Since a slew of ultra-long haul flights has entered in the market in 2018, Airlines seem to be in a tough competition of ‘Whose is Longer’.
Singapore Airlines has decided to restart its epic 19-hour flight between Singapore and Newark Airport in the New York City area. This flight, which will cover 15,300 kilometers, eclipses the
17-hour 14,500 kilometer flight that Qatar Airways currently operates between Doha and Auckland, New Zealand. This is, however, not the first time that Singapore Airlines has operated on this route. It operated the same service for a few years until 2013 using an Airbus A340-500 initially in a business-class-only layout, later adding Economy Class seats as well. This time round, Singapore Airlines will use the new Airbus A350-900 Ultra Long Range (ULR) aircraft that has only two engines instead of the Airbus A340’s four. In fact, it was the high cost of fuel that made Singapore Airlines stop the service initially. The more fuel-efficient Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines on the new plane will keep the costs down. However, Singapore Airlines is not cramming passengers in this plane, operating this variant with just 161 seats instead of the usual 253 seats on the A350 they use on other routes, as it has done away with Economy Class and configured the aircraft with Business and Premium Economy Classes only.
But is 19-hours stuck inside a thin metal tube, well, in the case of the A350 a carbon-fiber reinforced plastic tube, a bit much? That is the call passengers will have to take. Does it make more sense to fly directly between two cities that are global financial hubs in this case than taking a stopover? Currently, Singapore Airlines flies into New York via Germany’s Frankfurt airport. The quickest service between the two cities currently would take around 21 and a half hours with a stop in Hong Kong. That too involves a 16-hour flight over the Pacific Ocean, not all that much less than a 19-hour flight.
Indeed, a whole new generation of aircraft, starting with the Airbus A340 and Boeing 777, began a whole new era of very long haul flights. These planes as well as modern navigational aids that allowed flying over the Arctic, almost over the North Pole, made possible hitherto unheard of flights such as direct from India to the United States possible. Today, Air India and United Airlines both use Boeing 777 aircraft to fly non-stop between India and the US; Air India uses a Boeing
777-200LR to operate a 12,400 kilometer flight between Delhi and San Francisco. Thirty years ago, before the Boeing 747-400 took to the skies, flying between these two cities would take at least three stopovers, often four and could mean almost two whole days of travel instead of 14 hours in one plane right now.
Anybody, who has taken a connecting flight through a mega-hub airport such as Dubai International, London Heathrow or Frankfurt Germany, knows the rigmarole and headache of trying to connect from one flight to another complete with going through security, finding gates or in the case of delayed flights or worse, weather delays and cancellations during the European winter, finding yourself in a strange country with few funds and no visa to enter. While airlines are bound to provide some relief to passengers under new legislation in Europe and America, they can and do get away with ‘acts of God’, which is an euphemism for bad weather. At London Heathrow, for example, it is joked that even a flake of snow can shut the airport down.
But this writer, having taken some ultra long-haul flights himself, knows how terribly disconcerting such flights can be. Flying on Emirates Airline between Dubai and Los Angeles is a 16-hour 13,400 kilometer journey, the longest flight operated on the massive A380 Superjumbo. Even in Business Class with a fancy bar and lounge at the back of the upper deck of the plane, there is this sensation of being trapped and after all, how many movies can one possible watch and how many hours can you sleep. Even in a plane as spacious as the A380, being stuck in the Economy Class for that period of time would not be something to look forward to.
Returning from that visit to the United States from Seattle, this writer snoozed away for seven hours only to wake up and discover there were six more hours of flying time still to go. Six hours is the amount of time it takes to fly between Delhi and Istanbul, for example. Of course, if you are a smoker in today’s day of militant anti-smoking campaigns, spending over half a day in the air can be terrible. Not that a stopover helps, Heathrow Airport, among others, has banned smoking on its premises. And then, even if you are not a smoker, there are the associated health risks of such long haul flights, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other problems associated with the thinner air inside an aircraft, let alone the claustrophobia of a flight. But flying is still the safest mode of transport on a per-kilometer basis. I mean, would you rather drive between India and Europe?
That said, direct flights no matter how long, are better, and the technology available to us today makes them possible. The next generation of planes, such as the Boeing 777X and later versions of the A350 due to enter service by late-2019 or early-2020, will make the holy grail of flying possible, a non-stop flight between Sydney and London. Imagine that. A century ago, ships used to take four weeks between the two cities (Southampton, rather) and the first scheduled Imperial Airways, the precursor to today’s British Airways, flights between London and Brisbane, the aviation hub of Australia back then took 25 days to make it on this route (we have used the modern names of cities): London — Paris — Rome — Brindisi — Athens — Cairo — Gaza — Baghdad — Basra — Bahrain — Sharjah — Gwadar — Karachi — Jodhpur — Delhi — Kanpur — Allahabad — Kolkata — Sittwe — Yangon — Bangkok — Penang — Singapore — Jakarta — Surabaya — Rambang — Kupang — Darwin — Cloncurry — Longreach — Brisbane with a few other unnamed stops along the way for fuel. In many of these cities, the aircraft made a night-halt as flying at night was then considered unsafe as pilots needed to rely on traditional magnetic compasses and visual landmarks as their only navigational tools.
When you think of a flight like that, in old, unpressurised and noisy piston-engined planes and were patently unsafe, you would be glad about modern aviation. It is remarkable that it is only 115 years since we first took to the skies in powered flight, just 60-odd years since the first jet-powered planes took to the skies and about 30 years since the first really long-range plane, the Boeing 747-400 started service. Modern aircraft have made the impossible seem possible and are making routes possible that earlier we could never imagine. So what if you are stuck in a middle economy seat for 19 hours with strangers all around you? Just remember how it was like back in the day and you’d be glad that there is big screen in front of you and maybe even internet access. The times, they certainly have changed.
(The writer is Managing Editor, The Pioneer)
Writer: Kushan Mitra
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Situated on the left bank of river Beas at an altitude of 2,047 meters, Naggar is an ancient town in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Once capital of the Kullu kingdom, the place boasts of rich history and legends. Home to interesting sights and fine walks (including the Chandrakani Pass trek to Malana in the Parvati Valley), and some good guesthouses and restaurants, it’s a fine place for a few days’ relaxing stay. Writer Somen Sengupta revisites an important page in the book of history.
An academically-enriched Russian family once fell in love with India and its people. In India’s life and culture, they found academically-relevant topics that intrigued them. On July 24, 1928, they founded a small institution in Darjeeling. They named the institution “ Urusvati,” a Sanskrit word meaning “the light of the morning star”. It was the Himalayan Research Institute.
But soon, its address had to be changed. It was moved to a hill top, surrounded by dense pine, oak and deodhar trees of Punjab. A rich tale from history was already blended in its chronicle. Movement of the Roerich family to a new location did not take away from the institute’s glory; it simply added a new chapter of richness to its cultural heritage.
Naggar — the new location of the institute proved to be perfect for it. A part of the Kullu valley, it was still largely disconnected from the rest of India as there was hardly any communication at that point of time. Taking every risk that came their way, the Russian family finally found a new nest in Naggar, where for many years, the royal family of Kullu had had their settlement.
Situated on the bank of river Bias, the hill top known as Naggar was a shining flame of India’s history. Although as a hill retreat it was in no way comparable with the Shimla or Darjeeling of the British Raj days, it still had a unique charm. It was never a holiday retreat for European rulers. But, it was pregnant with several tales from mythology, legend and history.
Far away from the din and kerfuffle of city life, it slept in the lap of a deep pine forest, overlooking a jaw-dropping panorama of snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. Nestled in the deep apple orchard and green glades, Naggar of the Kullu valley houses small relics from an ancient time. It also boasts of a unique castle built of ingredients typical to Kullu. Situated near the bank of Bias, this place is perhaps the richest hill village of India — in terms of heritage.
The story of Naggar dates back to more than 1400 years ago when the capital of Kullu was shifted here by king Bishudh Pal. The unique stone castle of Naggar was built by Raja Sidh Singh more than 500 years ago. Legend has it that stones were collected from an abandoned palace of Baragaon fort of Rana Bosal and transported by a long human chain across the river.
It was the royal seat of the Kullu dynasty before the capital was shifted to Sultanpur. In 1846, after it was captured by Sikhs, British Asst. Commissioner Major Hay had purchased it and modified it. He added a staircase, a fire place, chimneys, etc. It became an amalgamation of things indigenous and things English. Now, a heritage hotel under HPTDC, the castle is the gem of this heritage hill top. It houses an excellent museum with rich collection artifacts and dresses like pattu, chola, thippu etc. The air inside the castle of Nagger is fresh yet heavy. The mind blowing panorama that it offers from every corner of the castle covers dotting snow-capped mountains and a river that flows just next to the valley.
However, little history and a big doze of local legend add a touch of pensive notes that create a tune of melancholy where tears of a suppressed queen walk silently. Legend goes that after including Lahul into his kingdom, King Raja Jita Singh expressed a desire to have a girl from Lahul as his queen to enrich his already big collection of wives. Thus, officials went on to select the most beautiful girl of Lahul. Finally, a young girl named Rasili was presented to him. Rasili became one of his youngest wives but she could never give her heart to his much married old husband. A homesick queen, she was depressed from the beginning. Raja Jita Singh kept doing his best to entertain her.
Then came a day when a wrestling competition was arranged at the royal palace where the official wrestler of Kullu was challenged by a young wrestler from Lahul. After a tough fight, when the young man from Lahul finally floored the official wrestler of Kullu, the entire forum was sunk in silence. There was just one person cheering. It was none other than Rasili, the Lahul queen of the Raja. She was so ecstatic by the victory of her native man that she threw her pearl necklace to him. This led to a very public expression of anger by the king as she was openly scolded by him. The insulted queen committed suicide on the same night by jumping from the balcony of the castle into the flowing river, down in the valley. The wounded spirit of the queen is still believed to be inside the castle and sound of her silver anklet still haunts people.
If this is enough to create an aura of this castle then there is more to make one excited. The construction of the castle has been done in the “ Kathkooni” style of architecture. It is a distinctive school of engineering where typical kullu ingredients of rough hewn stone slabs are used with interlocking techniques, supported with wood beams in layers. There is no use of iron or any other metal in any kind of fixing. The construction is so strong and shock bearing that the castle survived in 1905 Kullu earth quake overcoming the wrath of tremors that grounded almost all construction, including a part of Kangra fort.
Built in influence of Indo-Tibetan style with long veranda and a corridor, the castle has almost magical brown and grey colored stone and wood. It looks so picture perfect that when the sun shines, its wall turn light golden, giving a superb expression of rich wood carving on its wall, carnies, pillars and rooftops. The passage and courtyards of the castle are decorated with rich artifacts and trophies of wild animals killed by the royal family. Two massive gates of the castle are built out of extracting a single trunk of tree. One gate is sized 85 ft by 39 ft by 3 ft.
At the courtyard of the Naggar castle stands “ Deotibba” or the seat of royal deity. It is known as Jagatpati temple, a Sati pith. Again, legend runs strong that this temple was built on the wish of queen Rasili for whom God and Goddesses carried stone from the Goshal hill of Lahul, her native place in form of bees and birds.
The biggest magic of Naggar is perhaps in its heritage temple walk where in one walk, four different temples built in four different schools of architecture open new avenues. Local people call it “Char Dham Yatra” a poor and needless comparison with the Char Dham of Uttarakhand.
The first temple that comes in the yatra is none other than the Gouri Shankar temple and the first blast of surprise starts from there itself. Known as the last archeological monument of Gurjjara-Pratihar tradition, Gourishankar temple enshrines idols of Shiva, Parvati and baby Ganesha with many other stone-carved musicians and devotees. This is a stone-built, exquisite shikhara-styled temple with nine floors and an exception in this region. Opposite this one, another temple named Narsingh Devta Temple is situated.
What comes next in the walk is Pauri Baba Temple at a place named Jiri. It was originally a cave temple and now built in wood and stone with a roof deeply influenced by a hill temple school of the region. Next comes a Krishna temple at a place named Thava, a small hill city once visited and mentioned in the travelogues of Chinese traveler Xyan Zang who came here in the 7th century. Today, this temple is the only relic of that human settlement seen by Xuan Zang. The temple was built in the Gupta-era style with carved stones and a Shikhara at its pinnacle. The original temple was badly damaged in the 1905 earthquake and the present temple was rebuilt in the same year. During festivals, the deity of the temple travels in a chariot.
The last temple of this heritage walk is Tripura Sundari temple (it has nothing to do with modern state of Tripura, though), which has been built in pagoda style with excellent wood carving. The deity is known as Goddess of three worlds and the three-tiered temple is built in deodhar wood. Base floors are supported on the pillars while the top one is circular. This is an exceptional piece of work.
Now, let’s come back to the story of a Russian family that decided to settle here and establish a world-class international institute of complex studies. From 1923 to 1928, a Russian academician named Nikolay Konstantinovich Roerich travelled across border of India, Tibet, Mongolia, China and Russia covering incalculable number of archaeological ruins, historical monuments and other places of interest. This expedition also helped him to collect several books and sacred texts, and artifacts.
With all those, his dream of establishing a world-class international institute of complex studies with a true blend of ancient knowledge and modern scientific discovery shaped up here in the quaint Himalayan valley. This institute was just ahead of its time. Its area covered a profound study of archaeology, natural science, Tibetan medicine, cultural history of Asian people, Astronomy, Astro Physics, Biology and Metal energy. A world-class laboratory was founded in 1930 where along with Russians, Tibetan Lamas and Indian researchers soon joined.The institute conducted several expeditions in the first few years in remote and difficult places like Lahul, Kangra etc and enriched its library. Such was the reputation of Institute that soon its members started working with Michigan University and Harvard University of USA and Museum of Natural History of Paris.World famous statesmen and scientists like Albert Einstein were aware of its contribution. It attracted the attention of Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, Sir CV Raman, Radhakriishnan, Abanindranath Tagore, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Rabindranath Tagore.
With the end of the World War II in 1945, the institute faced acute cash crunch and many activities gradually became non-functional. Finally, with the initiative of Svetoslav Roerich, an Agreement of Co-operation was signed between the Russian Govt and the Institute. It is again buzzing with new support from the Indian Government. Its main focus is on fine arts and science.
Today, the institute houses an extra ordinary museum with artifacts, paintings and several memorabilia of Roerich family. It has a huge collection of sculpture, handcrafts, dolls, books both from Russia and India. Needless to say it has huge old photographs and texts that give a correct testimonial evidence of the life of this place in that era. The biggest treasure of the museum is rich collection of original paintings of father and son.
Paintings of Nicholas and Svetoslav Roerich are so distinctive and special that one can not take his eye off from them.The subject of the paintings cover their entire academic life where we see landscape of central Asia to Russian folk dancers.In every stroke of brush father and sone had created a silent history far away from the sight of common people.
Rabindranath Tagore was so impressed by the paintings of Nicholas and his son Svetoslav Roerich who later on married and settled with Devika Rani the first super heroine of Indian silver screen that he wrote to them “Your pictures profoundly moved me. They made me realize that truth is infinite.When I tried to find words to describe to myself what were the ideas which your pictures suggested, I failed. It was because the language of words can only express a particular aspect of truth. When one art can fully be expressed by another, it is a failure. Your pictures are distinct and yet are not definable by words – Your art is jealous of its independence because it is great.”
Naggar is an amazing exception in terms of its importance as a heritage place. Apart from its visual delights of natural beauty, its relic of an ancient city, an extra ordinary castle and a research institute with outstanding reputation have made Naggar a lighthouse of history where in clandestine heritage silently meets with wisdom.
Writer: Somen Sengupta
Courtesy: The Pioneer
37 percent Indian companies who were researched to spend more on travel and entertainment this year; 40 percent feel Indian businesses are expected to invest more than last year in improving administrative process efficiency.
Travel and entertainment are the two segments which have been given a thumbs up by Indian finance executives as they are likely to increase spending. This is followed by investing in improving administrative process efficiencies and investing on mobile technology and hardware and infrastructure in 2018 to help meet their business priorities. According to the 11th Edition of the Global Business & Spending Outlook Survey, commissioned by American Express and conducted by Institutional Investor Thought Leadership Studio, 37 per cent of the CFOs surveyed that they are likely to spend more on T&E than last year, whereas 50 per cent maintained that they are likely to keep the spending same as last year.
The annual cross-industry survey conducted among 870 senior executives across 21 countries with worldwide revenue of more than US$500 million, states that 33 per cent of the Indian CFOs surveyed are likely to spend more on transportation/logistics and 53 per cent on hardware and infrastructure while half of the senior financial executives (50 per cent) aim to increase spending on mobile technology. About 40 per cent of the CFOs surveyed said that they are likely to invest more than last year in improving administrative process efficiency (e.g., streamlining financial, account payables, or procurement process) to help meet business objectives.
It is noteworthy that 90 per cent of the senior finance executives felt that improving cash and working-capital management (including payables, receivables, and inventories) is more important for their businesses this year as compared to last year. Over 60 per cent of the executives said that use of credit (e.g. revolving credit lines, corporate card, “float”) and ability to negotiate better payments terms on payables and receivables as well as volume discounts on purchases with suppliers and customers would yield substantial financial benefit to the company.
Sharing her views, Saru Kaushal, vice President and general manager, Global Commercial Services, American Express Banking Corp., India, said, “India is leading the way in terms of both business confidence and investments. Efficiency has become the keyword as companies take a back-to-basics approach and focusing on the fundamentals — better serving customers and meeting their needs, developing new products, entering new markets and prioritising business transformation and innovation. Businesses are reiterating the need for increasing spend on T&E, optimising cash flow and using it judiciously to grow and protect the business.”
Sharing economy is the name of the game
About 87 per cent of the respondents believes that commercial innovations of the so-called “sharing economy” (eg. those used by ride-sharing services like Uber or lodging services such as AirBnB will have a substantial impact on their industry in the next five years with 60 per cent executives agreeing that their company’s travel policy allows employees to use sharing economy services for lodging or transportation when traveling on business.
Meeting Customer Needs is Top Priority; Spending Plans Centre on Technology
Meeting customer needs better is a top priority for survey respondents in India (63 per cent). Companies are also most likely to focus on cyber-security and the protection of customer, supplier and employee data in the next two years.
Changing role of CFOs
Interestingly, the survey also reveals that 53 per cent senior finance executives see their function as that of a strategic advisor — not as a leader of strategy, nor as a mere supporter of it which in turn speaks of the significant evolution of the role of the finance executive.
Workforce increase anticipated, focus more on retaining top talent
Senior financial executives in India plan to increase their companies’ workforce in the year ahead. In the coming year 97 percent of survey respondents anticipate an uptick in their companies’ headcount. Last year, 20 per cent expected headcount to grow by 10 per cent or more. However, employee growth of 6 per cent or more rose to 77 per cent this year, up from 50 per cent last year. In an effort to attract and retain top talent, companies are also likely to improve the day-to-day working environment of their employees, offer more flexible work schedules and locations and expand career development programmes.
Writer: Team Viva
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Milan suffered extensive setback from Allied bombing during World War II, and that is why there is very little left of its history. The city is smart rather than attractive. The city is cosmopolitan and stylish, writes Vissa Venkata Sundar
After a breathtaking and floaty experience of Venice, I embarked on my last leg of the visit to Italy. It was an incredible 15 days of non-stop travel to some of the ancient cities of the world. Epic architecture and the seductive charms of the past brought me to my knees. History couldn’t have been so richly poetic than what one sees in Italy. The experiences make you see history with a fresh pair of eyes. I was feeling glum and sullen that the clock was ticking for me to bid goodbye to this enchanting country. But bid goodbye in style, that is! Milan beckoned as my last stopover.
Travelling from Venice via Verona to Milan in train was a delightful experience. Once you alight from the train, you will be looking at the gigantic and supersized roof of the Milano Centrale Station. Almost as if making a grand welcome statement to the first-time visitor to the city of style and fashion. King Victor Emmanuel III laid the cornerstone of the station in 1906 without a blueprint, apparently. The World War I led to economic slump in Italy and the construction work of the station slowed down. Thereafter, Benito Mussolini, the then Prime Minster of Italy, expedited the work and wanted the station to be grand and represent the power of the Fascist regime. Therefore, you see Milano Centrale handling 120 million passengers annually, surpassing the clichéd definition of what a railway station façade should be. Far from being a merely functional transit point, the station is adorned with numerous sculptures in Art Deco style. You may mistake it to be some grand hallway of a palace, even as you briskly walk with your luggage towards the exit.
You can’t help but notice how Milan is so discordantly different from the rest of Italy in its texture, buildings, and the views. Milan looks every bit like a grey, flat industrial and indistinguishable urban megapolis, just like any other, badly in need of a scrub. It may seem like an unfavourable description, but after having sodden with Italian history and epic architecture — which is littered in every street of its cities — Milan looked un-Italian for once and modernist in so many ways. I was told that due to the World War II, there is very little left of its history. The city is smart rather than attractive. The city is cosmopolitan and stylish. It is considered to be a leading ‘alpha global city’ and is the second most populous city in Italy after Rome, and has long held the title of being the fashion capital of the world and the world’s design capital. Milan is the hub for arts, commerce, finance, and a tourism hotspot boasting important collections in its museums and art galleries.
Milan suffered extensive setback from Allied bombing during the World War II. One structure that got badly damaged was the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest shopping mall designed by architect Giuseppe Mengoni in 1865. This ornate shopping arcade is also known as ilSalotto di Milano (Milan’s drawing room) and make Milan a shopper’s haven. The galleria’s finest feature is its metal and glass roof, crowned with a magnificent central dome. The roof was the first structure in Italy to use metal and glass in a structural way, rather than just decoratively. The floors are decorated with mosaics of zodiac signs and the floor plan resembles the shape of a Latin cross with an octagonal centre. The arcade is a multibrand fashion wonderland, with who’s who of the luxury retail selling haute couture, jewellery, books, and paintings. You will find here some of the oldest shops and restaurants in Milan, such as Biffi Caffe, founded in 1867 by Paolo Biffi, the pastry chef of the monarch.
Adjacent to the Galleria is one of the largest Gothic churches in the world. The Milan Duomo crowned with an extraordinary roof, distinctive and bristling spires, is one of the architectural gems of this stylish city that will surely make you transfixed. Oddly, it took 500 years to complete it. Such a magnificent structure also comes with a hefty price tag for the organisation that has been responsible for its construction and maintenance. The marble that was used to build the church was from Candoglia and is not hard as compared to Carrara marble, which is more commonly used in Italy. It is only a matter of time that wear and tear becomes evidently clear. The replacement of the marble was planned so that much of the Duomo would be refaced.
It is another thing that your appetite for all things Italian may not die down soon. But the most coveted spot in Milan — Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ at the convent of Santa Maria delleGrazie, a Unesco World Heritage site — eluded me. The ludicrously long advance bookings could run into weeks and months. Disappointed at having missed it, I thought to myself that maybe this was a good excuse for me to visit Italy once again to satiate my appetite for this beautiful country. With a stroke of luck, I would rather start my journey from where I inconclusively ended it. Milan, you inspire the world. Be back soon!
Travel logistics
Stay: Magna Pars Suites Milano is a boutique hotel surrounded by lush gardens. The rooms are elegantly decorated with subdued colours and furnished by local designers. For travellers with deep pockets and those who want to enjoy in the lap of luxury, Palazzo Parigi — an opulent hotel at the higher end of the spectrum — will make for a good choice. Cascina Cuccagna is a kitchen, bar guesthouse, which provides an affordable and comfortable stay for budget travellers
Flights: AlItalia serves Delhi and Mumbai with direct flights to Milan, among other destinations in Italy. You can also check out Air India, Etihad, Qatar, and Emirates Airlines for more information on flight connectivity
Writer: Vissa Venkata Sundar
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Regardless of increasing concerns for Taj Mahal that the monument is losing its sheen, a survey demonstrates that it is still one of the favorite landmarks among tourists.
Around 400 years after it was constructed, the Taj Mahal continues to grab eyeballs of global visitors and never ceases to amaze them, becoming the sixth of the top ten international bucket list compiled by a travel site. Meanwhile, Angkor Wat in Cambodia continued to top the favourite list. Five Indian landmarks even made it to the Asia list — Taj Mahal (#2), Amber Fort (#9), Harmandir Sahib (#10), Swaminarayan Akshardham (#13) and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (#14).
The award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for landmarks worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period. This year’s Tripadvisor awards recognised 759 landmarks across 68 countries and eight regions across the globe. On the domestic India list, the Taj was followed by Amber Fort, steadfast at number 2, a position it has held since 2015. Harmandir Sahib makes its way to number 3 from seventh position last year. There were representatives from more recent constructions as well. Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi stood at number 4 while Delhi’s Gurudwara Bangla Sahib stood at number 5. Another construction by Emperor Shahjahan made it to the country list with Agra Fort in Agra coming up sixth. Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Qutub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi and the Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai were the others that made it to the top 10 in India.
The Taj came in at number 6 in the world list of landmarks. It was preceded by Angkor Wat at Siem Reap, Cambodia; Plaza de Espana in Seville, Spain; Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Italy and Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba in Cordoba, Spain. In the Asia list, it stood at number 2 where the top spot was occupied by the world leader, Angkor Wat. The other monuments that featured in top five included the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) in Bangkok, Thailand; Mutianyu Great Wall, Beijing, China and Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine in Kyoto, Japan.
Top five locations in India
Writer: Team Viva
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Tourism Industry in India is growing at a faster pace which shows that it has vast potential for earning foreign exchange in a huge amount and generating employment, apart from giving a boost to country’s social and economic development. If India is become a world player in the niche sector, there is a lot more that need to be done for economic growth.
Travel and tourism have been considered as an important industry in the service sector. The economic impact of tourism is significant since a huge amount of foreign inflow comes from tourism. Moreover, tourism accounts for the major source of cash incomes, and it has been regarded as a major source of economic growth and employment creation.
A total of 212 million persons are now being employed globally through direct and indirect opportunities generated by this industry. This means that one out of every nine persons now earns a living from tourism. Tourism is also highly employment-intensive. For every million rupees of investment, 13 jobs are created in manufacturing industries, 45 jobs in agriculture and 89 jobs in hotels and restaurants.
The tourism industry in emerging markets is forecasted to keep increasing in the next decade. For example, the tourism industry in China and India are growing rapidly, leading to a significant increase in both business and leisure travel. In particular, China will jump from fourth to the second position above Japan and Germany and was forecasted to increase its travel and tourism demand four times up by 2018, accounting for $2,465 billion, with an annual growth rate of 8.9 per cent.
Many countries are promoting tourism and it has become a source of major income for countries like India, Singapore and Malaysia. Tourism is, of course, big industry in most developed countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Switzerland.
According to a 2018 economic impact report by World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in the next 10 years, India is likely to become the third largest tourism economy. Released recently, the report also says that the country would add nearly 10 million jobs in the tourism sector by 2028. The total number of jobs depending directly or indirectly on the travel and tourism industry will increase from 42.9 million in 2018 to 52.3 million in 2028. India, which is currently the seventh largest travel and tourism economy in the world, should work on improving infrastructure, said the President of WTTC Gloria Guevara. It has already been working in that direction and result is that while the world tourist growth was four percent in 2016, India saw a high 9.7 percent growth in foreign tourist arrival.
Promotion of tourism industry should, therefore, be encouraged on a priority basis by the Government of India through an aggressive tourism marketing strategy. More and more innovative and imaginative projects should be launched, highly artistic and creative posters and advertisements also should be posted highlighting India’s ethnicity, its cultural diversities and compositeness, its myriad, novel tribal, traditional folk forms, diverse oral traditions, its rich, varied, vibrant traditional, rural arts and crafts, its unchartered awe-inspiring scenic spots, jungles, forests, enchanting flora and fauna, emphasising the cohesiveness, homogeneity, the integral threads running through various complex cultures and sub-cultures coexisting in India signifying the strength of its traditions and thus to draw attention of the tourists from all over the globe and to attract them to come and visit India.
Infrastructural development for tourism-related activities is bound to have a series of socio-cultural, socio-economic, physical and environmental impacts on the habitat which would require a systematic evaluation and analysis, using scientific techniques, before development decisions are taken. Any programme for tourism development should thus have the underlying objective of promoting the positive impacts and mitigating the negative impacts on the social, economic and physical environments of the destination areas.
Again, the growth of tourism in India has been largely restricted to certain traditional cities and towns of historical, architectural and cultural significance and some hill stations built by the British and the contiguous areas. There remain many unexplored or underexplored beautiful places due to lack of infrastructure and communication and restrictive policies. Almost all regions in India have their own beautiful locales needing development and highlighting for tourism.
This requires an integrated approach and uniform policy implementation all across India. Further, for a systematic development of all such places, we need planning and financial support from both the State and the Centre. To lead and coordinate all these, we need a federal body like GST Council with the participation of the centre and all the States and experts in areas relevant to tourism development.
As per the lead article in Times Of India dated April 5, 2018, a Private Members’ Bill called the National Tourism (Sustainable Development and Promotion) Bill, 2018 is likely to come up soon in the Parliament. If approved and such a federal body set up, it can and should provide a fillip to development of tourism in India.
(The writer is an author and a commentator)
Writer: Sudip Bhattacharyya
Courtesy: The Pioneer
With the increase in chaos in life, tourists have started changing their preferences of holiday destinations, the “middle of nowhere” being one of their favorite yet.
Dharamshala, Mussoorie, Shimla, Darjeeling —all summer retreats with colonial charm, the lively mall roads and the expansive sunrise and sunset points. But then they have become too crowded, too familiar and too difficult to book accommodation at. So what does one do?
And it is here that “the middle of nowhere” — a place that might not have made it to the bucket list of many travellers some years ago — comes in. These are newly-discovered destinations that happen to be close to a popular tourist locale or in between two hubs but are hidden and virgin experiences of unseen hillsides. The selling point, of course, is that unlike the well-known ones, these are usually less followed and thus have more solitude.
Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head, Expedia, said, “Indian travellers are going beyond the usual boundaries of budget, time and travel — to experience middle of nowhere spots — a trend that has been on the rise from last year to be precise. These are destinations which are usually known best to the locals. They may not be easy to access and do not provide the comfort of commercialised destinations, but the experience is worth the effort.”
And others in the industry seem to agree. Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox and Kings, said, “Extending your vacations to a secluded or lesser known tourist spot, which is close to the popular travel destination, is a new trend emerging among domestic travellers. People like to just relax and unwind at such destinations instead of a hectic vacation with a lot of sightseeing. For some people, a visit to these places is just an add-on if they have a couple of extra days in hand. Some travellers purposefully add these destinations in their itineraries as they want to make their trip distinct by visiting a place which is beautiful but not much known. Choice of such extended tourist spots also depends on specific interests of a traveller such as birding, wildlife, adventure activities, rejuvenation and so on.”
Besides, who wants to run into hordes of people after running away from crowds? In popular tourist hubs, due to massive crowds, most people do not enjoy themselves. They have to jostle with crowds at restaurants or for tickets while heading out to popular monuments, taking a boat ride or going for a picnic in the park. You do not want to be overrun by others trying to reserve their places.
Talking about the scope of the middle of nowhere tourism, Aditi Balbir, founder and CEO, V Resorts, said, “With each of the 30 states and union territories in India possessing a unique culture, the scope of the middle of nowhere tourism is massive. Every state has its own language, festivals, cuisines and art forms and celebrating these elements individually gives this form of tourism its diverse scope.”
George Muthoot George, managing director of Muthoot Leisure and Hospitality Services representing Xandari Resorts, said, “Travel is becoming more popular by the day and with people increasingly posting their photographs on social media or blogging about their travels, they prefer to head out for genuine offbeat experiences rather than the usual ones.” He quotes the example of Marari, a quaint fisherman village which falls between the infamous tourist destinations of Kochi and Alleppey, which has seen a spike in footfalls. Your unique experience here happens to be the lifeline of the local community, including a day in the life of a fisherman, coir tour, village bicycle tour and the farm to table story.
Activities in the middle of nowhere locations depend on the place. Balbir mentioned, “Each location has its own unique local heritage and the experiences offered to travellers need to be built around these local elements. For example, since Sat Tal is known for its diverse local bird species, an exclusive bird tour with a local ecologist can be done. Experiences focussed on the local flavours are required to bring these locations into mainstream focus.” Sat Tal is one of the few unspoiled and unpolluted places near Nainital which houses an interconnected group of seven lakes with clean, turquoise-hued water. There is a butterfly museum which has over 2,500 butterfly species and 1,100 species of insects that are found in this region. A natural spring of fresh water arising out of the dense oak forest in the west of Sat Tal is also worth paying a visit.
Those who find Coorg too mainstream, immerse yourself in the wilderness at Kabini with its rich variety of flora and fauna. A budding wildlife destination and an ideal place for nature enthusiasts, it offers activities such as jungle safari, trekking and boating. The lush greenery and imposing waterfalls make this place worth a visit. Add to it, the experience of a coracle ride in Kabini river and you have the makings of a perfect holiday.
There is an evident shift towards these locations amongst tourists. “As the popular destinations have become too commercial over the past decade, they no longer offer ‘getaways’ or ‘breaks’ that today’s travellers seek. This is why people are opting for fresher locations. It is the same reason that even for accommodation options, people don’t just look for hotels but for alternate options such as homestays, camps, eco-resorts and more.”
The Northeast, which is now opening up to mainline tourists too, has many such jewels. For example, nature lovers of an aquatic nature need to visit Tamdil Lake, which is around 85 km from Aizawl, a natural pond deep in the forest that’s as emerald still as it can get anywhere in the northern Himalayas. Then there are the Siju Caves in Meghalaya, situated 132 km from Tura, and located in the Garo hills. This cave is one of the longest in the Indian sub-continent. Certainly, an exciting place for tourists seeking adventure, especially since most of the cave is still unexplored and has several passages similar to that of a maze.
For those whose hearts still beat for the hills of Uttrakhand, there is Jilling which is an hour away from the popular summer retreat of Nainital. Relatively unknown, the place has expansive tea estates which are perfect for those seeking to be wrapped in greenery. For those who want to delve deep into the forest, travel no further than Dangamal, a tiny village in Odisha, about 138 km from Bhubhaneswar where one can explore virgin mangroves that are home to Indian saltwater crocodiles.
Salt pans in Gujarat, which make for a surreal visual against the blue sky on the horizon with bursts of mirage, is a natural wonder that has drawn the thinking traveller for the last few years. Due to its proximity to Pakistan, the Indian Army has a base at Rann and all travellers must have valid ID proofs which are checked by the Army official at the entry point. The best time to visit the place is from January to March. One can indulge in activities like camping, trekking, safaris or simply sightsee.
Want to venture further afield? Ditch Sydney or Melbourne in Australia and explore the charms of Cape York, which comprises an array of the middle of nowhere destinations such as the historic town of Cooktown, remote Savannah and rainforest clad national parks — really the last frontier of Australia. From the Coral Sea to Great Barrier Reef, this remote part of Australia is captivating with flourishing wildlife, cultural experiences, characters, and adventure.
Another option is the Faroe Islands in North Atlantic, close to Scotland. The Faroe Islands are located at one of the most remote places in Northern Europe. Watch a a jaw-dropping waterfall as it cascades down the tiny cliff-top village. The unique landscape and location with pristine air and picturesque surroundings are a treat for photographers.
Mayuri Ghosh, general manager, sales, Lords Hotels and Resorts, sums it up best. “Social media also plays a major factor here, a picture against an exotic background or perfectly captured panoramas is a fad today. The millennial wants to experiment with everything. From global cuisines and local tastes to unorthodox holidays and adventurous recreations, the millennial is moving away from the traditional beliefs. Work hard but enjoy twice as hard is the motto and if enjoying means doing something and going somewhere where no one goes, then today’s intrepid traveller will do it.”
Writer: Team Viva
Courtesy: The Pioneer
This luxury Middle Eastern Syrian wooden box is a beautiful mosaic work (intarsia) designed to showcase an illusion of depth.This amazing storage box is completely hand- made and has been inlaid with differing wooden chips. Their cotton hand-made crochet table cloths are a great accessory.
Ugandans exhibited their traditional wooden statues and paintings for the first time in the mela. Handmade alocha fabric bags from Tajikistan. The place is famous for entire dynasties of national craftsmen who pass their ancient arts from generation to generation. The Saharanpur collection has a variety of teak wood, sheesham, deodar, ebony, redwood, rosewood, red cedar, sal and many others. This time they have worked with traditional Kashmir designs.
Indians are by now used to Turkish lamps and ceramics. This time, they have got artistic variants and lanterns with traditional designs. Glazed pottery with white background and blue and green patterns has been developed in Khurja, Chunar and Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. Erkebu from Kyrgyzstan incorporates traditional designs, colors and cutting edge techniques in her felt doll pieces to capture everyday folk expressions and customs of rural areas.
Photos: Pankaj Kumar
Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi opened the Investor Assam 2018 summit with a message to link Assam with rest of the world for the rapid development. A day ahead of the first ever Global Investor’s Summit, Bhutan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Lyonpo Damcho Dorji on Friday said that Drukair will soon have direct flight connecting Bhutan, India and Singapore. The Minister said this at Guwahati on Friday on the occasion of inauguration of the Royal Bhutanese Consulate at Guwahati and added while the decision was already taken at political level, the details are being worked out.
The Consulate was inaugurated jointly by the Bhutan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. “The inauguration of Bhutanese Consulate in Guwahati marks the collective commitment and unique desire of both Assam and Bhutan to strengthen socio, economic and cultural ties between the two entities. Bhutan is keenly looking forward to deepen the bilateral relations and carry forward the mutual interests and people to people ties between India and Bhutan;’ said the Minister.
Bhutan’s decision of introducing direct Drukair flight between India, Bhutan and Singapore has been taken to take the bilateral relations to a next stage;’ he said.”Opening of the Consulate General’s Office will not only benefit Bhutanese and North Eastern tourists, pilgrims and students and businessmen but also strengthen friendship between people from Assam and neighbouring States and Bhutan: said Sonowal.
“I am particularly happy that Bhutan has opened its Consulate in Guwahati this year which commemorates the Golden Jubilee of establishment of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan. We look forward to jointly celebrate our friendship with series of activities in India and Bhutan;’ Sonowal said.
Sonowal also thanked Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay for accepting India’s invitation to attend the maiden Global Investors’ Summit Advantage Assam’, scheduled to get underway from Saturday and said that the Bhutanese Prime Minister’s yet another visit to the state after Namami Brahmaputra shows the importance of bilateral relations both Bhutan and Assam attach to their respective neighbours.
He also said that India and Bhutan share exemplary bilateral relations which are unique and special. He also said that the deep-rooted relation is evident from the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Bhutan to be his first foreign country visit after he assumed office in May 2014.
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Air India, was the Maharaja in scheduled air transport service and domestic scheduled passenger airline until it started facing severe competition from private airlines such as Indigo, Spice Jet, Jet Airways etc. Air India used to be the largest international carrier from India, controlling 14.6% of the domestic passenger market. However, with private airlines expanding their capacity, Air India’s domestic market share dropped to about 13% as of March, 2017. Currently, Air India is burdened with a debt of about 52,000 crores and has salary arrears of approximately Rs. 1,200 crores accrued from the year 2012. The salary arrears are to be paid to approximately 27,000 odd staff of Air India that includes pilots and cabin crew. Due to unsustainable debts suffered by the airline company, the Government has decided towards disinvestment and privatization of Air India, which seems to be the only solution to revive the ailing national carrier.
Seeking disinvestment of Air India– Government options available
For the purpose of disinvestment of Air India, various options were considered by the Government, such as hiving off certain assets, a possible demerger, strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries. Amongst the above options, the Government also initially contemplated effecting the dis- investment by selling either its entire 100% stake or 74% stake or 51% stake to a third party. A parliamentary panel had sought details from the Government on giving in-principal approval to divest its stake in Air India. On June 28, 2017, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave their in-principle approval for considering strategic disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries.
Pursuant to the in-principle approval, the ministry received two proposals, one each for the airline’s international operations and for its assets from Bird Group and IndiGo. Tata Group (which originally established the airline in the early 1930s) has shown an interest in buying the government stake in Air India. In September, 2017, the Government invited bids to appoint financial and legal advisors for the disinvestment process and also invited applications for appointing an asset valuer for Air India as well as its subsidiaries and overseas offices. Currently the Government has received bids from six consulting companies and investment banks for the man-date of advising it on the divestment of its stake in Air India.
does privatization of Air India hold opportunities for foreign investors?
According to the Foreign Direct In- vestment Policy, 2016 (the “Policy”);
Thus, even though FDI is permitted in Indian aviation companies including Air India, it restricts foreign airlines to invest in Air India. With the proposed 100% disinvestment by the Government from Air India, foreign airlines will be free to invest in Air India.
Accordingly, once Government divest its stake from Air India it would definitely be an opportunity for foreign airlines to invest in Air India.
Legal Challenges perceived due to privatization of Air India
The employees of Air India including pilots are demanding clearance of salary dues before adoption of any formal decision for the proposed privatization plan. Air India has almost 7 (seven) unions opposing privatization of Air India. The salary arrears may pose a serious con- cern for the airline as majority of Air India unions are opposing the privatization process. Further, while negotiat- ing the sale, due caution will have to be taken to ensure that there are no job cuts on divestment by the Government.
The insurmountable debts of Air India may pose a problem to find a suitable buyer. To overcome this issue Government is willing to write-off the debt for the potential buyer. Air India has 4 subsidiaries, Air India Express Limited (AIEL), Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), Air India Transport Services Limited (AISTL) and Alliance Air. Each subsidiary has different valuation with experts estimating Air India Express Limited valuation at 8,000 crore, AIESL at 3,000 crore and AITSL valued at roughly 2,000 crore. It also has a joint venture with AISATS which provides ground handling for domestic airports, with a rough estimate worth Rs. 1000 crore.
Further, the profit making and loss making divisions of Air India will have to be strategically demarcated and the airline will have to go through a systematic corporate restructuring to maximise the benefit of privatization. However, this could result into a time consuming and a costly affair. With the expeditious rate at which global airline alliances are taking place, it could be difficult for Air India, albeit post privatization to thrive in such a market.
The advantages for the Buyer on privatization of Air India
Air India has the largest domestic and long haul fleet of 140 planes in the country and flies to approximately 140 international and 72 domestic destinations. Apart from the planes, it also has vast land holdings including its well- known headquarter at Nariman Point costing more than Rs. 1600 crore and nearly 32 acres in central Mumbai. Air India also has properties in New Delhi, Hong Kong, London, Nairobi, Mauritius and Japan.
The sale of prime market slots of Air India like the peak hour landing slots in the busiest airports such as London and New York could fetch the Government a whopping price estimated to be at least Rs 3,000 crore. This could act as a helping hand in clearing the debts of the carrier. Also, the sale of the prime market slots in airports like Delhi and Mumbai would attract foreign airlines to invest in India. Further if both foreign and prospective domestic buyers are allowed to bid freely for the airline, it could attract more value than it could realise from a normal sale. To sum up Air India has an extensive network, a strong brand name, momentous experience, valuable access to airport infrastructure with prime landing slots internationally, and an ideal geographic location for a global hub, thus advantageous in all angles to the buyer.
Conclusion
Air India chief Rajiv Bansal, who has been appointed as the interim Chairman and Managing Director of Air India is working on ways to improvise the airline’s on time performance (OTP) and reduce costs on various fronts prior to the sale of its stake. However, the airline will have to battle its own internal task force as seven of Air India’s unions are expected to meet in New Delhi to draw out a strategy for opposing the privatization process.
Despite numerous challenges and hurdles, the Government is currently in the process of selecting two key players to provide consultation services in the oncoming advisory process. Nonetheless, in light of the recent changes and developments that have taken place in the disinvestment process of Air India, one can only wait and watch how smoothly the entire process progresses.
By Tejasvini Shirodkar, Partner, Rajani Associates; Pearl Boga, Senior Associate, Rajani Associates and Karen Issac, Associate, Rajani Associates
Why Should Air India Be Privatised?
There is a fresh move to turnaround ailing, loss-making Air India. The decision to merge Air India and Indian Air- lines taken in 2007 gas not made Air Indian a strong viable carrier. Efforts of successive governments to infuse funds have not yielded desired results.
1. Case for Privatisation Strong
There is a strong case for its privatisation. The equipment and planes are old and services are pretty bad, depending on the crew assigned to take you on flight. Flights are generally late and often unpleasant as air crafts are old.
2. the Market Share
The market share of Air India is barely 13% and most of its customers enjoy freebies. Politicians, government servants, travel by Air India. Those who have options hardly choose to travel by Air India. The carrier is not a popular choice.
3. Lots of options
The government is considering various options such as disinvestment, sale of stakes to strategic partners etc. Privatisation will not trim the size of Air India and improve efficiency. It will also give a clear message that Indian economy is now market driven on principles of sound governance.
4. end of the era of Controlled economy
If privatisation takes place, it will mark an end to the era of centralised planning and controlled economy. It is an established principle of nationalisation that the government should only interfere when there is market failure. When JRD established Air India as a private carrier, there was hardly any business case for its nationalisation.
However, after nationalisation, the cost of employee per aircraft grew beyond reasonable expectations. At present, there are 221 employees per aircraft. To provide services, to tool several non viable routes. These operational costs were hidden in days of monopoly when there was lack of competition from other operators.
When Air India perceived competition, it failed to keep up and turned into an ailing giant. The only cure is privatisation.
The government’s attempts to infuse capital especially after 2007 have not yielded desired results. Certain dimensions like to acquire aircrafts on lease and surrender of profit making routes further added to its woes. Finally the government is of the view that Air India has no business being a PSU. Certainly, managing an airline should not be the business of the government.
Privatisation/disinvestment will be a step in the right direction to turn around Air India and release the government from the burden of servicing huge debts and using the funds more efficiently elsewhere.
Filed by Opinion Express News Bureau.
New delhi: Why exactly is the Modi government going ahead with plans to privatise/disinvest Air India? Is it because of the airline’s continued losses, demand for government funding under a previously approved turnaround plan and its dismal share of the domestic market? Or is Air India’s dismal share of international traffic, to and from India, the real driver behind the privatisation move? Well, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had listed out the first three reasons when he initially divulged that the government was willing to look at disinvestment in the national carrier.
Now, in the Economic Survey vol- ume II, tabled in Parliament on Friday, the Chief Economic Advisor says dis- investment in Air India will help boost Indian airlines’ international market share. “Reforms such as privatisation/ disinvestment of Air India, creation of aviation hubs and reconsidering the 0/20 rule are some suggestions to improve Indian airlines’ share in the international market.”
The Survey further says there is a need for “committed action plan on privatisation/ disinvestment of the national carrier Air India to enhance its operational and management efficiency because it is a major carrier of international traffic to and from India, account- ing for 11.4 percent of the total international travel. The recent announcement of the government towards privatisation of Air India is a well thought out decision.”
The government seems to lack clarity on its motives for disinvesting its stake in Air India, never mind the over- all benefits of such an exercise. By not being sure of what it is selling out for, the government runs the risk of getting private investors in for wrong reasons and this could well derail the process itself.
Though Jaitley has declared that the decision to privatise/disinvest Air India is on, there is still no clarity on key parameters like whether the government will exit completely or retain some stake; whether foreign airlines will be allowed to participate in the bidding process etc. Besides, how does getting private investors into Air India automatically improve its share of the international market? Remember, IndiGo, India’s largest airline by passengers, has said that it wants to preferably only acquire the international business of Air India and Air India Express to augment its own plans of a low cost long haul operation.
Anyway, as per the latest figures available with safety regulator DGCA, 62 percent of total international traffic to and from India was carried by foreign airlines in Q1 2016-17, leaving just about 38 percent for domestic airlines. This means only about a third of the international traffic was carried by domestic airlines. And even here, Air India was not the first choice of passengers, Jet Airways beat it by a significant margin. Anyhow, Air India’s standalone share among domestic airlines flying to overseas destinations was 28 percent but in the overall scheme of things, when we consider all airlines flying to and from India, Air India’s share was a tad below 11 percent. When numbers for Air India Express (a subsidiary) were included, the market share was about 17 percent. So not even a fifth of the market. How will this improve by merely divesting/privatising the airline remains a mystery.
The argument that makes more sense than using Air India privatisation to increase desiairlines’ international traffic share is the creation of domestic aviation hubs and further easing restrictions on Indian carriers’ overseas flights. On the first, the Survey quotes figures from FY16 to show that the maximum international traffic to and from India was to the UAE almost a third. “The top destinations of passenger traffic to and from India are the Gulf countries of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the South East Asian countries of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
UAE alone accounts for 33.6 percent of the total passenger flows. However, these countries are not the end destinations of all passengers. In fact, these countries are invariably being used as stop-overs/ hubs by their respective home airlines to carry passengers for onward destinations of USA, Canada, Europe etc. This is the 6th freedom of air which allows foreign airlines to fly from a foreign country to another while stopping in one’s own country. The 6th freedom has to a large extent been responsible for reducing the share of direct long haul flights for Indian carriers from 25 percent in 2011-12 to 20.5 per- cent in 2015-16”.
This is the nub of the problem. In- stead of gifting away growing international traffic to and from India to foreign carriers, India should encourage development of domestic hubs so that our desi airlines can take passengers directly, in- stead of foreign carriers first taking passengers to their home countries and then offering them onward connections.
On easing current restrictions on Indian airlines to fly overseas, the Survey has advocated a further liberalisation of the 0/20 rule. This rule allows Indian carriers to fly overseas as long as they own a fleet of 20 aircraft. This is dilution of the earlier 5/20 rule where in addition to the fleet specification, the airline had to have a five-year domes- tic flying record too. “There is need to reconsider the 0/20 rule so as to allow private airlines to fly abroad. In return, private airlines can be mandated to fly to under-served airports in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in order to have greater regional connectivity (UDAN is a good initiative in this direction).”
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