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.
One Iranian woman, who is the wife of an Indian national has also been evacuated, he added.
'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.'
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.
Air India passengers spotted small cockroaches onboard the plane flying from San Francisco to Mumbai, and the aircraft underwent deep cleaning during the scheduled stop over at Kolkata airport on Monday early morning.
Aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday said it has received IndiGo's response to the show cause notice issued over the large-scale flight cancellations and will take enforcement action.
Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the government has initiated an inquiry into Indigo's mass flight cancellations and will take strict action against the operator to set an example for other airlines.
If you travelled on IndiGo in the last few days -- or if you were stranded at an airport because of these delays -- share your experience with us at getahead@rediff.co.in.
The flight AI2455, operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, was airborne for more than two hours, according to information available on the flight tracking website Flightradar24.com.
The threat of wars hovers over the negotiations in Oman, but the good part is that Trump called the talks to be 'very good' and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that they 'constitute a step forward', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Mumbai Airport said it is all geared up to commence international flight operations from the recently inaugurated T2 (Terminal 2) at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport from Wednesday.
Most Indian airlines recorded a rise in average flying hours per pilot after the Covid period.
India and China will resume direct flight services by the end of this month after a five-year gap, signaling an effort to rebuild ties strained by the border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
As many as 338 A320 family aircraft operated by Indian airlines require the software upgrade to address a potential issue related to flight controls, and modifications have been carried out in more than half of the affected fleet, according to DGCA data.
The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) asked passengers to contact the airlines concerned for updated flight information and also regretted any inconvenience caused to the passengers.
'They are saying that there is a pilot shortage which is not correct, but if it was true, did they suddenly come to know this on December 5?' 'If they didn't have crew, why did they seek approval for a winter schedule? To get the approval, the operator has to show crew strength and also a buffer of crew available.' 'If they had a crew crunch, why did they ask for extra flights? Or was it something else that made them so sure that they would get away with this exemption and bans?'
Fair trade watchdog Competition Commission of India (CCI) is examining whether the country's largest airline, IndiGo, violated competition norms, a senior official said on Friday amid the carrier facing regulatory scrutiny over significant flight disruptions.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22, India closed its airspace for planes operated, owned or leased by Pakistan airlines and operators, including military flights, with effect from April 30.
According to the latest data from the aviation regulator DGCA, IndiGo and Air India did not cancel any flights, while Air India Express cancelled four flights due to the system modification process.
Here are some glimpses of the unfolding scenes, as weary passengers clutch their luggage, waiting for clarity amid the turmoil.
An Air India Express flight from Delhi to Indore, carrying 161 passengers, experienced an engine fault mid-air. The pilot issued a 'PAN-PAN' call, indicating a non-life-threatening emergency, and the plane landed safely in Indore with a slight delay.
'IndiGo is fooling the country and the government has succumbed to it.'
Air India and Air India Express on Tuesday progressively resumed their services to the Middle East, with flights to Dubai and Muscat, respectively, as countries in the region reopened their airspaces.
Indian airlines are resuming normal services to Kathmandu after the airport reopened following unrest in Nepal. Air India and IndiGo will operate additional flights to bring back stranded passengers.
'I don't think it is right to remove him over one lapse. The focus should be on restoring operations, not on removing a key management personnel.'
Mohammed Siraj has expressed his frustration and disappointment over the delay of his Air India Express flight on Wednesday.
The Tata Group-owned airline, grappling with disruptions following the fatal plane crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad, said the objective of reducing flights on 18 international routes is to restore schedule stability and minimise last-minute inconvenience to passengers.
In recent times, there have also been instances of GPS spoofing and interference incidents at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai airports.
Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday said surveillance conducted at major airports revealed several defects in the aviation ecosystem, including multiple cases wherein the defects reappeared on aircraft and centre line marking faded on runway.
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.
Pakistan has extended its airspace ban for Indian aircraft until January 23, 2026, continuing restrictions imposed after the Pahalgam attack. India has reciprocated with a similar ban.
Nine women Agniveer will be part of the Indian Air Force's band contingent that will march down the Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day Parade, marking a historic first. Flt Lt Akshita Dhankar will unfurl the national flag alongside President Droupadi Murmu.
According to a source, the flight was to be operated with a Boeing 787-9 plane.
The country's largest airline IndiGo, which faced massive operational disruptions earlier this month, saw its domestic market share slide to 63.6 per cent in November, according to official data. Air India Group, comprising Air India and Air India Express, and SpiceJet had their respective market shares in November rise to 26.7 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively.
The Delhi High Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking compensation for passengers affected by IndiGo flight cancellations, citing an ongoing related case.
'International flights will continue to operate from the old terminal because of customs and other requirements. Eventually, the old terminal will be closed.'
The US Department of State highlighted a mission-defining challenge during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit in November amid the US government shutdown, detailing the security measures taken to ensure his protection.
A thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain battered Delhi overnight, disrupting flight operations, uprooting trees and electricity poles, and causing waterlogging in several areas while bringing relief from stifling heat. The sudden change in weather led to a sharp drop in mercury with the city recording a minimum temperature of 19.8 degrees Celsius, 6.9 notches below the normal. The India Meteorological Department said the city's primary weather station at Safdarjung recorded winds gusting up to 82 kmph and 81.2 mm of rain in six hours -- between 11.30 pm and 5.30 am.
Residents of Ahmedabad recall the Air India crash of June 2025 after news of the Baramati plane crash involving Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The earlier tragedy, which killed hundreds, remains a painful memory for those who witnessed it and lost loved ones.
The Indian Air Force's MiG-21 fighter jets made their last operational flights at the Nal Air Force Station in Bikaner, which doubled as a set for the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film 'Love And War'. The moment marked the jet's last operational flight ahead of its retirement next month.
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