Toxic Spill At Tel Aviv Airport

Firefighters and hazardous material teams went into action at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport on Tuesday after a toxic substance spilled while being loaded onto a plane, officials said.

Zeev Sarig, director of operations at Ben-Gurion, outside Tel Aviv, described the substance as a fertilizer ingredient bound for the Czech Republic.

"One of the porters noticed an acrid smell and activated the appropriate (emergency) drill," Sarid told Israel's Army Radio. "The spill was located immediately and we took no chances."

An Israeli police spokesman said that though containment efforts were still under way, elsewhere at Ben-Gurion work was continuing as usual. The spill was being treated as an accident, police said.

Army Radio said three porters were hospitalized but described their condition as satisfactory.

Israeli media described the plane affected by the spill as belonging to Czech Airlines. (Reuters)

Changi Airport welcomes Air Bagan

Air Bagan, a private airline from Myanmar, launched its maiden flight to Singapore on 7th September. The aircraft touched down at Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 1 at 1500 hours. The passengers and crew onboard the flight were warmly received at a welcome ceremony organised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Besides senior officials from CAAS, the ceremony was attended by His Excellency, Win Myint, Ambassador of Myanmar to Singapore, and Mr Tay Za, Chairman of Air Bagan.

Air Bagan will operate 14 weekly scheduled flights between Singapore and Yangon using an Airbus A310-200 aircraft.

Air Bagan joins two other airlines at Changi Airport in offering passenger flights to Yangon. SilkAir operates 28 weekly scheduled flights between the two cities, while Jetstar Asia Airways operates six weekly scheduled flights. With Air Bagan onboard, there will now be 48 weekly scheduled flights between Singapore and Yangon.

CAAS’ Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lim Kim Choon said, “The launch of Air Bagan’s flights comes at an opportune time when growth in passenger traffic between Myanmar and Singapore is at its strongest. Passenger traffic between our two countries reached 156,000 in 2006, representing an impressive growth of 23.5% compared with the previous year. This strong growth has continued into 2007. For the first 6 months of this year, passenger traffic between Myanmar and Singapore grew by a robust 24.5% to reach 92,000 passengers.”

Mr Lim continued, “CAAS would like to encourage Air Bagan to capitalise on this growth in passenger traffic, and consider mounting more flights to Singapore, in particular from new points in Myanmar. Air Bagan can be assured of maximum support by the whole Changi team in its operations to Singapore.”

Vicky Karantzavelou - Monday, September 10, 2007

Kingfisher Airlines partners with OnAir for mobile phone and internet services

OnAir has been selected by Kingfisher Airlines to offer its passengers a full range of passenger communication services as the company announced at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Asia. Starting in 2008, Kingfisher Airlines’ long-haul passengers will be able to use Webmail OnAir and Webchat OnAir, followed in 2009 by Internet and Mobile OnAir to access the Internet during flights, as well as send and receive emails and make and receive phone calls.

OnAir`s services will initially be installed on five new Airbus A330s and five new Airbus A340s with plans in place to install the system across its entire longrange fleet. Kingfisher Airlines will use its A330s on routes to Europe and Asia, while the A340s will service longer nonstop flights, such as to the USA.

Hitesh Patel, Executive Vice President, Kingfisher Airlines, said, “We pride ourselves on our high levels of service, including state-of-the-art inflight entertainment and Live TV at every seat. Being the first, not just in India but also in the world, to offer our guests all of OnAir’s communications services, is truly a great opportunity.”

Benoit Debains, CEO of OnAir, said, “We are pleased to be selected by Kingfisher airlines, a leading airline in passenger service and comfort. This decision is setting a new standard for air travel in one of the most dynamic regions for air travel and telecommunications.”

The service is based on an onboard server, and is connected to the ground infrastructure through SwiftBroadband, Inmarsat’s broadband satellite infrastructure.

Fees will be based on data download for Internet usage, and per flight for webmail and instant messaging, and for Mobile OnAir the cost will be similar to international roaming rates, with passengers being billed by their operator in their regular bill.

Vicky Karantzavelou - Monday, September 10, 2007

CAAS and GAI launches Changi Airport Advisory Group

Mr Liew Mun Leong, the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore officially launched today (11 September) the Changi Airport Advisory Group (CAAG). CAAG is intended to retain the expertise of some of the most experienced minds, who have been involved in the development and management of Changi Airport, for both the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airports International (CAI).

In his speech, Mr Liew said: “The first three advisors to join this group – Wong Woon Liong, Ho Beng Huat and Chiang Hai Eng – have collectively more than a century of dedicated experience in airport organisation, operations management and routes development. In the aviation sector, they represent the most respected names and as Singaporeans, they want to make a mark for Singapore in this field. They will have free-ranging roles to lead high level strategic or operational teams, to mentor the younger managers and to advise the management teams in both, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airports International.”

CAAG will be chaired by CAAS Adviser, Mr Sim Kee Boon, whom Mr Liew credited as “the person who was the key driver responsible for making Changi into an international name that is associated with the superlatives of airport planning and management.”

Mr Wong Woon Liong has developed a wide network of contacts with many airport authorities throughout the world during his 15-year tenure as Director-General of CAAS. He is a very well known figure in the aviation industry having led Changi Airport successfully for many years. His experience and contacts are very valuable for Changi to grow internationally as an air hub. Mr Wong speaks excellent Mandarin and has a special interest in China.He will be involved in helping to develop strategic relationships for many of CAI’s projects in that market.

Mr Ho Beng Huat was an important member of the team which was responsible for developing and managing Changi. He personally spearheaded the introduction of the airport processes which provides Changi with its characteristic efficiency and service quality. Mr Ho’s main task will be to review the management operations on the ground in the CAI operated airports and to help steer development proposals for new airports.

Mr Chiang Hai Eng is a specialist in air route development and the formulation of aviation regulatory frameworks. He will help CAI formulate strategies to market its airports to airlines and increase the connectivity of these airports. He will also help new airports and existing airports to improve their processes for the purpose of safety certifications.

Mr Chow Kok Fong, Chief Executive Officer of Changi Airports International welcomed the establishment of CAAG: “This arrangement means that these eminent persons are still actively helping Changi Airport but in a different way. They will be included as part of what we call our ‘helicopter teams’. In essence, they can be mobilized to any of our overseas airports to attend to any novel management or operational situation which we may encounter overseas. Few people can do this as well as they can because in order to handle these unexpected situations, you need to accumulate battle hardened experience through long association with a top airport like Changi. By having them on board, it gives us a very strong advantage against those of our competitors who are merely financial players in looking for airport investments.”

Vicky Karantzavelou - Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Ahmedabad prepares for Emirates

The Emirates wide-bodied aircraft in its distinctive livery will soon become a familiar sight over Ahmedabad skies, and the airline is leaving no stone unturned in its attempts to introduce the product to the city’s travel and cargo community ahead of the launch of its six-flights-per-week service.

Senior executives from the airline’s headquarters in Dubai and Mumbai office officially presented Emirates’ brands and products to over 500 travel and cargo agents at an elaborate road show in Ahmedabad on 10th September. The Emirates delegation includes Salem Obaidalla, Vice President Commercial Operations West Asia and Indian Ocean, and Orhan Abbas, Vice President India & Nepal, amongst others.

Effective 28th October, Emirates will power its Indian operation with the launch of direct, non-stop flights to Ahmedabad – the airline’s ninth Indian and 95th global destination, and its fourth new route in 2007, after Venice, Newcastle and Sao Paulo. The Dubai-based carrier which is on the threshold of one of the biggest and most exciting growth graphs ever witnessed by an airline will later this year launch services to Toronto (29th October) and Houston (3rd December).

Mr Obaidallah noted: “Last year, Emirates embarked on a major expansion in India focusing on Southern India, and this year, after a span of over two decades, we are re-entering the country’s western skies; our first footprint in West India being Mumbai in 1985. We are delighted with this development, as is Ahmedabad’s travel trade, who have already shown overwhelming interest in our product offerings that include Emirates SkyCargo, Emirates Holidays, and our Passenger Sales products.”

On the route Emirates will operate modern jets: the Airbus A330-200 in a three-class configuration of 12 First, 42 Business and 183 Economy Class seats, and the Boeing 777-200 in a two-class configuration of 42 Business and 304 Economy Class seats.