Page 3 - Aviation Sector In India

Centre plans strict norms to prevent hoax bomb threats to airlines

The civil aviation ministry plans to put in place strict norms to prevent incidents of hoax bomb threats to airlines, including placing the perpetrators on the no-fly list, a senior official said on Thursday. In four days, more than 20 flights of various Indian airlines received bomb threats, including international flights, and some of them were diverted. Most of the threats have turned out to be hoaxes. Against this backdrop, the ministry is looking at amending existing rules, including those related to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), in order to ensure stringent punishments are in place for the culprits, the official in the know said. Placing individuals making hoax bomb threats in the airlines' no-fly list is one of the proposals being looked at, the official said. The official also said legal opinions are being gathered with respect to making the changes in the rules. The provisions being followed in foreign countries to deal with hoax bomb threats are also bein

DGCA removes 'enhanced surveillance' of SpiceJet after fund infusion

Random spot checks of low-cost carrier's operational aircraft will continue, says regulator

India needs over $170 bn to fund aviation expansion: S&P Global Ratings

India is one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets and domestic passenger traffic is expected to double to 300 million by 2030

Adani Group, Bombardier explore partnership to boost Indian aviation sector

Discussions between Adani Defence & Aerospace and Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier primarily focused on aircraft services, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO)

Delhi airport climbs to 24th in megahub rankings, Mumbai falls to 44th

Globally, the top five megahubs are London Heathrow, Kuala Lumpur International, Tokyo-Haneda, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Seoul's Incheon Airport

Global airlines bet big on India, expect it to be hottest travel market

The domestic air travel market in India is expected to double to 300 million passengers from a record 152 million in 2023, according to government data

Go Air crisis: Central Bank set to auction Wadia's land for Rs 1,965 cr

Over 94 acres of land will be sold under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act 2002

IndiGo eyes lesser-known international destinations for next growth phase

It made a successful push into central Asia last year with flights to less-frequented cities like Baku, Almaty, Tashkent and Tbilisi, opening travel destinations void of major competition

GoAir crisis: EaseMyTrip's Pitti withdraws bid for the bankrupt airline

More than three months after jointly bidding for Go First, travel portal EaseMyTrip's CEO Nishant Pitti on Saturday said he was withdrawing the bid for the bankrupt airline. Busy Bee Airways, majority-owned by Pitti, along with SpiceJet Chief Ajay Singh, had put in a bid for Go First, which is undergoing an insolvency resolution process, in February. Pitti said after careful consideration, he decided to withdraw the bid for Go First in his personal capacity. "The decision allows me to better focus on other strategic priorities and initiatives that align with our long-term vision and growth objectives," he said in a statement. The latest move also comes less than a month after the Delhi High Court allowed lessors to take back 54 planes leased to Go First. On April 26, Pitti had said he will consider any necessary adjustments to its proposed offer for the grounded airline after reviewing the court order. It could not be immediately ascertained whether Ajay Singh will be pursuing th

Plane-less Go First's situation 'painful'; hopes for tailwind remain muted

Last May, it all started with flight suspension for just three days and "an unfortunate decision" of voluntary insolvency resolution option taken to protect the airline's interests. A year down the lane, the now plane-less Go First's fate remains uncertain and come June, there are revival expectations, though muted, when the extended deadline for the resolution process ends. There are concerns that the airline might even be pushed into liquidation, experts opined. "It is extremely painful to see that even after one year, the airline has not been able to revive the operations," the budget carrier's former chief Kaushik Khona told PTI. Since May 3, 2023, Go First has not taken to the skies, with its blue and white livery A320 planes gathering dust at airports, most staff leaving and many staring at uncertain times, and a resolution process still remaining on the tarmac. Hopes of a quick revival further faded, as the carrier's 54 planes have been deregistered after protracted legal .

IndiGo places first-ever widebody aircraft order for 30 Airbus A350 jets

Such a deal would be worth more than $9 billion, as per the last catalogue rates published in 2018

Airlines have to sit children younger than 12 with parents: Regulator

The DGCA has made it mandatory for airlines to assign seats for children up to 12 years old when at least one parent or guardian is traveling on the same PNR

Passenger footfall at Mumbai airport rises 16% to 52.8 million in FY24

The airport saw 26 million passengers on arrivals and 26.7 million on departures in FY24

Odisha to set up Rs 562 cr aviation centre to meet future demand for pilots

The Odisha government has decided to set up a Rs 562-crore aviation training centre to meet future demand for pilots and skilled personnel in the sector, a minister said. A proposal to set up Biju Patnaik Aviation Centre (BPAC) at Birasal airstrip in Dhenkanal district was approved at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday. The proposed centre will provide training for pilots, simulators and cabin crew, Revenue Minister Sudam Marndi told reporters after the cabinet meeting. The training centre will be established in accordance with the Civil Aviation Policy-2022 of the state government, he said. India faces a pressing need to consistently produce 2,000 pilots annually over the next 20 years to meet the escalating demand, and the aviation training centre aims at creating 500 professionals annually, an official said. The proposed training institute will significantly benefit the local economy and support the growth in the tourism and hospitality secto

Ola sets up cab zone at Chennai int'l airport for airline passengers

Ride-hailing platform Ola Mobility has set up Ola Zone at the Chennai International Airport here, aimed at serving the passengers who need a ride for their local journeys, the company said on Wednesday. The launch of service at the airport comes in the backdrop of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Airports Authority of India and OLA Cabs with an intent to provide and ensure the presence of multiple facilities of ground transportation for the convenience of passengers traveling through the airports. The Ola Zone, similar to the cab services currently available at the airport, allows customers to book a ride at the Ola Zone to take up their local journey, instead of availing the services through the Ola mobile application. Booking assistance would be provided at the dedicated kiosks for the travelers who would receive all charges in a single bill, while the drivers would be able to benefit from a cashless checkout system, eliminating payments at entry and exits of the

Govt plans biometrics-based immigration for international passengers

Government initiative aims to streamline airport processes and elevate India's airports as global transit hubs

NIIF to invest Rs 675 crore in GMR's Bhogapuram airport in Andhra Pradesh

This is part of the financial partnership announced in December 2022 in which NIIF would invest in the equity capital of three airport projects of the GMR group

Government may implement 2-month asset freeze of airlines under insolvency

To prevent immediate repossession of aircraft by lessors after default, the government is contemplating a two-month moratorium rule for the aviation sector

Delhi Airport saw highest-ever single-day passenger traffic on November 28

Delhi Airport also witnessed the highest-ever traffic in the first 8 months of a financial year at 47.8 million

Indian carriers could incur up to $1.2 bn per year for 200 grounded planes

The standard monthly cost an active aircraft incurs is about $1 million and if it's grounded, the cost comes down to $0.5 million, according to CAPA's 'conservative' estimates