Showing posts with label Foreign Sep 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreign Sep 2012. Show all posts

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Maldivian Open to Investing in Indian Private Carrier

Mumbai: Maldivian, the national carrier of Maldives, which recently announced its expansion plans with flights to Mumbai and Chennai from November, has said that it is not averse to investing in some of the Indian private carrier if there is an opportunity."If given an opportunity, we will definitely do so (investing in some private carriers)," Maldivian managing director Abdul Harris said here.He said that the policy change allowing up to 49 per...

Cancellation of Air India Express flight to Kochi draws ire

Muscat: Hundred-and-eighteen passengers who were supposed to fly from Muscat to Kochi, the commercial capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala, in an Air India Express flight, were accommodated in hotels in Ruwi as their flight developed a "technical glitch-."The aircraft has developed a technical glitch before its flight. Engineers are doing their best to resolve the problem. As soon as the problem is resolved, the passengers will be flown...

MidEast airlines best for passenger, cargo growth

Airlines from the Middle East posted the strongest growth in both passenger and cargo operations in August, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Saturday.The region's carriers continued to expand rapidly - particularly on long-haul segments - although the 16.7 percent growth was likely boosted by the impact of Ramadan, IATA said in a statement.Capacity on Middle East airlines expanded by 13.3 percent in August which took load...

Trafficking: 14 Lankans deported

Fourteen Sri Lankan nationals held here in connection with the human trafficking case boarded the flight to Colombo from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Saturday morning, as part of the deportation under the Foreigners Act.Another Sri Lankan, included among those to be deported, could not board the flight owing to an issue over the passport. The Kollam District Collector had issued orders to deport 15 Sri Lankan nationals of Tamil...

Saturday, September 29, 2012

CII signs MoU with ADS to help SMEs leverage opportunities in various sectors

To promote and explore opportunities for cooperation among the SMEs in the Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space, CII signed an MoU with ADS, in Cardiff,  Wales, UK.  CII SME delegation led by Deep Kapuria, chairman, CII National MSME Council and Chairman, Hitech Gears Ltd  is participating at the India UK SME Business Meet (27 - 28 September 2012), in Cardiff, organised jointly by the Indian High Commission  (in London, UK) ...

120 passengers of Muscat-Kochi flight stranded

Muscat: About 120 passengers, including a pregnant woman and infants, were stranded at the Muscat International Airport on Saturday after an Air India Express aircraft developed a technical snag.“We have had a technical glitch in the Airbus A320 aircraft and we are trying to rectify the problem so that the passengers could be flown Muscat-Kochi by tonight,” Amresh Choudhary, Air India Country Manager Oman, told Gulf News.He explained that a mechanical...

Protest march against Air India fare hike

“The present state government and the ministers in it are more interested in lining their pockets than finding solutions to people’s problems,” Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan has said. He was inaugurating the CPM protest meet against the recent cancellation of Air India flights to gulf sectors and hiking its fares. “There are lakhs of expatriate Malayalees working in the gulf, and they bring in foreign currency worth crores of rupees. But the...

Friday, September 28, 2012

Protest held to reclaim airport from GMR

 A protest was held last at the Artificial Beach area calling to reclaim the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) from GMR, India.The protest held in the name "The Maldivians' airport to Maldivians" initiated by some political parties within the coalition government, was not participated by large numbers of people. Out of the pro-government parties, only leaders of Adhaalath Party (AP) had been seen during last night's protest, where...

First Batch of Hajj Pilgrims Leaves from Mangalore Airport

Mangalore: The first Hajj flight carrying 220 pilgrims took off from Mangalore Airport at 11.30 am at Thursday September 28. There would be five trips till October 2 with a total of 1,035 pilgrims flying the Mecca, the sacred place of Muslims from Mangalore Airport S K Bellubbi, minister for Hajj and Wakf waved the flag to mark the formal departure of the pilgrims in the presence of Fazal Koyamma Tangal, assistant Qazi of Ullal. Twaka Ahmed...

Rs 20 lakh worth foreign brand cigarettes seized at IGI

New Delhi: Cigarettes worth nearly Rs 20 lakh have been seized by customs officials from five Afghan nationals at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport here. The Customs officers on Thursday had intercepted five Afghan passengers Mohammad Nazir, Shukib, Zergai, Toryaji and Najibullah - coming from Kabul and recovered 984 packets (1,96,800 sticks) of 'Mond' brand cigarettes valued Rs 19.68 lakh which were being smuggled into India. "The goods...

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Kingfisher Airlines in stake sale talks: Mallya

Bangalore: Vijay Mallya, chairman of the beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), on Wednesday said he was in talks with foreign carriers for a possible stake sale, amid protests by some shareholders and edginess among bankers over steps to recover their dues. Lenders are keeping close tabs on progress of FDI talks after the government allowed foreign airlines to buy up to 49% in Indian carriers. A section of lenders is pushing for a quicker decision...

AirAsia ready for India if all is well: CEO

Kuala Lumpur: Frills-free airline, AirAsia, will not hesitate to establish itself in India if the "aviation environment" and tax structure are "conducive and friendly" for low-cost airline operations.Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said though the Indian government has allowed 49 per cent foreign direct investments in the country's civil aviation sector, the cost of operating an airline there was still higher than many developed...

Maldivian airline to connect Chennai, Mumbai from November

Chennai: With growing passenger traffic between the Maldives and India, Maldivian, the national airlines of the Maldives will fly to Mumbai and between Chennai and Dhaka from November and connect New Delhi and Kolkata later, said a top official."We will be connecting Chennai-Dhaka and Mumbai from November onwards. We will look at flying between New Delhi and Kolkata later. We have landing rights in the four metros," Abdul Haris, managing director...

Cochin airport’s MRO facility gets European certification

Kochi: The aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) unit of Cochin international airport Cochin International Aviation Services Limited ( CIASL), has obtained the certification of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the line maintenance of aircrafts. CIASL, a subsidiary of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), has already got approval from other agencies like the Civil Aviation Authorities of the UAE, Qatar, Singapore...

Kingfisher in talks with foreign airlines: Mallya

Bangalore: Following the government's move to allow FDI in the civil aviation sector, Chairman of debt-ridden Kingfisher Airlines Vijay Mallya today said the carrier was in talks with foreign airlines."Yes, we are in talks" he said on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the UB Group, promoted by him.However, he did not provide details citing "privacy and confidentiality" reasons.When asked how beneficial the new FDI policy will be for...

FDI in aviation: IndiGo says no plan to take foreign partner on-board

Mumbai: Contrary to its peers, who are upbeat about 49% foreign direct investment in Indian carriers, budget airline IndiGo on Tuesday said it has no plans to take on-board an overseas partner to expand its business."We are not looking at any investment.. so it does not matter to us. We are certainly not looking at investment by foreign airlines at this point of time," IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh told reporters at the sidelines of an All-India...

FDI in aviation: Should foreign investors jet in?

It is exactly ten days since prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh made the bold announcement permitting 49% foreign direct investment (FDI) in aviation apart from FDI entry into multi-brand retail. Plus a host of other far reaching decisions that would revive the investors’ confidence everywhere. For several months now, Air India has been in the news for a variety of wrong reasons, not exactly pleasant to repeat here. The biggest financial boost...

CIASL gets global recognition

Scaling one more step in the field of aviation the Cochin International Aviation Services Limited, the subsidiary of the Cochin International Airport Limited, has bagged the approval from one of world’s highly reputed authorities in aviation safety technology, the European Aviation Safety Agency.It was announced in the press release published by airport director A C K Nair on Tuesday.  This will add more sheen to CIASL, which has already won...

Air India Dreamliner's in-flight entertainment system a 'game changer'

California: Air India's new Boeing 787 Dreamliner have got a game changing in-flight entertainment (IFE) system from French technology firm Thales.Thales has provided its state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system i-8000 to Air India's fleet of 787s.The system has a host of interactive capabilities through an easy navigation user interface, including full audio and video on-demand (AVOD), games, shopping catalogues and a new interactive ASXi...

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Kingfisher Airlines' lessors pay Airports Authority of India directly to fly planes out of India

New Delhi: Foreign aircraft leasing companies wishing to repossess their planes from near bankrupt Kingfisher are paying Airports Authority of India (AAI) about a crore for flying each plane out of India. Kingfisher owes about Rs 290 crore to the state-run AAI and the latter told the airline it would not allow any lessor to repossess aircraft from it — due to non-payment of lease rentals — to leave India unless the dues are cleared. "About two months...

European fine on aviation draws flak

Since January 2012, aviation has been included in the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that requires aircraft operators to surrender one allowance per tonne of carbon-dioxide emitted on a flight to and from (and within) the EU. This covers passenger, cargo and non-commercial flights and applies no matter where an aircraft operator is based.Each such airline would have to comply with a benchmark set by the EU on the basis of its average...

Two UAE nationals to face animal smuggling charges in India next week

Dubai: Two UAE nationals arrested last week in India for smuggling an endangered primate have been released on bail on the condition they do not leave the country.Next week the pair will appear in front of two different courts in New Delhi, the Indian capital. The 17-year-old is expected to appear in front of the Juvenile Justice Board on September 25, while his cousin, who is 30, is to have his case heard at the Tis Hazari district court two days...

Mahindra opens their first Technical Centre America

A state of the art Mahindra Technical Center was inaugurated on Wednesday at Troy, Michigan in North America. This will be the first such Mahindra technical centre in US and will employ a total of 25 engineers which will be increased twofold in the future. The Centre will serve as a base for Mahindra in the US to tackle engineering demands be it for their automotive and farm engineering segments. Through the facilities at this centre, M&M will...

African caught with Rs2 crore drugs

Mumbai: A 40-year-old African woman was caught carrying drugs worth over Rs2 crore by custom officials at the Mumbai airport on Monday. She hid the drugs in a bag containing stale fish and beef.Liasu Lara Okine, a native of Benin, was caught by a team of air intelligence unit of the airport customs headed by assistant commissioner of customs, Sameer Wankhede. She was caught with 1.3 kg of cocaine, 2.1 kg of ketamine and 100 gm of methamphetamine....

Monday, September 24, 2012

Man pleads not guilty to bribing Air India officials to win technology contract

Ottawa: A man accused of bribing an Indian government official pleaded not guilty to the charges Monday, kicking off a trial that pushes those involved into largely uncharted legal waters.Nazir Karigar, 65, was charged with one count of corruption after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested him in May 2010.The Crown accuses him of being involved in a scheme to provide bribes worth thousands of dollars to officials with commercial airline Air...

Amritsar-Toronto AI service to remain suspended till March

Amritsar: The wait of those hoping for the resumption of Amritsar-Delhi-Toronto flight from Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport, Rajansani, Amritsar, will get longer with the Air India deciding to continue with the suspension of the service in winter, as well.The flight, suspended a few months ago till October, will continue to be suspended till March 2013, sources said, adding that a communication to the effect was sent to Air India authorities...

Protest against cancellation of AI flights

Air India’s (AI) action of frequently cancelling its international flights from Kerala has evoked strong protests in the State, cutting across political affiliations.Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, in a statement here on Saturday, protested against the frequent cancellation of Air India flights from the State. The steep hike in air fares to the Gulf along with the cancellation of flights had doubled the miseries faced by Gulf-bound passengers.He wanted...

Air Asia CEO to visit India

New Delhi: The government’s decision to allow 49 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in civil aviation seems to have rekindled interest among foreign carriers in the country’s aviation sector. A few days after the government made the crucial policy announcement, Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of Air Asia, the largest low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia, said he would visit India this month.“Will be in India at the end of the month and...

Filipino woman gets 10 years in jail in Delhi

A 44-year-old Filipino woman, who arrested at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in 2006 with two kg of heroin, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by a Delhi court.Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) MK Nagpal read out a sentence of 10 years rigorous imprisonment to Ma Sol Baillo, a resident of Manduriao in Philippines, apart from slapping a Rs1 lakh fine on her, after the court held her guilty under various sections of the Narcotic...

Man arrested with 8 kg gold

Jaipur: One person was arrested allegedly carrying 8 kg of gold by customs officials at the Sanganer airport here, sources said today.Manoj Sharma hailing from Sikar district arrived in a Dubai-Jaipur flight yesterday.He was carrying gold biscuits and jewellery in his baggage which was detected during checking. He had not declared that he was travelling with 8 kg gold.24/09/12 PTI/Business Standa...

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Boost for Air Kerala as Ajit plans norm relax

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: Kerala’s ambitious Air Kerala proposal has got a boost with civil aviation ministry mooting relaxations in criteria of five years’ experience and a 20-aircraft fleet for Indian carriers to fly overseas.Reacting to reports on civil aviation minister Ajit Singh’s plans to approach the Cabinet seeking the norms waiver, chief minister Oommen Chandy told Deccan Chronicle on Saturday that the government was awaiting an updated...

Air Kerala gets a shot in the arm

The ambitious Air Kerala project received a shot in the arm with Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh hinting that the government will relax the minimum requirements for Indian carriers to fly overseas.Under the prevailing rules, Indian carriers must have 20 aircraft and five years of experience, which was considered a major barrier to realise the Air Kerala project.Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) Managing Director V J Kurian said the...

Passengers stranded after flights cancelled

Thiruvananthapuram: A week after India opened up its aviation sector to international competition, hundreds of expatriate passengers were stranded in southern India yesterday as Air India cancelled several flights on the Gulf sector.Air India officials said the services from three airports in Kerala and in Mangalore, Karnataka had to be cancelled to fly Haj pilgrims from other parts of the country and added the stranded passengers were being accommodated...

Foreign airlines on 'wait-and-watch' mode on aviation FDI

New Delhi: Major foreign airlines seem to have adopted a wait-and-watch approach over the government's decision to allow them to pick up 49% stake in Indian carriers, even though the government says the mood in the industry was upbeat.Air India has been kept out of the ambit of this major policy announcement, but there have been reports about a couple of Indian carriers holding preliminary discussions with foreign airlines to attract investment.A...

Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes to visit India this month

New Delhi: Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Asia, largest low cost carrier in South East Asia, is expected to visit India by the end of this month; just weeks after 49 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) approval in aviation sector.In an email reply, Fernandes said, “Will be in India at the end of the month and will try to meet all of the press.”Notably, shortly after cabinet approved FDI, he tweeted, “Fantastic news that...

Dreams taking wings

Going to Dubai? How about taking a direct flight from Bhubaneswar! This can be a reality as early as March-April next year if Biju Patnaik airport authorities are to be believed. Domestic air travel to and from the city is also going to be a whole new experience in another three months, they say. While decks are being cleared for elevation of the Biju Patnaik airport to international status, Fly Dubai airlines has already expressed interest to link...

Philippines-based woman sent to jail for possessing contraband

New Delhi: A Filipino woman, arrested at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in 2006 with two kgs of heroin in her possession, has been sentenced to ten years in jail by a Delhi court. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) MK Nagpal also imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on 44-year-old Ma Sol Baillo, a resident of Manduriao in Philippines, holding her guilty under various sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. "Keeping in view...

Saturday, September 22, 2012

'Air India showing Callous Attitude to Kerala'

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Minister for Non-Resident Keralite Affairs, K.C. Joseph Saturday went hammer and tongs against "the callous attitude" of Air India in regularly cancelling its flights to the Middle East."We have made numerous representations to all concerned to end this callous attitude towards Kerala, but there seems to be no respite," Joseph told reporters here."We have already expressed our displeasure and will take up this issue with...

No need to worry on FDI: Shourie

FDI in retail and aviation will neither hurt people more nor benefit companies much, former Union minister Arun Shourie today said."There will be neither more profit nor much loss with the FDI in retail and in aviation. It is not of much use to either side (businessmen and consumers)," he said on the sidelines of a global conference here.He said five or six years back, major companies like Reliance, Airtel and Big Bazaar had come in retail but it...

Fuel Tax, airport charges keep Air Asia away from India

A plan to buy 100 Airbus aircraft will be submitted to the board of Asia’s largest budget carrier, AirAsia , in about two weeks, the airline’s CEO, Tony Fernandes, said on Friday, in a deal that could be worth $9 billion. He also said he had no immediate plans to enter the Indian market because he thought the aviation fuel tax and airport charges were still too high.Reuters reported earlier this month that AirAsia was putting the final touches on...

Airlines will get to fly abroad sooner

Mumbai: After allowing foreign airlines to invest up to 49% in domestic carriers, the government is now considering a plan to relax the minimum requirements for Indian carriers to fly overseas.Till now, the domestic airlines were required to have 20 aircraft and five years of flying experience in the domestic regions. Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told reporters in New Delhi on Friday that a plan is being considered to relax these norms.According...

Singapore Airlines unveils Silverkris lounge at IGI

Singapore Airlines (SIA), which has 13 SilverKris lounges worldwide, has opened its newest outlet in India.The airline launched its newest 'oasis of luxury' for premium customers travelling out of the Terminal 3 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.The lounge is designed to be a welcoming haven for the airlines’ first and business class passengers as well as PPS Club, KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members. The airline has...

FDI in aviation must be backed with reforms in the sector

New Delhi: Thanks to the government's decision to allow foreign airlines to acquire up to 49% stake in domestic airliners, the possibility of Indian passengers flying in a Lufthansa or Etihad on Mumbai-Delhi route has become realistic. Yet it may not materialise on the ground due to structural issues that have marred Indian civil aviation sector for long. Unless that’s sorted out, systemic issues may continue to plague the sector in the short-to-medium...

Hundreds stranded in Kerala as Air India slashes flights

Thiruvananthapuram: Hundreds of non-resident Keralites bound for the Gulf and other countries were stranded in different parts of the state as the national carrier Air India slashed a large number of flights from the state. Early reports put the number of cancelled flights at 168. The reason given by authorities is that several aircraft had been shifted to Uttar Pradesh for the benefit of Haj pilgrims from the northern Indian state.Many of the passengers...

Ajit Singh clears air over the faux pas by commerce ministry

Mumbai/New Delhi: Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh on Friday said the sectoral cap for foreign investment in domestic airlines remains unchanged at 49%. Singh cleared the air following confusion created by a commerce ministry press note which suggested that sectoral cap was revised to allow foreign investment over 49%.Last Friday, the Centre revised rules allowing foreign airlines to invest in domestic airlines. A formal notification was issued...

Dubai man held by customs with Rs4 lakh in diamonds in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: A 30-year-old man was nabbed by the Customs for trying to smuggle 16 packets of synthetic diamond crystals valued at around Rs4.40 lakh. The man identified as one Rajkumar Virendrakumar had landed at the Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport at around 5.30 am on an Air Arabia flight (G9-481) from Sharjah.A Customs official said that the officers on duty found something suspicious about the man and so screened his baggage. “The screening...

Don’t deal with Ravi Rishi’s chopper firm, warns MHA

After the Delhi High Court stayed the decision of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to suspend the flying permit of Tatra scam accused Ravi Rishi’s Global Vectra Helicorp, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a general instruction against “anyone entering into fresh contract with the firm” citing intelligence inputs.Global Vectra Helicorp provides helicopter services to various tourist destinations and is hired by VVIPs, state...

Their Dubai dream crashes at Ahmedabad airport

Ahmedabad: They had packed all the excitement and donned their travel shoes to take their first ever foreign tour to Dubai. However, dreams of this group of 42 senior citizens crashed when they reached Ahmedabad international airport on Thursday night. The airlines officials told them there are no bookings in their names. The senior citizens, most of whom were carrying a list of places they will see in Dubai and items they will shop, got in arguments...

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Govt to relax min requirements for carriers to fly overseas

The government will relax the minimum requirements for Indian carriers to fly overseas, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said on Friday.The new rules will relax current norms of a minimum requirement of 20 aircraft and five years of experience for airlines, Singh said.21/09/12 Reuters/Moneycontrol.c...

No immediate plans to enter India, says AirAsia

Singapore: A plan to buy 100 Airbus aircraft will be submitted to the board of Asia's largest budget carrier, AirAsia Bhd, in about two weeks, the airline's CEO, Tony Fernandes, said on Friday, in a deal that could be worth $9 billion. He also said he had no immediate plans to enter the Indian market because he thought the aviation fuel tax and airport charges were still too high.Reuters reported earlier this month that AirAsia was putting the final...

SpiceJet, GoAir better placed for FDI: KPMG

Low fare airlines SpiceJet  and GoAir with their good financial and operational performance are better placed for foreign direct investment (FDI) believes consulting firm KPMG which released a report on the sector today.The firm has pointed out there will be lot of interest from global carriers in the Indian airlines  post the government allowing 49% FDI in the sector, which was a long pending demand by industry captains.Explaining its...

Govt notifies aviation FDI rules

New Delhi: Moving ahead with the reforms, the government on Thursday notified the Cabinet's decision to allow foreign airlines to pick up upto 49 per cent stake in private Indian carriers ."The Government of India has reviewed the position in this regard and decided to permit foreign airlines also to invest in capital of Indian companies operating scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services up to the limit of 49 per cent of their paid up...

Finally, Madurai gets international connectivity

Madurai:  The first commercial international flight from Madurai airport took off to Colombo on Thursday raising hopes of a tourism boom and increase in bilateral trade ties with the island nation.The SpiceJet flight that took off to Colombo had 77 passengers, including 48 from the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNfrom Madurai who hope to tap the trade market opened up by the international connectivity to Colombo. In the return...

Naveen pitches for air connectivity to West Asia

Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has pitched for air connectivity between Bhubaneswar and West Asian as well as South-East Asian nations while reiterating his demand for declaring the Biju Patnaik airport in the city as an international airport.The demand was raised by Patnaik during his meeting with Union minister for civil aviation Ajit Singh in New Delhi on Thursday.Patnaik pointed out that Odisha still remained deprived of...

FDI not allowed in Air India: Ajit Singh

Air India is being exempted from the new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) provision as the government has already given Rs. 300 billion to Air India, Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said while inaugurating the ASSOCHAM 5th international conference of Indian Civil Aviation here in New Delhi today.``Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to be got declared as notified product to bring transparency in its pricing and reduction of VAT on ATF by the states,`` according...

Centre cuts tax on foreign borrowings by Indian companies

New Delhi: Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Friday announced that the Centre had cut tax on external commercial borrowings (ECB) by Indian companies to five per cent from 20 per cent. The reduction in tax will encourage Indian companies to raise funds from overseas markets.The withholding tax liabilities on Indian companies, too, have been reduced to five per cent. This will apply to all borrowings between July 2012 and June 2015.Chidambaram also...

Diplomatic bag with Indian visa stickers stolen in London, MEA steps in

In a security breach, three Indian diplomatic bags containing 6,000 visa stickers have been stolen here during transit from the airport to the Indian High Commission.It was on September 3 that the High Commission was informed of four Category 'B' diplomatic bags, including three bags that contained 6,000 visa stickers, having been stolen during transit from the Heathrow airport to India House in Aldwych, central London.The fourth stolen bag contained...

Maldives may even annul GMR deal: President Waheed

Male: With GMR's USD 500 million Male airport project hanging in balance, Maldives President Mohamed Waheed Friday said he was discussing the issue with all stakeholders and is even open to the option of annulling the deal with the Indian firm.GMR had won the airport contract during the government of Waheed's predecessor Mohamed Nasheed but the project has run into rough weather, particularly after a regime change in the country earlier this year.The...

Govt notifies rules for FDI in aviation, excludes Air India

Mumbai: The government on Thursday notified the rules allowing foreign airlines to invest into domestic airlines. However, the rules are not applicable to Air India making it clear that government will remain its owner. Though 49% FDI was permitted foreign airlines were debarred from investing in Indian carrier, domestic airlines reeling from mounting debt and losses lobbied for a change in rules which was approved in the cabinet meeting last Friday. Anticipating...

FDI in Aviation: Structural challenges to limit investments

India Ratings says that the government of India’s recent decision to allow the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in aviation up to 49% is expected to improve the capital structure of airlines with viable business models. The possible equity infusion would not only deleverage the sector but also provide funds for long-term growth. However, structural challenges may limit the attractiveness for such foreign investors at least in the medium term....

FDI can open up jobs in retail and aviation sectors: Experts

Bangalore: Irrespective of the political furore over entry of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the retail and aviation sectors, the impact on the organised job market is likely to be highly positive, say experts. FDI will spur more investments, lead to expansion and mergers and acquisitions, and change ownership in retail and aviation. All this will ultimately create more jobs, they said. Aditya Narayan Mishra, president - staffing, Randstad...

SpiceJet to ship in fuel from Singapore

New Delhi: Low-cost carrier SpiceJet is all set to become the first Indian airline to directly import aviation turbine fuel (ATF) or jet fuel. The airline will ship in consignments of ATF from Singapore to two south Indian ports and then send them by trucks to airports wherever logistically possible. The move comes as ATF prices for domestic flights are currently at an all time high and SpiceJet — which spends about Rs 200 crore a month as fuel...

Air India might get third Boeing Dreamliner next week

South Carolina: Boeing Co plans to deliver the first Dreamliner 787 made in South Carolina next week, a jet equipped with an engine model that recently experienced failures and has drawn federal scrutiny.The North Charleston-built jet, for Air India, is "ticketed" and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, which means it is ready for delivery, a Boeing official said on Wednesday. Its General Electric Co GEnx engines also have undergone...

SpiceJet looks at exotic foreign destinations

New Delhi: Young Indian low-cost carriers (LCC) are eager to spread their wings to territories left unchartered by their older full service counterparts. The country's second biggest LCC SpiceJet has sought government nod to fly to 10 new destinations, majority of which are in the former Soviet Union and China. These include places like former Kazakh capital Almaty, Uzbek capital Tashkent and Chinese special administered region (SAR) Macau.The airline...

Sitaram Yechury comes clean on FDI in aviation

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) leader and the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation, Sitaram Yechury, has refuted the charge of Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee that he gave the go-ahead for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the cash-strapped aviation sector.Yechury told media here that as a former central cabinet minister, Banerjee, should have known that the standing committee...

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

FDI in aviation: Etihad to invest in Jet Airways?

New Delhi: With the government having allowed foreign carriers to buy up to 49 percent stake in domestic airlines, India’s leading private airline, Jet Airways could be the first to receive investment from Etihad Airways. According to reports, both the airlines have held several rounds of discussions, fuelling speculation of a possible alliance. Last week, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the FDI in aviation proposal, a permit...

Can Jet, already 80% owned from Isle of Man, seek FDI?

New Delhi: Is Jet Airways really qualified to invite equity participation from Etihad, or any other foreign carrier, for that matter, given its current shareholding structure?The BS story clarifies that though Goyal himself is a non-resident Indian (NRI), Jet is an Indian company and is, therefore, entitled to seek a strategic foreign partner. It is widely known that Goyal holds an overwhelming 80 percent equity in the airline through a company...

SIA renews interest in Indian aviation sector

New Delhi: Close on the heels of the government’s policy announcement to allow foreign airlines to buy up to 49 per cent stake in Indian carriers, Singapore International Airlines (SIA) has said it is keen on investing in the domestic aviation market.In response to an email reply to a questionnaire sent to the airline, SIA has said: “We keep all investment options open, but at this point there are no discussions taking place on the purchase of a...

US engine concerns could botch AI plans

Bangalore: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the independent safety investigator of the US, has issued two urgent safety recommendations on General Electric GEnx engines, which power the latest generation of Boeing aircraft: Both the 787 Dreamliners and the Boeing 747-8s.The GEnx-1B engines power the 787 Dreamliners that are the newest addition to Air India’s fleet. Among other users of the engine are Japan Airlines (JAL) and Ethiopian...

AirAsia may be first to enter India

New Delhi: Asia's largest low-cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia may be among the first global players to invest in India with the government allowing foreign airlines to invest in Indian carriers. It is learnt that instead of investing in an existing carrier, the Malaysian LCC is looking at the possibility of a start-up with a strong Indian partner.AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes said in an email to TOI: "We will make statements in due course." Last Friday,...

Air India’s second Dreamliner to arrive in Delhi this evening

New Delhi: The second of the 27 Boeing 787 aircraft ordered by Air India arrives in India later this evening. The second aircraft is expected to touch down in Delhi around 5 p.m.The B 787 aircraft, more popularly known as the Dreamliner, will be used on services from Delhi to Kolkata and possibly either Dubai or Kathmandu.Meanwhile, the first of the airline's Boeing 787 started commercial flying for Air India. The first flight was operated as the...

GMR leadership to visit Maldives as government parties escalate nationalisation rhetoric

Board members and the head of Indian infrastructure giant GMR, G M Rao, are due to visit the Maldives later this week in a bid to resolve tensions with the government over the company’s development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).The upcoming visit follows a meeting between Rao and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom at a hospital in India where Gayoom’s wife was being treated. Gayoom also recently met with Indian Prime Minister...

FGFA – Quantum leap for Indian aerospace

The signing of the Sukhoi T-50 fifth generation fighter aircraft contract propels India to joint developer of the world’s most advanced stealth aircraft. Two significant developments have stirred up the world of military aviation this year. In March, the U.S. Air Force revealed it had started work to field a new Long Range Strike Bomber by the 2020s. This will be first new American strategic bomber to be built after the Cold War. How much the...

Tiger Airways starts lifting cargo from Tiruchi

Tiruchi: Air cargo uplift capacity from Tiruchi has gone up substantially as Tiger Airways, which operates direct services to Singapore from here, has started lifting cargo from here last week.Tiger Airways is the fourth major airline to lift cargo from the city after Sri Lankan Airlines, Air Asia and to a certain extent, Mihin Lanka. Air India Express, the other major operator from the city, remains the only airline that does not lift cargo though...

Thiruvananthapuram to receive chartered flights after a hiatus

Thiruvananthapuram: After three years, chartered flights from Moscow and Ekaterinburg in Russia will start arriving here from the third week of October, raising hopes of a good tourist season among the hospitality and travel industry here.A flight from Ekaterinburg, the fourth largest city in Russia, with 284 tourists is to touch down at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport around 10 a.m. on October 18. Confirming the arrival of the flights,...

SilkAir to start Vizag-Singapore non-stop flight from Oct 28

Visakhapatnam: SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, will commence services from Visakhapatnam to Singapore from October 28.With this new air link, the global route network of the airlines will grow to 42 in twelve countries, according to G.M Toh, the General Manager of Singapore Airlines (India).At a press meet here on Tuesday, he said it would be the first international non-stop flight from Vizag and it would boost commerce and trade...

Mahindra opens first technical centre in US

New Delhi: Diversified conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra today said it has opened its first technical centre in the US to provide design and consulting services to automotive customers, mainly in Michigan region.“Mahindra inaugurated its new Technical Center in Troy, Michigan today. This facility is the company’s first technical centre in USA and will leverage Michigan’s large automotive talent pool to provide design and consulting services for...

Monday, September 17, 2012

India airlines least in need may gain most from new rules

Mumbai: India’s decision allowing airlines to sell stakes of as much as 49 per cent to overseas carriers may be most beneficial to operators least in need of investment.SpiceJet Ltd, which has said it’s in “no rush” for funds, may be the most appealing target for foreign investors because of the discount carrier’s low debt and record of profitability, said Sharan Lillaney, an Angel Broking Ltd analyst. Kingfisher Airlines Ltd may struggle to win...

'Aviation sector is not in shape to excite overseas players'

Chennai: Shares of media tycoon Kalanithi-Maran's companies have been rising since Friday after the government opened doors for FDI in aviation, DTH and cable industries. The Sun Group is one of the largest media houses in the country and also the owner of SpiceJet, which has an 18% market share in the country's aviation industry.While analysts feel that the airline would be a major beneficiary of the move due to a significant market share and a...

FDI can open up jobs in retail and aviation

Bangalore: Irrespective of the political furore over entry of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the retail and aviation sectors, the impact on the organised job market is likely to be highly positive, say experts.FDI will spur more investments, lead to expansion and mergers and acquisitions, and change ownership in retail and aviation. All this will ultimately create more jobs, they said.Aditya Narayan Mishra, president - staffing, Randstad India,...

Burqa-clad gold smuggler arrested

Chennai: After a spate of gold smugglers were held trying to sneak the precious metal from Sri Lanka into Chennai, Customs officials caught a burqa-clad woman from Singapore on the same charge.According to airport sources, Kulsum (42), who arrived in the city on a Jet Airways flight on Sunday night at 11.30 pm, raised the suspicions of the customs sleuths because she appeared nervous.After her entire baggage was checked inch by inch, the woman was...

Copies of The Hindu found in diplomatic bag that went down with AI aircraft 46 years ago

New Delhi: A bag of Indian diplomatic mail, which went down with an Air India (AI) aircraft 46 years ago in the French Alps, was on Tuesday put on display in the Ministry of External Affairs.A tough khaki sack with Ministry of External Affairs stencilled in fading black, it yielded not diplomatic papers but Air India calendars and newspapers, including copies of The Hindu, then priced at just 13 paise. Dated January 21, 1966, The Hindu’s slightly...

Sick woman grounds flight

A London-bound aircraft flying over Chennai airspace on Sunday night made an emergency landing here after an Australian woman onboard suffered an epileptic attack.According to airport sources, the Virgin Atlantic flight from Kuala Lumpur to London via Abu Dhabi was near Chennai when 26-year-old Nguyelle Hoaimi suffered seizures. The crew was not able to stabilize her condition and they sought permission from the Air Traffic Control here for an...

Gulf airlines show lukewarm response to India’s FDI policy

Dubai: Five days after India opened up its aviation sector for 49 per cent FDI (foreign direct investment), Emirates says it is not looking at acquiring a stake in any of the Indian carriers, while Etihad Airways says it will make such investments only if it’s convinced of strong commercial prospects.A lot of it has to do with the fact that the Indian aviation sector on the whole has been ailing for a while with the country’s flagship carrier, Air...

Foreign investment in aviation unlikely to soar for now

Mumabi: The aviation industry in India has to overcome several challenges before a turnaround happens, since capital infusion can seldom be a solution to a weak business model, say aviation analysts.While FDI in aviation may bring in much-needed long-term financial and strategic capital and expertise, the aviation industry has to overcome high fuel costs, stiff competition and its capital-intensive nature with high fixed costs.Analysts said fuel...

Small airlines to get a boost from more FDI in aviation

Mumbai: Regional connectivity is likely to get a boost after the government's nod to foreign airlines to invest in non-scheduled airlines, or carriers that operate without a fixed schedule.Experts said the decision could open up opportunities for about a dozen small regional players that have sprung up in the domestic aviation sector, even as the bigger airlines have been ailing. Such airlines can harness the seasonality of air traffic to their advantage...

Haj pilgrims to take off from old terminal

Lucknow: Haj pilgrims will be flying from the old terminal of Lucknow airport from Monday. Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials on Sunday said that the decision has been taken keeping in view comfort of the hajis. Amausi airport director, Suresh Hota said that they have made adequate arrangements for the pilgrims to fly from the old terminal. It will be after a gap of over three months that the old terminal will be open for the public once...

Myanmar Seeks Partners for Airport Upgrade

Expecting an influx of tourists and foreign businesses, Myanmar's government is seeking private-sector partners to jointly develop Mandalay International Airport into a logistics center.Successful bidders for the public-private project will work with domestic authorities to upgrade and operate the airport, which serves Myanmar's second-largest city and is one of three international airports in the country—the other two being in Yangon, the commercial...

Sunday, September 16, 2012

FDI in Indian carriers may take a month

New Delhi: Officials in the Civil Aviation Ministry told Deccan Herald on Saturday that they were expecting the minutes of Friday’s meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which approved 49 per cent FDI in Indian carriers, by next week. The ministry will then frame the rules, which will have to be approved by the Law and Finance ministries.According to the approved policy, the airlines getting foreign funding will be required have Indian...

Major US dailies hail FDI decision

New York: Leading dailies in the United States have described India’s decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and aviation as “biggest economic reforms” in two decades, while apprehending these proposals pose a “big political risk” for the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led UPA government.The New York Times said Singh’s Congress-led government was “under heavy pressure to kick-start India’s slowing economy, boost employment...

Don’t look for the gainers

The announcement on aviation gives the go-ahead for foreign airlines to own up to 49 per cent stake in domestic passenger airlines. Expectation of this has sparked off a rally in all listed airline stocks from the distressed Kingfisher Airlines to Jet Airways and Spicejet. But that seems irrational.If you were a foreign airline company looking to buy into the India story on air travel, where you would choose to deploy your capital today? Would you...

Lufthansa not to buy stakes in domestic airlines

Bangalore: German airline Lufthansa has said that it would not pick up equity in any airlines in India even though the Government has opened up the sector for FDI.Lufthansa’s head of corporate communications for Asia Pacific, Frank Puttmann said, while India continues to be the top market for the airline, there are no plans to pick up equity. “At this moment, our strategy is to build up a strong presence in India. India is the top market for us worldwide....

'FDI in Civil Aviation Sector a win win situation'

New Delhi: Reacting to government’s decision to allow foreign airlines to pick up stake in domestic carriers, Mr. R V Kanoria, President, FICCI said “this long overdue measure has happened at a time when the domestic aviation industry is going through rough weather and is starved of funds and technology for fleet modernization and improvement of operational efficiency.”“Allowing foreign players in the airline sector is expected to lead to a win...

Spicejet, Kingfisher seem early birds to catch FDI flight

Mumbai: Except for the cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), most private airlines are unsure over the possible benefits of increasing FDI in the sector to 49 per cent.It may be noted that domestic carriers like Kingfisher, SpiceJet and Jet Airways have been telling the media that they are independently in talks with foreign carriers for a probable stake sale if FDI is allowed, while the public stance of profitably-run Indigo is that it is not...

GMG Airlines to pay Rs 40 K

New Delhi: Bangladesh-based GMG Airlines has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 40,000 to a passenger for not accommodating him on another plane after one of its scheduled flights was cancelled.The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum awarded the compensation saying not only was the flier inconvenienced by the flight cancellation, but he also had to bear additional expense of buying another ticket for returning to India...

Foreigner held on false charges returns home

Chennai: Zaw Lin of Myanmar left for home via Bangkok on Saturday with bitter memories. The 36-year-old sailor was arrested by the Chennai airport police late last year and spent nearly two months in Puzhal prison and a few months in a room in Guindy before the Madras high court quashed the case against him and ordered his release last week.On October 9, 2011, Lin, a sailor with merchant vessel Gati Pride, was leaving for home when he was arrested...

Air India should behave responsibly’

Muscat: As the saga of cancellation and postponement of flights have become an order of the day and as a result, the expatriates travelling up and down India are constantly left in dark, an ex-minister of the Kerala cabinet has urged the Air India management to behave more responsibly towards Indians in this diaspora.“The Air India management in Mumbai should behave more responsibly towards its passengers and should avoid unwanted interruptions to...

Flight makes emergency landing

Owing to a hydraulic obstruction, Emirates Air flight EK530 from Dubai made an emergency landing at the Kochi airport on Friday.As the Air Traffic Control here was pre-warned about the landing difficulty, no mishaps were known to have occurred at the time of the landing.16/09/12 New Indian Express/IBN L...

Saturday, September 15, 2012

FDI in aviation: Lukewarm response from foreign airlines

New Delhi: The decision to bring in FDI in aviation got a rather lukewarm response. While cash strapped Kingfisher airlines welcome it and their morale is up for now, several foreign players were more circumspect.But the big question who will invest in Indian carriers with struggling finances? Sources at Kingfisher airlines tell CNN-IBN that talks with either Qatar or Etihad airlines will now resume. Kingfisher reported losses of over Rs 2,000 crores....

US dailies hail FDI liberalisation in retail, aviation as 'biggest economic reforms'

New York: Leading US dailies have described India's decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail and aviation as "biggest economic reforms" in two decades, while apprehending these proposals pose a "big political risk" for the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led UPA government.'The New York Times' said Singh's Congress-led government is "under heavy pressure to kick-start India's slowing economy, boost employment and improve the country's shambolic...

Air policy opening gets qualified welcome

Mumbai/Delhi : The Cabinet on Friday decided to allow foreign air carriers to take up to 49 per cent stake in domestic airline companies, ending five years of dithering in the face of opposition from sections of the political spectrum.Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, Anand Sharma, commerce minister, said: “Detailed rules for the FDI will be framed by the ministry of civil aviation. However, the chairman and two-thirds of the...

India's tractor boys are preparing for take-off

For the past year and a half, the Indian business capital of Mumbai has been awash with tales of corruption, slumping growth and the fall from grace of some of the country's best-known tycoons.But the newly minted chairman of Mahindra Group, one of India's biggest industrial houses, has little time for doom-mongering. A relentless optimist, he admits that India's dramatic boom of the mid 2000s - when GDP growth soared to more than 8 per cent - was...