Page 5 - Aviation Industry

BS Infra Summit: India's rise as a global air travel hub takes shape

For a lasting economic momentum and growth, India should build world-class, integrated infrastructure that matches its ambition

IndiGo gets six-month DGCA approval to keep Turkish B777 aircraft

The approval comes despite the regulator's May 30 directive that IndiGo must return the aircraft by August 31

Korean Air signs $50 billion deal to buy over 100 Boeing aircraft

Korean Air has announced a USD 50 billion deal to buy more than 100 Boeing aircraft and several spare engines and obtain engine maintenance for 20 years. The deal was formalised at a signing ceremony Monday in Washington as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met with President Donald Trump. The deal includes USD 36.2 billion for 103 next-generation Boeing aircraft; USD 690 million for 19 spare engines from GE Aerospace and CFM International; and USD 13 billion for the 20-year engine maintenance service contract with GE Aerospace, Korean Air said in a statement. This deal is a strategic choice to strengthen Korean Air's partnership with the US aviation industry, the Korean Air statement said. This strategic investment in the US market will further strengthen the airline's operational capabilities and global competitiveness, and foster robust commercial ties that will drive sustained growth. It said the aircraft purchase order includes 20 Boeing 777-9s, 25 Boeing 787-10s, 50 Boein

Air Canada, flight attendants union restart talks for 1st time since strike

Air Canada and the union representing 10,000 flight attendants resumed talks late Monday for the first time since the strike began over the weekend. The strike is affecting about 130,000 travellers a day at the peak of the summer travel season. It was the first time the two sides talked since early Saturday or late Friday. In an update to its members, the union said the airline reached out and the meeting occurred with the assistance of a mediator in Toronto. It followed the union's declaration that the flight attendants won't return to work even though the strike, now in its third day, has been declared illegal. Earlier, Air Canada said rolling cancellations would now extend Tuesday afternoon after the union defied a second return-to-work order. The country's biggest airline had said earlier that operations would resume Monday evening but the union president said that won't happen. We will not be returning to the skies, said Mark Hancock, national president for Canadian Union of

Air India cancels Zurich-Delhi flight after Boeing 787 engine issue

Air India on Monday said it cancelled its Zurich-Delhi flight of August 17 due to a technical reason, days after the Tata Group-owned airline stated that it had carried out a detailed "inspection" of its Boeing 787 aircraft fleet and "no issues" were detected. However, a passenger on board said the flight aborted take-off at the last minute due to an engine issue. In the last two days, Air India has cancelled at least two flights, including one international, at the last moment, citing technical reasons. Air India operates its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft fleet to cater to the European market. "Flight AI152 scheduled to operate from Zurich to Delhi on 17 August has been cancelled due to a technical reason, and subsequently due to night curfew in Zurich," Air India said in a statement. The airline said it has arranged alternative flights to the passengers' destination and is providing hotel accommodation, along with full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling options for

Air India Express flight aborts first landing at Gwalior, lands safely

An Air India Express flight from Bengaluru with 160 passengers on board failed to land at the Gwalior airport in the first attempt on Saturday afternoon but landed safely in the second attempt, an official said. The airline said the flight "conducted a go-around followed by a safe and uneventful landing". The aircraft later took off for Bengaluru and reached there safely, Gwalior airport director A K Goswami told PTI. The failure to land in the first attempt caused panic among the passengers for a brief while, he said. "Technical staff examined the aircraft after landing and found no fault," he added. Goswami also said that a failure to land in the first attempt is a normal occurrence. Some passengers lodged complaints with the airport and airline officials after deboarding, another official said. An Air India Express spokesperson said in a statement that "one of our aircraft conducted a go-around followed by a safe and uneventful landing at Gwalior". "Crew are trained to carry

Over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants go on strike, flights cancelled

More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike after a deadline to reach a deal passed, the union confirmed early Saturday. Canadian Union of Public Employees spokesman Hugh Pouliot confirmed the strike has started after no deal was reached. Air Canada has said all flights will be cancelled for the duration of the work stoppage. Canada's largest airline has already cancelled more than 620 flights, leaving travellers around the world stranded and scrambling during the peak summer travel season. A bitter contract fight between Canada's largest airline and the union representing 10,000 of its flight attendants escalated Friday as the union turned down the airline's request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which would eliminate its right to strike and allow a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract.

Severe weather, delayed re-routing likely caused May IndiGo incident: DGCA

Severe weather and non-timely action in re-routing the aircraft clear of weather were the probable causes that led to IndiGo's Delhi-Srinagar flight incident where the aircraft's nose radome was damaged on May 21, according to the probe findings by aviation regulator DGCA. On May 21, IndiGo's A321 neo aircraft VT-IMD while operating flight 6E-2142 from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe weather, including hail, during cruise. After landing in Srinagar, the aircraft radome was found damaged, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The incident was investigated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). "The investigation has revealed that severe weather existing en-route and non-timely action in re-routing the aircraft clear of weather was the probable cause of the occurrence," the minister said in a written reply. On May 23, two days after the incident, DGCA had said IndiGo flight crew initially attempted to return but as the

Air India looks to complete widebody planes' retrofitting by Oct 2028

Air India aims to complete retrofitting its widebody fleet by October 2028 as part of its US$400 million fleet upgrade programme, enhancing the flying experience and operational reliability

Govt seeks global 'code of conduct' to curb poaching of pilots, cabin crew

India, one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, is wrestling with a shortage of experienced pilots

2,458 flights hit by regulatory, geopolitical issues: Govt tells LS

Airlines cancelled or rescheduled 2,458 flights due to regulatory and geopolitical issues this year, the civil aviation ministry told the Lok Sabha on Thursday. In a written reply, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said airlines incur costs due to delays and cancellations, including additional fuel, crew overtime, maintenance, airport fees, and rebooking expenses. Airlines are required to provide refunds or compensation to passengers for cancellations or significant delays. "Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-June 2025 registered a growth of 7.34 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year," the minister said. This year, IndiGo and Air India cancelled or rescheduled 1,017 flights and 662 flights, respectively. SpiceJet cancelled or rescheduled 334 flights while the count for Air India Express stood at 427 and in the case of Akasa Air, it was 18 flights, as per the data shared with the written reply. These flights, .

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

DGCA suspends Akasa Air examiner for six months over skill test lapses

DGCA suspends Akasa Air's Captain Kunal Khajuria for six months for procedural violations during a pilot skill test; retest ordered and examiner training mandated

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

World's biggest passenger jet, Airbus A380, is becoming costly to maintain

Two decades after its maiden flight, regulatory bulletins ordering repairs, inspections or replacement parts for the massive four-engined plane Airbus SE A380 are piling up

IndiGo to add more int'l destinations; to explore new MRO opportunities

IndiGo will continue to add more overseas destinations with A321 XLRs set to join the fleet this fiscal year and aims to increase its international capacity share to 40 per cent by 2030. Also, the country's largest airline plans to explore new opportunities in the MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) space, according to its annual report for 2024-25. IndiGo, which has been flying for over 18 years, has a domestic market share of 64.5 per cent, operates around 2,200 flights daily with more than 430 planes. "We will continue to add more destinations internationally, especially with XLRs coming in along with our newly leased wide body aircraft for long haul operations. From 28 per cent current international capacity share, we are aiming for 40 per cent by FY 2030," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in his message in the annual report. Earlier this month, the carrier started flights to Manchester and Amsterdam that are being operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliners leased from Norway's Norse

Technical snag detected on IndiGo Tirupati-Hyderabad flight, lands safely

IndiGo flight 6E 6591, departed from Tirupati Airport but began circling the area for nearly 40 minutes after a technical snag was detected

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)

Air India finds 'no issues' with Boeing 787 fuel control switch locks

Following DGCA's inspection directive, Air India confirms no faults in fuel control switches on its Boeing 787s, with throttle modules replaced earlier as per schedule

No immediate action needed from Boeing after AI171 crash report: IATA chief

IATA's William Walsh praises India's detailed preliminary report on AI171 crash, backs cockpit cameras and says Boeing need not act before final recommendations