The Railway Ministry has decided to increase coaches in premium trains to accommodate travelers affected by Indigo airline's flight disruptions.
The co-pilot of the aircraft that crashed carrying Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar sent a 'good morning' message to her grandmother before takeoff, which turned out to be her last communication.
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.
The Air India plane AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London crashed immediately after take-off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, as per the Gujarat State Police Control Room.
A stranded passenger said that all of them were sitting on the floor and there were no blankets available.
An investigation into the matter is currently ongoing, and police have stated that no further details will be released at this stage.
The operations of many global carriers, including Qatar Airways, have also been impacted due to the airspace curbs in the wake of the Middle East tensions.
Air India will begin operating flights between Ahmedabad and London Heathrow from August 1, replacing the Gatwick route. The airline is also partially resuming domestic and international services suspended after a fatal plane crash. Some routes will remain suspended until September 30, while others will see increased frequency.
The suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country has been extended "till further orders", aviation regulator DGCA said on Monday.
Air India grounded a Boeing 787-8 after a pilot reported a potential fuel control switch defect. The incident occurs amidst an ongoing investigation into the airline's Dreamliner crash last June.
ISRO's PSLV-C62 successfully launched an earth observation satellite along with 14 other commercial payloads from Sriharikota, marking the first launch of the year.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team probing last year's fatal Air India plane crash is examining certain components of the aircraft and assessing various aspects, and 'nothing has been ruled out' in terms of the factors that could have led to the accident that killed 260 people, according to a source.
60 years ago, on January 24, 1966, Dr Homi J Bhabha, the father of India's nuclear programme, died in an air crash on Mont Blanc. The official inquiry said the plane went off course in bad weather, but coincidences, missing evidence, and later unproven claims have kept conspiracy theories alive. A fascinating excerpt from Bakhtiar Dadabhoy's book, Homi J Bhabha: A Life.
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.
The civil aviation ministry on Monday said all probable causes leading to the Air India plane crash in June last year are being investigated, and all efforts are being made to complete the probe in a time-bound manner.
From tears in the stands to songs in the airport, the India-Pakistan rivalry delivered agony and ecstasy in equal measure.
'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.'
IndiGo on Monday said it will refund all customer credit shells, which were created when flights were cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year, by January 31, 2021. The airline in a statement said it has already processed close to Rs 1,000 crore of refunds, which is approximately 90 per cent of the total amount it owed to its customers.
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.
'In India, there is this first generation migrant, say from a small village in UP. He didn't go to the Gulf to buy a big house but make the life of his family better.' 'He may have paid 1 lakh rupees to an agent to go to the Gulf. Imagine what will happen to him and his family if he has to come back. He and his family will become poor again.' 'He went to the Gulf to come out of poverty, but this war will make his family trapped in poverty once again.'
Apart from the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) exemptions, the regulator has provided certain other relaxations that will help IndiGo have more pilots for duty to reduce the disruptions and normalise operations.
China has initiated screening procedures for travelers arriving from regions affected by the Nipah virus, including India. While no cases have been detected in China, health authorities are taking precautionary measures due to the ongoing outbreak in India.
The Prayagraj airport in India is experiencing a surge in air traffic due to the Maha Kumbh, a major religious festival. The airport is handling an average of 40 non-scheduled charters and private jets daily, with figures reaching 70 on weekends. This is in addition to the average 148 scheduled commercial passenger aircraft operating daily. The airport recently received a contingent of about 180 politicians from Rajasthan and has seen corporate bigwigs like the Ambani brothers, Gautam Adani, and Pawan Munjal pass through. The airport has also hosted four international flights since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh, including a flight carrying Laurene Powell Jobs, the wife of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The airport is currently undergoing an upgrade and expansion, and officials are looking forward to the government's plans to integrate Prayagraj with the airports at Kashi and Ayodhya to promote tourism in the region.
'IndiGo will receive a sharp rap on the knuckles -- a punishment, a huge penalty. 'I look towards them creating a compensation fund.' 'I would like to think they would do that for all the passengers who are affected on every single day since cancellations began.'
'International flights will continue to operate from the old terminal because of customs and other requirements. Eventually, the old terminal will be closed.'
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.
Mohammed Siraj has expressed his frustration and disappointment over the delay of his Air India Express flight on Wednesday.
Where was the Board when a predictable regulatory change brought the country's largest airline to its knees? asks Dr Sudhir Bisht.
A selfie taken by Dr Prateek Joshi onboard the flight, showing the smiling family, has gone viral, capturing their excitement for the journey ahead.
An Air India flight bound for New York returned to Mumbai on Monday morning after a bomb threat was reported. The aircraft, carrying 303 passengers, was thoroughly checked by security agencies, and nothing suspicious was found. The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 5 am on Tuesday, and passengers have been offered hotel accommodation and other assistance. This incident follows a recent trend of hoax bomb threats on flights, with at least 15 flights receiving such threats this year.
Several Indians, including students, have arrived in Delhi from Iran amid widespread protests and a government crackdown. The Indian government has issued advisories urging citizens to leave Iran.
The passengers were stopped by the crew members for consuming alcohol and they apologised in writing for the incident.
These upcoming launches carry added significance in light of setbacks suffered in recent years.
'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.'
A 36-year-old Indian-origin man, Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, has been charged with sexually assaulting a fellow passenger on a flight from Montana to Texas. Shukla faces two years of imprisonment, a USD 250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release if convicted.
A Spanish startup, Orbital Paradigm, claims its payload, KID, survived the failed PSLV-C62 mission and transmitted data, despite ISRO's silence on the matter. The mission, carrying 16 satellites, failed due to issues in the rocket's third stage.
Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) members on Monday to discuss opportunities in his country, especially in the mining sector. The Taliban, who now control Afghanistan, is seeking to repair its ties with New Delhi, and is hopeful of Indian public and private sectors increasing investments in the mining and power sector, and greater trade and commerce.
An Air India flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv was diverted to Abu Dhabi on Sunday after a missile attack near the Tel Aviv airport. The airline has suspended Tel Aviv flights till May 6. The attack happened less than an hour before the Air India flight was to land at Tel Aviv. The flight landed normally in Abu Dhabi and will soon return to Delhi. Air India's operations to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended with immediate effect till May 6.
Rhe unruly passenger was handed over to the security personnel after landing at the Delhi airport.
Pilots' body Airlines' Pilots Association (ALPA) India on Friday took 'strong' objection to safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)'s 'selective and unsafe' relief to domestic carrier IndiGo, amid widescale cancellations, saying the decision sets a dangerous precedent.
