Aviation News

Air India to cut flights, suspend services on some int'l routes

Air India has suspended six international routes and cut services amid airspace restrictions and soaring jet fuel costs

9 in 10 flyers prefer Delhi IGI over Jewar airport, citing proximity, fares

Jewar MLA writes to PM Modi, urging review of UDF and passenger charges at the new airport; airlines flag landing fees up to 119% higher and UDF up to 406% higher than Delhi

ECLGS 5.0: Top 3 airlines may get up to ₹1.5K cr each, says DFS secy

Credit facilities worth Rs 70,000-80,000 crore available with SBI for MSMEs under ECLGS scheme: SBI chairman

Air India board holds meet, discusses costs, new CEO amid West Asia crisis

Air India board reviews mounting FY26 losses, cost cuts and CEO succession plans as fuel prices and West Asia disruptions hit operations

Power bank catches fire on IndiGo plane at Chandigarh; all evacuated

The power bank of a passenger onboard a stationary IndiGo aircraft caught fire at the Chandigarh airport on Tuesday, and all passengers and the crew were evacuated, according to a source. In a statement, the airline said that when IndiGo flight 6E 108 from Hyderabad to Chandigarh was stationary after landing, an incident involving a customer's personal electronic equipment catching fire was reported. "In the interest of safety, an immediate evacuation was carried out, and all the relevant authorities were immediately informed. All customers have been safely moved to the terminal and are being attended to by the team to ensure their well-being," the statement said. The source said that soon after the aircraft landed, there was smoke coming from one of the overhead bins and all onboard were evacuated. The smoke was due to the power bank catching fire, the source said, adding that no one sustained major injuries. Details about the number of passengers could not be ascertained.

Air India CEO search narrows to Singapore Air exec Kannan, insider Aggarwal

The choice of a new CEO comes at a crucial time for Air India, which is grappling with heavy losses, heightened regulatory scrutiny after a deadly crash last year

Given operational risks, increase user development fees: Pvt airports

The government reduced landing and parking charges on April 8 to give relief to airlines that have been hit by rising fuel prices since the West Asia conflict began on February 28

NIT Rourkela develops lightweight nanocomposite for aviation systems

New aluminium-based hybrid nanocomposite could improve durability of aircraft landing gear, cut maintenance costs, and enhance fuel efficiency across aviation and defence applications

Govt issues SOP for hub-spoke model for int'l flights; A-I trials in June

The civil aviation ministry has issued the standard operating procedure for operationalising the hub and spoke aviation model to ensure smooth domestic to international connectivity for passengers, and Air India is expected to start trials based on the model in June, according to sources. The Hub and Spoke (H&S) model will provide smooth connectivity for passengers travelling from spoke airports to international destinations through a hub or larger airport. One of the sources said Air India is expected to start trial H&S flights from Varanasi airport from June 1. Passengers will take a flight from Varanasi to Delhi and then another flight to London. The move is part of efforts to make India, one of the world's fastest domestic civil aviation markets, as a global aviation hub. Under the model, Domestic to International (D-I) and International to Domestic (I-D) operations will be facilitated in a smoother manner for passengers, including in terms of immigration processes and ...

DGCA initiates investigation into SpiceJet-Akasa Air minor collision

A SpiceJet aircraft made contact with an Akasa Air plane at Delhi airport, forcing passengers to deplane, with no injuries reported; authorities have begun an investigation

India, New Zealand to sign FTA on April 27, aim for $20 bn investments

India and New Zealand will sign a free trade agreement (FTA) on April 27 here, an official said on Thursday. The free trade pact aims to provide tariff-free access to the island nation's market for domestic exporters' goods and will bring in USD 20 billion in investment over the next 15 years. The two countries on December 22 last year announced the conclusion of negotiations for the trade deal which aims at doubling bilateral trade to USD 5 billion in the next five years. The official said that the pact will be signed on April 27 in Bharat Mandapam after a meeting of the India-New Zealand Business Forum. While India will get zero-duty market access on 100 per cent of its exports, the agreement will eliminate or reduce tariffs on 95 per cent of New Zealand's exports to India, including items ranging from wool, coal, wood, wine, to avocados and blueberries. However, New Delhi has made no duty concessions on imports of dairy products like milk, cream, whey, yoghurt, and cheese; onio

SpiceJet, Akasa planes collide at Delhi airport, no injuries reported

According to reports, the right winglet of the SpiceJet aircraft was damaged, while the left-hand horizontal stabiliser of the Akasa plane was struck in the collision

Lufthansa faces deeper disruption as cabin crew joins pilots' strike

Flights from Germany to several Middle Eastern destinations are exempt due to the current conflict in the region, the union said

Star Air to launch 38 weekly flights linking Mundra with six cities

Regional airline Star Air on Monday announced it will launch services to Mundra with 38 direct weekly flights, linking the port city to six key cities across Western and Northern India, starting April 25. With over 17,000 additional seats now available each month, the move will boost air connectivity and economic growth in the region, Star Air said. The expansion sees Mundra directly linked to Mumbai, Hindon (Delhi-NCR), Goa (Mopa), and Surat, it said and added that in addition to the 38 direct weekly flights, the airline will also introduce 16 weekly one-stop connections, strengthening ties with Kolhapur and Bhuj and further supporting the region's workforce and entrepreneurs. With an additional 4,104 seats available weekly and 17,000 seats monthly, Star Air's expansion is set to drive new growth in business, trade, and tourism throughout Gujarat and beyond, it said. Star Air said it will deploy its Embraer E175 fleet featuring both business and economy class to operate services o

Govt cuts airport charges by 25% for 3 months; airlines to save ₹400 crore

Government reduces landing and parking charges by 25 per cent for three months to ease airline cost pressures amid rising fuel prices and disruptions

AERA orders major airports to cut some charges by 25% in relief to airlines

The move to cut charges comes after IndiGo and Air India sought the rationalisation of some fees levied by airports

DGCA temporarily relaxes pilot duty time limits for long-haul long flights

Airline regulator DGCA has temporarily relaxed pilot flight duty time limitation (FDTL) for long-haul flights, a senior official said on Tuesday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) move is aimed at ensuring pilot availability for smooth operations, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Asangba Chuba Ao, told reporters during a media briefing.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down amid continuing losses: Report

Air India ​CEO Campbell Wilson has ​stepped down from ‌his position, Indian newspaper Mint reported, citing two people with knowledge of the matter

How the Iran conflict is reshaping global aviation, shifting market share

The global aviation dynamic changed almost overnight when the Iran war broke out, shuttering airspaces, grounding planes and leaving regional airlines in disarray

Govt keeps 60% free airline seat allocation directive in abeyance

Civil aviation ministry defers rule mandating 60% free seat selection after airlines flag concerns over fares, ancillary revenues and impact on deregulated pricing framework