Charge less to fly full, govt advises airlines

February 6, 2013

Charge_less

New Delhi, Feb 6: Concerned over empty flight seats, the government has asked Indian carriers why could they not charge low spot fares so that about 30 per cent of their seats do not go vacant.

Observing that highly exorbitant rates were being charged closer to the travel dates, Civil Aviation Ministry officials, however, made it clear that the government had no intention to decide airfares which have to be determined by the market.

They pointed out that the average passenger load factor for all Indian airlines hovered around 70-75 per cent, implying that the remaining seats on a flight go empty. The officials, at a meeting of the Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Committee on Monday, suggested that the airlines could charge last minute spot-fares at low fares to fill up their seats.

Maintaining that the government would not determine airfares, they said the ministry and aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would continue to closely monitor the movement of airfares, particularly to check both predatory and exorbitant pricing.

The meeting came in the backdrop of a Supreme Court directive last month to DGCA to examine the tariff structure of Indian Airlines in view of the wide range of the base prices of air tickets.

The apex court had expressed concern over the massive differential between the lowest and highest air fares on the price bands.

DGCA sources said efforts would be made to compress these wide price bands, ranging from 12 to as high as 22 set by different airlines on each sector, and make air fares more transparent so that the travelling public was clear about the cost of travel.

While there was a need to make the price bands more transparent, there should also be some rationale behind the huge differences between the highest and the lowest air fares in these price bands, they said. Justifying the high price bands, airline industry sources said that they have to take into account, apart from the actual costs of air travel, the variable costs on inputs like jet fuel, whose prices continue to rise, and staff costs.

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News Network
January 17,2020

Mumbai, Jan 17: A 68-year-old convict of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, Jalees Ansari, went missing on Thursday morning while being on parole, officials said.

Ansari, a resident of Mominpura in Agripada here who is serving a life term, is suspected to be involved in many bomb blast cases across the country, an official said.

He was on parole for 21 days from the Ajmer Central Prison, Rajasthan, and was expected to surrender before prison authorities on Friday, he said.

During the parole period, he was ordered to visit the Agripada Police Station everyday between 10.30 am and 12 pm to mark his attendance, he said.

However, Ansari did not visit the police station on Thursday during the designated time, the official said.

In the afternoon, his 35-year-old son Jaid Ansari approached the police station with a complaint about his “missing” father, he said.

According to the complaint, Jalees Ansari woke up in the early hoursand told family members he is going to offer namaz, but did not return home.

On his complaint, the Agripada Police registered a missing case, he said.

The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra ATS have launched a massive manhunt to trace him, he said.

Jalees, who is known as Doctor Bomb, was allegedly connected with terror outfits like SIMI and Indian Mujahidin and taught terror groups how to make bombs, he said.

He was also questioned by the NIA in 2011 in connection with the 2008 bomb blast in Mumbai, he said.

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News Network
February 17,2020

New Delhi, Feb 17: Two alleged criminals were killed in an exchange of fire with the Special Cell of Delhi Police at Pul Pehlad Pur area in New Delhi on Monday morning, officials said.

The encounter took place around 5 am, they said.

Raja Qureshi and Ramesh Bahadur, who were injured during the encounter, were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were declared brought dead by doctors, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P S Kushwah said.

According to police, the two men were involved in multiple cases of murder and robbery.

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News Network
April 6,2020

New Delhi, April 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that people from every section of the society and age group demonstrated unity on Sunday by responding to the Prime Minister '9 pm-9minute' appeal and strengthened the resolve to the fight against COVID-19.

"We experienced yesterday at 9 pm, the strength of togetherness of 130 crores people of our country," said PM Modi.

He further praised the citizens of the country for their support to the lockdown imposed across India in the wake of coronavirus threat.

"The maturity shown by the people during the lockdown, in a large country like India, is unprecedented. No one could have imagined that the people will abide by this with such obedience and sense of service," said Prime Minister Modi.

"I state it with full responsibility that this is a long war against coronavirus pandemic. But we do not have to get tired or take a rest in this war. We have to emerge victoriously. Today, the country has only one goal and one resolve - to win this war," he added.

The Prime Minister continued saying, that the government has developed an Aarogya Setu app through which one can get information regarding the infected cases around them.

"I request all of you to tell people about it, everyone should make sure that at least 40 others install it. They will get info through it about possibly infected cases around them. In these tough times, we have to ensure this," he added.

The Prime Minister also advised everyone to take necessary preventive measures and stay protected by adopting the mantra of social distancing.

"Always remember, whenever you go out your face should be covered, I say you should keep your face covered even at your homes. The mantra today for the whole world is social distancing and discipline," he added.

Prime Minister Modi addressed the BJP workers and the nation on the occasion of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 40th Foundation Day.

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