Tata group-owned Air India plans to hire expat pilots for its Boeing 777 planes as the airline is facing a shortage of pilots amid plans to expand its fleet as well as international operations, according to sources. The carrier is looking to rope in around 100 pilots for the wide-body Boeing 777 fleet and has approached various agencies that provide expat flight crew to airlines, the sources told PTI. The loss-making Air India, which was under government ownership for nearly seven decades till the Tata group took over in January 2022, had stopped hiring expat pilots many years ago to save costs.
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The proposal of Tatas and Singapore Airlines for a new joint venture, entailing foreign investment of $49 million, is likely to come up before the Foreign Investment Promotion Board for approval on October 18.
The All India Cabin Crew Association, claiming to represent 2,500 cabin crew of Air India, said: "While we bear Capt Gustav Baldauf no ill-will at all, it is tragic that the airline that was built by one of the world's legendary aviators, Bharat Ratna J R D Tata, must today be saved by a foreigner, whose only link to India seems to be Jet Airways."
The passengers aboard the helicopter are reported to be five Mexican nationals, whose identities have yet to be disclosed and pilot senior captain Chet B Gurung, the Himalayan Times newspaper reported
The flight, carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew, landed safely, the Tata Group-owned private carrier said in a statement Tuesday evening.
The sources said that during the boarding, the male passenger behaved in an unruly manner and touched the female cabin crew member inappropriately.
Nepalese authorities on Tuesday started handing over to family members the bodies of those killed in the January 14 crash of a Yeti Airlines passenger plane with 72 people on board.
The Nepal government signed a $215.96 million soft loan agreement with China in March 2016 for the construction of the airport in this tourist hub.
Jet fuel prices are about 33% lower than the same period a year ago.
Ahead of a crucial meeting next week, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board is scrutinising the commercial cooperation agreement between Jet Airways and Etihad Airways to ensure control is not passed on to the Abu Dhabi-based airline.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will examine issues relating to domestic airlines tying up with foreign carriers and setting up companies abroad to start international operations.
The financial impact of the tsunami will be to the tune of $15-20 million.\n
The commerce and industry ministry had moved a Cabinet note to allow foreign carriers pick up equity in their Indian counterparts.
In the crowded Indian skies with over half-a-dozen well-established national carriers, Thiagarajan has a tough challenge ahead of him.
SpiceJet has held "preliminary discussions" with a Gulf airline for potential investment in the Indian budget carrier, a news report has said.
DIAL has filed four cases in June 2012 against Mallya over KFA's cheques totalling Rs 7.5 crore not being honoured.
The Naresh Chandra committee on civil aviation has recommended allowing upto 49 per cent foreign direct investment in the country's airlines.
Let it gradually pull itself out of international routes and focus on linking remote towns and cities.
'These are people whom very few give importance and they were doing a mammoth job for the nation.'
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.
Richard Branson-promoted Virgin Atlantic Airways is interested in investing in the Indian civil aviation sector once the Union government
Defying the directive of the Indian Pilots Guild, some pilots of Air-India on Wednesday reported for duty and rostered for flights.
Meeting on Tuesday to decide on letting foreign airlines buy into domestic ones.
Airlines whose carbon emissions are more than prescribed cap have to reduce emissions or pay for it z
Air India, under its new Tata management, has taken a Rs 60,800 crore ($8 billion) cover by paying Rs 266 crore premium to a clutch of insurance companies, including Tata AIG General Insurance. The airline managed to get a better deal as it valued its fleet lower by almost $2 billion. The new management held extensive negotiations - both in India and London, to get a good deal considering the rising premiums due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Tata group-owned AirAsia India's inability to get approval for international flights is hurting UDAN, the Indian government's regional air connectivity project that also aims to link cities in Northeast India and Odisha to places abroad. Sources said the civil aviation ministry is waiting for the low-cost airline to come under the full ownership of Tata Sons and become part of Air India, the former state-owned carrier now owned by the private conglomerate, before allowing it to operate international flights. Tata owns 84 per cent stake in AirAsia India and it is understood that the group will complete the process of buying rest of the stake by July's end.
As many as 128 pilots have left Air India, Indian Airlines and Alliance Airways between 2004 and 2006, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Tata Sons will increase its stake in budget carrier AirAsia India (AAI) to 83.67 per cent by acquiring an additional 32.67 per cent for $37.66 million from AirAsia Investment Ltd (AAIL), according to a regulatory filing. Currently, AAIL, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia-based AirAsia, holds 49 per cent stake in the Bengaluru-based AirAsia India. In a regulatory filing to stock exchange Bursa Malaysia, AirAsia said, "The board of directors of AirAsia wishes to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary AAIL and Tata Sons Pvt Ltd, India, on December 29, entered into a share purchase agreement."
Majority of India's international routes have been captured by foreign airlines.
Airplanes are fascinating and air travel is crucial for business and leisure. The number of people travelling by air has been increasing at double-digit levels over recent years. Low single-digit penetration provides adequate scope for growth.
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