Showing posts with label Foreign Mar 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreign Mar 2011. Show all posts

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Afghan cargo airline destinations likely to include India

Dubai: Afghanistan's newest cargo airline has taken delivery of its first aircraft and is in negotiations to expand its service network beyond Afghanistan, with its first international destinations likely to include the UAE, Western China and India. East Horizon Airlines, which is the first carrier to be certified under the new, internationally compliant Afghan aviation standards, acquired four CASA 212-00 ramp-loading cargo planes from EADS CASA.
The aircraft will make stops in Malta and the UAE for final inspection, maintenance and pilot training before proceeding on to Afghanistan, a statement from the company said.
Once the aircraft arrive in Afghanistan, East Horizon will complete the final operational preparations necessary for the grant of an air operator's certificate (AOC) by the Afghan Aviation Ministry.
East Horizon executives expect the final operating certificate to be awarded in May, 2011, with the airline planning to begin cargo operations the day after the AOC is awarded.
The start of operations will be a welcome milestone for a country determined to rebuild and redevelop its national infrastructure following years of unrest.
cargo
31/03/11 Hindustan Times

More flights to India for WC

SriLankan Airlines will add more flights to India for cricket fans planning to fly to India for the Cricket World Cup final match on Saturday, Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne said.
SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka operate several flights to India daily. In addition to these flights, more flights will be arranged by SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka to Mumbai where the World Cup final match will be played.
31/03/11 Dharma Sri Abeyratne/Daily News

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Once bitten, Air India shies away from Europe

New Delhi: After a bad experience with a hub in Frankfurt, which Air India had to dismantle in just 17 months, the government carrier does not plan to make any new one in Europe.
The Irish civil aviation minister had been quoted as saying AI was thinking seriously in terms of a hub for Europe in Dublin.
“We do not plan to make any hub in Europe, or Dublin for that matter, because it does not make sense for a carrier like us, which has direct flights to the US. All our flights are doing well,” said a top AI official, who did not want to be identified.
He added the earlier hub in Frankfurt did not prove beneficial and wasn’t worth the cost. “We are saving ¤30 million (Rs 190 crore) per year by dismantling our Frankfurt hub. A hub in Delhi is doing well for us,” he said.
The airline made Frankfurt its hub in June 2009; this was dismantled in October 2010, after deciding a large number of flights could not be launched through the hub, apart from the expense. “Lufthansa, with its base in Frankfurt, being a very strong airline, also hampered our plans to develop Frankfurt as our hub,” said an AI official.
On a recent visit to India, Ireland’s minister for transport, tourism and sports, Leo Varadkar, had told journalists an AI team would be visiting there in the next six to eight weeks to study Dublin airport, selecting this after a study of around 10 airports in Europe.
29/03/11 Surajeet Das Gupta & Mihir Mishra/Business Standard

Indian airlines’ EU plans may hit air pocket

Indian carriers’ entry into the European Union (EU) carbon market next year is set to slow expansion plans as operational costs rise, leading to higher airfares that will make some airlines less competitive than their rivals.
From January 2012, emissions from all flights that arrive at or depart from an EU airport will be covered by the EU emission trading system (ETS).
The scheme, aimed at reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions cost-effectively, will cover all airlines operating in the EU except for very light aircraft and flights involving the military, police, customs, rescue operations and government business.
While the US and China have already protested against the scheme, the Indian government is yet to take a stance on it.
Air India Ltd, Jet Airways (India) Ltd and Kingfisher Airlines Ltd have flights operating in Europe and plan to increase flights to the continent.
Aviation accounts for less than 3% of 2009 global carbon emissions, but is expected to increase to 5% by 2050.
Under the proposed scheme, the EU can impound and sell any aircraft in the event of non-compliance and cancel an airline’s certificate to fly, technically known as air operator’s certificate.
The EU ETS will add to costs in terms of monitoring, reporting and verifying carbon emission records. Airlines will also have to spend to allocate and trade carbon credits in the open market.
A senior Air India executive said the airline has already started submitting verified data on carbon dioxide emissions to EU ETS. “We were asked to submit this data under protest. This is a one-sided regulation. We have asked the ministry to frame similar regulations for carriers that are flying to India,” the executive said.
29/03/11 P.R. Sanjai/Live Mint

Philippine Airlines starts India operations

Mumbai: Philippine Airlines, has started its India operations, with six daily flights on the Manila-New Delhi sector from March 27.
With increasing number of Indians looking to travel abroad for leisure, global carriers have either introduced flights in India or existing ones have increased frequencies. Currently, nearly 1,200 international flights operate per week from various Indian airports. Over 70 international carriers from approximately 55 countries have operations in the country.
29/03/11 Shaheen Mansuri/Financial Express

Qatar Airways rolls out regional advertising campaign

Qatar Airways has unveiled a brand new advertising campaign aimed at highlighting the unique characteristics of each region within the airline's expanding global network. The new print and radio advertising campaign follows the successful introduction of a similar concept that promoted the airline's new routes throughout 2010 and into 2011.
The thought-provoking new style established a cerebral approach to advertising the airline's newest routes attracting widespread attention in the industry and the general travelling public.
The latest regional ads emphasise key messages and visual representations that are instantly recognisable as being connected to a specific region.
Qatar Airways' new designs made a splash at this year's ITB Berlin, the world's largest travel show earlier this month, where the airline's Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker held a press conference highlighting frequency increases across regions featured in the campaign, as well as the introduction of three brand new routes - two in Europe (Sofia and Oslo) and one in India (Kolkata).
India, Europe, Australia, China, East Asia, South Asia, North America, South America, Africa and the Middle East are each featured separately in the new advertisements. The creative executions showcase an airline that is confident, generous and progressive.
29/03/11 AMEinfo.com

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Air India's direct Delhi-Chicago flight route doing well

Chicago: Air India (AI) has tasted success with its direct New Delhi- Chicago flights, which were launched on October 31 last year.
"There has been an increase in the number of passengers travelling," Jude Crasto, the manager of Air India in Chicago, said at a news conference here.
"There has also been an increase in first class and business class customers. The flight has been very well received and the public is very happy," he said.
The flight no longer stops at Frankfurt, Germany, and travel time has been reduced to 15 hours and 10 minutes.
"For the New Delhi to Chicago flight, our European hub has been dismantled to give quicker flying times and ongoing service is unparalleled," he said.
Air India also operates direct flights from New Delhi to New York and New Jersey.
Crasto said that no other airlines has achieved such progress in such a short time and large space.
"Air India has had a huge impact and we have taken positive steps and are progressing forward," he said.
"The next milestone is to enter into the Star Alliance," he said. "It is the next agenda for us," he added.
He said the success of the non-stop flight was proof that AI was doing well.
The manager said that AI has spacious seating, wide and luxurious business class seats and the best onboard food and.
27/03/11 PTI/Economic Times

Friday, March 25, 2011

BA eyes stake in Indian carrier if FDI rules tweaked

London: British Airways has said it would be interested in investing in an Indian carrier, were the government to change rules to allow foreign airlines to invest in India. "If the possibility arises, I am sure we would be interested but I am not sure which airlines. As a region it's certainly a good one to
invest in," said Judy Jarvis, British Airways (BA) Regional Commercial Manager for South Asia in an interview with the Hindustan Times at the airline's headquarters here.
"International Airlines Group (IAG) - the holding company of BA and Iberia - has made no secret of the fact that they would be very keen on an acquisition on a global scale. Asia is a key region and South Asia probably also," she said.
India is an important market for them, Jarvis said. "In terms of number of flights and size of operations, it's the second biggest after the US, as a country. We have 45 flights a week, and that's quite a lot compared to other areas that we fly to."
The code share with Kingfisher, she said, had given British Airlines a "bigger footprint" in India and they were very happy with the relationship. "We already fly to five cities in India and with Kingfisher as our code-share partner we have added five cities to our network, and Sri Lanka as well. It gives us a much bigger footprint."
24/03/11 Tushar Srivastava/Hindustan Times

AI's connecting flight to Paris

Chennai: Flying to Paris is going to be hassle-free as Air India has introduced a domestic flight from Chennai to Delhi that will connect to a Delhi-Paris flight.
The flight AI 0043 using an A320 aircraft will depart from international terminal at 8.45am and Paris-bound passengers can complete their customs and immigration formalities at Chennai itself, said a press release. The service starts on Sunday.
The flight will reach Delhi at 11.10am. The flight to Paris will take off at 1.10pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The Chennai-Delhi service that starts on March 27 will also provide passengers with convenient connections to Frankfurt and London.
25/03/11 Times of India

Kingfisher, Jet won’t get Melbourne route

Private carriers like Jet and Kingfisher will not be able to fly to Melbourne,as aviation ministry will give time to national carrier, Air India to settle down on this route.
The cash-strapped AI that was recently granted approval to operate direct flights from Delhi has requested aviation ministry not to allow other carriers on that particular route till it stabilises its operations.
Both AI and aviation ministry officials confirmed the request. “Whether the ministry has accepted it or not is yet to come,” an AI official said on the condition of anonymity.
This has left private airlines miffed as they find that India-Australia route pretty lucrative to start direct flights. “Major traffic on India-Melbourne route is mainly students. To start flights on this route is certainly value for money. There is a huge potential both in terms of direct flights from India to Australia as well as connecting flights,” said a private airline’s executive, who did not want to be named.
At present, Singapore Airlines and Qantas are the major competition on India-Australia routes. Though both Jet Airways and Kingfisher have not yet sent an official proposal to aviation ministry seeking permission for Melbourne, the carriers find it as one of the good options for future network expansion.
24/03/11 Parul Chhaparia/mydigitalfc.com

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Probe into fake pilot licences reaches Manila

New Delhi: The scare created by fake pilots among flyers has forced the government to crack the whip on substandard pilots who could endanger air safety. The aviation ministry is now weighing if it should disallow licences of Indians who train as co-pilots from flying schools in countries with dubious track record. If this comes about, these students won't be able to get their foreign commercial pilot licences (CPL) converted to Indian ones and not be eligible to fly for any desi carrier.
Action on this front has already begun, albeit in a different way. The DGCA has detected anomalies in the records of students coming from many flying schools in the Philippines. A team sent there last year reportedly found some schools which issued log books certifying that their students had flown the required number of hours to become co-pilots in a certain aircraft did not even have those types of planes in their fleet!
"Philippines itself is checking these institutes..." sources said.
24/03/11 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

180 days later: GMR at the helm of Male’ International Airport

Rising prices for aviation fuel and increased ground handling charges made by GMR, the Indian infrastructure giant that is now managing and developing Male’ International Airport, are in line with international prices, the airport’s CEO Andrew Harrison has told Minivan News.
The price of fuel at the airport has increased 35.39 percent at the airport and 35.67 percent internationally, Harrison said, in an update on progress at the airport during an initial 180 day strategy period following the company taking the reins.
“We are not even passing over the full increase in prices of fuel – we’re sensitive to airline customers and what the price of fuel means to them,” Harrison said. “The escalating price is affecting the whole global economy, and affects airlines directly not just here but at all other locations.”
Harrison sought to head off concerns aired recently that the cost of fuel at Male’ International Airport was impacting airlines’ willingness to fly to the destination.
“No airline has come forward and said they are unhappy with our pricing, but they are concerned about the global price of fuel,” he said. “With all the volatility there are challenges there.”
“We are working on some strategies to reduce the cost of providing fuel to them. We’ve spent the last six weeks meeting airlines – some want credit terms, others a set supply criteria – we are trying to meet the need of the majority.”
“The pricing of fuel is not something we compare one place to another, because there are many variables including the method of delivery and the volume you’re buying. The size of the berth we have limits the size of vessel we can charter, and these factors affect the price we can buy and supply fuel at.”
GMR had signed a US$140 million contract with the State Trading Organisation (STO) to supply fuel, he added, switching the contract over from Dubai-based Galana Petroleum.
23/03/11 JJ Robinson/Minivan News

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Turban row: India plans to move UNSC resolution

New Delhi: India has decided to move a resolution at the UN General Assembly stating that the turban was a symbol of Indian religious sentiments and has to be respected by all. "We attach highest level of importance to the series of incidents where disrespect has been shown to turban, which is a symbol of our
religious sentiment that has to be respected,” a government official said.
With its present clout in the world body where it is a non-permanent member, New Delhi hopes to get the resolution passed soon. "The kind of acceptability India enjoys among the member states, we are hopeful that the resolution will be passed,” he explained.
The move comes after top Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh’s coach Amritinder Singh was on Tuesday forced to remove his turban by security officials for the second time at the same Milan airport where he had to endure a painful ordeal last week. Amritinder was rudely told on March 15 by Milan airport security officials that he could either remove the turban or not board the flight.
23/03/11 Jayanth Jacob/Hindustan Times

Customs agents foil destructive beetle at airport

Atlanata: U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the world's busiest airport say they've foiled a destructive beetle from entering the country, where it could have done massive damage to crops.
Customs officers at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said Tuesday they recently intercepted the khapra beetle in the luggage of two passengers arriving from India.
The agency's agriculture specialists noticed a small beetle larva slightly larger than a pinhead. They made the discovery while inspecting a small bag of dried beans, authorities said.
Experts at a federal lab confirmed it was the khapra beetle, one of the world's most destructive pests which attacks stored seed and grain products. Atlanta customs officials said they destroyed the beans to prevent the insect from entering the U.S.
Customs officials said that a khapra beetle outbreak in the U.S. could cost millions of dollars in cleanup efforts. They said the damage could lead to tremendous economic losses to seed and grain producers because other nations would likely impose quarantine restrictions on contaminated exports of U.S. grain.
An outbreak of the beetle occurred in California in 1953, leading to an estimated $15 million cleanup effort and years of eradication, customs officers said.
23/03/11 Jeff Martin/Associated Press/Sacramento Bee

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Bangkok Airways flies to and from Mumbai

With sizable India-Thailand traffic -- nearly 800,000 Indian tourists in 2010 and growing at 15-20 percent -- it makes good sense for boutique airline Bangkok Airways to start picking up customers directly from Indian cities.
A new service between Mumbai and Bangkok took off this month, with a frequency of six flights a week.
It's an Airbus 319 with 12 seats in business class and 106 seats in economy which departs from Mumbai at 1.50 a.m. and arrives in Bangkok at 5 a.m..
A return economy class ticket starts at Rs 12,500 and a business return is Rs 25,000 and upwards.
"Demands are there," says Bangkok Airways president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osot. "We expect to carry an average load factor of 60 percent."
21/03/11 CNN Go.com

Monday, March 21, 2011

Mumbai doctor saves life aboard Hong Kong flight

Mumbai: Until a few weeks ago, Dr Rahul Gujar was just another doctor, but everything changed for him on February 24 when he saved the life of 36-year-old Sunil Kumar 10,000 feet above sea level on a Hong Kong flight returning to the city.
In the early hours of February 24, when the pilot of Cathay Pacific flight-CX 709 announced if there was a doctor on flight, Dr Gujar made his way to the seats ahead and saw Kumar had fallen unconscious.
"I immediately checked his pulse and examined him. I suspected some internal bleeding. I asked the crew members to fetch me the emergency medical box and put him (Kumar) on an IV-drip and performed Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)," said Gujar, a gynaecologist at St Elizabeth Hospital in Malabar Hill, Mumbai.
Kumar almost immediately regained consciousness after CPR was conducted on him.
However, for Dr Gujar, the next worry was getting Kumar hospitalised.
"When the pilot informed me that we would not be landing for another two-and-a half-hours, I knew it would be too long a time and requested the pilot for an emergency landing."
The pilot made an emergency landing at Chennai airport, which was only an hour away. "Once the flight landed in Chennai, a team of doctors from the airport authority of India took over," added Gujar.
Dr Gujar said that during the situation, he noticed that several passengers were nervous and were praying for a miracle. "Even though we diverted from Mumbai to Chennai, there were no complaints from the passengers. In fact, they prayed for Kumar's survival."
21/03/11 NDTV.com

Aviation FDI hears freedom call

New Delhi: The government may allow foreign airlines to pick up minority stakes in domestic carriers, as part of its upcoming FDI policy review later this month. Rules are also likely to be relaxed for foreign firms who are required to seek the approval of their domestic joint venture partners to set up units in the same area of business. However, opening up of multi-brand retail may not happen.
Moreover, the cabinet committee of economic affairs may take up for its approval foreign direct investments (FDI) of more than Rs 1,500 crore, against Rs 600 crore now.
Projects below Rs 1,500 crore will be considered by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board, which will reduce the time for clearing the proposals, officials said.
Civil aviation secretary Nasim Zaidi has said his ministry has received a request from the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) — the nodal agency on FDI policy — to allow foreign airlines to invest in this country. He said the proposal “was under consideration and a decision on this would be taken soon”.
However, sources said, “Opening up of multi-brand retail, for which the discussion paper was also mooted by the government, may not find mention in the FDI revision nor extending the ceiling on defence production.”
21/03/11 R Suryamurthy/The Telegraph

NRI priest gets justice from consumer court

Chennai: An NRI priest from Hong Kong received justice from the Tuticorin consumer court against Indigo Airlines in Haryana, which delayed the flight of his friend and caused mental agony to him.
Priest Thomas Terrance approached the court after his friend, Ms. Wong Wai May Christina, missed the connecting flight from Chennai to Hong Kong because of the delay of the IndiGo flight in June 2010.
Mr Terrance, in his complaint, said he took Ms Christina to various tourist places in India and reached Kolkata.
“The Kolkata-Chennai flight of Indigo Airlines did not arrive as per the schedule. After two hours, we were informed the flight was delayed because of thick fog in Delhi. Finally, we boarded Indigo aircraft 6E-524 in the night. But within an hour, the captain informed the passengers about a mechanical snag and that the flight would be taken back to Kolkata,” Mr Terrance said.
By the time they reached Chennai, Christina missed the Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong. Mr Terrance then had to spend Rs 31,000 for boarding and to get a new ticket for Christina.
21/03/11 Deccan Chronicle

Sunday, March 20, 2011

380 Indians to return from Japan Saturday

New Delhi: National carrier Air India will bring back 380 more Indians from quake-hit Japan by Saturday night, a senior official said here.
'Around 380 passengers will be brought back from Narita, Tokyo, by 7 p.m. tonight (Saturday),' a senior Air India official told IANS.
According to the official, with the latest flight, the airline would have brought back around 1,900 Indians from Japan since the island country was hit by a massive earthquake and a devastating tsunami last week. Nearly 25,000 live in Japan, mostly in and around Tokyo.
Air India has decided to ply bigger planes March 16-21, and has deployed Boeing 747-400 Jumbo jets which can accommodate 423 passengers each.
'The increased capacity flights would operate on Boeing 747-400 Jumbo jet which can seat 423 passengers. The Jumbo jet is replacing Boeing-777s which could only carry around 300 passengers,' the company said.
In addition to four flights a week to Narita, Air India also has three flights a week to Osaka.
In view of the natural disaster that struck the country, the airline has also decided to waive all penalties for re-booking, cancellations and refunds on all types of tickets for travel to and from Japan up to March 31.
19/03/11 IANS/Sify.com

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Indian flyers from quake-hit Japan pay through the nose

Bangalore: We are not talking about business or first class fares. Airlines are charging these rates for economy class, as panic-stricken people flee from quake-hit Japan.
A random search done by DNA for fares on the Tokyo-India sector on the Cleartrip website for travel on Saturday showed that one-way ticket prices of some airlines have moved up to as high as Rs2 lakh.
Industry experts and travel agents say the current fares are almost two to three times of what airlines were charging for last-minute booking before the earthquake struck the island nation about a week back.
Anoop Kanuga, director, Bathija Travels believes a sharp decline in capacity on the sector could have resulted infares flying skywards. He estimated that the airlines have reduced 20% capacity between Japan and India.
A senior executive of gulf carrier Emirates, who did not want to be named, said the mass exodus from Japan could have led to a sudden spike in demand for air tickets and this was pushing up the fares. Typically, airlines follow a dynamic fare system to optimise their yield — net revenue per seat — on each flight.
An executive with Air India said the national carrier had added more flights between Japan and India, keeping its fares at reasonable levels.
19/03/11 Suparna Goswami Bhattacharya/Daily News & Analysis

AI brings back 1,600 Indians from Japan

New Delhi: With 337 more persons reaching India on Friday, Air India has brought more than 1,600 Indians back from the quake-hit Japan. It has also transported over 25 tonnes of relief material, including 20,000 blankets, to that country.
“A total of 337 people arrived from Tokyo in Air India's flight AI 307 today [Friday]. Since March 12, the airline has brought back 1,637 passengers, mostly Indians, from Japan,” an Air India official said. On Thursday, the airline carried 385 passengers from Tokyo's Narita Airport.
Air India has deployed Boeing 747-400 aircraft on the Delhi-Tokyo route, instead of the regular Boeing 777-300, to accommodate more Indians wanting to return home from Japan.
19/03/11 PTI/The Hindu

Official advisory against travelling to Japan

New Delhi: Amid the heightened concerns over radiation from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, India on Thursday advised its nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Japan and even those living in capital Tokyo to ‘consider’ moving away.
“Indian nationals from Tokyo and areas closer to the exclusion zone declared by the Government of Japan may consider moving to safer areas as a precaution,” External Affairs Ministry said.
Reports from Japan earlier in the day said radiation levels in Tokyo - some 250 km away from the tsunami-battered nuclear plant and far from the ‘exclusion zone’ - had not reached dangerous levels.
But some countries - including Britain and Australia - had advised their nationals to consider moving farther away, apparently fearing that winds could carry leaked radiation to the city. The Indian Government too is now making the same suggestion.
No evacuation plans have been announced, but Air India is making more seats available for those who want to return home.
The airline normally runs seven flights a week from Japan, counting both Tokyo and Osaka. It will now fly an additional plane from Tokyo on Friday. And from Thursday to Sunday at least, all Air India flights will be Boeing 747-400, which has a capacity of 423 passengers - instead of the usual Boeing 777ERs on the route which carry 365.
Since the earthquake and the tsunami on Monday, Air India has brought back 900 Indians home.
18/03/11 Ashwani Talwar&K S Narayanan/ExpressBuzz

Air India carries over 25 tonnes of relief material to Japan

New Delhi: Air India today said it has carried over 25 tonnes of relief material, including 20,000 blankets, to quake-hit Japan.
"The national carrier carried more than 25 tonnes of relief material, including two consignments each of 10,000 high-quality blankets sent by the government of India, to Japan on its two flights on March 15 and 16," an Air India spokesperson said.
To accomodate and facilitate more Indians wanting to return from Japan, Air India has deployed a Boeing 747-400 Jumbo aircraft for daily operations till March 21, he said, adding the plane has 423 seats and has been deployed in lieu of scheduled Boeing 777-300 aircraft.
Earlier, Air India was operating only four flights in a week. Flight AI-306 would leave Delhi at 2300 hours and reach Narita (Tokyo) at 0950 hours (local time) the next day. On its return leg, flight AI-307 would leave Narita at 1130 hours (local time) and arrive in Delhi at 1800 hours.
18/03/11 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

Bagri lawsuit will bring more pain to victims: RCMP's Bass

A lawsuit filed this week by a man acquitted in the Air India bombing will bring more pain and suffering to the families of victims of the deadly 1985 terrorist attack, RCMP Deputy Commissioner Gary Bass said Thursday.
Bass said it is "unfortunate" that Kamloops mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri filed his suit against the B.C. and Canadian governments this week seeking damages for allegedly violating his Charter rights during the Air India investigation. "I would say that it is unfortunate that this will put families through more unnecessary pain and suffering," Bass said.
If the suit goes ahead, Bass said Bagri might have to finally answer some questions about other evidence that came out during the 19-month trial.
"I would also note that evidentiary standards are much different in civil cases," Bass said. "Perhaps he will have an opportunity to explain why he thought that it was a good idea to call for the killing of 50,000 Hindus at a public meeting shortly before the bombing."
A videotape of Bagri's speech was led by the Crown at the Air India trial. Bagri and co-accused Ripudaman Singh Malik were acquitted of first-degree murder and conspiracy charges on March 16, 2005. Malik filed a civil suit for malicious prosecution four years ago and the B.C. government is suing Malik for repayment of millions in loaned legal fees. Both matters are now before the Supreme Court of Canada.
18/03/11 Kim Bolan/Vancouver Sun

St. Jude Medical's CEO released after India arrest

St. Jude Medical’s CEO Daniel Starks was free to travel inside India Thursday, a day after authorities detained him for having a single round of live ammunition on him at the Delhi airport.
“Mr. Starks is respectful of the local process and has decided to remain in India until this misunderstanding is completely cleared up,” St. Jude spokeswoman Marisa Bluestone said in an e-mail statement. She said there are no formal charges against Starks.
There are still many unanswered questions about the incident. According to media reports, Starks was in India on business. He was about to take a chartered flight from the Indira Gandhi International Airport to Dharamsala, which happens to be the home of the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama. (Bluestone didn’t respond to a question about whether Starks was going to see the Dalai Lama. Being a fan of the Dalai Lama might be a tricky situation for a CEO whose company does business in China.)
Bluestone said in her e-mail that Starks was “temporarily detained by airport police on March 16 after a single shell was inadvertently left in an item of his clothing.
18/03/11 Chris Newmarker/MinnPost.com

Jet Airways Conferred 'Regional Deal of the Year 2010' Award

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, has been awarded the “Regional Deal of the Year” for 2010 by the Airfinance Journal, a leading financial magazine serving the commercial aviation industry worldwide. The award to Jet Airways was for structuring an innovative operating lease for its six ATR aircraft, under a deal with Calyon Bank, France and Investec in London. Under this deal, the airline took delivery of six new ATR aircraft between October and December 2010. This is the second such award accorded to the airline by Airfinance journal.
The first such award received by Jet Airways, in 2002, was for the US exim guaranteed financing deal that the airline did with the Standard Chartered Bank, Mumbai, and SBI Bahrain, and accomplished the delivery of 10 B737s aircraft between February 2001 & May 2003.
Alasdair Whyte – Publisher, Airfinance Journal will present the award to Jet Airways at a ceremony in New York in April.
Receiving the news of the award Nikos Kardassis, CEO, Jet Airways said, “Given the cyclical nature of the aviation business, it is critical that airlines innovate their operations to stay ahead of the growth curve.
18/03/11 eTravel blackboard

SITA Enables India’s ATC to Move to Safer Digital Data Communications

SITA today announced its selection by the Airports Authority of India to deliver enhanced systems that will enable the exchange of air traffic control (ATC) messages with data link-equipped airlines. SITA’s data link service will increase both the safety and efficiency of the Indian air traffic management service.
As part of this project, data link departure clearance (DCL) systems will be deployed at Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad international airports, with meteorological information for aircraft in-flight provided by data link D-VOLMET systems at Mumbai and Kolkata airports. SITA will also implement a centralised air traffic services (CATS) data link server that will enable access from aircraft to D-ATIS (digital automatic terminal information service) information from multiple airports across India. Together, all the SITA systems will increase safety as information will be exchanged in digital format, avoiding the potential of misunderstandings that may occur due to pilot or controller, language proficiencies and accents.
V. Somasundaram, Member-ANS (air navigation services), Airports Authority of India, said: “AAI is implementing data link capabilities for issue of departure clearances by air traffic controllers by using SITA’s data link services. This will facilitate controllers to deliver the clearances directly to cockpit printers, saving time, avoiding human errors, enhancing safety, capacity, and improving operational efficiency.
18/03/11 LogisticsWeek

Friday, March 18, 2011

Air passengers from Japan to be screened for radiation

Chennai: All passengers arriving from Japan will be screened for radiation contamination at the airport here following an instruction from the ministry of civil aviation to all international airports.
"The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will be in charge of the checks at all airports. The ministry has already instructed airports to start checking passengers from Japan," union civil aviation minister Vayalar Ravi said over the phone from New Delhi.
The move comes after Japanese authorities said the stricken reactors at the Fukushima plant may have started to spew radioactive steam.
At the Chennai airport, all steps were taken to conduct the checks from Friday. "The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will conduct the test at the passenger terminal. A team from the CISF Recruit Training Centre in Arakkonam which has the necessary equipment and staff will arrive to conduct the screening," said airport director E P Hareendranath.
He said the CISF had been told to dispatch the team as early as possible to ensure the checks could be started on Thursday night itself.
Chennai does not have direct flights from Japan but passengers from that country arrive via Hong Kong or Singapore. "The CISF team will get passenger details from immigration department and screen them if they are from Japan. A procedure is being established to identify passengers and to conduct the check," he added.
18/03/11 V Ayyappan/Times of India

Laxity in screening people from Japan may have serious fallout

New Delhi: Even as the world is gearing up to deal with nuclear catastrophe, the lax attitude of Indian authorities in screening the people coming from the island nation can result in severe consequences.
Officials told FE on conditions of anonymity that, “No one from the National Diasater Management Authority (NDMA) was present at the airport to monitor the passengers who returned on the Air India flight late Wednesday night.

NDMA has a total number of 52 distinguished professionals from ministries/departments including Department of Atomic Energy, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Defence Research & Development Organisation, ministry of health and family welfare, ministry of home affairs and ministry of defence to deal with several emergency situations including nuclear radiation.
18/03/11 Huma Siddiqui/Financial Express

First batch of Indians from Japan arrives

New Delhi: Delhi airport was a picture of chaos on Wednesday night with almost every one here wanting to catch a glimpse of the passengers who were brought back from Japan on a special flight.
But the 500 passengers who got off the flight were composed.
Passenger Ridhi Singla said, "If people want to come there are flights coming every day. I came because I am pregnant. For normal reason I wouldn't have come."
There were many though like Nidhi Jain who were just happy to come back home to safety. They came back however, with horrific memories of a country that has witnessed massive devastation and destruction over the last few days.
Twenty-year old Supriya's family too is relieved that she's back. Supriya though had wanted stay back in Tokyo and continue her studies.
Supriya Khatri said, "There is no need to rush back to India. People are still there - working studying."
17/03/11 Priyanka Dube/CNN-IBN

Air India operates more, bigger flights to Japan

State carrier Air India has started flights with bigger capacities to Tokyo and has increased their frequency to help bring back Indians from Japan as concerns about the spreading nuclear crisis worsened.

It is using a jumbo B 747-400 aircraft , which has a capacity of 423 passengers , instead of the scheduled B 777-300ER, a spokesman told Reuters, adding the airline normally did not operate flights to Japan on Thursday.

It has increased the flights' capacity from March 16 to 19, he said.

Air India has so far brought around 900 passengers to India from Japan since the country was hit with an earthquake and a tsunami last week, he said.
17/03/11 Reuters

Air India considering operational base at Dublin

New Delhi: Months after it withdrew from its first international hub at Frankfurt, an Air India team is likely to visit Ireland soon to study the possibility of creating an operational base at the Dublin airport.

“Air India was initially looking at about seven airports to establish its international hub. Later they came down to two and Dublin is one of them,” Irish minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said in the Indian capital.

A team from Air India would be visiting Ireland in the “next six to eight weeks”, he said. Air India had earlier initiated hub operations at Frankfurt but withdrew in 2010 after facing a severe financial crunch.

“We are also looking at establishing direct air links between India, probably Delhi, and Dublin. Discussions are going on with the Government of India,” Varadkar, who met Civil Aviation minister Vayalar Ravi, said.

Talks were “progressing reasonably well” on a bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA), which could be finalised and signed “very soon”, he said. Fifth freedom rights, which allow an airline to pick up and fly passengers from one foreign destination to another, were also on agenda.

Besides Air India, the Irish authorities are also holding talks with private Indian carriers to have Dublin as their international hub, he said.
17/03/11 PTI/Live Mint

Peruvian flyer held at IGI for baggage theft

New Delhi: A Peruvian national was held at the IGI Airport on Wednesday night for allegedly stealing a passenger's baggage on March 8. The accused was identified by CISF personnel through CCTV footage and has been handed over to Delhi police for further investigation.

Jose Marcelino, 57, was arrested from the cityside at Terminal 3. On March 8, a passenger named Salma was travelling out of the country with her wheelchair-bound husband. A trolley handler was assisting the couple with their luggage and the trio was standing at the entry gate when Marcelino and a friend of his joined the line. While the friend engaged the handler in conversation, Marcelino picked up one bag from the trolley and disappeared.

"The bag contained $4,500, Rs 25,000 and jewellery worth Rs 40,000. A case has been registered against the accused under section 379 of the IPC," said sources.

Sources said that the Peruvian passenger had been caught roaming outside T3 and identified as the person seen in the CCTV footage. He was questioned by CISF staff. He reportedly told them he had come to drop off a friend at the airport.
18/03/11 Times of India

Ammo in pants lands St. Jude CEO in jail in India

A Twins Cities CEO for a multibillion-dollar medical technology company was arrested at an airport in India with a live cartridge in the pants he had on as he went to board a charter flight, a company official said.

Daniel J. Starks, of Little Canada-based St. Jude Medical Inc., was detained Wednesday at the airport "during [a] baggage check by the Central Industrial Security Force team," agency spokesman Rohit Katiyar told the Indo-Asian News Service.

Starks, 56, was on a business trip to Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, the report added, when the cartridge for a pistol was discovered.

Kahit told the news service that Starks presented a U.S. arms license but it was not valid, prompting his arrest.

St. Jude spokeswoman Marisa Bluestone said Thursday morning that the shell "was left inadvertently in one of the lower leg pockets of a pair of cargo-type pants Dan was wearing."
17/03/11 Paul Walsh/Star Tribune

No one from govt has contacted us: Jeev Milkha's coach

Chandigarh: Amritinder Singh, Jeev Milkha's swing coach, who was humiliated by security guards at an airport in Italy, said that no one from the Indian government has contacted them as yet. "It is for the government to now take up the matter with the Italian government. Jeev spoke to the Indian Consul General (CG) in Italy. The CG told Jeev that there are many complaints of harassment of passengers against the Milan airport staff. He said he had taken up the matter with the Milan airport director. According to him, the standard operating technique in Europe is to either pat down the turban or use a scanner for airport checks," he said.

Himself a pro golfer, Amritinder is Jeev's swing coach and is credited with convincing him to go back to his "old golf swing" with which he has stood him well in last couple of years. "I showed the guards my passport and told them that I'd been travelling abroad for the last 30 years but they were adamant. No logic or argument seemed to move them. If this is my plight, I wonder what the common person goes through," he said.

In Chandigarh, his father Simran Singh, who was India's pioneering pro golfer, said the family was "not going to take this humiliation lying down. We are going to take up this issue through well-wishers who are in contact with the government. There have been similar episodes with Sikhs in the past but the government seems ineffective. How long shall Sikhs take such humiliation?" Jeev's mother, Nirmal, was horrified.
17/03/11 Times of India

Star Alliance selects Zero Octa as Preferred Vendor

Zero Octa, the specialist audit subsidiary of Kale Consultants Ltd., and the Star Alliance, today announced that Zero Octa has been selected as preferred vendor for sales audit and revenue recovery and protection services for its member airlines.

Zero Octa had been the preferred supplier for revenue protection services for Star Alliance since September 2005. This new contract in effect extends this agreement and reaffirms Zero Octa as being an industry leader in the delivery of best practice solutions and services in the audit domain for airlines.
The appointment of Zero Octa is the outcome of a central selection process undertaken by Star Alliance on behalf of its member carriers. As a result, participating member carriers can now contract their individual requirements from Zero Octa, at favourable conditions and also expand the scope of work. This agreement covers multiple audit services, including passenger audit, collections management, refund application processing, BIDT audit, Direct Operating Cost audit, etc.
“In the case of Zero Octa, we are very pleased that we can continue and build on the cooperation which began back in 2005. All participating member carriers have managed to increase the percentage of recovered revenue and they look forward to a continued success relationship with Zero Octa,” said Christopher Korenke, VP Commercial, Star Alliance.
Speaking on the occasion, Peter O’Sullivan – Head of Business, Zero Octa, said “We are delighted to be continuing our long association with Star Alliance. This new contract reaffirms our standing in the market today. Quality, speed, accuracy and diligent customer service have been the cornerstones of our business – and we are sure that Star Alliance member airlines will continue to benefit from our services.”
17/03/11 Business Standard

IATA appoints new Asia Pacific VP

Manila: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has appointed Maunu von Lueders as Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific based in Singapore.

Asia-Pacific is the world’s largest aviation market. Its 26% share of travel will grow to 30% by 2014, when 1 billion passengers are expected to travel within the region.

A Finnish national, von Lueders has served as CEO of two international carriers, JetLite in India and Nordic Airlink/FlyNordic in Sweden. His aviation career began with Finnair where he worked until 2001 in various positions including general management, sales & marketing, commercial partnerships and international relations.

Von Lueders has also worked with the oneworld global alliance as Vice President of Sales.

“He brings extremely rich experiences in all facets of the aviation business. This will help IATA to deliver its critical agenda of industry projects in the dynamic Asia-Pacific region,” commented Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“The industry’s future is being built today in Asia-Pacific and I am confident that Maunu’s leadership will ensure that IATA’s global experience continues to play an important role in the region’s development.”
18/03/11 Emmie V Abadilla/mb.co.ph

Thursday, March 17, 2011

India carries radioactive checks at airports after Japan disaster

New Delhi: India on Wednesday started checking travellers and goods from Japan for possible radioactive contamination as the nuclear crisis in the East Asian country escalated following last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami, knowledgeable sources said.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) sources said that checkpoints had been established at the Delhi and Mumbai airports for checking incoming travellers and their luggage from Japan.

The checks are being carried out by the Nuclear Disaster Core Group, which is part of the NDMA. It is headed by Major General (retd) J.K. Bansal.

'The group is coordinating with the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre). Teams have been sent to the Delhi and Mumbai airports to check the passengers coming in from Japan,' an NDMA official told IANS.

The teams are equipped with radioactive material detection systems and are setting up checkpoints at the airports. 'This is being done in light of a potential widespread radiation release in Japan from the Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant,' the official said.

The sources said that radiation detective equipments would be integrated with X-ray baggage machines at the airports.
16/03/11 IANS/Sify.com

Wipro, L&T arrange flights to Japan

Bangalore: Indian information technology (IT) companies continued efforts to bring back their Indian staff from Japan today, as anxiety continued to grip the island nation over the nuclear crisis.
Mid-sized IT services company L&T Infotech said it had arranged a special flight tomorrow to bring back all its and L&T Group employees and their families. It has contracted Kingfisher Airlines to operate the flight from Tokyo to Chennai. The company, however, said these employees were being shifted for a temporary period. L&T Infotech has about 80 Indian employees at its Yokohama development centre.
Wipro has blocked seats on a chartered Air India flight for employees and their families who are willing to come back to India. It has 100 Indian software professionals at its Tokyo and Yokohama development centres.

HCL Technologies said it was sending a delegation of senior executives to Japan to take stock and interact with employees.
17/03/11 Business Standard

India carries out checks on travellers from Japan

New Delhi: India yesterday started checking travellers and goods from Japan for possible radioactive contamination as the nuclear crisis in the East Asian country escalated following last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, sources said.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) sources said that checkpoints had been established at the Delhi and Mumbai airports for checking incoming travellers and their luggage from Japan.
The checks are being carried out by the Nuclear Disaster Core Group, which is part of the NDMA. It is headed by retired major general J K Bansal.
“The group is co-ordinating with the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre). Teams have been sent to the Delhi and Mumbai airports to check the passengers coming in from Japan,” an NDMA official said.
The teams are equipped with radioactive material detection systems and are setting up checkpoints at the airports. “This is being done in light of a potential widespread radiation release in Japan from the Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant,” the official said.
The sources said that radiation detective equipment would be integrated with X-ray baggage machines at the airports.
He, however, said there was no need to panic as it was “an exercise in precaution as was done when the Chernobyl (nuclear disaster in Ukraine) happened in 1986.”
16/03/11 IANS/Gulf Times

SpiceJet Readies To Receive Q400s

India’s budget carrier SpiceJet by August will receive five of 15 Bombardier Q400s ordered last year. Its Q400 services will start in July.
The carrier will soon announce a base for the turboprops, says CEO Neil Raymond Mills, but he declined to give the location.
An airline official told Aviation Week it was likely the base would be in Delhi or Hyderabad because parking at these airports is less congested than at other facilities.
The airline will also start services to two or three destinations in South Asia this year, “and one of them could be Male in the Maldives,” Mills said. Maldives comprises 1,190 islands, of which 97 are resorts.
Last year, SpiceJet announced it would start flights to Male, but then dropped the idea. Kingfisher Airlines this month will start two flights a week from Delhi and Mumbai to Gan International Airport in the Maldives, 900 km southwest of India.
16/03/11 Neelam Mathews/Aviation Week

Safi Airways plans route expansion

Dubai: Safi Airways, Afghanistan-based private airline, expects its maiden profit in the fourth quarter after achieving a break-even level in the third quarter this year, its top official said. The airline is evaluating to open new sectors in India, Pakistan, Turkey and other Middle Eastern destinations to boost its revenues.
“In April 2011, we will announce our next route,” Michael McTighe, Chief Operating Officer of Safi Airways, told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of Aviation Outlook MENA conference in Dubai, which concluded on Wednesday.
Headquartered in Kabul Safi Airways was founded in 2006 and has an administrative office in Dubai. This private sector airline is positioned to connect Afghanistan with the international business centres of the world and to establish a domestic Afghanistan airline service.
17/03/11 Muzaffar Ravi/Khaleej Times

Kingfisher,Finnair to link India with Asia,Europe

New Delhi: Now with one Finnair ticket and a single check-in you can fly from several major Indian cities to 60 European and 11 Asian destinations.

A tie-up between the Nordic carrier and domestic Kingfisher Airlines has made this possible.

As per the co-operation between the two carriers, Kingfisher flights from Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Jaipur and Ahmedabad will connect fliers to Finnair's European and Asian daily network from Delhi Terminal 3.
16/03/11 PTI/Economic Times

Man acquitted in Air India bombings suing government

Vancouver: One of the two men acquitted in the 1985 Air India bombings is suing federal and provincial justice officials for damages and legal costs, saying his charter rights were violated by the failed prosecution.

Ajaib Singh Bagri filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court on Wednesday over his arrest and trial for murder in the deaths of 329 people killed in the June 23, 1985, bombing of Flight 182 and another explosion the same day killed two baggage handlers at Tokyo's airport.

"During the plaintiff's trial, the plaintiff spent his own funds and borrowed funds to defend himself prior to the Attorney General of British Columbia funding his defence," says the claim, filed in Kamloops, B.C., where Bagri lives.

The lawsuit claims Bagri's charter rights were violated because the Canadian Security Intelligence Service destroyed recordings of intercepted conversations and a witness interview.

It points out that in 1985, CSIS was intercepting the private communications of Talwinder Singh Parmar, but those intercepts were later destroyed by CSIS and no copies were kept. Parmar, considered the mastermind of the plot, was killed in a shootout with Indian police in Punjab in 1992.

"The destruction of the Parmar intercepts was unacceptable negligence on the part of CSIS and the government of Canada," says the claim.

In 1987, it says, the agency interviewed a witness but notes and audiotapes of that interview were also destroyed and no copies were kept. This, too, was "unacceptable negligence."
17/03/11 CTV News

SriLankan Airlines to resume operations to Kochi from Mar 27

Kochi: SriLankan Airlines today said it would recommence operations from Kochi by operating daily flights from Mar 27 and was also looking to resume services to Kozhikode and Hyderabad by the end of this year or early next year, a top official of the airline said.

With the resumption of flights to Kochi and addition of seven frequencies, the toal number of flights to India will increase to 63 per week, Mr Mohamed Fazeel, Head Worldwide – Sales, SriLankan Airlines said here.

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) season round the corner and Kochi Tuskers Kerala, which is making its maiden foray this season, having Lankan players, lot of fans would want to come to Kochi to see them play, he said.

It is extremely opportune time for the airline to resume services to Kochi post the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and world economic slump. India is an extremely important market for us and this re-launch in Kochi as a stepping stone to further expanding services in India and around the world, he said.
16/03/11 PTI/Business Line

Four suspected ISI agents arrested from Agartala airport

Agartala: Four suspected ISI agents were today arrested from the Agartala Airport for not carrying valid documents, officials said today.

The security at the airport was alerted following a tip-off that few suspected people had boarded a Spice Jet Airways flight from the Kolkata airport.

After preliminary grilling, the four Bangladeshi nationals - Md Nurmin (30), Naruttin Amin Kazi (32) of Feni district, Kalam Shikh (28) of Noakhali, Farooq Sheikh (45) of Chandpur district were taken to Airport police station last night.
16/03/11 PTI/Economic Times

India to take up turban issue with Italy

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna condemning the issue of golfer Amritinder Singh being asked to take off his turban at the Milan airport during security check, on Wednesday said the Indian Government strongly protests against such maltreatment and the sensitive matter will be taken up with Italy.

"Well, we have very strongly protested against such a security measure. We are proud of the turbans that the Sikhs in the subcontinent wear and we would like that there is an element of sanctity in wearing the turbans," said Krishna.

"We respect that and our sensitivity and our sentiments of all billion Indians cannot be hurt. So, whenever there has been a violation of this, we take it up whether it is United States or the government of Italy," he added.

India's top golfer Jeev Milkha Singh's coach Amritinder Singh had a harrowing experience at Milan's Malpensa airport on Tuesday, where security officials forced him to remove his turban and place it on a basket for clearance before being allowed to board a transit flight to Rome.
16/03/11 ANI/Sify.com

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Foreign airlines to invest in civil aviation under Consideration: official

Civil Aviation Secretary Dr Nasim Zaidi today said the Ministry of Civil Aviation has received a request from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) regarding allowing of foreign airlines' investment in India.

He said the proposal was under consideration and a decision on this would be taken soon.

Elaborating on the overall contribution of the civil aviation to the GDP, he said that the ministry is launching the satellite accounting system to assess the actual contribution of the sector to the country's economy.

Addressing industry's concerns, he said the ministry is well aware of the unfavourable fiscal environment affecting the viability of civil Aviation and the Ministry would take up the issue of recent hike in Service Tax with the Finance Ministry.

In the same vein, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is taking up the issue of high taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) and is in favour of including ATF under Goods and Service Tax (GST).

On the emission and environment related issues he said that there is a need to evolve a global approach under ICAO rather than following a regional approach which might hurt the aviation sector particularly in developing countries.
15/03/11 ANI/Sify

Foreign airlines’ investment in India under consideration: Zaidi

New Delhi: The Centre is considering allowing investment by foreign airlines in India, Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi said here on Tuesday.
Addressing the India Aviation meet, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here, Dr. Zaidi said the Civil Aviation Ministry had received a request from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion regarding allowing of foreign airlines' investment in India. “This is under consideration and a decision on this will be taken soon,'' he said.
Elaborating on the overall contribution of the civil aviation sector to the GDP, he said the Ministry was launching the satellite accounting system to assess the actual contribution of the sector to the country's economy.
Addressing the industry's concerns, he said the Ministry was well aware of the unfavourable fiscal environment affecting the viability of civil aviation and it would take up the issue of recent hike in service tax with the Finance Ministry.
He said the Ministry of Civil Aviation was taking up the issue of high taxes on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and was in favour of including ATF under the Goods and Service Tax (GST).
15/03/11 The Hindu

Jeev's coach forced to remove turban at Milan airport

New Delhi: Golfer Amritinder Singh, coach of India's top golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, had a harrowing experience at Milan's Malpensa airport on Tuesday, where security officials forced him to remove his turban and place it on a basket for clearance before being allowed to board a transit flight to Rome.

Jeev also had to wait around till they were cleared to board the flight. Amritinder was travelling with Jeev for the European Tour's Sicilian Open this week. Jeev is a three-time winner on the European Tour.

"The man was very rude," said Amritinder. "We kept telling him that I am a sportsperson who has travelled across the world and he should take a look at my passport but he wasn't ready to listen. He just said, 'No, you won't be able to board the flight unless you take it off.' It was particularly insulting that I was asked to keep my turban on a tray where people also keep their shoes."

While it is customary to use hand-held wands to scan turbans, European Union rules state that the headwear can be 'patted down' if the metal detector bleeps when they walk through. Urged by Jeev to stand his ground, there was not much Amritinder could do but take it off. "For me it is like being asked to strip in public," he said. "I even told them that this is not security but harassment."
15/03/11 Moushumi Bora/Times of India

Monday, March 14, 2011

AI to sell Nairobi, Paris properties to raise funds

New Delhi: Loss-making Air India has decided to sell its residential properties in Paris and Nairobi as part of its broader strategy to sell off non-core assets to raise funds. Sources said that the matter will come up for approval at the airline's board meeting on Tuesday in Mumbai. While the properties in Paris, which are basically residential flats, could fetch the airline's around euro 1.5 million (R9.4 crore), similar properties in Nairobi are yet to be independently valued. An Air India spokesperson confirmed the development, saying the airline had been in discussion with Indian embassy in Paris for the proposed sale. The sale process is expected to concluded by the month-end.
It will really be a nostalgic parting by Air India as the Paris property was brought by JRD Tata who was once the company’s chairman.
15/03/11 Nirbhay Kumar/financial Express

GE to set up manufacturing unit in India

New Delhi: US-based General Electric on Monday said it would set up a multi-facility infrastructure manufacturing unit in India, employing at least 3,000 people.

“Initially, we would invest $50 million (Rs 250 crore)...Total investment will be $200 million and the company will take a call in the next three to six months,” Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt told journalists here.
The facility would focus on equipment for the energy sector, besides aviation and health areas. “Within the next quarter or 90 days, we would announce the facility and the construction work would start in the second quarter (July-September),” he said.
The company did not give details of possible locations but said it had shortlisted places. “Our energy business would be the principal user of the facility... It would create upward of 3,000 jobs,” he added. The company currently employs around 12,000 persons in India across healthcare, technology, finance and energy infrastructure sectors.

At present, GE has a workforce of 6,300 in the company’s manufacturing business in the US, which would rise to over 8,000 by the end of 2011, as the company would be adding around 2,000 workers there, he said in response to a question whether the jobs in India would replace existing workers.
15/03/11 Business Standard

Mangalore air crash case goes to The Hague

Mangalore: Nearly a year after the Dubai-Mangalore Air India Express IX 812 crash in Bajpe that killed 159 passengers, the families of victims have decided to approach the international court for getting ‘the right compensation’ from Air India.

The families of the victims have jointly hired a Swedish advocate Stephen Ericson, a well-known authority in aviation accident compensation issues.

The president of the Air India Crash Victims’ Families Association Mohammad Beary said the compensation arbitrated by Mulla and Mulla company of Mumbai was not more than Rs50 lakh whereas the international norms recommends it closer to Rs1 crore. The compensation has to be paid in accordance with the Montreal Convention to which India was a signatory.

Every person who died in an air crash on an international flight was entitled to get a final compensation of $1,76,000 in the currency of the country where the air craft had crashed and at the prevailing exchange rate at the time of the disbursement of the compensation.
14/02/11 M Raghuram/Daily News & Analysis

On second thoughts, no touchdown

Mumbai: A fter Delhi, Istanbul and Male, the GMR Group has got a call from the US west coast. GMR Infrastructure is among the 10 shortlisted for selecting which is to manage and operate Ontario International Airport in California.
Only, GMR said it was withdrawing, not proceeding with what may otherwise have been its high-profile US debut. Instead, sources said, GMR prefers to scout for opportunities in Asia, especially in India.
The Navi Mumbai airport is coming up and the tender process is expected to begin by June. After Delhi, said industry analysts, GMR would love to enter Mumbai.
Ontario Airport, 61 km from downtown Los Angeles, was also made famous by Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio while shooting their cat and mouse chase flick, Catch Me If You Can.
“GMR does not plan to bid for the Ontario Airport opportunity,” the company spokesperson told Business Standard. Adding: “At this point, we will not like to comment on our growth strategy. However, we will continue to evaluate opportunities from growth markets.”
The GMR move has raised eyebrows, since it came after it participated in the initial documentation. Earlier in the year, the Los Angeles International and Ontario Airports (LAWA), which owns and manages the two airfields, had asked for expressions of interest from airport developers and managers for a 20-30 year agreement.
It had even sought suggestions on “hypothetical” business terms they’d like to incorporate in their contract, if selected. The chosen airport concessionaire — to be selected from the shortlist and a subsequent financial bid — is to be responsible for paying the LAWA annual rent and a fee.
14/03/11 Arijit Barman/Business Standard

AirAsia puts India on sale

Flights from Gold Coast, via AirAsia's Kuala Lumpur hub, start at just $239 one way to KL with a further $103 to Mumbai and Delhi in what the airline is calling its Real India Sale.
The sale runs from now until March 20 for travel from June 1 to August 31.
AirAsia’s 'fly-thru' service offers flights fly one way to Delhi or Mumbai from Perth from just $329*, and from Melbourne from $399*. Fly-thru allows guests to easily connect between two different flights via the Kuala Lumpur Low Cost Carrier Terminal without having to worry about checking in twice.
One way fares to Kuala Lumpur from Perth start from $209* and Melbourne from $279*.
From Kuala Lumpur, choose from a range of Indian destinations including Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Kolkata and Tiruchirappalli.
AirAsia, the leading and largest low-cost carrier in Asia, services the region’s most extensive network with 139 routes covering 76 destinations in Asia, Australia and Europe.
14/03/11 Aviation Record.com

Sunday, March 13, 2011

'Air India's possible entry into Star Alliance will boost rev'

Berlin:India's national carrier Air India's expected entry into the elite Star Alliancelater this year will expand its global footprint and boost its revenues,according to the airline's Frankfurt-based Regional Manager for Central EuropeRatan Bali.

The last major hurdle for Star Alliance membership wasremoved when Air India and the Indian Airlines completed the integration oftheir codes and began using a common code two weeks ago, Bali told PTI at thetravel trade show ITB Berlin.

The world's biggest fair, which kickedoff on March 9, concludes today.

A common code for both the airlineswas a condition for Air India to join the alliance, he added.

Theairline also started using a new reservation system in preparation of joiningthe alliance.

Star Alliance network is a global leading airlinenetwork, in terms of daily flights, destinations and countries flown to andmember airlines.

It was established in 1997 to offer customersworldwide reach and a smooth travel experience. In order to become a member, anairline must comply with the highest industry standards of customer service,security and technical infrastructure.

Bali said the planned deliveryof the first batch of Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' aircraft to Air India later thisyear will also play a crucial role in expanding the airline's internationaloperations.
13/03/11 PTI/Economic Times

Qatar Airways to launch daily flights to Kolkata

Qatar Airways on Friday announced that three cities would join its global network during the second-half of 2011 as part of an expansion strategy focussed on new routes and capacity increases.

In India, daily flights to Kolkata, will be launched on July 27 taking Qatar Airways' capacity to 95 services a week spread across 12 cities. In addition to that Norway and Bulgaria have been earmarked for new route development. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the airline's growth remained on target with this expansion.
12/03/11 The Hindu

Now, get Singapore travel visas in Kolkata

Kolkata: Travellers to Singapore need not visit the Singapore high commission in Delhi or courier their passport to get a visa. All they need to do now is fill up the form available online and furnish the passport at the authorised Jet Save India Tours Pvt Ltd office on Park Street alongwith the necessary documents return tickets, passport photographs and a covering letter citing the reason of visit.

"We will take photocopies of documents, including the passport, and return them to the traveller. The scanned copies will then be sent to the Singapore high commission. The visa will be sent directly to the traveller by email in two-three days," said Anil Sharma, managing director of Jet Save that has been appointed by Singapore high commission to process electronic visas. Apart from the visa fee of Rs 1,120, travellers will be levied an additional Rs 300 as service charge.
13/03/11 Times of India

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Air India cancels Tokyo flight

New Delhi: Air India Friday said it has cancelled one of its Tokyo flights following the earth quake and tsunami that hit the country but maintained that its seven-flight weekly operations will continue as scheduled.
"Air India flight AI-306 of March 11 to Tokyo stands cancelled in view of the situation due to the earthquake and floods in Japan. The flight AI-314 to Osaka is expected to operate as per schedule," said a statement by the airline.
According to the statement, Air India operates seven flights to Japan every week -- four flights to Tokyo's main international airport at Narita and three to Osaka.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has offered its sympathies and assistance to the Japanese government in the aftermath of a magnitude-8.9 earthquake that hit the north-eastern parts of the country.
11/03/11 IANS/Economic Times

Flights to Japan severely hit

New Delhi: As air services from around the world to quake-hit Japan were severely disrupted, Air India today cancelled its flight to Tokyo but would fly to Osaka tonight.
Air India flight AI-306 to Tokyo's Narita Airport today "stands cancelled in view of the situation due earthquake and floods in Japan. The flight AI-314 to Osaka is expected operate as per schedule", an airline spokesperson said.
Air India operates seven flights from Delhi to Japan every week - four to Narita in Tokyo and three to Osaka.
According to reports, a 10-metre high tsunami tidal waves lashed Sendai airport and submerged the runway. Tokyo's Narita airport was also temporarily shut down following the quake, measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale, and people asked to evacuate the terminals.
Reports said that a large number of flights to Japan from various parts of the globe, including Europe, UK and the US, were cancelled or diverted, leaving thousands stranded.
Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific said its flights to Japan have been affected and "may continue to be affected in the coming days. We will monitor the situation closely, especially the operation status of the affected airports". The services of Malaysia Airlines were also disrupted.
11/03/11 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

Friday, March 11, 2011

Qatar Airways to start daily flights to Kolkata

Mumbai: Qatar Airways yesterday said it will start daily flights to the Indian city of Kolkata from July 27.
The airline raised operations in September in India's fast-growing aviation market by a fifth from 56 services each week by adding more flights to Delhi, Kochi and Amritsar from Doha.
During its previous network expansion plan announcement in August, the airline said India accounted for 10 per cent of its international network.
The airline will now have 95 weekly Indian flights in 12 cities, including Kolkata.
As part of its expansion, it will start four weekly flights to Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, from September 14 and five weekly flights to Norway's capital Oslo from October 5.
It plans to have 120 planes flying to 120 destinations by 2013.
11/03/11 Dow Jones/Gulf News

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Jet Airways aircraft's engine shut down mid flight

A Jet Airways Airbus A330-200, registration VT-JWK performing flight 9W-226 from Chennai (India) to Brussels (Belgium) with 218 passengers, was enroute at FL360 over the Black Sea when the crew needed to shut an engine down and decided to divert to Ankara (Turkey) for a safe landing.
09/03/11 Simon Hradecky/Aviation Herald

RCMP kept in the dark about Air India: deputy commissioner

Vancouver: Key RCMP investigators in the Air India case were not told for at least four months after the explosions that CSIS had been wiretapping the phone conversations of Sikh fundamentalist leader Talwinder Singh Parmar, says RCMP Deputy Commissioner Gary Bass.
In an interview days before his retirement from the RCMP, Deputy Commissioner Bass said some top RCMP investigators on the Air India task force were not aware of information that CSIS had on Mr. Parmar in the days after the bomb explosions.
CSIS agents had wiretapped Mr. Parmar’s phone conversations and had him under surveillance for weeks before the blast. Also, they had followed Mr. Parmar into the woods and watched him test a homemade bomb three weeks before the blast.
But CSIS did not share their information or their analysis with the RCMP at that time, said Deputy Commissioner Bass, a former team commander of the task force. As a result, Mr. Parmar was not among the targets in the RCMP’s initial submissions for wiretap authorizations. “We had people on the [investigative] team who did not know [Mr.] Parmar was a target until October or November of 1985,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Bass’s comments shed new light on the tempestuous time after the twin bomb explosions on opposite sides of the world on June 23, 1985 that killed 331 people. For years after the bombings, CSIS has been in the spotlight for erasing wiretap tapes that could have incriminated suspects, and brought the terrorists to justice but it was not known how much in the dark the RCMP really were.
08/03/11 Robert Matas/The Globe & Mail

HC relief for Irish aircraft owner

Mumbai: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) cannot hold an Irish aircraft owner responsible for airport dues not paid by the defunct East West (EW) Airlines, the Bombay high court ruled on Wednesday. The court was hearing a petition filed by Aer Lingus Limited in 1996 challenging the illegal detention by AAI of two Boeing 737-200 aircraft leased to East West in November 1992.
Aer Lingus terminated its agreement with EW in July 1996. In October, the EW returned the aircraft. When Aer Lingus tried to take the aircraft out of the country, AAI raised an objection.
As an interim relief, the high court allowed Aer Lingus to fly the aircraft out of India subject to a bank guarantee.
On Wednesday, when Aer Lingus’s petition came up for final hearing, AAI argued that for the service provided to the aircraft, charges could be recovered by detaining the same.
Senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond for Aer Lingus argued that charges for recovery of airport dues are for services rendered by AAI while the aircraft was on lease with EW and hence liability shall be of EW alone.
10/03/11 Hindustan Times

All Indians in Libya will return by today

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday said that about 14,000 Indians have been evacuated from Libya, including about 1,000 passengers who were flown back in the past 24 hours from Tripoli, on three Air India special flights.
“Over the next 24 hours, about 2,400 persons will come home in eight special flights, from Libya (Tripoli and Sebha) and Egypt (Alexandria),” an MEA spokesperson said, giving an update of the evacuation.
Four Air India planes are on their way to Libya to fly back 1,000 persons from Tripoli and 400 from Sehba on Wednesday, leaving behind about 550 in Tripoli and 450 in Sehba, who will be evacuated on Thursday.
“Our nationals from Sirte, Misurata, Benghazi and Kufrah have already been pulled out,” the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said, adding that, by Thursday almost all Indian nationals, who want to leave Libya, will be back home.
MV Scotia Prince arrived in Alexandria Tuesday with 972 passengers on board. An IAF IL-76 (Gajraj) took off from Alexandria on Wednesday for New Delhi, and the first batch of 181 Indian nationals will reach in the night.
10/03/11 Indian Express

Flying fit abroad, but are unfit here

Mumbai: Six expatriate pilots of a low-cost airline have failed Indian medical tests in the last few weeks. The tests, which were only being taken by Indian pilots, have now been made mandatory for foreign pilots employed with the country's airlines to ensure common medical standards among cockpit crew.
"The pilots were declared temporarily unfit and have been told to undergo additional tests. They could be grounded for weeks or months," a source said. In the coming months, all the 400-odd foreign pilots employed in India and those planning to take up employment will have to undergo the tests conducted by Indian Air Force (IAF) doctors. The common vein in the Indian airline industry is that many foreign pilots will fail thee tests though it does not mean that they are generally unhealthy.
"The high failure rate among expatriates will prove that India follows unrealistically stringent medical standards," a senior commander said. "Our commercial pilots are measured with the yardstick used for combat-ready IAF pilots who fly Sukhois and MiGs," he said, adding that perhaps only in India annual medical tests for civilian pilots are carried out by defence personnel.
"Many foreign pilots who have been declared medically fit in their home countries, like the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Serbia, Australia and Thailand, will find that themselves deemed unfit by India," he added.
A commander pointed out: "Most countries have a list of approved drugs for conditions like hypertension and insulin-treated diabetes. The doctors handle it on a case-to-case basis. Foreign pilots with hypertension and diabetes can fly if their condition is well under control."
He said India did not have a list of approved drugs.
09/03/11 Manju V/Times of India

IBSA Together in Resisting No-fly Zone

New Delhi: India has found backing at this week’s India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) ministers meeting for its stance that a no-fly zone over Libya must follow multilateral consultations.
India is aware that it has little freedom of action either at the United Nations General Assembly or in the U.N. Security Council, of which it is currently a member, Prof. Pushpesh Pant who teaches diplomacy at the Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi told IPS.

"India is acutely sensitive to the kind of action that the U.S. and its allies took in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Pant who, as course director for entrants into India’s diplomatic service, is mentor to many of India’s top diplomats.

A joint communiqué issued Tuesday at the end of the two-day seventh trilateral commission declared that a "no-fly zone zone on the Libyan air space or any coercive measures additional to those foreseen in Resolution 1970 can only legitimately be contemplated in full compliance with the U.N. Charter and with the Security Council of the United Nations."

India had made its stance clear before the meeting attended by Brazilian foreign minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, India’s minister for external affairs S.M. Krishna and South Africa’s minister for international relations and cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.

Nirupama Rao, India’s foreign secretary, had said an Indian decision would take into account the positions of the Arab League, the African Union and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia India, China) group.
09/03/11 Ranjit Devraj/IPS News

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

AI crash pilot’s family speaks out in Belgrade

As he piloted an Air India Express flight from Dubai into Mangalore on May 22 last year, Captain Zlatko Glusica carried in his bags a golden Seiko watch — gifted to him by his two children on his 55th birthday.
Merima, 31, and younger brother Alexander never found out whether Glusica liked the watch. It is just one of the many questions that continue to haunt the family one year after the crash of that flight, for which the blame has been put by many quarters on the foreign commander of the flight — the Serbian Glusica.
In their last exchange, on May 18, 2010, over Skype — just after Glusica had reached Mangalore to join duty from home town Belgrade — Merima asked him about the gift. He told her he was yet to unpack his bags.
Four days later, Alexander, then preparing for a qualifying test for his pilot’s licence, called up Merima to tell her about the crash. “In disbelief, I rang my father’s mobile phone, which was ringing endlessly and he was not answering it...,” he said in an e-mail to the newspaper, the first time the family is talking to the Indian media.
What has prompted Merima and Alexander — the eldest of three children from Glusica’s first marriage — to break their silence is what followed their father’s death.
Six months after the crash, the Serbian media was awash with selective reports from India based on the findings of a panel that probed the incident. These blamed Glusica, led off by headlines such as “sleepy pilot” and “pilot nodded off”.
“I bought all the newspapers in which it was written that my father killed 158 people in a plane crash,” Merima says. “Has anyone thought about how the family and children will feel the moment they read that their father, husband, brother is marked as a killer?”
There were diplomatic protests over how findings of the report, which hadn’t been finalised, reached the media.
Questioning the way Glusica was being blamed, the family says: “The captain is the commander of the airplane, but is he the only one conducting the flight?”
09/03/11 Smita Aggarwal/Indian Express

India, Brazil to increase air connectivity

India and Brazil on Tuesday signed a bilateral air service agreement to increase air connectivity, which is expected to boost tourism and strengthen exchanges between the people of the two countries.
The agreement signed here by Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation Vayalar Ravi and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil Antonio de Aguiar Patriota allows both the countries to designate any number of airlines on reciprocal basis, unlike in the past when only one airline each was allowed.
The designated airlines would be able to operate a maximum of 21 flights per week in each direction with a plane not exceeding the capacity of a Boeing 747 from any point in each other's territory, via any intermediate point and beyond to any point, said a statement from Civil Aviation Ministry.
Presently, no designated airlines from both the countries are operating.
The designated airlines would be allowed to set up their offices in each other's country.
The new bilateral agreement paves the way for increased air connectivity between both countries and has the potential to spur trade investment, tourism and strengthening the cultural exchange between India and Brazil.
08/03/11 PTI/Rediff.com

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

More arrests possible in Air India bombing case: Canadian police

Vancouver: More arrests could be done in the 26-year-old Air India case after new efforts were being made to find two men who checked in bags with explosives at the Vancouver airport on June 22, 1985, according to Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Bass.

The Air India plane was blown up by a bomb while in Irish airspace, at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9,400 m), and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in death of 329 people, including 280 Canadian citizens, mostly of Indian birth or descent, and 22 Indians.

The incident was the largest mass murder in modern Canadian history. The explosion and downing of the carrier occurred within an hour of the related Narita Airport Bombing.

Disappointed with the inquiry into the investigation of the Air India bombing, Bass said that the team of more than 20 officers who continue to work full-time on the notorious case will find answers to the deadliest unsolved crime in Canadian history.

Bass, who retires next week after almost 40 years in the RCMP, told The Globe and Mail about the suspects and the investigation, and added as time goes by some people who know about the plot will no longer be afraid to speak out.
08/03/11 ANI/Daily India

Plane misses landing mark

Silchar: An Airbus carrying 98 security personnel overshot the runway by a kilometre while landing in Lengpui airport near Aizawl yesterday, but managed to avoid a rerun of the Mangalore airport disaster by screeching to a halt just in time.
The Air India plane coming from Calcutta touched down on the 2.5km runway a kilometre from its scheduled mark and had just 1.5km to manoeuvre a halt.
A source in the Airport Authority of India said a few passengers suffered minor injuries but two of the aeroplane’s tyres burst under the impact.
He said visibility at the airport was “fine and clear” and the authorities had permitted the pilots to land on the basis of visual aids, as the instrumental landing system is not fully operational yet.
A source said the Airbus would be repaired by the engineers of Air India by tomorrow. An inquiry will also be conducted by the director general of the civil aviation.
08/03/11 Telegraph

Mumbai airport beats Delhi in overseas traffic

New Delhi: Delhi boasts of being the busiest airport in the country, but Mumbai still retains the edge as far as international passengers are concerned.
According to data from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Mumbai International Airport saw more international passenger traffic than Delhi in the first nine months of this fiscal.
Between April and December 2010, 66.93 lakh international passengers traversed through the Delhi International Airport (DIAL), while the traffic in Mumbai during the same period was 67.75 lakh.
In fact, the year-on-year growth in international traffic at Mumbai was also at a slightly faster clip of 11.1% against 10.5% at Delhi.
In the domestic case, however, Delhi remains the clear winner.
Delhi saw over 1.5 crore passengers, whereas Mumbai had to be content with a little over 1.48 crore. This was despite the fact that domestic traffic at Mumbai grew at a faster clip of 4.3% year-on-year, whereas the growth was only 13.4% for the DIAL.
It is interesting to note that though Delhi retains the number one slot in combined traffic figures, it has again fallen behind Mumbai in terms of total traffic for December last year.
08/03/11 Sindhu Bhattacharya/Daily News & Analysis

India, France discuss civil aviation cooperation

Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation Vayalar Ravi met Thierry Mariani, French Minister of State for Transport, Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, to discuss the Indo-French civil aviation cooperation issues.

During the discussions, both sides agreed to move forward on the MoUs signed between the DGCA and Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the French side on aviation cooperation and hold the first steering committee meeting soon to lay down the agenda.
Air India is at present operating four frequencies per week on the Delhi Paris sector and Air France 21 services per week from Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
07/03/11 ANI/Sify.com

Embraer in Talks With Indian Carriers for Jet Sale

Embraer and others such as Bombardier Inc., Boeing Co. and Airbus are hawking jet planes, as well as turboprop aircraft, in the world's second-most-populous country to tap potential growth.
Online PR News – 07-March-2011 –Embraer S.A. is in talks with several airlines in India to sell its regional jets in the country, where it expects economic expansion to continue to drive demand for air travel, said a senior executive at the world's fourth-largest plane maker by sales.
The Brazilian company hopes it will be able to sell its 50-seater ERJ 145 jet, as well as the 70 to 122-seater E-Jet family of regional jets, to carriers in India due to a growing need to connect smaller towns and cities in the South Asian country, Alex Glock, managing director at Embraer Asia Pacific, said.
Embraer and others such as Bombardier Inc., Boeing Co. and Airbus are hawking jet planes, as well as turboprop aircraft, in the world's second-most-populous country to tap potential growth. Domestic air travel grew 19% in 2010 to 52.02 million passengers, according to government data.
The International Air Transport Association Monday forecast India's domestic passenger numbers to grow 10.5% each year until 2014, which will make it the fourth-fastest-growing market globally. By 2014, India will also be the fifth-largest market worldwide for domestic passengers, with 69 million travellers a year, after the U.S., China, Japan and Brazil.
07/03/11 Online PR News

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Better deals in offing for those flying abroad

New Delhi: After making the skies more affordable for millions of Indians in the domestic aviation space, India's low-cost carriers are now promising the same in international travel.
Come August, air travellers from India will have the option to choose from three budget carriers to fly overseas, with privately-run IndiGo set to join SpiceJet and the state-run Air India Express in the international circuit.
SpiceJet has already started the process for expanding its operations in the overseas segment, while IndiGo is gearing up for a grand entry, according to analysts, who say this may prove to be a game-changer in India's international civil aviation segment.
'Yes, it will have an impact on the market,' said Amber Dubey, director for defence and aerospace with global consultancy KPMG, referring to the current scenario, where Indian carriers transport up to 40 percent of Indian passengers travelling overseas.
'This is an extremely positive development. It will certainly boost competition, improve the operational efficiencies of carriers and, more importantly, offer better deals for the Indian passengers flying abroad,' Dubey told IANS.
With the norms governing Indian carriers to fly abroad requiring minimum five years of operations and 20 aircraft, IndiGo is set to get the necessary regulatory approvals in August. SpiceJet, on the other hand, got the approvals from October.
'It is a great thing for our company to provide services in the international segment. I feel we will be able to give good value to passengers who were paying astronomical fares to international players,' Aditya Ghosh, IndiGo's president, told IANS.
06/03/11 IANS/Sify

Can another Air India bombing happen in Canada ?

Hassan A. is a seaman that had a falling out with his captain on the trip to Vancouver. After his ship docked in Vancouver he decided to leave and return to his home in the Middle East. On September 15 he checked in for his flight to Europe at Vancouver International Airport. At the last moment he changed his mind and decided not to board the flight. Rumour has it that some business people in Vancouver prey upon visiting sailors for cheap labour in return for room and board.

The flight appears to have left without him but with his baggage on board. Airline claims that the baggage was sent to its hub in Europe for storage. To complicate things, Hassan’s baggage tags were apparently switched with another passenger’s.

Records indicate that the flight left the gate 27 minutes late but arrived at the destination on time. Pilots can often make up for lost time by catching tail winds and varying aircraft speed. Was that enough time to count the passengers, identify the missing passenger, and take out his luggage? Or did the airline simply skip this procedure? A flight delay and retrieval can be very costly for an airline, so do they make such judgment calls from time to time? Are airlines and airport security placing too much confidence in x-raying luggage?

In June 1985 two bags were checked in at Vancouver International Airport for transfer to Air India flights at Tokyo and Toronto airports. One of the bags exploded at Tokyo’s Narita Airport killing two baggage handlers. The other bag exploded mid-air and destroyed Air India Flight 182 over the Atlantic. The bombings could not be prevented in spite of the fact that the alleged suspects in the plot had been under surveillance by CSIS, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, at the time. Can the Port of Vancouver and sailors jumping ship to check in at Vancouver Airport be another gaping hole in Canada's flight security shield?

Since the Air India bombing and Tokyo Narita incident in 1985 one would have thought it was standard procedure to count passengers after boarding and to remove the luggage of missing passengers, if any. I believe the procedure is religiously adhered to in the United States, but now I was not sure about Canada.
05/03/11 Steffan Ileman/Examiner.com