Govt might not renew Kingfisher permit - source

India will not renew Kingfisher Airlines' (KING.NS) licence to fly if the ailing carrier fails to provide a turnaround plan by end-December, a top government official told reporters on Monday.

The airline has not come up with any revival plan as of now, the official, who declined to be named, said, adding that the airlines' licence is due to expire on December 31.

Kingfisher, once India's second-largest airline, has not flown since the start of October after an employee protest turned violent. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended its licence last month, after Kingfisher failed to address its concerns over safety.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/11/05/kingfisher-airlines-permit-idINDEE8A405X20121105

Cial to get approach radar in three months

ALAPPUZHA: An approach radar will be installed at the Cochin International Airport within three months, Union minister of state for civil aviation K C Venugopal said here on Monday.

With the setting up of the radar, aircraft can avoid procedural delays while landing and the air traffic control can guide the plane to descend.

Addressing an event organised by the Press Club here, Venugopal said that the radar would also help in forecasting weather conditions.

The new system would avoid situations like the recent diversion of an Air India Express flight to Thiruvananthapuram that ended in a hijack drama.

"The number of Air India Express flights to the Middle East has been augmented from 92 services to 119. Flights to Mumbai from Kerala have also been increased from 11 to 17 services," he said.

The minister said officials had visited Kochi on Monday to examine the possibilities of providing better catering service and entertainment facilities in budget airlines. "The Thiruvananthapuram-Riyadh Air India flight, with a seating capacity of 425 passengers, would be reintroduced from December 5. The Kozhikode-Jeddah Air India flight, which earlier used to be Kochi-Kozhikode-Jeddah, will be flying from Kochi from December 6,'' Venugopal said.

To a specific question on Air Kerala, the minister replied that the civil aviation ministry would examine if the conditions-20 aircraft and five year's domestic flying experience-- for international operations could be relaxed.

Venugopal assured that the construction of a bypass in Alappuzha would begin in three months. "It will be completed as a special project .The estimated cost for the project is Rs 200 crore,'' he said.

The cost of the bypass would be equally shared by the Centre and the state. Though the Centre has decided to convert the National Highway 47 into a four-lane stretch, the bypass would have only two lanes.

The bypass would not be constructed on build and operate model, Venugopal said, adding that the National Highway Authority of India has been entrusted with its construction.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Cial-to-get-approach-radar-in-three-months/articleshow/17107751.cms

Kingfisher Airline licence to expire on December 31 if suspension stays

NEW DELHI: After licence suspension, the grounded Kingfisher Airline (KFA) faces the prospect of its licence not getting renewed and expiring. Highly-placed government sources said licence ofKFA will expire on December 31 and it cannot be renewed unless the management is able to get the suspension revoked by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) before that. Revalidating a lapsed licence is a very difficult task, though licence cancellation is preferable in which an airline would need to start from scratch to fly again. 

"An airline operating permit (AOP, read licence) that is suspended cannot be renewed. A suspended licence must first be revived and only then can it be extended," former DGCA chief Kanu Gohain said. So now, KFA chief Vijay Mallya has to prepare a revival plan, raise funds and convince DGCA to lift suspension in time to get a renewal. Or else, KFA faces three options - remaining grounded for a long time, shutting down or a new investor restarting operations possibly under a new name by reviving the lapsed licence. 

India has seen examples of each of these three options. Many airlines like EastWest that started in late 1990s have shut down. Paramount and MDLR airlines had their licences suspended over three years back and are yet to restart operations. 

ModiLuft, launched jointly by Lufthansa and the Modi group in 1993, shut down in 1996. An NRI Bhulo Kansagra got its AOP revalidated and tried to launch an airline under the name of Royal Airways. That did not happen and in 2004 Kansagra got some more promoters and Royal Airways was launched as SpiceJet, which today is India's second largest budget airline. 

Top aviation authorities do not know which of these options will be the fate of Kingfisher. 

"We have not heard anything from the management. Once they give a plan, the DGCA will speak to airport operators, oil companies and some other agencies. The clearance to Kingfisher for flying again can come only if the DGCA is convinced that the airline can ensure safety and maintain its schedule," said sources.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Kingfisher-Airline-licence-to-expire-on-December-31-if-suspension-stays/articleshow/17109660.cms

Govt might not renew Kingfisher Airlines' permit to fly

NEW DELHI: India will not renew Kingfisher Airlines' licence to fly if the ailing carrier fails to provide a turnaround plan by end-December, a top government official told reporters on Monday. 

The airline has not come up with any revival plan as of now, the official, who declined to be named, said, adding that the airlines' licence is due to expire on December 31. 

Kingfisher, once India's second-largest airline, has not flown since the start of October after an employee protest turned violent. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA) suspended its licence last month, after Kingfisher failed to address its concerns over safety.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Govt-might-not-renew-Kingfisher-Airlines-permit-to-fly/articleshow/17102267.cms

Kingfisher Airlines’ licence may not be renewed: Report

New Delhi: The Government is unlikely to renew the licence of the debt ridded Kingfisher Airlines if it fails to submit revival plans by December end.

Reuters reported that the government will not renew the licence of the ailing Kingfisher Airlines if it fails to submit the revival plans by the end of December. 

The airline has not come up with any revival plan as of now, Reuters reported citing an official of the airlines, who added that the airlines' licence is due to expire on December 31.

On October 30, Vijay Mallya met Civil Aviation Secretary K N Shrivastava and had briefed him about the steps being taken to revive the beleaguered carrier.

"I have briefed him on revival and restart plan. It would be a comprehensive plan. All hurdles will be crossed," Mallya had told reporters after the meeting.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended its licence last month, after Kingfisher failed to address its concerns over safety. Moreover, the airlines has not flown since the beginning of October.

http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/companies/kingfisher-airlines-licence-may-not-be-renewed-report_63729.html

Tension at Aranmula as airport survey team arrives

Police help team members leave spot

Tension prevailed in Aranmula for a few hours on Monday when the local people blocked a team of KGS Aranmula Greenfield Airport Ltd. who arrived to survey the land where a controversial airport has been planned.

The team reached the converted portion of the Aranmula puncha (paddy land) in some vehicles around 1 p.m.

Worse turn

The situation took a turn for the worse when Jayesh Kuttamath, film producer, who was in the team, said the survey would assess the quantum of earth required for converting the land to lay the runway.

Protestors at spot

More people rushed to the spot, along with the action council leaders and V.N. Unni, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party district unit.

A police team managed to help the survey team leave the spot, leaving little time for the mob to turn violent.

The people destroyed the poles erected by the survey team.

The police have registered two cases on the basis of complaints received from the KGS company and the landowners.

The landowners accused the survey team of encroaching on their land, B. Vinodkumar, sub-inspector, said.

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·  Survey was to assess land required for laying runway

·  Protestors destroy poles erected by the survey team

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/tension-at-aranmula-as-airport-survey-team-arrives/article4069601.ece

New radar for Cochin airport

Venugopal vows to restore image of Air India

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation K.C. Venugopal said that an approach radar that will reduce the delay in landing of aircraft in poor weather conditions will be installed at the Cochin International Airport in three months.

Speaking at a meet-the-press organised by the Press Club here on Monday, Mr. Venugopal said the new radar would help in forecasting the weather conditions better. It would also help the authorities avoid incidents like the recent ‘hijack drama’ following the diversion of an Air India flight from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram.

Landing clearance

As per reports, a flight is made to hover over Kochi for over 15 minutes during peak hours before given clearance for landing, which is a security risk.

He said the Air India Express flights to West Asian destinations had been increased from 92 services a week in the early days of October to 119 services a week starting from October 28. This was done following complaints that the national carrier and its budget airlines had been cutting down their services to the Gulf sector. Flights to Mumbai from Kerala had also been increased. The airlines had been told to streamline the fares, he said.

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·  Promises help to start Air Kerala

·  Passes on Aranmula airport issue to State

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/new-radar-for-cochin-airport/article4069523.ece

AI connect Hyd with Varanasi For states brief

Hyderabad, Nov. 5:  

AIR INDIA DAILY FLIGHT TO VARANASI

Air India has introduced a new daily flight connecting Hyderabad and Varanasi with an Airbus A 319 aircraft offering both executive and economy class services. The new flight AI 695 will leave Hyderabad at 06.35 a.m. to reach Mumbai at 7.45 a.m. and leave Mumbai at 8.30 a.m. to reach Varanasi at 10.30 a.m. Besides Hyderabad, the new flight enables passengers from nearby towns to reach Varanasi the same day, an official release said. Return connection facility is provided via Delhi through flights AI 433/ AI 839 leaving Varanasi at 4.25 p.m. to reach Hyderabad at 9.40 pm. 

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-others/tp-states/ai-connect-hyd-with-varanasi-for-states-brief/article4068527.ece

Indian air travellers keen to stay connected on-board

New Delhi, Nov. 5:  

Indian air travellers are keen to stay connected not only on the ground but also in the air. And that too on their own mobile phones.

The Skyscanner survey of over 10,000 travellers across Asia Pacific shows that, across Asia Pacific, there is much less enthusiasm for allowing passengers to make calls on their mobiles while in-flight, with 51 per cent against their introduction. The figure drops even further among travellers from Europe.

The survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Indian air travellers favour the use of mobile phones on-board flights.

In a similar survey conducted earlier this year, an overwhelming 86 per cent of travellers said they were against the introduction of mobile phones on planes.

It, however, shows that Indian travellers are more tolerant of fellow passengers talking to friends and family back home.

“Only 18 per cent (Indians) would be annoyed by other passengers making calls, while this figure rises to 32 per cent across Asia Pacific. The figure drops even further among travellers from Europe,” the survey shows.

The Dubai-based Emirates airlines had recently said that it will allow passengers flying the Airbus A-380 to make calls on their own mobile phone through OnAir, their WiFi provider. “Indians find it important to stay connected with family and friends and thus it comes as no surprise that they back Emirates’recent announcement,” said Kavitha Gnanamurthy, Skyscanner’s Market Development Manager for India.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-info-tech/indian-air-travellers-keen-to-stay-connected-onboard/article4068436.ece