operating from India may have legal and procedural issues in obtaining seats under bilateral rights for flying abroad.
The air service agreements (ASAs) signed between any two countries usually mandate that airlines from either country have their substantial ownership and effective control (SOEC) vested with citizens of the particular country.
These ASAs are based on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) template and even though they are not binding, most countries include it in their bilateral rights agreements. “It is up to the concerned states to negotiate and agree on what criteria or requirements they would apply for the designation and authorisation of their airlines to operate the agreed air services. Even for those air service agreements which contain a ‘nationality clause’, states have the discretionary right to decide if they would apply or waive it on a case-by-case basis,” ICAO told FE in an e-mailed response.
19/07/16 Sumit Jha/Financial Express

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Bell Helicopter with Tata to Make in India

Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) has signed an agreement with Bell Helicopter to collaborate in support of India’s aviation and defence modernisation initiatives, Tata announced on 14 July. The agreement is in line with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The agreement will see the companies target government (including military) and commercial rotary wing markets in India in the light utility and reconnaissance segments. The scope of work includes training and maintenance, repair and overhaul requirements, potential production and assembly capabilities, research and development programmes and technology sharing.

TASL chairman S Ramadorai said the alliance will combine TASL's defence manufacturing capabilities with Bell Helicopter's core competence, with the aim of building on partnerships that TASL has in the rotorcraft market.
18/07/16 Shephard 

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Saudi Airlines flight returns to airport after snag

Chennai: A Jeddah-bound Saudi Airlines flight with 258 passengers returned to the airport here today, following some technical snag minutes after it took off.
The pilot of Chennai-Jeddah flight noticed the technical snag and sought permission to return to the airport after it took off at 11.40 AM, airport officials said.
The flight landed at the airport at 12.10 PM safely and all passengers were taken back to the terminal.
19/07/16 PTI/India Today

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First haj flight from Kerala on August 22

Malappuram: The first haj flight of this season, carrying pilgrims from Kerala, Lakshadweep and Mahe will leave for Mecca on August 22. The Haj Committee of India (HCI) announced the detailed schedule of haj flight from Kerala on Monday.
The first flight will carry 300 pilgrims and only one service would be operated on the first day. Two flights would be operated each day from August 23 to 31. Considering increase in number of haj pilgrims from state this year the state haj committee had decided to arrange enhanced facilities in the haj camp at Nedumbassery airport.
Last year the total number of pilgrims from state was only 5633. But the number has increased to more than 10,000 this time, as the HCI has allotted 9,943 haj seats for state, considering special request from the part of state haj committee.
This time the Saudi Airlines will operate the haj services and the airlines will use big air crafts with the seating capacity of 350 to 450. This year the state haj committee received a total of 76,417 applications for pilgrimage. A total of 8317 applicants who had applied unsuccessfully for the past five years consecutively and 1626 applicants under reserved category for those above 70 years of age-have been directly selected to the allotted seats.
18/07/16 TP Nijeesh/Times of India

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Afghanistan sends 46 aviation personnel to India for training

The Afghan government has sent a group of 46 aviation personnel to India to participate in technical and professional training.
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority Qasim Rahimi has confirmed the deployment of 46 aviation personnel for training to India.
Rahimi further added that the aviation personnel will resume their work in the airports of the country once they complete their training in India.
He said the Afghan government is looking to boost the capacity of the aviation personnel since they have taken over the responsibility of the Afghan air space from the US forces six months ago.
19/07/16 Khaama Press

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Russian woman flies home after 30-day ordeal

Kolkata/Jalpaiguri: A home-bound Russian fashion designer was caught in Bengal's red tape and forced to stay back for a month before help finally arrived and retrieved her from a women's shelter on Friday.
Alesya Kostenko, who hails from the Russian town Stroitel in Belgorod near the Ukraine border, finally sets off for home via Delhi on Monday morning after Russian authorities got in touch with Indian external affairs ministry officials to `rescue' her from a state social welfare department home. This was the second home she had been in apart from a hospital during a month-long ordeal that began on June 14.
That evening, Kostenko had been found to be somewhat lost and incomprehensible by CISF personnel at Bagdogra airport. According to the 31-year-old, she was attempting to change her travel plans and fly home via Delhi instead of Kolkata when a malfunction in her credit card left her momentarily lost. While deliberating what to do next, the last flight flew out of Bagdogra airport.When CISF jawans asked her why she was still hanging around, she tried to explain but no one could understand her as she could speak only Russian.
When the consulate learned about Kostenko, they contacted her mother Larisa Shmigerova in Russia. Shmigerova flew down to India and reached Kolkata on Thursday . She went straight to the women's home to retrieve her daugh ter, but was denied permission.
All Bengal Women's Union, the shelter home where Kostenko was kept for the last few days, refused to let her go despite a no-objection certificate from the external affairs ministry and a guarantee letter from the Russian consulate. The shelter authorities claimed they needed a court order to release the woman since a magistrate court had asked the home to take care of the girl. Eventually , after innumerable phone calls to various offices and a series of permissions, Kostenko was finally released on Friday night.
18/07/16 Rohit Khanna & Pinak Priya Bhattacharya/Times of India

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Drunk tourist denied entry into flight

Ahmedabad: A Russian national was stopped at the city airport on Saturday night, after she was allegedly found heavily drunk and not in command of her faculties. The issue, however, led to an unruly scene and the CISF in-charge of airport security had to intervene. The woman was sent to Mumbai on an early morning flight on Sunday. According to sources, the woman was scheduled to take Ahmedabad-Goa flight by a private carrier at 11.10 pm on Saturday. However, when she came for the security check before boarding, she was found dead drunk and the officials refused to let her pass. The woman then allegedly blamed the authorities for delaying her and got into a quarrel.
Officials said that she was put on a connecting flight from Ahmedabad to Goa via Mumbai at 7.45 am on Sunday.
18/07/16 Times of India

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India to develop Palaly as regional airport

Colombo: India is carrying out a feasibility study on the Palaly airport to assess its suitability to be utilised as a regional airport.

This airport is now a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF)-run facility and is used for military and civilian flights in Sri Lanka.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is now carrying out a feasibility study on the Palaly airport to see how it could be developed, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Director General H.M.C. Nimalsiri told the Sunday Times. About four months ago, an AAI team visited Palali to ascertain how the airport could be developed as a regional airport, he said.

India has already supported the development of the Palaly airport, providing financial assistance for the reconstruction of about 1,000 metres of the existing 2,300-metre runway.This was done in 2010 on an agreement between the former Mahinda Rajapaksa government and India.
16/07/16 The Sunday Times/Sri Lanka Guardian

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Tajik woman held for smuggling gold worth Rs 85 lakh at Indira Gandhi Airport

A woman from Tajikistan has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle in gold worth about Rs 85 lakh at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi.
The accused was intercepted by the customs officials after her arrival from Dushanbe.
“She was carrying gold in raw form in her purse. On detailed examination of her baggage we recovered the yellow metal,” Vinayak Azaad, Additional Commissioner of customs at IGIA, said.
The gold weighing 2.7 kgs has been seized and the passenger arrested on Saturday, he said.
The value of the gold is assessed to be Rs 85.13 lakh.
17/07/16 PTI/Indian Express

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Gujaratis stranded in South Sudan received by minister at Delhi airport

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Minister for NRGs and Law Pradipsinh Jadeja today received 12 Gujaratis at Palam airport in New Delhi, who were stranded in South Sudan, which has been hit by violence. The Indian Air Force C-17 Globe Masters that the Government of India sent to evacuate Indians stranded in South Sudan, which returned Delhi via Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. There were around 600 Indian nationals in South Sudan. Gujarat Minister welcomed all Gujaratis by offering them rose flowers at airport.
15/07/16 Kapil Dave/Times of India

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IAF aircraft with Indians rescued from South Sudan to reach capital today

New Delhi :  The two Indian Air Force C-17 aircrafts, bringing back hundreds of Indians stranded in war-torn South Sudan, will reach the national capital today. ”Both aircrafts are reaching Delhi via Thiruvananthapuram. First flight will land there around 5 am and reach New Delhi around 10 am tomorrow,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Thursday evening.
In a series of tweets, Swaraj further stated that Indian Air Force is carrying out the operation along with the Indian Railways and Air India, who will facilitate the onward journey.
“Indian Railways and Air India will facilitate their onward journey,” she tweeted.
Yesterday, two IAF C-17s departed for South Sudan with Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh leading the ‘Sankat Mochan’ operation. VK Singh led team landed in Juba and started the evacuation process of the Indians. The developments were set in motion after Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar appealed to Swaraj to help the Indian nationals stuck in the war-struck area. (ALSO READ: VK Singh leads Operation Sankat Mochan in South Sudan, first batch of Indians to return Kerala tomorrow morning)
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has ordered a ceasefire after days of intense fighting in Juba which left more than 150 dead and many more injured since fighting broke out on Thursday. The ceasefire announcement came as United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on the Security Council to impose an “immediate arms embargo” and targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking implementation of the peace deal.
15/07/16 India.com

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Airport to host pilot training

Mt. Vermon: The Mt. Vernon Outland Airport has been selected by AIRGO Incorporated, located in Centralia, to train Chinese students to fly commercial planes, according to Chris Collins, the airport director.

“I'm excited,” Collins said. “It's an opportunity for the airport and it's a big economic opportunity for the region.”

The airport will be a satellite operations base for AIRGO, which trains students from India and China for work in their respective countries' airlines.

“The owners of AIRGO would like to see 200 students per year in Southern Illinois,” Collins stated. “Since this number is far too many for any one of our airports to handle on its own, the owners of AIRGO reached out to the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport to play a part in AIRGO's expansion plans.”

According to Collins, about 20 male Chinese students will train for 14 months in single engine planes and then will progress to twin engine planes which can range from two seat Cessna 152's to Beechcraft KingAir Turbos.

At the end of their training, and to graduate, the students must complete the curriculum with 20 hours of high altitude, twin turboprop training.

The students are expected to start on Monday, Aug. 1.

13/07/16 Emily Shapiro/Register-News

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Vistara says first overseas routes will include South Asia

Indian airline Vistara will feature South Asian nations among its first international destinations, a senior executive said on Wednesday, as it devises its strategy after the government eased restrictions on flights abroad last month.

Vistara, a venture of the Tata group and Singapore Airlines Ltd, is "reviewing and refining" its plan for overseas routes and will decide on aircraft orders afterwards, Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer Sanjiv Kapoor said at an event.

"The first set of routes that we will launch internationally will be the routes that can be flown by our existing aircraft, the A320s, which will be routes within three, three-and-a-half hours of India," Kapoor said, referring to narrow-body aeroplanes built by Airbus Group SE.

"Regional routes and SAARC, essentially," he said, referring to member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Under new rules, domestic airlines can fly overseas as long as they deploy 20 aircraft or 20 percent of capacity in India, whichever is higher. Airlines previously had to wait five years before they were permitted to fly international routes.
13/07/16 Reuters

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Mahindra Aerostructures bags supply contract from Airbus

New Delhi: European aviation major Airbus Helicopters has awarded a contract to Mahindra Aerostructures to supply airframe parts for its AS565 MBe Panther copter.
The contract positions Mahindra Aerostructures as the first Indian company to receive a direct manufacturing contract from Airbus Helicopters as a Tier 1 supplier, Airbus said in a statement.
Mahindra Aerostructures will gradually emerge as the global single source supplier to Airbus Helicopters for these parts, the statement said.

The parts will be produced at Mahindra's facility in Bengaluru. They will be shipped directly to the Airbus Helicopter production line in Marignane, France, where they will be integrated with the rest of the airframe assembly and will form a critical part of the Panthers sold worldwide.

Airbus Helicopters and Mahindra Defence are in the process of forming a joint venture to target India's military helicopter programmes such as the Naval Utility Helicopter, the Naval Multi-Role Helicopter and the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter.

The AS565 MBe Panther is competing for the Naval Utility Helicopter programme. In case the Indian Government selects the Panther, Airbus Helicopters will establish India as a global hub for Panther production in partnership with Mahindra Defence.
12/07/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Soon, e-visa for another 36 countries

New Delhi: Riding high on the success of the e-tourist visa scheme, the Union tourism ministry plans to extend online visas to 36 countries including Iran, Italy, Egypt and Nigeria among others. According to sources, the proposal has been sent for approval to the ministry of home affairs. If accepted, 186 countries will now be able to access online visa to travel to India.
Among the countries that have been shortlisted are: Iran, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Italy, Nigeria, Turkey, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and Morocco. The online visa scheme that was launched in November 2013 has been steadily expanded and has become a popular alternative for tourists.
Tourism ministry data shows that during January-June 2016, a total of 4,71,909 tourists arrived on e-tourist visa as compared to 1,26,214 during January-June 2015, registering a growth of 273.9%. The high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-tourist visa for 150 countries in February 2016 as compared to 76 countries earlier, the ministry said.
A total of 36,982 tourists arrived in June 2016 as compared to 15,557 during the same period last year registering a growth of 137.7%.
A statement by the ministry said that the e-visa facility was most popular with the United States, that drew the maximum number of tourists (23.22%) followed by UK (14.16%), China (6.91%), Australia (5.59%) and France (4.10%) in May 2016.
13/07/16 Himanshi Dhawan/Times of India

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Bomb hoax delays Oman Air flight departure

Thiruvanathapuram: A bomb threat delayed the departure of a Muscat-bound Oman Air flight from the international airport here by around 90 minutes tonight.

Airport officials said they received a bomb threat to the Thiruvanathapuram-Muscat flight scheduled to leave at around 8.30 pm following which a detailed search was conducted.
However, nothing amiss was found and the flight left for its destination after a delay of about one and half hours, they said.
12/07/16 PTI/Business Standard

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Passengers hit after aircraft develops snag

Kochi: Passengers who were supposed to board a Kuwait-bound flight on Monday morning from Cochin international airport at Nedumbassery had a harrowing experience as Kuwait Airways authorities kept them uninformed about the delay and the subsequent cancellation of the service.
According to passengers and airport authorities, the flight (KU352) was scheduled to depart for Kuwait from Kochi at 5.30am. However, airlines authorities later informed passengers - 250 people who were booked for the flight - that the flight was delayed and promised that the flight would be rescheduled by 6pm.
"Passengers waited at the airport till 11pm. However, there was no information about the flight's departure following which the passengers turned hostile. Airlines authorities then offered passengers hotel accommodation and they were brought to the airport again by 3am saying that the flight would finally leave for Kuwait by 8am," said an airport source.
13/07/16 Times of India

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Rwanda Air appoints a General Sales Agent in India

Ahead of the December launch of flights from Kigali to Mumbai RwandAir announced the appointment of Bird Travels as their General Sales Agent for India.
Bird Travels already represents a number of high profile airlines and their market standing and expertise will no doubt come in handy for RwandAir to establish themselves as an airline of choice for Indian travelers to Kigali and beyond.
Among those already represented by Bird are Brussels Airlines - rumoured to be planning their own direct flights to Mumbai after Jet Airways pulled out of Brussels in favour of Amsterdam - but also Air China, Finnair, Avianca, Hong Kong Airlines, Garuda and others.
Said John Mirenge, CEO of RwandAir, when commenting on the development: 'We have selected Bird Travel to position our brand, create awareness of our products and sell our services in this important new market. The new GSA, Bird Travel will use its vast experience and will be the immediate liaison for the airline’s sales development in India, including ticketing and direct support services to the travel trade'.
12/07/16 Prof. Dr. Wolfang H. Thome/eTurboNews

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8 cellphones missing from cargo of Bhutan Airways

New Delhi: Bhutan Airways filed a complaint that eight mobile phones had gone missing from their cargo shipment which was sent to Bhutan. They got to know about the missing phones when they found that the same had been replaced with pieces of brick in taped boxes.
Sources said eight Samsung J series cellphones were stolen from the shipment from the IGI Airport cargo hub on June 2. The matter came to light when the shipment reached Bhutan by flight B3 774. According to sources, Samsung phones were packed in 131 boxes. One of those boxes had eight phones missing. The phones were replaced with bricks.
Meanwhile, when asked how they were sure that the theft took place at IGI Airport cargo and not in Bhutan, a senior airline official, on the condition of anonymity, said that while de-boarding the shipment at Bhutan airport, the said consignment box fell open on its own. It was enough for the airline officials to understand that mobiles had been stolen at IGI Airport.
“We are going to meet Delhi police official soon and will provide them some pictures related to our case that will help them to solve this case,” said the official.
An FIR was filed last Saturday and police are investigating the matter. “We are investigating the matter and will take appropriate action as per law,” said a senior police official.
13/07/16 Sunil Thapliyal/Asian Age

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Air India plane makes emergency landing in Baku

Baku, Azerbaijan: An Air India plane, flying on London-Mumbai route, made an emergency landing at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku in the evening on July 10, Trend learned from the airport July 11.

“Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner, flying on London-Mumbai route with 206 passengers onboard, made a successful emergency landing at Baku airport at around 22:00 (UTC/GMT +4 hours) July 10 due to technical reasons,” said the airport without elaborating on the malfunction.

Air India sent another plane to Baku in order to take the passengers to Mumbai.
11/07/16 Maksim Tsurkov/Trend News Agency

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Farnborough air show flies into Brexit storm

Farnborough: The Farnborough air show opens Monday in the face of turbulence from Britain's shock decision to exit the European Union.

The event held every two years southwest of London traditionally features a battle between US titan Boeing and Europe's Airbus for supremacy on the order books.

Organisers know there is little chance to beat the record $201 billion (181 billion euros) of business -- both firm airplane orders and commitments -- clinched in 2014, with the industry beset by major production backlogs.

Ahead of the meeting, some airlines have posted profit warnings linked to expected fallout from Brexit.

Britain's referendum to quit the 28-nation European Union has cast a shadow over the air show that runs from Monday until Sunday.

The vote sent financial markets tanking and sparked worries about global economic fallout that could weigh on demand for airline travel.
10/07/16 AFP/New Indian Express

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Farnborough faces fewer jet orders, as Boeing turns 100

Farnborough: The aerospace industry is preparing to celebrate major milestones at the Farnborough Airshow next week as Boeing turns 100 and Canada's Bombardier marks the entry into service of a new jet designed to challenge the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus.

The July 11-17 event, which alternates with the Paris Airshow as the industry's premier showcase, will see new jets displayed including the world's most expensive warplane, the Lockheed Martin F-35, but is not expected to produce the flood of civil jetliner orders seen in previous years.
After a record multi-year sales bonanza for efficient new models, sellers remain on the road drumming up more business for the show. But analysts say many airlines are reluctant to make decisions as doubts over the economy disrupt the traditional self-confidence and big money usually displayed at such events. "The issue is how do you as a manufacturer survive the ill winds blowing from the outside world," said Richard Aboulafia, vice-president at Virginia-based consultants Teal Group. "It is getting grimmer out there."

Despite the uncertainties - including Britain's shock decision last month to leave the European Union - jetmakers are expected to confirm bullish 20-year outlooks. They face some doubts over key Asian demand, though there could be surprise orders from one or two of the region's low-cost players. "GDP and traffic growth are pretty positive but there are unknowns," said Eric Bernardini of consultancy AlixPartners.
10/07/16 Reuters/DNA

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Air India plans to resume Nairobi flight

Mumbai: Air India is exploring resumption of its service to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam six years after it withdrew from the market.

Air India chairperson Ashwani Lohani said the airline is sending a team to Kenya and Tanzania to assess market potential. He  added there have been requests to Air India  from these two  countries and also from South Africa  to introduce flights.

At present no Indian carrier flies to Africa. Air India stopped its Mumbai-Nairobi-Dar es Salaam flight in 2010. It had pulled out of South Africa a few years earlier.


Air India has 21 Boeing 787 planes at present and it will be receiving six planes of the type  from November till 2018 and is also planning flights to Madrid and Copenhagen. The launch of the new services will take place as it inducts the new planes.
10/07/16 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Jet Airways increases capacity to challenge Emirates, Singapore Airlines

Mumbai: Jet Airways is deploying wide body Boeing 777 aircraft on Dubai, Singapore and Amsterdam routes to grow its international business.

The move will intensify competition on Dubai and Singapore routes dominated by Emirates and Singapore Airlines and could lead to a fare war. It will also enable Jet Airways to consolidate presence in Amsterdam, its new European gateway.

International operations account for over a half of Jet Airways revenue.

The airline is increasing its capacity deployment on international routes following the re-entry of six  Boeing 777s into its fleet. Jet's Boeing 777-300ER planes seat 346 passengers in a three class configuration. The six planes were on lease to Etihad Airways and are returning to Jet Airways upon the expiry of lease term.
At present it flies five times daily on Mumbai-Dubai route with 168 seater twin class Boeing 737 aircraft. From August 6 one of the five flights will be operated with a Boeing 777. It operates twice daily between Mumbai-Singapore and from August 6 Jet will deploy Boeing 777 on one of the service.  From October it will use the Boeing 777 planes on Amsterdam flights from Mumbai and Delhi replacing the Airbus A330 planes.
09/07/16 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Foreign airlines shed fare load to entice desi flyers

Mumbai: International airlines are offering their first set of discounts on flights to and from India this year thanks to lower jet fuel prices and a lean travel season.

Carriers such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and national carrier Air India are offering fares that are 25-30% lower than last quarter and 10-15% cheaper than the same time last year, said travel company executives.

"Foreign carriers have introduced discounts to prop up demand during the next three months which is relatively not a high season for travel," said John Nair, head of business travel at Cox & Kings. "Customers who have not availed of their summer breaks have an opportunity to holiday at a discount of at least 15% to 20% than what was on offer for the same period last year."

Singapore Airlines, along with its unit Silk Air, has offered return fares starting from Rs 22,000 for travel from 11Indian cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi, Trivandrum, Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam) to Singapore.
In addition, travellers from Mumbai and Delhi can get premium economy return fares starting from Rs 38,000. The fares are available on sale from July 5-31, 2016, for the travel period ending September 30, 2016.
09/07/16 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

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Chennaiites trot globe, fly abroad for long weekends

Chennai:  Short international holidays during extended weekends are becoming popular from Chennai. Around 60% seats on Flights to South East Asian destinations and to the Middle East have been booked for extended weekends coming up in August and September.
Three extended weekends are coming up, one in August because of Independence Day holiday and two in September because of Ganesh Chaturthi on the first week while Bakrid and Onam on the second week. As August 15th is on Monday, travelers get three days holiday.
Airlines have seen an increase in bookings to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Colombo.
Yatra.com president Sharat Dhall said, "Yatra has witnessed a tremendous pick up in hotel bookings and packages for the upcoming long weekend from all major cities. During this time period we notice an increase in bookings across all categories. We have found that people not just from metros but also from tier two and three destinations are looking to travel during the Independence Day weekend." He also said, "Many airlines are also offering aggressive discounts to customers for travel during these weekends."
09/07/16 V Ayyappan/Times of India

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Memorial still held dear by Air India crash families

The relatives of those who lost loved ones to a terrorist bomb placed on an Air India jet high above the Atlantic 31 years ago, gathered once again at the memorial in Ahakista last week.

A total of 329 men, women and children died when the bomb planted on board Air India flight 182 exploded at exactly 8.12am on the morning of June 23rd 1985.

And at exactly 8.12am the commemoration began in Ahakista with the relatives and the locals who have, for the past three decades, come together to remember all those who died.

The memorial, which overlooks Dunmanus Bay, has become a place of reflection and calm for all those who visit and for the relatives who arrive, without fail, every year, the community on the Sheep’s Head peninsula holds a very special place in their lives.

‘It feels almost like coming home, we know everybody here and the entire community have been so kind and welcoming to us ever since the first day we arrived to what was then just a grassy field and is now this wonderful memorial to our loved ones,’ said Babu Turlapati, who lost his sons and only children, Sanjay and Deepak, when the 747 exploded.

Following prayers and the laying or flower wreaths, her excellence Radhika Lal Lokesh, the ambassador of India to Ireland, said that the memorial in Ahakista has provided the families with solace and a place to remember their loved ones.
08/07/16 Brian Moore/Southern Star

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Eid rush forces luggage off flights

Scores of Indian expatriates in the Gulf who came home for Eid found their baggage left behind due to the massive festival rush.
Executives at some of the Indian carriers said a majority of travellers coming home for the festival had packed heavy bags and were even willing to pay excess baggage charges. But due to load penalty issues — not going beyond the maximum take-off weight of an aircraft without offloading passengers or
carrying less fuel — meant that bags had to be left behind.
The problem happened mainly with Indian carriers which deploy single-aisle aircraft like Airbus A-320 and Boeing 737 and not large jets on India-Gulf routes. Some airports, especially in south India, saw heated exchanges between passengers and airline staff when the flyers found while they were home for the festival, their baggage — with Eid gifts for family members — had been left behind.
"We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our valuable customers from Dubai whose luggage got offloaded due to heavy Eid travel rush. We are ensuring that the offloaded baggages are delivered in the consequent SpiceJet and other airlines' flights," SpiceJet spokesman Ajay Jasra said.
A senior Air India executive said this issue was faced mainly with AI Express flights that operate between Gulf and south India. "Passengers were flying with lots of heavy baggage. Aircraft were carrying more fuel to factor in diversions due to bad weather (heavy rains) or longer than usual hovering times at airports. Due to this bags were left behind and we are making all attempts to ensure that they reach the passengers at the earliest," the executive said.
08/07/16 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Oman Air to challenge Gulf rivals in India

Dubai: Oman Air, the sultanate’s state-owned carrier, is carving out its own position in the Indian market as it looks to take on its larger Gulf rivals. The Muscat-based airline said last month it wants an extra 8,000 weekly seats on flights to India within two years, increasing its current share by around 40 per cent to 29,820.

That would give it more than Qatar’s 24,800 weekly seats but less than Dubai’s 65,000 seats and Abu Dhabi’s 49,670 seats, according to Indian newswire PTI.

Oman Air, who is targeting to at least break even in 2017, is counting on increasing demand for international travel from one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. The move is likely to challenge Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, who are some of the largest foreign carriers flying in and out of India.

“Demand is certainly there for Oman Air to expand. There are opportunities to grow transfer traffic as well as origin-destination traffic,” Binit Somaia, Director South Asia at CAPA — Centre for Aviation, told Gulf News by email.

Passenger traffic in India increased by over 20 per cent in 2015, according to the International Air Transport Association. By comparison, air travel in China grew by roughly 10 per cent and by less than 5 per cent in the United States.
07/07/16 Alexander Cornwell/Gulf News

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British Airways apologises to Anil Kumble after his bags 'caught behind' in London

St. Kitts: Anil Kumble's new innings in the Caribbean as Team India's head coach, did not begin well today (July 7). His bags did not arrive with him in St. Kitts after British Airways left them behind in London.
Kumble and the 17-man Indian Test squad landed in St. Kitts on Thursday (July 7). After the team had landed at the airport, the former captain tweeted a picture of himself with few of the players, on the tarmac with British Airways aircraft in the background. However, later he realised that his bags had not arrived at his destination. (Ind-WI series schedule)
"Reached St. Kitts...long flight..@cheteshwar1 @klrahul11 @y_umesh Tour begins @BCCI," Kumble wrote on his Twitter page after landing in St. Kitts.
British Airways' official Twitter handle confirmed that Kumble's bags were "caught behind" in Gatwick Airport in London. Team India had travelled from Mumbai to St. Kitts via London. "@anilkumble1074 We're sorry your bags are 'not out' to St Kitts! They have been 'caught behind' your flight from Gatwick. We are looking 1/2. "@anilkumble1074 to 'bowl' you over with our service recovery. 2/2," British Airways wrote in two separate tweets in a witty manner using cricketing terms. This is not the first time British Airways had said sorry to an Indian cricketer. In November 2015, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar had blasted the airlines after one of his family members' ticket was not confirmed and bagagge was sent to wrong destination.
07/07/16 Aprameya C/One India

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PAL to revive flights to New Delhi via Bangkok

Philippine Airlines plans to revive flights from Manila to New Delhi via Bangkok, following the success of its triangulated flights from Manila to Osaka and Taipei.

“In the future, we will try to study the possibility of operating in other countries where we have fifth freedom traffic rights,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said.

Fifth freedom is the freedom to pick up passengers and cargo from a foreign country and carry them to a second country, which is the final destination.

“We have some other entitlements.  A correct example is we can fly Bangkok to India. We did this a few yeas ago but we stopped. We will again re-assess the profitability of operating this fifth freedom traffic,” Bautista said.

PAL’s flights to New Delhi were stopped in June 2013 amid low demand from local travelers.

PAL started Manila to Osaka and Taipei on June 25 through fifth freedom rights held by the Philippines.
06/07/16 Darwin G. Amojelar/The Standard

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Air India flight to US lands in Iceland due to medical emergency

New Delhi: A US-bound non-stop Air India flight from here was diverted to Iceland's Reykjavik-Keflavik airport today due to a medical emergency.

Air India flight AI-101 landed at Iceland's Reykjavik-Keflavik airport at around 1530 hours Indian time to provide medical assistance to one of the passengers onboard, from where it departed for the JFK airport in New York at 1645 hours (Indian time), an airline official said.

According to the official, a passenger, aged around 42, fell sick and was attended by a doctor onboard.

The doctor advised cabin staff to land the flight at the nearest airport for an early medical assistance to the sick passenger, the official said, accordingly the aircraft was diverted to Reykjavik-Keflavik.
05/07/16 PTI/Economic Times

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India ranks first in arrivals at Dubai International Airport

Passenger numbers at Dubai International continued an upward trend in May with the airport welcoming 6.7 million customers, according to the monthly traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports. In May 2016 passenger numbers at DXB rose 7.2 per cent to 6,721,995 compared to 6,267,640 in May 2015.

In terms of total passenger numbers, India topped all countries with a total of 989,680 passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia (549,091), the UK (435,251), and Pakistan (327,178) while the top cities for passenger traffic were London (280,945), Doha (243,845) and Mumbai (214,061).

During the first five months of 2016, DXB welcomed 34,648,953 passengers which represents a year on year growth of seven per cent compared to 32,384,620 passengers during the same period last year.
05/07/16 TravelTrendsToday

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FDI in airlines may hit air pocket with Centre’s circular on ownership

New Delhi: Experts have described as ‘contradictory’ and ‘confusing’ a circular issued by the Centre stating substantial ownership and effective control (SOEC) of airlines should vest with Indian nationals as it runs contradictory to its decision to raise foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in airlines to 100 per cent.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) had issued the circular retaining the clause which said substantial ownership and effective control (SOEC) should vest with Indian nationals.

“Hundred per cent FDI with substantial ownership and control lying with Indian nationals is contradictory, baffling and has created needless confusion,” said Amber Dubey, Partner and India Head of Aerospace and Defence, KPMG.

While the DIPP circular mentions that 100 per cent FDI equity is permitted for scheduled domestic airlines and regional air transport services, it also adds that “there is no change in the Other Conditions mentioned in the FDI policy for this sector.” The other conditions for the civil aviation sector, in the FDI policy (2016), clearly mention that an air operator permit will be granted to a company only if it is registered in India, the Chairman and two-thirds of its directors are Indian citizens and substantial ownership and effective control is vested in Indian nationals.
“Either the government has to change the conditions (of the FDI policy) or amend some rules,” said Devraj Singh, Executive Director – Tax and Regulatory Services, EY. “Unfortunately or fortunately, they have deliberately mentioned that other conditions will remain the same.”

There was no clarity on the ownership clause for foreign airlines among both the civil aviation ministry and the DIPP.

“Please ask the civil aviation ministry about the other conditions. As far as we are concerned, the conditions remain the same,” a senior DIPP official said.
05/07/16 Somesh Jha/The Hindu

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Passengers coming home from Dubai for Eid blame Jet Airways of leaving luggage behind to earn extra cash

Delhi/Patna: A number of travellers flying from the UAE to India, mostly to celebrate Eid with family, were made to suffer due to callous approach of Jet Airways. Travellers alleged that the aviation company, in a bid to earn extra money, consciously delayed their luggage at different points during the journey and played havoc with their travel plans.

Imteyaz Ahmed, an engineer working in UAE, said he has been left completely frustrated due to the attitude of the company. Ahmed, who is a resident of Madhubani, Bihar, said, "Yesterday, when I was boarding the flight, I was told that the luggage was five kilos more than the permissible limit and asked me to pay $22 for every extra kilo, because of which I had to discard some of my stuff. But more importantly, we were told that our luggage would arrive by the next flight. Again in Delhi, when we were taking our connecting flight, we were told that our luggage would follow us when we reach Patna."
05/07/16 TwoCircles.net/Two Circles.net

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Indian phone thief stopped just in time at Bangkok airport

An Indian thief who stole a mobile phone was arrested as he was boarding a plane home.
Ajindar Singh, 40, was apprehended by Suvarnabhumi airport officials after he was spotted on CCTV stealing the phone from a charging station at Gate 9 on the fourth floor, reported Daily News.
He was about to board an Air India flight but now faces charges of stealing from within the airport.
05/07/16 Thai Visa News

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Air India to launch Ahmedabad-London-Newark flight

With an aim to connect more global destinations, leading State-run airline Air India (AI) will launch Ahmedabad-London-Newark flight from August 15 and Delhi-Madrid in December, and also plans to expand its fleet size in next four years, a top official said on Monday.

“We will be launching the Ahmedabad-London-Newark flight from August 15 and Delhi-Madrid from December as part of our growth plan,” Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwini Lohani said in Bhopal.

Mr. Lohani arrived in Bhopal to take part in a programme on the occasion of opening of AI area manager’s office, which was inaugurated by Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Antony DeSa.

“We have launched a number of new flights. We have already launched flights from Delhi for San Francisco and Vienna. Next year we are planning to launch five-six more flights, including Washington, Scandinavian countries and Africa. We are heading towards growth,” Mr. Lohani said, replying to a question on the issue of profitability.

To a query on the current fleet size, he said at present there were 133 aircraft in the Air India group.

“In next four years we will have 232 planes,” he said.

On relaxation in 5/20 rule (five years operation in domestic sector and 20 aircraft) for launching international operations, the CMD, while welcoming it, said ultimately it will benefit the passengers as competition will increase.
04/07/16 PTI/The Hindu

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Life after 5/20 rule: a flying affair

Why are we going against our own domestic airline players? Why do we need foreign players? Won’t the new 0/20 rule derail the already fragile domestic airlines industry? Doesn’t Make in India principles apply to civil aviation?

Frankly, a lot of misperception seems to be in the air. In recent times, the Centre has been giving clear indications of continuing liberalisation agenda in the aviation sector. Though the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016, took a long time to be finalised and took perhaps more time and inputs from stakeholders than was expected, at least it has brought to a good close many important–and for long controversial–aspects, such as the 5/20 rule for international operations.

In fact, many people questioned the somewhat open-ended approach the government had taken on this at the draft stage and there was a feeling that the policy on this aspect may even be put off for the future. Thankfully, the government has taken a clear and correct position of moving ahead with further liberalisation by bringing in the 0/20 rule and thus giving more choices to those flying overseas.

When we study the key objectives of the policy, such as significant growth in the civil aviation sector, or contributing to increased tourism, or enhanced ease of doing business, and which all are the right objectives, and then apply the test to see if we are moving towards achievement of these objectives, it is quite apparent that the changed position of the government – 0/20 rule for international operations – is more aligned to achievement of its stated objectives than the existing position of 5/20.

Any liberalisation is good for the consumer and therefore, we must pursue it. Having said that, any liberalisation that is brought in an ad hoc or rushed manner, or with no consideration for the evolving domestic players, may have pitfalls that need to be carefully considered. The so-called level-playing field demanded by some of the existing players did not really merit postponement of liberalisation as they had more than adequate time to gain their own advantages, they definitely should not have expected a permanently restrictive policy. And frankly, not taking full advantage of the time they had is not an issue that the government should worry about seriously.
03/07/16 Amrit Pandurangi/Deccan Herald

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A holy trip mired in uncertainty

Kochi: Around 300 pilgrims from Kerala who are desirous of attending the canonisation of Mother Teresa are currently at the mercy of national carrier Air India, to take the long route to Rome.

With no seats available in most of the airlines, owing to the flow of Gulf Malayalis returning after vacation, the pilgrims’ search for the most suitable route ended at Air India.

The shortest flight route to Vatican, where the canonisation ceremony is scheduled to be held on September 4, is via Dubai. Due to non-availability of seats, travel agents are considering an alternative route to Rome from Kochi, via Delhi.

“The problem with the route is that Air India operates low-capacity aircraft in the Kochi-Delhi sector. It could be solved if Air India operates flights with larger capacity in the first week of September,” said ITL Holidays, Kochi, general manager Abraham Joseph.

Though the Kochi station of Air India has asked its headquarters to allot high-capacity aircraft in the Kochi-Delhi route, considering requests from travel agents, it has not elicited any response yet.
03/07/16 Babu K Peter/New Indian Express

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Neerja Bhanot Conferred 'Bharat Gaurav Award' In London

Chandigarh: Braveheart flight purser late Neerja Bhanot was conferred the 'Bharat Gaurav Award' at a function at the House of Commons in London, a spokesman said in Chandigarh on Sunday.

The award, instituted by Sanksriti Yuva Sanstha -- a Jaipur-headquartered NGO with an international presence, was received by Neerja's brothers Akhil and Aneesh Bhanot at the Westminster Parliament building in London.

Baroness Sandip Verma, a member of the House of Lords and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, presented the award.

The award was conferred on Neerja for "distinguished services to the nation and outstanding individual achievements", the spokesman said.

After receiving the award, Neerja's brother Aneesh said: "The Bharat Gaurav Award will inspire other people, especially the younger generation, to follow the principles of Neerja -- Do your duty, come what may; never tolerate any injustice and never compromise on your values and principles."

Neerja, 22, gave up her life to save passengers during a terrorist hijack of a Pan-Am flight at Karachi international airport in Pakistan on September 5, 1986.
03/07/16 IANS/NDTV

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Technical glitch forces CEB flight diversion to India

A Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) flight with 347 passengers from Dubai en route to Manila was forced to divert to Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India due to a technical glitch, CEB said on Friday.
The passengers of CEB flight 5J015 were immediately brought to safety after the aircraft landed at 10:40 a.m. (June 29, 2016) at the airport.
CEB said “the passengers were provided hotel accommodations, meals, and transfers who unfortunately had to wait inside the plane while their special entry permits were being work out.”
It added that a local third party also assisted all passengers at the airport and provided tranfers to their respective hotels.
The airline also said it set up travel desks at the passengers’ hotels to provide immediate assistance with their reaccommodation.
“As of this morning, 120 passengers had been booked on another airline and are expected to arrive in Manila later today. The rest are being booked on the soonest available flights,” the CEB said in an advisory.
01/07/16 Benjie L. Vergara/Manila Times

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Indian pilots will fly Russian fifth-gen fighters

New Delhi: The Indian pilots will finally get to fly the Russian prototype of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) once the contract between New Delhi and Moscow on the joint development of futuristic combat jet is finalised.
Access to the Russian next-generation jet was one of the key sticking points between the two countries leading to the enormous delay in the project taking-off. Cost escalation and questions on serious technical deficiencies in the offer on plate were other breaking points.
The issue was resolved after intervention at the highest political level after officials failed to break the deadlock that had threatened to derail the much anticipated project that would have addressed Indian Air Force's requirement for a futuristic fighter jet. It is an important breakthrough as New Delhi had been trying to have a closer look at the Russian prototype (T-50) of PAK-FA on which the Indian version, called the Prospective Multi-Role Fighter (PMF), is based. Despite India paying $ 295 million for the preliminary design, Russia was not keen to share technical details of the prototype. Six prototypes of PAK-FA are currently flying. The project, which started in 2007, has now been resurrected. The projected cost agreed in 2011 was $10.5 billion.
01/07/16 Gautam Datt/India Today

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Air India to start flights between Ahmedabad and Newark via London from August 15

Travelling to international destinations is becoming easier for Indians with an increasing number of direct flights to popular destinations abroad.
Now, Air India has announced the launch of a thrice-a-week flight between Ahmedabad and Newark in New Jersey via London from August 15.
Ashwani Lohani, CMD, Air India Ltd made this revelation at a press conference recently. He said that the Dreamliner aircraft will be operating on this route, thus ensuring a comfortable international flight for Indian globetrotters.
Lohani also said that after a successful launch of direct flights between New Delhi and San Francisco last December, Air India is also looking to commence flights from Bengaluru to San Francisco.
01/07/16 Samonway Duttagupta/India Today

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