KC Venugopal from Kerala becomes Minister of state for Civil Aviation
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: WIDE ASIA
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
KC Venugopal from Kerala becomes Minister of state for Civil Aviation
K.C.Venugopal, the new minister of state for civil aviation after the cabinet reshuffle on Sunday, will have to work towards infusing changes in Air India Express, the budget airline of Air India, say aviation experts in Kerala.
A top aviation expert said that the need of the hour is that Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy should prevail upon Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to see that Venugopal is given complete charge of Air India Charters Ltd., a subsidiary of Air India under which Air India Express comes.
Close to 70 per cent of Air India Express flights operate from three Kerala airports and Mangalore, on the Karnataka-Kerala border.
"Though the Air India Express headquarters are located in Kochi, all operational and commercial activities of the airline take place from Mumbai and certain key functions are handled by retired Air India officials. This has to end and if done at the earliest, then Air India Express will become the darling of Keralites," an aviation expert said, declining to be named.
AirIndia Express has 21 aircraft and operates to all Middle-East countries wheremore than 90 percent of the Kerala diaspora work.
Of late, Air India has drawn flak from passengers as well as Chandy, who said that each time he asks Air India to pull up their socks, they hike air fares.
According to K.V. Muraledharan, president of the Kerala Association of Travel Agents,Venugopal has to ensure that the issues of the merger between Air India and Indian Airlines is settled once and for all.
"Another important task before him is to ensure that professional managers are given a free hand because today in many places retired Air India officials occupy posts and hence no responsibilities can be fixed," said Muraleedharan.
"Yes,I know this portfolio is a very challenging one and I wish to do my best,"Venugopal said
Venugopal,49, a three-time legislator from Alapuzha, won his maiden Lok Sabha election in2 009. Before Sunday's cabinet reshuffle, he was minister of state for power
A top aviation expert said that the need of the hour is that Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy should prevail upon Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to see that Venugopal is given complete charge of Air India Charters Ltd., a subsidiary of Air India under which Air India Express comes.
Close to 70 per cent of Air India Express flights operate from three Kerala airports and Mangalore, on the Karnataka-Kerala border.
"Though the Air India Express headquarters are located in Kochi, all operational and commercial activities of the airline take place from Mumbai and certain key functions are handled by retired Air India officials. This has to end and if done at the earliest, then Air India Express will become the darling of Keralites," an aviation expert said, declining to be named.
AirIndia Express has 21 aircraft and operates to all Middle-East countries wheremore than 90 percent of the Kerala diaspora work.
Of late, Air India has drawn flak from passengers as well as Chandy, who said that each time he asks Air India to pull up their socks, they hike air fares.
According to K.V. Muraledharan, president of the Kerala Association of Travel Agents,Venugopal has to ensure that the issues of the merger between Air India and Indian Airlines is settled once and for all.
"Another important task before him is to ensure that professional managers are given a free hand because today in many places retired Air India officials occupy posts and hence no responsibilities can be fixed," said Muraleedharan.
"Yes,I know this portfolio is a very challenging one and I wish to do my best,"Venugopal said
Venugopal,49, a three-time legislator from Alapuzha, won his maiden Lok Sabha election in2 009. Before Sunday's cabinet reshuffle, he was minister of state for power
Last edited by blackbirdsr72; 28th Oct 2012 at 13:14.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chennai (MAA)
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
He will get invited to a few functions, can inaugarate a new frequency once in a while and may be recommend a few people for appointment to an already overstaffed organisation... That is pretty much it......
Will also hopefully get him a few more votes next time on ...
He has a big Daddy above him in the ministry and the Big Daddy is not from his party and the Big Daddy is the one who will call the shots........
Will also hopefully get him a few more votes next time on ...
He has a big Daddy above him in the ministry and the Big Daddy is not from his party and the Big Daddy is the one who will call the shots........
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: WIDE ASIA
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is as a result of Lobbying for Air Kerala.... They want to get exemptions on going International (Middle East) for the proposed Airline... Its all politics. whoever the boss is maybe he will have to compromise on certain issues since his party numbers on Parliament is way too small for a bargain with congress...
wonder what will be the future of AI express if this proposal gets through......
wonder what will be the future of AI express if this proposal gets through......
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chennai (MAA)
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But is Air Kerala the highest priority for the Congress as a whole to risk an ally to which the current incumbent belongs?
Remember Kerala sends 20 MPs to parliament, the ally's state sends 4 times as many.
Also on a serious note if Air Kerala is allowed an exemption, it will be a big injustice to not only AIX but also atleast one domestic airline who is still not allowed to operate international for the reason they havent got 20 aircraft!!!
I am not against exceptions, infact a big exception has been made for Kannur Airport with both CCJ and IXE around the corner, but traffic justifies it.
But not for Air Kerala. De-regulation may the IN thing but controlled regulation doesnt do any harm either!!!! You want more air services to Kerala, liberalise the bilaterals even more, EK for instance will only be too happy I guess to add another couple a day each to TRV COK and CCJ and the same can be reciprocated by AIX as well.
Remember Kerala sends 20 MPs to parliament, the ally's state sends 4 times as many.
Also on a serious note if Air Kerala is allowed an exemption, it will be a big injustice to not only AIX but also atleast one domestic airline who is still not allowed to operate international for the reason they havent got 20 aircraft!!!
I am not against exceptions, infact a big exception has been made for Kannur Airport with both CCJ and IXE around the corner, but traffic justifies it.
But not for Air Kerala. De-regulation may the IN thing but controlled regulation doesnt do any harm either!!!! You want more air services to Kerala, liberalise the bilaterals even more, EK for instance will only be too happy I guess to add another couple a day each to TRV COK and CCJ and the same can be reciprocated by AIX as well.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Delhi, India
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Venugopal and the Big Brother
It will depend on the Big Bro how much power or what areas of responsibility he gives to Minister of State Venugopal or just keeps him in good humour. Ajit Singh has been running roughshod on several matters. It seems he is micro-managing the state-run undertakings like (troubled) Air India and Airports Authority of India. For example, he himself "abolished" PLI for Air India pilots which should have been normally done by the airline management after the Dharmadhikari report. He recently created a new Aircraft Acquisition Committee which has one person who is (I think still is) on the payroll of a prominent private airline company as an advisor. Despite huffing and puffing, he delayed action against Kingfisher (he removed the erstwhile DGCA for recommending certain measures, which were implemented later by the incumbent). There are several other examples. So, it will depend on Venugopal, a Congressman, as to how he checks such activities of the Big Brother. And, though Ajit Singh's state elects over 80 MPs, four times more than Kerala, his party has only four MPs, including himself, out of that 80!!! 
