Page 3 - Civil Aviation Ministry

Black box of crashed AI plane is in India, being examined by AAIB: Minister

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday said the black box of the Air India plane which crashed in Ahmedabad earlier this month was being examined by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, and dismissed speculation that it would be sent abroad for an inquiry. The London-bound Air India flight crashed into a hostel complex in Ahmedabad moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport there on June 12 afternoon, killing 270 persons, including 241 on board. One passenger survived. The black box of Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane was recovered from the site on June 13. A black box is a small device that records information about an aircraft during its flight. It helps in the investigation of aviation accidents. Asked about some media reports suggesting the black box would be sent abroad for a probe into the incident, Naidu said, "...it is all speculation. The black box is very much in India and it it currently being investigate

DGCA suspends 3 crew rostering heads, warns A-I of licence revocation

DGCA suspends three crew rostering officials and warns of future licence action as safety lapses and operational rule breaches emerge after AI171 crash investigation

Vietnam-bound Air India flight returns to Delhi as 'precautionary measure'

'Air India flight AI388 to Ho Chi Minh City returned to Delhi as a precaution. All passengers are safe and will depart on an alternate aircraft with a fresh crew at 1800 hrs today,' the airline said

Civil Aviation ministry issues new rules to remove obstacles near airports

The draft, titled Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025, was issued on June 18 and will come into force once published in the Official Gazette

Aryan Aviation operations suspended after Kedarnath helicopter crash

Following the fatal crash near Kedarnath, MoCA suspended Aryan Aviation's operations and two pilot licences; poor visibility suspected as the initial cause

'Tragedy calls for introspection': Naidu vows reforms after Air India crash

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu pledges full support and reforms after the Air India AI171 crash in Ahmedabad. A high-level probe and urgent aircraft inspections are now underway

Civil Aviation Minister to chair high-level meeting on air safety today

Earlier, the government constituted a high-level multi-disciplinary committee for examining the causes leading to the crash of Air India Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London)

Govt sets up high-level panel to examine causes for Air India plane crash

A high-level multi-disciplinary committee, headed by the Union home secretary, will examine the causes that led to the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, and also suggest comprehensive guidelines to prevent such incidents in the future. The civil aviation ministry said the committee will not be a substitute to other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations. The panel "will focus on formulating SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future, and will publish its report in three months, the ministry said. On June 12, a London Gatwick-bound Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed soon after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, killing 241 people on board, and several others on the ground as it plunged into a medical college complex. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is already probing the fatal crash. Chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, the panel has the civil aviation secretary and the additional secretar

Digi Yatra to expand to 15 more airports in India, says Siddharth Sharma

The Digi Yatra facial recognition-based paperless travel system will be enabled at 15 more airports this year, with smaller airports next in line for integration

Celebi's clearance revoked amid unprecedented situation, says Centre

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi HC that Celebi's clearance was revoked citing national security and reasons could not be shared without undermining the action

MIAL drops plan to reduce passenger flight slots, halt cargo operations

Aviation ministry intervened after protest from airlines, cargo operators

Civil aviation minister Naidu holds meeting with airlines' representatives

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, along with senior officials, held a meeting with airlines' representatives on Tuesday, and discussed about flight disruptions due to airport closures, lowering tax on jet fuel and other issues, according to sources. At the meeting, which came in the backdrop of disruptions in flight operations in recent days in the wake of the military conflict between India and Pakistan, the minister also asked the airlines to look at ways of acknowledging the contributions made by the armed forces, including through in-flight announcements, the sources said. The sources also said that some airlines mentioned the loss of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) during the days of the closure of the airports. Some airlines also told the minister and officials that travel sentiment seems to be weak as there have been cancellations, especially with the peak summer travel season around the corner, as per the sources. A total of 32 airports in the northern and western part

Civil aviation ministry gives nod for new airports for Rajasthan, Odisha

The civil aviation ministry on Monday granted in-principle approval for greenfield airports in Rajasthan's Kota and Puri in Odisha. Kota is the parliamentary constituency of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. "His continued engagement with the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been one of the driving forces to expediting this approval. "The proposed airport will not only serve Kota city, known as a major educational and industrial hub, but will also cater to the growing population and economic activity in the Hadoti region," the ministry said in a release. According to the ministry, the decision to establish an airport in Puri will provide a major boost to religious tourism, regional development and the overall connectivity in the region. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has granted the in-principle approval for the establishment of greenfield airports in Kota and Puri, the release said. India is one of the world's fastest-growing civil aviation markets and has more than 150 operat

Air India explores new routes for North America flights amid airspace curbs

Air India is looking at various alternatives for its North America flights from the national capital, including operating the services with a technical stop in a city within India, to reduce operational costs that have shot up due to the Pakistan airspace closure, sources said on Friday. Currently, Tata Group-owned Air India operates 71 flights a week to North American destinations and out of them, 54 services are from the national capital. The airline flies to Chicago, New York, Washington, San Francisco, and Newark in the US, and to Toronto and Vancouver in Canada. In his message to the staff on Friday, Air India MD and CEO Campbell Wilson said there have been a number of network-related developments and the airline has temporarily adjusted some of its Europe and US routes in response to recent airspace restrictions, as well as adding a few technical stops. "We have made good progress in identifying other alternatives so aim to reduce the number of overseas tech-stops, and restor

Airlines share input with aviation ministry on impact of airspace closure

Indian airlines have submitted their inputs on the impact of the Pakistan airspace closure to the civil aviation ministry, which is assessing the situation and looking at possible solutions to address the resultant challenges, according to sources. The ministry, recently, held a meeting with various airlines to discuss about the Pakistan airspace closure and sought their inputs on the fallout and suggestions to deal with the situation. Airlines, including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, have given their inputs and suggestions to the ministry, the sources in the know said on Thursday. The sources said Air India has estimated that the additional expenses in case the airspace closure is in place for a year would be around USD 600 million and has suggested about some kind of financial assistance to tackle the situation. The airline is looking at various mitigating measures, including alternative routes, that will help reduce the costs, one of the sources said. Air India, Air India ...

Air India faces $600 mn hit from Pak airspace ban, seeks govt support

The airline has written to the civil aviation ministry, asking for a 'subsidy model' to cover increased fuel and crew expenses because of longer flight times and delays due to the airspace ban

Pahalgam terror attack: Srinagar airfares dropped after govt intervention

Airlines responded by waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees and boosting flight capacity from Srinagar

More flights, capped fares, food provided at Srinagar airport: Aviation min

Pahalgam terror attack: Aviation Ministry assures tourists of hassle-free flight changes and cancellations. Food and water provided at Srinagar airport

Rammohan Naidu says Baruva beach in Andhra Pradesh to be tourism hub

Union Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Saturday announced that Baruva Beach in Sompeta mandal of Srikakulam district will be developed into a tourism hub, offering water sports like scuba diving, paramotor flying, and eco-tourism experiences. After launching the beach festival here, Naidu unveiled these plans. The Union Minister of Civil Aviation told reporters, "Plans are underway to transform Baruva into a mini Goa. Youth will be trained in diving, guiding, and event management to create local employment." He emphasised that the beach's natural resources -- including the Mahendra Tanaya river confluence, a lighthouse, a sunken ship, and a smooth coastline -- make it ideal for tourism. District Collector Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar outlined the importance of balancing tourism with conservation. The festival included coastal cleanups, e-waste drives, and nature awareness programmes. The collector further stated that an eco-exhibition, painting contests, and biodiversity documentaries are

Civil Aviation Minister Naidu named among WEF's young global leaders

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has named Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and six others from India among the young global leaders. On April 15, WEF unveiled its 2025 cohort of young global leaders -- 116 exceptional individuals under the age of 40 who are redefining leadership in a changing world. "Feeling deeply honoured and humbled to be named a Young Global Leader 2025 by the World Economic Forum (@wef). This recognition is not just a personal milestone -- it is a reminder of the responsibility we carry as young leaders to shape a better future for our people and our nation," Naidu, who is also the youngest Cabinet Minister, said in a post on X on Thursday. Apart from Naidu, there are six others from India on the list. They are Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, OYO Hotels and Homes; Alok Medikepura Anil, Managing Director, Next Big Innovation Labs; Natarajan Sankar, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group; Nipun Malhotra, Founder,