Page 3 - Aviation

Airlines need to be properly rewarded, says IATA chief amid supply woes

With supply chain woes continuing to impact aircraft deliveries, IATA chief Willie Walsh on Saturday said airlines need to be properly rewarded as he flagged concerns about talks of original equipment manufacturers planning to increase prices due to tariffs and other issues. The International Airport Transport Association (IATA) represents nearly 350 airlines that account for around 85 per cent of the global air traffic. Speaking at the 69th Assembly of Presidents of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) here, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said there was huge frustration that the supply chain issues are not getting much better. While airlines are a low margin industry, he said the margins of OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) are high. Taking examples, Walsh said engine makers are actually improving their financial performance during a period of massive disruption which has added massive costs to the airline industry. Walsh pointed out that it is bothering when

Every 50 days new airport coming up in India: Aviation Minister Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday said every 50 days a new airport is opened in India, which is unprecedented anywhere in the globe. Addressing the 30th edition of the two-day CII Partnership Summit-2025, the minister said Andhra Pradesh currently has seven airports and an equal number of aerodromes are coming up in the state. "Every 50 days we are opening a new airport which is unprecedented anywhere in the globe, and that is the kind of success we have achieved in terms of building up airports, the passenger capacity, and many other verticals in aviation," Naidu said. He further said that as many as four flight-training organisations are coming to the state, and that an MRO ecosystem and an aviation skilling university are coming up in Visakhapatnam. The minister further said the state is expected to expand the drone sector by creating a drone city, and aerospace and aircraft manufacturing also.

China Eastern resumes Shanghai-Delhi flights with 95% occupancy

China Eastern Airlines started its Shanghai-Delhi service on Sunday with a 95 per cent occupancy, becoming the first mainland Chinese carrier this year to resume direct flights to India after a gap of five years. Flight MU563, carrying 248 passengers, departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport for Delhi, the state-run Global Times reported. Indian airline IndiGo will begin its daily Delhi-Guangzhou service from November 10. China Eastern becomes the first Chinese mainland-based airline in 2025 to resume direct passenger flights between China and India, the report said, adding that the Shanghai-Delhi flight achieved a load factor of over 95 per cent. The Shanghai-Delhi route is considered a key corridor linking two major economic centres and is expected to boost exchanges in trade, economy and culture, the report said. Flights between India and the Chinese mainland resumed on October 26 when an IndiGo aircraft landed at Guangzhou in Guangdong province from Kolkata, ending

UPS, FedEx ground fleets of MD-11 planes following deadly Kentucky crash

UPS and FedEx said they are grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes out of an abundance of caution following a deadly crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Kentucky. The crash on Tuesday at UPS Worldport in Louisville killed 14 people, including the three pilots on the MD-11 that was headed for Honolulu. MD-11 aircraft make up about 9 per cent of the UPS airline fleet and 4 per cent of the FedEx fleet, the companies said. We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer, a UPS statement said on late Friday. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve. FedEx said in an email that it will be grounding the aircraft while it conducts a thorough safety review based on the recommendation of the manufacturer. Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press asking for the reasoning behind the recommendation. Wester

Airbus India chief urges govt to include voluntary SAF spend under CSR

To promote sustainability, Airbus India chief Jurgen Westermeier on Thursday pitched for bringing corporates' spending on airlines' voluntary sustainable aviation fuel programmes under the government's CSR framework. Under the companies law, certain class of profitable entities are required to shell out at least two per cent of their annual profit towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in a financial year. The President and Managing Director for India and South Asia said that the voluntary corporate SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) programmes launched by airlines represent a direct, measurable investment in climate change mitigation. "We urge the government to recognise the funds spent by corporates on voluntary SAF contributions as a valid expenditure under their mandatory CSR obligations. "Such an inclusion would immediately unlock a substantial, new pool of capital to support SAF demand, instantly turning a compliance requirement into a powerful engine for a gre

US to cut flight capacity by 10% at key airports as shutdown persists

The announced plans, if they impact the top 40 airports in the US, could cut as many as 1,800 flights, data analytics company Cirium said

FAA reducing air traffic by 10% across 40 markets amid US shutdown

The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday announced that it will reduce air traffic by 10 per cent across 40 high-volume markets beginning Friday morning to maintain safety during the ongoing US government shutdown. The reduction stands to impact thousands of flights nationwide. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is confronting staffing shortages among air traffic controllers who have been working unpaid since the shutdown began October 1, with some calling out of work, resulting in delays across the country. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency would not for a crisis to act, citing growing staffing pressures caused by the shutdown. We can't ignore it, he said. Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said they will meet later Wednesday with airline executives to determine how to safely implement the reduction in flights. The early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating, Bedford said. Both Bedford a

Air India ferries 228 passengers stranded in Ulaanbaatar to Delhi

Air India ferried 228 passengers who were stranded in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar to Delhi on Wednesday morning. The passengers were stranded in the Mongolian capital after their San Francisco-Delhi flight was diverted to the Mongolian capital on Monday due to a technical issue. An official said Air India's relief flight carrying the passengers from Ulaanbaatar landed in the national capital at around 8:24 am on Wednesday. The relief flight was operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. There were 245 people, including 228 passengers and 17 crew members, in the Boeing 777 plane that was diverted to Ulaanbaatar, a source said on Monday. The relief flight AI183 had taken off for Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday afternoon. On Monday, the Tata Group-owned carrier said, "AI174 operating from San Francisco to Delhi via Kolkata, made a precautionary landing at Ulaanbaatar after the flight crew suspected a technical issue en route." The Boeing 777 aircraft, which operated the flight, had landed

ALPA India urges DGCA to enforce full FDTL norms to ensure pilot safety

Earlier this year, DGCA, in its affidavit before the Delhi High Court, said new FDTL norms will be implemented in a phased manner

Air India to operate relief flight to bring 228 passengers from Ulaanbaatar

Air India will operate a relief flight on Tuesday to bring back 228 passengers who are stranded in Ulaanbaatar after their San Francisco-Delhi flight was diverted to the Mongolian capital on Monday due to a technical issue. The relief flight will return with the passengers on Wednesday morning, the airline said. There were 245 people in the plane, including 228 passengers and 17 crew members, a source said on Monday. "Air India will be operating a relief flight to ferry the passengers of flight AI174 (San FranciscoDelhi of 02 November), which was diverted to Ulaanbaatar on Monday. The ferry flight AI183 is scheduled to depart Delhi this afternoon and return with the affected passengers on Wednesday morning," the airline said in a statement. The relief flight will be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The statement also said the airline along with local authorities and the Indian Embassy in Mongolia, has been looking after the passengers and crew, including providing t

Saudi Arabia's flyadeal to begin India flights in the first quarter of 2026

Bullish on the fast-growing Indian aviation market, Saudi Arabia's no-frills carrier flyadeal will start flights to Indian cities, including Mumbai, from the first quarter of 2026. The airline's CEO, Steven Greenway, told PTI that India is one of the "most hyper-competitive markets" in the world and there is a need to have an "absolute, brutal focus on unit cost". A sister company of Saudia Airlines, the Jeddah-based profitable flyadeal has been flying for over eight years and expects to have 46 planes in its fleet by the end of this year. Currently, the carrier has 42 A320 family aircraft and has also placed orders for 10 wide-body A330 Neos that are expected to start coming in from July 2027. "Our intent is to start operating (to India) in the quarter one of next year... We expect to do the metropolises like Mumbai and Delhi, and also, our focus will be the secondary cities in India... I think Mumbai would be the first one," Greenway told PTI in an interview. Saudi Arabia and Ind

Adani Airports partners with AIONOS for AI-based passenger services

Adani Airport Holdings Ltd has entered into a collaboration with AIONOS for implementing an artificial intelligence-driven system to provide personalised passenger experience at airports. AIONOS, part of InterGlobe Enterprises, will provide a consistent engagement experience and personalised multilingual support for passengers. Both companies signed a deal in the national capital on Thursday. "The AI-driven solution will act as a 24x7 intelligent concierge, helping travellers access flight updates, gate information, baggage status, directions and airport services instantly in multiple languages," a release said. The services will be offered in English, Hindi and other languages. With AIONOS' agentic AI platform, Adani Airports will be able to engage with customers and staff across multiple touchpoints, including voice, chat, and mobile. Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) CEO Arun Bansal said the new AI system will transform the passenger experience. Together with its in-house off

AAIB report shows nothing wrong with Air India ops: MD & CEO Wilson

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson says the AAIB's preliminary report on the June crash found no fault with aircraft, engines, or airline practices, while support for victims' families continues

Delhi airport to increase passenger handling capacity by 20% by 2030: CEO

Currently, Terminal 3 has four piers - two each for domestic and international operations

Aviation ministry to review performance of training organisations soon

The civil aviation ministry will soon convene a meeting to review the performance of flying training organisations in the country against the backdrop of most of them not faring well in recent rankings. In the first-ever ranking of Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) by aviation watchdog DGCA, none of the 35 organisations in the list managed to get top ratings of 'A+' and 'A'. Out of the 35 FTOs, 13 got 'B' and 22 received 'C' rankings. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu told PTI that he will meet with representatives of FTOs to discuss ways to improve their standards. Their rankings will be conducted every six months, the minister said, adding that monthly meetings to review the FTOs' performance are not required. FTOs provide training for pilots and other aviation professionals. Operational aspects, performance, safety standards, compliance standards, and assistance to students were considered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in evaluating the FTOs for

Pilots' body welcomes DGCA move to allow private centres for medical tests

Aviation regulator DGCA has decided to empanel private aeromedical evaluation centres for conducting civil aviation medical tests, with the pilots' grouping ALPA India saying the move will streamline pilot medicals, ensure higher efficiency and greater compliance with international norms. Welcoming the decision, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) said it marks the end of routine civil aviation medicals being conducted at Indian Air Force (IAF) centres. "The move, long advocated by ALPA India, represents a major milestone in the separation of military and civil medical evaluation frameworks, bringing India in line with global aviation best practices. The association had consistently raised concerns about the logistical inconvenience, lack of standardisation, and non-transparent procedures in Air Force medical evaluation," ALPA India said in a release. According to the release, the earlier requirement of undergoing every fifth medical at IAF centres often resulted i

Air India's Newark-bound plane returns to Mumbai following technical issue

A Newark-bound Air India flight, operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, returned to Mumbai on Wednesday morning due to a technical issue. The Boeing 777 plane, which took off at around 1.50 am for Newark on Wednesday, was airborne for over three hours before returning to Mumbai, according to information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com. "The crew of flight AI191 operating from Mumbai to Newark on 22 October, made a precautionary air-return to Mumbai due to a suspected technical issue. The flight landed safely back in Mumbai, and the aircraft is undergoing necessary inspections," the airline said in a statement. Air India said AI191 and AI144 (scheduled to operate from Newark to Mumbai) were cancelled. All affected passengers at Mumbai have been provided hotel accommodations and have been rebooked on alternative Air India and other airlines' flights to their destination. Details about the number of passengers were not disclosed. The passengers of AI144 from Newa

Lessors protest India's draft rules on payment of dues to reclaim jets

India is a key market for lessors as hundreds of new planes are on order by the likes of Air India and IndiGo

IndiGo signs contract to buy additional 30 A350 widebody planes from Airbus

India's largest carrier and the European aircraft manufacturer had, in June this year, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for these additional 30 planes

Air India Express to launch direct Agartala-Bagdogra flight from Oct 26

The service will coincide with the beginning of the winter flight schedule, marking a new chapter in Tripura's aviation connectivity