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  • Rourkela Airport upgradation for Hockey World Cup has new October deadline

    By Express News Service

    ROURKELA: Upgradation and restoration of economic flight providers on the Rourkela airport in view of the Men’s Hockey World Cup subsequent 12 months don’t appear a actuality earlier than October this 12 months. The event is scheduled for January 2023.

    Sources accustomed to the venture mentioned the revised goal for operationalising the airport is October this 12 months.  Considering the monsoons forward, solely three months are left in hand. In June 2021, work had begun for a brand new apron and taxiway at a price of Rs 5.69 crore. But even after 9 months, little progress could possibly be seen on the bottom. While tenders for brand spanking new terminal constructing and carpeting of runway haven’t but been awarded, nothing has been carried out for widening of the connecting highway or building of the brand new perimeter partitions with elevated peak. 

    For growth of the present runway,  Rourkela Steel Plant has offered 146 acre, however presently, lower than 15 acre has been utilized by Airports Authority of India (AAI). All these works are time consuming and completion inside a number of months is uncertain, sources added.

    Incidentally, anticipating airport upgradation by May, the AAI had earlier set time to use to the DGCA for upgradation of the present ARC 2B licence to ARC 2 which now appears inconceivable.

    Meanwhile, replying to BJD MP Amar Patnaik, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday made an announcement within the Rajya Sabha relating to standing of the Rourkela airport. 

    The Minister mentioned the airport owned by SAIL is licensed for Aerodrome Reference 2B operations (appropriate for 20 seater aircrafts). It has acquired bids  for ATR-72 plane below the RCS-UDAN scheme. The implementing company AAI has undertaken upgradation of the airport for Code 3C appropriate for operation of ATR 72 sort plane. He additional clarified 1,349 toes of the present runway is serviceable.

    Replying to Patnaik’s query if there’s any plan to subject ARC 4C licence to the airport for operation of larger aircrafts earlier than the showpiece hockey occasion,  the Minister mentioned Code 4C operation is just not possible throughout the accessible land.

    On January 31, the Minister had written to Raghunathpali MLA Subrat Tarai informing that Rourkela-Bhubaneswar route below RCS-UDAN scheme was awarded to Alliance Air. Till December 2021, round Rs 28.27 crore was spent on airport upgradation, and AAI has instructed to expedite the venture to make sure completion by October 2022. After that, Alliance Air would begin flight operation.   

  • Suspension of scheduled worldwide passenger flights prolonged until additional orders: DGCA

    The restriction won’t apply to worldwide all-cargo operations and flights particularly accredited by the DGCA.

  • Ban on scheduled worldwide passenger flights prolonged until Jan 31

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) prolonged the suspension of worldwide scheduled passenger flights until January 31, 2022. This is a return to the month-to-month extension of worldwide flight bans after the federal government final month determined to renew scheduled worldwide flights December 15 onwards, and later rescinded its choice.
    With the extension on the suspension, worldwide flights will proceed to function beneath the air-bubble association.
    The choice to renew common worldwide flights from December 15 was put in abeyance in gentle of the evolving scenario pertaining to the Omicron variant of Covid-19. While saying the scrapping of the resumption, the DGCA had stated that the efficient date of resumption could be introduced sooner or later.
    Separately, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has eliminated Singapore and Bangladesh from the record of ‘at-risk’ nations – that means passengers from these locations will probably be allowed to journey quarantine free to India. Also, it has added Ghana and Tanzania to the record. Now the record of ‘at-risk’ nations contains Europe, together with the UK, along with South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong and Israel.
    The authorities had final month determined to renew the scheduled worldwide passenger flights in a phased method with sure restrictions on flights from at-risk nations. But inside every week of this announcement, the Centre retracted its transfer.
    Following the announcement of the resumption, at a evaluate assembly on Covid19 preparedness, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested authorities officers to evaluate the plans for relieving of worldwide journey restrictions in gentle of the rising new proof. After this, a gathering chaired by the house secretary determined that the choice on efficient date of resumption of scheduled business worldwide flights will probably be reviewed as per evolving world state of affairs.
    On account of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Centre had banned scheduled worldwide passenger flights in March final yr, and overseas flights have been working after that by way of air bubble preparations.
    The resumption was to occur in a calibrated method with a staggered reopening for nations thought of ‘at-risk’. Among the ‘at-risk’ nations, if India has an air bubble association, flights would have been resumed at a 75% capability as determined in bilateral agreements, and for these with out an air bubble, at 50% capability. For all of the remaining nations that aren’t part of the ‘at-risk’ class, 100% of the flights had been allowed to renew.

  • Sabarimala airport: Louis Berger report not in tune with Greenfield Airports Policy, says DGCA 

    Express News Service

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The techno-economic feasibility report ready by Louis Berger, a personal company, for the proposed Sabarimala airport has drawn flak from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The site-clearance approval looked for the greenfield airport in not in tune with the Greenfield Airports Policy, mentioned the aviation regulator in its report. 

    “The proposed site has an aerial distance of approximately 88km and110km from the Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram airports respectively. According to para 8.1 (of Greenfield Airports Policy), no greenfield airport would be allowed within an aerial distance of 150km of an existing civilian airport,” the DGCA report mentioned. 

    In case a greenfield airport is proposed to be arrange inside 150 km of an current civilian airport, the impression on the present airport must be examined. 

    “Such cases would be decided by the government on a case-to-case basis. Further, the appended map/charts to get the site clearance approval is not signed or authenticated by the surveyor and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), the nodal agency for the proposed project, respectively, as the content of documents varies at various places,” the report mentioned. 

    Stating that the personal company’s report appears unreliable, the DGCA mentioned, “Any reliance on this report by any third party or external agency shall be solely at their risk and cost, with no obligation/liability on part of Louis Berger. No representation or warranty is given as to the reasonableness of forecasts or the assumption on which they may be based and nothing in this report is or should be relied on as, a promise, representation, or warranty.” 

    There had been additionally adversarial remarks in opposition to the location recognized for the runway. Louis Berger was entrusted with the duty of making ready the techno-financial feasibility report and the environmental impression evaluation report for the proposed Sabarimala airport.

    The authorities had lately handed over the sketch and site map of the proposed Sabarimala airport to the civil aviation ministry. The High Court had put aside a state authorities directive to the Kottayam district collector to deposit the compensation quantity earlier than the land acquisition authority for taking on the Cheruvally Estate for the airport. A complete of two,263.18 acres have to be acquired for the challenge.

  • 31.13 lakh home air passengers in June, 47% increased than in May: DGCA

    Around 31.13 lakh home passengers travelled by air in June, 47 per cent increased than the 21.15 lakh who travelled in May, the nation’s aviation regulator mentioned Monday.
    According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), 57.25 lakh folks had travelled throughout the nation by air in April.
    The drop in home air visitors in May was because of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that had badly hit the nation and its aviation sector.
    While IndiGo carried 17.02 lakh passengers in June, a 54.7 per cent share of the home market, SpiceJet flew 2.81 lakh passengers, accounting for a 9 per cent share of the market, in keeping with the info shared by the DGCA.
    Air India, GO FIRST (beforehand generally known as GoAir), Vistara and AirAsia India carried 5.14 lakh, 2.58 lakh, 2.25 lakh and 1.07 lakh passengers, respectively in June, the info confirmed.
    The occupancy fee or the load issue of the six main Indian airways was between 54.4 per cent and 71 per cent in June, it acknowledged.

    The occupancy fee at SpiceJet was 71 per cent in June, the DGCA famous.
    The occupancy charges for IndiGo, Vistara, GO FIRST, Air India and AirAsia India have been 62.7 per cent, 60 per cent, 70.9 per cent, 58.4 per cent and 54.4 per cent, respectively, it added.
    The aviation sector has been considerably impacted because of the journey restrictions imposed in India and different international locations in view of the pandemic.
    India resumed home passenger flights on May 25 final yr after a niche of two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
    Indian airways are allowed to function a most of 65 per cent of their pre-pandemic home flights.

    The DGCA knowledge talked about that in June, IndiGo had the very best on-time efficiency of 98.5 per cent at 4 metro airports — Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
    AirAsia India and SpiceJet have been on the second and third positions at these 4 airports in June with 98.2 per cent and 96.7 per cent on-time efficiency respectively, the DGCA mentioned.
    All airways in India have opted for cost-reducing measures comparable to pay cuts, go away with out pay and layoffs in an effort to tide over the disaster.

  • Domestic flight passengers with no check-in baggage to get fare low cost

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Friday issued a round permitting airways to present concessions in ticket costs to home passengers with none check-in baggage.
    Currently, a passenger can carry as much as 7 kgs of cabin baggage and 15 kgs of check-in baggage. Anything further is chargeable.
    The DGCA mentioned that “as part of airline baggage policy, scheduled airlines will be allowed to offer free baggage allowance as well as “zero baggage/no check-in baggage fares”.
    “As part of airline baggage policy, scheduled airlines will be allowed to offer free baggage allowance as well as “zero baggage/no check in baggage fares”. This might be topic to the situation that the passenger reserving ticket underneath such fare scheme is made conscious of the costs that shall be relevant if the passenger turns up with the luggage for check-in on the airline counter. These relevant costs shall be cheap; prominently exhibited to the passenger on the time of reserving of ticket and in addition to be printed on the ticket,” the round learn.

    Directorate General of Civil Aviation points a round, permitting airways to present concessions in ticket costs to passengers who carry no baggage. pic.twitter.com/o8ygs7kkGo
    — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2021
    “On the basis of various feedback received, it is felt that many times these services provided by the airlines may not be required by the passengers while travelling. Considering the fact that unbundling of services and charges thereto has the potential to make basic fare more affordable and provide consumer an option of paying for the services which he/she wishes to avail, it has been decided by the government to allow these services to be unbundled and charged separately on opt-in basis,” the DGCA added.
    On February 11, the Ministry of Civil Aviation elevated the minimal and most airfares throughout all bands, in a transfer that, on the one hand, would offer huge reduction to financially distressed airways however, on the opposite, would make air journey costlier for passengers no less than until March 31. The decrease and higher limits on airfares have been elevated by 10-30 per cent, as per a notification issued on Thursday.
    The recent decrease and higher restrict fares are: Rs 2,800-Rs 9,800; Rs 3,300-Rs 11,700; Rs 3,900-Rs 13,000; Rs 5,000-Rs 16,900; Rs 6,100-Rs 20,400; Rs 7,200-Rs 24,200, respectively. Under the outdated fare guidelines, the decrease and higher limits for these bands have been: Rs 2,500-Rs 7,500; Rs 3,000-Rs 9,000; Rs 3,500-Rs 10,000; Rs 4,500-Rs 13,000; Rs 5,500-Rs 15,700 and Rs 6,500-Rs 18,600, respectively.

  • Air India specific aircraft accident: Pilot error triggered mishap; DGCA officers visits Vijayawada airport

    Image Source : PTI Air India Express flight which hit an electrical pole whereas touchdown at Vijayawada International Airport at Gannavaram close to Vijayawada.
    A workforce of officers from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation visited the Vijayawada Airport at Gannavaram on Tuesday and carried out a preliminary
    investigation into the freak accident involving an Air India Express Boeing plane right here on February 20. Official sources mentioned pilot error triggered the mishap by which the Boeing plane suffered a minor harm on its proper wing after it hit an electrical pole whereas taxiing on the runway.
    According to sources, a Canadian lady pilot commanded the flight when the mishap occurred.

    The plane landed right here from Doha, en route Tiruchirappalli, however all 64 passengers aboard have been protected.
    ALSO READ | Air India Express flight hits electrical pole throughout touchdown at Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavara
    “The DGCA team launched a preliminary investigation into the accident and is probing various aspects.It has also inspected the damaged aircraft and spoke at length with the Canadian pilot,” the sources mentioned however refused to disclose extra particulars as “these things are confidential”.
    The DGCA workforce is predicted to proceed its job on Wednesday as properly.
    Latest India News

  • Profitable, loss making airports could also be clubbed collectively and supplied

    The authorities is anticipated to supply 6-10 airports within the subsequent spherical of privatisation, for which the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is exploring a brand new mannequin whereby a worthwhile airport and a non-profitable airport will probably be clubbed collectively earlier than being delivered to the desk. In an interplay with reporters Thursday, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola mentioned {that a} main benefit of public-private partnership will probably be that the sources of AAI, that are tied up with these airports, “will be liberated”.
    “Based on the experience gained, it is being contemplated by the AAI if we can club a profitable and a non-profitable airport and then go for the PPP process. Because for a profitable airport, a party would come and bid but for a non-profitable airport, a party would not come. So, a new approach is being examined by the AAI, where a profitable and a non-profitable airport will be clubbed and will be taken up as a package,” Kharola mentioned.

    Last 12 months, the federal government privatised six airports — Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangalore, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram — and the AAI Board has authorized leasing up of at the very least six extra — Bhubaneswar, Varanasi, Amritsar, Raipur, Indore and Trichy — for endeavor operations, administration and growth by way of PPP. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, whereas presenting the Budget earlier this week, mentioned as part of its asset monetisation programme, the federal government privatise AAI-owned airports in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

  • Suspension of scheduled worldwide passenger flights prolonged until Feb 28

    The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled worldwide passenger flights has been prolonged until February 28, aviation regulator DGCA stated on Thursday.
    “However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation added.
    Scheduled worldwide passenger companies have been suspended in India since March 23 because of the coronavirus pandemic. But particular worldwide flights have been working beneath the Vande Bharat Mission since May and beneath bilateral “air bubble” preparations with chosen international locations since July.
    India has fashioned air bubble pacts with round 24 international locations together with the US, the UK, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France. Under an air bubble pact between two international locations, particular worldwide flights might be operated by their airways between their territories.
    The DGCA round additionally stated that the suspension doesn’t have an effect on the operation of worldwide all-cargo operations and flights particularly permitted by it.

  • Airport facility: Order for early issuance of three licenses

    A petition on the demand for air facility was heard on Monday. During this time, the Central Government mentioned that DGCA has performed inspection for a three-C license. The state authorities shall be made conscious of any flaws discovered within the inspection. The courtroom has ordered the issuance of three licenses quickly. In the High Court, the Division Bench listening to a petition filed by Sandeep Dubey and Kamal Dubey on behalf of the High Court Practicing Bar demanding air services at Bilaspur Airport. It consisted of Chief Justice PR Ramachandra Menon and Justice PP Sahu. Advocates Sudeep Srivastava and Ashish Shrivastava have been current on behalf of the bar. While listening to the courtroom requested the counsel of the Central Government, what’s the progress of the air service. Ramakant Mishra, then the counsel for the Center, mentioned that on 13 January, the Airport Authority group inspected and submitted the report back to DGCA. If no error is discovered then a three-license license shall be issued in 4 weeks. If some error is discovered, the state authorities shall be knowledgeable in per week.