FLIGHT OPERATIONS
DGCA issues show-cause notice to Akasa Airlines over regulatory breaches
The DGCA has issued a show-cause notice to Akasa Airlines for violating several regulatory requirements during a recent audit. The airline must respond within seven days, addressing concerns about inadequate training and lack of approvals. The DGCA continues to stress the importance of adhering to aviation safety standards.
SpiceJet flies empty from Dubai as passengers denied check-in due to unpaid dues: Report
India's SpiceJet faced disruptions as unpaid airport dues in Dubai forced it to operate empty flights. Passengers were unable to check in but were later accommodated. The airline continues to grapple with operational and financial challenges, including legal issues and grounded planes, despite efforts to restore operations.
Noida airport expects first flight by April next year: CEO
Commercial operations at Noida Airport are set to begin by April 2025. Test flights will start in September, followed by validation flights in December. The airport, managed by Zurich Airport and constructed by Tata Projects, will initially handle 1.2 crore passengers annually, with ongoing discussions for flight operations with domestic and international airlines.
DGCA slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on Air India Express
The DGCA has fined Air India Express Rs 10 lakh for not paying compensation to passengers of cancelled flights. During an inspection, the airline was found to have violated norms concerning compensation. A subsequent show cause notice revealed non-compliance, leading to the penalty.
Vistara-Air India Merger: Final FDI approval expected soon, merger likely after Diwali
Vistara's merger into Air India is all set to secure Singapore Airlines' FDI approval for a 25.1% stake. With Tata Group retaining 74.9%, the merger is set to occur around November 1 to sidestep potential travel disruptions during the festive season.
DGCA fines Air India Rs 90 lakh for operating flight with unqualified crew
The DGCA fined Air India ₹90 lakh after the airline operated a flight from Mumbai to Riyadh on July 9 with an unqualified crew. The airline's Director of Operations and Director of Training were also penalized ₹6 lakh and ₹3 lakh, respectively, for regulatory violations and safety issues revealed through an investigation.
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Air India announced additional flights to Kolkata to cater to festive rush
Air India has announced additional flights to Kolkata from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai during the Durga Puja season to meet rising travel demand. These flights are introduced to offer travelers more convenience and seamless connections via major hubs to various international destinations including the United States, Canada, UK, and Australia.
Air India operated flights with 'non-qualified' pilots, faces near ₹1 crore fine by DGCA
DGCA Air India Fine: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a financial penalty of Rs 98 lakh on Tata-owned Air India for operating flights with non-qualified crew members. The incident revealed multiple regulatory violations. Earlier in March, the airline was fined Rs 80 lakh for violating pilot rest period rules.
Govt to provide viability gap funding for seaplane operations: Civil Aviation Minister Naidu
Naidu told reporters that some states, including Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, have expressed interest to participate in seaplane operations. Demo flights of seaplanes will be done in October starting with Vijayawada, he said. The seaplane operations are being promoted under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik).
Air India announces more flights to Kolkata to handle Durga Puja rush
Air India will operate additional flights to Kolkata from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi to meet the increased travel demand during Durga Puja. Starting from September 20, the services will enhance the frequency and convenience for travellers aiming to visit their loved ones during the festive season.
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's lofty bet has grown fourfold: What lies ahead
In 2021, Vinay Dube launched Akasa Air, backed by investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. Despite initial losses, the airline's valuation has grown to $350 million. Akasa has expanded its fleet rapidly, overtaking SpiceJet in market share, and is now seeking $125 million in new investments from Premji Invest and Claypond Capital for further growth.
Japan Airlines to enhance air connectivity on Tokyo-Bengaluru route
Japan Airlines will increase flights from Tokyo to Bengaluru to five per week starting late October, up from three, due to rising demand. Currently, JAL is the sole carrier offering direct flights from Bangalore, using Boeing B787-8 aircraft. This expansion aims to enhance connectivity and support regional economic growth, as noted by BIAL's COO.
Bangladesh crisis crash-lands on Indian tourism
Political unrest in Bangladesh is causing a significant drop in inbound tourism to India. Bangladeshi travelers, who usually make up 23% of India’s inbound tourism—primarily for medical and shopping reasons—have seen a 90% decline in outbound travel due to recent turmoil. With flights disrupted and visa services limited, travel between the two countries has nearly halted. This decline, particularly affecting popular destinations like Kolkata and Northeast India, has led to a 40% drop in bookings from Bangladeshi visitors.
IndiGo inducts 77 female pilots to mark Independence Day
IndiGo celebrated India's 77th independence anniversary by adding 77 female pilots to its ranks, boosting its number of female pilots to over 800. This represents 14% of their pilots, well above the global average of 7-9%. The airline also offers flexible contracts for female pilots with young children.
Air India suspends all flight operations to Tel Aviv amid Middle East tensions
In an official statement, Air India assured passengers with confirmed bookings to and from Tel Aviv that they would receive a full refund. The airline also stated that it is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as needed.
Air India to operate evening flight to Dhaka, offers one-time waiver; Vistara to resume services from Wednesday
Air India will operate its scheduled evening flight from Delhi to Dhaka on August 6, 2024, after canceling its morning flight due to the current volatile situation in Dhaka. The airline is offering a one-time waiver for rescheduling flights to and from Dhaka between August 4 and 7 for tickets booked by August 5.
Air India, IndiGo cancel flights to Dhaka
Air India and IndiGo have canceled their flights to and from Dhaka effective immediately due to the political unrest following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation amid widespread protests. Vistara operated its flight from Mumbai on Monday but is monitoring the situation for future flights.
India signs bilateral air services agreements with 116 countries to enhance global connectivity
India has executed Bilateral Air Services Agreements (ASAs) with a total of 116 foreign countries. The agreements facilitate the operation of international flights between India and these nations, aiming to boost global connectivity and support economic and tourism growth.
Air India suspends operations to and from Tel Aviv until August 8
Tata-owned airline Air India has announced a suspension of flight operations to and from Tel Aviv until August 8, due to rising Middle Eastern tensions. The airline is monitoring the situation and has extended support to passengers with confirmed bookings, offering a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges.
Air India cancels Tel Aviv flight
Air India cancelled its flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv on Thursday, citing operational reasons. The decision coincides with escalating tensions in the conflict between Israel and the terror group Hamas. Air India operates four flights from Delhi to Tel Aviv every week.
Air India Express adds Agartala to its list of destinations, to begin operations from September 1
Air India Express, a subsidiary of Tata owned Air India, has expanded its network to Tripura by introducing daily direct flights connecting Agartala to Guwahati, Delhi, and Kolkata from September 1. Tripura will become the airline’s 46th destination, enhancing connectivity in the North-East and promoting economic growth and tourism. The airline aims to provide an unparalleled guest experience through its expanded routes and increased frequencies to various destinations.
Air India flight operations hit by heavy rains in Mumbai; airline offers full fare refunds
The heavy rainfall overnight has disrupted some public transport services, causing inconvenience to countless commuters.
Air India, SpiceJet say none of their scheduled flights were cancelled amid Microsoft tech outage
SpiceJet resolved the CrowdStrike outage with systems back to normal. Despite the Microsoft cloud outage, all flights operated, minimizing disruption to passengers' travel plans. Ajay Singh praised the team. IndiGo, Akasa Airlines, and Delhi Airport experienced delays and handwritten boarding passes. The government engaged with Microsoft. Banking saw minor impacts, with 10 banks and NBFCs affected. Bengaluru Airport also experienced delays. CrowdStrike’s George Kurtz confirmed the issue was fixed and not a security incident. Global operations were affected.
Microsoft outage forces IndiGo to cancel almost 200 flights; Rebooking and refund options temporarily suspended
An extensive IT outage impacting Microsoft's Azure cloud platform has led to the cancellation of over 200 IndiGo flights and caused widespread travel disruptions. The issue, which began on July 19, 2024, is affecting airlines globally, including IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India. Passengers are advised to check flight statuses and arrive early at airports due to ongoing technical problems.
Airline operations face disruption after global computer outage
Indian airlines faced major disruptions due to a global computer outage, causing delays and manual check-ins at airports. IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air were among the affected carriers. Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu assured passengers that efforts were being made to minimize disruption. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) network was unaffected. The cause, a Microsoft-related issue, has been identified and resolved. Financial institutions, including stock exchanges, remained unaffected. Airlines are working to restore normalcy.
Air India's first A320neo enters service, operates on Delhi-Bengaluru route
Tata-owned Air India introduced India's first narrow-body aircraft on the Delhi-Bengaluru route. It features new cabin interiors and livery. The Airbus A320neo aircraft arrived from Toulouse on July 7. The inaugural flight, AI813, marked the first of three A320neo flights scheduled for the day. There are plans for more routes within India. The aircraft offers Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins with various amenities tailored to passenger comfort.
Akasa Air commences operations in Jeddah, strengthens its presence in Saudi Arabia
Akasa Air has launched operations to Jeddah from Mumbai and Ahmedabad, offering direct flights.The first flight departed Mumbai at 7:35 pm IST on July 15 and arrived at Jeddah at 10:25 pm AST. The airline now operates daily direct flights between Jeddah and Mumbai, with plans to increase to 12 flights per week by July 21. It begin flights connecting Jeddah and Ahmedabad starting July 20.
Pune airport's new airport becomes operational with inaugural flights to Delhi, Bhubaneswar
The new terminal at Pune international airport was inaugurated, offering flights to New Delhi and Bhubaneswar. The terminal, built at a cost of Rs 423 crore, features modern amenities and showcases the region's culture and heritage. Union Minister Mohol expressed confidence in providing a seamless flying experience for passengers.
Mumbai Rains: Flights issue advisory, refund instructions
Mumbai Rains: Mumbai experienced heavy rains early Monday, causing significant traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement at Mumbai airport. IndiGo and Vistara issued advisories to passengers, urging them to allow extra travel time due to weather conditions. Vistara informed customers of expected delays en route to the airport, while IndiGo mentioned that flights to and from Mumbai were affected by the rains, offering options for alternate flights or full refunds.
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