Efforts on for Establishing Air Cargo Complex in Mangalore

Efforts on for Establishing Air Cargo Complex in Mangalore
Daijiworld Media Network
Mangalore, Dec 21: That Mangalore is easily accessible to the rest of the country by land, rail, air and sea is a well known. This connectivity advantage has played a pivotal role in Mangalore emerging as an important economic and commercial place in Karnataka after Bangalore. Ever since international flights have started operating from Mangalore International Airport, the city is now best reached by air. With such easy accessibility to this port city, Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) of Mangalore, which has played a key role in the development activities of the district for over 70 years, has been directing its efforts to make use of the connectivity advantage enjoyed by Mangalore city, to provide fillip to the growth and development of this city.
KCCI has always taken up the mantle of giving a spur to the development process in the district since its inception. “KCCI is a proactive organization where we envision the development of the district. In this pursuit we are looking at avenues available for creating infrastructure so that real development takes place”, Mohandas Prabhu, President of KCCI points out.
GG Mohandas Prabhu
Continuing in the foot steps of the visionaries who envisioned an active role for it, KCCI under the dynamic leadership of its President G G Mohandas Prabhu has shouldered the responsibility of setting up an air cargo complex in Mangalore. While explaining the necessity of an air cargo complex Mohandas seems to be determined to see his dream project fructifies by the end of March 31, 2011. He says “the international flights have started operations from Mangalore long back and we are confident the airport will soon be elevated to the status of an international airport.
As a logical step towards the direction of development of the city, we need to set up an Air Cargo Complex to facilitate imports and exports especially through the gulf region “. KCCI is now looking forward to feel the pulse of the people of the costal district who have settled in the gulf region. Goods like Mangalore jasmine, seasonal fruits like mangoes, jackfruits, fish etc., can be exported to different countries using Dubai airport. Similarly, there are many medical and engineering colleges in and around Mangalore who might be interested in importing medical equipments and other machinery and this air cargo complex would be of immense help to import such equipments through Dubai airport. Mohandas Prabhu adds “we do not know who is interested in exporting goods from Mangalore to different countries of the gulf. It is not practicable for me to go to each country and find out who is interested. But we want to reach out to the people and make them aware about the availability of such a facility in Mangalore. I want the response of our people from the gulf region so that we can substantiate whatever study we have undertaken in this direction and present the hard facts to the government of India saying we have tremendous response from the people . That would make our case much stronger” . Based on the positive response of the people KCCI wants to pursue the matter with requisite proof which would play an essential role in speeding up the process of setting up air cargo complex. Establishing an air cargo complex would enable people to send commodities from Mangalore to the gulf region and vice versa. KCCI has given representation to the authorities and agencies involved, such as Airport Authority of India, Customs Department, the Importers and Exporters and other agencies, to make this dream become a reality. KCCI has held 3 rounds of discussions with Air India Express Manager, Mangalore, regarding this project and the airlines has assured their support and cooperation.
The air cargo complex would also provide an opportunity to send unaccompanied baggage for travelers who have extra luggage with them as this luggage also had to get clearance from the customs department. If the project becomes a reality it would further fuel growth and development in this region.
Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry has always been in the forefront in putting forward programmes and implementing them for creating better infrastructure keeping in mind the growth and development of the district. The ideas for setting up New Mangalore Port, the international airport (with good support from people like Rajesh Sequeira from the gulf) originated in the premises of this organization.
KCCI has other ambitious plans for the district including setting up of an international standard cricket stadium with a seating capacity of 50,000 people and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal which can be converted into clean electricity. It is also in touch with the Ministry of Agriculture to set up a fishing harbor in Kulai, Hosabettu. Plans are also on the anvil to develop the tourism sector in the district, considering the potential for developing tourism in the district.
At present, the priority is for setting up the Air Cargo Complex and Mohandas Prabhu feels he will get enough inputs from Mangaloreans in the gulf region. Those who wish to give feed back or want to get more information can contact the chamber office on email or telephone, fax etc,.
Email : kanarachamber.2008@rediffmail.com or kanarachamber@gmail.com

Tel: 0824 – 2420128, 4260128

2493859 (after office hours)

Fax: 2420669

M'lore Airport Structurally Stable, No Threat from Quarries: B M Ravindra

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SR/CN)
Mangalore, Oct 1: The recent reports on a national news channel regarding the geological instability of Mangalore Airport were brushed aside by B M Ravindra, deputy director, department of Mines & Geology, at a press meet here on Friday October 1.
Addressing the media at the New Terminal of the Bajpe Airport, Ravindra said that Bajpe region is 'structurally stable with a lateritic cover at the top underlain by very hard and fresh unweathered granitic rocks,' capable of withstanding a moderate earthquake of scale 2.
He added that there are a few lateritic quarries in the Adyapadi village, located around 300-400 mts towards the southeast from the airport. The laterite is a surfacial material deposited over a basement of hard and resistant granite rocks in Bajpe airport area. The hard laterite stones are extracted using cutting machines and blades, and not explosives, chemicals or blasts, he assured.
Ravindra also clarified that extraction of laterites was not the reason for landslides. Referring to the studies made in areas like Kethikal, Kadawada and Eliyarapadavu, he said that landslides in the coastal part of the state occur under special geo-environmental conditions which are not found in Bajpe - Adyapadi region.
There are two old granite quarries located at a distance of one km from the airport in the northwest sector, under the Karambar village limits. However, these quarries have posed no threat to the environment in the last thirty years of their operations, nor do they cause any danger to the structural stability of Bajpe airport, he said, rubbishing the media reports on national television.
Among those present were director of Mangalore Airport M R Vasudeva.

User Development Fee at Mangalore Airport from Sep 1

(The Hindu)
Passengers boarding flights at the Mangalore airport will have to pay user development fee from next month. It is not applicable to incoming passengers.
Each passenger boarding domestic flights will have to pay Rs. 150 and those boarding flights to other countries will have to pay Rs. 825. However, there are some exemptions.
The user development fee will be in force for 10 years with effect from September 1, Director of the airport M.R. Vasudeva told The Hindu. The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation had approved the levying of the fee on May 25, he said.
Various airlines will collect the fee from the passengers and remit it to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The fee includes service tax and collection charges of airlines.
Vasudeva said that infants (for infant tickets issued by airlines) would be exempt from paying the fee. Diplomatic passport holders, crew of airlines on duty and transit passengers need not pay the fee.
The AAI needs Rs. 75 lakh a month for maintaining the new air-conditioned terminal building, he said

Business as usual at Mangalore airport

A.J. Vinayak for Business line(The Hindu publication)
Mangalore airport was in news for all wrong reasons two months ago. The air crash that killed 158 people led to apprehensions that passenger movement through the airport would be affected. But the users of Mangalore airport have laid such apprehensions to rest. Passenger movement has shown a growth even after the air crash.
The airport, which handled 1.34 lakh passengers during May-June 2009, handled 1.41 lakh passengers during May-June 2010. The airport achieved this growth in spite of diversion of planes due to inclement weather conditions in the region during the period.
Mr Rajesh Sequeira, coordinator of Karnataka NRI Forum at the UAE, told Business Line that the confidence level of travellers flying from West Asia to Mangalore was unaffected by the tragedy. “The confidence level is intact because of the facilities provided by the Airports Authority of India at the airport and the advantage of saving time and money by directly flying to Mangalore. The unfortunate incident of the air crash is one part of life. But life has to go on, so the air crash will not make a difference in to our day-to-day life,” he said.
Air India Express, the lone international carrier from Mangalore to West Asia, has not seen any drop in load factor after the air-crash. Sources in AI Express said the demand for tickets from West Asia to Mangalore had not come down, and passengers still prefer Mangalore airport.
Rapid development
Mr G. Giridhar Prabhu, an entrepreneur from Mangalore, said that air connectivity was a crucial aspect in a business-driven and socially-oriented place like Mangalore, and that the traffic was bound to increase as the region was developing at a rapid pace.
The airport, which witnessed a total passenger handling of little over a million passengers between 2000 and 2005, saw a three-fold increase between 2006 and first half of 2010. This growth was led by international passengers. International operations from Mangalore airport began on October 3, 2006. From October 2006 to June 2010, the airport handled a total of 29.81 lakh passengers. Of these, the number of international passengers stood at 6.82 lakh, or nearly 23 per cent of the total passengers handled during the period.
Direct connectivity between Mangalore and West Asia has helped NRIs increase their frequency of travel. Mr Sequeira said that people would travel only once in a year or so when there was no direct flight. “But after the direct flight connection to Mangalore, the frequency of such people visiting Mangalore has increased,” he said.
The number of international flights has increased from three a week in October 2006 to 26 a week now. Mangalore airport is now connected with destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Bahrain, Doha, Sharjah and Kuwait.
Along with passengers from Karnataka, travellers from northern Kerala account for a significant share in the growth of passengers over the years. Recently, the Kerala Association of Travel Agents submitted a memorandum to the Mangalore Airport Director, to start flights to destinations in Saudi Arabia such as Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah.
The memorandum had stated that a large number of Saudi-bound passengers were from north Kerala and coastal Karnataka.
Mr Prabhu said that the traffic would increase if connectivity were to be provided to other regions. “Once the new terminal opens and airlines do their diligence, Mangalore will have greater potential for convergence from, say, Africa, and stopovers from West Asia to Sri Lanka, or stopovers from the near East like Singapore into Africa,” he said.
The growth in passenger traffic was also aided by the commissioning of the second runway at the airport in 2006. The 2450-metre-long second runway helped wide-bodied aircraft to land at the airport, which was not possible earlier. The old runway's length is 1,625 metres.
AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS
Infrastructure addition was visible with the airport witnessing a higher number of aircraft movements. Mangalore, which witnessed 5,546 aircraft movements in 2006, saw it jumping to 8,334 movements in 2007. The aircraft movements reached 11,938 and 11,148 during 2008 and 2009, respectively. There have been encouraging signals on this count in the first half of 2010, as the airport witnessed 5,440 aircraft movements till the end of June.
Air traffic at Mangalore airport is set to go up in the years to come, as the Civil Aviation Ministry is planning to extend the second runway at the airport by another 305 metres (1,000 ft). It is essential for the airport to extend the runway length by another 1000 ft to get international status. A 9,000-ft runway is one of the requirements for any airport to get international status.
Mr Sequeira said that international status will help the airport attract more airlines to international destinations. Mangalore got the status of a Customs Aerodrome in May 2006. Mr Praful Patel, who was in Mangalore to inaugurate the new terminal building of Mangalore airport on May 15, had announced that the runway would be extended by 1,000 ft. He reiterated this even after the air-crash on May 22.
With air passenger confidence intact, many facilities in place and some more in the planning stage, Mangalore airport is all set to witness further growth in the years to come
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/08/09/stories/2010080950180500.htm

Mangalore : New Terminal - First Step Towards Next Level

Special CorrespondentDaijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Jul 2: With the new integrated terminal building of Mangalore Airport (NITB) becoming operational from today the long awaited dream of Mangaloreans has finally been fulfilled, albeit after much delay. Though the NITB was inaugurated on May 15, 2010 the terminal was not open for operations until today. With the shifting of the services completely to the new terminal the distance to the airport has been reduced by nearly 6 kms, which has come as a big relief to travelers from the coastal districts of Karnataka and the border districts of neighboring Kerala.
Apart from reducing the distance to the airport the NITB has become more of a necessity after the airport opened its door to international flights to operate from here four years back. Several airlines began to operate international flights from Mangalore airport to the Middle-East facilitating easy transit for a large number of people working in the Gulf countries. Therefore raising the airport to international standards was the need of the hour and the opening of the new terminal building is certainly a dream come true for the people of the coastal districts. Air India Express IX 820 from Bahrain/Kuwait was the first flight to land at the new terminal at 7.10 am today. The same Air India Express IX 820 was the first flight to depart to Dubai from the new terminal.
M R Vasudeva and Air India Station Manager Chellam Prasad along with other Airport officials and Air India Staff were present at the new terminal to greet the passengers arrived by the first flight which landed at the new terminal building.
Speaking to daijiworld.com Airport Director M R Vasudeva said “the new terminal is a gift to the people of Mangalore who have been waiting for this momentous day for a long time. The terminal is now operational and will be on trial basis for another 15 to 20 days and all facilities are available to passengers and airlines except the aerobridges which will be installed subsequently. NITB provides a comfortable and convenient ambience to both the passengers and the visitors. We have been able to provide more space to the airlines, for restaurants and shops, better facilities and space for passengers at the lounge and lobby”.
Air India Station Manager Chellam Prasad termed it “as a proud moment for Air India to be the first airline to land its aircraft at the new terminal. All credit should go to the Airport Director for making this dream a reality”.
The shortcomings
The initial euphoria not withstanding, not everything at the airport is near perfect at least from the point of view of the private airlines who feel that the facilities are inadequate. One of the private airlines official on condition of anonymity stated that lot work is still pending and there seems to be a few technical flaws which should have been taken care of at the time of the construction of the new terminal. The main grouse of the airlines is that there is no proper storage facility for the airlines to store necessary basic engineering equipments at the new terminal which might be required by the aircrafts such as tyres and other spare parts. These parts or equipments are very expensive and need to be stored with foolproof safety. But such a basic facility usually provided at international airports is not provided at the new terminal. The private airlines feel that they should have been taken into confidence during the process of construction of the new terminal.
The other flaw is that there is no provision for the airlines to go to the basement from inside the terminal in case the airline staff wants to approach the passengers or get their luggage. Suppose a passenger is taken ill after going in and does not want to travel the airline staff has to come out of the terminal into the public area and go a round about way to reach them which is a major drawback.

Proper surveillance system is the other major area the concerns the airlines, especially the bird hit issue though it is not directly connected with the new terminal. In the recent past there have been 3 cases of bird hit at the Bajpe airport including last weeks incident of a peacock that had hit the Jet Airways while landing, causing damage to the aircraft and delay in its departure. It is the emergency situations arising out of situations like this necessitate the need of proper storage facility for engineering equipments. These airlines have decided to take up the issue to the notice of the airport authorities as they feel that it is the duty of the Airport Authority to provide a clear ground for landing and departure. The airlines feel that Airport Authority should make provisions to deploy someone at least at the time of departure or make some arrangements to scare the birds and reduce such incidents.
There are also complaints of lack of proper communication facilities at the basement of the new terminal which comes in the way of effective communication. Security at the new terminal building is another major issue. With more entrance and exit areas and more space to be guarded the job of the Central Industrial Security Force has become all the more cumbersome and challenging. It certainly calls for increased manpower to man the new terminal building.
Once these lacunae are taken care of may be the new terminal building will be safe, comfortable and convenient for the passengers, airlines and the visitors. The NITB can handle about 500 passengers at a time both arrival and departure. Provisions are made for handling domestic and international passengers separately. Facilities are also provided for parking more than 300 cars at the terminal. The new terminal is capable of handling about 500 visitors at time.
There were apprehensions about the approach road to the new terminal building which are now allayed with separate provisions for entry and exit. Vehicles entering the NITB have to approach from the Shree Devi Institute of Technology road and the exit is from the road adjacent to the Deccan Park. The state government has promised to provide Rs. 9 crores to develop the new exit road. Though the dispute regarding the Deccan Park area is yet to be resolved Vasudeva feels that it will be solved and will not come in the way of developing the road.

New Integrated Terminal Bldg of M’lore Airport at Kenjar in Action

Pics: Dayanand KukkajeDaijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SB)

Mangalore, Aug 2: The new integrated terminal building of City airport at Kenjar here began its full-fledged operations at 6.00 am on Monday August 2. The Air India Express flight IX 820 arriving from Dubai landed at 7.20 am albeit delayed by 1 hour 10 minutes becoming the first flight to touch down at the new terminal.
Airport director M R Vasudeva and Air India station manager Chellam Prasad accorded a warm welcome to all the passengers aboard the flight. Airport officials and Air India staff too were present on the occasion.
The Airports Authority of India thus finally has shifted the entire operations to the new integrated terminal building even though on a trial basis. Both operations of both domestic and international flights will be handled from the terminal henceforth.
There would be clearer demarcation of arrival, departure and visitors lounge with air travelers now getting access to the luxury of a good ambience and better facilities. However, the passengers would have to wait for another two to three weeks before the newly installed aerobridges are put to use at the terminal.
The new terminal is closer to the city by nearly six kilometers. Vehicles approaching new integrated terminal building will have to take the road laid adjacent to Shree Devi Institute of Technology, and exit from the road adjacent to Dakkan Park.

Mangalore: Hoax Call about Fire on AI Flight Causes Panic

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (AF)
Mangalore, Jul 24: Close to midnight on Saturday July 24, television channels like CNN-IBN and Times Now broke the news that Air India flight IX 811 at Mangalore airport had caught fire just before take off.
Immediately Daijiworld office was flooded with calls from anxious readers from every nook and corner. However, on investigation we have found that the reports were false and the 'call' to the duty manager at the airport regarding the fire was a hoax. Nevertheless, there was indeed a technical snag in the plane which caused a short delay before take off, but it was quickly sorted out and the flight took off from Mangalore as well as landed in Dubai safely.
It had been reported by the TV channels that 134 passengers were on board and that the tail of the plane had caught fire. They even stated that fire engines had been called to action whereas in reality, no such thing had taken place at all!

Mangalore: Peacock Hits Landing Jet Aircraft - Flight Delayed

Mangalore: Peacock Hits Landing Jet Aircraft - Flight Delayed Daijiworld Medi Network - RS / FL
Mangalore, July 21: A Jet Airways aircraft to Mumbai was delayed for nearly three hours after a peacock hit the aircraft while landing at the Mangalore Airport.
`A peacock hit the aircraft while landing and there is no casualties to any of the passengers' said officials of Jet Airways in a statement. `The flight was delayed for undertaking technical errors in the equipments of the aircraft and the flight finally took off at 6.30 pm' Jet Airways officials informed. The aircraft was scheduled to leave Mangalore airport today at 2.40 pm .
The sources said that the flight was on the way from Mumbai to Mangalore with 75 passengers on board. The peacock's sudden entry in to the runway at the time of landing at about 2.10 pm created the problem resulting in the delayed departure of the flight. According to officials the flight was delayed only to rectify the technical errors caused by the bird hit. The plane was cleared for flight after conducting a technical survey.

Mangalore : Confidence Building Top Priority of M R Vasudeva

Mangalore : Confidence Building Top Priority of M R Vasudeva
Daijiworld Media Network (FR)
Mangalore, Jul 15: M R Vasudeva assumed charge as the Airport Director of Mangalore Airport on July 14, 2010. Vasudeva has been transferred back to Mangalore from Coimbotore recently as the Airport Director in the level of General Manager.
When daijiworld contacted him to know his priorities on assuming charge at this crucial juncture, he stated that his foremost priority would be to undertake confidence building measures. “The public are unduly worried and I would like to reinforce our commitment to provide all safety and security measures in the airport to make it foolproof as much as possible. We will also ensure that we meet international civil aviation standards with the safety of passengers utmost in mind”, emphasized.
He denied the accusation that Mangalore being a table-top airport the runway is risky for landing. “The minds of the people are attuned to the oft repeated statements that table-top runways are hazardous, which is wrong. When a runway is made, it is made with a specific dimension whether it is on a hill top or on a plain ground and aircraft has to land there within that specific dimension. The pilot has to land the plane in that particular strip and all pilots are trained for that”, he asserted.
He also assured that airport would take necessary safety measures to get rid of all undue worries in public mind. He said sand arresters will be provided at the end of the runway as part of the safety measure. Vasudeva pointed out that there has been an increase in the number of passengers flying from Mangalore, as compared to last year. The number of passengers who travelled from Mangalore was 56,000 in June 2009, where as by June 2010 it rose to 63,000, which signifies that there has been an increase in the passengers who fly.
Without giving a specific date Vasudeva said that the New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB) will be thrown open to passenger traffic within the next 8 to 10 days. He will also have to oversee the all important task of extending the runway from the present 8,000 feet to 9,000 feet, to include a larger spillover area as part of the safety measure. The decision to extend the runway was taken by the Civil Aviation Ministry after the Air India Express crash that killed 158 lives in May this year.
With the much approachable and people-savvy Vasudeva as the Airport Director there is every possibility that the Mangalore International Airport will be able to win back the confidence of the people in the days to come.

M R Vasudeva Re-appointed Mangalore Airport Chief ?

Mangalore: It's Official - M R Vasudeva to Assume Charge on Jul 14
Mangalore, Jul 12: Airport Authority of India has been once again appointed M R Vasudeva as the Airport Director of the Mangalore Airport and he will assume charge on Wednesday July 14, 2010. Mr Vasudeva confirmed to daijiworld that he has been transferred back to Mangalore from Coimbatore as Airport Director in the level of a General Manager. Vasudeva had served as the Airport Director of Mangalore from April 2002 to March 2009 before he was transferred on promotion to Coimbotore last March. So in a way it is home coming for Vasudeva, who hails from Udupi and who has been instrumental in giving a state-of-the art runway to Mangalore Airport.
It may be recalled that M R Vasudeva was instrumental in developing the Bajpe airport into an International Airport that resulted in landing international flights in Mangalore airport during his tenure. He played a key role in developing the state-of-the art new concrete runway and the New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB), which is all set for opening for passenger traffic any time now. M R Vasudeva had evinced keen personal interest in ensuring the completion of the NITB, which of course got delayed after his transfer.
Knowing his contributions to the Mangalore Airport as Director, efforts were made by many especially the NRI forums to retain him in Mangalore to oversee the completion of the new terminal. Though he was given extension finally he was relieved when the efforts to retain him did not fructify.
But now he is back at a crucial time, nearly one and half month after the crash of Air India Express flight from Dubai on May 22, 2010 and also just at a time when the new terminal is going to be opened for passenger traffic, the day which many Mangaloreans have been looking forward to, for a long time now. There is still ambiguity about the NITB opening for passenger traffic which is getting postponed and one can expect Vasudeva to put an end to this uncertainty once he assumes charge.
So, this time around, Vasudeva has the additional responsibility of infusing courage and confidence among the staff, the airlines and the passengers who are still in a state of shock after the air crash tragedy. Apart from that he has to ensure continuance of the work he has begun and also undertake other safety measures.
Earlier News:
M R Vasudeva Re-appointed Mangalore Airport Chief ?
Mangalore, Jul 11 (DHNS): Coimbatore Airport Director M R Vasudeva, who was instrumental in developing the state-of-the art new concrete runway and the Rs 260 crore project that includes the New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB) has been re-appointed the Airport Director for Mangalore Airport.
Sources told Deccan Herald that Vasudeva has been re-appointed the Mangalore Airport Director with immediate effect and he is likely to take charge on Wednesday.
“The present airport director Peter Abraham too will continue as the airport director for some time, but Vasudev will be heading the operations,” it is reliably learnt.
It may be recalled that right from acquiring land for the second runway to construction of NITB and launching of direct flights to West Asia and many more services, Vasudeva played an instrumental role.

Mangalore: New Terminal to be Functional in 10 days

MANGALORE, Jun 23 (The Hindu): Director of the Mangalore airport Peter Abraham has said that the new integrated terminal building of the airport will be opened for passenger traffic in the next 10 days.
Speaking to The Hindu on Tuesday, a month after the May 22 crash of the Air India Express flight from Dubai, Abraham said that the opening of the new terminal was scheduled for June 1. “But the circumstances that prevailed in the aftermath of the crash prevented us from opening the terminal,” he said.
The date of commissioning would be decided by the local authorities in consultation with the regional headquarters of the Airports Authority of India at Chennai. The only aspect that was currently holding up the opening was the construction of a standby road, which would take another week, Mr. Abraham said.
The 360-m road, which would provide an alternate passage to the airport, is being built at the south-east end of the airport, abutting the now-abandoned Dakkan Hotel. Built at a cost of Rs. 35 lakh, this road will connect the airport to the Bajpe main road, via the Kenjar gram panchayat. This road will be used in emergencies only. Otherwise, it will remain closed.
ILS functional
The Instrument Landing System at the airport has been repaired and reinstalled. The ILS could not be used after the plane crashed into one of its crucial components on May 22. The ILS was re-commissioned on June 16, Mr. Abraham said.
Salvaging the wreck
There is still no clarity on when the wreckage of the plane will be removed from the crash site. While Mr. Abraham said that it was the responsibility of the airline to conduct the salvage, Station Manger of Air India Chellam Prasad said that the airline did not have the written clearance from the Airports Authority of India to go ahead. Mr. Abraham said that the airline was free to build a temporary shelter, next to the old engineering office near the new terminal building, whenever it wished.

Air travellers to be Compensated for Delayed, Cancelled Flight

New Delhi, Jun 21, (PTI): Air travellers would now be compensated for cancellation or delays in flights which have not been caused by situations like fog or any reason beyond the control of the airlines, if a new draft rule is implemented.
New rules detailing the conditions of compensation have been drafted by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which has invited comments from the public before finalising them.
The decision came in the wake of rapid expansion of air services on domestic and international routes and the necessity for the government to ensure appropriate protection for air travellers in case of flight disruptions, denied boarding, cancellations and delays without due notice to the passengers, an official spokesperson said.
As the distinction between scheduled and non-scheduled services was coming down, such protectionary measures would also be provided to passengers travelling on non-scheduled flights, like charters, also.
The new rules or the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) would bring the Indian aviation law in tandem with the Montreal Convention in regard to the liabilities of the airlines.
The operating airline would, however, be under no obligation if the cancellations and delays are caused by events beyond its control, like natural calamities or political instability.
Under the draft CAR, the financial compensation would be given only if the amount of tickets cost is higher than the compensation amount.
It would be Rs. 2,000 or the value of the ticket whichever is less for flights having a block time of up to and including one hour. Till two hours, the compensation would be Rs 3,000 or the value of the ticket whichever is less.
Similarly, if the delay is more than two hours, the amount would be Rs 4,000 or the value of the ticket whichever is less.
The draft rule provides that alternatively, the passenger would be offered the choice of a refund at the price it was purchased, a flight to the first point of departure and alternative transportation to the final destination wherever applicable.
Besides, the passengers shall be offered free of charge meals and refreshments and hotel accommodation, including transfers, when necessary.

Bajpe Airport: Runway Length to be Increased from 8000 to 9000 ft

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI): The runway length of Mangalore airport, which saw a major air crash a week ago that claimed 158 lives, will be increased from the present 8,000 ft to 9,000 ft to include a larger spillover area, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has said. "In fact, we have already taken a decision to extend the runway from 8,000 ft to 9,000 ft. In that 9,000 ft, the spillover area and all such factors will be taken into account," the Minister said.
He maintained that the government would have an "open mind" to implement any measure arising out of the lessons from the Mangalore air crash.
Replying to questions in Karan Thapar's 'Devil's Advocate' programme in CNN-IBN, Patel said the existing 8,000 ft runway was "fully compliant" with all the required guidelines and had a spillover area of 90 metres, which is the threshold area of the runway, based on its length.
"Though I am not an expert, but I can say with a sense of responsibility that if there are any mandatory requirements which are not fulfilled, not only in Mangalore but at any other airport in the country, these shall be corrected."
To a question on having an approach radar at Mangalore, he said it was "already being contemplated. Whatever is required will be done".
Observing that the Mangalore runway was earlier 6,000 feet in length, he said the risks of flying the same type of aircraft was larger. The present one was a new runway, he said. "Whatever has to be learnt from the air crash and whatever has to be improved upon will be done," Patel said.
Soon after the crash, he said he had chaired a high-level meeting of officials and a Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC) was set up to advise Directorate General of Civil Aviation on all aspects relating to safety.
Asserting that "Indian aviation is safe", Patel said "aviation per se can only be either 100 per cent safe or zero. ... Aviation is not a game of chance .... Any error can lead to what happened in Mangalore," he said, adding that the inquiry would establish what led to the crash.
Asked whether the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the US Federal Aviation Administration had downgraded Indian aviation sector's safety record, he said it was "absolutely wrong. The ICAO and the FAA both have certified that (aviation in) India is 100 per cent safe."
While disagreeing with the suggestion that the DGCA rules and procedures were "stand alone" and did not match the international norms, Patel said the regulatory body would examine all issues in totality and take necessary decisions.
"Let us not scare people away. These are difficult times but let us not make it an issue where people lose faith in our own system," he added.

IX 812 Passenger Manifest

http://docs.google.com/View?id=d692cbr_5vx44fsfd

Mangalore Crosses Another Milestone – Airport Terminal Inaugurated

Pics by Dayananda KukkajeDaijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, May 15: The new integrated terminal of the local international airport was inaugurated by union minister for civil aviation, Praful Patel, on Saturday May 15. It was a moment of pride for the people of the twin-districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, as the inaugural of the modern terminal will pave way for more international flights, opening up vistas of new opportunities for investment, tourism, employment and business. In his address, Patel said that the Indian aviation market, which is presently ranked ninth in the world, has the potential to jump to fifth spot within the next five years. He said that the runway of the airport, which is 8,000 feet long now, is required to be increased to 9,000 feet so as to earn the international status, and that his ministry is prepared to release Rs 100 crore additionally for development works at this airport. He noted that with the inauguration of a new international standard building, other facilities to raise the airport to international standard will be provided at the earliest and that earnest efforts will be made to fulfill the demand of the people here for commencement of flights to Saudi Arabia and other destinations. He added that all required facilities including the extension of runway here will be provided within a year to ensure that the airport acquires international status.

State Chief Minister, B S Yeddyurappa, who participated in the function as chief guest, revealed about the state’s plan to have airstrips at a distance of about 100 kms from each other. He said the state will have 13 airstrips at various places including Shimoga, Bellary and Gulbarga. He noted that a proposal has been made to the concerned, to allow civil operations in the Bidar naval airport. With the opening of new airports, investors will find it easier to visit the state for various purposes, and a global investors’ meet is being held in Bangalore shortly, he explained. He promised on behalf of the state government, to provide approach road to the new terminal at a cost of nine crore rupees, and that the state cabinet has already given its nod for this project.
Former union minister, Oscar Fernandes, in his address, recollected the inaugural of the local airport for the first time, by the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and that as a ten year-old boy, he had come to watch the inaugural. He urged minister Patel to meet all the requirements of the airport and the demand of the local people for flights to Saudi Arabia. He said that the city is developing into a global educational hub and that the city has been witnessing tremendous development due to the efforts made by successive governments.
Union law and justice minister, M Veerappa Moily, also recalled his trip to the airport during its inauguration several decades ago by Nehru, when he was 11. He expressed happiness at the progress witnessed by the airport in the form of new terminal building, longer runway and modern facilities.
The airport here boasts of being the only international airport in the state that has been established and run by the government. The city is poised for getting more attention at the global level, with the throwing open the new terminal to the service of the nation.
The new airport project has been taken up at a cost of about Rs 500 crore, to be developed in an area of about 583 acres of land. In the first phase, the new terminal building, built at a cost of Rs 147 crore over 70 acres of land, has come up. This building is centrally air-conditioned, and covers an area of 18,220 square metres. Facility to handle Indian and foreign passengers separately has been provided.
For the first time in the history of the airport here, the users of the airport will be able to enjoy services like air-conditioned aerobridge, seven escalators, seven lifts etc. The terminal also has been equipped with inline baggage x-ray system, automatic intelligent fire alarm system, CC camera, car calling system and 28 check-in counters, customers and immigration facility, VIP lounge, restaurant etc.
The new airport can accommodate four A-310 and an A-321 aircrafts at a time. Once the airport is fully developed, three more aircrafts can be parked here. Including the old port, the total capacity of the airport is nine aircrafts and two helicopters. The car park can accommodate 300 vehicles. The new terminal is also nearer to the city by seven kms.
State tourism minister, Janardan Reddy, district in-charge minister, Krishna J Palemar, MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, city mayor, Rajani Dugganna, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, R V Deshapande, MLA, Abhayachandra Jain etc., were present.
Airports authority of India Chairman, V P Agarwal, delivered the welcome address.
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Airport : Four Directors in Eight Months Hampers Progress

by Florine Roche - Daijiworld Media Network
Jan 31, 2010
It is generally said that comparisons are odious. Nevertheless situations call for such comparisons especially when undue delay and apathy nullifies the efforts and progress made by a predecessor and the successors fails to carry on the same tempo of progress. The fate of the new airport terminal at Bajpe Airport which awaits inauguration for quite some time now, is the situation referred to here that necessitates the comparison. When M R Vasudeva was the Airport Director tremendous headway was made as far as converting the tiny Mangalore Airport into that of an International standard one.
Ever since his promotion transfer to Coimbotore in April last year there has been a change of guard at the helm too often and one is bound to remember and compare his services with the present people at the top and one need not say the result has not particularly pleasing. In the last 8 months there have been four Airport Directors. M R Vasudeva B R Sena, V N Chandran and present Director Peter Abraham have been Airport Directors in the short span of 8 months. Peter Abraham assumed charge from V N Chandran in the last week of December 2009. Going by the trend one wonders how many more Directors and changes are in the offing before the new terminal sees the light of the day which is not too far if the airport authorities are to be taken on their face value.
Inauguration of new terminal in March?
With the tentative dates given for its inauguration of the new terminal getting postponed for reasons best known to the Airport Authorities both in Mangalore and Delhi, scores of people who have been fervently waiting for the new terminal to become operational, are getting impatient and are crestfallen.
According to the Peter Abraham K, the new Airport Director the new terminal will be inaugurated in March this year. However, he refused to divulge any more information including any further details on the eagerly awaiting direct flights to Saudi about which scores of people are keen to know. When daijiworld contacted him to elicit more information he could only say that 99% of the work at the terminal is complete and the remaining work would be completed by February and terminal would inaugurated in March this year. “The date of the VIP is awaited and the matter is handled by the Airport Authority of India. Mangalore Airport cannot do much about it”, he stated.

When asked whether there were any bottlenecks with regard to the new terminal to become operational he said “our work is in the finishing stage. There is no problem with the approach road to the new terminal either. We are giving a final touch to the passing facilities which are expected to be ready by February this year”.
He also evaded an answer when asked whether the terminal would become operational in the event of the formal inauguration gets postponed beyond March. With regard to direct flights from Mangalroe to Saudi he said “we are not going to start any flights as of now. It all depends on the airlines which should come forward with the proposal and the final decision will be taken at our headquarters”. In fact he was getting vexed at any query relating to the inauguration of the new terminal or about the new flights from Mangalore airport. It gave an impression as though he is yet to get acquainted with the set up and the situation here, which is indeed not expected from a person holding such an eminent post especially when Mangalore airport all set to attain international airport status. The only course left now is to hope against hope that it will be inaugurated and becomes operational by March this year. Many Mangaloreans had premonition about the things to come by and it was precisely for this reason they were saying Vasudeva should have been brought back to oversee the inauguration of the new terminal.
Saudi Flights – a non starter
Mangaloreans settled in Saudi Arabia have been fancying the idea of flying directly to Mangalore from Saudi for almost three years hoping it is only a matter of time before their long cherished dreams become a reality. They had collected signatures and had even submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister and continued their efforts in this direction. Since then there has been enormous changes and Air India Express has introduced direct flights to six gulf countries including Kuwait, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Muscat and Abu Dabhi. Hopes were raised for Saudi also as Air India gave a proposal to their headquarters to start direct flights. Station Manager of Air India Chellam Prasad confirmed it saying “we have given the proposal to the headquarters sometime ago and are waiting for the approval”. The present Airport Director has now stated they are not going to start any direct flights to Saudi. According to reliable source there has been no response from the Civil Aviation Ministry for the proposal.
There seems to be an orchestrated move to sideline the country’s national career and make way for private operators to make merry at the cost of the national airlines. Within the country too the national airlines has been made to bear the brunt of efforts to systematically chuck out the national airlines. According to reliable sources some flights of national airlines which were going to full strength in Mumbai and Bangalore have been stopped and given to private operators. According to reliable sources the flights to gulf countries will also be slowly handed over to the private operators who are keen to grab the opportunity. That includes flights to Saudi Arabia also and the private operators already tom-tom about this move of the Ministry. An Air India employee said on condition of anonymity that Civil Aviation Ministry is poisoning the national airlines to death and slowly the vast assets of the national airlines will also be handed over to the leading private operators. It is said that it is this move that delays the introduction of direct flights to Saudi Arabia from Mangalore.
National airlines are the pride of any country and this move to poison it to death will only give an upper hand to private operators who will then have a free hand to enhance the fair according to their whims and fancy.
One can only hope good sense prevails and such nefarious moves of the ministry are thwarted. Let us hope the long awaited of Mangaloreans in Saudi will see the light of the day soon. But first let us wait for the new terminal to become operational which, hopefully, will come about in March this year as promised.