Aviation Sector

Israel bars Pakistani pilots, cabin crew from flights entering its airspace

Pakistani pilots and cabin crew are barred from serving on flights entering Israeli airspace under new restrictions, according to media reports, after a hijacking attempt last month on a flight travelling from the UAE to Israel, in which Indian Captain Smit Machchhar was injured while foiling the suspected plot. Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported that the Transportation Ministry's Aviation Security Operations Centre has issued the new and updated directives following the hijacking attempt. According to Israeli broadcaster N12, the ministry had informed foreign airlines about the restrictions on October 1. The restrictions followed the hijacking incident on September 30, when a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after its Omani co-pilot attacked Captain Machchhar and attempted to seize control of the aircraft and crash the plane into Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport. According to the new directive, pilots and cabin crew operating flights

Mumbai airport flight shift needs transparent capacity assessment: IATA

IATA welcomes the ministry's intervention to defer the proposed flight shift to Navi Mumbai, calling for consultation with airlines and a transparent capacity assessment

Airlines ask Adani for records of Mumbai T1 consultations since 2020

Airlines have sought consultation records on Mumbai airport's T1 redevelopment and the basis for shifting 33 per cent of international services to Navi Mumbai

DGCA orders one-time drug test for all pilots after Air India incident

The directive follows a recent case involving an Air India pilot who tested positive for illegal drugs after a flight experienced a rare hydraulic-system failure

Need more Indian suppliers in global aerospace sector: K Rammohan Naidu

Indian aviation sector offers immense opportunities for MSMEs, and efforts are underway to have more Indian suppliers in the global aerospace market, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday. Global aerospace players have a strong interest in India's aviation sector, Naidu said and highlighted that Indian airlines have placed orders for over 1,600 aircraft. Speaking at a conference organised by industry body CII in the national capital, the minister also said that India cannot be just a place for assembling aerospace components but a place for designing, certifying and manufacturing the components. India is the world's third largest domestic aviation market. At the conference, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said various models for manufacturing aircraft in India are being looked at. Boeing India and South Asia President Salil Gupte said the company sources products and services worth nearly Rs 14,000 crore from India annually. The aircraft maker has around

Air New Zealand appoints former Air India CEO Campbell Wilson as director

The appointments come as the airline, New Zealand's national carrier, navigates delayed aircraft deliveries, persistent engine problems and elevated fuel costs stemming from the West Asia conflict

Two more Air India pilots test positive for psychoactive substances

The pilots have been removed from the duty roster and their samples sent for confirmatory tests as Air India continues its one-time mandatory screening exercise

No more fear of flying: India needs more competition in the skies

We are now in 2026. Indian consumers have taken to air travel in a big way and there will be continued demand as long as air fares don't balloon

Air India's plane suffered glitches, turbulence during Phuket-Delhi flight

Air India's A320 plane that suddenly lost 300 feet in altitude during its flight from Phuket to Delhi last week suffered multiple technical glitches and triple hydraulic failures as well as experienced turbulence, sources said on Monday. With the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) commencing its probe into the serious incident on August 4 that left at least 17 people injured, French agency BEA and Airbus teams will likely be arriving in the country on Tuesday to assist in the investigation, they said. On August 4, the Phuket-Delhi flight AI2379 operated with A320 aircraft VT-EXO experienced a sudden loss of altitude of approximately 300 feet during cruise, after which the aircraft stabilised and subsequently landed safely in the national capital. The incident is being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) as per Annexure 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It pertains to aircraft accident and incident investigation. The sourc

Former IATA chief Willie Walsh takes charge as IndiGo's new CEO

Willie Walsh on Monday took charge as the CEO of the country's largest airline IndiGo. A pilot and an aviation industry leader who just completed his tenure as the Director General of the global airlines' grouping IATA, Walsh's appointment as the CEO was announced by IndiGo on March 31. In a release on Monday, IndiGo said Walsh has assumed charge as the CEO to lead the airline's next era of growth and global ambition. The appointment of Walsh was announced on March 31, less than three weeks after the sudden exit of Pieter Elbers against the backdrop of massive operational disruptions at the airline in December last year. As CEO, IndiGo said Walsh would lead the airline's overall management and strategic direction, with a focus on accelerating its global growth trajectory, driving operational excellence, strengthening network and commercial strategy, and further enhancing customer experience. "IndiGo has built a remarkable legacy over the last two decades, establishing itself among

Dominating the skies: Indian aviation needs more competition and choice

The consolidation has left the market with two airlines of consequence - IndiGo and the Air India group

Adani Group denies airline launch reports, rules out aviation entry

Adani Enterprises has ruled out plans to launch an airline, saying reports about its entry into the aviation business are baseless

Why AAIB won't release AI171 cockpit recordings as probe nears end

The Air India AI171 crash probe is nearing completion, but the AAIB says releasing cockpit voice recordings would breach Indian law and international aviation rules

After Eternal, Deepinder Goyal bets on health tech, aviation startup

Former Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal plans to launch Temple, a premium wellness wearable, while also backing an aviation venture aimed at transforming regional air travel in India

Akasa Air eyes ₹1,050 crore fundraise as Iran war drives up costs

Akasa Air is seeking to raise about ₹1,050 crore through equity and debt to cushion the impact of the Iran conflict, which has disrupted flights and driven up jet fuel costs

Airfare regulation plea: SC asks Centre to submit aviation rules in 2 weeks

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to place before it within two weeks the rules framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which is aimed at modernising India's aviation sector. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the rules be placed before it in a sealed cover, irrespective of whether they have been placed before Parliament. The apex court passed the order while hearing a plea filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan, who has sought a robust and independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector, and regulatory guidelines to control the "unpredictable fluctuations" in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India. The counsel appearing for the Centre informed the bench that the draft rules are ready and they are in the process of translation. He said the rules have to be placed before Parliament. "We grant two weeks' time to the respondents to place before this cour

Simaero plans to add more simulators, tap local engineering talent in India

French company Simaero, which has set up its simulator training facility in India, plans to tap the country's local engineering talent in the specialised areas of simulator engineering and technology services. In a recent interview with PTI, Simaero's CEO Nicolas Moute said the company's long-term vision was to build a centre of excellence for aviation training that serves not only India but the wider South Asian region. "We are very optimistic about India. Every market has its challenges, but we see far more opportunities than obstacles," he said, adding that the company does not see any barriers that would prevent it from expanding its presence in the country. At the training facility in Gurugram, Haryana, the company recently launched its first Airbus A320 neo simulator and expects to add one or two more simulators in the near term, based on customer demand. "We could possibly expect to add a Boeing or regional ATR aircraft simulator. However, it would depend on our client's ...

Q1FY27 earnings preview: Oil & gas, aviation brace for crude impact

Q1 earnings preview: ICICI Securities said that OMCs could report significant losses, driven by higher retail fuel losses, inventory losses and a sharp rise in LPG under-recovery.

Saudi-based Riyadh Air to launch daily Mumbai-Riyadh flights from Aug 4

Saudi Arabia-based Riyadh Air on Monday announced its entry into India with the launch of daily direct flight between Riyadh and Mumbai, starting August 4. The premium carrier, backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced that bookings for the daily flight will open from July 6. The new daily air service between Mumbai and Riyadh will be operated by a Boeing B787-9 aircraft, offering a four-class configuration business elite, business, premium economy and economy. The latest route is a key addition to Riyadh Air's growing network, which now spans nine destinations with more set to be announced in the coming days and weeks, the airline said, adding that it also strengthens its mission to connect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with major global and regional hubs. "With India emerging as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally, we are delighted to offer travellers a new premium choice and enhanced global connectivity from Mumba

Adani to invest ₹20k cr in six 'airport city' projects across 5 states

Adani Airport plans to invest more than Rs 20,000 crore in the first phase of a large-scale airport city development programme spanning over 655 acres across six airports in five states, as the company seeks to transform its aviation hubs into integrated commercial and urban destinations. The development, announced on Thursday by Adani Airport City Ltd (AACL) - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), India's largest private airport operator - will cover airports in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur and Guwahati, with around 22 million square feet of mixed-use infrastructure planned in the initial phase. Nearly 70 per cent of the investment will be concentrated in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, where the company controls close to 440 acres of land, reflecting the strategic importance of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region as India's largest aviation and commercial hub, it said in a statement. The projects will combine hotels, offices, retail, ...