After AI & Jet, GoAir to expand base in Delhi

Mumbai: The capacity constraint at the Mumbai airport and a pending closure of its main runway for recarpeting between November and June, have prompted the low-cost carrier to expand and revamp its operations and facilities at the International Airport. GoAir, promoted by the Wadia Group, is the third airline from Mumbai to shift its operational focus to Delhi.
National carrier and Naresh Goyal-promoted Jet Airways are in different stages of negotiations with the Delhi airport operator for expanding their bases in Delhi. While the national carrier has announced its intent to make Delhi its hub to cut costs, Jet Airways is looking for more space and increased international operations with the Delhi airport operator. These airlines together command over 50% of the total domestic market share.
“Today, the issue for airlines is availability of infrastructure. Delhi has ready office space, terminal space and lounges which all lead to more operational efficiency for an airline. Mumbai's runway is choked and Delhi will have three runways by October-end with readily available infrastructure... carriers feel it makes a lot of sense to step up presence in Delhi,” said a Delhi airport official requesting anonymity.
“We have started a revamp and expansion of our existing facilities at the Delhi airport. We will consolidate our operations in Mumbai, but the Delhi infrastructure is better. Besides, we are concentrating more on our network in the North," GoAir's CEO Kaushik Khona told ET. GoAir has 45% of the low-cost carrier market share between Mumbai and Delhi. It has 21 departure and 17 arrival slots at the Mumbai airport, and 28 arrival and 33 departure slots in Delhi.
30/09/10 Manisha Singhal/Economic Times

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Jolt to Mihan as AI cargo service grounded

Nagpur: While chief minister Ashok Chavan is trying to push Mihan, there is another shocker awaiting the prestigious project. National carrier Air India is almost ready to dump its freighter services that were supposed to use Nagpur's Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport as hub. Announced in 2007, the project was to be launched by converting Air India's old Boeing 737s into freighters.
Air India was supposed to launch the cargo services connecting six major destinations through Nagpur. It would have greatly added to the appeal of Mihan. However, the cash-strapped Air India seems to have abandoned the plan. In fact, it has offered the reconfigured aircraft for sale. This development is another jolt to Mihan after the India Post recently discontinued its 'night airmail service'.
A local Air India official, requesting anonymity, said the company had planned to operate AI's reconfigured aircraft in phases from Nagpur. However, plans have not fructified and now management has decided to shelve the project.
Another official in Mumbai said, "AI plans to sell six Boeing 737-200 freighters which were converted for cargo operations in 2007," he said.
30/09/10 Sachin Dravekar/Times of India

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India offers to ‘help Canada improve airport security’

New Delhi: Alarmed by the Canada government-appointed Kanishka bombing inquiry commission’s findings that airport security continues to be below standard there, India has decided to send a team to Toronto to suggest ways to step up aviation security.
The Prime Minister’s Office is said to have raised concerns over the commission’s startling finding that Canada fails to meet international treaty obligations to prevent dangerous goods from being placed on board passenger aircraft, a source said.
The government has finalised a team of four officials — Bureau of Civil Aviation Security Commissioner, two senior BCAS officials and an Air India official — to study the existing security set-up at Toronto airport. “The team is expected to carry out detailed investigations next year,” said the source.
The home ministry, too, expressed reservations and asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to take up the matter with Canada to prevent recurrence of such an incident.
The probe report into Air India 181 (Kanishka) bombing 25 years ago voiced concerns over the shoddy state of aviation security mechanism.
30/09/10 Smita Aggarwal/Indian Express

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Domestic operations at T3 will start from Oct 30

New Delhi: Domestic operations at the new terminal, T3, are set to start from October 30. Airlines will move to the terminal on October 29 while the first flight will operate out of the terminal at 5am the following day.
The three full cost carriers — Air India, Kingfisher and Jet Airways — are going to shift into the new terminal while the low cost carriers will continue to operate out of the present domestic terminal 1D.
However, the main runway 28/10 that has been under maintenance for the past six months, is not likely to get operational for another couple of days. According to sources, heavy rains in the recent past had held up work on the airstrip for a while and calibration work on it was to start only by Thursday. ''Work should not take more than a day or two and if everything is on schedule, the runway can be commissioned before the Games start,'' said airport sources.
In a meeting between airport management Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd (DIAL) and airlines on Monday, DIAL reportedly told airline officials they would have to occupy the back-up offices by October 20 and move into the terminal by the evening of October 29.
30/09/10 Neha Lalchandani/Times of India

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Mistaken identity? US apologizes to Praful

New Delhi: The United States has apologized to aviation minister Praful Patel for being questioned at Chicago's O'Hare airport on Monday when he flew in there from London due to a case of mistaken identity.
American secretary of homeland security Janet Napolitano expressed regret on meeting Patel and senior aviation ministry officials in Montreal for a bilateral do on sidelines of an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) meet there.
According to the ministry the issue was raised by Patel's aides, following which Napolitano apologized to Patel. "The secretary has assured US will make necessary amends to prevent any such incident in the future," a ministry statement said. The problem arose as there's a Praful Patel on US watch list who, apart from just the name, also shares his birthday with the aviation minister. As a result, he was taken aside for questionning which lasted a little longer as NCP leader was travelling on personal passport and not diplomatic ones that ministers use.
30/09/10 Times of India

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Flights at Chennai too chose slot over passengers for on-time departure

Chennai: Airlines are now forced to pick and choose between passengers and flying slots after Chennai airport introduced on-time departures from the beginning of this month. And in most of cases, passengers are left behind, as the slot is dearer for an airline to miss.
As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) man-date, airlines should close their check-in counters 45 minutes before department and board passengers more than half-an-hour before departure. Violators will loose their slot to fly, pushing them to the tail end of a sequence of flights waiting for take-off.
Flights have started to depart on time from Chennai airport when the on-time performance system was introduced mid-August. The system has forced VIPs, who usually rush in at the last minute, to come well in time to the airport, said an official.
However, airlines are struggling to prevent no show' passengers because check-in counters are closed early and passen-gers are boarded early. Usually, one or two passengers do not turn up to board a flight after getting the boarding pass.
Passengers are getting used to the system, but ground staff have to make repeated boarding calls for passengers who remain absent.
30/09/10 Times of India

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Etihad Airways launches services to Bangalore

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will launch flights to its eighth destination in India and 66th destination worldwide, the city of Bengaluru (also referred to as Bangalore).
On January 1, 2011, Etihad will commence a four flight per week service to Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka and the country's third most populous city. Etihad will begin daily flights to Bengaluru at the commencement of the summer scheduling season effective March 27, 2011.
Etihad will operate a two class Airbus A320 on the new Bengaluru route configured to carry 136 passengers with 16 in Business class and 120 in Economy class.
From January 1, Etihad's flight EY286 to Bengaluru will depart Abu Dhabi on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 10.15pm and arrive at Bengaluru International Airport at 3.25am the following day. The return flight, EY287, will depart Bengaluru on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 4.20am and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 7.00am the same day.
From March 27, Etihad's flight EY286 will depart Abu Dhabi daily at 10.15pm and arrive in Bengaluru at 3.45am the following day. The return service, EY287, will depart Bengaluru daily at 4.45am and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 7.00am the same day.
With the addition of Bengaluru, Etihad flies to eight Indian destinations including the cities of New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Kochi. Once the service to Bengaluru begins, the airline will operate 49 flights to India per week, and following the commencement of the daily services, it will offer 52 services per week.
29/09/10 Mangalorean.com

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Citizens want 'cultural touch' for Terminal 1

Bangalore: Apart from suggesting a spacious airport, which will have all the modern amenities that are found across the world, a majority of those who have posted their suggestions in the Bengaluru International Airport Limited’s (BIAL’s) ‘Smile Bengaluru’ campaign asked the promoters of the airport, which is going in for a terminal expansion, to highlight the local culture and tradition.
Of the 200-odd suggestions posted at www.smilebengaluru.com so far, many said that the rich culture of the state should be reflected in the architecture. Local cuisine is another suggestion that the users want. BIAL has said that all the comments made on the site would be viewable by all and that readers could even vote for an idea that they liked.
30/09/10 ExpressBuzz

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DAA Overlooking Shannon Airport Claims Carey

A Fine Gael TD will today ask the Ceann Comhairle to allow an adjournment debate in the Dáil to highlight the "damaging role of Dublin Airport Authority (DAA)" amid claims that the airport bosses are neglecting Shannon Airport in favour of Dublin's Terminal 2.
Clare Deputy Joe Carey has said further evidence has emerged that the DAA is not acting in the best interest of Shannon Airport and the Mid-West Region. The claim follows reports that the DAA is in discussions with Air India about relocating its European operation to Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport. Media reports suggest that the availability of Customs and Border Pre Clearance is a major factor in the interest from Air India.
Last March, DAA Chief Executive Mr Declan Collier told Deputy Carey that Customs and Border Pre Clearance was not the sole factor in the relocation and that Shannon had been promoted equally.
"Now we hear that Mr Collier is in Delhi trying his hardest to get Air India into T2 and that the pre-clearance, which won't come on stream until later this year, is a major pull factor," Mr Carey said.
Deputy Carey said: “I have serious concerns that the DAA is strongly promoting business into and out of Terminal Two in Dublin Airport to the detriment of Shannon Airport. A news report last Friday suggests that one of the major reasons Air India is considering Terminal 2 is the addition of pre-clearance from next November." Shannon has had pre-clearance since last year.
29/09/10 Clare Herald/Pat Flynn

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CCTVs to be installed at Patna airport

Patna: City's Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport is in for a comprehensive security makeover with the Airport Authorities of India (AAI) paving the way for installation of close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the airport.
"We had made a request to the AAI for the installation of CCTV cameras in order to tighten security arrangements. The regulatory body has given its clearance and sanctioned adequate fund for the same. Final installation would be possibly made in March 2011," Patna airport director Arvind Dubey said.
Installation of CCTV cameras is a costly affair. Cameras are installed only after AAI gives clearance. However, Dubey refused to divulge details in this regard.
Apart from making substantial headway in getting approval for maintaining tight surveillance through CCTV cameras, the airport management has also improved other security aspects at the airport to ensure maximum security.
"We have improved lighting around the perimeter wall to ensure effective patrolling and better surveillance around the airport. Now our personnel are maintaining vigilance and improved security arrangements," a senior airport official said.
30/09/10 Alok KN Mishra/Times of India

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One flight cancelled, two delayed in Agartala

Agartala: A flight between Kolkata and Agartala was cancelled and two others, one of them carrying Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, were delayed because a fire brigade vehicle was stalled on the runway due technical snag, officials said.
'A Jet Airways flight from Kolkata could not land at the Agartala airport Wednesday morning. It returned to Kolkata as a fire service vehicle of the AAI (Airport Authority of India) during test run developed technical hitch on the runway,' a senior AAI official told IANS, declining to be named.
Later, the Jet Airways flight was cancelled by the authority.
An IndiGo and an Indian Airlines flight each from Kolkata landed here but after a delay of several hours after the fire service vehicle was repaired, the official said. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was one of the passengers in the IndiGo flight coming from New Delhi.
29/09/10 IANS/Sify.com

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HCL Technologies Launches AeroPASS Airport Security Solution

HCL Technologies, a leading global IT services provider, today announced the launch of AeroPASS(TM), the future-proofed, flexible and secure biometric solution for expediting passage of pilots and flight attendants through security checkpoints and into sterile airport areas. AeroPASS(TM) is currently available for deployment in U.S. airports.
The unique AeroPASS solution was developed by the global airline IT services company, HCL Technologies, biometrics specialist Daon Trusted Identity Services, and airline communications expert AvFinity LLC.
AeroPASS(TM) complies with rapid-access biometric systems regulations as defined by the Transportation Security Agency (TSA). Unlike basic fingerprint-checking solutions that often store sensitive information AeroPASS combines biometrics and PKI (Public Key Infrastructure).
A Personal Identification Verification (PIV) card issued to each AeroPASS enrollee is embedded with that individual's photograph, fingerprint biometrics and PKI using digital certificate management. The PIV is checked against a Certificate Revocation List (CRL). The CRL rejects crew members whose status has changed due to resignation, retirement, disciplinary actions, etc. In this way, AeroPASS provides a reliable and secure method of verifying in real time the identity and employment status of airline crews.

"AeroPASS will cost an airline's crew member less than a newspaper each day and will improve quality of life and time spent in security lines," says Amit Gupta, vice president and global head, transportation vertical at HCL Technologies. "One of the most appealing aspects of AeroPASS, however, is that PIV cards are interoperable with other airports regardless of that location's biometrics provider. That's not the case with older biometric fingerprint solutions currently being promoted that are not based on PIV."
29/09/10 PRWeb.com via COMTEX/TradingMarkets.com

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Times OOH puts up digital screens at Delhi Airport

New Delhi: In association with VMG Global and Delhi International Airport Limited, Times OOH is in the process of installing 20 digital screens across the airport.
VMG Global, the international pioneer of digital screen outdoor advertising, has formed a partnership with Times Innovative Media Delhi Airport Advertising (TIMDAA). The alliance with TIMDAA -- a joint venture of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and Times Group's out-of-home division, Times Innovative Media -- has been established to develop and explore the advertising potential of the airport.
VMG India's contract with DIAL is for eight years. "During this period, the company expects that demand for screen space will surge, as the OOH advertising industry recognises the powerful combination of clarity and animation delivered to the airport's captive international and domestic audiences," says Rajdeep Puri, CEO, VMG India.
Twenty double-sided 65" digital screens, provided by VMG, are being installed across all terminals at Delhi Airport. Most of these will be installed at Terminal 3, which is spread over 5 million sq ft, and is expected to boost India's airport retail business.
30/09/10 afaqs!

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My name is Praful Patel and I was detained in the US

New Delhi: Civil aviation minister Praful Patel was on Monday detained at the O’Hare airport in Chicago for questioning as his name and date of birth matched with those of a man on America’s watch list.
Patel told the immigration authorities that he was a minister in the Indian government, but they kept asking him why he was visiting the US and whether he had stayed in the country earlier.
The minister visited the US to meet his son before travelling to Montreal, Canada, to attend the general assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
“I am in Montreal and nothing serious has happened, so please don’t sensationalise the issue. There is a person with a similar name and birth date as mine. That’s why the authorities double-checked,” Patel told DNA.
29/09/10 Sindhu Bhattacharya/Daily News & Analysis

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Deadline for installing expensive runway tracking system flies by

Mumbai: Even as near-mishaps on the runway keep air-passengers on edge, Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport has missed its September deadline for installing an expensively acquired system to track surface movements – critical for preventing accidents. What’s worse, the warranty for this Rs 8-crore system will expire in October, sources said.
Purchased in early 2009 - soon after the 26/11 attacks – the surface movement radars (SMR) monitor every movement, whether human or vehicular, on the airport’s surface electronically.
They are useful during bad weather and at night when visual monitoring is difficult. Currently, the airport has two radars for air traffic in Santacruz and Juhu but no equipment for surface movement.
There have been at least five near-miss incidents after the SMRs were purchased early last year. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had set a deadline of September for one of the SMRs. The entire Airport Surface Movement Ground Control System (ASMGCS) - the two SMRs, a multi-lateration transponder and auto detection system has been gathering dust since it was bought.
Mumbai Mirror had earlier reported that a team of US-based experts, here to install the ASMGCS, left after making scathing remarks about the airports’ lack of preparedness for the system.
29/09/10 Alka Shukla/Mumbai Mirror

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Now, fly to Lucknow, Patna via Delhi

Pune: The city will now be linked by air to three new destinations with low cost carrier GoAir announcing here on Tuesday that it will start daily flight services between Pune and Patna, Lucknow and Leh, all three via New Delhi, from October 2.
Apart from this, a Pune-Delhi direct flight service will also be started from October 2, GoAir's general manager (sales) Praveen Kumar told reporters. This flight will operate twice a day in the morning and evening, he added.
"We are looking at the vast community of infotech (IT) company employees, students and IAS officials who often travel on the Delhi, Lucknow and Patna routes for the new operations," said Nair. GoAir has targeted 85 per cent to 89 per cent passenger load factor per flight for these routes.
The airline company is on an expansion mode with plans to strengthen its domestic fleet of aircrafts, from the existing nine to 20 by 2013, he said. "One of the prime objectives behind this aircraft acquisition plan is to cater to various two-tier cities rather than the metros across India."
GoAir has been operating a single-configuration 180-seating capacity Airbus A 320s, with eight seats marked for business class travellers and the rest for the economy class, for its existing operations to various destinations in the country.
29/09/10 Times of India

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Mangalore Air India crash report in two months

Bangalore: The report of the Court of Inquiry into the Mangalore air crash that killed 150 people, will be submitted in two months, said a senior officer at Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The Air India Express flight flying from Dubai had overshot the Mangalore airport runway before crashing into the retaining wall in May this year. Even as speculation is rife about the pilot's error, the officer said that nothing could be determined until the report was out.
He said , "The report, as per the International Civil Aviation rules, annex three, has been sent to the manufacturing country, which will have two months time to look into the report and furnish an explanation. Only after that the report will be produced before the court here."
28/09/10 Deccan Herald/Mangalorean.com

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Airlines' readiness for new Thiruvananthapuam terminal reviewed

Thiruvananthapuam: The preparedness of the airlines and other agencies concerned to make the new terminal of the Thiruvananthapuam Airport operational was reviewed at a meeting convened by the Airports Authority of India here on Tuesday.
The meeting was chaired by Regional Executive Director of AAI D. Devaraj.
AAI sources said that though the plan was to commence operation from the new terminal on any date between October 10 and 20, it might not be possible owing to the technical objections raised by certain airlines especially National Aviation Company of India Limited (Air India). Some of the airlines have also complained of space constraints in the new terminal. The Kerala State Industrial Enterprises which operates the cargo complex has agreed to shift the cargo using locked containers.
29/09/10 ExpressBuzz

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Now, you can give ideas for BIA expansion

Bangalore: Would you like to sink into a bean bag and catch a quick nap while waiting for your flight? Or how about exploring a graffiti wall? If you are a Bangalorean, you can now ask for such indulgences, with Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) becoming the first airport company in India to launch an initiative to seek flyers' opinion.
BIAL has kicked off a campaign called Smile Bengaluru to seek people's opinion on what they would like to see at the expanded Terminal 1.
29/05/10 Times of India

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Lessons for city airport from Gatwick

Mumbai: The Mumbai airport operator wants to use lessons learnt from Gatwick to improve the land-locked airport’s flight handling capacity. Last week, the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) sent a proposal to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) seeking approval for the appointment of a consultant to increase the airport’s capacity.
The move came after a MIAL team returned from an observation tour of Gatwick airport in UK, which handles nearly double the traffic of Mumbai with just one runway. London’s second airport handles around 50 to 60 flights (take-offs and landings) every hour. Mumbai can manage a maximum of 30 operations despite having two runways.
MIAL is awaiting AAI’s nod on the proposal because they jointly run the airport. While the GVK-led private consortium is responsible for building and maintenance of ground infrastructure such as runways, taxiways the AAI handles air navigation.
The move is critical for Mumbai because the once busiest airport of country is losing out on traffic to other metro airports.
29/09/10 Soubhik Mitra/Hindustan Times

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Trafficking gang busted, one held

New Delhi: The IGI Airport police have arrested the kingpin of an inter-state human trafficking gang, Ketan Patel alias Kanti Bhai Patel alias Sandeep Shah.
Police said the gang used to operate from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi and facilitate journeys for USA and Canada. Four cases have been already booked against Patel in Delhi and Mumbai.
During investigation, cops found out that Patel used different identities and passports for people after reaching Kathmandu to facilitate further journey to USA or Canada. It was also found that all these tickets were booked through a Mumbai-based ticketing agent, Atufa Ansari, who had been arrested earlier.
Said DCP, IGI Airport, O P Mishra, ''Patel is a native of Gujarat and after graduation, he started his export business. He suffered heavy losses and later shifted to Mumbai and started business of imported readymade garment from Bangkok. He met one Salim at Sahar International Airport while on his business trip, who offered him a job of a career agent for transportation of passengers to Bangkok. He offered him Rs 1.25 lakh for each passenger.''
After this, Patel started luring people through a local agent in Gujarat, who would charge a hefty amount to send them to places like USA and Canada.
29/09/10 Times of India

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SpiceJet expands domestic network; adds Madurai as destination

Madurai: Low cost carrier SpiceJet on Monday expanded its domestic network by adding Madurai as its 20th destination and announced a fleet expansion programme over the coming years to meet the growing domestic demand.
The first flight with over 150 passengers from Chennai landed here this morning as the 'cultural capital' was included in the list of one of the major low-cost airliners in India.
The airliner will now operate services between Madurai and Chennai, connecting onwards to Delhi and Mumbai.
Company Director and CEO Kishore Gupta told reporters here that the airliner had placed orders for 30 new aircraft with Boeing starting delivery in 2014 as part of an "aggressive growth plan".
"We hope Madurai's good fortune will give us the launch that we want," he said.
Already having presence in three cities--Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai--in the state, SpiceJet was mulling adding one more city but that was yet to be finalised, he said.
Two flights will connect Chennai-Madurai daily and it will be connected to Mumbai and Delhi via Chennai.
International operations (Delhi-Kathmandu and Chennai- Colombo) were scheduled to start from October 7 and 9, respectively.
27/09/10 PTI/Economic Times

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It's final: first flight will land on Oct 1 at Mysore

Mysore: With the directorate general of civil aviation clearing the workable airport for commercial operations, the first flight will arrive in Mysore on October 1 around 12.45 pm. It will take off from Chennai and arrive in Mysore via Bangalore.
Mysore MP H Vishwanath, who heads the airport advisory committee, on Monday reviewed the preparedness for the commercial launch of the Airports Authority of India facility. Briefing reporters, he said Kingfisher Airlines will fly the first commercial flight from Bangalore to Mysore. It will operate flights for six days in a week except Saturdays.
AAI DGM Rajiv Gupta, in-charge of the Mysore facility, said the DGCA inspected the airport in early September and cleared it for operations but the slot clearance is awaited. The flight will originate from Chennai and arrive in Bangalore. The Kingfisher flight will connect many outbound flights from Bangalore, he said. Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is expected to arrive in the first flight, the MP stated.
27/09/10 Times of India

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More danger spots identified at Mumabi airport

Mumbai: The Mumbai airport operator has brought new collision-prone spots on the airfield to the notice of pilots, bringing the tally of danger spots to six The Airport Authority of India (AAI) declared these spots in a circular issued on September 23. All the new danger spots are at the intersections of
taxiways parallel to the secondary runway.
This would mean there are chances of airplanes colliding with each other, or other vehicles on the airfield, or skidding off the runway.
These spots were identified based on previous such instances. These spots are more critical now because from November onwards to July 1, 2011, the main runway will be a shut for repairs daily from 9am to 5pm.
As a result, only the smaller runway will handle all the 702 take-offs and landings for eight hours a day.
The intersection of taxiway K1 and E7, taxiway N and N1, taxiway S and S1 and taxiway W1 and E1 are the new danger spots listed in the circular.
28/09/10 Soubhik Mitra/Hindustan Times

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Pay higher UDF at Hyderabad International airport

Air travellers departing from Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport will soon need to fork out much higher User Development Fee (UDF) with the regulatory authority allowing airport operator GMR to hike the rates from November 1.
The hike will make the UDF charges here higher than any other international airport in India and also some of the prominent airports in the world.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) which operates Hyderabad airport presently charges Rs 350 for domestic and Rs 1000 for international departures.
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has allowed it to charge Rs 420 and Rs 1,656 respectively, excluding taxes, effective November 1 though on an ad hoc basis, according to consultation paper issued on UDF hike by AERA.
27/09/10 Rediff.com

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Jet Airways to introduce daily flights to Colombo from Mumbai and Delhi

Mumbai: Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, today announced that it will introduce daily direct flights to Colombo from Mumbai and Delhi, effective November 5, 2010. The airline will deploy a state-of-the-art 170-seater Boeing 737-800 for the service to this SAARC country.
Flight 9W 256 will depart Mumbai daily at 0210 hours reaching Colombo at 0445 hours. On the return sector, flight 9W 255 will depart Colombo at 2020 hours and reach Mumbai at 2255 hours. On the Delhi-Colombo sector, flight 9W 257 will depart Delhi at 1330 hours and arrive Colombo at 1705 hours and on the return leg, 9W 258 will depart Colombo at 0750 hours and reach Delhi at 1130 hours.
The introduction of the two new flights serving Sri Lanka and India, are in addition to the existing daily Chennal – Colombo service, with which the airline launched its international operations in 2004.
With this enhanced connectivity, commencing with the winter schedule Colombo will now be connected to Jet Airways’ two strategic hubs - Delhi and Mumbai. The airline will thus be able to offer its guests seamless connectivity through Mumbai and New Delhi onto several destinations across North America, Europe, as well as destinations across the Gulf, Middle East and Far East on the Jet Airways network.
According to Mr. Nikos Kardassis, CEO, Jet Airways, “Jet Airways is delighted to provide direct links from the financial and the national capital to the Emerald Isle. Sri Lanka is fast emerging as a highly rated global tourism destination and we are happy to offer our guests seamless connections to several destinations across our network, through our important gateways points - Mumbai and Delhi, and at the same time strengthen air connectivity to destinations within the SAARC region.”
The airline will deploy a state-of-the-art Boeing 737-800 aircraft, offering 8 Premiere and 162 economy class seats. Guests will also be treated to the airline's award-winning in-flight product that is among the best in its class.
India-Sri Lanka relations are multifaceted; given the shared historical experiences, civilizations with strong cultural affinity and geographical proximity, testimony to which is the burgeoning trend of bilateral trade between the two countries. The two countries boast strong ties in businesses ranging from textiles to food-processing and agri-food business.
Sri Lanka is fast becoming the tourism destination for holiday & leisure traveler across the globe, known for its beaches, magnificent landscapes, ecologically-wondrous forests and abundance of wildlife.
Jet Airways will offer attractive inaugural fares as part of this launch, for which guests may get in touch with their nearest travel agent or the airline call centre on 39893333 or log on to www.jetairways.com
27/09/10 PRESS RELEASE/Jet Airways

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Hong Kong company unveils new look of Male’ airport

Male: The Hong Kong based architectural company, Integrated Design Associates (IDA) has unveiled the new look of the Male’ international airport, under its expansion and modernization project.
The IDA has come up with an impressive new design that will “encompass the entire scope of the airport, including a full concept design, detailed expansion schemes and the construction supervision of the new terminal, including 12 aircraft bays, spread over an area of 55,000m2,” the Maldives Traveller magazine revealed.
The four-year construction plan will also add a large seaplane port to house 42 sea aircraft.
Singaporean architect and Founder of IDA, Winston Shu, famed for his technically complex industrial buildings as well as his energy efficient ‘green offices' will personally oversee the makeover of the airport, according to the magazine.
The IDA has been contracted by the Indian infrastructure consortium GMR and Malaysia Airports Holdings to oversee the high-tech construction.
Earlier this year, the government leased out the Male’ international airport to GMR and Malaysia Airport Holdings to expand, manage and operate it for the next 25 years.
The GMR is set to control of the airport in November this year, midst a pledge to complete the project by 1 July 2014.
28/09/10 Asian Tribune

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Southern air link for Chandigarh soon

Chandigarh: There is good news for IT professionals as Chandigarh will enjoy air connectivity with Bangalore and Hyderabad from October 1. Private carrier, Jet Airways, has launched a new flight from Bangalore to Chandigarh and from Chandigarh to Hyderabad which would connect Delhi on the way.
The aeroplane would take off from Bangalore and land in Chandigarh via Delhi, and thereafter depart from Chandigarh to Hyderabad, again stopping in Delhi on the way.
Sources said the flight would be regularized between Chandigarh-Bangalore-Chandigarh after analyzing the feedback. ??A call as to whether it will fly to both the cities or one of them will be taken later,?? the sources added.
According to authorities, the flight will take off from Bengaluru International Airport at 12.50 pm and reach Chandigarh domestic airport at 4.55 pm. Thereafter, it would depart for Hyderabad at 5.25 pm and touch down at 9 pm. The flight would have a 45-minute halt at Delhi airport.
28/09/10 Ajay Singh/Times of India

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Flight operations disrupted at Cochin

Nedumbassery: International flight operations at the Cochin international airport here on Monday were thrown into complete disarray due to bad weather conditions, leading to a low visibility range for the aircraft.
During the day, two Jet airways flights- 9W 561 from Sharjah and 9W 555 Doha, that were scheduled to land here in the morning reported late arrivals after being diverted to Bangalore. Similarly, two Air India Express services, IX 434 from Dubai and IX 452 from Abu Dhabi were redirected to the Thiruvananthapuram airport and could return only after a couple of hours.
The other aircraft taking diversion to the State capital was a Kuwait Air flight KU 351 from Kuwait, which was scheduled to land here at 4.35 a.m.. In addition, an Oman air flight from Muscat that was diverted to Bangalore landed here at 10.15 a.m. with a delay of over three and half hours.
Besides, an Air India flight IC 596 from Sharjah that was scheduled to land here at 5 a.m., was diverted Kozhikode and later returned three hours later, while a Nas Air flight XY 763, which was diverted to Chennai landed here by 10.15 a.m. as against the scheduled timing of 5.50 a.m..
27/09/10 The Hindu

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Safety dogs Bangalore airport

Bangalore: The city airport seems to be under threat again. However, the terror this time is not human, but canine.
If the airport authorities are to be believed, then the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) has only turned a deaf ear to their pleas for help.
Alarmed at the growing menace of strays at the airport, the Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) had sought the BBMP's help recently.
It has been 10 days since the authorities wrote to the civic body, but there has been no response. Now, airport officials say that these dogs could pose a grave hazard to flights as well as passengers.
In 2009, the BBMP had gone out of its way to rid the airport of strays. It had used its funds for the operation, hoping that the airport authorities would compensate the BBMP.
However, the authorities allegedly did not do so. So this time, the civic body has flatly refused, saying that the airport is not in its jurisdiction. It has also suggested that the airport authorities hire the services of private firm to clear out strays.
28/09/10 Manjunath L Hanji/MiD DAY

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Man detained for having Dawood, Kasab pics in mobile released

Mumbai: Detained for over 24 hours as his mobile phone had images of terrorist Mohammed Kasab, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Taj Mahal Hotel in flames, the 27-year-old man has been released, police said today. "Shafi Khan Ahmed, hailing from Bihar, has not been booked as nothing suspicious was found during questioning and was given a clean chit," Dilip Patil, Senior Inspector at Sahar Airport Police Station told PTI. Shafi, a four wheeler driver, was released last night, Patil said adding, "he told us he did not know the consequences of saving such images on the mobile phone. Just for a curiosity, he had downloaded those images." According to police, Shafi forgot his mobile phone at the security checking counter before he proceeded to board the Air India flight to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
27/09/10 PTI/IBN Live

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67-yr-old has heart attack on Jet flight

Mumbai: A Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Chandigarh returned from the runway on Monday morning after one of the passengers, a senior citizen, suffered a heart attack.
Flight 9W 2057 proceeded to runway 09-27 for take-off at 11am, a passenger said.
“The flight was supposed to leave at 10.10am but got delayed because it could not get a slot,” he said. “Sant Singh, 67, fainted when the plane was taxiing towards the runway.”
While the crew attended to Singh, the captain cancelled the take-off and proceeded to bay number 3. A doctor of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) reached the aircraft at 11.09am and Singh was taken for treatment.
28/09/10 Naveeta Singh/Daily News & Analysis

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Mumbai airport a nightmare, says Jet ED

Mumbai: If the capacity and efficiency of Mumbai’s airport is not increased urgently, airlines would be forced to drop Mumbai from their destination list, warned S K Datta, executive director, Jet Airways.
S K DattaDatta said: “Managing operations at the Mumbai airport, which has nearly reached saturation in terms of handling airline traffic, has become a nightmare for airlines. Irrespective of when and where the second airport is developed, the government must decide, as an interim measure, to increase the existing capacity and efficiency of the current airport.”
He was speaking at a well–attended roundtable titled ‘Mumbai’s Second Airport: It’s Time to THINK BIG’, jointly organised by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and Bombay First.
The proposed Panvel airport at Navi Mumbai would be a gross mistake, as it would reach saturation in just about 25 years after commencement of operations. “When that happens Mumbai will not have land available for the development of a third airport,” said aerospace analyst Hormuz P Mama, who has done a detailed report on the subject for ORF Mumbai.
27/09/10 Business Standard

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RAK Airways plans flights to Calicut and Jeddah

RAK Airways, the state-backed airline of Ras al Khaimah, will relaunch its scheduled passenger services on October 10, almost two years after it suspended operations amid the global downturn and focused instead on charter flights.
Using two leased Boeing 737-400 aircraft, a rebranded RAK Airways will initially fly to Calicut in the Indian state of Kerala and to Jeddah.
Citing improvements in the global economy and greater demand for air travel, Sheikh Omar bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the chairman of the airline, said “the time is now right to play our part” in the emirate’s diversification plans, which include creating a vibrant tourism industry, an international freight hub and vacation homes for expatriates.
The airline was launched in late 2007 and operated scheduled services to Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh until late 2008, when the global downturn dampened demand for air travel.
26/09/10 Ivan Gale/The National, UAE

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54 airlines owe Tk 316 crore to CAAB

Dhaka: As many as 54 local and foreign airlines owe Taka 316 crore as outstanding bills to Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister GM Quader told the House on Sunday.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member Shahiduzzman Sarker (AL-Naogaon-02), he said the CAAB would get the highest amount of Taka 144,40,45,435 from Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Other airlines which have outstanding included Air India, Indian Air, Jet Air, Air Deccan, Sahara Air, East West, Damania, Vaiyadut Dut, United Air, Best Air, Jum Air, Young One, Air Parabat, Aertechnologies, South Asian Airways, King Fisher Air, Aero Bengal Airlines, Aviana Air, Saudia Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Thai Airlines, Druk Air, Air Arabia, Iran Air, Iraqi Airways, KLM, Fin Air, Uzbekistan, Royal Jordan, Royal Nepal airlines, Royal Brunei, Al- Italia, LTU International, Turkeministan, Cargo Lux, Ethiopian Air, Romanian Air, Louda Air, Olympic Air, Napes, Kanwar Modelift Air, Bulgaria, Philippines Air, MK Air, Yogaslavia, Virgin Air, Sri Lanka Air, Japan Air, Bismillah Airlines and Fuket Airlines, Quader aid.
The Civil Aviation Minister said reminder letters were already sent to the concerned airlines requesting them to pay off the outstanding bills while a money suit was lodged against Aero Bengal.
27/09/10 BSS/The New Nation

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Juhu airport: short of air traffic controllers

Mumbai: An acute shortage of air traffic controllers at the Juhu airport has restricted helicopter operations at the airport over the last month. Though offshore flight movements have not been affected, helicopter operators say they are finding it difficult to conduct test flights or maintenence flights that are crucial to smooth functioning of choppers.
The Juhu airport sees around 90 to 100 helicopter movements a day. The airport is being considered by the AAI to accommodate some flights from Mumbai airport in a bid to reduce congestion there.
Most of the movements out of the Juhu airport are for offshore operations to Bombay High with only a few flights made around the city by tour operators for recreational or other purposes. “There is a lot of flying that operators have to do for testing and maintenence purposes which has been restricted greatly since last month,” said Captain Uday Gelli, president of the Rotary Wings Association of India (Western Region). For the last month the Juhu ATC is allowing flights for tests and maintenence only after 2 pm. Earlier these were allowed throughout the day, chopper operators said.
27/09/10 Indian Express

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Rampant mining threatens Mangalore airport

Bangalore: Three months after one of India's worst ever air disasters, Mangalore airport is in focus again. It may be the site of another mishap, if rampant mining under the runway isn't stopped immediately.
Laterite rocks are being mined right under the Mangalore's famed tabletop airport which is housed on a hillock. Laterite maintains soil stability. There's a huge demand for the material as it is used widely in construction.
Leo Saldanha, Coordinator, Environment Support Group, says: "If laterite rocks are removed at the wrong place it could lead to landslides and potentially destabilise the airport itself. Secondly, lot of explosives are used, so it disturbs the neighbourhood. It means more bird activity. The fact that it's a table top airport means birds can rise from anywhere around the valley and explosion can threaten aircraft with bird hits."
Bangalore: Three months after one of India's worst ever air disasters, Mangalore airport is in focus again. It may be the site of another mishap, if rampant mining under the runway isn't stopped immediately.
The Deputy Commissioner of Mangalore V Ponnuraj admits quarrying is being done near Mangalore and has been objected by DGCA. But he says the DGCA has not yet formally written a letter to them.
27/09/10 Deepa Balakrishnan Deepa Balakrishnan/CNN-IBN

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Man detained as his mobile contained images of Kasab, Dawood

Mumbai: A 27-year-old man whose mobile phone contained images of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Kasab, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Taj Mahal Hotel in flames was detained on Sunday at the international airport here before he was to take a flight to Saudi Arabia, police said.
The man, a native of Bihar, had misplaced his mobile phone at the airport here on Sunday.
He was to board Air India flight to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and was searching for his mobile but by that time, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had found it, police added.
The man, who is a driver by profession, was not much educated and he claimed that he had kept the images in his mobile phone just for curiosity, DCP Satyanarayan Choudhary said.
26/09/10 Indian Express

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Aviation ministry backs AAI right to lease city-side land

New Delhi: The state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed to lease its city-side land at nearly 35 non-metro airports instead of following a public-private partnership pattern suggested by the finance ministry, which seeks to improve non-aeronautical infrastructure along with private firms.
India's largest airport operator has got the backing of civil aviation ministry which is of the view that airport agency has the right to lease its land under AAI Act. The differences over infrastructure development around the airport between the civil aviation ministry and other government departments including the Planning Commission have delayed the city-side works at smaller airports such as Lucknow, Dehradun, Vishakhapatnam and Ahmedabad.
27/09/10 Nirbhay Kumar/Financial Express

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Shooters stranded for hours at airport

New Delhi: Fifteen shooters for the Commonwealth Games. including ace rifle marksman Gagan Narang, and three officials left their camp in Pune at 3pm on Saturday, but finally reached the Village only at 3am on Sunday.
First, they had to wait for two hours to get a bus. Then they had to detour to the Karni Singh shooting range to deposit their weapons and ammunition.
"We were given a good send-off in Pune at 3pm and were treated well by Air India at Pune airport. We took the flight at 6.40pm and landed in Delhi at 9pm. But by the time I checked into the room it was past 3am, over 12 hours since we left Pune," shooting national coach Sunny Thomas told TOI.
Apart from Gagan Narang, the contingent included the likes of Imran Hassan Khan, Vijay Kumar, Lajja Gauswami and Annuraj Singh.
Thomas revealed that after their arrival in Delhi domestic airport, they were taken to the international airport from where they were to be taken to the Games Village. "In fact one of our Delhi-based coaches had made transport arrangements at the domestic airport. But we could not use them as we were told that arrangements have been made at the international airport," Thomas said.
"We were made to wait for almost two hours for the bus. I don't know whether the bus was ready when we reached there. But they kept telling us that they are waiting for another shooter who was to come from abroad. Incidentally that shooter never arrived while we were waiting."
27/09/10 Times of India

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GMR to take over Male airport operations after advanced payment

Male: India’s GMR will take over the operations of Male International Airport only after advanced payment, Privatisation Committee said.
A senior commission member, Deputy Economic Minister Ahmed Inaz said a US$78 million fee has to be paid according to the agreement.
The deadline for the payment ends at the end of next month.
GMR formed a joint venture company with Malaysia Airports Holdings and registered GMR Male International Airport Private Limited at Trade Ministry.
Inaz stressed that the airport’s name will not be changed.
The government authorised GMR to collect US$25 per passenger as airport development fee. Inaz said under the agreement, the fee will be taken after a certain period.
26/09/10 haveeru online

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Hyderabad airport seeks hike in levies to turn profitable faster

New Delhi: The two-year-old GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, or Ghial, has sought regulatory approval for a steep hike in the charges it levies on passengers and airlines to help it turn profitable faster.
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority, or AERA, suggested a smaller hike. Airlines and consumers voiced immediate concerns that more private airport operators would emulate the move, making air travel more expensive out of other cities too.
Ghial had been projected to be a loss-making entity for at least the next three years. The proposed increases in levies would earn it an additional Rs. 650 crore over the next three years and enable it to turn profitable this fiscal itself.
Built at a cost of Rs. 2,920 crore, 25km away from the main city, the airport started operations in March 2008 after the old Begumpet airport, operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), was shut down.
Ghial was allowed to charge Rs. 340 each from departing domestic passengers and Rs. 907 from international passengers (excluding taxes) as a user development fee, or UDF, soon after it became operational.
27/09/10 Tarun Shukla/Live Mint

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Radio blackout sparks flight scare, DGCA orders probe

Mumbai: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a probe into the Wednesday afternoon’s incident, wherein repeated attempts by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to establish radio contact with pilots of a Kingfisher Airlines airbus A321, carrying 162 passengers, drew a blank, causing panic among Nagpur air controllers as the aircraft flew for 30 minutes without any response from the cockpit.
Director General Naseem Zaidi said the air safety director will probe whether the incident involving the Delhi-Bangalore flight took place due to lapses in following standard operating procedures by pilots and ATC or due to a technical snag.
According to sources, Kingfisher flight (IT 3214) took off from Delhi at 2.05 pm. “The flight was assigned 33,000 feet and was, initially, in contact with the Delhi ATC, which asked it to report to Nagpur area control as it flew southwards.
Not only did the pilots failed to contact the controllers, but they also didn’t respond to calls on regular and emergency VHF frequencies by the ATC and other flights in the vicinity to establish contact with them,” sources said.
However, the plane, which was being constantly tracked on the radar, maintained the assigned flight level, they added.
26/09/10 Aneesh Phadnis/Mumbai Mirror

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Create a parallel runway at Juhu airport first: Aviation industry

Mumbai: While the debate rages on about the feasibility of the Navi Mumbai airport, the aviation industry thinks that a parallel runway at the current airport can provide interim relief till the new one is ready. It has proposed that this can be done by shifting slum-dwellers to Juhu airport land, which is lying unused.
The wait for a new airport is getting on the nerves of the civil aviation industry. “It is too late to find a new airport as the current one is highly choked. Besides, with the new rules of arrival and departure, the air traffic movement (ATM) at Mumbai airport has gone down tremendously,” said Saroj Datta, executive director, Jet Airways. The ATM, which was 36-40 arrivals per hour, is now barely 30-32 per hour. “With the current runway being closed for repairs and airport expansion, the next six months are going to be horrendous,” he said.
“We are only looking at the long-term solution. The new airport will take a lot of time. Till then, some interim measures are required to ease the situation. A parallel runway should be built so that it takes care of the increased ATM capacity till the new airport is built,” he said. “Without a parallel runway, I don’t know how long the Mumbai airport will function smoothly. Like the new airport, a parallel runway should also be given equal attention,” he added.
According to experts, the single runway capacity utilisation is much less at Mumbai compared to other airports in the world.
26/09/10 Naveeta Singh/Daily News & Analysis

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'Panvel airport may be saturated in 25 years'

Mumbai: The city's second airport should not be built in Panvel, simply because it may reach its saturation level of 50 million passengers a year in just 25 years, which could prove to be grossly inadequate and lead to disastrous consequences for the economy, experts and concerned citizens said at a discussion organized by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on Saturday.
Given the proximity of the site to the creek, there is little scope for expansion. Experts fear that by the time the airport reaches saturation, there will be no land available near Mumbai for a third airport.
Hence, the consensus was that the government must think big about Mumbai's new airport. The second airport must not only be built at the best possible site from the environmental point of view, it must have an ultimate capacity of at least 100 million passengers a year, which is the norm for all major airports in the world, including the one at Delhi.
Among the participants were Saroj Datta, executive director of Jet Airways, Hormuz P Mama, senior aerospace analyst, Jitender Bhargava, former executive director of Air India, T P Anantheswaran of IBM, Abhijit Mehta, president of Global Markets, economist Ajit Ranade, Sulakshana Mahajan, chief urban planner of the Mumbai Transport Support Unit, Luis Miranda, president and CEO of IDFC private equity, Narinder Nayyar, Chairman of Bombay First, transport activists Ashok Datar and Sudhir Badami and Sudheendra Kulkarni, chairperson of the ORF.
26/09/10 Anil Singh/Times of India

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Trivandrum new terminal may take off without inauguration

New Delhi: The new international terminal at the Trivandrum airport may start commercial operations without any inauguration ceremony. The Kerala government wants Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to inaugurate the terminal but the PM has not been able to find time for the occasion.
“We are looking at starting commercial operations without any inauguration ceremony but there are some other issues to be resolved and the moment they are resolved, we will take a call on the operations,” said a senior AAI (Airports Authority of India) official, who did not want to be identified.
The international terminal of the AAI-run airport was to start commercial operations from July 16.
“The inauguration has been delayed due to non-availability of time with the PM, thus, hampering our revenue generation. We plan to start operations and PM will dedicate the terminal to the nation whenever he gets time,” said another AAI official on condition of anonymity.
The new terminal has been built by AAI at a cost of Rs 289 crore and has received permission to charge a user development fee (UDF) of Rs 755 per departing international passenger for 10 years.
26/09/10 Mihir Mishra/Business Standard

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Air India flight grounded in Bhopal due to technical snag

Bhopal: A Delhi-bound Air India flight IC-133 with 75 passengers onboard grounded shortly before take-off due to a technical snag in the aircraft at the city airport here today, sources said.
The passengers have been accommodated in a private airlines flight, they said.
The airline staff accommodated the passengers in a Jet Airways flight for Delhi, they said.
25/09/10 PTI/Economic Times

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Airports company senior staff moved to new office

Male: Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) moved its administrative office and senior staff to a new building.
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Mohamed Ibrahim of the government-owned company said the administrative office was changed to the two-storey “Sunset Building” located in front of Hulhule Island Hotel.
He noted that corporate administrative work would be carried out at the new office. Haveeru understands that around 40 senior employees of corporate services department will be working at the office.
According to a company circular, under the agreement between the government and India’s GMR, employees related to the operations of Male International Airport will be transferred to the joint venture company.
Mohamed said the ongoing employee transfer would be completed before November, when GMR takes over the airports operations.
25/09/10 haveeru online

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Delhi airspace to partially close on Oct 3 and 14 for C'Wealth Games

New Delhi: Airspace over the national capital would remain partially closed for five hours during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games, but domestic and international commercial air operations would not be affected.
The closure would be effective from 5pm to 10pm on October 3 and October 14 -- the opening and closing days of the Commonwealth Games, a civil aviation ministry official said.
Barring routine commercial flights and those of the Indian Air Force, Border Security Force and Aviation Research Centre, no other aircraft would be allowed to take off or land at the Delhi airport and those within a 300km radius, she said.
Flights of microlight aircraft and hang gliders from flying clubs and other airports would be banned during the five-hour period around Delhi on both days.
25/09/10 Daily News & Analysis

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A return ticket...from the airport

Pune: A 50-year-old Pune passenger’s joy at the prospect of meeting her relatives in Kolkata turned into distress when the private airline she had booked a seat with, said she was too late to check in.
Mala Basu Roy claims she was on time, as per the rules mentioned on the ticket, but was denied permission to board.
“I booked myself on a Pune-Kolkata flight for August 28 with Indigo Airlines, and a return ticket with Indigo as well.
My journey date was August 28, and the scheduled departure time of the Pune-Kolkata Indigo flight was 5.55 am,” Roy said while narrating her side of the story to Pune Mirror.
“The ticket clearly mentioned that passengers have to check in at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure.
I reached the airport at around 5.25 am, but at the check-in counter, Indigo officials stopped me and told me I was late.
They did not allow me to check in, saying that I had to check in at least 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
I requested them to allow me to check in as I had really important work in Kolkata, but they simply refused to cooperate, and even behaved rudely with me,” she added.
25/09/10 Anurag Bende/Pune Mirror

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AAI to plans to lease land near 35 smaller airports

New Delhi: The state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed to lease its city-side land at nearly 35 non-metro airports instead of following a public-private partnership (PPP) pattern suggested by the finance ministry which seeks to improve non-aeronautical infrastructure along with private firms.
The country’s largest airport operator has got the backing of civil aviation ministry which is of the view that airport agency has the right to lease its lands under AAI Act.
The differences over infrastructure development around the airport between the civil aviation ministry and other government departments including the Planning Commission has delayed the city-side works at the smaller airports such as Lucknow, Dehradun, Vishakhapatnam and Ahmedabad.
“The Committee on Infrastructure (CoI) had directed city side development on PPP model earlier assuming AAI would get the required fund for upgrading terminal building and related facilities from private firms. Now that AAI has invested its own funds and almost completed the works it does not need to go for PPP for city-side development,” a senior official in the civil aviation ministry said.
25/09/10 Nirbhay Kumar/Financial Express

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ATC glitch sets alarm bells ringing

Kolkata: A day after the workstation tracking the presidential aircraft blipped out for three minutes, another workstation at the Kolkata air traffic control went blank for two minutes on Friday afternoon. Though the controllers did not lose track of the president aircraft on Thursday or the passenger planes that were in the sky on Friday, it has set alarm bells ringing in Delhi with Airports Authority of India executive director (air navigation services) V Somasundaram seeking a report into the workstation blackouts.
The official, while pointing out that radar services were constantly provided to the presidential aircraft without interruption on Thursday, acknowledged that a monitor had developed a snag that was rectified in three minutes.
While the radar controller workstation where the radar tracking west-bound aircraft is tracked went off for three minutes from 11.03am to 11.06am on Thursday, the approach radar workstation that helps track aircraft just after takeoff failed on Friday. ATC officials said the workstation logged out at 2.28pm and revived at 2.30pm after the controller logged in. The presence of a standby approach radar workstation saved the day.
According to sources, workstation blackouts have been happening in Kolkata for several years now, but have been ignored despite alerts from engineers of communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) department. Experts said the sudden shutdowns had in all likelihood happened when the workstation's memory was exhausted.
25/09/10 Times of India

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IGI’s Runway 28 struggling towards completion

New Delhi: After numerous delays, the main runway at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport — 28-10 — which has been undergoing repairs for over five months now, is struggling to get ready for Delhi’s commercial flight movement by October 1.
Sources in the Airports Authority of India said while work on the runway refurbishment project has been in progress on a war footing, it has suffered delays owing to the project coinciding with ongoing work to build a tunnel road under this runway, which would connect West Delhi to Terminal 3 of the airport. Both projects had been identified as Commonwealth Games priority.
“Work on the runway surface is mainly done. There have been delays with the road construction, only after which certain work on the runway could be taken up. The last leg of the project, including installing lights and an instrument-landing system, and calibrating them with the runway surface, are being taken up now. The runway should be ready by October 1, and become operational soon after that,” a Civil Aviation ministry official said.
While the runway was scheduled to become operational by August-end, the deadline was extended to September 15, then pushed to September 30.
25/09/10 Geeta Gupta/Indian Express

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Mumbai loses busiest airport tag to Delhi

New Delhi: Mumbai, which has traditionally been India's busiest airport, has lost its coveted title to Delhi. While the airport's aircraft handling capacity has taken a severe hit due to the closing of two cross runways for recarpeting, Delhi is all set to add three more operational runways by October-end to its kitty.
The aviation ministry has finalised the winter schedule for this year which will see 3,475 daily domestic flights in India. Thanks to its enhanced capacity, IGI airport will see 630 flights operating daily. Mumbai is now way behind with the constrained airport being allowed just 490 daily flights. Indian carriers wanted to have 573 daily flights from Mumbai. But the unavailability of the two cross runways grounded their demand.
Post-slowdown, India has been recording double digit growth in domestic air travel. This buoyant demand is expected to shoot up in the peak winter travel season because of which airlines wanted to have 573 daily flights out of Mumbai. "The flights that have been allowed are much less. Fares anyway rise in peak season and coupled with low supply of airline seats, this could spell a double whammy for air travellers in and out of Mumbai in terms of fares," said an airline CEO.
25/09/10 Times of India

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Next Steps for Indian Aviation - Developing a Common Vision

Under the leadership of Minister Praful Patel, international flight frequencies to India have tripled to nearly 2,300 per week. India is more connected than ever to our globalized world, bringing enormous economic benefits. This has challenged all those involved in Indias aviation industry to improve competitiveness. In recent years, there have been some great improvements. But there is still much more to be done. Its time for a comprehensive approach with a common vision by all involved, said Giovanni Bisignani, IATAs Director General and CEO. Bisignani made his remarks in an industry dialogue hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi.
Bisignani notes the tremendous potential for Indian aviation which currently a market of 42 million annual passengers domestically and a further 34 million internationally. If Indians flew as much as Americans, it would be a market of over 4 billion passengers. With the spending power of Indians set to triple over the next two years, the potential for growth is incredible, said Bisignani.
On the back of IATAs upgraded global forecast for a profit of $8.9 billion in 2010, IATA noted that while some of Indias carriers are now reporting profits, the Indian sector as a whole is still expected to post a loss of $400 million. Moreover, it is carrying a debt burden of $13 billion. In a market as rich in potential as India, the precarious financial situation indicates that structural weaknesses must be dealt with, said Bisignani.
24/09/10 ATC Network

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'I was forced to eat non-veg food'

Mumbai: 'Jihadi' filmmaker Vijay Kumar tells Ketan Ranga how he was victimised in US; claims the Indian government cannot restore his good name.
After being humiliated twice over, once at Houston airport and later at Vancouver Airport, filmmaker Vijay Kumar still being forced to stay in Canada, believes that he has gone through tough times and feels victimised. Kumar recounts his misery in a freewheeling chat with MiD DAY.
Why did the Houston authorities detain you and after being released on bond, why were you again detained by immigration officials?
I was detained for carrying Jihadi literature and brass knuckles in my bag. The Transport Security Administration permits passengers to carry brass knuckles but Texas state laws do not. However, the reason the immigration officials detained me is perplexing.
After your release from USA, why were you detained again in Canada?
After pleading guilty to a misdemeanour conviction, I heaved a sigh of relief. However, when I reached Vancouver Airport, Canada's Border Security Force informed me that I could not enter Canada because I had committed a crime in USA.

What are your expectations from the Indian government? Do you think that their support will help you to get back to India?
The Indian government was incapable of saving me from American injustices. Our government works under the influence of Muslim fundamentalist forces. Afzal Guru is a classic example of this point. I don't want to rely on the government when it comes to my life.

Do you feel that USA is responsible for destroying your credibility?
The US government charged me with a third degree felony case, which is a serious crime. They attempted to prove that I was a threat to national security.
25/09/10 Ketan Ranga/MiD DAY

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No direct Hajj flights from Srinagar airport

Srinagar: With Saudi Arabia-based airliners winning this year’s contract for Hajj flights, there will be no direct flights this year from Srinagar ‘International’ Airport to Jeddah to fly the pilgrims. Worried, the state Hajj Committee has asked the state government and the Central Hajj Committee of India to intervene in the matter as it could not only put the aspiring Hajjis to difficulties but has put a question mark over the ‘International’ status of the Srinagar airport.
Sources told Greater Kashmir that the state’s Executive Hajj Officer, has formally written to the Central Hajj Committee urging it to take up the matter with the Union Ministry for Civil Aviation and try to ensure that direct flights operate from Srinagar airport as was the past precedence.
“The official wrote to the Central Hajj Committee last Friday but there was no response. He again took up the matter with New Delhi based authorities on 22nd of this month. The state Hajj authorities have also taken up the matter with the state government,” sources told Greater Kashmir.
For the first time, sources said three airlines from Saudi Arabia had won the contracts from Civil Aviation Ministry to operate between India and Jeddah. Since the airliner does not operate to Jammu and Kashmir,the authorities would require the aspiring Hajjis from Kashmir as well as Jammu to fly them to New Delhi wherefrom they would be carried to Jeddah, sources said.
24/09/10 Muddasir Ali/Greater Kashmir

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President Pratibha Patil’s plane off radar

Calcutta: President Pratibha Patil’s flight to Aizawl went off Calcutta airport’s west radar for five minutes shortly after take-off on Thursday, leaving air traffic control in a tizzy until the aircraft reappeared on the east radar.
Officials manning the ATC tower said the west radar “tripped” after the Indian Air Force aircraft carrying the President and husband Devisingh Shekhawat to the Mizoram capital had travelled barely seven nautical miles.
“The aircraft took off at 10.57am and the west radar tripped around 11.07am. It took us five minutes to connect the flight to the east radar, during which time the plane was off the radar,” said a senior official.
Experts from the communication navigation surveillance department, however, insisted that the problem arose because the ATC official monitoring the west radar had mistakenly logged out.
An ATC spokesperson said the communication navigation surveillance team was informed about the “malfunctioning west radar” almost immediately after personnel manning the tower lost sight of the aircraft. “The flight was in the Bagdogra airspace when we lost it on the west radar. It was transferred to the east radar even as the team of engineers fixed the problem. The feed was then re-routed to the west radar,” the official added.
24/09/10 The Telegraph

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Patil's aircraft never lost touch with ATC: Ministry

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Ministry today said the aircraft carrying President Pratibha Patil never lost contact with the air traffic control while flying to Aizawl and was put on an alternate radio frequency immediately after an ATC monitor suffered technical glitch. Aviation regulator DGCA would inquire into the incident in which a monitor of the Area Western Radar went blank for over three minutes soon after the aircraft took off from the Kolkata airport yesterday morning, a ministry spokesperson said here.
"The President's aircraft was never out of ATC contact. While one display monitor had developed glitches, the plane was immediately put on another monitor with a separate frequency. In three minutes, the first one was also repaired," she said.
Her statement came in wake of reports that the Presidential plane had lost contact with the ATC while flying from Kolkata to Aizawl.
24/09/10 Press Trust Of India/Hindustan Times

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DGCA to Inquire Into ATC Glitch at Prez Aircraft Take Off

New Delhi: Civil aviation authorities would inquire into the incident in which an ATC monitor suffered technical glitches soon after President Pratibha Patil's aircraft took off from the Kolkata Airport.
The Civil Aviation Ministry today said the aircraft carrying the President never lost contact with the air traffic control while flying to Aizawl and was put on an alternate radio frequency immediately after the ATC monitor suffered the glitch yesterday.
The DGCA would inquire how the monitor of the Area Western Radar went blank for over three minutes soon after the aircraft took off from the Kolkata airport yesterday morning, a ministry spokesperson said here.
After the incident, Kolkata airport sources had said that the ATC had remained in touch with the plane's crew members through radio signals.
24/09/10 Outlook

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At existing airport, 4 ‘hotspots for incidents’

Mumbai: The Airports Authority of India has declared four “hotspots” at the Mumbai airport effective from Thursday.
Hotspots are “incident-prone” zones as identified by the authorities. An AAI circular identifies the intersection between the runways (09/27 and 14/32), a point where a taxiway meets the secondary runway, the intersection between taxiways N 8 and N, and taxiway Q that is the holding point for runway 27 before a flight takes off.
In Mumbai, hotspots have been routinely identified by the airport safety team and communicated to all stakeholders to reduce the chances of an an accident on the premises. The new list was declared for re-carpeting work on the main runway (09/27) from Thursday. This is the first phase of the work to give Mumbai airport a re-carpeted runway by 2011-end.
24/09/10 Indian Express

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Flying to Mumbai? Lose weight now

International airlines operating long-haul flights to Mumbai put their aircraft on a weight-loss programme on Thursday as the ongoing repairs rendered a large stretch of the main runway unavailable for operations for over four months.
With the main runway cut short by a good 1,500 feet because of drainage and other works, aircraft on long-haul routes, mainly the Boeing 777s and Boeing 747s, will have to fly lighter to be able to land or take-off.
The repair works have reduced the main runway 27/09’s length from 11,300 feet to about 9,800 feet. The secondary runway 14/32 is about 9,500 feet long anyway.
What this essentially means is that in peak winter season, airlines may have to cut their cargo loads or carry fewer passengers. Putting new luggage ceilings in place could be another option.
On Thursday afternoon, work began on a new drainage line and connection between ‘N’ taxiway and the end of the runway. Though these works are outside the runway, about 1,500 feet of main runway will not be available till January 31.
The instrument landing system will also not be available, which means the runway can be used only if the visibility is 5000 metres. In case the visibility is low, the secondary runway will be used.
24/09/10 Aneesh Phadnis/Mumbai Mirror

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Kolkata Airport touts prey on fliers

Kolkata: Be it day or night, touts are present to torment passengers at Kolkata airport. A bunch of unkempt youths lean over baggage trolleys just outside the exit gates, leering at women. As soon as passengers trickle out, they jump into action. They target passengers from the North-East, particularly single women, and crowd around them to offer' cabs. Others jam the door of the AC bus to ward off passengers.
At the international terminal, touts haggle with passengers, pushing for exchanging dollars and pounds. For the uninitiated, it is a scary experience.
The official money exchange firms at the airport have lodged several complaints with the police and airport officials. Some touts dealing in forex were rounded up by CISF and handed over to the police. But they managed to walk out.
Sudip Bose, the staff in-charge of the AC bus service to Tollygunge and Santragachi, said the touts were in league with powerful taxi unions.
The CISF did round up Samir Dey, Md Ramzan, Sahabuddin, Partha Das and Arafudding for harassing passengers. But they, too, were released because their act did not constitute a cognizable offence.
With Kolkata airport advisory committee chairman Saugata Roy, a Union minister of state, also expressing serious concern, the home secretary has asked police to act tough.
24/09/10 Subhro Niyogi/Times of India

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Licensing Dispute - DGCA Blames Mangalore Airport Management

Bangalore: In an affidavit filed in the state High Court on Thursday September 23, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has held the management of Mangalore airport squarely responsible for the delay caused in renewing its licence.
“The term of the licence of the airport at Bajpe had expired on June 15 this year. The airport management had applied for the renewal of its licence through Airports Authority of India. During the scrutiny of the application, some doubts had arisen, and clarifications had been sought from the airport management. So far, no response has been received from the airport. As such, the renewal of the licence has been delayed,” DGCA said in the affidavit.
24/09/10 Daijiworld.com

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AI flight grounded after bird hit

Bhopal: An Air India flight with 85 persons onboard was grounded after it suffered a bird hit here, officials said today.
The Delhi-Bhopal-Indore-Mumbai flight suffered a bird hit minutes after it took off from Raja Bhoj Airport here around 2030 hours last night following which it made a landing within ten minutes. About 24 passengers were sent to Indore via road from here, officials said adding arrangements for stay of 28 passengers were made in a hotel.
23/09/10 PTI/IBN Live

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Supreme Court allows AAI to shut down Mumbai airport restaurant

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has granted appeals filed by the Airport Authority of India and the Mumbai International Airport Private Limited and has allowed them to revoke the licence of M/s Golden Chariots Pvt. Ltd. who were running a restaurant in the car park zone in front of Terminal 1A of the Mumbai Airport.
The Appeals had been filed in the Supreme Court after a long legal battle in which Golden Chariots had twice been adjudged to be unauthorised occupants of a portion of the Mumbai Airport which is considered a public premises under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. When the appeals were filed by the AAI and the MIAL, the Supreme Court had ordered that an Estate Officer should be appointed under the provisions of the Public Premises Act to decide the matter once again, and the new estate officer concluded that Golden Chariots were unauthorised occupants.
23/09/10 Sarim Naved/Law et al. news

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Civilian aircraft to be allowed into defence airspace soon

New Delhi: Civilian aircraft will soon be able to venture into the restricted defence airspace, resulting in huge fuel savings by bringing down flying time for airlines. Also, flexible access would ensure that the country does not lose out to its neighbour, China, when it comes to international airlines using Indian airspace for overflying purposes.
In a high level meeting of all stakeholders, chaired by civil aviation minister Praful Patel on Monday, the two sides — civil aviation and defence authorities – have shown willingness to adapt to flexible usage of airspace to facilitate civilian aircraft movement in restricted air space manned by the defence. The ministry has appointed a sub committee to work out modalities and recommend steps to evolve a central control command structure, revealed senior civil aviation ministry officials.
The committee has been asked to recommend information sharing procedures, training of those manning Air Traffic Control (ATC) in defence rules and vice versa and establishment of a central control command.
23/09/10 Smita Aggarwal/Indian Express

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Don't operate M'lore airport without licence renewal: HC

Bangalore: The High Court on Wednesday directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to inform it by Thursday the status of the application seeking renewal of licence of the Mangalore International Airport at Bajpe.
"Who has given permission for the airport to continue operations without renewal of licence? We will order for closure of the airport if it has no licence, rather than put lives of many people at risk," the division bench headed by Justice D V Shylendra Kumar observed. Hearing of the PIL in this regard filed by city advocate G R Mohan has been adjourned to Thursday.
The counsel for AAI informed the court that an application has been submitted to the DGCA seeking renewal of licence for the airport.
23/09/10 Times of India

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Smoke emits from plane engine

Kolkata: A SpiceJet flight to Chennai returned to the parking bay from the tarmac after the captains detected smoke emitting from the engine on Wednesday evening.
SpiceJet flight SJ 324 taxied off for takeoff around 4.50 pm on Wednesday with 131 passengers on board. The pilot was about to open the throttle after aligning along the central line of the runway when he detected smoke emitting from the engines. Sources said the instrument panel showed that the engines were overheated.
After engineers inspected the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, it was decided that the technical snag needed time for repair. Passengers were asked to disembark and were escorted to the security hold area.
The particular aircraft had flown into Kolkata from Chennai in the morning and then did the Kolkata-Bagdogra-Kolkata sector in the afternoon before being pressed into service for the return flight to Chennai. Later in the evening, the aircraft used to operate the Mumbai-Kolkata flight was used to do the Kolkata-Chennai sector and bail out the stranded passengers.
23/09/10 Times of India

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JetLite flight makes emergency landing

New Delhi: A Bangalore-bound JetLite flight with 105 passengers on board made an emergency landing here after one of its engines failed soon after take off from the IGI airport on Thursday.
The pilot of the Boeing 737-700 aircraft noticed an engine failure soon after take off .
23/09/10 PTI/The Hindu

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Rain disrupts landings at IGI, delays many flights

New Delhi: Rough weather and heavy rain in the city forced the pilot of a private airline to go around at IGI Airport after he failed to see the runway while approaching for landing. A couple of other flights had to reportedly carry out a go around as they were unable to land in heavy rain. Two bird-hit cases were also reported.
According to airport sources, the poor weather in the evening led to some flights getting delayed as they were unable to operate in low visibility. Around 4.30pm, the general visibility came down to 600m and CAT-I operations had to commence. "Due to the incessant rain, a lot of birds are also being sighted at the airport. On Wednesday, an arriving Emirates flight, EK512 reported a bird hit when it landed around 2.40am while an Indian Airlines flight IC471 from Delhi to Jodhpur also reported a bird hit when it was about to depart about 1.20pm," said sources.
23/09/10 Economic Times

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GMR offers 10 scholarships to Maldivian students

Male: India’s GMR Group, which manages Male International Airport, has decided to provide 10 scholarships per year in engineering and information technology (IT) for four years.
Deputy Youth Minister Aminath Ali and GMR Managing Director Venu Maadham signed the agreement.
“GMR will cover all the costs of the scholarships, including the tuition fee and hostel fee. Under these scholarships, the students will be enrolled at prestigious universities in India,” she said.
22/09/10 haveeru online

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Blue Star bags airconditioning and plumbing orders for Mumbai Airport

Mumbai: Central airconditioning and commercial refrigeration major, Blue Star Limited has won orders worth Rs 130 crores for airconditioning and plumbing of the new integrated Terminal Building (Terminal 2) of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), Mumbai.
The works of the new integrated Terminal Building is being split into two phases. While Blue Star was awarded the contract to aircondition the South West Pier valued at Rs 15 crores a few months ago, it has now won the contract to aircondition the T2 Processor valued at Rs 93 crores. In addition, D S Gupta Construction Pvt Ltd, the company that Blue Star has recently acquired, has also been awarded the plumbing and fire fighting contracting works of this new integrated Terminal Building valued at Rs 22 crores.
Blue Star’s scope of work involves supply, installation, testing, commissioning, handover, training, maintenance and warranty of all airconditioning and ventilation services. The equipment being supplied includes air handling units, cooling towers, pumps, ventilation fans, panels, building management systems, insulation and electrical parts. Blue Star will also be handling the project execution of the plumbing works.
22/09/10 ummid

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Shelved ATC revamp makes modernisation plan comeback

Calcutta: A safety project that was grounded midway is set to take wing again at Calcutta airport, compensating for a delayed flight to modernisation.
The announcement came even as a reality check by the Airports Authority of India confirmed what Metro had reported on August 9 — that the modernisation project would miss its August 2011 deadline.
The chairman of the Airports Authority of India, V.P. Agrawal, fixed October 2011 as the new deadline for the modernisation project. “We have reviewed the progress and the project will be completed by October 2011,” he said on Tuesday.
There was some good news too. “We are planning to spend Rs 250 crore in excess of the modernisation budget to upgrade the ATC (air traffic control) and build a new tower in around one-and-a-half-year’s time,” Agrawal said.
Of the estimated additional cost of Rs 250 crore, around Rs 100 crore is to be spent on equipment meant to increase flight safety in an airport with a history of close calls.
22/09/10 The Telegraph

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Delhi Police place restrictions around Delhi airport

New Delhi: Stepping up security measures ahead of the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games, Delhi Police Tuesday banned the holding of meetings and demonstrations around the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The police issued an order imposing section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure banning the assembly of five or more people in the area with immediate effect till Oct 25.
The order lists the areas associated with the operational control of flights, including the recently opened T3 terminal, and roads leading up to National Highway-8.
21/09/10 IANS/Sify

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Dublin Airport woos AI to make it its European hub

Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) is in talks with Air India to woo it to use the Irish airport as its European hub by promising an estimated annual savings of Euro 14 million and immigration and customs clearance for its passengers transiting to the U.S.
The talks have been going on for the past several months since the national carrier started looking for another hub in Europe after Frankfurt.
Air India, which operates three flights out of India and two from the US to its Frankfurt hub, has been considering shifting out of the German city and was looking for another European airport as a hub. However, no firm decision has yet been taken.
With a high-level Air India team visiting Dublin Airport a few months ago, DAA Chief Executive Declan Collier is now here to take the discussions with Air India further.
DAA was also looking at Kingfisher as a potential customer which can make the Irish airport its hub. Jet Airways already has Brussels as its operational hub in Europe.
20/09/10 PTI/The Hindu

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14 yrs on, India yet to act on air safety proposals

Mumbai: Whether any lessons are learnt from the Mangalore air tragedy remains to be seen. But some vital air safety recommendations following the 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision, which killed 349 passengers, have not yet been implemented.
Justice R C Lahoti in his inquiry report on the Charkhi Dadri crash had recommended the formation of an independent air traffic control. Most countries such as Australia, the US, UK, France, Spain have autonomous ATC organisations. Fourteen years later though, the country still to act on Lahoti's air safety recommendation.
While the plans to corporatise air traffic control (ATC) got going last year — the corporatised entity is likey to be called Air Navigation Services Corporation (ANSC) — recent developments indicate that air traffic control may not be made into an independent body as recommended by Lahoti report.
21/09/10 Manju V/Times of India

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Prime Minister would intervene to rescue Amritsar Airport

New Delhi: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Monday assured that he would personally speak to Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on the issue of withdrawal of Air India (AI)’s Amritsar-London-Toronto flight from Rajasansi International Airport. He made the assurance to a high level delegation, led by Amritsar-West Congress MLA OP Soni.
PM who gave the patience hearing to the delegations that comprised top industrialists and traders said he wants that the airport thrive, as it is a booster for the economy of the state. the meeting with PM lasted more tha half an hour.
Soni said that they also submitted a memorandum to PM that contained 8-9 important issues including the compensation to the farmers having their lands across the barbed fence on the Indo-Pak border.
"We also demanded that a monitoring of the central funds being released to the SAD-BJP government in the state is made as the funds are being misused", Soni said.
He said that Amritsar already have paid a heavy price of political neglect and since partition being marginalized in term of overall growth as compared to other palces in Punjab.
20/09/10 Ravinder Singh Robin/Punjab Newsline

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M'lore air crash: Kerala CM resents delay in solatium payment

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan on Tuesday urged the Centre to take urgent steps to provide compensation at the international standard to the families of those killed in air crash at Mangalore airport on May 22, which included 54 Keralaites. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
Achuthanandan said as per the Montreal Convention,the families of the victims were entitiled to Rs 70 lakh each.
Though the Centre had initially promised that the bereaved families would be adequately compensated, what could be learned later was that Air India was trying to go back on this and work out the solatium by factoring in the income profile of each of the victims.
21/09/10 Press Trust Of India/Hindustan Times

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Airport visa goof-up in holiday horror

Calcutta: A US-based Nepalese homemaker headed for a holiday in Thailand via Calcutta was cleared for boarding at the city airport despite not holding a Thai visa, leaving her to face 18 hours of detention in Bangkok before she was deported.
Tsomala Lama, 33, has accused Thai Airways and immigration officials at the city airport of misleading her into thinking that she was eligible for the tourist visa-on-arrival facility at Suvarnabhumi and other airports in Thailand.
“No official at the Thai Airways or immigration counter told me that a passenger passing through a third country doesn’t qualify for a visa on arrival, irrespective of nationality,” she told Metro on Monday, recounting the holiday that went horribly wrong.
On discovering that she was not carrying a visa, officials at Suvarnabhumi airport had threatened her with indefinite detention and a fine of $10,000.
A senior immigration official said California resident Tsomala, who holds a Nepalese passport and an American green card, wouldn’t have got a tourist visa on arrival in Bangkok even if she had travelled directly from the US. “Thailand doesn’t offer that facility to some countries, including Nepal. Since the lady holds a Nepalese passport, she would need to apply for and get a visa either in Nepal or the US, where she enjoys permanent residency,” he added.
If Tsomala was ignorant about the Thai visa rule, what about the officials who allowed her to board the Bangkok flight on Saturday night? Vutichai Kampanartsanyakorn, the city-based general manager of Thai Airways, said: “This is surprising. I will look into the matter. Even if our staff gave her a boarding pass, she should have been stopped at immigration.”
21/09/10 Sanjay Mandal/The Telegraph

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Smaller airports' city side to get private facelift

New Delhi: India’s rapidly increasing air travellers will in a few years have better facilities and flying experience even at the smaller airports as the government has approved cityside development of non-metro airports through private participation, which will help raise funds for their modernisation.
The Airports Authority of India, or AAI, will lease out land around the airports for 30 years, extendable by another 30 years, for some upfront payment and yearly rentals.
“The ministry will issue formal orders to the authority next week and city-side development of 10 airports in Phase-I will be undertaken, to begin with,” a ministry official told ET.
These airports include Ahmadabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar, Indore, Vishakhapatnam, Guwahati and Bhubaneshwar.
The ministry has, however, clarified that maintenance of the terminal building will not be included in the scope of city-side development of the airports, clearly indicating that the intent is not to privatise these airports on the lines of those in Delhi and Mumbai.
20/09/10 Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times

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Lost baggage tops flier complaints

Mumbai: More than a fifth of air passenger complaints last month were of lost baggage, followed by airline staff being rude, according to nation-wide data released by the civil aviation ministry on Friday. This is the first time that the ministry has taken stock of passenger grievances. Of the 1,078 complaints recorded, 22 per cent were from passengers who had lost their baggage during transit. The next common complaint, accounting for 11 per cent of grievances, was of airline staff — both crew and ground — being uncooperative.
Almost 40 lakh people flew domestic airlines last month. Baggage loss is one of the greatest passenger inconveniences, with 25 million bags being lost across the globe during transit last year, according to the International Air Transport Association. Though the most common passenger problem, compensation for lost baggage is not part of the government’s new policy on passenger rights.
The Air Passenger Association of India had pointed out these gaps when the policy was being drafted. “Baggage loss is the most common problem. How can the regulator ignore it,” the president Sudhakar Reddy asked.
20/09/10 Soubhik Mitra/Hindustan Times

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