Airliners-India

karatecatman

EXPRESS BUZZ
Hemanth CS
26 Oct 2009

Plane truth: HAL operated more flights than BIA
BANGALORE: The average one-hour Volvo ride from the city to the airport is something the Bangalorean has met with a stiff upper lip as the inevitable trade-off for the swanky new International Airport that replaced the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport.

But not only has the oneand- a-half year old Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) failed to attract new airline services, it is currently operating fewer flights than HAL did when it shut down in May last year.

“When the HAL airport was operating commercial flights, there were around 325 movements last year which continued till the time of its closure. But, at the BIA the number of flight movements dropped within a week after its commissioning.

Since, June 2008 only 280 flights operate from the BIA though it has a capacity to operate 700,” AN Vishwanath, General Manager (Coordination), Air Traffic Management, BIA, told Express.

He added that though a few international airlines have started flight services from the BIA, the domestic traffic has seen a 10 per cent dip.

“When the HAL Airport used to operate commercial flights there was an overwhelming demand by airlines to operate more flights between Bangalore and other destinations. However, HAL, which owns the airport, shot down the request citing it would hamper its aircraft testing activity at the airport,” added Vishwanath.

BIAL, the promoters of the airport, have said that though domestic flight numbers dropped initially, no domestic carriers have added new routes or withdrawn routes in last six months.

However in the past few months around five international flights have been withdrawn as many airlines found operating flights out of Bangalore not viable.

Situation improving

Though in the beginning of the year there was a dip in number of passengers due to the recession, BIAL says that it has has witnessed increased passenger numbers over the last six months.

During July this year, there was a 13 per cent growth in passenger numbers compared to last July.

Similarly, August and September saw a passenger growth of 15 and 22 per cent respectively, compared to the same months last year.

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Defence seeks to use areas at HAL Airport
Express News Service
03 Nov 2009

BANGALORE: The HAL Airport’s terminal areas may once again become abuzz with activity, as the Defence Ministry has sought permission from the Civil Aviation Ministry to use its facilities, which have been lying idle since the airport stopped commercial flight operations about an year-and-a-half ago.

The airport — owned by defence PSU HAL — is currently used for military flight testing activity. The terminal areas of the airport belong to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The Defence Ministry has expressed interest in making optimum use of the terminal areas which, after the closure of the airport, are let out for an odd film shoot, said AAI officials.

“The Defence Ministry recently wrote to the Civil Aviation Ministry asking it to lend the terminal areas.

It is learnt that they want to use the facilities for their troop movement. They also want to use facilities like the baggage machines and the conveyor belts whenever their transport or passenger aircraft operate from the airport,” AAI sources told The New Indian Express.

At the terminal area of the HAL Airport, which was renovated just a couple of years before its closure, separate check-in sections for domestic and international departures/arrivals are available.

Sources said that the Ministry of Defence would also provide its own security to man the terminal area and the other areas which are currently in AAI’s possession.

According to the Civil Aviation Ministry’s notification issued on May 16, 2008, the HAL Airport will no longer be available for commercial civil aviation operations except at times of national emergency. The Ministry had later given green signal for non-scheduled aircraft, including chartered flights, to use the HAL Airport.

However, this activity has also not been possible as there is no security mechanism at the terminal area.

AAI has 20 acres of land in and around the HAL Airport and there have been various proposals to utilise this land. HAL had plans to open a maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) at the airport.

However, this was put on hold plans following the global recession.

Currently, the HAL Airport is used by HAL and other aircraft testing and training establishments with more than 60 flight movements every day.
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haree · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject:

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2295

Are the people who wrote this article aware that we've been in the throes of a global recession, one that's hit every major economic power from the US to the EU to India to Japan?

All airports from JFK to BOM to Ulan Bator have seen a decline in flights and traffic.

At least BLR has seen more domestic passenger traffic (as this silly article then rightly states). Most airports would kill for that kind of growth.

One sometimes wonders where these "journalists" get their degrees, and how they're credentialed.

Spiderguy252 · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:27 pm Post subject:

Maybe we should start a sub forum with the title: "Journalist's Aviation Perspective". Wink

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iah87 · Member Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 558

BLR has seen a decline in traffic, HYD, BOM, MAA also have and so have most major airports in the country.

The new airport at HYD immediately saw a decline in traffic after the airports were switched.

vt-ala · Member Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 313

me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 179

Pretty poor journalism Neutral

haree · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:23 pm Post subject:

Phadnis · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:49 pm Post subject:

Spot on, VT-ALA. Look at this part of the article.

Nimish · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject:

BIAL needs to start planning for expansion now rather than wait for the boom in traffic to catch them unawares.

HAL will never become an alternate airport IMO, so BIAL needs to make sure they can cater to increased traffic without becoming the mess that BOM, DEL or HAL at BLR were!
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ssbmat · Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 691

And to think my poor old BOM airport cannot even have a 2nd parallel runway or reclaim its own land..
This BIAL nautanki is all because of the hype of the IT industry.. Mad