AI Chennai-Delhi flights to be coded differently

Chennai: As part of synchronising its operations post-merger, Air India would launch a unified code 'AI' on the Chennai-Delhi sector with effect from tomorrow.
The domestic flights on this sector, operated by the erstwhile Indian Airlines and coded 'IC', would now be designated as 'AI'.
The Chennai-Delhi flight IC-430 and IC-802 would be coded as AI-645 and AI-643, respectively with effect from October 31, the Delhi-Chennai flights IC-437 and IC-540 would be operated as AI-644 and AI-642, an Air India statement said.
The Chennai-Delhi flights would leave from the Anna International Terminal, at 9.30 am and 8.15 pm, respectively, while the two flights from Delhi would depart at 3.45 pm and 10.50 pm, it said.
It urged the passengers, who have booked their tickets on these flights to check-in accordingly, it said.
30/10/10 Press Trust of India/Business Standard

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Damage: Two pilots off duty

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has de-rostered two pilots of an Air India aircraft that damaged runway lights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on October 26. The pilots have been taken off duty till an inquiry is complete. Sources said the DGCA investigating team is also taking down the pilots' statements.
"Both Sachin (known by his first name only) and Manjeet S Bodhi have been taken off from duty,” confirmed an Air India spokesperson.
Sources said the DGCA team has also taken out the flight's Cockpit Voice Recorder to look into the incident in detail. Also, details of the conversation between the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and the pilots have been asked for by the agency.
The runway lights were damaged by Air India flight IC-415, that took off for Patna at 6.22 pm on October 26.
31/10/10 Faizan Haider/Hindustan Times

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AI moving 11 flights to new terminal on Sunday

New Delhi: While domestic operations are expected to shift to the integrated terminal T3 at IGI Airport only by the middle of November, Air India will be shifting 11 of its domestic flights to the new terminal on October 31.
With the winter schedule kicking in from Sunday, the airline will start several international flights that would operate via Delhi. Officials said that if they wanted to offer through check-in facility to passengers, it was necessary that they arrived at the same terminal from where they would have to change aircraft for the second leg of the journey.
Some of those aircraft have also been deployed on international routes and bringing them to T3 from the domestic apron would have been a time consuming and cumbersome task.
"We are starting flights like Hyderabad-Chicago, Hyderabad-Frankfurt, Bangalore-Chicago, Bangalore-Frankfurt, Kolkata-New York, Amritsar-Toronto and Jaipur-Dubai. All these flights are via Delhi.
31/10/10 Economic Times

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Air India plans to revive Vayudoot

New Delhi: National Aviation Company of India Ltd (Nacil), which owns Air India, is planning to revive the defunct Vayudoot airline to improve connectivity to small towns and cities. It had earlier planned to sell the brand.
Delhi-based Vayudoot was launched as a subsidiary of erstwhile Indian Airlines in January 1981 to serve the northeast region. Vayudoot grew to operating in 100 stations across the country.
However, due to deep financial crises, Vayudoot was merged with Indian Airlines. It ceased operations in 1997 and the airline’s employees were absorbed by Indian Airlines or Air India.
In its new avatar, Vayudoot will be a feeder service bringing traffic from small towns to larger cities and state capitals and from there to other national and international destinations.
As part of the plan, Vayudoot will operate from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and the northeast region, which have over 50 small airstrips or airports, mostly not in use.
The official added that the plan is to operate four types of aircraft depending on demand: 15-20 seat, 50-seat, 120-180 seat and 300-seat aircraft. Plans are being made to lease these aircraft and also to ascertain the cost of reviving the airline.
30/10/10 Mihir Mishra/Business Standard

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Air India posts first cash profit in 2 years

Mumbai: Air India has managed to post cash profit at the operational level in its domestic business after almost two years.
Reviewing the performance of the national carrier, the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, said on Friday that on the domestic side, the airline has managed a cash profit of Rs 87 crore in the half-year ended September 30 against a cash loss of Rs 472 crore in the same time last year.
On the international side, Air India's cash loss has also gone down to Rs 500 crore from Rs 1,142 crore.
In the last six months, the airline's load factor increased by 5 per cent and its yield per passenger has gone up by 13 per cent, compared to same time last year.
30/10/10 Business Line

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Air India cuts int’l sector losses

Mumbai: Air India’s losses in the international sector have come down from Rs 1100 crore to Rs 500 crore, while on the domestic sector the airline is making a cash profit of Rs 87 crore, according to MoS for civil aviation Praful Patel.
Speaking to journalists in Mumbai on Friday, the minister said that the overall parameters of change at Air India are “encouraging”. “The daily revenue has increased by Rs 5 crore, the load factor has increased by 5 per cent, yield has increased by 13 per cent. Inspite of discontinuing some freight services, cargo revenue has increased,” he said.
30/10/10 Indian Express

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RBI may clear AI debt-recast plan

Mumbai: Cash strapped Air India might breathe a little easy as the central bank is expected to clear a debt restructuring plan for the airliner by November, minister for civil aviation , Praful Patel , said on Friday. Air India has a debt burden of Rs 19,000 crore.
Mr Patel said the airliner will get the next round of equity infusion, around Rs 1,200 crore soon, and no issues have been raised by the cabinet committee for economic affairs (CCEA), which need sorting out as a pre-condition to that disbursement.
“The government is committed to providing equity support for Air India and CCEA will disburse the money in November,” he said. Mr Patel was in Mumbai reviewing policy and restructuring initiatives undertaken by the Air India management for a turnaround plan and also for certain “belt tightening” which is currently underway, though he refused to give details of these measures.
Air India, with losses of over Rs 5,000 crore for the last financial year, is on a recovery path. Mr Patel said the airline has improved performance with an increase in the number of passengers this year. It was helped by an overall improvement in the economic environment.
Giving a preview of the half-yearly performance for the airline, Mr Patel said Air India has improved its yields compared with last year, with an increase of 13%. Passengers carried by the airline has also gone up 16% from 30,000 last year to 35,000 passengers per day.
30/10/10 Economic Times

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AI cuts salaries of ailing pilots

Mumbai: Does Air India force pilots who are unwell to operate flights? If the airline management is to be believed, sick pilots are not forced to work as the government-owned carrier adheres to labour and air safety norms.
But now, a document submitted by the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) substantiates the allegations made by pilots that they are indeed forced to fly even when they are unwell. This document was sent to the civil aviation minister, the directorate general of civil aviation, the labour commissioner and other government top brass on Tuesday. The document mentions the names and details of pilots who were unwell. These pilots did not buckle down to pressure and went on sick leave only to see the airline management retaliate by deducting their salaries. It substantiates their allegation that pilots are indeed forced to fly, even when they are unwell. It lists the names and details of pilots who were unwell a few months ago.
29/10/10 Manju V/Times of India

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Bird hits ground flights in Coimbatore

Coimbatore: Bird hits have grounded four flights in the last three days in Coimbatore Airport affecting flight operations in the region. According to airport authorities, two flights each of Spice Jet and Air India were hit by tiny sparrows since Tuesday night.
The unexpected groundings have affected normal flight operations resulting in severe inconvenience to air passengers. The flights sustained no damage as the hits were not severe. Each flight resumed the onward journey after spending about one hour at the airport to check damages if any.
The airport authorities have constituted an expert committee to ascertain the reason behind the repeated bird hits. Surveillance jeeps are being used to chase away birds about three minutes before the landing and taking off of each flight. The officials have also decided to meet the Coimbatore district collector very soon asking him to take urgent steps to prevent dumping of garbage close to the western wall of the airport. The dumping of garbage there too is causing the high presence of birds in the region resulting in bird hits.
30/10/10 K A Shaji/Times of India

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AI starts more international flights from Bangalore

Bangalore: Air India will operate more hub and spoke flights from Bangalore with effect from October 31 enabling convenient international connections to Bangalore passengers.
These flights will land at the T3 terminal in Delhi.
In the morning, AI 625 (BangaloreDelhi), will leave Bangalore at 0930 hours to reach Delhi at 1200 hours daily. It will connect to AI 121 (DelhiFrankfurt) leaving Delhi daily at 1335 hrs, AI 111 (DelhiLondon) leaving Delhi daily at 1450 hours and AI 143 (DelhiParis) leaving Delhi at 1255 hours on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. In the evenings, flight AI 623 will leave Bangalore at 2010 hours to reach Delhi at 2245 hours daily. It will connect the flights AI 101 (DelhiNew York) leaving Delhi at 0045 hours, AI 127 (DelhiChicago) leaving Delhi at 0130 hrs and AI 187 (DelhiToronto) leaving Delhi at 0145 hours. Passengers will be able to checkin at Bangalore airport for their international destination.
30/10/10 ExpressBuzz

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Sharjah flight returns to Kochi

An Air India Express flight bound for Sharjah returned to Kochi 45 minutes after it took off following a technical problem, reports Press Trust of India.
The flight with 142 passengers and nine crew members on board had taken off from from Nedumbassery International Airport in Kochi, Kerala, at 10:15am.
29/10/10 Emirates 24-7

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Kanishka victims’ Xmas gift

Toronto: Canada is set to disburse an ex-gratia payment to the Air India Kanishka victims before Christmas.
Though the Canadian immigration minister, Mr Jason Kenney, and the public safety minister, Mr Vic Toews, in their meeting with families of the victims last week had cited the precedence of up to $25,000 as exgratia payment in such cases, sources said on Thursday that the unspecified amount to be paid would not disappoint the families. The families of each victim were paid upward of $75,000 in a settlement in 1991.
30/10/10 Deccan Chronicle

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Praful Patel to review working of Air India

New Delhi: Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel will carry out a comprehensive review of Air India on Friday ahead of the Rs. 1200 crore equity infusion that the national carrier is expecting from the government.
The decision to infuse Rs. 1200 of equity was to be taken in November.
Government had infused Rs. 800 crore in the last financial year in Air India, which used to have an equity base of a mere Rs. 145 crore and had placed orders for 111 aircraft —- 43 from Airbus and 68 from Boeing —- worth $11 billion. According to sources the airline would require Rs. 3,000 crore to Rs. 4,000 crore annually to pay off its debt which is primarily on account of aircraft induction.
The second tranche of government funds worth Rs. 1,200 crore, to be released after a nod from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), is likely to be used for settling outstanding dues and not to enhance the airline's equity base. CCEA is likely to take up the proposal next month.
29/10/10 NDTV.com

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Pilots forced to fly sick: DGCA to probe issue

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, the health ministry has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to examine complaints of Air India pilots that they are forced to fly even when not medically fit.
Earlier this week, minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi wrote to DGCA Nasim Zaidi, seeking examination of AI pilots' complaints of being penalized for refusing to fly when unwell "before this leads to some tragedy."
29/10/10 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Senior official is harassing us: Pilots

Mumbai: An Air India pilots’ union on Wednesday approached the civil aviation ministry and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) alleging that the airline management had failed to act on their complaint against a senior operations official. On October 13, the Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG), one of the two recognised pilot unions, had levelled serious allegations against Captain Rohit Bhasin, an additional general manager of operations.
According to the complaint, Captain Bhasin allegedly intimidated pilots who reported sick. The letter sent to the ministry and the CVC also claims that he had withheld salaries of pilots. The amount ranges from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. He also allegedly abused pilots for refusing international flight duties when they did not have their passports. Pilots plying on international routes often submit their passports with the company for obtaining visas.
The senior operations officer is also charged of assigning flight duties to select pilots on plum routes.
28/10/10 Soubhik Mitra/Hindustan Times

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Air India bailout hits turbulence

New Delhi: The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) has turned down a second equity infusion amounting to Rs1,200 crore for Air India Ltd on grounds that it had failed to meet some promised targets, potentially leaving the state-run carrier in financial limbo.
Air India received an equity infusion of Rs800 crore from the government in the last fiscal. It was to receive a further Rs1,200 crore in the current fiscal conditional on meeting some targets, including revenue generation and cost cuts.
The equity infusion is critical for the airline’s cash flow as well as to raise more capital that would help it pay back some of its Rs18,000 crore of debt.
A government official familiar with the matter said CCEA had made it clear that it cannot approve the release of the money until an exception is okayed by a group of ministers (GoM) that had specified the targets for Air India to achieve.
The aviation ministry has now sent the proposal to finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who headed the GoM, seeking an exception to the rules before it can go back to CCEA.
“The fear is that they (GoM) may put new conditions, which may be even tougher to meet for the airline,” the government official said.
The airline may also find it very difficult to persuade the government to open its coffers further to release an additional Rs2,000 crore equity infusion it has been hoping to seek unless it meets its targets.
28/10/10 Tarun Shukla/Live Mint

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A-I failure is Bhutan's flying hope

Guwahati: Bhutan’s government-owned airline has adopted a loss-making international circuit that Air India abandoned eight years ago. Suicidal soar? No, insists Drukair or Royal Bhutan Airlines, not with the global dream riding on a local need – to provide the Himalayan country’s eastern half a faster way to reach capital Thimphu.
AI had in April 2002 launched the once-a-week Guwahati-Bangkok flight with a “viable” target of 60 per cent seat occupancy. Poor demand put paid to the service within 15 months.
“We studied the pros and cons for two years before deciding to launch our Paro-Guwahati-Bangkok flight from October 31,” said Drukair’s CEO Tandin Jamso here Wednesday.
Paro, at an elevation of 7300 ft, is Bhutan’s only airport 58 km from Thimphu.
Jamso hopes the Rs 1.6 billion Drukair, with plans to fly to Hong Kong and Singapore, can sustain its “global via Guwahati” operation unlike AI.
One reason is Drukair’s inter-regional focus with Kathmandu, Dhaka and major Indian metropolises on the radar. Another – more important to Bhutan’s internal affairs – is eastern Bhutan’s communication bottlenecks.
28/10/10 Rahul Karmakar/Hindustan Times

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AI Express to start budget domestic flights

New Delhi: Air India's international low-cost carrier (LCC), AI Express, is planning to launch budget domestic flights from next March, linking metros like Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata with tier II cities in the initial phase.
However, these flights will commence from Delhi only from next winter. The lag is due to the fact that the airline hopes to get its pilots trained for taking off and landing in dense fog by that time. Budget fliers from Mumbai will also have to wait as the airline has decided to cancel its only foreign flight out of the city. The much-maligned LCC is also trying to change its image by renaming itself as Express India and shifting headquarters from Mumbai to Cochin as a majority of its 204 weekly flights operate from the south. In another big change, its all-economy configuration Boeing 737-800 aircraft will get eight business-class seats in the two front rows in the place of 18 budget seats. Termed super economy, the fares for these eight seats will be double the economy charges and the seats may also have inflight entertainment.
27/10/10 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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AI Patna flight damages runway lights at IGI airport; operations hit

New Delhi: Flight operations at the IGI airport were affected this evening after some of the runway edge lights were damaged by an aircraft forcing its closure. The main runway (10/28) was not in operation between 6.30 and 7.45 pm after some of runway edge lights were found damaged and some rubber pieces of
tyres were also found scattered between taxiways B and D, airport officials said.
The runway lights were damaged by an Air India plane (flight IC 415) which took off for Patna at 6.22 pm. The pilot of the aircraft also reported damage in the plane's tyre.
The officials said the normalcy in operation has been restored and the re-installation work of damaged lights will be undertaken tonight.
27/10/10 Press Trust Of India/Hindustan Times

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IA Delhi-Patna flight's tyre deflates on landing

Patna: The passengers of IC-415 flight of the Indian Airlines (IA) had a miraculous escape when one of the tyres of the plane deflated soon after it landed at Patna airport on Tuesday evening.
Airport sources said the plane had arrived here from New Delhi at around 7.30 pm. It had left Delhi at around 6.05 pm. IC-416 flight was cancelled and the passengers were accommodated in Jet Airways' flight.
27/10/10 Times of India

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