You can now obtain Real Time flight Departure and Arrival information for BIAL Airport, Bangalore, on the Bangalore Aviation blog. In addition there are options of a flight tracker and other goodies. Please do give me your comments and views of this blog, and the new developments. There are links to sites like Authorati, Technorati, Del.ico.us, Digg, and Newsvine, which …

It appears that Mr. Brunner and members of his team have listened to the pleas of Bangalore. They have been on-site, getting things fixed, apologising and comforting passengers, putting pressure on their ground handling agents, and other sub-concessionaires to get in to shape. Ever so slowly things are falling in to place. Airlines are reporting smoother operations by and large. …

A picture is worth a thousand words. So I will let the images do the talking of my visit to BIAL on May 28, 2008. While much is said about the passenger terminal building and the passenger experience, the support facilities are in a sorry shape, and partly explain the problems, plaguing the passenger terminal. The cargo terminal building of …

Sandhya Ravishankar / CNN-IBN Tue, May 27, 2008 at 13:13 in Nation section MISSING IN ACTION: Minutes before departure, the crew of Indian said the plane couldn’t be located. Bangalore: You have heard of planes going missing in flight, but have you heard of a jet going missing at the airport? That’s exactly what happened at the new Bangalore International …

Savie Karnel and Sanchita Sen27 May 2008 Two MiD DAY reporters set out simultaneously from Bangalore for Chennai, one by plane and the other by bus, to check out the relative merits of air and road travel. Savie Karnel, who flew from the Devanahalli airport, took 7 hours to reach central Chennai, while Sanchita Sen, who boarded a bus, took …

I am an angry Bangalorean today. For two months, we have been hearing stories as to how the new Bengaluru International Airport was FULLY ready, and that the Government was denying the BIAL permission to commence operations of its new airport, thus causing untold losses to the consortium. Looking to prevent a repeat of the fiasco following the launch of …

“I am the happiest man in the world” said Albert Brunner, CEO of the BIAL consortium. He has good reason. His seven years of perseverance, along with his dedicated team, has concluded with the smooth opening of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) on May 24, 2008. Barring a few glitches here and there, the experience was “awe-inspiring” for many Bangaloreans, …

Travel trade associations skeptical of airlines implementing the directiveBy Krupa Vora | Mumbai The much-debated issue of refund of airline tickets has been now brought to the forefront by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) by issuing a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) letter to the airlines. As per this CAR dated May 22, 2008 all scheduled and non-scheduled carriers …

The BIAL management has sent out this e-mail earlier today, confirming the launch of operations of the new Bengaluru International Airport, later tonight. Congratulations to the entire BIAL team, and welcome to Bangalore.—————————————————-Friday, May 23, 2008 1:21 PM Subject: New Date: Commencement of Commercial Operations at new Bangalore International Airport Dear All, This is to inform that Bengaluru International Airport …

Airports in the 21st century, are like the ports and railway junctions of the 19th and 20th century — critical drivers of economic growth. As individuals, we look to the glamour and prestige associated with passenger air travel, while tending to overlook the air cargo requirements of commerce and industry which is drives the economic engine of Bangalore. Thanks to …

Economic reality is reshaping India’s airline industry. Just a few years into a third wave of private operators, the high cost of fuel has led to a number of mergers, including a high-profile agreement to combine Indian Airlines with Air India. Other issues, including infrastructure constraints, increased competition, and wage inflation, have left low-cost carriers, such as Sahara and Air …

Customers from United Airlines and Jet Airways will benefit through an agreement signed by both carriers. The companies plan to offer codeshare service, significantly expanding the number of flights available to customers of both carriers to travel between the U.S. and India. United’s Mileage Plus® and Jet Airways’ JetPrivilege members would also have the opportunity to accrue and redeem frequent …

May 22, 2008Bangalore JournalAn Indian Airport Hurries to Make the First FlightBy SOMINI SENGUPTA BANGALORE, India — For years, frequent fliers in this technology hub complained bitterly about having to suffer the indignities of a tattered and tiny airport scrunched in the middle of a busy city neighborhood. Now, with a new one opening on Saturday, people are clamoring once …

22 May 2008, Saurabh Sinha, TNN NEW DELHI: Domestic airlines will no longer be able to hold passengers who cancel their tickets to ransom by delaying refunds indefinitely or by asking them to fly again instead within a given time. Acting on complaints, the government is set to issue new refund rules: airlines will have to issue refunds within a …

Will target internet savvy leisure and corporate travellersBy Anita Jain | Mumbai Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. launched www.thomascook.in, a complete travel portal offering end-to-end travel solutions for both B2B and B2C customers, in Mumbai today. The portal will offer hotel inventories from UK based hotels4u.com, which was acquired by Thomas Cook in February this year. The website aims at targeting …

The BIAL consortium has launched a new website providing information on the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), at http://www.bengaluruairport.com. The website has a lot of information and is worth checking out. Please do keep in mind, that it is a work in progress.

Hot breaking news. BIA launch has been postponed by 24 hours. The new launch date is 00:01 24/May/2008. Stay Tuned for more information.

I have received a clarification from BIAL that the User Development Fee (UDF) is to be collected from ALL OUTBOUND INTERNATIONAL passengers. The amount of INR 1070 is inclusive of all taxes. So please make sure, you carry the correct amount of money with you. BIAL has also appealed that passengers paying UDF please remit exact change. A User Development …

Express News Service BANGALORE: Shifting all commercial aviation operations at Bengaluru International Airport on May 23 will put its operator Bangalore International Airport Limited and the Ministry of Civil Aviation in rank contempt as the matter is sub-judice and the Contempt of Court Act mandates that interference in the course of judicial proceeding constitutes criminal contempt which is punishable with …

Govt Studying Options, Wants Some Flights From Old FacilitySaurabh Sinha & Anshul Dhamija |TNN Source : The Times of IndiaNew Delhi/Bangalore: Less than 48 hours before HAL airport shuts down and the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) takes off, the Centre has made a U-turn on its decision of having only one airport in Bangalore. Civil aviation minister Praful Patel told …