Indian Aviation

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. In 2026, apart from these two carriers, Uttar Pradesh-based Shankh Air, which already has a No Objection Certificate (NOC), is likely to start operations. Al Hind Air is being promoted by Kerala-based alhind Group. The ministry is keen to have more airline operators in the country, which is one of the world's fastest growing domestic civil aviation markets. Currently, there are nine operational scheduled domestic carriers in the country. Fly Big, a regional airline, suspended scheduled flights in October. IndiGo and Air India Group -- Air India and Air India Express -- together have over 90 per cent of the domestic market share. Concerns about apparent duopoly in the fast-growing domestic airlines' industry got amplified this month in the wake of the massive operational disruptions at IndiGo, which has a mark

The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by passenger Ankit Dewan, who alleged that he was assaulted by the off-duty pilot at Terminal 1 of the airport on Friday during security check

Passenger Ankit Dewan has alleged that he was physically attacked by an off-duty Air India Express pilot at Delhi airport's Terminal 1, leaving him injured and his seven-year-old daughter traumatised

Amid flight disruptions due to fog and low visibility conditions, the civil aviation ministry on Friday directed airlines to strictly comply with facilitation requirements for passengers and ensure adequate staffing at airports. Hundreds of flights are getting delayed and many are being cancelled due to dense fog at various airports, including Delhi's IGIA. In an office memorandum, the ministry mentioned about mandatory compliance with passenger facilitation requirements during fog and low-visibility conditions. According to the ministry, there should be timely and accurate information about flights, meals and refreshments for extended delays, rebooking or refunds in case of cancellations and boarding should not be denied after timely check-in. "Where adverse weather prevents operations despite reasonable efforts, airlines shall clearly inform passengers about the nature of disruption and the measures being undertaken. "Appropriate passenger entitlements (refreshments, reschedulin

Don't blame misfortune. This is colossal incompetence and insensitivity. So bad that heads would have rolled even in the old PSU-era Indian Airlines and Air India

IndiGo, which is operated by InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, started out as a scrappy underdog in a sector where everyone else was backed by government, billionaires, or storied corporate group

India, which has historically been a challenging market for airlines to succeed, has all the ingredients to become a fantastic market, and some of the issues being seen now are temporary, according to IATA chief Willie Walsh. With considerable growth potential and rising air traffic demand, Indian carriers are looking to expand capacity, and over 1,500 planes are on order. More airports are also coming up. Welcoming investments in airport infrastructure and by airlines in additional aircraft, Walsh said India's domestic market is now 32 per cent larger in 2025 than in 2020. "It (Indian domestic market) has increased by more than a third in terms of revenue passenger kilometres... That growth does not come without challenges... India has facilitated that growth, which has been a great example... It is one of the most exciting global markets," Walsh said. Against the backdrop of IndiGo flight disruptions and other challenges, the IATA chief said he sees some of the issues being faced

The northern parts of India, including Air India's primary hub, Delhi, experience low visibility due to dense fog, with the potential to have a cascading impact on flight schedules

Civil Aviation ministry has directed IndiGo to reduce its flight schedule by 10 per cent to curb cancellations and restore stability as the airline faces probes, refunds pressure and compliance orders

Crisis-ridden IndiGo on Tuesday claimed that the airline is back on its feet and operations are stable, even as it keeps addressing all customer needs. In the latest video message, IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers also said that lakhs of customers, whose flights were cancelled or delayed, have already received their full refunds, and the process is ongoing on a daily basis. Elbers, however, remained tight-lipped on the compensation to customers, whose flights were cancelled at the last minute or were hugely delayed. As per the Civil Aviation Ministry's passenger charter, if an airline fails to inform a passenger of his/her flight cancellation at least two weeks before departure, compensation is legally mandatory, and its amount depends on the flight duration. Also, the airline has to provide compensation automatically, without passengers asking for it. "IndiGo is back on its feet, and our operations are stable. We've let you down when a major operational disruption happened, and we're sorr

A union for loco pilots has demanded norms similar to those for airline pilots, including capping duty hours at six hours for passenger trains and eight hours for goods trains

The contest for India's 1.4 billion consumers was turning into a fixed match, I had argued in May 2023

After major nationwide disruptions, IndiGo now has to answer the DGCA by 6 pm on Monday; the airline says operations are improving and ₹610 crore in refunds have already been cleared

While the company has pledged a full recovery by Dec 10, the debacle threatens IndiGo's position in the industry and its ambitious expansion plans

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) in the sector is up by 1800 points in the last decade to record high of 4500 in FY25

Indigo's mass cancellations and delays pushed punctuality to just 3.7% early December, with passenger grievances peaking and experts linking the crisis to crew roster implementation issues

A parliamentary panel is likely to summon top executives of private airlines and the civil aviation regulator over the mass cancellation of IndiGo flights that has left thousands of travellers stranded across the country's airports. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, chaired by JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, is likely to seek an explanation from top executives of airlines and officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation about the cause of disruption in air services and possible solutions. A member said the panel has taken serious note of the difficulties faced by thousands of passengers due to disruption in air services. Even parliamentarians, who were in the national capital for the Winter Session, faced the brunt of flight cancellations by IndiGo and delays by other airlines, the panel member said. Several MPs also received complaints from people about air fares shooting up due to the ...

The board of Interglobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo, has set up a Crisis Management Group (CMG), which is meeting regularly to monitor the situation, the airline said in a statement on Sunday. The company's Board of Directors is doing everything possible to take care of the challenges faced by its customers and ensure refunds to passengers, it added. The statement came a day after the IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras received DCA notices, seeking explanations within 24 hours on the massive flight disruptions. Authorities will take appropriate action in the matter of the airline's flight disruptions, depending on the inquiry committee's findings, a senior government official said on Saturday. "The Board of Directors of Interglobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) met on the first day that the problem of cancellations and delayed flights arose. The members received a detailed briefing from the management on the nature and extent of the ...

To provide greater flexibility, they have introduced a special waiver of change or cancellation fees on eligible domestic bookings

India's tighter FDTL pilot fatigue norms have triggered cancellations and delays, exposing crew shortages, roster stress and a fresh debate over safety, planning and preparedness