airport

Expansion Of Pune Airport To Start From July 2018!

AirWhizzMay 07, 2018 No Comments

Expansion Of Pune Airport To Start From July 2018!

Aviation Insider

As part of the expansion plan, a new terminal building will be constructed at the Pune airport.

With 20.6 percent growth in the number of passengers in 2017-18, the Pune airport was ranked third in the list of fastest-growing Indian airports.

To handle this rise in passenger traffic, Airports Authority Of India(AAI) will expand the Pune Airport.

Here are the details of the expansion plan –

  • The Design of the new terminal building has been approved
  • The Construction work will start by end of July
  • The new terminal building will be ready for operation by 2020-21
  • More facilities for passenger comfort will be added
  • The current terminal building will be expanded as well

Apart from the new building, the airport’s expansion plan includes an integrated cargo hub, a multi-storeyed parking facility, more aircraft parking bays and additional aerobridges, among other facilities.

A graphic design of the airport’s new building is being prepared and will be made public soon. This walkthrough will enable people to experience what is in store at the airport.

Passengers and airlines at the Pune airport have faced a lot of issues in the past. A space crunch led to unnecessary delays of flights, lack of facilities for passengers within the airport, people being made to sit on a flight even after landing and many other issues which will be solved once the airport is expanded.

The expansion will be done using modern civil engineering techniques to ensure that the work is completed on time.

On May 3, Jayant Sinha, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, had approved the development of airport infrastructure in the county to accommodate the increasing air passenger traffic. AAI Airports such as Pune, Guwahati, Lucknow and Goa amongst others will be expanded in the next 4 to 5 years.

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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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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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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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Fun at Bangalore Airport – A 10k Marathon on the Runway & A Plane Spotting Deck!

AirWhizzApr 27, 2018 No Comments

Fun at Bangalore Airport – A 10k Marathon on the Runway & A Plane Spotting Deck!

Aviation Insider

The Bangalore Airport, commonly known as the Kempegowda International Airport, has been an example of India’s growing infrastructure excellence. In fact, it was awarded the “Best Regional Airport in India and Central Asia” by SKYTRAX at the world airport awards in 2017.

To build on its reputation, the Bangalore airport has planned some interesting activities for you.

INDIA’S FIRST EVER RUNWAY RACE

Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will organise a race called ‘Runway 10K’ on May 8th, 2018 to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

People above the age of 18 years have been asked to register for the event, which is said to be the first of its kind race to be held on an airport runway in India.

100 participants will be selected to take part in the run, which will be held between 12.45 p.m. and 2.30 p.m.

The event has already received registrations from 400 participants. The last date for registration is April 30th, 2018.

There would be no change in flight plans or schedules due to the event because May 8th falls on a Tuesday and the airport’s runway is incidentally closed every Tuesday between 12.30 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. for maintenance work.

People are looking forward to being associated with a run like this, because it has never happened before in India. This also gives KIA an opportunity to open up the airport to people other than airplane passengers as airports are restricted only to people who are travelling.

AIRPLANE SPOTTING AT THE AIRPORT

Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will soon have a plane-spotting deck for the interested public.

For now, there is no permanent place for aircraft spotting. Interested people send an e-mail to airport officials and only after the permission is given, officials take them to suitable spots to watch the movement of flights. But in future, there are plans to set up a permanent plane-spotting deck, where people can watch airplanes.

Airplane spotters will need a valid government identity proof and will have to take permission for clicking photos and videos from airport officials to get access to the deck.

Aircraft spotting is a popular hobby amongst youngsters in European countries and airports like the Munich Airport have a dedicated spotting deck for passengers and visitors.

Bangalore based airplane spotters are looking forward to this idea being implemented and believe it’s a good initiative as several people are interested in watching airplanes and are inquisitive about how an aircraft lands and takes off. It is also a good opportunity for children to learn about how airplanes and airports function and will motivate them to become pilots in the future.

If you want to know more about the Bangalore airport, simply download the AirWhizz app. Get information on things to do at the Airport on your fingertips via the App itself and Fly Stress-Free!

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Kathmandu Airport Shuts Down After Malaysian Jet Skids Off Runway!

AirWhizzApr 21, 2018 No Comments

Kathmandu Airport Shuts Down After Malaysian Jet Skids Off Runway!

Aviation Insider

Kathmandu airport was closed on Friday after a Malaysian jet with 139 people on board aborted its take-off and skidded off the runway.

Nobody was hurt during the incident but flights flying into Kathmandu were diverted while authorities tried to move the Malindo flight which was stuck in the loose mud.

Nepal’s only international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), was forced to suspend all international flight operations after the incident took place on Thursday night. Even till Friday morning, the plane could not be pulled out because it was stuck in the mud which was soggy after rains. TIA, however, resumed international flight operations after a suspension of over 12 hours.

Below are the details about the incident-

  • Malindo Air flight OD 181 was aborted at 8:00 p.m. when it was gaining speed on the runway and ready to take off.
  • The flight captain aborted take-off at the final moment after he saw an error at the monitor inside the cockpit.
  • The plane, with 133 passengers and crew bound for Kuala Lumpur, was travelling at 165 mph.
  • The aircraft could not stop because of the take-off speed and load at the final moment and overran 50 metres south from the runway threshold.
  • It overran runway 02 and came to rest on the soggy grass beyond the threshold.

The aircraft was kept at the parking area when it was taken out and towed away from the grassland. No damage was caused to the airport runway during the incident.

The incident came one month after the crash of a US-Bangla Airways plane at Kathmandu airport, where 51 passengers lost their lives. In March 2015, a Turkish Airlines jet skid off the runway as it landed, forcing Tribhuvan International Airport to close for four days.

Nepal airport has one of the worlds most tricky runways, which is surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Even the most accomplished pilots tremble when they are about to land or take off from the airport.

 

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