Page 13 - Civil Aviation Sector

India to have 425 million air passengers by 2035: Jyotiraditya Scindia

India is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current level of 14.5 crore and that is the growth potential that international players can look at, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday. The minister also said that the regional air connectivity has democratised civil aviation and has spawned four regional carriers. He highlighted the growth potential of the country's civil aviation sector and urged international players to "look at India". He was speaking at the International Aerospace Conference in Gwalior organised by industry body CII. According to him, the country is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current 14.5 crore passengers. In July, domestic air traffic surged 25 per cent to 1.21 crore passengers compared to the year-ago period, as per official data. It is "imperative" to grow civil aviation as a service as well as a product, Scindia said and stressed that it is time for aerospace players to supplant

Vumlunmag Vualnam to be new Civil Aviation Secretary as part of reshuffling

A total of 15 IAS officers have been appointed as secretaries and additional secretaries in various departments and organizations of the Government of India

JKC deposits another Rs 100 cr in Jet Airways under its revival plan

Jalan Kalrock Consortium, the winning bidder for the revival of grounded carrier Jet Airways, on Thursday said it deposited Rs 100 crore in Jet Airways, taking the total investment in the airline to Rs 250 crore. "JKC confirms to have deposited Rs 100 crores in Jet Airways in less than 48 hours of the NCLAT allowing implementation of the revival plans," it said in a statement. Jet Airways has not flown since April 17, 2019. "With this infusion, JKC has now invested Rs 250 crore in Jet Airways and now is only required to fund the remaining Rs 100 crores in Jet Airways by September 30, 2023, to take control of the airline, the consortium said in the statement. The insolvency resolution proceedings against the carrier began in June 2019 and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the resolution plan submitted by the consortium in June 2021. However, the plan is yet to be implemented.

DGCA is unlikely to hold radio communication skill test for pilots in 2024

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) might not hold radio communication skill tests, also known as Radio Telephony exam, for pilots in 2024, according to sources. On May 1, 2023, the Ministry of Communication, which presently conducts the test, officially handed over the responsibility of conducting the test to DGCA from 2024 onwards after aviation experts and pilots' bodies alleged lack of expertise and malpractices. However, the regulator has initiated a process to scrap the post of officers responsible to hold the exam. Radio communication skill tests, officially called Radio Telephony Restricted License or RTR(A) test, is conducted for pilots by the Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC) wing of the Ministry of Communication to assess if they are fully trained to communicate with Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) for all kinds of situations. Radio telephone is a communication system operated between air crew members and pilots to connect with ATCs and ..

SpiceJet up 20% in 3 months despite analysts' skepticism; should you buy?

SpiceJet news: So far this calendar year, shares of SpiceJet have fallen 20 per cent, while they have tumbled 33.16 per cent over the last one year

India, New Zealand schedule new routes and increase capacity for air travel

The two countries have signed an MoU to increase cooperation in civil aviation during Minister Damien O'Connor visit to India

DGCA temporarily suspends Boeing simulator training facility of Air India

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has temporarily suspended the Boeing simulator training facility of Air India for certain alleged lapses, a source has said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is verifying some of the documents pertaining to the matter and will take a call on the restoration of the training facility once it completes the process, the source said. When contacted, a senior Air India official said DGCA carries out routine checks (on airlines) but did not divulge details. DGCA has temporarily suspended Air India's Boeing simulator training facility for certain lapses. The regulator is verifying some documents related to the matter, the source said. The regulatory action against the Tata Group-owned Air India came days after a two-member DGCA inspection team allegedly found lapses in the airline's internal safety audit reporting, prompting it to launch a probe in the matter. A decision on the restoration of the training at the facility will be taken once th

IndiGo flight lands safely in Mumbai after mid-air engine glitch; grounded

According to the Indian aviation regulator DGCA one engine stalled mid-air

North Goa airport announces direct Indigo flight services to Abu Dhabi

The Manohar International Airport in North Goa on Monday announced a direct Indigo flight service to Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) thrice a week, starting September 2. A senior official of the airport operator GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) said that the inaugural Indigo flight to Abu Dhabi from Manohar International Airport is scheduled for Saturday, September 02, 2023 at 00:25 am. The flight will reach Abu Dhabi International Airport at 02:15 am. "The return Indigo flight from AUH will take off at 03:15 AM and touch down at GOX (Manohar International Airport) at 08:10 AM. This remarkable service is set to operate three times a week, on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday," he added. GGIAL CEO R V Sheshan said the connection to Abu Dhabi has been introduced as it is a "prominent destination in our ever-expanding international network".

Baby with heart ailment attended mid-air by doctors; plane diverted

A New Delhi-bound Vistara flight was diverted to Nagpur due to a medical emergency involving a 14-month-old baby with a heart problem who was attended by a group of doctors travelling in the aircraft and later admitted to a hospital, an airport official said on Monday. Due to the medical emergency, the Bengaluru-New Delhi plane was rerouted and it landed at the Nagpur airport on late Sunday night, he said. Aejaz Shami, Deputy General Manager (Communications) of Nagpur-based KIMS-Kingsway Hospitals, where the baby was admitted, said the toddler fell unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest during the flight. "In a remarkable display of preparedness and professionalism, co-passengers from medical background on board promptly initiated life-saving measures by providing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to the baby passenger," said Shami told PTI. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a lifesaving technique used if someone is not breathing normally or their heart has stopped (cardiac

AIX Connect, Air India Express announce harmonised grades ahead of merger

Air India Express and AIX Connect on Friday announced new harmonised grades, compensation and benefits for the two companies ahead of their merger. The new structure streamlines grades and career pathways, enabling greater transparency and career progression opportunities for all employees, and is aligned with the recently rolled out structure and grades at Air India, a statement said. The new compensation for the two carriers marks a significant step forward, ensuring that the remuneration and benefits offered by the airlines are market-competitive, it said. The two airlines, the statement said, are focused on attracting and retaining the best talent across functions. Tata group has announced the merger of low-cost airline AIX Connect with Air India Express.

DGCA forms panel to ensure gender equality in civil aviation sector

Civil aviation regulator DGCA has set up a four-member committee to provide suggestions for achieving gender equality in the aviation sector in India. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an order on August 10, 2023 stating that the objective of this committee is to suggest steps that DGCA should take to bring gender equality in the aviation sector. The four senior officers appointed as members of the committee are Survita Saxena, Director (Operations); R P Kashyap, Director (Training); Pavan Malviya, Deputy Director (Administration); and Kavita Singh, Deputy Director (Aircraft Engineering Directorate). They are supposed to formulate norms and submit them to DGCA which the regulator will further circulate among aviation stakeholders to adopt and bring in practice for gender equality. "The committee will submit its report/recommendation within six months from the date of its constitution," the order said. The initiative is in line with the commitment of Internati

DGCA issues 993 commercial pilot licences this year Jul 24: Govt data

A total of 993 commercial pilot licences have been issued this year till July 24, the government said on Thursday. Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh informed the Lok Sabha that currently, there are 36 Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) operating at 57 bases. According to data provided as part of a written reply, 993 Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) and 407 Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) have been issued this year till July 24. In 2022, a total of 1,165 CPLs and 720 ATPLs were issued. An individual is eligible to apply for CPL after completing at least 200 hours of flying and fulfilling other conditions. Besides, the individual has to clear theory papers and once successful, the CPL is given for a period of five years subject to complying with various requirements. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issues three types of licenses -- CPL, Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and Private Pilot Licence (PPL). While CPL allows a pilot to start flyi

DGCA renews Jet Airways Air Operator Certificate with conditions: Official

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has renewed with conditions the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Jet Airways until September 3, a senior official said on Monday. Cash-strapped Jet Airways stopped flying on April 17, 2019. The AOC was re-issued on May 20, 2022. However, since the airline did not start operations, it expired on May 19 this year. "DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has extended the AOC in respect of Jet Airways for a period up to 03.09.2023 only for the limited purpose of completing the ongoing CIRP," said the official. The extension of AOC, however, is subject to certain conditions, he said. Earlier in the day, Jalan-Kalrock Consortium, the winning bidder for the bankrupt airline said in a statement that the DGCA has renewed the airline's AOC. Last week, JKC announced the appointment of Jatinderpal Singh Dhillon as the airline's accountable manager. Earlier this month, two whole-time directors and a non-executive director were appointed at Jet Airways.

No unruly passenger onboard flights should go unpunished: BCAS chief

Unruly passengers should face the law of the land, and no such passenger should go unpunished, aviation security watchdog BCAS chief Zulfiquar Hasan said on Monday. In recent times, there have been incidents of unruly passenger behaviour onboard flights. At a briefing here, Hasan said unruly passengers are a serious issue and that FIRs should be filed against them. "They (unruly passengers) should face the law of the land.... no unruly passenger should go unpunished," he said. Regulatory actions with respect to unruly passengers are done by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). According to official data, a total of 63 passengers were placed on the 'No Fly List' during the year 2022 for varying periods as recommended by an airline's internal committee. "In 2023, 37 passengers have been placed on 'No Fly List' up to 15.07.2023. The majority of the passengers placed on 'No Fly List' were for the violation related to not wearing masks or not obeying the instructions of t

25,000 prohibited items removed from air passengers' bag every day: BCAS

From lighters to scissors to knives, around 25,000 prohibited items are taken out from the baggage of air passengers at airports in a day in the country and handling each of these items takes around three minutes, according to aviation security agency BCAS. As the air traffic in the country continues to rise, BCAS chief Zulfiquar Hasan on Monday stressed that time diverted for such prohibited items in the hand and check-in baggage can be otherwise utilised by the agency to deal with other graver threats. "We screen about 8 lakh bags which are hand baggage and about 5 lakh items that are checked in by passengers. This is a huge number," he said and added that on a daily basis, an average of around 25,000 prohibited items are found. In the hand baggage, 26 per cent of the prohibited items found are cigarette lighters, 22 per cent are scissors, 16 per cent are knives and 14 per cent liquids/ aerosols. When it comes to check-in baggage, Hasan said that around 44 per cent of the ...

BCAS to launch aviation 'security culture week' for 1st time from July 31

All the aviation stakeholders like the Airports Authority of India, airlines, CISF and passengers will take part in security awareness week

Air India to start Delhi-Dhaka direct flights from Sep 15 using Airbus A320

Air India on Thursday said it will start direct flights between Delhi and Dhaka from September 15. The airline already operates flights between Kolkata and Dhaka. According to a statement, the flights between Delhi and Dhaka will be operated four times a week, using narrow body Airbus A320 aircraft. The bookings for the flights commenced on Thursday. Air India said the additional frequencies will help serve the increased demand for international travel to and from Dhaka on the back of Bangladesh's rapid economic growth and overall development. With four additional weekly flights from Delhi, Air India offers enhanced frequency to Dhaka, enabling convenient connections via Delhi to and/or from 14 destinations in India and 14 destinations across North America, UK, Australia, the Middle East, and the Far East, the airline said.

AIX Connect gets regulatory nod to operate flights under Air India Express

Air India subsidiary AIX Connect has received regulatory approval to operate its flights under 'Air India Express' brand name. AIX Connect, earlier known as AirAsia India, is being merged with Air India Express as Tata Group is consolidating its airline business. Air India and Vistara, a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, are also part of the group. According to a statement on Thursday, the approval from the regulator allows both Air India Express Ltd and AIX Connect flights to be marketed, distributed and operated under a common brand name 'Air India Express', prior to the subsequent scheduled legal merger of the two entities. This development marks a significant fast-tracking of the integration efforts, including harmonisation of customer touch points, products, and services across both airlines, it added. Currently, Air India Express connects 20 domestic destinations and 14 international destinations while AIX Connect serves 19 domestic destinations. The propo

JKC appoints Jatinderpal Dhillon as accountable manager for Jet Airways

Jalan-Kalrock Consortium, the winning bidder for bankrupt Jet Airways, on Wednesday announced the appointment of Jatinderpal Singh Dhillon as the airline's accountable manager. The appointment of Dhillon, a seasoned pilot who has also served in the Indian Navy, is effective from July, JKC said in a statement. Jet Airways, which has not flown since April 17, 2019 due to financial crunch, went through lengthy insolvency proceedings and the Jalan-Kalrock Consortium (JKC)emerged as the winning bidder. However, the transfer of ownership to JKC is yet to happen amid persisting differences with the airline's lenders. "The Jalan-Kalrock Consortium announces the appointment of Jatinderpal Singh Dhillon as the Accountable Manager for Jet Airways. "The consortium is confident that Dhillon would play a crucial role in the operational preparedness of Jet Airways along with JKC," it said in a statement. Further, the statement said the step reinforces JKC's cohesive commitment to revive Jet Air