Man held for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 1.73 cr at IGIA

New Delhi: A man was today arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold worth about Rs 1.73 crore at an international airport here.
The passenger, who hails from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, was intercepted by customs officials after his arrival from Dubai.
"On x-ray of his baggage nothing objectionable was noticed. However, during his personal search, a cotton belt was found wrapped on the waist beneath his trouser.
"Six gold bars (one kg each) weighing total six kgs were recovered which were concealed in the hollow space of the cotton belt," a custom official said.
Read News In Full 16/09/13 PTI/Buisness Standard

Air fares skyrocket 55% in two weeks, biggest rise in 3 years

Mumbai: The past two weeks have witnessed the steepest airfare hike-55% on an average. This is the first time in three years that airfares have scaled so high in such a short span of time.
The hike is so brutal that even the diligent early birds who book their tickets months in advance have not been spared. So, to board a flight around November-end, a passenger booking an air ticket now would need to pay approximately 55% more than the passenger who was prudent enough to book the same ticket in the last week of August.
Data released on Saturday by an online travel portal compared advance purchase fares as they shot up over the past two weeks across six advance purchase categories, starting with tickets purchased a week in advance from the date of travel to those booked three months in advance.

Read News In full 15/09/13 Manju V/Economic Times

'High taxes are disincentive to growth of tourism'

Hyderabad:  While stressing on the need for tax cuts, representatives from the hospitality and aviation sectors at the World Travel and Tourism Council India Initiative (WTTCII) meet in the city on Saturday said that high taxes act as disincentive to the growth of tourism in South India.
The meet attended by tourism representatives (both from the centre and states) and trade representatives announced the formation of an advisory council which would give suggestions to governments on improving tourism prospects in South India.

IndiGo captain, co-pilot suspended

Bangalore:  The captain and first officer of IndiGo flight 6E-125 from Delhi, which veered off the runway at Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) on Thursday night and broke five runway lights, have been taken off duty, pending investigation.
A statement issued by the budget airline read, "As per the operating procedure, the aircraft will be grounded for maintenance work. The matter has been reported to the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and the safety department of IndiGo. DGCA will inquire further into the matter at the earliest."
The statement further said the captain and first officer "are not being utilized for flying duties pending investigation".
Read News In full 14/09/13 Times of India

Kingfisher Airlines gets four weeks time for submitting revival plan

Bangalore: The Karnataka high court has granted four weeks time to the defunct Kingfisher Airlines Ltd (KFA) for submitting its plans/proposals for reviving the company.
This was after the counsel for the beleagured company told the court that some proposals have been received and they are working out a scheme for reviving the airliner by having talks with investoors. The company also placed before the court in a sealed cover, some of the documents relating to the revival plan.
At this juncture, the counsels for the eomployees of the company and some of the creditors argued that they have not been paid their dues by the company .
Read News In full 14/09/13 P Vasanth Kumar/Times of India

Civil Aviation Ministry to develop low-cost airports

Hyderabad:  The Civil Aviation Ministry plans to set up a string of low-cost airports in the country to improve regional air connectivity.
The Director-General of Civil Aviation Arun Mishra said the Ministry was in the process of drawing up an action plan to develop such airports at strategic locations. There are 463 airports and airstrips across the country, some of which could be developed into low-cost airports with reasonable investments, he said at a special session at the World Travel and Tourism Council meet here today.
“These will be no-frills airports — something like a school gymnasium, with perhaps no air-conditioning also. These will be structured in such a way that there will be no parking or landing charges for airlines. The respective State Governments will be investing in security and other passenger amenities,” he said.
Mishra, however, said one challenge would be the lack of adequate smaller aircraft.
Read News In full 14/09/13 Business Line

Hi-tech flying hospital a hit in Kolkata

Kolkata: Equipped with a state-of-the-art operation theatre, laser treatment and sterilization room, recovery room and a 48-seater classroom, the flying eye hospital - ORBIS DC-10 - landed at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport a week back.

Air India ordered to pay Rs 80K for loss of bag

Panaji: The North Goa consumer redressal forum ordered Air India to pay a compensation of 80,000 to a law student from Goa, after a series of alleged goof-ups by the airline led to the loss of her suitcase.
The complainant, Fiona Audrey Cardozo, had booked her return flight tickets to San Francisco, in the Goa-Mumbai-New York-San Francisco sector, from the Air India office in Campal-Panaji, in 2009."My ordeal started on the return trip, on June 6, 2009," said Cardozo. On reaching the airport, she was informed by American Airlines, Air India's internal partners in the US, that her name did not show up on their computerized list. "I had already checked in two of my suitcases, when they informed me that my name was not listed, and I could not get a boarding pass. They asked me to retain my third bag, while they tried to resolve the issue," she said.
Read News In Full 12/09/13 Times of India

Indian airlines to mull lowering ticket cancellation charges

New Delhi: Indian carriers today agreed to consider lowering air ticket cancellation and date change charges, as the government decided to create ombudsmen at Delhi and Mumbai airports to redress flyers' grievances.
At a meeting with airline CEOs and top officials here, the Civil Aviation Ministry also decided to amend Aircraft Act and Rules to safeguard the interests of aircraft leasing companies, many of which have started imposing stringent conditions for leasing planes to Indian carriers in the aftermath of Kingfisher Airlines shutting down.

CCI starts to examine Jet-Etihad deal

New Delhi: The $900-million Jet-Etihad deal is now in the final stages of getting the regulatory clearances. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has received the entire set of papers for this deal and is now examining if this deal will mean Etihad getting substantive control in Jet and, if so, its impact on other airlines.

SC expresses concern over air safety, refers PIL to Centre

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today expressed concern over the air safety situation in the country and referred to a petition to Civil Aviation Ministry for considering suggestions made by a foundation on the issue.
"We know that it is a serious matter but it has to be considered by the experts and not by the court," a bench comprising justices B S Chauhan and S A Bobde said.
The PIL filed by 812 Foundation, formed by Yashwant Shenoy, advocate Nayana Pai and a victim's family member of the 2010 Mangalore plane crash, said the court's intervention was needed to improve the aviation safety in the country.

Kingfisher submits revival plan

Bangalore: Kingfisher Airlines Ltd on Friday told the Karnataka High Court that a scheme is being worked out to revive the airline by finding investors. The company, however, did not elaborate on its scheme in open Court, but produced documents in a sealed envelope for the perusal of the judge to demonstrate the bona fides of its revival plan.
This submissions were made during the hearing of a batch of petitions filed by some of its creditors, who are seeking to wind up the airline to encash money due to them by selling its assets, and some applications filed by the airline’s former and current employees and pilots.
REad News In Full 13/09/13 Krishna Prasad/Business Line

CBI set to probe chairman of airport economic authority

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought government permission to investigate Yashwant Bhave, the chairman of airport economic regulatory authority, and a former additional secretary in the telecom ministry in connection with the Aircel-Maxis investigation.
On July 30, the agency sought permission from the ministry of civil aviation to investigate Bhave under Section 6A of Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, since he is a serving officer above the rank of joint secretary.

AAI unions seek Mamata and Modi help to block privatisation

Mumbai: The Airport Auathority of India (AAI) Joint Forum, the umbrella body of employees and officers of the state-run airports operator, has sought the intervention of six chief ministers, including Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee, to block aviation ministry's move to privatise six airports.
In a letter to the chief ministers of Gujarat, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Assam, the forum has requested for a meeting with them in order to "immediately intervene and stop the proposed action".

JK minister pitches for 30th IATO convention at Srinagar

Kochi: Assuring travel trade fraternity of India that Kashmir was safe for tourists, Minister for Tourism, G A Mir made a passionate appeal to tourists to visit the beautiful locales of Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at the valedictory function of 29th IATO convention, Mir urged the management of Indian Association of Tour Operators to organize 30th convention at Srinagar.
“I have held long deliberations with members of IATO to organize their next convention in Kashmir and I have got positive feedback from them,” Mir told Greater Kashmir on the sidelines of 29th IATO convention at Kochi here.