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Consolidate or stagnate
 At
the recently concluded Abacus International Conference at Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia,
I happened to meet an aviation expert from the Asia-Pacific region. He mentioned
that the Indian aviation scene seems quite similar to a Bollywood movie in terms
of its common elements of drama, thrills, action and unpredictability. There
is always the looming question, what next? Who is the next in line to sell out,
merge, buy or just stand by? Consolidate or stagnate seems to be quite the 'in'
thing when we think of aviation.
The general buzz around the event was that Jeh Wadia, founder and managing director,
GoAir, was planning to step down w.e.f September 2007. He is apparently planning
to appoint a CEO for the carrier.
GoAir was also in news for another reason; that it is open to a strategic
investor acquiring up to 26 per cent stake in the airline. It has already received
proposals, which it is presently evaluating. My friend in Malaysia was right;
there is action happening all the time.
The Centre estimates that the fleet operating out of India will reach approximately
five hundred aircraft by the end of 2010. Aircraft manufacturer Airbus pegs
India's demand at one thousand and one hundred aircraft, worth US$ 105 billion,
over the next 20 years. The number of flights in India has virtually doubled
from 2001 to 2007. Mumbai International Airport officially opened its new Terminal
1B at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Delhi International Airport,
a joint venture consortium mandated to modernise and restructure the Indira
Gandhi International Airport, has commissioned a new IP-based digital EPABX
system with advanced multimedia applications and services to improve passenger
facilitation. Jet Airways gets to fly to the Middle East, which is a historic
move. A consortium led by Air Deccan, GVK Airports, IDFC and Rahejas, are exploring
low-cost airport development opportunities in small cities. IndiGo has acquired
its twelfth aircraft - an Airbus A-320. Besides this, more and more greenfield
airports are being planned in India.
All these point to one thing - everyone wants to have a piece of the action
in aviation.
Reema Sisodia
Associate Editor
reema.sisodia@expressindia.com
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