The trails of mega-mergers, tailwinds of expanding fleets, flights and airports will dot the fast-growing Indian aviation firmament in 2025, though the dark clouds of supply chain woes will persist longer. Also, new airline takeoffs, the future trajectory of revised norms to tackle pilot fatigue and efforts to reduce carbon emissions will be on the radar.
The last date to submit bids is March 17 but the deadline could be extended if there are requests from potential bidders.
Air-India on Tuesday took the delivery of the first of the three Boeing 737-800s for its subsidiary A-I Express for operations to the Gulf.
SpiceJet, Air India Express and IndiGo will operate special flights from Hungarian capital Budapest and Romania's Bucharest on Monday and Tuesday to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive.
Falling jet fuel prices and a revival in domestic traffic growth offer the new CMD a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Eyeing potential business opportunity, Boeing Corporation is planning to approach the proposed Tata-Singapore Airlines.
In March 2020, soon after the cessation of airline operations globally and domestic flights within India, many in the aviation sector had written Delhi-headquartered low-fare airline SpiceJet's obituary well before that of most of its rivals. Unlike IndiGo, GoAir (now rechristened Go First), Vistara and even AirAsia India, SpiceJet did not have founders or backers with deep pockets. Although it is the only other listed carrier in India besides IndiGo, it was considered the weakest and the least likely to survive the pandemic. But chairman and managing director Ajay Singh surprised everyone by not only surviving but taking the lead on many fronts. Within a few weeks of the scheduled flight stoppage, SpiceJet was doing as many charter flights as it could get hold of.
The tragic incident saw 241 of the 242 lives on board the London-bound Boeing 787-8 perish, along with 29 people on the ground as the aircraft plunged into a medical college campus shortly after takeoff.
While Air India Express is expected to get the full insured amount for the hull loss, it will have to pay compensation to the kin of the deceased and injured, according to applicable laws. The compensation will be paid from its liability cover.
Air India is arranging for grief counselors in an attempt to help the family members of the victims of the Air India crash overcome the tragedy. One 'Angel' -- a Special Assistance Team member of Air India -- is also being attached to each survivor and to the families of the deceased victims to assist them in any possible way. There were eight survivors in the crash of the Air India Express from Dubai, in which 152 passengers and the six-member crew were killed.
The Air India board has cleared a proposal for sending its pilots on deputation to its budget arm, Air India Express, which has been facing shortage of commanders for some time now.
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has asked Air India to avoid flying its Dreamliner planes near thunderstorms as it enhanced the risk of icing on engines and the airline has changed its operating procedures accordingly.
A Mumbai-Delhi air ticket is now available upwards of Rs 3,700 for next day travel on all airlines.
The airline had renewed its insurance on Oct 1 for nearly $29 million to cover its 132 aircraft.
Demand for the earlier variant 737NG planes is also expected to pick up due to the grounding of MAX planes.
On May 22 2010, a Boeing 737-800 passenger jet operating Air India Express Flight 812 from Dubai to Mangalore, crashed on landing. Nearly 160 people lost their lives in the 2010 crash.
From highways connecting once-remote regions to aviation networks carrying millions, India's infrastructure story is one of transformation.
Though a formal purchase agreement with Boeing is yet to be signed, SpiceJet's order size could be of 40-50 planes, a source familiar with the development said. At list price, a 737 Max aircraft is valued at about $100 million (Rs 620 crore).
'Rohit Sharma's victorious team will take a ride on an open-top bus in a parade from the National Centre for Performing Arts in Nariman Point to the iconic Wankhede stadium at 4 pm on Thursday evening, said a report in The Indian Express newspaper.
Boeing is pressing hard to win the Indian Navy contract for 57 aircraft carrier-borne fighters. It could offer the Super Hornet in the ongoing IAF procurement of 114 medium fighters; its upgraded F-15EX fighter also on the list.
The airlines is in talks with Oman Air and Etihad.
Along with HAL, Boeing intends to involve the Mahindra Group in building Super Hornets in India.
Travels to Gulf accounted for 40% of India's international air traffic in 2016.
This is the third instance in the last three days when the aviation regulator grounded a plane after an incident.
The Indian consulate in Dubai will remain open on Saturday to help those who need assistance to travel to Kerala and provide information about the crash of the Air India Express flight that skidded off a hilltop runway and split in two while landing in heavy rain at an airport in Kozhikode, killing at least 18 people.
On Monday, the fifth Air India flight landed in Delhi from Bucharest with 249 Indian nationals while the sixth flight arrived from Budapest here with 240 Indian nationals, the officials said.
Survivors of Air India Express passenger plane from Dubai that crashed outside the airport in Mangalore after overshooting the runway on Saturday, recounted their near death experience.
The pilot of the ill-fated flight -- IX-1344 -- could not sight the runway in the first landing attempt due to heavy rains. The Kozhikode airport in Kerala has a table-top runway and is operated by the AAI.
The CISF has said it was the 'first responder' to rescue passengers on Friday as its Assistant Sub Inspector Ajit Singh was on runway patrol when the Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people on board overshot the table top runway, fell into a 35-foot valley and broke into two.
The report, released a little over a year after the deadly crash of the Air India Express plane, said the "probable cause of the accident was the non adherence to SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) by the PF (Pilot Flying)".
Captain Sathe was a former Indian Air Force Test pilot. He was commissioned into service in 1981 and served in the force for 22 years.
Sundays are generally quiet days for air travel, but this Sunday was a tad different. There was quite an excitement at Gate 28 of Mumbai airport's Terminal 1 as Akasa Air, India's newest airline, prepared to take to the skies on Day 1. With a new fuel-efficient Boeing 737 Max aircraft and soft cushioned seats equipped with USB ports, Akasa Air hopes to bring freshness to the flying experience.
Earlier, budget carrier SpiceJet said it would hire 500 from Jet, including 100 pilots. Air India Express has also inducted around 25 commanders from the grounded airline.
Along with IAF officials, the AAIB will also reach out to experienced private sector executives, meteorologists, and aviation psychologists to be part of the probe.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar says global aircraft makers will have to get approval from their own governments to transfer technology and build jets in India.
Tabletop runways are constructed on hilly or elevated terrains. Also, there could be low lying areas adjacent to such runways and there could be gorges at the end of such runways. Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman Arvind Singh told PTI that tabletop runways are there at four airports operated by it.
India and the US on Thursday said they are looking forward to the reconvening of the India-US Trade Policy Forum later this year to further enhance trade relationship and identify new areas for engagement.
