Page 16 - Aviation Industry

Delhi Airport introduces self-baggage drop facility: Here's how it works

The quick drop facility eliminates the need for a boarding pass or any biometric verification, reducing processing time from one minute to just 30 seconds

BPCL to invest Rs 1,400 cr to set up sustainable aviation fuel facilities

The company operates three refineries located in Mumbai, Kochi, and Bina (Madhya Pradesh), with collectively refining capacity of 35.3 million metric tonnes per annum

Boeing's CEO to face questions about plane safety from US senators

US lawmakers are expected to press Boeing's chief executive on Tuesday about the company's latest plan to fix its manufacturing problems, and relatives of people who died in two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jetliners plan to be in the room, watching him. CEO David Calhoun is scheduled to appear before the Senate investigations subcommittee, which is chaired by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a Boeing critic. The hearing will mark the first appearance before Congress by Calhoun or any other high-ranking Boeing official since a panel blew out of a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. No one was seriously injured in the incident, but it raised fresh concerns about the company's best-selling commercial aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting separate investigations. From the beginning, we took responsibility and cooperated transparently with the NTSB and the FAA, Calhoun said in remarks prepared for the

Air India faces scrutiny as passenger finds metal blade in his meal

The passenger claimed that Air India subsequently contacted him a few days later, proposing a complimentary business class journey to any destination worldwide

Passenger plane lands safely in New Zealand after fire shuts down engine

A passenger plane landed safely at a New Zealand airport on Monday after a fire shut down one of its engines, the nation's fire service said. The Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 jet bound for Melbourne, Australia, landed in the New Zealand city of Invercargill after the fire forced a diversion. Fire trucks met the plane as it arrived in Invercargill about 50 minutes after takeoff from Queenstown, said Lynn Crosson, shift supervisor for Fire and Emergency New Zealand. The cause of the engine fire and the number of passengers on board the plane were not immediately known, Queenstown Airport spokesperson Catherine Nind said. Virgin Australia said in an emailed statement that the incident may have been caused by a possible bird strike. Queenstown, with a population of 53,000, is popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island, famous for skiing, adventure tourism and alpine vistas.

NCLT gives 4th extension of 60 days to Go First to complete insolvency

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has granted an extension of 60 days to the grounded air carrier Go First for completing the insolvency process. This is the fourth extension for Go First to complete the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP), which is struggling to find a buyer. Earlier, the insolvency tribunal had granted an extension of 60 days on April 8, which ended on June 3, 2024. Following this latest extension, the CIRP of GO First will come to an end on August 3, 2024. While granting the extension, the Delhi-based NCLT bench said: "This is the final extension". The two-member bench also came down heavily on the Resolution Professional for seeking an extension. Counsel appearing for the RP informed the tribunal that they were seeking this extension owing to an extraordinary situation post the Delhi High Court judgment asking DGCA to deregister all of its 54 aircraft. According to the RP, those who have shown interest in buying the airline have revised the

European people coming more via India than West Asia: SriLankan Airlines

SriLankan Airlines is currently operating about 80 flights per week between Colombo and 11 cities in India

Boeing sales tumble as firm gets no orders for 737 Max for second month

Boeing received orders for only four new planes in May and for the second straight month, none for its best-selling 737 Max, as fallout continues from the blowout of a side panel on a Max during a flight in January. The results released Tuesday compared unfavourably with Europe's Airbus, which reported orders for 27 new planes in May. Boeing also saw Aerolineas Argentinas cancel an order for a single Max jet, bringing its net sales for the month to three. The dismal results followed poor figures for April, when Boeing reported seven sales none of them for the Max. Boeing hopes that the slow pace of orders reflects a lull in sales before next month's Farnborough International Airshow, where aircraft deals are often announced. But the Federal Aviation Administration is capping Boeing's production of 737s after a door plug blew out from an Alaska Airlines Max, allegations by whistleblowers that Boeing has taken shortcuts to produce planes more quickly, and reports of falsified ...

Chargesheets to cabin crew can be detrimental: Air India Express Union

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) has termed the alleged issuance of charge-sheet by the airline's management to around 200-odd cabin crew members for reporting sick during last month's strike as unfortunate and unfair labour practice. In a letter to Air India Express chief Alok Singh on Sunday, the Union also warned the Tata Group-run airline's management that such actions could be detrimental to the interests of the company and its passengers. According to Union sources, the charge-sheet was issued to around 200 cabin crew members on June 5, with a deadline of 72 hours to file a response. Around 200 cabin crew members of Air India Express went on strike on May 7, to protest against the alleged mismanagement in the airline, resulting in cancellation of hundreds of flights. Consequently, the airline management terminated the services of 25 cabin crew members and warned the others to join work or else face the same action. Three days later, the strike was called off aft

Akasa on path to profitability; will launch more int'l flights: Co-founder

Akasa Air is well on the path to profitability and will fly to more international destinations, including in South Asia and Southeast Asia, according to its Co-Founder Aditya Ghosh. In less than two years of taking to the skies, Akasa Air has a fleet of 24 planes and has more than 4,000 employees. In an interview to PTI in the national capital, Ghosh, who has donned multiple and diverse roles during his career, said that airlines are becoming more of a consumption story in India. "We will increasingly see it as consumer-focused businesses where the learnings which are there from ecommerce companies will help us address the needs and behaviour of consumers better in the transportation business," he said. Among other roles, he had served as IndiGo's President and Whole Time Director for ten years till 2018. When a customer-focused and employee-centric organisation is being built, it is also important to build a financially sustainable business, Ghosh said and emphasised that Akasa A

IndiGo lands, Air India takes off on same runway at same time in Mumbai

ATC official de-rostered; DGCA, AAI probing the incident

'India a big market; good to have stronger Lufthansa-Air India partnership'

India is a big aviation market and a stronger partnership between Air India and Lufthansa is good, as efforts of the Star Alliance are to bring the partners together to provide a unique value proposition for the passengers, the airline grouping's CEO Theo Panagiotoulias has said. Air India and Lufthansa are part of the Star Alliance, whose 26 member airlines come together at more than 50 global hubs to offer smooth connections across a global network. A management company, based in Frankfurt and Singapore, coordinates Star Alliance projects and activities. It includes airport co-location, digital infrastructure, frequent flyer integration and joint business lounge projects to improve the travel experience. Talking to PTI on the sidelines of IATA annual general meeting in Dubai this week, Panagiotoulias was bullish about the prospects in the Indian market that offers "so much of opportunities". "The alliance is to bring the partners together to provide a unique value proposition...

Indian airport industry's profit expected to grow 35% in FY25: Consultancy

Major domestic airlines can become world class carriers, says senior executive of CAPA India

Delhi airport to increase peak runway capacity by 30% in 3 years: DIAL CEO

India's largest airport also plans to increase international passenger handling capacity by 50% in 12 months, he says

Won't have ATC towers at airports in 20 years, says Adani Airports CEO

AAI has started trials with remote digital towers, he added

Go Air crisis: Central Bank set to auction Wadia's land for Rs 1,965 cr

Over 94 acres of land will be sold under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act 2002

Surge in aerophobia treatment in Singapore after severe turbulence on SQ321

More people in Singapore are seeking treatment for aerophobia -- the fear of flying -- following the severe turbulence incident that struck a Singapore Airlines flight over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar last month. Aerophobia can range from slight uneasiness to very severe panic attacks triggered by a thought or impending occasion of flying, according to a Channel News Asia report on Friday. While aviation experts say that flying remains among the safest forms of travel, some service providers have seen a spike in people seeking to address this fear, according to the report. On May 21, SQ321, en route from London to Singapore, encountered extreme turbulence. The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft was carrying 211 passengers and a crew of 18 when it made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. One passenger a 73-year-old British man died and dozens were injured, some of them seriously. Some SQ321 passengers painted a harrowing scene in an interview with the channel. Thos

Airport industry to see profit before tax of $1.3 bn this fiscal: CAPA

The country's airport industry is projected to report a profit before tax of USD 1.3 billion in the current financial year. The profit is anticipated to be Rs 256.1 (USD 3.1) per passenger in the fiscal ending March 2025, aviation advisory firm CAPA India said while giving projections at its aviation summit in the national capital on Friday. In the current fiscal, passenger throughput at Indian airports is estimated to rise to 404.9 million. Out of the total, 81.1 per cent will be domestic and 18.9 per cent will be international traffic, it said. As per the report, the Airport Authority of India's (AAI) profitability is likely to remain robust in FY2024 and FY2025. "The topline will grow due to an increase in aeronautical revenue along with the receipt of revenue share from the recently privatised six non-metro airports, without having to incur any expense associated with it - resulting in higher profitability," it added. The industry's profit before tax is expected to be USD 1.3

Akasa Air expects deliveries of Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft by 2027

Akasa Air had ordered 150 737 MAX narrow-body planes in January, including the MAX 10 and MAX 8-200 versions. It had not specified how many of each type were ordered

Domestic air traffic expected to rise 6-8% to 164 mn in FY25: Report

India's domestic air traffic is expected to rise 6 to 8 per cent to 161 to 164 million in the current financial year, according to a report. Aviation advisory firm CAPA India in a report on Wednesday said international air traffic is projected to jump 9-11 per cent to 75 to 78 million in the fiscal ending March 2025. The domestic carriers are projected to report consolidated losses in the range of USD 0.4 to 0.6 billion this financial year. The losses are estimated at USD 1.3 to 1.5 billion, excluding IndiGo, which is profitable. One of the reasons for the losses would be on account of capacity shortage due to the grounding of aircraft. At present, around 130 planes are grounded due to various reasons, and the number would be about 180, including the aircraft of Go First, it said. Go First stopped flying last year. In terms of the total fleet, CAPA India said net inductions are expected to be 84, taking the total number of planes with domestic carriers to 812 at the end of March