Page 6 - Air India

Air India raises pilots' retirement age to 65, non-flying staff to 60

Air India has decided to increase the retirement age for pilots to 65 years and for non-flying staff to 60 years, sources said on Friday. At present, the retirement age for both pilots and non-flying staff at the airline is 58 years. The announcement about increasing the superannuation age was made at the airline's townhall addressed by CEO and MD Campbell Wilson, the sources said. Air India pilots' retirement age will be increased to 65 years and that of non-flying staff will be raised to 60 years, a move that will also bring their superannuation age at par with erstwhile Vistara. There was no official comment from Air India. Tata Group-owned Air India has around 24,000 staff, including about 3,600 pilots and nearly 9,500 cabin crew members It could not be immediately ascertained whether the retirement age for cabin crew, which is currently 58 years at Air India, has been increased or not. In recent times, some pilots and cabin crew members have quit the airline. According to

Air India teams up with Singapore Airlines to boost safety: CEO Wilson

Air India is working on improving the reliability of its aircraft, collaborating with Singapore on industry best practices and retrofitting legacy planes, its CEO Campbell Wilson told staff on Friday. After the fatal crash of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft that killed 260 people on June 12, the Tata Group-owned airline has come under increased regulatory oversight and the carrier is pursuing efforts to stabilise its operations. During a townhall with the employees, Wilson said the airline has started the retrofit of its wide-body fleet and the first legacy Boeing 787-8 plane, sent for retrofit to the US last month, will join back the fleet by December this year, according to sources. The airline has 26 legacy Boeing 787-8 planes and all of them are expected to be retrofitted by June 2027. The retrofit of all legacy 27 A320 neo aircraft will be completed by September 2025. Against the backdrop of some Air India aircraft facing technical snags, Wilson told the staff that the carrier is ..

SC junks PIL seeking safety audit, says Air India tragedy singled out

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a plea to appoint a retired top court judge for examining Air India's safety practices among other aspects and asked the petitioner why target the airline that witnessed an "unfortunate tragedy". A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi told the petitioner in-person Narendera Kumar Goswami to withdraw his PIL and asked him to move the appropriate forum in case of grievances. "Don't give the impression that you are playing with other airlines. Why target Air India only which recently witnessed an unfortunate tragedy? If you want some regulatory mechanism in place, then why did you not make other airlines as party in your petition? Why only Air India?" the bench asked Goswami, a lawyer. The petitioner claimed to be a victim of "some unfortunate incident" with the airline. Justice Kant then told him, "We also travel every week and know what is the status. There was a tragedy, a very unfortunate one. This is not a time to run down a

Air India CEO reassures flyers on safety after DGCA findings, AI171 crash

Campbell Wilson tells Maharaja Club members Air India is reinforcing safety with detailed inspections, audits, and a temporary "Safety Pause" after DGCA findings and fatal crash

Air India boosts internal checks, safety after recent flight issues: CEO

Air India has vigorous and multi-layered safety protocols with every aircraft undergoing thorough checks take-off, its chief Campbell Wilson said on Wednesday as he emphasised that the airline is strengthening internal processes to minimise operational challenges. On June 12, a London Gatwick-bound Air India's Boeing 737-8 aircraft crashed into a building soon after take-off, killing 260 people. Since then, the Tata Group-owned carrier has carried out various checks on its Boeing 737 and 787 planes. In recent weeks, some of Air India's flights have either been cancelled or delayed due to technical issues. Against this backdrop, Wilson, on Wednesday, acknowledged that there have been some operational challenges over the last few weeks that may have impacted the travel experience. "Rest assured, we take this seriously and we are committed to strengthening our internal processes to minimise the inconvenience that such circumstances cause to you," the Air India CEO and MD said in a ...

Air India may shift maintenance in-house with Singapore Airlines' help

The Indian airline is preparing to take on pre-flight and daily aircraft inspections, minor repair work and other troubleshooting activities from state-owned AI Engineering Services Ltd, or AIESL

Air India flight undergoes immediate cleaning after mid-air cockroach scare

Despite regular fumigation procedures, Air India acknowledged that 'insects can sometimes enter an aircraft during ground operations'

Air India Express flight returns to Bengaluru airport due to technical snag

The airline had provided guests with options, including hotel accommodation, complimentary rescheduling, or cancellation with a full refund

Air India cancels Bhubaneswar-Delhi flight due to technical issue

The airline cited abnormal cabin temperatures on the ground as the reason behind the cancellation

Air India cancels Singapore-Chennai flight due to technical issue

Air India on Sunday cancelled its flight from Singapore to Chennai due to a technical issue. The flight AI349 was to be operated with an Airbus A321. In a statement on Sunday, the airline said the flight AI349 scheduled to operate from Singapore to Chennai has been cancelled due to a maintenance task identified prior to departure which required additional time for rectification. "Arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to Chennai at the earliest. Hotel accommodation is being provided, and full refunds on cancellation, or complimentary rescheduling is also being offered to passengers based on their preference," Air India said. According to the airline, ground colleagues in Singapore are making every possible effort to minimise the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to this unforeseen disruption. In recent days, some of the Air India planes have faced technical snags.

Air India crash: British families await update on DNA-matched remains

British families, waiting for the remains of relatives aboard the London-bound Air India 171 plane that crashed soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, are expecting confirmation on DNA matches after high-level India-UK government talks, their legal team has said. Keystone Law, which has been working with aviation experts to assist many of the families who lost loved ones in the June 12 crash, called for urgency in the process this week. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UK visit last week, Downing Street had confirmed that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had discussed the Air India plane crash during their bilateral talks against the backdrop of UK media reports of mislabelling of some remains repatriated to Britain. The UK and Indian governments have held high-level talks, as a result of the international media coverage of this problem, said James Healy-Pratt, Aviation Partner at Keystone Law. It is believed that some matched DNA remains may now have been located in India. ...

Fraudsters pose as govt officials to dupe A-I crash victim's kin, FIR filed

Posing as government officials and a Supreme Court lawyer, two individuals allegedly tried to dupe the family of an Air India crash victim into signing papers for compensation; an FIR has been filed

Air India's Dreamliner aborts takeoff at IGI airport due to technical issue

Air India's Dreamliner Boeing 787-9, which was to fly to London, aborted takeoff at the Delhi airport due to a technical issue on Thursday. "Flight AI2017, operating from Delhi to London on July 31, returned to the bay due to a suspected technical issue. The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the takeoff run following standard operating procedures and brought the aircraft back for precautionary checks," an airline spokesperson said in a statement to PTI. According to a source, the flight was to be operated with a Boeing 787-9 plane. "An alternative aircraft is being deployed to fly the passengers to London at the earliest. Our ground staff is extending all support and care to the guests to minimise inconvenience caused due to this unexpected delay," the statement said. Details about the number of passengers onboard could not be immediately ascertained. In recent weeks, there have been various issues involving Air India planes, and the airline has also come under the regulatory ..

Aviation watchdog DGCA finds 263 lapses at Indian airlines in annual audit

The audits were carried out as part of International Civil Aviation Organization requirements and global best practices, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Wednesday

'Air India to resume Goa-Gatwick direct flights by September-end'

The Air India flight between Goa and Gatwick in London, stopped following the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash, will resume by the end of September, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said in the state assembly. Improved connectivity to Goa from various locations is a "game changer" for the tourism sector, Khaunte said in the House on Tuesday during demands for grants for his department in the ongoing monsoon session of the assembly. The Air India flights from Goa's Manohar International Airport to Gatwick were suspended following the crash of the AI plane heading from Ahmedabad to London last month, which claimed the lives of 260 persons, including 241 on board. Khaunte said in the House that the direct flight between Goa and Gatwick will resume by the end of September this year. Notably, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant last week said in the assembly he will consult the Civil Aviation Ministry on resumption of the Air India Goa-Gatwick flight after BJP MLA Michael Lobo said it

Air India: DGCA audit flags 51 safety lapses, training, and crew gaps

DGCA audit finds 51 safety issues at Air India, including poor pilot training, unauthorised simulators, and rostering flaws. Tata-owned airline under scrutiny after recent fatal crash

Air India pays interim compensation to kin of 166 Ahmedabad crash victims

Private carrier Air India on Saturday said it has paid the interim compensation to the families of 166 victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash last month. Besides, payment to the families of another 52 victims is in the process, it added. The plane crash, one of the worst air disasters in India in decades, involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Air India flight AI171. Of the 242 people onboard, 241 were killed, while the total death toll stood at 260, including casualties on the ground. On June 14, Air India announced that it will provide an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh, or approximately GBP 21,500, to the families of each of the deceased and survivors of the Ahmedabad plane crash to help address immediate financial needs. "Air India has released the interim compensation to the families of 147 of the 229 deceased passengers and also the 19 who lost their lives at the accident site," the airline said in the statement. In addition, the requisite documents of 52 others h

Why hunt for the black box? There's a simpler fix for faster crash probes

Aircraft are equipped with sensors and recorders, which capture everything mechanical and electrical, and record cockpit conversations

Air India has improved training, strengthened standards: CEO Wilson

Air India has improved training, strengthened standards and has been focused on improving reporting about safety and other matters, the airline's CEO Campbell Wilson said on Friday. Against the backdrop of its plane crash that killed 260 people on June 12, Wilson said it is natural that there is a period of intense scrutiny following an accident and that all commentary must be taken constructively with grace and an open mind. The Tata Group-owned airline, which has come under intense scrutiny following the accident, has taken certain measures, including temporary curtailment of flights and completion of inspection of its Boeing 787 and 737 fleets. In recent years, Wilson said the airline has improved training and promulgated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to give direction and clarity, strengthened standards, instilled processes to drive compliance and consistency, and introduced performance management practices to rise higher. "We have focussed on improving reporting, whethe

FAA finds no fuel system fault in Air India Dreamliner crash probe

US aviation regulator rules out mechanical failure in June 12 Air India 787 crash that killed 260 people, as probe continues into cause of fuel cutoff