Jet Airways to Commence Mangalore - Dubai Operations from Jan 3, 2013

Mangalore, Dec 7: As announced earlier in these columns, Jet Airways is all set to launch its Mangalore-Dubai-Mangalore operations, thus becoming the first private airlines to do so.
Jet Airways will commence its daily flights on this route from January 3, 2013.

Online bookings have begun, and more than 300 people have already booked their flights, sources said.

Flight 9W532 will depart from Mangalore at 20:00 hours (local time) and arrive in Dubai at 22.30 hours (local time).

The return flight 9W531 will take off from Dubai at 23.30 hours (local time) and arrive in Mangalore at 4.30 am the next morning.

The inaugural fair is Rs 17, 122 , Rs 42,953 (Business class), one way.

For booking login : www.jetairways.com

Until now, only Air India Express was operating on Mangalore - Dubai direct route.

Mangalore : Cargo Complex Infrastructure is Ready - Airport Director

Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Mangalore, Dec 5: It has been a month since J T Radhakrishna has taken over as the Director of Mangalore International Airport following the retirement of M R Vasudeva in October this year. Vasudeva, who was the Airport Director of the Mangalore Airport for nearly 10 years, was the face of the Mangalore Airport and whoever steps into his shoes will be naturally compared to him. Comparisons are no doubt odious but Radhakrishna seem to have no problem with the high expectations people have because he does not consider it as a burden.

A man of few words, Radhakrishna prefers his work to speak for himself and has already chalked out a clear plan keeping in mind the all-round progress of the airport and the safety of the passengers.

In an exclusive interview with daijiworld.com he delineates the various developmental plans under progress at Mangalore International Airport.

Q. Is it difficult to get into the seat adorned by M R Vasudeva?

A. Vasudeva was the Airport Director of Mangalore International Airport for almost ten years and knew the ins and outs of the airport. It was during his tenure the second runway and the new terminal was built and became operational. It is just month since I have taken over as the Director and I know this place having supervised the construction of the new runway and also the construction of the new terminal building. I know the expectations are high and I will do my best for the overall improvement of the airport.

Q. What is going to be your priority in your capacity as the Airport Director?

A. Development of the airport and safety and comforts of the passengers is always the priority while undertaking any developmental work.

Q. With Jet Airways getting government approval recently to fly international from Mangalore to Dubai will there be more private airlines flying from Mangalore soon?

A. The government has just approved the proposal of Jet Airways to fly Mangalore-Dubai to start with. It is not confirmed but Jet has planned the schedule and the launching is scheduled for December 20, 2012. There has been lot of inquiries from private airlines both private and foreign and all the formalities will have to be completed at our head office. But all these airlines will conduct their own surveys before venturing into this and it will take its own time for to actually begin their service.  

Q. Does Mangalore airport have necessary infrastructure to handle private and foreign international airlines?

A. Extension of the runway to 1100 meters is the need of the hour so that the airport can handle wide bodied aircrafts. At present Mangalore airport can handle smaller aircrafts such as Airbus A320. If the runway is extended the airport is capable of accepting larger aircrafts such as Airbus A-330 and Boeing 777. Larger aircrafts means passengers will be able to carry more luggages, more cargo, more goods capacity etc. It is a big project and we require at least 280 acres of land for completing this. We have requested the state government to provide the land for us and we are hopeful we will be able to get the required land.

Q. What are the safety aspects undertaken at the Mangalore International Airport?

A. With a view to enhance the safety and security of Mangalore airport and also to bring different air control units under one roof we are constructing a new Control Tower building which is now under construction. At present we don’t have full-pledged view of the area around the airport. Mangalore being the area control centre has lot of equipments with a radar capacity for tracing aircrafts up to 250 nautical miles. We will accommodate all these equipments in the new control tower. This project is expected to be completed by December 2013.

Q. Is there any area of concern that calls for immediate attention at the airport?

A. There is no cause for concern on any aspect as of now. All the stakeholders must co-operate with us to realize our goals of providing top priority for safety and security aspects. Considering that there will have more flights in the near future with private airlines gearing up for international flights there is a need to enhance security at the airport. Earlier the airport used to be closed during nights but now that more flights will be coming during night time we will have a 24X7 security system at the airport.

Q. What about the exit road which is in a deplorable condition?

A. The work on the exit road has been undertaken by Karnataka State Road Development Corporation recently and work will begin here in a month’s time. We are also acquiring the Deccan Park area and the building will be demolished subsequently so that there are no operational or technical hitches concerning the safety aspects. This exit road will be much better than the approach road with lesser curves and will be much smoother.

Q. What confidence building measures have been undertaken to reduce skirmishes among customs officials and passengers at the airport?

A. It is our intention to avoid any instances that might bring a bad repute to the airport. Every month we sit with top customs officials and work out. If any issues come up during such meetings we take them up and bring it to the notice of the Commissioner of Customs. But we cannot comment on their work because it does not come under us. At the same time I feel that passengers also should be aware of certain rules and regulations and avoid committing violations with regard to carrying valuables.

Q. These violations happen because the limit is only Rs. 25,000/-, which is in vogue for the last 10 years…

A. The Customs officials have taken the matter to the officials concerned at the Finance Ministry. Other organizations should also approach the concerned departments so that this limit is enhanced.


Q. What is the headway made with regard to the International Cargo Complex to come up at the old terminal building?

A. We have made the entire infrastructure required for a cargo complex and proposals have gone to the Central Government Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). We are now waiting for the clearance call and based on that clearance, custodianship will be given to Airport Authority of India Ltd for the Cargo Complex.

Q. In what way Cargo Complex will be beneficial?

A. Having an international Cargo complex will give fillip to import and export from South Kanara. This will be a great opportunity for the businessmen and manufacturers to import or export their products. We are expecting to get the clearance within a month or two from CBEC. Once the clearance is obtained it will take only a month for the cargo complex to become operational.

Jet Airways Gets Approval for Dubai - Mangalore Direct Flight

Mangalore, Nov 30: Jet Airways, India's premier carrier will be the first private airline to fly international from Mangalore airport. Highly placed sources in the civil aviation department in New Delhi have told daijiworld that the government has approved Jet Airways' proposal of direct flight between Mangalore and Dubai.
The official announcement from Jet Airways will follow soon, while dates and flight schedule will be confirmed by the authorities in Dubai and Mangalore, sources told daijiworld.

Rajesh Sequeira, main co-ordinator of Karnataka NRI Forum, UAE who played a key role in launching the first international flight between Mangalore and Dubai as well as other Gulf countries, has once again played an instrumental role in liaising with Udupi-Chikmagalur MP J P Hegde, civil aviation secretary Srivastava, and the Jet Airways. Speaking to daijiworld, Rajesh said, "It is a great news for the people of coastal region. Once Jet Airways starts, people will have more choice when flying between Mangalore and Dubai."

Currently only Air India Express has the permission to fly internationally from Mangalore International Airport.

According to sources, Jet Airways is expected to start operating in the month of December itself, if remaining formalities and timings are finalized.

J P Hegde, member of parliament from Udupi - Chikmaglur told daijiworld that introduction of international flight to Saudi Arabia is also on the cards, as he along with Rajesh Sequeira are in touch with Jet Airways.

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=157679

New Airlines on Mangalore-Gulf Route Soon, Fares Likely to Reduce

New Airlines on Mangalore-Gulf Route Soon, Fares Likely to Reduce

Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)

Mangalore, Oct 11: Mangalore International Airport director M R Vasudeva on Thursday October 11 hinted that with some of the airline companies coming forward to operate between Gulf countries and Mangalore, the fares are likely to be slashed in the coming days.

"Three to four airline companies will operate five or six aircraft to Gulf countries by March 2013," he said, addressing reporters at ‘Meet the Press’, an interactive session held here on Thursday October 11.

He said that airline companies like Etihad and Air Arabia have shown interest in operating flights between Mangalore and Sharjah / Abu Dhabi. "In addition to revision in ticket fares, people would benefit by way of convenient timings if more flights are operated. Discusssion in regard is on at the ministry level," he revealed.

However, he pointed out that that flights from Mangalore to countries like America and the European continent is not a possibility right now, as passenger potentiality is the deciding factor to commence direct aircrafts to these countries. "If passengers to aforesaid countries are not in sufficient numbers, what is the viability in operating direct flights?" he questioned.

He also said that Jet Airways will start operating between Mangalore and Mumbai by October 28.

Recalling his initial days in Mangalore Airport way back in 2002, Vasudeva said that 206 families who sacrificed their land for the second runway had to be rehabilitated in a school building, however, afterwards they were given a good colony. He said that 10 years ago Bajpe airport as well as the area had hardly seen any developement, but today the airport is of world class standards with facilities that are lacking in other airports.

He expressed his satisfaction and the work he has put in over the years, and said that he could retire happily now that the airport has earned international tag. Vasudeva would be retiring from his post at the end of this month.

Asserting that more work is yet to take place in Mangalore International Airport, he said, "If air cargo complex is built soon, the region will see more development. A wrong notion with regard to safety of table top airport had to be removed to earn the international tag for Mangalore Airport. Decisive factors like sloping runway and distance-to-go markers were fulfilled within four and two months' time respectively," he said.

He stated that Mangalore International Airport enjoys exceptional radar and navigation equipment when compared to Kochi and Coimbatore airports.

"Passengers at Mangalore Airport have increased considerably over the years. There were 9,30,000 passengers this year, which is 4 times higher than in 2002."

To a query, Vasudeva said that runway extension with pillars costs the same as filling the valley with soil. "Jumbo aircraft can operate if the runway is extended after acquiring 250 acres of land," he said.

Press Club president Ramakrishna honoured Vasudeva on the occasion.

It's Official: Mangalore Airport Finally Gets International Tag

It's Official: Mangalore Airport Gets International Tag

Daijiworld Media Network

Mangalore/New Delhi, Oct 4: It is finally here. The long-cherished dream of scores of Mangaloreans was realized on Thursday October 4 with the official announcement of international status to Mangalore Airport.

The announcement in this regard was made by union finance minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi following a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCI).

Coimbatore, Trichy, Lucknow and Varanasi have also been granted the international airport status after the proposal came for approval before the union cabinet on Thursday.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCI), at its meeting in New Delhi, approved the proposal for the upgradation of the five airports which have the required infrastructure in place like large terminal, immigration and customs facility to handle international operations.

"These airports already have infrastructure like immigration and customs to handle the international operations. In fact some of them already do have some international flights. With this (decision) we expect that these airports will be able to attract more international flights and travellers," P Chidambaram said after the meeting.

An international airport is one that can accommodate international flights that requires separate layers for immigration and customs including high end facilities at the terminal like aerobridges and mandatory runway length to accommodate jets.

With the approval, the long pending demand of Mangaloreans will become a reality and the international tag would give an impetus to tourism and the overall development of the city.

Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Jayaprakash Hegde deserves a special mention as he has been consistently and relentlessly pursuing the matter, together with union minister for corporate affairs Dr M Veerappa Moily.

Conversion of a domestic airport into an international airport means creation of more standardized immigration facilities. The international tag would also mean that the airport would be open to foreign airlines and more facilities would be available to the passengers.

Reacting to the news of the approval of the international tag Airport Director M R Vasudeva who will be retiring by the end of October pointed out “it is the parting gift given to me and the people of this district by my department. We have been trying very hard for this tag for the last so many years ever since international type of facilities was made available at the Mangalore Airport in May 2006. I am happy that all our efforts have borne fruit”.

He also stated that the new tag would entail more international passenger inflow and Mangalore will be viewed in a different angle henceforth.


J P Hegde Welcomes Move

Speaking exclusively to Daijiworld, MP Jayaprakash Hegde expressed his happiness and said that the move would benefit people of the coastal region who are working abroad.

The international status to the airport has brought a new dimension to its operations and within October Ajith Singh will inaugurate, he said.

He said the cabinet has also put forward a proposal to build an airport at Ottinene in Byndoor as per the requirement of the people. In this regard a meeting was also hold with Jagadish Shettar, he said. The minimum distance between two airports (150 km) is also fulfilled as the distance between Ottinene and Bajpe is 150 km.

"If the proposal of Ottinene airport is sanctioned in the cabinet, people from Dakshina Kannada to Kumta will be benefitted," he said.

International Tag to Mangalore Airport in Two Months - Can We Believe You, Dr Moily?

Mangalore, Sep 30: In yet another promise, union corporate affairs minister Dr M Veerappa Moily on Sunday September 30 assured that the Mangalore Airport would get the long-pending international tag in the next two months.

He was speaking to mediapersons at the Airport on his visit to the city on Sunday to meet Hajj pilgrims.

"The international tag to Mangalore Airport will be granted in the next two months," he assured.

"A meeting to finalize the grant of international status will be held in New Delhi on October 4," he added.

He also said that the air cargo terminal status will also be finalized in the next two months.

Speaking on the issue of Cauvery water-sharing, he said the state should be more vigilant and should have made proper approach to the Cauvery tribunal.

"The chief ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been called for a meeting. The issue can be resolved through dialogue," he said.

On speculations about former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa joining Congress, Moily chose to play safe, saying that though Congress wants only politicians with good background as it wants to give corruption-free administration, it is not totally averse to the idea as the party wants to come to power, and hence anyone with power is welcome to join.

Emigration Clearance Office in Mangalore Soon: J P Hegde

New Delhi, Sep 25: Karnataka state will soon get Protector of Emigrants (POE) office, according to Udupi - Chikmagalur member of parliament J P Hegde.

Currently, POE office for Karnataka is situated in Chennai. Karnataka has no dedicated office for the clearance of emigration. Hence most of the people based in coastal Karnataka who want to go abroad for job have to send their passports through agents to Mumbai or personally visit to clear the emigration formalities.

Thanks to the efforts put in by J P Hegde who has been consistently following up the issue with the central ministry concerned, the ministry has now given its nod for an office in Bangalore with a branch in Mangalore. The official letter from the ministry is awaited. This will help people of the entire region as they need not wait for days or weeks to get emigration clearance.

All Indian citizens whose passport has been categorized as “Emigration Check Required” (ECR) are required to obtain emigration clearance (EC) from the POE before proceeding to specified “ECR Countries” for the purpose of employment. As of now the passports of all those persons whose educational qualification is below metric are categorized as ECR passports. An endorsement (ECR seal/stamp/remark) to this effect is provided either in the second page or in the last page of the passport by the passport authorities at the time of issue of passports.

It may be recalled that Sarvotham Shetty, president, Karnataka Sangha Dubai had raised this issue with J P Hegde during the latter's visit to Dubai on April 18 this year. He had requested that the people of coastal region, specially those below metric education should not face hurdles when required to travel for a new job abroad.

Karnataka NRI Forum Rajesh Sequiera had pursued this issue further with J P Hegde and with the help of Dolphy D'Souza, a young political leader from Bantwal who is mostly based in New Delhi, was liaising with J P Hegde.


International Airport and Customs issues

Aviation minister Ajit Singh has assured J P Hegde through a written statement that official nod for Mangalore as an international airport should come anytime, at the same time the minister has confirmed that Jet Airways has applied for permission from the centre to fly directly from Dubai from this winter.

J P Hegde has forwarded the letter from Ajith Singh to Sarvotham Shetty and Rajesh Sequiera.

It is learnt that Jet Airways being an Indian carrier, can fly directly from abroad even without the 'international airport' tag for Mangalore Airport.

J P Hegde has seriously taken up the issue of Mangalore customs with the centre, specially the gold import allowance. "Due to complete disturbance of parliament session I could not take up this issue in the parliament," he said. However, union minister for excise and customs is expected to visit Mangalore along with Hegde soon for an overview of the current situation of Mangalore airport customs, as his office has been flooded with several complaints.

Hegde also said that the number of complaints have substantially reduced since mid-July this year.

IndiGo Awaits Mangalore Airport International Status to Fly Direct

Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Jun 25: "When will Mangalore Airport become international officially?" Well, that is a million dollar question, but India's fastest growing airline IndiGo could well be the first private airline to fly Dubai - Mangalore directly, pending approval from the Indian government.
This was revealed by Aditya Ghosh, the young and charismatic president of IndiGo Airlines at a press conference held at Grand Hyatt to announce the daily direct flights from Dubai to Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi destinations. Currently, IndiGo has direct flight services to Delhi and Mumbai from Dubai.
Replying to a question from Daijiworld, Aditya Ghosh said that Dubai-Mangalore flight is their priority and that the process is in on. When he was further probed on the time frame for such a move, he said the flight operation would begin early next year, or before that if Mangalore Airport gets international status.
NRI Karnataka Forum co-ordinator Rajesh Sequiera, who has been in touch with various private airlines of India and the Gulf region to get Dubai - Mangalore connected directly, was also present during the press conference.
"It is sad that our own political leaders who hail from the coastal region, despite having enough power are not pressuring the government to announce Mangalore as an international airport. But the recent effort from newly-elected MP J P Hegde was encouraging. I am constantly in touch with him, and hoping for the best. All we need is a political leader to follow it up. J P Hegde has been doing the follow-up with central government," said Rajesh to daijiworld.
M K Lokesh, the Indian Ambassador of UAE and Mohamed Al Rais, deputy managing director of Al Rais Travel were present at the press meet.
The flights from Dubai to Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi are expected to be functional by August 2012. The second Daily and direct flight from Dubai to Delhi also will commence during August. Bookings are already open with effective from June 15 and the early bird return offer is in the introductory low range of AED 734.
India's profitable, economical and efficient IndiGo Airlines launched an Arabic website on the occasion. M K Lokesh, after launching the user-friendly website said, "IndiGo is known for his consistency and professionalism and I am pleased to see Indigo’s commitment to redefine the standards of airline business in the UAE."
Aditya Ghosh said, "The launch of Arabic website reflects Indigo’s commitment to the entire Middle East region and the importance it gives to growing ties between the two cultures. We will continue to work hard to enhance low-fare travel options between Indian and this region.”
About Indigo
IndiGo is India’s largest airline with a market share of 24.9% as of May 2012 as well as country’s largest low fare carrier. The fastest growing low cost carrier of the world has simple philosophy: Low fares, flights on time and a courteous, hassle free travel experience. IndiGo’s on time performance is one of the best in India with the technical dispatch reliability is 99.1% making it the least number of cancellations in India. With its fleet of 57 new Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline offers 351 daily flights connecting 351 destinations. IndiGo has international flights from Delhi to Bangkok, Dubai, Kathmandu and Singapore as well as Mumbai to Bangkok, Dubai, Muscat and Singapore. Established in 1989, IndiGo is led by its president Aditya Ghosh and is promoted by InterGlobe enterprises and Rakesh Agarwal, a veteran in the aviation industry.

Mangalore Airport to Get New Air control Tower

Mangalore Airport to Get New Air Control Tower, Technical Block
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Apr 20: Airports Authority of India has given the go ahead for the construction of a new air traffic control tower and technical block within the airport area. This will be an additional move towards enhancing safety and security at the local airport.
A sum of Rs 18 crore has been released for this project. Foundation stone for the same will be laid on Sunday April 22. The new building will come up behind the fire station of the airport, and the work of entrusting work on contract basis through tender process is in progress.
The new technical block will be equipped with modern technical systems of exchanging information with the pilot about landing and takeoff. The pilot will get all the relevant details about the airport including environmental condition, temperature, etc, at the time of landing. In case of emergencies or technical snags during flying, the information gets passed on to the technical staff, which will in turn route them to the concerned departments for handling.
At present, 30 to 40 flights on an average are handled at this airport per day. As the airport is expected to be officially declared as an international airport soon, the number of flights is slated to go up.

Mangalore: Mock Drill at Airport - Emergency Services in Top Shape

Mangalore: Mock Drill at Airport - Emergency Services in Top Shape Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG) Mangalore, Apr 20: Mangalore Airport on Friday April 20 was bustling with activity, and for a moment, it seems like an emergency had been issued. There were fire personnel all over the place, ambulances on alert and stretchers being carried here and there. It was not an emergency situation, but the last of the safety week when a mock drill is conducted every year. The mock drill was organized to test the efficiency of the fire and other emergency services, and to ensure that they are equipped and ready to tackle any situation if and when it arises. Speaking to Daijiworld, Airport director M R Vasudeva said that the mock drill was a part of the annual safety week observance, beginning from April 14. The airport conducts complete exercise of the fire services to ensure their efficiency, he said, adding that the aim was also to make the general public aware. After the mock drill, it was declared that the mock drill was successful and that the emergency services are capable of meeting any situation. The fire personnel were seen in full action, climbing up and down slopes, using water hoses to douse the fire that they had lit near the airport, 'rescuing' 'trapped' people who had volunteered for the job and rushing them to waiting ambulances. Airport officials including M R Vasudeva and coastal security forces were at the spot.