Air Deccan tie-up with Frankfinn for cabin crew

Mumbai, April 4: In order to cope up with booming aviation market in India and shortage of skilled manpower in airlines companies have enabled Air Deccan to signed an exclusive tie up with Frankfinn to provide them more than 400 cabin crew per year to meet the demand.

The tie up will provide Air Deccan with professionals in the industry. It will also provide easy availability of skilled cabin crew, keeping in mind the acute shortage of trained human resource in this sector. The tie-up was announced by KS Kohli, Chairman, Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training and Captain GR Gopinath, Managing Director of Air Deccan at Mumbai.

Speaking on the occasion, KS Kohli said, “This is the first time in the history of Indian aviation that the company will recruit students only from Frankfinn and not from other aviation institute. Students will sign a two year contract with Air Deccan and which is extendable with their performance.”

Citing Frankfinn entry in the Limca Book of records, Kohli said, intake of Frankfinn is eight times higher than in any other institute in the country. So far in India no institute is providing in flight training, they are just giving students a half an hour ride on the plane.

“We are also planning to open a pilot training institute in the near future, but it will be too early to reveal it. We are building a hotel management institute in Goa, every things are finalised”, Kohli added.

To a question from where Air Deccan will get pilots and engineers, GS Gopinath, MD of Air Deccan said, “we are in talks with some aviation institute”.

Coming heavily on the government, Gopinath said, “poor infrastructure in playing a negative role in the development of aviation in our country. Government had never seen aviation as an infrastructure, but as a peripheral activity. We need competition among airports.”

“Air Deccan and Frankfinn will provide platform to hundreds of new aspirants who live in small towns and cities and want to pursue their career in aviation industry”, Gopinath added.

At the current pace Indian aviation industry would require 7500 to 8000 cabin crew per year. Air Deccan is the second largest airline in India with the market share of 21.60 per cent and has the largest network in terms of reach.

According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), by 2010 the travel within Asia will become the largest with 678 million passengers compared to 552 million in the US domestic market. The Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) has confirmed that the market share for the low cost airlines in India will reach 70 per cent by 2010 making it one of the world’s leading low cost carriers in terms of total market penetration.

A-I plane makes emergency landing at Delhi airport

New Delhi, April 9 2007

Air India flight AI-349 Shanghai-Bangkok-Delhi-Mumbai made an emergency landing in Delhi on April 9, 2007 at 6:35 am, due to a technical snag in the locking system of the front landing gear. The aircraft landed safely with all the passengers onboard.

In the press release issued by Air India said, the commander used all emergency procedures as per the safety manual and brought the aircraft to a halt on the run way। The passengers were disembarked using the step ladder. However, when the aircraft was being towed away from the runway to a remote bay for repair through a taxi track, the nose gear capsized as a result of which further operations were affected.

However, 183 passengers on board were reported to be safe and de-boarded the plane after being in the aircraft for about an hour। The main runway, which is closed, is cleared.

The 134 Mumbai bound passengers from Delhi, are being accommodated on an Indian Airlines flight, which is depart at 12:30 pm from the domestic terminal। The remaining 57 passengers, already aboard AI-349, have been given the option to board the Mumbai bound Indian Airlines flight along with the other passengers, without their baggage. Their baggage would be delivered directly at the Mumbai airport.

Meanwhile Air India officials along with DGCA experts is investigating the incident and the aircraft is being towed to a safer place for repair by using a recovery kit।

Airport runway is blocked temporarily as a precautionary safety measure। The lights have been installed by the Airport authorities on the run way to demarcate the area which cannot be used. The run way is now open partially, A-I release adds.

The Air India staff at Delhi are taking all measures to assist the passengers and deeply regrets the inconvenience caused.