Chennai: The Civil Aviation Ministry is planning to partially privatise non-metro airports, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said here on Saturday.
Mr. Patel. who arrived here by a special aircraft in the evening, told The Hindu at the airport that under the programme the airports in Tiruchi, Amritsar in Punjab and Udaipur in Rajasthan would be thus privatised.
Explaining the concept of partial privatisation, Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said other than the terminal buildings, the operational area and the runway, areas including car parking, courier and cargo facilities would be handed over to private companies under Private-Public Partnership arrangements. The AAI would lease the land to the private operator and the operator would pay the AAI a licence fee.
Answering a question on the quantum of User Development Fees to be introduced at the Chennai and Kolkata airports, Mr. Patel said it had not been decided yet.The AAI is in the process of modernising 80 airports to international standards.
05/07/09 P. Oppili/The Hindu
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Tiruchi airport to be partially privatised
FlyDubai's India push hits turbulence
FlyDubai’s first flight to the north Indian city of Chandigarh has hit turbulence before it has even taken off, with Indian authorities refusing it permission for night landings and immigration unable to staff the airport.
Local daily the Times of India reported on Thursday the Indian Air Force has rejected an appeal by the fledgling budget carrier to wave restrictions on landing at night, throwing the future of route into question.
The Chandigarh airport in Punjab is controlled by the air force, which does not allow civilian planes to operate there after 10 p.m., according to the paper.
FlyDubai was scheduled begin flights to Chandigarh on July 23 to service the large number of expatriates from Punjab working in the UAE.
The flight was scheduled to arrive at 11 p.m. and return to Dubai 40 minutes later, the Times of India reported.
The problem “could affect the much-hyped service that has generated a lot of excitement in the region”, the newspaper said.
Meanwhile, the Times of India reported the immigration department is facing a “staff crunch” and will not be able to supply the staff needed to man passport control and customs.
05/07/09 Maktoob Business
Dubai plane can't land at Chandigarh at night
Chandigarh: Even before celebrations could begin to fete the first international flight from the city, the proposed Fly Dubai service has run into trouble, with Indian Air Force refusing it permission to land at the airport during night. As scheduled, the carrier from Dubai was supposed to reach the city around 11pm and take off 40 minutes later. The local airport is controlled by the IAF that does not allow civilian planes to land here after 10pm.
Civil aviation authorities had sought permission for allowing night landing of the proposed international Chandigarh-Dubai flight, which is expected to begin operations from July 23.
On receiving the request, the local air force authorities referred the matter before Air Headquarters at New Delhi for final approval. However, the plea did not receive a go-ahead there.
The development could affect the much-hyped service that has generated a lot of excitement in the region.
And the apparent teething troubles don’t end there. According to information, even the immigration authorities and Chandigarh police have shown their helplessness at providing staff at the airport.
Sources said the immigration department’s thumbs down to open their centre at the airport could hamper plans. An immigration counter is required to fulfil formalities related with international flying, including checking passport, visa and customs. Sources added the authorities claimed they were facing a staff crunch, hence couldn’t provide people at the airport. Adding to the airport officials’ woes, UT cops too have rejected a request for providing security cover at the place.
04/07/09 Times of India
Air India to draw up turnaround strategy
Mumbai: Cash-strapped Air India would draw up a comprehensive short, medium and long-term strategy to rejuvenate itself.
This was decided at a marathon meeting lasting nearly 12 hours of the "turnaround committee" comprising representatives of the management and unions. The committee was set up recently to suggest initiatives that would enable the airline to overcome its financial woes.
"The turnaround committee discussed the prevailing situation in the company threadbare. The focus was on rejuvenating the company and several options and strategies were discussed," an Air India official told PTI here on Saturday.
At its first meeting held on Friday which began after 11 in the morning and concluded at 11 in the night, it was decided to chart out a concrete strategy on a 6, 12 and 18-month basis to bring the airline back on track.
Discussions centred strongly around the special business units (SBUs) involving ground-handling, engineering services and cargo, wherein it was felt that the business potential from these segments were immense and should be exploited to the full, the official said.
"It was felt that there is a need to earmark potential earnings from the SBUs," he said.
Various cost-cutting measures were discussed along with recognition of the necessity of coming up with "improved defined work methods which could lead to substantial cost reductions," the official said.
The integration of the two carriers, Air India and Indian (erstwhile Indian Airlines), was also discussed in some detail and the need to smoothly complete the process was recognised, he said.
With Air India's losses likely to be around Rs 5,300 crore in FY 2009 and working capital borrowings at around Rs 16,500 crore, the state-run airline is looking for Government succour to wriggle out of its financial mess.
04/07/09 PTI/The Hindu
Air India won't sack employees: Praful Patel
Cash-strapped public carrier Air India would not sack employees but financial and organisational restructuring was on the cards, union minister of state for civil aviation Praful Patel said today.
"There is no question of sacking;employees will be protected," Patel said. Patel, however, said it was time for for everyone - management and staff - to introspect.
"It is a tough time and we have to cooperate..we will have to go through financial and organisational restructuring to bring back the airlines on a healthy track," Patel said.
He was speaking to reporters on his way to Chennai airport, where he had gone to inaugurate a desalination plant by Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited and also the Manali-Chennai Aviation Turbine Fuel Pipeline by Indian Oil Corporation.
On wage restructuring, a decision on which is pending, Patel said "we have sat and agreed on a formula for wages to be paid in a particular fashion," but did not elaborate.
04/07/09 PTI/Times of India
AI plane buy gets delayed
New Delhi: The government has asked cash-strapped Air India to defer the purchase of around six Boeing 777s.
The airline has been directed to do so to save on cash outgo and interest payout, sources in the civil aviation ministry said. However, an Air India spokesperson refused to comment.
Air India has inducted around 11 Boeing 777s and 15 Boeing 737-800s over the last two years for its international routes. But, these planes are not flying to their full capacity after the global recession led to a significant drop in passenger count.
This year Air India was expected to buy another seven Boeing 777s — four B777-extended range and three B777-long range aircraft. These would have been deployed on trans-continental routes.
The airline would need to pay Rs 8,165.44 crore for the new aircraft in this financial year. If it doesn’t hold back the purchase, it will have to borrow the money and pay interests, adding to its financial burden.
Sources also indicated that Air India would be selling aircraft that are more than 15-years-old to raise money. Analysts estimate that the airline can sell up to 25 such aircraft. But it would be difficult to find buyers or a good price for the planes, given the slump in the global aviation business, the analysts added.
In a separate meeting to decide on a turnaround strategy for the struggling carrier, Air India last night decided to set up special business units such as engineering, cargo handling and ground services and tap their commercial potential. Several cost-cutting strategies were also considered.
04/07/09 Jayanta Roy Chowdhury/The Telegraph
Saudi B743 at Mumbai on Jul 4th 2009, burst tyres on landing
A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747-300, registration HZ-AIT performing flight SV-744 from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) to Mumbai (India), burst the #2 (forward inner) and #3 (rear outer) tyres of the left hand main gear while touching down on Mumbai's runway 27 at 18:24 local (12:54Z) in heavy monsoon rains, slowed down safely and exited the runway stopping on the adjacent taxiway.
The passengers disembarked normally onto the taxiway and were bussed to the terminal, before the airplane was towed to the apron.
The runway was closed for 40 minutes until the runway was inspected and the tyre debris collected.
04/07/09 Simon Hradecky/The Aviation Herald
AI launches new marketing initiative, ‘Quick Returns’
Mumbai: National air-carrier, Air India (AI), on Saturday launched a multi-user four coupon ticket for economy travel scheme in its domestic sectors called ‘Quick Returns’.
The offer is a part of Air India's ongoing marketing initiatives targeting the corporate sector to enhance its market presence, a company press release said here. The coupon has been priced at Rs 22,916, inclusive of all taxes, the release said.
However, a passenger availing the ticket under the scheme would have to pay user development fee, which is charged by airport operators, the release said.
Also, the tickets under the offer are non-refundable, it said. The tickets are being made available for sale from today and can be bought till July 11, the release said, adding the travel is to be completed by September 20, 2009.
Quick Returns booklets will be valid for use on both IC (Indian) and AI (Air India) coded flights on all domestic sectors barring Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi-Kochi, Delhi-Kozhikode and Delhi-Coimbatore, the release said.
04/07/09 Business Line
