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The <keyword id="31907" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aviation">aviation</keyword> ministry is trying to coax <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Emirati&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Emirati</a> authorities to allocate <keyword id="798024" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="slots">slots</keyword> to <keyword id="1446" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-airlines">Indian airlines</keyword> at the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Dubai+airport&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Dubai airport</a>. The matter will come up during the bilateral negotiations between the two sides. If everything goes as planned, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Indian+airlines&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Indian airlines</a> will get to chose slots of their their desired choice.. 
 The negotiations are supposed to begin by the end of the month. And if <keyword id="6354539" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dubai">Dubai</keyword> accepts the proposal, this would be the first time Indian government would obtain a commitment on slots for Indian carriers. 
 “Our <keyword id="44023" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="airlines">airlines</keyword> have often rued about not being given favorable time slots at <keyword id="610568" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dubai-airport">Dubai airport</keyword>. We will take a commitment during the bilateral negotiations this time,” a senior aviation ministry official, who did not want to be named, told ET. 
 
Aviation Minister<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=+Ashok+Gajapathi+Raju+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate"> Ashok Gajapathi Raju </a>had written to Dubai authorities on this matter in the past. The letter written by Raju to the president of the <keyword id="784742" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dubai-Civil-Aviation-Authority">Dubai Civil Aviation Authority</keyword>, <keyword id="1941140" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ahmed-bin-Saeed-Al-Maktoum">Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum</keyword>, stressed on the fact that <keyword id="3656465" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-availability-of-slots">non-availability of slots</keyword> was the reason behind non-utilization of bilateral entitlements by Indian carriers. 
 
"The Indian carriers have informed that they are not being provided the desired slots at Dubai airport, and Dubai Airport Authority has been turning down requests of Indian carriers or providing options which are not viable for operations," Raju wrote in the letter. 
"This is quite encouraging that the government is looking at the interest of the industry rather than just the arithmetic of bilateral entitlements," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Shakti+Lumba&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Shakti Lumba</a>, former head of operations at<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=+IndiGo&amp;sortorder=effectivedate"> IndiGo</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Air+India+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Air India </a>told ET. 
 
"But it will not be easy, as Emirates would want all the right slots and not late night or early morning slots for primarily two reasons: Slots at normal times help in getting the right travelers and not just the labor traffic and also help in utilizing the cockpit and cabin crew to its optimum," he further added. 
 
Indian airlines have been complaining that the slots they get is never the one they ask for. 
 
"First, it is not easy to get slots at the Dubai airport and if you get a slot that will in most of the cases be at 3 am," an airline executive told ET. 
 
(image:Reuters)

In a first, Indian
carriers may get slots of their
choice at Dubai airport

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A photo shared on social media showed an uncovered cup of coffee perched on a plane's cockpit controls.</li><li>The photo outraged India's aviation community, with one retired pilot calling it "inexplicable" behavior.</li></ul>Two pilots in India have been grounded following the circulation of a photo that showed them drinking coffee and eating pastries mid-flight in the cockpit of a SpiceJet plane, according to reports.<a href="https://twitter.com/Mohan_Rngnathan/status/1635560522161737729?s=20">The photo,</a> which was shared widely on social media, does not show the pilots' faces. It does, however, show gujiyas, a fried dessert pastry that is typically eaten during the Hindu festival of Holi, and a dangerously placed cup of coffee.The coffee, which has no lid and shows the Indian budget airline SpiceJet's logo, is perched on the plane's thrust lever controls in the photo, causing outrage in the aviation community.Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation-safety expert who initially shared the photo, <a href="https://twitter.com/Mohan_Rngnathan/status/1635564186129534976?s=20">said on Twitter:</a> "The Central pedestal is not a table. Even the slightest turbulence and coffee/ spills on to the electronics, it will foul the systems. This is s CRIMINAL act."A retired pilot and former head of operations for an Indian airline, Shakti Lumba, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/india-spicejet-airlines-pilots-coffee-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told CNN</a> that the "feel-good" photo opp was "totally inexplicable" behavior. "All pilots are aware of the dangers of spilled liquids in the cockpit," he said, per the media outlet.SpiceJet did not respond to Insider's request for comment, but the airline told <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/photo-of-coffee-cup-placed-dangerously-inside-cockpit-raises-eyebrows/article66620108.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hindu</a> that it is trying to learn more details about the incident.A spokesperson for SpiceJet said in a statement provided to <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/holi-celebration-goes-wrong-two-spicejet-pilots-grounded-for-keeping-beverage-on-centre-console-while-having-gujhiyas/articleshow/98667668.cms?from=mdr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Times of India</a> that both pilots have been taken off their roster pending an investigation."SpiceJet has a strict policy for consumption of food inside the cockpit which is adhered to by all flight crew," the spokesperson said, adding that disciplinary action would be taken after the investigation had concluded.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India's regulatory body that oversees aviation safety, is also looking into the incident, The Hindu reported.Indian aviation rules allow pilots to have food and drink in the cockpit but under strict guidelines, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-64948054">per BBC News</a>. For example, cups need to have lids to prevent potentially catastrophic spillages.According to CNN, spilling a hot drink on the central pedestal could cause technical equipment to overheat or, worse, trigger the entire system to shut down.

Two Indian pilots were grounded after a photo of coffee and snacks balanced dangerously on cockpit controls was shared on social media

This time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is going to break away from the usual norm and do something different. 
 For the first time, the Indian government is going to choose the next Director General of the country's aviation regulator, <keyword id="6354705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Directorate-General-of-Civil-Aviation">Directorate General of Civil Aviation</keyword> (<keyword id="6354787" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="DGCA">DGCA</keyword>), through an interview process. 
 
Presently, the DGs are selected based on their eligibility and credentials, who are shortlisted from a bunch of resumes. 
 
As per reports, all four joint DGs have been called for an interview. 
 
"However, interviewing joint DGs does not guarantee that the government would select someone as DG from within the organisation,” an official told ET. 
 
The DGCA is running without a DG since August when M Sathiyavathy left the post after she was appointed as OSD to the Ministry of Labour &amp; Employment. 
 
The post is being handled by BS Bhullar, additional secretary in the aviation ministry. 
 "The government should select someone who makes DGCA work as an independent body and support the growth of the aviation industry. I would like the government decide on whether he should be a technocrat or generalist, but the person selected for the post should be a senior person,” Shakti Lumba, an aviation analyst who previously headed operations at <keyword id="2573" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India">Air India</keyword> and IndiGo, told ET. 
 
"Over the years, DGCA, rather than becoming an independent regulator, has become an extension of the civil aviation ministry,” Lumba told ET. 
 
The government has changed recruitment rules for the DGCA chief and now officials from all central government services can apply for the post.

This is how Modi is going to select the next DGCA chief and it will not only by eligibility or credentials

You may no longer have to put tags on your cabin bags and get them stamped at the security check point as the government is planning to do away with the process, in-line with the international practice followed at airports abroad. 
 In this regard, the Civil Aviation Ministry has asked the <keyword id="6385923" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bureau-of-Civil-Aviation-Security">Bureau of Civil Aviation Security</keyword> (BCAS) to form a panel to review cabin baggage tags and submit a report in four weeks. 
 
"The good thing about the aviation secretary is that he works with timelines. He has given BCAS four weeks to decide on the abolition of cabin baggage tags across India," a senior executive of an airline told ET, adding “This issue is being discussed for long and despite a consensus on its abolition, we have not been able to abolish it." 
 
Presently, all passengers carrying cabin baggage have to tie a tag to it and get it stamped at security check before boarding a flight. 
 
But, few experts suggest there is no way a bag can enter the secure zone without being checked. 
 "Aviation security is 99% preventive that happens on the ground and 1% intervention, which happens in the air. This rule was brought in to ensure that only secured cleared items enter the airside and this surely lets one feel secure. I would not be in favour of its abolition. But if it goes, it should be replaced with a system that looks at the principle of prevention on the ground," Shakti Lumba, former head of operations at IndiGo and <keyword id="2573" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India">Air India</keyword>, told ET. 
 Meanwhile, the aviation ministry has asked the <keyword id="95924" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Traffic-Control">Air Traffic Control</keyword> to improve air traffic management at airports, especially at Delhi and Mumbai.

Cabin baggage tags will soon become a thing of the past

Until now, <keyword id="2573" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Air-India">Air India</keyword>, India’s flag carrier airline, had the privilege of being the only airline that carries government employees on official tours. However, the <keyword id="58151" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="civil-aviation-ministry">civil aviation ministry</keyword> is preparing a cabinet note, asking for permission to allow it to opt for the airline offering cheapest fare. 
 
"The finance ministry, in one of the review meetings, has asked us to abolish this rule mandating Air India for official flights," a senior aviation ministry official told <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-may-lose-privilege-of-being-sole-carrier-of-government-staff-if-cabinet-note-goes-through/articleshow/53144940.cms">ET</a> on the condition of anonymity. "We are preparing a Cabinet note, which should reach the Cabinet for approval in 15 days," he added. 
 
In the past, Air India has faced some wrath from some members of the government, which could also be the reason behind the ministry considering this change. Cabinet Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had taken to the social networking site Twitter when he missed a meeting because of delay in his Air India flight. 
 
However, as per analysts, the move is set to hurt the national carrier because when given a choice, government employees might not choose Air India. 
 
"I also do not think this loss of business would improve the services of Air India because the problem identification at Air India since the beginning is wrong. And one cannot improve unless the correct problem is identified," said Shakti Lumba, former head of operations at Air India and IndiGo. 
 
However, as per an Air India official, when it comes to fares, Air India offers low fares as compared to other carriers, thus this move will not have much impact on its business. 
 
"Our fares are competitive with our full-service peers and we will surely retain all our government fliers on that count," said the senior Air India official. "We also have special schemes designed for government employees that will surely help us retain their business." 
 
<a href="http://jknewspoint.com/wp-content/uploads/vt-scl-air-india-airbus-a319-112_PlanespottersNet_129940.jpg">Image source</a>

This is the one privilege that Air India has, but the cabinet might soon take it away

After the United States decision of keeping flight marshals in the flights flying into and outside India long back in 2003, Germany and Canada are likely to sign the same pact to have their marshals on board from now on. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel would be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in October. 
"With Germany, we will be signing it soon. No dates have, however, come for the MoU with Canada," a civil aviation ministry official told The Economic Times on condition of anonymity. Officials explained that the pact between India and Germany allows both countries to have air marshals on board Indian and German flights. 
 
A decision on a pact with German authorities was taken in April last year at the Indo-German Working Group on counter terrorism, where it was decided to cooperate with each other regarding the deployment on armed law enforcement officers on flights. 
 
Former airline pilots say the presence of sky marshals on board gives confidence to the commander of the flight. "The reason these countries want India to sign an MoU is because of the threat perception they have about India, which may not be true, but it's their perception," said Shakti Lumba, a former pilot and former head of operations at IndiGo. 
Presence of air marshals on board is a comforting factor for any pilot. According to the rules now, the pilot is isolated from the cabin in case of an eventuality and the presence of air marshals provides them the comfort that there's someone to protect the passengers. 
 
While the concept of placing in air marshals was started by the US in 1968, India started placing air marshals after the hijack of an IA flight (IC 814) flying between Kathmandu and New Delhi. As of today, India puts marshals on flights to SAARC nations and various destinations within the country. India puts sky marshals on a minimum of 1,200 flights a month.

You Searched For "Shakti Lumba" and got 6 results

In a first, Indian carriers may get slots of their choice at Dubai airport

BI India Bureau

Two Indian pilots were grounded after a photo of coffee and snacks balanced dangerously on cockpit controls was shared on social media

Joshua Zitser

This is how Modi is going to select the next DGCA chief and it will not only by eligibility or credentials

BI India Bureau

Cabin baggage tags will soon become a thing of the past

BI India Bureau

This is the one privilege that Air India has, but the cabinet might soon take it away

BI India Bureau

Germany and Canada to have air marshals on India flights to counter terrorism

BI India Bureau

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