Aviation News

DGCA announces tighter rules for non-scheduled aircraft operators

Asserting that safety lapses cannot be simply blamed on pilots, aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday announced a raft of strict measures for non-scheduled operators, including intensive audits and a safety ranking mechanism, amid safety concerns raised in the wake of recent aircraft accidents. After a special audit found various lapses, the regulator has also grounded four planes of Non-Scheduled Operator VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, whose aircraft crashed at Baramati, killing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28. A day after a plane, operated by a non-scheduled operator (NSOP), crashed in Jharkhand, killing seven people onboard, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) held a meeting with all such operators on Tuesday. The meeting was held to "address a recent surge in aviation incidents and emphasised the critical need for an increased focus on safety across the sector", the regulator said in a statement. It also happened on a day when a Pawan

Delhi airport ranked 5th-busiest in Apac last year, shows OAG data

In 2025, according to aviation data platform OAG, Delhi airport ranked 5th, with 46.18 million seats, after a dramatic leap from the 9th position, which it held in 2019

Aviation Ministry weighs curbs on festival airfare surge, Centre tells SC

The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that the Ministry of Civil Aviation was actively considering the issues raised in a PIL which sought regulatory guidelines to control the unpredictable fluctuations in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, which termed the issue as "serious", granted four weeks to the Centre for the conclusion of the deliberations on the issue flagged in the public interest litigation (PIL). "This is a very serious concern. Otherwise, we don't entertain 32 petitions," the bench said. Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik said that they need at least three weeks to file their response on the PIL as the concerned ministry is actively considering the issues raised in the petition. The bench, which recorded that the issues have been taken note by the ministry, posted the matter for further hearing on March 23. On January 19, the top court said it wo

IndiGo flight diverted to Imphal following dust storm at Dibrugarh airport

An IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad with 144 passengers on board was diverted to Imphal on Sunday after a severe dust storm rendered visibility at Dibrugarh airport "dangerously low", officials said. The sudden weather shift forced the flight crew to make a swift decision to re-route the aircraft from Dibrugarh to the nearest viable alternative in Manipur, they said. Flight 6E-6457, operating from Ahmedabad to Dibrugarh via Guwahati, departed from the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) in Guwahati at 10.20 am, an airport official told PTI. "While it was scheduled to touch down at Dibrugarh airport at 11.15 am, the arrival coincided with a heavy dust storm that significantly hampered operations. Conditions on the ground fell well below the minimum safety thresholds required for a safe landing, and the visibility was dangerously low," he said. With the situation leaving no room for risk, the flight crew opted to divert the carrier to Bir Tikendrajit International .

IndiGo appoints Rohit Rikhye as OCC head after Dec flight disruptions

IndiGo has appointed Captain Rohit Rikhye as the new Head of Operations Control Centre (OCC) in place of Jason Herter, the first rejig at the airline's senior management level after the massive operational disruptions in December last year. In January, aviation regulator DGCA took various actions against the airline, including imposing penalties totalling Rs 22 crore and asking dismissal of a senior vice-president, in relation to the operational disruptions. In an internal communication on Friday, the airline said Rohit Rikhye has been appointed as the Head of OCC with immediate effect. He would report to Chief Operating Officer (COO) Isidre Porqueras. Rikhye, who has been with the airline for over 11 years, was serving as Chief Pilot -- Standards, QA & Ops Safety. Meanwhile, Herter is moving out of the airline. According to the communication, Rikhye would lead the OCC, which manages real-time coordination and oversight of flight operations, including flight planning, tracking, .

AAIB to issue preliminary report on Baramati Learjet 45 plane crash: MoCA

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday said AAIB will issue a preliminary report on the probe into the Learjet 45 plane crash near Baramati last month, emphasising that all investigative actions are being taken with full transparency and professional integrity. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ajit Pawar and four others were killed in the crash on January 28. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said specialised support has been sought for the retrieval of data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the VSR Ventures-owned Learjet 45 plane. Amid concerns raised in certain quarters about the operator, crash and the ongoing probe, the ministry said the "AAIB's investigation is technical and evidence-based, involving systematic examination of wreckage, operational and maintenance records and laboratory testing of components where required". A preliminary report will be issued within 30 days of the occurrence, as per ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) norms, and

Air India's aircraft fleet reliability has improved: CEO Campbell Wilson

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on Thursday said that the airline's fleet reliability has improved and there is also an increased inventory of spares and components. The Tata Group-owned airline has faced issues with its legacy fleet of wide-body Boeing 777s and 787 planes, resulting in flight cancellations and delays. The upgradation of the legacy Boeing 787s has commenced. During a town hall with employees on Thursday, Wilson said operational resilience is one of the airline's focus areas and that there is enhanced fleet reliability now. Both legacy Boeing fleets continue to show improvements as more reliability upgrades are carried out, he said, adding that the inventory of spares and components has gone up. The airline has been doing replacement and upgrade of components to ensure that the aircraft are more reliable. The CEO and MD of the airline also said that over 50 per cent of its wide-body fleet would be modernised by the end of 2026, while the wide-body modernisation is ..

Airbus to ramp up H125 helicopter production in India to 10 by 2029

Bullish on the growth potential of the Indian market, aerospace major Airbus plans to produce 10 H125 helicopters annually from the final assembly line, established in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems in Karnataka, by 2029. Asserting that helicopters can be a tool for "nation building", as well as public services, Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even said efforts would continue to contribute to the development of the ecosystem in India. "We strongly believe in the potential of the helicopter market in India... we strongly believe that H125 helicopters can be a key enabler to boost this civil helicopter market in India," Even told PTI in an interview in the national capital. Airbus, along with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), has set up the country's first private sector helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the H125 at Vemagal in Karnataka. On February 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron virtually inaugurated the facility. According to Ev

Embraer, Mahindra Group plan to set up MRO base for C-390 aircraft in India

Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer on Thursday announced its plans to establish a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in India, in collaboration with Mahindra Group, for C-390 Millennium aircraft after its selection in the Indian Air Force's Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme. The proposed MRO facility, as part of its localisation strategy in the domestic market, will provide comprehensive maintenance and sustainment for the C-390 fleet, supporting high levels of operational readiness and availability, Embrarer said in a statement. The proposed facility is expected to deliver a full spectrum of services, including base and heavy maintenance, structural inspections and testing, component repair and overhaul, avionics support, and training, it added. The initiative reinforces the companies' joint commitment to positioning the C-390 Millennium as a strong solution for India's future medium transport aircraft requirements. Embaer and Mahindra Group had last October ink

Air India, Lufthansa Group plan joint biz agreement to deepen collaboration

Air India and the Lufthansa Group plan to enter into a joint business agreement wherein the two sides will collaborate on multiple strategic areas, including coordinated route planning and flight schedules in specific markets. On Tuesday, both sides entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for a joint business agreement, which will cover Air India, Air India Express, as well as Lufthansa Group carriers and subsidiaries. Those include Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and other affiliated airlines. The proposed deeper collaboration with Germany's Lufthansa Group is also aimed at tapping opportunities from the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement that was finalised in January. "Subject to requisite regulatory and anti-trust approvals, the carriers intend to collaborate across multiple strategic areas, including coordinated route planning and flight schedules in specific markets for

DGCA puts stricter breath analyser test norms in place for pilots

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has put in place stricter breath analyser test requirements for pilots, wherein those found repeatedly violating the norms could even face cancellation of their pilot license, according to a source. Under the revised norms, which came into effect from February 9, FATA (Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation) of an expatriate pilot operating in India will be cancelled and not considered again if that cockpit crew tests positive for alcohol consumption during pre-flight breath analyser examination. Among other provisions, the license of a pilot who tests positive in a Breath Analyser (BA) test before operating a flight on three occasions will be cancelled, the source said. In September last year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had proposed changes to the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on the procedure for medical examination for crew members for alcohol consumption before and after operating a flight. "For confirmatory BA readings u

Study underway to address height curbs for buildings near airports: Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Friday said a study is being conducted with the assistance of global aviation body ICAO to look into solutions that can address issues related to height restrictions for buildings around airports. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and currently, there are 165 airports. Another 50 airports are projected to come up in the next five years While real estate development is gaining momentum, height restrictions are in place for buildings around airports to ensure safe flight operations. Against this backdrop, the minister mentioned the study while addressing the gathering at the National Urban and Real Estate Development Conclave 2026 organised by real estate industry body Naredco in the national capital. While the civil aviation sector is growing continuously, Naidu said the challenge is the height restrictions for buildings around the airports, especially in metros like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.

DGCA fines Air India ₹1 cr for flying plane without airworthiness permit

India's aviation regulator fines Air India $110,350 after an Airbus A320 operated eight flights without a valid airworthiness permit, citing safety compliance lapses

Flight fares rise 50% as fans head to Colombo for India-Pakistan match

Airfares to Colombo surge up to 50 per cent ahead of India-Pakistan clash on February 15, with hotel tariffs also moving up amid strong cricket-driven travel demand

AERA should have own appellate tribunal, says IATA's Sheldon Hee

IATA has called for a dedicated appellate tribunal for AERA, warning that aviation tariff disputes decided by non-sector bodies risk hurting airlines' fragile finances and raising passenger costs

Air India's transformation is like 'Day 5 morning of Test match': CEO

Air India's transformation is now like being on the morning of the fifth day of a cricket Test match as the heavy lifting has been done, the airline's chief Campbell Wilson has said. The loss-making Air India, which was privatised in January 2022, has been facing various headwinds and when asked about profitability, the CEO and MD said "some unexpected events" have impacted the airline's performance. Air India is in the process of revamping its fleet, which currently stands around 190 planes. In January, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 aircraft after privatisation. To a PTI query on the transformation journey, Wilson, who is from New Zealand, said, "Clearly, I think we are may be (in) the morning of the fifth day (of cricket Test match)". A Test match is played over five days. "There is a lot of aircraft that need to go through the refit process. But that's now a mechanical process. We just need the seats to be manufactured, delivered, installed. "All of the .

AI probes crew actions in fuel-switch incident on London-B'luru flight

The crew decided to fly to India, where the pilot reported a possible "defect" on landing, forcing the grounding of the plane for checks

India's private skies under scrutiny as charter flights get busier

Ajit Pawar's death has brought into focus the safety of charter flight services

Apogee Aerospace signs ₹3,500 cr deal with Australia's AAI for 15 seaplanes

Apogee Aerospace has placed an order for 15 amphibian aircraft with Australia's Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI) for a total value of Rs 3,500 crore as part of a strategic collaboration. Besides, the Indian company will invest Rs 500 crore to establish tail-section manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul facilities, training and simulation infrastructure, and advanced systems integration capabilities in India. This will be for the amphibian planes of AAI, which also plans to set up a manufacturing facility for these planes in India. The announcements made on Thursday in the national capital also come at a time when the government is making efforts to boost air connectivity as well as encourage self-reliance in the fast-growing aviation and aerospace ecosystem. Amphibian aircraft can operate on both water and land. They are also known as seaplanes. The two companies are also looking to tap the opportunities in the country's blue economy. On Thursday, AAI and Apogee Aerospace .

IndiGo cuts int'l flights due to airspace restrictions, airport congestion

IndiGo has reduced long-haul international flights operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft as longer routings, airspace restrictions and congestion disrupt schedules