Aviation's deadly 2014

The loss of Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 would cap one of the deadliest years in civil aviation for almost a decade - yet experts say the industry's underlying safety record is improving.

The statistics underscore a year of tragic contrasts dominated by two Malaysian catastrophes and a handful of weather-related incidents, yet a record-low number of crashes.

SpiceJet Flights To Resume By 4 pm

Budget carrier SpiceJet's COO or chief operating officer Sanjiv Kapoor said flights would resume by 4 pm on Wednesday. The airline was forced to ground its entire fleet this morning after oil companies, which are owed money by the airline, refused to refuel its planes.

Oil firms ground SpiceJet

India's troubled airline SpiceJet has grounded flights after oil companies refused to refuel any of its planes, reports say.

The debt-ridden carrier owes money to creditors, including oil companies.

SpiceJet is India's fourth-biggest airline by market share.

Aviation ministry to press for airlines' direct import of fuel

The ministry of civil aviation is to recommend that oil marketing companies be asked to share their infrastructure with airlines, to facilitate direct import by the latter of aviation turbine fuel (ATF).

Such direct import was formally allowed in February 2012 but the aviation companies lack the infrastructure to do so. A senior official at the ministry said, “We are looking at measures by means of which oil companies can share their infrastructure for transporting the fuel. This can be done at an agreed cost.”

Malaysia Airlines plane search LIVE: Aircraft pieces found on Andhra coast?

5:35 pm: Search for missing plane narrowed down by Australia 

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said Wednesday that the search operation for the Malaysian airliner that went missing March 8 is being conducted in a smaller area closer to the Western Australian coast, the IANS reported. 

The development reportedly comes after the search operation conducted by Australia Tuesday found no result relevant to the missing passenger jet. 

Malaysian prime minister says,Missing jetliner deliberately diverted

Someone deliberately diverted Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and shut down communications with the ground, and the jetliner continued flying for six hours, Malaysia's prime minister said Saturday. The announcement shifted the focus of the investigation to the crew and passengers on the plane, which has now been missing for more than a week.

Missing Malaysian airliner: Fake passport holder identified

Kuala Lumpur , March 10 (IANS) One of the two suspects, who boarded the missing Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines flight on stolen passports, was identified Monday.

The man was identified using CCTV footage provided by the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the Malaysian Star reported citing Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

IndiGo plane catches fire at Kathmandu, no casualties

KATHMANDU: Passengers of an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Kathmandu were evacuated after smoke and fire was detected from the undercarriage of the aircraft minutes after it landed at the Tribhuwan International Airport here on Saturday afternoon.

Flight 6E 031 to Kathmandu had 175 passengers, 1 infant and 6 crew members. It made a normal landing and was parked in a bay when a ground engineer saw smoke and fire emanating from the right brake assembly, said a source.

Passengers were evacuated by the slide-chute, even as the fire was brought under control. The airline will be sending another aircraft to fly its passengers booked on the Kathmandu-Delhi flight.

"Subject to the DGCA approval we hope to operate the Kathmandu-Delhi flight at 9pm, Kathmandu time,'' said an IndiGo spokesperson.

The passengers have been accommodated in a hotel, the official added.

A technical team from the airline is due to arrive in Kathmandu to access the situation, according to officials.

The budget airlines began its services to Kathmandu in October 2011.

Pilot of missing Malaysian flight an aviation tech geek

KUALA LUMPUR: The pilot of a Malaysia Airlines jet that went missing on Saturday enjoyed flying the Boeing 777 so much that he spent his off days tinkering with a flight simulator of the plane that he had set up at home, current and former co-workers said.

Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, captain of the airliner carrying 239 people bound for Beijing from the Malaysian capital, had always wanted to become a pilot and joined the national carrier in 1981.

Airline staff who worked with the pilot said Zaharie knew the ins and outs of the Boeing 777 extremely well, as he was always practicing with the simulator. They declined to be identified due to company policy.

"He was an aviation tech geek. You could ask him anything and he would help you. That is the kind of guy he is," said a Malaysia Airlines co-pilot who had flown with Zaharie in the past.

Zaharie set up the Boeing 777 simulator at his home in a suburb on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital where many airline staff stay as it provides quick access to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Pictures posted by Zaharie on his Facebook page show a simulator with three computer monitors, a tangle of wires and several panels.

"We used to tease him. We would ask him, why are you bringing your work home," said a pilot who knew Zaharie for 20 years.

Zaharie's passion for aviation went beyond the Boeing 777. Other photos posted up by him on Facebook show he was an avid collector of remote-controlled, miniature aircraft, including a lightweight twin-engined helicopter.

EXAMINER

Zaharie was certified by Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) as an examiner to conduct simulator tests for pilots, said several officials from Malaysia Airlines.

They said it was impossible that Zaharie would be in any way to blame for the disappearance of the aircraft.

"He knew everything about the Boeing 777. Something significant would have had to happen for Zaharie and the plane to go missing. It would have to be total electrical failure," said another Malaysia Airlines pilot who knew Zaharie.

Zaharie has flown Fokker F50s, Boeing 737s and the Airbus A300 in over three decades with Malaysia Airlines.

He had over 18,000 hours of flying experience. His 27-year-old co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid had clocked 2,763 hours — having joined Malaysia Airlines in 2007.

"The Boeing 777 doesn't just stall like that," said a former Malaysia Airlines pilot who works for a rival airline. "It is one of the safest planes out there. It doesn't just fall out of the sky like that."

Election code to delay key policies including those on aviation, foreign trade

NEW DELHI: For several corporate chiefs, frequent visits to the capital may not be part of their weekly itinerary for the next 10 weeks. After all, crucial decisions across sectors, especially those involving policy changes, will now be taken only by the new government. 

This means several key decisions that overseas investors were keenly watching - from relaxation in the conditions to allow Indian carriers to fly abroad, or foreign direct investment in Railways and more liberal FDI rules for construction - will be deferred until a new government is sworn in. 

Officials said even tax conciliation talks with Vodafone cannot be completed till the Cabinet endorses it. A crucial decision, involving government revenues of around Rs 13,000 crore, is not something that UPA II will be able to take. There are several other tax-related changes, including the new Direct Taxes Code and the Goods & Services Tax, which the finance ministry gave up even before elections were announced. 

Although the commerce department was toying with the idea of announcing a new five-year Foreign Trade Policy before the model code of conduct kicked in, it junked the idea. As a result, the existing regime will continue even though the policy is due to lapse on March 31. 

The announcement of poll dates on Wednesday has thrown cold water on UPA II's plan to scrap the eligibility criteria for Indian carriers to fly abroad - that they have to be five-year old and have at least 20 aircraft in their fleet - as well as those related to FDI. All the proposals have been awaiting Cabinet clearance for the past few weeks. 

Aviation minister Ajit Singh told TOI that now with the code of conduct in place, the government cannot take the policy decision to revoke what is popularly known as 5/20 rule. "The next government will have to take a call on this. It (scrapping of 5/20) cannot happen now," Singh said. Similarly, the bid to privatize 15 more airports - beginning with six in places like Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow and Ahmedabad -will also now be taken up by the next government. 

The inability of the Union cabinet to decide on Ordinances means that powers given to the Securities & Exchange Board of India, including those related to search and seizure, will now lapse. If the next government pursues the agenda,the market regulator will be able to crack down on unregulated investment schemes more effectively. 

"We won't be able to initiate fresh steps, but whatever action we take while the Ordinance is valid is legal," said a Sebi official. 

Aviation ministry pushes to scrap 5/20 rule

NEW DELHI: UPA II's last days in office may prove to be the most controversial ones for the aviation ministry.

After grant of additional flying rights to Dubai on Wednesday, the aviation ministry is now going full steam ahead with its plan to scrap the rule that an Indian carrier must be five years old and have a fleet of at least 20 planes to fly abroad. It has prepared the Cabinet Note for what is popularly known as the 5/20 rule and is pushing for it to be taken up in next week's Cabinet meeting - that may be the last such meet of UPA II before poll dates are announced and the code of conduct kicks in.

"The note has been sent for putting up before the Cabinet. The earlier 5/20 decision was taken by the Cabinet and can be overturned by the Cabinet only," said a source. Under the proposed new rule, an Indian carrier - including a startup - would only require the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) nod to fly abroad.

Aviation covers to gain newer dimensions in gen insurance

Aviation insurance policies that were primarily used to cover the fleet of the airline companies is now in demand for the other covers provided by this policy. Insurance companies said that apart from airline insurance, covers for ground handling and aviation product liability has been increasingly being looked out for, by companies in the aviation space.

The traditional fleet insurance policies cover damages caused by major accidents and natural catastrophe are covered. Incidents of hijacking, enemy attacks and invasion are excluded from policy coverage.

"We are now looking at aviation products, general aviation and aerospace insurance covers. In the next few months, we will look at airline insurance as well," said M Ravichandran, president-insurance, Tata AIG General Insurance.

Insurance companies said that there is a rise in the number of companies operating in the aviation space. From a time when all airport operations were handled by a single player to a time when there are multiple players operating in the market for each function, the coverage requirements are very different. Hence, the covers have also been customised to suit the client needs.

The premiums for this segment are dependent on the size of the airport operations, number of airlines using the services and air-traffic data on an everyday basis in the location. With an increase in the number of airports in India and new airline companies entering the market, general insurers said that they will have to penetrate the market through expanding into newer routes and cities. This will automatically lead to a growth of aviation insurance market, according to the underwriting head of a private general insurer.

Over and above the fleet, aviation insurance policies of non-life insurers also covers general aviation, airport liability, loss of license insurers for crew of the airline (due to medical reasons) among others. Some companies also offer products that are customised for individual companies and airports, depending on the size and varied requirements.

Manik Nehra, Senior Manager - Aviation Insurance, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance said that because of the new airports coming up, there will be a demand for aviation insurance products such as  Ground Handlers Liability & Aircraft Fuelling Liability. "With the growing Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) set up & Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in India, the demand for insurance covers such as Hanger Keepers Liability & Aviation Product liability has gone up. In the last two years, there has been a growth in the segment and we expect it to continue" he said.

Nehra added that the cover limit of the aviation ground handler’s liability insurance in India is generally around $2-5 million, which will increase as international carriers enter the market. "With new routes and new cities being added by aviation companies, the demand for aviation insurance will only go up," he added.

Aviation Liability covers, which are also becoming popular, cover liabilities arising out of ground handling, delays, passenger injury due to accidents, baggage liability and other third party risks. The chief executive officer of a mid-size private general insurance company explained that there could be more than two insurers in the near future providing cover for different segments in the same airport.

This, he added, will open the market for other insurers to enter and expand their services. At present, aviation insurance as a whole constitutes much lower than 10 per cent of the total product portfolio of the non-life companies and is a part of their corporate insurance cover.

Aviation reforms: Government set to waive all charges at regional airports, route review on cards

NEW DELHI: The aviation ministry is about to launch a series of reforms, including eliminating all charges at regional airports, to provide relief to a sector jolted by the recent cut in air safety rating by US authorities.

A senior aviation ministry official said the government will waive all charges related to parking, security, navigation and landing at regional airports. Preliminary estimates suggest that this action will cut the annual expenses of airlines by 10%, said the official who did not want to be named. 

The government will also allow code sharing agreements between scheduled airlines and non-scheduled operators (charter planes, helicopters, etc), an arrangement that allows fliers to enjoy seamless travel on the aircraft of two or more carriers. 

This arrangement will facilitate flights by non-scheduled operators only on routes where scheduled airlines are absent. 

A review of the route dispersal guidelines that require scheduled airlines to deploy at least 10% of their capacity to the North East region, Jammu & Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep to enhance connectivity to these regions too is in the works. Airlines will be permitted to fly in only those routes within these regions that make money. 

The government will also create a corporation to oversee air navigation services, a function currently performed by Airports Authority of India (AAI). An air navigation services bill is being prepared, the official said, adding that the ministry will revisit the Airport Authority of India Act to check for legal obstacles. 

The AAI has to manage around 100 airports in India and separating air navigation services from its duty roster is aimed at improving both tasks. All these reforms will be introduced in two-three weeks, said the official. 

The United States Federal Aviation Administration revised India's air safety oversight ranking from '1' to '2' on January 31 due to the failure of aviation regulator DGCA to hire enough officials to oversee the safe running of flights. The action prevents Air India and Jet AirwaysBSE -0.11 % from increasing flights, partner American airlines or use planes other than those they are now flying, and hampers the expansion efforts of other Indian carriers in other overseas markets. 

On Friday, the DGCA issued a circular to hire flight inspectors who will be paid up to Rs 7 lakh a month as it looks to quickly regain the Category 1 rating. Separately, the DGCA will grant an air operator's permit to AirAsia India on February 15, said the official. On January 13, a joint venture between Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd and the Tatas, was to receive the permit. 

Aviation ministry to seek tax relief for MROs

NEW DELHI: The aviation ministry will seek some exemptions on the service tax for the aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry from the finance ministry on Friday, as it tries to make the nascent industry lucrative in India. 

Aviation secretary Ashok Lavasa is scheduled to meet finance secretary Sumit Bose to discuss the issue of a possible relaxation on service tax levied on the MRO industry. 

Currently, MROs in India charge their customers a 12% service tax, which affects their competitiveness when compared to the competitors in the Gulf and South East Asian regions. 

"We see the MRO industry as an important sector for aviation as the number of airlines and aircraft grows in the country," said a senior aviation ministry official. 

"The aviation secretary will discuss with the finance secretary ways to relax the service tax that MROs are forced to charge. Over the past few years, the finance ministry has given number of relaxations to the maintenence, repair, overhaul sector, so we are hopeful they will this time also." 

According to a report from the civil aviation ministry in 2012, the MRO industry's size is expected to increase to Rs 7,000 crore by 2020. 

The MRO industry has been recipient of government sops over the last couple of years. In 2013-14, the government increased the time period for duty-free consumption or installation of parts and testing equipmentimported for MRO of aircraftby units engaged in such activities, for a year. In 2012-13, the government offered similar duty-free imports of aircraft spares. 

Last month, the Reserve Bank of India also notified the MRO sector as an infrastructure sector which would help the industry access low cost loans via external commercial borrowing. 

However, the industry has been asking for a relaxation on the service tax imposed on MRO services to increase the competitiveness of Indian MROs as compared to others in the region. 

Low aviation safety rating to continue as ICAO won't audit India in 2014

NEW DELHI: The International Civil Aviation Organisation said it will not be auditing India in 2014, which would mean the country's low rating with the UN agency will continue for at least another year and half even if the civil aviation ministry manages to hire enough officers to inspect flight operations and train its staff by March.

After its most recent audit — completed on December 31, 2012 — the ICAO rated India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation 57.1 per cent for complying with its standards, well below the global average of 63.5 per cent.

"India has so far undertaken mitigation measures to resolve the safety deficiencies identified by the ICAO, but we will be continuing to monitor the progress to ensure these measures are effective," ICAO spokesman Anthony Philbin said in an email to ET, responding to questions after the US downgraded India's aviation safety rating.

"With regard to a further audit, there is nothing planned over 2014 and our 2015 schedule has not yet been confirmed." The ICAO monitors India's aviation safety oversight capabilities through ICAO Coordinated Validation Missions (ICVM) and two such missions had come to India in 2013.

"The ICVMs help us validate progress made by the member states in resolving any safety deficiencies identified during the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme visits," Philbin said.

Typically, global aviation regulators assess a country's aviation safety going by ICAO's ratings. India's bilateral air services agreements allow regulators of other countries to carry out a safety audit in India.

The same right is accorded to India's DGCA as well. On Friday, the US Federal Aviation Administration, which carries out safety audits to assess whether a country is compliant with ICAO's standards, cut India's aviation safety to category II.

The downgrade means Indian carriers will have to undergo increased checks at US airports. After the US downgrade, Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said that 95 per cent of the issues raised by the US had been resolved by India.

The minister added that the DGCA would be hiring 75 flight operations inspectors trained for specific aircraft models and also train its airworthiness officers to carry out checks on aircraft models used by nonscheduled carriers by March 2014.

FAA downgrades Indian aviation safety ratings

In a setback to the Indian aviation sector, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday announced that it had downgraded the country’s aviation safety ranking, bringing it below Pakistan and at par with countries like Ghana, Barbados and Bangladesh, a development that took India by surprise.

Reacting to the downgrade, Civil Aviation Minister, Ajit Singh termed as the step by FAA as "very disappointing and surprising’’ as India had fulfilled 29 out of the 31 issues raised by FAA during inspections last year.

Air passengers to and from the US may have to face the brunt as Indian flights would have to go through more engineering and other safety checks in US. The FAA downgrade means that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) does not meet the safety standards set by UN agency International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The news of the downgrade was conveyed to DGCA head, Prabhat Kumar.

This would bar Air India and Jet Airways from increasing their flights to US from the current level and would not be able to enter into any new code-sharing relationship with any US airline. The move is unlikely to impact the 28-a-week flights (21 of Air India and 7 of Jet Airways) to the US. At present, Air India operates to Chicago and New York while Jet Airways flies only to New York.

Officials in the Civil Aviation Ministry said that this could also have an impact on Air India’s move to join the Star Alliance.

Mr. Singh said India was now 95 per cent compliant with what the FAA had wanted DGCA and the government to do in terms of taking corrective measures. "The remaining five per cent, that is recruitment and training of senior technical personnel in the DGCA, would be completed by March. DGCA will remain in constant touch with FAA which will hopefully hold another review thereafter to revert India to Category I from the downgraded Category II,’’ he added.

FAA conducts the International Aviation Safety Assessment Program (IASA) to assess the civil aviation authorities of each country that has carriers operating to the US. As per the FAA's IASA Programme of November 22 last year, the countries in Category II include Bangladesh, Barbados, Indonesia, Ghana, Serbia and the Philippines. Pakistan is placed in Category I.

Asked whether the US regulator's decision was part of the diplomatic face-off between the two countries over the issue concerning Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, Mr. Singh said: "I don't believe this. There is no connection between the two.’’

Amber Dubey, partner and head (Aerospace and Defence) with global consultancy KPMG said the FAA downgrade is unfortunate but not unexpected. ``Many in the industry had seen it coming. It can have disastrous consequences for both Indian aviation and US based suppliers of aviation and defence equipment. The timing is unfortunate given that India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation is bringing in far-changing policy reforms,’’ he added.

DGCA penalises IndiGo, GoAir and Jet Airways, 6 prime landing slots withdrawn

NEW DELHI: Acting tough, aviation regulator DGCA today took penal action against three airlines by taking away six landing slots at the Delhi airport for not using pilots trained to land in foggy conditions and not equipping aircraft with mandatory devices to negate the effect of fog, resulting in diversion of flights.

The six slots -- two each of IndiGo, GoAir and Jet AirwaysBSE -1.97 % --were withdrawn after an equal number of flights of these airlines were diverted due to fog since last evening till the wee hours today, DGCA sources told PTI, adding that the withdrawal of slots has been done with "immediate effect". 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had earlier this month issued a stern warning to airlines to deploy pilots trained to fly under foggy conditions and aircraft fitted with devices to match CAT-III Instrument Landing System (ILS) in Delhi or face severe action. 

DGCA's meeting with the airlines and airport operators was held on January 7, two days after 53 flights were diverted out of fog-hit Delhi to nearby destinations.

The largescale diversion was caused mainly due to the airlines operating planes with pilots not trained to land in foggy conditions or the aircraft not fitted with CAT-III ILS-matching devices. 

Yesterday, visibility at the IGI Airport had started dropping after 1730 hours and the Runway Visual Range started reducing around 2030 hours, the sources said, adding that this trend was brought to the notice of all the airlines. 

However, in spite of repeated efforts, two flights each of Jet Airways, Go Air and IndiGo were diverted from Delhi to Jaipur, they said, adding that by not adhering to DGCA directives, the airlines had violated several sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) leading to the penal action.

DGCA sources said the Airports Authority of India's Operational Control had informed that crew or the aircraft of these three airlines were not CAT-III-compliant and therefore were diverted to Jaipur.

After the warnings, the diversions had come down from 53 on January 7 to only five the next day and not a single cancellation for a week thereafter. As many as 1,841 flights had operated in low visibility conditions during that period. 

DGCA had warned the airlines that they would be stopped from operating in and out of Delhi during foggy season if they did not deploy CAT-III trained crew to operate flights in and out of the national capital in case CAT-III weather predictions were made by the Met department. 

Among several steps decided at the meeting, the regulator had fixed the responsibility of the airlines to get the latest weather updates and ensure that CAT-III trained cockpit crew were deployed accordingly. 

DGCA chief Prabhat Kumar also set up a committee headed by Joint Director General Lalit Gupta to examine and recommend steps to make Delhi airport "zero diversionary" by December.

The 10-member panel, which has been asked to submit its report by March 31, would also prepare a manual to deal with low visibility operations, containing dos and don'ts for all stakeholders. 

It would take cognisance of global practices in such situations, including evacuation of passengers to the departure lounge in case a plane gets stranded due to low visibility conditions. 

DGCA has also set up a special cell called SUGAM and a dedicated mail ID 'sugam@dgca.nic.in' to enable harried air travellers lodge their complaint on any problem they face relating to flights or airport facilities due to delays caused by fog or other reasons, promising to take speedy action. 

The committee has been tasked to first acknowledge the complaint electronically and direct the airline or airport operator concerned to address the issues expeditiously 

No order to private airlines to treat MPs as VIPs: Aviation Ministry

New Delhi: Even as the debate over the VIP culture of Parliamentarians raises more heat, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Wednesday clarified that neither the Ministry nor the Directorate General of Civil Aviations has issued any order directing private airlines to provide special privileges to MPs.

"No guidelines have been issued by Civil Aviation Ministry or DGCA and there is no such plan too," Singh told IBN7. He rebuffed reports of DGCA issuing guidelines calling them baseless.

Congress leader Rajeev Shukla echoed Singh's reactions. He said, "No government directive has been issued. It is upto the airlines. For the last ten years a lot of demands have been made. Only a few of them have been accepted."

However, the DGCA letter issued to private airlines dated December 16, 2013 tell a different story. CNN-IBN accessed the letter that reads, "The committee on violation of protocol norms & contemptuous behaviour of government officers with member of Lok Sabha has raised the issue with Ministry of Civil Aviation where aiports & airlines are not adhering to guidelines on protocol norms and courtesy to be extended to MPs. It was decided in the meeting the list of nodal officers/protocol officers of all scheduled domestic airlines is to be provided to the Ministry. In compliance to the decision you are requested to submit the list of nodal/protocol officers in respect of your airlines positively by today. The matter is to be treated on urgent basis."

Shukla, however, added, "Lot of MPs come from rural areas. What's wrong if they are being helped out. Lot of them don't understand civil aviation rules."

Communist Party of India leader Sitaram Yechury strongly condemned the move saying that no more privileges should be provided to the MPs.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve, too, tweeted against the proposed move. "The irony is that there are a lot of MPs who live a life of simplicity. Travel by bus to Parliament. Use trains. Work for their constituents," he tweeted.

Shukla hit out at Yechury over his reactions to providing extra perks to MPs by private airlines. He said, "Issue of austerity doesn't fit in here. MPs travel in business class. Same courtesies are extended to MPs as other business class passengers. I must tell you Mr Sitaram Yechury has himself got a lot many facilities extended to MPs."

Former Air India executive director Jitender Bhargava reacted to the entire incident saying that the private airlines must gather enough guts to protest against DGCA guidelines. He also noted that the DGCA did not have the power to direct such orders.

He added that the facilities being enjoyed by MPs in Air India too must be withdrawn. "Let Air India be also allowed to function as a commercial airline," he said.

DGCA has reportedly asked private airlines to offer special privileges to MPs including advance notice of flight delays, escorts, priority check-in, security, immigration clearances, lounge access and complimentary refreshments. All airports and airlines in the country have been asked to put in place the protocols.

Currently, only Air India is following these guidelines.

The directive came after the MPs complained that they should be treated like VIPs at all airports and by all airlines. The DGCA held a meeting to discuss the issue and sent a letter to all on the protocol to be followed.

All airlines are also expected to give a list of nodal/protocol officers for the same.

Aviation Ministry allows operation of Airbus A-380s at four airports

After demands by some major foreign carriers for several years, Civil Aviation Ministry on Monday approved the operations of Airbus A-380s in India at four airports currently equipped to handle these super jumbos.

The restrictions on the fully double-decker planes were lifted after weeks of consultation between Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Air India and Airports Authority of India. An A-380 can seat 850 passengers in an all-economy configuration, but those having a three-class configuration can accommodate between 550-600 passengers.

The operations of the A-380s would be subject to overall traffic entitlements within the bilateral Air Service Agreements (ASAs) with different countries, an official spokesperson said. Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Lufthansa have been pressing the government for several years to allow them fly these super jumbos into India.

Aviation Ministry allows Operation of Airbus A-380s at Four Airports

The A-380s would now be allowed to airports at Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, which are equipped to handle them and have the required infrastructure. It has also been decided that wherever the entitlements were not expressed in terms of seats per week, these would be rationalised and converted into seats per week before allowing A-380 operations to India from these countries.

This exercise would be carried through mutual negotiations between India and other countries through Memorandums of Understanding, the spokesperson said. The ASAs, which specifically prohibit A-380 operations to India, would be amended before the operations of these airplanes from any country are allowed.

All the four airports would also have to get DGCA certification and make adequate preparation in terms of various services required, he added. Nine of the 10 international airlines that currently fly the A-380s have scheduled flights into India. There are over 110 A-380s currently flying worldwide.

Airports see no flight disturbances on 25 Jan: Minister of Civil Aviation

Flights at all Egyptian airports went as scheduled on 25 January, said Minister of Civil Aviation Abdul Aziz Fadel with all feeder roads also functioning normally.

Cairo International Airport is expected to witness 198 take-offs and has already had 201 landings, while regional airports have seen 401 flights in the past 24 hours, he said.

Fadel added that security measures are in place for all airport entrances, in cooperation with the armed forces and the Ministry of Interior, following a week of emergency planning.

The statement came after four bombings in Greater Cairo left six dead on Friday in the lead-up to Saturday’s third anniversary of the 25 January Revolution.

The ministry also announced that EgyptAir would be providing a 25% discount on all plane tickets purchased on 25 January, valid until 25 April, in an attempt to boost flights during the current period of unrest.

Industry leaders to gather in Dubai for Second Aviation Safety Culture Summit

Under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Emirates Group, security, safety and operations leaders of industry organisations worldwide will come together in Dubai for the second Aviation Safety Culture Summit to be held next month.

Hosted by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and organised by Streamline Marketing Group, the summit will run from 3-4 February 2014 at Park Hyatt in Dubai. The event will attract more than 300 local and international stakeholders from regulatory authorities, airlines, airport operators, aircraft manufacturers, pilot associations, safety organisations and air traffic control service providers to discuss key strategies and challenges in improving safety culture across the industry.

The two-day summit will comprise panel discussions covering a range of topics, including initiatives that are currently in place to improve aviation safety. The sessions will focus on how to develop a global aviation safety plan, how to improve co-operation between partners in the industry and the importance of developing the necessary human capital and creating training programmes to create a safety culture among the workforce.

“Safety is the number one priority for air transport and aviation is the safest means of transport,” said H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. “To continue this lead and ensure air transport continues to play a major role in driving sustainable economic and social development, collaboration and sharing of best practice, is required among all partners of the industry.’‘

“The first edition of The Aviation Safety Culture Summit proved its success as a strategic global platform for industry leaders to discuss safety issues and find ways of collaboration. The agenda for the upcoming event has been built around the results from the first edition,” he added.

The summit will also comprise four sessions focusing on areas including adapting and implementing international safety culture best practices for local workforces and implementing systems to manage human error effectively and to avoid future accidents. Applying diverse perspectives on culture in an aviation environment and understanding the benefit of technology as a catalyst for improving safety in the aviation industry will also be areas for discussion.

The event is sponsored by Honeywell, Boeing, AAL Group, dnata, Maximus Air, Chevron and Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies and supported by AviAssist Foundation.

Varadkar to launch new aviation policy

Transport minister, Leo Varadkar, will launch a new civil aviation policy for the Republic later this year that he says will cover everything from airports to the €19 billion aircraft finance sector.

Mr Varadkar told the Global Airfinance Conference in Dublin yesterday that he will publish a draft document – based on submissions from interested parties – outlining the new policy in coming weeks and will produce a final paper based on further consultation by the end of the year.

His office has already received over 100 submissions from various organisations, including airports, trade unions, pilot colleges and businesses involved in supplying the industry.

Speaking afterwards, the minister said that it will cover everything from State and regional airports, education and training and the aircraft maintenance business to promoting the Republic’s aviation finance sector, which is responsible for around €19 billion in transactions every year.


Predicted
He also predicted that new legislation designed to underpin the Republic’s position in the leasing industry should become law before the Dáil takes its summer holidays in July.

Last year Mr Varadkar published a draft bill that will adopt part of the Cape Town Convention into Irish law.

The section provides that, in the case of an airline insolvency, the company has 60 days to pay any liabilities due on leased aircraft and engines, or it must return them to the lessor.

It gives added security to aircraft leasing companies, many of which are based here, against airlines defaulting on their debts. This in turn reduces their risks and makes it easier for lessors to raise money.

Mr Varadkar said that the bill should be published in the next couple of weeks and will then go before the Dáil and Seanad.

He added that he hoped both houses would pass it by the time that the Dáil rises for its summer recess.

The minister told the conference, organised by trade publication, Airfinance Journal, that the Government was well aware that other jurisdictions were keen to supplant the Republic as a centre for aircraft finance, but had not intention of letting them “eat our lunch”.

Boeing, UAE Join To Produce Aviation Biofuel From Desert Plants

U.S. aircraft maker Boeing has partnered with the UAE to develop sustainable aviation biofuel, it was announced on Wednesday during the on-going World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

The research partnership follows findings that desert plants fed by seawater will produce biofuel more efficiently than other well-known feedstocks.

The Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), an affiliate of Masdar, will now test these findings in a project that could support biofuel crop production in arid countries, such as the UAE.

“Plants called halophytes show even more promise than we expected as a source of renewable fuel for jets and other vehicles,” said Dr. Alejandro Rios, director of the SBRC.

“The UAE has become a leader in using desert land and seawater to grow sustainable biofuel feedstocks, which has potential applications in other parts of the world.”

The SRBC has been working towards development and commercialisation of sustainable aviation biofuel, which emits 50 to 80 per cent less carbon during its lifecycle compared to fossil fuel.

Scientists will create a test ecosystem next year in Abu Dhabi that will examine the viability of producing aviation biofuel, according to the SRBC.

Boeing, Etihad Airways and Honeywell UOP are funding the venture, a statement said.

“Boeing is committed to finding ways to reduce aviation’s carbon emissions, and sustainable aviation biofuels is a key component of our strategy,” said Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East.

“Masdar Institute’s biofuel research is showing tremendous potential, and we applaud Abu Dhabi’s leadership and innovation in this critical area.”

Boeing, Etihad and Masdar recently launched Biojet Abu Dhabi, which is an initiative to advance biofuel research, feedstock production and refining capability.

Etihad also announced this week that it is joining hands with French energy giant Total along with Boeing to develop biofuel in the emirate.

Despite access to cheap jet fuel, the emirate said that it wanted to develop sustainable energy sources in order to diversify its economy.

Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad also expects its commercial flights to run on biojet fuel in five years’ time, Etihad’s chief operations officer Richard Hill told reporters.

BOC Aviation likely to supply Airbus A320 planes to Tata-SIA

Singapore-based BOC Aviation looks poised to supply Airbus A320 aircraft to Tata SIA
 Airlines Ltd. The move is an important step in plans by Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines to set up a full-service airline, according to a Reuters report. The fleet of 20 planes would initially be sourced from leasing companies, rather than purchased directly from Airbus.

The decision by the airline to opt for Airbus A320 triggered a race for the lucrative mandate between aircraft leasing companies gathering in Dublin for annual industry meetings this week. Industry sources said the deal, or a significant part of it, was expected to go to BOC Aviation, the aircraft leasing subsidiary of Bank of China.

Plane-makers frequently rely on lessors to supply spare capacity and establish their brand with new airlines, hoping to sell future batches of planes directly if the carrier expands.

Leasing companies are often able to supply aircraft from their own speculative inventories at shorter notice than the manufacturers, whose production lines are sold out years ahead.

BOC to lease Airbus jets to new Indian airline - sources

Singapore-based BOC Aviation looks poised to supply aircraft to India's latest airline as new players jostle to capture growth in Asia's third-biggest economy, two industry sources said.

The move is an important step in plans by Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines to set up a full-service airline to compete forbusiness amid India's crowded low-cost market.

Reuters first reported last week that the new Tata-SIA venture had opted to use Airbus A320 jets in preference to Boeing's 737.

The fleet of 20 planes would initially be sourced from leasing companies, rather than purchased direct from Airbus.

That decision triggered a race for the lucrative mandate between aircraft leasing companies gathering in Dublin for annual industry meetings this week.

Industry sources who asked not to be named said the deal, or a significant part of it, was expected to go to BOC Aviation, the aircraft leasing subsidiary of Bank of China.

BOC Aviation and Airbus declined to comment.

"At this moment all that we can confirm is that Tata-SIA will be taking 20 A320 Airbus aircraft on a lease basis," a spokesman for the airline said by email.

"The leasing company and terms can't be disclosed at the moment as commercial discussions are on and may take a few weeks more."

Planemakers frequently rely on lessors to supply spare capacity and establish their brand with new airlines, hoping to sell future batches of planes directly if the carrier expands.

Leasing companies are often able to supply aircraft from their own speculative inventories at shorter notice than the manufacturers, whose production lines are sold out years ahead.

India is seen as a promising market due to the relatively low proportion of people already flying, but is also one of the world's riskiest due to aggressive price competition.

However, analysts say price-cutting has eased since the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

Based on current expectations, Tata-SIA will start flying in the second half of 2014, as will an AirAsia-Tata joint venture in the low-cost market, another Airbus operator.

The two airline launches have extended Airbus's dominance of the Indian market for small passenger jets.

Boeing operator Jet Airways is however still in negotiations to buy around 50 737 jets, industry sources said.

The airline, which has been the subject of speculation about the order for over a year, did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for Boeing declined to comment.

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet has meanwhile re-ordered 42 Boeing jets.

Civil Aviation Ministry may take time to decide on pending proposals

MUMBAI/DELHI: The Civil Aviation Ministry is going slow on several pending proposals, including a revision of airport charges and enhancement of bilateral flying rights, as civil servants are reluctant to take decisions close to the upcoming general elections in April-May.

Even granting a permit to Air Asia — which has entered into a joint venture with Tata Sons — may take more time than anticipated, say officials involved in the decision-making process.

"There are several proposals pending. At this time, you need to fasttrack decisions to clear some of them. None of that is happening," said a government official who didn't want to be named. The officials said there was a widespread feeling that contentious decisions should be left to the next government.

Further, the government is reluctant to take unpopular decisions such as raising airport charges, which could hit the Congress-led UPA government's prospects in the elections.

MUMBAI AIRPORT CHARGES

One of the proposals facing delays is an application from GVK-controlled Mumbai International Airport seeking to increase airport charges. The proposal was submitted in December, 2013 and GVK wants the tariffs to be revised from April 1 this year.

"Typically, the process (of fixing tariffs) takes many months. They had sent the first proposal in October 2013 and the revised proposal was finalised by mid-November after which stakeholder consultations were held. Stakeholder consultations itself is a lengthy process. So there's no chance that the tariff at Mumbai airport will be revised before the (general) elections," said a senior official at the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority.

Mumbai airport opened its new terminal on January 10. The terminal, which cost Rs 5,500 crore, will open to passengers on February 12. GVK has cited higher depreciation costs on the new terminal to back its case for higher tariffs.

AERA's decision last year to let Mumbai and Delhi airports increase charges by 154 per cent and 346 per cent, respectively, earned it considerable flak from global airlines as well as the International Air Transport Association (IATA). They claimed it would depress demand for air travel.

"The government's proposal would land it in a sticky situation at the elections as it would increase the burden for the air traveller," said Kapil Kaul, CEO, South Asia at Sydneybased CAPA-Centre for Aviation.

APPROVAL TO AIR ASIA 

Two Indian joint ventures from two global airlines—AirAsia and Singapore Airlines—which are at various stages of clearances, may also experience some regulatory turbulence. Both have tied up with Tata Sons. While Tata-SIA is awaiting a no-objection certificate from the aviation ministry, AirAsia is waiting for an air operator's permit from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the last stage before it starts flying in India.

Industry insiders said the ministry is "unnecessarily delaying" the clearance process. The DGCA recently put up a notice on its website seeking public views and objections on the AirAsia proposal. On February 19 last year, AirAsia announced it will set up an airline in India. It got a nod from the foreign investment promotion board, which clears overseas investment proposals, on April 5 and an NOC from the ministry on September 26. 

"The airline isn't new. It has units in several countries. It fulfils all the prerequisites required for an airline to fly in India. The public notice should have come at the beginning of the government's scrutiny process, not now," said the insider. 

Another potential impediment for AirAsia is a court case filed on July 25 by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy saying FDI is only permitted in existing airlines and no new company can be floated. The government eased rules in September 2012 to allow foreign carriers to purchase up to 49 per cent in India's airlines. 

BILATERAL RIGHTS 

Officials also say that India will go slow in enhancing bilateral rights between India and United Arab Emirates, Qatar and China. Close to the easing of FDI rules, the government trebled the weekly seat allocations between India and Abu Dhabi. That appears to be one of the key factors behind a deal where Jet sold 24 per cent stake to Etihad Airways for $379 million. 

The enhancement led to Swamy filing a PIL in the Supreme Court accusing the government of diverting Indian international traffic to foreign carriers. Meanwhile, Emirates, which uses all of the 54,000 weekly allocated seats between India and Dubai has proposed enhancing the rights by another 10,000 seats. Qatar has sought to enhance its weekly quota of seats to 72,600 from the current 24,800.

The enhancements sought are linked to a separate proposal — that of allowing the Airbus A380 plane into Indian airports. Unless more seats are allowed, it would be pointless for foreign carriers such as Emirates to bring in jumbo planes to India. This proposal awaits a final clearance from civil aviation minister Ajit Singh.

The model code of conduct for the elections kicks in by end of February. However, ministry officials say that there are no legal or regulatory hurdles to clearing these proposals. "Most of the proposals, including AirAsia and revised airport tariffs can be cleared even while the code of conduct is on," said a joint secretary at the aviation ministry.

Officials say the ministry is keenest at this point in time to change a rule that requires airlines to fly domestic for five years and own a fleet of 20 planes before it can fly international. The ministry is currently drafting a Cabinet note on this. The minister has said he is confident of having the rule changed by end of February. But even in this, not everyone is confident. 

"The only airline which currently doesn't have international flying rights is Go Air, but it will anyway get them in July when it has a fleet of 20 planes since it has already completed more than five years. Among the new ones only Tata-SIA would be keen to fly international so the rule may be construed as favouring the airline," said an industry expert.

DGCA seeks views on AirAsia permit

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Monday updated its public notice inviting comments, suggestions and objections if any against the grant of an Air Operator's Permit to AirAsia India. The updated notice clearly specifies that work on processing the application is happening alongside collection of public views. 

It also tells the public to send in comments/suggestions/ objections giving specific grounds of objections with a certificate of authenticity. The timeline for sending the comments remains the same, thirty days from the date of the first issue of the public notice on January 13. Air Asia got an NOC from the ministry on September 26.