Mumbai airport

Flight Delays Reduced At The Mumbai Airport Due To Change In System!

AirWhizzMay 25, 2018 No Comments

Flight Delays Reduced At The Mumbai Airport Due To Change In System!

Aviation Insider

Passengers at the Mumbai Airport have witnessed constant delays in flights for the past few days because of the upgradation of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport.

However, these delays have drastically reduced because of two main reasons –

Familiarity With VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) system

The VOR system was used by airports before the ILS  was developed and implemented.

The Instrument is placed at the epicentre of the two main runways at the Mumbai airport and sends out radar signals which help the pilot to align the airplane to the runway by following the signal.

Since the upgradation work of the ILS started, the airport has been using this system to help pilots land.

The pilots and controllers are familiar with this replacement system and are now being able to land and take off much earlier.

Change In Norms For Manual Landing

The authorities have had to adjust their rules regarding manual landing at the airport, which has helped in reducing the time by which a flight is delayed.

The distance to be kept between 2 airplanes before landing has been reduced from 6.5 miles to 6 miles

By doing this, the airport is saving 20 seconds after every aircraft lands, allowing controllers to add 3 to 4 more airplanes in their schedule every hour.

The amount of aircrafts operating at the airport has increased from 40 to 44 airplanes per hour because of this change.

The airport is also using 2 other systems to make flight operations smoother.

The Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) system for handling flights that are arriving at the airport and the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (ACDM) System which helps in the scheduling of flights on an hourly basis.

With this new traffic arrangement, aviation experts say that the number of hourly operations is now close to its full capacity at the airport and the way the airport is handling this situation shows high professional standards.

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Flight Delays Expected At The Mumbai Airport Till 5th June 2018!

AirWhizzMay 22, 2018 No Comments

Flight Delays Expected At The Mumbai Airport Till 5th June 2018!

Aviation Insider

If you are planning to fly to/from the Mumbai Airport before 5th June, be prepared for your flight to get delayed.

Flights from the Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai might be delayed due to the upgradation work on the airport’s Instrumental Landing System (ILS).

The old ILS is being upgraded, for which the work started on 17th May and will continue till 5th June. Because of this, the system will be out of service from 11 a.m. To 11 p.m.

Here’s why the ILS is so important –

  • It is a ground-based navigational system which helps pilots to land. It gives guidance while landing and helps the pilots align the aircraft to the runway centreline.
  • With no ILS on Mumbai airports main runway ‘27’, the pilot has to slow down the aircraft earlier than usual while landing it.
  • Landing without the system’s guidance involves relying on the radar to look for the runway. This is known as “Non-Precision Approach”.
  • At the Mumbai airport, a pilot cannot continue to land below 1070 feet if they don’t spot the runway. This increases the chances of “go-around” and the pilot has to make another attempt to land the aircraft.
  • This can lead to air traffic congestion, as landing without the ILS takes more time.

On 18th May, the airport saw severe air traffic congestion with almost 230 arrival and 350 departure flights getting delayed for 40 to 60 minutes.

This forced officials to shift operations to the secondary runway ‘14’, which is shorter than the main runway and can handle only a few flights.

Airport officials also fear that due to weather conditions the visibility might fall below 1200 meters and the airport might have to shut operations. They have been coordinating with the meteorological department to keep a track of the weather conditions. As of now, chances of poor visibility are less for the next 20 days.

Jet Airways and Vistara have informed their guests about the situation via Twitter and have asked them to check their flight status before leaving for the airport.

If you want to know whether your flight has been delayed at the Mumbai airport, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz App to get real-time flight updates via push notification on your phone and Fly Stress-Free!

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Why Airport Security Is So Important!

AirWhizzMay 21, 2018 No Comments

Why Airport Security Is So Important!

Aviation Insider

Airport security has evolved with time. Before 1960’s, airport security wasn’t a big issue and was not that strict.

But a series of high jacking and terrorist attacks that took place eventually changed the entire airline security industry. These incidents led to the creation of the modern airport security system.

We have often seen how people get angry and agitated during security checks. But it is a necessary measure which must be taken to avoid incidents that can cause you harm.

Here are the reasons why airport security is so Important!

1.PROTECTION AGAINST TERRORISTS

High jackings of various airplanes in the 1960s and 1970s led to the system of screening, ticketing and monitoring procedures, which were followed till 2001.

However, all this changed after the 9/11 incident. It was a wake-up call for authorities who had become complacent with airport security.

New security measures have been developed to stop more elaborate and intelligently planned actions by terrorists.

Things are different now. It is difficult to get through airport security even with a bottle of water. These tough security measures have helped airlines avoid potential terrorist threats.

2.FIGHT AGAINST NARCOTICS

Drugs trafficking went up very quickly once smugglers started using airplanes. Drug lords like Pablo Escobar and others made billions using the flying routes to transport drugs.

This had a negative effect on the aviation industry, affected the society and disrupted the economy countries where drug trafficking was prominent.

Even today we see reports of people coming up with new ways to traffic drugs on airplanes, but modern day airport security measures have helped to catch the people responsible.

3.PREVENT SMUGGLING

Apart from drugs, airport security has been trained to detect different products that are transported illegally across borders on airplanes.

People in the past have tried to carry things like gold, stolen antiques and in some cases, rare and exotic animals in carry-on bags, but airport security has been successful in stopping such practices.

4.CYBER-SECURITY

Airport security doesn’t only involve security checks before boarding a flight.

Hackers are coming up with new and sophisticated ways to attack aviation network computers, Air Traffic Control systems and gain unauthorised access to airport and airline databases.

With the aviation industry becoming heavily dependent on digital technology, cyber-security has become a serious and urgent concern.

Authorities and Airlines are investing heavily in cyber-security and have been able to tackle cyber threats which can cause heavy financial losses and disrupt the air transportation network.

5.PROTECTS PASSENGERS INSIDE AIRPORT

With mass shooting incidences on the rise, airport security keeps passengers protected inside the airport.

If there was no airport security, the airport would be left vulnerable to surprise attacks from terrorists and criminals.

Security measures taken at the airport, discourage criminals from committing such crimes. CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) is a paramilitary organization that looks after the airport security in India.

With the advancement in technology, airports are now taking the help of modern tools and machines to tackle potential threats to the flyers and make air travel safer. Here are a few examples of these modern machines!

1.A.I.T SCANNERS

Since its introduction in 2007, Advanced Imaging Technology(AIT) scanners have replaced manual checking at many airports.

These scanners help the security personnel detect any concealed (purposely or not) metal, plastics, ceramics, chemical materials and explosives with the help of 3-dimensional images created by the machine after scanning the passenger.

2.BIOMETRIC SYSTEM

The Biometric Boarding System has had a positive effect on an airport’s security all around the world.

Biometric scanners at airports help security identify the passenger and get their information which is present in the government’s database.

This helps the security personnel to determine whether the passenger is a potential threat or not.

3.MRI LUGGAGE SCANNERS

These scanners are similar to MRI scanners present at the hospital.

They help airport security detect liquids and prohibited items in checked-in luggage.

They are currently being used at airports around the world such as London’s Luton Airport and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

4.CYBER-SECURITY SOLUTIONS

With airports adopting smart technology, aviation cyber-security solutions are being set up.

This software protects aviation networks, computers, and databases from cyber-attacks and unauthorised access.

Due to globalization, airlines are expanding their operations worldwide and are not limited to the country of origin. That is why advanced cyber-security solutions have become a prominent tool for maintaining security.

Airport security is important because it keeps the passenger at ease while flying. It assures that the airplane will make it to the destination safely and the person sitting beside has been deemed as a safe flyer.

If you want to know about your airline’s security policy and location of security checkpoints within the airport, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz app and get all the information you need about airport security on your phone itself.

Have a safe journey and Fly Stress-Free!

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UDAN Boosts Connectivity In 25 Tier II & Tier III Cities Within 13 Months!

AirWhizzMay 21, 2018 No Comments

UDAN Boosts Connectivity In 25 Tier II & Tier III Cities Within 13 Months!

Aviation Insider

A few Months back Sikkim was the only state in the country to not have an airport. However, After 13 months there is finally India’s 100th airport in the Pakyong district which is about 35 Kilometres away from Gangtok, Sikkim. This has been made possible by government’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme.

The UDAN Scheme, also known as Regional Connectivity Scheme(RCS), was implemented by the government in April 2017 to boost regional connectivity and make air travel affordable In India.

Before the scheme was implemented the country had 75 airports, however within 13 months, 25 new airports have been added to the network.

Here’s how the regional air connectivity has improved under the UDAN scheme –

  • The airports in Pathankot (which was not operational for 7 years) and Adampur district in Punjab have been made operational under the scheme.
  • The airstrips in Vijaynagar in Karnataka and Rourkela in Odisha, which were being used by corporates for business purposes, have now been opened for general public.
  • The Hubli Airport in Karnataka saw its first commercial flight at the start of this month.
  • Airports have opened up in districts like Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh), Kandla(Gujrat), Nanded(Maharashtra), Ozar (Nashik), Porbandar(Gujrat), Jalgaon(Maharashtra) and Mundra(Gujrat).
  • States like Pondicherry and Daman & Diu have also seen airports being opened up for the public.
  • Under RCS, the price of an air ticket for a one hour journey on a fixed-wing airplane is just Rs 2500.
  • Regional airlines such as Air Deccan and Air Odisha have also started on routes under The UDAN scheme.

According to Mr. Ajay Singh, SpiceJet’s MD & Chairman, the air traffic on regional routes has increased significantly. There is an occupancy of over 90% on SpiceJet flights on routes under the UDAN scheme.

Airlines in India served 11.7 crore passengers in 2017 and the industry saw a growth rate of 17.3%. This year on year growth has made India the fastest growing domestic aviation market in the world.

To cater to the high demand and improve air travel connectivity, it is important to build airports in districts other than metro cities, which has been made possible under the UDAN Scheme. RCS will also play a major part in making air travel more accessible and affordable for people in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in the near future.

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Mumbai Airport To Celebrate “Jaya He” Museum In A Week-Long Carnival!

AirWhizzMay 15, 2018 No Comments

Mumbai Airport To Celebrate “Jaya He” Museum In A Week-Long Carnival!

Aviation Insider

If you have travelled to the Terminal 2 of Mumbai airport, you must have come across the beautiful paintings and sculptures that are displayed at the ‘Jaya He’ Museum.

Coinciding with the International Museum Day which is celebrated on May 18, Mumbai International Airport Limited (MAIL) has announced that the Mumbai Airport will organise a week-long carnival to celebrate the Jaya He Museum.

Here are all the details of the event –

  • Passengers will get to interact with artists who are directly involved with designing the museum.
  • The theme of the event will be ‘paper’. Stalls will be set up across the airport which will display craftwork and sculptures made from paper.
  • Anil Nayak and Moreshwar Patil, the two artists who designed the artifacts for the museum, will be making live sketches of passengers as well.
  • Videos and photos of the passengers visiting the museum will be put on the website and displayed across social media.

The Jaya He museum spreads across 4 levels of the Terminal 2 Building at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The museum displays Indian culture through beautiful paintings, arts & crafts and sculptures.

The airport museum is promoted by MAIL through organised tours. It is a very popular tour and the airport gets a minimum of 10 bookings per day. The tour is organised keeping in mind the travel schedule of the passenger and the route of the tour is decided accordingly.

40 percent of the passengers who visit the Jaya He are foreign tourists and this number is increasing every year. The airport has hired interns from colleges who guide the passengers through the tour.

MAIL has recently tied up with the International Council of Museums (ICOM). This has been done to make the airport museum popular amongst other museums in the world.

If you want to know more about the Jaya He museum, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz App and get all the information you need about the museum and other services available at the airport on the move.

Enjoy the beauty of Indian art and Fly Stress- Free!

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10 Ways In Which Airports Make You Shop At Duty-Free!

AirWhizzMay 14, 2018 No Comments

10 Ways In Which Airports Make You Shop At Duty-Free!

Aviation Insider

Whether you are flying for the first time or are a frequent flyer, waiting for your flight at the airport can be an exhausting and boring task.

It is during this time, that people tend to explore the airport and go shopping at duty-free shops.

To cash in on such travellers, airports are carefully designed to influence you to go and spend your money at these shops.

Yes! It’s true.

Here are the different ways in which airports influence you to shop when you fly.

1.SHOPPING ZONES AFTER AIRPORT SECURITY

Many people don’t observe this, but you are allowed into airport shopping areas only when you clear the security check.

Travellers are generally relaxed after clearing security. Airports use this to their advantage by locating duty-free shopping zones right after security booths.

You are more likely to indulge yourself into some care-free shopping after the stressful process of waiting in the security line, removing your belt or jacket and being physically searched by a serious looking security personnel.

2.SHOPPING ZONES BEFORE THE BOARDING GATES

Ever noticed the number of duty-free shops you pass by before boarding a flight?

To encourage people to explore what the airport has to offer, terminal buildings are designed in such a way that you have to walk through the shopping area before boarding the airplane.

3.LEFT CURVING WALKWAYS

The next time you travel to the airport, notice how walkways are curved towards the left in duty-free shopping zones.

According to a research conducted by analytics firm Intervistas, most of the passengers at the airport are right handed and tend to look towards the right side while pulling their suitcases with that hand.

That is why walkways curve towards left and most duty-free shops are located on the right side of the walkway.

4.THE “GOLDEN HOUR” CONCEPT

‘Golden Hour’ is a common term used by airport officials and duty-free retailers.

It is the time passengers spend idling around after clearing security and before boarding the flight.

Airports want to increase the time you spend in the golden hour because the more time you spend waiting for your flight, the chances of you spending will increase.

Airports have streamlined security checks for this reason as well. They want you to spend less time at security checks and more time shopping at duty-free.

5.RELAXATION AREAS AT THE AIRPORT

The more you are relaxed the more you tend to spend!

Airports around the world offer facilities like sleeping pods, showers and massage chairs to make the passenger feel relaxed.

They want to create a stress-free environment for you to spend money buying gifts for your family and friends.

According to a DKMA research, relaxed travellers at the airport spend 7% more on retail and 10% more on duty-free items as compared to travellers who are not relaxed.

6.PROVIDING INFORMATION WHEREVER POSSIBLE

If you go to an airport, you will see enough signs and screens which make the boarding process simple for you.

By providing information to you, the airport makes sure that you have a stress-free journey through it. By doing this they usually succeed in keeping you relaxed when you reach the shopping area.

At many airports, there are signs at shopping areas which show the amount of time the passenger will take to reach the boarding gate rather than the distance in meters. They do this so that passengers know how much they can spend shopping before boarding the flight.

7.SHOP DESIGN

At most airports, duty-free shops are located near big windows to allow natural light inside the store.

This is because people are inclined to shop at stores which have natural light rather than artificial lights.

Also, airports shops are designed to be user-friendly and inviting. They have wide aisles to accommodate people with suitcases and have pyramid shaped shelves which give you a sense of space and a better view of the products displayed.

8.SHOPPING ZONE LAYOUT

According to a study conducted by IKEA, the priorities of a passenger shopping at the airport is topped by duty-free goods, followed by food and drink, newspapers/magazines and gifts and specialty items.

Many airports around the world have designed their shopping zones in the form of a ‘Serpent’, strategically locating shops and restaurants to cater to these priorities.

Also, this kind of layout allows passengers better visibility of the services available for them in the area. The more twists and turns, the better.

9.FEELING OF A MARKETPLACE

Airports try to recreate the feel of a vibrant marketplace near duty-free shopping zones to make it more appealing to passengers.

Shops are often clustered and display local products, live music and art performances are regularly held and other fun activities are conducted to engage the passenger and give them a feel of a local market at the airport.

10. KIND OF SERVICES OFFERED

To quicken the buying process, airports choose the kind of service and products they have to offer depending on how busy the airport is and what kind of travellers it receives.

At an airport which is busy, services and products which can be sold quickly are generally offered to the passengers.

Also if the airports receive more passengers from countries which are developed or have a culture of gifting, the level of product and services offered goes up.

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 to you at the airport on the move.

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Over 60 Flights Affected At The Delhi Airport Due To Dust Storm!

AirWhizzMay 14, 2018 No Comments

Over 60 Flights Affected At The Delhi Airport Due To Dust Storm!

Aviation Insider

Flight operations were suspended at the Indira Gandhi International Airport after a massive dust storm hit Delhi and its surrounding areas, yesterday evening. 40 airplanes were diverted, and more than 20 flights were delayed.

Here are the details –

  • All domestic and international airlines were affected by the dust storm
  • The Runway was closed down and flight operations were suspended between 4:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
  • More than a dozen flights were diverted to Jaipur International Airport and Amritsar International Airport.
  • 9 Delhi bound flights were diverted to Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow.
  • Vistara flights from Mumbai, Goa, Srinagar and Bhubaneswar which were told to divert as well.
  • International flights from Tokyo, Newark and Colombo were diverted to different places.
  • Flights from Riyadh, Colombo, Kathmandu, Kabul and Jeddah were delayed due to bad weather.

The Indian Meteorological Department said that the wind speeds were as high as 109 Kmph during the dust storm. There was a sudden change in weather at around 4:30 p.m. which was accompanied by powerful winds and heavy rain.

The department has also warned that 26 districts of Utter Pradesh might see harsh weather changes today.

In the past few days powerful dust and thunderstorms have affected people in Delhi, U.P., Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Punjab and surrounding areas. Almost 152 people have lost their lives and over 430 people have been injured during this stormy season.

If you want to know whether your flight has been delayed or diverted, Simply download the AirWhizz App. Get real-time flight updates and Information on your phone itself and plan your journey accordingly.

Stay safe and Fly Stress-Free!

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Will TripAdvisor Open Stores In Indian Airports?

AirWhizzMay 11, 2018 No Comments

Will TripAdvisor Open Stores In Indian Airports?

Aviation Insider

With the boom in travel industry in recent times, people in India look to online sites like TripAdvisor to book hotels, find local restaurants and read articles on travelling.

The company has a huge presence online all over the world, but in an attempt to increase its user base and brand value, TripAdvisor has been increasing its presence offline as well.

Even though they haven’t officially announced this, but the company has been opening TripAdvisor branded stores at major international airports Globally.

On December 2017, TripAdvisor opened its first airport store in Canada’s Toronto Pearson International Airport in partnership with retailers Paradies Lagardère.

In the past few months, they have opened stores at airports in Houston, Phoenix, Charlotte and Raleigh. They expanded their offline network in Asia by opening their store at the Hong Kong International Airport.

The company has been keeping this project under wraps, saying that opening stores at airports is simply an opportunity to build their brand name.

Their stores currently sell travel products like toiletries, neck pillows and beverages along with branded TripAdvisor merchandise such as T-Shirts, luggage tags, baseball hats, travel packs and passport holders.

The company is planning to open a store in New Orleans In 2019 and have said that they will open more stores at places where there is a high volume of tourism traffic.

Air Traffic in India has shown a growth of almost 18 % last year making it the fastest growing aviation market in the world. We hope that TripAdvisor can look at this growing market as an opportunity to increase their presence and benefit millions of travellers in India.

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