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Concorde's replacement will herald a return to supersonic travel
London, Oct 24 ANI: A new aircraft capable of flying between London and New York within three hours is being developed to replace Concorde, heralding a return to supersonic travel. According to a report in the Telegraph, the Aerion Supersonic Jet may not have the same grace, style and size of Concorde, but its designers say its top speed of mach 1.6 will transform the way international business is conducted. Test flights have been pencilled in for 2012 and executives at Aerion, an American company, claim to already have 50 interested parties, all of whom have paid the 150,000 pounds deposit. "Flight times in general will be reduced about 40 percent," said Jeff Miller, Aerion spokesman. "Business and government leaders will be able to travel more in pursuit of opportunity. And they will feel a lot better when they step off the aeroplane," he added. Though the jets will be priced at about 47.5million pounds each, Miller promises that the cost per nautical mile will be similar to today's large business jets, such as the Boeing 747. Concorde started its service in 1976 and continued for 27 years, offering the fastest transatlantic travel available to man. There were 20 of the aircraft built at a cost of 23 million pounds each in the 1970s. But in 2003, Air France and British Airways simultaneously announced that they would retire Concorde later that year, citing low passenger numbers following the 2000 crash, the slump in air travel following the September 11 attacks and rising maintenance costs. Concorde had been able to fly between London and New York in just under three hours, but currently the fastest jet takes around seven and a half. According to Miller, "Aviation progress has always been synonymous with an increase in speed. To be flying more slowly in this century than in the last seems like a step backwards." The new Aerion Jet also aims to correct one of Concorde's major problems. It can fly at nearly the speed of sound without any significant noise impact and can travel at mach 1.15 without producing a sonic boom. Though the price of Concorde tickets were a trifle expensive, Miller promises that the Aerion Jet will be cheaper. "Concorde was a beautiful machine and a product of its time, but technology has moved forward and new designs such as the Aerion jet offer greater efficiency," he said. "Concorde was withdrawn due to high operating cost, which Aerion technology has successfully overcome," he added. ANI
2008-10-24 04:00:00
Uganda: Air Uganda, Brussels Airline in Travel Deal
Passengers travelling by Brussels Airlines between Europe, East Africa and Southern Sudan can now use a single electronic ticket to connect to their destinations by Air Uganda via Entebbe International Airport.
2008-10-18 19:32:17
Sikh man resists deportation to India
INT7International/Diaspora/ImmigrationSikh man resists deportation to IndiaToronto, Oct 18 IANS A Sikh man from India, who has been denied refugee status in Canada, has refused to sign papers to facilitate his deportation.According to reports, Manjit Singh Rattu, who entered Canada in 1995 and sought refugee status citing danger to his life in India, is currently lodged at the Calgary Remand Centre in Alberta before his deportation.He was questioned by the police for clues to the killing of Punjabi journalist and Indo-Canadian Times founder-editor Tara Singh Hayer after his arrest in Toronto two years ago.Hayer, who had agreed to testify as a witness in the 1985 Air India bombing trial, was shot dead at his home in November 1998 even before the trial could begin.But Rattu's lawyer said his client has been cleared in the Hayer case, even as he faces other charges of lying and fraud, including use of stolen identities, during his stay in Canada since 1995.Rattu appeared before the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board which has decided that he should remain in custody till his deportation to India.But the deportation plan has run into a problem as Rattu's Indian passport has expired and he needs a fresh passport to travel back to India. Reports say Ratty has refused to sign the documents to get him a new Indian passport.A Calgary-based newspaper reported that the Canadian Border Security Agency CBSA has contacted the Indian High Commission in Ottawa to get Rattu's travel documents without his consent.It has also been revealed Rattu was once a permanent resident of the US. But since this status expired, the Americans are refusing to take him back.His lawyer pleaded with the refugee board that Rattu should be conditionally freed so that he could seek revival of his US permanent residence status and return to the US. He said his client faced danger to his life he is deported to India.``He is escaping from India to save his life,'' the paper quoted the lawyer as saying.-Indo-Asian News Servicegs/tb367 Words18100814
2008-10-18 00:02:05
HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI
ECO7Economy/Aviation/NationalNo retrenchment in Air India, says aviation minister LeadHyderabad/New Delhi, Oct 16 IANS There will be no retrenchment of employees by state-owned carrier Air India, civil aviation minister Praful Patel said in Hyderabad Thursday. The statement came minutes after his ministry spokesman said in New Delhi that the airline would offer three to four years' leave without pay to about 145,000 employees instead."There will be no retrenchment in Air India," Patel told reporters on the sidelines of a conference organised as part of India's first civil aviation show India Aviation 2008. "My sympathies are with those employees laid off by the private airlines but this is an issue that other ministries such as the labour ministry will have to deal with," he said.The statement came a day after India's biggest private sector airlines, Jet Airways, announced it would retrench around 1,900 employees to cut operational costs. A civil aviation ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi that Air India would not retrench staff, but could offer leave without pay for three to four years to 15,000 employees.Those who take up the offer would be taken back if they wished, at the same designation and the last drawn salary, he added."Nacil National Aviation Co of India Ltd that owns Air India is not mulling any layoff. We are considering offering three to four years leave without pay package to people who opt for it; 15,000 employees are eligible," the spokesperson said in a statement.Air India's total staff strength is around 23,000. In Hyderabad, Patel said he hoped state governments would ensure there would be no law and order problems following the retrenchment of 1,900 employees announced by Jet.Emphasising the importance of aviation infrastructure at the conference titled "India Aviation: Scaling new heights", he said: "Some time in the '60s, a US president had said 'We don't have good roads because we are rich. We are rich because we have good roads'. The same applies to India - we will be rich if we have good roads and also good aviation infrastructure."Patel went on to add: "We have not achieved our full economic potential because we have not built infrastructure. We have to make our airports passenger and cargo hubs that can become the drivers and engines of growth."The minister said India would be spending billions of dollars over the next few years not only to build airports through the public-private partnership route, but also on air traffic control, aviation security and aviation infrastructure."We need the whole gamut of aviation infrastructure," said Patel."India will be spending $30 billion on airport modernisation," said aviation secretary M. Madhavan Nambiar.Although India is the ninth largest aviation market in the world, air travel penetration in the country is low with per capita trips standing at at 0.02, compared to 2.2 in the US and 1.2 in China.--Indo-Asian News Servicearj-san/ank/jg519 Words*16101423
2008-10-16 05:00:00
Tatas propose Rs 500 cr aerospace hub in AP
The Tata Group, which pioneered air travel in the country, has proposed to set up a Rs 500 crore defence and civil aerospace hub in Andhra Pradesh for manufacture of allied equipment, radar and satellite systems.
2008-10-15 04:00:00
Jet Airways to lay off over 600 employees to "rationalize" operations
Mumbai, Oct 15 ANI: A day after its partnership with the Kingfisher Airlines, Jet Airways is expected to lay off more than 600 cabin crews and customer care executives today, in a bid to "rationalize" its operations.According to sources, the unconfirmed staff workers are being laid off on a 30-day compensation package.The move came after Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines formed alliance that will help both carriers to significantly rationalize and reduce costs and provide improved standards of service and a wider choice of air travel options to consumers with immediate effect. The two airlines will be able to rationalize their operations and derive the maximum synergies, thereby offering the best possible fares for the benefit of the consumers. The alliance will also enable a stabilization of the Indian aviation industry in the larger public interest for the benefit of the customer during the current downturn of the world economies.The partnership will bring together two of India's largest carriers with innumerable benefits in terms of cost savings, revenue improvement and an unprecedented network.Over the past six months, the Indian Aviation Industry has suffered due to high fuel prices, back-breaking taxation, excessive airport charges and over-capacity.ANI
2008-10-15 03:00:00
Jet-Kingfisher announce mega alliance Fourth Lead
BUS2Business/AviationJet-Kingfisher announce mega alliance Fourth LeadMumbai, Oct 14 IANS India's biggest private carriers Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines late Monday night announced an alliance of wide-ranging proportions that will help both carriers reduce costs, synergise operations and improve services.The alliance will offer "a wider choice of air travel options to consumers with immediate effect. The two airlines will be able to rationalize their operations and derive the maximum synergies and thereby offer the best possible fares for the benefit of the consumers," Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal and his Kingfisher Airlines counterpart Vijay Mallaya said in a joint press statement issued after a marathon meeting here.There will, however, not be any mutual equity investments between the two companies, the statement added. "The alliance will also enable a stabilization of the Indian aviation industry in the larger public interest for the benefit of the customer during the current downturn of the world economies," the statement maintained.In the current environment of high costs and declining growth this alliance has potential for substantial savings resulting in a benefit to the consumer.The scope of the alliance will include:* Code-shares on both domestic and international flights subject to DGCA approval, * Interline/special prorate agreements to leverage the joint network deploying 189 aircraft and offering 927 domestic and 82 international flights daily, * Joint fuel management to reduce fuel expenses, * Common ground handling of the highest quality, * Cross selling of flight inventories using the common global distribution system platform, * Joint network rationalization and synergies, * Cross utilization of crew on similar aircraft types and commonality of training as also of the technical resources, subject to DGCA approval, * Reciprocity in Jet Privilege and King Club frequent flier programmes. Commenting on the path-breaking alliance, Goyal said: "All over the world, airlines have formed alliances in order to become more efficient, improve revenues and provide seamless travel opportunities for their customers. "India has witnessed tremendous growth in the past which has slowed down considerably. In this environment the Jet Airways-Kingfisher alliance represents a completely new industrial model for aviation in India which would be based on an unprecedented depth of cooperation between the two companies. "There will be huge cost savings and revenue enhancement opportunities arising from this alliance," Goyal addedMallya said: "This is a quantum leap forward in the evolution of Indian aviation which will benefit customers by delivering the most comprehensive integration in the industry. "Both Jet and Kingfisher fully realize that better understanding of supply and demand in this capital and labour intensive industry is the key to profitability and enhancement of shareholder value. "I look forward to this alliance delivering superior quality, cost savings, flexibility and enhanced consumer value which is the hallmark of all successful alliances," Mallya added While maintaining their separate legal entities and brand entities, both Jet and Kingfisher will examine co-branding opportunities and have formed a core committee of senior management personnel from both companies who will drive the various identified initiatives forward with immediate effect under the overall direction of Goyal and Mallya, the joint statement said. --Indo-Asian News Servicevm/rn578 Words*14100016
2008-10-14 00:01:05
Kingfisher-Jet announce mega alliance Second Lead
BUS43Business/Aviation/BusinessKingfisher-Jet announce mega alliance Second LeadMumbai, Oct 13 IANS In the biggest consolidation in the country's airspace, Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways Monday night announced an alliance aimed at cost cutting and synergising their operations.Kingfisher Chairman Vijay Mallya and Jet AIrways counterpart Naresh Goyal announced the alliance after a marathon meeting here.The alliance is meant to significantly rationalise and reduce costs and offer a wider choice of air travel options, Mallya and Goyal told reporters.The alliance will include code-sharing on both domestic and international flights, joint fuel management to reduce expenses, common ground handling, joint utilisation of crew and sharing of similar frequent flier programmes.Mallya said: "Both Jet and Kingfisher fully realise the economics realities and the benefits of having an alliance."Goyal said: "In this environment, Jet Airways and Kingfisher alliance represents a completely new industrial model for aviation in India. There will be huge cost saving and revenue enhancement opportunities."Shares of the two airlines went up Monday on rumours of a possible merger to trigger yet another consolidation bid in the country's aviation space.The Kingfisher scrip was up a whopping 32.35 percent at Rs.51.35, while that of Jet moved up by 11.12 percent at Rs.291.80, as per data with the Bombay Stock Exchange.Jet Airways had recently scrapped its Mumbai-San Francisco flight, just seven months after its launch, while Kingfisher has postponed the launch of services on several international routes even after obtaining permission to fly.Most Indian carriers including Jet Airways and Kingfisher have also been trying to raise money the past few months, but without much success.--Indo-Asian News Servicevb/rn/vm293 Words*13102307
2008-10-13 14:01:10
Malaysian Indian youth to explore India
Kuala Lumpur, Oct.3 ANI: Malay Indian youth may soon get a chance to explore India under the "Know India Programme KIP".According to a report in the New Strait Times, applications have been invited for a three-week stay in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. Under the programme, students and young professionals of Indian origin from all over the world, will be able to share views, expectations and experiences with their Indian counterparts in a move to promote better understanding of contemporary India.Although the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs MOIA covers the cost of the stay in India, the applicants themselves will fund air travel on economy class to India initially.The Indian High Commission will reimburse half of the return airfare after participants return to their home country with proof of purchase and their air tickets.Youth of Indian origin from 32 countries, including Malaysia, have been invited to apply for this one-in-a-million opportunity.Applicants must be able to speak good English.Since the project started in 2004, 235 people aged 18 to 26 of various backgrounds have benefited from the experience.Applications for the next trip, the 10th KIP visit, will close on October 15. ANI
2008-10-03 23:00:00
SINGAPORE
INT5International/Diaspora/Tourism/EconomySingapore woos Indian tourists as desis turn globetrottersBy Nirmala GeorgeSingapore, Oct 3 IANS The Indian tourists are coming. It's a rallying cry that has hotel managers, restaurant and shop owners in Singapore sitting up and taking notice!Despite rising air travel costs, Indians have retained their spot among the top five nationalities to visit Singapore and, thanks to their growing disposable incomes, are acquiring a reputation of being big spenders as well.Although the global economic slowdown has in recent months somewhat dampened the overall number of tourists visiting Singapore, Indian families are holidaying abroad as never before and Singapore has emerged as their destination of choice.And it's not just affluent families from the big metros but also those from the smaller cities who are going abroad - a detail that Singapore tourism officials have factored into their marketing strategy."With its burgeoning economy and growing outbound tourism, India continues to remain a key market for Singapore," says Kang Siew Kheng, regional director for South Asia at the Singapore Tourism Board STB. The board is pitching to get Indians to opt for Singapore not just for holidays but for meetings, company retreats, honeymoon getaways, school trips and family outings."Indians now seem to be looking beyond just vacations and are travelling for a plethora of reasons," said Kang. So far Indians viewed Singapore largely as a leisure travel destination, but in a shift, the city state is "fast gaining ground as a destination with multiple business options," she said.Newly-affluent Indians, many of them on their first trip abroad, have no qualms about spending a packet on eating out and shopping, say travel agents and retail trade watchers. In statistics released earlier this year, the STB found that Indian tourists were the highest spenders, surpassing even travellers from China and Japan."In our experience, the average Indian tourist spends between 300 and 400 Singapore dollars a day on shopping alone during a visit," Balaji Narayanan of Millennium Travels, a Singapore-based travel agency, told IANS.This weekend Singapore's first Grand Prix Formula One race saw an influx of visitors, many of them from India. While the race was a night event, tourists spent their days seeking bargains in shopping malls and giant department stores, all offering enticing discounts and mega-deals as part of the festive atmosphere surrounding the racing spectacle.Although many of the big brand names are now available in Indian malls, especially in the metro cities, Singapore offers more choice in style, cuts and colours for clothes, said Gini Sharma, a 23-year-old hotel management graduate, holidaying here with her parents who hail from Lucknow."And the prices here are comparable especially when the big sales are on," she said.From the latest i-Phones and cameras to natty Armani suits and ties, golfing equipment to decorative oriental-style 'antiques' to do up their homes, Indian tourists have been spending with abandon.It's not difficult to see why Indian tourists travelling abroad for the first time feel comfortable in the city state. "Indians are most comfortable when they can understand the language and here almost all the staff in hotels and most shop assistants speak English," said Narayanan.He also lists Singapore's reputation as a safe city, its ethnic mix and the easy availability of vegetarian food among other factors contributing to the comfort level.Many Indian tourists also use Singapore as a hub to travel to nearby Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, combining a visit to the city state with visits to Kuala Lumpur, Bali or Bangkok."Indians travel in family groups and they find that local travel is very affordable," Pankaj Tandon, who runs two Indian-themed lounge bars and a restaurant in Singapore, told IANS.The STB has plunged in with a spate of road shows in Indian cities, including in the tier II cities, especially geared at the upwardly mobile professional. Kang said a 'weekend' campaign "invites young professionals to take a short weekend break in Singapore to dine, party and chill".With the Dussehra and Diwali holiday season approaching, another tide of holiday makers from India is expected. The ups and downs of the global economy and soaring airfares notwithstanding, Singapore is still hoping to come close to the 'one million Indian tourists' target it has set for this year.-Indo-Asian News Serviceng/pg773 Words**03100849
2008-10-03 00:00:00