“Favorite Budget Airline” Award Goes To Norwegian

Congratulations to Norwegian on its win in the 2018 The Trazees awards. 

Norwegian, the World’s Best Low-Cost Long-Haul Airline and Airline of the Year 2017, has won the “Favorite Budget Airline” award in the 2018 Trazees Awards survey by Global Travel magazine.

The winners were announced this past summer on trazeetravel.com on July 1 and in Global Traveler’s July issue. Global Traveler magazine is a sister publication to trazeetravel.com. 

The award itself was presented at the annual GBTA Party in San Diego on August 14.

Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO, FXExpress Publications, Inc.  said, "Norwegian's impressive expansion while maintaining reasonable fares and a quality product is impressive, and it's clear our readers, the sought-after 18-35 demographic, are taking notice and will continue to do so." 

The Trazees awards ballot ran on the Trazee Travel website from December 2017 through February 2018.

“We are extremely proud to be voted ‘Favorite Budget Airline’ by our American travelers, and we thank both the readers and voters of Trazee Travel for this award, as well as Global Travel Magazine. At Norwegian, we try to make it easy for everyone to find the lowest available fare with our popular Low Fare Calendar as we know our customers want an affordable, yet comfortable and safe experience to their destination. Due to our low fares, younger travelers can afford to fly long-haul more often and instead spend their money on experiences,” said Bjørn Kjos.

India Mobile Congress: Mittal and Ambani Differ in Visions

India Mobile Congress, IMC, 2018

The inaugural session of the second edition of IMC was attended by major industry players:

- Jio's Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries

- Vodafone-Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla and Vivek Badrinath, 

- Regional CEO for Africa Middle East Asia Pacific, Vodafone Group.

- Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal

The conference was earlier inaugurated by the Communications Minister Manoj Sinha. IT Minister Ravishankar Prasad, Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu also were present on the occasion.

The structure of the telecom industry has changed ever since Reliance Jio entered the market in September 2016. The resulting radical change in the telecom industry over the past two years and its sentiment became visible at the second edition of the India Mobile Congress.

Vodafone-Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said India was on the verge of becoming a digital economy and the company was committed to making ‘Digital India’ a reality.

Balesh Sharma, chief executive officer of newly created Vodafone-Idea Ltd, too complained about high taxes and low tariffs. He said the telecom industry was bleeding and, at some stage, this had to change. Asked about tariffs and if they were sustainable in launching services, he said the tariffs were not affordable and new services could not be launched. He, however, said the company would keep competing.

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal stated that : 

- The high rate of GST (18%), license fees and spectrum prices in the telecom sector contradict Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a digitally-empowered India,

- Telecom is among the most-taxed sectors globally,

- For mobile operators in India, out of every Rs. 100 earned, nearly Rs. 37 go towards one form of levy or the other.

Mittal, however, said that the recently released National Digital Communications Policy focuses on the concerns of the industry, which would help in rationalising the tax and other charges along with easing the merger process.

He said, “The world is moving towards two or three operators in every country and I am delighted that India now has come to a point where we have one state operator and three private mobile operators serving over 1.2 billion people.

It is widely acknowledged that Jio has revolutionised the mobile broadband sector. Many operators have been forced to shut shop or merge with other entities. Bharti Airtel has acquired Telenor and Tata Teleservices whereas Jio has taken the assets of Reliance Communications as the firm stopped offering wireless services. Another operator, Aircel, has gone for bankruptcy.

Jio's Mukesh Ambani views the situation differently. He is in contrast to that of Mittal. 

Ambani mentioned connecting everybody in the country at most affordable rates. He did not say anything on the taxation and levies. 

He stated that:

- India had moved from 155th rank in mobile broadband penetration to number one position in mobile data consumption in the world in less than two years,

- This is the fastest transition anywhere in the world from 2G/3G to 4G, 

- By 2020 we will be a fully-4G country and ready for 5G ahead of others,

- Jio is committed to connecting everyone and everything, everywhere, always with the highest quality and the most affordable price.

Ambani aims for India to rise from a lowly 135th rank to be among the top three nations in fixed broadband at a pace that will surprise the world. 

#MeToo Charge Against Rahul Johri Splits COA

The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) yesterday formed a three-member panel to probe the allegation of sexual harassment against BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.

The panel comprises former Allahabad High Court judge Justice Rakesh Sharma, who has been named chairman, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Barkha Singh and former CBI Director PC Sharma. 

It has been given 15 days to submit a report and will also examine "all allegations of sexual harassment against Johri while he was employed with the BCCI.

The Vinod Rai-led COA also has former India women's captain Diana Edulji.

In a press release, the COA has publicly admitted the divide within the CoA over the issue - an anonymous account of the alleged #MeToo Charge came up on social media. .

Diana Edulji and seven BCCI state units - Saurashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa - have been demanding Johri's removal.

Chairman Vinod Rai has been resisting the sacking of BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. His views are:

- A probe is necessary before a call is taken on that, 

- Due process of law and principles of natural justice should be followed,

- Johri has submitted his response to the show-cause notice issued against him 

- The tweet was anonymous; the accuser, who is yet to reveal her identity, claims to be an ex-colleague of Johri during his stint with the Discovery channel.

- The post by the accuser, who claimed to be Johri's ex-colleague at a previous job, has been deleted by the twitter handle that originally shared it. 

Edulji has demanded Johri's removal. Her views are: 

- since the CEO has such grave sexual harassment allegations against him, it would not be in the interests of BCCI and Indian cricket that he represents BCCI.

- he should resign or his contract be terminated.

"Ms Edulji informed the Chairman she would approach Learned Amicus Curiae Shri Gopal Subramanium for further guidance if no action is taken and the CEO is allowed to continue," the COA statement added.

Johri will continue to remain on leave until the independent committee submits its report and a decision is taken on its findings. 

InterGlobe’s shares plunge more than 30% this year

Shares of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, owner of India’s largest domestic carrier by market share - IndiGo, fell as much as 3.7 percent today, a day after the company posted its first-ever quarterly loss since its market debut in 2015. The stock is witnessing selling pressure now. More than 1.2 million InterGlobe shares traded hands, as of 10:07 IST, compared with their 30-day average of 1.6 million shares. 

InterGlobe’s shares have plunged more than  30 percent so far this year amid intense competition.

The Company's Chief Executive Officer Rahul Bhatia comes up with clarifications like "higher crude oil prices and a depreciating rupee have dented Indian airlines’ profit in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market."

InterGlobe has been able to sustain itself so far, but yesterday its employees were emailed to bear with the situation by none other than the CEO.

Rival airlines also took a hit on Thursday, with Jet Airways shares slipping up to 2.4 percent, while SpiceJet Ltd fell as much as 3.14 percent. 

Jet Airways Ltd is scrambling to keep itself afloat. More than 70 days ago, its Chairman has said that the Company has only 60 days of steam left.

State-owned Air India is surviving on government bailout. 

Uncertainty has led InterGlobe to hold its decision to own some Airbus A320neo aircraft. “At times when there is a little uncertainty we want to be prudent with cash,” its interim Chief Executive Officer Rahul Bhatia said on a post-earnings analyst call on Wednesday. The company will continue to lease them, he added. 

Dwayne Bravo to Retire from International Cricket.

October 25, 2018

Dwayne Bravo retires from all forms of international cricket. 

West Indies 35-year-old allrounder Dwayne Bravo today announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket. In a statement released to the media he said that he will always remember the moment when he received his maiden cap 14 years ago. 

Bravo made his debut in 2004 against England and played 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 66 T20Is for Windies. 

He last played an international match in a T20I against Pakistan in September 2016. 

He last played a Test match in 2010, against Sri Lanka. 

He last played an ODI against India in 2014.

In his career, he scored 3 Test hundreds and 2 ODI hundreds. The seamer also contributed to the international side with 86 Test wickets and 199 ODI wickets.

After his retirement, Bravo, who plays for Chennai Super Kings in Indian Premier League, will continue to play in T20 leagues across the world.

“Today I want to confirm to the cricket world that I have officially retired from international cricket in all formats of the game. After 14 years when I made my debut for the West Indies, I still remember that moment I received the maroon cap before walking onto the Lords Cricket Ground against England in July 2004,” he said.

The right-arm bowler added that he will continue to feel the same passion for the sport he felt throughout his career. “The enthusiasm and passion I felt then, I have kept with me throughout my career,” he said.

Bravo added that it is time for him to pass on the torch to next generation of players. “However, I must accept that for me to preserve my longevity as a professional cricketer, I must do as others before have done, leave the international arena for the next generation of players,” he said.

The right-hand batsman also expressed gratitude to his family and his fans for supporting him throughout his career. 

IndiGo CEO Urges Employees to help cut costs

In 2016, IndiGo’s President and whole-time Director Aditya Ghosh took home Rs 27 crore in salary, including Rs 20.9 crore in one-time incentive. 

IndiGo was also generous in rewarding its 12,000-plus employees with an average 42 per cent rise in remunerations in FY16.

In 2018, a time has come when IndiGo co-founder and interim CEO Rahul Bhatia has to urge its employees to help reduce costs further.

This situation is after the parent Inter Globe reported the first-ever quarterly loss at Rs 652.1 crore in September following its listing in November 2015.

Besides seasonal factors higher costs and intense competition took a toll. 

CEO Rahul Bhatia in an e-mail to the employees expressed "disappointment" at the financial performance, and mentioned that the Indian aviation industry is facing significant economic pressures from two elements which are beyond our control - fuel prices that have increased by more than 40 per cent year-on-year and depreciation of the rupee. He had to finally admit that this year has been unusually different.

Direct Flights Between India and Perth Likely

Flights to Perth.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha and Air India Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola have recently held discussions with Western Australia Tourism Minister Paul Papalia on starting direct flights to Perth.

Papalia said the meeting was extremely productive and significantly progressed efforts towards establishing direct flights between India and Perth.

An official release said that:

• India is already a fast growing market for Western Australia with the number of visitors increasing by 38 per cent from the year ending December 2015 to the same period in 2017,
• Air India has agreed to explore the business case for the route.

Noting that India and Australia share strong trade, investment, sporting and education ties, Sinha said direct connectivity between the two countries has the potential to deepen these relationships.

"India has a very open air service agreement with Australia. It encourages both Indian and Australian airlines to consider making use of the liberal arrangements to mount more flights between the two countries," the minister said.

9.4 million Cathy Pacific Passengers Affected in Data Leak

Cathay Pacific Major Losses.

The Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific battles to check its major losses as it comes under intense business competition pressure from other Chinese LCCs and Middle East rivals.  

It booked its first back-to-back annual loss in its seven-decade history in March, and has previously offered to cut 600 staff including a quarter of its management as part of its cost cutting measures - termed as one the biggest in years.

Amid such efforts an ongoing IT operation revealed unauthorized access of systems containing the passenger data of nearly 9.4 million people.

Data Leak.

The troubled airline has disclosed that it had suffered a major data leak. 

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg responded in a statement on the airline's website.

- Data including passport numbers, identity card numbers, email addresses and credit card details was accessed.

- We are in the process of contacting affected passengers, using multiple communications channels, and providing them with information on steps they can take to protect themselves.

- The following personal data was accessed: passenger name, nationality, date of birth, phone number, email, address, passport number, identity card number, frequent flyer programme membership number, customer service remarks, and historical travel information.

- The combination of data accessed varies for each affected passenger. 

- We have no evidence that any personal data has been misused.

The CEO also revealed that 403 expired credit card numbers and 27 credit card numbers with no CVV were accessed.

Cathay said it had launched an investigation and alerted the police.

Hogg did not mention anything about financial compensation for passengers affected by the data leak. 

When British Airways, the UK flag carrier, suffered a similar data hack last month it had  pledged to compensate its customers. 

Bahraich and Khalilabad to have New Rail Connection

New Rail Connection

October 24,2018

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved a new railway line between Bahraich and Khalilabad in Uttar Pradesh.

"The new line serves five districts of Uttar Pradesh including four aspirational districts -- Bahraich, Balrampur, Shravasti and Siddharth Nagar and Sant Kabirnagar," the ministry said in a statement.

The project will generate direct employment for about 57.67 lakh man-days. Estimated to cost Rs 4,939.78 crore, it will be completed by 2024-25, the statement said.

This line is significant for tourism as it passes through Shravasti district which is an important tourist place and is closely associated with the life of Gautam Buddha.

Shravasti is also an important tourist centre for Jains as the Sobhanath temple is believed to be the birthplace of the Tirthankara Sambhavanath.

The Devi Patan temple in Tulsipur, which is close to Balrampur town, is one of the famous 51 Shakti Peethas of Maa Durga.

Bahraich, Balrampur, Shravasti and Siddharth Nagar districts are among the 115 aspirational districts identified by NITI Aayog. Hence, this project is needed for better socio-economic development of the hinterland of this area with the help of rail network.

Indian carriers carried 11.5 million passengers in September 2018

Latest Flight Data.

Flight data released by the aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) 

Domestic airlines registered about 18.95% growth in passengers flown during September compared to that a year ago. Indian carriers carried 11.5 million passengers during the month, up from 9.6 million in September 2017.

Load Factor

Gurgaon-based SpiceJet - 93.2%, (42 successive months of being in top position)

GoAir - 90.6%,

Vistara and Jet Airways - 84.9% seats full.

On Time Performance

GoAir topped the list by operating 90.4% of its flights on time 

SpiceJet operated 89.1% flights on time and 

IndiGo  operated 87.6% of its flight on time. 

The national carrier Air India has been the worst performer here. It operated the least number of flights (74.3%) on time during the month.

Market Share.

Leader of the pack - IndiGo 43.2%

Jet Airways - 15.8%

SpiceJet - 12% of the passengers flown during the month.

Rs 899 Air Fare Launched by IndiGo, Railways Lag Behind

William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo happily today released a press statement: -

“We are delighted to announce this three day festive sale across our network between October 24 to October 26. Diwali is one of the most auspicious occasions to meet families and friends and through this festive sale we aspire to create more flexibility of choice for ours customers to fly at low fares. We are sure that customers will quickly grab the seats we have available, starting at fares as low as Rs 899.”

In this way, IndiGo has launched a Diwali special sale across its network of 64 destinations - a move that would further impact the bottom line of already struggling  other airlines. 

That is - 

Sale period :  October 24, 2018 till October 26, 2018, and 

Travel period :   November 8, 2018 till April 15, 2019

1 million first-come-first served lucky passengers are to be benefited. 

A sale like this by market leader IndiGo -  that alone flies over 40% of air passengers in India - during a peak travel season of the year is bound to be matched by other carriers.

But due to rising cost of operations and declining yields, other airlines in India may not report healthy profitability numbers.

Other competing airlines -  that together fly the balance 60% of air passengers in India, however, complain that this is a clear cut sign of predatory behavior. All of them together protest and raise a question -

Will not a sale like this during the month of Diwali impact the bottom line of the industry?

Alok Verma Moves the Supreme Court Against a Govt Order that sent him on Leave

Alok Verma has moved the Supreme Court against a govt order that sent him on leave and relieved him of his duties as Director of CBI, according to media reports. The apex court admitted his plea and will hear the case on 26th October. Verma also challenged the decision to give interim charge of agency to Joint Director M Nageshwar Rao.

Amid infighting among the CBI top brass, Verma was taken off duty and replaced by Rao. His deputy, Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who is embroiled in bribery cases, has been sent on leave too, according to news agency PTI. A govt order surfaced on Wednesday morning stating the change was an interim measure.

According to PTI, CBI building has been sealed and neither staff nor outsiders are being allowed inside the premises. According to PTI, CBI building has been sealed and neither staff nor outsiders are being allowed inside the premises.

A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths on 21st October conducted a raid on the 10th floor of its own headquarters in New Delhi while the two warring top bosses were summoned by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). To add to the public slugfest already in play, ‘top secret’ letters by the bosses, making bribery allegations against each other, surfaced.

After the CBI filed an FIR against its Special Director Rakesh Asthana alleging that he took a bribe of Rs 30 million, the top investigating agency seems to be unravelling from the top. Several media reports have said that a letter written by Asthana to the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) alleges that he is being framed by CBI chief Alok Verma. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the CBI to maintain status quo on the criminal proceedings initiated against Asthana, who has challenged the FIR lodged against him on bribery allegations.

Rakesh Asthana has drawn up a laundry list of cases against Director Alok Verma and other top CBI officials according to Hindustan Times. He has apparently listed a dozen charges, double the number that the CBI has him docked for.

In a surprising and unprecedented move on October 15, the CBI has booked Special Director Rakesh Asthana and investigation officer of the case on the charges for receiving bribe from Sana through middlemen Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad.

The CBI has arrested Devender Kumar, the DySP and investigation officer, alleging that he had fabricated the statement of Sana purportedly claiming that a Rajya Sabha MP had met Verma on his pending case and assured him of relief and a clean chit.

ALSO READ: CBI vs CBI: Court orders status quo against Asthana; 7-day custody for DSP

Meanwhile, the entire CBI team that was investigating the case against Rakesh Asthana has been transferred with immediate effect, according to a CBI notice.

Deputy SP CBI AK Bassi, the investigating officer in the Rakesh Asthana case has been transferred to Andaman.

Similarly, all others on the team probing Rakesh Asthana namely, CBI DIG Manish Kumar Sinha, DIG Taurn Gauba, DIG Jasbir Singh, DIG Anish Prasad, DIG KR Chaurasia, HoB Ram Gopal, SP Satish Dagar, JD (P)Arun Kumar Sharma, A Sai Manohar, HoZ V Murugesan and DIG Amit Kumar have been transferred with immediate effect.

Aussies to Monitor Shadab Khan Keenly: Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch finds himself about to lead Australia's T20 side just four days after the conclusion of his own first Test series, where he performed creditably in the touring team's 1-0 defeat by Pakistan, who now seek to defend their No. 1 ranking in the 20-over format.

Finch has now been bolstered by plenty of talent from the Big Bash League, not least Chris Lynn, fit enough to be considered after missing the mid-year tour with his persistent shoulder problems. Pointing out that he was the lone survivor of the Test top six, Finch reckoned any "baggage" would be at a minimum."There's nine fresh guys that have come into our squad from the Test series, so there'll be no baggage from them whatsoever. I think I'm the only batsman out of the top handful that was here for the Test series," Finch said in Abu Dhabi. 

"We'rel be an exciting three games. Both sides are very attacking, particularly in the Powerplay, both sides have plenty of power, so it'll be a great series."

In the Pakistan side, Finch said the threat posed by the wrist spin of Shadab Khan, returned from injury, would be keenly monitored by the Australians on surfaces likely to provide some assistance for the slow bowling craft. "He's a world-class spinner Shadab, I thought we played him really well in Harare on a wicket that was spinning a little bit, especially towards the back end of that tri-series," he said."

Both sides are pretty familiar with each other coming off that tri-series in July and also a Test series.

Tatas Invest Rs 20 Billion More in Vistara

For a 20 Billion More.

Amid firming of its control in AirAsia India and M&A talks with Jet Airways, Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines have pumped Rs 20 billion into Vistara as the airline lays its expansion plans.

This is the biggest single dose of equity infusion into the joint venture (JV) since its inception in January 2015. It will help Vistara finance its $3.1 billion (around Rs 220 billion) aircraft order.

The airline’s board passed a resolution for issuing capital in August. Fresh shares were issued to the two promoters earlier this month. A filing dated 13 October with India's corporate affairs ministry shows that Tata made a Rs 10.2 billion contribution to the carrier through subscribing to a new share issue, while SIA providing the remaining Rs9.8 blllion

Tats Resolve.

The investment signals the Tata group's ambition to propel its aviation business forward more dynamically at a time when its nearest competing full service carrier - Jet Airways - is struggling to survive.

“Vistara will use these aircraft to make its domestic network denser and to support its international operations planned for later this year,” it had said in July.

After this equity injection, it is estimated that the two shareholders have now invested Rs 38 billion into the joint venture. The additional funds are expected to go towards the carrier's fleet expansion. It has earlier planned to lease 37 Airbus A320neo family aircraft that would be delivered between 2019 and 2020. In July it also signed letters of intent to order 13 A320neos and six Boeing 787-9s.

The capital boost, which was approved by the airline's board in September, maintains Tata's holding in Vistara at 51%, with SIA holding the balance.

Corruption in Sri Lankan Cricket Raises its Ugly Head; SLC Official Arrested

Sri Lankan Cricket Official Arrested

Police arrested the chief financial officer of Sri Lanka Cricket yesterday for suspected financial misappropriation linked with awarding telecast rights to Sony TV.

The SLC official, arrested on charges of financial fraud, is understood to be involved in relation to the missing portion of broadcasting fees due to the board from the home series against South Africa in July-August.

India's Help Sought.

Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga wants Indian help to tackle corruption affecting Sri Lanka Cricket. He has publicly stated, "Cannot develop country’s sports with gamblers." 

Sometime in the year 2000, four years after winning the world cup,both the SL captain A Ranatunga and vice captain Aravinda de Silva were named by India's CBI in  match-fixing charges. However, later both of them were given clean chits after investigation. 

The 1996 World cup winning captain today has stated, "India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could provide technical expertise in probing widespread allegations of corruption in cricket."

Arjuna Ranatunga, Minister of Petroleum Resources Department Sri Lanka, said after returning from New Delhi, “I made the request, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately put me in touch with the CBI. We don't have the expertise or the laws to deal with this problem in a proper manner. India promised to help us in drafting legislation too." 

Time for Aviation Climate to Change

The Current Aviation Climate.

Serious efforts are on to improve the aviation climate. For a change, the modern-day airplanes’ earth-warming pollution trends must be arrested.

The plane and the green must co-exist

Between nearby air contaminating particles and ozone depleting substances, the aviation industry is also under fire. As our fears on environment condition suggest, today's modern looking latest airplane terminals represent terminally ill centers of damaging public health and welfare as well as sources of other health hazards due to the fast deteriorating air and sound qualities. 

The Blue city skyline

Although aviation today is a relatively small source of CO2 emissions, it is bound to become a major cause of global warming in the coming years. 

Emissions Projections.

Different exercises, less dependent on the colossal power density of kerosene, do tend to decarbonise air. Aviation's endeavors to enhance its environmental performance are also appreciable. Be that as it may, available proof suggests that effective gains and overall development are not in harmony.

The Center for Biological Diversity Report found that by 2050, aircraft emissions are projected to more than triple. Unchecked, between 2016 and 2050 global aviation will generate an estimated 43 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. [- December 2015]

Will the skies turn pollution black forever

Thus, the aviation industry’s steeply rising emission contributions have been bothering the environmentalists.

ICAO's Role.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, "The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the U.N. agency responsible for addressing international aircraft pollution, so far has failed to tackle aviation carbon emissions. Over the last 18 years, ICAO has rejected, in turn, efficiency standards, fuel taxes, emissions charges and global emissions trading." 

Airplane pollution can be reduced dramatically. There are various readily available, cost-effective technical measures that can prevent and avoid carbon pollution from new and existing airplanes. 

The 2015 International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) report evaluating the top 20 transatlantic air carriers found a 51 percent gap in fuel efficiency between the top performers and the least-efficient airlines. The report highlights that technical improvements are an obvious and cost-effective ways to check aviation pollution. Technological and operational advancements and fuel efficiency are inextricably linked. 

Despite the projected tripling of aviation emissions and the lack of any regulations, the aviation industry proclaims that it can attain its professed goal of carbon-neutral growth by 2020 by means of carbon offsets. 

The Center for Biological Diversity protests this school of thought and says that offsets are very difficult to trace, verify and monitor.  Aviation emissions standards must be built on technology-heavy provisions that will bring fuel-efficiency gains. ICAO’s standard for tackling carbon emissions is built on technology lags 8 to 12 years behind the technology curve. The ICAO carbon emission standards barely has any effect on the aviation industry’s ever-rising emissions curve.

Suggested Measures.

Implementing standards that raise the performance of the less fuel-efficient airplanes is the need of the hour. It prevents rather than merely offsets carbon pollution. Offsets may have a role, but that comes later. First the efficiency has to be maximized through cost effective technological and operational measures.

2018 has already welcomed the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777. Their fuel efficiency and endurance have left everyone in an overwhelming sense of awe. (See: The world's longest commercial flight)

Oxides of nitrogen at high altitude affects ozone layer

The U.S. is by far the largest contributor to aircraft carbon pollution. Combined greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. aircraft are 7 times higher than aircraft greenhouse gas emissions from China, which itself ranks second in the world for aircraft emissions. The US, thus, bears a special responsibility to combat the problem. 

The Lurking Danger

The purists opine that the degree of danger presented to the planet by the jet is second only to the Fukushima disaster. There is no possible way to make a jet aircraft safe. High altitude heat and carbon deposition is heavily fraught with peril. 

High altitude heat and carbon deposition

The jet exhaust is a homogenic mixture of seriously dangerous chemicals like the acid forming agents, the synergenic compounds, and the nano particulates. There is not one molecule of respirable carbon dioxide in jet exhaust. It also has oxides of nitrogen which rob the upper atmosphere of ozone. 

The purists believe that the jet aircraft has become an obsolete concept. The jet engines are presumed to be the primary source of weather anomalies such as drought and severe storms. They pollute every cubic millimeter of the earth's atmosphere with carcinogenic agents. It is time to call a halt to all jet traffic operations before it is too late. Time has come to embrace Helium based airships. The more, the better. At least for cargo based operations to start with.

The way forward.

Draconian political answers and complicated technological growths for an ecological emergency like this may not come overnight. Having said that, aviation should also not assume that it will always remain dear to the general public.

Reducing the menace due to airplane emissions is pivotal to the overall goal of climate summits. Unless the international community addresses this rapidly growing airplane pollution, the world will never be able to confront the climate crisis.

Jet Airways Crisis: Workforce Reductions Begin

Jet Airways Conditions.

Consider a general situation:

Cochin to Jaipur next week air fare --

Indigo and Go air fare : Rs 5000 to Rs 6000

Jet Airways fare         : Rs 11500

Why should anyone choose Jet by paying double the normal fare? 

Both Indigo and Go Air are profit making Airlines but Jet Airways is buried deep in losses and debt!

Selling all seats at a consistent fair price appears to a sensible business strategy than selling a few seats at artificially hiked prices. 

Naresh Goyal's Jet Airways has completed 25 years of flying this May. Since then Jet had seen nothing but bad news and piling up of losses.

Jet Airways, India's second biggest airline, as of now.

7 of its planes are grounded at Chennai - 1 Airbus A330, 1 Boeing 777, 2 Boeing 737s and 3 ATR turboprops, and

1 Airbus-A330 is grounded at Mumbai. 

The engines have been dismounted from some of these planes, signifying that they may remain grounded for six months or more.

Moreover, 8 to 10 planes undergo routine maintenance every day, which means a total of 16 - 18 planes are out of service at any given time. 

Jet still has a viable revival plan, but it needs to take some tough decisions quickly and maintain a sense of prudent business discipline in future.

A part of the reduced capacity is supposed to be replaced by the new Boeing 737 Max planes that Jet Airways has inducted. It has ordered a total of 225 and has got five of them. It will get six more by the end of this financial year. 

Jet's brand new, much more fuel-efficient narrow-body fleet of B737 MAX aircraft have been deployed in place of wide-body aircraft on certain domestic and international short-haul routes such as Singapore for gaining some cost advantage.

Workforce Reductions Begin

A few months back Air India did not have money to pay salary to its employees. Today Jet Airways is seen pruning its workforce and operations. It has also delayed salary payments several times this year. After a lull in September, the pink slips have started again.

At least 15 people at manager or general manager levels in engineering, security and sales departments  have been asked to leave in October. A few were elderly people. It is reckoned that more exits are likely.

Will I be fired?

The capacity and workforce cuts reflect Jet's attempts to stay afloat, even though this results in ceding market share to competitors such as IndiGo, Spicejet and GoAir.  

As Jet battles its worst financial crisis; speculations have begun about Jet struggling with meeting lease payment obligations.

The airline's salary expenses rose by 53% in the past five years, overtaking plane lease payments as its second-biggest expense after fuel which still account for an airline's biggest cost chunk.

The airline told media that it continuously evaluates fleet requirements but didn't comment on workforce reductions. In line with practices followed globally, the airline regularly reviews its network to address its capacity exposure to routes, markets, and airports. Jet also said it was rightsizing its ATR network to align capacity with demand characteristics.

Concerns and Suggestions.

In a country where it is normally assumed that only Ambani or Adani can run any business profitably, the common man and 1000s of Jet's shareholders are genuinely concerned about the state of affairs at Jet Airways. 

It is the same market where Indigo is successful while Air India and Jet Airways have been huge failures. So the problem is not with the market or the fuel prices as is made out to be. Analysts believe that the chief problem with Jet is bad Management. It implements bad business models and takes bad decisions. 

Experts have suggested several measures for Jet Airways to come out of the red:

- Address the root cause. Stop business class and convert it completely to an LCC. 

Jet Airways flies generally empty business class, charges premium to economy class passengers to cover the loss. Thus, it loses out to Indigo because its fares are less.

- Automate as much as possible.

- Try all female cabin crew as in Indigo. Let the girl power do the magic. 

- Try to replicate successful business models rather than expecting miracles from proven failed business model. 

- Be ready for a change and succeed or do not change and perish. 

For several years, Jet has failed to take any significant step to realign its cost structure in tune with industry norms.

Finally, today it seems nice that Jet is finally taking this essential but difficult step of capacity and workforce cuts.