Page 27 - Airlines

Aviation regulator removes SpiceJet from enhanced surveillance regime

Airline has taken 'suitable maintenance action', says DGCA after checking its fleet

Japan Airlines encourages 'no bags' travel

The airline's plan to encourage foreign tourists to travel without bags is both convenient and fuel-efficient, a concept India could adopt as well

US airlines see no letup in travel demand despite broader economic concerns

Airlines say travel has become the topmost priority for consumers, but capacity constraints will not let them catch up with demand for anytime soon, helping sustain the post-pandemic travel boom

No proposal to interfere in current airfares regulatory framework: Scindia

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said there is no proposal at present to interfere with the current regulatory framework for airfares. Air ticket prices are not regulated by the government and are market driven, with airlines having freedom to fix reasonable fares after taking into consideration various factors, including cost of operation. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Scindia said airlines remain compliant with the regulatory provisions under Aircraft Rules, 1937 as long as the fare charged by them does not exceed the fare established and displayed on their websites. "The recent increase in airfare has been noticed in a few sectors, primarily driven by seasonality and demand-supply constraints. Further, the increase in airfare is also attributable to increase in fuel prices. Government has taken steps to sensitise the airlines," he said. According to him, the airfares in these select sectors are monitored on daily basis and as a result of which they

American Airlines raises 2023 profit forecast on strong travel demand

Boosting profits, jet fuel costs in North America are down about 30% from a year ago, but there are signs flight fares might be cooling off

AI flight gets delayed after passenger's mobile phone charger malfunctions

A Delhi-bound Air India flight from Udaipur returned to the bay soon after push back on Monday due to an issue with the malfunctioning of a mobile phone charger of a passenger, according to officials. The flight AI 470 was delayed by at least an hour and later took off for Delhi, one of the officials said. An airline official said there was a malfunction of the mobile phone charger of a passenger. Further, the airline official said the passenger noticed overheating of the mobile phone and alerted the cabin crew. Subsequently, the aircraft, which had pushed back, returned as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the passengers. However, an official at the Udaipur airport said there was apparently smoke onboard the aircraft following which it returned after pushback. While the exact sequence of the development could not be immediately ascertained, reports claimed that there was an issue with a power bank of a passenger.

Passport, money, AirTag? Here's what has brought luggage woes back

A year after air travel stormed back from pandemic lows, overwhelming the system with airport chaos and luggage pileups, airlines are still struggling to keep up

SpiceJet shares trim most of early gains, settles nearly 1% higher

Shares of SpiceJet on Thursday trimmed most of their early gains and ended nearly 1 per cent higher. During the morning trade, the stock had jumped 7.50 per cent after the company said its promoter and Chairman Ajay Singh will infuse Rs 500 crore into the airline, which will help boost its financial position as well as tap additional funds from a government scheme. The stock climbed 7.50 per cent to Rs 33.50 during the day on the BSE after a firm beginning. However, the stock failed to hold on to the strong momentum and gave up most of their early gains and ended at Rs 31.38 apiece, up 0.71 per cent. In volume terms, 73.81 lakh shares of the company were traded on the BSE during the trade. The budget carrier, which is facing multiple headwinds, including disputes with aircraft lessors, has been looking to raise funds. In a statement on Wednesday, SpiceJet said the fresh equity infusion by Singh, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director, will help the carrier in accessing ...

Delta Air forecasts stronger earnings on post-pandemic travel boom

Shares of other airlines also followed Delta's gains, with American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines all up about 1.8% before the bell

Go First extends cancellation of its scheduled flights till July 16

Go First, which is undergoing an insolvency resolution process, stopped flying on May 3, and since then, it has extended the cancellation of flights multiple times

Wadia Group in talks with investors to jointly bid for Go First: Report

The group wants to hedge its bets in the aviation sector and thus wants to partner with a financial investor while holding a majority stake

EasyJet cancels 2% of summer flights schedule over air traffic worries

This summer, air traffic control issues are likely to be the weak spot, according to warnings from Eurocontrol, which manages European airspace

Indian airlines' IT spend to be much higher than global average: SITA Asia

Between 2014 and 2023, the number of airports in India have increased from 74 to 148, as per the Union civil aviation ministry. This number is expected to go up to 220 by 2025

Go First extends cancellation of its scheduled flights till July 10

The airline, which is undergoing an insolvency resolution process, stopped flying on May 3 and since then, it has extended the cancellation of flights multiple times

5G wireless signals could disrupt flights starting this weekend: Report

Airline passengers who have endured tens of thousands of weather-related flight delays this week could face a new source of disruptions starting Saturday, when wireless providers are expected to power up new 5G systems near major airports. Aviation groups have warned for years that 5G signals could interfere with aircraft equipment, especially devices using radio waves to measure distance above the ground and which are critical when planes land in low visibility. Predictions that interference would cause massive flight groundings failed to come true last year, when telecom companies began rolling out the new service. They then agreed to limit the power of the signals around busy airports, giving airlines an extra year to upgrade their planes. The leader of the nation's largest pilots' union said crews will be able to handle the impact of 5G, but he criticised the way the wireless licenses were granted, saying it had added unnecessary risk to aviation. Transportation Secretary Pete

Strictly follow rules, prevent unauthorised cockpit entry: DGCA to airlines

Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday asked airlines to strictly follow rules as well as sensitise pilots and cabin crew to prevent incidents of unauthorised entry of people into the cockpit. The move from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) comes against the backdrop of recent incidents where unauthorised people were allowed inside the cockpit during scheduled flights. In an advisory, DGCA has asked the heads of operations of all scheduled airlines to "prevent any unauthorised entry in the cockpit through appropriate means". Any non-compliance with the applicable regulation, dealing with unauthorised cockpit entry, shall be dealt with strictly and may also invite stringent enforcement action, it said.

Go First's lenders approve $55 mn fund infusion to revive carrier: Reports

Go First was granted bankruptcy protection on May 10. Reuters reported last week that the airline has sought Rs 400 cr- Rs 600 cr in additional funds from banks

Himalayan Airlines resumes flight from Kathmandu to Beijing after 3 years

The Himalayan Airlines, a joint venture between Nepal and China, on Saturday resumed its direct flight between Kathmandu and Beijing after a three-year interval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an official statement. Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, Ambassador of Nepal to the People's Republic of China, flew to Beijing in the resumed first direct flight of the Himalayan Airlines, according to a press release issued by the Nepal Embassy in Beijing. "We are pleased to announce that Himalaya Airlines (H9) is re-launching its flight operation between Kathmandu- Beijing- Kathmandu every Saturdays starting from June 24, 2023, which was on halt due to COVID-19 Pandemic, said the statement issued by issued by the Himalayan Airline. In a statement, Nepal's Embassy in Beijing said: "The resumption of direct flight between Kathmandu and Beijing plays a significant role in promoting tourism, socio-economic and cultural relations between Nepal and China".

The world's largest commercial jet purchase orders by number of aircraft

American Airlines in 2011 placed orders with Airbus and Boeing for a total of 460 airliners

World's largest commercial jet purchase orders by number of aircraft

IndiGo on Monday placed an order for 500 Airbus narrowbody jets, the largest ever plane deal by number of aircraft, overtaking an earlier deal by rival Air India that was firmed up on Tuesday