Showing posts with label airports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label airports. Show all posts

Thursday, 7 March 2013

Biju Patnaik Airport adorned with a new terminal



http://in.screen.yahoo.com/biju-patnaik-airport-adorned-terminal-114500386.html

Monday, 29 October 2012

The 10 busiest airports in the world

The Airports Council International publishes a report annually on the world’s busiest airports by passenger traffic.
Here’s a look at the top 10.
Source: Airports Council International



Click to read:
http://in.finance.yahoo.com/photos/world-s-busiest-airports-1351245422-slideshow/

Tuesday, 4 September 2012

How Open-skies will benefit the Indian Economy - ARCHIE D'SOUZA


A news report in the Business Line of AUG 11 stated that the Aviation Ministry has asked domestic carriers to file plans of overseas flights.  According to the report the ministry is against allowing international airlines operating more flights into India till domestic carriers catch up.  Fifteen days were given to the domestic airlines to file their plans for international operations till March, 2014 and these fifteen days are over now.  The ministry’s reasoning is that if foreign airlines keep operating additional flights the Indian carriers have no chance to grow.  Is an open-skies policy bad for the Indian Aviation industry in particular and the Economy in general?  Let us see.
Today, five Indian carriers Air India (AI), Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Kingfisher (KF) Airlines are permitted international flights.  At the time of writing KF, due to its financial woes, has stopped operating its international routes.   AI too suffered badly dues to its pilots’ recent 58-day strike.  Foreign airlines, at the moment, operate over 1300 flights a week to India while Indian carriers operate less than 1000.
The decision to curtail the operation of foreign carriers will definitely adversely affect them, especially the Gulf-based ones.  Among these are Qatar Airways, Saudia and Oman Air, all airlines that are keen to expand their Indian operations.  Is this policy good or bad?  In August I had posted three articles, or should I day an article in three parts, on FDI in Civil Aviation.  The same principle with regard to benefit to the Indian economy applies here also.  Let us see how.
Among India’s international airports how many can be termed as international hubs?  Other than Mumbai and Delhi I couldn’t think of any other.  Sorry, Bangalore has not yet earned this tag.  By restricting foreign carriers from entering India, are we going to shake this off?  I feel that current restrictions have, instead of having a favourable effect on the Indian aviation industry, actually have had an adverse effect.  Restrictions placed have prevented other airports from becoming international hubs.  Further, travellers  are given a limited choice resulting in not just higher fares but also huge waitlists.
Dubai and Singapore are today two examples of nations, a fraction of India’s size, that are now truly international hubs.  Would this have happened if these nations had to place restrictions on who should or shouldn’t land there?  And, in both cases, national carriers, Singapore Airlines and Emirates Airways, were huge beneficiaries.  A passenger landing in Dubai and Singapore can take a single flight to almost any major destination in the World.  This has resulted in huge numbers of business and leisure travellers using these airports benefitting not just the airports but the nations’ economies as well.
A study recently conducted by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and sponsored by the Dubai headquartered Emirates Airlines (EK) concludes that an efficient civil aviation sector is important for economic growth.  This is because it is inter-linked with other sectors in the economy, generating income and employment through global commerce and tourism.  In the globalised World that we are living today, a well-managed civil aviation infrastructure with efficiently-run, competitive airlines are an absolute must.  With expanding airport infrastructure and more airlines operating, transport and communication costs can come down drastically.  This will lead to the promotion of increased commercial and cultural activity.  The result more jobs, and ultimately unification of people and markets.
According to the sponsors of the study EK, who are keen on increasing their operations into India, the move to increase services of foreign carriers will result in direct as well as indirect benefits for the country.  There are two ways in which this expansion could take place; one, through both higher seat allocation and two, through additional points of service.  Their findings are very interesting.  At a presentation in New Delhi on Monday, SEP 3, 2012, Will Lofberg, Senior Manager, Public and Environment Affairs, said allowing Emirates to operate 80,000 seats a week into India or carry 6.16 million passengers annually would lead to a direct contribution to the Indian economy of $363 million and have a multiplier effect of $720 million.  Below is a chart to show how.   At the moment, this is all the data I have but shall make further comments the moment I get a copy of the report entitled Emirates in India: Assessment of economic impact and regional benefits.

As per the study, allowing EK to operate 60,000 seats a week would allow it to carry 5.03 million passengers annually and directly contribute $296 million to the Indian economy with a multiplier impact of $644 million.  The study, though sponsored by them, has been conducted by NCAER (www.ncaer.org), an independent body.   Imagine what kind of a multiplier effect would take place if India opened up its skies and allowed FDI in domestic aviation.  I’ve always maintained that we should ignore what other countries are doing and follow our own model which is good for our own economy.
Coming back to the presentation Mr. Lofberg mentioned that EK, at the moment, is allowed to operate 54,200 seats a week into India and since 2008, has not been allowed to increase that number.  He also stated that EK’s India operations carried 45 per cent of passengers between 10 Indian cities and Dubai, with the remaining 55 per cent of passenger traffic being carried from Indian airports to points beyond Dubai.  I always maintain that if EK can do it, why not AI or any other Indian carrier?  On the contrary, I feel, that Indian carriers have, with the help of the government, following a dog in the manger attitude.  They are opposed to allowing any more rights to international carriers to operate more flights into India, arguing that foreign airlines carry passengers not only to their home country but also to third countries from their home base.  How exactly should it adversely affect them?
The study states that EK contributed $596 million to the Indian economy by way of $274 million in the air transport sector; $76 million in the petroleum and chemicals sector; $62 million in the manufacturing sector; $39 million in the trade, banking and insurance sector and $145 million in other sectors of the economy.  The Dubai-based airline has provided direct employment to 1,045 employees and supports a total of 72,323 jobs in India through its operations.  On the tourism front, Emirates has brought in 529,928 foreign tourists in India in 2010-11, as a result of which, $1,153 million were contributed to the economy as foreign exchange earnings.
Every $1 contributed by EK to the Indian air transport sector generates an additional $1.176 in the Indian economy, giving an output multiplier for Emirates’ contribution in the Indian economy at 2.176.  EK’s operations have a role in enhancing air transport and tourism as it connects non-hub airports to a significant number of points in India which would otherwise not be directly linked.  If it  expands to four additional destinations in India: Amritsar, Pune, Mangalore and Trichy, apart from 10 cities from where they are operating, it would benefit the Indian economy by $106 million and would also lead to the creation of 13,011 jobs.  The study states that in 2010-11, 65 per cent of the expenditure were on relatively small airports whereas only 35 per cent of Emirates’ direct contribution went to three big airports – Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai (in terms of passenger share). This indicates Emirates’ role in developing economic activities at non-hub points.

Friday, 17 August 2012

World's 10 Most Dangerous Airports



Bangalore: Building an airport is a daunting task. It is not easy finding an ideal location that has ample length of flat ground, favorable winds and proper visibility. And most of the times, engineers are left with the task of making the best out of the worst. In a survey conducted of airports around the world comes up with a list that can leave you with Goosebumps if you are landing there.
Have a look (click here):

http://travel.siliconindia.com/news/Worlds-10-Most-Dangerous-Airports-aid-1527.html?utm_source=Subscriber&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Weekend%20Newsletter

Kone Elevators installs pit-less autowalk in Mumbai airport

Friday, 13 July 2012

CIVIL AVIATION Losing Authority SAGNIK DUTTA in New Delhi

The Airports Authority of India becomes another victim of the government’s obsession with “modernisation” and privatisation.


Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Privatisation has made the airport one of the costliest in the world.
In a major embarrassment to the government and the private developers of Delhi’s international airport, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently slammed the airport regulator for allowing an exorbitant 346 per cent increase in the user development fees (UDF) to be levied on passengers.

Click to read on:

http://www.frontlineonnet.com/stories/20120727291404100.htm

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Smoother runway for air cargo logistics T.E. RAJA SIMHAN


At last, the air cargo logistics industry can look for some shiny days ahead. The way things are being speeded up suggests that the Government is serious about improving the industry’s standards to international levels.
First, the Government set up a working group consisting of officials from various departments and eminent personalities to look at issues from all angles. The group was asked to suggest ways to improve the industry, which handles nearly one-third of the country’s international trade.
Second, 
Click to read on

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/article3566081.ece

Friday, 8 June 2012

Inter-ministerial board to monitor cargo handling facilities at airports


The Government has constituted an inter-ministerial logistic board to lay down policy guidelines for setting up cargo handling facilities at airports. It will also frame the performance standards for air cargo logistic supply chain to ensure quality of service.
Click to read on

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/article3505358.ece?ref=wl_industry-and-economy