Tag Archives: Airports Authority of India

Women in Aviation International, India Chapter and Lockheed Martin India, in association with Airports Authority of India (AAI), celebrated ‘Girls in Aviation Day’ on the ocassion of International Civil Aviation Day. With the vision to encourage girls to take up STEM subjects and explore career opportunities in related industries, Girls in Aviation Day is aimed at showcasing opportunities in the aviation and aerospace sectors. This initiative also aligns with the Government of India’s ‘Skill India’ initiative. As part of the programme, Women in Aviation International (India Chapter) invited 90 students from various schools for an informative session in New Delhi. Visiting students were given an opportunity to hear industry experts speak on the ‘Future of STEM in India’. The session stressed upon the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics and how these subjects can lead to fulfilling careers in aviation. Additionally, Women in Aviation gave out 10 IATA-sponsored course kits to underprivileged girls to empower them to kick start a career in aviation. Speaking on the occasion, Radha Bhatia, President, Women in Aviation International, India Chapter, shared,” This is the third year that the WAI India Chapter is celebrating ‘Girls in Aviation Day’ and we are delighted to host the same in the capital. This day is celebrated for the young girls to encourage them to choose aviation as a viable career opportunity. World over, India has the maximum number of female pilots, but there are many other avenues that are still unknown. With this celebration, our aim is to see girls from New Delhi explore exciting careers available to them as engineers, air traffic controllers and dozens of other jobs within the aviation.” Speaking about Lockheed Martin’s commitment …

Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India, has launched the official mobile application ‘GAS 2019’, for Global Aviation Summit 2019, to be held on January 15-16, 2019 at Grand Hyatt Mumbai.  The application was launched in the presence of Rajiv Nayan Choubey, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA); Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI); Dr Shefali Juneja, Joint Secretary, MoCA and other officials of the AAI. Available on play store and iOS, GAS 2019 provides a holistic glimpse of the summit and can be used to access latest updates about the mega event. The application enables users to interact with the co-delegates and speakers. It would be an excellent platform for networking through personal and group chats. With the who’s who of the global aviation fraternity set to grace the event, the summit is a promising platform for constructive discussions, collaborations and meeting of minds to explore the future of global aviation. The esteemed guest-list for the summit includes Transport & Civil Aviation ministers from Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal and Jamaica, Civil Aviation authorities and Directorate Generals of Civil Aviation (DGCAs) from 22 countries. The future of aviation – drones and seaplanes, airport privatisation, digital travel and holistic development of global aviation ecosystem are the key areas to push the envelope both on regulations and on industry structure. This platform will enable the industry leaders to prepare a policy roadmap that will certainly provide a strong impetus to all players in the aviation ecosystem. The summit will entail B2G, B2B and G2G meetings.    

In its endeavour to recognise the fast growth of the aviation sector, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), has announced the Global Aviation Summit, with an overarching theme of ‘Flying for all – especially for the next 6 billion’. Supported by ICAO, IATA, ACI and CANSO, the Summit will be held on January 15 and 16, 2019 at The Grand Hyatt in Mumbai. It aims to focus on the celebration of ‘Flying for All’ and to provide a platform to the aviation fraternity to highlight the challenges of the sector in the newly-developing growth spots. The Summit provides a platform to the stakeholders to brainstorm over the future of the aviation industry and identify the growth areas. Speaking at the announcement of the Global Aviation Summit, Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Civil Aviation and Commerce & Industry said, “The reason behind hosting the Global Aviation Summit here is because India is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. This Summit will provide a platform to the global aviation fraternity to display the challenges of the sector in the newly-developing growth spots and understand how technology-driven innovation will shape the air travel industry in India.” More than 1,000 delegates, 80 plus speakers, 50 plus CEOs of airports and airlines, 30 plus exhibitors, transport ministers from 35 countries and 35 regulators (DGCAs/Civil aviation authorities from different countries) from the global aviation fraternity are going to participate.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has registered growth of more than 15% and 22% in its revenues and profits after tax, respectively in the financial year 2016-17 as compared to the financial year 2015-16. While its traditional businesses have grown at a healthy rate, growth in the new businesses and new markets also contributed to its revenues, according to AAI annual report 2016-17. The major factors for hike in revenue are increase in route navigational charges and terminal landing charges; increase in landing, housing and parking charges; increase in passenger service fee; increase in other revenue like trading concession, rent and services, cargo, UDF and other miscellaneous revenue, and increase in share of revenue from Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) & Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (MIAL).

Airports Authority of India’s Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad were conferred with the prestigious National Tourism Awards 2016-17 at an award function in Delhi on World Tourism Day. The latter received the Best Airport Award in Major Cities category while Indore airport received the Best Airport Award in ‘Rest of India’ category for promotion of tourism at these airports.  The award was presented by K J Alphons, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism. Manoj Gangal, Airport Director, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad and Aryama Sanyal, Airport Director, Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore along with Keshava Sharma, Regional Executive Director (WR) AAI, received the award from the minister and Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism. The Ministry of Tourism presents National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel and tourism industry every year. These awards are presented to State Governments/Union Territories, classified hotels, heritage hotels, approved travel agents, tour operators and tourist transport operators, individuals and other private organisations in recognition of their performance in their respective fields and also to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promoting tourism.  

Domestic passenger traffic grew by 18.28 per cent YoY to reach 243 million in FY18 and is estimated to become 293 million in FY20, according to a recent report by Airports Authority of India. International passenger grew by 10.43 per cent YoY to reach 65 million in FY18 and traffic is expected to become 76 million in FY20E. Domestic passenger traffic also expanded at a CAGR of 13.91 per cent over FY06–18 while international passenger traffic registered growth at a CAGR of 9.36 per cent over FY06-18. In the month of April 2018, domestic passenger traffic stood at 22.60 million while international traffic stood at 5.62 million.

In a  move to develop civil aviation infrastructure in the state, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government of Haryana for creating a world-class international aviation hub in Hisar. The MoU was jointly signed by Ashok Sangwan, Advisor Civil Aviation, Civil Aviation Department (DCA), Government of Haryana and Anil Gupta, General Manager (Business Development), AAI in the presence of other officials on December 11. Sangwan appreciated the role of AAI in creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure and airspace in the country. Gupta reiterated AAI’s commitment in assisting the Haryana goverment for creating and developing world-class civil aviation infrastructure in the state.

A new campus of Indian Aviation Academy was launched in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. P. Ashok Gajapati Raju, Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, inaugrated the campus in the presence of R. N. Choubey, Secretary, Civil Aviation; Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI); Dr. Dewakar Goel, Director, Indian Aviation Academy (IAA) and Kumar Rajesh Chandra, DG, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The academy is a joint venture by BCAS, AAI and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

In a bid to improve and develop airport infrastructure to meet the growing traffic needs, Airports Authority of India (AAI) is taking up new development works at Lucknow, Deoghar and Allahabad airports. Apart from this, AAI will also develop a greenfield airport at Hirasar, Rajkot. AAI plans to construct new integrated passenger terminal building at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow, with an estimated cost of Rs. 1230 crores resultant of the increasing passenger traffic during last five years. The new terminal will be able to handle 4000 passengers during peak hour and 6.35 million passengers per annum. In addition, AAI will develop Deoghar airport in Jharkhand, to facilitate the joint use of civil operation up to Airbus-320 and DRDO operation up to C-130 type of aircraft. The work will be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs. 401.34 crore on fixed cost basis and Rs. 427.43 crore on completion cost basis. An MoU was signed between the Government of Jharkhand, DRDO and AAI in March, 2017. As per the MOU, there will be financial input to the tune of Rs. 50 crore by Govt. of Jharkhand, Rs. 200 crore by DRDO and balance cost to be funded by AAI. To meet the demand of increasing air travel in Allahabad, a new civil enclave at Allahabad will be developed by AAI at an estimated cost of Rs. 125.76 crores. The new terminal is to be made operational before the ‘Ardh Kumbh Mela’ to be held in January 2019. AAI will also take up the work of development of greenfield airport at Hirasar, Rajkot in Gujrat on Build, Operate and Maintain basis. Govt. of Gujarat has provided the land free …

Tata Elxsi, a global design and technology services company, has been selected by the Airports Authority of India(AAI) out of a competitive global bid to improve passenger experience for all AAI-managed airports. As the design partner, Tata Elxsi will help AAI to provide a seamless passenger travel experience. Tata Elxsi will be primarily responsible to set the wayfinding and information design guidelines for all AAI airports coming up in the future and enable AAI to set a team and create a process to design and implement world-class, customer-centric information and wayfinding systems. This will cover the entire passenger journey right from parking to boarding the plane, to making the spaces efficient and user-friendly. The design will be in line with global standards and Tata Elxsi will set the guidelines/standards for all future airports. Tata Elxsi has already started the work on creating an intuitive, customer-centric wayfinding system and developing a unique image for several airport terminals. Narendra Ghate, Chief Designer, Service Design, Tata Elxsi said, “Having worked in the past on redefining the passenger experience for some leading airports in India, gave Tata Elxsi an edge. Tata Elxsi has already commenced work across the shortlisted 10 airports – Goa, Kolkata, Varanasi, Lucknow, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Pune, Trivandrum, Coimbatore and Guwahati.”