Aviation Insider

Articles giving aviation insights

In-Flight Wi-Fi & Calls May Cost More Than Your Flight Ticket!

AirWhizzMay 05, 2018 No Comments

In-Flight Wi-Fi & Calls May Cost More Than Your Flight Ticket!

Aviation Insider

The Telecom Commission on Wednesday approved the decision to allow in-flight wi-fi And Calling services on international and domestic flights.

Passengers will now be able to better utilize their time spent travelling. They will be able to stream videos online, answer E-mails, catch up on pending work and make calls at 30000 feet in the air.

But at what cost?

According to the proposal approved by the Telecom Commission, the prices of these services will be decided by the airlines and the service provider.

Countries that have allowed airlines to use these services charge around $4.5 for using 10 MB internet data. Domestic airlines expect that passengers using internet services on flights will most likely have to pay between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 on a 60-minute flight.

Below are some of the reasons why In-Flight internet and Calling services will be expensive –

  • Unique antennas will be installed on the airplane which will increase the drag of the aircraft. This will mean that the aircraft will consume more fuel and add to the fuel costs.
  • Installing this equipment on every plane will be a costly affair for airlines and they will have to spend between $400,000 to $600,000.
  • Engineering and Maintenance of equipment will also add to the cost

The airlines will pass on all this cost to the passengers. This means that travellers will have to pay much more for in-flight wifi services as compared to what they have to pay for data on their mobiles and public Wi-Fi networks on the ground.

In fact, in some cases, the use of in-flight Wi-Fi and calling services may cost more than your flight ticket.

Airlines like Air France, British Airways, American Airlines, Aeroflot, Air Asia and Emirates provide in-flight Wi-Fi services, but they charge handsomely.

According to eDreams, an online travel agency, the charges for In-Flight Wi-Fi usage may cost Rs 3350 for 150 MB on Aeroflot, Rs 302 for 10 MB on Air Asia, Rs 2412 for 200 MB on Air France, Rs 2144 for whole journey on British Airways, and Rs 1071 for 500 MB on Emirates.

Will it burn a hole in your pocket? Probably!

Is it worth it? You decide!

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IndiGo Flight Delayed by 5 Hours, Passengers Protest At Delhi Airport!

AirWhizzMay 04, 2018 No Comments

IndiGo Flight Delayed by 5 Hours, Passengers Protest At Delhi Airport!

Aviation Insider

Passengers took matters into their own hands at the Delhi Airport, after a Guwahati bound IndiGo flight was delayed by 5 hours on Wednesday.

A group of passengers left the IndiGo flight and started protesting against the delay and mismanagement on part of the airline. They were standing meters away from the active runway while protesting.

The Delhi to Guwahati flight, which was carrying 177 passengers, was delayed due to a sudden change in weather on Wednesday night.

Here are the details of the incident –

  • Flight operations were partially affected last evening as a thunderstorm hit Delhi and its surrounding areas, causing 21 flights to divert from the IGI Airport.
  • The IndiGo aircraft (6E-694) which was scheduled for Guwahati arrived late because of the weather conditions.
  • The airline started the boarding process at 8.15 p.m. But with the weather intensifying, the aircraft could not depart and had to wait for a “respective departure slot”.
  • The departure was further delayed as the pilot’s flight duty time was over and a new crew was arranged.
  • Passengers on the flight were agitated over the delay. There was no communication from the airlines about the cause.
  • A group of angry passengers de-boarded the flight at around 10 p.m. and tried to block the taxiway.
  • CISF had to be called in to contain the ruckus and force passengers back into the plane.
  • The flight, which was to depart at 6:30 p.m. finally took off at 11:45 p.m.

The passengers were provided accommodation and ground transportation by the airline at Guwahati after landing.

IndiGo stated they were not aware of passengers getting down from the aircraft. In a statement released by the airline, they said that they regretted the “inconvenience caused to the passengers” and stated the reasons for the delay.

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Government Set To Improve Airport Infrastructure In India!

AirWhizzMay 03, 2018 No Comments

Government Set To Improve Airport Infrastructure In India!

Aviation Insider

Airports in India handled almost 300 million passengers last year which was 16.5 % more than the passengers handled in 2016.

With India set to be the 3rd largest aviation market in the world, the government has planned to grow and improve the infrastructure of airports to handle the increasing air passenger traffic.

Here are the details of what the government is doing to improve this infrastructure.

NEW TERMINALS AT CHENNAI, GUWAHATI & LUCKNOW AIRPORTS

On Wednesday, The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to upgrade airports located in Chennai, Lucknow and Guwahati.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), has given approval for new terminals at Chennai, Guwahati and Lucknow airports at a cost of Rs 2,467 crore, Rs 1,383 crore and Rs 1,232 crore, respectively.

Here are the expansion details and how it will help the respective airports –

Chennai Airport – The new terminal building at the airport will expand across 3,36,000 sq.m. The terminal will also incorporate green building features. With this expansion, the airport will be able to handle 35 million passengers annually.

Lucknow Airport – The terminal building at the airport will have a capacity to handle 13.6 million passengers annually. The New Terminal building will have an area of 88,000 sq.m.

Guwahati Airport – The new terminal building at the Guwahati airport will have an area of 1,02,500 sq.m. This will help the airport to handle 9 million passengers annually.

2ND BIGGEST AIRPORT OF INDIA WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN MOPA, GOA

A joint team of Airports Authority Of India(AAI) and Commerce Logistics Department will be visiting Goa to facilitate the development of the new airport in Mopa.

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Goa will benefit greatly from this airport as it will improve connectivity on the coastal belt of western India.

Mopa airport will have the capacity to handle 30 million passengers annually as well as cargo. The airport will be functional by 2020. Dabolim airport will also be upgraded with an investment of about 600 crores.

The airport in Mopa along with the Dabolim Airport, will make goa the logistics hub of India.

In the last three years, there has been a growth of 18 to 20 percent in the aviation sector. These initiatives by the government will surely help airports in India to handle this huge growth and will help position India as one of the top players in the Global aviation market.

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Telecom Commission Permits Use of Mobile Phones To Make Calls On Flights!

AirWhizzMay 02, 2018 No Comments

Telecom Commission Permits Use of Mobile Phones To Make Calls On Flights!

Aviation Insider

Air travellers in India will now be able to use the internet and make calls on the flight. This is due to the Telecom Commission approving the proposal for In-flight connectivity on Tuesday.

While mobile phone usage will still be restricted during take-off and landing, the Telecom Commission has lifted the ban on the use mobile phones and internet services on the airplane while cruising in the sky.

The in-flight connectivity facility is expected to be rolled out in 3-4 months, once the licenses and back-end agreements are worked out. The telecom department will now have to create a separate category of licensees called In-Flight Connectivity(IFC) provider.

In an article published by us last month, we mentioned how Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India(TRAI) had recommended to the government that in-flight mobile usage and internet services should be allowed under certain conditions.

Here are the highlights of the conditions sent by TRAI –

  • Wi-fi onboard should be provided once boarding is complete.
  • Mobile communication on aircraft be allowed at a minimum altitude of 3,000 metres.
  • Passengers should use internet services in airplane mode.
  • Foreign satellites and gateways should be permitted for IFC providers to operate in-flight wi-fi.

Telecom Commission has accepted all recommendations of TRAI except the use of foreign satellites and gateways because the telecom department wants IFC providers to use Indian satellites for In-flight services and the gateway to be in India.

The prices on which in-flight Wi-Fi will be provided to the passengers will be worked out on a mutual agreement between the service provider and the airline. Passengers may have to pay Rs 200-300 for a 2-3 hour flight and more for international flights.

Major airlines, including Air India and Vistara welcomed the Telecom Commission’s decision, with Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu saying he will ensure “earliest implementation” of the proposal.

Globally, many airlines are already offering wi-fi for passengers, but they currently have to switch off the facility when they enter the Indian airspace.

AirAsia, Air France, British Airways, Egypt Air, Emirates, Air New Zealand, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways and Virgin Atlantic are amongst 30 airlines that allow mobile phone use on the aircraft.

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Flights Diverted At Kolkata Airport Due To Bad Weather!

AirWhizzMay 01, 2018 No Comments

Flights Diverted At Kolkata Airport Due To Bad Weather!

Aviation Insider

Heavy rains and crosswinds caused Kolkata airport to shut its operations on Monday morning. This resulted in flights hovering over the airport for half an hour or getting diverted.

No aircraft could take off or land between 10.18 a.m. and 10.51 a.m. because of the bad weather. The wind’s speed juggled between 62Kmph and 32Kmph, which is not ideal for aircrafts to fly in. If an airplane were to take off or land in such high wind speeds, the aircraft might skid off the runway or suffer a tyre burst.

More than 10 flights hovered over the city, waiting for the wind speed to come down. Seven of them had to be diverted to other cities.

Here are the details of the flights which were diverted –

  • Flights from Jaipur and Chennai of IndiGo airline were diverted to Bhubaneswar.
  • A flight from Mumbai and another from Bangalore, both of IndiGo, were diverted to Raipur and Patna respectively.
  • A Vistara flight from Chennai, an Air India flight from Bagdogra and a Jet Airways flight from Bangalore were diverted to Bhubaneswar.

No flight could take off during that period. A Dubai-bound flight of Emirates and an Air India flight to Delhi had to abort there take off. They both left once the weather improved.

This is the second such incident in the past few days, where flights from the Kolkata airport had to be diverted due to bad weather. Last week, strong winds and lightning at night caused seven Calcutta-bound flights to be diverted to Bhubaneswar and Guwahati. 10 other flights had to hover over Calcutta for more than 30 minutes before they could land.

If you want to know whether your flight has been delayed by bad weather the next time you fly, look no further. Simply Download the AirWhizz app and get real-time flight updates, weather updates and track your flight on the move.

Plan your trip better with us and Fly Stress-Free!

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Jetpacks: How You Can Fly Like Iron Man!

AirWhizzApr 30, 2018 No Comments

Jetpacks: How You Can Fly Like Iron Man!

Aviation Insider

The future is finally here! We’ve got tiny supercomputers in our pockets, virtual reality headsets, and now we’ve got actual jetpacks.

The idea of a personal flying machine was thought of as science fiction by comic book enthusiasts and sci-fi movie buffs. But, with the rapid advancement in technology over these past few years, companies have invested in the concept of jetpacks, and finally they are now here.

Before we get into how you can fly like Tony Stark a.k.a Iron Man from the Avengers series, let us see how jetpacks came into being.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF JETPACKS

The concept of a personal flying personal was first implemented in 1960. Bell AeroSystems engineer Wendell Moore developed the ‘Bell Rocket Belt’ for the U.S. Army, but the only problem with the jetpack was that it could stay in the air for only 21 seconds.

They dropped the idea and for a few years people tried and failed at making the perfect Jetpack.

In 2008 Yves Rossy, a Swiss pilot and engineer, created one of the first actual Jetpacks and flew it over the Alps like a superhero in movies. Despite being called the ‘Rocket Man’ by the media, he did not sell the Jetpack for commercial use. The cost of making it was also very high that time.

PIONEERS IN JETPACK TECHNOLOGY

By 2013 people were introduced to water-powered Jet Packs, but ‘Martin Jetpack’, a New Zealand-based company, introduced the world to a flying machine called the “P12 Jetpack”.

The company’s P12 jetpack has a maximum speed of 74 kilometres per hour and can rise to 3,000 feet.

Another company ‘JetPack Aviation’ build the ‘JB-9’ and demonstrated its effectiveness by flying around the Statue of Liberty in 2015.The ‘JB-9’ can reach a height of 1000 Feet at a speed of 160 Kilometres Per Hour.

BENEFITS OF A JETPACK

Applications of the jetpack are wide due to its small size and ease of handling –

  • Military – Using jetpacks is ideal for search, rescue and extraction of soldiers in the battlefield. Live reconnaissance, minefield avoidance, and ship-to-ship transfers are only a small example of the practical military applications for which Jetpacks can be used.

 

  • First Responders – Jetpacks enable firefighters to reach high floors faster. Police gain an eye-in-the-sky for observation and analysis. Disaster rescue workers can reach survivors in remote or unstable locations when roads are damaged.

 

  • Commuting – There’s no need for us all to sit in traffic. Some will drive, some will ride the bus, and some of us will fly.

 

  • Recreation – Imagine having a lake party with your guests showing off some party tricks with jetpacks. It’s a lot of fun and people are already in talks for Jetpack racing.

HOW SAFE IS IT

The Jetpack is built around safety from the start.

Jetpacks safety system is very similar to that of a Formula One car. Plus, whenever you strap on to the machine you will have to wear a flying suit, boots and a helmet. Inside the helmet, a radio system will allow you to converse with air traffic control in the same way as pilots on airplanes.

The ‘P12’ Jetpack mentioned above, also has a parachute system which opens at very low altitude and saves both the aircraft and the pilot in case of an emergency.

HOW CAN YOU GET YOUR JETPACK?

You can fly!

Anyone can be a Rocketeer by strapping on a rental jetpack or by stepping onto a flyboard.

Companies like Fly High Skyboard, X- Jetpacks rent out their flying machines and are a popular attraction at graduation parties and corporate events abroad.

In, fact Martin Jetpacks will soon start selling its ‘P12” jetpack to the public, once it gets its permissions. It will cost $150,000 excluding special gas charges and training cost.

You will need to complete a training course of 20 days. You don’t need a Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) recognized pilots license since the jetpack is classified under the “ultralight aircraft” category.

With machines like Jetpack, you will soon be able to fulfill your dream of flying like your favourite superhero from the Marvel Cinematic Universe!

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Duty-Free Shops At 17 Indian Airports Exempted From Paying GST!

AirWhizzApr 30, 2018 No Comments

Duty-Free Shops At 17 Indian Airports Exempted From Paying GST!

Aviation Insider

Last week we mentioned how international flyers will have to pay GST for duty-free shopping at the Delhi Airport. The Authority For Advanced Ruling(AAR) had announced that ‘Duty-Free’ shops at Delhi airport will have to pay Goods and Services Tax(GST).

But it seems for now, prices of perfumes, chocolates and tobacco sold at duty-free shops in Kolkata and 16 other international airports in the country will not be increased.

Flyers purchase liquor, perfumes and tobacco at duty-free shops as they get international brands at prices that are 30-40% lower than the market. If the AAR’s decision is implemented, the price of goods other than liquor will go up by 9-14%.

Duty-Free shops were exempted from giving Central Sales Tax(CST) and Value Added Tax(VAT) prior to GST, as sales from such shops were considered as exports and beyond the custom’s limit. However, the Delhi branch of AAR has now ruled that duty-free shops are within the territory of India and hence, subject to CGST. GST rate on chocolates and perfumes is 18% and tobacco is 28%.

Here are a few facts on duty-free shops in India:

  • Liquor sales account for 80% of the total sales at Duty-free shops in India.
  • Chocolates account for 10% of the total sales followed by cigarettes and perfumes that split the rest.
  • The duty-free market in India is valued at $200 million.
  • Sales for duty-free stores at Kolkata airport is the sixth largest in India.

Retailers and owners of duty-free shops at the airport hope that the AAR’s decision is not implemented as there won’t be any difference between a duty-free shop and a store located outside the airport. Sales will reduce at duty-free shops, and it will make no sense for retailers to pay huge rentals to do business at the airport.

If you want to know more about ‘Duty-Free’ shops at your airport, simply download the AirWhizz App. Get information about places to shop and other services available at the airport for you on the move.

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‘Duty-Free’ Shops Will Now Pay GST At Delhi International Airport!

AirWhizzApr 28, 2018 No Comments

‘Duty-Free’ Shops Will Now Pay GST At Delhi International Airport!

Aviation Insider

International passengers will now have to pay goods and services tax on things bought from ‘Duty-Free’ shops at the Delhi International Airport. According to the Authority for Advanced Ruling(AAR) duty-free outlets at the Delhi Airport are not ‘free from duties’ under the current Goods and Services Tax regime.

Duty-free shops were exempted from Central Sales Tax (CST) and Value Added Tax (VAT) as the sale from such shops were considered as exports and beyond the limits of customs in India.

The AAR in a recent ruling said that the sales of goods to international passengers from “Duty-Free” shops may be taking place beyond the limits of the customs under Integrated GST Act, however, these outlets are within the territory of India under the Central GST Act.

The ruling was given by the AAR based on an application filed by Rod Retail Pvt Ltd which runs a retail outlet at Terminal 3 (International Departure) of Delhi International Airport.

Here are the highlights of the ruling –

  • The AAR said that, Rod Retail Private Ltd is within the territory of India under the Central GST Act,2017 and Customs Act, 1962
  • The Retailer is not taking goods out of India and hence their supply cannot be called ‘export’ under Integrated GST Act,2017
  • Accordingly, the shop is required to pay GST at the applicable rates

Many retailers and shop owners are not happy with this decision as they feel that ‘Duty-Free’ shops will no more be “free from duty”. This decision would bring duty-free shops at par with other shops located outside the airport even after paying a hefty rent to the airport authorities, offering no incentive for duty free shop owners.

If you want to know more about ‘Duty-Free’ shops at your airport, simply download the AirWhizz App. Get information about places to shop and other services available at the airport for you on the move.

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