Page 27 - Aviation Sector

Go First plane flying to Goa suffers technical snag, returns to Mumbai

A Go First aircraft flying to Goa returned to Mumbai airport due to a technical snag on Wednesday, according to a DGCA official. The official said the aircraft VT-WGP operating G8-371 BOM-GOI had an air turn back due to vent avionics fault. Details about the number of passengers onboard could not be immediately ascertained. There was no immediate comment from Go First.

Chaos on the ground

Nobody seems to know what has changed in the past week or so to make Delhi Airport-the busiest in the country-such a no-go zone

Very tough path ahead for new entrants like Akasa, Jet 2.0: GMR official

Julian Carr, the firm's CMO, says it will be "fascinating" to see how IndiGo's desire to grow further progresses when Air India aims to become a big full-service domestic and international carrier

UN aviation body rejects SpiceJet claim, says it didn't inspect airline

Budget carrier said on Dec 5 its safety processes were found in order 'following an exhaustive audit conducted by the ICAO'

Unmanned check-in counters causing congestion at airports, says govt

Airlines ask passengers to arrive early to ensure 'smooth' security check

Aviation startup Boom Technology picks engine designer for supersonic plane

Aviation startup Boom Technology says it will power supersonic passenger jets with engines designed by a company better known for making small engines used on drones and cruise missiles. Boom said Tuesday that Florida Turbine Technologies, or FTT, will design the engines with help from GE Additive, a division of General Electric. Boom says the plane could be making test flights in 2026 and carrying passengers a few years after that. The company says its 88-seat jet, called Overture, will use four engines, fly up to 1.7 times the speed of sound about 1,300 mph and use sustainable aviation fuel. The Denver company generates plenty of scepticism in aviation circles for its ambitious schedule and certitude that supersonic passenger flights can be economically feasible and environmentally benign Concorde wasn't, so it stopped flying. Getting the plane certified will be daunting, with regulators more cautious after two deadly Boeing Max crashes. Flights would likely be limited to oc

European cargo airline moves NCLT to acquire 3 Jet Airways aircraft

Fresh challenge for reviving Jet as union opposes sale of assets until employees get provident fund and gratuity

Aviation ministry lists five-point action plan to decongest Delhi airport

A surge in air travel has strained the infrastructure at the country's busiest airport and forced the civil aviation ministry to order a reduction and shifting of peak-hour flights

Holiday rush sparks chaos at Delhi IGI airport as passengers miss flights

The chaos at Delhi airport also puts the focus back on a proposed second airport for Mumbai

Delhi airport says peak-hour flights reduced at T3 to ease congestion

Country's busiest airport, which has already brought the number down from 22 an hour to 19, may shift more flights to other terminals

Some ultra long-haul flights facing delays, working to resolve matter: AI

Full service carrier Air India on Friday said some of its ultra long-haul flights are facing delays due to issues related to airport entry passes and it is "working closely" with the authorities to resolve the matter. Airport Entry Passes (AEPs), issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), allow airport access to airline crew (pilots and cabin crew), engineers, ground staff, security personnel and other individuals. "Air India regrets that some of our North America flights have been delayed due to operational issues arising from the slower-than-expected issuance of Airport Entry Passes to cabin crew," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement. The airline, however, did not share specific details. "Air India is working closely with relevant authorities to expedite the issuance of remaining passes," the spokesperson added.

Air India to spend $400 mn to refurbish Boeing 777s and 787 fleet

Carrier will add new seats and best in-flight entertainment across all classes

Over 215,000 UDAN flights operated under regional connectivity scheme

A total of 453 routes have commenced, operationalising 70 airports, including two water aerodromes and nine heliports, under the government's regional connectivity scheme

Domestic air passenger volume rises 3% to 23.4 million in November: Icra

Domestic air passenger volume increased 3 per cent to 23.4 million in November on a sequential basis propelled by resilient travel demand and onset of the peak holiday season, credit ratings agency Icra said on Thursday. However, it remained 7 per cent lower compared to the corresponding month of the pre-pandemic period, it said. Overall, the recovery in domestic passenger traffic has been strong since April this year, supported by easing of travel restrictions, resilient passenger demand, reopening of offices, and increase in business and leisure travel, Icra said. On a year-on-year basis, passenger traffic grew 13 per cent in the previous month, as per Icra. Post resumption of international commercial operations from March 27, international air passenger traffic has steadily increased and reached 81 per cent of pre-Covid levels in November, at 4.9 million in the month, growing 3 per cent sequentially, it stated. Overall passenger traffic (including international) stood at 28.3 .

IndiGo to operate 168 weekly flights from Goa's new international airport

No-frills carrier IndiGo said on Thursday it will operate 168 weekly flights to eight domestic destinations from the New Goa International Airport. The second international airport in the state will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11. The airport will commence commercial operations from January 5 next year. The present airport at Dabolim in South Goa will remain active, and IndiGo will continue its existing operations there, the airline said in a release. Twelve daily and a total of 168 weekly, new flights to and from the New Goa International Airport at Mopa in North Goa from January 5 will be IndiGo's largest ever-new station launch and will immediately connect the new facility to eight cities across India, it said. Besides improving direct connectivity to the state, the launch of the new flight services is also aimed at catering to the increasing demand, it added.

EasyJet averts cabin crew strike in France as it clinches deal with unions

Concession highlights continued pressure on easyJet and airlines to agree better terms and wages to retain staff and avert more labour strife after months of disruption since the end of Covid lockdown

Jalan-Kalrock consortium looks to move SC over Jet Airways staffers' dues

The consortium won the bid to revive the grounded airline in October 2020, and its revival plan was cleared by the National Company Law Tribunal in June 2021

Jet airways revival hits new snag as banks push back on funding

The new owners meanwhile have indicated that extra money wasn't part of the already agreed upon resolution plan and instead must be taken out of the banks' dues

IndiGo Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer Sanjay Kumar puts in papers

Leaves after three years of service in second stint; Vinay Malhotra, head of IndiGo's Global Sales, will take over from him

Adani Airport Holdings increases borrowing limit by Rs 2,500 crore

AAHL currently manages seven functional airports in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram