Air India cuts Sharjah, Dubai flights to Kerala

Air India, the national carrier of India, has cancelled flights on its busy Dubai and Sharjah routes, a decision not likely to be welcomed by the Indian community in the UAE.
“Air India has cancelled five services from Kerala to the Gulf region as part of the winter schedules,” an airline source told this website.
Two daily flights, Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), IX 540 and IX 539 are cancelled.
“There will be only five Dubai-Thiruvananthapuram flights now, as against seven flights per week, earlier.
“Similarly, Sharjah-Thiruvananthapuram flights have been reduced from five per week to three per week,” the source said .
IX 536 and IX 535, are the Sharjah flights cancelled.
These route cancellations coincide with the starting a new Thiruvananthapuram-Sharjah service by Jet Airways from October 30, 2011.
All India Airport Users Forum, a representative body of passengers in collaboration with the Malabar Pradesh Coordination Committee (MPCC) has registered their protest against the cancellation of the flights.
30/10/11 VM Sathish/Emirates 24-7

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Air India cuts Sharjah, Dubai flights to Kerala

Air India, the national carrier of India, has cancelled flights on its busy Dubai and Sharjah routes, a decision not likely to be welcomed by the Indian community in the UAE.
“Air India has cancelled five services from Kerala to the Gulf region as part of the winter schedules,” an airline source told this website.
Two daily flights, Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), IX 540 and IX 539 are cancelled.
“There will be only five Dubai-Thiruvananthapuram flights now, as against seven flights per week, earlier.
“Similarly, Sharjah-Thiruvananthapuram flights have been reduced from five per week to three per week,” the source said .
IX 536 and IX 535, are the Sharjah flights cancelled.
These route cancellations coincide with the starting a new Thiruvananthapuram-Sharjah service by Jet Airways from October 30, 2011.
All India Airport Users Forum, a representative body of passengers in collaboration with the Malabar Pradesh Coordination Committee (MPCC) has registered their protest against the cancellation of the flights.
30/10/11 VM Sathish/Emirates 24-7

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Jet Airways commences non-stop flights from Sharjah to Kerala capital

Dubai: Jet Airways commenced daily non-stop flights from Sharjah to Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
A traditional ribbon cutting ceremony marked the launch of the new service. Abdulwahab Al Roomi, director general – Department of Civil Aviation and Ali Salim Al Midfa, director of Sharjah Airport Authority, were among the dignitaries attending ?the ceremony.
Ratan Ratnakar, vice president – Market Development and Pricing, Gulf and Middle East Africa of Jet Airways and Shakir Kantawala, general manager for Dubai and Northern Emirates, Jet Airways, were ?also present.
The inbound flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Sharjah International Airport was welcomed to the traditional water-cannon salute in the company of VIP’s, airport officials ?and media.
Jet Airways has deployed a Boeing 737-800 aircraft on this new route, offering 16 Première (business vlass) and 138 rconomy seats. “Guests will be offered best-in-its-class product, which boasts of warm service, award winning in-flight entertainment, as well as delectable cuisine,” an airlines ?statement said.
With this additional flight between Sharjah and India, guests will now take advantage of convenient day and night daily departures from Sharjah International Airport to Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
31/10/11 Issac John/Khaleej Times

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3 years after PM’s announcement, construction still to begin at Mohali airport

Chandigarh/Mohali: The Airport Authority of India has announced that an international airport will soon be constructed in Mohali. The Prime Minister is expected to attend the foundation-laying ceremony.
The Prime Minister had on January 5, 2008, announced that an international airport would be constructed in Mohali within two years. However, apart from the boundary wall, there is no other construction. The ground is used by locals to rear cattles. Even a road connecting the proposed airport to the main road has not been constructed.
The construction of the airport has been delayed due to various reasons. First the administration took a long time to acquire land. Then it mulled over the format of joint-venture to be adopted. And finally there was a controversy regarding the name of the airport between Punjab and Haryana governments.
31/10/11 daily bhaskar

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IndiGo starts Kathmandu flight from Friday

Kathmandu:The healthy growth of Indian tourists to Nepal has attracted more Indian airlines to Nepal.
With seven flights daily yet another Indian private airlines Indigo Airlines has started New-Delhi-Kathmandu flight from Friday making it the sixth Indian private airliner.
Speaking on the inaugural fligth, Aditya Ghosh, president IndiGo said that Kathmandu is a key market and holds a lot of promise.
“IndiGo will continue to keep its promise of providing low fares on the New Delhi-Kathmandu-New Delhi routes as well,” he said, adding that the airlines hopes to provide the much needed avenue for countless Indians to explore wider horizons and at the same time open up the doors to more and more overseas travellers to experience India. Currently, Air India, Jet Airlines, Jet lite, Spice Jet, Kingfisher and Indigo fly on New-Delhi-Kathmandu route with a total of 78 flights a week.
“Private Indian airlines have explored Nepal as new destination,” said director general of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Ram Prasad Neupane. “The increase in the number of Indian airlines flying to Kathmandu has also encouraged the sector,” he added.
According to him, India and China has large market access and they have strong economy. “Increase in the number of airlines from these countries can bring a large number of quality tourist to Nepal,” he said, adding that the movement of Indian tourist has always been in an increasing trend.
30/10/11 The Himalayan Times

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Mangalore airport to get new ATC-cum-technical block in 18 months

Mangalore: A new air traffic control tower-cum-technical block will be ready for Mangalore airport in 18 months. The administrative approval and expenditure sanction for construction of new control tower and technical block at the airport for Rs 26.57 crore has been obtained. "The short-listing of contractors has been completed and the tender is likely to be issued in a couple of days," said Union minister for corporate affairs M Veerappa Moily.
Delivering a keynote address at the two-day workshop on 'table-top airports and safety aspects' organized by the civil engineering department of National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, and Mangalore Airport Diamond Jubilee Celebration Committee at Surathkal on Saturday, Moily said Mangalore airport is eligible to be declared as an international airport.
"The airport has adequate safety infrastructure and runway 24 has precision approach path indicator (PAPI) and instrumental landing system (ILS) too. Regarding the safety aspect of Mangalore airport, let there be no misconceptions," he asserted, adding that the state government has agreed to provide 205 acres of land for extension of runway from the existing 8,000 feet to 9,500 feet. "Mangalore airport is not the only airport with a table-top runway. There are countless table-top runways across the world and in India too there are several such airports. All airports in North-Eastern states in India have been constructed on hills," Moily said.
30/10/11 Times of India

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Abhishek Bachchan in a runway shoot

Abhishek Bachchan who very recently, injured his finger while shooting for Bol Bachchan, is at it once again. This time, it was while shooting in New Zealand for the upcoming Abbas-Mustan thriller Players.
Junior Bachchan apparently got so carried away by the stunts that he even requested the airport officials at Wellington airport to let him race on the actual runway.
Since there were several aircrafts scheduled to take off and land on the runway, the officials were understandably reluctant, but were eventually persuaded.
Giving Abhishek company during the stunts were co-actors Zayed Khan and Sikandar Kher. “It was a thrilling experience,” gushes Zayed.
The actor says that the idea of the race wasn’t to check who was the fastest, but rather to experience the thrill of running alongside real life aircrafts on an actual runway.
31/10/11 Reena Kapoor/Deccan Chronicle

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Ranchi airport flight schedule reshuffled

Ranchi: Ten flights have been operating from Birsa Munda Airport for different destinations daily while a couple of proposals from Indigo and Deccan Airlines are still pending, awaiting the nod of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Both Kingfisher and GoAir have started their Ranchi-to-Delhi flight services from last month. GoAir has decided to change the timings of its flight to Delhi in the evening. The 6.10 pm flight will be rescheduled for 7 pm and the 6.40 pm flight for 7.30 pm from November 1.
The Ranchi-to-Kolkata Kingfisher flight has been started on a daily basis. Despite three existing leading companies — Air India, Jet and Kingfisher — connecting Ranchi, passengers fear cancellation or delay.
30/10/11 Sayantanee Choudhury/The Pioneer

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Rape accused held at Delhi airport

Nagpur: The 65-year-old real estate agent, booked last week for raping and later marrying the minor, was held at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday afternoon. He also has various sections of the Child Marriage Act of 1929 slapped against him. Cops from the Sadar police station were already looking for him after the offences got registered.
Haji Bashir Ashrafi who allegedly has six wives was trying to sneak out of the country before finally being intercepted. He was learnt to be planning for a Haj pilgrimage. A look out search notice was already issued on his name alerting the airport security across the state. Offences of threatening were registered against Ashrafi at Tehsil police station too.
Victim Aatisha (name changed) worked at the residence of Ashrafi as a domestic help. She is now adopted by Nasreen, Ashrafi's daughter from first wife Jamila, who encouraged the minor to approach the police.
It is reported that Jamila tipped the cops about Ashrafi's plans to embark on a Haj pilgrimage to Mecca and Madina.
30/10/11 Soumittra S Bose & Alka Panse/Times of India

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Police probe source of bullets found on Israeli student

Mumbai: The Sahar police, investigating the recovery of two live cartridges in possession of an Israeli student, are now trying to figure out how she wasn’t caught during her journey to India last week.
Nurit Tokar, 23, the accused is on a tourist visa to India and was about to fly in a Jet Airways flight number 9W 266 to Kathmandu in Nepal when she was nabbed by the CISF personnel for carrying live cartridges. The cartridges bore the print MMTZZN and 0-5 IMI.
She was handed over to the Sahar police for further investigation. A court has granted her police custody for three days.
Initial investigations reveal that the accused had arrived in India last week following her military training in Israel.
Sources said that intelligence agencies have been alerted and if required, will question her.
30/10/11 Shankar Abidi/Daily News & Analysis

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Israeli woman nabbed with cartridges remanded in police custody

Mumbai: An Israeli national who was caught with two live cartridges in her possession before boarding a flight to Kathmandu has been remanded in police custody until October 30. The woman identified as Noorit Tokar (23) was nabbed by security agencies at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on Friday.
Police officers said Tokar revealed that the bullets in her possession were part of her father’s legacy. “She told us that the bullets reminded her of her father’s service in the Israeli Army. ...We have booked her and further investigations are on,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 8) Satyanarayan Chaudhary.
30/10/11 Indian Express

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‘Don’t have Misconceptions - Mangalore Airport is Safe’

Mangalore: Let no misconceptions prevail with regard to the Mangalore Airport as it is a ‘DGCA Licensed’ airport, the runway has been constructed with the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) norms inclusive of RESA (Runway End Safety Area) and it is eligible to be declared as an International Airport, said Union Minister of Corporate Affairs Dr M Veerappa Moily.
He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day workshop on ‘Table top airports and safety aspects’ organised by National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) and Mangalore Airport Diamond Jubilee Celebration Committee.
The present runway is 8000 ft and 205 acres of land is provided by the state government for extension of the runway. The runway needs to be extended to 9500 ft, said Moily. The total estimated cost for the extension of runway, construction of part parallel taxiway and link taxiway is Rs 51 crores and the proposal is likely to put up to AAI board for approval, he said.
The administrative approval and expenditure sanction for construction of new control tower cum technical block at Mangalore Airport for an amount of Rs 26.57 crores has been obtained.
The new air traffic control tower is under construction and will be ready in 18 months, he said and added that there are plans to convert the old terminal building for international and domestic cargo operation.
Airports Authority of India, Southern Region, Regional Executive Director D Devaraj said that Mangalore Airport can handle Airbus 320 type of aircraft at present. AAI always pays more attention to safety. Every airport will have an annual study, surveillance study and technical study, he said.
30/10/11 DHNS/Daijiworld

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Goa-bound Kingfisher flight returns to Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A Kingfisher Airlines plane which took off from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here for Goa returned to the airport after about one-and-half-hours due to technical reasons, an official said. According to an RGIA spokesperson, Kingfisher 4475 (Hyderabad-Goa) flight that took off from the RGI Airport at 14.40 hours landed back at the airport here at 16.02 hours due to some technical reasons.
29/10/11 PTI/IBN Live

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AI to introduce hub-and-spoke flight on Chennai-Delhi sector

Chennai: Air India on Saturday said it will introduce a hub-and-spoke flight on Chennai-Delhi sector on October 30, which will enable international travellers connect with their flights from Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital.
The flight AI-043 would leave Chennai daily at 2130 hours and reach Delhi at 0015 hours. Similarly, the return flight AI-042 would leave New Delhi at 1805 hours and arrive at Anna International terminal in Chennai at 2045 hours," Air India said in a statement here.
29/10/11 PTI/ZeeNews

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IGI lucky draw surprises flyers with F1 landing

New Delhi: Eighteen passengers found themselves with a season's pass when they participated in Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd's lucky draw. Several celebrities have been arriving at the airport for the race. On Sunday, Shahrukh Khan will be arriving in a private jet for the grand finale of the maiden edition of the grand prix. Recently, Sahara Force India driver Adrian Sutil had surprised passengers at T3 when he stopped for a test-ride in the F1 simulator at the terminal. Airport sources said unscheduled aircraft movement had gone up by 30-40% in the last couple of days.
"During Commonwealth Games, we were informed about the aircraft that brought in people related to the Games. This time, however, we have no such prior information. On Friday, there were 83 unscheduled movements, while on Saturday, till 7:30pm, there were 40 unscheduled movements. The number is expected to be higher on Sunday," an aviation source said.
The airport has also seen a massive increase in the arrival of cargo. Over the past three days, IGI Airport handled 500 metric tonnes of cargo, including car spare parts and other equipment.
30/10/11 Times of India

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Airlines drag feet on goods stolen in transit at airport

New Delhi: Heritage activist Firoz Bakht Ahmed claims he found goods worth over $4,598 missing from his checked-in baggage at IGI Airport on October 19. With no receipts or declared list of goods given before commencing travel, there is little chance that he will recover the entire amount.
Ahmed, who teaches at a prominent public school, was returning to the capital on a Continental Airlines flight from Newark. He had accompanied three students to the US for an exchange programme and had to miss his original flight since a student was not allowed on board. The two took a flight next day but their baggage had been sent a day earlier.
"My student had an open ticket and the Continental staff did not permit her to board the flight on October 17. The airline told us our baggage had been offloaded and we could collect it from their counter next day before the second flight. However, when we asked for it, we were told it had already been sent to Delhi on some other airline," said Bakht.
Bakht was in for a shock at IGI. "I was carrying two bags. The first was a duffle bag that was completely torn from one side and practically empty. The airline staff told me to fill up a form and send them the details later. However, I made a list of all the items that were missing and submitted it immediately. The bag contained gifts I had purchased for family and friends worth $3,288. When I reached home, I realized that my second bag had also been tampered with and clothes and other goods worth $1,310 were missing from it. The airline has so far sent just an acknowledgement of my complaint and said it will take 45-odd days for them to sort it out," claimed Bakht.
30/10/11 Times of India

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Greentech award for AAI for greenfield airport in Sikkim

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has bagged the Greentech Corporate Social Responsibility Award for its greenfield airport at Pakyong in Sikkim. Greentech Foundation has selected AAI for Greentech CSR Award 2011 in Gold category in the aviation sector, a senior AAI official said. "Construction of Sikkim airport has been the true example of how new technologies can be used to minimise impact on environment, saving in cost as well as speeding up construction work," he said. AAI, as part of the CSR initiatives, has established paper recycling unit, medical camps in the villages besides educating the villagers. The airport operator has established Pakyong health centre according to the need of local community. The centre, with an estimated cost of Rs 66 Lakh, was inaugurated by former Secretary Civil Aviation M M Nambiar last year. The centre would cater to more than 100 small hamlets in 25 km area around Pakyong town having population of 14,000. Apart from it, the AAI has set up rural water supply scheme for Lossing and Dikling villages at an estimated cost of Rs 39.90 lakh. The official said that construction of New Airport at Sikkim required huge cutting and filling work.
29/10/11 PTI/IBN Live

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Iraq earmarks USD 50 billion for airport projects

Iraq government earmarked an estimated USD 50 billion for airport development projects in Iraq over the next few years. Iraqi Airways is scheduled to add new 55 Boeing and Bombardier aircrafts in to its fleet soon.
Mr Kifah Hasan Jabbar DG of Iraq Civil Aviation Authority and Iraqi Airways is expected to shed lights on the projects in the upcoming Emerging Markets Airport Suppliers Conference on December 11th to 12th 2011 in Dubai. The emerging markets of China, Russia, India, the Middle East and Africa are forecast to be among the growth leaders in airport infrastructure development spending over the next few years.
Following the director general's presentation, Mr Abdulmunaim M Ismail and Mr Ghaml Darweesh Al Isuozah special advisors to Benkin Regane Iraq's Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs with Ministry of Transport will make a presentation on Iraqi government's plan to spend USD 150 billion for the infrastructure program related to airports, sea ports and railways. Special focus will be on ongoing and new transportation projects in Baghdad, Basra, Dohuk, Karbala, Salhaddin province etc. The Umm Qasr seaport expansion and country wide railway network projects will also be under the focus.
29/10/11 Steel Guru.com

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Dabolim airport panel to tackle bird-hits at next meet

Vasco: Thursday's bird hit incident which saw the cancellation of a charter flight, has brought into focus the risk involved in flying from the Dabolim airport, which has its surroundings littered with garbage.
Sources said that for more than a year now, incidents of bird proliferation have increased - posing a danger to life and property.
Despite efforts by the municipality and panchayats, garbage thrown on the roadside and unclean surroundings continue to attract birds and their numbers are on the rise. Over the years, their population has increased in areas such as Shantinagar and Gandhinagar.
Raul da Costa, former Chicalim sarpanch, said that the panchayat is making all efforts to keep the area under its jurisdiction clean, but reckless dumping of solid waste by the roadside has created the problem.
29/10/11 Ruvina Khan/Times of India

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11-year-old girl dies on flight

Kochi: An 11-year-old girl, who had been undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, died on board the New Delhi-Kochi Air India flight which landed here last night. Anna Sunny Christy of Pathanamthitta was said to be critically ill and was being taken to the Amrutha Institute of Medical Sciences at Kochi, airport sources said. She was accompanied by her mother and a relative, they said.

27/10/11 PTI/IBN Live

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Chartered plane makes emergency landing after bird hit

Panaji: A Dutch charter plane, with 263 passengers onboard, on Thursday made an emergency landing at the airport here after a bird hit, airport officials said.

An airport spokesman said that the plane, operated by Netherland-based Air Arkefly, which had originated from Amsterdam and was supposed to fly to Colombo after a halt in Goa, was taking off from the airstrip here around 7.30 AM when a bird hit the engine of the plane.

"The bird was tucked inside the engine, which was damaged," the spokesman said.

27/10/11 PTI/ZeeNews

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http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/air-india-launches-delhivijayawada-flight/877775.html

Air India launches Delhi-Vijayawada flight

Hyderabad: Air India today announced the launch of its new daily link from Delhi to Vijayawada via Hyderabad from October 30. An Airbus A-319 with 122 seats capacity will be connected to Vijayawada, Air India said in a statement. Passengers from Vijayawada will now have easy connectivity from Vijayawada to Delhi and then to its non-stop flights to Chicago, New York and Toronto. They can also connect to Newark, London, Dubai, Muscat and Kuwait. "Our daily flight AI 544 will take off from Delhi on all days except Tuesdays in the afternoon at 1255 hours arriving in Hyderabad at 1505 hours. It will leave from Hyderabad at 1550 hours to reach Gannavaram (Vijayawada) airport at 1630 hours. On the return leg the flight AI 840 will leave Gannavaram at 1705 hours to arrive in Hyderabad at 1750 hours and again leave Hyderabad at 1910 hours to arrive in Delhi at 2120 hours," Air India said in a press note. On Tuesdays, the flight will leave Delhi at 1335 hours to arrive in Hyderabad at 1535 hours. It will take off from Hyderabad at 1605 to arrive in Gannavaram at 1650 hours and leave Gannavaram at 1735 hours to arrive in Hyderabad at 1825 hours, it added.

27/10/11 PTI/IBN Live

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Mangalore: The Department of Civil Engineering of National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), in association with the Mangalore Airport Diamond Jubilee Celebration Committee, will conduct a two-day workshop on ‘Table-top airports and safety aspect' in Mangalore on October 29-30.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, Prof Sandeep Sancheti, Director of NITK, said that the workshop provides a platform for exchange of latest ideas and concepts concerning table-top airports. It would be of interest to all professionals, educationists, researchers associated with airports and navigation systems.

India has table-top airports in Kozhikode in Kerala, Lengpui in Mizoram, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, Leh in Laddakh and Mangalore in Karnataka. Mangalore airport was under sharp focus following the plane crash in 2010.

Mr Tejomaya, Convenor of Mangalore Airport Diamond Jubilee Celebration Committee, said that Mangalore airport's runway, on which the ill-fated plane touched down, has handled over 32,000 successful landings since it was commissioned in 2006.

This underlines the fact that landing a plane on a table-top airstrip should not be a problem for pilots with normal training.

He said that the workshop has been organised to clear apprehensions in the minds of people about table-top airports.

27/10/11 Business Line

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The highest (and lowest) airports in the world

Skyscanner, the portal that compares low-cost flights, presents the ranking of the world's highest airports.
These airports, built at incredible heights, are commercial airports from which both freight and passenger flights are operated and some of them were formerly used for military purposes, known as Advanced Landing Ground. Nowadays some routes are served by charter flights or private companies, which manage to provide links at these heights.
South America has by far the highest concentration of 'Above 3,000m' runways, and, to be more specific, Peru and Bolivia, are at the top. The airport with the highest altitude from Earth is the Peruvian 'San Rafael' in the Puno region, south-east of the country, whose asphalt strip that allows aircraft to takeoff and land is 4,396 metres high.
However, on the other side of the Earth, the Chinese authorities announced that from 2014, the title of highest airport will go the Tibetan airport Nagqu, which when when completed, will reach the amazing height of 4,436 metres. Meanwhile, Tibet is satisfied with the second place achieved thanks to the airport of Chamdo at 4,334 metres of altitude. The third highest one is located in India at Fukche, and in this case the height is of an impressive 4,176 metres.
There are those lands who almost touch the sky when landing and there are those who land under the sea level. If you want to venture in locations which are totally opposite to those mentioned above, then you might consider to fly to Bar Yehuda Airfield, south of the Judean desert in Israel, where the runway is 378 metres below sea level. However, there is no need to go so far, just get on a flight to Amsterdam, whose airport is 5 metres below sea level. Even Venice retains its eternal relationship with water, in fact, its airport is accessible by ferry directly from the city.
27/10/11 AvioNews

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30 fined in one night for evading duty

Mumbai: It was quite a good haul for the Airport Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs department as about 30 people were caught and fined for carrying dutiable goods above the permissible limit at the Mumbai International airport in one night.
The passengers arrived on flights that landed on Monday night and in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. "We see an increase in instances of people carrying dutiable goods beyond allowed limits during the festive season and so we keep an increased vigil," said additional commissioner (AIU) Mahendra Pal, adding that most of the people were carrying electronic goods like televisions, music systems and players, etc. A Customs source said, "At least 30 passengers were fined for evading duty. The quantum of fine varies depending on the price of the goods," the source said.
27/10/11 Times of India

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Human trafficking at Thiruvananthapuram airport: officials’ role unearthed

Thiruvananthapuram: Evidence of human trafficking in connivance with police officials has been found out at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The proofs Manorama News channel got in this regard has revealed the involvement of a police officer in the rank of DYSP.
There were such allegations sometime before which had led to investigation into the issue by ADGP (Intelligence). Action was taken against two Circle Inspectors at that time.
How ever, evidences show that human trafficking continues undeterred even now. A note giving instruction to grant entry to a certain number of persons has been unearthed at the airport Wednesday. In the note, there were passport numbers of those who were supposed to be given safe passage at the airport.
26/10/11 Manoramaonline.com

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Air India to fly Pune-Goa from October 30

Pune: With traffic in the Pune-Goa sector growing continuously, Air India (AI) has decided to introduce a Pune-Goa-Pune flight from October 30.
The flight from Pune (AI 517) would take off at 12.15 pm and reach Goa at 1.05 pm. The flight from Goa (AI 518) would depart at 1.50 pm and arrive in Pune at 2.40 pm.
“The flight would operate six days a week, except on Saturdays. We would operate Airbus A320 with 20 business class and 125 economy seats,” said AI’s Pune manager, Dhairyashil Vandekar.
According to sources, the lowest fare that AI would charge in this
sector would be about Rs3,385.
Interestingly, AI used to operate flights in this sector, which was stopped about four years ago. At present only Kingfisher operates flights on the Pune-Goa-Pune route. Aviation experts predicted that AI stands to gain by starting flights in that sector since the festival season is on and plenty of tourists from Pune look forward to travelling to Goa.
26/10/11 Daily News & Analysis

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Gold worth Rs 1 crore seized at Kochi airport

Nedumbassery: In a major haul, the Air Customs Intelligence personnel seized a huge quantity of gold ornaments worth more than Rs 1 crore from two passengers who arrived at the Kochi airport here by an Emirates Flight from Dubai on Tuesday morning.
They hail from Bhatkal in Karnataka. They were frequent travellers but came to Kochi airport for the first time, Customs Assistant Commissioner C Madhavan said. ?
The smuggled quantity was found to be weighing 4855.4 gms and costs around Rs 1.062 crore. The passengers had concealed the ornaments in between two socks covered with knee pads. The passengers had declared to the Customs personnel that they were not carrying any taxable items.
The Customs officials suspect that the passengers might be carriers used for? smuggling ornaments.
They have been detained for further questioning. The investigation has been extended to other parts of the country. Eighteen-carat-gold ornaments are much-sought-after in Mumbai.
26/10/11 New Indian Express/IBN Live

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Airport Metro to run on Diwali

New Delhi: The swanky high-speed Airport Metro Express will not curtail its services on Diwali Wednesday, an official said.
"The Airport Metro trains will operate as per their original schedule from 5.30 a.m to 11.30 p.m.," a Reliance Infrastructure official said.
The Reliance Infrastructure-led consortium which runs the 20 km Metro line is expecting a huge rush on the festival day.
"We are not curtailing our operations as we are expecting a huge rush, as many people who are planning to spend Diwali and the long weekend with their families will go to the airport and even outstation passengers will return to city," the official said.
According to the official, the daily ridership of the Airport Metro has gone up from 4,000 to 18,000 in the last six months.
25/10/11 Zee News

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Airport tribunal directs AERA not to implement new tariffs

New Delhi: The airport tribunal has directed the sectoral regulator Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) not to implement the new tariffs for private airports till it decides the plea by them, challenging the new guidelines, reports PTI.
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal said, however, that the AERA may pass the final order on tariffs, but it would not be implemented.
A bunch of petitions have been filed by private airport operators in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin and Hyderabad, against some of the provisions of AERA’s tariff guidelines.
“It is made clear that even if any final order is passed by the respondent, AERA, the same shall not be given effect to without leave of this court,” said the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal.
The 3-member tribunal has also listed the matter on 16th, 17th and 23rd November for final hearing over the plea filed by private airport developers.The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by airport operators who have challenged the terms and conditions for the Determination of Tariff or Airport Operators in the guidelines issued by the regulator on 28th February.
25/10/11 Moneylife

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Rising deportations clip wings of over 10 Ahmedabad airport officials

Ahmedabad: Immigration officials at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPI) are under fire for the rise in number of deportation involving passengers, who were cleared by the immigration wing at the airport. In the last six months alone, over ten officials have been removed from the immigration desk either for ‘inefficiency’ or for being ‘hand-in-glove’ with travel agents involved in illegal immigration.
A recent case of a couple, who were deported from Dubai last week, is another example of how easy it is to dupe immigration officials at SVPI airport. It was not sophisticated technology but simple interrogation that helped the Dubai immigration officials blow the cover of Mehul Gotecha, 31, a resident of Satellite and his girl friend Mital Panchal, 26.
The same couple, however, had easily managed to hoodwink the immigration officials at SVPI. Earlier in July, three people from Tamil Nadu who flew from SVPI airport were deported from Dubai after the trio were busted because of their accent. Two of them were originally from Sri Lanka but were traveling as Indians. In Dubai they were caught because their Tamil accent gave them away. Their accent was different from the Tamil ascent of Indians. However, the same trio had managed to escape detection at Ahmedabad immigration counter.
25/10/11 Daily News & Analysis

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30 air passengers fined in one day for excess dutiable items

Mumbai: Airport Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs has fined about 30 people at the airport in one day for carrying dutiable goods above the permissible limit.
"Normally during Diwali our sleuths keep extra vigil at the airport and yesterday we fined about 30 people for carrying excess dutiable goods," said a Customs source today.
Majority of these passengers had electronic goods with them.
"Majority of them were carrying electronic goods," confirmed Additional Commissioner (AIU) Mahendra Pal.
25/10/11 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

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Now, passengers fleeced between IGI terminals

New Delhi: Indira Gandhi International Airport is witnessing a rise on rogue cab drivers yet again, albeit in a discreet manner.
After the IGI police arrested 27 people and lodged 21 FIRs for touting either at the T-3 terminal or at the domestic terminal and stopped autorickshaw drivers from overcharging, a section of taxi and auto drivers are now fleecing passengers who want to move from one terminal to the other.
A source at the IGI Airport confirmed that several verbal complaints in this regard have been received by the police.
A few taxi drivers have themselves informed the police about the malpractice, the source added. The IGI police have approached the DCP (traffic-south) requesting him to act against touts after confirming the ground realities, a senior police officer said.
"We have approached the traffic police and asked them to send us a report on touts operating from the airport," said a police officer posted with the operations cell.
26/10/11 Dwaipayan Ghosh/Times of India

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Airstrips for Northeast

New Delhi: The Northeastern region will get better air connectivity under the 12th Five Year Plan as the government plans to build airstrips in this part during the 2012-17 period. The move was being made considering the poor flight services in the region comprising Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, Planning Commission member B K Chaturvedi said.

“The other major investments under the Plan will be in the GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation system and in the city-side development of the Airports Authority of India airports,” he said. During the 11th Plan period (2007-12), the government had announced to build three greenfield airports — one each at Pakyong in Sikkim, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, and Chiethu in Nagaland.

Aviation in the country has been growing (in terms of passengers) by 20 per cent during the current plan. This growth is one of the highest in the world. In the airport sector, the period saw AAI upgrading 35 non-metro airports, likely to be completed by 2012.

25/10/11 Mihir Mishra/Business Standard

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Airports authority asks Kingfisher to clear R210-cr dues

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has sent notice to Kingfisher Airlines for clearing dues worth R210 crore. The public sector AAI has advised the airline to raise loans from banks to pay off the outstanding as the move would help them save on interest rate.

The airline has said that it would secure bank loan shortly and clear the dues. It makes sense since the dues is attracting an interest rate of 18%. Bank loan can be raised at an interest of 11-12%. “It’s pure economics,” a senior AAI official told The Financial Express.

The Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines is currently making upfront payment for using the airport infrastructure managed by the AAI across the country. As per the mutually agreed commercial terms, the airline is paying 15 days in advance for airport usage to the operator.

25/10/11 Nirbhay Kumar/Financial Express

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Kingfisher flight makes emergency landing at Dabolim

Vasco: A Mumbai-Bangalore Kingfisher airlines flight carrying 109 people made an emergency landing at Dabolim international airport on Monday morning after the left windshield glass of the airline developed multiple cracks.

At about 7.55am, the Kingfisher flight IT 101/Air Bus 320, which took off from Mumbai, contacted and informed the airport traffic control at Dabolim airport that it needed to make an emergency landing. There were 101 passengers and 8 crew members on board.

The ATC immediately made arrangements for the landing and at about 8.10am the flight landed at the airport.

Sources said, "The windshield glass suddenly developed multiple cracks after the plane left Mumbai. Sensing danger, pilot Capt Rajnish Verma, brought the flight to a lower altitude."

25/10/11 Times of India

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Chennai Airport to get Rs 20 crore ATC Simulator

Chennai: Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) in the country will soon be able to hone their skills on an integrated simulator which will be installed at Chennai airport. First of its kind in the country, the `20 crore equipment will be set up at the Air Traffic Services complex within six months.

D Devaraj, regional executive director, Airports Authority of India, Southern Region, said officials working in tower, approach, route and oceanic controls will be trained to handle any emergency using the simulator.

Till date, air traffic controllers used to be trained for a week using manual procedures and were required to renew their certification every six months.

With the installation of the simulator, the training schedule is likely to change. Course duration and content will be customised as per the requirements, he said.

The facility could be used to train ATCs from all control regions in the south as well as from Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

25/10/11 New Indian Express/IBN Live

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Air Arabia starts using aerobridge at Nagpur airport

Nagpur: Taking cognisance of recent TOI reports that aerobridges at the airport have been reduced to mere showpieces, Mihan India Limited (MIL), the company operating the city airport, finally got Air Arabia to start using the facility from Monday morning without any formal inauguration.

All domestic airlines operating flights from the city have been reluctant to use the aerobridge. This has deprived passengers, especially the elderly, the facility to board and leave aircraft directly into the terminal building.

Finally, international airline Air Arabia started using the facility for its passengers from Monday. Air Arabia operates the lone international flight from city to Sharjah thrice a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Six airlines; Air India, Jet, Spice Jet, Kingfisher Red, Indigo and Go Air, operate flights to various destinations from Nagpur. Two airlines, Air India and Indigo, already have operators and their own equipment like pushback tractors, toe bar etc for aerobridge operations. However, the airlines are still reluctant to use the services provided by MIL, for reasons best known to them, sources at the airport said.

25/10/11 Sachin Dravekar/Times of India

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4 years after foundation, Karsingsa Airport still uncertain

Itanagar: Uncertainty still hangs over the final choice of the site for an ambitious greenfield airport project in Arunachal Pradesh as Karsingsa, where a foundation stone for the project was laid four years back, is being reconsidered.

Two sites for the location of the airport had earlier been rejected, one of them being Imchi near Gumto, which was cancelled on account of being a riverbed and not having an even ground.

The other choice was Poma which was also ruled out for being a place where clouds hover at all time.

The two sites having been rejected, Karsingsa, 25 kms from Itanagar, was next selected as the site for the airport and the foundation stone was laid on February 20, 2007 by then Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil with the assurance of full support from the Centre.

The Defence Ministry and the state government had reached an agreement that prior to the commencement of the operation of passenger flights, representatives of the Indian Air Force would be involved in establishing the airspace coordination procedures on June 30, 2007.

After all official procedures were completed for the acquisition of land with a green signal from the local people and when the actual work was to start, it was suddenly announced that Hollongi was being considered as the new 'probable' site.

24/10/11 Economic Times

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Emirates to connect Hyderabad with new destinations in US, Russia

Hyderabad: Airline operator Emirates plans to add new destinations in the US and Russia from Hyderabad via Dubai in the next few months, anticipating a pick up in demand growth after a brief period of sluggish market in the last few weeks. Immediately on its radar are daily services from Hyderabad to Dallas and Seattle via Dubai.

“We have finalised plans to launch the Dallas service on February 2, 2012 and the Seattle service on March 1,” Mr K.P. Venugopal, Emirates Sales Manager, Andhra Pradesh, told Business Line.

For both the services, the airline will deploy different versions of Boeing 777 aircraft, including the model that has a seating capacity of 428.

“Our market estimates are that there are about 1,500 passengers flying to Dubai and Seattle each every month from Hyderabad. The passengers mostly include corporate travellers and visiting friends and family members,” he said.

The inaugural offer in the economy class has been fixed at Rs 52,900 (return fare) to Dallas, and Rs 56,550 to Seattle. Also included in its plans are to connect Hyderabad to St Petersburg and Baghdad in November this year and Buenos Aires and Rio in January next year.

24/10/11 Amit Mishra/Business Line

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Human trafficking racket busted; three held from IGI

New Delhi: Three persons were arrested from the Indira Gandhi International Airport and fake immigration stamps were seized from their possession, police said.

Officials said the arrested persons were part of a human trafficking racket.

The arrests were made after a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel caught a passenger carrying forged security stamps of the Bureau of Immigration and Air India, minutes before he was to board a flight to Canada on Saturday night, officials said.

According to a senior CISF official, “Around 11.15 pm, while frisking Kulwant Singh (46), the CISF screener noticed a bulge in his pocket. When asked to produce the items, five rubber stamps, one belonging to the Bureau of Immigration and four to the security staff of Air India were retrieved. Singh was unable to give a satisfactory reply as to why he was in possession of the same.”

The security wings of the Bureau of Immigration and Air India inspected the stamps, and found them to be “forged and fabricated”, the official said. Singh claimed that Lidhar had promised him a job in Canada, for which he paid Rs 20 lakh.

24/10/11 Indian Express

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CIAL denies allegations of security slip

Intelligence agencies at the Cochin International Airport have reported as a major security lapse the recovery of an air gun from the checked-in baggage of a passenger here on Friday, even as the airport company is in denial mode.

“It was a clear slip on the part of the baggage screeners and we are now awaiting further directions from higher-ups,” intelligence sources said. They attributed it to a slack attitude of screeners deployed by CIAL who had failed to spot the material during an x-ray screening of the baggage.

The incident was reported on Friday as the passenger of an Air India Express flight to Thiruvanathapuram, immediately after boarding the aircraft, approached the security officials and made a declaration regarding the gun in his baggage. By then, the bag had already been sent to the aircraft's cargo hold area, and was taken out later for a secondary check.

CIAL sought to refute the allegations and said that no such incident had been reported. “It was a registered baggage along with a government declaration and was escorted by a senior Customs official,” said A.C.K. Nair, the airport director.

According to him, the blank gun, seized from a passenger by the customs department a few days ago, was being taken for a forensic check at Thiruvanathapuram.

24/10/11 The Hindu

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Super jumbo makes emergency landing

Hyderabad: An Emirates Airbus A380, the largest passenger airliner in the world, flying from Bangkok to Dubai, made an emergency landing at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here, after pilots detected a technical snag, during the early hours of Sunday.

The aircraft EK385, with 481 people on board, including passengers and crew, touched down at 0345 hours at RGIA. A full contingent of fire tenders, ambulances and support staff was on standby to provide emergency assistance. The aircraft, which was flying over central India, was diverted and permitted to land in RGIA.

The aircraft initially approached the Chennai airport but did not get clearance for landing as the runway was busy. The pilot then contacted Air Traffic Control at Shamshabad, 20 kms from here and got the clearance to land.

“All the passengers, mostly foreign nationals, were got off from the aircraft immediately,” RGIA spokesperson said, adding that the reasons for the emergency landing are also being looked into. Responding to the emergency landing, the Airport Rescue Fire Fighters upgraded themselves from CAT-9 to CAT-10 category to ensure safe landing of the aircraft.

The aircraft was then towed to the parking bay and passengers have been sent to Dubai on another aircraft.

23/10/11 Deccan Herald.com

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PM security caution for Aerocity

New Delhi: Aerocity, IGI Airport's under-construction hospitality zone, has been mired in security-related issues from the very beginning. Now, the Prime Minister's security wing of Delhi Police has written to the IGI police and CISF asking them to ensure that construction is stopped at least three hours prior to the VVIPs - including President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and heads of other countries - reaching the airport.

The letter further states that it is "advisable" if hundreds of these mostly part-time workers could be relocated as the PM security wing and SPG sanitize the routes.

A senior security cell officer described it to be a stop-gap solution. "We have decided to inspect the entire Aerocity with a technical panel of security experts soon. However, given various threats by terror outfits, we do not want to take any chance. We have also asked the IGI police to verify each worker's antecedents in the quickest possible time. We are contemplating handing over the verification process to the special branch," said a source.

The IGI police has confirmed that the decision is being implemented for the past fortnight.

The arrangement comes at a time the T3 terminal has been beset with its other problems. As many as 31 theft cases were reported this year at T3 compared to six at the domestic terminal.

23/10/11 Dwaipayan Ghosh/Times of India

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Air travel to become shorter, greener

Kolkata: Do you find it annoying to fly into Delhi and Mumbai where planes have to hover in the sky, waiting in a seemingly endless queue for touchdown? Ever wondered why this doesn't happen at London, Dubai, Frankfurt or Newark despite the airports catering to many more flights?
It's because flights to busy airports are required to calculate backwards to determine the takeoff time that will make the entire journey short. In contrast, domestic flights in India are happy taking off on time with no care in the world on the prolonged wait that may follow. Beyond mere inconvenience to passengers, it also entails wastage of aviation turbine fuel worth crores of rupees as planes hover in the air or wait in takeoff queue.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA) seems to have finally woken up to the problem and is taking steps to address the situation that not only cuts down on flight time but also reduces fuel consumption, thereby cutting down on carbon emission.
"The Indian aviation industry has to adopt Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) to solve the gridlock in Mumbai and Delhi. A system should be in place within the next 12-18 months," Airports Authority of India general manager (air traffic management) Chandan Sen told TOI. There are two primary contenders for delivering the software that will integrate all the information-American NextGen and European SESAR.
"Once the system is in place, flight-related information will flow seamlessly across all stakeholders. There is requirement of collaborative decision-making between air traffic, airport managers and airlines to enable the system to function properly. After all the relevant information is fed into the system, it can determine what time passengers on a Kolkata-Mumbai flight should board the aircraft so that there is least amount of waiting time both for takeoff in Kolkata and for landing in Mumbai," Sen explained. This can lead to an annual saving of 6 million kg of ATF costing around Rs 40 crore and reduce carbon emission by 18 million kg.
22/10/11 Suhbro Niyogi/Times of India

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New Metro, sea routes will connect Navi Mumbai airport

Mumbai: In a recent report submitted to state government and other authorities, 2 metro corridors and 2 water routes have been proposed, in addition to several road and rail routes
Even as the first metro rail corridor is fumbling to the finish line, two new metro corridors have been proposed to connect the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) itself a long way away from completion to south Mumbai and the western suburbs.
In addition, the inland passenger water transport project has also made a comeback, as part of the holistic transport plan to facilitate commute to the airport.
It will require pressing into service catamarans and hovercrafts, officials said. The proposals were pitched in a recent report submitted by international firm LEA Associates to the state government, railways and infrastructure agencies.
A few days ago, Principal Secretary of Urban Development TC Benjamin and railway officials even made a presentation to the World Bank for financing the projects.
"This report will now be studied by the state government and CIDCO who are the owners of the land. It was meant to identify the most feasible modes of transport that could help connecting the new airport," said a senior government official on condition of anonymity.
22/10/11 Shashank Rao/MiD DAY

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At airport, MIAL bungling with cargo cost us Rs 200 cr: Traders

Questioning the work culture at the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) that they said was responsible for improper storage of cargo, parcels getting damaged or going missing and other problems, traders from various associations recently made a presentation of their woes before officials of the Civil Aviation and the Commerce and Industry ministries.
Traders said the damaged goods even included costly medical devices that came with 'handle with care' instructions, and claimed the accumulated losses resulting from poor infrastructure at the city airport and mishandling of cargo were close to Rs 200 crore in the past few months.
In a detailed PowerPoint presentation made on September 26 in Delhi, traders said MRI and CT scan devices worth Rs 9 crore, cardiac stents worth Rs 2 crore, medicines worth Rs 2-3 crore, and automobile parts and food items worth crores were among the goods damaged in the recent past.
"The airport operator does not have enough sense of responsibility to even secure life-saving devices and medicines. We keep on knocking at its door with our complaints, but those people just refuse to listen," said an official spokesperson of a trade association that deals in international cargo.
These issues include improper storage, parcels going missing after landing, zero accountability when it comes to damage to cargo, lack of proper security in the cargo area, parcels not found at defined locations and arrogant behavior of the airport cargo-handling workforce.
22/10/11 Bipin Kumar Singh/MiD DAY

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Confusion over licence of Calicut airport

New Delhi: The state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed on Friday evening that the Calicut airport in Kerala does have a valid airport licence till 2013. The confirmation came hours after triggering of a controversy on Friday afternoon when one member of the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC) claimed that the airport licence could have lapsed since June this year. The CASAC was set up by the Union Government after the Mangalore crash last year.
“Calicut airport has a valid airport licence till 2013,” a senior DGCA official dealing with licensing, told this newspaper. AAI chairman V.P. Agarwal also said that the airport has a valid licence.
22/10/11 Asian Age

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More flights from Vijayawada

Vijaywada: A long wait is coming to an end. The wish of traders from the commercial capital of the state, Vijayawada, to get connected with metros of the country is coming true, with several flight operators deciding to introduce new flights to Gannavaram airport.
Encouraged by the increased passenger flow from Gannavaram airport, Air India is launching a new service from Delhi, starting October 30. The 122-seater flight would touch the tarmac at the renovated airport in the next 10 days. "The schedule will be announced a day before the official launch," a senior official of the Airports Authority of India said. The flight would operate via Hyderabad.
The private airliner, Jet Airways, will introduce a direct flight from Mumbai to Gannavaram next month. Chamber of Commerce president M Muralikrishna said the private airlines have responded positively to their pleas to operate a flight to Mumbai. As per the initial schedule, the flight will arrive here at around 3.30 pm and leave for Hyderabad at 3.45 pm, from where it would reach Mumbai at 6.05 pm. In addition to the Mumbai flight, Jet Airways has also agreed to operate a flight between Vijayawada and Vizag.
The Gannavaram airport, which was in limbo till last year, will finally witness a rush of flights, including choppers, in the coming months. The airport, which had only one flight to Hyderabad a few months ago, has five flights a day taking off to various destinations.
22/10/11 Times of India

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Air India conducts airbus trial run

Vijayawada: Air India conducted a trial run in Gannavaram airport on Thursday to operate it’s Airbus 319 with 112 seating capacity from Vijayawada to Delhi via Hyderabad from October 30.

It may be noted that after expanding the runway of the Gannavaram airport from 6,000 feet to 7,5000 feet, the facility for landing wide bodied flights with 120 seating capacity was provided. With the introduction of new facility, several airways are coming forward to operate their service from the trade capital Vijayawada.

As part of it, Air India has decided to operate the service from Vijayawada-Hyderabad-Delhi direct flight and conducted a trial run, according airport director C Pattabhi. Meanwhile, the Jet Airways which has been operating flight from Vijayawada-Hyderabad is now planning to introduce a flight to Mumbai. In response to a letter written by Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry seeking direct flight to Mumbai, the Jet Airways senior general manager (planning) Anthony D’Sa announced they will introduce a flight from Vijayawada to Mumbai via Hyderabad from Oct 30.

The flight will depart from Vijaywada at 15.45 hrs and reach Hyderabad at 16.45 hrs and leave Hyderabad at 1805 hrs and land at Mumbai at 1930 hrs.

In return direction, the flight will leave Mumbai at 04.10 hrs and reach Hyderabad at 05.25 hrs, leave Hyderabad at 07.05 hrs and reach Vijayawada at 08.05 hrs.

21/10/11 New Indian Express/IBN Live

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GMR arm’s MRO facility at Rajiv Gandhi airport will be ready in Nov

Hyderabad: A Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility being set up by an India-Malaysia joint venture at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, here will be ready in November.

The MAS-GMR Aerospace Engineering Company Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between Malaysian Aerospace Engineering, a subsidiary of Malaysian Airline System Bhd, and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd., a subsidiary of GMR infrastructure limited is implementing the project.

This joint venture is a third party Airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul located in the special economic Zone at the Airport. It has the capability to provide base maintenance services, starting with narrow bodied aircraft like Airbus A320, ATR 42/72 and Boeing 737-NG, and subsequently wide-body aircraft like A330 and Boeing 777.

21/10/11 Business Line

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Surat upbeat over SpiceJet flight plans

Surat: There could not have been a better Diwali gift to the diamantaires in the world's biggest diamond cutting and polishing centre in Surat.

Come December, the diamond city is all set to get wings with SpiceJet planning to start intra-state flights connecting Ahmedabad and Surat with Saurashtra and Kutch.

For most of the diamantaires travelling to Antwerp thrice a month, the air connectivity between Surat and Ahmedabad planned by SpiceJet would give them direct access to international fights from Ahmedabad international airport. Instead of taking four to five hours long route from Surat to reach the Chattrapati Shivaji international terminus at Mumbai, the diamantaires can take a direct flight to Ahmedabad from Surat.

"Over 600 small and medium diamantaires from the city go to Antwerp for purchasing rough diamonds by boarding international flights from Mumbai airport. Now, the same traffic would be diverted to Ahmedabad with the start of inter-state flight services by SpiceJet," said Dinesh Navadia, president of Surat Diamond Association (SDA).

20/10/11 Melvyn Thomas/Times of India

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Solar farm pitched for airport land

In the empty fields south of Nantucket Memorial Airport, the island’s next big renewable-energy project is being designed to power the second-busiest airport in Massachusetts.

A contract for a 1-megawatt solar photovoltaic installation, covering eight to 10 acres of vacant land along the southern airport fence near Maddequecham Valley Road, will soon land on the Airport Commission’s table.

With the Nantucket High School wind turbine up and running for the past year, and the town forging ahead with a plan for an even larger turbine at the Madaket landfill, the airport is considering jumping into the renewable-energy game with an India-based company, Lanco Solar International, a subsidiary of Lanco Infratech Limited.

Lanco was one of three companies to respond to the airport’s request for proposals for a solar-energy project, and the company’s bid was recommended by consultant Robert Patterson as the most competitive and advantageous. The Airport Commission voted unanimously last week to have Patterson develop a contract with Lanco that will be considered at a future meeting.

While Lanco is a large global company involved in both traditional and renewable-energy developments, infrastructure projects and coal-mining, it has not completed a solar project similar to the one proposed on Nantucket elsewhere in the United States, Patterson said, although there are a few others in the works in New Jersey.

The 1-megawatt project would be constructed at Lanco’s expense, using its own solar panels manufactured in India, and will be designed to operate “behind the meter” to directly offset the airport’s electricity demand, but produce no more than is needed at the facility due to energy-distributor National Grid’s restrictive rules for net-metering (the amount of renewable energy allowed to be produced) on Nantucket. The savings could top $300,000 per year, according to airport manager Al Peterson.

20/10/11 Jason Graziadei/The Inquirer and Mirror

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India takes up turban issue with France

New Delhi: India on Thursday again took up the issue of ban on Sikh turban in France with foreign minister S M Krishna insisting before his French counterpart Alain Juppe that the turban was a symbol of dignity for Sikhs. While Juppe said that the ban was not discriminatory, he proposed a dialogue over the issue of implementation of the French law which prohibits public display of religious symbols.

Krishna said he had taken up the matter with Italy and also written to EU over the issue. "I have also written a letter to Italy's foreign minister on problems faced by the Sikhs at airports. We are pursuing the matter with the EU as well," Krishna replied when asked about the French ban on wearing turbans in that country.

"We look forward to finding a mutually acceptable resolution of this sensitive issue," he added.

Juppe said that there was no discrimination against the Sikh community in his country, but stressed that the ban was in accordance with France's policy of secular state.

21/10/11 Times of India

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No CISF for Juhu airport until they get a home

Six months ago, in a move to provide extra security cover to Juhu aerodrome, the Ministry of Home Affairs had sanctioned the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force here. Some 174 CISF personnel were to take guard at the airport, after shifting to the city, many with their families.

So when in September, the Intelligence Bureau revised its threat perception for the city -- particularly, the airports -- and put out a red alert, the airstrip should have been prepared for any eventuality. But it is still not. The personnel are yet to take charge owing to the lack of proper accommodation facilities, leaving the airport exposed.

MiD DAY has learnt that the aerodrome operates with 40 policemen and 40 private security guards despite its susceptibility, and will continue to do so for a few more months, until the housing infrastructure is created or leased.

According to a senior official from the aerodrome, "The permission related to CISF cover was sanctioned six months ago, but the airport has failed to fix the accommodation for the security personnel till date. The CISF team was not satisfied with the housing facilities and other resources, so the implementation was delayed."

21/10/11 Bipin Kumar Singh/MiD DAY

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AI plane from Delhi makes emergency landing

Bhopal: A Mumbai-bound Air India plane from Delhi with 70 passengers on board landed under emergency conditions at the Raja Bhoj airport here due to a technical problem barely 15 minutes after take-off, officials said on Thursday.

The hydraulic system of plane AI-634, which was heading for Indore on Wednesday, developed some problem because of which it had to be brought back to the airport here soon after its departure at 2030 hours.

The flight was cancelled at 2130 hours after engineers failed to rectify the snag, airport officials said.

20/10/11 PTI/The Hindu

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IAF puts details of forward military bases in tender document

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has put out in public domain geographical coordinates of many forward military bases in the north and east of the country, raising concern that it was compromising national security.

The IAF gave details such as altitude, longitude, latitude and other dimensions of forward military bases in northern and eastern commands, covering most of the border areas shared with Pakistan and China, in a tender document.

The details are contained in an annexure attached to the Request for Proposal issued by IAF for hiring helicopters from private airlines and public sector undertakings for operations in these forward areas. The decision to hire helicopters from PSUs and private airlines was prompted by their shortage with the air force, especially at a time when winter stocking for remote Army posts have to be carried out. These helicopters are desperately needed to maintain forward Army bases, details of which have now been revealed.

A defence ministry official dismissed concerns about security breach, saying in the era of Google Earth, finding coordinates and other specifics of a military base was not a difficult task.

20/10/11 Times of India

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Project report on Kannur airport next month

Thiruvananthapuram: The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Kannur Airport in north Kerala would be completed by next month.

The DPR for the greenfield airport was being drawn up by the Airport Authority of India (AII), Kerala Ports Minister K Babu informed the state Assembly today.

The UDF government was keen to speed up the work on the airport and the impression being created by certain quarters that the work had slowed down "was not correct", Babu, in charge of civil aviation matters in the state, told the Assembly during Question Hour.

Envisaged as a public-private initiative, 49 per cent of equities of the airport would be raised from private individuals and institutions while 26 per cent would be vested with the State government.

Travel and hospitality industries have also shown keen interest in the project as it will give a boost to the untapped tourism potential of the region.

20/10/11 PTI/Zee News

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Finally, intra-Gujarat flights take wing

Ahmedabad: Come Christmas, honchos wanting fly across Gujarat will get wings. SpiceJet will start operating intra-state flights connecting Ahmedabad and Surat with Saurashtra and Kutch. The launch is being timed with Rannotsav, the annual desert festival organised by the state government in Kutch. The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd has approved the project.

The company plans to fly 78-seater, Q400 aircraft. Functional airports in Ahmedabad, Surat, Porbandar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Keshod, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Vadodara will be linked gradually. Ahmedabad and Surat will be made the hubs, connecting other centres. The company may fix a basic fare for a one-hour flight at Rs 2,400. Kamal Hingorani, vicepresident, SpiceJet said, "We have acquired 30 aircraft exclusively for connecting Tier II and Tier III cities across the country. Gujarat is an important market."

20/10/11 Times of India

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Solar farm pitched for airport land

In the empty fields south of Nantucket Memorial Airport, the island’s next big renewable-energy project is being designed to power the second-busiest airport in Massachusetts.

A contract for a 1-megawatt solar photovoltaic installation, covering eight to 10 acres of vacant land along the southern airport fence near Maddequecham Valley Road, will soon land on the Airport Commission’s table.

With the Nantucket High School wind turbine up and running for the past year, and the town forging ahead with a plan for an even larger turbine at the Madaket landfill, the airport is considering jumping into the renewable-energy game with an India-based company, Lanco Solar International, a subsidiary of Lanco Infratech Limited.

Lanco was one of three companies to respond to the airport’s request for proposals for a solar-energy project, and the company’s bid was recommended by consultant Robert Patterson as the most competitive and advantageous. The Airport Commission voted unanimously last week to have Patterson develop a contract with Lanco that will be considered at a future meeting.

While Lanco is a large global company involved in both traditional and renewable-energy developments, infrastructure projects and coal-mining, it has not completed a solar project similar to the one proposed on Nantucket elsewhere in the United States, Patterson said, although there are a few others in the works in New Jersey.

20/10/11 Jason Graziadei/The Inquirer and Mirror

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GoAir launches daily flights from Bengalooru to Goa and Kochi

GoAir, India’s low-fare domestic airline, with the youngest fleet, will connect Bengalooru to the cities of Goa and Kochi with daily direct flights, from 30th October 2011.

These flights have been introduced by GoAir to cater to the additional traffic expected in winter. Earlier this month, GoAir also added 3 new destinations to its existing network: Kolkata, Ranchi and Port Blair. GoAir recently announced the purchase of 72 next generation A320 NEO aircraft.

20/10/11 India Infoline

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GVK buys 14% stake in Bangalore airport from Siemens

Bangalore Airport and Infrastructure Developer Private Ltd, a subsidiary of GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd, today acquired about 14 per cent stake in Bangalore International Airport Ltd from Siemens Project Ventures GmbH for Rs 613.82 crore.

Bangalore Airport and Infrastructure Developer (BAIDPL) purchase 5,38,44,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each for Rs 613.82 crore. With this acquisition, GVK's stake in Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) has been increased to 43 per cent from 29 per cent.

BIAL was awarded the mandate to modernise the Bengaluru International Airport in July 2004. This move comes barely within 24 hours of GVKPIL arm hiking stake in Mumbai International Airport Ltd, to 50.5 per cent.

Mr G.V. Krishna Reddy, Chairman, GVKPIL, said: “GVK has been a frontrunner in development of airports taking up both Mumbai and Bangalore. The completion of the acquisition of the additional 14 per cent stake in BIAL helps us further consolidate Bengaluru International Airport as the leading airport destination in southern India.

“Moreover, we believe that this strategic transaction will be very crucial to the next phase of growth of Bengaluru International airport.”

19/10/11 Business Line

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GVK acquires 13.5% in MIAL for Rs 1,140 cr

New Delhi/ Mumbai: GVK Airport Holdings Pvt Ltd, an arm of GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd (GVKPIL), today completed the acquisition of 13.5 per cent stake of Bid Services Division (Mauritius) Ltd in Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL). The company had announced its decision to purchase the stake in March.

GVK bought the stake for $231 million (Rs 1,140 crore), valuing MIAL at around Rs 8,500 crore. After the acquisition, GVK’s stake in MIAL stands at 50.5 per cent. While the Airports Authority of India owns 26 per cent, Bid Services Division (Mauritius) and the Airports Company of South Africa hold 13.5 and 10 per cent, respectively.

The acquisition is the second-biggest by the GVK group to consolidate its position in the airport business. In August, the group increased its stake in Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) to 43 per cent, by acquiring 14 per cent stake from Siemens for Rs 614 crore. The deal valued BIAL at Rs 4,300 crore.

“We have a management control in MIAL and now, we will have two additional members on the board. The acquisition is being financed with a short-term debt. We are looking for a private equity investor in the airports’ holding company and we will use those funds to repay the debt,’’ said A Issac George, chief financial officer of the group.

19/10/11 Business Standard

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Pune airport braces for swanky look AAI to spend Rs 20 cr

Pune: The Airports Authority of India plans to invest nearly Rs 20 crore over the next 12 months for various expansion projects at the Lohegaon airport.

The projects include a swanky administrative complex, construction of new hangars for non-scheduled small aircraft owned by private companies operating from the city, and setting up a canopy on the city side of the airport terminal building.

Lohegaon airport director P S R K Sudhakar told TOI, "We expect the work on these projects to commence by the end of this year. Tenders for these projects will be out next month."

He said, the proposed administrative block will be a ground-plus-two structure located near the entrance of the airport terminal building. As of now, the AAI offices as well as that of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for airport security, are located on the first floor inside the main terminal building.

19/10/11 Vishwas Kothari/Times of India

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Bomb disposal squad for Thiruvananthapuram airport

Thiruvananthapuram: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) manning the Thiruvananthapuram international airport, one of the “hyper-sensitive” airports in the country, will soon be armed with an exclusive bomb disposal squad, including a dog squad, for anti-sabotage checks.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had recently decided to deploy such squads in all major airports. Initially, the airport will have a squad of two dogs trained in detection of explosives. The authorities are trying to procure the best pedigree pups of Labrador and Cocker Spaniel breeds. The AAI has commenced steps to construct a kennel near the CISF barracks near the Ponnara bridge. The AAI has allocated Rs.70 lakh for constructing 10 kennels . Only seven kennels are being constructed now. “The dog squad is the first step towards setting up an exclusive round-the-clock bomb disposal squad,” Airport Director G. Chandramouli said.

When the squad is set up, the CISF will not have to depend on the city police and State agencies for carrying out anti-sabotage checks in the wake of bomb threats to the airport.

19/10/11 S Anil Radhakrishnan/The Hindu

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Loader killed at International Airport

Bangalore: A loader was killed on the spot at Bengaluru International Airport when he came under the wheels of a speeding van fitted with a motorised conveyor belt (a heavy weight vehicle used to carry luggage) on Tuesday morning.

According to the International Airport Police, Ravi (32) was knocked down by the speeding vehicle operated by Global Ground India. He died of injuries on the spot.

Ravi, a native of Gauribidanur, is survived by his wife, two daughters aged two years and eight months, respectively.

The speed limit set for the vehicle is between 5 and 30 kmph whereas it was being driven at more than 40 kmph. There are nearly 500 such vehicles and many of them are not registered, it is said.

However, the GGI employees claimed that they had obtained permission from the authorities concerned. A case of negligence has been registered against the company. Srijith, the driver of the vehicle has been arrested, said the police.

18/10/11 Deccan Herald

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AAI awaits land allotment for residential complex

Pune:The Airports Authority of India (AAI), Pune continues to wait for the sanction of a 10-acre government land for its project to build residential quarters for AAI and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials and employees.

"We have been in touch with the district collector's office for the land ever since we moved the proposal a few months ago," Lohegaon airport director P S R K Sudhakar told TOI. "What we have requested the collector's office is to give us preferably a government land located within 5-km radius of the airport," he said.

As of now, most AAI and CISF officials are residing at homes rented on their own in areas such as Vishrantwadi, Tingrenagar and Lohegaon. A residential complex is a long-pending project of the AAI, Pune. In fact, the AAI had initially sought a 20-acre land but, has since scaled down the requirement to 10 acres.

19/10/11 Vishwas Kothari & Sarang Dastane/Times of India

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Muscat International Airport welcomes IndiGo's inaugural flight

IndiGo, India's fast growing low fare airline, was welcomed on its inaugural flight at Muscat International Airport on 10 October at 2245 hours from Mumbai with a water cannon salute. On board was the IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh.

A welcome ceremony under the auspices of His Excellency Said bin Ali bin Nafal Al Mashali, Undersecretary for Civil Aviation Affairs was organised at the Diwan of Royal Court, VIP Lounge, adjacent to Muscat International Airport.

After receiving the Airbus 320, the Chief Guest HE Mashali and Aditya Ghosh cut a cake with a traditional Omani sword that was served along with snacks and drinks to officials from Oman Airport Management Company (OMAC), Civil Aviation Authority, Ground Handling Agencies who were present on the occasion along with MIS (GSA for IndiGo) and IndiGo officials from the local as well as India office.

Aditya Ghosh left by the same flight at 0005 hours on 11 October.

"This is a landmark moment for us and we hope more customers will take advantage of our competitive rates, high quality service and matchless on-time performance," said an MIS spokesperson. The initial airfare on IndiGo is at OMR88 for a return ticket to Mumbai that is operating four times a week. The carrier has ambitious plans to connect to more destinations in India by the end of the year.

18/10/11 AME Info.com

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GVK Ups Stake In Mumbai Airport To 50.5% For $231M

GVK Airport Holdings Private Limited (GAHPL), a subsidiary of energy to infrastructure giant GVK Power & Infrastructure Limited, has picked up additional 13.5 per cent stake from Bid Services Division
(Mauritius) Limited (BSDM) in Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL). The stake was picked up for $231 million, GVK said in statement to the exchange, valuing the airport at over $1.7 billion.
With this transaction the equity shareholding of GVK in MIAL will increase to 50.5 per cent from the existing 37 per cent after acquiring 10,80,00,000 equity shares. The deal, initially announced in March this year, will make MIAL a subsidiary of GAHPL.
MIAL is a Public Private Partnership joint venture between GVK, BSDM, ACSA Global and Airports Authority of India (AAI). Upon completion of this transaction, BSDM will hold a 13.5 per cent stake, ACSA Global 10 per cent and AAI the remaining 26 per cent in MIAL.
18/10/11 VCCircle

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Scrap theft at IGI: AI staffers held, released on bail

New Delhi: Two Air India staffers, including an assistant manager were arrested for the theft of three tons of scrapped aircraft parts, on Saturday. The accused have been identified as Gyan Chand Garg and Kishan Kumar. However, the duo were released on interim bail on the same day.
"Garg is an assistant manager in the material management department while Kishan is a supervisor. They were granted interim bail on humanitarian grounds because of Karva Chauth on Saturday. However, on Monday, they were bailed out on a bond of Rs four lakh with instructions to assist the police in the probe. We are investigating the matter," said a senior police officer from IGI district.
Around 3000 kg of aircraft parts were found missing in June. An internal inquiry was initiated but when no headway could be made, airline officials contacted the police in September end. The stolen parts were worth one crore, said sources.
18/10/11 Times of India

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New private air cargo service to North East to take off in a week

Kolkata: A new private air cargo service connecting the city with the North-East will be operational in a week, giving a facelift to the region’s logistics system.
“The service will begin in a week’s time. Initially, it will be operated between Kolkata and Imphal,” Manosij Roy, the director of Rudra GTL Aviation Pvt Ltd, said.
Mr. Roy said the company has wet leased two ATR 72 aircraft from Deccan Cargo Express and Logistics (P) Ltd and these would be co-branded by Rudra GTL and Deccan.
West Bengal Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said the government plans to set up more airports and seaports in the State to facilitate faster movement of cargo.
“We are planning to set up airports at Behala, Haldia and some other places,” he said at the launch of the service here last evening.
Observing that it was impossible for business to grow without proper logistics support, Transport Secretary B P Gopalika said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was in touch with the Centre for permission to develop the existing airfields at Asansol, Balurghat and Malda for commercial flight operations.
18/10/11 PTI/The Hindu

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Birmingham flights to Indian city of Amritsar are increased

Birmingham flights to the Indian holy city of Amritsar are being increased – as hundreds of West Midland families flock to the world-renowned Golden Temple.
A new route to India, launched from Birmingham Airport less than a fortnight ago, has had so much interest the airline now plans to increase the number of weekly services.
Comtel Air began flights to Amritsar from Birmingham on October 1 and planned to operate two weekly services each Saturday and Sunday.
But the airline says it has had such an overwhelming response from the region’s Indian community it will be increasing the flights from Birmingham, taking an aircraft from another European base to accommodate demand in the Midlands.
Thomas Kopetzky, Director Ground Operations for Comtel Air, said: “We knew there was demand for more flights to India from Birmingham due to the large Asian community living in the Midlands and we thought that we’d eventually have to put on more flights but we never imagined we’d have to make this decision so soon after launching the first service.
17/10/11 Jon Griffin/Birmingham Mail

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Man drops dead at airport just before flight

An Indian who was unwell and was about to return to India for further treatment, died minutes before he could board the flight from Sharjah airport yesterday.
Dileep PK, 48 years old from Trissur in Kerala, was at the Sharjah airport on Monday afternoon when he suddenly went blank and giddy.
After initial first aid he went into the terminal but fainted again after which he was rushed to Al Qassimia Hospital in Sharjah. He died soon after reaching the hospital.
Gafoor T, former president of Talikulam Pravasi, a group of Indians from Talikulam, in which Dileep was a member told Emirates 24|7 that the former could have been suffering from Pneumonia.
“He first went for treatment in a private hospital but had to discontinue the medication because he did not have the health card. Finally he decided to return to India for further treatment and it is quite shocking that he died just before he could board the flight,” said Gafoor.
Even more shocked are his family members, his wife Sheeja and daughter Jishnu and the seven-year-old son Jiji. The family members had arrived at the Nedumbasherry International Airport in Kochi and were waiting to receive Dileep when they were informed about his death.
18/10/11 Joseph George/Emirates 24-7

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Delhi airport opens account with social networking sites

Delhi: After the success of several public and private players going online, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) launched its official Facebook and Twitter accounts on Monday, aiming to enhance and facilitate passenger convenience.
“We wanted to create an effective channel of communication with our customers, in addition to our already existing means like the feedback forms, information kiosks and email. Facebook and Twitter offer us and our esteemed customers an instant mode of communication and the ability to connect swiftly. Very soon we will be live on other social media platforms as well. Besides providing required information, we intend to send useful updates on airport related facilities, special offers and promotions that we would be undertaking from time to time,” said DIAL CEO I. Prabhakara Rao.
According to an estimate by Facebook, Delhi and NCR combined have around 59 lakh users on Facebook and there are around 3.75 crore Facebook users in the country. Globally, the number has crossed 800 million. More than 50 per cent active users log on to Facebook every day.
18/10/11 Neha Alawadhi/The Hindu

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Youth held at airport with memory cards worth Rs 80 lakh

Mumbai: The Customs Intelligence Unit arrested a 25-year-old youth with memory cards worth Rs 80 lakh at the international airport here after he landed from Hong Kong, officials said on Monday.
According to the Customs officials, Rohit Arora was caught on Sunday after he landed from a Kingfisher flight from Hong Kong.
What made the officials suspicious was his walking style. "He was bit thin but his legs appeared bit fat," said a customs official.
After frisking him, the officers found the memory cards worth Rs 80 lakh which were concealed under long tubular elastic caps in his jeans pant," he said.
17/10/11 PTI/Times of India

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IGI gears up for 600 mn tonnes of F1 cargo

New Delhi Even as Greater Noida gears up to host India's first Formula 1 Grand Prix on October 30, hectic preparations are on at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) to ensure that the bulky F1 cargo of the teams gets a smooth entry into the country.
Expected to land between October 18 and 20 is approximately 600 million tonnes of palletised cargo. A total of 40 pallets (also known as racks) per aircraft would arrive at the international cargo, airport officials said. The F1 cargo is strictly race specific.
Accompanying the hi-tech Formula 1 cars, would be the safety and medical cars, other equipment like engines, tools, electronic equipment and communication devices.
“We are expecting seven freighter aircraft (747-400F) that would carry the race-specific cargo, without which the event cannot take place. Apart from this, there is some cargo that is also coming on the regular scheduled flights,” a spokesperson for airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited told Newsline.
All arrivals are expected to be in by October 20; the airport expects at least two dedicated F1 freighters daily.
17/10/11 Geeta Gupta/Express India

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3,000 kg of aircraft engine parts stolen from IGI airport

New Delhi: Making a mockery of security at the Delhi airport, thieves have swiped 1,700 scrapped aircraft engine parts weighing about 3,000 kg and worth over Rs 10 lakh from the AI's engine overhaul complex. The theft of goods, mostly the engine parts and blades of Boeing aircraft, came to light in the second week of June when one of godowns was opened, a senior Air India official said. It took two-months for the airline officials to report the theft, and an FIR was filed in the last week of September. "As soon as the theft was reported we started an internal probe. But the officials could not find anything concrete and the persons responsible. So the matter was reported to police on September 23," the official said requesting anonymity.
17/10/11 PTI/IBN Live

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Air Crash-affected Families to Hold Dharna at Airport

Mangalore: A special meeting of Mangalore Air India Crash Victims Families Association was held in the city on Sunday October 16. The affected families decided to go in a procession to the local airport and hold dharna there, if the union ministry of aviation fails to properly vibe to their woes and take initiatives towards providing justice to the affected families.
It may be recalled that a delegation from the association had met union aviation minister, Vayalar Ravi, during his recent visit to the city a few days back. Ravi had invited the representatives of the association to come to New Delhi for a detailed dialogue on the issues concerned. The meeting was told that efforts to fix a date for the proposed meeting with the minister are being made.
Y Mohammed Beary, president of the association, informed the participants that Stephen Erickson was holding dialogues with the concerned agencies at the international level to ensure that the families of those who perished in last year’s Air India Express flight’s crash at the city airport get justifiable compensation in tune with Montreal Convention. The meeting authorized the president to fix a date to meet the minister and lead a delegation of representatives to New Delhi.
It also decided to go in a procession to the local airport and hold dharna there if the union minister fails to properly respond to their concerns.
17/10/11 Daijiworld

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“Bring international air connectivity to Madurai”

The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has requested the Governor K. Rosaiah to impress upon the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to introduce international flights from Madurai by Air India Express.
Other international airline companies should also be urged to introduce flights connecting Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other Gulf destinations.
A chamber delegation led by president N. Jegatheesan and senior president S. Rethinavelu met the Governor during his visit to the city on Saturday and submitted a memorandum pressing various demands.
In its memorandum, the chamber pointed out that the southern districts, besides having abundant tourist destinations that would attract foreigners, was also home to a large number of Tamilians now working in Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, besides the Gulf countries.
Further, once the Nanguneri Special Economic Zone and the various Tidel Parks in Madurai and Tiruneveli take off, the region would see a lot of foreign collaborations. Bringing international connectivity would expedite the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI).
The chamber also pointed out the a Rs. 130 crore terminal was inaugurated last year at Madurai Airport, which had also been declared as Custom Airport with immigration counters already having established and awaiting deployment of personnel by the Union Home Ministry.
17/10/11 The Hindu

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Air India Plane Fails To Take Off Twice At Srinagar Airport

Srinagar: A Jammu-bound Air India plane with 145 passengers on board Sunday failed to take off twice from the Srinagar International Airport, triggering off scare.
Sources told Greater Kashmir that the Air India-822 plane developed a technical snag after it attempted to take off for Jammu from the Srinagar Airport at around 2.50 PM. The plane, the sources said, couldn’t take off in the first go. The pilot, the sources said, made a second attempt to take off the plane at around 4.50 PM but failed.
“The plane has been parked at Stand No 7 of the Srinagar Airport,” the sources said.
16/10/11 Greater Kashmir

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Diverted passengers stranded at Gatwick for almost nine hours

Almost 200 passengers on board an Air India flight were stranded on the tarmac at Gatwick Airport for more than eight hours, after fog prevented the plane from touching down at London’s Heathrow.
Despite the airports being just 44 miles apart, passengers on the flight from Ahmedabad via Mumbai to Heathrow were kept on board the aircraft and complained they received no food, refreshments or information from the crew.
The flight had been due to land at Heathrow at 7.30am, but was diverted to Gatwick in Sussex because of heavy morning fog.
It is believed the crew then departed the flight and the aircraft was unable to take off again until a new team had been sent from Heathrow.
Rahul Joglekar, a BBC producer, who was on the flight used Twitter to communicate the mounting frustration on board.
He wrote: “Too much fog at Heathrow … why not let us deplane at Gatwick?”
At one point officers from Sussex Constabulary attended the scene to calm rising tension amongst those passengers who were angry at the lack of information.
Some of those on board are understood to have offered to leave the flight at Gatwick and make their own way to their final destination, but were refused permission to disembark by the airline.
Eventually after eight and a half hours on the tarmac, the new crew arrived and the flight was able to take off and make the short journey across London to Heathrow where it landed shortly before 5.20pm.
16/10/11 Martin Evans/The Telehraph, UK

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Air India passengers stranded on plane at Gatwick Airport

Passengers were stranded on a plane on the Tarmac at Gatwick Airport for more than eight hours after fog caused their flight to be diverted.
The Air India flight was on its way from Mumbai to Heathrow Airport when the weather conditions forced it to divert to Gatwick at about 08:00 BST.
A spokesman for the Sussex airport said the airline had to wait for a crew before it could complete its journey.
The flight was due to take off and resume its journey at 17:00 BST.
Sussex Police were called to the flight to prevent a breach of the peace as tempers among passengers flared.
A BBC World Service reporter on board said the mood on the plane became heated.
Rahul Joglekar said he did not know why the passengers were prevented from disembarking the aircraft.
16/10/11 BBC.co.uk

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Indian Air Force Buying Radars to Stop Bird-Hits

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will soon buy 41 specialized radars to help monitor bird activity around air bases to prevent bird-hits that are responsible for nearly a tenth of its air crashes.
"We have issued a request for information recently. We are receiving information on various Avian radars that are available in the market now. Soon we will release a request for proposals (tender) for these radars," a senior IAF officer told IANS.
The official did not want to be identified as per service rules.
The air force decided to induct sophisticated radars in important air bases on being concerned over bird-hits grounding its combat and transport fleet and resulting in an adverse impact on its operational readiness.
Several of these air bases are now located within the limits of heavily populated cities and towns such as Agra, Bareilly, Gwalior, Srinagar, Chandigarh and Tezpur.
A recent parliamentary standing committee report had pointed out that nine percent of the over 1,000 air crashes that have taken place since 1970 were due to bird-hits.
The Avian radars will be put to use for collecting data on bird activity close to an air field so that the flight operations there could be reoriented to evade birds.
16/10/11 IANS/Daijiworld.com

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Airport charges at Delhi, Mumbai may go up

New Delhi: A proposal for a big hike in landing, parking, navigation and other charges at the Delhi and Mumbai airports is being considered by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) and a decision is likely by early next year.
The AERA is seeking the views of airport users, including airlines, on the multi-year tariff proposals of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) to hike airport charges by 500-600 per cent, official sources said here.
If approved, flying out of the IGI airport would become costlier as the airlines, on whom this additional burden would be imposed, would onpass these costs to the passengers.
A decision on the proposal to hike airport charges, which was made by DIAL and MIAL a few months ago, is likely to be taken by the AERA in another two-three months, they said.
The hike in airport charges has been overdue since 2001 but it would depend on the Civil Aviation Ministry's policies, AERA decision and the views of key stakeholders including the airlines and passenger associations, whose views were being sought, the sources said.
16/10/11 Economic Times

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Fog grounds air passengers

D P Sarangi, the head of corporate communications in a private company, left home at 4.30 am to catch a flight to Bhubaneshwar.
After the security check, he boarded the flight, which was scheduled to take off from the Bengaluru International Airport at 6.40 am. Little did he know he would be spending about two hours on board waiting for take off.
Sarangi’s flight was one of the many delayed due to poor visibility, caused by fog, at the BIA. Ten departing flights and three arriving flights were delayed on Saturday, affecting hundreds of passengers. Passengers stuck on-board flights had nightmarish experiences.
In Sarangi’s flight, passengers weren’t allowed to use toilets.
While some complained of suffocation, some were offloaded for medical reasons.
The second announcement said “visibility has improved, but isn’t enough for take-off”. Sarangi said the final announcement said “there are many flights waiting in the taxiway for take-off. As a result, there would be further delay”. His flight eventually took off at 8.40 am.
16/10/11 Sridhar Vivan/Bangalore Mirror

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