Aviation Insider

Articles giving aviation insights

Food & Beverage At Indian Airports To Become Affordable!

AirWhizzSep 11, 2018 No Comments

Food & Beverage At Indian Airports To Become Affordable!

Aviation Insider

In a bid to make refreshments affordable for air travellers, Airports Authority Of India(AAI) has ordered airports to sell snacks and beverages at Maximum Retail Price(MRP).

More than 90 government-run airports across the country will soon sell packaged drinking water at MRP along with snacks and tea at the lowest rate possible.

This decision by AAI has been taken after they received many complaints from passengers about the exorbitant prices charged for water and snacks at airport terminals.

In fact, in March 2018, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had tweeted about the high prices of tea at the Chennai Airport which caused many MP’s to debate about this topic in the parliament.

AAI has asked airport authorities to sell water and snacks at MRP at separate counters. However, these rules are not applicable to some of India’s biggest airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi, as these airports are run by private companies.

According to an AAI official, the notice to start different counters was sent to airport authorities last month. The companies running the food courts have been asked to run a separate counter where they can sell selected items at affordable prices.

Today, air travel is not confined to the elite. With the success of the UDAN scheme and low budget airlines, air travel is accessible to people from all segments of the society. However, they have limited options when they have to pay a premium price for tea and snacks. These counters will surely bring them relief.

Airports in places like Pune and Shimla have already set up cheap food counters at their terminals but AAI is looking to make this a permanent norm at other airports across the country.

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Everything You Need To Know About Hyderabad Airport!

AirWhizzSep 10, 2018 No Comments

Everything You Need To Know About Hyderabad Airport!

Aviation Insider

Since its initiation back in 2008, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad has delivered world-class services making it one of the most sought-after airports in the world.

With its technological prowess and magnanimous infrastructure, it has served and wooed weary air travellers who travel to the beautiful city in Telangana.

Yet, many of us are unaware of the years of dedication and planning that has gone in making this modern marvel.

So, let’s take a look at this airport’s journey and what it has achieved over the years.

History

In the 1930’s Hyderabad had its first airport known as the Begumpet Airport. It was used by the Nizam of Hyderabad for international and domestic travel and later was opened to commercial operations.

With the rise in popularity of air travel in the late 1990’s, Begumpet Airport was unable to handle the rising passenger traffic. The state government considered converting the Air Force Base in Hakimpet for civilian use, but the defence forces refused.

However, the Ministry Of Defence suggested three locations south of the Begumpet Airport, which were Bongloor, Nadergul and Shamshabad.

Due to its convenient location near two highways (NH 44/NH 765) and a railway line, Shamshabad was selected in December 1998.

In November 2000, the State Government and Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) on the greenfield airport project, establishing it as a public-private partnership. The State and AAI together would hold a 26% stake in the project, while the remaining 74% would be allotted to private companies.

Through the bidding process, GMR group and  Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) were chosen as the holders of the 74% stake. In December 2002, Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (HIAL), later renamed GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), was created as a special purpose entity, into which the State, AAI and GMR–MAHB placed their stakes.

Construction of the new airport started on 16th March 2005 when Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation stone. Roughly three years after the foundation stone laying ceremony, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGAI) was inaugurated on 14th  March 2008 amid protests.

The ‘Telugu Desam Party’ wanted to change the name of the airport. In addition, on 12th and 13th  March, 20,000 AAI employees had conducted a strike against the closure of Begumpet Airport, as well as that of HAL Airport in Bangalore, fearing they would lose their jobs.

RGIA was originally scheduled to open for commercial operations on 16th  March 2008, however, the date was delayed due to protests from some airlines over the high ground handling rates at the airport. Once the rates were reduced, operations commenced on 23rd  March 2008.

Awards & Recognition

  1. It won the ‘CNBC Infrastructure Excellence Award’ for Airports in 2009.
  2. In 2009, it also bagged the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) award in the category, “Best Airport Environmental Performance of the Year”.
  3. Since 2010, RGIA has been in the Top 3 Rankings of Airports Council International’s (ACI), Airport Service Quality(ASQ) awards in the 5 to 15 Million Passengers Per Annum(MMPA) category. It has bagged the number 1 spot 4 times.
  4. RGIA was awarded the prestigious National Tourism Award in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 under the ‘Best Airport’ category.
  5. In 2011, GHIAL was awarded a ‘Certificate of Merit’ in the General Category Sector at the National Energy Conservation Awards, in recognition of the initiatives taken by them to conserve energy
  6. RGIA has been honoured with the ‘Best Cargo Airport & Best Cargo Terminal of the Year’ in 2012 & 2013, by the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI).
  7. In 2013, RGAI had been judged as the ‘Best Emerging Airport’ in Indian Sub-Continent at the ‘Emerging Airports Awards’.
  8. RGIA was given the title of ‘Favourite Indian Airport’ at the Condé Nast Traveller India Awards.
  9. GHIAL received the “Quality Excellence Award for Best Customer Service Result” at the National Quality Excellence Awards in 2013.
  10. RGAI received the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Award for “Excellent Energy Efficient Unit” in 2014 and 2018.

Interesting Facts About Hyderabad Airport

  • The GMR Aviation Academy & Asia Pacific Flight Training Academy are located inside the airport premises.
  • GHIAL has been awarded the 5-star rating for its Health and Safety Management System from the British Safety Council.
  • In fact, It was the first airport in the world to get a 5-star rating.
  • It was the first airport in Asia Pacific to become Carbon Neutral by getting a ‘Level 3+’ certification from the Airports Council Of India, in recognition of their efforts to manage and reduce CO2 emissions.
  • It’s the largest airport in India by the area covered. It is spread across 5459 acres.
  • RGIA was the 1st airport in India to introduce E-Boarding for all domestic passengers.

If you want to know about things to do at the Hyderabad Airport, look no further. Download the AirWhizz app and get information about different places to eat, shop & relax at RGIA along with real-time flight updates the next time you fly.

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Bharat Bandh To Affect Passengers Flying From Bangalore Airport!

AirWhizzSep 10, 2018 No Comments

Bharat Bandh To Affect Passengers Flying From Bangalore Airport!

Aviation Insider

Air Passengers who have scheduled flights from Bangalore Airport before 3 p.m. may have to face difficulty due to the ‘Bharat Bandh’ in the city.

Members of the ‘Airport Taxi Owners’ Association have threatened to block the road leading to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) as part of the protest against rising fuel prices. The protest is to be carried out from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This will result in several passengers missing their flights.

Association secretary Mr. Hamid Akbar Ali, has said that cabs who were not members of their association, as well as private vehicles, will be stopped from reaching the airport.

Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) has put out an urgent message asking the departing air passengers to report to the airport at least four hours before their scheduled flight departure.

According to BIAL’s spokesperson, the airport operator has put in place some measures that will remove the inconvenience caused to passengers travelling to KIA. They are working with government departments and stakeholders to get regular updates, that will help them to take corrective action.

Individual airlines have put out travel advisories on Sunday night calling upon passengers to leave for the airport early.

IndiGo, Air Vistara and Jet Airways have cautioned their passengers that transport disruptions are expected and urged them to keep extra time on hand while travelling to the airport.

Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in the city. At least 15,000 policemen will be deployed and special security arrangement has been made for Airport and Railway stations, crowded places and some sensitive areas.

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Flight Operations At Sikkim’s Pakyong Airport To Start From October!

AirWhizzSep 08, 2018 No Comments

Flight Operations At Sikkim’s Pakyong Airport To Start From October!

Aviation Insider

The beautiful state of Sikkim is all set to join the aviation map of the country on 4th October 2018. SpiceJet will be launching the first ever flight from Pakyong Airport to different cities across India.

The no-frills carrier will operate daily direct flights on the Pakyong-Kolkata route from 4th October and the Pakyong-Guwahati route from 16Th October.

SG 3324, operating on the Kolkata-Pakyong route, will depart from Kolkata for Pakyong at 9:30 am, whereas SG 3325 operating on the route of Pakyong-Guwahati route will depart at 11.15 am.

A memento of the first flight ticket and boarding pass was presented to the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Mr. Shri Pawan Chamling, by representatives of the airline.

On 1st March 2018, SpiceJet had successfully operated a test flight to Pakyong, making it the first civil aircraft to land at the airport

The greenfield Pakyong airport, close to Sikkim’s capital Gangtok, had received the aerodrome license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in May 2018 for commercial operations.

Here are some interesting facts about the airport-

  • It is the first Greenfield Airport in Northeast India and is spread across 990 acres.
  • Located at a height of 4590 ft, this airport is considered as one of the 5 highest altitude airports in India.
  • The airport is often called an engineering marvel owing to the extremely rough terrain it has been built on.
  • The airport is built roughly 60 km away from the Indo-China border, giving it a huge strategic advantage. Indian Air Force(IAF) has already done test runs and will use the airport once it’s operational.
  • The project for constructing this airport was sanctioned 11 years ago, however, due to land acquisition problems, the project was delayed. It has been built at an approximate cost of 350 crores.

It will be the 100th functional airport in the country. Sikkim is the only state without a functional airport at present.

With the opening of Pakyong Airport, it is expected that it will boost tourism, which will help in the economic development of the state and connect it to the rest of India.

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Bangalore Airport To Launch ‘Facial Recognition’ Boarding System In 2019!

AirWhizzSep 07, 2018 No Comments

Bangalore Airport To Launch ‘Facial Recognition’ Boarding System In 2019!

Aviation Insider

In a bid to transform passenger experience and make the airport futuristic, Bangalore Airport has said that it will implement ‘Facial Recognition’ facility to make the boarding process paperless.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Lisbon-based digital and biometric solutions service provider, Vision-Box, have signed an agreement to launch paperless biometric self-boarding technology.

Below are a few key points about this technology:

  • The airport is set to become the first airport in India to have an end-to-end solution for paperless air travel.
  • BIAL expects that the technology will be implemented in the first quarter of 2019.
  • Jet Airways, Air Asia and SpiceJet will be the first carriers to use this technology for their passengers.
  • The goal of the programme is to simplify the journey by making it paperless from registration at the airport to boarding a flight.
  • The technology will identify passengers by their face as they move across the airport.
  • Passengers will not have to present their boarding passes, passports or other physical identity documents.

According to BIAL’s Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Hari Marar, ‘A passengers face will be their boarding pass’.

He also said that Vision-Box’s state-of-the-art biometric technology, combined with its passenger flow platform, will enable a seamless journey for passengers, without obstacles, waiting lines or hassles.

The Biometric boarding system has had a positive effect on airports all around the world. The introduction of such a technology in India will streamline the boarding process and who knows? Queues at the airport might become a thing of the past!

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19 People Fall ill On An Emirates Flight To New York!

AirWhizzSep 06, 2018 No Comments

19 People Fall ill On An Emirates Flight To New York!

Aviation Insider

In a bizarre incident that happened on a New York bound Emirates Flight, Over 100 passengers and the airline crew complained of feeling sick when the aircraft landed.

The Emirates Flight 203, which was travelling from Dubai to New York carrying at least 521 passengers, landed at the John .F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport at around 9 a.m. yesterday. Passengers complained of feeling ill with symptoms such as cough and fever.

The aircraft was taken to a location away from the terminal so that emergency officials could evaluate the situation.

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was working with other agencies to evaluate passengers, including taking temperatures and making arrangements for transport to hospitals.

19 people were confirmed to be ill. Out of those, 10 people were taken to the hospital while the other 9 declined treatment. The people who were taken to the hospital included 7 cabin crew members and 3 passengers.

All the other passengers were allowed to leave by afternoon after the evaluation. They were advised to call a doctor if they developed symptoms later.

Laboratory tests on samples from the patients have not confirmed the illness, but the symptoms such as, fever, cough and vomiting indicate influenza.

Doctors and medical experts believe that passengers who had attended the annual Haj pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca must have contracted the flu virus there. Many reports suggest that the virus had been spreading in that region. During the 14 hour flight, it must have got transmitted between passengers.

All who were hospitalized are in stable condition and no one was in need of “extreme” medical attention.

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Flight Operations May Start At Navi Mumbai Airport From 2021!

AirWhizzSep 05, 2018 No Comments

Aviation authorities are planning to start regular flight operations from the Navi Mumbai Airport from September 2021.

Civil Aviation Secretary Mr. R N Choubey, who reviewed the progress of the greenfield project in Mumbai recently, said that both the state government and the other stakeholders involved are hopeful of starting flight operations in three years.

He has also said that they are trying very hard to reduce this time and may start flights sooner since not all facilities need to be built to operate the flights. There has been good cooperation between the stakeholders in executing the airport project.

The project is being carried out under the public-private-partnership model and City and Industrial Development Corporation(CIDCO) of Maharashtra has been mandated to execute the project. GVK group is developing the project.

Mumbai International Airport Limited(MIAL), the regulatory body of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, hold 74 percent stake in Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL), while CIDCO holds 26 percent.

A concession agreement has been signed between CIDCO and MIAL which states that a total of 1600 hectares of land will be dedicated for the development of the airport.

The construction cost is expected to go up to Rs 13,562 Crore which is almost 50% more than the earlier projected cost of Rs 9,600 crore.

Once built it is expected that the airport will have an overall capacity to handle more than 50 Million passengers in a year. If this plan goes through smoothly, Navi Mumbai Airport will ultimately have three terminals, with the provision for a fourth. It will be able to handle 120 parked, landing and taxiing airplanes.

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Budget Airlines In India Offer Heavy Discounts This Festive Season!

AirWhizzSep 04, 2018 No Comments

Budget Airlines In India Offer Heavy Discounts This Festive Season!

Aviation Insider

In a bid to attract customers in this competitive aviation market, several low-cost airlines in India are offering heavy discounts on airfares this festive season.

No frill airlines IndiGo, GoAir and AirAsia India on Monday launched several discount schemes.

Here are all the details about it-

IndiGo

  • The market leader in the Indian aviation sector, IndiGo, is offering discounts on 10 lakh seats across 59 destinations in its network, for all-inclusive one-way fares starting at Rs 999.
  • Bookings of flight tickets for the four-day “festive sale” offer started on Monday for travel between 18th September 2018 and 30th March 2019.
  • The airline has also offered a super cash amount of up to Rs 600 or 20% refund on booking the ticket through MobiKwik.

Air Asia India

  • The airline is offering tickets to over 120 domestic and international destinations starting at Rs 999 for domestic travel and Rs 1,399 for international travel.
  • Domestic destinations include Bengaluru, New Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, Goa, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Pune, Guwahati, Imphal, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Srinagar, Bagdogra, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, Indore, Surat, Amritsar and Chennai.
  • International destinations include Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Krabi, Sydney, Auckland, Melbourne, Singapore, Bali.
  • The offer, which will run for 8 days, is known as the ‘Big Sale’ and will be applicable on air travel between 19th February and 26th November 2019.

GoAir

  • The airline is offering tickets across its domestic network starting at Rs 1,099.
  • The discounts will be applicable on air travel between 3rd September 2018 and 31st March 2019.
  • The sale will go on for 3 days.

The various discounts come at a time when airlines in India have been hammered by higher jet fuel prices, a weaker rupee and intense competition, restricting their ability to raise airfares to cover higher costs.

However, this decision by these airlines will surely help them attract more customers and in the bargain, make air travel more reachable for the general public of India.

 

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