The following news story on Sift/DNA, highlights the immediate need for the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA). The AERA bill has been languishing since early September 2007, when it was introduced in the Indian Parliament. Such disputes are increasing by the day, and excessive charges will spell the death knell of the Indian aviation industry, which is so dependent on …

To make Delhi double daily from July 1, 2008By Charmaine Fernz | Dubaihttp://www.travelbizmonitor.com Emirates is going all out in their expansion plans for India. Apart from announcing the launch of their six-weekly non-stop services to Kozhikode, starting July 1, 2008, the airline will also be ramping up their Delhi services. Talking to TravelBiz Monitor, Salem Obaidalla, Sr. Vice President – …

Taking a cue from other statutory bodies like the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indian Customs authorities have demanded payment for their services rendered at the private operated airports like Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). Up till now, while AAI and CISF used to be paid for services …

The BIAL consortium, promoters of the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), have a strong plan to make their airport a major aviation hub, for domestic and international airlines. Its strongest competition is coming from the GMR promoted Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad. Unfortunately for BIAL, successive governments in Karnataka are addicted to oil, or at least the revenues …

On May 5, 2008, the Indian Government finally approved the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) Bill, and passed it to the Parliament of India. This bill has been languishing since its introduction on September 5, 2007, by the Civil Aviation Minister Shri Praful Patel. Till now, almost all airports in India were controlled and operated by the Airports Authority of …

From TravelBizMonitor.comBy Krupa Vora| Mumbai After the recent announcement of starting flights to Kozhikode by June 15, 2008, Qatar Airways is now eyeing Bangalore as their destination in India. The airline is currently evaluating the feasibility of the route (Doha-Bangalore) and will apply for passenger operations once the new Bangalore International Airport is operational. “While the User Development Fee (UDF) …

Over the last one month, I observe a whole slew of procedures, policies, and dictats, emerging from New Delhi, that is improving and facilitating the smooth operations at major airports all over India. Industry chambers had proposed most of these measures almost 5 years ago, to the Government. While the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was the airport operator, these …

Visa on Arrival on the anvil for 18 countries MoT working closely with MHA to permit Visa on Arrival By Kanika Mehta | New Delhi The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is working at obtaining Visa on Arrival for 18 countries and is currently in deliberations with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for the same. This is a first-time initiative …

Thanks to the repeated delays at the BIAL promoted Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), a crisis is brewing at HAL airport in Bangalore; a crisis which can turn ugly at any moment. Expecting the new airport to open on March 30th, most operators at HAL airport lost staff to the new operators at BIA. Ground and ramp handling (ladders/aero-bridges, baggage loading, …

The last few days have brought good news for the BIAL consortium, the promoters of the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA). Two weeks ago, the new Greenfield airports policy, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, Government of India, specifically protects the monopoly of both BIA and Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). No new airport will be allowed to be …

Editorial: Flights of ad hocismBusiness Standard / New Delhi May 05, 2008 The ad hoc nature of government policy towards airports is no longer a joke, since it has played havoc with both passengers who have to traverse large distances, and those who have invested in new airports on the basis of contractual commitments. A similar ad hoc attitude seems …

According to the Financial Times, “The skies over Mumbai are set to face a congestion crisis early next decade with the Indian financial capital’s existing international airport likely to be overloaded with passengers even after a $2.3bn expansion is completed, according to the city airport’s top executive.” “GV Sanjay Reddy, managing director of Mumbai International Airport, told the Financial Times, …

Earlier this week, under directions of High Court of Karnataka, the Ministry of Civil Aviation held discussions with Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) consortium about the high User Development Fee (UDF), and on keeping the existing HAL airport open in parallel with the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA). On sites like Citizen Matters and Praja, many Bangaloreans are voicing concern …

December 2008 update. For updated and detailed BMTC Vayu Vajra Volvo airport bus and taxi information, click on the BIA Bus & taxi link on the top menu. For real time flight arrivals and flight departures information use the respective links on the top menu bar or the Real time Flightstats widget at the bottom of the “Recommended Articles” section …

The Civil Aviation ministry today has requested BIAL the promoters of the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) to delay the launch of the airport to end May. Most likely it will be May 29, 2008. I offer my sincerest sympathies to the entire team at BIAL and its concessionaires. They have put in hard work to bring the project to …

This is the first story I have been able to publish on two major interests of mine, Aviation and Philanthropy. Please read the full story on the Rotary International website. If you would like to know more about Rotary in Bangalore, visit Rotary Club of Bangalore website.

This is an on-site assessment of the terminal and other passenger facilities at the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA). It is quite well written, despite the title, which I do not fully agree with. Sniperz Blog: Bangalore Airport – Daylight Dacoity

Some readers of my blog have commented that my stand for keeping HAL airport in addition to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) is not clearly articulated. So here goes. Thanks to the economic boom in India, the liberalisation of the aviation industry, and the efforts of the low cost carriers, who incidentally lead the global surge in aviation growth, Bangalore air …

Due to the contrarian views I put forth, readers of my blog may get the impression that I am Anti-BIAL. Nothing can be further from the truth. I am NOT against Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) at all. BIA is a required addition to Bangalore, and I have always admired the efforts put in by the whole team at the BIAL …

Bangalore’s commerce is finally going to get some relief, on the air cargo front. In the last few years, India, and Bangalore in particular, have arrived on the world stage. Air cargo has become an integral part of our daily lives. From cell Phones to car parts to computers, from garments to gold, from food to flowers, a wide variety …