1. Air Deccan has asked Airbus to check if the A-380 can be remodelled for short haul routes with more than 800 passengers on board. What Air Deccan is seeking is drastic reduction in the aircraft's weight at takeoff so that it can operate from almost any Indian airport. The focus of the exercise would be mainly on the fuel tanks that are used. The airline has yet to commit to a purchase of the giant plane. ["Carriers eye A380 for short haul flights", TOI, June 25]
2."We hope to be the first airport [in India] to receive [the A-380]", said VJ Kurien, MD, CIAL. .."Both Emirates and Qatar Airways have ordered A-380s and both fly into Cochin", he said. The International Civil Aviation Organisation has yet to finalise specific guidelines regarding A-380s. [Astoundingly this did not prevent the ICAO from recommending an A-380 airport for Mopa last month!] Meanwhile the AAI which manages 89 domestic airports in the country [presumably excluding the defence/civil enclaves] says it's making adequate plans at its busy airports to design new aprons for parking of A-380s. [ "Cochin airport gears up for world's biggest jet", TOI, June 26]. 3.In a move that threatens to devalue and perhaps even derail the mega modernisation project of Mumbai airport, the empowered group of Ministers (eGOM) which met in Delhi on Wednesday has decided to make the private developer foot the bill for cleaning up the mess called unauthorised slums around the premises. The airport will thus be handed over in an "as is where is" basis. Some changes were also effected to ensure that the emphasis in the projects would be on the aero side rather than the city side as it is feared the latter would tend to make them real estate projects. In the case of Delhi, the bidders will now be allowed to utilise only 5% of the total area for commercial development purposes.["Tough norms may delay Delhi, Mumbai airport mdernisation", TOI, June 24]. 4. Taking a cue from Air Sahara's move to locate its hub at Hyderabad, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has asked the other domestic airlines to shift to smaller airports too instead of sticking to Mumbai and Delhi. Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Chennai have been proposed for Jet, Kingfisher and Air Deccan respectively for such hubs. ["Delhi, Mumbai airports to be decongested", TOI June 27].
