Page 55 - Air India

Air India relaxes privilege leave norm for staff approaching retirement

Air India has relaxed the new norm related to the accumulation of privilege leaves for those employees retiring in the current and next financial years. In March, the Tata Group-owned carrier revised its policy with respect to privilege leaves for both permanent and full-term contract staff to align the policy with prevailing market conditions. From April 1 onwards, Privilege Leaves (PLs) accumulation limit for all employees is 60 days in a particular financial year. Against this backdrop, the airline has made a relaxation for staff approaching retirement. In his message to the staff on Friday, Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson mentioned the airline deciding in March that all PLs beyond 60 days would be encashed. "Subsequently, many of you approaching retirement asked whether this could be deferred until your superannuation. "Our HR team followed up with the external tax authorities and happily were able to reach an agreement that, for those superannuating in th

Air India will move to better ticket pricing system in a few mths: MD & CEO

Air India, which was handed to the Tata Group in January last year, posted a loss of about Rs 7,000 crore in 2021-22

Air India's plane to Vancouver suffers technical problem; returns to Delhi

An Air India plane en route to Vancouver returned to Delhi shortly after take off on Friday due to a technical issue, according to the airline. The Boeing 777 aircraft operating flight AI185 landed back safely in the national capital. "Air India flight AI185 Delhi to Vancouver dated May 26, 2023, operated by B777 aircraft has air returned to Delhi following a technical issue shortly after take off," it said in a statement. The airline also said it is making alternate arrangements for the passengers while providing all support. Details about the number of passengers onboard the plane could not be immediately ascertained.

Air India, Air India Express to operate special Haj flights from 4 cities

Air India and Air India Express will operate special Haj flights from Jaipur, Chennai, Kozhikode and Kannur, carrying around 19,000 pilgrims. The two carriers will fly close to 19,000 pilgrims to Jeddah and Medina in Saudi Arabia from the four cities. Air India, in the first phase, will operate 46 flights from Jaipur and Chennai to Medina and Jeddah, respectively. The first flight was operated from Jaipur on May 21 and the services will go on till June 21, according to a release on Monday. In the second phase, Air India will bring back the pilgrims to Jaipur and Chennai by operating 43 flights from July 3 to August 2. "The number of pilgrims scheduled to fly with Air India from Jaipur is 5,871 on 27 flights while 4,447 pilgrims will be flown by it from Chennai on 19 flights," the release said. Air India Express will operate flights from Kozhikode and Kannur from June 4 to 22. It will operate 44 flights from Kozhikode to Jeddah - carrying 6,363 passengers and 13 flights between Ka

For Air India, goodbye to state control doesn't mean Tata to troubles

It has been more than a year of its acquisition from the Centre and Air India not only took major steps in terms of turnaround and transformation, but also ran into major controversies

AI, AI Express hired more than 3,900 people this year: Campbell Wilson

Air India, under the stewardship of Tata Group, is revamping the airline group and hiring more people as it expands the fleet as well as operations

Go First may be grounded, but IndiGo is in no hurry to expand capacity

According to company management, there is no change in the plan to add more aircraft, which was decided before Go First was grounded

7 passengers suffer sprain due to turbulence on AI's Delhi-Sydney flight

Seven passengers onboard an Air India flight from the national capital to Sydney on Wednesday suffered "minor sprain" due to severe turbulence, according to a senior DGCA official. The official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that no hospitalisation was required. Air India B787-800 aircraft VT-ANY operating flight AI-302 from Delhi-Sydney encountered severe turbulence. "During the flight seven passengers reported minor sprain. Cabin crew provided first aid with the assistance of a doctor and a nurse traveling as passengers, using an onboard first aid kit," the official said. Air India's airport manager at Sydney arranged medical assistance on arrival and only three passengers took the medical assistance, the official added. A statement from Air India on the incident is awaited.

Vistara-AI merger to boost Singapore Airlines' presence in Indian market

Singapore Airlines Group on Tuesday reported its highest ever net profit and outlined various strategic initiatives, including the proposed merger of Vistara with Air India to boost the Singaporean carrier's presence in the Indian market. Vistara is a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Group, which holds 51 per cent stake. The process to merge Vistara with Air India is underway. On Tuesday, Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group posted a record net profit of 2,157 million Singapore Dollars for FY2022-23. In the year-ago period, it had a net loss of SGD 962 million. "This was mainly driven by better operating performance (+SGD 3,302 million) and lower net finance charges (+SGD 338 million), and partially offset by a tax expense versus a tax credit last year (around SGD 615 million)," the airline group said in a release. Despite the Covid pandemic, the group said it remained committed to its longstanding strategy of buying and operating new generation aircraft. Among other ...

With Go First gone, rivals Air India, IndiGo, others ramp up flights

The government of India has also allotted cash-strapped Go First slots after representations that airports will lose money if they are not utilised

Air India imposes 2 year flying ban on individual for unruly behaviour

Air India has imposed a two-year flying ban on an individual who caused physical harm to two female cabin crew members onboard a Delhi-London flight on April 10, a source said on Friday. The Delhi Police had filed a case against the passenger, identified as 25-year-old Jaskirat Singh Padda from Punjab, on a complaint filed by Air India's cabin crew supervisor. The source on Friday said that an internal committee set up by Air India with respect to the incident unanimously decided that the individual does not deserve a lenient view and banned him from flying with the airline for a period of two years. The individual's behaviour was classified as Level 3 category offence, the source added. There was no immediate comment from Air India. Regulations of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) provide for classifying unruly passenger behaviour into three levels and such people can face flying ban for varying periods. Unruly behaviour such as physical gestures, verbal harassmen

DGCA fines Air India Rs 30 lakh, suspends pilot for three months

'We acknowledge and accept the DGCA's ruling', said Air India

After Go First exit, Air India CEO planning to 'quickly' increase flights

Aviation analytics firm says Air India may be able to boost domestic flights if 17 of its grounded planes are brought back to service soon

DGCA slaps Rs 30 lakh fine, suspends AI pilot for letting friend in cockpit

Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh for lapses in addressing "safety sensitive issue" related to the incident of a pilot allowing a female friend in the cockpit during a Dubai-Delhi flight on February 27. Besides, the licence of the pilot who operated the flight has been suspended for three months, the regulator said in a statement.

Air India looks to operationalise engineering warehouse in Delhi next month

Air India on Friday said it aims to operationalise an engineering warehouse near Delhi airport next month which will help resolve aircraft defects at a faster pace, and also indicated that pilots from Go First are looking to join the airline. Under the ownership of Tata Group, loss-making Air India is working on reviving the airline and among others, is aggressively hiring pilots and cabin crew as well as making various technological upgrades. In a message to employees on Friday, Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said the airline has finalised an agreement for setting up a 57,000 square feet engineering warehouse near the airport in the national capital. "An agreement for a new 57,000 sq ft engineering warehouse near Delhi Airport was reached. It aims to be operational next month, giving us more proximate access to and better control over our aircraft spares so we can resolve defects faster," he said. Details about the investment for the facility could not be immediately ...

AI pilots' unions decide to accept revised service terms, compensation

Air India's two pilot unions on Thursday decided to accept the revised service norms and new compensation structure offered by the airline. The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) had opposed the carrier's revised compensation structure introduced on April 17. The latest decision follows a virtual town hall meeting between pilots and the airline's chief of operations R S Sandhu last week, wherein the latter had assured that all demands will be looked into. "Upon the assurances given in the online Townhall Meeting for all pilots' and in the interest of the aspirations of Air India, The Tata Group and our passengers, the joint directive stands withdrawn," the two unions said in a joint statement on Thursday. The development also comes at a time when crisis-hit budget carrier Go First has gone into insolvency resolution proceedings. While ICPA represents pilots operating the narrow-body Airbus fleet, IPG has pilots who fly wide-body Boeing .

Air India pilot unions end protest on new salary contracts, service rewards

The change in stance from unions comes as Air India stepped up efforts to attract pilots from Go First that temporarily stopped operations last week

Air India pilot union not keen on accepting revised compensation structure

Members of Air India's two pilot unions held a joint meeting on Tuesday to discuss the airline's revised compensation structure, and a large section of them remained firm on their stance of not signing the new contracts, according to a source. The airline has given more time till the end of this week for pilots to decide on signing the new contracts. The initial deadline for accepting the revised compensation structure ended on April 30. The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) held a joint virtual meeting of their members to discuss the new service terms as well as the future course of action. On April 17, the Tata Group-owned carrier came out with a revised compensation package and new service terms and conditions for pilots and cabin crew of Air India, Air India Express and AIX Connect. The two unions had rejected the new service terms, saying they were unilateral, draconian and anti-labour. "At the meeting on Tuesday, largely the view w

Air India pilots get more time to accept revised compensation structure

Air India has given more time to pilots to accept the revised compensation structure, which has been opposed by two pilot unions, according to a source. The decision to provide more time to pilots who are yet to sign the new contracts also comes days after Air India organised a town hall meeting with many pilots to discuss their concerns. The source said the airline has given time till the end of this week for signing the new contracts apparently due to requests from people who had not earlier accepted the revised compensation structure. There was no comment from Air India on extending the deadline. Initially, the deadline for accepting the new contracts had ended on April 30. The move to extend the deadline also comes at a time when crisis-hit Go First has stopped flying and its future remains uncertain, a scenario that has also resulted in many of the budget carrier's pilots seeking job opportunities elsewhere. The source said that nearly 800 pilots who had not accepted the new

Air India extends voluntary retirement offer for employees till May 31

Air India extended a voluntary retirement offer for its non-flying staff till May 31. This is the third such offer by the group after it took control of the airline in January last year