Aviation Safety

FlyDubai cockpit attack puts aviation security under fresh scrutiny

Israel has some of the world's most stringent air travel security measures. The United Arab Emirates proudly adheres to international aviation safety standards. Yet those safeguards failed to prevent a flight between the countries from taking a dangerous plunge during an alleged attack in the cockpit. The copilot allegedly stabbed the captain in the cockpit before passengers intervened aboard FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 after taking off from Dubai, UAE, with 174 people flying to Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. The airplane made a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and the incident is under investigation by Saudi, Emirati and Israeli authorities, with the United States and Oman assisting efforts to determine a motive. "Until this event, the possibility of a threat originating from a pilot or crew member was not considered a likely scenario. Security efforts have traditionally focused much more heavily on passengers and their luggage," said Eyal Hulata, Israel's former ...

Flydubai incident renews debate over mandatory cockpit video recorders

Cockpit video could provide investigators with a visual record of the Flydubai attack, but privacy concerns and opposition from pilots' unions have complicated calls for a mandate

Safe landing

DGCA must look into the Boeing issue

Senior vacancies at AAI pose safety risk amid leadership gaps: ATC union

The ATC union has sought an immediate relaxation of promotion rules to fill two key positions overseeing air traffic flow management and controller training at AAI

Air India pilot's psychoactive test needs confirmation after altitude loss

The pilot-in-command of an Air India flight that experienced a sudden loss of altitude during a Phuket-Delhi flight has undergone confirmatory testing after an initial psychoactive substance screening indicated a result requiring further analysis, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Sunday. The Airbus A320, operating flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, lost about 300 feet of altitude during cruise before stabilising and landing safely in Delhi. A few passengers and cabin crew members reported injuries during the incident. The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members. Both flight crew members underwent mandatory psychoactive substance screening following the incident, as required under standard operating procedures. The pilot-in-command's sample was sent to a designated laboratory for confirmatory analysis, with the final report awaited, the ministry said in a statement. The incident has been classified as a serious incident a

Year on, AAIB says crash report only after full probe, international review

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said the final report on the AI171 crash will be released only after completing all investigative activities and international review processes

Smoke detected inside IndiGo flight in Bengaluru, evacuation carried out

Smoke was detected inside an IndiGo A320neo aircraft while taxiing for departure to Chennai, prompting an emergency evacuation at Bengaluru airport

DGCA to monitor Air India Dreamliner fuel switch checks at Boeing facility

DGCA officials will oversee inspections of fuel control switches on an Air India Boeing 787-8 at Boeing's US facility after abnormal switch behaviour was reported earlier

Swiss flight aborts take-off in Delhi after engine fire, five injured

Swiss International Air Lines flight to Zurich aborts take-off after engine fire in Delhi; passengers evacuated safely, five injured, airport operations unaffected

DGCA tells pilots to resist pressure on VVIP flights, stress safety norms

The aviation regulator has issued stricter norms for VVIP flights, directing pilots to prioritise safety, resist undue pressure and follow enhanced operational protocols

Form high-level committee to review systemic failures: Parl panel to MoCA

Parliamentary panel flags systemic failures, rising defects and staff shortages, urges Civil Aviation Ministry to conduct root-cause review within 90 days

No issues found in fuel control switches of Boeing 787 aircraft: Air India

Airline says precautionary re-inspections were carried out after a pilot's observation and that it will circulate Boeing's operating guidance to crew

No dilution in pilot weekly rest norms, DGCA tells Delhi High Court

Aviation regulator tells HC that weekly rest for pilots remains mandatory, with no airline granted exemptions, amid challenge to revised flight duty norms

Delhi HC seeks DGCA's stand on suspension of revised pilot duty-time norms

Delhi High Court asks DGCA to clarify why new flight duty time norms were kept in abeyance, stressing that safety rules cannot remain unenforced without legal basis

Akasa Air joins airlines' association IATA after completing mandatory audit

Akasa Air has joined global airlines' grouping International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a member. IATA represents over 360 airlines, including Indian carriers Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet. In a release on Friday, Akasa Air said it became an IATA member after completing IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) which is mandatory for the membership. "We are excited to welcome Akasa Air as an IATA member. India's aviation potential is huge, with the industry supporting 7.7 million jobs and USD 53.6 billion in economic contribution," Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific for IATA Sheldon Hee said. With a fleet of 31 Boeing 737 MAX planes. Akasa Air connects 26 domestic and 6 international cities. About the IATA membership, Akasa Air Founder and CEO Vinay Dubey said the association will strengthen the airline's global credibility and position it as a future-ready Indian airline on the world stage.

Weak regulation hurt public policy in 2025; fixing it is 2026's big task

From aviation to finance, regulatory failures marked India's economy in 2025, exposing weak state capacity and the urgent need to redesign how regulators function

HC seeks DGCA, govt reply on pilot unions' contempt plea over fatigue norms

The case is related to proceedings before the High Court over the enforcement of flight duty time limitation (FDTL) standards, which are intended to address pilot fatigue and enhance flight safety

StatsGuru: A trinity of turbulence - Airbus, IndiGo and glitches

Recent Airbus A320 groundings and IndiGo flight disruptions have put India's fast-growing aviation sector under the spotlight, raising questions over fleet reliability and safety oversight

Naidu instructs DGCA, AAI on winter readiness amid peak travel rush

The meeting was attended by officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India, Central Industrial Security Force, airport operators, and airlines

Air India execs who let plane with expired licence fly de-rostered: DGCA

The airline's 164-seater Airbus A320 aircraft, with an expired airworthiness review certificate (ARC), flew eight times on November 24 and 25