Direct Durgapur-Delhi flight makes debut

The huge response for the first flight itself shows the demand from the region.

Durgapurs Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Indias first operational private Greenfield airport, developed by Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited, is the latest addition to the countrys civil aviation network.

Amit Agarwal new Chief Financial Officer of Jet Airways

Private carrier Jet AirwaysBSE -0.91 % today said it has appointed former Suzlon senior executive Amit Agarwal as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Agarwal's appointment to the post is effective from today, the airline said.

Jet Airways did not have a full time CFO since March 2014 when the then incumbent Ravishankar Gopalakrishnan, who was also the acting chief executive officer, parted ways with the airline.

Jet Airways to launch daily flights to Amsterdam from Mumbai, Delhi and Toronto

Jet Airways has announced the launch of daily non-stop services between India and Amsterdam. With effect from March 27, 2016, Jet Airways will operate two daily non-stop flights to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, one each from its home hubs in Mumbai and New Delhi. Jet Airways will also operate a daily flight from Toronto to Amsterdam. These flights will be available for sale across booking channels from December 15, 2015.

SpiceJet records highest seat factor among domestic airlines

NEW DELHI: Budget carrier SpiceJet has for the seventh consecutive month reported a seat factor of above 90 per cent in November while national carrier Air India saw seat occupancy going up by over seven per cent during the period, according to DGCA traffic data.

Also, regional carrier Air Costa did not operate every fifth of its flight for various reasons in the previous month, according to data released by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last week.

PMO rejects aviation ministry candidate for heading BCAS

NEW DELHI: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is set to stay headless for some more time, with the Prime Minister's Office rejecting the candidate referred by the civil aviation ministry.

The ministry had in September zeroed in on 1984 batch Indian Police Service officer AP Maheshwari from among the three names sent by the home ministry for heading BCAS, the government's aviation security wing which has been doing without a fulltime head since 2012.

Oman Air increases frequencies to Kochi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Goa and Bangalore

Mumbai, November 20^th 2015: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, today announced that effective December 01, 2015, it is set to increase frequencies for some of its key destinations in India. As a major move, the airline now doubles its connectivity from Muscat to Bengaluru and Kochi and will operate 11 flights to Lucknow and 10 flights to Jaipur, weekly. Adding frequency to Goa, Oman Air will now fly daily from Muscat as compared to 6 flights per week.

With the increase in the number of flights, Oman Air will now offer more than 5000 additional seats to these key Indian sectors and will operate Boeing 737-800 and 737-900 aircraft. Once the uplift in frequencies has been introduced, Oman Air will operate a total of 126 flights per week between Muscat and its destinations in India.

Reduced, uniform taxation structure on ATF need of the hour, points Assocham-Yes Bank survey

Mangaluru: Implementation of a reduced and uniform taxation structure on air turbine fuel (ATF) across all states will bring fuel costs largely in line with global levels and improve financial health and competitiveness of airlines by reducing their operating costs, noted a recently concluded ASSOCHAM-Yes Bank joint study.

More flights to Ethiopia, Kenya to boost India-Africa air link

New Delhi: In a push to the Modi government's initiative to boost ties with Africa, the civil aviation ministry has agreed to increase air connectivity with Kenya and Ethiopia, while conceding Oman's long-pending demand for an increase in bilateral entitlements for air services.

These measures were agreed upon at International Civil Aviation Negotiations 2015 held last month, the ministry announced on Thursday. "During these negotiations memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with Finland,Kazakhstan, Kenya, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Oman and Ethiopia," it said in a press release.

Pilots ferrying VVIPs to get training like Air Force One crew

New Delhi: The pilots of Boeing 747 flying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top dignitaries on long-haul trips are going to receive better training in coming months.

Air India is upgrading the flight simulator used to train pilots of the Boeing 747 jumbo which ferries VVIPs by next month. The simulator's visual training module is being upgraded using the latest technology from American avionics major Rockwell Collins.

Paris attack to affect Christmas, New Year travel from India

New Delhi: Friday’s terror attacks in Paris that killed over 140 people will likely push down outbound travel from India to France and Europe in the upcoming Christmas and New Year travel season. Paris is one of the must-visit destinations for tourists visiting Europe.

Runway maintenance leads to massive chaos at Mumbai domestic airport

Mumbai: Runway repair at the domestic terminal of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport resulted in major chaos and long queues on Thursday. The repair of the runway resulted in massive air traffic congestion too with several flights being delayed by up to three hours.

Number of chopper to increase to 800 in next 10-20 years: CAPA

New Delhi: Projecting that the number of civil helicopters in India will increase by nearly three-fold to 800 in next 10-20 years, an aviation think-tank today said the NDA government's ambitious " Make in India" project coupled with strategic initiatives could make this growth happen.

According to Indian arm of the Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), almost half of this projected requirement would be needed for providing regional connectivity, which is one of the focus areas of the proposed civil aviation policy.

Failing to accommodate passengers costs dearly for Air India; now to pay Rs 5 lakh per customer

Kochi: Last minute hassle, confusion in passengers list, extra passengers on flight, all seem to be quite common these days. The airlines which is always in the news for complaints filed by customers, got a slap in the face after a redressal commission asked the airlines to pay Rs 5 lakh each to two people they failed to let in the flight.

New airport for Sikkim by December next year

New Delhi: Sikkim will get its first airport operational from December 2016, which will provide a direct connectivity to the land-locked state and help boost tourism.

"Preparation are afoot and we are hopeful that the state will have its first airport operational from December 2016," Mahesh Sharma, tourism minister said. He was speaking at the inauguration of the 4th International Tourism Mart in Gangtok on Thursday.

IndiGo staffer run over at Kolkata airport

KOLKATA: Reckless driving in the Kolkata airport's operational area led to a needless accident on Thursday morning that could cripple the victim for life. The errant driver was arrested after IndiGo whose ground staff suffered the injury filed a police complaint.

The accident happened around 6.56 am, shortly after IndiGo flight 6E 906 to Delhi received the go-ahead for departure. Amit Singh, a security person with the airline deputed on bay no. 27, was watching the flight depart when a Reliance fuel bowser knocked him down from behind. Though Singh let out a scream, it was muffled by the noise of the aircraft engine. Before his colleagues to react, the bowser's front wheel drove over his legs, crushing it.

Air India to Operate Delhi-San Francisco Non-Stop Flights

Air India will launch three-times-weekly Delhi-San Francisco non-stop service on December 2.
The airline will operate the service with Boeing 777-200LR widebodies, the only aircraft it has capable of operating the ultra-long-range non-stop flights.
According to Air India, the 16 hours 5 minutes flying time for its non-stop San Francisco-Delhi flights will be fully three-and-a-half hours less than the flying time any other airline (notably Emirates and other Gulf carriers) offers for its one-stop service on the route.

S. Korea, India agree to increase passenger flights, routes

South Korea and India agreed to increase the number of weekly flights and destinations that can be served by their respective flag carriers, the government said Friday.

The agreement, reached after two days of negotiations in New Delhi on Thursday, calls for raising the number of flights allocated to national carriers from the current six per week to 19, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said.

International airlines offer discounts up to 50% to woo fliers

Mumbai: International airlines are giving away discounts of up to 50% to fill seats in the upcoming holiday season, as most Indian tourists now prefer frequent short trips throughout the year to one big trip in the holiday season.

Singapore Airlines' current economy class fares from Mumbai to Singapore are just over Rs 21,000, close to 30% cheaper than last year. Even close to the Diwali date of November 11, the fare is at the same levels.

Pilot in soup after 'loose talk' about PM's flight

Mumbai: Senior Air Force One pilots, tasked with flying the prime minister, are miffed with a Jet Airways pilot who allegedly commented about the delay caused by the PM's aircraft on an open radio channel as Narendra Modi was leaving Mumbai following his October 11 visit.

Officials from the civil aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation refused to comment on the issue. A Jet Airways spokesperson told Mirror no government agency has raised the issue with the airline. The two pilots involved could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.

For better flight deals, go for last-minute bookings

Those who book tickets early might not always get to fly cheaper. Airlines seem to be reducing fares closer to the travel date, an analysis of tickets on offer for travel on six key sectors showed that fares quoted on October 17 for travel were more costly when booked 30 days in advance than 10 days.

In recent times, these select trunk routes have seen capacity addition. "With the added capacity on the top metro routes, and lower load factors in the first half of October compared to last year, airlines have reduced fares closer in to get more people to fly," chief revenue officer at online travel portal Cleartrip, Amit Taneja said.

Jet Airways to add 19 new flights in domestic sector; to operate Airbus 330s between Delhi and Mumbai

Jet Airways today said that it will step up services on domestic routes with the introduction of four new city pairs and 19 additional frequencies as part of its winter schedule to meet the increased demand on key sectors.

In addition to this, Jet AirwaysBSE -0.10 % will upgrade its Delhi - Mumbai - Delhi services on flights 9W 362 and 9W 361 to a bigger Airbus A 330-200 with 18 business class and 236 domestic class seats.

Aviation Secy reviews preparations for safety audit by ICAO

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Secretary Rajeev Nayan Choubey today held a meeting to review preparations for the comprehensive safety audit by the UN body, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) next month.

The ICAO audit, the third in last nine years, would take place in November and cover issues such as aerodrome operations, air traffic control, air navigation and aircraft investigation mechanism.

SpiceJet announces first ever red-eye flights on the domestic sector

NEW DELHI: After IndiGo, SpiceJet today announced its first red-eye flights (late night flights) within the domestic network on the Delhi - Bangalore route along with a new flight on Delhi - Nanded route, both commencing its operations on November 2, 2015.

Lohani Faces Tough Decisions To Make Air India Profitable

Air India's new chief is betting an 'open door' policy will help defuse years of soured relations with the flag carrier's more than 20,000 staff, paving the way for potentially painful change at the loss-making airline.
Ashwani Lohani, a 56-year-old engineer and tourism bureaucrat with no experience running an airline, describes his job as "the ultimate challenge".

Delhi airport handles a record 1,044 flights on Wednesday

Mumabai: Delhi airport handled 1,044 flights, the highest till date, on Wednesday as airlines add new frequencies.

Before Wednesday the highest number of daily movements at Delhi was in the aftermath of Nepal earthquake in April (1,026 flights) and on India-Pakistan cricket world cup match day in April 2011 (1022 flights).

Truejet to operate more flights to Vijayawada on Oct 21-22

Hyderabad:  Regional carrier Trujet has announced plans to offer special flights for the Dussehra festival between Hyderabad and Vijayawda on October 21 and 22.

In addition to the regular once daily flight between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, Trujet is offering one additional flight on the sector on October 21 and three additional flights on October 22.

Modi to get an Air Force One; will it be Boeing or Airbus?

New Delhi: Move over Air India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is bracing for a US-style Air Force One aircraft.

The government has begun the hunt for the new aircraft that will fly the Prime Minister across the globe, sources told Bloomberg TV India.

This time around, the VVIP aircraft that will the President of India and the Prime Minister might be piloted by an Air Force pilot.

AirAsia India names its new aircraft after former Indian President

AirAsia India, an Indo-Malaysian low-cost carrier headquartered in Bengaluru, announced on Thursday it has named its sixth aircraft "VT-APJ" in memory of former President of India and eminent scientist APJ Abdul Kalam.

AirAsia India CEO Mittu Chandilya made the announcement on Twitter on Thursday (15 October), which marks the 84th birth anniversary of the 11th President of India.

Durga Puja gets spicier with SpiceJet

Kolkata: Durga Puja this year is going to be spicier with SpiceJet offering its passengers authentic Bengali meals and traditional 'Dhak music' on board its flights from Kolkata.

International airlines offer discounts up to 50% to woo fliers

MUMBAI: International airlines are giving away discounts of up to 50% to fill seats in the upcoming holiday season, as most Indian tourists now prefer frequent short trips throughout the year to one big trip in the holiday season.

Singapore Airlines' current economy class fares from Mumbai to Singapore are just over Rs 21,000, close to 30% cheaper than last year. Even close to the Diwali date of November 11, the fare is at the same levels.

When the first Air India flight took to the skies, 83 years ago

October 15, 1924, a date that made aviation history. It was on this day, that the first-ever flight of the Tata Airlines, which went on to become India's flagship carrier Air India commenced.
The aircraft, a single-engined De Havilland Puss Moth was piloted by J.R.D. Tata and carried air mail from Karachi's Drigh Road Aerodrome to Mumbai's Juhu Airstrip via Ahmedabad. It continued to Madras (now Chennai) via Bellary piloted by South African aviator Nevill Vintcent.

SITA set to improve baggage handling at Indian airports

Every year close to 15 million bags are processed at these two airports and SITA BagManager is now being used to facilitate loading, reconciling, tracking, tracing and managing all these bags. While SITA BagManager cannot prevent weather or technical issues, which can cause bags to be mishandled or delayed, it can prevent up to 20% of mishandled bags improving the experience for many travellers. In 2014, mishandled bags cost the global air transport industry a total of $2.4bn; in addition to these costs mishandled bags also have a high impact on customer satisfaction, affecting an airline's and airport’s brand.

Sikkim's first airport to be operational by next year: Mahesh Sharma

GANGTOK: The first airport of Sikkim is expected to be operational from December 2016, which will provide a direct connectivity to the land-locked state and also help boost tourism.

"Preparation are afoot and we are hopeful that the state will have its first airport operational from December 2016," said Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma at the 4th International Tourism Mart here today.

Airport security lapse? Air India Express trainees don't have valid passes

It appears that Air India Express — a low cost subsidiary for Air India — has taken security of airport areas casually, as trainee crewmembers have been given a temporary pass. Sources say they haven’t been issued valid company passes, and so haven’t got Airport Entry Passes, as these are given only after they get valid company IDs.
According to sources, 49 of the trainee cabin crew who have started operating for the airline, are still flying with their temporary passes and haven’t been issued a permanent airline identity card or their work contracts. These crewmembers have been trained in Mumbai and have been operating from Calicut.

Mock drill at Varanasi international airport

A mock drill to check the security alertness at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International airport at Babatpur was held here today in view of the threat perception advisory issued by the Intelligence agency during the Festival season.

From October 20, most taxis to pay Rs 150 to enter Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport

New Delhi:  Taking a taxi to or from the Indira Gandhi International Airport may now burn a hole in your pocket with the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) planning to impose an entry fee of Rs 150 on every commercial vehicle, including taxis, entering the T3 arrival terminal from October 20. DIAL says the step has been taken to ensure passenger safety and to curb touts at the airport.

Lover Leaves Man's Body at Airport, Flees With Papers

Hyderabad: Officials at the Shamshabad airport were in for a shock on Wednesday when a woman, who arrived from Saudi Arabia with a coffin containing a highly decomposed dead body, abandoned it and simply vanished. But before disappearing into the city, she had taken away the passport of the dead man, his death certificate issued by the Saudi authorities and other valuables.

New Air India boss Ashwani Lohani bets on people power to fix ailing carrier

New Delhi/Singapore: Air India's new chief is betting an 'open door' policy will help defuse years of soured relations with the flag carrier's more than 20,000 staff, paving the way for potentially painful change at the loss-making airline.

Ashwani Lohani, a 56-year-old engineer and tourism bureaucrat with no experience running an airline, describes his job as "the ultimate challenge".

Returning Air India to profit after almost a decade in the red would be a coup for a government that has vowed to cut losses, and whose prime minister built a track record of turning around state firms while running the state of Gujarat. But it will require unpalatable decisions from both a state apparatus reluctant to cede control and from Lohani.

'Anonymous' pilot vents out frustration over take-off delay owing to Modi's jet, SPG orders probe

Mumbai: The Prime Minister's elite security guards, the Black Cats, are on the look-out for a pilot at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA). On Sunday, the 'anonymous' aircraft pilot vented out his frustration over the delay in take-off caused by the movement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's jet.

"This delay should be recorded with the PM," the pilot is reported to have said from his cockpit. This was not music to ears for the Special Protection Group (SPG). The SPG, mandated with providing security cover to the PM, found it 'serious' enough for an investigation.

Air India flight enters Indigo runway at IGI

New Delhi:  A serious miscommunication between IGI airport's air traffic control (ATC) tower and Air India pilots on Tuesday morning saw some tense moments and led to a close shave for two aircrafts. An incoming flight was asked to go around after the safety distance area of the runway it was to land on was breached by another plane waiting to take off.

Around 10.15am, an IndiGo Airbus A-320 was on its final approach to Delhi. At the same time, an Air India Boeing-777 was taxiing to the runway to operate a special Haj flight to Srinagar.

Soon your airfares may become cheap as number of flights increase

By October end at least 40 domestic flights and around 10 international flights will be operating to and fro Mumbai airport, according to Hindustan Times report.

Number of passenger seats will go up by 6,000 in domestic flights due to increase in the number of flights. Between October 20, 2015 and March 24, 2016, the number of international flights seats is likely to go up by 3,000, reports HT.

National civil aviation policy will be announced soon: minister

Panaji: National civil aviation policy is being formulated, and will be announced  soon, said Union Minister of Aviation Ashok Ganapati Raju Pusapati on Tuesday.
The government will be consulting all the stakeholders before finalising the policy, he said, adding the policy will address most of the issues facing the airlines industry.

UN body to audit air safety scenario

New Delhi: The Union civil aviation ministry is preparing for a safety audit scheduled next month by a United Nations’ body in charge of the sector.

It appears the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is likely to do the audit from November 30, till December 10. Union civil aviation secretary R N Choubey had a review meeting on Wednesday in this regard with officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India (AAI) and others.

Vistara not to fly on Ahmedabad-Mumbai route

New Delhi: Tata-SIA joint venture Vistara has decided to withdraw from Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, citing operational reasons, nine months after it launched flights services in the country.

Flight services to Ahmedabad from Mumbai are not part of the airline's winter schedule that comes into effect from the last Saturday of this month, Vistara said.

CIDCO to set up Aviation Academy in Navi Mumbai

Thane: City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) will set up an Aviation Academy for the training of manpower required for the proposed Navi Mumbai International airport, its joint managing director V Radha said.
The work of the proposed airport is likely to begin next year and the first phase has been scheduled to be completed in 2019, she said. Radha was talking to reporters yesterday during a presentation on the ongoing projects of CIDCO here.

36 Airport Authority Managed Airports to Have Hi-Tech Baggage Management System

New Delhi:  As many as 36 AAI-managed airports are likely to have a hi-tech baggage management system in place by next year, which would reduce waiting period for fliers by a significant amount besides minimising disruption.

According to a statement, a new world-class baggage reconciliation system, SITA BagManager, by the global airlines IT solutions major SITA, has already been implemented at Chennai and Kolkata airports, which together receive some 15 million bags per year.

Delhi airport's terminal 1D stares at stampede

Delhi airport's terminal 1D is in a mess. There is a stampede-like situation every morning during peak hours as 8,000-10,000 passengers arrive on an average, and there are only 200 chairs at the airport, apart from the ones at the shops. This means for every 50 passengers there is one seat.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, who man the airport, say they have raised the issue with the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) at least a dozen times in
the past four months but nothing has been done so far. And the situation is going to get worse with festivals and fog coming soon when footfall will increase by 50 per cent at the least.
Also read: Over 1,100 mobiles stolen from IGIA in last 5 months

Petition Against Radhe Maa for Carrying 'Trishul' on Flight

Mumbai: A PIL in the Bombay High Court has sought a direction to the Centre and other authorities to take action against self-styled godwoman Sukhvinder Kaur alias Radhe Maa for carrying a trident (trishul) in her hand while boarding a flight by an airlines from Aurangabad to Mumbai on August 9.

Tug of war on new airport for capital

New Delhi: Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh? As things stand now, the airport is hanging in the air.

A tug of war between the civil aviation minister and his junior on where a planned second airport should come up in the National Capital Region has virtually put the brakes on a decision on the site.

Not only that, the difference of opinion between aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and his junior Mahesh Sharma has pushed the proposal - aimed at easing the burden on Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport - towards competing sites in two states.

British Airways’ special fares to mark decade of Bengaluru-London flights

British Airways on Tuesday offered special celebratory fares starting from Rs.48,115 to various destinations in Britain to commemorate a decade of connecting Bengaluru and London.

“This October, we create another milestone in our history with India as we, at British Airways, complete 10 years of flying to Bengaluru,” said its regional commercial manager, South Asia, Moran Birger.

Jazeera Airways considering long-haul flights

Dubai: Jazeera Airways may launch long-haul flights if it’s not able to buy a controlling stake in Kuwait Airways, chief financial officer Donald Hubbard told Gulf News on Tuesday.

Jazeera Airways, the Kuwait-based low-cost hybrid airline, expressed interest in May this year in acquiring a 35 per cent controlling stake in Kuwait Airways, the country’s national airline. But the Kuwait government has since back-tracked on its plan to sell off all but 20 per cent of the airline. Instead, it has put forward a proposal to retain 75 per cent.

Air India directed to pay Rs 5 lakh to passengers denied seats on flight

Kochi: Air India has been asked by the Kerala State Consumer Redressal Commission to pay Rs 5 lakh each to two people. The airline reportedly failed to give them seats though they had valid and confirmed tickets on the flight.

British Airways offers wings to Indian startups

Bengaluru: British Airways, which is part of the €26-billion International Consolidated Airlines Group, has expressed plans to tap the growing segment of startups in India, predominantly in the IT hub of Bengaluru, for whom it plans to extend several of its packages and special programmes.

MPTDC to pay Rs19K per flight hour for Air Taxi

Bhopal: MP Tourism Development Corporation (MPTDC) will pay a sum of Rs 19,000 for each flight of Air Taxi, which is going to resume in the state. MPTDC has planned to start Air Taxi for Indore, Jabalpur, Satna and Raipur from Bhopal. It has been decided to pay Rs 19000 as grant to Supreme Air Lines for Air Taxi.

Air India sued for $98M in US Federal Court for breach of Hajj contract

Dynamic International Airways launched a $97.7 million breach of contract lawsuit against Air India in New York Federal Court.

Air India sub-contracted Dynamic International Airways for the year 2013 and 2014 for carriage of holy pilgrims from India to Saudi Arabia round-trip.

How a resurgent Indian airline could mean years of work for Wichita

Budget airline SpiceJet in India is profitable again and is talking fleet expansion plans that could mean years of work for Wichita’s commercial aviation cluster.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, SpiceJet could order more than 200 new aircraft in the next five months.
The airline is reportedly talking with multiple manufacturers about potential orders, including jet talks with the Boeing Co. and Airbus and turboprop orders with others including Embraer and Bombardier.

No deadline for deciding civil aviation policy: Gajapathi Raju

Panaji: Civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has said the government has not set a deadline for finalising the civil aviation policy.

"We had made a presentation on the policy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August. There are certain issues which were raised related to other departments and we are addressing those issues," Raju said.

AirAsia India looks to treble employee headcount to 2, 500 over next 12 months

New Delhi: Low cost carrier, AirAsia India, is planning to more than treble its employee headcount from current 800 to about 2,500 over the next 12 months.
The expansion in the employee base comes from the Indo-Malaysian airline's plan to add eight new aircraft in the next year in India. The airline -- a three-way joint venture with AirAsia Berhard, Tata Sons and Telestra Tradeplace -- has a fleet of six aircraft.

Global Vectra signs pact with Airbus for supply of parts

New Delhi: Domestic private chopper operator Global Vectra has inked a pact with European aviation major Airbus, which entails replacement of defective components of its H130 helicopters within 24 hours with no upfront payment.

Global Vectra Helicopters Limited (GVHL) is the first customer globally to select this newly re-designed cost-effective 'parts-by-the-hour' (PBH) contract for light helicopters, Airbus Helicopters in release said today.

No MH370 wreckage found: Philippines

Philippine authorities insist a Malaysia Airlines jet that went missing last year did not crash on to a remote island after a man's claims that wreckage had been found there made headlines.

THE precise fate of Flight 370, which went missing in March last year with 239 people on board, remains a mystery, and the latest reports appear to be yet another false lead based on no evidence.

While a wing part from the jet was found washed up on a beach in the Indian Ocean in July, the rest of the plane has yet to be found.
Malaysian media reported at the weekend that a Filipino man told Malaysian police that his relatives had found wreckage of a plane, with skeletons inside, in the jungles of the Philippines' remote Tawi-Tawi island chain.
Despite the report appearing to have little credibility, some media in Britain, the US, Singapore and elsewhere picked it up, saying wreckage of a plane had been found on the island and it could be from MH370.

Mumbai airport's OTP improves in the face of air congestion

Though air congestion, especially during peak hours, has been resulting in flight delays at the city airport for years, the on-time performance (OTP) has been getting better over the past few months.

The latest data released of flight operations at the Chhatrapti Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) shows that in September 81% of all domestic departing flights were on time, while 83% of all domestic flights arriving were on time.

Now baggage drop kiosks at Indian airports

Panaji: Air transport information technology solutions provider SITA is looking to  implement self-service baggage drop kiosks at airports across India.

While there are already self service check-in kiosks that allow passengers to get boarding passes, the baggage drop kiosks will let passengers print their own tags and drop the bags. The bags would be carried for loading and passengers would not be required to carry them to check-in counters. “We will be carrying out a pilot project at Mumbai and Bengaluru airports,” said  Maneesh Jaikrishna, SITA vice-president, India.

Goa airport bid to be finalised by next February

Panaji: Bids for the second airport in Goa will be finalised by next February and construction will begin next August, Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said today.

"The construction for first phase is expected to be complete in 36 months and the first flight from the new Mopa airport will take off in 2019," Parsekar said. He was speaking at SITA's Aviation ICT forum.

It's Destination Lakshadweep for Seaplane

Kochi: Get ready to savour the airborne sight of the idyllic and tropical archipelago of 36 atolls and coral reefs in the Lakshadweep Sea and an exhilarating ride - and water landing - in a seaplane. The much-touted ambitious seaplane project, which ran into rough weather a number of times in the past following protests from the local fisherfolk, is finally set to take wings with the Kochi-based firm ‘Seabird Seaplane Private Ltd’, an initiative of two technocrats and financially supported by an associate company of INKEL Limited, gearing up to launch the service in two months from Cochin International Airport.

JetSetGo introduces bed to bed affordable air ambulance services

Mumbai: In a bid to provide a speedy state-of-the-art air lifting service to patients seeking medical facilities in larger cities, JetSetGo, India’s marketplace for private jets and helicopters, has launched affordable air ambulance services.

The large rural-urban divide and inadequate access to quality healthcare in tier 2 and 3 cities in India, continues to prompt those living there to opt for better medical facilities in metros or larger cities.

Consignment of 200 mobile phones stolen from IGI

New Delhi: The staff of cargo terminal at the Indira Gandhi International Airport has come under scanner, after a consignment containing 200 mobile phones was reported stolen during its dispatch.

The complaint was registered on Saturday by a shipment company which alleged that its shipment, which was to be delivered to a telecom company, was stolen while its employees were waiting for its X-ray screening and weighing before receiving it at the terminal.

Geneva IT major to provide new technology at Cochin airport

New Delhi: Cochin airport is all set for a revamp after Geneva-based airlines IT solution major SITA offered to provide an improved passenger and baggage management system, which will also help authorities to manage an increasing passenger traffic at the terminals.

The deployment of new technology will help Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), the joint venture company which runs the airport, in managing an increasing passenger traffic, which stood at 21 per cent in the last fiscal, a release said today.

Submit report on Shimla airport: HC asks panel

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh high court on Monday directed the HC appointed committee to submit its report on Shimla airport within one week.

The high court had formed the committee to suggest and take steps to make Shimla airport operational as early as possible. The matter will be listed on October 27 for further hearing.

Art finds space in airport, painters thrilled

Madurai: Waiting time at the Madurai International Airport has become a little more interesting these days, after the airport began providing free spaces for artists to exhibit their works. The move has benefitted many poor artists, who otherwise have a tough time arranging exhibitions and finding potential buyers.

Hundreds of passengers who pass through the airport can catch a glimpse of the local talent, and if interested, purchase pieces that they like. Three months after it was initiated, the project has won the admiration of many passengers. The paintings are mostly displayed at the space allotted specifically for the purpose.

New food delivery service for Mumbai fliers

The next time hunger pangs strike, while you are negotiating a long delay at Mumbai’s domestic terminal, getting that lip-smacking burger or masala chai will get easier. Look out for orange-tee-sporting attendants, tablet in tow, from Travel Food Services. They are part of a new food delivery service, called Food@Gate, launched exclusively at the domestic terminal of the Chhhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, by Travel Food Services (TFS).
Food@Gate targets fliers waiting near boarding gates, and comes with a promised delivery within 20 minutes.

Vistara looks to appoint a new creative partner

Vistara Airlines is scouting for a new creative partner. “Yes, we are in the process of appointing a creative agency to work on some specific projects for us,” confirmed the company spokesperson to exchange4media.

AirAsia India associates with Northeast United Football Club

Chandigarh: AirAsia India is happy to announce its association with Northeast United Football Club, one of the most exciting teams in Indian Super League. As an enthusiastic supporter of sports, AirAsia India is one of the sponsors for Northeast United Football Club in the upcoming ISL matches in 2015.

India's new airlines face major cash, operational challenges

Mumbai: A majority of India's new and aspirant airlines appear to be facing major cash and operational issues, delaying salaries, putting off aircraft induction, grounding planes and cancelling flights, leading to questions about whether they can cope in a sector that demands patience to deal with bureaucratic delays and the ability to overcome lobbying by incumbents.

Chennai-based Premier Airways is waiting for an air operator's permit and hasn't paid salaries for the past three months, said  said four people, including ex-employees.

Are Indian airlines slowly facing a major staff poaching crisis?

Rahul Bhatia promoted IndiGo attracted majority of pilots who left Jet Airways and Air India in a little over one year. As many as 62 pilots of Jet Airways and Air India flew out of the two airlines.

While private carrier Jet Airways has lost 30 pilots in 15 months to budget carrier IndiGo, state-owned Air India has seen the migration of 32 pilots in the past one year, industry sources said.

Ten seats in a row: Airlines squeezing economy for profit

New Delhi: Across the world, airlines are increasing the number of seats in economy class by shrinking seat width, armrests and aisles, and packing in more passengers per inch. The biggest aircraft are being moved to a 10-abreast configuration, which means a row has 3-4-3 seats to maximize revenue.

Studies have shown that seat widths of less than 18 inches aren't very comfortable for passengers, but most seats in economy are now 17 inches or less. However, US' Boeing and Europe's Airbus, the two largest aircraft manufacturers, are busy blaming each other about the shrinking seat space.

Plush economy class in air

New Delhi: The humdrum comforts of the economy class in planes now have a premium cushion - more legroom, better meals and bonus air miles.
Welcome to the world of premium economy class, where all airlines are pushing for an entry and win over flyers.
Singapore Airlines will roll out its premium economy service on the Singapore-Delhi route from October 25 and Singapore-Mumbai from January 2.

Kingfisher Airlines allegedly diverted portion of loans to tax havens

New Delhi: : Kingfisher Airlines had allegedly diverted a substantial chunk of Rs 4,000 crore in loans secured from public sector banks to tax havens which has now come under the scanner of the CBI that has expanded its probe in the matter.

The material recovered during searches yesterday indicated that the airlines, which stopped flights in October 2012, has allegedly diverted part of loans taken from 11 nationalised banks, with total exposure of Rs 4,000 crore, to tax haven countries for different purposes not specified in loan applications, sources claimed.

SpiceJet gains on introducing 6 new aircraft to its fleet

Mumbai: Shares of budget carrier SpiceJet are trading higher by 3% at Rs 30 on the BSE after the company decided to induct six new aircrafts into its fleet to its schedule from Kochi effective from October 25.

The airline has augmented its frequencies on the Kochi - Mumbai and Kochi-Hyderabad routes while adding a new onward connection to Ahmedabad from Kochi.

Air India: Getting Its Act Together

In less than 18-months after getting the delivery of 21 Dreamliners aircraft – Boing 787-800 – national carrier Air India has decided to sell the remaining nine of them under the a ‘Sale and Lease Back (SLB)’ arrangement. Air India has already sold and leased back 12 Dreamliners under the SLB arrangement.

SLB arrangement allows the seller to lease back the asset from purchaser for a long-term period. Air India’s SLB arrangement will have the guarantee of the Government of India which will cover the lease rental obligation during entire leasing period.

Tirupati International Airport inauguration on Vijaya Dasami

Tirupati: The terminal building of the international airport at the temple city of Tirupati is all set for inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 22, coinciding with the auspicious ‘Vijaya Dasami’.

Seaplane Arrives at CIAL, Hopes Run High

Kochi: An amphibious aircraft meant for conducting service between Kerala and Lakshadweep arrived at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) at Nedumbassery on Sunday, covering four continents.

The seaplane has been purchased by Seabird Seaplane Private Ltd, which is an initiative by two technocrats with financial support from an associate company of INKEL Limited. The ten-seater Quest Kodiak-100 amphibian, which landed on Friday night at the airport, is the first aircraft purchased by the company. The seaplane will be based at the Kochi airport.

Air Odisha to hire 100 state youths

Bhubaneswar: Local carrier Air Odisha, which signed an agreement with the government to run flights within the state, said on Sunday that it would provide jobs to 100 youths of the state.

The carrier will start operations from November-end with a nine-seater aircraft. "We have decided to hire local people, who have expertise in the sector. We will require engineers, ground staff and pilots. For back and front office staff also, we will give preference to local people. Since it is a small aircraft, we will not have any airhostess," said Air Odisha founder Santosh Pani.

No flights from Chandigarh Airport from October 16 to 18

Chandigarh: All flights to and from the Chandigarh Airport will remain suspended from October 16 to 18 due to repair of the runway by the Indian Air Force. From October 19, the flight operations will shift to the new terminal that was inaugurated last month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several airlines including Air India, Jet Airways, Spicejet, Go Air, Air Asia and Indigo operate flights to different destinations from the Chandigarh Airport. There are a total of 26 flights that operate from here.

No flights from Chandigarh Airport from October 16 to 18

Chandigarh: All flights to and from the Chandigarh Airport will remain suspended from October 16 to 18 due to repair of the runway by the Indian Air Force. From October 19, the flight operations will shift to the new terminal that was inaugurated last month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several airlines including Air India, Jet Airways, Spicejet, Go Air, Air Asia and Indigo operate flights to different destinations from the Chandigarh Airport. There are a total of 26 flights that operate from here.

The birth of Delhi airport’s flight simulator

New Delhi: Want to feel the chill of landing in Delhi in zero visibility on a foggy winter night or the constant chatter from Air Traffic Controller (ATC), the buzz from another aircraft, radio telephony and the beauty of the ever-changing sky?

“TheCockpit”, a flight simulator at the Delhi airport, gives passengers an opportunity to feel the rush of flying a Boeing-737 aircraft while waiting for a flight.

Cathay Pacific considering new destinations in India

Seattle: With India projected to become the third largest aviation market in the world by the end of the decade, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways have started examining traffic potential on routes beyond the six metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad to add new points of calls and launch new services once fresh bilateral rights are made available.

Air India to offer 'Incredible India' holiday packages from Dec 1

Air India will launch holiday packages from December 1 under the Incredible India programme in collaboration with state tourism departments.
According the statement released by the airline, the states which have tied up with the airline are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Sikkim, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.

Turnaround plans spreading wings under new AI chief

New Delhi: Ashwani Lohani, the new chairman & managing director of loss-making state-owned airline Air India, is giving final touches to a multi-pronged revival plan to make the company financially independent in two years.

According to senior airline executives, the plan's thrust will be rationalising loss-making routes and cost control, increasing the seat load factor with greater emphasis on improving revenue per seat, better aircraft availability and a focus on passenger safety and amenities.

Air India pilots vote 'overwhelmingly' to strike work

New Delhi: The national carrier may see yet another strike by its pilots.
The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA, union of erstwhile IA pilots) have voted 'overwhelmingly' in support of striking work against the government decision to take commanders out of workman category. This exclusion from workman category means commanders can neither form unions, nor go on strikes.

Jet Airways' Latest Offer: Fly on Tuesdays and Get Discounts

Jet Airways is offering a 15 per cent discount on base fares for passengers flying on Tuesdays. This promotional offer is valid on economy class travel on select domestic routes.

Tickets for this Jet Airways offer must be purchased on or before October 13, 2015, while the journey must be completed on or before October 13, 2015, Jet Airways said on its website.

Air India to be 'preferred carrier' for Indian cricket team

New Delhi: Air India will be Indian cricket team's 'preferred airline' for travel from now on with the national carrier signing an MoU with the BCCI in this regard.

The deal, which comes into effect from September 1, has been signed for a period of one year.

AAI puts 50-metre cap on highrises in some parts of city

Mumbai:  Builders who wish to construct high-rises taller than 50 metres, or above 18 storeys, in certain parts of the suburbs and the island city will have to first get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), as it has reduced the vertical limit of new constructions by 15 to 30 metres. The AAI decision on building height clearance, taken a few months ago, will impact construction work at Malwani, D N Nagar, Versova, Goregaon, Ghatkopar (West) and Mahim.

Air India Express to hire 40 expat pilots for three years

Air India Charters (AICL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, has initiated the process of hiring 40 expat pilots for a term of three years for flying the company’s B 737-800 narrow body planes. Government officials said that AICL operates flights to West Asia and Southeast Asia and will be expanding its fleet next year for which pilots are required.

Tarun Khanna and Vivana Singh detained at Mumbai airport

Actors Tarun Khanna and Vivana Singh, who were going to Lucknow to promote their upcoming show 'Police Factory', were detained at the Mumbai airport yesterday.
Since they are playing policemen in the show, they were carrying fake revolvers due to which they got detained by security officials. Tarun said, "We were thoroughly checked and stripped to find out if we were carrying any concealed weapons. We tried telling them about our show and that we were actors but they continued with the check.

Mumbai firm brings seaplane to Kochi

Kochi: Three years after the government's ambitious seaplane project was stalled, a Mumbai-based seaplane operator has brought its aircraft to the state to benefit from the state's early bird incentive.

MEHAIR's seaplane, with the call sign VT-MHB, landed at the Cochin International Airport at 1.15pm on Sunday.

AAI plans infra boost at three airports

New Delhi: After it aborted its plan to upgrade four airports on public private partnership (PPP) basis, state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) is making a fresh attempt to build city-side infrastructure at another set of airports - Lucknow, Raipur and Tirupati.

Iran to turn Kish into key aviation hub

Iran says it plans to turn a key airport in the Persian Gulf island of Kish into a regional aviation hub.

Based a plan that has been devised to the same effect, the Kish International Airport will be provided with adequate facilities to host tourists that use Iran’s airspace to reach other countries like India, Malaysia, Syria, Iraq or the Persian Gulf littoral states.    

Cargo worker stole tablets

Mumbai: The domestic airport police has cracked the case of 10 missing Samsung Galaxy tablets in a consignment sent about a month ago by Delhi-based Om Logistics to their client in Goa via Mumbai.
In January 2015, Rajesh Shekhawat of Om Logistics realised that 10 tablets had gone missing from the courier sent by the Delhi-based company to Goa from Pune via Mumbai through a Jet Airways Cargo Flight.

3 Afghanis held at airport for travelling on fake visas

Ahmedabad: Immigration officials at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, on Saturday, detained three Afghanis in their twenties for travelling on fake visas and handed them over to Sardarnagar police. An FIR has been lodged at the police station against the accused Jubiulla Yadgar, 22, his wife Jina Jabiulla Yadgar, 21, and his brother Habidulla Yadgar, 20, of Afghanistan.

Air India set to ground 130 ‘over-weight’ flight attendants, mostly women

New Delhi: Air India has decided to ground about 130 flight attendants, mostly women, who have failed to meet government-imposed weight standards, angering cabin crew and aviation experts who see the move as "sexist".
The state-owned airline had last year asked 600 flight attendants to lose weight within six months. It now plans to assign over a fifth of them to ground jobs because their body mass index or BMI levels are still above prescribed limits.

CMD cracks the whip on Air India crew

Mumbai: Taking note of Air India’s poor OTP (on-time performance), Ashwini Lohani, AI’s new chairman and managing director (CMD), has written a letter to the airline’s cabin crew saying that henceforth the airline will not tolerate any kind of indiscipline from them.
After taking charge as the national carrier’s CMD, Mr Lohani wrote a letter to the airline’s cabin crew to ensure a high OTP. In this letter, (a copy of which is with The Asian Age) Ms Lohani asked the crew to maintain 100 per cent OTP. Later, the CMD said the airline should at least start from 90 per cent OTP.

Air India’s Ashwani Lohani forced to hit the ground running from day 1

Mumabi: Ashwani Lohani, an Indian Railways Service of Mechanical Engineers officer, who took charge as the new chairman and managing director of the loss-making Air India on August 31, will probably face his first test in the coming days. This is because one of the national carrier’s pilot union, Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA), is conducting a secret ballot to decide whether to declare a strike against a recent notification by the airline management removing pilots from the workmen category.

Air India may launch premium economy class

New Delhi: Air India may look at introducing a separate cabin product on its flights --premium economy-- to tap the growing demand for this segment of travel in its bid to maximise revenue.

As of now, Tata-SIA-promoted full service airline Vistara is the only domestic carrier which offers premium economy on its flights, besides business and economy class.

Dreamliner snags, pilot shortage send AI schedules haywire

New Delhi: A crippling shortage of Dreamliner pilots -- caused by a spate of resignations in recent months -- along with snags in this aircraft is now playing havoc with Air India flight schedules.

The Delhi-Hong Kong-Osaka-Hong Kong-Delhi flight that was supposed to depart on Friday night had to be cancelled due to unavailability of cockpit crew to operate it. The flight finally took off on Saturday night and that too for operating only on Delhi-Hong Kong-Delhi route without going to Japan.

Fewer foreign trips this festive season

Kolkata: Five weeks to go for Durga Puja holidays, but the usual buzz about overseas travel during the season seems to be missing.

The travel trade industry in Kolkata, which banks on the festive season to garner nearly 18-20% of the annual revenue from domestic and foreign trips, is desperately hoping that business would pick up over the next couple of weeks. "It has been a rather insipid season. There has been no movement in August and very few confirmed bookings till now. Usually, seven out of every 10 enquiries materialize into business around this time of the year. But this season, it's been the other way round, with only three out of 10 enquiries for a holiday being confirmed," said Travel Agents Federation of India chairman (east) Anil Punjabi.

Domestic flights to start from second week of October International flights likely from October-end, says MP

Mohali: The civil air international terminal (Mohali side), which was inaugurated yesterday, will start facilitating all domestic flights from the second week of October.
Hence forth, the Chandigarh Airport (Chandigarh side) will be closed completely for public use. Then all passengers will have to go to the new terminal (from Mohali side) to catch their respective flights.

The man who came close to operating an airline from Kolkata was once a mill worker

Kolkata: From a mill worker to a millionaire employing 300 persons, Raj Kumar Gupta has come a long way, scaling the heights by first constructing a residential apartment building at Rishra in West Bengal’s Hooghly district at a time when no one thought that people would buy flats to live in that locality.

It was in 1984 that he saw a vacant land during a morning walk near his house and decided to construct apartments there. So he bought the eight cottah of land for Rs 1.25 lakh and constructed the high rise, never to look back in business and life.

AirAsia to launch Bhubaneswar-Kuala Lumpur Flight by Dec 2015

Leading Malaysian airliner, AirAsia will launch the first direct international flight from the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar to Kuala Lumpur. The flight will take off by December 2015.

Better international air connectivity sought from Coimbatore

Coimbatore: Over the years, commuters and various industrial bodies in the city, including the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have made representations, where ever possible, to operate more international flights from the city.

But it is still a dream that is yet to come true, as the shortcomings are yet to be addressed.

Airlines fly high on low fuel prices, travel growth

New Delhi: There is some oxygen for the choking Indian airline industry. Two positive factors - domestic air travel growing at almost 30% and sharp fall in jet fuel prices - are bringing the industry back from the brink, at a time when some players were staring at emergency exits.

India's only profitable airline IndiGo reported on Thursday its highest ever net profit of Rs 1,304 crore for FY15 on an enhanced top line of Rs 14,320 crore. Reason: IndiGo did not resort to indiscriminate discounts and maintained a pricing discipline by consistently offering low - but not suicidally low - fares.

Kerala woman slams KLM airline for racial slur

New Delhi: High drama unfolded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the wee hours of Thursday when a woman allegedly faced "racial abuses" and harassment at the hands of KLM Airline staff. She also alleged that she was not allowed to board the flight on "flimsy" grounds.
Shinamma Eappen, who hails from Kerala, claimed she had to sleep on the floor at the airport. According to a complaint her friend filed with the airline on her behalf, the KLM staffers did not allow her to board the flight and did not even given any proper reason. Her family has also alleged that the airline didn't help her though she had all the required documents.
KLM initially said, "We are taking the matter very seriously and are investigating it." In a subsequent e-mail to MAIL TODAY, the airline said that initially the passenger was not clear about her travel purposes. After an extra round of security check, she was allowed to board another flight.

Rules be damned! UN man puffs away inside Odisha airport

Bhubaneswar: If you and I do it, the security personnel on duty at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Odisha’s capital city would not wait a minute before hauling us up for it. But then a man with the awe-inspiring UN tag is not you and I and cannot be messed around, can he?
In an incident that speaks volumes about our inherent inferiority complex and awe of the white man, security personnel looked on helplessly as Yuri Afnaseiv, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator for India, puffed away merrily just meters away from the main entrance into airport terminal, where smoking is a strict no-no.

India's Air Costa to expand licence to entail national ops

Air Costa is planning to expand its operational scope beyond its current regional limitations Chief Financial Officer Vivek Choudhary has disclosed. Speaking to India's Economic Times, Choudhary said his airline had already made the relevant application to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Airbus gets DGCA approval to extend life of Air India planes

French plane maker Airbus, which was in talks with state-owned airline Air India to extend the life cycle of its aircraft, has got approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to extend the life of at least three planes nearing 20 years of age.
Officials at the ministry of civil aviation confirmed that Airbus has been granted approval to extend the life of three A-320 aircraft, which are nearing its dying age. “The approval has been given to extend the life by one-and-half years. These aircraft need to be in air till Air India replaces the old fleet by new leased aircraft,” said officials.

Goa from the skies – new offering for tourists

Panaji:  So you’ve swum and lounged on a Goa beach. You’ve partied and sampled Goa’s nightlife. You’ve been to the state’s temples, churches, waterfalls and forests. Shell out Rs 2,000 more and you’ll soon be able to view the splendour of the western Indian beach tourism destination from up in the sky.

The seaplane service, which is all set to be operational ahead of this year’s tourism season, will also be of great assistance in search and rescue missions as well as to address coastal security concerns, Goa Tourism Development Corporation chairperson Nilesh Cabral told IANS here.

Terminal opens, row over airport name still on

Despite repeated appeals from the Punjab government to name the new airport terminal in Chandigarh after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, the request was not granted even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the international terminal Friday.

Three Indian airlines have ordered 600 GTF engines, says Pratt & Whitney

Hyderabad: Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corporation, has announced that it has a strong order book of 600 new-generation Geared Turbofan (GTF) technology aircraft engines from three airlines in India, accounting for nearly a tenth of the global order book.

As pilots flex muscles, Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani cracks the whip

New Delhi: At a time when a section of pilots in national carrier Air India have been agitating against being removed from the ‘workmen’ category which essentially prevents them from participating in strikes, newly appointed chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani, in his first message to employees has said that the organisation will always maintain a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards indiscipline. In a letter dated September 11, 2015, Lohani has said that while Air India will take care of its ‘workforce’ and the management will take pro-active steps to ensure that staff grievances are resolved, “the organisation shall always maintain zero tolerance to indiscipline”.

SpiceJet flight makes successful night landing at VSI Airport

Port Blair: Night landing at the Veer Savarkar Airport here became a reality with the first night landing of a Spice Jet flight operating in the Kolkata-Port Blair-Kolkata sector here on Friday.

Lt Governor, Lt Gen (retd) A K Singh had been emphasizing the need for opening Port Blair airport for night flights considering its importance for the growth and development of these islands and also for exigencies, Raj Bhavan sources said.

International operations fail to take off at Bhubaneswar airport

Bhubaneswar:  In the two months since the first Air India flight (AI 078) took off from the Biju Patnaik International Airport with 38 overseas passengers, the airport's international operations have failed miserably in attracting flyers.

On an average, the airport is getting only 30 international passengers daily. Of them, 60% are labourers going to various Gulf countries. On the first day, 38 passengers flew from here for various destinations, the highest so far.

Haj pilgrims stranded at airport as tickets found to be 'cancelled'

Mangaluru: Confusion prevailed at Mangaluru International Airport here on Friday September 11 evening after 49 Haj pilgrims found that their tickets had been 'cancelled' without any prior intimation.
It is said that 54 people bound for Haj pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, had booked their tickets through Akbar Travels in the city.

No flight will be diverted from Amritsar Airport: Sukhbir

Amritsar: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today asserted that no flight is being diverted from Amritsar Airport to any other place since the state has taken up the issue with the Centre, besides initiating efforts to launch more international and domestic flights at Sri Guru Ram Dass International Airport near here.

Dressing for flights

When on board or in international travel lounges, I would notice how well-dressed some of the travellers were. They looked trendy and comfortable. That’s when I decided to put a little thought into my travel wardrobe. It really isn’t that hard. Start with the weather in your city. We invariably tend to travel to colder places in the summer months. If you land up at the airport in your woollens, you’re bound to be sweating even before you take off. While it’s important to keep comfort in mind, it doesn’t hurt to add a little style to your travel outfit.
Consider these the next time you travel.

‘Waive airport fee for taxi aggregators’

Mumbai: Taxis plying for aggregators have to be parked at the "pay-and-park" lot at domestic and international airports and the additional burden is being borne by commuters, who end up paying Rs 110 in parking costs over and above the fare.

Said a regular Uber user, "At airports in other cities, there is no such additional charge. Why should we pay Rs 110 extra for a cab at Mumbai airport?

Two forge tickets to drop grandfather off at Mumbai airport

Two Vasai residents are detained by airport authorities for carrying forged tickets so that they could drop off a family member who was flying to London, inside the airport terminal.
John Markos D’Monte and Lisborn Lopes, both residents of Vasai, had bought tickets that mentioned their flight to be Vistara Airline’s Goa-bound UK 820 that was to depart at 1.25 pm.

Touts at airports reflect lack of effective policing

New Delhi: An auto-rickshaw driver, arrested for acting as a tout at the domestic airport here, has been held guilty by a Delhi court which said such illegal activities show "lack of effective policing" and bring bad name to the country.

The court, however, did not sentence him to jail and imposed a fine of Rs 2,500 on him considering that he was poor and had shown remorse for his act.

Airport Privatisation Plan Still on Radar

Hyderabad: Refuting reports on scrapping privatisation plan of four airports, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Minister for Civil Aviation, said the proposal was very much under consideration.

“Nobody has scrapped anything. The world is open. Everybody is functioning. The Government is functioning. We want to grow economically. Where we see economic opportunity, we will grow. Our thrust will be employment opportunities for Indian people,” he said.
He was speaking to media after inaugurating Pratt & Whitney’s customer training centre here on Thursday.

‘Indian aviation industry on the rise’

Hyderabad: The American aerospace manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, a United Technology company, has sold close to 10 percent of its Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines to Indian companies, Indigo, Aircosta and Go Air. Over 600 engines out of 7,000 manufactured by the company were ordered by the three companies, said Mary Ellen S. Jones, vice president, commercial engines, sales Asia/Pacific and China.

Pratt & Whitney opened its customer training centre in the city inside the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport campus here on Thursday.

As China slows, aviation bets on India’s aam aadmi

Hyderabad: Aircraft engine maker, Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, on Thursday opened its India customer training centre in Hyderabad, as India remains the only “bright spot” in the global aviation market.
The centre, set up at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, is the third training centre of the company after the US and China — highlighting the importance that the company attaches to the Indian market. It was inaugurated by Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
While the economic slowdown has hit the growth markets like China, Russia, Brazil, and oil producing countries, the Indian aviation sector is expected to see a huge growth as more and more upwardly mobile middle class families shift to the air travel.

No plan to take off Robert Vadra from no-frisking list: MoS Civil Aviation

New Delhi: The Civil Aviation Ministry has no plans to remove the name of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra from the elite "no-frisking" list at domestic airports.
"We are not withdrawing Robert Vadra's name from the list. It is not on our radar," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma on Thursday.

Nirvana lies in flying like Robert

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is considering requests from yoga practitioner Baba Ramdev and self-styled godman Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to exempt them from frisking at airports.

The proposal comes at a time the Centre is undecided on whether to drop Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law, Robert Vadra, from the list of VIPs exempted from airport security checks. Modi had attacked the "special treatment" for Vadra during his campaign speeches before last year's general election.

Aviation security wing to get chief after three years

New Delhi: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the aviation security wing of the government, is likely to get a new chief in AP Maheshwari, an Indian Police Service Officer from the 1984 batch, after a gap of about three years.

Modi Inaugurates New Terminal at Chandigarh Airport

Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated a swanky new terminal at Chandigarh airport which will handle both domestic as well as international flights, and said it will play a key role in the economic development of the region.

The ambitious Rs 939-crore project, which is being seen as a "harbinger" of regional development for the northern part of the country, will be operated and maintained by Chandigarh International Airport Ltd (CHIAL), a joint venture between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the governments of Punjab and Haryana.

Govt projects Rs 24,000-cr cost to develop 14 greenfield airports

The government has estimated a total project cost of Rs 24,000 crore for the development of 14 greenfield airports in the country. All these projects will be undertaken by the Airport Authority of India (AAI), which is responsible for the building, operating and maintaining aviation infrastructure in the country.

Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani urges employees to work as cohesive force

New Delhi: Urging employees to work as a cohesive force in the interest of the national carrier, Air India chief Ashwani Lohani today said there would not be any compromise on the safety of passengers or operations.

Lohani, who recently took over as the chairman and managing director of the government-run airline, in a letter to the 27,000 employees today, said Air India is a brand, which needs to be revived with concerted efforts from all.

Why Indigo proves once again its IPO will have many takers

Mumbai: Indigo could not have wished for a better timing for its phenomenal performance. The company is planning to tap the primary markets to raise money for its future growth capital, and its record profit just made that job easier.

In FY15, the company posted a profit of Rs 1,304 crore - a growth of 2.8 times as per the company’s filling in its offer document. The sharp jump in profit has been despite its revenue growing by only 22% to Rs 13,925 crore. Profit before tax rose to Rs 1,847 crore from Rs 471 crore in the previous year.

NAPA appeals for direct flight between Amritsar, California

Jalandhar: The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has made an appeal to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for introducing direct flights between San Francisco and Amritsar ahead of their scheduled California visit at the end of this month.

Tiruchi airport gets enhanced surveillance system

Air surveillance capability of Tiruchi International Airport has been enhanced with the inauguration of the satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system.

Tiruchi has become one among the 21 airports in the country to have in place the advanced ADS-B surveillance tool aimed at improving operational efficiency and safety.

Kingfisher Airlines comes under SFIO probe for fund diversions

New Delhi: In fresh troubles for Vijay Mallya -led UB Group, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is probing alleged fund diversions by the long-grounded Kingfisher Airlines to other group firms and has sought details from United Spirits .
Once a flagship firm of Mallya group, United Spirits Ltd (USL) is now controlled by British liquor giant Diageo. In a BSE filing, United Spirits confirmed that the SFIO has sought information from the company about alleged fund diversions by Kingfisher Airlines.

Better infrastructure sought for airport

Tuticorin: Priority should be accorded with allocation of more funds to expand and modernise Tuticorin airport with adequate infrastructure. Currently, Tuticorin airport could accommodate only smaller aircraft and more infrastructure was required to attract big aircraft services to international destinations, said J. Jeyasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee, Tuticorin MP, at the Airport Advisory Committee meeting here on Monday.

25 people from Gujarat stranded at Abu Dhabi airport

Ahmedabad:  As many as 25 Los Angeles-bound passengers from Ahmedabad were stranded at Abu Dhabi airport on Wednesday for several hours due to an alleged goof-up by two private airlines in their bookings.

The passengers had left from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport at 5 am by Jet Airways flight for Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Marks & Spencer to open at Mumbai's T2 airport

British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) is soon going to open its 50th store in India. The company, which has been opening around 10 stores every year, opens its new store at Mumbai's T2 airport.

NRI 'doc' held at Delhi airport for cheating college of Rs 50L

Bengaluru: A Non-Resident Indian (NRI), who is said to have pocketed Rs 50 lakh from a Bengaluru college by falsely promising to provide learning aids at throwaway prices, has been arrested by the CCB sleuths at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

New kennel for squad dogs at airport

A new kennel has been commissioned for the six dogs in the security squad at Cochin International Airport. The 6,500 sq. ft. kennel was built at a cost of Rs. 1.10 crore and was inaugurated by CIAL managing director V. J. Kurien.

Dubai Airport baggage handler cleared of stealing candy from passenger’s bag

Dubai: A Dubai Airport baggage handler who was accused of stealing a piece of candy worth Dh2 from a passenger’s luggage has been found not guilty.
The Dubai Criminal Court acquitted PJ, 25, from India, of a charge of theft, which he denied when he appeared in court earlier this month.

AirAsia India Comes Up With Discount Offer Again

As an airfare war intensifies among the players in the Indian skies, AirAsia India has come up with a promotional scheme offering festive season fares starting from Rs 1,090.

Bookings under the AirAsia offer - valid on travel till February 29, 2016 - can be made till September 20, 2015. The airline is offering an all-inclusive fare of Rs 1,090 - the lowest under the scheme -for journey between Imphal and Guwahati.

Jet Airways offers discount on Tuesday travel

New Delhi: Jet Airways has announced 15 per cent discount on base fare in economy class on select flights.
There's a catch though. The discount will be available only on Tuesdays.

Put an end to fire sales if you want lower airfares: captains of Indian airlines

New Delhi: Captains of India's airline industry are expected to register their discomfort at predatory prices in a meeting slated with top officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday. Yes, you read that right. Instead of ministry officials reading them the riot act on high air fares, the chiefs of some airlines may turn the tables by requesting the government to put an end to what are commonly known as "One Rupee" fares.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the chief of an LCC told CNBC-TV18 that if the government wants air fares to not jump manifold when tickets are booked at the last minute and also during festivals etc., it must first control the tendency of some airlines to do fire sales and selling inventory below cost. He said this breeds unhealthy pricing practices, puts airlines' cost-yield equation in peril and forces them to then jack up last minute fares.

Govt Open To Idea Of Air India Disinvestment: Minister

If there is a proposal to revive Air India by way of disinvestment or having a partner, the government would explore it, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Dr Mahesh Sharma tells BW Businessworld's Suman K. Jha   The Narendra Modi government is open to the idea of disinvestment of Air India. This significant observation was made by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Dr Mahesh Sharma in an exclusive interview with BW Businessworld.

Indigo's obsession with 'low-cost' has paid off well

With fuel costs expected to fall further and IndiGo’s cost structure leaner than rivals, the airline is expected to post an improved operational performance for FY16. The airline, India’s largest aviation company by market share, ended FY15 with revenues of Rs 13,925 crore and a net profit of Rs 1,300 crore.
While Jet Airways and SpiceJet, which posted losses in FY15, have turned the corner in the quarter ended June, their combined net profit for FY16 is expected to be less than half of IndiGo’s FY15 net profit. While IndiGo has grown faster than peers due to higher passenger load factor (PLF), market share gains, and domestic network expansion, falling fuel costs will continue to be the biggest trigger. PLF tells how much an airline's passenger-carrying capacity is used.

IndiGo's Rs 2,500-crore IPO gets Sebi nod

New Delhi: Low cost airline IndiGo's parent firm InterGlobe Aviation has received approval from market regulator Sebi for its Rs 2,500 crore initial public offer.

Under the offer, the company plans to issue fresh shares worth Rs 1,272 crore. An equivalent amount can be raised through sale of up to 3.01 crore shares by its existing shareholders.

Vistara has high hopes of expansion in UAE

India’s youngest airline Vistara hopes its tie-up with Sharaf Travel will boost domestic ticket sales in the GCC and eventually lead to a route to the UAE.

The Dubai company will sell tickets for the airline in the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, it announced last month.

The full-service carrier is also eyeing expansion abroad, with the UAE high on its wish list. But that would require a relaxation of existing rules which require that Indian carriers must complete five years of service before they can fly on international routes and have at least 20 aircraft.

New civil aviation policy in advanced stage: Minister

Coimbatore: The proposed new civil aviation policy was under advanced stage of preparation and the draft would be placed in the public domain for eliciting opinions, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati said today.
The ministry would place the draft on the internet and seek suggestions and opinions from the public. Thereafter, the policy would be finalised in 15-20 days, he told reporters at the airport here.
To a question about introducing more international flights, particularly to Coimbatore, Raju said several countries had signed bilateral agreements, but not operated any flights.
His ministry would try to negotiate and execute the agreements.

Robert Vadra to ‘erase’ name from all no-frisk lists

New Delhi: With the NDA deciding to uphold UPA's decision of having Robert Vadra on no-frisking list at airport, the Congress president Sonia Gandhi's controversial son-in-law now plans to remove his name on his own. 

"Plans to visit every terminal in the airports in India and add a white tape on my name from the VVIP list and my signature on top !! So look out," Vadra said in a Facebook post Monday.

The aviation ministry -- whose indecisiveness led to constant flip flops on Vadra remaining on that list or not -- reacted furiously to the businessman's Facebook post. "Why is he politicizing the issue by writing on Facebook? He should write to me or the home minister and we will have his name removed in no time," Union minister of state for aviation minister Mahesh Sharma -- who singlehandedly runs the show as the cabinet minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has taken a back seat -- told TOI. 

US airports will now treat 2,000 Indians as VVIPS

New Delhi: Remember how former president APJ Abdul Kalam and film star Shah Rukh Khan were subjected to embarrassing pat-down searches while travelling to the US? Well, the harrowing experience of going through stringent security drills at US airports will soon become a thing of the past for a select group of Indian celebrities and important personalities.
The Indian government will come up with a list of nearly 2,000 important personalities who will be allowed hassle-free immigration at US airports. Sources said the first batch of people that will be given the facility includes former President Pratibha Patil, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani and film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Their names came up when officials of two countries met in New Delhi last month to discuss the modalities of the system that will make India a part of US global entry programme that ensures smooth entry in the country, bypassing long immigration queues and waiting for hours during security checks.

After 2-year wait, Shimla to get air connectivity in October

Shimla:  Come October, and flight services for Shimla will resume after a two-year break, as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has completed most of the work on runway. At present, Shimla is the only state capital in India without air connectivity.

Jet might make Amsterdam gateway to US & Canada

Mumbai: Jet Airways might make Amsterdam its gateway for flights to the US and Canada. At present, the airline flies daily from Mumbai and Delhi to Newark and Toronto via Brussels.

Jet is reported to have sought and secured slots at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and is in talks with Air France-KLM and Delta Airlines for commercial partnerships and code shares on the European and North American routes. Securing a partnership with the two carriers will be a key factor influencing Jet's decision to launch flights to Amsterdam.

Can Ashwani Lohani turn Air India around?

New Delhi: On August 21, the government announced that Ashwani Lohani, from the Indian Railway Services of Mechanical Engineers' 1980 batch, would take over as the new chairman & managing director of Air India. The next day, some pilots reported late for duty, which delayed several flights. Ten days later, Lohani took charge of the loss-making airline. On the same day, the pilots' union asked its members not to extend their duty hours in case of a flight delay.

A week later, an Air India flight (Khajuraho-Delhi) made an emergency landing at the Delhi airport. Around 145 passengers were evacuated after smoke was spotted in the aircraft's wheel and five passengers were hurt.

These incidents highlight the challenges Lohani faces: an aging fleet, agitated pilots and huge losses. There's more: Air India's market share has slumped from over 30 per cent a decade back to around 15 per cent at present. Its average load factor of 78.8 per cent is lower than competition and on-time performance amongst the worst in the industry.

SAAC to hold dharna if Air India fails to fly Airbus from Oct 1

The Surat Airport Action Committee (SAAC) has threatened to hold dharna programme at the airport premise if Air India fail to start its promised Airbus on October 1.
The decision was taken by the members of SAAC on Sunday to press the Air India to start booking for its promised Airbus service between Delhi and Surat starting from October 1.
As October 1 nears, Surtis are becoming impatient with the Air India yet to open up the booking for the Airbus.

Swami Vivekananda airport heads towards becoming 'Green Airport'

Raipur: The Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur is gradually heading towards becoming a ‘green airport’ with a host of energy saving and environment conservation moves being undertaken by the authorities.

The latest in such a drive is the Airports Authority of India (AAI) deciding to replace all the high power sodium light fittings on the poles in the perimeter of Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur with LED light fittings.

Chennai airport working overtime for smooth landing

Chennai:  Officials at the Chennai airport are praying that no untoward incident should happen in the next nine months till the resurfacing of the 3.65-km main runway is completed.

“Fingers crossed,” said an airport official on the long haul ahead; re-carpeting work started on August 21.

His worry is understandable. Ten days back, an aircraft was slightly damaged due to the presence of debris on the runway from the resurfacing work. The runway had to be shut for nearly two hours and ten flights were diverted to Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Senior Taj Air pilot in the dock over fake fitness papers

Mumbai: A senior executive pilot of Taj Air, Tata's aircraft charter business, is in the dock after it was revealed that he had forged the signatures of the company doctor in his own breathalyser examination papers before a recent flight.

In mid-August, Captain Kunal Kapoor, who is also copilot to Ratan Tata, chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, whenever the latter flies his Falcon 2000, was found to have fudged the signatures of the empanelled doctor, who was not present on duty.

Vistara signs V2500 engine V-Services agreement

East Hartford, Connecticut: Vistara, a TATA SIA JV and India's fast-growing full service carrier, has signed a V-Services agreement to maintain its fleet of 26 V2500 engines. The V2500 engine is offered through IAE International Aero Engines AG, a multinational aero engine consortium whose shareholders comprise Pratt & Whitney, Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines Corp., and MTU Aero Engines.

DMRC slashes Airport Express Line fares by 50%

New Delhi: In a surprising move, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the operator of India’s largest mass rapid transit system, has announced up to 50 per cent cut in the passenger fares of Airport Express Line, which connects the heart of the city to the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The sudden announcement of the massive rate cut comes on the backdrop of a financial crunch being faced by the metro train operator in the absence of a fare rise for the past six years. Facing a stiff rise in input costs, DMRC has been pressing the government for a fare hike. The company registered a 11 per cent rise in net loss at Rs 100 crore in 2013-14.

Chennai Airport construction shoddy: Civil Aviation Minister

Coimbatore: The quality of construction of the Chennai airport is “shoddy”, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju said here on Monday.

“It is definitely shoddy. Not only Chennai, but also Kolkata and Goa. In Kolkata, a constable lost his life and in Goa a passenger had his foot cut because of the falling glass panels,” he said. Whether or not to recover the money from the contractors concerned for the shoddy work was the Airports Authority of India's call, he added.

New India Assurance-led Group Wins Air India Insurance Tender

A consortium led by state-run New India Assurance Co. Ltd has beaten rivals from the private sector to insure Air India's 126-aircraft fleet for the fourth year in a row, two people close to the development said.

For the $9.5 billion insurance cover, Air India will pay a premium of $22.5 million, less than then $24 million it paid last year. This makes it one of the biggest aircraft insurance deals in South and Southeast Asia, according to the people cited above, who requested anonymity.

Biju Patnaik Airport vows 100% official work in Hindi from Oct 2

Bhubaneswar:Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) Director Sharad Kumar has informed that the official correspondence and work of the airport would be conducted in Hindi from October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti fully.

Terrorist suspect fled from Thailand to Turkey on Jet Airways

A key suspect in last month's bombing at a Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people has fled to Turkey.
According to AP, he departed Dhaka on Aug. 30 for Delhi by Jet Airways. In Delhi, he continued his travel to Abu Dhabi, and from Abu Dhabi he boarded Jet Airways partner airline Etihad Airways to travel on Aug. 31 to Istanbul.

Turnaround plans spreading wings under new AI chief

New Delhi: Ashwani Lohani, the new chairman & managing director of loss-making state-owned airline Air India, is giving final touches to a multi-pronged revival plan to make the company financially independent in two years.

According to senior airline executives, the plan's thrust will be rationalising loss-making routes and cost control, increasing the seat load factor with greater emphasis on improving revenue per seat, better aircraft availability and a focus on passenger safety and amenities.

Dreamliner snags still haunting carrier

New Delhi: After a period of relative calm, Dreamliner snags are back with a vengeance for Air India.

A Boeing 787 was grounded in Shanghai Saturday night after it had reached there from India. On Sunday, AI sent men and material to repair this plane on the schedule Mumbai-Delhi-Shanghai flight. An hour after take off, the B-787 reportedly gave a warning of "low oil pressure" in one of the engines.

Air India pilots vote 'overwhelmingly' to strike work

New Delhi: The national carrier may see yet another strike by its pilots.
The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA, union of erstwhile IA pilots) have voted 'overwhelmingly' in support of striking work against the government decision to take commanders out of workman category. This exclusion from workman category means commanders can neither form unions, nor go on strikes.

SpiceJet does a first, successfully carries out nightlanding at Andamans airport

Budget airline SpiceJet has crossed yet another milestone after its flight SG-251 from Kolkata successfully carried out the first ever civilian airliner night landing at Veer Savarkar International Airport, on September 11, 2015 at 6.10pm, 50 minutes after sunset at 5.20pm.
Under the command of Capt. Gurcharan Arora and Capt. Ranbir Singh, SpiceJet 212-seater Boeing 737-900ER aircraft VT-SLD was greeted upon arrival by a grand water cannon salute, an aviation tradition to mark key milestones.

Jet Airways' Latest Offer: Fly on Tuesdays and Get Discounts

Jet Airways is offering a 15 per cent discount on base fares for passengers flying on Tuesdays. This promotional offer is valid on economy class travel on select domestic routes.

Tickets for this Jet Airways offer must be purchased on or before October 13, 2015, while the journey must be completed on or before October 13, 2015, Jet Airways said on its website.

Air India to be 'preferred carrier' for Indian cricket team

New Delhi: Air India will be Indian cricket team's 'preferred airline' for travel from now on with the national carrier signing an MoU with the BCCI in this regard.

The deal, which comes into effect from September 1, has been signed for a period of one year.

Air India shall also fly Indian cricketers of both the National and other state cricket teams on domestic and International network across the Globe.

AAI puts 50-metre cap on highrises in some parts of city

Mumbai:  Builders who wish to construct high-rises taller than 50 metres, or above 18 storeys, in certain parts of the suburbs and the island city will have to first get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), as it has reduced the vertical limit of new constructions by 15 to 30 metres. The AAI decision on building height clearance, taken a few months ago, will impact construction work at Malwani, D N Nagar, Versova, Goregaon, Ghatkopar (West) and Mahim.

Vistara opens first overseas sales office in Dubai

Dubai: Vistara, an Indian joint venture carrier between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, opened its first overseas sales office in Dubai, according to a statement on Monday.

Renaissance adds second hotel in India-New Lucknow property opens 14 years after brand's Indian debut

 Marriott International has launched its second Renaissance Hotel in India – almost 14 years after opening the first.
The new Renaissance Lucknow Hotel joins the brand’s existing property in Mumbai, and adds 112 rooms and suites to Renaissance’s Indian inventory. Rising 16 storeys, it becomes the tallest hotel in Lucknow and offers views of the Gomti River.

Etihad Airways elevates Neerja Bhatia as VP for India & Subcontinent

Mumbai: UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways, which owns 24 per cent in Jet Airways, today elevated Neerja Bhatia as its vice-president for India and the Subcontinent.

Bhatia joined Etihad, for which India is the largest market, in 2004 as sales manager for western India, shortly after the airline launched its flights to Mumbai.

Travel extra distance to reach new airport

Chandigarh: The new terminal of the Chandigarh International Airport, scheduled to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on September 11, will be a mixed bag for passengers in the region.
While it will fulfil their long-pending demand for an international airport, they will have to cover extra distance to reach the new airport terminal building, located at Jheurheri village in Mohali.