New Delhi: Two pilots working for Alliance Air in Kolkata have violated basic safety rules in the last three months, putting hundreds of lives at risk. When NDTV accessed documents that established this, we alerted the Executive Director of the airline, Devi Sharan. That was more than three weeks ago. Records show both pilots are still being used.
Alliance Air - which is a subsidiary of national carrier Air India - operates low-cost flights popular between cities like Kolkata and others in the North East.
Records from the airline show that on March 20, a pilot operating a flight from Shillong to Kolkata decided at the last minute to change the runway he would use to take-off. Close to 30 passengers were on board. Records show there were strong winds near the airport. So the pilot decided to abandon Runway 04, used for virtually every plane taking off from Shillong. That's because the other runway -22 - is very short and faces a range of hills, factors that could lead to a crash. Alliance Air in fact forbids its pilots from using Runway 22 - a diktat the pilot ignored at the last minute.
The safety violation was noted by the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Shillong Airport but it did not file a complaint with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the regulatory body for all airlines. When asked why, a representative for the Air Traffic Control said the final decision for how to take-off rests with the pilot. Odd, given that the ATC also agrees that it advises airlines not to use the highly-risky Runway 22.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Airport managers told to gear up for competition
New Delhi: The Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Vayalar Ravi, today asked managers of state-run airports to tighten up their belts for competing with private-led ones and fulfil their customers’ expectations.
“Compete with the privately managed airports .... so that someone landing at Chennai or Kolkata airports (being modernised by the Airports Authority of India) can say they are as good as or better than Terminal-3 of the Delhi airport,” Mr Ravi told a conference of airport directors here.
Doing some tough talking, he said, “Simply sitting in the Airport Director’s office will not do. You have to see what problems the passengers and all your other customers like airlines are facing and find solutions.”
“Don’t make passengers wait for their baggage for hours. If there are less number of conveyor belts, tell your superiors. There are other problems also. Be sensitive to them and find solutions,” he said while referring to reports about Thiruvananthapuram airport which claimed that the new terminal does not have enough toilets and parking fees were high. Addressing the conference organised by the AAI, the Civil Aviation Secretary, Mr Nasim Zaidi, also asked the airport managers to reorient their functioning to meet the new competitive challenges
“Compete with the privately managed airports .... so that someone landing at Chennai or Kolkata airports (being modernised by the Airports Authority of India) can say they are as good as or better than Terminal-3 of the Delhi airport,” Mr Ravi told a conference of airport directors here.
Doing some tough talking, he said, “Simply sitting in the Airport Director’s office will not do. You have to see what problems the passengers and all your other customers like airlines are facing and find solutions.”
“Don’t make passengers wait for their baggage for hours. If there are less number of conveyor belts, tell your superiors. There are other problems also. Be sensitive to them and find solutions,” he said while referring to reports about Thiruvananthapuram airport which claimed that the new terminal does not have enough toilets and parking fees were high. Addressing the conference organised by the AAI, the Civil Aviation Secretary, Mr Nasim Zaidi, also asked the airport managers to reorient their functioning to meet the new competitive challenges
Deccan 360 in trouble over unpaid bills
Almost three years after Capt Gopinath was forced to sell his debt-hit Air Deccan to fellow Bangalorean and rival Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines, the skies have again turned turbulent for him.
For the past few days, Gopinath’s cargo airline Deccan 360 has been grounded. The company that leased aircraft to the cargo airline has taken back the planes citing non-payment of dues.
Deccan 360, also known as Deccan Cargo & Express Logistics, was launched only last year, with Gopinath putting in Rs 2.5 crore from his personal wealth for the venture. It operated the service with eight leased aircraft – three Airbus 310s and five ATRs.
The Airbus 310s were used for the metro and major cities, while the smaller ATRs shuttled between smaller towns, between them transporting express and normal cargo to nearly 50 centres. Supporting the service were around 1,000 vehicles, and the company had on the rolls 300 people and an additional staff of 1,500.
The entire operation had to be grounded around a week ago, when UK-based Veling took back the three Airbus 310s. The aircraft were specially converted into cargo-carrying vehicles. In the aviation industry, losing aircraft to non-payment of dues is the biggest knock back on the business, and this development is likely to seriously dent the cargo airline’s market equity.
Gopinath told Mirror that the aircraft were no longer with his company, but the reasons were different. “The aircraft have not been taken away, we gave them back. We had taken the aircraft on lease for three years, (but) they were huge and we needed smaller planes. So, we returned them, and purchased the ATRs.”
When pointed out that the ATRs were not a new purchase, and how was it possible for his year-old company to call off a three-year lease, Gopinath was evasive, and disconnected the phone. He didn’t answer subsequent phone calls and SMSes.
For the past few days, Gopinath’s cargo airline Deccan 360 has been grounded. The company that leased aircraft to the cargo airline has taken back the planes citing non-payment of dues.
Deccan 360, also known as Deccan Cargo & Express Logistics, was launched only last year, with Gopinath putting in Rs 2.5 crore from his personal wealth for the venture. It operated the service with eight leased aircraft – three Airbus 310s and five ATRs.
The Airbus 310s were used for the metro and major cities, while the smaller ATRs shuttled between smaller towns, between them transporting express and normal cargo to nearly 50 centres. Supporting the service were around 1,000 vehicles, and the company had on the rolls 300 people and an additional staff of 1,500.
The entire operation had to be grounded around a week ago, when UK-based Veling took back the three Airbus 310s. The aircraft were specially converted into cargo-carrying vehicles. In the aviation industry, losing aircraft to non-payment of dues is the biggest knock back on the business, and this development is likely to seriously dent the cargo airline’s market equity.
Gopinath told Mirror that the aircraft were no longer with his company, but the reasons were different. “The aircraft have not been taken away, we gave them back. We had taken the aircraft on lease for three years, (but) they were huge and we needed smaller planes. So, we returned them, and purchased the ATRs.”
When pointed out that the ATRs were not a new purchase, and how was it possible for his year-old company to call off a three-year lease, Gopinath was evasive, and disconnected the phone. He didn’t answer subsequent phone calls and SMSes.
GoAir orders 72 Airbus jets for Rs 32,000 crore
Mumbai: If the last decade was about the birth of low-cost airlines in India, the current one is all set for a full-throttle, steep climb in the number of no-frill seats on offer, what with yet another low-cost airline announcing mega aircraft purchase plans on Thursday. The Wadia-group backed, budget carrier, GoAir has placed a Rs 32,400-crore aircraft purchase order for 72 " Airbus 320 NEO" aircraft. The deliveries will begin from 2015, with an induction rate of 15 aircraft per year. That is, 2,700 GoAir seats to be added every year till 2020.
Prior to this, the airline had placed an order for 20, A320s and these aircraft will be delivered over the next 24 months. With the latest deal, the total aircraft on order with GoAir jumps up to 92. Currently, the 2005-born airline, which adheres to the low-cost model of having a uniform aircraft fleet, operates 133 daily domestic flights with a fleet of ten A320 aircraft. "We are evaluating various fund-raising options (for the deal). It will be a combination of debt and equity," Jeh Wadia, GoAir managing director, said announcing the 72-aircraft order in a press meet held on Thursday.
The fuel-efficient, 180-seater "A320 NEO" aircraft are an upgraded version of Airbus' best-selling A320 150-seat workhorse. Early this year, low-cost airline IndiGo placed the largest jet aircraft order in commercial aviation history with a deal for 180 A320 aircraft. The deliveries will begin in 2016. Last year, Spice Jet had placed an order for 30 Bombardier turboprop aircraft.
Prior to this, the airline had placed an order for 20, A320s and these aircraft will be delivered over the next 24 months. With the latest deal, the total aircraft on order with GoAir jumps up to 92. Currently, the 2005-born airline, which adheres to the low-cost model of having a uniform aircraft fleet, operates 133 daily domestic flights with a fleet of ten A320 aircraft. "We are evaluating various fund-raising options (for the deal). It will be a combination of debt and equity," Jeh Wadia, GoAir managing director, said announcing the 72-aircraft order in a press meet held on Thursday.
The fuel-efficient, 180-seater "A320 NEO" aircraft are an upgraded version of Airbus' best-selling A320 150-seat workhorse. Early this year, low-cost airline IndiGo placed the largest jet aircraft order in commercial aviation history with a deal for 180 A320 aircraft. The deliveries will begin in 2016. Last year, Spice Jet had placed an order for 30 Bombardier turboprop aircraft.
India's low-cost carrier IndiGo readies to start operations to Kathmandu
Kathmandu: Fares on the New Delhi-Kathmandu flight are poised to dip, to the joy of the budget traveller, as India's low-cost carrier IndiGo readies to start operations to the Himalayan republic with seven trips a week.
The Gurgaon-based domestic airline, which announced it would go international from September with flights to Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok, can actually debut with Kathmandu in August if Nepal's tourism and civil aviation ministry cuts through the red tape.
President International, IndiGo's general sales agent in Nepal, said Indian civil aviation authorities have cleared the New Delhi-Kathmandu flight. Once the concerned Nepal ministry gives its nod, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal will give the final permission.
Fly India's most punctual airline for Rs 2285 onwards (all inclusive)
www.goIndiGo.in/Delhi-flights
With Nepal celebrating 2011 as its tourism year with a target of drawing one million air-borne tourists, President International said it would like to see the New Delhi-Kathmandu flight kick off from Aug 4.
The Gurgaon-based domestic airline, which announced it would go international from September with flights to Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok, can actually debut with Kathmandu in August if Nepal's tourism and civil aviation ministry cuts through the red tape.
President International, IndiGo's general sales agent in Nepal, said Indian civil aviation authorities have cleared the New Delhi-Kathmandu flight. Once the concerned Nepal ministry gives its nod, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal will give the final permission.
Fly India's most punctual airline for Rs 2285 onwards (all inclusive)
www.goIndiGo.in/Delhi-flights
With Nepal celebrating 2011 as its tourism year with a target of drawing one million air-borne tourists, President International said it would like to see the New Delhi-Kathmandu flight kick off from Aug 4.
India - a lucrative commercial aerospace, defence destination: Deloitte
Bangalore A new Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu report estimates the Indian commercial aerospace market to absorb about 1,100 commercial jets worth $130 billion over the next 20 years, making it one of the most lucrative markets for the global aviation majors.
The report -focused on the global aerospace and defence sectors - points to the recent order placed by Gurgaon-based budget airline IndiGo for 180 Airbus A-320 aircrafts, estimated at $15.6-billion in January earlier in the year, and which has been cited as the largest in aviation history.
"Indian orders are being driven by forecasted annual Revenue Passenger Kilometre growth of 15% over the next five years and about 8.5% on average over the next 20 years, significantly higher than the forecast global growth rate of 5 per cent," the report states.
In recent months, India's domestic airlines have placed massive orders with global aerospace vendors such as Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier , as they embark on an aggressive growth strategy in what is often regarded as the fastest growing commercial aviation market in the world.
Separately on June 16, the Wadia group-promoted GoAir placed an order for 72 A-320neo aircrafts, in a deal valued at $7-billion with European manufacturer Airbus
The report -focused on the global aerospace and defence sectors - points to the recent order placed by Gurgaon-based budget airline IndiGo for 180 Airbus A-320 aircrafts, estimated at $15.6-billion in January earlier in the year, and which has been cited as the largest in aviation history.
"Indian orders are being driven by forecasted annual Revenue Passenger Kilometre growth of 15% over the next five years and about 8.5% on average over the next 20 years, significantly higher than the forecast global growth rate of 5 per cent," the report states.
In recent months, India's domestic airlines have placed massive orders with global aerospace vendors such as Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier , as they embark on an aggressive growth strategy in what is often regarded as the fastest growing commercial aviation market in the world.
Separately on June 16, the Wadia group-promoted GoAir placed an order for 72 A-320neo aircrafts, in a deal valued at $7-billion with European manufacturer Airbus
Air Canada eyes daily flight to India
New Delhi: Air Canada has its eye on a major new route: the airline is considering starting daily flights to India by the end of the year, according to sales staff now on the ground in Delhi.
The two obstacles, they confided to The Globe, are first a shortage of planes ("China is using up all our fleet!") and second, a fear that demand won't be consistent enough through the year to make the routes (likely non-stop to Toronto from Delhi and Mumbai) viable.
Canadian tourism in India is picking up -- there were no fewer than 20 separate Canadian tourism events held in India last year to entice the industry, with Niagara Falls the number one draw. But tourists come in the relatively short season, December through March, before the temperatures head above 30C.
There is plenty of traffic in the family of Indo-Canadians coming and going, but they fly over once a year and stay "until the very last day of their six-month visa" -- so they won't fill planes. What Air Canada is looking to see is sufficient business travel to justify the route -- there are said to be dozens of Canadian companies poised to move into India, with one nervous eye on the country's rapidly involving but still Byzantine regulatory environment.
In the meantime, the best of India's airlines, Jet Airways, has a lock on the direct service to Toronto (although the flight stops in Europe for two unpleasant hours) and also serves Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
The two obstacles, they confided to The Globe, are first a shortage of planes ("China is using up all our fleet!") and second, a fear that demand won't be consistent enough through the year to make the routes (likely non-stop to Toronto from Delhi and Mumbai) viable.
Canadian tourism in India is picking up -- there were no fewer than 20 separate Canadian tourism events held in India last year to entice the industry, with Niagara Falls the number one draw. But tourists come in the relatively short season, December through March, before the temperatures head above 30C.
There is plenty of traffic in the family of Indo-Canadians coming and going, but they fly over once a year and stay "until the very last day of their six-month visa" -- so they won't fill planes. What Air Canada is looking to see is sufficient business travel to justify the route -- there are said to be dozens of Canadian companies poised to move into India, with one nervous eye on the country's rapidly involving but still Byzantine regulatory environment.
In the meantime, the best of India's airlines, Jet Airways, has a lock on the direct service to Toronto (although the flight stops in Europe for two unpleasant hours) and also serves Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
Kalanithi Maran's Kal Airways pledges 2.07 crore more shares in SpiceJet
Chennai: Kalanithi Maran's Kal Airways Private Ltd has pledged an additional 2.07 crore shares in SpiceJet on June 3, as per the latest disclosure to the stock exchanges on Friday.
With this transaction, Kal has pledged a total of 9.09 crore shares, out of the 15.65 crore shares it holds in SpiceJet. In other words, 58% of its shares are pledged. Kal holds over 38% in SpiceJet.
The move comes after its shares got a hammering in the markets on June 2 when it emerged that the CBI was looking into certain decisions taken by Dayanidhi Maran when he was a telecom minister between 2004-07. Dayanidhi Maran is Kalanithi's younger brother and current Union Textiles Minister. This news shaved off 16% from SpiceJet's market price on that day. The brothers' other big business interest, Sun TV, incurred its single-biggest fall in a day
With this transaction, Kal has pledged a total of 9.09 crore shares, out of the 15.65 crore shares it holds in SpiceJet. In other words, 58% of its shares are pledged. Kal holds over 38% in SpiceJet.
The move comes after its shares got a hammering in the markets on June 2 when it emerged that the CBI was looking into certain decisions taken by Dayanidhi Maran when he was a telecom minister between 2004-07. Dayanidhi Maran is Kalanithi's younger brother and current Union Textiles Minister. This news shaved off 16% from SpiceJet's market price on that day. The brothers' other big business interest, Sun TV, incurred its single-biggest fall in a day
Chennai airport turns hub for illegal migrants to Malaysia
Chennai: When Malaysia is considering its largest-ever programme to legalise immigrants without papers, Chennai airport is seeing a steady increase of illegal migration.
The last of such incident came to light in the wee hours of Friday when the airport police arrested two men on trying to check into a flight to Malaysia using fake tickets. Chennai airport police inspector D Arockia Raveendran said the two passengers were cheated by an agent called Velmurugan in Singapore, who offered them a job there.
The men from Tiruchi and Vellore were desperately searching for a job in Malaysia. Marimuthu, who works as an electrician, and Udayakumar, a daily wage labourer, had paid Rs 10,000 to Velmurugan for the tickets. "They said Velmurugan's father collected the money and gave them print-outs of tickets sent from Malaysia. They were arrested after the airline officials found the tickets to be fake," said Raveendran.
The inspector said Chennai airport, said to be one of the safest gateways for illegal migrants in the country, has tightened immigration rules in the last two years, but such cases keep happening. "We come to know of the sad stories of labourers only when we arrest passengers for smuggling drugs and such banned materials," said a senior immigration official at Chennai airport.
18/06/11 Arun Janardhanan/Times of India
The last of such incident came to light in the wee hours of Friday when the airport police arrested two men on trying to check into a flight to Malaysia using fake tickets. Chennai airport police inspector D Arockia Raveendran said the two passengers were cheated by an agent called Velmurugan in Singapore, who offered them a job there.
The men from Tiruchi and Vellore were desperately searching for a job in Malaysia. Marimuthu, who works as an electrician, and Udayakumar, a daily wage labourer, had paid Rs 10,000 to Velmurugan for the tickets. "They said Velmurugan's father collected the money and gave them print-outs of tickets sent from Malaysia. They were arrested after the airline officials found the tickets to be fake," said Raveendran.
The inspector said Chennai airport, said to be one of the safest gateways for illegal migrants in the country, has tightened immigration rules in the last two years, but such cases keep happening. "We come to know of the sad stories of labourers only when we arrest passengers for smuggling drugs and such banned materials," said a senior immigration official at Chennai airport.
18/06/11 Arun Janardhanan/Times of India
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)