Page 2 - Aircrafts

SpiceJet to lease five Boeing 737 planes, joining fleet in October

SpiceJet has finalised an agreement to lease five Boeing 737 planes, and the aircraft are scheduled to join its fleet in October. The aircraft are being inducted on a damp-lease basis, where operational crew will be shared between the operator and the airline, according to a release on Friday. The airline said it has finalised a lease agreement to induct five Boeing 737 aircraft, and they are scheduled to join the fleet in October and will cater to the peak winter season as well as the early summer season of 2026. "SpiceJet is also in advanced discussions with other lessors to further enhance its fleet and strengthen both domestic and international operations," it added. The budget carrier, which had been facing multiple headwinds, operates Boeing 737s and Q-400s. It did not mention the current number of operational planes in its fleet. As per data available on fleet tracking website Planespotters.net, the airline has 20 planes in operation and 33 on the ground for various reasons

Indian airlines reported 183 aircraft defects till July 21: Govt

Five Indian airlines reported 183 technical defects in their aircraft to the aviation regulator DGCA this year till July 21, including 85 by Air India Group, according to the government. IndiGo and Akasa Air reported 62 and 28 technical defects, respectively, while SpiceJet reported 8 defects, as per data shared by the civil aviation ministry in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Air India and Air India Express together reported 85 technical defects, respectively. All the figures are for this year till July 21. In 2024, the number of technical defects reported stood at 421, lower than 448 reported in 2023. In 2022, the count of technical defects reported stood at 528. The figures for these three years also include those of Alliance Air and erstwhile Vistara. In 2021, the number of technical defects reported in aircraft was 514. At that time, Akasa Air had not started operations. "All defects reported by the airline to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) a

76% flyers say airlines prioritise publicity over passenger safety: Survey

A majority of airline passengers believe carriers prioritise publicity over safety, while 64% report rough flights in 3 years, raising serious concerns over aviation safety and regulatory oversight

DGCA removes window shade advisory, photography ban remains at IAF airports

The DGCA emphasised on Saturday that the prohibition on aerial and ground photography continues to apply to all aircraft operations at IAF Joint User Airports (JUAs)

Too early to draw conclusions: AAIB on Air India plane crash probe

AAIB chief calls foreign reports on the AI171 crash speculative and irresponsible, urging public to await the final report and avoid undermining the probe's integrity

Taiwan reports increased Chinese military activity around its territory

In response to China's action, Taiwan's armed forces deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal missile systems to monitor the situation

Too early to conclude Air India crash cause: Aviation min on probe report

Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said that it is immature to jump to conclusions at the juncture over the recent Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad, as the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has only released the preliminary report. On June 12, a London-bound Air India flight, AI 171, crashed immediately after take off in Ahmedabad, killing 260 people. "So, let's not jump to any conclusions at this stage. Let us wait for the final report. These are technical things and that is why we have these investigation agencies. Once they are clear..., they are going to submit the final report. At this stage it will be very immature for me to comment on it," said Naidu. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in the port city, the aviation minister heaped praise on the AAIB, Indian pilots and cabin crews, calling them the 'best' in the world. He also underscored that 'justice' has to be done to the family members of one of India's worst

Defence attache's IAF loss in Op Sindoor remark sparks row: What happened

India's defence attache to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, faced backlash for suggesting political constraints led to IAF losses in Operation Sindoor. Embassy says comments taken out of context

NTSB blames Boeing, FAA oversight failures for 2024 midair blowout

The midair blowout in January 2024, which left a gaping hole in the side of the plane operated by Alaska Airlines, didn't result in any fatalities, but it plunged Boeing into crisis

79% Air India flyers report quality, aircraft maintenance issues: Survey

A staggering 79% of Air India passengers experienced aircraft quality issues, up from 55% in 2024, amid growing safety concerns after the June 12 crash, finds a nationwide LocalCircles survey

VietJet signs agreement with Airbus to purchase up to 150 aircraft

A deal for 150 A321neos could be worth around $9.4 billion, according to estimated prices provided by Cirium Ascend

Boeing sees need for 43,600 new aircrafts, cautions on slow output

The US planemaker is slightly less bullish than a year ago as, when it estimated that 43,975 planes would enter the global fleet, reflecting a tempering of forecasts for global economic growth

IndiGo appoints Ton Dortmans to lead A350 service, MRO growth plans

Ton Dortmans to join IndiGo in August 2025 to support A350 technical entry and expand MRO capabilities. Vikram Singh Mehta appointed new chairman as Venkataramani Sumantran steps down after five years

India to build two-seater electric trainer aircraft: Jitendra Singh

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said the aircraft is being designed and developed indigenously by CSIR-NAL and will cost nearly half of imported versions

BCAS orders additional check at airports amid rising India-Pak tensions

SLPC is a security procedure in which airline staff carry out an additional screening of passengers and their hand baggage just before boarding the aircraft

French aviation firm Lauak mulls sale as Lohia eyes global expansion

The company in France's Basque region is attracting interest from potential suitors including India's Lohia Aerospace Systems

Aviation ministry seeks FinMin help to boost aircraft leasing at GIFT City

It has also raised concern over slow progress in developing aircraft leasing in India

SpiceJet, Willis Lease settle dispute; insolvency case to be withdrawn

A ₹3,000 crore QIP capital infusion in September 2024 and ₹294 crore investment by promoter Ajay Singh have helped the airline move towards financial stability

Tata-backed Air India eyes major widebody jet order from Airbus and Boeing

Air India may be looking to add 30 to 40 jets as Tata Group plans domestic and international expansion

Supply chain issues may hit aircraft deliveries for 4-5 yrs: Air India CEO

The CEO also said that leasing planes is not an easy solution either