airport

India’s Fastest-Built Airport Terminal To Open In Prayagraj!

AirWhizzNov 13, 2018 No Comments

India’s Fastest-Built Airport Terminal To Open In Prayagraj!

Aviation Insider

Allahabad, now known as Prayagraj, is all set to get India’s fastest-built airport terminal building.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI), while aiming to complete the terminal in a record time of 11 months, has also expanded its plans for the airport by deciding to construct more aircraft parking bays than earlier planned.

The airport terminal is being built in this record time because Kumbh Mela will start from January 15 and will end on March 4, 2019. The state of Uttar Pradesh is expecting lakhs of devotees to visit the holy city that time.

In case you didn’t know, Prayagraj Airport is, in fact, an Indian Air Force Station with a civil terminal the size of a bungalow. The two rooms of that bungalow serve as the arrival and departure hall.

According to AAI Chairman, Mr Guruprasad Mohapatra, AAI is building a new terminal and more aircraft parking bays than originally planned since there is a huge demand for connecting Prayagraj city to other parts of the nation.

Unlike earlier, when just one parking bay was planned to allow one plane to be parked at a time, now AAI is coming up with three to four more parking bays, he added.

The initial estimated cost to build the terminal was around Rs 126 crore. However, the amount has now gone up by Rs 40 crore.

Since the city in Uttar Pradesh has a bench of the High Court, it is an important center for learning as well as a major pilgrimage. Hence, the demand for improved air connectivity has been increasing now.

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New Info-Sharing Platform To Make Kolkata Airport More Efficient!

AirWhizzNov 12, 2018 No Comments

New Info-Sharing Platform To Make Kolkata Airport More Efficient!

Aviation Insider

Flight delays and mid-air holding of flights because of congestion of airplanes on the ground have reduced at Kolkata Airport, thanks to a new common information-sharing platform.

This platform enables the airport operator, airlines and other agencies to process information accurately and take immediate, more precise decisions saving time for flyers, fuel for airlines and reducing carbon emissions.

The Airport-Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) system also enables flyers to get accurate information on arrival times of their flights.

A-CDM is currently active at 25 airports across Europe and Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru in India.

Here are a few benefits of the new A-CDM system:

  • Overall improvement in the efficiency of airport operations.
  • Orderly flow of air traffic.
  • Optimization of airport and airspace capacity
  • Reduction in carbon emission and pollution, due to the saving of fuel
  • Predictability of delays and swift distribution of information to all partners.

Here’s an example of how the system will work:

  • If an incoming flight is delayed by eight minutes, A-CDM will accurately predict the aircraft’s coordinates.
  • Also, if there is a 20-minute airplane congestion predicted over Delhi, then the flight taking off for Delhi will be delayed by 20 minuets so that it does not have to hover on reaching there.
  • Accordingly, this information will be shared with all stakeholders including passengers.

With this system airport operators will be able to know exactly where a delay is happening, whether it is in the baggage breakup area, in customs or immigration and will help in fixing the delay point and make the airport more efficient.

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Government Approves Privatisation Of 6 Indian Airports! !

AirWhizzNov 10, 2018 No Comments

Government Approves Privatisation Of 6 Indian Airports! !

Aviation Insider

Aviation in India is about to get a big boost!

Union Cabinet this week approved the privatisation of airports in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru.

The airports will be operated under a Public-Private Partnership(PPP). This will include operation, management as well as the development of these airports and would be done through Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC).

The Cabinet has said that the move is expected to enhance the revenue to the Airports Authority of India and increased economic development in these areas in terms of creation of jobs and related infrastructure.

Here’s why the PPP model will benefit us in the future:

  • In airport infrastructure projects, PPP brings efficiency in service delivery as well as professionalism
  • With PPP model, many airports have been provided with world-class infrastructure. Moreover, the PPP has also contributed to the delivery of efficient and timely services to air passengers.
  • Other than creating world-class airports, the PPP model has also helped the Airports Authority of India in enhancing its revenues as well as focusing on airports development and boosting air navigation infrastructure across the nation.

At present, the Indian airports that are being managed under PPP include Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Cochin airports.

Interestingly, the above-mentioned airports have been ranked among the top 5 in their respective categories by the Airports Council International in terms of Airport Service Quality.

According to the Cabinet, the airport sector is the top contender among infrastructure sectors in terms of international interest. Therefore, by adoption of PPP model, the airport sector may provide an immediate opportunity to attract foreign direct investment.

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Everything You Need To Know About Buying Travel Insurance!

AirWhizzNov 09, 2018 No Comments

Everything You Need To Know About Buying Travel Insurance!

Travel Like a Pro

International travel in India has increased exponentially over the past few years and so has the need for a travel insurance cover.

According to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) report, 25 million Indian tourists travel abroad every year for vacationing. It is estimated that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020.

More travellers want to experience offbeat places and are willing to go on adventurous trips but despite this, while planning a trip, Indians don’t consider travel insurance as one of their priorities for their journey.

This is because most people fail to understand what travel insurance actually covers.

To help you make informed choices as travellers , let’s first understand the basic types of covers under travel insurance in India.

Basic Travel Insurance Policy

A basic travel insurance will primarily cover your emergency medical care and loss of belongings while travelling. However, you can add other covers such as:

  • Burglary at home at the time of travel
  • Reimbursement if your flight gets delayed for more than 12 hours
  • Coverage of bounced/cancelled bookings of hotels and airlines

Travel insurance also covers personal liability. For instance, if someone sues you for damage to property during the period of your insurance and is caused by an occurrence to which this coverage applies, the company will pay up to the amount stated in the policy.

The medical benefits of a travel insurance policy include accidental death or injury during the trip, expenses incurred on account of injury, sickness etc.

There Are 2 Basic Types Of Travel Insurance

1.Domestic Travel Insurance

The domestic travel insurance promises to have your back at every step when you’re travelling within the country.

This cover mainly looks into all your critical travel mishaps mentioned above.

The cover also reimburses the cost of round-economy airfare and hotel of an immediate family member in case of sudden hospitalization on the trip.

A domestic travel insurance will cover accidental medical emergencies or assistance required in India. It additionally reimburses for transportation, treatment and medical supplies in case of hospitalization or will compensate for death/injury while boarding or already on a flight.

2.Overseas Travel Insurance

An overseas travel insurance is a must-have while you’re travelling abroad, not only because it shelters your primary covers as mentioned above but offers protection for a number of contingencies during an international trip.

  • The insurance policy extensively covers, loss of passport, documents, baggage loss and baggage delay.
  • It covers you in case your checked-in luggage is lost while in the custody of your airline due to theft or non-delivery at its destination
  • It also covers accidental death & dismemberment, emergency medical evacuation which includes transportation, medical treatment, medical services and supplies necessary during an emergency evacuation
  • Additionally, an overseas policy will also cover fraudulent charges on your credit/debit card. This cover rescues you not only when you lose money but when you lose money where help is not easily found.

A travel insurance policy also covers students who travel abroad for education. A student travel insurance policy is a must for students as it largely protects the individual from study interruption, health cover, sponsor protection and compassion visits.

The student travel plan further covers mental and nervous disorders, rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction.

Tips To Choose The Best Travel Insurance Plan For You

Before you choose a travel insurance plan, ask yourself these questions:

1.WHERE AM I GOING?

Your destination determines the size of the cover or the amount of insurance money (Sum Insured).

Since medical cover is the main feature of travel insurance, decide the sum insured on the basis of how expensive medical services are in the country or city you are travelling to.

For instance, Medical treatment is significantly costlier in countries like the US and Canada than in South East Asia. This will cause the premium paid on the insurance by you to go higher.

2.WHAT WILL BE THE DURATION?

Longer the trip, higher the premium!

If you are a frequent flyer, opt for annual multi-trip policies to save money. These plans are valid for a year and usually cover any number of trips abroad, each trip having a maximum duration of 30-45 days.

Annual multi-trip plans turn out to be cheaper than the single-trip policies for each trip. This is because the insurance company doesn’t have to bear additional administrative expenses.

3.WHAT WILL I DO?

Is it a sleep, eat and sightseeing holiday or do you plan to be more adventurous?

If your itinerary includes sporting activities such as trekking in difficult terrains, skiing, water sports, etc, you must fill the gaps in your travel cover.

Though a regular travel insurance plan will not cover risks involved in these activities, you can get special coverage on request at an extra cost.

Similarly, if you are above 65, you can opt for plans for senior citizens that have features such as coverage for pre-existing illness in special situations, higher sum insured, accidental death and dismemberment cover.

4.Which Policy Should I Buy?

Always compare the plans. Don’t buy only on the basis of the sum insured and the premium you have to pay.

Conduct a comparative analysis of companies and their offerings like online services, claims process, toll-free number, payment options, network of hospitals etc

Also remember, since so many different covers are clubbed in one policy-medical, accident, passport and baggage loss, personal liability, trip cancellation, etc-the claim procedures differ according to the situation.

So, the next time you book your ticket, Download the AirWhizz app and apply for a travel insurance with us. We at AirWhizz have partnered with prestigious travel insurance companies such as HDFC Ergo to help you plan for any unforeseen changes that might occur.

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Strike By Air India Employees Causes Flight Delays At Mumbai Airport!

AirWhizzNov 09, 2018 No Comments

Strike By Air India Employees Causes Flight Delays At Mumbai Airport!

Aviation Insider

A flash strike by employees of Air India’s ground handling arm, Air India Air Transport Services Ltd (AIATSL) on Wednesday and Thursday led to massive flight delays at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The employees of AIATSL stopped work at Mumbai airport on Wednesday night, demanding payment of Diwali bonus and reinstatement of three of their colleagues whose contracts were not renewed by the company.

Due to this sudden situation, many Air India flights were delayed. Around 37 flights, including international ones, were delayed by 2.5 hours to 3 hours till 3:00 p.m, Thursday. However, no flights were cancelled.

Here are a few details of the incident :

  • The arrival of eight flights and the departure of 16 flights were delayed.
  • Among those were the 1.45 am Mumbai-Bangkok flight which was delayed by over six hours and departed at 8:18 am
  • The Mumbai-Newark flight left at 4:08 am which was late by 2.5 hours.
  • Several passengers took to Twitter to complain about the flight delays and long wait at the airport.
  • The lack of ground handling staff during the night when a majority of international flight depart led to flight delays.

The Strike was called off this morning after discussions with the management. Most of the issues have been sorted out and employees are back to work. Flight operations are back to normal now. But, the employees whose contracts were not renewed have not been taken back.

AIATSL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the national carrier, provides ground handling services to Air India across airports in the country. It has about 5,000 employees, including those on contract.

Ground crew, generally carry out functions like loading/unloading bags and cargo, checking-in passengers, cleaning aircraft and much more. They also take up similar duties for foreign airlines on a contract basis.

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Pune Airport To Get Automatic Passport & Visa Scanning Gates!

AirWhizzNov 07, 2018 No Comments

Pune Airport To Get Automatic Passport & Visa Scanning Gates!

Aviation Insider

Standing in serpentine queues and scrutiny by immigration officers could soon be a thing of the past at the Pune airport in Lohegaon.

The authorities at the facility are in the process of revamping the whole immigration setup. Under the new system, passengers will soon be able to scan their passports and visas at electronic immigration gates.

According to an airport official, A system is being designed under which, if a passenger has a valid passport and a visa, the gates will open and he/she can pass through.

At the moment, there are five immigration gates each in the arrival and departure areas, apart from three gates for those holding e-visas. The new system is expected to completely replace the existing system.

Of course, this does not mean there will be no immigration officers present. They will be there to monitor passengers movement. They can always question a passenger if the gates don’t open upon scanning or if they have doubts.

Airport officials are also working on developing another system to include a biometric scanner. This will enable passengers to authenticate themselves using their fingerprints.

The system is expected to roll out next year and is a part of the DigiYatra Programme.

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IndiGo Pilot Avoids Major Air Mishap At Chennai Airport!

AirWhizzNov 06, 2018 No Comments

IndiGo Pilot Avoids Major Air Mishap At Chennai Airport!

Aviation Insider

It was a close shave for 40 passengers on board an IndiGo flight from  Rajahmundry to Chennai after a major air mishap was averted at Chennai Airport on Monday.

The plane’s second engine reportedly failed at the time of the landing, causing the pilot to declare Mayday.

IndiGo released a statement about the incident, saying that the pilot was forced to send the distress call after the aircraft suffered a technical glitch while landing. A full emergency had to be declared at Chennai airport following the incident.

The flight, 6E-7123, eventually landed at the airport after hovering for a while in the air. No passenger was injured during this incident.

Here are all the details of the incident:

  • The flight 6E 7124 with 51 persons, including four crew members, developed engine problem during its Rajamundry-Chennai flight
  • The pilot noticed shortly before its scheduled arrival time 5.45 pm that one of the two engines on the aircraft had failed
  • The pilot immediately alerted the ATC (air traffic control) tower at the Chennai airport, who told him to keep circling over the airport for about 30 minutes
  • ATC gave them clearance after taking all the precautionary and preparatory work for an emergency landing.
  • Great luck and skillful handling by the pilot saw the propeller aircraft land safely, without any injuries to any passengers of crew members.

The plane landed at about 6.15 pm and the visibly relieved passengers disembarked without panic.

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now ordered a probe into the engine failure and more importantly, on why the Chennai airport authorities, as well as the airlines, did not report the matter to the Authority as soon as it occurred.

Last Friday, another IndiGo aircraft had been involved in a possible air mishap after an IndiGo Airbus A320 Neo, flying from Lucknow to Kolkata, was forced to return to Lucknow following an issue with the aircraft’s engine. The flight 6E-866 returned to Lucknow, where it was grounded and the passengers were made to fly in an alternative plane

 

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DO YOU KNOW: How Airport Slots Are Allotted To Airlines?

AirWhizzNov 05, 2018 No Comments

DO YOU KNOW: How Airport Slots Are Allotted To Airlines?

Aviation Insider

A few weeks ago, SpiceJet & IndiGo announced that they will be connecting Delhi And Bangalore to Hong Kong respectively.

With Air India having publicly stated in the past that they are not getting desirable slots at Hong Kong for their flights from Mumbai, there was a lot of social media buzz on how did the two low-cost carriers manage to get the slots.

Did they pay? Did they purchase? Did somebody lend it to them?

These questions made us wonder how is airline slot allocation done. It’s a very complex process but there is a method in the madness.

How Is An Airline Allotted An Airport Slot?

Worldwide there are different rules for slot management. However, they are mostly allotted based on World Slot Guidelines (WSG) of International Air Transport Association (IATA).

While airports like London Heathrow allow sale or lease of slots, airports in India do not follow this practice.

An Airport slot or a “slot” is a permission given by a coordinator for a planned operation to use the full range of airport infrastructure necessary to arrive or depart on a specific date and time.

IATA puts airports into 3 different categories- Level1, Level 2, Level 3, with Level 3 being the most congested in terms of airplane movement.

In simple terms, a level 3 airport is one where:

  • Demand for airport infrastructure significantly exceeds the airport’s capacity during the period for which slot allocation is being done
  • Expansion of airport infrastructure to meet demand is not possible in the short term
  • Attempts to resolve this problem through schedule adjustments have either failed or have proved to be ineffective

This mandates the airport to have a slot coordinator (team) which handles the process of slot allocation to balance capacity and demand.

What Is The Process For Applying For An Airport Slot?

If a new airline wants to operate on an air route, they have to request their government to allocate them rights to operate the route under the Air Services Agreement.

Once the airline is allotted the route, it becomes a “Designated carrier” which makes it eligible to file for slots with the origin and destination airport.

The global scheduling calendar for airlines is divided into two seasons – Summer (From last Sunday of March to last Saturday of October) and Winter (the remainder, last Sunday of October to last Saturday of March).

To give a snapshot of how early an airline has to plan, let us take the example of Summer 2019 schedule, which starts on March 31, 2019:

  • Airlines have already filed their desired slot requests on October 4, 2018. After negotiations, the airline and airport representatives will meet between November 13-16 to finalize the slots.
  • The airlines have to handover the slots which they don’t intend to operate by January 15, 2019.
  • IATA in fact publishes the schedule for future seasons as well.

Airlines today know that they need to file the schedule for flights starting 27th October 2019 (Winter schedule 2019) by May 9, 2019.

It’s a pretty long process and the wait may seem forever, but this process gets a lot of structure to the airport slot allotment procedure.

Who Allocates These Slots?

Slots can only be given by an airport coordinator who has been appointed to that specific airline.

The airline has to operate within the terms that have been agreed between both the parties. This means that airlines cannot intentionally operate services at a significantly different time or use slots in a significantly different way than allotted to them.

An airline who has already been operating in a slot is given preference, based on the historical data.

This is popularly known as the “use it or lose it” rule, where airlines have to operate at least 80% of the time during the period of slot allocation.

IATA rules mandate that historic slots of an airline should not be withdrawn from an airline to accommodate new entrance. But slots can be transferred or swapped between airlines.

How Do Airport Coordinators Allocate slots To New Airlines?

A Level 3 airport has to declare beforehand, its capacity and how airlines utilize this capacity.

All the available slots thereafter are part of the slot pool. Newly available slots (due to increase in capacity) are also part of this slot pool.

These slots are allocated to airlines in this specific order:

  • 50 percent of the slots contained in the pool are to be allotted to the new entrants(an airline that has never operated on that route), unless the demand from new entrants is less than 50 percent
  • When new slots are allocated, an airline asking for year round operations and higher frequency will have higher priority
  • The type of service given by the airline(scheduled, charter and cargo) and the market (domestic, regional and long haul) in which the airline operates is also a huge factor.
  • The location from the flight will start is also important. For example, a flight from Delhi or Mumbai, which are well connected, will be preferred over flights from Lucknow, whose flight network is not very large.

If the new entrant gets a slot within an hour of the time requested and the airline does not accept the slot, then the airline is not considered a new entrant.

How Strict Are Airports With Airlines Following Slot Timings?

During winters and monsoons, most airlines are not able to follow the schedules timing since the weather conditions are not good , which brings a huge variation in the approved time slot and the actual arrival time.

Airports are accommodative towards genuine reasons and based on historical data, help airlines offer a slot which is more realistic based on their historic arrival times.

Spicejet & IndiGo will both have a presence at Hong Kong and hence won’t be considered as new entrants for the next set of expansion. With airlines in India now looking at foreign shores, every rule will be used effectively to get the best slots at airports in India and abroad.

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