Cos lure students with freebies

New Delhi, May 28 — If you are among the thousands trying to grab a seat at the Delhi University this year, your journey to the form centres from the metro stations could be smooth. Wondering how? Sample this, the moment you de-board at the Vishwavidyalaya station a voice greets you, “Ma’am our AC cab is waiting to take you to your form centre.

” With temperatures hovering around 45 degrees Celsius, it is definitely a relief to the students. And that’s how Grewal Academy of Accounting Professionals (GAAP), an educational institute is trying to catch the attention of the students.

Puzzled? Well that’s a new marketing gimmick that the companies are trying to advertise themselves. From giving free card rides to 100 per cent job assurance, it’s an advertising haven for various companies who are every attempt to lure students who went to collect the Delhi University admission forms on day one.

“Not all students get through to the university, so we are asking them to register with us. Once the admission process is over we call them to know if they are still interested in our offer,” said Anita Sharma (name changed) who is registering students for Kingfisher Airlines.

The airline is offering a nine-month training course for ground staff, retail and hospitality at Rs 1.45 lakh.

Volcano effect: Air operators resumes flights to US, but not to Europe

New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Air India, on Monday cancelled their flights to Europe in the wake of huge clouds of volcanic ash still emanating from Iceland.

Air operators would, however, operate their flights to the US and Canada by taking a diversion.

According to Air India, its flights from Delhi to New York and New York to Delhi and also Mumbai-New York and New York-Mumbai flights with a diversion through a polar route.

Jet Airways has also started its Delhi-Toronto and Mumbai-New York flights with a stop-over at Athens in Greece.

Air operators are continuously in touch with various foreign missions in India to take care of the stranded passengers from those countries.

Though air operators provided accommodation and other facilities to hundreds of stranded passengers for last couple of days, but now they finding it difficult to continue the facility any longer. (ANI)

Volcano effect: Air operators resumes flights to US, but not to Europe

New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Air India, on Monday cancelled their flights to Europe in the wake of huge clouds of volcanic ash still emanating from Iceland.

Air operators would, however, operate their flights to the US and Canada by taking a diversion.

According to Air India, its flights from Delhi to New York and New York to Delhi and also Mumbai-New York and New York-Mumbai flights with a diversion through a polar route.

Jet Airways has also started its Delhi-Toronto and Mumbai-New York flights with a stop-over at Athens in Greece.

Air operators are continuously in touch with various foreign missions in India to take care of the stranded passengers from those countries.

Though air operators provided accommodation and other facilities to hundreds of stranded passengers for last couple of days, but now they finding it difficult to continue the facility any longer. (ANI)

Volcano effect: Air operators resumes flights to US, but not to Europe

New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Air India, on Monday cancelled their flights to Europe in the wake of huge clouds of volcanic ash still emanating from Iceland.

Air operators would, however, operate their flights to the US and Canada by taking a diversion.

According to Air India, its flights from Delhi to New York and New York to Delhi and also Mumbai-New York and New York-Mumbai flights with a diversion through a polar route.

Jet Airways has also started its Delhi-Toronto and Mumbai-New York flights with a stop-over at Athens in Greece.

Air operators are continuously in touch with various foreign missions in India to take care of the stranded passengers from those countries.

Though air operators provided accommodation and other facilities to hundreds of stranded passengers for last couple of days, but now they finding it difficult to continue the facility any longer. (ANI)

Aviation fuel prices up by 12%, airlines are likely to raise fares

New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) State-run oil firms Monday hiked aviation fuel prices by over 12 percent following the rise in crude oil prices in the global market.

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) will now cost Rs.3,949 more in Delhi at Rs.36,252 per kilolitre, while in Mumbai it will rise to Rs.37,367 per kilolitre from Rs.33,260.8, a senior official of Indian Oil Corp (IOC) said.

The three state retailers – IOC, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum – had May 16 raised jet fuel rates by an average of Rs.108 per kilolitre or 1.8 percent.

India’s leading airlines are now expected to raise fares. While Jet Airways has already said that the hike was “inevitable”, Kingfisher Airlines in a statement said it was examining the impact of the latest hike and would take a decision shortly.

International crude oil prices are now ruling at a seven-month high of $72 per barrel.

Kingfisher Airlines launches Dhaka-Kolkata route

Dhaka, May 15 India’s Bengaluru-based Kingfisher Airlines launched Dhaka-Kolkata route on Friday, a top official said.

The airliner will operate one flight each day, vice president, global sales, Shiva Ramachandran told bdnews24.com.

Charge for each return flight has been fixed at Tk 10,518 until June 15, and Tk 12,600 onward.

“We’ve researched that this route will be financially profitable,” Ramachandran said.

The Kingfisher, which mainly operates domestic flights, earlier launched Mumbai-London and Chennai-Bengaluru-Colombo flights.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, GMG Airlines and United Airlines and India’s Air India and Jet Airways are already operating flights on Dhaka-Kolkata route.

Brit model blasts at beau romping on Bangalore-London flight

London, Apr 6 (ANI): Passengers on a Bangalore-London flight were in for a drama, when a drunken model got enraged after catching her boyfriend romping with a woman next to him.

Sources have claimed that blonde Sarah Hannon woke up from a stupor and found Daniel Melia enjoying a sex act with pretty Clare Irby, with whom he got friendly on board.

Magazine covergirl Sarah went mad and had to be calmed down by the crew at 30,000ft.

According to sources, Sarah dozed off on the nine-hour flight after boozing with Daniel before and during the flight.

Then, Daniel “got on well” with Clare under a blanket but was stopped by hostesses, at which point Sarah awoke and started screaming.

When the Kingfisher Airlines Flight IT001 touched down at Heathrow, armed cops entered the jet and arrested the trio.

Daniel, 36, and Clare, 29, were nicked for alleged gross indecency, while Sarah, 35, was held for being drunk on an aircraft.

All three were released on bail.

“They certainly put the bang into Bangalore,” the Sun quoted a police source as saying. (ANI)

Operations at Delhi’s new airport terminal delayed

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) Starting of operations at the new Rs.500-crore domestic terminal (1D) at Delhi airport will be delayed as the developer wants its post-operational problems ‘at minimal’.

‘There will be initial problems. But if you prepare very well, the problems will be minimal,’ Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) chief executive B.S. Shantharaju told reporters Thursday.

‘During the first month, there will be issues but we have to ensure that there is no major disaster,’ Shantharaju added.

The gleaming 1D terminal, which was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel Feb 26, was to have formally started operations from this week.

According to Shantharaju, DIAL has commenced trials to ensure smooth transit for passengers when the terminal starts operating.

‘More than 30 trial sessions have been carried out at terminal 1D over four months. Staff from all areas of operations have been exposed to the new working environment, baggage handling, IT systems and the processes required for day to day operations,’ he said.

Shantharaju said carriers, which currently operate from the old 1B terminal, would be shifted to 1D in two phases. ‘The first phase will be complete by April 26,’ he said.

However, Air India will continue functioning from 1A, along with Jagson and MDLR Airlines.

And next year, Air India, along with Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways, will operate from the upcoming T3 integrated terminal, while other airlines – all low-cost carriers – will continue operating from 1D.

The 1D terminal will be able to handle at least 10 million passengers a year and will have 72 check-in counters, as against 32 at 1B.

Gandhi items to return to India after New York auction

Gandhi items to return to India after New York auctionItems that belonged to revered Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi were sold at auction for $1.8 million on Thursday to an Indian tycoon who plans to donate them to his country.

The seller had tried at the last minute to withdraw the items — Gandhi’s trademark wire-rimmed glasses, worn leather sandals, a pocket watch and a metal bowl and plate — after the planned sale caused uproar in India.

But the auction in New York went ahead despite protests by the Indian government.

The items were sold by Antiquorum Auctioneers to Vijay Mallya, chairman of UB Group, said Tony Bedi, who bid for Mallya.

Mallya, who as head of UB Group runs Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries that owns Kingfisher beer, will donate them to India for public display, Bedi said.

“I am sure all Indians will be pleased that these Gandhi items will be coming home,” Bedi told reporters.

California-based collector James Otis, the seller, said earlier on Thursday that the items had been withdrawn. A lawyer for the peace activist said the sale was illegal.

“I never intended for my actions to cause such controversy,” Otis told reporters before the sale. “I pray the outcome is positive and one that Gandhi would approve of.”

He said he would have donated the items to India if the government had agreed to increase spending on the poor.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

The auction was sharply criticized in India. Many view the items as part of the national heritage and want them placed in a museum.

Some Indians said the sale went against the philosophy of a man who shunned material possessions and led an ascetic life.

“The issue here was not to put Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy on the auction block,” Ravi Batra, a lawyer for Otis, told reporters.

The Indian government announced earlier on Thursday that it planned to bid for the items, which had been expected to fetch $300,000.

It had previously held talks with the auctioneers to stop the sale, government officials said.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, pioneered the philosophy of nonviolent resistance and was a major figure in the struggle for Indian independence. He was assassinated in 1948 in New Delhi by a Hindu radical.

The Zenith pocket watch was given to Gandhi by Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi, who was not related to Mahatma Gandhi, was the daughter of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and was herself an Indian prime minister. She was assassinated in 1984.

Mahatma Gandhi used the plate and bowl for his last meal.

vijay mallya buys gandhi’s personal belongings for 1.8 million dollars

gandhi items in auction

gandhi items in auction

NEW YORK — A set of items that once belonged to Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi were auctioned off for 1.8 million dollars in New York on Thursday.

Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi’s glasses and pocket watch are seen before a controversial auction of his memorabilia in New York City. Mahatma Gandhi’s meager possessions are to finally return home after a flamboyant Indian tycoon paid 1.8 million dollars Thursday to win a dramatic auction in New York.

The buyer was Indian liquor baron and Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya.

The auction went off despite the owner of the memorabilia, James Otis, saying he had decided not to sell the items in the light of the controversy it had generated.

“I never intended to create the controversy that this has created. I have decided not to sell Gandhi’s items and I will request Antiquorum (the auctioneer) to call off the auction,” Otishad told a press conference Thursday in New York, less than an hour before the items were due to go on the block.

The personal items auctioned were Gandhi’s metal-rimmed glasses, pocket watch, a pair of sandals and a plate and bowl. The collection had a reserve price of between 20,000 dollars and 30,000 dollars.

Indian Airline Defaults on Payments to GE

Indian Airline Defaults on Payments to GE The Bangalore-based airline, Kingfisher has defaulted on payments to GECAS. Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines leased four airplanes from GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS). The US Company filed complaint against Kingfisher before the aviation regulator of India for nonpayments.

Meanwhile, Kingfisher spokesperson declined to comment on the matter. He said that the matter is under judicial preview so the company would make no comment on the matter. However, he hoped that the court would issue ad-interim orders to save the company. GE has also decided to keep quite on the issue. It said in a press release that the company is committed to maintain high confidentiality and would not disclose any detail. However, it has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to cancel the registration of four aircrafts.

DGCA official confirmed the request of GECAS for aircraft possession. Kingfisher airline is facing serious credit crisis like other aviation companies. It has posted a net loss of Rs 483.2 crore for the quarter to September 30 this year which is more than its losses for the whole last year. It has recently decided to co-operate with Jet Airways to cut losses.

RJD MP manhandles Kingfisher Airlines manager

Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Union Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal MP, allegedly assaulted the station manager of Kingfisher Airlines at Patna Airport on Monday. The incident took place when he was not allowed to board Patna-Kolkata flight, as he reported late at the airport.

In a statement, Kingfisher Airlines, giving a detailed account of the happenings, said: “Considering the fact that the aircraft had begun taxiing, our Airport Manager told Singh that he could not join the flight as we were told that he was not coming. That was when Singh assaulted and abused our Airport Manager in the VIP lounge in the presence of several witnesses.”

Giving his version, Das said Mamata Travel Agency, which had booked the ticket for the minister, had got it cancelled over telephone, saying the minister had changed his travel plan. However, Singh arrived at the airport around 8.20 pm after the door of the aircraft was closed and insisted on being allowed to board the plane.

Das added that the captain had already taken signal from the ATC for take off. He said he met Singh in the VIP departure lounge, and expressed his inability to accommodate the MP and apologised for the inconvenience, but Singh flew into a rage and slapped and abused him in the presence of several people.

The Minister of state for Food told reporters at Howrah station, after disembarking from Danapur Express, that such an allegation was “unfortunate”. He said he has also informed the Civil Aviation ministry about the matter.