23 Apr 2019

India Aviation Industry Newsletter 23 April

As cargo demand increases, Trichy airport invests Following a steady growth in cargo consignments at the international airport, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has procured Ground Support Equipment (GSE) such as trolleys and reusable plastic pallets for facilitating export activity at the Trichy international airport. A senior airport official said a total of 15 reusable plastic pallets and 20 cargo trolleys have been procured from Delhi. Bengaluru airport opens exclusive entry gate for flyers with only hand baggage To incentivise flyers who travel light, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has opened a new entry gate  - Gate No. 5 - exclusively for passengers with a printed boarding pass and only hand baggage. In a statement the airport said “The opening of a new gate exclusively for passengers travelling with hand baggage will further improve the overall operational efficiency of the Airport. Passengers will benefit from a quicker passage through the security checkpoints.” Calls for direct flights between Ireland and India Members of an Indian diaspora group are lamenting the lack of a direct flight between Ireland and India. Over 45,000 Indians live in Ireland today with the number expected to continually grow over the coming years due to demand for skilled workers. Making the case for a direct flight, Shashank Chakerwarti (who is an Irish peace commissioner) said that a direct flight between the two countries would not only improve cultural relations between them but would also benefit both countries economically post Brexit. Chorus Aviation Announces Leasing Transaction with SpiceJet of India Chorus Aviation announced 17 April that Chorus Aviation Capital ('CAC') has entered into agreements to deliver five new Bombardier Q400 aircraft to SpiceJet of India under a sale and leaseback transaction. CAC has delivered two aircraft and anticipates delivering all aircraft by the end of June 2019. Emirates to expand reach in India with SpiceJet codeshare partnership Emirates and SpiceJet have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into a reciprocal codeshare agreement, which is set to open new routes and destinations for passengers travelling between India and popular destinations across Africa, America, Europe and the Middle East. Subject to necessary government approvals, the partnership will enable Emirates’ passengers to enjoy seamless connectivity on flights to India, leveraging SpiceJet’s strong domestic presence and adding six new destinations: Amritsar, Jaipur, Pune, Mangalore, Madurai and Calicut - to the nine existing cities in India served by Emirates. Indian airlines interested in Armenian market The Civil Aviation Committee of Armenia is taking active steps to attract new airlines to the Armenian market. Chairwoman of the Civil Aviation Committee Tatevik Revazyan gave an interview to ARMENPRESS, presenting the results of the recent talks, introducing the ongoing programs. Madurai airport records 16% growth in foreign passengers, 3% domestic Madurai airport has reported an 16% increase passenger traffic for the financial year 2018-19, when compared to its previous financial year. While the increase is from the foreign passenger segment, a similar jump was not witnessed in the domestic segment. New terminal at Chennai airport to be more disabled-friendly The new integrated terminal, which is under construction, at the city airport will be more disabled-friendly. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has begun training its engineers to create such inclusive facilities as part of an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) programme. Work to construct the integrated terminal in the space between the domestic and international terminal began last Jul. The building, which can be used for both domestic and international flights, is scheduled to be completed in three years and will have the best of facilities including automation for passenger access, an official said. Spicejet to add five more 90-seater Bombardier Q400s to fleet SpiceJet said it plans to expand its regional jet fleet to 32 aircraft by adding five more 90-seater Bombardier Q400s. Three of these planes will join the fleet in the next ten days while the remaining two will be inducted by June, SpiceJet said in a statement. Spicejet Hires 500 Jet Airways Employees, Including 100 Pilots SpiceJet announced 19 April, said it has already absorbed over 500 employees, including 100 pilots, of the grounded carrier Jet Airways and it is open to induct more as it adds more aircraft and routes in due course. The carrier has already announced induction of 27 more aircraft 5 Bombardier Q400s and 22 Boeing to fill capacity deficit due to Jet Airways temporarily withdrawing its domestic and international services. Acumen Aviation © 23 April 2019 All Rights Reserved.