Friday, April 28, 2006

Mangalore: Flight Services to Dubai Likely to Start from Bajpe Airport on May 21

The Hindu
The first international flight services from Bajpe airport may start on May 21 if everything goes as discussed at a high-level meeting held at the airport on Thursday.
N Yogish Bhat, MLA, who attended the meeting, told the reporter that it was "very positive". The meeting discussed aspects related to setting up of immigration and customs facilities at the airport. "If everything goes as planned, the first international flight from Bajpe airport will take off on May 21," he said. The Government would cooperate and provide facilities, he said.
The meeting also discussed the need to set up a Police Commissionerate in Mangalore and upgrade the Bajpe police station.
Addressing presspersons before the meeting, Sudhakar Rao, Principal Secretary, to Government, said that the Department of Home Affairs would provide immigration facilities if other basic requirements were met at the airport.
However, Rao said that no compromise would be made with respect to security at the airport while providing immigration facilities. "Immigration facility will be provided at Bajpe airport when AAI is ready to handle international flight operations from the airport," he said.
Air India had sought 15 to 20 days to start its operation from the airport once all facilities were ready.
Air India Express, the low cost airliner of Air India, had proposed starting a Mangalore-Dubai service. According to a tentative schedule, its Boeing 737-800 will arrive here from Dubai at 8.20 pm and take off for Dubai at 9.20 pm.
M R Vasudeva, director, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Bajpe airport, Raghavendra Auradkar, Inspector General Police, State Intelligence (Security), H V Parshwanath, Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada, B Dayananda, Superintendent of Police, Dakshina Kannada, Manuskar Rao, Joint Commissioner, Customs, Mangalore, A Srinivas Rao, president, Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Subbayya Shetty, former president, KCCI, Padmanabha Kamath, general secretary, KCCI, and other officials attended the meeting

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Mangalore:Mangalore airport Rehabilitation package soon

Our Bureau -Businessline

THE Dakshina Kannada district administration will acquire 158 acres of land for the expansion of Mangalore airport, under the emergency clause.

Of the 158 acres, only 28 acres will have to be acquired from 116 families residing in the area. The rest of the land belongs to the Government.

Speaking to presspersons here on Friday, the District in-charge Minister, Mr Jabbar Khan Honnali, said that the Government has given permission for the sanctioning of Rs 11 crore to rehabilitate 116 families residing there.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Aravind Srivastav, who was present at the press conference, said that the rehabilitation package for these families is being worked out. The rehabilitation process will be over in three to four months.

The Minister said that 187 acres of land has already been acquired for the airport expansion project.

The second runway of the airport is likely to be completed by October, and other infrastructure such as the construction of the second terminal building may take another 18 months.

Monday, April 03, 2006

Mangalore: Civil Aviation Grants Immigration and Customs Facility to Mangalore Airport

Daijiworld News Network
Mangalore, April 3: A few weeks ago when Air India Express did their ground feasibility study of International flights landing at Mangalore airport, not many people believed this fact. Aftell, the cry for an international airport had fallen on deaf ears over the last so many years. But there were a few persistent ones who did not lose their hopes. They did not give up their struggle and spared no time and effort to put constant pressure to achieve this goal.
Still there was a fear lurking in the minds of many Mangaloreans that due to various factors that were influencing the upgradation resulting in a setback, the work in progress too would be hampered.
No sooner was announcement of the international flight by Air India Express made on May 7, 2006, than there was a change of guard at the state level and there were strong rumours that at the Civil Aviation Ministry Lalu Prasad Yadav would replace the current Minister Praful Patel. In the meantime, Sonia Ghandi resigned in a dramatical political development. Whilst the hopes of people were rising on one side, on the other side uncertainity started bothering their minds and create havoc.
Yet Air India Express has braved all these odds and have worked against the tide with great determination to move ahead on the project of their international flights landing at Mangalore.
It is not very far off when the dream of every Mangalorean of landing direct at their home territory is going to come true. The expected date mentioned earlier - May 7 - will soon be a Red Letter Day if Air India Express keeps up to its promise.
Air India express has announced the last date for filing of tenders for flight handling services at Mangalore airport as April 17, 2006. The company to bag the tender will have sufficient lead time to get itself in place to handle the job well on time.
It is noteworthy to mention that the Civil aviation has also granted permission for setting up Immigration and Customs at Mangalore Airport. This has been confirmed by a Mangalore Airport official while speaking to Daijiworld.com
Air India express is expected to announce the flight schedule by April second week. However, close sources disclosed to daijiworld that there would be four flights per week from Dubai. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Timing will be 2010hrs arrival Mangalore. Similarly, return flights from Mangalore will be around 2110 hrs.
Official confirmation regarding this is awaited from Air India Express.
"Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope hurdles don't come our way. Our wait has been long and the dream is nearing finish. With all hopes and high spirits, May 7 will be the day to make every Mangalorean NRI proud of landing on his / her homeland." says Dubai-based Rajesh Sequiera, main coordinator of Karnataka NRI forum of Dubai.
Rajesh has been regularly in touch with leading Mangalorean business community in India and UAE, the Airport authorities and Air India Express. He also added the Indian Aviation has really changed, thanks to the aviation Minister Praful Patel's efforts towards effecting changes in the industry. "It is my dream to see the first flight landing at mangalore non-stop from any foreign destination," he says while speaking to daijiworld.com
"It will be a drastic change which will result in a lot of improvement as well. Not only will Mangaloreans have the opportunity of saving on time, energy and sleepless hours of travel, but there will be better services that will be provided. Air India Express, known as budgetairlines offers a very reasonable rate for Dubai-Mangalore flight" he says
Daijiworld News Network
Mangalore, April 3: A few weeks ago when Air India Express did their ground feasibility study of International flights landing at Mangalore airport, not many people believed this fact. Aftell, the cry for an international airport had fallen on deaf ears over the last so many years. But there were a few persistent ones who did not lose their hopes. They did not give up their struggle and spared no time and effort to put constant pressure to achieve this goal.
Still there was a fear lurking in the minds of many Mangaloreans that due to various factors that were influencing the upgradation resulting in a setback, the work in progress too would be hampered.
No sooner was announcement of the international flight by Air India Express made on May 7, 2006, than there was a change of guard at the state level and there were strong rumours that at the Civil Aviation Ministry Lalu Prasad Yadav would replace the current Minister Praful Patel. In the meantime, Sonia Ghandi resigned in a dramatical political development. Whilst the hopes of people were rising on one side, on the other side uncertainity started bothering their minds and create havoc.
Yet Air India Express has braved all these odds and have worked against the tide with great determination to move ahead on the project of their international flights landing at Mangalore.
It is not very far off when the dream of every Mangalorean of landing direct at their home territory is going to come true. The expected date mentioned earlier - May 7 - will soon be a Red Letter Day if Air India Express keeps up to its promise.
Air India express has announced the last date for filing of tenders for flight handling services at Mangalore airport as April 17, 2006. The company to bag the tender will have sufficient lead time to get itself in place to handle the job well on time.
It is noteworthy to mention that the Civil aviation has also granted permission for setting up Immigration and Customs at Mangalore Airport. This has been confirmed by a Mangalore Airport official while speaking to Daijiworld.com
Air India express is expected to announce the flight schedule by April second week. However, close sources disclosed to daijiworld that there would be four flights per week from Dubai. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Timing will be 2010hrs arrival Mangalore. Similarly, return flights from Mangalore will be around 2110 hrs.
Official confirmation regarding this is awaited from Air India Express.
"Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope hurdles don't come our way. Our wait has been long and the dream is nearing finish. With all hopes and high spirits, May 7 will be the day to make every Mangalorean NRI proud of landing on his / her homeland." says Dubai-based Rajesh Sequiera, main coordinator of Karnataka NRI forum of Dubai.
Rajesh has been regularly in touch with leading Mangalorean business community in India and UAE, the Airport authorities and Air India Express. He also added the Indian Aviation has really changed, thanks to the aviation Minister Praful Patel's efforts towards effecting changes in the industry. "It is my dream to see the first flight landing at mangalore non-stop from any foreign destination," he says while speaking to daijiworld.com
"It will be a drastic change which will result in a lot of improvement as well. Not only will Mangaloreans have the opportunity of saving on time, energy and sleepless hours of travel, but there will be better services that will be provided. Air India Express, known as budgetairlines offers a very reasonable rate for Dubai-Mangalore flight" he says