Page 25 - Aviation

European Union agrees to boost green fuels for aviation, cut emissions

New rules requiring airlines to use more sustainable fuels across the European Union have been agreed by negotiators from member countries and the EU Parliament in a bid to help decarbonise the sector. The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, said Wednesday that the deal reached by member states and the European Parliament demands that suppliers blend sustainable aviation fuels with kerosene in growing amounts from 2025. The move is expected to reduce aircraft carbon emissions by two-thirds by 2050 compared to a no action' scenario, and provide climate and air quality benefits by reducing non-CO2 emissions," the Commission said. The aviation sector accounts for 13.9 per cent of transportation emissions in the EU, making it the second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the sector after road transport, the Commission says. If global aviation were a country, it would rank in the top 10 emitters. The political agreement is part of the EU 's Fit for 55 package, whic

DGCA orders derostering of Air India's entire crew pending investigations

Nearly two months after an Air India pilot allowed a female friend into the cockpit during a Dubai-Delhi flight, aviation watchdog DGCA has directed the airline to deroster the entire crew till investigations are complete, according to a senior official. A cabin crew member of the flight had filed a complaint with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) about the pilot allowing a female friend into the cockpit. The incident had happened on February 27. On the condition of anonymity, the official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said though prima-facie, the cabin crew seems to have no role in the incident, the entire crew of the flight has been derostered pending investigations. There is an allegation, which is being investigated and the principle of natural justice will apply, and the pilot concerned will also be given an opportunity to present his case, the official said on Wednesday. The official also said the pilot will remain grounded till a final ..

DGCA receives report from American Airlines on urination incident

Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday said American Airlines has submitted a report to it on the incident of a passenger allegedly urinating on a co-passenger onboard a New York-Delhi flight on Sunday and that the airline will further probe the matter as per internal procedures, according to a senior official. The airline has recorded the statements of co-passengers and handed over the passenger to law enforcement and an FIR has been lodged, the official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. In a statement on Monday, the airline said the flight 292 with service from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to Indira Gandhi International Airport was met by local law enforcement upon arrival in the national capital due to a disruption on board. This is at least the second such incident onboard an American Airlines flight from New York to Delhi in less than two months. On March 5, a passenger, allegedly in an inebriated condition,had urinated on a ...

Go First now open for partnerships; Wadias not exiting aviation biz

Wadia Group-owned Go First is open for partnerships but its promoters are not looking to exit from the loss-making aviation business, according to an airline source. The no-frills airline, beset with engine woes, is estimated to have incurred a loss of Rs 1,800 crore in 2022-23, and expects around Rs 600 crore fund infusion in the coming weeks, according to the source closely involved in the management of the carrier. The airline, which was cornering an 8-10 per cent market share for many months, saw it slipping to 6.9 per cent in March as a good chunk of its aircraft fleet remains grounded. We can obviously evaluate a good partnership but it does not mean that we are out to sell ... Indian aviation is getting a lot of traction, and there are some reports that some airlines, some entrepreneurs are looking at (investing in the airline segment), that is why we are happy to look at ( any investment proposal, the source told PTI. "But if somebody asks us whether we are open for ...

Air France and KLM join 40 other global airlines on Verteil's NDC Platform

Verteil customers will have access to shopping, booking, fully automated services, and private/ negotiated fares, among other features and services offered by the airlines

Vietnam Airline to connect Mumbai with Ho Chi Minh City from May 20

Vietnam's national carrier Vietnam Airline on Monday announced it will connect India's financial capital Mumbai with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from May 20. As part of its summer schedule, the airline will commence four flights per week to Mumbai from Hanoi and three flights in a week from Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese flag carrier already flies to New Delhi from these two cities. To constantly expand the international network to meet increasing demand of passengers, Vietnam Airlines will launch from May 20 a new route connecting Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Mumbai (India), the airline said in a statement. The new route will be operated by an Airbus A321 aircraft, it added. In June 2022, the airline introduced non-stop service connecting Vietnam and India's capital New Delhi, Vietnam Airlines said and added, with effect from March 26 this year, the flight services between Hanoi and New Delhi have been increased to four flights a week while Ho Chi Minh City-New Delhi is being ...

Tata Group to set up Air India's new ground handling business: Report

The new company may also include an aviation training academy

Indigo and Virgin Atlantic expand codeshare, open up new destinations

The expanded codeshare allows Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club members to reach their rewards faster, with opportunities to earn both Virgin Points and Tier Points available on every codeshare flight

India can play leading role in sustainable aviation fuel, says Aditya Ghosh

Akasa Air Co-Founder Aditya Ghosh on Monday said India can play a leading role with respect to sustainable aviation fuel by plugging into the global supply chain opportunities. Airlines and airports will be pushed to take sustainable measures, he said but added that currently, sustainable aviation fuel is much more expensive compared to the traditional fuel. Ghosh, an aviation industry veteran and former IndiGo chief, was speaking at the CAPA aviation summit in the national capital. There is a gap of around USD 350 million in terms of funding between traditional aviation fuel and 10 per cent blended fuel, he said. According to him, India can plug into the global supply chain opportunities in the context of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). India can play a leading role in solving the problems for the world, he added. In this context, blended fuel means 10 per cent of SAF blended with traditional fuel. The government is working on mandating blending of jet fuel with SAF as the coun

India to splurge $12 bn on airports in next two years as travel rebounds

The world's fastest-growing aviation market aims to boost the number of airports to 220 by 2025 from the current 148, for which private builders will invest about $9 billion

Cash-strapped Pakistan struggling to pay $290 mn to international airlines

The ongoing crisis has also hit the aviation industry where airlines sell tickets in local currency but repatriate dollars to pay for expenses such as fuel costs

Domestic aviation sector outlook stable; losses to reduce next fiscal: Icra

Rating agency Icra on Monday revised the outlook for the country's aviation sector to stable from negative, citing fast-paced recovery in the domestic air passenger traffic. The industry's loss in the current financial year is projected to be Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore and reduce to Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 crore in the next fiscal, it said in a report. While noting that the trend of passenger traffic is expected to continue in FY24, the agency said the industry has also witnessed improved pricing power, as reflected in the healthier yields and thus the revenue per available seat kilometre-cost per available seat kilometre spread of the airlines. "The same is expected to continue, given the sequential decline in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices from the peak of June 2022 and the anticipation of relatively stable foreign exchange rates," it said in the report. The outlook for the sector has been revised to stable from negative, Icra said, adding that domestic passenger traffic

CCS approves procurement of 70 basic trainer aircraft for Rs 6,828 cr

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the procurement of 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft costing Rs 6,828 crore for the Indian Air Force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the aircraft will be supplied over a period of six years. "The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi has approved procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft at the cost of ?6,828.36 crores," Singh said on Twitter. The defence ministry said the HTT-40, produced by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, is a turboprop aircraft designed to have good low-speed handling qualities and provide better training effectiveness. Singh said the procurement decision will open new opportunities for hundreds of MSMEs (Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) and create thousands of jobs. "It is a significant step towards strengthening India's self-reliance in defence," he said. The HTT-40 con

Akasa Air completes 6 months of operations; flies over 1mn passengers

The airline has flown a total of 0.5 million passengers from the city, which contributes to 70 per cent of the total number of passengers flown across its network to date

Air India's premium avatar by mid-2024; Maharaja stays: CEO Wilson

Airline to speed up $400-mn cabin refurbishment, says CEO

Air India business class passenger shares video of insect in flight meal

Earlier, on the same day, two such complaints surfaced regarding Air India

SpiceJet restructures dues to Carlyle Aviation, to raise fresh capital

The airline will also transfer $65.5 million worth of compulsorily converted debentures of SpiceXpress and Logistics to Carlyle Aviation

Air India's order for 470 aircraft will be worth $70 billion: CEO Wilson

Campbell Wilson added that the process of integration of Vistara with Air India is underway and is now awaiting approval from regulatory bodies

SpiceJet approves slump sale of cargo biz, raising Rs 2,500 cr via QIB

SpiceJet has also decided to buy AS Air Lease in the settlement with aircraft lessor Castlelake

Amid record aircraft orders, aviation remains a long-term play: Analysts

A linear profit growth is unlikely for the Indian aviation players as high oil prices hit the industry every two-three years