Current schedule

“IATA is changing to deliver even greater value to its members. Strengthening our regional structures where we are closest to our members will help us to understand and meet their needs better. We have also regrouped activities that have grown organically over time with the goal of being more intuitive to those we deal with. This will optimize our ability to develop, modernize and deliver the global standards which are the foundation of aviation-enabled global connectivity,”

Regions

• North and South America will be consolidated into an Americas region and based in Miami. The combined region will be led by Peter Cerda who is promoted from Regional Director for Safety, Operations and Infrastructure for the Americas to RVP for the Americas.
• Africa and Middle East North Africa will be combined into one region to be known as Africa and Middle East. Hussein Dabbas, from IATA’s Amman regional office, will lead the region as RVP.
• Asia-Pacific, North Asia and Europe will continue to serve members in those regions as in the current structure with regional offices in Singapore, Beijing and Madrid. The RVPs leading these regions continue to be Maunu Von Lueders, Zhang Baojian and Rafael Schvartzman, respectively

Divisions

• Airports, Passenger and Cargo Services (APCS): This is a newly created division that will combine the association’s main activities with respect to airports (including infrastructure development and financing), security, passenger and cargo services. It will be led by Thomas Windmuller, currently Senior Vice President (SVP), Member and Government Relations.
• Member and External Relations (MER): This division will take primary responsibility for the association’s advocacy activities. It will be led by Paul Steele who is promoted to SVP from his current role of Director of Aviation Environment, which he has held since 2007.
• Safety and Flight Operations (SFO): This division will handle all aspects of flying operations (including air traffic management) and safety (including auditing). It will be led by Guenther Matschnigg in a continuation of his current role as SVP of Safety Operations and Infrastructure.
• Financial and Distribution Services (FDS): This division will focus on IATA’s financial services (including the settlement systems) and drive the association’s distribution initiatives (including the development of the New Distribution Capability). It will be led by Aleksander Popovich in a continuation of his current role as SVP of Industry Distribution and Financial Services.
• Marketing and Commercial Services (MACS): This division will be the central driver of IATA’s commercial activities which support its many industry initiatives. The division will continue to be led by Mark Hubble, SVP of MACS.

To Hyderabad

Courtesy British Airways

To Colombo

Superjumbo replaces existing Boeing 737 service

ACG Boeing 747-400 freighter at Mumbai. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal

It is with regret that I have to inform you that we will have a temporary interruption of our services, effective today April 18th, 2013. The suddenness of this interruption is beyond our control and was neither expected nor foreseen in any way.

Our Shareholders are supporting in any way possible and you can be assured that we work around the clock to find sustainable solutions to recommence our services to you. Despite the surprise of this measure, we remain very confident that the operations can be resumed in the next few days.

“Safety of the traveling public is our number one priority. These changes to the 787 battery will ensure the safety of the aircraft and its passengers,”

“A team of FAA certification specialists observed rigorous tests we required Boeing to perform and devoted weeks to reviewing detailed analysis of the design changes to reach this decision,”

Etihad Airways to inject additional $220 million in to Jet Airways

Jet Airways and Etihad Airways at a glance

Highlights

• Strategic investment under FDI policy of the Government of India will deliver wide-ranging revenue growth and cost synergy opportunities for both airlines
• Alliance will bring significant passenger benefits with expanded code-sharing, creating a combined network of 140 destinations
• Alliance will bring significant benefits to the Indian economy, both in terms of growth, job creation, trade and tourism
• Jet Airways passengers from 23 cities in India to gain direct access to an expanded global network
• Jet Airways to enhance its services from its primary hubs of Delhi and Mumbai, and introduce new flights from Hyderabad and Bangalore
• The strategic alliance between the two airlines will bring additional traffic, frequencies and revenues to metro airports, as well as other airports of Airports Authority of India
• New India-Abu Dhabi routes and Jet Airways to establish a Gulf gateway for flights to the US, Europe, Africa and the Middle East
• The strategic investment enables Etihad Airways to tap into India’s fast-growing 42 million strong travel market
• Frequent flyer program members of both airlines will benefit from fully integration with reciprocal earn and spend
• Alliance will result in both consumer benefits and/or all round efficiencies
• This strategic investment with a US$600 million commitment from Etihad Airways will help further strengthening of Jet Airways financial position.

“We are pleased to have reached this significant stage in India with Jet Airways and are certain the partnership will bring significant benefits and opportunities for global growth to both airlines.

“It is expected to bring immediate revenue growth and cost synergy opportunities, with our initial estimates of a contribution of several hundred million dollars for both airlines over the next five years.

“The Indian market is fundamental to our business model of organic growth partnerships and equity investments. This deal will allow us to compete more effectively in one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the world.”

“We look forward to collaborating with Jet Airways and constructively working together with them and their stakeholders to build a sustainable, competitive and profitable airline.”

“I would like to thank the Government of India, especially the Ministries of Civil Aviation, Commerce and Industry, and Finance, for having the foresight to introduce the historic reform of allowing foreign direct investment into civil aviation in India. Infusion of FDI in the domestic sector will result in the improvement of the economics of aviation, grow traffic at our airports and create job opportunities.

“I am extremely happy to be in a partnership with an airline that shares our customer-centric operational philosophy and ethos. I have no doubt that this partnership with Etihad Airways is a win-win situation for all our stakeholders, especially our guests, who will now have access to a much expanded global network.

“This transaction further strengthens the balance sheet of Jet Airways and, more importantly, underpins future revenue streams, which will accelerate our return to sustainable profitability and liquidity.”

Winning recipe to feature in Lufthansa flights and The Leela restaurants

"Vandana’s innovative entrée was a clear winner as she stayed true to India’s culinary traditions,”

EU to India ambassador - Mr. João Cravinho lighting the inaugural lamp with fellow project authorities for the start of Delhi batch

"Aviation industry interest in the Master's programme is tremendous,"

"The degree course was co-developed with partners from the industry and is therefore adapted to their needs and requirements.”

Our Analysis

• This agreement covers the UAE excluding Dubai.
• This agreement is despite the fact that Etihad, had not asked for any increase in capacity, till just before there was traction on the Jetihad stake sale deal.
• This agreement is an "about-face" of the Indian civil aviation minister's statements earlier this year saying that no additional bilateral privileges would be given to Middle-East carriers which was prompted following the scathing indictment of the civil aviation ministry granting massive seat increases in bilateral agreements, especially to Emirates airline, by India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
• This agreement almost quadruples the capacity between India and Abu Dhabi. What makes this agreement incredulous, is that Indian carriers have still not fully utilised the seat capacity of the existing agreement.
• The "change of gauge facility" (which allows for a change of aircraft size mid-route on a single flight number), along with code-share facility can specifically benefit the Etihad-Jet Airways partnership. The two airlines can now code-share with each other, putting their flight numbers on the other's aircraft, and change aircraft at Abu Dhabi. i.e. Jet Airways can commence a journey in India with a flight number for each of Etihad's destinations, and move passengers on to Etihad metal at Abu Dhabi who will continue the flight with the same Jet flight number but as a code-share. This can be repeated in reverse too.
• For Etihad which now has a significant say in Jet Airways' international operations, this is a bonanza that will give it the ability to bypass Dubai-based Emirates airline. Etihad will gain the UAE quota of 50,000 seats, plus the 42,000 seats that Jet Airways has requested from the Indian side. A total gain of around 90,000 seats per week, an unheard of 700%+ increase, which will catapult Jetihad over rival Emirates with its 50,000 seats per week to India.
• Based on this ill-timed agreement, there is growing pressure on the Indian government from other nations, mostly the Middle East for increases. In terms of seats per week, Qatar wants to increase from  24,292 to 72,600 (+299%), Sharjah wants 30,316 from 18,816, Dubai from 54,200 to 74,200 (Dubai has actually asked for a straight doubling of their seat capacity, but not officially).
• There are a number of eyebrows being raised not just the haste with which the MoU was signed, but also the timing. Being so close to the stake sale of Jet to Etihad, most aviation analysts believe that this MoU was done specifically to help the Jetihad deal go through at the 31.5%+ premiums Jet Airways was demanding of Etihad. All the respected Indian newspapers are raising the spectre that the Indian Government has entered in to this agreement as a quid-pro-quo for benefiting the promoters of Jet Airways, persons who are known to wield tremendous clout in the corridors of power. 

Some recommended quotes and reading of opinions on the MoU and the Jetihad deal

The more problematic case concerns Jet-Etihad. As Jitender Bhargava pointed out in this paper yesterday, the share transaction came simultaneously with the government's decision to dramatically increase the number of flights that could be operated to India and back from Etihad's base in Abu Dhabi. That would certainly have raised the value of Jet to Etihad; in effect, the government had given a free gift to Jet's shareholders - arguably at the cost of Air India and other players. Faced with criticism, the government has justified its action by saying that the number of flights from the two domestic hubs of Mumbai and Delhi would be restricted, but that misses the point. Encouraging more flights from smaller airports to hubs in West Asia undercuts the prospect of developing domestic hubs, and is manifestly indefensible. Predictably, other airlines in West Asia have asked for similar treatment - and the demands plus the Abu Dhabi deal add up to 68 additional wide-bodied flights every day of the week!

Once again, national interest seems to have been subordinated to what is best for one airline company or the other. The government is making far-reaching policy decisions on an ‘airline-to-airline’ basis.

This has led to a question: was the grant of additional seats factored in for Jet Airways to obtain a higher valuation compared to what was being discussed in January 2013? Given that the two announcements - stake sale and grant of additional seats - came within hours of each other, was an assurance on additional seats demanded by the airlines and given by the government before the pronouncement of stake sale? These are serious questions because, if the link can be established, it is not only akin to insider trading but also demonstrates how decisions can be forced out of the government by powerful individuals.

......let us welcome Jet Airways as the national carrier because it enjoys the patronage of the Government of India and has been given a head start!

The bilateral agreements are fundamental to this deal. If the bilateral pacts were either delayed or not approved, the deal would not have happened. I am quite certain that valuation is largely a kind of premium and the final data was largely dependent on the bilateral pacts that were signed. If the bilateral pacts were not followed though, I don’t think it would make any sense for Etihad to invest in Jet Airways.

Three months ago, the civil aviation minister had publicly stated that Middle-East carriers would get any traffic rights only if their Indian counterparts were allowed the same privileges. I don't know what happened in those three months for the government to make an about-turn and change its position on not giving bilateral privileges to Middle-East carriers. In fact, Etihad was never in the line for seeking enhanced bilateral agreements. The demand was primarily made by Qatar and Emirates. But this deal had changed the entire scenario.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai is hopping. But the busiest airport in fast-growing India, it is also the most delayed airport in the world. It ushered through 17 million passengers a few years ago, 20 million the next, 24 million the next.. And having made two separate trips to Mumbai to shoot this episode, I can tell you firsthand: it′s an unmitigated madhouse. The chaos begins the moment the plane touches down, with an abnormally long delay to get the airplane to a gate. Once off the plane, the sheer volume of people fighting their way through immigration and baggage claim is mind-bending. Abandon hope of personal space, all who enter here! (For added fun, try elbowing through the crowds while trying to get high-definition television camera equipment though customs.) The airport is so insanely busy it has to be expanded.

But the airport is so insanely busy, how can it possibly be expanded?

That′s the challenge facing construction crews here as they build a brand new international terminal and renovate the domestic one on the original footprint—while 400 flights a day come and go. One engineer compared the whole endeavor to doing open-heart surgery in the middle of a marathon.

Even that doesn′t do justice to the challenges here. India has the highest population of first-time flyers in the world, travelling for education and for work. And in India, a first-time flyer typically has his whole family accompany him to the airport to see him off. And I′m not talking Mom, Dad, and Sis. I′m talking about 37 of his nearest and dearest (affectionately referred to as "weepers and wailers"). Throngs of people. Which means traffic flow in and around the airport has to be negotiated with even greater care.

Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill—SOM—the lead architects, have designed a terminal that accommodates this tradition. But their sensitivity to place and culture doesn′t end there. First, and most incredibly, they built this multi-billion-dollar project around a revered statue of 17th century king Shivaji, after whom the airport is named, to leave access for worshippers. Throughout the terminal, they have incorporated art from different parts of India, unified by the recurring ocellus pattern of a peacock, India′s national bird. That pattern adds lightness and delicacy to an enormous roofscape.

Airports, are, if you take a step back, really just massive roofs under which people and luggage move. In this case, lots of people. SOM used that basic structural fact—airport=huge roof surface—and turned it in to a central theme. The roof rests on mega columns that branch out like trees. They are both decorative and functional: they drain the rainwater, let in a dappling of daylight light, hold up the entire structure and are just plain beautiful. Extremely high-tech, extremely functional, but aesthetically linked to the history and culture of India.

But let′s go up above the roof for an aerial view of this project. Now the heart transplant in the middle of the marathon looks like the easy part. Because the airport is surrounded by slums—in fact, 300,000 people live in slums on airport property. Along with the building of the terminal (and the ongoing operation of this airport) will be the largest slum resettlement project in India′s history. They have resettled 1,000 people; they are planning to resettle 85,000 . . . in a city that′s already unbelievably crowded and comically congested. Mumbai has a population of 20 million, densely packed. It can take five hours to travel the 15 miles from the city center to the airport. Which reminds me: there′s a highway being built as part of this project too.

When it′s all done in 2014, the expanded airport will be an oasis of calm and of careful planning, accommodating 45 million travelers a year. You math types are thinking, "at the rate I mentioned above, they′ll have outgrown the new space by then, right?" Yeah, that′s why they′re building another international airport, Navi Mumbai, about twenty miles away. Can you say, "fast-growing economy"?

The armed suspect in the airport incident has died from his injuries. He entered Terminal B and fired at least one shot in the air. A nearby Department of Homeland Security Officer heard the gunfire and immediately responded. The Homeland Security Officer and the suspect fired shots simultaneously. The suspect was struck and treated by responding paramedics who pronounced him dead in an ambulance. The Harris County Medical Examiner (Institute of Forensic Sciences) will determine the suspect’s cause of death.

No other travelers in the terminal were hurt. The airport remains safe and the area of the terminal was quickly contained. The investigation remains ongoing.