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But, now, in this slowdown, almost all airlines are struggling to remain afloat and AI is seeking a bailout from the government to survive. Nearly 45 of the ordered planes have already joined the Maharaja’s fleet.

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Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav requested all executives in the level of general managers and above to voluntarily forego salaries and incentives for July as a gesture to ease the liquidity crunch faced by the airline, an Air India spokesperson told PTI.

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Paramount signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the major European aircraft manufacturers on the sidelines of the ongoing Paris Airshow at Le Bourget in France.

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Airport Authority of India (AAI) has proposed that airlines must surrender parking slots if they sell or lease their aircraft so that airports can accommodate other airlines, especially budget carriers, he said requesting anonymity.

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“We are looking at orders in the region of 20,000 FCUs over the next 10 years. It’s a long-term project,” an upbeat Puneet Kaura, executive director of Samtel Display Systems, said on the phone from the French capital where the FCD was unveiled for the first time at the Paris Air Show.

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“We are increasing the fuel surcharge by Rs 400 effective tomorrow (Friday),” its spokesman said on Thursday, adding the higher fares were for both long and short haul routes on the domestic sector.

Earlier in the day, low-cost carrier SpiceJet Ltd raised its fuel surcharge on tickets by 400 rupees following a rise in jet fuel prices, a senior official said.

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The move comes a day after state-run oil firms raised jet fuel prices by over 12 per cent from June 16, according to the website of Indian Oil Corp.’s, the country’s biggest refiner.

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category-I status. India has met almost all safety-related norms specified by the American aviation regulator, an official in the civil aviation ministry said requesting anonymity.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its assessment of the country’s aviation safety environment had found many loopholes in areas such as airworthiness, surveillance of flight operation, technical staff shortage and cabin safety. Failing to meet FAA-specified requirements had put the country at risk of being downgraded by the US regulator to Category-II status. A downgrade by FAA bars domestic carriers flying to the US under scanner. It also makes it difficult for any new carrier to start flights to the US.

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”Malaysia reduced airport charges by 50 per cent in March… in response to the economic environment. Singapore, China and Thailand have taken similarly positive measures,” IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said.

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“We should consider ourselves fortunate that we have been insulated from the adverse impact of the economic meltdown so far,” he said in a letter issued on Saturday.

Admitting that the airline has approached the Government, as the owner of the airline, for infusion of funds by way of equity and soft loans, Mr Jadhav hoped the Government would “extend a helping hand soon”.

However, he also cautioned that financial help from the Government could come with strings attached. “We also need to be conscious of the impact that disinvestment/privatisation can have on our lives, should this materialise,” the letter added.

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“A couple of PE investors have approached us to invest in the cargo business, but I have postponed the process now. We will revisit it a few months later, if the valuation improves,” said Gopinath, chairman and managing director of wholly-owned Deccan Express Logistics (DEL). 

The $625-million domestic express cargo market is expected to grow at 20% a year over the next five years. On his willingness to dilute his stake in Kingfisher Airlines, Gopinath said: “It depends on the valuation I get.” At today’s market price, his 10% stake is valued at Rs 51 crore. 

Gopinath has already pumped in Rs 125 crore in Deccan Express Logistics and needs to raise an additional Rs 150 crore. The company, branded as Deccan 360, is expected to launch the first dedicated cargo service in India on May 27. It has already inducted an Airbus A-310 and will add two more next month. 

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International air traffic fell 1.8% to 2.61 million in March this year over corresponding month last year. While the global slowdown has already hit hard air travels across the world, the recent outbreak of swine flu in Mexico further dented the aviation sector. 

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“Retrenchment is the last resort for us. We have excess staff,” a Jet Airways spokesperson told reporters. “But reports appearing in the media about huge layoffs are grossly overstated.” 

Justifying the decision, the carrier said the worldwide economic slowdown has had an adverse impact on all businesses including the aviation sector. 

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The special fares under the four-day promotion scheme for children will be applicable only three particular days a week - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 

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Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines have earlier once withdrawn agent commission but had to soon restore it under pres-sure from thousands of travel agents across the country. According to industry estimates, distribution of air tickets through travel agents and travel portals such as Makemytrip.com and Yatra.com costs airlines nearly Rs 200 crore annually. 

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“It is my dream…the country needs a true low-cost airline,” Captain Gopinath told reporters here on Thursday. 

The Bangalore-based entrepreneur, who is now the Chairman of Deccan Express Logistics, a cargo airline said that he had the option to buy a 10 per cent equity in any domestic air-carrier, as per his agreement with Kingfisher. 

“I can buy equity up to 10 per cent in any of the airlines….but right now I am focusing on cargo…but of course, the dream (to launch an airline) is there,” Gopinath told reporters here on Thursday. 

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The airline has suffered mounting losses coupled with rising debts. Sources familiar with the development said there will be another round of retrenchment, as the cabin crew has filed its attendance only till May 15. Responding to a query, Jet Airways spokesperson in an e-mail response said the airline has issued notices of termination to some cabin crew on probation in accordance with the terms of their contracts and in compliance with the law. Last year, the airline had given termination notices to some 1,900 employees, which had to be revoked after the government had to intervene and huge protests from its 

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The country’s oldest private carrier Jet Airways, which already operates a wholly-owned low-cost airline JetLite, has launched another low-cost service JetKonnect, while Kingfisher Airlines is increasing the number of flights on low-cost Kingfisher Red routes. There are early indications that the country’s largest budget airlines — IndiGo and SpiceJet — will respond aggressively to the development. 

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The airline would also connect the city with London via Mumbai from June 1, a company release said here today. 

The Ahmedabad-Frankfurt service would provide a convenient connection to New York and Chicago, the release said, adding “the new flight will be operated with a Boeing 747-400 aircraft.” 

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The decline was mainly on account of a sharp fall in customer base of full-service carriers Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines. While the Delhi-based low-cost airline IndiGo registered a marginal growth during April, its close rival SpiceJet posted a marginal decline in passenger numbers. Public sector Air India managed to hold its previous year number, thanks to a sharp cut in airfare. 

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Leading the way were Kingfisher Airlines and its low-cost arm Kingfisher Red carrying 8.61 lakh passengers, followed by Jet Airways and JetLite flying 7.96 lakh and Air India (Domestic) 5.83 lakh, official traffic figures for April released today showed. 

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Jet Airways and Kerala Tourism, two super brands, will leverage their respective brand equities to boost tourist traffic into ‘God’s Own Country’. 

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“The Government has, in principle, accepted that Air India requires equity infusion. A decision to this effect will be taken in due course. These are all matters which will be reflected in the coming budget irrespective of the (party/coalition) in Government,” the source said. 

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As per the agreement, HCL AXON would offer it’s proprietary MRO solution - iMRO - to upgrade and enhance the existing SAP solution-based footprints of Jet, HCL AXON said in a statement. 

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The country’s oldest private carrier Jet Airways, which already operates a wholly owned low-cost airline JetLite, has launched another low-cost service JetKonnect, while Kingfisher Airlines is increasing the number of flights on low-cost Kingfisher Red routes. There are early indications that the country’s largest budget airlines— IndiGo and SpiceJet — will respond aggressively to the development. 

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The delivery by Israel of the sophisticated Phalcon early warning radar surveillance system, set for May 20, will also mark another milestone in growing military ties with the Jewish state. 

The AWACS “will be deployed straight away,” air force spokesman T.K. Singha told AFP. 

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The new rules follow India’s ratification of Montreal Convention on the issue by amending its own laws, an official spokesperson said on Monday. 

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