Tag Archives: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

Parliamentary panel slams Civil Aviation ministry for HAL and Begumpet closure

The Sunday Times of India has published an article detailing the slamming of the Ministry of Civil Aviation by the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Tourism. Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr. Praful Patel, frequently flies in to Bangalore HAL airport, on board an aircraft owned by Delhi and Hyderabad airport promoters GMR. HAL airport closure violated In a damning …

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HAL airport closure illegal:Parliamentary committee

The Press Trust of India reports that the Government’s decision to shut down the old Bangalore airport could come under fresh legal scrutiny with a parliamentary panel asking civil aviation ministry to respond to charges of “irregularities” in the concession agreement it has signed with the airport developer. Quoting records of its hearings with the ministry, Airports Authority of India, …

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Parliamentary committee recommends UDF withdrawl, re-open HAL and Begumpet

In what is sure to be a shock, to both the BIAL and HIAL consortia, the Deccan Chronicale reports, the parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture, on Thursday October 23, recommended immediate withdrawal of user development fees (UDF) being charged by Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports. It said the private operators had invested only Rs 330 crore and Rs …

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HAL Airport rated at 8 million passenger capacity

An official study by the Airports Authority of India assesses the annual passenger capacity of HAL Airport at 8 million passengers. 6.5 million domestic terminal and 1.5 million international terminal. This is contrary to popular belief of 3.5 million passengers. According to Mr. B.R. Sena, General Manager, AAI, Bangalore, the figure of 3.5 million is based on extremely old assessments. …

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Hard work at BIAL results in significant improvement

On Friday, 20-June-2008, I took a flight out of BIAL airport. As my pictorial essay shows, the hard work, by the stake holders at BIAL, is showing results, in the form of significant improvements.Getting to the airport While the distance to the new airport is significant, I have always maintained that connectivity to the airport was not a major problem. …

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HAL can help airlines save fuel

The high prices of ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) have the airlines in India in a tizzy. They are cutting back services, begging for a reduction in fuel taxes, sub-leasing their aircraft, basically, anything, which will help stop their haemorrhaging losses. Karnataka has one the highest prices of ATF in the country due to its high taxes, and faces pressure for …

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Industry supply chain leaders visit BIAL cargo complex

On Friday, 13 June 2008, I had the privilege of leading a delegation of senior supply chain managers from member companies of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) on a visit of the two cargo terminals operated by Menzies Aviation Bobba (Bangalore) and Air India Singapore Airport Terminal Services (AI-SATS) at BIAL airport. The team comprised of senior …

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BIAL terminal needs immediate expansion

The managements, of both, Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), and, of their partners, have been going hammer and tongs for the last 18 days, correcting problems. Many of the “teething problems” have been addressed, the few others, hopefully, very soon. However, the passenger terminal building (PTB) is not a “teething issue”, and needs to be expanded on a war footing. …

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BIAL confirms launch of new airport on May 24

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 …

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An Indian Airport Hurries to Make the First Flight

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 …

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BIAL to open on May 24

The government has finally set the opening for the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) for the night of May 23rd, early morning of May 24th, 2008.

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Bengaluru International Airport gets delayed again

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 …

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The case for keeping HAL open in parallel with BIA

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 …

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I am not against BIA or BIAL

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 …

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The BIAL capacity conundrum

Depending on which stake holder of the the Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) consortium you listen to, the capacity of the new BIA airport is 9 million passengers (as per Airports Authority of India) to 12 million passengers (Mr. Albert Brunner). However, no one has claimed a capacity of over 12 million passengers. At best, we are informed, that the …

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Turbulent terminal and doggy runway collapse two airports on the same day

“At London Heathrow Terminal 5 we’ve created a natural, logical journey that’s so calm, you’ll flow through. It should only take ten minutes to get from check-in to departures” This is the promise British Airways makes about the new super large, super luxurious, $8.6 billion Terminal 5 or T5, at London Heathrow airport. Capable of handling 30 million passengers, this …

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BIAL needs to soften their stand – no agreement is cast in stone

Both the Governments (of India and of Karnataka) face a dilemma — while they realise that there is sound logic, to keeping HAL airport open along with the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), they face a intransigent BIAL consortium, who appears hell bent on enforcing the terms of their Concession Agreement. We should also try and understand BIAL’s perspective. They …

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HAL, BIAL wage war over airport

HAL, BIAL wage war over airportAnshul Dhamija | TNNMarch 04, 2008 Bangalore: Should HAL airport be closed? That simple question evoked a major war of words on Tuesday between representatives of HAL, Bangalore International Airport Ltd and industry leaders at a seminar organized by the Centre for Public Policy of the IIM-B. And the battle lasted for almost three hours. …

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