Page 6 - Aviation Sector

ICRA expects 18-20% growth for airport operators in FY26 on higher traffic

Indian airport operators are expected to see an 18-20 per cent topline year-on-year growth in this fiscal, driven by a sustained improvement in passenger traffic and tariff hike as well as ramp-up in non-aeronautical revenues, ratings agency ICRA said on Thursday. At the same time, ICRA estimates overall air passenger traffic growing at a healthy 7-9 per cent Y-o-Y to reach at 440-450 million in FY26, on the back of an around 10 per cent estimated increase in the just concluded financial year, it said. The overall passenger traffic (domestic and international) is estimated at 412-415 million in FY25, as per ICRA. The ratings agency said its estimation is based on a sample set of airports, including those managed and operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), as well as Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Cochin International Airports, which operate under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Also, given the capacity bottleneck faced by a few airports, the sector will ...

Air India launches major jet revamp to lure back disgruntled passengers

The multi-year turnaround programme will initially focus on the airline's 27 Boeing Co. 787-8 Dreamliners that are more than 10 years old in some cases

How a supply glitch gave Air India 50 Boeing jets made for Chinese airlines

Air India Express has received 41 of 50 white-tail 737 Max jets from its June 2023 order of 190 planes- jets built for others but remained unused in storage

I-T dept imposes Rs 944 cr penalty on IndiGo, airline to contest order

The Income Tax Department has slapped a penalty of Rs 944.20 crore on IndiGo, which said it will contest the order that is "erroneous and frivolous". The order was received by InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo, on Saturday. In a regulatory filing on Sunday, IndiGo said the Assessment Unit of the Income Tax Department (Income Tax Authority) has passed an order imposing Rs 944.20 crore penalty for assessment year 2021-22. "The order has been passed on the basis of an erroneous understanding that appeal filed by the company before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) (CIT(A)) against the assessment order under Section 143(3) has been dismissed, whereas the same is still alive and pending adjudication," it said. According to the filing, the company strongly believes that the order passed by Income Tax Authority is not in accordance with law and is erroneous and frivolous. The company will contest the same and shall take appropriate legal remed

AAI plans to invest Rs 1,625 crore to expand Ayodhya airport capacity

Move aimed to increase its passenger handling capacity to 6 million passengers per annum

India's air passenger traffic to see 7% growth in 2025: Alton Aviation

India's air passenger traffic is expected to grow at a strong pace of 7 per cent in 2025, supported by a growing middle class and increasing air travel affordability, according to Joshua Ng, Director of US-headquartered Alton Aviation Consultancy. Bullish on aviation prospects in India, Ng said the country, which contributes approximately 10 per cent of Asia Pacific's domestic and international air traffic demand, has already returned to pre-pandemic levels. "Such growing demand in turn supports India's massive aviation development programmes including setting up of 150 airports across the country," Ng told PTI on Friday. He further noted that "India's passenger traffic is expected to grow at a strong pace of 7 per cent in 2025, supported by an order book of nearly 1,900 aircraft among airlines based in the country." Besides, "the recent merger between Air India and Vistara is also expected to bring more stability to the industry, with Air India and IndiGo emerging as the two prima

Delhi airport operator takes govt to court over Hindon commercial flights

Indian aviation rules prohibit airports within 150 km of an existing facility, but Hindon airbase is operating just 30 km from Delhi Airport

India will need 30,000 pilots in 15-20 years, says aviation minister

India will need 30,000 pilots in the next 15-20 years as domestic airlines have more than 1,700 planes on order as they expand their network, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Tuesday. Asserting that the ministry is working with a collective approach for the aviation industry, he also said that officials are verifying various aspects of 38 Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) and these organisations will be rated. The minister was speaking at a function to mark the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an order for 200 trainer aircraft. Indian airlines have placed orders for more than 1,700 aircraft and currently, there are over 800 planes, Naidu said. Presently, there are 6,000-7,000 working pilots and the country will need 30,000 pilots in the next 15 to 20 years, the minister said and also pitched for making India a training hub. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets. According to the minister, efforts are being made to

'Polythene bags, rags…': What clogged lavatories on Air India flight

AI126 from Chicago to Delhi returned to the US city on March 6. The company then stated that the flight was returned because of a technical issue

IndiGo to start direct long-haul flights to Manchester, Amsterdam from July

Expanding its international operations, IndiGo will start non-stop long-haul flights to Manchester and Amsterdam with the leased Boeing 787-9 planes from July this year. Making the announcement on Thursday, the airline said the development signals a significant step in its journey to become a global player by 2030 and also make India a global aviation hub. Also, the carrier is evaluating multiple markets in Europe for long-haul flights. "Today, we unlock a new and very exciting chapter in IndiGo's growth journey, connecting India to the heart of Europe. We're thrilled to announce our first-ever long-haul destinations - Manchester and Amsterdam," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in a statement. Without disclosing the Indian cities from which the services will be operated, the airline said there will be 3x weekly flights each to Manchester (the UK) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands) that are expected to start in July 2025, subject to completion of all operational preparedness and regulator

Adani's new $2.1 billion Navi Mumbai airport draws low-cost carriers

Tata Group's low-cost carrier Air India Express and smaller rivals SpiceJet and Akasa are also in discussions to eventually relocate all of their operations

SpiceJet posts Rs 26 cr profit in Dec quarter backed by high performance

Budget airline SpiceJet on Wednesday reported a profit after tax of Rs 26 crore for the three months ended December 2024, helped by overall improved performance. The carrier had posted a loss of Rs 300 crore in the year-ago period. "Total revenue surged by 35 per cent to Rs 1,651 crore, driven by strong passenger demand, improved yields and enhanced operational efficiency. Passenger Load Factor (PLF) stood at an impressive 87 per cent," the airline said in a release. Total revenue stood at Rs 1,077 crore in the 2024 September quarter. However, compared to Rs 2,149 crore reported in the three months ended December 2023, the total revenue is lower in the latest December quarter. The results for the third quarter of the current financial year was scheduled to be announced on Tuesday. However, the meeting of the company's board of directors, through video conferencing, started at 1.30 pm and ended only at 11.50 pm on Tuesday, according to a filing made to the BSE at 12.51 am on ...

India needs at least 20K pilots in coming years: Aviation minister Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday launched Electronic Personnel License (EPL) for pilots, a significant step towards modernising and enhancing the safety, security, and efficiency of civil aviation in India. With this launch, India has become the second country in the world to implement EPL for flight crew. China has already implemented such a facility. The minister launched the EPL at UDAAN Bhawan here. Implementation of Electronic Personnel License (EPL) by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) aligns with the government's Ease of Doing Business and Digital India Initiative. The adoption of EPL cements India's position as a leader in aviation innovation. India has not only addressed the needs of its own aviation sector but has also set an example for other nations to follow. The step aligns with the roadmap of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for modern aviation governance and reflects the nation's readiness to embrace the future.

Air India, Lufthansa expand codeshare, add 60 routes across India, Europe

Private carrier Air India on Thursday announced the expansion of its codeshare partnership with Lufthansa Group to offer 60 additional routes across 12 cities in India and 26 in Europe. Air India, in a statement, said that as part of this expansion, it has entered into a new codeshare agreement with Austrian Airlines and expanded its existing codeshare agreements with Lufthansa, and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). The Tata Group-owned Air India said it will now offer its customers a total of 26 destinations across Europe and three destinations in the Americas beyond its gateways in Europe (Frankfurt, Vienna, and Zurich), with the 'AI' designator code placed on certain services operated by airlines in the Lufthansa Group, including Austrian Airlines for the first time. Air India and the three Lufthansa Group carriers are members of Star Alliance. The expanded agreements increase the total number of codeshare routes between Air India, Lufthansa, and SWISS from 55 to nearly 100

Australia backs Virgin-Qatar Airways tie-up, cites improved air services

Virgin Australia is the biggest domestic rival to Qantas Airways, which has ties with Dubai-based Emirates and an arrangement with Finnair to operate flights between Sydney, Bangkok and Singapore

Southwest Airlines to cut 15% of corporate jobs, remove about 1,750 roles

Layoffs, to be completed substantially by the end of the second quarter, are estimated to net $210 million in savings this year and full-year savings of $300 million in 2026

Airbus struggles to raise A350 output on delays in fuselage parts arrival

The delays have cast doubt on Airbus' ability to increase production above current rates of around six jets a month for at least the rest of this year

Rolls-Royce to double sourcing from India over the next five years

Aerospace major Rolls-Royce on Monday said it intends to double its supply chain sourcing from India over the next five years. The company will seek to increase its sourcing of complex parts for advanced aerospace engines, naval propulsion systems, diesel engines and gas turbine engines as part of its plans to grow presence and participation in India's defence sector, Rolls-Royce said in a statement. Currently, the company said it sources a wide range of high-precision parts and engine components for its civil aerospace, defence and power systems businesses from a variety of Indian partners, without disclosing the overall value of the sourced products. "India is fast emerging as a preferred hub for global sourcing, and we are looking to broaden our partnerships here to support both our business growth and the government of India's vision to 'Make in India for the world'," Rolls-Royce Chief Transformation Officer Nicola Grady-Smith said. Stating that over the years, Rolls-Royce has

Boeing signals more orders needed before setting up assembly line in India

The country's civil aviation minister told Reuters in 2023 that the time had come for Boeing and Airbus to make civil aircraft in India

Search underway in western Alaska as plane with 10 people goes 'missing'

An aircraft carrying 10 people across Alaska's Norton Sound south of the Arctic Circle went missing Thursday afternoon and rescuers searched into the night for any sign of the aircraft. The Bering Air Caravan was heading from Unalakleet to Nome with nine passengers and a pilot, according to Alaska's Department of Public Safety. Authorities were working to determine its last known coordinates. Unalakleet is a community of about 690 people in western Alaska, about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (about 640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The disappearance marks the third major incident in US aviation in eight days. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near the nation's capital on January 29, killing 67 people. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on January 31, killing the six people onboard and another person on the ground. The Cessna Caravan left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m., and officials lost contact with it less