In the wake of repeated faults in planes carrying Haj pilgrims from Srinagar, the Union home ministry on Monday summoned civil aviation officials following a strong protest by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Talks between senior officials of civil aviation ministry and the Indian Pilots Guild began in Mumbai on Saturday shortly after noon to resolve the issue of operating in SARS-affected regions by the unions.
The decision came a day after the resignation of Telugu Desam Party's Ashok Gajapathi Raju was accepted by President Ram Nath Kovind
Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh on Monday took charge of the civil aviation ministry, saying it was a 'sensitive' portfolio.
Ahead of the passage of the Finance Bill in Parliament, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh is understood to have shot off a letter to the Finance Ministry protesting the proposal on the grounds that the move would not only hit passengers but spell more trouble for the airlines which were already reeling under severe financial stress.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Ajit Singh was sworn in as the 33rd member of the Union Cabinet, and 77th in the Union council of ministers on Sunday morning. Singh is widely expected to be allotted the civil aviation portfolio. This is the fourth time Singh has been inducted into the Union Cabinet.
Indian carriers have cancelled over 10,000 flights since the onset of the West Asia conflict, as escalating tensions and airspace restrictions disrupted international operations, a senior government official said.
The civil aviation ministry is considering three proposals to set up privately-owned, or merchant, airports in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), Durgapur (West Bengal) and Jhhajjar (Haryana).
A fire broke out on Tuesday in the first floor of the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan in New Delhi, which houses office of the Union civil aviation ministry, but no one was injured and no files or records were damaged.
The ICMR has been permitted to use drones up to a height of 3,000 metre to deliver vaccines, the ministry's statement added.
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.
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 Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the proposal to hike foreign direct investment limit in civil aviation sector from 40 to 49 per cent, official sources said.
Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal on Tuesday met civil aviation secretary Madhavan Nambiar on Tuesday against the backdrop of pilots of the private carrier refusing to report to work to protest against the sacking of two of their senior colleagues.
The preliminary report on the plane crash that killed NCP leader Ajit Pawar is expected to be released by February 28, according to Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol. The incident has sparked speculation and calls for investigation into potential irregularities.
'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.'
Indian airlines are now required to offer 60% of seats for free and ensure families sit together, as the government strengthens passenger rights and addresses concerns about high seat selection fees.
The government has suspended its directive requiring airlines to offer at least 60% of seats on flights without additional charges, following industry concerns about the impact on fares and pricing structures.
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.
Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have told the government that the country's airline industry is under extreme stress and on the verge of "stopping operations", as they sought revision in ATF pricing and financial support.
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.
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.
IndiGo has the lowest pilots-to-aircraft ratio among domestic airlines in India, according to data presented in Parliament. SpiceJet and Akasa Air have the highest ratios. Air India Express employs the most expat pilots.
Pilots' grouping FIP has suggested that the AAIB should investigate whether a 'pre-lift off electrical disturbance' could have led to the Air India Dreamliner crash in June last year, which resulted in 260 fatalities.
The budget has increased the outlay for the Ministry of Civil Aviation by 21% at Rs 12165 crore from Rs 10031 crore for FY2008-09. However, the revised estimate for FY2008-09 was at Rs 7490 crore against the outlay of Rs 10031 crore.
Out of the total Plan outlay of Rs12164.76 crore (Rs 121.65 billion) for the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rs 190 crore (Rs 1.9 billion) is the budgetary support.
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.
Airports across the country have been placed on operational alert to manage potential flight diversions, unscheduled landings and passenger facilitation requirements.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the reduction in airport charges is aimed at containing airfare increases and supporting both airlines and passengers.
An Indian national was killed in an attack on Kuwait International Airport, prompting the Indian Embassy to offer condolences and assistance. The attack, attributed to Iranian strikes, led to the suspension of air traffic and caused casualties and damage.
The ministry is considering as many as 15 options to replace the controversial rule.
An Indian national was killed and several others injured in a drone attack on Kuwait International Airport, leading to the suspension of air traffic and significant damage. This incident marks the tenth Indian fatality since hostilities between the US and Iran began in February, with other Indians also affected by regional conflicts in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
The civil aviation ministry is likely to get an allocation of Rs 3,046.93 cror
Govt to introduce new aviation policy on May 15.
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.
'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.'
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.
Two new airlines -- Al Hind Air and FlyExpress -- are set to take to the skies, with the carriers receiving their no objection certificates from the civil aviation ministry.
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 Black Box of the Learjet 45 aircraft that crashed near the Baramati airstrip on Wednesday has been recovered, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.
