The ministry of civil aviation has approved a proposal by Jet Airways (India) Ltd to fly to Milan in Italy and has also given its permission for the carrier to increase its frequency of flights to short-haul international destinations such as Dubai, Bangkok and Colombo from various Indian cities, said two senior civil aviation ministry officials familiar with the development. “We had approved the proposal of Jet Airways to fly to Milan in addition to Dubai, Bangkok and Colombo. The carrier may start its operations by next month or so,” said one of the officials. Both ministry officials declined to be identified. This approval last week will allow Jet Airways to access the largely untapped India-Italy market, which is currently served through indirect connections. Mounting losses had forced Italian government owned Alitalia, run by Linee Aeree Italiane SpA, to withdraw from the Indian market in March 2008. Besides Milan, Jet Airways will now also consider flying to other European destinations, said a senior Jet executive, marking the lifting of a freeze India’s largest airline by passengers carried had imposed on long haul route expansion following the financial crisis of 2008. A spokesperson for Jet Airways declined to comment on the developments. Jet Airways launched international flights in 2004 and expanded aggressively on long haul routes, but imposed a moratorium of new long-haul international flights in November 2008 after a credit crunch and economic slowdown in the wake of the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in September 2008. As a part of resuming its long-distance route expansion, Jet Airways had applied for permission to fly to other international routes including Mexico and Paris. “Though Jet Airways had applied for many other routes, mainly in Europe, we have not considered (them) at this time. We had to be very cautious considering the health of airline industry,” a ministry official said, adding that these may be considered at a later date. Apart from the proposed Milan flights, Jet Airways launched a long-haul flight between Johannesburg and Mumbai beginning 14 April, ahead of the 11 June start of the soccer World Cup in South Africa. Rashesh Shah, an analyst at domestic brokerage ICICI Securities Ltd, said there is a strong and healthy demand growth of passengers in Europe though there is competition. “Despite a slowing economy, European flights should augur well for Jet Airways. Colombo flights are also likely to do well because of the current mismatch of demand and supply,” Shah said, but cautioned that it would likely face competition on sectors such as Dubai and Bangkok from Emirates and Air- Asia Bhd. However, Jet Airways, which currently operates 90 aircraft connecting international destinations, does not plan to add to its fleet even as it adds international destinations. “We are not looking to add further capacity in terms of aircraft,” said K.G. Vishwanath, vice-president for commercial strategy and investor relations at Jet Airways, had told an analysts’ conference on 26 July. “What you might see is some improvement in utilization by operating Boeing 737 routes or even on the wide-body route to the extent (that) we are able to find some network spaces at this point in time. But no further aircraft addition is planned in the international business,” he said at the time.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Kingfisher airlines to operate from Mysore
Kingfisher airlines has 'tentatively' planned to operate on Mysore- Bangalore-Chennai-Hyderabad route from October 1 just in time for Dasara festivities. If all goes well there will be one more airline that will operate Mysore-Bangalore- Mumbai, the other being Jet Airways. Both airlines have made a route plan to fly tourists into Mysore from these four domestic aviation hubs. "We do not know if these routes will work on a long-term basis as once the Dasara festivities end the international connectivity to Mysore from Bangalore-Chennai-Hyderabad and Mumbai will be minimal, but if the city goes into overdrive things might still work out for little longer," said an official from Kingfisher. Jet Airways which is keen on flying between Mysore- Bangalore and Mumbai was hopeful of flying IT traffic between Mysore and Mumbai. It can be recalled that the Yeddyurappa government offered a VAT holiday for airline operators on Aviation Turbine Fuel for those who operate from Mysore and airline companies might try this out on a real time basis.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
ICICI, KINGFISHER Launch MasterCard
ICICI Bank and Kingfisher Airlines have announced the launch of the “ICICI Bank Kingfisher Airlines MasterCard Credit Card”. The card is powered by rewarding miles programme coupled with exclusive travel and lifestyle privileges for discerning customers. Some key benefits of the card include accelerated miles earning for all card spends, bonus miles on joining and renewal, complimentary upgrade vouchers, complimentary membership of King Club, Kingfisher Airlines’ frequent flyer programme, special offers on shopping, golfing, dining and more. The miles earned can be redeemed for free flight tickets and upgrade vouchers with Kingfisher Airlines.The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
SpiceJet to fly overseas in Oct
Kalanidhi Maran-promoted low-cost carrier SpiceJet will add 13 aircraft to its fleet by 2013 besides targeting to ferry 85 lakh passengers by the end of the current financial year. The no-frills airline would be kick starting its overseas operations in October, said Kishor Gupta, director, SpiceJet. “Our Delhi-Kathmandu service will start on October 7 and Chennai-Colombo service will be unveiled on October 9,” he said adding, “We are starting with Saarc nations and Male and Dhaka are on our radar where we plan to start operations soon.” Speaking to newsmen after the Chennai-Madurai inaugural flight, he said the airline would start getting the 30 aircraft it had booked recently with Boeing by January 2014. The company had placed fresh order with Boeing for 30 more aircraft amounting to close to $2.4 billion.” “We will be having 45-46 aircraft by the time Boeing starts its delivery of aircraft from the 30-plane booking lot. We will be leasing out the six to seven aircraft by this December and another seven will be added in 14 months’ time. We will be, in a sense, doubling our fleet of aircraft from the current 22.” Gupta said the airline is not looking for any capex raising in the near future as the 13 aircraft would be on lease. “We won’t be facing any major fund outgo, but when Boeing starts the delivery by 2014, we would take a call on whether to raise funds.” He said the airline is looking to expand its existing domestic network as well as adding some more destinations. Destinations such as Thiruvanthapuram, Lucknow, and Indore may get included in the airline’s network. “We are targeting a 22% growth in our top line,” he said, adding “Spicejet’s on-time performance has been among the best in the industry.” Gupta said that he do
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Air India to start hub-and-spoke flights to connect global destinations
Air India is all set to introduce a daily hub-and-spoke flight from Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kochi to Delhi effective October 31, to connect its non-stop flights to New York, Chicago, Toronto and Tokyo. Passengers originating their international travel from Chennai to New York, Chicago and Toronto, can travel daily by Air India Flight AI 643, leaving Chennai from Anna International Departure Terminal at 2010 hrs and reaching Delhi at 2305 hrs. Similarly from Bangalore, AI 623 will depart at 2010 hrs to reach Delhi at 2245 hrs, from Hyderabad AI 127 will depart at 2135 hrs to reach Delhi at 2340 hrs and from Kochi AI 693 to depart at 1935 hrs and reach Delhi 2245 hrs. The onward Flights AI 101 to New York will leave Delhi at 0040 hrs to arrive New York at 0645 hrs (local time), Flight AI 127 to Chicago will leave Delhi at 0105 hrs to arrive Chicago at 0700 hrs (local time) and Flight AI 187 to Toronto will leave from Delhi at 0125 hrs to arrive at 0745 hrs (local time) in Toronto. Air India’s daily code-share flights to Zurich and Vienna and thrice-weekly flights to Moscow, will also be connected to this hub-and-spoke flight with three and half hours transit time at Delhi. On the return direction, its flights from New York and Chicago will connect Chennai with a transit time of three and half hours at Delhi. The Flight AI 642 will leave Delhi at 2015 hrs and arrive Chennai at 2245 hrs. Similarly, Flights AI 622 will leave Delhi at 2010 hrs to reach Bangalore at 2305 hrs, AI 126 to leave Delhi at 1830 hrs to arrive Hyderabad at 2035 hrs and AI 692 to leave Delhi at 1945 hrs to arrive Kochi at 2255 hrs, says a release from the company.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Air India looks at ‘Premier Economy’ cabins on some routes
Air India wants to introduce a “premier economy cabin” instead of having a business class cabin on the Airbus A-330 aircraft that it will lease for some of its international flights. A premier economy class cabin is a scaled down version of the business class cabin offering more comfort than an economy class seat at fares that are less than those of a business class seat. Air France recently introduced its “Premium Voyager”, a cabin between economy and business class, offering 40 per cent additional space compared to an economy class and priority check-in at airports among others.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
IATA calls service tax on luxury air travel illegal
International civil aviation trade body IATA has criticized the finance ministry’s decision to impose service tax on international first and business class tickets since 2006, saying that “such taxes are illegal by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules.” The IATA director-general (DG) Giovanni Bisignani also termed the financial condition of Indian carriers as precarious, saying he was concerned about their $13 billion debt. Talking about the imposition of the aforementioned service tax by the Indian finance ministry — which he termed as illegal — the IATA DG said, “It is an embarrassing situation for such a relevant country as India is an ICAO Council member and a signatory to the Chicago convention. While pointing out that private Indian carriers are now reporting profits or shrinking losses after the recession, the IATA DG nevertheless said, “Indian carriers will still lose an estimated $0.4 billion this year. And I am concerned about their $13 billion debt. In a market as rich in potential as India, this precarious financial situation indicates that structural weaknesses must be addressed.”
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Virgin Blue And Etihad Airways Allowed To Ready Abu Dhabi Route
Virgin Blue Holdings gained interim approval Thursday from the Australian antitrust regulator for an alliance with Etihad Airways on flights to Abu Dhabi. The endorsement allows both airlines to prepare for an alliance and promote it to customers before a final ruling, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said. Virgin Blue’s chief executive, John Borghetti, said the carriers would begin sales Oct. 1. The airlines will operate 27 flights a week between Australia and Abu Dhabi, he said.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Jet to start flights to Milan on 5 December
India’s largest airline by passengers carried, Jet Airways (India) Ltd, will start daily nonstop flights from Delhi to Milan from 5 December, making Milan the 24th international destination on airline’s international network. Jet Airways will use Airbus 330200 aircraft to connect Delhi Milan route, the only one to offer direct air link on the India Italy route. A media statement said this flight will allow to connect other Italian cities such as Florence, Rome, Venice and Pisa. Mint had reported on Jet Airways’ Milan flights on 21 September.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Ryanair plans standing seats to cut costs
Irish budget airline Ryanair has a novel idea to cut costs. Standing seats at £4 a head. And how will it pay for these? By charging passengers a pound for using toilets aboard. The airline plans safety tests for the “vertical seats” early next year. Around the same time, it will also start charging passengers every time the toilet is used. According to its plans, the back ten rows of seats will be removed from the carrier’s 250 planes and replaced with 15 rows of vertical seats. Two toilets at the back could also be removed to free up even more space. Between 40 and 50 extra passengers will be able to travel on each flight if the plan gets the go ahead, enabling Ryanair to cut its own costs. The revenue generated from charging passengers to use the toilet would pay for the new vertical seating. In the new vertical seats, passengers will still be restrained with a seat belt which will go over the shoulder, and will adhere to all current safety regulations which apply to normal aircraft seating, the Ryanair spokesperson, Mr. Stephen McNamara, was quoted by Daily Mail as saying.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
‘International flights from Madurai in about 4 months’
The Union Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, inaugurated the Rs 129-crore new integrated passenger terminal building at Madurai airport on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, he said that focused attention had been given for infrastructure development in the last six years and larger investments have been made in surface transport, shipping and civil aviation than done in the last 50 years. A visible change has come about, with air travel ceasing to be looked upon as elitist. Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore have been modernized. In Tamil Nadu, airports in Tiruchi, Madurai and Chennai have been upgraded. Responding to requests for international flights from Madurai, Mr Chidambaram said that a meeting has been called in Chennai on September 17 by trade bodies with airline operators and in about three-four months, international flights would start operating from Madurai. More importantly, the domestic connectivity from Madurai to Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore should be augmented to bring about development in the region, he added. Presiding , the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, said that he was happy to have had the opportunity to both lay the foundation stone and now to inaugurate the new building. Assuring to get international flights started soon from Madurai, Mr Patel said between 2004 and 2010, the profile of the people who fly has changed and the number had increased three-fold , marking the fast growth in the country. The 9 per-cent GDP growth achieved is uncommon in many parts of the world. The yearly growth in air travel is around 21 per cent. A related concern is the augmentation of cargo transport in a big way. The runway is being streamlined for the purpose, he added. The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mr M.K. Alagiri, emphasized the need to operate international flights from Madurai to Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai. Mr V.P. Agarwal, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI), explained the features of the new terminal building and said that efforts are on to extend the runway immediately to 9,000 ft once land acquisition is completed. Mr S. Raheja, Member (Planning), AAI, proposed a vote of thanks.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Finnair to resume daily Helsinki-Delhi flights
Mirroring the return in passenger demand, Nordic carrier Finnair on Thursday said it will resume daily service between New Delhi and Helsinki from January next year, up from the six flights a week it operates now. "We will start daily service between Helsinki and New Delhi from January as there is good demand from the Indian market," Finnair senior vice-president (public affairs & corporate communications) Christer Haglund said.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
CWG spikes airfares from Delhi
Tourists may or may not line up to see the excavated remains of “world class’’ Delhi during the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games (CWG), but Delhiites’ scramble to fly out of the city is pushing up airfares. Airlines are reporting much higher than usual bookings from Delhi to places like Goa, Udaipur, Port Blair and the northeast through Bagdogra. As a result, airfares to these hotspots have shot up. For example, a return flight to Port Blair can cost up to Rs 54,000 in October. A leading private airline’s website showed that all low-fare economy seats to the island are sold out on October 5 (a random date chosen to check fares) and only tickets for Rs 39,470 (economy class) were available. Returning to Delhi, on the other hand, has fares starting from Rs 12,400. No one seems keen to fly into dug-up Delhi to spend hours caught in traffic jams on roads with CWG lanes. To put things in perspective, the present fares from Delhi to Udaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore and Cochin are about Rs 3,500, Rs 6,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 13,000 respectively. The current fares for popular nearby international destinations like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Dubai are in the range of Rs 15,500 to Rs 18,000. “These fares are likely to rise by 25% to 30% as the industry expects a higher-than usual rush out of Delhi to nearby places over the next month or so,’’ said Samuel, MD of Riya Travels. He said that fares are going to rise in coming days as demand rises. “As a habit, Indian travelers don’t make plans in advance and there is a sudden rush in times like these. We anticipate demand — and fares — to rise sharply. So people should book early,’’ he said. Air India (domestic) says it may operate additional flights to places like Bagdogra due to the huge demand. “While demand on sectors like Jammu goes up traditionally in the festive-holiday season mainly on account of the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, we are witnessing higher than ever interest in destination like Udaipur, Port Blair and Bagdogra. The lower level fares are almost sold out and only full-fare economy (highest fares) remain,’’ said an official. So from this month-end, flying from Delhi to Goa can cost anywhere between Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000 and fare to Bagdogra will be between Rs 11,000 and Rs 16,000. That too, if tickets are booked now. While demand and hence fares, always rise in the festive season with people flying home to celebrate Navratri, Durga puja, Ganesh Mahotsav, Eid, the CWG has provided an additional impetus.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Friday, September 24, 2010
Emirates not keen on stake in domestic carrier
Emirates, the world’s biggest airline by international traffic, aims to take advantage of India’s growing market for air travel by increasing flights rather than taking a stake in a local carrier in the event that investment rules change. Indian regulations currently bar foreign airlines from investing in domestic airlines but the civil aviation ministry has proposed that a 25% stake be allowed. “I don’t think we have thought of buying a stake in Indian airlines right now,” Majid Al Mualla, Emirates’ senior vice-president, West Asia and Indian Ocean, said in a phone interview from Dubai, where the carrier is based. “As a growing company, we haven’t reached a saturated mark where we see a need to take a stake in other airlines.” His view runs counter to that of Willie Walsh, chief executive officer of British Airways Plc, who said in a 5 September interview that his company would be keen to buy a stake in an Indian carrier if rules change. An analyst said Emirates shying away from investments may be a result of its experiences in the past. “Emirates must recall the troubled history of its SriLankan investment, so I am not surprised they prefer to pursue organic expansion opportunities,” said Vikram Krishnan, associate partner at Oliver Wyman, a San Francisco-based aviation consultancy firm, in emailed comments. European carriers such as British Airways and Lufthansa compete with West Asia-based airlines such as Emirates in the Indian travel market. They have chosen to increase cooperation with Indian carriers over the past few years. For example, British Airways sponsored Kingfisher Airlines’ entry into the OneWorld alliance this year, while Lufthansa backed Air India’s entry into Star Alliance a few years ago. Al Mualla said 78 Airbus A380s will join Emirates’ fleet of 150 aircraft over the next few years and it will use these to expand into the Indian market and elsewhere. The carrier’s 12 double-decker A380s, with private suites, shower spas and lounges for premium class passengers, fly to London, Manchester, Paris, Sydney, Auckland, Toronto, Bangkok, Seoul, Jeddah and Beijing. Hong Kong and New York are the next A380 destinations on the cards, the airline said. Since the carrier has used up all its seat entitlements, it will wait for additional rights to start new flights to India, Al Mualla said. The civil aviation ministry is not keen to offer fresh bilateral rights right away after a five-year period that ended 2008, during which such entitlements were easily granted, according to a ministry official. Emirates, which says it has 10,400 Indians among 50,000 employees, including 900 in the country in 10 different cities, plans to consolidate and focus on its current offerings. It will open two new airport lounges for business and first class passengers in Delhi and another airport that’s yet to be decided, adding to 25 such lounges at various airports. The carrier also plans to upgrade its Mumbai- based call centre operations to a global hub connected with its Dubai and London call centers this year and add 90 workers to the existing 400. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation estimates foreign carriers are offering services to an increasingly diverse range of Indian cities, providing global connections via their respective hubs. “The Gulf carriers in particular have a very strong presence, as seen by the 23% share of capacity they command,” the consultancy noted in its report last year. “Indian carriers currently
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Aer Lingus steps up talks with British Airways, rivals
Aer Lingus Group is stepping up talks with Oneworld airline alliance leader British Airways and carriers from the rival Star and Skyteam groups as it seeks to decide which of the three global blocs to join next year. The Irish company has been in contact with Oneworld, where British Airways is acting as its sponsor, and those negotiations are set to intensify, CEO Christoph Mueller said in an interview. United Airlines and KLM will fulfill the role of intermediaries in discussions with Star and Skyteam.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
UK inflation unexpectedly exceeds 3% on airfares
UK inflation unexpectedly exceeded the government’s 3% limit for a sixth month in August as higher costs of items from airfares to food stoked price pressures in the economy. Consumer prices rose 3.1% from a year earlier, the same pace as in July, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday in London. The median forecast of 30 economists in a Bloomberg News survey was for a reading of 3%. On the month, prices increased by 0.5%. The persistence of faster inflation may exacerbate the split on the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to tame prices while other officials say more stimulus may be needed.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Banks refuse to restructure aviation loans
Banks have refused to restructure loans of airlines, estimated at over Rs 50,000 crore, via the CDR (corporate debt restructuring) mechanism, senior bankers familiar with the matter said. One of the main hurdles is that 75% of the lenders to a particular borrower have to come together to trigger the CDR mechanism, one of the bankers said. Indian Banks Association now plans to approach the RBI to allow banks reschedule loans of airlines — such as Kingfisher Airlines, Paramount Airways and Air India — without treating them as bad assets. “I can tell you upfront that it would not be a CDR because it has other implications. So, none of the airlines will be going through the CDR route. What has been taken up to the Reserve Bank is that those airlines loans should be allowed to be restructured in such a way that loans continue to be treated as performing or standard asset,” said a senior State Bank of India (SBI) executive. SBI has an exposure of Rs 3,500 crore to the aviation sector. The RBI has told banks that it could consider restructuring of the debt for aviation sector and not for any particular company. SBI chairman OP Bhatt said on Thursday that restructuring would help airlines raise fresh equity. CDR framework is timely and transparent manner restructuring debt of corporate facing problems. It covers only multiple banking accounts/syndication/consortium accounts with outstanding exposure of over Rs 20 crore. “But the CDR mechanism can be triggered only when a minimum of 75% (by value) of the lenders come forward to it. This is proving difficult,” said a banker. Banks want RBI to allow a simple restructuring of loans outside the CDR framework. Under discussion are a lowering of interest rate in the beginning and recouping it later when the airlines become financially stronger. Airlines also want to replace their high cost rupee loans with low-cost overseas loans. Airlines borrow overseas typically to buy aircraft but turn to domestic lenders for meeting working capital needs. Air India has a debt of Rs 45,000 crore, Jet Airways of Rs 14,818 crore and Kingfisher Airlines of Rs 6,000 crore. RBI has asked SBI Caps to prepare the technical report on the proposed restructuring package for the aviation sector. “Unless RBI gives a clearance, we cannot restructure for the second time as it would render these assets as bad. Since loans of many of the airlines companies have already been restructured by the respective banks, we need a special exemption from the RBI. Thereafter, loans will be rescheduled,” another banker said.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Domestic ops at Delhi Airport’s T3 to start only by Sept end
Domestic travelers will get to see the swanky Terminal 3 (T3) at Delhi’s IGI Airport only by September end, a month late, as a host of problems including erratic power and water supply plague the facility. The decision to postpone domestic operations, which was to start from T3 on August 27, was taken after civil aviation minister Praful Patel visited the terminal on Thursday “The position will be reviewed by the minister in mid-September, following which a decision on date of shifting of domestic operations to T3 will be taken,” said a statement from the Civil Aviation Ministry. “Presently, the quality of power supply is erratic, which is affecting the sophisticated baggage handling and security equipment at the terminal,” said the ministry statement. Delhi Trancco was to set up a 220KVA sub-station by July 31. But now, DTL representatives have expressed their inability to commission the it before September 15.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Etihad launches “all economy” service
Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, is introducing its first “all economy” class aircraft into its fleet in October 2010. The launch aims to help the fast-growing carrier deliver an even more competitive product on key short-haul routes, which have high demand for economy traffic and low demand for premium traffic. The two Airbus A320s will be configured to carry 162 economy class passengers, an increase of 42 from the current economy capacity. These will initially operate to Alexandria, Calicut, Colombo, Damascus, Doha and Thiruvananthapuram from Etihad’s Abu Dhabi base. Plans are in place to expand the all-economy fleet to 10 A320 aircraft which will enable the airline to launch new short-haul destinations which have low demand for premium travel and also to existing Etihad destinations. James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “Etihad has grown at a remarkable pace during the past six and a half years. We have built a strong brand and a robust business, and it is the right time to challenge the way we serve our various markets and segments. “Our all economy aircraft will allow us to offer a more competitive product in key point-to-point markets in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Subcontinent, while maintaining the high standards of service we have become known for.” Customers traveling on the new all-economy aircraft will receive the same award-winning, world-class service and product that is featured on its current narrow body fleet, such as seat back in-flight entertainment screens and hot and cold meals and beverages. Each seat has a 32 inch pitch. Etihad triumphed at the World Travel Awards Middle East Ceremony 2010 in May when it picked up a host of top awards including “Middle’s East Leading Airline”, as well as “Middle East’s Leading Airline Economy Class”, “Middle East’s Leading Airline First Class” and “Middle East’s Leading Airline Inflight”. And last November Etihad was voted “World’s Leading Airline” at the World Travel Awards Grand Final in London.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
AI to begin direct flight from Delhi to Melbourne in Nov
Government-owned Air India is starting a direct flight from Melbourne to Delhi in November. It will also book passengers from there for destinations in West Asia and Britain, via their hub in Delhi. “We will be the first airline to have a direct flight to Melbourne,” said a senior AI official, who did not want to be identified. AI used to operate flights to Melbourne, Sydney and Perth in Australia but these were not direct; they went via Singapore. These flights were later stopped. AI recently said it would make the new Terminal 3 at Delhi airport its hub and committed to the airport operator to bring in 10-13 million passengers annually, a third of the unit’s annual handling capacity, in two years. It also committed to go in for a three-fold increase in its deployment of flights in and out of Delhi, from 480 a day to 1,200, starting from the next summer schedule. Currently, AI operates a little over 800 flights a day across the network.The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Nine airlines seek fleet expansion
In a sign of recovery in the aviation sector, nine private airlines have obtained government permission for expansion of their fleet by importing 49 aircraft for scheduled air transport services since August last year. This permission is valid for one year. The private airlines which have been granted permission include Jet Airways (13), JetLite (2), Spice Jet (7), Zav Airways (3), Deccan Cargo (8), Aryan Cargo (2), Go Airlines (2), Jagson (2) and IndiGo (10). The government has also granted “in-principle approval” for import of 375 aircraft for scheduled operations. These aircraft have to be imported by 2025, the civil aviation minister, Mr. Praful Patel, said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. Replying to another question on licensing of airports, he said there are about 53 operational airports of Airports Authority of India (AAI), out of which 47 airports are used for scheduled or regular flight operations. “There are five airports of AAI which have obtained licence from DGCA. There are nine licensed airports belonging to joint venture companies (JVCs), state governments and others, out of which six are being used for scheduled flight operations,” he said. The minister said before 2004, aerodromes belonging to AAI or government were exempted from licensing requirement as these were in operation as per ICAO regulations and guidelines. “Amendment (Aircraft Rules) 2004, made licensing mandatory for all the airports, including AAI or government, however, these are allowed to operate until they obtain licences,” Mr. Patel said. The provision in amended aircraft rules had the requirement of obtaining the licence for existing operational aerodromes by the date notified in this regard. The said date had been extended from time to time as the licensing procedure is lengthy and took time, he said.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
India sore over UK move to tax airlines on seat basis
The UK government’s move to charge airlines even on empty seats has not gone down well with the Indian civil aviation ministry. The UK authorities have proposed that every airline from across the world flying there should be taxed on the number of seats instead of passengers carried by them. This means, even if the load factor is below flying capacity of its aircraft, the airline will have to fork out for vacant seats. The aviation ministry is opposing the idea as it may cost heavily to the airlines and so the passengers. “This is just not possible. We are not the only one opposing the idea. We have asked the Indian high commission in London to give us a report on the exact proposal, and then only we would take up the issue,” an aviation ministry said. The UK levy is christened as London departure tax that varies between Rs 4,500 to Rs 7,500 per passenger, depending on economy or business class. Currently, domestic carriers Air India (AI), Jet Airways and Kingfisher fly to UK. While Air India has 17 weekly flights to London from Delhi and Mumbai, Jet has 21 flights a week, two from Mumbai and one from Delhi every day. Kingfisher has 11 weekly flights to London. The average load factor on this route hovers around 70 per cent for all the carriers. The ministry official said even if taxes are levied on reciprocal basis, it would impact domestic carriers. “There are hardly two UK airlines flying to India, the biggest one being British Airways. British Airways schedules are such that it would have better load factor than any of our carriers that usually reach in the afternoon in UK. That is also the case with Virgin Atlantic. This means, a lower load factor for our carriers,” the official said. This is not the only way that UK is trying to push up its revenues. It charges over £400 per passenger for using VIP lounge at the terminal-5 of Heathrow airport. The Indian government is not happy with that too as there are no such charges levied by Indian airports. “We have taken up the matter with UK officials. We should sort it out soon,” the aviation ministry said.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Monday, September 6, 2010
Gopinath join hands with Tatas
Following on its partnership with the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries for a cargo airline venture, aviation entrepreneur Captain Gopinath has now joined hands with the Tata Group for a charter air service. The two deals with two of the country’s largest business houses have come in less than four months for Capt. Gopinath, who had founded the country’s first budget airline Air Deccan that he later sold to the Kingfisher Airlines. Capt. Gopinath first dallied with the aviation space through a private sector commercial helicopter service, Deccan Aviation, in the late 1990s, which he followed with the launch of Air Deccan in 2003.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Awaiting RBI decision on airline debt recast: Bhatt
Breaking its silence over debt recast for the airline industry, State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, today said it was awaiting a decision from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to restructure loans and yet treat them as standard assets. The move will help private carriers Kingfisher Airlines and Paramount, as Jet Airways has indicated that it is not facing problems in clearing its dues. National Aviation Company, which operates Air India, was also paying its instalments on time, in spite of being debt-ridden, bankers said. “The aviation sector is on uptick but it needs equity to survive. By restructuring some of the loans, we can reduce the stress for which regulatory clearance is required,” SBI Chairman O P Bhatt told reporters while announcing the bank’s quarterly results. Like the real estate sector, which got a helping hand from RBI, banks want to get the regulatory go-ahead to restructure the debt, and still treat the accounts as standard assets. In normal course, during the first year of restructuring, banks need to treat the account as a substandard asset which requires additional provisioning.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Qantas H1 profit may be 'materially stronger'
Qantas Airways Ltd said first-half earnings 'may be materially stronger' after Australia's biggest airline returned to profit on rebounding corporate travel and higher income from frequent flyers. "We can see as the recovery happens that the leverage to earnings in our airlines increases dramatically," chief executive officer Alan Joyce said in a telephone interview today The carrier had a net income of A$54 million ($48 million) in the second half ended June compared with a year-earlier loss of A$93 million, based on annual results. The carrier boosted earnings at its frequent-flyer program 12% in the second half and the Qantas-brand unit returned to profit on rising business travel and a company-wide cost- cutting program. Profit at the Jetstar budget unit fell as rising competition from Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd and Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd squeezed fares on domestic routes. "They've done very well in tough conditions," said Will Seddon who helps oversee A$350 million at White Funds Management in Sydney. "The worst is now behind them in terms of demand and yields, and the cost structure is now much leaner, so that bodes well for earnings growth." Joyce, 44, cut costs by A$533 million in the 12 months ended June, the first year of a three-year plan. The airline intends to save A$1.5 billion over the course of the program by flying more direct routes, using more fuel-efficient aircraft and paring the time planes spend taxiing to runways. The carrier fell 1.2% to A$2.48 in Sydney, matching the drop in Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index. Qantas hasdeclinedl7% this year, the second-worst performance among the 31 stocks in the Bloomberg World Airlines Index. First-half profit in the current fiscal year "may be materially stronger" than a year earlier subject to fuel prices and trading conditions continuing, Qantas said without providing a specific forecast. The carrier plans to increase group capacity 9.6% from a year earlier, it said. The airline's full-year net income fell 4.3% to A$112 million, trailing the A$181 million average of eight analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales declined 5.4% to A$13.8 billion. Full-year pretax profit to-taled A $377 million, compared with the airline's forecast of A$300 million to A$400 million. The result included a A$46 million impact from the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud that shut much of European airspace in April. "The A$46 million wasn't originally in our outlook when we talked aboutA$300to A$400 million," Joyce said. "The number we reported today would have been better by that amount if the volcano hadn't occurred." Second-half underlying earnings before interest and tax at the carrier's frequent flyer program, its most profitable unit, rose to A$171 million.The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Jet To Close Check-In 45 Mins Before Departure
Jet Airways on Monday announced that its check-in counters across six major airports will be closed 45 minutes prior to flight departures in the wake of new DGCA guidelines on reducing flight delays. The new timings would be effective from August 6. “This in effect would mean that the airline will close check-in counters 15 minutes earlier in an effort to comply with the new directive from the DGCA,” a press release stated.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Healthy travel demand lifts aviation stocks
Airline stocks have been moving northwards in the last month on the hope that aviation industry could be well on the path to recovery. In the first quarter ended June 30, the airlines' operational income has improved, and with the growth in air travel demand, the airlines say the future outlook looks positive. Since July 2, Jet Airways stock has risen 27 per cent to close at Rs 674.60. During the same period, Kingfisher Airlines was up 6.6 per cent to close at Rs 53.30 and SpiceJet was up 9.4 per cent to close at Rs 62.05. “Strong growth in (passenger) traffic and improved performance at operational level is reflecting in the stock prices of airline companies,” said Senior Analyst, Mr Mahantesh Sabarad, from Fortune Equity Brokers India. Another analyst from an Indian brokerage firm said that yields are stable and there are signs of recovery in the industry, which are pushing up the stock prices. Domestic airlines flew 45.04 lakh passengers in June, up almost 22 per cent against June 2009. In May, the airlines flew 47.85 lakh passengers which was again almost 22 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. According to a recent research report by IDFC Institutional Securities, “Post hitting the peak traffic levels in FY-10, the Indian aviation sector is expected to see continued traction in passenger growth (for April 2010, Indian aviation reported a 26.3 per cent growth at 4.1 million). With calibrated increase in capacity and traffic expected to grow two times the supply, yields and loads for the Indian aviation industry are expected to improve going ahead. With the cost curve of the industry at its bare bones, we expect the industry to return to profitability after 3 years of consistent losses”.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
DGCA introduces safety norms for flights
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has come out with detailed safety guidelines for commercial aviation. The norms was triggered by the Mangalore air crash in May, in which 158 people died. Amid allegations that the crash could have occurred due to pilot fatigue, the regulator has set down norms on what airlines need to follow to avoid that. From now on, all airlines will have to establish flight time and duty period limitations and a rest scheme for pilots and cabin crew. DGCA has specified that these details will now have to be included in the operations manual of airlines. In case the airlines think of introducing variations in duty and rest hours, the airline will have to seek permission from DGCA for this. Besides, airlines will also have to maintain detailed flight time records, duty periods and rest periods of pilot and cabin crew. Till now, airlines had been following the DGCA’s flight duty time limitation (FDTL) guidelines, implemented in 1992. But this did not make it clear whether all airlines were maintaining details of duty timings and rest periods. An official from a private airline said that with an automated rostering system in place, no pilot or cabin crew can be rostered for duty if h/she is within the rest period. “Our software tracks periods of duty and rest,” he said. Another airline official said that flight duty hours are checked regularly and as per new norms, rest periods will also be have to be tracked. The DGCA has also asked airlines to keep track of the total cosmic radiation that crew are exposed to over 12 months. This applies to flights operated 49,000 ft above sea level.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Monday, August 23, 2010
Govt dangles subsidy carrot to private airlines
The State Government plans to subsidize operations of private airlines in order to ensure airline traffic at minor airports coming up across the State. If the draft minor airport (operation and maintenance) policy formulated by the State Infrastructure Development department is approved by the State Cabinet, the Government will bear the cost of some important components of O&M of minor airports, including fuel cost, personnel cost, depreciation cost and airport charges. The aim is to woo private firms in taking up O&M of minor airports by making it financially viable, officials sources. The draft policy is likely to be placed before the next meeting of the State Cabinet for its approval. With the crash of aviation sector in the country, private companies are shying away from taking up O&M of minor airports in the State. The Government has had a bitter experience with Mysore and Belgaum airports. Though they are ready for operation, no private company is showing interest to take up O&M. For, private firms are not finding the operations viable. There are complaints from public that ticket prices are on a higher side to Bangalore-Hubli sector. The cost goes up if the load is less, officials pointed out. Officials sources said the Government is worried about the fate of airports projects already taken up. Work has commenced on five new airports in Shimoga, Gulbarga, Hassan, Bijapur and Bellary on public-private partnership basis. The existing Hubli (into an international airport), Belgaum and Karwar airports are to be expanded. Moreover, 13 airstrips for small towns, including Davangere, Raichur, Bagalkot, Chikmagalur, Gadag, Chitradurga and Kollegal have been lined up. Aimed at providing air connectivity at every 100 km distance across the State, the airports are expected to be completed in next two years. “But the big question now before the Government is: Will private firms find these projects financially viable to take up their O&M once they are completed? Minor airports were planned during 2006-07 when the country was witnessing aviation boom and private companies were eager to invest. Even private airlines had seen immense potential in tier- II cities. Now, it is feared that private firms may not show any interest,” officials explained. Nodal agencies The department appointed the Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Limited (iDeCK) as the nodal agency to implement airstrip projects in Chitradurga, Karwar, Haveri, Kollegal, Yadgir and Koppal. The Karnataka Housing Board will be the nodal agency for implementing proposed airstrips in Raichur, Gadag, Chikmagalur, Bagalkot, Udupi and Davangere. The two nodal agencies have been entrusted with the responsibility of determining the type of airstrips required, identify and acquire the required land and getting the required clearance from Airport Authority of India, officials said. The department has planned to develop airstrips in three phases. In the first phase, it will take up about four important places. Each of the airstrip is estimated to cost Rs 40 crore.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
AI Cancels Deal With Aussie Firm
Loss-making Air India said on Wednesday it had cancelled its controversial $1.6-million deal with an Australian firm to revitalize its brand identity for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. “Following a review of the brand and identity management plans, the project with Cato Purnell Partners has been annulled,” said an Air India spokesperson.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Kingfisher Airlines’ new service
Kingfisher Airlines launched daily direct flights on the New Delhi-Ludhiana- New Delhi route. “... King- fisher Airlines is currently the only private airline to offer services to Ludhiana,” the company said in a statement. The flights between New Delhi and Ludhiana are being operated as Kingfisher Red service, which is a “unique class of low-fare flying,” it added.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Jet to fly different route for growth
Jet Airways, one of the leading Indian private carriers, is not looking to expand at the same rate as it did a couple of years ago. The company is, instead, planning a more consistent growth strategy going forward, said a senior Jet Airways official. “In 2007-2008 we expanded like there is no tomorrow. This is not the same Jet Airways anymore. When we expand, it will be to strengthen the network contribution to the company. The routes we expand to should be those where we have a chance to become profitable in three to six months nothing more than that,” Jet Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Sudheer Raghavan, told. According to Mr Raghavan, long-haul routes (international) traditionally take 18-24 months to become profitable, and Jet, does not “have the appetite or the wherewithal” for such a long gestation period. While he did not elaborate on whether these routes will be domestic or international, Mr Raghavan said the strategy ahead could also be increasing frequency or “the gauge” on routes that the airline already operates on. “One way of improving our revenues is to add more capacity on routes where we have already established our presence as opposed to opening brand new routes. Brand new routes are riskier than increasing capacity on existing routes. So, growing need not always mean newer destinations, it could also mean growth on existing routes,” he said. In the last 18-24 months, the company has addressed its cost issues very strictly, he said. Without making additions to cost like manpower, the carrier managed to take its passenger volumes up. “At the time of the start of this two-year period (last two years of global economic crisis), our staff strength was 13,600 people, today it’s about 11,300 so we knocked off 2,000 not by retrenchment… but we didn’t fill the positions left vacant with attrition,” he said. Turnaround of JetLite and introduction of Jet Airways Konnect in 2008 also helped the carrier increase its passenger volumes without making an addition to capacity. NEW SERVICES “We launched our new services to the Gulf and other places (with the existing capacity). So we took all that additional passengers and increased flights without increase in manpower. We tightened our belts as we went through this period. By introducing Jet Konnect we increased the number of seats in the cabin so our cost per available seat kilometer came down,” he said.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
DGCA set to restrict aircraft passenger load
The DGCA may soon levy restrictions on the passenger load carried in certain types of aircraft landing at some of the 11 critical airports in the country in case corrective measures recommended by the DGCA are not carried out either by the airport operators or concerned state governments. In the wake of the Mangalore air-crash in May this year, special DGCA audit inspection teams have completed inspection of eight of the 11 critical airports in the country. The 11 critical airports are Leh, Kullu, Shimla, Port Blair, Agartala, Lengpui, Calicut, Mangalore, Jammu, Patna, Latur.
Sources said that the DGCA was seriously considering imposing restrictions on passenger loads at aircraft landing, for instance, at Patna airport which is one of the critical airports. “Certain tree-tops are obstructing the landing approach of aircraft at Patna.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Sources said that the DGCA was seriously considering imposing restrictions on passenger loads at aircraft landing, for instance, at Patna airport which is one of the critical airports. “Certain tree-tops are obstructing the landing approach of aircraft at Patna.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Now, Airlines To Compensate You For Delays, Cancellations
It’s now the turn for airlines to fasten seat belts. From Thursday, fliers can claim compensation for flight delays, denial of boarding or flight cancellations, according to guidelines formulated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The draft policy proposes a compensation of Rs 2,000 - 4,000 if a flight is delayed for more than two hours, but only if the airline is directly responsible for the delay. If the journey is delayed by more than 24 hours, the airline will have to compulsorily provide food and accommodation to passengers. “It will be on the DGCA website on Thursday,” said Mau-shumi Chakravarthy, civil aviation ministry spokesperson. Until now there was no rule to protect stranded fliers. Their only option was to approach a consumer court, often a time consuming exercise. The draft also protects the rights of travelers denied boarding during peak seasons owing to airlines overbooking flights. “Airlines will have to pay compensation in addition to a full refund,” reads the draft. Passengers are not entirely happy. “A workers’ strike can’t be equated with a natural calamity or emergency. Also, why allow airlines to get away for delays of less than two hours?” asked Sudhakar Reddy, president, Air Passenger Association of India.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Govt dangles subsidy carrot to private airlines
The State Government plans to subsidize operations of private airlines in order to ensure airline traffic at minor airports coming up across the State. If the draft minor airport (operation and maintenance) policy formulated by the State Infrastructure Development department is approved by the State Cabinet, the Government will bear the cost of some important components of O&M of minor airports, including fuel cost, personnel cost, depreciation cost and airport charges. The aim is to woo private firms in taking up O&M of minor airports by making it financially viable, officials sources. The draft policy is likely to be placed before the next meeting of the State Cabinet for its approval. With the crash of aviation sector in the country, private companies are shying away from taking up O&M of minor airports in the State. The Government has had a bitter experience with Mysore and Belgaum airports. Though they are ready for operation, no private company is showing interest to take up O&M. For, private firms are not finding the operations viable. There are complaints from public that ticket prices are on a higher side to Bangalore-Hubli sector. The cost goes up if the load is less, officials pointed out. Officials sources said the Government is worried about the fate of airports projects already taken up. Work has commenced on five new airports in Shimoga, Gulbarga, Hassan, Bijapur and Bellary on public-private partnership basis. The existing Hubli (into an international airport), Belgaum and Karwar airports are to be expanded. Moreover, 13 airstrips for small towns, including Davangere, Raichur, Bagalkot, Chikmagalur, Gadag, Chitradurga and Kollegal have been lined up. Aimed at providing air connectivity at every 100 km distance across the State, the airports are expected to be completed in next two years. “But the big question now before the Government is: Will private firms find these projects financially viable to take up their O&M once they are completed? Minor airports were planned during 2006-07 when the country was witnessing aviation boom and private companies were eager to invest. Even private airlines had seen immense potential in tier- II cities. Now, it is feared that private firms may not show any interest,” officials explained. Nodal agencies The department appointed the Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Limited (iDeCK) as the nodal agency to implement airstrip projects in Chitradurga, Karwar, Haveri, Kollegal, Yadgir and Koppal. The Karnataka Housing Board will be the nodal agency for implementing proposed airstrips in Raichur, Gadag, Chikmagalur, Bagalkot, Udupi and Davangere. The two nodal agencies have been entrusted with the responsibility of determining the type of airstrips required, identify and acquire the required land and getting the required clearance from Airport Authority of India, officials said. The department has planned to develop airstrips in three phases. In the first phase, it will take up about four important places. Each of the airstrip is estimated to cost Rs 40 crore.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Friday, August 6, 2010
Pay service tax at airport for tickets bought in June
If you have booked your air ticket in June then be prepared to shell out a service tax of Rs 103 on your domestic ticket and Rs 515 on your international ticket at the time of check in. The service tax on economy class travel came into effect from July 1. However, confusion prevailed among the airlines over its collection. But now, the government has asked the airlines to collect service tax on all the tickets sold in the month of June as well. Air India has issued a circular to all its travel agents to inform the passengers about the new service tax. While business and first class travel on international sectors was already under the ambit of service tax, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his budget announced a 10.3 per cent service tax on economy class as well. International tickets are charged a minimum of Rs 515. The tax is collected on each trip and a return journey attracts double the amount. An Air India official said that they were first informed that the tax had to be paid on all journeys on or after July 1, irrespective of when the ticket was bought. Later, the government issued a clarification stating that service tax should be levied only on tickets purchased on or after July 1. “Now we have received fresh instructions to collect service tax on bookings made from June 1. So now passengers can either pay the travel agent the tax amount in advance or pay it at the time of check in,’’ the AI official added. Despite repeated attempts, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines did not respond to media query on the issue. Sources in Indigo Airlines said they had not received instructions to collect tax on the tickets sold in the month of June.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Code sharing pact between BA, Kingfisher gets government nod
The aviation ministry has approved a domestic code-share agreement between Kingfisher Airlines Ltd and British Airways Plc, making it easier for travelers to visit a dozen cities in the two countries. Code-sharing allows one airline to include destinations offered by another airline on its own ticket. It usually happens for international routes. In May, Indian and UK aviation authorities amended a bilateral pact to allow code-sharing for some local routes between their airlines in principle, though every agreement will still require clearance from the government. Indian carriers Air India and Jet Airways (India) Ltd have sought similar agreements with the British Midland Airways. Two ministry officials said that the government has okayed domestic code-sharing between Kingfisher and British Airways, and the airlines will soon be informed. Both spoke on condition of anonymity. “We look forward to being able to offer our mutual customers the benefits of an increased network,’’ said a British Airways spokeswoman. A Kingfisher official said the agreement will help the carrier become a part of the Oneworld airline alliance by 2011. Global airline alliances allow members, who mostly have code sharing agreements with each other, to cooperate substantially. Kingfisher plans to have code-sharing agreements with Japan Airlines Ltd and Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways, both of which are Oneworld members. “We do not intend to expand operations this year but focus on consolidation,” the airline official said, requesting anonymity. The debt-laden carrier reported a net loss of Rs1,647.22 crore for the year ended 31 March, and had a debt of Rs7,413 crore at end-December. With a fleet of 66 aircraft, Kingfisher flies to 61 Indian cities, and operates daily flights from Mumbai and New Delhi to London. The amended aviation agreement makes the UK only the sixth country with which India has such a pact, after the US, France, the Netherlands, China and Japan. It allows UK carriers to codeshare with Indian carriers for at least 10 Indian destinations— New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Goa and Coimbatore. In lieu, the UK offers only five destinations—London, Manchester, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. “It sounds like a lopsided deal on paper,” said a London based analyst, who did not want to be named. Indians make up 1% of UK’s population of around 62 million and are the country’s largest minority group, according to the 2001 census of the UK’s Office for National Statistics. “The lack of Punjab (in the agreement) surprises me. Given the huge Punjabi population of Southall (a locality in west London), I expected Amritsar or Chandigarh,” the analyst said.The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Airline stocks rally on talks of likely hike in FDI limit
Aviation stocks saw buying interest in early afternoon trade on Thursday, riding on news that the government may relax FDI norms anytime soon. Jet Airways, which open ed at Rs 542.35, remained in the black through the day, surging to an intraday high of Rs 571.90, or 6.52 per cent. According to analysts, the company is likely to raise funds for its future projects, which may also have been the reason. “There are rumors the government may relax FDI limit in the aviation sector. This influenced trading on the counter. On a stock-specific basis, Jet Airways, which gained most among the airlines stocks, is looking to raise funds for buying new planes and cut debt. We believe the 4 per cent jump was partly due to this,” said Ambareesh Baliga, vice president at Karvy Stock Broking. On Thursday, 3.96 lakh shares of Jet Airways changed hands on BSE, against a two-week average volume of 0.84 lakh shares. On NSE, 16 lakh shares of Jet Airways were traded against a two-week average volume of 2.87 lakh shares. Other counter such as Kingfisher Airlines and SpiceJet inched up 0.50 per cent and 0.27 per cent to close at Rs 50.25 and Rs 56.20, respectively. However, in early afternoon trade, the scrips had jumped 2.60 per cent and 2.23 per cent from their previous close. Baliga said, “Istithmar sold SpiceJet’s share on Wednesday. This may have had an impact.” “The news that government may lift FDI limits for various sectors lifted the market mood. If the norms are relaxed in aviation, domestic airlines will find it easy to raise funds,” said Sudip Bandyopadhyay, MD and CEO of Convexity Solutions.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Thursday, July 15, 2010
GMR wins 2nd airport project in Maldives
Private Indian airport developers are now becoming a force to reckon with globally. The GMR Group on Thursday beat the Aeroport De Paris (that operates airports in Paris region including Charles de Gaulles) to win the bid to construct the $360-million airport in Male. The only other bidder was the GVK Group. This project also includes building a seaplane port also. Three parties namely Aeroport De Paris, France- TAV, Turkey consortium; Zurich Airport-GVK consortium and the consortium of GMR Infrastructure-MAHB (Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad) consortium were invited by the Maldives Government to take part in the keenly contested international bid process which was monitored by IFC, Washington. Speaking to TOI, P Sripathy, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport, said that the Male airport is already existing and profit-making airport. GMR will sign the deal papers in a week and six months later it will take over the operations of the airport, which is at present run by the government of Maldives.
The first of modernization will be completed by 2014, and the GMR group envisages an investment of $300 million, he said. The mandate is for the next 25 years. A unique feature of the MIA is that it includes the Sea-Plane port also. Incidentally, this is the second airport that GMR has taken up in Maldives as they had previously signed a MoU with the government of Maldives for the modernization and operation of the Hanimaadhoo airport situated in the Northern Islands of Maldives. With this, the group now has five airports in its portfolio. It has developed and commissioned the greenfield international airport at Hyderabad. The group, besides operating and modernizing the existing Delhi International Airport, has also constructed a brand new integrated terminal T3 which will be operational in July 2010. The group has also built a new terminal, designed to handle 20 million passenger capacity, at the Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Turkey and is operating it successfully.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The first of modernization will be completed by 2014, and the GMR group envisages an investment of $300 million, he said. The mandate is for the next 25 years. A unique feature of the MIA is that it includes the Sea-Plane port also. Incidentally, this is the second airport that GMR has taken up in Maldives as they had previously signed a MoU with the government of Maldives for the modernization and operation of the Hanimaadhoo airport situated in the Northern Islands of Maldives. With this, the group now has five airports in its portfolio. It has developed and commissioned the greenfield international airport at Hyderabad. The group, besides operating and modernizing the existing Delhi International Airport, has also constructed a brand new integrated terminal T3 which will be operational in July 2010. The group has also built a new terminal, designed to handle 20 million passenger capacity, at the Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Turkey and is operating it successfully.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
EU widens airline deal with US
European Union governments have dropped a threat to scale back flight rights for US airlines in Europe in return for an American pledge to work towards allowing foreign ownership of carriers. EU transport ministers approved the expansion of a 2008 agreement with the US that deregulated trans-Atlantic air travel. As a condition for the ‘open-skies' accord two years ago, the EU demanded future access to the domestic American market and reserved the right to suspend US flight rights in Europe should no broader deal be reached by end-November.
Under the expanded accord that negotiators struck in March, President Barack Obama's administration agreed to ‘engage in a process' to let European investors become majority owners of US airlines, and the EU vowed to grant reciprocal rights once that is done. US carriers have the right to control as much as 49 per cent of European airlines, while EU operators face a 25 per cent limit on voting equity in US airlines. “We hope there will be more progress,” Dutch Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings, told. “It was extremely important that we reached a second-phase agreement in order not to jeopardize everything that we had established till now.” The threat to suspend flight rights was the EU's price, which the UK insisted on, for spurring trans-Atlantic competition two years ago by letting European airlines fly to the US from anywhere in the bloc instead of from just their home country. The broader agreement “points the way towards further liberalization of investment rules in particular in the coming years,” the UK government said in a statement. Mr. Eurlings said the US airline industry “would be in a much better position” without limits on foreign ownership, while also predicting it would take years for American legislation on the matter to change. “For a well-functioning international aviation industry, it is important that you can have cross-ownership,” he said. “We keep on pushing. It is, of course, a very sensitive issue.”
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Under the expanded accord that negotiators struck in March, President Barack Obama's administration agreed to ‘engage in a process' to let European investors become majority owners of US airlines, and the EU vowed to grant reciprocal rights once that is done. US carriers have the right to control as much as 49 per cent of European airlines, while EU operators face a 25 per cent limit on voting equity in US airlines. “We hope there will be more progress,” Dutch Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings, told. “It was extremely important that we reached a second-phase agreement in order not to jeopardize everything that we had established till now.” The threat to suspend flight rights was the EU's price, which the UK insisted on, for spurring trans-Atlantic competition two years ago by letting European airlines fly to the US from anywhere in the bloc instead of from just their home country. The broader agreement “points the way towards further liberalization of investment rules in particular in the coming years,” the UK government said in a statement. Mr. Eurlings said the US airline industry “would be in a much better position” without limits on foreign ownership, while also predicting it would take years for American legislation on the matter to change. “For a well-functioning international aviation industry, it is important that you can have cross-ownership,” he said. “We keep on pushing. It is, of course, a very sensitive issue.”
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Jet Konnect to fly biz class at budget prices
In a clear sign that the good times are back, Jet Airways Konnect, the all economy service from Jet Airways, will introduce a business class on its flights. The fares will be less than business class fares on the full-service flights of Jet Airways. The new class is being created by reconfiguring seats on Jet Konnect planes and will be available from Monday. This is expected to add five per cent to Jet Airway’s annual revenue, a senior company official said. “A business class one way ticket from New Delhi to Mumbai on Jet Konnect will cost Rs 12,000 all inclusive, compared to Rs 35,371 on the full-service flights,” he said. Jet Airways’ chief commercial officer Sudheer Raghavan said, “With its low fare, high quality, all economy product,Jet Konnect will offer a superior flight product that is close to Jet Airways’ full-service business class product at reasonable fares, as well as additional on- ground Jet Privilege benefits.”
The new seats, in what is touted as ‘Konnect Select’ class, is meant to cash in on the upswing in air travel, particularly by business executives, following the improvement in the global economic environment. The ‘Konnect Select’ premium cabin will be available on several domestic routes, the airline said in a statement on Thursday. The services will include in-flight reading material, a welcome nonalcoholic drink and hot meals, all complimentary JET Konnect has a fleet of 18 Boeing-737s.
“We have already replaced a few front economy class seats with eight business class seats each on seven aircraft. The conversion of the remaining 11 planes will be done in few days,” Raghavan added. Jet Airways, the country’s largest airline by market share, has a fleet of 112 aircraft, including 25 operated by its wholly owned subsidiary, JetLite. Jet Airways had launched the all-economy; no-frill Jet Konnect service in May last year. Konnect now contributes about half of Jet Airways’ revenue. “With the new business class, the contribution will rise to 55 per cent,” said KG Vishwanath, vice-president of commercial strategy and investor relations of Jet Airways. Meanwhile, Jet Airways is planning to order three or four ATR turboprop planes, either in outright purchase or on lease, within nine months. These will be used on short-haul routes. It now has 14 ATR planes.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
The new seats, in what is touted as ‘Konnect Select’ class, is meant to cash in on the upswing in air travel, particularly by business executives, following the improvement in the global economic environment. The ‘Konnect Select’ premium cabin will be available on several domestic routes, the airline said in a statement on Thursday. The services will include in-flight reading material, a welcome nonalcoholic drink and hot meals, all complimentary JET Konnect has a fleet of 18 Boeing-737s.
“We have already replaced a few front economy class seats with eight business class seats each on seven aircraft. The conversion of the remaining 11 planes will be done in few days,” Raghavan added. Jet Airways, the country’s largest airline by market share, has a fleet of 112 aircraft, including 25 operated by its wholly owned subsidiary, JetLite. Jet Airways had launched the all-economy; no-frill Jet Konnect service in May last year. Konnect now contributes about half of Jet Airways’ revenue. “With the new business class, the contribution will rise to 55 per cent,” said KG Vishwanath, vice-president of commercial strategy and investor relations of Jet Airways. Meanwhile, Jet Airways is planning to order three or four ATR turboprop planes, either in outright purchase or on lease, within nine months. These will be used on short-haul routes. It now has 14 ATR planes.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Skies open, airlines battle backlog
Europe’s skies were open for business on Wednesday but with so many planes having been grounded by the pall of volcanic ash spreading from Iceland, it could take days or weeks to clear the backlog. About 75 per cent of flights in Europe operated on Wednesday – some 21,000 of the 28,000 flights normally scheduled, European air traffic agency Euro control said. Almost all of European airspace below 20,000 feet was available, with restrictions in some areas such as southern Sweden and Helsinki.
“It is anticipated that these restrictions will gradually be lifted throughout the day,” Euro control said in a statement. Britain, a global air hub as well as a busy destination in its own right, reopened its airspace on Tuesday night, giving a huge boost to travellers and air freight. British Airways said it was operating all its long-haul flights departing from Heathrow and Gatwick airports on Wednesday, but there would be some short-haul cancellations. Air France also said it would run all long-haul flights on Wednesday, Poland will reopen its airspace from 0500 GMT, and the Dutch allowed night flights from Tuesday after taking the lead in allowing passenger flights on Monday. German air traffic control said German airspace would be open, though of the 60 flights listed on the Frankfurt airport Web site on Wednesday, 46 were cancelled.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
“It is anticipated that these restrictions will gradually be lifted throughout the day,” Euro control said in a statement. Britain, a global air hub as well as a busy destination in its own right, reopened its airspace on Tuesday night, giving a huge boost to travellers and air freight. British Airways said it was operating all its long-haul flights departing from Heathrow and Gatwick airports on Wednesday, but there would be some short-haul cancellations. Air France also said it would run all long-haul flights on Wednesday, Poland will reopen its airspace from 0500 GMT, and the Dutch allowed night flights from Tuesday after taking the lead in allowing passenger flights on Monday. German air traffic control said German airspace would be open, though of the 60 flights listed on the Frankfurt airport Web site on Wednesday, 46 were cancelled.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Stranded travellers opt for video talks
The near-closure of the European airspace because of a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano has given the service providers of video¬conferencing suites a rea-son to smile. The air travel chaps has led to an increase in demand for such services by stranded travellers, who still need to interact personally for their global businesses. According to Shabd Sha-ran Mishra, managing direc¬tor of UK-based Renais¬sance e-Services, who has business interests in US and UK markets, "Conducting business through video-con¬ferencing seems to be the only logical solution in the current situation." "I was supposed to be in the UK on Tuesday to negotiate on a business deal taut since the flights got cancelled, the only option I have is to interact with my client via video-conferenc¬ing," he said. Mishra added though inter¬acting via video-conferencing makes a lot of sense economi¬cally and is a very cost-effective communication tool compared to physically travelling to the US or the UK, he would still prefer to communicate to his clients in person. "Communication through video-conferencing only costs a few hundred rupees per hour but a lot of people still prefer to be present on the location.
In person, it gives a better feel of the client's reaction, but given the situation, a lot of people like me have very few options," he said. BT Conferencing, a part of British Telecom (BT), said the company has seen a 35 per cent increase in demand since the beginning of the disruptions in global air travel. Madhusudan Thakur, country head, Regus South Asia, an office-space solutions provider, said the company has seen a surge in requests for its 2,500 video-communication suites across the world. He said thebookings for their video-conferencing suites have gone up substantially in the last five to six days. "We have registered around 20 per cent growth in India, 38 per cent in the UK and 12 per cent across Europe. In the US, book¬ings rose nine per cent," he said. Thakur also said it is common for a major news event to push up the demand for video-con¬ferencing. "We do see a spike in the use of our services when there are strikes, like the Lon¬don Tube strike, which happened in June, 2009," he said, adding that they expect the demand for video-conferencing to continue through next week.
"Travel is expected to be affected throughout the week¬end and even into early next week. So we expect continued need for business people to conduct meetings and commu¬nicate with colleagues via video-conferencing throughout the next week," he said. Reliance World, which oper¬ates the world's largest net¬work of video-conferencing suites, also confirmed that there has been an increase in the demand for video-confer¬encing services. "The figures are yet to be compiled and would be revealed only in the monthly report. But since the last one week, the demand for video¬conferencing service has grown substantially," the official spokesperson said. Reliance Webstore Ltd already offers wired video-con¬ferencing services to over 1,500 corporate clients through its network of over 200 video con¬ference suites at Reliance World stores spread across the country.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
In person, it gives a better feel of the client's reaction, but given the situation, a lot of people like me have very few options," he said. BT Conferencing, a part of British Telecom (BT), said the company has seen a 35 per cent increase in demand since the beginning of the disruptions in global air travel. Madhusudan Thakur, country head, Regus South Asia, an office-space solutions provider, said the company has seen a surge in requests for its 2,500 video-communication suites across the world. He said thebookings for their video-conferencing suites have gone up substantially in the last five to six days. "We have registered around 20 per cent growth in India, 38 per cent in the UK and 12 per cent across Europe. In the US, book¬ings rose nine per cent," he said. Thakur also said it is common for a major news event to push up the demand for video-con¬ferencing. "We do see a spike in the use of our services when there are strikes, like the Lon¬don Tube strike, which happened in June, 2009," he said, adding that they expect the demand for video-conferencing to continue through next week.
"Travel is expected to be affected throughout the week¬end and even into early next week. So we expect continued need for business people to conduct meetings and commu¬nicate with colleagues via video-conferencing throughout the next week," he said. Reliance World, which oper¬ates the world's largest net¬work of video-conferencing suites, also confirmed that there has been an increase in the demand for video-confer¬encing services. "The figures are yet to be compiled and would be revealed only in the monthly report. But since the last one week, the demand for video¬conferencing service has grown substantially," the official spokesperson said. Reliance Webstore Ltd already offers wired video-con¬ferencing services to over 1,500 corporate clients through its network of over 200 video con¬ference suites at Reliance World stores spread across the country.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Friday, July 2, 2010
Bridge-On-Sea Planned At Lakshadweep
India is all set to get its first bridge-on-sea runway. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed to extend the runway at Agatti Island by building a 1,000-footlong bridge on the sea and link it to the existing 4,500-feet-long runway of the airport. This technological marvel, along with a new terminal building, is expected to be built at a cost of Rs 150 crore within two years of getting the Lakshadweep administration’s nod. At present, ATRs operate to Agatti. But the small airstrip means there’s a load penalty, or in simple terms the 70-seater plane cannot have more than 48 passengers to remain light enough and operate on the available 4,500 feet.
Once the runway is 5,500 feet, ATRs can operate to capacity and Canadian Regional Jets can also fly in, said a senior official. In fact, the bridge-on-sea has emerged as the greener option to the original AAI plan of linking Agatti with the next island by connecting the sea in between in the direction of the runway. The idea then was to make the runway long enough to accommodate the big Boeing 737s and Airbus A-320s. This plan did not get environmental clearance as there’s a turtle colony in the direction of the runway where land was proposed to be reclaimed, said sources.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
Once the runway is 5,500 feet, ATRs can operate to capacity and Canadian Regional Jets can also fly in, said a senior official. In fact, the bridge-on-sea has emerged as the greener option to the original AAI plan of linking Agatti with the next island by connecting the sea in between in the direction of the runway. The idea then was to make the runway long enough to accommodate the big Boeing 737s and Airbus A-320s. This plan did not get environmental clearance as there’s a turtle colony in the direction of the runway where land was proposed to be reclaimed, said sources.
The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).
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