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New Trial Plan To Ease Traffic Jams At Chennai Airport!

AirWhizzApr 16, 2018 No Comments

New Trial Plan To Ease Traffic Jams At Chennai Airport!

Aviation Insider

In a bid to ease traffic jams near the Chennai airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will conduct a two-day trial of a new traffic pattern on Monday and Tuesday. There will be separate entry and exit points to the domestic and international terminals.

Passengers travelling to the Chennai airport on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, between 2 pm to 5 pm, will have to follow a new traffic route to reach the airport terminals.

The AAI wants to first try out a new traffic management system to handle airport traffic as a pilot and then implement it permanently if it is a success. A survey will be conducted during the trial period on the flow of vehicles.

This trial will help AAI understand how the traffic flow will work on the ground. The results of the survey will be analyzed to find out if any changes need to be done to the traffic pattern. The new traffic arrangement will be implemented in two weeks’ time if it’s a success.

Here are the changes that are going to be implemented for these 2 days –

  • The vehicles that come to domestic and international terminals will enter the airport using two entries
  • These entries will be routed via two new ramps that connect to the flyover in front of the terminals
  • Cars picking up passengers at the domestic terminal need not drive past the international terminal to exit the airport
  • An additional entry for the international terminal has been created for the vehicles coming from Tambaram.
  • All vehicles queuing up to drive down the flyover will have separate exit routes
  • AAI has set up new checkpoints at the three entry-exit points of the airport from GST Road
  • The roads inside the airport campus have been filled up with markings to guide cars to the parking lots in front of the domestic and international arrival halls on the ground floor.

The move was part of the original airport expansion plan and the ramps that link the road to the flyover in front of the terminals were ready a few months ago, but AAI wanted to wait till the metro station was completed and train services started. They also waited for the new toll booths to be installed according to the new traffic plan.

These toll booths are essential as they monitor the time each vehicle takes to enter and exit the airport. If a vehicle spends over 12 minutes inside the airport premises, then a parking fee must be paid. AAI hopes that the new pattern of vehicle flow will help reduce the complaint of cab drivers that they are not able to exit from the airport campus in less than 10 minutes due to congestion.

The congestions at the Chennai airport was caused by the 20,000 to 30,000 cars that it received every day. Hopefully, this pilot run will help in easing the traffic and will reduce delays and congestions at the airport once it is implemented in the future.

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Baggage That Requires Special Handling Will Be Charged A Fee At Dubai Airport!

AirWhizzApr 12, 2018 No Comments

Baggage That Requires Special Handling Will Be Charged A Fee At Dubai Airport!

Aviation Insider

If you find yourself traveling out of Dubai any time soon, make sure you pack some extra cash because a new fee has been introduced by Dubai National Air Transport Association(DNATA) at Dubai Airport.

So, if your luggage is not of the standard size & weight and if it requires special handling then you will have to pay more. The DNATA  Wednesday confirmed of this news and have announced that a new fee policy for ‘Out of Gauge’ has been implemented by Dubai airport.

Out of gauge or OOG baggage is the luggage that might be very heavy, too large, very light, fragile, does not have at least 1 flat surface or can damage or slow down the baggage handling management system. Basically, baggage that is outside the standard dimensions for airport luggage and cannot be sorted out by normal conveyor belts come under this category.  Items such as flat screen televisions, large blankets, and sports equipment are examples of such luggage.

According to the DNATA, airlines flying to some of the Asian countries receive a lot of OOG luggage like blankets, broomsticks and huge TV sets. Additional infrastructure and manpower was initially provided to handle OOG baggage. However, due to a high rise in such luggage being flown out, companies were forced to charge for the service for handling this baggage manually.

It is now up to carriers to decide whether they want to pass on the cost to the passengers or not and how they want the payment to be collected. Passengers will have to go to their carrier’s website for further details. The extra fee will be charged from passengers once the airlines renew their contracts with DNATA.

Airlines flying to same destinations have to renew their contracts at different times and those who do it early will be affected the first. DNATA did not provide the charges it is taking from different airlines and cannot comment on behalf of the airlines. However, DNATA insisted that passengers will be charged only if the carriers choose to do so.

Air India, has set the fee at DH45 per piece for such baggage but the fee may vary for other carriers depending on their contracts with DNATA.

For the benefit of the passenger, Emirates has revised its excess baggage charges. The changes are applicable for those who have booked their tickets on or after April 8, 2018. They have also doubled the discount on the purchase of additional baggage allowance online to 20%.

In case you want to know your airline’s baggage policies, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz App and get information about your airline policies and rules on the move. Plan your trip smartly and Fly Stress-Free.

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Only 6 Indian Airports Equipped To Defuse Bombs!

AirWhizzApr 10, 2018 No Comments

Only 6 Indian Airports Equipped To Defuse Bombs!

Aviation Insider

There were concerns about the aviation security and passenger safety after an audit was conducted by a parliamentary agency. The audit found out that only six out of  59 airports that are guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are fully equipped to defuse and dispose of explosives.

According to the audit, the Bomb Detection and Disposable Squad(BDDS) is operational at airports in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Cochin. Chennai and Kolkata airports are taken care of by the Airport Authority of India, while in the remaining 4 cities the airports are run by private companies.

According to the rules of the Bureau for Civil Aviation Security(BCAS), for the BDDS to be operational, Airports require 28 pieces of equipment including explosive vapor detectors, bomb disposal suits, and remote-operated vehicles. The required equipment is available at only the six airports mentioned above. The CISF provides security cover to 59 airports out of 98 airports in  India that are operational.

According to the rules, even if one equipment is not available, the squad cannot be made functional. The CISF has written to the AAI, BCAS and civil aviation ministry, asking them to provide this crucial equipment as soon as possible.

The absence of a functional bomb disposal squad at the airport poses a potential risk to aviation security and passengers. The CISF has to take the help of a bomb disposal team from the nearest police station, in case there is a bomb scare or a threat. This causes a delay in the securities response to the bomb threat.

Kempagowda International Airport in Bengaluru, which is run under a private-public partnership, does not have a functional bomb detection and disposal squad. This is reported because the airport houses only 24 of the 28 equipment’s required.

According to the Bangalore International Airport Ltd(BIAL), the requirement of three of the four pieces of equipment is under deliberation with the Government. The fourth item has a long lead time and will be procured shortly.

Even the airports that operate under Airports Authority of India(AAI) lack some of the bomb diffusing equipment such as explosive vapor detectors and remote-operated vehicles. The AAI has procured 18-21 bomb detection and disposal squad equipment for 13 AAI airports, but they will be procuring the 2 pieces of equipment mentioned above and the squads will be operational by September this year at 18 AAI operated airports as part of the first phase. The remaining equipment for the airport will be purchased in phase 2.

CISF was created in 1969 and has been providing security to airports, government buildings, seaports and power plants amongst others. The Air Passenger Association Of India has been pushing the BCAS for a long time to give the CISF all the equipment required to protect and safeguard air passengers.

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Mumbai Airport To Remain Shut For 6 Hours On 9Th And 10Th Of April!

AirWhizzApr 09, 2018 No Comments

Mumbai Airport To Remain Shut For 6 Hours On 9Th And 10Th Of April!

Aviation Insider

If your flights are scheduled to fly in and out of the Mumbai Airport on Monday and Tuesday, there is some news for you!

On April 9 and 10, flight operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai will be suspended, for six hours between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. This will surely cause air traffic congestion, which will lead to delays in flights on Tuesday.

As part of the pre-monsoon maintenance practice which happens every year,rubber deposits will be removed from the runway. The maintenance work will be done at the intersection of the main and secondary runway. Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) have already informed all airlines about the planned shutdown well in advance.

Air India will be cancelling 34 of its flights and diverting 4 of its flights mentioned below –

  • AI 611 and 612 (Mumbai- Jaipur) and vice versa,
  • AI 680 (Mumbai- Mangalore)
  • AI 696 (Varanasi- Mumbai)

In case you want to find out whether your Air India Flight has been cancelled or rescheduled click on the link below –

Air India Flight Schedules- https://book.airindia.in/itd/itd/lang/en/travel/schedules

Jet Airways will reschedule 17 international and 53 domestic flights and cancel six international and 64 domestic flights. Below are the links to know which flights have been cancelled and rescheduled of Jet Airways –

Cancelled Flights – https://www.jetairways.com/documents/flight-cancellations-1.pdf

Rescheduled Flights – https://www.jetairways.com/documents/revised-schedules-april18.pdf

Besides the Mumbai Airport, other airports have been scheduled to be closed for pre-monsoon maintenance. Here is a detailed list of the airports –

  • Chandigarh International Airport runway will be closed from May 12 to May 31.
  • Calicut International Airport runway will remain closed till June 15, 2018, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • The Jaipur International Airport runway will remain closed till May 31 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • The Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport in Lucknow will be closed till June 30 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Still confused? Simply download the AirWhizz app and add your flight to get all the information about your flight along with real-time flight updates and schedules on your phone.

So go ahead, plan your schedule accordingly and Fly Stress-Free!

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Flying To Dubai Will Get More Expensive in 2019!

AirWhizzApr 04, 2018 No Comments

Flying To Dubai Will Get More Expensive in 2019!

Aviation Insider

If you are planning to fly to Dubai next summer, be prepared to pay more for your flight tickets. Authorities at various Dubai airports have asked Indian carriers to reduce their capacities by half. This is being done because of the runway closure for 45-days from April 16, 2019. As a result, the airfare to Dubai will go up next summer.

Indian carriers flying to Dubai account for about 65,000 seats a week. The CEO of Dubai Airport, Mr. Paul Griffiths has asked the Indian authorities to reduce this number to half in a letter written by him in February. Dubai airlines, Emirates and  Fly Dubai have also been asked to make reductions in their flights flying from India.

According to the letter, The Dubai airport authorities have asked Emirates and Fly Dubai to reduce their total operations by 33 percent and airlines flying to the airport on a regular basis to reduce their capacities by 50 percent. The letter, however, said that the 33% reduction by the Dubai based airlines will contribute to 55% of the airport’s total cuts.

This decision by the Dubai airport has been met with much criticism as Indian carriers feel that reductions in the number of seats is not equal and discriminatory. India has been generous to Dubai when it comes to bilateral traffic rights. According to officials working with Indian carriers, this situation is not new and airlines in India have faced this kind of treatment when they got the least desired slots during slot allocation in 2016.

Dubai airport officials, in March, had announced that the closure will happen from April 16th-May 30th next year because of maintenance work and installation of upgrades. Flights will be diverted to Al Maktoum International airport during this period. These upgrades are being done to increase the safety and capacity of the runway.

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Kolkata Airport To Introduce New Trolleys To Increase Passenger Convenience!

AirWhizzMar 28, 2018 No Comments

Kolkata Airport To Introduce New Trolleys To Increase Passenger Convenience!

Aviation Insider

The Kolkata airport handles about 50000 passengers a day. With flights scheduled between 6 AM and midnight, around 2,700 persons either arrive at or depart from the airport per hour.

Luggage trolley is the first thing that a passenger looks for at the airport. At Kolkata airport, finding a trolley has been a problem, especially during busy hours or late at night.

On top of that, Passengers have had to deal with poor customer service at the airport because of which the airport rankings have gone down.

All that Is about to change!

In an effort to improve their rating, the Kolkata airport will be introducing a new set of lighter, faster and sturdier trolleys for the passengers. This set of trolleys is the first batch after the airport’s expansion in 2013.

Here are all the details about the new trolley system being introduced at the airport-

  • 1580 new trolleys are being added to the existing 1500 plus trolleys currently at the airport.
  • An additional 2,500 new trolleys will be delivered, over the next 2 months
  • This will make the tally of new trolleys to 4000, enough to ensure there is no shortage
  • In addition, older trolleys are being regularly repaired

This move will make the trolley management easier for the ground staff. With twice the number of trolleys in circulation, there will be enough time for the ground handling staff to retrieve and stack trolleys near the luggage conveyor belts in the arrival level and entry to the terminal at the departure level.

Passengers who used the new trolleys on Tuesday said they were lighter, agile, more spacious and easier to use. Previously the front two wheels of the trolleys moved independently, making it tough for the passenger to move at the airport. This issue has been solved in the trolleys by the front wheels designed in the form of a nose wheel of an aircraft, thus making it easier to manoeuvre.

The new trolleys are being designed by a Mumbai based organisation “Delite Systems Engineering Pvt Ltd”. Here are the salient features of the new trolleys –

  • It has a rear wheel cover to prevent apparel such as “Dupattas” or longs scarves getting tangled in them.
  • It is lighter than the previous trolleys
  • It has a lower luggage platform which will increase the load capacity and make it more spacious
  • Front wheels are designed in the shape of an aircraft’s nosewheel, making it agile and easy to move.
  • Overall, it has a better design as compared to the old trolleys

With this initiative, almost 5500 trolleys will be available for the passenger at the airport within 2 months. According to the airport director, Mr Atul Dikshit, Once the airport has 4,000 new trolleys and 1,500 old trolleys in circulation, they will deploy around 1,000 trolleys in the old terminal from where Haj flights operate. A few trolleys will be kept in reserve for emergency.

The airport officials are confident that, with this move, the passenger experience will improve, and the ratings of the Kolkata airport will go up. This move will also help the airport management to streamline the trolley system making it easier and smoother for them to handle.

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Traffic To Take Its “Toll” Enroute Bangalore International Airport!

AirWhizzMar 27, 2018 No Comments

Traffic To Take Its “Toll” Enroute Bangalore International Airport!

Aviation Insider

It is a well-known fact amongst frequent flyers and Bangalore citizens that the commute to the Bangalore airport, also known as the Kempegowda International Airport(KIA), is long and time-consuming. Adding to this, early mornings and late nights see a lot of jams at the toll booths as there is a high volume of flights operating at KIA during that time.

Well! The ride to the Kempegowda International Airport is about to get a lot longer!

From today, the Devanahalli toll booth will start toll collection for cars that will be heading towrds the Bangalore airport. If cab drivers are to be believed, this situation is going to cause a daily traffic problem, increasing the time to reach the airport.

This decision has been taken by the National Highways Authority of India to prevent reduction in revenues. Previously, people going to the airport used the expressway one way and the recently opened alternative road for their return journey, escaping the toll.

This decision has come under harsh criticism, but the toll operators are confident that the decision will not be taken back. An official working at the toll plaza commented “Everyone will choose to escape paying toll instead of shelling out money during the return trip. The moment an alternative route was made available, this decision became unavoidable.”

The Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC), came out strongly against this decision and said that this decision will worsen traffic jams and will dent the city’s image.   Mr. Ahmedali, a former BCIC president, along with the BCIC submitted a petition to the National Highways Authority of India(NHAI) and the state government to reverse this decision. They said that there are long traffic ques at the tollbooth during peak hours, in spite of having more lanes.

The toll operators have said, to make things easier, there will be 15 booths available for those heading towards the airport. All booths will be equipped to deal with customers who use FASTag and there will be one dedicated lane for them.

The BCIC is not opposed to toll collection.However, they are adamant that NHAI must ensure smooth movement of the traffic to and from the airport. To do this BCIC has given the following suggestions –

  • No More Than 3 Vehicles Should Wait In Any Lane
  • Number Of Tolls Should Be Increased And Should Be Operational During Peak Hours
  • There Should Be Enough FASTag Lanes For FASTag Vehicles Only
  • Promote The Use Of FASTag (Electronic toll collection system in India)
  • Collect Toll At The Airport And Pass It On To The Operator At The Toll Plaza

So if you have any flights scheduled from today onwards, Be sure to leave for the airport well in advance.

Wondering what time to leave for the airport? Download the AirWhizz App and get real-time notifications on when to leave for the airport based on live traffic updates and status of your flight.

Never Miss A Flight Again And Fly Stress-Free!

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Biometric Boarding Process Soon To Be Introduced At Indian Airports!

AirWhizzMar 24, 2018 No Comments

Biometric Boarding Process Soon To Be Introduced At Indian Airports!

Aviation Insider

The Airports Authority of India(AAI) will soon be introducing Biometric Access System to make the Boarding process for passengers more convenient.

This System will be introduced as a Pilot project at 3 Indian Airports such as Varanasi and Vijayawada. It is believed that AAI has chosen Kolkata as the third airport for the pilot project.

The AAI will soon be inviting bids from the interested parties for this system according to its Chairman, Mr Guruprasad Mohapatra. He Has also said that they will soon be issuing tenders and the project should start in the next 6 to 7 months.

This initiative is being taken due to the changing profile of air passengers in the country and the safety challenges that come along with it. This technology will play a huge part in taking on such challenges.

The 3 Airports mentioned above have been chosen as an initiative for the Digi Yatra wherein the Aadhar details of the passenger will be used for biometric-enabled boarding process. Under this initiative, the civil aviation ministry will make boarding pass and security check-in digital. The idea is to safely identify travellers through Aadhaar number, passport or other documents.

The Biometric boarding system has had a positive effect on an airport’s security system all around the world. The introduction of such a technology in India will streamline the security process at airports by making it easier on the airport authorities to keep a track of security and making passengers feel safer when they get on a flight.

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