Aviation regulators says airlines are free to fix fares.
The ministry of civil aviation has recommended three levels of unruly behaviour by passengers, each with a different duration of ban on flying.
Even before the holiday season has begun, all airlines have jacked up their fares on many busy air routes by 10-25 per cent over the past few days.
Earlier this month, Air India issued show cause notices to the Pilot-in-Command and four crew members of the flight and derostered them pending investigation.
An Air India pilot has been arrested in Delhi for allegedly using forged marksheets to procure a licence from the airline regulator. This is the second such incident in the past four days. Captain J K Verma was apprehended in Delhi on Saturday night after investigations into a complaint filed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation which claimed that some of the pilots had forged marksheets to get their licence.
The aviation regulator slapped fines amounting to Rs 2.75 crore on Indian airlines in 2023, marking a 39 per cent rise in financial penalties from Rs 1.97 crore in 2022. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it imposed fines on domestic carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, AirAsia India and SpiceJet for issues related to non-compliance in 2023. The regulator also carried out a record number of 5,745 surveillance activities in the year to ensure compliance by airlines, aerodrome operators, and aviation personnel among others.
The two pilots of a helicopter, which flew Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, were on Wednesday given a virtual clean chit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, during a preliminary probe into the alleged violation of air safety rules that fuelled a controversy involving the Congress leader.The pilots of the state-run Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited, who appeared before the DGCA's Air Safety Wing in New Delhi, were cleared by a probe panel.
With the peak tourist season on the anvil, a new rule has come into effect to allow foreign airlines to mount additional capacity of up to 10 per cent of their entitlements during high air traffic.
However, this restriction will not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA.
India cleared the release of a chartered North American aircraft carrying US Marines on Sunday afternoon. The chartered Boeing 767, carrying commandos of the US 205 Marine Unit, was made to land at Mumbai's Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, for violating Indian airspace.
The data of the director general of civil aviation, which publishes monthly data on registration, deregistration and change of ownership of the aircraft, showed that in December 2008, Kingfisher returned six Airbus and one ATR aircraft to the lessors.
Airlines say they have accepted the directive, though many feel this would give away competitive information on the number of seats at each price point, which could have an adverse impact on business.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has amended the Aircraft Rules to provide for the use of cellular phones by passengers even before the aircraft comes to a halt.
Despite private sector developer Delhi International Airport Ltd bracing for a long and foggy winter with added infrastructure, the shortage of CAT III pilots in some airlines could still mean long delays for passengers.
Aviation consultancy CAPA on Thursday said allowing domestic airlines to take advance bookings from April 15 is "unfair" to consumers since a decision on lifting the nationwide lockdown is yet to be taken. During the lockdown period only special flights approved by aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation, medical evacuation flights and those carrying cargo, including medical equipment, to and from different parts of the country are operational.
Official sources said an ATC official had been suspended pending the DGCA probe, which would establish accountability and find out lapses in the system.
Now, harried air travellers can lodge their complaint on any problem faced by them relating to flights or airport facilities directly to aviation regulator DGCA for speedy action.
Of the 14 people aboard the plane, including the pilot, eight sustained minor injuries and were treated in a local health centre.
In India, domestic airlines have not secured any relief from the government and are reporting 50-55 per cent loads as domestic air travel resumed on May 25 after two-month suspension.
Two Air Traffic Control officials in Mumbai were on Tuesday taken off duty -- pending an inquiry by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation -- into the near miss between an Air India plane and a helicopter belonging to the President's entourage. The two officials have been 'de-rostered' during the inquiry, sources said while clarifying that they have not been placed under suspension. The identity of the officials has not been revealed.
About 350 Boeing 737 Max 8 are currently in service with airlines around the world, with thousands more on order. Boeing insists it has no reason to pull the popular aircraft from the skies.
While all other domestic airlines made merry in the peak travel season, Air India's services were hit because of the pilots' strike.
In his order last week, Civil Aviation Secretary K N Srivastava ruled the meanings of transaction fee, commission or convenience fee were the same -- payment of remuneration to an intermediary.
In what may come as a relief for airline companies, the number of domestic air travellers between January and March showed a healthy increase over the same period a year ago, when the industry was feeling the heat of the global recession.
The government is likely to set up a full-fledged inquiry committee to probe the helicopter crash in Arunachal Pradesh that claimed 17 lives.
The aircraft involved in the incident were operating on Coimbatore-Hyderabad and Bengaluru-Cochin routes.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is studying whether a particular airline has a dominant market share on various routes or city pairs which might lead to anti-competitive practices.
Some major hospitals in the country have sought the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's permission for launching helicopter emergency medical services, but the DGCA is yet to take a final decision.
Six pilots of Kingfisher Airlines, GoAir and Air India have been de-rostered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation after they violated guidelines while landing on a short runway at Mumbai airport under rainy conditions. The DGCA also issued notices to the three airlines on the matter asking them to explain why the strict guidelines were not followed.
Pusapati was given detailed presentations on various aspects of the sector by senior officials of the Ministry.
Ahead of the visit of technical experts from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to probe the crash of the helicopter carrying late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and four others, the site atop Pavurallagutta hillock has been surrounded and secured by a 30-member security team from the Greyhound force.
The average fare on the Delhi-Mumbai route has come down to Rs 6,000, compared with a whopping Rs 15,000 in mid-November, according to an airline executive.
A joint team of Directorate General of Civil Aviation officials and the police on Friday located the Flight Voice Recorder of the helicopter that crashed killing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajashekhar Reddy, laying their hands on a piece of evidence that may throw some light on the incident.
The government on Thursday approved a number of proposals to amend the 1934 Aircraft Act.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which is monitoring individual airports' adherence to safety standards, is in the process of issuing licenses to three airports based on their security compliance.
In a blow to airlines overcharging travelers during peak season, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has mad eit mandatory to publish details of all-inclusive fares on the first day of every calendar month.
The first signs of the move will be evident when both the airlines announce their summer schedules in March after receiving the approval of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Deccan is likely to bring down and withdraw frequencies between Mumbai-Delhi in the schedule.
Terming as "unfortunate" the loss of lives in the Malaysian Airlines tragedy, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Friday said there was no Indian on board the aircraft.
In a clear violation of safety norms Air India allowed three extras passengers on board a fully loaded flight.
