DGCA to conduct a fare audit on 20 routes to ascertain seats sold on higher fare bucket
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct a fare audit on 20 routes to ascertain the percentage of seats sold on higher fare bucket by airlines. The regulator will ask the airlines to furnish the amount of revenues earned through these highest bucket seats. “We are trying to ascertain the amount of tickets airlines are selling in the highest fare bucket. Based on the response, we will ale a call,” said a senior DGCA official, who did not want to be identified. There is a lot of complaints on airlines charging high fares. Recently, MPs have also complained about airlines charging higher fares. Bradley Pinion Authentic Jersey
Jewar Airport Under Consideration
Government of India (GoI), Ministry of Civil Aviation has received a proposal from Government of Uttar Pradesh (GoUP) in April, 2016 for grant of Site Clearance for proposed Noida International Airport near Jewar, Dist. Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. GoI has notified a Greenfield Airport Policy, 2008 to provide guidelines for setting up of new airports in the country. As per the Greenfield Airport Policy, the proposal has been sent to Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Ministry of Defence (MoD) for their comments/observations on the site identified for setting up of International Airport near Jewar, Uttar Pradesh. The proposals are considered by Steering Committee set up in Greenfield Airport Policy in consultation with AAI, DGCA and MoD. Adam Lind Jersey
Expansion of Bhuntar Airport
Kullu (Bhuntar) airport is an operational airport and is suitable for operation of ATR type of aircraft with load restrictions in fair weather conditions. As per the study report submitted by IIT Roorkee, the runway can be extended by 550m subject to diversion of river Beas and acquiring additional 1000m x 200m land in the river bed by the State Government. Flight operations in domestic sector have been deregulated and the airlines are free to operate anywhere in the country subject to Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG) issued by the Government. However, the airline operators provide air services to specific places depending upon the traffic demand and commercial viability. The draft National Civil Aviation Policy 2015 envisages implementation of Regional connectivity scheme with affordable fare by way of revival of unused and under-served aerodromes/airstrips and by viability gap funding for airline operators etc. to meet the demands of increasing traffic and to avoid air congestion. No definite timeline for expansion of Bhuntar airport can be drawn at this stage as it is for the State Government to demarcate and acquire the land, complete the process of river training / river diversion etc. and to hand over the land to AAI for extension of runway. Rod Smith Jersey
Setting up of New Airports
Government of India (GoI) has granted ‘in-principle’ approval for setting up of 14 Greenfield airports namely, Mopa in Goa; Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra; Shimoga, Gulbarga,Hassan and Bijapur in Karnataka; Kannur in Kerala; Pakyong in Sikkim; Datia/Gwalior (Cargo) in Madhya Pradesh; Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh; Karaikal in Puducherry; and Dholera in Gujarat. Further, Government has laid down Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG) of air transport services taking into account the need for air transport services of different regions of the country. However, it is up to the airlines to provide services to different regions depending on their commercial viability subject to compliance of RDG. As per the Greenfield Airport Policy, 2008, financing and development of a Greenfield airport is the responsibility of the Airport developer. Government of India has established Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) under the Act of Parliament, AERA Act, 2008, for determination of charges in respect of aeronautical services provided at major airports in the country. AERA determines aeronautical charges for each airport separately considering various aspects of the airport viz. investment on infrastructure, cost of operations, improvement of service level, viability of the airport etc. Fuel charges component on airfare is levied by airlines under the provisions of Rule 135 of Aircraft Rules, 1937 according to which every air transport undertaking engaged in scheduled air services are required to establish tariff having regard to all relevant factors, including the cost of operation, characteristic of services, reasonable profit and the generally prevailing tariff. As per approved summer schedule 2016, there is no scheduled flight to/from Mount Abu. Nate Thurmond Jersey
Air Connectivity to Unserved Areas
Airports Authority of India has appointed a Consultant for undertaking a study for promotion of Regional and Remote Area Air Connectivity in the country during 2013 based on population, economic potential, tourism potential and lack of existing air connectivity. No case of deviation of the Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG) by any domestic airlines have been observed as per the monthly traffic data analysis by DGCA. Dholera at Navagaon village, Ahmedabad has been granted in-principle approval and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, Bhogapuram, Dagadarthi and Oravukallu in Andhra Pradesh have been granted site clearance in the last three years. Government has streamlined aircraft import procedure in order to reduce time and hassle free import of aircraft by the scheduled domestic airlines for their capacity enhancement in a timely manner. The draft Civil Aviation Policy 2015 envisages implementation of Regional Connectivity Scheme with affordable fare to cater to middle class income bracket by way of revival of unserved and underserved aerodromes/airstrips and unserved cities. It also envisages for revival of unserved and underserved aerodromes / airstrips and unserved cities, depending on demand as no frills airports. Johan Franzen Womens Jersey
An Indian touch to global aerospace companies
Aerospace and defence companies in India are helping aircraft-makers in developed countries to cut costs. Even as the US fighter jet-makers Lockheed Martin and Boeing have expressed interest to set up manufacturing facilities in India, several other aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus and Bombardier have made Indian companies part of their global supply chains. Earlier this month, Lockheed Martin and Boeing met Defence Ministry officials to discuss the possible production of F-16 Super Viper and FA-18 Super Hornet fighter jets in India. Lockheed Martin’s largest programme, the C-130J Super Hercules, a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft, already has an Indian touch. New mantra Phil Shaw, Chief Executive for Lockheed Martin India, said the C-130J Super Hercules was the first major military contract between the US and India. “Now, all C-130Js produced have major elements manufactured in India,” Shaw told BusinessLine. Component manufacturing appears to be the new mantra for Indian companies. Tata Advanced Material Limited (TAML) bagging an extended 10-year agreement with Austria firm FACC Operation, for the supply of Rolls-Royce engine components is a case in point. “Aerospace companies have been gunning for Indian firms as suppliers of high value components, and eventually as assemblers of aircraft. The complexity of the industry’s technology, the importance of protecting intellectual property with regards to aircraft engine design or avionics, and the relationship between military and civilian technology have been hurdles in the past, but no more,” said an industry expert, adding that cost advantage was clearly the chief attraction. Cyient solutions Hyderabad-based Cyient has also supported a number of critical design-engineering projects for Boeing airplanes, and currently provides design and stress support on the 747-8 Freighter and the 787-8 and 787-9. In an earlier interaction with BusinessLine, Cyient’s Executive Chairman BVR Mohan Reddy said as a Boeing supplier partner for decades, Cyient has been providing a broad range of engineering skills and solutions to Boeing that include product development and lifecycle support, and content engineering. “It is not just cost. The ability to develop aircraft, manage supply chain, coordinate manufacturing, and assemble a plane’s structure is critical. All of these are available in India,” he said. Cost-competitiveness Srinivasan Dwarakanath, President of the Airbus Division at Airbus Group India, explained how Airbus’ cooperation with India offers the benefits of cost-competitiveness and a highly-skilled workforce. “There is something made in India in every one of our aircraft being produced today,” Dwarakanath said. Airbus’ largest Indian partner is Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which produces half of the A320 Family’s forward passenger doors. HAL began supplying Airbus since the 1990s. Similarly, TAML has been providing composite parts for Airbus’ A320 and A350 XWB wing, while TAL Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, supplies over 500 sheet metal and machined parts and sub-assemblies. In the case of Airbus, supporting these major suppliers is a growing network of small and medium-sized Indian companies, like CIM Tools, Gardner-Pranitha, Triveni and Sansera Aerospace. Roy Halladay Authentic Jersey
MPS NOT SUPER CITIZENS TO GET SPL TREATMENT AT AIRPORTS:RAJU
Members of Parliament are not super citizens, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said in Lok Sabha on Thursday when a BJP member demanded that they be given a little priority at airports. Responding to a series of supplementaries during Question Hour, the minister said MPs are treated with respect and his ministry will do everything practically possible to make their air travel more comfortable. But MPs are not super citizens, he said responding to a demand by a BJP member that they be given a little priority at airports. The member said ground staffs of private airlines do not recognize the MPs and even when they display their identity cards, they are offered little assistance at airports. Countering him, Raju said MPs are recognized at the airports as most of them are members of airport committees. When A P Jithendra Reddy (TRS) suggested that upon showing their identity cards, MPs should get upgrades based on availability of seats in the higher class, the minister said he would see how it can fit in the commercial pattern. Reddy claimed that bureaucrats got upgrades easily but the MPs were denied. Responding to a question on whether upgrades can be granted to sick people, senior citizens and people with special needs, the minister said while there is a humanitarian angle, there is also a commercial angle to it. He said Air India, as well as other airlines provide upgrades based on commercial considerations. Jamie Langenbrunner Jersey
No Request for Kerala Airline So Far: Minister
There is a twist in the Air Kerala tale. Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Wednesday informed Lok Sabha that no government or any airline by the name Kerala Airline had approached the Central Government for operating services between Kerala and Gulf countries. He was replying to a query by Congress member K C Venugopal on the fate of the request by Kerala Government. Gajapathi Raju informed the House that “no government or airline by the name Kerala Airline has applied to the Government of India.” “I tried to make my enquiries and no airline of Kerala government is pending with the Centre. They have not even applied,” he said amid repeated interruptions from Congress members, including Venugopal. The minister’s contention was supported by BJP member Dushyant Singh, who also said Kerala had not made any such request to the Centre. Ken Boyer Womens Jersey
Kumar Rajesh Chandra appointed Chief of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security
Senior IPS officer Kumar Rajesh Chandra on 5 May 2016 was appointed the Chief of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the name of Chandra for appointment to the post of Director General (formerly known as Commissioner of Security (Civil Aviation) in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. Chandra has been appointed in place of IPS officer G S Malhi. Malhi had completed his tenure as BCAS Chief in November 2012. The crucial post was lying vacant since then. Why the appointment for the post was delayed? • The appointment for the post was delayed due to claims from officers of both Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) to the coveted post. Who is Kumar Rajesh Chandra? • Chandra is a 1985 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre. • He is currently working as Additional Director General (Modernisation), Bihar Police. About Bureau of Civil Aviation Security • BCAS acts as regulatory authority for civil aviation security. • After the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight in September 1976, the Pande Committee recommended establishing an aviation security department. • In January 1978, the BCAS was established as a department of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. As a result of the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, the BCAS became an independent agency of the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 1 April 1987. • The main responsibility of BCAS is to lay down standards and measures in respect of security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India. Gary Zimmerman Jersey
Over 3.26 lakh passengers got upgraded on Air India flights in last 3 years: Government
Air India has upgraded a total of 3,26,195 passengers to higher class on its flights in the last three fiscals and in April this year, Lok Sabha was informed today. During this period, the national carrier has flown 5,08,62,223 passengers across its domestic and international network and the number of upgrades do not constitute even one per cent of the total number of passengers flown during this period, according to the data given by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma. The number of upgrades reported by the carrier during financial year 2013-14 stood at 1,28,174, or 0.83 per cent of the total 1,54,10,000 passengers flown during this period. Similarly, FY’15 and FY’16, saw 1,05,594 and 84,894 passengers getting upgraded to upper class respectively, accounting for 0.63 and 0.50 per cent of the total passengers transported by Air India during these financial years, he said. According to Sharma, in April of the current fiscal, a total of 7,553 passengers, or 0.48 per cent, were upgraded out of the 1,58,223 total passengers having flown on the carrier’s network. Upgrades are carried out by Air India on the grounds like payment of the prescribed amount by the passengers, during overbooked flights or because of other commercial considerations as well, the Minister said. These upgrades are done subject to availability of higher class seats and payment of the prescribed amount by the passenger, wherever applicable, he said. Such upgrades are done by the authorised executives of Air India at different levels depending upon the nature of upgrade, Sharma said. John Matuszak Womens Jersey