Chennai Airport

Airports May Soon Stop Stamping Of Boarding Pass For Domestic Passengers!

AirWhizzJun 15, 2018 No Comments

Airports May Soon Stop Stamping Of Boarding Pass For Domestic Passengers!

Aviation Insider

Passengers flying on domestic routes from Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore Airport may not have to get their boarding pass stamped with “Security Checked” in the near future.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has approached Delhi and Bangalore Airport to carry out this pilot project. Mumbai Airport will also start this practice within the next 3 months.

CISF and airport authorities have already stopped stamping hand baggage tags at several airports in the past one year.

Hyderabad Airport was one of the first major airports to carry out this pilot project and now have an E-Boarding gate. Airports Authority of India(AAI) plans to start the e-boarding system at 3 airports by the end of 2018.

Mumbai Airport is replacing its old cameras with ‘High Definition’ ones as a part of this project. They are replacing their CCTV cameras at the domestic departure terminal. Authorities will be able to get ‘crystal clear’ pictures of passengers right from the time they enter the terminal to when they board an airplane.

Stamping of the boarding pass is done to find out who frisked the passengers and also to ensure that everyone is frisked before being allowed to board the aircraft. This information is used if an incident occurs on a flight due to a security-lapse. These HD cameras will allow authorities to do the same without ever needing to stamp a boarding pass.

CISF’s new Director General, Mr. Rajesh Ranjan, had recently said that he wanted to enhance an air passengers experience by taking steps such as putting a stop to boarding pass stamping.

He said that there have been instances where a security personnel has forgotten to stamp a boarding card and then the passenger has had to return from the boarding gate, which often led to them getting frisked again. If stamping is done away with, passengers will be able to have a seamless travel experience at airports.

Delhi and Bangalore Airport authorities have agreed to this request made by CISF. Bangalore Airport’s spokesperson, Archana Muthappa, has said that they will work closely with regulatory authorities to ensure that the airport uses the most current, cutting-edge technologies in security checks.

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Regulatory Body Proposes 74% Cut In UDF At Bangalore Airport!

AirWhizzJun 14, 2018 No Comments

Regulatory Body Proposes 74% Cut In UDF At Bangalore Airport!

Aviation Insider

Passengers flying from the Bangalore Airport may soon have to pay less for their flight ticket.

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has proposed a 74% cut in the User Development Fee (UDF) on both domestic and international flights.

User Development Fee is the tax that is levied on the passenger by the airport operator, to receive a fair share of return on the investment done for development of the airport.

Passengers currently pay a UDF of Rs 1226 for international flights and Rs 306 for domestic flights. AERA has proposed, that this fee should be reduced to Rs 316.8 and Rs 79.2 for international and domestic flights respectively.

AERA will conduct a stakeholder’s consultation meeting with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), various airlines and government officials on 18th June 2018.

The meeting will be held to discuss about reducing the UDF for passengers, as well as reducing the landing, parking and housing charges imposed on airlines by 90%.

Reduction of landing and parking charges will result in lower costs for airlines, a benefit they may pass on to the passengers by reducing the airfare. However, aviation experts say that this may not happen immediately due to rising oil prices.

UDF is revised every 5 years by the AERA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The fee was last revised at the Bangalore Airport in 2015 and this is the first time that the UDF is being reduced. Currently, Bangalore Airport charges the highest UDF in India.

If all the stakeholders agree to the terms proposed by AERA, the new rates will be applicable up to 31st March 2020. However, from April 2020 the UDF may increase to Rs 416.22 and Rs 104 for international and domestic flights respectively.

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Varanasi Airport To Get Facial Recognition Security System!

AirWhizzJun 12, 2018 No Comments

Varanasi Airport To Get Facial Recognition Security System!

Aviation Insider

Passengers flying from Varanasi Airport will soon experience a hassle-free journey from the airport’s entry to the boarding gate.

The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi is all set to become the first Indian airport to install an automated Facial Recognition Security System.

Here are the details of the new system being implemented –

  • Installation of the automated security system has already started at the airport.
  • The walkthrough security scanners will be equipped with facial recognition technology.
  • They will be installed at the entrance, security checkpoint and the boarding area inside the airport.
  • The system will be put into service over the next four months.
  • This system is being implemented, thanks to the ‘DigiYatra’ initiative started by the government.
  • This system will soon be implemented at airports in Vishakhapatnam and Kolkata.

These walkthrough security scanners will make entry for passengers into the Varanasi Airport faster. It will enable them to automatically check-in and travel paperless.

Once the system is in place, security checks will be done through facial recognition as soon as travellers walk through the scanner. Passenger details will be examined digitally by comparing their Aadhar information with the information given by them while booking the flight.

However, there will be no change in the way luggage is being checked.

DigiYatra is a great initiative by the government. It aims at developing a digital ecosystem to provide a smooth paperless travel experience to air passengers at every stage of their journey.

In addition to automated security system, the scheme also aims at providing real-time notifications on air traffic congestion, price trends and calculating future airfares in the coming few months.

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Surat Airport All Set To Get International Status!

AirWhizzJun 11, 2018 No Comments

Surat Airport All Set To Get International Status!

Aviation Insider

People in Surat will be able to fly directly to international destinations in the coming few months.

Surat Airport is all set to become an international airport thanks to the central government giving the airport a customs notified status.

On 8th June 2018, The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs gave Surat Airport the status of a customs airport, which allows an airport to operate international flights, under the Customs Act 1962.

Back in 2016, the Airports Authority of India(AAI) had asked the central government to give Surat Airport a customs notified status and finally after 18 months they have gone ahead and agreed upon it.

Recently the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujrat, Mr. Nitin Patel, in his budget speech said that he has set aside Rs 1 Crore for setting up immigration facilities at the airport. The home department of the Gujrat Government has already asked the Director General of Police(DGP) to allot 68 immigration staff members at the airport for the financial year 2018-19.

Air India Express has shown interest in starting flights from Surat to Dubai. In fact, Mr. K Shyam Sundar, CEO of Air India Express, had visited the airport last year to inspect the terminal building, runway and other facilities available at the airport.

He said that the airline is keen to launch its flights to Dubai, provided they extend their runway to 2905 meters and get a customs notified status from the government.

Mr Sundar and his team also met members of the social group(working towards increasing connectivity at the airport) and tours & travel association to discuss about the potential of international flight services from Surat.

According to the association, almost 5 lakh people have travelled from Surat and south Gujrat to international destinations in 2017-2018.They also said that the air passenger traffic at the airport has been on the rise and is continuously increasing by 20-25 percent every year.

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Second Heli-Taxi Service To Be Launched In Bangalore To Ferry Air Passengers

AirWhizzJun 09, 2018 No Comments

Second Heli-Taxi Service To Be Launched In Bangalore To Ferry Air Passengers

Aviation Insider

Bangalore is all set to get a second Heli-Taxi service that will ferry passengers between the 2 airports within the city.

Here are the details about the 2nd Heli-Taxi service–

  • The service is likely to start by 23rd June 2018.
  • The helicopter will fly between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport and Kempegowda International Airport(KIA).
  • The Heli-Taxi fare for this will be steeper than the Electronic City – KIA route.
  • Thumby Aviation Pvt Ltd will be handling the operations of the Heli-Taxi Service.
  • The company will be purchasing special performance ‘Class-I’ helicopters that are mandatory for such rooftop services.

The prices are going to be higher for the second Heli-Taxi service because Thumby Aviation does not have a helipad of its own at the HAL airport. They will have to pay a high rent in the form of ground handling charges, landing charges and parking charges to HAL authorities.

According to Captain K.N.G Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Thumby Aviation, the company will do their best to reduce the cost per ticket so that the passengers don’t bear a big burden. They will be ready within two weeks to start this service.

The first Heli-taxi service started on 5th March 2018 and was a huge success since it took only 15 minutes to take passengers from the electronic city to KIA, which on-ground takes around 2 hours. The service operates 3 round trips in 2 slots, between 6:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

The tickets cost Rs 4130 (Including GST) per person and there is a 15 kg baggage limit. If a person has more than 15kg of luggage, they can opt to transport it through CarterPorter, which is a third party service.

4 hotels in Bangalore are keen to jump in on this opportunity and want to offer their helipads for ferrying their guests to the airport. However, this could take a few more months since a permission has to be taken from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

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List Of Flights Which Will Be Delayed Or Diverted At The Mumbai Airport Today!

AirWhizzJun 07, 2018 No Comments

List Of Flights Which Will Be Delayed Or Diverted At The Mumbai Airport Today!

Aviation Insider

Due to heavy rains in Mumbai, several flights may be delayed and diverted today at the Chattrapati Shivaji InternatiAirport.ort .

Here is a list of flights that have been delayed at the Mumbai Airport –

Arrivals

Airline Flight No. Origin Date Scheduled Time Actual Time Terminal
Air India AI 646 Jodhpur 25/06/2018 13:45 14:10 T2
Air India AI 648 Jamnagar 25/06/2018 14:00 16:00 T2
Air India AI 863 Delhi 25/06/2018 15:10 16:10 T2
GoAir G8 348 Kochi 25/06/2018 15:30 16:05 T2
Air India AI 651 Vishakhapatnam 25/06/2018 16:20 18:20 T2
Air India AI 670 Bhubaneswar 25/06/2018 17:15 18:35 T2
Air India AI 644 Udaipur 25/06/2018 18:10 18:30 T2
IndiGo 6E 459 Mangalore 25/06/2018 19:45 20:35 T1
IndiGo 6E 5449 Bengaluru 25/06/2018 19:55 20:40 T1
Jet Airways 9W 468 Chennai 25/06/2018 20:05 20:50 T2
IndiGo 6E 231 Hyderabad 25/06/2018 20:35 21:25 T1
Jet Airways 9W 470 Chennai 25/06/2018 21:20 22:01 T2
IndiGo 6E 566 Bengaluru 25/06/2018 21:25 22:20 T1
Air India AI 441 Delhi 25/06/2018 21:35 21:55 T2
Jet Airways 9W 354 Delhi 25/06/2018 22:05 22:55 T2
Jet Airways 9W 438 Mangalore 25/06/2018 22:45 23:10 T2
Air India AI 668 Thiruvananthapuram 25/06/2018 22:35 22:55 T2
Air India AI 630 Nagpur 25/06/2018 23:05 23:30 T2

Departure

Airline Flight No. Destination Date Scheduled Time Actual Time Terminal
Air India AI 643 Udaipur 25/06/2018 14:35 15:00 T2
Air India AI 661 Goa 25/06/2018 16:15 16:30 T2
Ai India AI 667 Thiruvananthapuram 25/06/2018 17:20 17:40 T2
Air India AI 660 Delhi 25/06/2018 18:00 18:45 T2
Air India AI 629 Nagpur 25/06/2018 19:00 19:30 T2
Vistara UK 940 Delhi 25/06/2018 19:40 20:40 T2
IndiGo 6E 254 Hyderabad 25/06/2018 20:05 20:20 T1
IndiGo 6E 639 Ahmedabad 25/06/2018 20:05 20:25 T1
Jet Airways 9W 383 Indore 25/06/2018 20:15 20:50 T2
IndiGo 6E 6433 Ahmedabad 25/06/2018 20:45 21:25 T1
IndiGo 6E 248 Delhi 25/06/2018 20:55 21:20 T1
SpiceJet SG 154 Delhi 25/06/2018 21:40 23:15 T1
IndiGo 6E 565 Bengaluru 25/06/2018 22:30 23:05 T1

If you want to know more about your flight status, simply download the AirWhizz App. You will get real-time flight and weather updates on the move to help you plan your trip better.We will update this list every hour and keep you informed in case more flights get delayed or diverted.

*The information has been collected from Mumbai Airport’s official website

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Mumbai Airport Breaks Its Own Record,Handles Over 1000 Flights In A Day!

AirWhizzJun 07, 2018 No Comments

Mumbai Airport Breaks Its Own Record,Handles Over 1000 Flights In A Day!

Aviation Insider

Mumbai Airport, the world’s busiest single-runway airport, has broken its own record by handling 1003 flights in a single day.

In January 2018, Mumbai Airport handled 980 landings and take-offs, breaking the record for handling the most amount of flights in a single day, which was previously held by  UK’s Gatwick International Airport.

Here are the details of how Mumbai Airport managed this –

  • On Monday evening, due to pre-monsoon showers and heavy winds, 19 flights were diverted and many were delayed.
  • As soon as the weather cleared up around midnight, these flights were accommodated at the airport.
  • These delayed flights landed and took off past midnight on Monday, adding to Tuesday’s data.
  • Between midnight of Monday and Tuesday, the airport handled 506 arrival and 497 departure flights.
  • Domestic airlines recorded an on-time performance of 82%- 83%.

The Mumbai airport has 2 intersecting runways, however, only one runway is operational at a given point of time. The main runway can handle 46 flight movements per hour, while the secondary runway can handle 35 aircraft movements per hour.

According to Mumbai International Airport Limited(MIAL) spokesperson, this record is an acknowledgment of the airport’s effort to set a high benchmark in the global aviation industry. He also said that MIAL is committed and hope that they continue to bring greater efficiency, safety and reliability to their work in the future.

In 2006, when MIAL (A joint venture between GVK & Airports Authority Of India) took over the Mumbai Airport, it was handling up to 584 landings and take-offs in a day. As the years went by, the Indian aviation market continued to grow and the airport started to handle over 900 flights a day with airplanes arriving every 42 seconds at the airport.

In March 2018, Mumbai Airport, along with the Delhi International Airport, was given the award for the ‘World’s Best Airport For Customer Experience’ in the above-40 million passenger category by Airports Council International.

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Pakyong Airport Will Start Operations From This Month!

AirWhizzJun 06, 2018 No Comments

Pakyong Airport Will Start Operations From This Month!

Aviation Insider

The much awaited, Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, is all set to become operational this month.

Civil Aviation Minister, Mr. Suresh Prabhu, has finally received the license to operate the Sikkim Airport, which is located 30 km from the state’s capital, Gangtok.

SpiceJet is the only airline till now which has received the permission to operate flights from Kolkata Airport to Pakyong Airport.

On 10th May a test flight was carried out, where SpiceJet used its 78 seater Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 to successfully land at the airport.

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.

Sikkim was the only state in India to not have a functional airport, but all that is about to change this month.

As of now, the nearest airport to Gangtok is in Bagdogra, West Bengal, which is 150 Km away. Travellers have to first fly to the Bagdogra Airport and then take a 4.5 hour cab ride to reach the place.

With opening of the 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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