Along with the pilots, 434 cabin crew too have evaded the mandatory breath analyser test, which is to be taken both before and after operating a flight
People in the know said the move would impact around 110 engines, virtually putting a spanner on the expansion plans of IndiGo - counted among the fastest growing airlines in the world.
Abroad, airlines face suspension or hefty fines for unpaid dues or flight cancellations.
Anjuli Bhargava finds out that an astonishing number of relatives of DGCA officials over the years are and have been employed in the airline industry.
'DGCA cares a damn for human life.'
Jalan Kalrock Consortium, the winning bidder for the grounded Jet Airways, will make a total cash infusion of Rs 1,375 crore in the airline and lenders will take a steep haircut on their admitted claims of over Rs 7,800 crore under the approved resolution plan. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on June 22, approved the consortium's resolution plan for Jet Airways, which has been undergoing insolvency resolution process since June 2019. The carrier shuttered operations in April 2019.
Vistara on Thursday said it is resuming hot vegetarian meals for its domestic economy class passengers replacing the pre-packaged snacks that were being served since May last year due to the COVID-related guidelines. The airline also announced new sets of in-flight meals for all classes - economy, premium economy, and business - on its domestic network. Aviation regulator DGCA had permitted airlines in August last year to serve or sell pre-packed snacks, beverages, and meals on all domestic flights.
An executive of a private airline said even though volume picked up, it will be difficult for airlines to make money as fares have remained low even during festive season.
IndiGo maintained its lead position with 49 per cent share of the domestic passenger market in May. SpiceJet's market share increased to 14.8 per cent in May, giving it the number two spot. The market share of Air India, GoAir, AirAsia and Vistara were 13.5 per cent, 11.1 per cent, 6.3 per cent and 4.7 per cent, respectively, in May this year.
An official of the aviation regulator DGCA had said that the pilots aborted the take off after they were informed about a 'barrier' on the runway
Recent audit raised concerns about oversight functions exercised by DGCA and clubbed India with several African nations with poor aviation safety record.
Recently, there have been technical mishaps, including an electrical fire and a brake problem, involving the aircraft.
Tightening the rules for allowing foreign pilots to operate in India after the May 22 Mangalore air crash that claimed 158 lives, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation now wants them to get fitness certificates from Indian doctors apart from the ones which they may get from abroad.
A senior DGCA official said 23,403 departures per week have been finalised, covering 103 airports, which is 1.2 per cent higher than the 23,117 operated during the previous winter schedule.
An inquiry by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been ordered into the Mangalore air crash and an Air India team will assist it in the probe, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said today.
No domestic commercial passenger flight would be allowed to operate in the country from March 25 onwards in order to restrict travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Union civil aviation ministry said in a statement on Monday.
But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under the bilateral 'air bubble' arrangements with selected countries since July.
Use cases for drones are, however, immense - industrial inspections, geospatial surveys, agricultural surveys, and general surveillance and security.
The minister also said a directive was issued on Sunday to airlines, restraining them from doing open bookings since they did not heed to government's advice in the matter
Seeking to further democratise air travel with dependable and affordable services, airline Akasa Air is aiming to start flights in late May or early June after getting its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in April. Bullish on the long term growth potential of the country's civil aviation sector, ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed carrier is looking to have 18 planes in its fleet by the end of March 2023. Despite COVID clouds continuing to cast a shadow on the airlines, Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube is more than optimistic as he asserted that "if you look at the long term future of commercial aviation in India, it is as exciting as anywhere in the world".
In the latest standard operating procedures (SOP) regarding flying drones, the Central government has given powers to the local police to book a person under 121 and 121A apart from other IPC sections, depending on the nature of offence/threat and distance from the prohibited vital installation/area.
The audit was ordered after one of the airline's planes plunged several thousand feet while flying over the Turkish airspace on the Brussels-Mumbai route early last month.
Besides, another 350-odd flights -- both arriving and departing -- were delayed between 28-51 minutes (till 7 pm), as per the live flight tracking website Flightradar24.
Soorarai Pottru HELD A Ganesh Nadar'S attention till the last frame.
In a midair scare, a Guwahati-bound Jet Airways aircraft from Delhi with about 130 passengers and crew on board was on Thursday caught in severe turbulence, which the airline claimed was caused by a passing Boeing 747 jumbo.
The airline has already grounded the four pilots and set up an internal probe into the incident, which took place about four years ago but was brought to the notice of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation only this week.
The US is set for a geographically limited 5G rollout this Christmas, after a bumper $81 billion spectrum auction earlier this year. Just as the rollout date nears, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has sounded alarm bells over potentially fatal consequences of 5G interference on aircraft. Similar consequences could apply in India, where 5G spectrum auction is scheduled in January 2022, with the rollout beginning later next year (though reports suggest impending delays).
After the accident on Friday, Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor alleged on Twitter that there were safety lapses on the part of the civil aviation ministry.
Can you help this Indian achieve aviation history?
Kamra was banned by India's largest airline for six months on Tuesday for allegedly harassing Goswami on the Mumbai-Lucknow flight. SpiceJet, GoAir and Air India also imposed a similar ban on Kamra without specifying any period.
An Air India spokesperson said the plane landed at an "uncommissioned runway" and that all passengers are safe.
Shivaz Rai, owner of a travel agency in Delhi, spent Rs 48,000 on low-cost carrier Air Deccan's Superflier scheme offering coupons for 12 flights to any destination.
The airline is strengthening its flight operations department to make this happen.
The Gurugram-based company had acquired Lucknow-based drone manufacturer and consultant start-up TechEagle in December, to expand food delivery using drones
The compensation could be between Rs 2000-4000 or the value of the ticket, whichever is lesser, and should be paid within a stipulated time frame.
Indonesia-based Lion Air Flight JT610, a three-month old 737 MAX 8, took off from capital Jakarta at 6.20 am local time on Monday and lost contact 13 minutes later when it was at an altitude of about 3,000 feet.
The DGCA advised airlines to remain ready to operate additional flights from the Srinagar airport if the need arises.
A family of five, returning to their hometown at Koducalli in Kozhikode from Dubai, were aboard the fateful Air India Express flight that crash-landed at the Kozhikode airport claiming at least 18 lives on Friday.
The All India Jet Airways Technicians Association cautioned that in case the allocation is not stopped, it would be forced to resort to legal means for a resolution.
"When the A320 plane, which did not have any passengers as it was heading to Moscow to bring back stranded Indians under Vande Bharat Mission, had reached Uzbekistan's airspace, our team on ground realised that one of the pilots had tested COVID-positive," senior Air India officials said.
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