Indian Aviation

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in a probe report into an airprox incident involving two IndiGo planes, has recommended that aviation regulator DGCA carry out an inspection to assess the effectiveness of airlines' safety management systems. In its 35-page final investigation report into the incident that happened in the Delhi airspace on November 17, 2023, the probe agency said that non-adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by the crew of one of the flights was one of the probable reasons for the incident, while the airline's failure to take timely action despite repeated SID-related occurences prior to the particular incident was a contributing factor. Generally, airprox refers to two aircraft coming closer than the permitted distance between them, and Standard Instrument Departure Route (SID) pertains to the route that an aircraft takes from the take-off to the enroute phase. IndiGo's A321 aircraft operating flight IGO2113 from Delhi to Hyderabad and

India's skies over the past decade have shifted from a battleground of about half a dozen carriers to a near-duopoly

New airlines and eVTOL startups plan regional and electric takeoffs

Earlier this year, the DGCA proposed tightened rules on alcohol testing for crew members, including one that would have a pilot lose their license permanently after three positive tests

Shankh Air founder Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma is set to launch Uttar Pradesh's first home-grown airline in early 2026, connecting Lucknow with major metros

The Adani Group's stance contrasts with the country's two largest airlines, IndiGo and Air India, which want New Delhi to be cautious about opening local skies to overseas carriers

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 October, these figures were at 25.7 per cent and 2.6 per cent, respectively. Latest data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) showed that Akasa Air also saw its domestic market share drop to 4.7 per cent in November from 5.2 per cent in October. With a share of 63.6 per cent in November, IndiGo remained the largest domestic carrier but the share declined from 65.6 per cent in October. In the wake of the operational disruptions, DGCA, earlier this month, directed IndiGo to reduce its winter schedule by 10 per cent. "Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-November 2025 were 1,526.35

IndiGo says it has stabilised operations since December 9 and is managing fog disruptions, as it ramps up capacity and plans Athens flights with its first A321XLR from January 23

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