Page 28 - Airlines

HC judge rejects pleas by Go First's lessors for release of leased planes

Justice Prathiba M Singh recused herself from hearing the four petitions without assigning any reason

Akasa Air commences daily flight operations from Kolkata: Report

Akasa Air on Thursday started daily flight services from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata, the airline said in a statement. The eastern metropolis is the airline's 17th destination and the second in West Bengal after Bagdogra. The airline started non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guwahati and Bengaluru. In the inaugural flight, 174 passengers travelled from Kolkata to Assam's largest city and 167 arrived in Kolkata from the Karnataka capital. On a daily basis, the airline's flight will arrive in Kolkata from Bengaluru at 5.15 pm and leave for Guwahati at 5.55 pm. The return flight from Guwahati will reach Kolkata at 9.10 pm and leave for Bengaluru at 9.50 pm, an AAI statement said. "Akasa has introduced services such as a caf and allowed pets on the plane," Belson Coutinho, co-founder and Chief Marketing and Experience Officer of the airline said. "We are delighted to launch operations from Kolkata, our second destination in West Bengal," Prav

India govt wants Go First flights to resume as soon as possible: Minister

Govt wants Go Airlines (India) Ltd flights to resume as soon as possible, the civil aviation minister said on Thursday, a week after the troubled low-cost carrier was granted bankruptcy protection

Go First tells pilots to resume work from May 27, training from tomorrow

It is mandatory to do a refresher training as the pilots haven't been flying since 3 May, according to media reports

Passenger molests crew member on Sharjah-Amritsar flight, arrested

An inebriated passenger on an IndiGo flight from Sharjah to Amritsar was arrested for allegedly molesting a cabin crew member, police said on Monday. Rajinder Singh, who hails from Kotli village of Jalandhar in Punjab, got into a heated argument with the cabin crew member and allegedly molested her during Saturday's flight, the police said. She brought the incident to the other crew members' notice. The accused was allegedly in a drunken state, police said. The crew members then notified the Amritsar control room about the matter and the assistant security manager of the airline lodged a police complaint. The accused was arrested upon his arrival at the Shri Guru Ramdas ji International Airport here, they said. Singh was booked under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code, the police said.

Go First's insolvency flight leaves trail of concerns for aircraft lessors

At least 50 requests to take back as many leased planes from two Indian airlines in less than two weeks. Petitions from lessors seeking to enforce rights under international norms and concerns over a possible spike in the risk premium for leasing aircraft for domestic carriers. Cash-strapped Go First being admitted for insolvency resolution proceedings on a voluntary plea and subsequent moratorium has left a trail of concerns and uncertainties for aircraft lessors with respect to India, the world's third-largest aviation market. Currently, Indian carriers have around 700 planes and some of them, including Air India, are expanding their fleet. Most of the commercial aircraft in the country are operated through the sale and lease-back model, and there are concerns that developments related to Go First could push leasing costs higher. Indian carriers are projected to require more than 2,200 aircraft in the next 20 years. Advisory firm Primus Partners' Co-Founder & CEO, Public Policy .

Termination of aircraft leases would have no consequence: Go First

Termination of leases for aircraft by their lessors would not have any consequence as the moratorium has been imposed under insolvency resolution proceedings, Wadia group air carrier Go First on Friday argued before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). While aircraft lessors on the other side raised doubts over the revival of Go First through the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP), citing the amount required to make it fly again. Senior advocate Arun Kathpalia representing SMBC Aviation said the average lease rent of per aircraft is around USD 2 lakh for a month and with more than 50 aircraft the monthly bill would be USD 10 million. "Cost of this misadventure is enormous," he said. For SMBC Aviation only, Go First has to pay USD 4.2 million per month, which includes maintenance and lease. SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd submitted that they have legal possession of their aircraft before the insolvency process started and as of today, Go First has no right for

SpiceJet starts process of reviving grounded airplanes with $50 mn

Budget carrier SpiceJet on Thursday said it has no plans to file for insolvency proceedings and has also started the process of reviving its grounded fleet with USD 50 million. The statement from SpiceJet comes at a time when a lessor has filed an insolvency resolution plea against the airline and crisis-hit rival Go First being admitted for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Wednesday. While citing the recent developments in the Indian aviation market, SpiceJet said it has no plans whatsoever to file for insolvency. "We want to scotch any speculation that may have arisen due to the filing by another airline. The airline is firmly focussed on its business and remains in active talks with investors to raise funds," it said in a statement. On May 8, the NCLT issued a notice to the budget carrier on the insolvency plea filed by lessor AirCastle (Ireland) Ltd and the matter is scheduled for a hearing next week. Besides, lessors h

Go First needs to raise funds: Resolution professional tells staff

Go Airlines will need to raise funds to revive the bankrupt company amid plans to keep it as a going concern, the recently appointed resolution professional informed staff on Thursday

Go First files suit against engine maker, legal scene shifts to US court

After getting what it had prayed for before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), the legal scene now shifts to a US court where Go Airlines (India) Ltd has filed a suit against the aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney.

NCLT admits Go First's insolvency plea, puts it under moratorium

Order prevents a viable airline from becoming an unviable one, says airline's CEO

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

Lessors approaches regulator DGCA to deregister three planes of SpiceJet

In further headwinds for struggling SpiceJet, lessors have approached aviation regulator DGCA for deregistration of three planes of the airline. Many aircraft of the budget carrier are grounded due to various reasons. The airline's three lessors -- Wilmington Trust SP Services, Sabarmati Aviation Leasing and Falgu Aviation Leasing -- have sought deregistration of one aircraft each, according to an update on the regulator's website. The latest development comes a day after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) issued a notice to the Ajay Singh-promoted private carrier on a petition filed by an aircraft lessor seeking initiation of insolvency resolution proceedings against it. "Two of the three planes are grounded for a long period now and the same doesn't affect our operations," a SpiceJet spokesperson said in a statement. "We are in discussion to resolve the matter. We have been working to bring back our grounded fleet basis the loan sanctioned under the ECLGS (Emergency Credit

Prez Joe Biden wants airlines to pay passengers in US for lengthy delays

The US Department of Transportation did not specify how much cash it aims to require airlines to pay passengers for significant delays

Go First extends flight cancellations till May 12, awaits NCLT's order

The extension comes as the National Company Law Tribunal reserved its order on Go First's plea for an interim moratorium

NCLT to hear two insolvency petitions filed against Go First on May 8

As Go First awaits the NCLT ruling on its voluntary insolvency resolution plea, the tribunal is set to hear on Monday two petitions seeking insolvency proceedings against the crisis-hit airline. With liabilities of Rs 11,463 crore and a financial crunch, the Wadia group-owned airline has sought voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings as well as an interim moratorium on financial obligations. After hearing the plea on Thursday, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) reserved its order. The tribunal is set to hear two insolvency petitions filed against the airline on Monday, according to lawyers. The petition filed by SS Associates Services Pvt Ltd, which was providing transport services to the carrier, is with respect to a claim of around Rs 3 crore. A pilot has also filed a petition claiming dues for his services provided to the airline. The amount involved is more than Rs 1 crore. The two petitions are scheduled to be heard by the Principal Bench of the NCLT. Go First, in

Tata Group airlines see most improvement in on-time performance in April

IndiGo, India's largest carrier, saw its on-time performance fall from 92.43 per cent in March to 89.97 per cent in April

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Need more rational airfares in country, says SpiceJet CEO Ajay Singh

SpiceJet CEO Ajay Singh on Thursday said there is a need for "more rational airfares" in the country even as he tried to assuage concerns of a hike in airfares as a consequence of competitor Go First filing for voluntary insolvency by terming it a "temporary phenomena". He termed the Go First development as "extremely unfortunate" and expressed hope that the airline can use this opportunity to resolve their issues. Asked about concerns on hike in airfares as a consequence of competitor Go First filing for voluntary insolvency, the SpiceJet chief said: "Those are temporary phenomena". "Of course when there is a mismatch of supply and demand, airfares will go up but this settles quite nicely as you would have seen the last time an airline went down there was a temporary period of mismatch and the capacity came into the system and fares were back to normal," Singh said. He further said that while the era of low airfares has helped in boosting air travel in this country, sometimes it h

Pratt & Whitney's engine woes cost Go Air 47 years worth of flying time

Go Airlines was re-branded Go First ahead of a planned 36 billion rupee ($440 million) initial share sale last year