Assignment Code: BTMS-185/2021-22

Course Code: BTMS-185

Assignment Name: Airport Handling

Year: 2021-2022

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Assignment A

Answer the following in about 500 words each.

Q1) Enumerate and explain the various functions and operations in an Airport. 20

Ans) An airport essentially works as a facilitator and its Functions vary as per its size. The various functions of an airport can broadly  be grouped in three categories:

Essential Operational Services

Essential services include maintenance of runways, terminals, hangers, building, air traffic control system, telecommunications, security, fire and ambulance services. Different countries have different rules in providing these services depending on the nature of government control over the airport authority. In India, till now all these facilities are provided and controlled by government through various agencies.

Traffic Handling Services

Traffic handling services include provision of loading and unloading of baggage, delivery of baggage through conveyer belts at the lounge, processing of passengers and providing required services to the passengers. Here also difference exists among airports in different countries. For example, in many European countries these services are provided by airlines ex special handling agents. In India these services are provided by the airport authorities.

Commercial Activities

Commercial activities include shops, duty free shops, restaurants, bars, car-hire booths, Offices of travel agencies and airlines, tourist information centre, foreign currency exchange Aviation manages the airports and controls the various facilities and services provided by Indian airports. Major airports in India are located in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Besides these all-state capitals and important cities have airports. Functions of different airports depend on the number of aircraft movements, number of passengers and volume of freight. This outline of functions provides a general idea of the different areas which should be the concern of airport managers.

Operations in an Airport

An airport operations job includes the responsibility for supervising the daily procedures of an airport terminal. Airport operations job duties are inside procedures to oversee the landing field, ramps, safety, and protection of the flight terminal. If you have actually ever before looked outside your airplane window prior to taking off or after landing and observed individuals guiding cars or accomplishing tasks on the landing, they are operating in chairside procedures. Airport operations job roles in charge of managing the process of production of items and solutions. It entails planning, organizing, working with, as well as controlling all the resources needed to generate a company’s products as well as solutions.

Some Airport operations jobs consist of interacting directly with pilots, terminal renters, air traffic control service tower personnel, emergency situation crews, and the general public. The Airport operations job needs the manager to apply city, region, and state regulations and legislation to maintain a smooth-running Center. Airport operations job providing help to other firms throughout emergencies is the main feature. Supervisors likewise have to carry out protection as well as security inspections, preserve detailed logs of all operations, apply airfield vehicle driver security regulations, and concern citations for violations.

Delegation of authority to ensure tools is well preserved as well as repair services are executed belongs to the regular task duties. At the same time, there are certain other agencies like the Customs, security (police), emigration department, etc. which are very much present at the airport but are not a part of the airport management. Each one of these agencies has its own regulations, laws, roles and duties defined by the government. Yet, in public eye they are part of airport regulations and in most of the cases have a bearing on an airport's image.

Q2) Discuss the application of Global Distribution System (GDS) in Tourism. 20

Ans) In the tourism and hospitality industries, GDS (Global Distribution System) refers to a network

system connecting multiple vendors of services with end consumers or travel agents and allow them for direct booking. The service vendors include airlines, hotel rooms, car rentals, cruises, events, and activities.

During the 1960s, hotels and airlines started to build Central Reservation Systems (CRS) to handle reservations for their individual business or inventory. In the 1980s, the need to conveniently access reservations for all aspects of the travel prompted different airlines and hotel chains to connect their inventory together and sell them directly to travel agents. GDS was established as a spin-off service that would link the different CRSs of multiple companies.

Companies in the same type of industry were connected, as well as different industries, such as airline, hotel chains, and car rentals. Since the late 1990s, along with the development of the Internet, GDS’s have emerged as a business in their own right, specializing in travel distribution for many different types of services. Sabre, Galileo, Amadeus, and World span have emerged as the GDS’s with the largest market shares.

Application of GDS in Tourism

Global distribution systems are an intermediary between vendors, such as hotels and airlines, and service providers, such as online travel agencies. While most big GDSs are linked to the major travel agencies, smaller, less expensive GDSs may offer a limited amount of travel agencies.

Vendors sign up and link their own inventory to a global distribution system. Once linked, customers can use the different portals associated with the GDS to purchase from a vendor. To avoid overbooking, each service provider receives real-time updated inventory from the airline or hospitality company (vendor).

Not only do vendors show their inventory, but they can automatically update products and rates. This allows vendors to use a dynamic pricing method that immediately changes over all of their portals.

Global Distribution System is the brain of the travel industry. It is a computerized network system which provides real-time information to companies such as airlines, hotels, car rental and travel agencies. Each of these sectors uses GDS to view real-time inventory of services offered in the travel industry.

For example, using GDS, a travel agency can find the availability of hotel rooms, flight seats or cars on behalf of their clients and book through the same GDS.

Benefits of Using GDS

GDS will be the most important channel of distribution for airlines, hotels and car rental companies. Some of the major benefits of using GDS are:

1. Effective in attracting international travellers

2. 24/7 access to inventory

3. Enables business models such as retail travel agency and OTA (Online Travel Agency)

4. Offer consumers increased pricing transparency

5. Travel agents can get a global platform with a strong market penetration

6. Provide best rates to your customers which no other system can provide

7. Place travel services to many clients without affecting your marketing budget

Assignment B

Answer the following questions in about 250 words each.

Q3) What do you understand by the Greenwich Mean Time and International Date Line?

Explain the significance of International Date Line with the help of suitable examples. 10

Ans) GMT and IDL significance is written as below:

The Greenwich Mean Time

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. At different times in the past, it has been calculated in different ways, including being calculated from noon as a consequence, it cannot be used to specify a particular time unless a context is given. The term 'GMT' is also used as one of the names for the time zone UTC+00:00 and, in UK law, is the basis for civil time in the United Kingdom.

The International Date Line

The international date line, established in 1884, passes through the mid-Pacific Ocean and roughly follows a 180 degrees longitude north-south line on the Earth. It is located halfway around the world from the prime meridian — the 0 degrees longitude line in Greenwich, England. Despite its name, the international date line has no legal international status and countries are free to choose the dates that they observe. While the date line generally runs north to south from pole to pole, it zigzags around political borders such as eastern Russia and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

Significance of International Date Line

The international date line functions as a “line of demarcation” separating two consecutive calendar dates. When you cross the date line, you become a time traveller of sorts! Cross to the west and it’s one day later; cross back and you’ve “gone back in time."

The date line, which roughly follows the 180-degree meridian, is about halfway around the globe from the prime meridian, which measures 0-degrees longitude. The date line helps divide the world into 24 time zones. Crossing the date line either adds 24 hours or subtracts 24 hours from a traveller’s day. For example, if it is Sunday in New Delhi, it will be Saturday in New York. But if we cross the IDL from the west to the east, a day gets added.

Q4) Explain the concept of ‘Passengers with Special Needs’ as usually described by the Airlines. 10

Ans) A person with a disability may have a physical or mental impairment that impacts a major life activity - such as walking, hearing, or breathing. This may be on a permanent or temporary basis. For example, a person with a temporary disability may have a broken leg that is temporarily fused or immobilized. Airlines must accommodate the needs of air travellers with disabilities. The Air Carrier Access Act is a law that makes it illegal for airlines to discriminate against passengers because of their disability. The Department of Transportation is responsible for enforcing the ACAA, which applies to all flights to, from, or within the United States.

Persons with Disabilities or Persons with Reduced Mobility

When Incapacitated Passengers travel, every effort is made to make their journey comfortable and all necessary arrangements are made in advance, in order to facilitate them. Incapacitated Passengers shall be defined as those with a physical disability or a neurological disorder or with a medical condition, who require individual attention or assistance on emplaning/deplaning, during the flight and during ground handling, which is normally not extended to other passengers. This requirement will be apparent from special requests made by the passenger or by their family or by a medical authority at the time of making a booking.

Flight attendants of Airlines are generally trained to:

Airlines are also required to provide passengers with disabilities many types of assistance, including wheelchair or other guided assistance to board, deplane, or connect to another flight; seating accommodation assistance that meets passengers’ disability-related needs; and assistance with the loading and stowing of assistive devices.

1. Understand the different categories of passengers with special needs and different kinds of care required

2. Identify and respond to the needs and expectations of passengers with special needs. This might include such things as accommodating a guide dog, using correct lifting techniques or providing toilet assistance, and it always includes use of appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication.

3. Conduct individual pre-flight/emergency briefings on safety and general issues.

4. Brief other cabin crew regarding any passengers with special needs onboard.

5. Follow and apply procedures such as Civil Aviation Regulations and Standards

6. Respond appropriately to any signs of discomfort or distress.

Q5) ‘Modern airports resemble cities. Comment on the statement and substantiate your answer with suitable examples. 10

Ans) For very long our airports have been deliberately planned outside city limits.  Just as we have central cities and the greater metropolis, you now will have airport cities and the greater "aerotropolis", he says. "Spines and clusters of airport-linked businesses are forming along airport transportation corridors up to 25 kilometres from the airport, with a significant economic impact up to 90 kilometres," he adds.

Kasarda says that cities built around international airports are better positioned for global trade and competitiveness. International airports are increasingly serving as a magnet for commercial development and could rival traditional downtown central business districts as the core of economic activity in urban areas. In his view, the airport city will have two aspects - the terminal and airside, and landside and around airport. The terminal and airside could include shopping mall concepts merged into passenger terminals like we already see in many major airports - retail, including upscale boutiques, restaurants, both fast food and high-end, leisure (fitness, recreation, spas) as well as culture (museums, regional art, musicians, chapels). This side will house the logistics and air cargo facilities.

The landside and the area around the airport could see development of hotels, entertainment centres, office and retail complexes, convention and exhibition centres, foreign trade zones and customs free zones and, more importantly, time-sensitive goods processing and distribution. Kasardian cities also envision connectivity via major highways as well as other transportation such as a metro link.

For Example

Some cities with upcoming mega-airports are Seoul, Dubai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok airport already has a mini city stationed on a nearby island for its 45,000 workers, and another section, the Sky City is being built. This will include the already-opened Asia World-Expo exhibition centre, a second airport hotel, a nine-hole golf course, offices and a China-bound ferry terminal.

The greenfield airport being developed by GMR HIAL at Shamshabad in Hyderabad - a joint venture company promoted by GMR Group (63 per cent), Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (11 per cent), Government of Andhra Pradesh (13 per cent) and Airports Authority of India (13 per cent) too will adopt the aerotropolis concept. The new airport will have a dedicated "airport village" with a local flavour complete with shops.

Assignment C

Answer the following questions in about 100 words each.

Q6) Discuss the linkage between World Geography and IATA. 6

Ans) Air connectivity reflects how well a country is connected to cities around the world. Access to greater air connectivity is fundamental to the ability of a given country or city to develop economic linkages with the rest of the world. Air connectivity provides the foundation for international mobility of people and goods and is therefore a vital engine of economic growth worldwide.

IATA’s air connectivity index was developed to evaluate the linkages between air connectivity and economic performance, so the relevant reference point is a country. The connectivity score can also be reported for cities. The IATA air connectivity score can be used to evaluate air connectivity at the level of a city, country or region. For example, a national government may be interested in adopting policies aimed at improving its country’s air connectivity score within the region. The IATA connectivity score at the country level can be used to benchmark the country against other regional peers.

Q7) What do you understand by ‘Freedom of Air’? 6

Ans) The freedoms of the air are a set of commercial aviation rights granting a country's airlines the privilege to enter and land in another country's airspace. They were formulated as a result of disagreements over the extent of aviation liberalisation in the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 1944, known as the Chicago Convention. The United States had called for a standardized set of separate air rights to be negotiated between states, but most other countries were concerned that the size of the U.S. airlines would dominate air travel if there were not strict rules.

The freedoms of the air are the fundamental building blocks of the international commercial aviation route network. The use of the terms "freedom" and "right" confers entitlement to operate international air services only within the scope of the multilateral and bilateral treaties (air services agreements) that allow them.

Q8) What are the different types of Air Tariff? Also mention the factors affecting Air Tariff. 6

Ans) An airfare (otherwise known as a fare) is the fee paid by a passenger for air transport and is made up of the charge for a passenger to fly from an origin to destination and includes the conditions, rules and restrictions for travelling on the airfare. Airfares are typically made up of fare and rule components that define the airfare product, services and price and includes origin/destination pair, fare class, one-way/round-trip indicator, fare amount, validity dates, mileage and other rules.

Types of Airline Tariff

First, business, economy plus, and economy/coach are the four fare classes available. On most major carriers' flights, there are at least two levels of service. Low-cost and regional airlines may only offer coach seating. Some low-cost carriers, such as AirTran, only sell one-way tickets, so keep that in mind when booking your journey online.

Q9) Discuss the role and functions of AAI. 6

Ans) AAI is a service organization. Vigilance Directorate’s role and functions are as under.

Preventive Role

In its preventive role, it carries out awareness campaigns wherein it creates sensitivity towards day-to-day matters having scope for malpractices and corruption. These campaigns include Vigilance Awareness Week which is a yearly event and Vigilance Awareness Programs like Workshops having lectures, seminars etc being conducted throughout the year at different locations to achieve the objective of zero tolerance to corruption.

Punitive Role

In its punitive role, it Assists the Disciplinary Authority in promptly disciplining the defaulters from vigilance angle by speedy processing the cases and monitoring various stages of disciplinary proceedings.

The functions of AAI are as follows:

1. Design, Development, Operation and Maintenance of international and domestic airports and civil enclaves.

2. Control and Management of the Indian airspace extending beyond the territorial limits of the country, as accepted by ICAO.

Q10) Answer any two of the followings. (2 X3 =6)

a) 3 letter Country code of India and Nigeria

Ans) IND 356

This is a complete list of all country ISO codes as described in the ISO 3166 international standard. These codes are used throughout the IT industry by computer systems and software to ease the identification of country names.

The three letter Country code of Nigeria is : 566.

b) City Code of Brisbane and Venice

Ans) The city or Area code for Brisbane, Australia is : + 61 7.

The city code or Area code for Venice, Italy is : + 39 41.

c) Airport Code of J.F.Kennedy International Airport at New York City and Washington Dulles International Airport at Washington DC

Ans) The Airport Code of J.F.Kennedy International Airport at New York City is: JFK.

The Airport Code of Washington Dulles International Airport at Washington DC is: IAD.