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Guwahati | Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport | GAU

213K views 835 replies 60 participants last post by  sunny20rocky 
#1 ·
This thread shall be used for tracking various informations related to LGBI airport.
 
#194 ·
Vistara adds more flights to Guwahati

Vistara will increase the frequency of its Delhi-Guwahati route this month.

Effective 18 June 2016, the airline will launch a new daily point-to-point service on the route. Flights will depart Delhi at 1340 and arrive in Guwahati at 1600. The return service will then leave the northeastern city at 1635 and arrive back in Delhi at 1900.


At present, Vistara operates a triangular route connecting Delhi with Guwahati and Bagdogra, so the new service will offer the first non-stop connection from Guwahati to Delhi.

Passengers in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Srinagar will be offered one-stop connections to Guwahati, via Delhi.

Vistara will serve the new route using its three-class Airbus A320 aircraft.

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/237185/vistara-adds-more-flights-to-guwahati/
 
#195 ·
GoAir to introduce Guwahati-Chennai flight

Buoyed by strong passenger growth, domestic air carriers are set to add close to 50 planes to their fleets in 2016-17, from 34 additions a year before.

Market-leader IndiGo will induct 24 Airbus A320neo aircraft till next March, nearly double the 13 it inducted last year. GoAir is expected to receive eight of these, its highest ever addition in a single year. The additions would enable expanding of plying frequency and new routes (such as Chennai to Guwahati and Delhi to Thiruvanathapuram).

AirAsia India, Vistara and SpiceJet are also inducting planes. Jet Airways says its focus remains on "higher fleet utilisation to increase capacity on domestic routes". Its spokesperson said in the first nine months of FY16, it raised capacity utilisation by 23 per cent without adding any aircraft.

However, increased capacity and competition is likely to put pressure on yields. Jet and Vistara are discounting on business class seats, to push up load factors. Sector-wide yields are down 15-20 per cent on a year-on-year basis as crude oil prices remain soft and airlines are keen to keep growth momentum intact. According to aviation consultancy CAPA's preliminary outlook for FY17, yields are expected to decline five per cent as airlines ramp up capacity and this could impact profitability. CAPA expects domestic carriers to add 50-60 planes in this financial year.

Experts believe airlines have been able to absorb the yield decline till now due to sharp cut in fuel prices and robust passenger demand. Lower fuel prices have been a factor in adding of capacity.

Domestic airlines to add 50 planes in FY17 Driven by lower fares, domestic airlines flew 81 million passengers in calendar year 2015, up 20 per cent over a year before. The passenger load factor in India at 83.2 per cent was the second highest among all countries (next to the US), as demand growth in the domestic market exceeded capacity addition in 2015.

According to SpiceJet chairperson Ajay Singh, the requirement of additional aircraft is in fact higher than the 40-50 planes to be inducted this year, considering total fleet size of all airlines and 20 per cent passenger growth. "We are increasing capacity not for market share alone. We want to achieve strong and profitable growth," he said.

SpiceJet has 43 aircraft at present, including seven planes on a wet lease (taken with aircraft and crew from a lessor). Over the next few months, it will replace all its wet lease planes with dry leases (taking only aircraft, not crew). Additionally, another five or six on dry lease, Singh said.

"Capacity induction will keep pace with demand growth, expected to be 15-20 per cent. That would mean induction of 40-45 aircraft this year. Yields will remain suppressed as they were during the last fiscal but that is okay, as the crude oil price is expected to remain soft. Yields in FY16 have come down 15-20 per cent over FY 15 but have stabilised. Low fares leading to more traffic, leading to more aircraft inductions, will be the cycle for the next few years until oil prices start firming up," said aviation consultant Anurag Jain.

CAPA's South Asia head, Kapil Kaul, believes the gap between capacity growth and demand growth might be bridged this year, and that the former might even exceed demand. The first sign of capacity growth outstripping demand in India was noticed in February. According to the International Air Transport Association, this "perhaps suggests that the strong rise in passenger load factor over the past two years might have peaked out. But, at more than 85 per cent in February, the domestic load factor in India is well above the industry average."

Another concern among airline executives is slot constraints at the Mumbai and Chennai airports. Addition of planes by all airlines could lead to over-capacity on certain routes. This could also result in an increase in fares in capacity-constrained airports and a drop in fares at airports where additional capacity might not be actually required, said a senior executive of a private airline.

http://www.business-standard.com/ar...-to-add-50-planes-in-fy17-116042500023_1.html
 
#196 ·
Now people will have more choice to fly out of chennai to the unexplored paradise :).

currently there are four flights between chennai and Guwahati. one non stop flight operated by indigo, 2 flights via bangalore and kolkata operated by indigo and 1 flight operated by spicejet via kolkata.

In near future non stop flight service can be operated between Guwahati-Hydrabad, Guwahati-Pune, Guwahati-Jaipur, Guwahati-Patna, Guwahati-Bhubaneshwar and Guwahati-Kochi.
 
#197 ·
Guwahati - Laos flight on the cards

Guwahati, June 8: The ambassador to Laos People's Democratic Republic, Ravi Shankar Aisola, today urged micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Assam to invest in that country to facilitate duty-free trade with all Asean nations.

Aisola and the Laos ambassador to India, Southam Sakonhninhorm, were here to watch the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifier match between India and Laos here yesterday.

"The MSME sector should invest in Laos. The land is fertile and there is ample advantage for their growth. Moreover, by producing in Laos, they can trade duty-free in any Asean country," Aisola told mediapersons here this morning.

Asean, the group which also has Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, strives for economic growth and social progress, protection of regional stability and providing a mechanism for member countries to resolve differences peacefully.

"We have a very big and developing market to be explored in Asean," Aisola said.

Laos is around 2,000km on road through Stilwell Road from Tinsukia district via Myanmar. The country, spread over 265,000 square km with a population of around six million, mainly focuses on mining, hydroelectric production, tourism and agriculture.

"India has invested around $150 million in Laos, which is much less than neighbouring China and Vietnam. Around 33 Indian enterprises are in Laos, including big houses like Tata and Birla. India mostly invests in agriculture and food production industry," Aisola said.

Sakonhninhorm said, "We are a small country but we have identified several sectors in which both the countries can benefit. Our primary focus is on tourism and hospitality. Soon we will come up with some concrete plans to proceed on these lines."

Both the countries recently signed an agreement on air connectivity and are mulling on starting flights connecting Guwahati with Luang Prabang, a World Heritage Site in Laos, by the end of this financial year.


http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160609/jsp/northeast/story_90169.jsp#.V1m67dV97IU
 
#199 ·
Vistara to add new flight on Guwahati-Kolkata route

Vistara to extend its operations from Kolkata
The Tata-Singapore joint venture airline Vistara will soon extend its daily flight services from Kolkata, touching some new destinations. | 1 Comments Vistara to extend its operations from Kolkata The Tata-Singapore joint venture airline Vistara will soon extend its daily flight services from Kolkata, touching some new destinations. Instead of two daily flights between Kolkata and Delhi, Vistara would soon operate seven flights daily from the city touching three new destinations, the airline CEO P Yeoh told a press conference accompanied by West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra after meeting him at the state secretariat Nabanna. "Following this decision, Vistara will connect three new destinations of Guwahati, Port Blair and Bangalore with Kolkata, keeping intact its existing operation on the Kolkata- Delhi sector," Mitra said. If these services were found economically viable, the airline has assured to further enhance its operations by October this year, increasing its number of flights and destinations from Kolkata, the minister added.

Read more at: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/bu...nskolkata_6969781.html?utm_source=ref_article
 
#207 ·
Govt to start new airline to boost connectivity in Northeast


The government will start a new airline based out of Guwahati which would connect all state capitals in the Northeast, according to a report in The Economic Times.

The new airline will be a subsidiary of Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd and is likely to operate a fleet of 6 fixed-wing planes and 5 helicopters, the report said.

Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd will own 51 per cent of the subsidiary which will have an equity base of Rs 150 crore. The rest will be owned by North Eastern Council (NEC).
Department of North Eastern Region minister Jitendra Singh took this decision after meeting chief ministers from all Northeastern states.
The move is expected to boost connectivity in the region, as presently only Alliance Air, a regional arm of Air India offers air connectivity to cities in the Northeast.

http://www.businesstoday.in/sectors...t-connectivity-in-northeast/story/234734.html
 
#211 ·
The KNE flight is a scheduled charter ferrying HAJ pilgrims to either Jeddah or Medina in Saudi Arabia. Probably a wet leased aircraft operating for Flynas. It was Air India in 2014 and they wet leased B767s from US based Dynamic Airways to ferry pilgrims from and to Guwahati. Last year, it was Air Atlanta Icelandic's wet leased B767s to Flynas that did the Guwahati - Saudi Arabia charters. Towards the later days, GAU handled two daily B767 flights from Saudi Arabia.
 
#217 ·
1 million sq. ft integrated terminal building to come up in Guwahati airport by 2020

New 90,000 sq mtr airport terminal for Ghy by 2020
Posted On :: Saturday 20th August 2016
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With an estimated budget of Rs 1,000 crores, Airports Authority of India is expected to commence work on a new terminal from 2017 which will have world class provisions and facilities for passengers

By: Rahul Chanda
Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport is the busiest airport and gateway to the northeast and witnesses a daily footfall of 8,500 passengers. Last year, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, had said that improving connectivity is the key to promoting tourism in the northeast for which the government has taken a number of new initiatives. One of the major steps is creating Guwahati as a hub to facilitate improved connectivity within the northeast. The government had announced sanction of funds to the tune of Rs. 1000 crores for the development of the LGBI Airport. Now, one year later, what is the status of the airport? Are passengers satisfied with the services provided by the airport? G Plus looks into the present status and the changes that the airport will undergo in the coming days.

The complaints

A city-based businessman, who frequently flies outside Guwahati talking to G Plus said, “The Guwahati airport is one of the most important airports in the northeast but I am not happy with it as the airport is not really clean and the toilets are not maintained well.” The businessman also said that in other airports there are so many options to shop and the terminals are usually comparable to the better terminals of the world but Guwahati airport has an old, haggard look about it. Similarly, another flier observed that there are lesser luggage conveyor belts in the airport’s arrival lounge which compels passengers to wait for a long time for their luggage. At the departure lounge also there are far less check-in counters than required. Similarly talking to many passengers at the LGBI Airport, it came to light that people want the airport to change and there should be infrastructural up-gradation as announced by the central government last year. To shed more light on the status, G Plus talked to Airport Director, Jaideep Singh Balhara.

The Authority

Balhara, talking to G Plus, said that when he joined in May 2015, even he felt that the airport required some changes and it’s been around four months since the mechanised environmental support services has been introduced in the LGBI Airport which uses sophisticated and industrial high-mechanized cleaning equipments to clean and maintain the airport. Balhara said that with the introduction of this system the present condition is better than before. Talking about the development of LGBI Terminal, the Airport Director said that the existing terminal building is more than 20 years old and scope of improvement is very limited. Therefore, with the allocated fund of Rs. 1000 crores a new terminal with world class infrastructure will be constructed. The new terminal will have an area of more than 90,000 square metres out of which a reasonable area will be allotted for various commercial activities like retail shops, F&B etc. AAI already has already acquired the land for the purpose. Further, the director said that the action for this new terminal building has already started at the corporate head quarter level. He said that the work on site will start in 2017 and it will take minimum three years to complete. Meanwhile, the director said that till the time the new terminal is ready many other new initiatives have been taken so that passengers using the present terminal get proper service which includes interim modifications inside the building like increasing check-in counters, installing additional conveyor belts, enlarging security hold area, etc.

Capacity

According to media reports, airlines in India have been busy adding capacity as the aviation market grew the fastest globally at 20.3% in 2015. The problem, however, is airport capacity. According to a CAPA study, India’s Airport Capacity Crisis, 18 of the 30 larger non-metro airports have already exceeded capacity or will be saturated soon. Capacity utilisation at the Jammu airport is 278%, 167% in Bagdogra, 127% in Kozhikode, 165% in Guwahati and 95% in Lucknow. Balhara said that at present Guwahati witnesses 165% capacity utilisation. But the fact remains that the airport authority still has to provide better services to the public. Balhara said that last year, passenger traffic touched 2.8 million (28 lakhs). And this year it is set to increase by 10%. The present terminal has an area of 18,800 square metres and to further develop the terminal till the new one comes up, there will be one more conveyor belt added to the existing two at the arrival lounge. To ease the queues in the departure lounge 9 more counters with additional belts will come up within six months. At present there are 29 counters. Also, at present there are two aerobridges which will be increased to four. Balhara said that within one year of his taking charge as the airport director 6 flights have increased and 10 more are likely to be added in this current year. Now there is an inflow and outflow of 92 scheduled flights. With unscheduled flights the number reaches 100-120 per day. The time of the last flight arrival at present is 9 pm. The airport provides for night landing facilities and is technically capable of running 24/7 on the demand of the various airlines. The director said that the new terminal will further provide all kinds of world class facilities to the passengers but for the time being the airport authority plans to provide a decent service to the passengers and the number of domestic and international flights are set to increase in the coming days.

Meanwhile, sources in the AAEU (Airport Authority Employees Union) said that for the time being the issue of privatisation of the Guwahati Airport has subsided but the source also said that the central government might be mulling something new to privatise the airport as the central government, after announcing FDI, will privatise the airport sooner than later.
Whatever be the situation the airport authorities should ensure that passengers at Guwahati get a clean and world class airport – it being the biggest in the entire northeast region.

Present terminal area – 18,800 sq m
Expected new terminal area – 90,000 sq m
Daily foot fall – 8,500
Daily outgoing flights – 46
Daily incoming flights – 46
Air traffic recorded in 2015 – 2.8 million Pax
Expected budget for new terminal – Rs. 1,000 crores
Present status – Global tender floated to select the consultant
Expected year of completion of the terminal - 2020


http://g-plus.in/page/news-new-90-000-sq-mtr-airport-terminal-for-ghy-by-2020
 
#219 ·
Sonowal push to NE flights


Guwahati, Aug. 20: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has asked airline operators to increase the frequency of their services to Assam and other Northeast states.

Sonowal said this in the backdrop of Spice Jet launching its new daily flights connecting Silchar with Calcutta and Guwahati and Guwahati with Aizawl from October 4.

"Your decision to enhance air connectivity between the Northeast and other parts of the country will serve as a fillip to the tourism potential of Assam and other northeastern states," Sonowal said in a message to Spice Jet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh.

"Barak valley is a land-locked region. Travelling from or to Barak valley becomes inconvenient to the people. However, with the increased frequency of air flights, students, patients and other commuters alike will be able to experience hassle-free movement in and around the region," he said.

"The decision to increase air services in the region will serve as an impetus to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion about improving connectivity of Assam and the Northeast with other parts of the country. This will bolster economic development of the region," Sonowal said, adding that other airlines should also increase the frequency of their air services to Assam and the Northeast.

Air Asia India, the pioneer in low-cost airline industry, introduced an additional flight connecting New Delhi and Guwahati on July 17.

In fact, one of the objectives of National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016 is to enhance regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development. The primary objective of the scheme is to facilitate and stimulate regional air connectivity by making it affordable.

Sonowal today also asked the Brahmaputra Board and water resources department to send their top officers to Majuli in Upper Assam to study erosion and suggest a lasting solution. Sonowal represents Majuli in the Assembly.

Promoting affordability of regional air connectivity is envisioned under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) by supporting operators through concessions by central and state governments and airport operators to reduce the cost of airline operations on regional routes and provide financial support (financial (viability gap funding) ) to meet the gap, if any, between the cost of airline operations and expected revenues on such routes.Cement firms

The chief minister today also asked cement companies in the state to take concrete steps to put a tab on price rise.

He held a meeting with the office-bearers of several cement companies at the state secretariat and sought reasons for the inordinate price rise. "If the price of cement is inordinately high in Assam in comparison with other states, there will be repercussions in our state," he said.

He said the government cannot play the role of a mute spectator and will act to impress upon the companies to stabilise the price.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160821/jsp/northeast/story_103572.jsp#.V7lM9k197IU
 
#220 ·
Balhara said that within one year of his taking charge as the airport director 6 flights have increased and 10 more are likely to be added in this current year. Now there is an inflow and outflow of 92 scheduled flights. With unscheduled flights the number reaches 100-120 per day.
 
#222 ·
all my friends here there is a request that if you people can help then kindly help by providing stats regarding north east airports including kolkata .

I am master's degree student . At present studying in Russia . My research work is based on North East aviation , ( especially the best suited type of Aircraft ) that can be used in North East INDIA .... ( my region of work is including Kolkata ) ... so my topic is regional aviation ... in other word.

So i will be grateful if you all come forward and provide me some vital stats ( official mostly )
Thanks in advance

email - kuntak_000@rediffmail.com
 
#223 ·
Indigo announces new flights between Guwahati and Kolkata
6E-3955

Kolkata

Guwahati

5:45

7:00

31-Oct-16

5th non-stop flight



6E-918

Guwahati

Kolkata

7:30

9:00

31-Oct-16

5th non-stop flight

+++++++++++++++++++

6E-857

Kolkata

Guwahati

13:55

15:10

15-Nov-16

6th non-stop flight



6E-856

Guwahati

Kolkata

15:40

16:55

15-Nov-16

6th non-stop fligh
 
#226 ·
I asked people working in the airport yesterday (a Jet airways desk attendant, a security officer, and the restaurant manager inside) , and the numbers, while varying, seem to be around 52 flights right now. I also saw some construction near the terminal, whose pictures I'll upload soon.

The airport opens at 6.30 and is meant to close at 8.30, but often due to delays, close by 11.30. Every single official agrees that this airport is not sufficient.

I got seats easily, but there definitely was a sizeable crowd the infrastructure was somehow able to handle. If the city continues to expand, and fate willing, expands exponentially, this airport will get screwed.
 
#228 ·
Spicejet to launch number of flights from Guwahati

Sonowal bats for better air link hub

Saurav Bora

FLYING HIGH
Guwahati, Oct. 3: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal today urged private airlines to make Guwahati a hub for better air connectivity to Southeast Asian countries.

Speaking at the launch of budget airline SpiceJet's first ever direct flights to Silchar and Aizawl from Guwahati, Sonowal, while urging airlines to increase their frequency of flights to and from the Northeast, said the state government would look to open an international trade centre in the city which is the gateway to the Northeast.

"Trade and commerce between the Northeast and Southeast Asian countries can flourish if the city becomes a hub for airlines for which requisite infrastructure and a proper set-up, including eligible manpower, will have to be in place at the LGBI Airport here," Sonowal said.

Along with the direct flights to Silchar and Aizawl everyday from tomorrow, SpiceJet will also operate additional morning and evening flights in the Guwahati-Calcutta sectors, increasing the daily flights from the city on the airline's network to eight from four.

The airline has placed three 78-seater aircraft (Bombardier Q-400s) in Calcutta for the direct flights to Silchar and Aizawl from Guwahati.

Sonowal thanked SpiceJet for the additional flights and requested the airline to sustain its focus on enhancing air connectivity in the region, besides exploring the idea of starting international flights from the city.

The chief minister said he would approach the external affairs ministry to facilitate opening of visa-extension centres at the LGBI Airport here. "In the absence of such a facility, people have to go outside the region for obtaining a visa, which can be a cumbersome process."

According to a recent study, the LGBI Airport currently has three hangars to accommodate a sufficient number of aircraft. Sources said not too many airlines have been able to utilise those as an overnight parking facility for which there are hardly any early-morning flights from here.

Sonowal also said he would take up with the authorities the issue of high surcharge on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) here that apparently deters airlines from launching more services from the city.

Sources said Hyderabad does not have any surcharge, compared to a 22 per cent tax structure on ATF here. West Bengal, too, has agreed to slash the tax if airlines operate new flights from there.

SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said the expansion would contribute to growth of tourism and economic development in Assam and the rest of the Northeast.

"Operations in the region have to be viable in the long run for us to think of further expansion and aviation turbine fuel forms a huge chunk of our cost. But we plan to start flights to airports such as Lilabari (Lakhimpur) and Mohanbari (Dibrugarh) from Guwahati soon. In two to three months, we will launch daily flights from Guwahati to Bangalore and Chennai," Singh said.

Sonowal further requested Singh to absorb more people from the Northeast in the airline as there is a pool of talent here.

The Assam government has a plan to upgrade the LGBI Airport to "truly international standards". It has also taken up with the Centre the issue of resuming international flights from the airport to Southeast Asian countries, in sync with the Centre's Act East policy.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1161004/jsp/northeast/story_111767.jsp#.V_MR_CF97IU
 
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