Why not stream all the data in real time to multiple recipients? It would make the investigation of aviation incidents much easier and far more transparent, recommends Devangshu Datta.
United Airlines and Continental Airlines on Monday said they will merge in an all-stock deal worth over $3 billion that will create the world's largest carrier with annual revenues of nearly $29 billion.
Former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam has said he is yet to receive an apology from Continental Airlines for frisking him at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi in April this year.
UAL and Continental Airlines closed their merger on October 1 creating the world's largest carrier by traffic.
In its apology to Kalam for frisking him at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in a breach of protocol, it said it did not intend to offend the former President or the sentiments of the people of the country.
A day after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security filed an FIR against Continental Airlines for frisking former President A P J Abdul Kalam, the government on Wednesday said it knew about the incident and had issued a show cause notice to the airline on July 9."The BCAS, after getting the information in time, first conducted an inquiry and then issued the show cause notice on July 9. On Tuesday, they filed an FIR also Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said.
"Not only the preliminary inquiry has been ordered but we also have a preliminary report on the basis of which Continental Airlines has been issued a show cause notice why action for wilful violation should not be taken," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
There will be more airlines joining the fray next year.
AIATSL is offering ground-handling services as per International Air Transport Association standards to all Air India flights and customer airlines operating through Indian international Airports.
These companies have survived bankruptcies.
Continental Airlines and UAL Corporation's United Airlines are expected to announce next week that they are combining operations to form the world's largest airline. United's board is expected to vote on the deal on Friday, which was reached in less than three weeks.
IATA has said that airlines globally were 'prepared for the heightened level of alert' following the World Health Organization's decision to move to Phase 5 of its pandemic preparedness plan. The global airlines body and the WHO have prepared guidance materials for the airline staff, including cabin crew, maintenance workers, cleaners, passenger agents and cargo and baggage handlers.
On July 16, a senior National Mineral Development Corporation official was traveling towards Chhattisgarh's Bailadila hills, where a major iron ore excavation project is going on. Just 20 kms from Jagdalpur, which is the district headquarters of the Bastar plateau, his vehicle was stopped in the middle of the night by some Maoist cadres. He was asked to step out of the car, and after he was thoroughly frisked and his vehicle checked, he was allowed to go.
Reacting to former President APJ Abdul Kalam's statement that he has not received any communication from Continental Airlines, the United States-based airline on Thursday said that they want to apologise personally to him."Since he is not in Delhi, we are waiting for him to return so that we can apologise personally to Dr Kalam," the airline said.The development came shortly after Dr Kalam said that he is yet to receive an apology from the airlines, for frisking him.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered a probe into the incident involving the ground security staff of Continental Airlines which subjected Kalam to security check before he was to board a Newark-bound flight on April 24.
Air India, having run up losses of Rs 7,200 crore and adding about Rs 15 crore worth of red ink every twenty-four hours, is now asking for even more money to burn from the Government of India.
'We as citizens should be bothered about how a former President is treated. It is about the institution of the Presidency and not about any individual.'
No major price skirmishes expected; Passengers seem to prefer flights with a short stop-over.
There is a prospect of a 5-10 per cent drop in fares.
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