Technology

Bangalore Airport Will Be Fully Solar-Powered By 2020!

AirWhizzJun 19, 2018 No Comments

Bangalore Airport Will Be Fully Solar-Powered By 2020!

Aviation Insider

Following Cochin Airport’s footsteps, Bangalore Airport is planning to become a fully solar-powered airport by 2020.

According to airport authorities, there is a power demand of 11 MW per day at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). Once the second terminal is completed, they estimate that the power demand will go up to 20 MW per day.

The airport currently generates around 3.44 MW from solar panels. Bangalore International Airport Limited(BIAL) has proposed an expansion of its solar panel system which will add another 8.35 MW, bringing the total to around 12 MW.

To cater to the future 20MW demand, BIAL will source another 8 MW of solar energy from off-site.

Mr. S Lakshminarayanan, Vice President (engineering & maintenance) of BIAL, has said that the solar energy at the airport is harnessed from roof-top and ground-mounted solar panels. BIAL aims to make the airport 100% powered by renewable energy by increasing this capacity and adding more solar panels.

He also said that energy conservation efforts have been taken up and implemented at the airport.

BIAL plans to convert all lighting, except the airfield lighting system, to LED for energy conservation. As of now all streetlights outside the airport and 50% of the lights in the terminal are LED. The airport can save 1.7 Million units of energy per year because of LED lights.

Mr.Hari Marar, CEO of BIAL, has said that a combination of solar power, water management system and LED lighting can ensure that the airport achieves a “3+ Carbon Rating”, which is the highest level of achievement in the field of environmental impact, for airports.

He also said that a ‘Solid Waste Management’ plant is under construction, which will be operational by 2019.This will make KIA the first airport in Asia to have an in-house solid waste management facility.

Cochin Airport is the only airport in India which is fully powered by solar energy. In fact, it was the first airport in the world to implement this system.

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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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Vistara’s AI Robot “RADA”, Will Soon Assist Passengers At The Delhi Airport!

AirWhizzMay 30, 2018 No Comments

Vistara’s AI Robot “RADA”, Will Soon Assist Passengers At The Delhi Airport!

Aviation Insider

Starting from July 2018, passengers travelling with Vistara will be assisted by an Artificially Intelligent robot at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi.

Vistara, which is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, has developed a robot to help their passengers, address queries and entertain them before boarding a flight.

Here are all the details about the robot –

  • Vistara has named the AI robot ‘RADA’.
  • The robot will be installed in the ‘Vistara Signature Lounge’ at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3 from 5th July 2018.
  • It is the first AI robot in India to be deployed at an airport to assist passengers.
  • It is built on the chassis of 4 wheels, which enables it to rotate 360 degrees and has 3 inbuilt cameras to help it interact with customers at the lounge.
  • ‘RADA’ is capable of scanning boarding passes, giving information about terminals & departure gates, real-time flight updates, weather conditions and different products. It also tells passengers about the services offered by Vistara.
  • It will use basic hand movements to greet the passengers entering the lounge and will move around on a predefined path.
  • It is also capable of entertaining kids and adults by playing games, videos and songs.
  • Over a period of time, the AI robot will be developed in terms of functionality and features based on customer feedback.
  • The airline claims that it is one of the most economical AI robots in India, which is completely made from components manufactured within the country.

‘RADA’ has been developed under Vistara’s ‘Innovation Initiative’. It has been designed and engineered by experts from the TATA Innovation Lab with the help of students from reputed institutions.

According to Mr Ravinder Pal Singh, Vistara’s Chief Information and Innovation Officer, the idea behind this concept was to build a simple and extremely cost-effective robot which is capable of basic human interaction to start with. He also said that the robot will further be developed to perform more complex tasks to handle the evolving passenger habits in this technological age.

With this innovation, Vistara will surely enhance its customer’s experience and will further strengthen its hold in the domestic aviation market.

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TRAI Won’t Regulate Prices On In-flight Internet!

AirWhizzMay 28, 2018 No Comments

TRAI Won’t Regulate Prices On In-flight Internet!

Aviation Insider

A few weeks back, the Telecom Commission approved the decision to allow passengers to access internet and make calls while travelling on an airplane.

However, the Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India(TRAI) announced yesterday that they will not regulate the tariffs paid by passengers for In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) services over Indian airspace.

According to TRAI’s Chairman, Mr. RS Sharma, tariffs in the telecom sector are governed by market forces and In-flight connectivity is no exception.

He also said that the manner in which Inflight service is provided will be structured and decided upon by both Indian telecom companies and International telephone operators as per rules. The latter will have to act as an intermediary between local telecom companies and the airline.

What this means is, in order for international flights to start getting signal when they enter Indian Airspace, Indian telecom operators handling local stations will have to make arrangements with International service providers. They will not go to the airline directly.

What Telecom Companies Think!

With the In-flight Connectivity (IFC) initiative, Aircraft companies such as Airbus and Boeing can partner up with Indian telecom operators to install the necessary equipment on flights and allow them to enter into a pact with local broadband providers.

In India, companies such as Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, Tata Services and Hughes Communications are VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) & CUG (Closed User Group) license holders. They can look forward to tying up with International telecom companies.

However, Indian companies are not enthusiastic about the decision by the Telecom Commission and are rethinking about investing in IFC.

They say that only the airlines will be benefitting from this because they are the ones who will be fixing the prices. Also, the revenue that the telecom companies will make from IFC may not be significant in the initial stages, so it may not be the best plan to invest in this.

They have also asked domestic airlines to rethink about providing calling services.

What Does The Aviation Industry Think!

According to Kapil Kaul, CEO of CAPA for the Indian Subcontinent & Middle East regions, it will cost Rs 125 to Rs 150 per minute for calling, as airlines will have to invest millions of dollars to install the equipment. He also added that it would make no business sense for providing these services on airlines in India since the duration of a domestic flight on an average is 1.5 hours.

Read more about IFC services and what it may cost you!

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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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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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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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In-Flight Wi-Fi & Calls May Cost More Than Your Flight Ticket!

AirWhizzMay 05, 2018 No Comments

In-Flight Wi-Fi & Calls May Cost More Than Your Flight Ticket!

Aviation Insider

The Telecom Commission on Wednesday approved the decision to allow in-flight wi-fi And Calling services on international and domestic flights.

Passengers will now be able to better utilize their time spent travelling. They will be able to stream videos online, answer E-mails, catch up on pending work and make calls at 30000 feet in the air.

But at what cost?

According to the proposal approved by the Telecom Commission, the prices of these services will be decided by the airlines and the service provider.

Countries that have allowed airlines to use these services charge around $4.5 for using 10 MB internet data. Domestic airlines expect that passengers using internet services on flights will most likely have to pay between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 on a 60-minute flight.

Below are some of the reasons why In-Flight internet and Calling services will be expensive –

  • Unique antennas will be installed on the airplane which will increase the drag of the aircraft. This will mean that the aircraft will consume more fuel and add to the fuel costs.
  • Installing this equipment on every plane will be a costly affair for airlines and they will have to spend between $400,000 to $600,000.
  • Engineering and Maintenance of equipment will also add to the cost

The airlines will pass on all this cost to the passengers. This means that travellers will have to pay much more for in-flight wifi services as compared to what they have to pay for data on their mobiles and public Wi-Fi networks on the ground.

In fact, in some cases, the use of in-flight Wi-Fi and calling services may cost more than your flight ticket.

Airlines like Air France, British Airways, American Airlines, Aeroflot, Air Asia and Emirates provide in-flight Wi-Fi services, but they charge handsomely.

According to eDreams, an online travel agency, the charges for In-Flight Wi-Fi usage may cost Rs 3350 for 150 MB on Aeroflot, Rs 302 for 10 MB on Air Asia, Rs 2412 for 200 MB on Air France, Rs 2144 for whole journey on British Airways, and Rs 1071 for 500 MB on Emirates.

Will it burn a hole in your pocket? Probably!

Is it worth it? You decide!

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