VIP, Watch Out
Times of India
28 Apr, 2008
It’s just as well that initial investigations into the incident when a then Indian Airlines pilot, Captain Rajat Rana, offloaded Kerala MP P V Abdul Wahab for striding in late onto the aircraft in Kozhikode earlier this month, are going in favour of Rana. When the final report is filed, it should exonerate him unambiguously for applying to the self-important MP the same rules that other passengers abide by. Hundreds of people across this country must have said bravo when someone finally had the gumption to tell a politician that he could not throw his weight around and inconvenience the general public. People in this country are increasingly getting fed up of the shenanigans of politicians and bureaucrats who hold the public to ransom every time they step out of their homes.
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Airlines in India need to develop ‘other-income’ business models
D Murali and Kumar Shankar Roy
The Hindu
Apr 16, 2008
Chennai: Big airline carriers in India are facing tough challenges. Jet Airways is reported to post a loss for its just-ended financial year while others like Air-India and Deccan are fast losing market share. What could be done to swing a change in their fortunes?
“Airlines in India need to develop other income business models i.e. non-airfare related, take a hard look at their route and fuel strategy and focus on improving yields in order to survive,†feels Mr Kuljit Singh, Partner (Transaction Advisory Services), Ernst & Young (E&Y).
Recently interacting with Business Line, over the e-mail, Mr Singh is of the view that while airlines, especially the low-cost carriers, have been diligent in letting the common man fly, pricing pressure to maintain market shares will continue in the short-term.
Excepts from the interview >>>
ICAO India Audit Faults Safety, Training
Neelam Mathews, Aviation Daily
Aviation Week
Apr 14, 2008
ICAO told India in an audit 18 months ago that it was below world averages on primary aviation legislation, safety oversight of airlines and the qualifications and training of its technical personnel.
The nation has 385 civil transports in service, with hundreds more on order. A standard gauge would call for at least 50 flight operations inspectors to meet current demand. Instead, the Flight Inspection Directorate has only one position filled to oversee flight operations across the Indian subcontinent.
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Branding snag likely to end Mallya-Gopinath honeymoon
Cuckoo Paul
Economic Times
Apr 14, 2008
The bonhomie has evaporated with UB group chairman Vijay Mallya and Deccan Aviation executive chairman Captain Gopinath getting ready to go their separate ways. A far cry from a year ago, when the two airline promoters, representing opposite ends of the aviation spectrum, got together to merge their businesses. Mr Mallya and Capt Gopinath are today more like two heavyweights on opposite sides of the boxing ring. With only about a month to go before Capt Gopinath leaves the airline he started to chart a new course in the logistics business, differences between the two over the future shape and form of Kingfisher-Deccan combine are more like shadow boxing than full-fledged combat.
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Is Indian flier ready to handle booze?
Ketki Angre
NDTV.com
Apr 14, 2008
Mumbai, New Delhi: More and more airlines and wine producers are pushing for a legislation to allow liquor to be served on board, but is the Indian flier ready to handle the booze?
”You know, there was this passenger who had so much to drink, he literally had to be tied to his seat,” said Leena Damakia, former Cabin Crew.
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Giving a global image to airlines in India
Anushree Chandran
Livemint
Apr 03, 2008
The urge to fly global routes is upon Indian airlines. While Kingfisher Airlines Ltd is preparing to do so, Jet Airways Ltd is aggressively expanding its international presence and Air India—once India’s only international airline, and part of the newly formed National Aviation Co. of India Ltd or Nacil — is looking to refurbish its fleet.We asked the experts how the brands should be advertised to non-Indians in overseas markets.
Edited excerpts >>>
Need to strategise on a lot of fronts: Nacil chief
Manisha Singhal
Business Standard
Apr 02, 2008
Mumbai: Raghu Menon, the newly-appointed chairman & managing director (CMD) of the National Aviation Company (Nacil), took charge in Mumbai on Tuesday. In the initial hours of his taking charge, he spoke to Manisha Singhal, charting out future plans, top priorities and immediate concerns for the national carrier.
Excerpts from the interview >>>
Turbulent times ahead for fliers
Neha Lalchandani
Times of India
Apr 01, 2008
New Delhi: Air Traffic Control (ATC), the important arm of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) that manages and regulates aircraft movement in Indian skies, has been facing a manpower shortage for some years now. However, the problem has become serious of late and repercussions are expected to be felt soon. ATC officials, who have been doing double shifts several times in a week to make up for shortage of staff, have refused to do so, effective March 14.
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Singapore Airlines sees phenomenal growth in MICE traffic
D. Murali and R.S. Murali
The Hindu
Mar 31, 2008
Chennai: Ask Mr Bharath Mahadevan, Manager Southern India for Singapore Airlines (SIA) at Chennai, about the values of his organisation that come to the top of his mind, and he remembers the former Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew who had said that the Government would not subsidise the airline and that it had to stand on its own feet.
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