Andal airport takeoff likely in mid-2013

Andal (Durgapur): The airport was initially scheduled to take off in 2011 but a bitter wrangle with Coal India Ltd kept it grounded for months and delayed the project by a year. Even as construction of the runway, terminal building, air traffic control tower and other facilities is under way full swing with promoters Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL) and strategic investor Changi Airports International target 2012-end as the new deadline, there are several niggling issues that are yet to be sorted out before operations commence at the airport.
To begin with, land remains an unresolved issue at the project site. Though the promoters forfeited claim over 144 acre in the project that was originally pegged at 2,300 acre, BAPL currently has been handed 1,818 acre. While BAPL expects to get an additional 164 acre of defence land, there is a question mark over 192 acre in which acquisition process did not get completed before the change in government.
Top BAPL offiicials said the 192 acre in question is crucial to the project for not just a good access to the township from National Highway 2 but also building the six-lane arterial road that cuts through the proposed township, connecting NH 2 with the airport.
11/02/12 Subhro Niyogi/Times of India

Bengal Aerotropolis woos airlines for Durgapur airport

Durgapur: With the construction of Changi's proposed airport at Andal near Durgapur in West Bengal going on in full swing, to meet the 2012-end deadline, promoter Bengal Aerotropolis Projects (BAPL) has initiated talks with major airlines for participation.

"We were always confident about the potentiality of the airport due to the huge a catchment area in the Durgapur-Asansol-Dhanbad region. There are several public sector units here like the Durgapur Steel Plant, Eastern Coalfields, Bharat Coking Coal and IISCO Steel Plant. We expect several airlines to operate flights from Andal," BAPL Chief Executive Officer and Director Subrata Paul said during an aviation summit here.

Travel agents and officials from the PSU, too, were present at the event showcasing facilities at Andal airport city.

Airlines representatives were "impressed by the projected facilities", but would conduct independent surveys before taking a final call. "Changi's association will surely instill confidence among the carriers. But, we will have to look into many operational aspects such as traffic potential and infrastructure like number of hotel rooms available in case of cancellation of flights etc," said an official of a private airline.

Operators, however, may seek incentives from the state government in the form of cut in sales tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF).

11/02/12 Business Standard

India, EU to resolve differences over move to tax air travel

New Delhi: India and the European Union on Friday stuck to their respective stands on EU's move to tax air travel by including aviation in their Emissions Trading System (ETS), but decided to resolve the differences urgently.
India, along with over 30 countries like Russia, the US and China would meet in Moscow later this month to decide whether to take retaliatory measures against the EU's "unilateral" decision to impose this carbon tax.
A joint statement, issued at the 12th India-EU summit here, said leaders of both sides "reiterated their respective positions on the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS and noted the strong divergence of views. Both sides agreed on the need to urgently resolve the issue."
On the brighter side, the two sides sought "appropriate steps to enable the entry into force of the Horizontal Civil Aviation Agreement," the statement said.
The carbon tax has been imposed from January one on all flights by non-EU carriers to and from an airport in the EU territory or over-flying the European airspace, making air travel costlier.
10/02/12 PTI/Economic Times

Tiger Airways to resume Kochi-Singapore service

Kochi: Tiger Airways, one of Asia's leading low-cost carriers, has announced a new direct service between Kochi and Singapore, becoming the first regional low-cost carrier to connect these two cities.
11/02/12 City Journal

India’s Air Works Extends Its MRO Reach

Air Works, India’s only third-party maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider in commercial aviation, is making large investments to enter the general aviation market for heavy maintenance and, at the same time, is putting down roots in Europe, with the imminent opening of a new aircraft paint facility at Bratislava Airport in Slovakia. The 60-year-old company already claims to hold a 30- to 40-percent share of the general aviation MRO sector in India.

Meanwhile, Air Works (Booth No. G93) also is looking to play a larger role in supporting India’s growing regional airline network as more and more smaller cities get scheduled service. For instance, budget carrier SpiceJet’s initial order for 15 Bombardier Dash 8 Q-400s (seven of which have been delivered) and Embraer’s aggressive plans to market its E-Jets in the country have prompted the company to plan ahead. Currently, it is working with both Bombardier and Embraer to develop a $2 million maintenance facility with up to C-check level capability at a private airfield in Hosur, near Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore).

11/02/12 Neelam Mathews/AIN Online

Azad, Thakre unhurt after plane tyre bursts

Nagpur/Amravati: Union minister for health Ghulam Nabi Azad, state Congress committee president Manikrao Thakre, All India Congress Committee secretary and in charge for Maharashtra Mohan Prakash and three others had a providential escape after their aircraft suffered a tyre burst while landing at Belora airstrip near Amravati on Friday afternoon.
The politicians were flying from Akola to Amravati in a turboprop aircraft. The plane with six passengers on-board landed at Belora airport at 12.45 noon with a loud noise. It later turned out that one of the tyres on the right side of the plane had burst. This is the first such incidence to have occurred on the 1,372 meter Belora airstrip, sources informed.
For Thakre and Prakash, this was the second narrow escape in the last three years. On September 25, 2009, the engine of a helicopter they were travelling in developed a snag and they were forced to make an emergency landing at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport.
Airport sources informed that the turboprop was being operated by Taj Air Company, Mumbai, and had taken off from Shivni airport at about 11.30am on way to Amravati. MPCC president Manikrao Thakre along with Mohan Prakash and Gulam Nabi Azad were going to address a public meeting at Pathan Square, Amravati, for the Amravati Municipal Corporation polls scheduled on February 16.
11/02/12 Sachin Dravekar & Vaidehi More/Times of India

New runway becomes operational at RGIA

Hyderabad: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Friday commenced operations from its second runway. The new parallel runway designated as Rwy 09L/27R is 3,707 m long and CodeE aircraft compliant (A340/B747).The GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, the airport operator has obtained clearances from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, making it the first greenfield airport in the region with two active runways.With the activation of the new runway, the airport can continue flight operations uninterruptedly during the main runway maintenance on every Tuesdays and continuity of flight operations on Tuesdays will enhance efficiency, thus making passenger transit through RGIA convenient.
10/02/12 IBN Live

Air India seeks $1 bn from Boeing for Dreamliner delays

New Delhi: Air India has increased its demands for compensation from Boeing to about $1 billion for delays in delivering new 787 Dreamliners.

A civil aviation ministry official, speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald on condition of anonymity, said that there's room to negotiate until all 27 Dreamliners on order have been handed over to the national carrier.

Boeing, based in Chicago, declined to comment.

Air India had said in August 2010 that it would seek $840 million from Boeing, whose new 787 hadn't yet entered service at that point.

The carrier's order would be valued at about $5.7 billion, before traditional discounts off the plane's average list price of $211 million.

The Dreamliner was three-and-a-half years late when it began passenger service in November, after seven delays related to new materials and manufacturing processes used.

10/02/12 Indian Express

Airlines' carbon pollution bill $670 mn?

Singapore Airlines face a carbon pollution bill of 505 million euros ($670 million) for this year under a controversial EU emissions trading scheme, an analysis shows.
Carriers joined the scheme, which covers carbon emissions from European and foreign airlines flying into and from EU airports, on Jan 1.
The scheme has triggered widespread anger among foreign governments and carriers because the cost is calculated on the emissions from the point of origin, not just in Europe.
This has led to accusations the European Union is exceeding its jurisdiction in a row that risks escalating into a full-blown trade war.
China this week banned its airlines from participating without its permission and, along with India and the United States, warned of retaliatory steps.
The latest analysis by Point Carbon, which provides market intelligence, news and advisory services, calculated the cost based on the price of EU emissions allowances traded as of Monday at 8.56 euros and the latest emissions forecasts for carriers. Each allowance represents a tonne of emissions.
09/02/12 Express India

Tax on ATF Exempted in Meghalaya

Shillong: To attract more flight operators to the state, Meghalaya government has exempted tax on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).

"The exemption is aimed at attracting more aircraft operators to use the port and help make the Shillong Airport as a re-fuelling centre in the NE," Excise and Taxation Commissioner J Lyngdoh said.

The exemption of tax on ATF would also make the airfare more competitive in the state, he said.

Constructed in the mid 1960s and operational in mid 1970s, Shillong Airport at present accommodates only 50-seater ATR aircraft six days a week from Kolkata.

10/02/12 Outlook India

3 NY cabbies misbehave with AI cabin crew on flight, held

New Delhi: Three men were arrested for allegedly misbehaving with the cabin crew on board an Air India flight (AI 102) from New York to Delhi.
It is alleged that the three men, all taxi drivers based in New York, threw alcohol on two air hostesses who approached the security detail at the Indira Gandhi International Airport as soon as the flight landed in New Delhi on Thursday afternoon.
Police said Varinder Pal Singh, Hardeep Singh Deol and Bhupinder Singh had boarded the flight with two bottles of liquor which have been recovered.
“Throughout the flight, the men kept yelling and created a ruckus. They kept asking for more liquor on board. After a point, we requested them to stop creating a scene, but to no avail. The situation had gone out of hand,” said one of the airhostesses in her complaint.
Angry at being stopped from consuming more alcohol on board, the three men threw liquor at the complainant’s face, police said.
10/02/12 Indian Express

IndiGo gets delivery of its 50th Airbus A-320 aircraft

New Delhi: IndiGo on Friday took delivery of its 50th Airbus A-320 aircraft, with which it would launch additional flights connecting Mumbai, Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata next week.

With this addition in its fleet, the no-frill carrier would start the new flights connecting Mumbai to Coimbatore and Bhubaneswar and one new flight from Kolkata to Bhubaneswar from February 16, an airline spokesperson said.

Inducting the 50th aircraft into its operational fleet, IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh claimed the airline had the youngest fleet and was the fastest growing carrier in the country.

"Having flown over 39.46 million in over 277,900 flights since launch, IndiGo has achieved immense success in the Indian skies, and continues to show steady growth. The induction of its 50th aircraft is yet another proof of the commitment to customer experience and growth," he said in a statement.

The airline would take delivery 45 brand new Airbus A- 320s of an earlier order of 100 of these planes, till 2015.

IndiGo, which placed one of the world's largest airplane orders last year by announcing to buy 180 Airbus aircraft, would have deliveries scheduled between 2016 and 2025.

10/02/12 Economic Times

Chennai airport: Second runway in the offing

Chennai: The much-awaited commissioning of the secondary runway, along with the extended length covering the bridge over the Adyar river, is expected to take place by March-end.
Senior airport officials said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has completed its part of security study and is awaiting permission and clearance from the directorate general of civil aviation.
Chennai airport director E.P. Hareendranathan said the AAI has completed the safety study and the Central industrial security force (CISF) that manages the security at the airport, would be posted near the Adyar bridge.
“The bureau of civil aviation security (BCAS) is also studying various means of providing security to the secondary runway,” he added.
Additional Chennai airport director H.S. Suresh said the primary runway badly needs milling work on both sides of the touchdown.
“We need the availability of the secondary runway to schedule re-carpeting or temporary milling work in the touchdown areas in the primary runway,” he added.
11/02/12 S Sujatha/Deccan Chronicle

Direct jet fuel imports: states will lose Rs 3k cr in sales tax

Indian states could lose sales tax revenues totalling Rs 3,000 crore if the central government’s proposal to allow airlines to directly import jet fuel is implemented, a report in Hindu Business Line said.

Don’t expect states to take this loss lying down. The rate of sales tax on jet fuel varies across different states — between 4 percent and 30 percent. To compensate for this loss in revenues, some states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh might introduce an “entry” tax, an HSBC report said recently.

Ministers are expected to meet this month or early next month to discuss the consequences of the loss in sales tax.

We’ve already said that direct fuel imports are easier said than done.

The infrastructure to import and transfer fuel across the country is the biggest problem for airlines. The companies that do have the infrastructure are the oil marketing companies.

It remains to be seen how willing oil marketing companies will be to help airlines import their own fuel, because it will, after all, affect the business of oil marketing companies themselves, who are currently the main suppliers of jet fuel to airlines.

10/02/12 Rajanya Bose/First Post

AAI officers rally in airport

Kolkata: Officers of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) today organised a candle light procession in the airport premises this evening demanding implementation of inter-service seniority which, they claimed, has been pending for over 16 years. Sources in the NSC Bose International Airport said about 100 people were arrested when the silent procession reached near the international terminal. All of them were later released.

10/02/12 PTI/IBN Live

All-tarmac access for Maya refused

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry has rejected Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati’s request that her bulletproof car be allowed up to the tarmac at airports across India. “The request has been rejected. It is not possible to make an exception. There is no precedence,” well-placed ministry sour-ces told this newspaper.
Sources said Ms Mayawati wanted her car to be allowed direct access to the tarmac at all airports for “threat perception and security” reasons. But the ministry stood firm after Central security agencies opposed this move. The ministry too independently determined that there was no need to make any exception.
Sources said Ms Mayawati is now allowed direct access in her car to the tarmac only at airports in UP where she is chief minister. Under the rules, governors and CMs are allowed access to the tarmac in their cars only in the states where they hold office. But Ms Mayawati wanted this privilege at all civil airports in India. Sources said the aviation security agencies got numerous requests like this from politicians and “godmen”, but always opposed them. The final decision, however, lies with the civil aviation ministry.
The sources said this was decided entirely on “professional grounds”, and no politics should be read into it. But it is certain this could further embitter ties between the UPA and the BSP chief, particularly as civil aviation minister Ajit Singh is a top UP politician.
10/02/12 Sridhar Kumaraswami/Asian Age

Air India SATS Airport Services bags award

Bangalore: Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) Bangalore has won the “Air Cargo Terminal Operator of the Year” award at this year's Indian Supply Chain and Logistics Summit and Excellence Awards 2012 organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce held at New Delhi.

The awards were instituted to honour and recognise efforts made by the Indian logistics and supply chain organisations in creating industry benchmarks and adopting best practices.

10/02/12 Business Line

Aqua show delegates held at Cochin airport

Kochi: The state fisheries department faced embarrassment when its foreign guests who were here to participate in the India International Aqua Show 2012 were held by the customs officials at the Cochin International Airport before being released following ministerial interference.
The fisheries minister K Babu said that the state government would make a formal protest with the Centre and ask for action against the customs officials who made things difficult for the government guests. "This is not a private event. It is being organised by the fisheries department for the betterment of the sector. Cooperation of all agencies is expected." His sentiments were echoed by Union minister K V Thomas and chief minister Oommen Chandy. Thomas said that the Centre always sided with the state government and that he would recommend action against the officials.
11/02/12 Times of India

Aqua show delegates held at Cochin airport

Kochi: The state fisheries department faced embarrassment when its foreign guests who were here to participate in the India International Aqua Show 2012 were held by the customs officials at the Cochin International Airport before being released following ministerial interference.
The fisheries minister K Babu said that the state government would make a formal protest with the Centre and ask for action against the customs officials who made things difficult for the government guests. "This is not a private event. It is being organised by the fisheries department for the betterment of the sector. Cooperation of all agencies is expected." His sentiments were echoed by Union minister K V Thomas and chief minister Oommen Chandy. Thomas said that the Centre always sided with the state government and that he would recommend action against the officials.
11/02/12 Times of India

Come Monday, taxis to stay off BIA

Bengaluru: With talks between the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and various taxi associations making no headway on Friday, the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) has decided to launch a strike to protest toll collection at Sadarhalli Gate on NH-7, which started from the midnight of February 10.

Taxi associations are particularly upset because taxis that ply to and from the international airport will have to pay the toll for multiple trips. “We held a discussion with NHAI officials and requested them to introduce monthly passes for airport taxis. If they introduce monthly passes, we will have to shell out less on toll. But all our negotiations with NHAI failed as they refused to give any concessions,” said the general secretary of the Bangalore Tourist Taxi Association, K. Radhakr-ishna Holla. With airport taxis likely to go off the roads from Monday morning, those who have flights to catch will have to arrange for alternative transport.

11/02/12 Deccan Chronicle

Aerotropolis to bank on service, not size

Anadal (Durgapur): Promoters of the first greenfield private airport in the east promise to deliver a world-class experience to passengers and airlines when the facility becomes operational in a year. Though the project developers have set an ambitious target for the inaugural flight some time this year-end, aviation industry experts feel a more feasible takeoff date will be the first quarter of 2013. Of the Rs 624-crore proposed investment in the first phase, Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL) has already spent around Rs 340 crore.
"In terms of size, the airport that we are constructing will not even be a patch on the facilities in Mumbai, Delhi or even Kolkata. But it will be top of the line in service quality. Our challenge is to offer world-class experience to the users. We intend to be the best non-metro airport in India," BAPL chief executive officer & director Subrata Paul told key stakeholders at Touchdown @ Durgapur on Thursday.
The networking summit was organized by BAPL to give carriers and travel agents a lowdown on the project at ground zero and get their feedback on how to make the facilities more user-friendly.
10/02/12 Subro Niyogi/Times of India

India, Iraq to resume direct flights

New Delhi: India and Iraq will resume direct flights which were stopped during the first Gulf War two decades ago, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported official sources as saying Thursday.

The aviation authorities of the two countries, which were in talks for over the past few months, have decided to launch these flights from the coming Sunday, the sources said.

Iraq government has designated its national carrier Iraqi Airways, which would operate two flights each to Delhi and Mumbai every week from Baghdad.

India is yet to take a final decision on designating any carrier that would fly to Iraq, they said.

The sources said India was keen to have direct flights to the Iraqi religious city of Karbala and not just to Baghdad.

A bilateral air services agreement was first signed between the two countries in 1955.

10/02/12 Bernama/brunei fm

Poll-bound States: Airport witnesses huge cash movements

New Delhi: With elections in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur over and due in Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Goa, movement of huge amount of cash, to and fro from the election-bound States, is rife at the Delhi Airport.
Security agencies speculate the rampant cash movement has an association with the ongoing and upcoming polls in various States.
Normally, fliers don’t carry cash in huge amount; however, in the last one month, over a crore of rupees in cash has been spotted with passengers.
One such incident came into recently on February 3. According to CISF officials, on February 3, a passenger travelling on the Go Airlines flight number G8 175 was found carrying Rs 10 lakh in cash in his luggage.
On January 14, a passenger named Laxman Das, travelling on a Spicejet flight from Varanasi to Delhi tried to play mischief by informing the security personnel that he is travelling with cash worth Rs 11 lakh.
“.. Another passenger, travelling on a Kingfisher flight to Goa, was found with a huge amount of money. When screened, his baggage was found to be containing Rs 26 lakh in cash. He was later taken for interrogation by the chief Income Tax Commissioner,” concluded the CISF official.
11/02/12 Pragya Singh/Daily Pioneer

Business aviation safety affected by shortage in manpower, says DGCA

Mumbai: An acute shortage of trained manpower in business aviation is affecting flight safety in the fast growing sector, industry regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said recently. "Safety is a major issue and the general aviation aircraft are more at risk. Not because of the weather or anything, but for the acute shortage of trained manpower in the sector," EK Bharat Bhushan, Director General, DGCA said. "But I can assure you that no compromises would be made on this front," he said, addressing a conference on 'General Aviation' organised by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi, according to a Manorama report.

According to Bhushan, as the economy grows the demand for business jets will increase by 10 per cent year-on-year. "The demand for business jets will grow higher as they can fly to destinations not served (connected) by scheduled operators. Business jets are no longer seen a luxury (item) they are also in demand for usage for chartered services, tourism and medical purposes," Bhushan said.

10/02/12 Travel Biz Monitor