Kuwait: India Approves Jazeera Airlines to Add 1300 Seats Weekly

Thursday, June 29, 2006 1:15:51 AM (IST)
KUWAIT / NEW DELHI, June 28:
The Indian government agreed to let Kuwaiti airline companies increase their weekly carrying capacity by 1,300 seats after a bilateral meeting on aviation was held here Wednesday.
Indian Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel met Kuwaiti Minister of Communication Ismael Al-Shatty here Wednesday discussing issues of promoting bilateral relations on civil aviation, according to a press release of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
According to the agreement, Kuwaiti airline company Jazeera Airways will operate 1,300 more seats per week from Wednesday.
India was in the process of opening up its skies, however, it still needed to address important issues such as proper airport infrastructure and the development of domestic carriers, Patel said at the meeting.
Another bilateral talk on opening civil aviation market will be held on July 18 and 19 here. The two sides agreed that they will discuss issues like linking Kuwait to more Indian cities and further increase in number of seats, the press release said.
Ismael Al-Shatty expressed satisfaction with the talks and hoped to build a strategic partnership with India in the near future.

Kuwait:Karnataka NRIs' Efforts to Bring about Kuwait-Mangalore Direct Flight

Daijiworld News Network [With inputs from Hasan A.Yusuf, Kuwait]
Kuwait, Jun 28: As the Mangalore airport has been announced as a Custom airport and given green signal to handle International flights, efforts are going on all around the Gulf countries to arrange direct flights to Mangalore.
The campaign started in Dubai a couple of years ago has now spread around the Gulf, and the Karnataka NRIs in Kuwait are making special efforts not only to bring International flight to Mangalore but also to have various Karnataka-related issues addressed.
The following news may welcomed as a very favourable development by NRIs from Mangalore.
A delegation from United Associations of Karnataka (UAKK) in Kuwait, a forum of 15 Associations working for the welfare of the people of Karnataka in Kuwait and in India, had a meeting in the evening of June 27, 2006 with Captain Mukhled K Al-Sawagh, Vice President, Operations, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait and Reinhard Kossack, Chief Operating Officer in their Head Office in Kuwait with regard to direct flights from Kuwait and other Gulf sectors to Mangalore airport.
John Tauro of Kuwait Aviation, a member of United Associations of Karnataka, Kuwait had arranged the said meeting with these Jazeera Airways higher officials, with the help of Bobby Varghese Jacob of the same Airways.
Pascal Pinto- Coordinator, government affairs of UAKK Kuwait, along with Hasan Yusuf and Fayaz Sheik (members of the delegation), submitted a memorandum to the Vice President, Operations requesting Jazeera Airways to help the NRIs from Mangalore and the surrounding areas by operating direct flights to Mangalore from Kuwait and other Gulf sectors.
Jazeera Airways officials told the delegation that they would look for possible ways to help in this matter and suggested to submit the details of the complete facilities available in Mangalore airport for International airways/flights. They also said that they would have another meeting with the UAKK delegation after studying the report on facilities available in Mangalore airport and the financial feasibility of operating direct flights to Mangalore.
The UAKK delegation thanked the Jazeera Airways officials for their encouragement to go ahead in this matter.
In the meantime, efforts are still on to exert maximum pressure on Air India Express and some other airlines to start immediate flights between Dubai and Mangalore.
More updates on this issue will available in the coming days

New Delhi:Air India considering leasing aircraft

News Courtesy : Times of India
Air India is examining leasing about six wide-bodied aircraft to add capacity and replace some planes whose leases expire in the next few months.
The national carrier was looking at dry-lease as well as the wet-lease route, in case aircraft were not available through the former, AI CMD V Thulasidass told.
Announcing that tenders were expected to be issued shortly, he said wet-leased aircraft would be taken only from airlines and not from any leasing company. Under wet-lease, an aircraft is leased with cockpit and/or cabin crew while under dry lease, only the plane is made available.
He also clarified that this route would be taken only if dry-leased planes were not available and wet-lease would only entail pilots and not the cabin crew.
The AI chief said the airline planned to launch flights to Mauritius with the leased aircraft. Besides, Air India also plans to launch flights from Mangalore and to Dubai in the near future.
He said Air India subsidiary, AI Express, would soon start operations to Kuala Lumpur from Chennai and was awaiting approval from the Malaysian government which, he hoped, would be available in the next few weeks.
However, Air India has begun these flights from Chennai last week with leased AI Express aircraft which were operating under AI codes, Thulasidass said.
In a bid to enhance productivity and remove deficiencies in the productivity-linked incentive (PLI) scheme introduced for engineering and other ground staff in 1996, the AI CMD said a six-member committee had been set up to review the PLI scheme.
The panel, which includes a member each from Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad), National Productivity Council and NITTI, besides Air India itself, would consult the Unions and the departments about the problems while making its recommendations within three months.
He said the need for a review of the scheme was felt following complaints from individual or categories of employees and stressed that productivity has to be the key objective, especially in the coming few years. Pilots and cabin crew do not avail PLI as their incentives are based on in-flight duties.
Asked whether it had received government approval for enhancing salaries or other benefits, Thulasidass said Air India had fulfilled the twin criteria of making profits for three years and did not require budgetary support to give a raise to its staffers.
Wage agreements have already been revised for some sections of employees and work was in progress for the other categories, he added.

New Delhi-AI Express to connect Amritsar, Mangalore to Dubai soon: CMD

Ashwini Phadnis - Business line

AIR India Express, the new low-cost airline being promoted by Air India, is to begin services from Mangalore and Amritsar to Dubai shortly, its Chairman and Managing Director, Mr V. Thulasidas, said.

"The Government has given us permission to operate more flights to Dubai. We plan to start operating soon from both Mangalore and Amritsar. Initially, the flight will not be a daily service. In the case of Mangalore, we are waiting for customs and other facilities to be available before starting the flight," Mr Thulasidas told Business Line.

The Government recently concluded an air services bilateral with Dubai that allows the designated airlines of the two countries to offer an additional 8,000 seats per week. Earlier, the airlines of the two countries were entitled to offer 10,400 seats per week in each direction.
Meanwhile, AI Express is awaiting permission from the Malaysian Government to start operating its own flights to Kuala Lumpur from Chennai. At present, the AI Express aircraft have been taken on wet lease by Air India to operate the service. "AI Express should get the permission within the next few weeks and then will be in a position to operate on the route with its own aircraft," said Mr Thulasidas.

AI Express, however, recently started operating a six-times-a-week service on the Chennai-Singapore sector.

AI Express took to the skies in April last year and operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. In an effort to provide budget travel to the passenger, the aircraft offers seating in economy class only.

Mangalore:NRIs forum seeks international terminal in Mangalore

Our Bureau -Business Line

UAE-based NRIs forum has urged the Karnataka Government to acquire land for the construction of international terminal at Mangalore airport at the earliest.
A press release by the forum said that the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy, who was in Dubai recently, has been urged to take steps in this regard. While acquiring land for this purpose, the affected people should be properly rehabilitated, the release added.
The Government should also take steps to construct an approach road to the international terminal, it said. Welcoming the Centre's decision to declare Mangalore as Customs Airport, the forum said that the move would help international flights to land in Mangalore. The forum requested the Government that the Mangalore airport be declared as international airport at the earliest.

Abu Dhabi: CM Kumaraswamy Invites NRIs to Invest in Karnataka

Daijiworld News Network - UAEInputs and pics Rajesh Sequeira Abu Dhabi,: During his 3-day official visit to the Emirates at the invitation of Abu Dhabi Karnataka Sangha, Karnataka State chief minister H D Kumaraswamy spoke to the mediapersons on Thursday.
He invited the attention of the media to the various opportunities available in Karnataka especially in the IT sector BT sectors.
Infrastructure development, tourism, manufacturing, engineering, business process outsourcing etc are the several other sectors where investors can invest, he said.
He also briefed them on the various options for investors offered in Karnataka, which is an economy, compared favourably with the most developing economies in the world. “Karnataka has a favourable industrial climate, availability of various resources, stable and transparent and forward-looking government, and availability of more skilled human resources. The government of Karnataka is ready to extend its whole-hearted support to potential investors, he added.
The Karnataka NRI Forum and other associations submitted a memorandum to the CM raising concern on several issues including the delay in upgrading Mangalore Airport to international status. The NRI community also highlighted the inordinate delay in completion of Mangalore-Bangalore railway's broad gauge conversion. Rajesh Sequeira, coordinator of the Karnataka NRI Forum UAE in the memorandum laid stress on acquisition of the land at the earliest for construction of the International terminal and rehabilitated the people with proper compensation, construction of the road to the new terminal building, construction of railway station near the airport and acquiring deccan park till the new terminal is built which could accommodate international passengers.
The CM also mooted the idea of setting up airports in important cities of the state. Rajya Sabha berth for NRIs, priority for tourism development, CET Entrance exams for Non Resident Kannadigas and similar issues were also discussed during his visit.
The CM also appreciated the contribution made by the non-resident Kannadigas (NRKs) in the UAE and expressed happiness to be here to attend the silver jubilee celebration of the Kannandigas in the UAE.
The delegation led by chief minister met the officials of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and appraised them of the various investment opportunities available in the state. “I am giving an open invitation to the government of the UAE to invest in Karnataka,” he said. Indian ambassador to UAE C M Bhandary, minister of medical education and animal husbandry Dr V S Acharya, commerce and industries secretary Mahendra Jain, information and tourism, Kannada and culture secretary I M Vittala Murthy, Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation's chairperson and MD Sobha Nambisan, KSIDC's assistant general manager Dr V S Somanath, principal secretary to CM Sudhakar Rao, NMC managing director Dr B R Shetty, chief coordinator of Karnataka Sangha Sarvotham Shetty and UAE Exchange general manager Sudhir Shetty were also present on the occasion.

Dubai:Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudeva Arrives in Dubai

by Ramcy Fernandes - Daijiworld News Network - Dubai
Dubai, Jun 7: The much-talked-about man in the matter of the Mangalore International Airport has arrived in Dubai on an official visit at 5-00 pm local time on Tuesday, June 6.
Karnataka NRI Forum coordinator and special correspondent of Daijiworld Rajesh Sequeira along with a few prominent Mangaloreans were at the airport to receive Vasudeva, who is visiting here along with Soran Singh DGM Communication, Mumbai to attend a seminar organised by SITA (Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques) in Abu Dhabi on June 7, on the subject "Growth beyond Expectation'.
While speaking to Daijiworld in the airport, upon his very first visit to any of the Gulf countries, Vasudeva said he was overwhelmed to see the Dubai international airport and was highly impressed by its looks and pattern.
He has re-confirmed that "Mangalore is ready to become the International Airport; we are only waiting for the airlines to confirm their dates"
"It was my dream to bring Mangalore airport up to international level. My efforts were well supported by people, authorities and government. I am extremly happy about the progress achieved in the Mangalore airport. We had lot of hurdles initially, but the we have been able to overcome the problems."
He was sounding relaxed and happy upon his first landing.
"I wanted to fly from Mangalore to Dubai or Sharjah direct... but it could not happen," he regretted.
When asked about the night landing facility in Mangalore, he said: "We have installed the latest type of lights to facilitate night landing. We are even ready for night-time flights," he assured.
He was highly impressed by the way the NRIs stood solidly behind the Mangalore international issue, while he also appreciated the efforts put in by NRI Karnataka Forum in Dubai, as well as other forums in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and elsewhere.
When asked about the prospects of the first flight landing, he said "It's upto the airlines, but we are fully co-operating with any airline which is approaching us. Our efforts will not be complete until the first international flight lands at Mangalore."
He complimented daijiworld for the media support given in Mangalore and public opinion formed at international level on the airport issue.
Vasudeva will be one of the guests of honour at Karnataka Sangha Abu Dhabi's 25th year celebration on June 9, where chief minister H D Kumaraswamy will also take part.
Karnataka NRI forum is doing its best to put maximum pressure on the chief minister to take a firm initiative on the first international flight service to Mangalore.
Vasudeva had a special word of praise for Karnataka NRI Forum UAE convener Rajesh Sequeira. He said if a large number of people had taken the kind of interest in the subject as Rajesh had taken, Mangalore would have become an international airport way back in the 1970's or 1980's, he said. "Anyway, I am only hoping that leading airlines would start operating international flights very soon," he concluded

Dubai:Who's Playing with our Sentiments?'

Tuesday, June 06, 2006 8:28:25 AM (IST) Mangalore Airport Status:
by Walter NandalikeEditor-in-chiefDaijiworld.com
June 6: When the Mangalore airport started its flight operations in 1951, it was one of the historic moments for the land of Dakshina Kannada and around. During that time, not many people might have thought that it would take another fifty years for an international flight to land here !
The progress of Mangalore airport was at a snail's pace until recently. The campaign for international status to the airport was started sometime in 1971, as many people recall. Many people did their best but had to give up out of sheer despair.
But, M R Vasudeva, the present airport director at Mangalore, gave a new hope to the project of upgrading the Mangalore airport to intenational status. Being the son of the soil, his love for Mangalore and his commitment to duty have been the contributing factors for ensuring the progress in the upgradation of the airport to international standards. No doubt the Aiports Authority of India and government officials have provided full back-up.
"The progress seen in the last two years at the Bajpe airport is certainly far greater than what took place during the earlier twentyfive years," said an official at the airport to Daijiworld. And that is absolute truth.
During Veerappa Moily's tenure as chief minister, Abu Dhabi-based NRI entrepreneur B R Shetty took the initiative for a new airport to be built in Padubidri region in the present Udupi district, thus facilitating landing of international flights. But the omnipresent 'politics' appeared to have played a major role. The mission could not be fulfilled for many reasons.
In the year 2003, Rajesh Sequeira, engineer by profession, took the lead in the UAE and gathered some like-minded Mangaloreans with the support of NRI entrepreneurs to rejuvenate the campaign. There could not have been a more competent person to spearhead this mission than Rajesh Sequeira because he had earlier worked for Jet Airways at Mangalore airport for a few years and knows the passenger movement and facilities in and out.
By then the union government already sanctioned funds for expanding the runway. Rajesh's efforts inspired similar initiatives in other Gulf countries also. Unfortunately not many people back home supported the cause. Those religious leaders and social workers who keep travelling to the Gulf for 'charity' purposes, never thought of the interests and needs of the very NRI's from whom they perennially expect the milk of human generosity to flow. But the campaign snowballed and the efforts put up by the NRIs got stronger and stronger.
2006 - A Golden Year for Mangaloreans?
Yes, as far as international airport is concerned, it's a great year. In January, an Airbus A319 landed for the first time in Mangalore, thanks to the Kingfisher airlines.
Kingfisher Airlines' maiden flight having landed in Mangalore
The runway work was completed in May and the soon after the maiden flight landed on the new strip. The pilot who landed the first flight was all praise for the new runway since it had met with the specifications of international standards and had a fabulous finish. Full credit to airport director at Mangalore for getting the airport declared as customs airport and obtaining permission for immigration facility.
The above three are indeed major achievements.
Where is the international flight?
Now the million-dollar question. The airport is ready, the customs facility is ready, the immigration is ready...but where is the flight?
Is it the Sharjah flight or a bird?
Daijiworld.com played a major role in mobilizing and promoting appeals to the higher level through its reports from time to time. In Mangalore, a few local dailies have taken special interest in this issue and have been reporting regularly to highlight the need of the hour.
The maiden flight was announced on May 7, 2006 by Air India Express. But the Air India 'Express' was delayed and grounded even before its launching!
The airline officials gave two further, revised dates for the international operations, but failed to keep up the promise. But daijiworld.com has reliably learnt that Air India Express is running short of aircraft. The promised aircraft on the Chennai- Singapore, scheduled to be launched in March this year, is yet to arrive ! Once Chennai - Singapore route becomes operational, the next priority route is expected to be Dubai-Mangalore.
When we lost the immediate hopes on AI Express then suddenly came into the scene AP Air, a chartered line. Though it was not a major help for passengers, at least a flight could have been a breakthrough, which would have given a much-needed moral boost to the Mangalorean NRI's. The flight which was scheduled to fly Sharjah - Mangalore direct on May 26 got stranded at Sharjah, supposedly because of regulatory issues in Sharjah.
Travel Agent Misguiding?
The travel agent for AP Air in Dubai has reportedly misguided some of the passengers who enquired about the direct flight by saying, "Due to problems in Mangalore airport, the flight could not take off!'.
The Mangalore airport authorities have rubbished this statement and have confirmed to daijiworld that the Mangalore aiport is now ready to receive international flights and all hurdles have been cleared. Whatever the problems AP Air have in the matter of taking off AP Air are their own and Mangalore airport has nothing to do with it, say the aiport sources in Mangalore.
When daijiworld contacted AP Air's top officials, we were told, "Still our efforts are on. We do not want any hurdles once the flights take off. We want to fly regularly, so we are completing formalities here. The process is a bit slow, but it will be done soon."
No Godfather for Mangaloreans
It is true that no top Mangalorean political leader has taken keen interest in International airport movement. Look at the Pune airport and Amritsar airport in Punjab. Compared to Mangalore, they are much smaller and less-equipped airports. But international flights are flying regularly without any hurdles. If they can be allotted flights, why not Mangalore?
Yes, perhaps Mangalore does not have any 'Sharad Pawar' who can work for our own people. Sharad Pawar single-handeldly got Pune as international airport and it was on his birthday - Novemeber 14, 2004 - that they had a flight to fly Dubai - Pune direct! We depend on 'outsiders' at the national level who need to put their hands in our needs!
We need a godfather who can stand by the NRI needs. The basic need is the international flight now. Who will exert pressure on Air India Express or Indian Airlines, or any other airline? Who will instill confidence in them on the feasibility and profitability of an international flight to Mangalore?
Community leaders like Abu Dhabi enterpreneur B R Shetty and Ryan International School director Grace Pinto have been working behind the scenes by using their political contacts.
Abu Dhabi-based NRI entrepreneur B R Shetty discussing the progress of Mangalore airport upgradation with airport director M R Vasudeva
Still we do not find any politician who can press our demands. The entire hopes are now pinned on our dynamic union civil aviation minister Praful Patel, who can make things happen.....but when?
The question will remain unanswered if someone does not take the initiative.
Who's playing with our sentiments?
Despite all facilities being in place in Mangalore, why the delay in landing the flight? Who's playing with our sentiments? Do you get the smell of the domestic airline lobby? No doubt the domestic flight from Mumbai to Mangalore will have to run with less load and even at slashed tariffs if direct flights ae introduced. About 60% of the domestic passengers are said to be Gulf, Europe and USA-based. If a lobby of this kind is working overtime, what is the state of our dream?
Pressure on 'Indian':
The Karnataka NRI forum has put pressure on 'Indian', the re-christened Indian Airlines. Though it has all the potential for flying full capacity between Dubai-Mumbai-Mangalore and Sharjah - Mumbai- Mangalore, a little more interest from Indian will surely ensure a regular direct flight to Mangalore.
Though in February 2006, Indian promised us that they were considering flying direct very 'soon', this 'soon' should materialize by July/August positively.
Daijiworld's role:
A large number of articles, news, interviews and pictures published on this portal over the last three years are an example of efforts and interest taken by our team, whether in Mangalore, Mumbai, Dubai or elsewhere. Now hundreds of emails are flooding our mailboxes about the status of the international flight. Our team in Dubai gets calls from everywhere. Our Mangalore office is flooded with calls from aborad..'When is the first flight?'
We deliver whatever news we receive from reliable sources. And we will keep updating our readers and it is our commitment than every single information received will be shared through this flatform.
All we need is a little patience. We are very hopeful that the first flight will surely land very soon.
Any suggestions and further efforts on the part of NRI's are most welcome.
Please write to us and let us know what you, as individuals or collectively, can do towards realizing this dream