Friday 28 December 2012

Full-service airlines' alliance woos Indian low-cost carriers


With low-cost and hybrid air carriers having 70 per cent of the market, SkyTeam, the second biggest global airline alliance, with only full service carriers as members, is trying to woo some Indian low-cost carriers (LCCs) to join. The target it particularly favours is IndiGo.
SkyTeam is a 19-member airline alliance, with 17 per cent of the world’s airline capacity. It has only seven per cent of the Indian market but hopes to change this, with a platform for LCCs to be finalised in early 2013.

The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) says there has been discussion between IndiGo and SkyTeam. The latter’s spokesperson did not deny it and the IndiGo leadership team was not available to comment on this.
“We will not make them members of the alliance. They will be only partners, not members,” SkyTeam chairman Leo van Wijk had said at the annual general meeting in Beijing of the International Air Transport Association. Not being a member of the alliance would mean the hybrids and LCCs would not have to spend the time and resources involved in alliance management, which can include meetings and working groups.
Marisca Kensenhuis, public relations manager of Skyteam, said, “There is room to expand the SkyTeam network, as there are still target areas for growth, for example in India and Brazil. As there are not that many unaligned and eligible carriers left, we will look for new opportunities. Interfacing with hybrid LCCs could be a solution.”


Conceding the growing influence and network of LCCs, she said, “These airlines offer a network in addition to point-to-point services serving primary airports and have strong domestic and regional networks. They target a mix of business and leisure travelers.”
Experts believe IndiGo is an attractive option since 93 per cent of its capacity is deployed in the Indian market. The partnership with SkyTeam members will give them the benefit of a domestic feed without creating competition on the long-haul flights that are lucrative to existing alliance members.
With the global partnerships of Emirates-Qantas and Etihad-Air France-KLM, there was a lot of churn in aviation markets across the world. There is growing importance in strategic partnerships, rather than being a member of an alliance. According to a CAPA report, “Now, the primary association is often to key members, with the alliance alignment secondary. The global marketing alliances – Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star – have found themselves facing large dilemmas.”
First, almost all of the world's major airlines have become aligned to a global alliance, making it difficult to increase value. The standouts are largely LCCs and West Asia/North Africa network carriers. Second, internal segmentation has occurred as member-carriers, under pressure to be smarter and more strategic, form tight relationships outside of alliance lines, it added.
However, the biggest challenge that LCC entry in an alliance can pose will be the information technology integration in ticket selling and pro rata distribution of ticket costs among airlines, as the flyer will be goingg through many carriers.
Jay Bhatia, chairman, western region, of the Travel Agents Association of India, said: “It’s a great plan but I wonder how the inventory levels will be shared across various internet platforms of the LCCs and Global Distribution System (GDS) of the networks of the partner airlines. The best way is the GDS and in India, the LCC’s are not on the GDS.”
As the technology is evolving on a day to day basis, when the software and linkage will be in place, the LCC and the partner will be able to manage inventory control, baggage handling and connectivity of flight schedules.
The LCCs will have to come on the GDS so that their inventory can be shared, as over 80 per cent of airline reservations are on the GDS. LCC airlines have instant rates and bookings, whereas the full service carriers on the GDS do give time to hold and issue the tickets, he added.


AIE Kochi HQ should start operations from Jan 1: Official


Kochi: Civil Aviation Secretary K N Srivastava on Friday said Air India Express (AIE) headquarters here should start functioning from January 1.

In case there are any space constraints, efforts should be made to find additional space in the city or at the airport on rental or lease basis, he said during a review meeting at the AIE Headquarters here.

The budget airline has shifted its HQ to Kochi from Trivandrum.

Srivastava has given clear instructions that the Air India Express HQ should start to function from January 1; in case there are any space constraints they should try and find additional space in the city or at the airport on rental or lease basis, a press release said.

Air India Chairman Rohit Nandan, Director-board member K M Unni and other department heads of AIE also attended the meeting.

Srivastava discussed various problems that the budget airline faces, including shortage of pilots and technical issues. He also analysed the level of preparedness for commencing full fledged activities at the Kochi HQ.

The Secretary also emphasised the need to focus on the problems and requirements of passengers and stressed on maintaining schedule integrity which will help the airline gain passenger confidence. 

http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/companies/aie-kochi-hq-should-start-operations-from-jan-1-official_67147.html

Kingfisher Airlines should clear Rs 300cr dues before restarting operations: Airports Authority of India


NEW DELHI: In a major blow to grounded Kingfisher's plans to restart operations, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has refused to give its nod to the airline to do so without first recovering dues of Rs 300 crore. The AAI conveyed this to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday when the regulator sought its views after getting a new plan from Vijay Mallya's nearly bankrupt airline earlier this week. "AAI chairman V P Agrawal has written to DGCA chief Arun Mishra that Kingfisher can't be allowed to restart operations unless it first clears its dues. Once it does that, Agrawal told the DG, the airline can be allowed to fly on cash-and-carry basis," said sources.

Kingfisher owes about Rs 300 crore to AAI, out of which cheques for Rs 127 crore have bounced. "Lessors of Kingfisher want to repossess four 
Airbus A-320s. AAI has asked the lessors to cough up Rs 70 crore before they can be allowed to do so," said sources. The worries of companies that have leased planes to Kingfisher are growing as government agencies have started impounding aircraft because of the dues. The service tax department recently impounded an aircraft for this reason.

Aviation minister 
Ajit Singh and DGCA sources have made it clear that the new plan submitted by Kingfisher does not have any concrete financing roadmap for the cash-strapped airline.
A top official said that the airline's promoters are making desperate efforts to somehow get their licence back (which expires on Monday) so that they may be able to sell it off to someone. "Who will invest in a grounded airline that has collective debt and losses of over Rs 15,000 crore and an unpaid workforce of over 3,000 employees? The plan given by Kingfisher has nothing concrete in terms of recapitalization," said an official.

Also the aviation ministry is likely to take a tough stand on Kingfisher this time as its earlier soft handling had drawn flak. The airline was forced to declare a shutdown on October 1, a day after its employees refused to attach step ladders or aerobridges to aircraft. The DGCA later issued a notice to it and then suspended its licence - which is expiring on Monday.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Kingfisher-Airlines-should-clear-Rs-300cr-dues-before-restarting-operations-Airports-Authority-of-India/articleshow/17800795.cms

AAI executive falls off terminal roof, dies


An executive of the Airports Authority of India died at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here on Friday after he fell from the roof of the new terminal now under construction.
Pravin Kandelwal, 46, joint general manager (information technology), slipped and fell when he went to the roof to inspect the work around 10 a.m. He was rushed to a private health facility where doctors declared him brought dead.

Allowing foreign airlines to invest in domestic carriers was the game changer


New Delhi, Dec. 27:
The year 2013 will provide a good setting for domestic airlines to look at reviving their fortunes and improving their image, nationally and internationally.
This follows the Central Government changing the rules in 2012 and allowing foreign airlines to invest in domestic carriers. The move could not have come at a better time, as most Indian banks are reluctant to invest in domestic airlines.
Already, at least three Indian carriers – Jet Airways, Kingfisher and low-cost airline SpiceJet – are said to be in stake sale talks with various foreign carriers. There are indications that Jet Airways could be the first off the blocks.
In another positive move this year, the Government decided to become liberal in granting permission to Indian carriers to fly abroad.
Hence, Air India was permitted to operate daily flights from Delhi to Rome-Madrid-Barcelona and Moscow and also operate flights between Mumbai and Nairobi, while Jet Airways was permitted to operate a daily flight between Delhi and Frankfurt and Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City and daily flights from Delhi to Paris, Düsseldorf, Barcelona and Beijing and from Mumbai to Zurich.
In addition, SpiceJet was permitted not only to operate a daily flight between Pune and Bangkok but also on the Delhi-Dhaka-Yangon sector. It has also been allowed to fly three times a week to Lucknow and four times a week from Varanasi to Al Najaf in Iraq.
The year also saw Air India finally inducting the Boeing 787 aircraft, popularly known as the Dreamliner, into its fleet. The airline is hoping that the aircraft will be a game changer and turn its fortunes – both financially and in terms of passengers’ perceptions.
Kingfisher woes
The year 2012 was, however, a bad one for Kingfisher Airlines. After curtailing operations in the early part of the year, the airline suspended its operations on October 1. And on October 20, the airline watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), suspended its operating licence.
Kingfisher approached DGCA at the end of the year, seeking permission to restart its operations, a process that could take six-to-eight weeks from the time of approval.
In effect, what this means is that the airline’s licence will expire on December 31, 2012 and the earliest that it can take to the skies again is sometime in mid-February 2013, if not later. Kingfisher also saw agitations and strikes by its employees because of non-payment of salaries.
It, however, was not the only airline that had to face such protests.
Air India, too, saw the longest pilot agitation in its history – 58 days, primarily on the issue of who should be allowed to fly the Boeing 787 aircraft – Air India pilots or both Indian and Air India.
Passenger dip
In more bad news for the sector, after a gap of almost five years, the number of passengers carried by domestic airlines showed a decline from the first quarter of 2012. Many feel that this was because airlines stopped irrational pricing or offering tickets at below their cost price.
Hence, with the cost of air travel heading northward, there was a decline in the number of passengers flying. The industry is taking various steps including offering lower fares to those who book well in advance. At the moment, it remains unclear whether this will have the desired effect.
The Government’s other attempts at making the cost of flying more affordable, especially from Delhi and Mumbai, also met with moderate success. The Government called for abolishing the development fee being charged from these two airports.
But, in the case of Mumbai, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority, which regulates charges at major airports, decided to extend the period of the levy for another seven years, till 2021.
New airports
Worried at the slow growth in infrastructure development, including at airports, the Government decided to give an in-principle nod for 15 new greenfield airports in joint venture or public-private partnership mode, including those in Goa, Navi Mumbai and Kannur. Work on some of these, including on the Navi Mumbai and Kannur airports, is expected to begin before March 31, 2013.
The Delhi airport modernisation project was in the news with the Comptroller and Auditor General pointing out in its report that the GMR-led consortium of Delhi International Airport Ltd, which modernised Delhi airport, was given land at a highly concessional lease rental.

Grounded Kingfisher lacks funding plan - Ajit Singh


The airline, owned by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya and suspended in October over unpaid debts and salaries, submitted a plan on Monday to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume a limited service.

According to local media reports, Kingfisher's parent company, UB Group, offered to inject 6.5 billion rupees into the carrier - a key condition for getting it airborne again.

But Singh told reporters on Wednesday that UB "did not say they are going to give anything" to Kingfisher, which has estimated debts of $2.5 billion.

He did not specify if the proposal, to resume operations with five planes, had been rejected. But he noted that the airline owed money to banks, staff, airports, and tax authorities.

All those stakeholders needed to be convinced the relaunch plan was viable before the DGCA allowed the airline to fly again, Singh said.

Kingfisher, which has been trying unsuccessfully to raise fresh cash for more than a year, is hoping to tap Etihad Airways as an investor.

The Gulf carrier, which is seeking to widen operations in India and other Asian markets, is in the final stages of talks to buy part of either Kingfisher or Indian rival Jet Airways (JET.NS), an Indian government official said last week.

Last month, Diageo Plc (DGE.L) bought a majority stake in United Spirits (UNSP.NS), also a UB Group company, for $2.1 billion. UB did not specify if part of that money would be injected into Kingfisher.

Kingfisher shares erased intraday gains of as much as 3.8 percent on Wednesday to end flat on the day.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/12/26/india-kingfisher-airlines-funding-idINDEE8BP04520121226

KF lacks funding plan: Ajit


New Delhi: Gro-unded carrier Kingfisher Airlines has failed to present regulators with a clear funding plan under a proposal to get it flying again, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said on Wednesday.

The airline, owned by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya and suspended in October over unpaid debts and salaries, submitted a plan on Monday to aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume a limited service.

Though Kingfisher’s pa-rent company UB Group offered to inject Rs 650 crore into the carrier — a key condition for getting it airborne again, the minister denied King-fisher having provided any funding plans.

But Mr Singh told reporters on Wednesday that UB “did not say they are going to give anything” to Kingfisher.

He did not specify if the proposal, to resume operations with five planes, had been rejected. But he noted that the airline owed money to banks, staff, airports, and tax authorities. “All those stakeholders needed to be convinced the relaunch plan was viable before the DGCA allowed the airline to fly again,” Mr Singh said

AI pilots fly to Gulf for fat pay


Mumbai: Lured by handsome pay packages and “better” work conditions, flag carrier Air India’s pilots are taking a flight to the Gulf airlines leading to a severe shortage of commanders, airlines sources said on Wednesday.

The Gulf carriers were offering over “40 per cent more money” than Air India, leading the pilots to make a beeline to serve them, sources claimed.

“Many commanders on Boeing 777s have already quit Air India and moved to airlines like Qatar Airw-ays, Etihad and Emirates in the last few months. As many as 35 more commanders are all set to take up assignments with these airlines in the next 2-3 months,” sources added.

Such a drain could lead to “a substantial shortfall of commanders,” they said.

Air India currently has around 115 commanders to operate the Boeing 777 fleet, comprising 15 B777-300 (Extended Range) and eight B777-200 (Long Range).

Besides, it also has arou-nd 40 executive pilots, who had come to the airline’s rescue during the two-month long agitation by a section of its pilots in May.

At the same time, of the 13 sacked pilots who are yet to be reinstated, five are B777 commanders.
Last Sunday, an Air India Mumbai-Riyadh flight was delayed by 20 hours. The ai-rline had attributed this de-lay to flight crew shortage.

Qatar and Etihad were offering around `7.50-8.30 lakh per month to these pil-ots as compared to `4-6 lakh per month being paid by AI to its commanders, they said. Moreover, free education of three children up to 21 years of age, free medical and housing are the added attractions.

Arab Spring: Occupancy at hotels in Goa, Kerala beaches up 20% as international tourists seek safer destinations


NEW DELHI: The Arab Spring has had a pleasant impact on the Indian winter. Beaches in Goa andKerala are overflowing with tourists who have been weaned away from the warm shores of Egypt, where the new conservative government run by the Muslim Brotherhood has clamped down on beach tourism.

Occupancy in 
hotels in Goa and parts of Kerala this winter is 20% higher than in 2011, with tourists from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary and other Eastern European countries pouring in. "This is bonus traffic for the two destinations," says Vivek Nair, vice chairman and managing director of The Leela Group, which runs luxury hotels in Goa and Kerala. Occupancy at those properties have risen 20% and rates have gone up by 10-12% year-on-year, he adds.

Goa expects to welcome more than 5 lakh tourists this year, compared to 456,000 last year and 445,000 in 2010. Tourist arrivals from traditional markets such as the UK, France and 
Germany have dropped significantly since the slowdown of 2008. Local hotelierRalph de Souza, who is also president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, says business for his hotels is up 15-20% this year. "This is helping us keep our head above water," he says.

Nikhil Desai, MD of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation, says that average occupancy across Goa in the peak winter months, barring of course the last 15 days of December, has been 75%, which he expects will rise to above 90% this year. "There is a much larger potential from these markets that we need to tap in future," he says.

The tourism department is promoting a host of events, including the already popular Sunburn music festival, to provide a more diversified tourist experience. "At this rate, we will need to ramp up luxury hotel rooms in Goa," says de Souza.

Beaches of 
Egypt on the Mediterranean and Red Sea such as Naama Beach in Sharm el-Sheikh have been popular with tourists from Russia, and the CIS and Eastern European states. In a recent report, international hotel consultancy HVS said that with the recent troubles in the Middle East, countries like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan that used to attract a fair number of western tourists and also Russians tour groups, are no longer seen as safe destinations for tourism. Egypt received 14.1 million tourists in 2010, but the number is expected to fall to 12 million in 2012. "Large tour operators are looking for alternative destinations and India will be a beneficiary," says Kaushik Varadharajan, managing director at HVS India.

Kuoni, for instance, has started a charter from 
Russia to Tiruvananthapuram from November through April. This will bring in 200 people every 13 days. In Goa, Kuoni's partners operate one flight every day. "We've seen a 10% increase in our charter business this season. We have been able to convince operators to fly in charters to India from different parts of Russia," says Dipak Deva, CEO, Kuoni Destination Management, India & South Asia. What is also fuelling demand for India is better connectivity - Air Arabia and Qatar Airways, for instance, have daily flights connecting Goa and Trivandrum with these countries.

The opportunity from the decline of the Egypt and other West Asian markets, say experts, could be as large as a million tourists a year and many countries in Asia, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia and others will be eyeing this pie

Flight operations at IGI were normal with moderate fog


NEW DELHI: Flight operations remained normal at theIndira Gandhi International Airport here for the second consecutive day today even as the airport witnessed moderate fog.

"Flight operations were normal as there were nodisruptions due to moderate fog witnessed in the morning.There were no diversions of flights, though there were some cancellations and delays due to operational reasons," airport sources said.

The visibility at the runway did not dip below 1100 metres on all three runways through the night when airport witnessed moderate fog.

Visibility on the third runway (29/11) dipped to 800 metres but it was above 1,200 metres on main runway (28/10) in the morning, the sources said.

Delhi airport had witnessed dense fog for three consecutive days earlier this week, leading to delays in schedule of over 300 flights.

No clear funding proposal in KFA’s revival plan: Ajit Singh


NEW DELHI: Grounded carrier Kingfisher Airlines has failed to present regulators with a clear funding plan under a proposal to be able to fly again, aviation minister Ajit Singh said on Wednesday. The airline, owned by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, submitted a plan on Monday to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume a limited service. Its licence was suspended in October over unpaid debts and salaries.

According to reports, Kingfisher's parent company, UB Group, offered to inject Rs 650 crore into the carrier — a key condition for getting it airborne again. But, Singh said that UB Group "did not say they are going to give anything" to Kingfisher, which has estimated debts of $2.5 billion.

Singh did not specify if the proposal, to resume operations with five planes, had been rejected. But he noted that the airline owed money to banks, staff, airports, and tax authorities. All those stakeholders needed to be convinced the relaunch plan was viable before the DGCA allowed the airline to fly again, he added.

Air fares go up for New Year holiday travel


CHENNAI: Domestic air fares have shot up yet again. Flying domestic is going to be expensive this week as airlines have hiked fares because of huge demand for seats for travel during New Year weekend. Fares to Delhi and Mumbai are the most expensive.
A one way ticket to Delhi costs Rs 8,900 to Rs 10,200 while air fare to Mumbai has touched Rs 6,400 to Rs 9,000 for travel on this Friday and Saturday (December 28, 29). The fares are expected to go up further as not many seats are left at this price band.

KF lacks funding plan: Ajit


New Delhi: Gro-unded carrier Kingfisher Airlines has failed to present regulators with a clear funding plan under a proposal to get it flying again, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said on Wednesday.
The airline, owned by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya and suspended in October over unpaid debts and salaries, submitted a plan on Monday to aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume a limited service.
Though Kingfisher’s pa-rent company UB Group offered to inject Rs 650 crore into the carrier — a key condition for getting it airborne again, the minister denied King-fisher having provided any funding plans.
But Mr Singh told reporters on Wednesday that UB “did not say they are going to give anything” to Kingfisher.
He did not specify if the proposal, to resume operations with five planes, had been rejected. But he noted that the airline owed money to banks, staff, airports, and tax authorities. “All those stakeholders needed to be convinced the relaunch plan was viable before the DGCA allowed the airline to fly again,” Mr Singh said
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/121227/news-businesstech/article/kf-lacks-funding-plan-ajit

SpiceJet shareholders agree to raise funds from Maran


SpiceJet has announced in its regulatory filing today that its shareholders have approved the company’s proposal to raise funds through issue of debentures and warrants, on preferential basis, to its promoter Kalanithi Maran.
Earlier, the company’s board decided to raise Rs 130 crore through issue of 14 per cent unsecured compulsorily convertible debentures to Kalanithi Maran, and another Rs 15 crore through preferential allotment of warrants with an option to apply for equity shares to him.
Besides, it has also been approved that the company’s authorised share capital be raised to Rs 1,000 crore from the current Rs 565 crore; to redesignate S. Natrajhan as Managing Director of the company; and election of Kalanithi Maran and Kavery Maran as directors not liable to retire by rotation.
In September last year, Maran infused Rs 130 crore, increasing his stake to a little over 38 per cent. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Neil Raymond Mills, has said in a statement that the fresh shares will raise the promoter's shareholding to 43 per cent.
ravikumar.ramanujam@
thehindu.co.in
(This article was published in the Business Line print edition dated December 27, 2012)

Cargo exports ready for takeoff from city


A temporary arrangement has been made for handling export cargo from the Visakhapatnam airport, pending completion of the work on the integrated cargo complex.
The Andhra Pradesh Trade Promotion Corporation (APTPC) is the custodian of international cargo, and GSEC Ltd (formerly known as Gujarat State Export Corporation Limited) its official handlers.
At a meeting of the stakeholders convened by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on November 27, the Customs authorities had agreed to appraise the international cargo at the GSEC godown at Marripalem VUDA Colony. Once the cargo is approved it has to be sent to the airport in sealed containers. The Customs officials had also agreed to send an escort from the godown to the airport to accompany the cargo to prevent its tampering on the way.
“We (AAI) have agreed to give the registered baggage check machine for a nominal fee for use of the exporters. The exporters, however, have to adhere to specifications on dimensions of the export containers and weight of each piece,” Airport Director K. Srinivasa Rao toldThe Hinduon Wednesday.
The Customs officials had inspected the old terminal building at the airport and suggested certain modifications to suit their requirements. The revised estimate for carrying out the modifications has been put at Rs.1.6 crore and three cold storages are also planned.
“The revised estimate has been sent to the AAI Headquarters for approval. We have also included some works like raising the ground level outside the old terminal building to prevent water logging during heavy rain,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry D. Purandeswari, who represents Visakhapatnam in the Lok Sabha, has also agreed to consider release of funds from her Ministry as construction of the integrated cargo complex would boost trade and commerce.
Cargo exporters can check with the AAI for the guidelines and specifications and route their merchandise through the Visakhapatnam airport.

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Visa on arrival at city airport by January


THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Visa on arrival will be implemented at the Trivandrum International Airport by January.
"The matter is in its final leg of approvals and pending with the Union home ministry. We are expecting it to be implemented in a month," MoS civil aviation K C Venugopal told a news conference after a high-level meeting to review the developmental works and discussion on travel-related issues pertaining to the airport.
Asked if Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt Ltd would carry out the below wing operations for Air India and Air India Express flights at the airport, which means that the national carrier would suffer a loss of around Rs 8 crore annually as it would have to pay for the JV that was initially free, he said no decision had been taken to give Air India's flights to Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt Ltd here. "However, the JV will continue to operate at Trivandrum Airport while Air India Air Transport Services Ltd, the wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, has been given the ground handling at the Cochin International Airport."
TOI had previously reported how MP K V Thomas had written to union civil aviation ministerAjit Singh recommending that Air India Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd be given permission to conduct ground-handling services at Cochin International Airport.
Putting to rest rumours that the Air India Express headquarters would be shifted to Trivandrum to complement its MRO facility here, Venugopal stressed that the AIE headquarters would continue to operate from Kochi. The biggest developmental issue discussed by the chief minister was the multi-modal hub project mooted by the airport director.
A consultancy study will be conducted by the Kerala Road Fund Board, the MoS said. 2020 has been set as the deadline for completing Aeropolis, an industrial hub for aviation-related activities with the MRO as its spine and with an investment of around Rs 2,500 crore.
This will include the monorail project passing through the TIA.
The MoS also said there was no move to give the KSIE complex to a private party. He said flights that were taken off the schedule from Trivandrum International Airport will be reinstated in four months when the new pilots join.
The other development decisions taken at the meeting include commissioning a new radar system at the airport by June, fully operationalizing the MRO by February and a new aerobridge at the domestic terminal and CCTV for domestic terminal by March.
MP Shashi Tharoor said he was opposed to building a new domestic terminal and did not support any more land acquisition for the purpose.
The meeting was attended by AAI chairman V P Agarwal; Capt Pushpinder Singh, deputy chief operating officer AIE; H R Jagannath, chief of engineering, Air India Express; airport director V N Chandran; joint secretaries (civil aviation) Alok Sinha and Asok Kumar.

Kingfisher submits tentative revival plan to DGCA


The plan, however, does not specify when the airline will restart operations, said director general of civil aviation
New Delhi: Kingfisher Airlines Ltd on Monday submitted a tentative revival plan to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The plan, however, does not specify when the airline will restart operations, said director general of civil aviation Arun Mishra, who met Kingfisher chief executive Sanjay Aggarwal.
“We are examining it,” Mishra said. Kingfisher Airlines has said it will present a definite revival plan once DGCA gives its “approval” on the tentative proposal.
Kingfisher’s flying licence lapses on 31 December. The airline was grounded in October following payment defaults, flight cancellations and staff protests.
http://www.livemint.com/Companies/7AUjILKyTDIIrDCv9iHBrM/Kingfisher-submits-tentative-revival-plan-to-DGCA.html

High-level meet on Tiruvananthapuram Airport held


The high-level meeting chaired by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation K C Venugopal to plan developmental activities for the international airport here on Monday decided to introduce in-line baggage handling system and install one more aerobridge at the international terminal.
 The meeting gave a thumbs up to the proposal for developing the international terminal as a multi-modal hub with rail, water and road connectivity.
 The Minister said the issues pertaining to cargo clearance was taken up with the customs authorities.
 The Minister assured to reinstate the number of flights cancelled from the capital during the Air India pilots strike.
 The new aerobridge, the fourth one in the airport, will be installed within ten months. The in-line baggage handling system will be launched in June. The new radar system will be commissioned  by April.
 Venugopal also said that Visa on Arrival facility would be introduced in Thiruvananthapuram within a month.  Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Shashi Tharoor, said he had conveyed his apprehensions over acquiring more land for airport development. 
CM Oommen Chandy, Health Minister V S Sivakumar, AAI chairman V P Agrawal, T’Puram airport director V N Chandran attended the meeting.

Kingfisher Airlines submits revival plan to DGCA

The aviation regulator had suspended the flying permit of KFA in October


DGCA had suspended the flying permit of KFA in October after the carrier grounded its fleet following protests from engineers over non-payment of pending 7 months salaries.
The airline's licence was due to expire on December 31.
Had it even not submitted its revival plan, then also it would not have made difference. DGCA sources had told Business standard, "The carrier can submit its revival plan even two years after the lapse of licence on December 31."
The airline's lenders met and were conveyed the carrier that it may infuse Rs 425 crore to "partially restart" operations.
The airline's stock went up in the upper circuit today, rising by 5% reaching up to Rs 15.97.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kingfisher-airlines-submits-revival-plan-to-dgca/200477/on

KFA submits revival plan to aviation body


Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), whose operating permit was suspended by the aviation regulator on October 20, has submitted an interim revival plan to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to start limited operations.

Sources said the airline plans to initially resume operations with seven aircraft (five Airbus and two ATR turboprop) and gradually expand its fleet size to 21 (10 Airbus and 11 ATR) within ten weeks.
The airline, sources said, has informed the regulator that it would need R652 crore over the next 12 months for running operations and these funds would come from the UB Group's resources as banks are not willing to provide fresh loans.
Of the Rs. 652 crore, Rs. 120 crore would be needed to meet salary arrears for its employees.
The airline, which hasn't paid employees for last seven months, has informed the DGCA that it would give two months' salary to employees and give back wages each month from next month onwards.
The DGCA is unlikely to take any decision in a hurry. The regulator, sources said, will examine the proposal and call a meeting of all stakeholders.
"The airline has faltered on earlier promises and we don't want a situation where it restarts operation and it unable to carry on," a DGCA official said.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/SectorsAviation/Kingfisher-submits-interim-revival-plan-to-DGCA/Article1-980294.aspx