Aviation Insider

Articles giving aviation insights

IndiGo Becomes 1st Indian Airline To Fly 5 Million Passengers In A Month!

India’s leading airline, IndiGo,  has achieved a new feat in the month of October 2018 becoming the first domestic airline to fly more than five million passengers in a particular month.

According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) monthly performance report for October 2018, IndiGo has flown 50.75 lakh passengers in October.

Between January to October 2018, IndiGo carried 11.5 crore passengers, 21.1% higher than the last year’s figure.

It will also become the 1st airline in India to have 200 airplanes. For now it has 196 aircraft but will soon cross the 200 mark by next year.

India’s second-biggest airline Jet Airways flew 15.72 lakh passengers in the month of October, which was the second highest followed by Air India and SpiceJet.

Compared to the year so far, passenger traffic growth slowed down last month as domestic airlines increased spot fares on the back of higher fuel prices and a weaker rupee.

In terms of aircraft occupancy, Spicejet bagged the top spot in October recording an occupancy rate of 90.8%. GoAir stood second in the list with 84.1 % occupancy followed by IndiGo, which recorded 83.1 % occupancy.

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Varanasi Airport To Have India’s 1st Facial Recognition Security System!

Air passengers from Varanasi airport will be among the first who can board flights via a facial recognition system.

Under Digi Yatra, which is a Civil Aviation Ministry initiative launched to promote paperless, hassle-free and speedy airport entry, a facial recognition system will be introduced at four government-run airports.

Varanasi airport Director Mr. AK Rai has said that the installation of the automated security system is already under process. The airport’s entry, security and boarding points, the automated walkthrough security scanners are being set up, which have been equipped with facial recognition technology.

After the installation of the system, security checks will be carried out through facial recognition as soon as travellers walk through the scanner.

However, there will be no alteration in the way the luggage of the passenger is being checked. The airport Director added that the system will be put into service over the next four months.

The four government-run airports for which the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued requests for proposal (RFP) are Varanasi, Pune, Kolkata and Vijayawada. AAI is inviting companies to work out the logistics as well as implement the system.

Under the Digi Yatra initiative, a passenger will first have to get a unique ID by registering on the Digi Yatra portal using an approved ID proof document such as Aadhaar, PAN or driving license.

Once this step is completed, the passenger will have to go through a one-time facial verification at an e-gate at the airport’s departure terminal.

Following this, the details will be stored on a centralized registration system and thereafter, the passenger’s face will act as the boarding pass. Then, the passenger after dropping off baggage, if any, can directly proceed for security check.

The aim of the ministry is to reduce the waiting time of passengers by implementing this system. It is also being expected by the ministry that the move will lead to a reduction in overall costs and ultimately in airfares.

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Indian Airlines Seek Government’s Help To Get Out Of Financial Instability!

Airlines are asking the government to help them obtain unsecured credit from oil companies and airports to help them get over operational difficulties, as rising oil prices have threatened their financial stability.

Competition and high demand for air travel is forcing airlines to keep airfares low, which in turn is having a drastic effect on their day to day operational costs.

The Federation Of Indian Airlines (FIA), which consists of Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir, have sent a letter to the government addressing this issue saying that “Airlines are facing challenging times and substantial losses in the domestic environment”.

In the letter, airlines have asked the government to assist them to acquire a penalty-free, one-month unsecured credit from oil companies, as well as state-run Airports Authority of India and private airports.

The plea is the latest signal of the crisis facing airlines in India, where the world’s fastest growth in air travel has created a capacity shortage, while high fuel prices and a weaker rupee squeeze them further.

Base airfares can be as low as Rs 1 in India, while states charge taxes as high as 30% on jet fuel. The rupee has weakened almost 11% this year against the dollar, driving up financing costs on overseas borrowings. Airlines are unable to pass on those costs to the customer to keep their market share.

CRISIL, a renowned global analytics firm, has suggested that airlines will have to increase their current airfares by 12 % if airlines want to recover their losses and have enough to operate their day to day functions.

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Flying From Delhi Airport To Become Costlier Starting 1st December!

Flying from Delhi Airport may become costlier for travellers from December 1st following a hike in the airport charges levied by authorities on airlines and passengers.

Delhi airport charges have been increased seven times to a flat Rs 77 for each departing domestic and international passenger, starting next month.

Currently, domestic flyers pay Rs 10 each for departing from the IGI airport while an international traveller has to shell out Rs 45 as User Development Fee (UDF).

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India has approved this hike after Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) put forward their point citing the current tariffs were below the base airport charge set out in the government agreement when Delhi Airport was privatised in 2006.

Apart from higher passenger charge, airport fuel concession fee has also increased by Rs 500/Kilo liter. Aircraft landing charges have also been increased by about 5%  which will increase the cost incurred to a carrier.

Airline officials have said that a 3-7% hike in airfares may be necessary to meet higher airport charges however, this is not confirmed.

While discussing the hike sought by DIAL, Federation of India, an umbrella organisation representing IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and GoAir, told AERA that the application of basic airport charges would have an adverse impact on airlines and passengers.

The charges are expected to rise again as DIAL has capital expenditure plans between 2019 and 2024 control period. A new runway and taxiways will be built at the IGI airport, which has a capacity to handle 70 million passengers per year, apart from the expansion of Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 buildings.

The Delhi airport tariff is up for renewal from April next year.

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Airlines May Soon Be Ranked On The Basis Of Customer Feedback!

India citizens may soon rank its airlines based on the quality of service they provide to flyers. If this concept is implemented it will be the first country in the world to do so.

The quality will be determined by the ratio of passengers flying with a particular airline and the number of complaints registered against it.

Aviation Minister, Mr. Suresh Prabhu, said this on Monday while launching an upgraded version of the ministry’s aviation portal “Air Seva 2.0”, which promises to make registration of grievances and their redressal faster.

According to Mr. Prabhu, the ministry with the help of the portal will categorise airlines. For this, they will take the help of Quality Council Of India to determine the parameters for ranking airlines.

Airlines ranked lower will have to work to improve their standings as passengers will choose the airlines which are more customer friendly. This way the overall service from airlines is bound to improve.

Mr. Prabhu and his deputy in the ministry, Mr. Jayant Sinha, have always been very proactive on social media. They say that their social media accounts are flooded with complaints from various flyers across the country which made them think about a more systematic process for registering grievances and redressing them.

The next version of the portal, “Air Seva 3.0”, will be launched in a couple of months. It will allow passengers to register for Digi-Yatra, which offers paperless boarding for domestic passengers.

It will kick off in Bangalore and Hyderabad by February, followed by Varanasi, Kolkata, Pune and Vijayawada some months later. Other airports will soon follow suit.

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Reasons Why Flying Is Still The Best Way To Travel!

At times, Flying has been perceived very wrongly or unsafe which is not true!

There’s a whole new experience to discover while you’re sitting comfortably in your seat and travelling thousands of feet in the air.

Beautiful views, great service, decent food and accessibility are a few words you can associate with flying, but there’s much more to it.

Here are 9 reasons why flying is still the best way to travel.

1.Its The Fastest Way To Get Anywhere

Flying has always been faster than taking the bus, boat, or train!

For instance, if you travel via road from Delhi to Bombay it takes around 8 hours 11 minuets and whereas it takes on 1 hour 55 minuets by a flight on the same route.

Plus, when you’re to go back at the end of your trip, a flight is able to get you there in a matter of a few hours while a return trip by car or a train can seem painful.

2.Flights Are Surprisingly Affordable

It may seem like it due to inflation but airline ticket prices are actually near an all-time low. In fact they have been declining for the past 30 years, allowing more of us to fly than ever before.

More efficient airplanes, increased competition, and the amenity to bargain shop for flights online have all played a role in this trend.

And while we may frown when we see the ticket prices online, we are lucky enough to live in an era when the cost of flying is affordable.

3.It’s Safe

On a daily basis, there are more than 93,000 scheduled commercial aircraft flights across the world, and yet we can go weeks, months or even years without a fatal crash.

When you crunch the numbers, the chances of you being onboard an aircraft that crashes is really small. In fact, you are more likely to be struck by lightning than to be in an airplane crash.

But should your flight actually go down, you’re also likely to still survive. A study of all the air crashes that took place in the U.S. between 1993 and 2000 showed that more than 90% of passengers and crew survived.

Read more about “Why Flying Is The Safest Way To Travel

4.It Opens The World To You

Want to visit Paris Or have dreams of chilling on the beaches of Hawaii? Then flying is really the best option you have.

The days of taking a slow boat to anywhere else in the world are long gone.

For international travellers, flying opens up nearly an unlimited number of possibilities, allowing us to visit distant lands, experience unique destinations, and explore our planet to the fullest.

5.In-Flight Entertainment

Modern airplanes are often equipped with state-of-the-art entertainment systems that put a selection of movies, television shows, music, and games right at our fingertips.

This can help time to pass more quickly while on a flight and allow us to relax more in the process.

But even if your aircraft doesn’t have a built-in entertainment system, chances are you brought one with you. Most travellers now come equipped with smartphones and tablets, which can fill the entertainment void nicely.

6.You Can Be Productive

Carrying a laptop with you when traveling, plus having some free time aboard the aircraft while in flight, can give you the opportunity to be more productive than if you were driving to your destination.

If you have a long flight, it can be the perfect time to pull out the computer and get some work done.

7.Instagram Worthy Views

If you’re lucky enough to get a window seat, you are often treated to some great views.

There is nothing quite like soaring over the countryside while lakes, rivers, mountains, and other beautiful landscapes pass beneath.

Even at night, when darkness shrouds the sky, it is fun to look out and see the islands of light that spread across the world below.

Sure, you can get good views from other forms of transportation as well, but there is nothing that compares to the bird’s eye view you get from an airplane.

8.A Sense Of Community

Flying, particularly in economy class, can create a sense of community amongst passengers.

There is often this feeling that everyone on the aircraft is traveling together, even if just for a brief time.

This can in turn knock down barriers and create good conversations between passengers. People are generally very excited about the journey they are about to undertake and they often want to share that excitement with others.

9.Amazing Services

Beautiful airports, friendly flight attendants and the amenities they provide to ease us flyers are unparalleled as compared to other modes of transport.

Aviation industry provides its guests with the most amazing services. For instance, mostly you won’t find celebrity chef restaurants or world-class spas at train or bus stations.

Airlines and airports work hard to make our journey as comfortable as possible and in return, we have to pay a comparatively small fee for it, which is definitely worth it.

If you want to know more about these amazing services, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz app and get information about different airport amenities, airline policies along with real-time flight updates on the move and Fly Stress-Free.

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Kolkata Airport To Soon Get Inline Baggage Scanning System!

For the convenience of flyers, an inline baggage scanning system is finally being installed in the domestic section of Kolkata Airport.

This will end a wait of more than five years for a passenger amenity that is meant to be a basic feature of any modern airport terminal.

Work on this started last week, in check-in portal C of the terminal’s domestic area and will be extended to the remaining ones over the next couple of months. Airport officials said it would take about 15 days on an average to complete the installation in each portal.

Of the eight check-in portals within the terminal, five are assigned for domestic operations.

A separate inline baggage scanning system would be set up for out-of-gauge luggage, according to officials. The international section of the terminal, which already offers inline baggage scanning, will be upgraded to the new system.

Once the inline baggage screening system becomes operational, passengers using the domestic section need not queue up separately at X-ray kiosks to get their bags scanned before check-in.

In an automated system, a bag deposited at the check-in counter goes through X-ray machines on a conveyor belt. The belts are fitted with cameras and sensors that create images of the luggage with a barcode. The luggage is screened in a control room manned by trained personnel.

The out-of-gauge belt will ease the check-in hassles of passengers carrying golf clubs or other cargo that does not fit in the conveyor belt. Currently, any such item carried by a passenger has to be scanned and then carried to the baggage make-up area before it is sent to the aircraft.

The installation was to be completed by June but a delay in the arrival of equipment imported from the US forced a change in schedule.

Domestic airlines operating to and from Kolkata requested the airport authorities to start the process after Diwali to avoid chaos during the peak of holiday traffic.

Airport officials said work started in the domestic section first because the number of passengers it handles is far more compared to the international traffic.

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Bengaluru Airport Launches Fully Automated Self Bag Drop System!

There is some great news for passengers flying from Bengaluru Airport!

For the first time at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), automated baggage check-in facility will be open to air passengers from today. Following a three-month trial, 16 check-in counters will implement this system.

Here’s how the system will work:

  • The passenger will first have to print a boarding pass and an eezee-tag (bag tag) at a self-check-in kiosk.
  • Once Tagged, travellers need to go to these machines placed at the counters of the specific airline and place the check-in luggage on the conveyer belt near the counter
  • The weight of the luggage is digitally displayed
  • If it tallies with the luggage specifications of the airline, then a slip bearing the bar code for the luggage is printed and tagged to the luggage by the machine
  • Then the passenger has to feed in the PNR number from the ticket or mobile into the boarding pass kiosk, which automatically issues the boarding pass
  • The baggage will automatically head to the cargo hold

With this system, passengers will be able to check-in their luggage within an estimated time of 45 seconds.

This automated system will help airlines reduce its staff strength in the long run as presently two individuals are deployed by every airline to complete the check-in system. A person seated at the counter issues a boarding pass after verifying the ticket and another staffer tags the baggage to be checked in.

The fully-automated Self Bag Drop machines would initially be available for passengers flying with Air Asia and Spice Jet. This facility would be expanded to more airlines in the near future.

After terminal 1 of Mumbai airport got this facility in June 2018, KIA will be the second airport in India to have this system

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