Neha Jain: http://indianairlinesnews.blogspot.com/ 29

1. The pigsty that is civil aviation in India (Part II)

The next time you take a flight, demand photocopies of licences, insurances, minimum equipment list and airworthiness documents to satisfy yourself that it’s safe to fly. Else, just walk off the aircraft. It’s the only weapon air travelers have to make a reasoned argument about deficiencies in airlines. And we have a responsibility to try and clean this mess

It is not amazing anymore what a weekend with some cricket can do to divert attention from real issues in India. Be it corruption scams, energy crisis, water shortage, or the latest on pilots with fake licences generated through methods used by much-maligned auto-rickshaw drivers. Actually, at least the
auto-rickshaw drivers are often honest about things, and now and then seem to also be part of attempts to improve or fix the system-as many of us would have observed by the slogans and couplets painted on their vehicles.

Have we ever seen any such attempts on airplanes? No way. Fancy in-flight magazines aside, nothing. The idea is-don't make noise. Mainstream media will not make a noise-airlines are among their largest advertisers, and besides, all those free seats and upgrades mean a lot too. Airline employee unions will not make noise-too many of their friends and family members want to be pilots, I guess,by any means possible. Airlines themselves will not make a noise-the idea is to simply remain technically "airworthy" and the insurance companies will look after the rest, and as for reputation, a new colour scheme as well as "re-branding" is good for everybody if an incident should occur.

And aircraft manufacturers, will they make a noise about their planes being flown by auto-rickshaw driver incarnates? No way! They have to-right you are-sell more planes. As simple as that. That the airline manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, have been concerned about the issue of fake and even sub-standard pilots in and around India, has been open knowledge for some time now.

So now, time for airlines, manufacturers and their employees to go in for "noise abatement procedures", a process which we know airlines are good at. Meanwhile, a few junior to mid-level officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will apparently carry the can; some more sacrifices shall be made to the Gods of Lucre, and life will go on. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) will be prevailed upon not to place India on their blacklist (again), as India packs a punch there, and the "flying schools" will re-invent themselves.

And the head of the DGCA has the nerve to call this an "aberration". That's really, really, rich. Noisily rich.

The "noise" in Delhi this weekend has been all about the Mohali cricket match. And the attention has all been towards a summit on "luxury", which for those who go deeper into these things, is a desperate attempt by the purveyors of expensive beads and baubles to try and desperately recover from the sudden drop in sales in Japan and China-one due to the tsunami and the other due to a change in spending patterns. Cricket is cricket, in India, so that's something else. But on "luxury", an 80% discount at the Hugo Boss showroom close to where I live says it all-luxury is aspirational in India, but we want it at 80% discount.

On the other hand, the "non-noise" silence and ostrich-head-in-the-sand approach being taken by pilots as well as airlines in India, is not only deafening, it is positively criminal. Commercial pilots and their multiple associations and unions, who have in the past not hesitated from going in for labour action for minor and silly reasons and manipulated the media brilliantly, have simply not even bothered to comment or come before the media so far. Barring a few sad looking young pilots, bleating plaintively as they are escorted away to spend quality time with pickpockets and whores, complaining that they spent so much money and now deserve sympathy-nothing.

As for the airlines, it seems as if they are treating this issue as nothing more than a bad smell which may soon pass away like a whiff of smoke, so that they can go back to their business. Barring the suspension or sacking of a few pilots, the rest has been one rapid cover-up operation-business as usual, and resolve as quickly the minor issues of passengers suddenly looking into the cockpit to see what the pilot really looks like. After all, they know the truth. It is not just the young recently employed pilots who were working on fake licences. Look around, check out some of the older and senior pilots, do a double-check on the engineers and figure out. Better to close ranks and not make waves-or clear air turbulence, in this case.

Not that there aren't good and qualified people in the aviation industry in India. Sure there are. But the truth be simply told, they were and are aware of what is going on, and have all been in some way or
the other, compromised. The rot is so deep that anybody who speaks or breathes against it internally is going to suffer.

However, in all this, the one major stakeholder who has been royally ignored is the air passenger. Yes, there is some sort of an Air Passengers Association of India (APAI), of which I am a member, which seems to be more interested only in an MLM kind of scheme to bring more members into the fold. So what can we, as passengers, with our lives in the hands of these fake and substandard pilots and their employers, do? Especially on domestic flights, where we have no options?

Here's a short primer, and if you are going on a domestic flight in the near future, you are well advised to read it as well as try to practise it. This is going to be the only way to force airlines and their unions to come out and take a reasoned, as well as pro-consumer stand on an issue that cannot be just brushed under the carpet again, with repeated interviews and quotes from the same old tired faces at the DGCA and in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).

2. Air India Logged on to SITA Passenger Service System

Mumbai, March 29 (IANS) Announcing the double migration of Air India and Indian Airlines to SITA's Horizon passenger services system (PSS), Air India said it will now operate as a single unified carrier paving the way for the entry into the Star Alliance in mid-2011.

Anticipating improvement in its revenue channel due to the PSS, Arvind Jadhav, chairman and managing director of Air India, said: "We are expecting a 15 percent improvement in the bottom-line revenue channels as the new system will allow us better management."

The passenger service system allows an airline to sell its seats. It contains information on schedules and fares. The PSS also has a database of reservations and issued tickets.

Jadhav said the airline targets its 30 percent sales to be online in two years.

"We have a vision to make Air India the best airline in Indian aviation and India's ambassador to the world. Our strategic partnership with SITA, which provides services to the air transport industry not only in India but all over the world, is important in helping us achieve this," he told reporters here.

SITA, the leading specialists in air transport communications and IT solutions, completed the migration of the two separate airlines' (Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines) IT platforms in a record 293 days.

"This included the successful transfer of more than half a million passenger name records (PNRs) with 99.9 percent accuracy," Jadhav said.

SITA's PSS is now established in AI with over a month of daily use and has been integrated into routine operation.

Through the new platform, the airline is presenting its passengers with a more efficient and functionally rich online booking engine, as well as kiosk check-in and web check-in.

Following the initial PSS implementation, SITA is working with Air India to incorporate additional capabilities and further customise its service delivery.

The airline is also planning to implement the new system and integrate it with the cargo delivery by the next year.

SITA has earlier completed such a migration for the Malasiya Airlines, besides a few others.

"The complex double migration to the SITA Horizon platform is a huge achievement and I am delighted with our swift delivery," said Francesco Violante, chief executive officer of SITA.

3. Pvt planes make beeline for Chandigarh
Plane-pooling is clearly infradig for India's top industrialists and politicians. Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is among the rarity who'll fly into Chandigarh to watch the India-Pakistan semi-final on Wednesday with liquor baron Vijay Mallya. Civil aviation authorities alone have got 30 requests from top honchos to fly into Chandigarh.

So, as Mukesh and Nita Ambani fly into the city, younger brother Anil's wife and kids will come in their own plane. Former aviation minister Praful Patel will come in a Falcon but the plane — like all private jets of others — will have to drop the VVIPs. They will then fly off to Amritsar, Delhi or even distant Dehradun and return at night to fly biggies like Jyotiraditya Scindia and senior Board of Cricket Control in India officials again!

Their planes will be parked as Chandigarh's spacious defence area (used by IAF as its transport base) will park the entourage of Indian and Pakistan prime ministers and the Gandhi family. Authorities expect at least two planes in the Pakistan PM's entourage as an advance party always arrives earlier for foreign heads of state. Also no aircraft
movement will be allowed for about half-an-hour before the VVIP movement of the two PMs happen.

4. InterGlobe General Aviation announces its new entity
Branded as “THE ESTD”, the company has expanded its portfolio from a Business Aviation provider to a new one-stop shop for luxury lifestyle solutions.
InterGlobe General Aviation Private Limited, a subsidiary of InterGlobe Enterprises, has undergone a change in its brand identity and has re-launched to become InterGlobe Established Products Private Limited.

Branded as “THE ESTD”, the company has expanded its portfolio from a Business Aviation provider to a new one-stop shop for luxury lifestyle solutions. THE ESTD will offer an exclusive selection of the world’s most sought after “luxury products”.

From executive jets to super cars, luxurious yachts to high end motorcycles and much more, THE ESTD will aim to provide with a unique experience in their search for the most lavish, exciting and fun products, coupled with customized and expert solutions to cater to the emerging luxury market. THE ESTD will represent over 20 manufacturers in the region.

Speaking at the launch event in New Delhi, which unveiled the products, Mr. Nigel Harwood, President and CEO, THE ESTD said “We are delighted to announce our new identity and look forward to redefining the luxury landscape here in India and surrounding SAARC and UAE countries. With such iconic global brands, THE ESTD will deliver its customers with the ultimate luxury experience, be it for land, air or water. It’s a company for the Established, by the Established.”

Harwood further added, “The luxury market in India is estimated to grow annually by 25% and with the emergence of young HNI’s who seek thrill and adventure never seen in India before, it creates an interesting and exciting market opportunity”.

THE ESTD today unveiled a large number of products from its new portfolio including the Koenigsegg and Gumpert cars, Vyrus and Hollisters motorcycles, ISA and Arcadia yachts, for which it will have the exclusive representation within the region, as well as other automotive, aqua and boating products covering 11 countries from across the world.

“We would like to be a part of the evolution and progress, bringing to the Indian audience the most exciting supercar in the world, powered with cutting edge technology and innovation, with clear focus on quality and safety. We are very happy to partner with THE ESTD and believe our association will help establish and build Koenigsegg’s presence in the country.” Said Mr. Christian von Koenigsegg, Founder and CEO, Koenigsegg

Mr Roland Gumpert, Managing Director, Gumpert Cars said “Gumpert is an extremely high end car that is synonymous with speed and thrill. Our unique proposition is all our products are seamless synthesis of road and track car, a rare combination that’s a dream come true for every car enthusiast. We are positive that The ESTD network will aid this wonderful automotive garner an encouraging response from SAARC.”

On the occasion, Mr. Volker Sichler of Hollisters Motorcycles, “India is now on a growth path and is expected to become one of the largest luxury markets in the world. An increasingly affluent customer base, quest for one of a kind lifestyle experiences and acquisitions all bode well for the luxury industry here. Hollisters, with the help of THE ESTD, aims to bring the best in biking, offering an exciting, thrilling experience that has never been seen before.”

Ascanio Rodorigo of Vyrus said, “We are very excited to come to India and be a part of the vibrant and changing luxury environment. With THE ESTD we will reach out to the Indian prospective customers and offer them the world’s most powerful production motorcycle with a portfolio of both track and street. And we are sure we will meet with a lot of success!”

Maurizio Baldoni from Arcadia Yachts said, “It is a great thrill to be a part of the exciting Indian market. With the support of THE ESTD and our portfolio of the most innovative range of luxurious yet simple, functional yachts, we are optimistic of recieving the same appreciation that we have recieved the world over.”

Mr Sandro Spaziani from International Shipyards Ancona (ISA) said, “ISA is known across the globe for building innovative pleasure yachts that boast high technology and the most sophisticated designs. For over a decade we have been building products that have been greatly appreciated and now, we extend our offerings to the Indian customers. With THE ESTD, we look forward to building a great relationship and presence in the region.”

NEHA JAIN

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