Aviation Sector

Airlines seek to boost domestic MRO capabilities as aircraft fleets expand

Indian airlines are looking at ways to boost capabilities and be "self-reliant" to carry out maintenance, repair and overhaul activities within the country as they expand their aircraft fleet. The market for airframes, engines and components is set to triple to USD 9.5 billion by 2035 in India, which is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets. Air India's SVP Engineering & Maintenance Jeremy Yew on Wednesday said the current situation has forced the airline to look at how much MRO works can be done in-house and also emphasised that a lot needs to be done for MRO activities for wide-body aircraft. Currently, most of the detailed MRO works for wide-body aircraft are done overseas. Air India was planning to send some aircraft for maintenance to facilities in West Asia and when the crisis in the region started, the airline struggled to get capacity elsewhere for getting the works done, he said at a session at the Aviation India and South Asia 2026 conference in the ..

Domestic aviation industry may post losses of ₹38,000 cr in FY27: Icra

The Indian aviation industry is expected to post net losses of Rs 36,000-38,000 crore in the current fiscal, compared to estimated net losses of Rs 28,000-30,000 crore in the previous year, ratings agency ICRA said on Thursday. The losses were primarily driven by moderation in passenger traffic growth, rising aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices and forex losses arising from the sharp depreciation of the Indian rupee, it said. The onset of the war in West Asia in late February 2026 is expected to dampen air passenger traffic growth in FY27, ICRA said. Additionally, increased costs due to depreciation of the Indian Rupee against the US dollar, elevated ATF prices and a rise in lease rentals amid continued aircraft deliveries are projected to cause a net loss of Rs 36,000-38,000 crore in this fiscal. These cost escalations may not be adequately passed on to passengers through fare hikes, it said.

Airport baggage weight issue under govt scanner amid concerns over charges

Aviation ministry examines complaints over inaccurate baggage weighing as an MP seeks a nationwide audit and independent reference scales for passengers

Air India, IndiGo, AAIB to appear before parliamentary panel on Nov 2

Representatives of Air India, Indigo and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are among those who will appear before a Parliamentary panel on November 2 in connection with the review of the performance of civil aviation sector central public sector undertakings. The 22-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertakings is headed by BJP MP Baijayant Panda. Discussions with the representatives of Air India Limited (Air India) and InterGlobe Aviation Ltd (Indigo) will take place on November 2 in connection with the examination of the subject 'Review of Performance of Civil Aviation Sector CPSUs', according to a notice issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. On the same day, the representatives of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will also appear before the committee in connection with the same matter. Meanwhile, several economists will appear before the joint committee examining the simultaneous po

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