Headwinds for UDAN scheme in Punjab

Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik’ (UDAN) scheme of the Central government, which has helped in improving air connectivity to many tier-2 and tier-3 cities across the country with affordable airfares, has just been a non-starter in Punjab.

UDAN scheme was aimed at making domestic flights available for the local population and the price of tickets was capped at the economical rate so that the maximum number of people can travel by air.

The scheme has failed to take off in Ludhiana, Pathankot, Adampur (Jalandhar) and Bathinda airports, while most of these stations, as per aviation experts, have a vast scope for air traffic.

During the checking of records of Civil Aviation, Punjab, it was seen that an amount of ?3.45 crore was paid to Air India as a 20% share of the state on account of VGF.

Of the 5 planned stations across the state, where UDAN was scheduled to kickstart, after its initiation by the Union aviation ministry in 2016, only Amritsar witnessed the implementation of this scheme but air traffic operations at this airport under the scheme are no more operational.

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The Government of India and the Punjab government entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this scheme, and as per the agreement, there was the provision of providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF), which was to be provided by the GOI and Punjab government in the ratio of 80% and 20% respectively.

This VGF was to be provided for 3 years from the date of operation of the flight, on basis of a formula to the selected airlines who had shown the willingness to operate. Due to non-operational flights, Punjab has so far incurred almost INR 4 crore in losses as part of VGF.

Even the audit department has also put objections to this expenditure in the Punjab Aviation Department.

"During the checking of records of Civil Aviation, Punjab, it was seen that an amount of ?3.45 crore was paid to Air India as 20% share of the state on account of VGF. However, it was seen that out of five domestic airports, no flights are operational at any airport at present.VGF was paid for initial three years and flights stopped after the VGF funding. This has resulted in a loss of ?3.45 crore as there is no flight operational under UDAN defeating the very purpose of scheme”.Remarked the audit objection.

The Pathankot and Ludhiana stations have immense scope under the UDAN scheme, but lack of seriousness has proved to be a roadblock, the officials added.

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(With Inputs from The Hindustan Times)

Hong Kong recently said that it plans to give away 500,000 airfares to global visitors to boost its Covid-hit tourism industry.

Until recently Hong Kong had some of the world's toughest quarantine rules as it followed China's 'zero-Covid' policies. However, last month, the city announced that it would no longer require people arriving to go into hotel quarantine or show a negative Covid test before boarding a flight to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong attracted around 56 million visitors a year before the pandemic, and now the popular destination is taking significant steps to win tourists back after over two years of some of the world’s toughest travel restrictions.

Hong Kong To Offer 500,000 Free Air Tickets To Win Tourists Back.

Two years ago, the Airport Authority of Hong Kong announced plans to give away 500,000 flight tickets, worth around USD 254.8 million, to tourists and residents. This week, the city announced it is ready to put that plan into action.

Back in 2020, the Airport Authority of Hong Kong purchased around 500,000 air tickets in advance from the territory’s home-based airlines as part of a relief package to support the aviation industry.

Hong Kong has been largely cut off from the rest of the world due to its Covid-19 quarantine rules, which at one stage required incoming travellers to spend 21 days in a hotel room at their own expense, with only Hong Kong residents permitted entry.

Although Hong Kong has relaxed its entry rules, visitors, possibly including those who will be given free tickets, are still currently subject to the entry rules.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is currently working out arrangements with international airlines and more details will be announced once everything has been nailed down.

Incoming international travellers must submit a pre-flight vaccination certificate, alongside a negative PCR test and rapid antigen test, before entering.

Once they've been permitted to enter, visitors are required to undergo a three-day self-monitoring period, during which time they're prohibited from eating in restaurants or visiting bars.

Moreover, visitors also need to complete PCR tests on days two, four and six after arrival, and a rapid antigen test every day for seven days.

Also read - Virgin Atlantic ceases flights to Hong Kong

Akasa Air, India’s youngest airline, is considering overnight parking options for its fleet in non-metro airports, an airline official said. It is operating five aircraft at present and parks its planes in Mumbai and Bengaluru airports.

Akasa operates 36 daily flights and is expected to increase the count to 44 by the end of October after the induction of one more aircraft. It will induct one plane every 15 days and expects to have a fleet of 20 aircraft by May 2023. The airline has ordered 72 Boeing 737-800 MAX planes, which will be delivered over five years.

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“We are evaluating options to base our aircraft and looking at tier-2, and tier-3 cities, we have announced flights to Guwahati and Agartala. Beyond that, we will explore opportunities to park our aircraft. It does not really matter to us whether it is tier-2, tier-3 or tier-4 cities. If we see potential, we will do what is right for the airline’s economic standpoint.At the rate at which our aircraft are coming in, we need to work on economies of scale. The moment you get 7-8 aircraft you start getting benefits of the economies of scale. The growth story is India and is not restricted to a particular city. It is always important that when an airline starts operations in any part of the world, it keeps long-term interests in mind, especially at the rate we are adding aircraft."Official, Akasa Air

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The low-cost airline, of which late billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was a promoter, took to the skies on 7 August. it flies to Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai, Agartala, and Guwahati.

More and more airlines are looking at non-metro airports to park their fleet overnight as slots at metro airports are expensive and limited, said industry experts.

Akasa Air commences flights to New Delhi; considering overnight parking options in non-metro airports

This is particularly so with respect to metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, as parking slots, there are very expensive and also because almost all the slots have been taken.

It is increasingly difficult to get space for night parking, an expert said. However, airlines want to park in metro cities as it leads to revenue generation opportunities as demand for early-morning flights from metro cities is far higher, he said.

Besides, following the coronavirus outbreak, several companies are aiming to open small offices in tier-2 and -3 cities and this is creating a roadmap for sustainable demand from these cities as well, he said.

Akasa Air starts flights from Delhi

Akasa Air on Friday, October 7 started its first commercial flight from Delhi airport to Bengaluru. The flight was scheduled to take off from Delhi at 11:40 AM and reach Bengaluru at 2:25 PM. Akasa which launched its operational flight two months back seen to be progressing well in the domestic flight network.

ALSO READ – Akasa Air set to launch flights from the national capital

https://twitter.com/AkasaAir/status/1578291495659925504

The airline already operates 30 daily flights and with the addition of Delhi now the airline covers multiple major metro cities of India. Akasa Air shared the news via its official Twitter handle showing glimpses of the celebrations at the Delhi Airport as the first Akasa flight from Delhi to Bengaluru takes off.

The brand-new airline in India started operating on August 7 and intends to launch international service by the end of the year. The business recently reached its 60-day operating milestone.

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(With Inputs from Mint)

SpiceJet, which has been facing turbulent times, has deposited the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) of all employees for the financial year 2021-22, according to an internal communication. As per the communication, a significant portion of provident fund contributions of all employees is also being credited. Form 16 will be made available in the next fortnight.

ALSO READ – Struggling to-Survive SpiceJet allegedly not depositing PF in employee accounts

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In September, the loss-making airline hiked the salaries of its captains and senior first officers by around 20% with effect from October. The government's Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) is providing some sort of financial relief for the carrier.

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The development comes two days after the government enhanced the credit limit for airlines under the ECLGS.

TDS deposited by SpiceJet to all employees for FY 2021-22

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On Thursday, October 6, an airline source said it was expected to receive an additional INR 1,000 crore as part of the modified ECLGS. SpiceJet posted a net loss of INR 789 crore for the June quarter as well as INR 458 crore for the quarter that ended in March 2022. As on June 30, the company’s liabilities were INR 6,772 crore more than its assets. 

ALSO READ – The worst nightmare of SpiceJet – From financial losses widening to the CFO resigning to non-payment of salaries

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The carrier, whose flights have been restricted to 50% till October 29 by aviation regulator DGCA, last month sent 80 of its cockpit crew on leave without pay for three months.

ALSO READ –DGCA extends the 50% cap on SpiceJet flight operations; keeps it under enhanced surveillance

In September, the loss-making airline hiked the salaries of its captains and senior first officers by around 20% with effect from October.

At that time, the airline said the measure, "which is in line with SpiceJet's policy of not retrenching any employee which the airline steadfastly followed even during the peak of the Covid pandemic, will help rationalise the pilot strength vis- -vis the aircraft fleet".

SpiceJet has been incurring losses for several quarters. The promoter of the company, Ajay Singh, is preparing to sell some of his stake in the company. He holds a total 60 per cent stake in SpiceJet. Earlier, he is looking for a buyer to sell his 24% stake in the company.

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Shares of SpiceJet Ltd surged about 9% to INR 42 apiece on the BSE in Thursday, October 6's opening deals after a report said that the Indian budget airline carrier is expected to receive an additional INR 1,000 crore loan under the government's modified Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) as the airline needs funds to sustain heavy cost burden and pay pending dues.

The cockpit of any plane contains a variety of controls, information panels, and other components. However, a yoke or a side stick might be present, depending on the manufacturer. Boeing aircraft use yokes to steer, while Airbus aircraft use side sticks.

Representative | Airways Magazine

However, why is that so? How does it affect the aircraft's performance?

Let's analyze.

From the vault

Prior to the advent of the A320 family, a central yoke was present in every aircraft's cockpit. The yoke was the main device used by pilots to manually operate the aircraft's systems. For a very long time, every type of aircraft—from the turboprop to the 747—used the yoke as the industry standard.

Yoke | Representative | collectSPACE

Airbus decided to change the A320's central yoke for a side stick in 1985, revolutionizing commercial flight. Fighter jets like the F-16 or Rafale were the only ones having side sticks up until that moment. Airbus chose to include the side stick along with the new "fly-by-wire" technology, which swapped out manual flight controls for computer-based ones.

An airbus sidestick | Source

Why did Airbus choose to do so? Perhaps, there was a business angle to it?

To end the 737's monopoly on the narrowbody market, Airbus sought a solution. By adding the side stick to its aircraft, Airbus gave airlines the A320, a fundamentally different aircraft from the B737.

The side stick

Thanks to the new computer-based controls, the single-handed side stick improved flying comfort and provided pilots with greater space to interact with modern information systems.

Representative | Airbus

As a result of Airbus continuing to employ the side stick on all following models, this configuration can be seen on almost all Airbus aircraft today. Given the absence of a larger yoke, Airbus was able to create a redesigned cockpit with a focus on computers and screens.

The yoke

Given the popularity of the 737 and 747, Boeing was satisfied with sticking with the same cockpit layout. However, this does not imply that Boeing has not incorporated the more recent "fly-by-wire" technology. In the past three decades, Boeing has created two "blank-sheet" aeroplanes: the B777 and the B787. These two vehicles are fly-by-wire.

Representative | Aircraft Interiors International

But instead of sidesticks, the Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft feature yokes. Even in its most recent designs, Boeing has been outspoken about the benefits of the yoke. The yokes are mechanically connected, so if either pilot makes an input, which ordinarily shouldn't happen, the other pilot can feel it. On the other hand, mechanically connecting sidesticks is not practicable.

Evidently, Boeing does not believe that the yoke should be abandoned. As long as the business can keep innovating, there is minimal need to make fundamental design modifications. There have also been disastrous incidents involving pilots of sidestick-equipped aircraft who were unaware that they were out of trim. This concerned situations where the airplane changed to flight regulations in which it did not auto-trim. Even though these occurrences are quite uncommon, Boeing avoids using sidesticks because of this.

Of course, Airbus and other makers of sidestick-equipped aircraft have systems and processes to tackle these issues.

There are currently sidestick-equipped airplanes flying around that do address these problems. They are referred to as "active sidesticks" in the industry. The Gulfstream G500 business jet was the first to employ them. It makes use of a mechanism created by BAE, who once produced sidesticks for military jets. There is no mechanical connection between the sidesticks in the G500. However, servos on both of them connect them electronically.

G500 Cockpit | Representative | Pinterest

Additionally, there is a company in France by the name of Ratier-Figeac that is a branch of Collins Aerospace in the US. Collins is a Raytheon subsidiary in and of itself. Since the 1980s, when Airbus first introduced the A320 family, Ratier-Figeac has been producing its sidesticks. Sukhoi received them from it as well for use in its SuperJet (SSJ100).

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Additionally, Ratier-Figeac supplied sidesticks for the MS-21 to Irkut/UAC until recently. The MS-21's future is currently quite questionable. However, the MS-21 had active sidesticks in the configuration that Russia approved before the invasion of Ukraine. It would be the first airliner to have them if it were to really enter service in this configuration.

Side stick Vs Yoke- Which is better?

The audience seems to be divided on this and understandably so.

Sidesticks would also save a significant amount of weight if Boeing used them. Installing two sidesticks is far simpler than setting up two floor-mounted yokes and all of their mechanical connections. Sidesticks give pilots a better ergonomic reach to their screens.

Representative | Source

With their benefits for ergonomics, weight savings, and pilot feedback, may active sidesticks cause Boeing to shift course? To discover, we will have to wait. Analysts predict that Boeing must introduce its next aircraft within the next two years to compete with Airbus.

ALSO READ - Two aerospace companies, Two different strategies

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Source

Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. said it would close its office in Hong Kong and end Hong Kong flight service to and from London’s Heathrow Airport, a sign of the hurdles facing the Chinese city as it seeks to regain its reputation as an aviation hub.

The British airline decided to suspend its Heathrow-Hong Kong services and not resume flights in March 2023, after 30 years in the Asian city due to issues related to the closure of Russian airspace.

Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has led several airlines, which were already reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to suspend flights and plan longer routes to avoid Russian and Ukrainian airspace.

Virgin Atlantic quits Hong Kong.

Virgin Atlantic had halted flights to Hong Kong since December last year and several airlines have not routed flights through Russia's airspace after the invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Bloomberg reported that around 46 Virgin Atlantic jobs will be impacted, including office staff and cabin crew, due to the decision. 

"Significant operational complexities due to the ongoing Russian airspace closure have contributed to the commercial decision not to resume flights in March 2023 as planned." Richard Branson, airline founder.

Virgin will also close its office in Hong Kong, with Bloomberg reporting that 46 jobs are expected to be impacted. Customers booked to travel from March 2023 will be contacted by the airline today and offered a refund, voucher or the option to rebook on an alternative route.

Meanwhile, British Airways has confirmed details of the resumption of its flights from London to Tokyo and Hong Kong, following the easing of travel restrictions in both Japan and the Chinese Special Administrative Region.

(With Inputs from Reuters)