An Air India Express flight carrying over 180 passengers from Kannur to Jeddah was forced to return to Kannur airport within two hours of take-off due to an engine fault, specifically a fuel filter issue. All passengers landed safely, and the airline is arranging an alternative aircraft and accommodation.
The Tata Group has begun scouting for a suitable candidate to head Air India, as the tenure of the incumbent, Campbell Wilson, will end next year, sources have said. Meanwhile, the Group is also looking to appoint a new managing director for its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express.
Air India Group has accumulated losses of about Rs 47,821 crore since its takeover, leaving its prolonged transformation among the biggest unfinished projects of N Chandrasekaran's tenure.
The pilots testing positive have been removed from duty, with their samples sent for confirmatory testing.
Two Air India Group pilots have failed initial drug tests, with their samples sent for confirmatory analysis. This comes after mandatory psychoactive substance testing was implemented following an incident where a pilot tested positive for marijuana after a flight lost altitude.
Air India and Air India Express are implementing mandatory psychoactive substance testing for all their 5,000+ pilots. This decision follows an incident where the pilot of a Phuket-Delhi flight, which experienced a sudden altitude drop injuring 24 people, tested positive for marijuana. The testing aims to enhance safety standards and reassure passengers.
Tewolde Gebremariam, a seasoned aviation professional with extensive experience at Ethiopian Airlines, has been named the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India. He is tasked with leading the airline's ambitious five-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI, aimed at achieving significant growth and profitability, marking him as the second foreign national to helm Air India under Tata Group ownership.
An initial analysis reveals that an Air India Airbus A320 flying from Phuket to Delhi experienced multiple hydraulic system failures, leading to a four-second loss of flight controls and a sudden 300-foot altitude drop, injuring 24 people. The incident is under investigation by the AAIB, and the pilot-in-command subsequently tested positive for a psychoactive substance, prompting Air India to implement mandatory testing for all its pilots.
Air India Group anticipates the delivery of 50-60 new aircraft within the next 18 months, with its ambitious transformation programme progressing despite global challenges like supply chain issues and geopolitical tensions, according to Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal.
Delhi Police arrest an off-duty Air India Express pilot accused of assaulting a passenger at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
'We may be able to wind back some of the schedule reductions we'd taken in recent months.'
Air India, IndiGo, and Air India Express are temporarily reducing their domestic flights due to surging jet fuel prices and lower travel demand. The airlines are cutting flights by 10 to 22 per cent in the coming months.
The flight was delayed post midnight because of a "technical glitch" and passengers remained seated inside all the while, an aggrieved traveller said in a video that has gone viral on social media.
Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson has resigned after four years at the helm, prompting the airline to form a committee to find his replacement. Wilson's tenure saw significant changes, including the merger of airlines and fleet expansion, but also faced challenges such as the London-bound flight crash and safety concerns.
Air India group announces fuel surcharges on domestic and international flights due to rising Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices, following the government's decision to cap domestic ATF price hikes.
Air India is upgrading its fleet of Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crucial for its long-haul operations, with retrofitting expected to be completed by early 2028. The airline has already received its first retrofitted plane, featuring a three-class configuration.
Outgoing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the airline's foundations have been rebuilt over the last four years, but non-delivery of aircraft on schedule has significantly impacted growth and fleet modernisation. He also revealed he has no plans to take up another full-time executive position after stepping down.
Air India and Air India Express are introducing a fuel surcharge on domestic and international flights due to rising jet fuel prices, impacting travel costs for passengers.
With 7.64 million seats, the Mumbai-Delhi route in 2025 was the eighth busiest route in the world.
Air India and Air India Express on Tuesday progressively resumed their services to the Middle East, with flights to Dubai and Muscat, respectively, as countries in the region reopened their airspaces.
Mohammed Siraj has expressed his frustration and disappointment over the delay of his Air India Express flight on Wednesday.
An Air India Express flight cabin crew has been arrested by the Customs for allegedly smuggling over 1.4 kg gold through Cochin International Airport near Kochi, official sources said.
Both parties will discuss the issues and there will be a meeting again on May 28, he said.
India has voiced its deep concern over reports of increasing civilian casualties in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, emphasising the protection of civilians and the importance of international law.
Two Air India and Air India Express planes narrowly avoided a collision on the same runway at Mumbai airport after an Air India aircraft aborted its take-off on air traffic control instructions. The incident occurred when one plane was landing and the other was preparing for take-off, highlighting critical aviation safety protocols.
After the merger of Indian and Air India, their subsidiaries - Alliance Air and Air India Express - would be merged as well.
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has officially commenced its international flight operations with an Air India Express service to Abu Dhabi, marking a significant boost in connectivity for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and establishing a new global gateway.
Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the process of merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself.
According to a source, Suhail Thanalot, a senior crew member of AIE and a native of Thillenkeri in Kannur district, was apprehended following intelligence and evidence compiled by the DRI regarding his involvement in the gold smuggling incident.
The accused, Abdul Musavir Nadukandee, was arrested after the flight made an emergency landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai on Saturday, an official from Sahar police said.
India has strongly condemned Pakistan's recent air strikes on Afghan territory, which resulted in civilian casualties. The Ministry of External Affairs labelled the strikes a "blatant act of aggression" and a "direct threat" to regional peace, reiterating India's support for Afghanistan's sovereignty.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, credited with stabilising Tata Sons after a boardroom coup and overseeing significant expansion, has announced his resignation as chairman, capping a nearly decade-long tenure marked by both successes and escalating tensions with the group's controlling charitable trusts.
Kochi will be the new headquarters of Air India Express, while Thiruvananthapuram will be the main engineering centre of the airline.
Bengaluru-based electric air taxi startup Sarla Aviation has received Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a crucial step towards commercial production of its indigenous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The company also inaugurated its new headquarters and announced partnerships, highlighting India's growing capabilities in advanced aerospace technology.
The airline will operate an additional flight every Monday, originating from Chennai and flying via Tiruchirapalli to Abu Dhabi, thereby bring the total number of flights it operates on this route to three per week.
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Saturday said Air India, which is undergoing a transformation, is not just a business opportunity but a "responsibility" for the Tata Group.
Air India Group expects to induct 26 wide-body and narrow-body planes, and operate 81 per cent of its international flights with upgraded aircraft by the end of 2026, while overall capacity will remain almost unchanged next year.
In a bid to retain employees and lure more youngsters to join the company, Air India Express would come out with attractive packages for its crew, a top official of the low-cost airline subsidiary of Air India said on Wednesday.
The Adani Group-owned Navi Mumbai International Airport is slated to commence international passenger and freighter operations from July 15. This marks a significant expansion for the airport, which began domestic services last December. Air India Express and IndiGo are expected to operate international flights, with customs readiness reviews already completed. The airport anticipates a substantial increase in daily passenger footfall and air traffic movements by the year-end.
Close on the heels of introducing a direct flight from Dubai to Nagpur on September 24, Air India Express is adding two more Indian destinations to its schedule, Jaipur and Lucknow, said Freddie Vaz, regional Director of Air India.
