Civil Aviation Ministry

The problem with Indian skies: New airlines won't fix competition easily

The aviation ministry has cleared three new regional airlines in a bid to spur competition. This won't be easy

Received additional info about Air India crash: Congress MP to minister

Keeping in mind the gravity of the incident and the scale of loss involved, he said it is imperative that the ministry and the concerned authorities examine the information received

Aviation ministry reviews probe panel report on IndiGo crisis: Minister

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday said the ministry is currently analysing the report submitted by the panel that probed the massive flight disruptions involving IndiGo earlier this month. While speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of an event here, he said, "The report has been submitted to the ministry. We are analysing the report, taking further comments from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and we will follow up on the action on that". According to officials, the inquiry committee, headed by DGCA Joint Director General Sanjay K Bramhane, was constituted on December 5 to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the circumstances that led to the massive flight disruptions. The committee had submitted its report on Friday evening. Earlier this month, IndiGo cancelled more than 1,600 flights in a single day, followed by several days of bulk cancellations. The inadequate planning in implementing the revised pilot rest norms was cited a

Civil aviation minister flags off next-generation helicopter Dhruv NG

Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday flagged off the inaugural flight of the next-generation civil helicopter Dhruv NG, designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, to meet the requirements of the civil aviation market. Before take-off from HAL here, the minister joined the pilot in the cockpit to gain firsthand insight into the helicopter's advanced systems and features. According to HAL officials, Dhruv NG, a sophisticated 5.5-tonne, light twin-engine, multi-role helicopter engineered to master the diverse and demanding requirements of the Indian terrain is specifically upgraded to meet the rigorous demands of the global civil aviation market. The helicopter, which represents a milestone in indigenous rotary-wing capability, has been designed for enhanced safety, performance, and passenger comfort. The helicopter is equipped with twin Shakti 1H1C engines, providing enhanced power ratings and the advantage of internal maintenance capabilities within India. It

After IndiGo crisis, Centre clears two new airlines to lift competition

The Centre has granted NOCs to two new airlines amid efforts to boost competition and avoid repeat disruptions following the cancellation of over 4,000 IndiGo flights earlier this month

IndiGo to start compensating passengers for flight disruptions next week

Civil aviation ministry has directed the airline to begin compensating passengers hit by mass flight cancellations earlier this month; IndiGo has said ₹10,000 vouchers will be issued starting Dec 26

Govt directs airlines to ensure passenger support amid delays due to fog

Amid flight disruptions due to fog and low visibility conditions, the civil aviation ministry on Friday directed airlines to strictly comply with facilitation requirements for passengers and ensure adequate staffing at airports. Hundreds of flights are getting delayed and many are being cancelled due to dense fog at various airports, including Delhi's IGIA. In an office memorandum, the ministry mentioned about mandatory compliance with passenger facilitation requirements during fog and low-visibility conditions. According to the ministry, there should be timely and accurate information about flights, meals and refreshments for extended delays, rebooking or refunds in case of cancellations and boarding should not be denied after timely check-in. "Where adverse weather prevents operations despite reasonable efforts, airlines shall clearly inform passengers about the nature of disruption and the measures being undertaken. "Appropriate passenger entitlements (refreshments, reschedulin

Govt revived many pre-independence airstrips into airports: Rammohan Naidu

The central government has revived and turned many pre-independence airstrips into operational airports which are being used by the airlines under the Udan scheme, Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu also said that the scheme, which aims to democratise aviation by making flying accessible and affordable for all, has already been extended by 10 more years. "There were 74 operational airports in 2014 which has now been increased to over 160. The government has revived and turned many pre-independence airstrips into operational airports in which airlines are flying planes under the Udan scheme," he said during Question Hour. Replying to a supplementary question, the minister said for construction of a greenfield airport, land has to be provided by the state government. If Tamil Nadu government sends a proposal for a greenfield airport in the state, the Civil Aviation Ministry can carry out a feasibility study, he told DMK member T R Baal

AAI's Mumbai radar to be moved, freeing land for affordable housing: Naidu

The Airports Authority of India's (AAI) high-frequency radar at Dahisar in Mumbai will be relocated to Gorai, unlocking hundreds of acres of land for affordable housing projects in the area, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has said. This decision was taken following a meeting between various stakeholders, including the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Maharashtra government and others. Addressing the meeting virtually, Naidu on Sunday said the Civil Aviation Ministry will seek cabinet approval for the relocation so that the construction work on such projects can start at the earliest. Radar installations at Dahisar and Juhu restrict building heights. On Saturday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the legislative assembly that the state government had decided to shift high-frequency radar centres from Dahisar and Juhu to technically suitable alternative sites. Fadnavis said the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Union government, and the AAI had agreed to the shiftin

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

Flying soon on IndiGo? Key FAQs on refunds, delays and flight checks

With IndiGo operations stabilising after widespread cancellations, many passengers still remain unsure about refunds, delays, and flight tracking. Here are answers to the most common questions

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

Govt asks crisis-hit IndiGo to cut 10% domestic flights until March

The cancellations will apply to high-frequency domestic routes and not to the roughly 600 routes where IndiGo is the sole operator

Centre cuts IndiGo flight schedule by 10% to help stabilise operations

Civil Aviation ministry has directed IndiGo to reduce its flight schedule by 10 per cent to curb cancellations and restore stability as the airline faces probes, refunds pressure and compliance orders

No airline will be allowed to cause hardship to passengers: Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that IndiGo's internal rostering disruptions led to large-scale cancellations, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers

India's six major airlines employ nearly 14,000 pilots: MoS Murlidhar Mohol

Six major domestic airlines have employed 13,989 pilots, with Air India and its low-cost arm, Air India Express, having 6,350 and 1,592 pilots respectively and IndiGo having 5,085 cockpit crew, Parliament was informed on Monday. The number of pilots at Akasa is 466 and at SpiceJet, it is 385, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. The government-run Alliance Air has employed 111 pilots, he added. The minister said the rate of employment among qualified pilots is dependent on market forces. He said the rationale behind airlines hiring foreign pilots, inter alia, is the requirement of a specific type-rated pilot in light of fleet expansions and time-bound operational requirements. Mohol also said the flying training organisations (FTOs) are continuously upgrading their aircraft fleet by regularly inducting training aircraft fleets. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has facilitated the induction o

IndiGo cancels 562 flights from 6 metro airports; 150 at Bengaluru alone

Crisis-hit domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled 500 flights and plans to operate 1,802 services on Monday, the civil aviation ministry said. The airline has delivered 4,500 bags to the passengers out of the total 9,000, and will deliver the remaining in next 36 hours, the ministry said in a statement. Today (Monday) IndiGo plans to operate 1,802 flights to 137 out of 138 destinations, with 500 cancellations. (Also) 4,500 bags were delivered to customers out of the total 9,000 bags. (the airline) targets to deliver balance bags in the next 36 hours, the ministry said. It also said that 5,86,705 PNRs for period December 1-7 were cancelled and refunded, amounting to total Rs 569.65 crore. Total 9,55,591 PNRs for period November 21 to December 7 were also cancelled and refunded, amounting to Rs 827 crore. IndIGo has been facing heat from both the government and the passengers for cancelling hundreds of flights since December 2, citing regulatory changes in the pilots' new flight duty

How IndiGo's pursuit of profit triggered a nationwide aviation meltdown?

While the company has pledged a full recovery by Dec 10, the debacle threatens IndiGo's position in the industry and its ambitious expansion plans

Action in IndiGo flight disruptions depending on inquiry: Govt official

Authorities will take appropriate action in the matter of IndiGo flight disruptions, depending on the inquiry committee findings, a senior government official said on Saturday. As flight disruptions continued for the fifth straight day, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, along with senior civil aviation ministry officials, held a "serious meeting" with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to review the situation and address the issues, the official said. The meeting, held in the national capital on Saturday, was attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, and DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, among others. The official told PTI that the immediate priority is to restore normalcy in flight operations and the airline has been asked to ensure prompt refund of tickets. Against the backdrop of a large number of flights cancelled and delayed at various airports, causing hardships to thousands of passengers, aviation regulator DGCA has set up a four-member inquiry panel to ascertain the

MoCA directs IndiGo to trace and deliver baggage within next 48 hours

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu shared on X, announcing directives to IndiGo amid widespread cancellations and delays, ordering the airline to clear all pending passenger refunds