Page 3 - Aviation

Canada seeks Air India probe into pilot reporting under alcohol influence

Earlier this year, the DGCA proposed tightened rules on alcohol testing for crew members, including one that would have a pilot lose their license permanently after three positive tests

Canada seeks report after Air India pilot flagged for alcohol before duty

Transport Canada has asked Air India to investigate and report on corrective measures after a pilot was found unfit for duty due to alcohol on a December 23 Vancouver-Delhi flight, triggering enforcem

IndiGo gets ₹458 crore GST penalty order; airline to challenge ruling

The country's largest airline IndiGo on Tuesday said authorities have slapped a GST penalty of over Rs 458 crore, and that it would contest the decision. The Additional Commissioner of CGST- Delhi South Commissionerate has slapped the penalty. It pertains to the assessment order under Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, for FY-2018-19 to FY 2022-23, according to a regulatory filing. The total GST penalty is Rs 458,26,16,980. "GST department has passed an order imposing GST demand along with interest and penalty on compensation received from foreign supplier and denial of Input Tax credit. The company strongly believes that the order passed by the GST department is erroneous and not in accordance with law, backed by advice from external tax advisors. "Accordingly, the company will contest the same and shall take appropriate legal remedies against the aforesaid order. The company is already in appeal before the Commissioner (Appeals) in a similar matter for FY

Adani Group pushes for more flying rights to boost traffic at its airports

The Adani Group's stance contrasts with the country's two largest airlines, IndiGo and Air India, which want New Delhi to be cautious about opening local skies to overseas carriers

IndiGo issues advisory amid disruptions at several airports due to fog

IndiGo noted that flight operations may be slower than usual as weather conditions evolve, adding that safety and compliance with visibility requirements remain the airline's top priority

Pakistan sells national carrier PIA for PKR 13,500 crore in open auction

Pakistan sold 75% of its national carrier, PIA, for PKR 13,500 crore in a televised auction, with Arif Habib Corp emerging as the highest bidder

JetBlue avoids midair collision with US Air Force tanker near Venezuela

A JetBlue flight from the small Caribbean nation of Curacao halted its ascent to avoid colliding with a US Air Force refuelling tanker on Friday, and the pilot blamed the military plane for crossing his path. We almost had a midair collision up here, the JetBlue pilot said, according to a recording of his conversation with air traffic control. They passed directly in our flight path. ... They don't have their transponder turned on, it's outrageous. The incident involved JetBlue Flight 1112 from Curacao, which is just off the coast of Venezuela, en route to New York City's JFK airport. It comes as the US military has stepped up its drug interdiction activities in the Caribbean and is also seeking to increase pressure on Venezuela's government. We just had traffic pass directly in front of us within 5 miles of us maybe 2 or 3 miles but it was an air-to air-refueller from the United States Air Force and he was at our altitude, the pilot said. We had to stop our climb. The pilot said

Rising GPS interference incidents raise safety concerns for pilots: IATA

Increasing incidents of flights experiencing GPS spoofing and jamming is a concern, and pilots need to be more vigilant, according to global airlines' grouping IATA. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 360 airlines that account for over 80 per cent of the global air traffic. Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express and SpiceJet are also part of the grouping. In recent times, there have also been instances of GPS spoofing and interference incidents at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai airports. During interactions this week in Geneva, IATA officials said rising incidents of GPS interference incidents are a concern. IATA Director General Willie Walsh said incidents of GPS spoofing and jamming require pilots to be more vigilant in terms of operation, because the increase has been very significant. "It exists right across the world now". Global Positioning System (GPS)/ Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) spoofing a

Naidu instructs DGCA, AAI on winter readiness amid peak travel rush

The meeting was attended by officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India, Central Industrial Security Force, airport operators, and airlines

Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport gets Level 5 of Airport Carbon Accreditation

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) operated by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), has been awarded Level 5 accreditation under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, the highest recognition within the globally recognised framework. This achievement recognises that CSMIA has achieved operational net-zero emissions (Scope 1 & 2) and has a validated roadmap to achieve net-zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050. According to a press release, this reflects CSMIA's sustained, data-driven approach to carbon management, rooted in the principle of 'Measure, Manage, Reduce and Communicate', supported by a strong ESG policy framework and a cross-functional carbon management committee.With this accreditation, CSMIA joins a select group of 30 airports worldwide, including seven in the Asia-Pacific region and four in India, that have demonstrated advanced decarbonisation maturity. As per the release, the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme is the industry ...

Andhra Govt to prepare terms of reference for 7 water aerodromes in state

The Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has given its nod to the Andhra Pradesh government to prepare Terms of Reference for constructing seven water aerodromes in the state, including one in Visakhapatnam, official sources said. Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Ltd, the implementing agency for the aerodromes, has approached the Ministry seeking its nod for preparing ToR for the projects. The approval is the first step towards applying for environmental clearance. According to the sources, the government submitted proposals to construct aerodromes, besides Visakhapatnam, one each at Jalaput Lake and Sileru - Lambasing of Alluri Sitharama Raju District, Srisailam in Nandyal district, Kakinada, Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada and Gandikota in YSR Kadapa district. "The EAC recommended the preparation of ToRs for all seven aerodromes with certain conditions. We are planning to construct three more water aerodromes at ...

How hubris turned IndiGo's once-disciplined success model into chaos

IndiGo, which is operated by InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, started out as a scrappy underdog in a sector where everyone else was backed by government, billionaires, or storied corporate group

With 10% reduction in flights, IndiGo winter schedule at last year's level

IndiGo's winter flight schedule sees a sharp year-on-year increase, but a planned government cap and pilot constraints may force the airline to scale back operations

India's new flight duty norms stricter than global standards: IATA chief

India, which has historically been a challenging market for airlines to succeed, has all the ingredients to become a fantastic market, and some of the issues being seen now are temporary, according to IATA chief Willie Walsh. With considerable growth potential and rising air traffic demand, Indian carriers are looking to expand capacity, and over 1,500 planes are on order. More airports are also coming up. Welcoming investments in airport infrastructure and by airlines in additional aircraft, Walsh said India's domestic market is now 32 per cent larger in 2025 than in 2020. "It (Indian domestic market) has increased by more than a third in terms of revenue passenger kilometres... That growth does not come without challenges... India has facilitated that growth, which has been a great example... It is one of the most exciting global markets," Walsh said. Against the backdrop of IndiGo flight disruptions and other challenges, the IATA chief said he sees some of the issues being faced

Air India initiates crew rostering, aircraft readiness for fog season

The northern parts of India, including Air India's primary hub, Delhi, experience low visibility due to dense fog, with the potential to have a cascading impact on flight schedules

IndiGo cancels multiple flights again, passengers stranded amid disruptions

Passengers with luggage are left with unresolved issues and incomplete flight information, with marginal assistance from the helpline service

Loco pilots push for FDTL-like rest rules as IndiGo crisis continues

A union for loco pilots has demanded norms similar to those for airline pilots, including capping duty hours at six hours for passenger trains and eight hours for goods trains

'Need to have 5 big airlines': Civil Aviation Minister amid IndiGo crisis

Ram Mohan Naidu said India needs to have five big airlines given the demand, and that has been the effort from the ministry to encourage more airlines to join the industry

Hyderabad airport receives three bomb threats for incoming flights

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has received three bomb threats to flights coming from different cities, including two international, sources said. The airport received emails on late Sunday night targeting British Airways' (BA 277) from Heathrow, Lufthansa's (LH 752) from Frankfurt and IndiGo's 6E 7178 from Kannur. Airport sources said all the flights landed safely. The two international flights landed here during the early hours of Monday. "Standard safety protocols were initiated for all three aircraft," sources said. Standard safety protocols include isolation of the aircraft, screening of baggage and passengers, keeping fire engines ready and pressing sniffer dogs into services, among others, sources added. Last week, the RGIA received bomb threat emails for the Dubai-Hyderabad Emirates flight and IndiGo's MadinaHyderabad and Sharjah-Hyderabad flights separately. MadinaHyderabad was diverted to Ahmedabad airport.

Indigo crisis exposes operational gaps as punctuality plunges to record low

Indigo's mass cancellations and delays pushed punctuality to just 3.7% early December, with passenger grievances peaking and experts linking the crisis to crew roster implementation issues