An Air India Express flight bound for Visakhapatnam was cancelled at Gannavaram Airport due to a technical issue detected before takeoff. Passengers included prominent figures like former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.
Indian airlines are expected to cancel 444 international flights due to airspace restrictions in the Middle East following attacks on Iran by Israel and the US. The civil aviation ministry is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with airlines to ensure passenger safety and minimize disruptions.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has requested the Maharashtra government's cooperation in the investigation into the plane crash that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated a formal investigation.
Aviation regulator DGCA plans to implement measures to control excessive air ticket price increases, following concerns raised during a parliamentary panel meeting. The meeting also addressed air safety issues in light of the Ahmedabad plane crash.
"The aircraft was cleared to land on runway 11 at 0843 IST (8.43 am). However, they did not give a readback of the landing clearance (did not respond to ATC). Next, the ATC saw the flames around the threshold of runway 11 at 0844 IST (8.44 am)," the civil aviation ministry statement said.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced that public sector oil marketing companies will implement a partial and staggered increase in jet fuel prices for domestic airlines, aiming to protect passengers from steep fare hikes.
IndiGo is operating 1,650 flights of its 2,300 daily domestic and international flights on Sunday, and 650 remain cancelled for the day, amid the airline's operations gradually stabilising after massive disruptions in the last five days, the airline said.
'It has got to be the biggest error in aviation. If it is the biggest error, then all those individuals in positions of power should be removed because they have caused the biggest meltdown in Indian aviation history.'
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, the IAF chief, has strongly advocated for India to achieve greater self-reliance in unmanned aerial systems and other critical defence technologies, stating, "Technology delayed is technology denied." He stressed the importance of indigenous development to avoid dependency on other countries for components.
The government is expected to take a decision tomorrow on the issue of allowing foreign airlines to buy up to 49 per cent stake in cash-starved Indian carriers.
IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet are opposing the government's directive to offer 60% of seats for free selection, arguing it will lead to increased airfares to compensate for lost revenue.
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to rationalise airfares and provide relief to flyers, highlighting discrepancies in pricing for the same routes and airlines. The court is addressing a plea seeking a robust regulator to ensure transparency and passenger protection in the civil aviation sector.
The DGCA has revised air ticket refund norms, allowing passengers to cancel or change tickets without additional charges within 48 hours of booking, subject to conditions. The new rules also address name correction fees and medical emergency cancellations.
Following allegations of foul play, the Maharashtra government has requested a CBI investigation into the plane crash that tragically killed Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, promising a thorough probe into the incident.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Friday said various operational measures, including keeping new flight duty norms in abeyance, will help address the IndiGo flight disruptions, and complete restoration of services is expected in next three days.
The support will be provided to oil-marketing companies (OMCs) in the form of interest-free advances through the ministry of petroleum and natural gas. The OMCs, in turn, will use the fund to provide ATF price stabilisation support to Indian carriers operating domestic and international flights.
The civil aviation ministry on Monday said all probable causes leading to the Air India plane crash in June last year are being investigated, and all efforts are being made to complete the probe in a time-bound manner.
An Akasa Air and a SpiceJet plane collided on the taxiway at Delhi airport, resulting in both aircraft being grounded due to damage. The incident occurred at Terminal 1, with investigations underway.
'IndiGo will receive a sharp rap on the knuckles -- a punishment, a huge penalty. 'I look towards them creating a compensation fund.' 'I would like to think they would do that for all the passengers who are affected on every single day since cancellations began.'
Due to airspace restrictions resulting from the conflict in the Middle East, Indian domestic carriers have cancelled 278 international flights. Some airlines are operating limited services and special flights to assist stranded passengers.
DGCA provided temporary relief to IndiGo, which is partially owned by Rahul Bhatia, by rolling back the night duty definition to 12 am-5 am from 12 am-6 am earlier, and allowing its pilots to do six night-landings from two earlier, besides other relaxations.
Ahead of President Vladimir Putin's visit to India for the BRICS summit, Russia has expressed support for New Delhi's peace initiatives to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Discussions between Putin and PM Modi will cover defence, energy, technology, and the repatriation of Indian nationals from the Russian military, alongside addressing trade and investment ties.
In recent times, there have also been instances of GPS spoofing and interference incidents at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai airports.
At least 148 flights were cancelled and over 150 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport on Wednesday due to dense fog and low visibility conditions.
Railway employees including station masters, engine drivers, ticket checkers, etc too have been selected for vaccination and their list is being compiled for the exercise.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu addressed the Lok Sabha regarding the recent IndiGo flight disruptions, assuring that the airline will be held accountable and strict action will be taken for non-compliance and passenger hardship.
The civil aviation ministry is monitoring the impact of volcanic ash plumes from Ethiopia on flight operations, leading to cancellations and delays. The situation is being closely monitored, and necessary precautions are being taken.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the reduction in airport charges is aimed at containing airfare increases and supporting both airlines and passengers.
IndiGo has processed refunds totalling Rs 610 crore and delivered 3,000 pieces of baggage to passengers after recent flight disruptions, according to the government.
IndiGo has vacated over 700 slots at various domestic airports after the DGCA curtailed its winter flights by 10% following operational disruptions in December. Other airlines are invited to request these slots.
In the last one week, nearly 100 flights of Indian airlines received bomb threats.
IndiGo has seen its pilots' strength depleting by 378 pilots in the last nine months despite its chief operating officer and Accountable Manager, Isidro Porqueras stating to the DGCA in a letter last December that "the overall impact of implementing the proposed changes above (now-implemented FDTL) norms would amount to an approximate 3 per cent increase in crewing requirements.
IndiGo cancelled over 1,000 flights on Friday and said operations are expected to normalise in the next 10 days, as the country's largest airline received flight duty norms relaxation from watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which will probe the disruptions that have impacted thousands of passengers for four straight days.
India has condemned an attack on Kuwait International Airport, which resulted in the death of one Indian national and injuries to several others. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated its call for an end to targeting civilian populations and infrastructure, while the Indian mission in Kuwait provides assistance to affected nationals.
'A lot of people feel there is pressure on the AAIB not to go against Boeing or GE -- both enormous American companies.' 'If the AAIB implicates Boeing or GE, it will impact their sales.' 'If their sales are impacted, jobs are lost in the United States. No government would willingly do that.'
An IAF aircrash investigation typically concludes in two/three odd months. The reason for the crash is usually established in a week's time.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Thursday renewed its demand for a judicial probe into the AI-171 crash and urged authorities not to release any interim investigation report, saying it would create further confusion and speculation.
With IndiGo cancelling over 1,000 flights on Friday owing to crew shortage as the second phase of the pilots flight duty and rest period norms kicked in, huge capacity was out of the market, leading to airfares tripling and quadrupling from over the normal range, a travel industry executive said.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar has alleged a link between a godman and the fatal plane crash involving his uncle, Ajit Pawar, and has demanded a CID interrogation.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that an Indian national was killed and 13 others injured in an attack on Kuwait International Airport. The MEA is providing assistance to the victims' families and monitoring the situation amidst escalating US-Iran tensions, also advising Indian nationals against travel to Iran and facilitating evacuations.
