AIX Connect removes manager from duty; senior airline officials apologise to K'taka Governor
Bengaluru airport incident
New Delhi, Jul 31: Budget airline AIX Connect has removed its manager from duty at Bengaluru airport following the incident of a flight taking off without Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot last week, a source said on Monday.
Besides, senior officials of the airline on Monday met the Governor in Bengaluru. They apprised him about the situation and the steps taken and also apologised for the incident, the source said on the condition of anonymity.
On July 27, an AIX Connect from Bengaluru to Hyderabad took off without the Governor over an alleged delay in reporting and later, his office lodged a complaint at the Bengaluru airport police station.
AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India, is part of the Air India Group.
The source on Monday said the airline's airport manager concerned at the time of the incident was immediately removed from duty and an investigation is going on.
On July 28, the airline expressed regret over the incident and said that an investigation was being conducted.
Following the incident, the Governor's Protocol Officer M Venugopal had lodged the complaint over a "breach of protocol".
As per the complaint, Gehlot was supposed to fly to Hyderabad on the AIX Connect flight at 2.05 pm on July 27.
"Accordingly, the Governor left Raj Bhavan at 1.10 pm and reached the VIP Lounge of Terminal-1 at 1.35 pm. By that time, the luggage belonging to the Governor was loaded onto the plane," it said.
The Governor reached the ladder of the plane at 2.06 pm.
"However, AirAsia (AIX Connect) employee Arif denied entry to the Governor saying that there was a delay in arrival, though the door of the plane was still open," the complaint alleged.
"Besides this, the Governor's luggage was unloaded in which 10 minutes were lost. The Governor was still standing near the ladder and the door of the plane was still open. Yet, the Governor was ignored and insulted by not allowing him inside the flight," Venugopal had said.
Gehlot returned to the VIP Lounge and took another flight after 90 minutes to reach Hyderabad.
"This incident has deeply hurt the Governor, who is the first citizen of Karnataka. By obstructing him from discharging his official duty, his protocol has been breached. We request you to initiate legal action against (AIX Connect Station Manager) Zico Soares, Arif and AirAsia (AIX Connect)," as per the complaint.
Regretting the incident, AIX Connect, on July 28, also said, "An investigation is being conducted and appropriate action will be taken".
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South zone finalists announced at WAVES VFX challenge in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The South Zone round of the WAVES VFX Challenge took place today in Bengaluru, organized by the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI).
The day-long competition brought together talented participants from across southern India, with the goal of selecting top finalists who will go on to represent the region at the national finals next month during the WAVES Summit in Mumbai.
Finalists were selected in three categories:
Student Category
Winner: Soumya Das
Runner-up: Gagan HP
Professional Category
Winner: Mohamad Javeed
Runner-up: S Sai Chandan
Enthusiasts Category
Winner: Gagan Ajai
Over 1,500 entries were received from students, working professionals, and VFX enthusiasts, all centered around the theme “Super Hero Power.” Out of these, 14 entries were shortlisted to compete in today’s final round. One winner and one runner-up from each category were chosen to represent the South Zone in Mumbai.
ABAI Secretary R.K. Chand appreciated the strong participation and encouraged industry professionals to attend the Mumbai summit, which will host well-known personalities from films, advertising, and creative sectors. He also mentioned that the WAVES Challenge was recently launched in Bengaluru by Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Sagar Gulati, Director of the School of Creative Design and Information Technology at Jain (Deemed-to-be University), the zonal partner for the competition.
The day also featured two special sessions led by industry experts. Vijay Selvam from the global VFX studio MPC held a masterclass titled “Concept Reality,” where he discussed lighting, animation, compositing, and photorealistic effects. Students got the chance to interact with him during a Q&A session.
Another session was conducted by Rakesh H, Lead Head at The Mill, who spoke about how visual effects are used in advertising. Nearly 100 students attended these sessions, gaining valuable industry insights and learning opportunities.
