A Mumbai-bound Air India flight from Kolkata was delayed after a hijack threat note was found in the washroom. Security officials moved the aircraft to an isolation bay and deboarded all 105 passengers. The threat was later confirmed to be a hoax, and the flight departed in the evening.
A passenger has been apprehended following a hoax hijack threat that significantly delayed an Air India flight from Kolkata to Mumbai on Wednesday.
Air India has commenced construction of a new multi-facility Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hangar at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. This nine-acre facility aims to centralise engineering and maintenance activities, enhancing fleet upkeep, improving reliability, and reducing aircraft ground time for the Tata Group-owned airline.
Air India group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam announced plans to order more wide-body aircraft to boost international operations, while simultaneously addressing the 'major concern' of high operating costs. The airline aims for profitability 'very soon' despite significant financial losses in recent fiscal years.
Air India has extended the cancellation of flights to Saudi Arabia until October 20, 2026, due to escalating tensions and Houthi attacks in the region. IndiGo and Akasa Air have also extended their flight suspensions to Saudi cities, with passengers offered full refunds.
Tewolde Gebremariam, Air India's CEO and MD-designate, has outlined passenger safety, operational reliability, and sustainable profitability as the airline's foremost priorities, emphasising a stronger safety-reporting culture and improved disruption recovery.
Air India has been issued a show-cause notice by the ministry of civil aviation after three Italian nationals travelled from Amritsar to Delhi and then to Munich without obtaining mandatory departure immigration clearance, highlighting a 'serious security and immigration-related lapse'.
Passenger traffic Y-o-Y fell 26.8 per cent in April and 24.6 per cent in May, while capacity declined 9.6 per cent and 11.3 per cent, respectively.
Air India is developing a new in-house 'Vista Digital Platform' for its in-flight entertainment system, set to launch progressively from late 2027. This platform aims to integrate entertainment, loyalty, commerce, and travel services, enhancing passenger experience and boosting ancillary revenues through features like 'commerce-on-map' and personalisation.
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.
An Air India flight from Frankfurt to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur following a false hijack alert, which was later attributed to a technical glitch. The flight, carrying 293 passengers and 13 crew, resumed its journey to Delhi after security checks, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) set to investigate the incident.
IndiGo and Air India Group will progressively shift flights from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the newly built Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) starting from December. This phased transition, expected to complete by the 2027 summer aviation season, aims to ease capacity constraints at CSMIA, facilitate its Terminal 1 redevelopment, and establish a dual-airport system for Mumbai, enhancing connectivity and future growth.
Air India has suspended a pilot after he failed a breath analyser test at Zurich airport, prompting the airline to reinforce stringent regulatory compliance and accountability measures following recent safety incidents.
The pilots testing positive have been removed from duty, with their samples sent for confirmatory testing.
An Air India pilot undergoing Boeing 787 conversion training was found unconscious in his hotel room in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, and later declared dead. Police have ruled out foul play and are conducting inquest proceedings. Air India has expressed deep sadness and is supporting the pilot's family.
Air India has confirmed that all 13 passengers injured during severe mid-air turbulence on a Phuket-Delhi flight have been discharged from hospital. However, four crew members involved in the incident continue to receive medical treatment. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the matter.
The Mumbai-Delhi air route, the country's largest and most lucrative, is witnessing an intense battle for supremacy between IndiGo and the Air India group, with Akasa Air emerging as a significant third player, according to recent data.
An Air India Airbus A320 experienced a near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems mid-flight, causing an altitude upset and injuring 24 people. A preliminary investigation revealed the pilot-in-command tested positive for a psychoactive substance post-flight, leading to their termination, while the technical aspects of the incident are still under scrutiny.
=The investigation is examining the circumstances surrounding the aircraft's sudden altitude variation and the actions of the flight crew.
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.
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.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Boeing 787's electrical systems during its probe into the fatal Air India crash of June 2025. This call follows concerns raised by the Foundation of Aviation Safety regarding chronic system failures and the central role of electrical architecture in the B787 design. The crash, involving a Dreamliner VT-ANB, killed 260 people, and FIP emphasizes the need for detailed examination of all electrical and electronically controlled systems.
An Air India Airbus A320 experienced a near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems at 36,000 feet on a Phuket-Delhi flight, injuring 24 people. The pilot-in-command was subsequently terminated after testing positive for banned psychoactive substances, though the AAIB has not linked this to the technical failure.
'We may be able to wind back some of the schedule reductions we'd taken in recent months.'
An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi experienced a sudden loss of altitude, leading to injuries and prompting a psychoactive substance screening for the pilot-in-command, with confirmatory test results now awaited.
The pilot-in-command of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that experienced a sudden 300-foot altitude drop last week has tested positive for a psychoactive substance, identified by sources as marijuana, in a confirmatory test. This development comes as Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu met with Air India executives to discuss the serious incident, which left 24 people injured.
Domestic air passenger traffic in India decreased by 4.80 per cent in July 2026 compared to the previous year, reaching 1.20 crore, with major airlines experiencing a drop in load factor, according to DGCA data. Despite the overall dip, IndiGo and Air India Group increased their market share.
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.
Air India has announced the appointment of Tewolde Gebremariam, former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Campbell Wilson. This strategic appointment comes as the airline navigates expansion amidst significant challenges.
An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe mid-air turbulence, causing the aircraft to lose 300 feet in altitude. The incident resulted in injuries to 15 people, including 11 passengers and 4 cabin crew members, with one crew member sustaining severe injuries. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is investigating the event.
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 has temporarily reduced its domestic flights by 22 per cent due to the impact of high fuel prices, following a previous reduction in international flights. The airline is offering re-accommodation, date changes, or refunds to affected passengers.
The government has confirmed that Boeing's detailed examination of the Dreamliner aircraft's fuel control switch locking mechanism found no abnormality, following an Air India pilot's report of a possible issue. This investigation was prompted after an Air India flight from London to Bengaluru in February, and comes amidst an ongoing probe into a fatal Dreamliner crash last year where fuel supply to engines was cut off.
A thick layer of smog enveloped parts of North India, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Western Uttar Pradesh, a day after Diwali celebrations. Air Quality Index (AQI) levels soared to 'very poor' and 'severe' categories, with Delhi recording its most polluted Diwali in five years. Residents reported severe health issues, prompting calls for urgent government intervention.
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.
Loss-making Air India has introduced a new 'Basic Fare' category for select domestic flights, which does not include complimentary meals, as part of its efforts to trim expenses amid rising operational costs.
Flight disruptions between India and Saudi Arabia are continuing, with Akasa Air extending its service suspensions to Jeddah until November 18 and Riyadh until November 30. This follows similar suspensions by Air India and Air India Express until November 14, all due to the prevailing security situation and attacks on infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The Indian Embassy has advised nationals to remain vigilant and is assisting affected travellers.
An Air India flight from Delhi to Amritsar briefly entered Pakistan airspace during a go-around manoeuvre at Amritsar airport. India's aviation regulator, DGCA, has taken interim action against an air traffic controller and the operating crew for failing to report the incident, which is now under internal investigation by Air India.
India's domestic air passenger traffic experienced a 6.34 per cent year-on-year decline in August, reaching 121.26 lakh passengers, according to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
An Air India flight en route to San Francisco was compelled to return to New Delhi due to a technical malfunction, causing significant disruption to passengers.
