Aviation

To meet the growing demand :

SriLankan to add more air taxies

Shirajiv Sirimane in Arugam Bay

SriLankan airlines would add two more aircraft to strengthen their air taxi operations by early next year.

SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe, speaking at the SriLankan Pro Surf Championships said with the dawn of permanent peace air taxi operations could operate to more destinations and this has created an additional demand. “This is the reason why the airline decided to invest in two other aircraft next year,” he said.

SriLankan Airlines recommenced its air taxi operations from December 2010, operating to the more popular tourist destinations in the South and the hill country. Twin otter planes on straight floats with a seating capacity for 15 passengers take off and land on identified lakes, lagoons and reservoirs. Scheduled flights connecting to SriLankan Airlines international flights operates daily, while charter flights and the ever popular scenic flights will also be available.

Availing of the air taxi service will provide business and leisure travellers with the advantage of reaching their destinations in less than 85% of the time spent on surface travel. Many companies are already patronizing this service. He said that for any airline to survive, tourism is very important as it helps to increase their load factor.

“This was one reason for the airline to come forward and sponsor the Pro Surf Championships giving mileage to Sri Lanka as a destination and indirectly marketing it,” he said.

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Deccan to expand fleet:

Minister flies to Arugam Bay

Deccan Aviation is planning to acquire a new AIRVAN aircraft to its fleet soon to meet the growing demand in the domestic aviation sector. In addition they have also placed an order for an additional twin engine helicopter which is expected early next year.

The airline which has 250 heli pads all over Sri Lanka is now flying VIPs and last week Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena along with a team from Sri Lanka Tourism flew to Arugam Bay to inspect and to attend a coordination meeting for Pro Surf 2011.

After landing at the Arugam Bay helipad adjoining the new bridge, the coordination meeting for Pro Surf 2011 was held.

The Deputy Minister and others were flown back to Colombo the same day. During the course of the meeting, the helicopter was used for a quick aerial survey of the area and to capture pictures of the landscape that will be used for future tourism promotion activities.

“It was important for the Minister to see for himself how with domestic aviation options, one can access even frontier destinations like Arugam Bay by using aeroplanes or helicopters, in addition to the traditional road transport.

Aviation will likely play a leading role in the opening up of places such as Arugam Bay to tourism and development,” said Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Director, Dileep Mudadeniya on the sidelines of the Minister’s visit.

“Helicopters are the preferred mode of travel for corporate transfers and our helicopters can land guests directly at their site and we have years of experience in handling complex multiday flights for corporates and VIPs. Guests have the ability to get much closer to their destination than flying in a plane to an airport or water drome and then taking a drive,” said Deccan Aviation Lanka’s CEO/Director Denham Schokman.

“Flights to Arugam Bay are not something new. We have been doing it for years now, and with lots of new competition from start up airlines anticipated, it is important we maintain our position as market leader and to this end our guests can expect a lot more from Deccan in the months ahead.”

Emirates seeks 4000 new flight attendants

Emirates airline, is advertising 4000 cabin-crew jobs via online music provider Spotify as it strives to attract international staff for the world’s biggest fleet of Airbus superjumbos.

Emirates needs to boost flight attendant numbers by a third to 16,000 during the year through March as it adds five double-deck, 517-seat A380s, for a total of 20.

Ads on Facebook, may follow as the Dubai-based company seeks English-speaking, tech-savvy recruits aged from 21 to 30.

With Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad also adding staff, Emirates aims to leverage its status as long-haul market leader to become employer of choice among would-be cabin crew, akin to Apple in computing and Nike in sporting goods, advertising manager Sardar Khan said in an interview.

“We’ve growing rapidly and that presents a massive hiring challenge,” Khan said. “Apple and Nike are aspirational brands and we like to think of ourselves as in that league. Your friends are going to think, wow, you’re working for them?” he asked. Apple rose three places to 17th in last year’s 100-company Best Global Brands ranking from Interbrand, posting the biggest gain in recognition, while Nike advanced one spot to 25th.

The maker of the iPhone also came 18th in a 2010 ranking of the 50 most attractive employers from recruitment-branding consultant Universum. Coca-Cola and Google were placed top of the two surveys, while airlines were absent from both.

Emirates flight attendants start on a basic annual salary of about 47,000 dirhams ($A12,200), plus hourly flying pay, a fixed monthly cash sum based on their role and competencies, free housing and transport, and an annual payment from a profit- sharing plan. At British Airways the starting salary is about 15,000 pounds ($A23,400) a year, before supplementary sums.

Great growth expected from world aircraft market

There are expected to be great strides in aviation markets over the next decade.

The Vice President of the Teal Group, an aerospace and defense analysis firm based in Fairfax, Virginia, has suggested there will be a large increase in the need for particular segments of the airline market.

Richard Aboulafia has said the segments will cover large jetliners, business aircraft, rotorcraft, combat aircraft, military transports and tankers, and defense aircraft.

Aboulafia, who will be speaking during The Aerospace Alliance Summit at Sandestin in Baytowne, Florida on September 15, has said his talk will cover risks and growth trends in the segments, including the particular players, strategies, and likely winners and losers.

He will also discuss industry dynamics, and changes in global sourcing.

Some of the companies to be represented at the Aerospace Alliance conference will be regional business leaders from aerospace and aviation corporations such as Boeing, ATK, Lockheed Martin, Airbus, MRO Specialists Aeroframe, and GE Aviation.

Tiruchi airport ready for 24-hour operations

With the Tiruchi airport authorities declaring the facility ready for 24-hour operations, one of the major constraints in introduction of new flights to the city has been removed.

The airport had been hampered for long owing to the restrictions imposed on the schedule of flight operations as there was a shortage of staff at the air traffic control (ATC).

Airlines have been complaining that they were not being given convenient time slots and that they had to fit their schedule suggested by the airport authorities.

Officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) say that this would be not a problem anymore and the airport was now ready for 24-hour operations.

“We are ready for 24-hour operation and air operators can choose any time slot of their convenience. We had planned to be ready for 24-hour operations from October 1, but we are prepared to take additional flights at any time slot even now,” Airport Controller S. Dharmaraj, told The Hindu. When asked about the reported shortage of staff at the ATC, Dharmaraj said these were operational matters to be handled internally but assured this would not be a constraint for the introduction of new flights.

A few months back, a couple of additional staff were posted at the ATC but a few were later transferred.

Additional hands were expected to be posted by October.

The Hindu