Page 6 - Civil Aviation Ministry

Civil aviation ministry announces simplified norms for seaplane operations

The civil aviation ministry on Thursday announced simplified regulations for seaplane operations, including allowing non-scheduled entities to operate such services and putting in place a simplified certificate process. The relaxed norms are aimed at encouraging seaplane operations under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik). Generally, seaplanes are amphibian aircraft that can take off and land on the sea. Under the relaxed norms of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), there will be no need for a waterdrome license and compliance requirements have also been reduced. Waterdromes are for landing and take off of seaplanes. The revised regulations have been carefully planned and prepared after extensive consultations, said Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu. Speaking at an event in the national capital to announce the revised regulations, Naidu also said that seaplane operations can help stimulate tourism. Among other regulatory chang

SC orders civil aviation ministry to submit Nagpur airport tender files

In 2020, Maharashtra govt cancelled the tender process that had awarded the contract for the upgradation and operation of the Nagpur airport to GMR Group. GMR Group has challenged this cancellation

Mounting trouble: Indian carriers least punctual in last six months

Flight disruptions in July were caused by a faulty update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that led to an outage of Microsoft apps and services, heavy rains in Mumbai and Delhi

Lok Sabha passes Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill to replace Aircraft Act

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act and further improve the ease of doing business in the aviation space. The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill 2024 seeks to remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, 1934 -- which has been amended 21 times -- at a time when India is one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world. Moving the bill for passage in the Lower House, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the ministry will be setting up an "efficient online mechanism" to address grievances of people, including about the rise in airfares, and ensure a timely response. The ministry is looking at having a balanced approach where there is a level playing field for the airlines and the people are not exploited with higher airfares, he said. The bill includes provisions to regulate the design and manufacturing of aircraft to support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative for self-reliance. Naidu said the civil aviation ministry

Aircraft MRO industry to reach $4 bn in seven years: Aviation min tells LS

The government has taken several steps to facilitate setting up of aircraft MRO services in India and the value of the total business may go up from USD 2 billion to USD 4 billion in seven years, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. He also said that, in a major boost to the domestic Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry and the aviation sector, the government brought a uniform rate of 5 per cent GST on aircraft parts components, testing equipment, tools and toolkits. "The MRO industry in the country is expected to go up to USD 4 billion in seven years from the present USD 2 billion," he said during Question Hour. Naidu said if anyone wanted to set up an MRO industry with an airstrip or airport anywhere in India, the Centre was ready to provide all assistance. He said the country's aviation industry had seen massive transformation and growth during the past 10 years under the Narendra Modi government, with domestic airlines

Aviation minister promises probe into allegations of abrupt air fare hike

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Thursday promised to conduct an inquiry into allegations of abrupt fare hike when MPs try to book tickets on Air Vistara airline, following complaints by MPs and a nudge by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Raising the issue during Question Hour in Lok Sabha through a supplementary question, DMK member Dayanidhi Maran alleged that whenever he tries to book ticket on Air Vistara for the Chennai-Delhi route, initially it shows a price in the range of around Rs 25,000. However, by the time he concludes the whole booking process, the fare goes up by two to three times more, he alleged. The DMK leader wondered whether some technology applied by TCS, a software giant belonging to the same Tata group, drives up the air fare. Intervening in the discussion, Birla said he had received similar complaints from a few other MPs too and the matter should be thoroughly investigated as the "money of the tickets goes from Parliament". At this, th

16,000 remote pilot certificates issued for operating drones in India: Govt

As many as 16,000 Remote Pilot Certificates (RPCs) have been issued for operating drones in the country, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The certificates have been issued by the DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTOs). In a written reply, Mohol also said that 48 drone companies are producing DGCA type-certified Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) models in the country and 70 models have been type certified by the regulator. "The drone industry is witnessing growth in India. Till date, 16,000 Remote Pilot Certificates (RPC) have been issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved RPTOs," he said. There are 116-DGCA-approved RPTOs.

Delhi Airport T1 roof collapse disrupts 22k passengers, shift to T2 and T3

Delhi Airport T1 roof collapse: IIT Delhi structural engineering department to conduct independent assessment of Terminal 1. Operations at T1 will not resume till the assessment is complete

Rammohan Naidu, youngest in Modi 3.0 Cabinet, gets civil aviation ministry

The new aviation minister faces a host of challenges as Indian carriers plan massive expansion with orders for 1,150 aircraft by 2035

Qantas to offer daily flights between B'luru, Sydney from Dec-Mar next yr

Qantas, the national carrier of Australia, on Tuesday announced that it is adding flights from Bengaluru to Sydney to cater to the strong demand over the peak holiday season. Between mid-December 2024 and late March 2025, the airline will increase flights from five a week to daily, adding over 12,000 seats between the two cities over the four-month period, Qantas said in a statement. The flights add to Qantas' existing services from Delhi to Melbourne, which operate three days a week. Qantas' flights from India are operated with its fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft with 27 Business Class suites in 1- 2-1 configuration, with each suite featuring direct aisle access and converting into a lie-flat bed. All Qantas international fares include checked baggage allowance, food and beverages and in-flight entertainment as standard with every booking. Qantas recently announced it would accelerate a programme to introduce fast and free' Wi-Fi across its existing fleet of international aircraft,

Air India Express: 85 flights cancelled; Air India to support on 20 routes

If a passenger's flight is cancelled or delayed more than 3 hours, they have the option to either receive a full refund on the flight or reschedule it for a later date without any additional fees

Over 100 Air India Express flights cancelled as cabin crew calls in sick

Air India Express has opted to reduce its flight operations until May 13, with a usual schedule of around 360 flights per day, covering both domestic and international routes

Bengaluru International Airport records highest passenger traffic in FY23

Kempegowda International Airport has witnessed the highest-ever annual passenger traffic and cargo numbers, with a total of 37.53 million passengers traversing through its terminals and 4,39,524 metric tonne of cargo passing through the airport during the financial year 2023-24. The airport catered to 32.86 million domestic and 4.67 million international passengers during this period, it said. "As we reflect on the past financial year, it's been a landmark period with the highest passenger and cargo figures ever recorded in our airport's history. We've also seen an increase in the number of airlines as well as destinations we connect to. "Our position as the No.1 Airport for processing perishable cargo for the third consecutive year highlights our steadfast commitment to advancing cargo development facilities," said Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer at Bangalore International Airport Limited. With the successful launch of Terminal 2 and partnerships with leading airlines a

Govt looking at differentiated regulated framework for civilian use drones

The civil aviation ministry will look at having a differentiated regulatory framework for drones used for civilian and industrial purposes, a senior official said on Tuesday as he pitched for indigenous development of the drone ecosystem. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam also emphasised that the government will make efforts to promote drones as well as push advanced air mobility. Speaking at the national conference on drones in the national capital, he said that "much has been done and more will be done" on the regulations for drones. The ministry is looking at having a differentiated regulatory framework for civilian and industrial drones, he noted. A Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for drones and drone components was notified in September 2021. An incentive of Rs 120 crore is being provided for Indian manufacturers of drone and drone components on the basis of value addition and certain other conditions. At the conference organised by industry body CII, Vual

Average daily international traffic dropped by 4.81% to 196,050 in March

In March, each Indian carrier's load factor (occupancy) experienced a M-o-M decline

Akasa Air regains top spot in on-time performance chart in March

In March, the new airline maintained an average daily OTP of 85.21 per cent. AIX Connect, which held the top position in February, recorded an OTP of 85.07 per cent in March

Pilots body flags deferment of revised duty norms; writes to ministry

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has raised concerns about aviation regulator DGCA deferring the implementation of the revised flight duty norms for pilots, saying the health of pilots cannot be prejudiced for the commercial benefit of operators. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on March 26, deferred the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms that were to be effective from June 1. The new framework, which would provide more rest hours for pilots, was proposed amid concerns about pilot fatigue. In a letter dated March 28 to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the FIP has flagged concerns about the DGCA decision. "The action of the DGCA not only endangers pilot safety but also undermines the safety of passengers which the implementation of the revised CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements) could prevent. "Furthermore, the health and safety of the pilots cannot be prejudiced for the commercial benefit of the operators," the

DGCA defers June 1 deadline for new pilot rest norms; airlines relieved

The regulator on Tue said airlines can continue to comply with the old FDTL norms, issued in 2019, 'till approval of their respective scheme in compliance with this CAR (civil aviation requirement)'

Ombudsman or not? Ministry to call meet with airlines and airports

Move to address flier grievances

PM Narendra Modi likely to inaugurate 15 airport projects on Sunday

The PM is likely to lay the foundation of new terminals in Hubli, Kadappa, Belgavi in Karnataka, Adampur in Punjab, and Pune in Maharashtra