Page 14 - Aviation Sector

Domestic air passenger traffic rises 4.4% to 1.37 cr in May: DGCA

Domestic air passenger traffic went up 4.4 per cent to around 1.37 crore in May, according to official data released on Friday. The Indian scheduled air operators flew 1.32 crore passengers on domestic routes in May last year. "Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-May 2024 were 661.42 lakhs as against 636.07 lakhs during the corresponding period of the previous year, thereby registering an annual growth of 3.99 per cent and monthly growth of 4.40 per cent," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. In terms of on-time performance (OTP), Akasa Air topped the list at 85.9 per cent, followed by Vistara (81.9 per cent), AIX Connect (74.9 per cent), IndiGo (72.8 per cent), Air India (68.4 per cent) and SpiceJet (60.7 per cent), as per the data. During the previous month, no-frills carrier IndiGo saw its market share growing to 61.6 per cent, while that of Air India declined to 13.7 per cent from 14.2 per cent in April. The market share of Vistara stood at

FAA, EASA vow to boost collaboration on new airplane certification

Since two Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed a combined 346 people, aviation regulators around the world have tightened oversight of new airplanes

FAA was too 'hands-off' in its oversight of Boeing, says agency head

The top US aviation regulator said on Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration should have been more aware of manufacturing problems inside Boeing before a panel blew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. FAA's approach was too hands-off too focused on paperwork audits and not focused enough on inspections, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told a Senate committee. Whitaker said that since the January 5 blowout on the Alaska jetliner, the FAA has changed to more active, comprehensive oversight of Boeing. That includes, as he has said before, putting more inspectors in factories at Boeing and its chief supplier on the Max, Spirit AeroSystems. Whitaker made the comments while his agency, the Justice Department and the National Transportation Safety Board continue investigations into the giant aircraft manufacturer. The FAA has limited Boeing's production of 737 Max jets to 38 per month, but the company is building far fewer than that while it tries to fix

June 22 GST Council meet likely to give relief to foreign airlines

Clarification could end uncertainty around some services

Only Vistara improved on-time performance in May, shows govt data

While Akasa Air recorded a month-on-month drop in OTP, it retained its top spot on the punctuality chart with a performance of 86.43 percent in May

Priority to bring down airfares: Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu

Naidu also said that his target is to make India the biggest domestic civil aviation market in the whole world

'Cabin crew issues are now well resolved', says Air India Express CCO

Airline to add 24 planes in the next 6 months, he added

IndiGo shares fall over 4% after 11 mn shares change hands via block deal

IndiGo block deal: Reports suggest Rahul Bhatia-led InterGlobe Enterprises was the likely seller of its 2 per cent stake

Airfares can rise further while still being affordable: Akasa Air CEO

We have lots of room for airfares to grow while still being extremely affordable for the Indian consumer, he noted

Global ambition takes wing, but challenges ahead for new aviation minister

The new minister must navigate conflicting demands while considering potential geopolitical ramifications

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

NCLT approves merger of full-service carriers Vistara with rival Air India

The merger, first announced in November 2022, will include Vistara, which is 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines being absorbed into Air India

NCLT nod to Air India-Vistara merger; to form world's largest airline group

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Thursday approved the merger of Air India and Vistara, paving the way for the creation of one of the world's largest airline groups. Post-merger, which was announced in November 2022, Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India. Vistara is a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Group. In a 31-page order, the Chandigarh bench of the NCLT approved the "composite scheme of arrangement" involving Talace, Air India and Vistara. All are part of the Tata Group. Air India expects the merger to be completed by the end of this year. A two-member bench of the Chandigarh bench of NCLT observed that the scheme has already received necessary approvals from the shareholders and creditors of both airline companies. Moreover, it has also received applicable approvals including that of fair trade regulator the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Besides, "no sustainab

Indian carriers divided on more bilateral rights to Gulf countries

Granting more rights to them would be equivalent to pulling rug from under our feet: Air India CEO

Shortage of pilots, cabin crews 'far more serious' than visible: Capa India

Indian carriers expected to add 82 planes in FY25

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

Global airlines on track for $30 billion profit in 2024, predicts IATA

The outlook compares with the $27.4 billion in profit achieved last year, IATA said at its annual general meeting in Dubai

IndiGo reportedly buying 100 more ATR planes: How will it change things?

Turboprop planes have helped IndiGo rule the regional aviation network for the last five years. And there might be more coming

IndiGo derosters 6 crew members over Delhi-Varanasi flight bomb scare event

IndiGo has derostered two pilots and four cabin crew members of the Delhi-Varanasi flight that saw 176 passengers being evacuated after a bomb threat earlier this week, according to sources. On May 28, following the bomb threat, which later turned out to be hoax, all the passengers were evacuated through emergency slides from the aircraft at the Delhi airport. In a video clip of the evacuation that went viral on social media, a pilot was seen coming out of the aircraft through the emergency slide with a baggage. Under international norms, passengers and crew are not permitted to take their baggage at the time of evacuation as that will increase the time for evacuation. The wet-leased aircraft was to operate the flight from the national capital to Varanasi on the morning of Tuesday (May 28). One of the sources said the two pilots, who were from the lessor company, four IndiGo cabin crew members have been derostered. Generally, under the wet lease arrangement, crew, insurance and ot

Universal Vulkaan to bring 30 Leonardo helicopters to India in next 3 years

Bullish on the Indian market which is "ready for expansion", Universal Vulkaan Aviation on Wednesday said it will bring 30 Leonardo helicopters into the country over the next three years. Universal Vulkaan Aviation Pte Ltd (UVA) is the distributor in India for Italy-based Leonardo Helicopters. The company, which is based in New Delhi, will bring a total of 30 helicopters -- 16 new and 14 from the pre-owned market -- over the next three years. "After signing the pre-sales contract for 5 units of AW09 machines in January 2024, UVA has ordered 11 units from types AW109 Trekker, AW139, AW169, from the Leonardo Helicopters... This is in addition to the 14 helicopters that were purchased by the Vulkaan Group from the pre-owned market, which include the AW 119Kx and AW 109 Trekker," a release said. The models have seating capacities varying from 5 to 15. Karan Sethi, Sales Director at UVA, told PTI that the current Indian market is ready for expansion, and its product portfolio in both .