Amid ongoing disruption in fuel supplies linked to the West Asia conflict, India’s airline industry has urged the government to step in urgently as rising jet fuel prices begin to squeeze operations and weaken financial stability.&nbsp;In a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents major carriers including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, said the sector is under “extreme stress” due to a sharp increase in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices. The body warned that the current cost environment is making several routes commercially unviable and may force airlines to reassess capacity if prices remain elevated for a longer period.&nbsp;ATF prices have recently crossed the Rs 2 lakh per kilolitre mark, tracking the surge in global crude oil triggered by tensions in West Asia. Fuel costs, which usually account for around 30–40% of an airline’s total expenditure, have now risen to nearly 55–60% of operating costs, according to industry estimates. This shift has significantly eroded profit margins across carriers.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-no-place-for-double-standards-rajnath-singh-gives-stern-warning-on-terror-hails-op-sindoor-at-sco-summit-in-kyrgyzstan-1777363213854">‘No place for double standards’: Rajnath Singh gives stern warning on terror, hails Op Sindoor at SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan</a>&nbsp;The FIA highlighted that airlines are finding it increasingly difficult to absorb the rising costs, especially on international routes where pricing flexibility remains limited. It added that sustained high fuel prices are also tightening cash flows, increasing financial pressure on already stretched balance sheets.&nbsp;In its appeal, the industry body has sought both immediate relief and long-term structural reforms. As an urgent measure, it has requested the government to temporarily remove the 11% excise duty on ATF and encourage states to cut value-added tax, which in some regions can go up to 25%.&nbsp;On the structural side, airlines have called for a more stable and transparent pricing framework for aviation fuel. They argue that volatility in refining margins and global “crack spreads” is keeping ATF prices high even when crude oil softens, creating a mismatch that disrupts planning and budgeting.&nbsp;The FIA also pointed out that India’s relatively high fuel taxation places domestic carriers at a disadvantage compared to global competitors, particularly on international routes where competition is intense.&nbsp;The current surge has been driven by geopolitical instability in West Asia, with concerns over supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz adding further uncertainty to global oil markets. Airlines say this external shock is directly translating into higher operating costs.&nbsp;If the trend continues, the industry has warned of possible fare increases, route rationalisation and capacity cuts. While airlines have so far absorbed part of the burden, executives say there is limited scope to continue doing so without affecting operations.For passengers, the impact is likely to surface gradually through higher ticket prices and reduced frequency on less profitable routes.

ATF prices have recently crossed the Rs 2 lakh per kilolitre mark, tracking the surge in global crude oil triggered by tensions in West Asia.

Amid ongoing disruption in fuel supplies linked to the West Asia conflict, India’s airline industry has urged the government to step in urgently as rising jet fuel prices begin to squeeze operations and weaken financial stability. In a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents major carriers including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, said the sector is under “extreme stress” due to a sharp increase in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices. The body warned that the current cost environment is making several routes commercially unviable and may force airlines to reassess capacity if prices remain elevated for a longer period. ATF prices have recently crossed the Rs 2 lakh per kilolitre mark, tracking the surge in global crude oil triggered by tensions in West Asia. Fuel costs, which usually account for around 30–40% of an airline’s total expenditure, have now risen to nearly 55–60% of operating costs, according to industry estimates. This shift has significantly eroded profit margins across carriers. Also Read: ‘No place for double standards’: Rajnath Singh gives stern warning on terror, hails Op Sindoor at SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan The FIA highlighted that airlines are finding it increasingly difficult to absorb the rising costs, especially on international routes where pricing flexibility remains limited. It added that sustained high fuel prices are also tightening cash flows, increasing financial pressure on already stretched balance sheets. In its appeal, the industry body has sought both immediate relief and long-term structural reforms. As an urgent measure, it has requested the government to temporarily remove the 11% excise duty on ATF and encourage states to cut value-added tax, which in some regions can go up to 25%. On the structural side, airlines have called for a more stable and transparent pricing framework for aviation fuel. They argue that volatility in refining margins and global “crack spreads” is keeping ATF prices high even when crude oil softens, creating a mismatch that disrupts planning and budgeting. The FIA also pointed out that India’s relatively high fuel taxation places domestic carriers at a disadvantage compared to global competitors, particularly on international routes where competition is intense. The current surge has been driven by geopolitical instability in West Asia, with concerns over supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz adding further uncertainty to global oil markets. Airlines say this external shock is directly translating into higher operating costs. If the trend continues, the industry has warned of possible fare increases, route rationalisation and capacity cuts. While airlines have so far absorbed part of the burden, executives say there is limited scope to continue doing so without affecting operations. For passengers, the impact is likely to surface gradually through higher ticket prices and reduced frequency on less profitable routes.

ATF prices have recently crossed the Rs 2 lakh per kilolitre mark, tracking the surge in global crude oil triggered by tensions in West Asia.

Indian airlines flag shutdown risk as jet fuel prices surge, seek urgent support

India’s aviation regulator has found 51 safety violations at Air India over the past year during its annual inspection of all commercial airlines. Although not linked to last month’s fatal Boeing 787 crash that killed 260 people, the audit findings have renewed scrutiny of the national carrier.<h2>What did the audit find?</h2>The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged 263 safety issues across eight Indian airlines. Of these, Air India had the second-highest number of lapses (51), including seven Level 1 findings, the most serious classification, and 44 Level 2 lapses. Under UN aviation standards, Level 1 issues show non-compliance that could “seriously endanger safety”, while Level 2 refers to safety gaps that “could lower or possibly hazard safety”.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-trucks-launchpad-for-russian-kamikaze-drones-how-american-pickup-trucks-are-helping-russia-bomb-ukraine-despite-sanctions-1753831024342">US trucks launchpad for Russian Kamikaze drones? How American pickup trucks are helping Russia bomb Ukraine, despite sanctions</a>Such findings can lead to immediate actions, including suspension or revocation of an airline’s operating approvals. Airlines are generally given three months to address the issues. The DGCA said it conducts such audits as part of its Annual Surveillance Plan to identify safety concerns and encourage improvements.<h2>Air India responds to safety violations</h2>An Air India spokesperson said the airline was “fully transparent” during the audit process and added that these checks are routine for all airlines. “We acknowledge receipt of the findings and will submit our response to the regulator within the stipulated time frame, along with the details of the corrective actions taken,” the airline said.The DGCA also clarified that it is normal for large airlines to have more observations due to the size and complexity of their operations. “It should be emphasised that, for airlines with extensive operations and large fleet sizes, a higher number of audit findings is entirely normal,” the regulator noted.<h2>Specific lapses at Air India remain unclear</h2>While the audit report itself has not been released, a government document cited by Reuters pointed to serious issues within Air India’s operations. These included gaps in pilot training, use of unapproved simulators, and poor pilot rostering. The report highlighted “recurrent training gaps” among Boeing 787 and 777 pilots who reportedly missed mandatory monitoring duties.<h2>Previous safety issues and growing scrutiny</h2>Earlier this year, Reuters also reported that Air India’s low-cost arm, Air India Express, was reprimanded by the DGCA for delaying the replacement of a critical engine part on an Airbus A320 and falsifying records to show compliance.Air India Express admitted the fault and told regulators it had taken “remedial action and preventive measures”. DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai told the BBC that this information came from the airline itself through “self-reporting”. “I would not condone it [the lapses]. But [at least] we have started getting these reports. India’s skies have always been safe,” Kidwai said.<h2>India’s safety record: Better than global average?</h2>Despite the findings, Mr Kidwai defended India’s aviation safety record, citing UN data that shows India has mostly performed better than the global average for accidents per million flights. “Only twice between 2010 and 2024 did we exceed the global average, both years with major accidents,” he said.India has faced three major crashes in 15 years:• June 2025: An Air India Boeing 787 crash killed 260 people.• August 2020: An Air India Express flight skidded off a wet runway in Kozhikode, killing 21.• May 2010: A Dubai–Mangalore flight overshot the runway, killing 158.Meanwhile, between 2020 and early 2025, Indian carriers reported 2,461 technical snags, including 1,288 by IndiGo, 633 by SpiceJet, and 389 combined by Air India and Air India Express. Kidwai said the rise in reported faults was a good sign. “I wouldn’t say I’m pleased about it. But I do see value in the growing culture of reporting. It’s far better for every snag to be brought to the attention of the authorities than keeping quiet and operating the aircraft.”

India’s aviation regulator found 51 safety violations at Air India, including seven serious Level 1 lapses, raising concerns after a fatal crash, though the issues weren’t directly linked.

India’s aviation regulator has found 51 safety violations at Air India over the past year during its annual inspection of all commercial airlines. Although not linked to last month’s fatal Boeing 787 crash that killed 260 people, the audit findings have renewed scrutiny of the national carrier. What did the audit find? The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged 263 safety issues across eight Indian airlines. Of these, Air India had the second-highest number of lapses (51), including seven Level 1 findings, the most serious classification, and 44 Level 2 lapses. Under UN aviation standards, Level 1 issues show non-compliance that could “seriously endanger safety”, while Level 2 refers to safety gaps that “could lower or possibly hazard safety”. Also read: US trucks launchpad for Russian Kamikaze drones? How American pickup trucks are helping Russia bomb Ukraine, despite sanctions Such findings can lead to immediate actions, including suspension or revocation of an airline’s operating approvals. Airlines are generally given three months to address the issues. The DGCA said it conducts such audits as part of its Annual Surveillance Plan to identify safety concerns and encourage improvements. Air India responds to safety violations An Air India spokesperson said the airline was “fully transparent” during the audit process and added that these checks are routine for all airlines. “We acknowledge receipt of the findings and will submit our response to the regulator within the stipulated time frame, along with the details of the corrective actions taken,” the airline said. The DGCA also clarified that it is normal for large airlines to have more observations due to the size and complexity of their operations. “It should be emphasised that, for airlines with extensive operations and large fleet sizes, a higher number of audit findings is entirely normal,” the regulator noted. Specific lapses at Air India remain unclear While the audit report itself has not been released, a government document cited by Reuters pointed to serious issues within Air India’s operations. These included gaps in pilot training, use of unapproved simulators, and poor pilot rostering. The report highlighted “recurrent training gaps” among Boeing 787 and 777 pilots who reportedly missed mandatory monitoring duties. Previous safety issues and growing scrutiny Earlier this year, Reuters also reported that Air India’s low-cost arm, Air India Express, was reprimanded by the DGCA for delaying the replacement of a critical engine part on an Airbus A320 and falsifying records to show compliance. Air India Express admitted the fault and told regulators it had taken “remedial action and preventive measures”. DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai told the BBC that this information came from the airline itself through “self-reporting”. “I would not condone it [the lapses]. But [at least] we have started getting these reports. India’s skies have always been safe,” Kidwai said. India’s safety record: Better than global average? Despite the findings, Mr Kidwai defended India’s aviation safety record, citing UN data that shows India has mostly performed better than the global average for accidents per million flights. “Only twice between 2010 and 2024 did we exceed the global average, both years with major accidents,” he said. India has faced three major crashes in 15 years: • June 2025: An Air India Boeing 787 crash killed 260 people. • August 2020: An Air India Express flight skidded off a wet runway in Kozhikode, killing 21. • May 2010: A Dubai–Mangalore flight overshot the runway, killing 158. Meanwhile, between 2020 and early 2025, Indian carriers reported 2,461 technical snags, including 1,288 by IndiGo, 633 by SpiceJet, and 389 combined by Air India and Air India Express. Kidwai said the rise in reported faults was a good sign. “I wouldn’t say I’m pleased about it. But I do see value in the growing culture of reporting. It’s far better for every snag to be brought to the attention of the authorities than keeping quiet and operating the aircraft.”

India’s aviation regulator found 51 safety violations at Air India, including seven serious Level 1 lapses, raising concerns after a fatal crash, though the issues weren’t directly linked.

‘Appalling lapses’: 263 safety faults across Indian airlines; Air India among worst-hit, says DGCA audit

The Mumbai Police has nabbed a minor in connection to the spree of hoax bomb threats received by Indian airlines in the last 72 hours. According to reports, the minor sent bomb threats to four flights using a fake social media account that he made in his friend's name to implicate him.&nbsp;

The messages were posted by a 17-year-old, class 11 student from&nbsp;Rajnandgaon in the central-eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Both the boy and his father had been summoned to Mumbai for questioning.

Of the four flights that the minor sent threats to, two got delayed while one was cancelled. The police believe that it was a revenge plot as the accused had some dispute with a friend over money.&nbsp;

According to the investigators, the information related to the threat messages was first received by the authorities on Monday (Oct 14) morning. Since then, two more FIRs have been registered.&nbsp;

“On Tuesday, the minor was questioned in the case. After technical analysis indicated his role, he was detained and presented before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) that sent him to four-day custody for police inquiry,” a senior police officer was quoted as saying by newspaper The&nbsp;Indian Express.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indigo-mumbai-delhi-flight-diverted-after-hoax-bomb-threat-marks-12th-incident-in-2-days-768040">Also read |&nbsp;IndiGo Mumbai-Delhi flight diverted after hoax bomb threat; marks 12th incident in 2 days</a>

<h2>Bomb threats to flights</h2>

Notably, earlier on Wednesday (Oct 16), a Delhi-Bengaluru Akasa Air flight with 184 people returned to the Indira Gandhi International Airport after receiving a bomb threat.

“Akasa Air flight QP 1335, flying from Delhi to Bengaluru on October 16, 2024, and carrying 174 passengers, 3 infants and 7 crew members on board, received a security alert," the airline said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The Akasa Air Emergency Response teams are monitoring the situation and have advised the pilot to divert the flight to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi with abundant precaution."

Similarly, on Tuesday (Oct 15) night, a Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad after it received a bomb threat, which turned out to be a hoax.&nbsp;

Moreover, Air India's Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft en route to Chicago from Delhi was&nbsp;also diverted to a Canadian airport after receiving a bomb threat.

<h2>High-level meeting</h2>

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday called for a high-level meeting to look into the issue. Prior to the meeting,&nbsp;Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu took note of the recent incidents with the Bureau of Civil Aviation, CISF, and other senior officials in airport security.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Mumbai Police has nabbed a minor in connection to the spree of hoax bomb threats received by Indian airlines in the last 72 hours. According to reports, the minor sent bomb threats to four flights using a fake social media account that he made in his friend's name to implicate him.

The Mumbai Police has nabbed a minor in connection to the spree of hoax bomb threats received by Indian airlines in the last 72 hours. According to reports, the minor sent bomb threats to four flights using a fake social media account that he made in his friend's name to implicate him. The messages were posted by a 17-year-old, class 11 student from Rajnandgaon in the central-eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Both the boy and his father had been summoned to Mumbai for questioning. Of the four flights that the minor sent threats to, two got delayed while one was cancelled. The police believe that it was a revenge plot as the accused had some dispute with a friend over money. According to the investigators, the information related to the threat messages was first received by the authorities on Monday (Oct 14) morning. Since then, two more FIRs have been registered. “On Tuesday, the minor was questioned in the case. After technical analysis indicated his role, he was detained and presented before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) that sent him to four-day custody for police inquiry,” a senior police officer was quoted as saying by newspaper The Indian Express. Also read | IndiGo Mumbai-Delhi flight diverted after hoax bomb threat; marks 12th incident in 2 days Bomb threats to flights Notably, earlier on Wednesday (Oct 16), a Delhi-Bengaluru Akasa Air flight with 184 people returned to the Indira Gandhi International Airport after receiving a bomb threat. “Akasa Air flight QP 1335, flying from Delhi to Bengaluru on October 16, 2024, and carrying 174 passengers, 3 infants and 7 crew members on board, received a security alert," the airline said in a statement. "The Akasa Air Emergency Response teams are monitoring the situation and have advised the pilot to divert the flight to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi with abundant precaution." Similarly, on Tuesday (Oct 15) night, a Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad after it received a bomb threat, which turned out to be a hoax. Moreover, Air India's Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft en route to Chicago from Delhi was also diverted to a Canadian airport after receiving a bomb threat. High-level meeting The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday called for a high-level meeting to look into the issue. Prior to the meeting, Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu took note of the recent incidents with the Bureau of Civil Aviation, CISF, and other senior officials in airport security. (With inputs from agencies)

Teenager detained in connection to hoax bomb threats to Indian carriers

India and China flights are set to resume direct passenger flights after a four year halt. Watch to know more.

Direct passenger flights set to resume after more than four years

Vistara will operate the last flight under its brand on November 11 and the full-service carrier's operations will be unified with Air India from November 12.

The government has given its nod for the foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines as part of the Air India-Vistara merger. Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Air India is owned by Tata Group.

"Starting 03 September 2024, customers will, progressively, no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after 12 November 2024," Vistara said in a release on Friday. Thereafter, Vistara aircraft will be operated by Air India and bookings for the routes operated by these planes will be redirected to Air India's website. "Vistara will continue to take bookings and operate flights as usual till 11 November 2024," the release said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjhwZOI95yIAxUbTmwGHaKXN-wQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aviation-watchdog-slaps-rs90-lakh-fine-on-air-india-for-safety-lapse-with-non-qualified-crew-752746" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aviation-watchdog-slaps-rs90-lakh-fine-on-air-india-for-safety-lapse-with-non-qualified-crew-752746&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjhwZOI95yIAxUbTmwGHaKXN-wQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Aviation watchdog slaps $108,000 fine on Air India for safety lapse with non-qualified crew</a>

The merger of Vistara with Air India was announced in November 2022 and post-completion of the deal, Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India. Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan said the merger is about offering passengers more choice with a larger fleet and a wider network while elevating the overall travel experience.&nbsp;

"Cross-functional teams from Air India and Vistara have been working together for many months to make the transition of aircraft, flying crew, ground-based colleagues and, most importantly, our valued customers, into the new Air India as seamless as possible," Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said.&nbsp;

In a separate release, Air India welcomed the Union Cabinet's approval for the foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines in the airline. "This is an important milestone that facilitates the merger process between Vistara and Air India, and the broader transformation of the Air India Group," it said.

This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Vistara will operate the last flight under its brand on November 11 and the full-service carrier's operations will be unified with Air India from November 12. The government has given its nod for the foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines as part of the Air India-Vistara merger.

Vistara will operate the last flight under its brand on November 11 and the full-service carrier's operations will be unified with Air India from November 12. The government has given its nod for the foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines as part of the Air India-Vistara merger. Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Air India is owned by Tata Group. "Starting 03 September 2024, customers will, progressively, no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after 12 November 2024," Vistara said in a release on Friday. Thereafter, Vistara aircraft will be operated by Air India and bookings for the routes operated by these planes will be redirected to Air India's website. "Vistara will continue to take bookings and operate flights as usual till 11 November 2024," the release said. Also read: Aviation watchdog slaps $108,000 fine on Air India for safety lapse with non-qualified crew The merger of Vistara with Air India was announced in November 2022 and post-completion of the deal, Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India. Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan said the merger is about offering passengers more choice with a larger fleet and a wider network while elevating the overall travel experience. "Cross-functional teams from Air India and Vistara have been working together for many months to make the transition of aircraft, flying crew, ground-based colleagues and, most importantly, our valued customers, into the new Air India as seamless as possible," Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said. In a separate release, Air India welcomed the Union Cabinet's approval for the foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines in the airline. "This is an important milestone that facilitates the merger process between Vistara and Air India, and the broader transformation of the Air India Group," it said. This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Vistara to operate last flight on Nov 11 ahead of merger with Air India

India has ordered seven major airlines in the country to ensure passengers get back their baggage within 30 minutes of arrival. In a statement released on Feb 16, the civilian aviation ministry said airlines need to follow guidelines as per the Service Quality Requirements of Operation, Management and Delivery Agreement. “Airlines need to ensure that delivery of last baggage is made within 30 minutes,” the statement added.

The ministry also directed the airlines to implement required measures by Feb 26.

<h2>Seven airlines directed</h2>

India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) directed seven airlines, including carriers like Air India, Vistara and IndiGo, to implement necessary measures.

The move was taken by the ministry after a detailed analysis of baggage delivery time across 3,600 flights at six major airports of India.

The review exercise reportedly began in January and was still going on. The ministry made clear that delivery time has improved over time for all airlines but it was still far from what is mandated.

It added that according to the mandate, the first baggage should arrive at the baggage belt "within 10 minutes of shutting off the aircraft engine and the last bag within 30 minutes of the same".

<h2>Ministry warns of action</h2>

The ministry also dropped a warning for the carriers should they fail to implement measures in time.

Watch:&nbsp;India: Uttar Pradesh Police recruitment faces surge

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“The airlines have been given final warning in the form of the letter written on Friday. If an airline continues to delay the process of delivering baggage, the ministry will be forced to take action against it,” the official said.

<h2>Airport congestion menace in India’</h2>

Congestion of airports is a major problem across airports in India. India’s civil aviation ministry is in action mode following the December 2022 chaos at New Delhi and Mumbai airports.

Since then, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has been in discussions with airport operators and airlines to reduce congestion.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-jsarwt="1" data-usg="AOvVaw2P8zEqiyQTT4a0LNik4JyA" data-ved="2ahUKEwiUh_DcyreEAxX0a2wGHQE7AK8QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-red-tape-to-red-carpet-indian-pm-blasts-opposition-while-inaugurating-14000-projects-691666" jsname="YKoRaf">'From red tape to red carpet,' Indian PM blasts opposition while inaugurating 14000 projects</a>

Recently, it ordered the Mumbai airport to reduce flights to avoid congestion of air traffic and improve landing time.

(With inputs from agencies)

India has ordered seven major airlines in the country to ensure passengers get back their baggage within 30 minutes of arrival. In a statement released on Feb 16, the civilian aviation ministry said airlines need to follow guidelines as per the Service Quality Requirements of Operation, Management and Delivery Agreement.

India has ordered seven major airlines in the country to ensure passengers get back their baggage within 30 minutes of arrival. In a statement released on Feb 16, the civilian aviation ministry said airlines need to follow guidelines as per the Service Quality Requirements of Operation, Management and Delivery Agreement. “Airlines need to ensure that delivery of last baggage is made within 30 minutes,” the statement added. The ministry also directed the airlines to implement required measures by Feb 26. Seven airlines directed India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) directed seven airlines, including carriers like Air India, Vistara and IndiGo, to implement necessary measures. The move was taken by the ministry after a detailed analysis of baggage delivery time across 3,600 flights at six major airports of India. The review exercise reportedly began in January and was still going on. The ministry made clear that delivery time has improved over time for all airlines but it was still far from what is mandated. It added that according to the mandate, the first baggage should arrive at the baggage belt "within 10 minutes of shutting off the aircraft engine and the last bag within 30 minutes of the same". Ministry warns of action The ministry also dropped a warning for the carriers should they fail to implement measures in time. Watch: India: Uttar Pradesh Police recruitment faces surge × “The airlines have been given final warning in the form of the letter written on Friday. If an airline continues to delay the process of delivering baggage, the ministry will be forced to take action against it,” the official said. Airport congestion menace in India’ Congestion of airports is a major problem across airports in India. India’s civil aviation ministry is in action mode following the December 2022 chaos at New Delhi and Mumbai airports. Since then, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has been in discussions with airport operators and airlines to reduce congestion. Also read: 'From red tape to red carpet,' Indian PM blasts opposition while inaugurating 14000 projects Recently, it ordered the Mumbai airport to reduce flights to avoid congestion of air traffic and improve landing time. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian regulator orders airlines to deliver baggage within 30 mins of arrival or face action

The aviation industry has already witnessed two major incidents at the start of 2024. While a Japan Airlines flight crashed into a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 9 flight of Alaska Airlines had its door blown off, prompting the airline to ground it for checks.

The aviation industry has already witnessed two major incidents at the start of 2024. While a Japan Airlines flight crashed into a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 9 flight of Alaska Airlines had its door blown off, prompting the airline to ground it for checks. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also issued emergency directives for the aircraft. Here's everything you need to know about the Indian airlines that operate the Boeing 737 Max. Which airlines in India operate the Boeing 737 Max? Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and Air India Express are the three airlines which operate the Max type. However, the FAA mandate does not affect Indian airlines as they do not use Max 9. All 40 registered aircraft in India are Max 8, with Akasa Air flying a sole Max 8200, the Hindustan Times reported. Akasa Air has 22 Max-type aircraft, the most in the country. These are the only planes with the airline, implying that they function their entire network by flying the Boeing 737 Max 8 type. They currently fly to 16 destinations and are planning to add foreign destinations soon. ALSO READ | India summons Maldives high commissioner over derogatory remarks against PM Modi SpiceJet and Air India Express have nine MAX-type aircraft each. Air Indian Express uses MAX 8 for its newly launched flight from Bengaluru to Kannur, Trivandrum, Mangalore, and Varanasi. The airline also operates flights from Hyderabad to Amritsar and Lucknow using the MAX 8. However, since it has several other options like B737NG, A320neo, and A320ceo, the routes for Max 8 are subject to changes. Meanwhile, SpiceJet generally deploys these planes on international routes, like Dubai, Bangkok, and Jeddah. However, according to Flightradar24, the airline has used the Max type for domestic routes. These include flights to Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Darbhanga, Patna, Srinagar, Jammu, Kolkata, and Port Blair. After the Alaska incident, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered all Indian operators with the 737 Max 8 aircraft to check their functioning, especially the proper closing of all over-wing emergency exits. The DGCA ordered these checks as a precautionary measure. The authorities examined four 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by Air India Express, eight by SpiceJet and 20 by Akasa Air. The Indian regulator said there were no adverse findings, and the aircraft's performance was satisfactory. In 2019, the DGCA banned the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in India after the Ethiopian Airlines crash. However, they returned to India in 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Alaska Incident: Which Indian airlines fly the Boeing 737 MAX?

A ‘loose bolt alert’ has been issued for Boeing 737 Max passenger aircraft fleet worldwide, prompting at least three airline operators in India to carry out checks in their 737 Max planes.

The urgent advisory was issued after an undisclosed international airline discovered a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance.&nbsp;

USA’s Federation of Aviation Administration (FAA) has also asked airlines to check for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system.

Boeing says it has delivered more than 1,370 of the 737 Max jets to global operators, including three Indian airlines—Akasa, Air India Express and SpiceJet.

<h2>India's aviation regulator in action</h2>

India's aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said it was also monitoring the situation very closely and coordinating with the airlines as well as its American counterpart FAA and Boeing.

Watch:&nbsp;US planemaker Boeing confirms cyberattack&nbsp;

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"This has been an ongoing issue with Max 737 and these are service bulletins issued from time to time by Boeing to the airline operators for the suggested action whenever any issue is come across. We have been in touch with Boeing, FAA and our airline operators in the past too on such issues concerning 737 Max," the DGCA said in a statement.

"In such cases, mitigation as recommended by the Original Equipment Manufacturers is carried out by the airline operator as has been done in the past in respect of 737 Max," it added.

<h2>What prompted Boeing to issue the alert?</h2>

The alert was issued following the discovery of a bolt with its nut missing. The company also discovered an additional undelivered aircraft with an improperly tightened nut.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/boeing-777-makes-heart-stopping-landing-at-london-airport-amid-storm-watch-674475">Also read:&nbsp;Boeing 777 makes heart-stopping landing at London airport amid storm. Watch</a>

"The issue identified on the particular airplane has been remedied," Boeing said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are recommending operators inspect their 737 Max airplanes and inform us of any findings."

<h2>Response from Indian airlines</h2>

A spokesperson of Akasa Air said they were alerted by Boeing over the issue.

"Like all operators around the world, and in accordance with our highest standards of safety, Akasa will be following the same checks and procedures that the manufacturer or regulator recommends. Our operating fleet and deliveries are not impacted so far," a statement said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A ‘loose bolt alert’ has been issued for Boeing 737 Max passenger aircraft fleet worldwide, prompting at least three airline operators in India to carry out checks in their 737 Max planes.

A ‘loose bolt alert’ has been issued for Boeing 737 Max passenger aircraft fleet worldwide, prompting at least three airline operators in India to carry out checks in their 737 Max planes. The urgent advisory was issued after an undisclosed international airline discovered a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance. USA’s Federation of Aviation Administration (FAA) has also asked airlines to check for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system. Boeing says it has delivered more than 1,370 of the 737 Max jets to global operators, including three Indian airlines—Akasa, Air India Express and SpiceJet. India's aviation regulator in action India's aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said it was also monitoring the situation very closely and coordinating with the airlines as well as its American counterpart FAA and Boeing. Watch: US planemaker Boeing confirms cyberattack × "This has been an ongoing issue with Max 737 and these are service bulletins issued from time to time by Boeing to the airline operators for the suggested action whenever any issue is come across. We have been in touch with Boeing, FAA and our airline operators in the past too on such issues concerning 737 Max," the DGCA said in a statement. "In such cases, mitigation as recommended by the Original Equipment Manufacturers is carried out by the airline operator as has been done in the past in respect of 737 Max," it added. What prompted Boeing to issue the alert? The alert was issued following the discovery of a bolt with its nut missing. The company also discovered an additional undelivered aircraft with an improperly tightened nut. Also read: Boeing 777 makes heart-stopping landing at London airport amid storm. Watch "The issue identified on the particular airplane has been remedied," Boeing said in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are recommending operators inspect their 737 Max airplanes and inform us of any findings." Response from Indian airlines A spokesperson of Akasa Air said they were alerted by Boeing over the issue. "Like all operators around the world, and in accordance with our highest standards of safety, Akasa will be following the same checks and procedures that the manufacturer or regulator recommends. Our operating fleet and deliveries are not impacted so far," a statement said. (With inputs from agencies)

Bolt with missing nut: Boeing alerts global airlines after major flight safety issue found on 737

Domestic airlines reported 406 instances of aircraft malfunctioning in Jan-Nov 2023: Govt data. From January to November 2023, IndiGo reported 233 instances of aircraft malfunctioning, while SpiceJet reported 44 such cases.

Indian airline grapple with malfunctions | Indian government assures a robus regulatory framework

Studies have announced the best international airlines in the world. Two Indian airlines have made it into the top ten list. Who has topped the list? Molly Gambhir tells you more

Gravitas: Which is the world’s best airline?

InterGlobe Aviation ltd, the parent company of Indian budget airline Indigo, has become the first Indian airline to cross 1 trillion rupees in market value. 1 trillion rupees in US dollar terms is over 12 billion dollars. Indigo has been able to reach this milestone after its shares soared 29% in 2023. Its stock hit a high of Rs 2,595 or 31.64 Dollars on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Indigo is first Indian airline valued at over 1 trillion rupees

Boeing and Airbus are increasingly looking to India for highly skilled, low-cost engineers to meet a boom in demand for aircraft and expand their manufacturing presence in the world's fifth-largest economy.

Boeing and Airbus hunting for highly-skilled talent in India

Indian airlines and their rotten luck with accidents and technical problems doesn’t seem to end. Reportedly, on Tuesday, a Go First airline car nearly collided with the nose wheel of an IndiGo A320neo aircraft at Delhi’s Terminal T-2 Indira Gandhi Airport.

Indian airlines and their rotten luck with accidents and technical problems doesn’t seem to end. Reportedly, on Tuesday, a Go First airline car nearly collided with the nose wheel of an IndiGo A320neo aircraft at Delhi’s Terminal T-2 Indira Gandhi Airport. The IndiGo flight 6E-2022 was being prepared to depart for Patna when a white Swift Dzire car belonging to rival Go First airline came from nowhere and stopped under the nose of the plane. India’s civil aviation regulatory body Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed that neither did the plane body suffer any damage nor were any aircraft maintenance crew hurt by the rogue car. #WATCH | A Go Ground Maruti vehicle stopped under the nose area of the Indigo aircraft VT-ITJ that was parked at Terminal T-2 IGI airport, Delhi. It was an Indigo flight 6E-2022 (Delhi–Patna) pic.twitter.com/dxhFWwb5MK — ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2022 × Reportedly, the aircraft departed as per schedule as well. Meanwhile, a probe has been initiated into the accident. A video of the incident shows an airport crew blaming the driver for sleeping and nearly ramming into him. However, a breath analyser test for consumption of alcohol conducted on the driver returned a negative result. DGCA has initiated a two-month-long audit The incident comes in the backdrop of DGCA initiating a two-month-long audit to find the reasons for the unusual malfunction problems persisting in Indian planes. The two-month audit was initiated after DGCA, whilst conducting spot checks, found that unqualified and inadequate engineering personnel were greenlighting the flying of planes. As reported extensively by WION, last month, two Indian planes had to land in the neighbouring country of Pakistan after developing technical snags. Read More: India's aviation regulatory body initiates two-month audit as homegrown airlines continue to report snags The first plane to land in Karachi was a Dubai-bound Delhi Spicejet flight on July 6. Reportedly, the plane had developed a fuel issue. However, it was only after the emergency landing that it was revealed that the issue was caused due to a malfunctioning fuel indicator light in the cockpit. In a separate incident, IndiGo’s Sharjah-Hyderbad flight 6E-1406 was forced to land in Karachi. Afterwards, another flight was dispatched to Karachi to fly the passengers back safely. Read More: Three international airlines make emergency landing in India while another Indian aircraft lands in Karachi (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Watch: A rival airline car nearly collides with a stationary IndiGo plane

The Indian government handed over Air India to the Tata Group on January 27, nearly 69 years after it was taken from the conglomerate.

Air India handed over to TATA Group, chairman meets PM Modi

Airlines can now operate a maximum of 85 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights instead of the 72.5 per cent allowed till date, the Ministry of Civil Aviation stated on Saturday.

The carriers have been operating 72.5 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights since August 12, according to the ministry's order.

Between July 5 and August 12, the cap stood at 65 per cent. Between June 1 and July 5, the cap was at 50 per cent.

The ministry issued a fresh order on Saturday, in which it modified the August 12 order stating that "72.5 per cent capacity may be read as 85 per cent capacity". 
Saturday's order also noted that the 72.5 per cent cap will remain in place "until further order".

When the government had resumed the scheduled domestic flights on May 25 last year after a two-month break, the ministry had allowed the carriers to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic services.

The cap was gradually increased to 80 per cent by December.

The 80 per cent cap remained in place till June 1.

The May 28 decision to bring down the cap from 80 to 50 per cent from June 1 onwards was taken "in view of the sudden surge in the number of active COVID-19 cases across the country, decrease in passenger traffic and the passenger load (occupancy rate) factor", the ministry had said.&nbsp;

Airlines can now operate a maximum of 85 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights instead of the 72.5 per cent allowed till date, the Ministry of Civil Aviation stated on Saturday.

Airlines can now operate a maximum of 85 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights instead of the 72.5 per cent allowed till date, the Ministry of Civil Aviation stated on Saturday. The carriers have been operating 72.5 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights since August 12, according to the ministry's order. Between July 5 and August 12, the cap stood at 65 per cent. Between June 1 and July 5, the cap was at 50 per cent. The ministry issued a fresh order on Saturday, in which it modified the August 12 order stating that "72.5 per cent capacity may be read as 85 per cent capacity". Saturday's order also noted that the 72.5 per cent cap will remain in place "until further order". When the government had resumed the scheduled domestic flights on May 25 last year after a two-month break, the ministry had allowed the carriers to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic services. The cap was gradually increased to 80 per cent by December. The 80 per cent cap remained in place till June 1. The May 28 decision to bring down the cap from 80 to 50 per cent from June 1 onwards was taken "in view of the sudden surge in the number of active COVID-19 cases across the country, decrease in passenger traffic and the passenger load (occupancy rate) factor", the ministry had said.

Indian airlines can now operate 85% of pre-Covid domestic flights: Aviation Ministry

In a humanitarian gesture, Air India`s regional subsidiary Alliance Air delayed its Jaipur-Delhi flight to save the lives of four patients, awaiting organ transplants in the national capital. 
 
The matter came to light on Sunday, signifying the growing need for "safe and fast" harvested organ transport. 
 
According to the Alliance Air, its Jaipur-Delhi flight on Saturday was delayed by half an hour to wait for the arrival of organs donated by a 49-year-old woman in Jaipur that were to be transported to Delhi along with a team of doctors and paramedical staff. 
 
"The retrieved organs to be transported consisted of 2 lungs, 1 liver and 1 kidney and were urgently needed at Delhi to save four lives," the airline said in a statement. 
 
"Collaborative efforts of the Chief Minister`s office, the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), Air India, Alliance Air, the Central Industrial Security Force and Jaipur airport authorities for this humanitarian cause helped in saving 4 lives." 
 
As per the statement, when the passengers on the flight came to know about the reason of flight delay, they waited patiently for the organs to arrive at the airport. 
 
"The organ harvesting surgery, performed at a private hospital in Jaipur, was a complicated one involving retrieval of lungs, kidney and liver and hence was time consuming," the statement said. 
 
"The retrieved organs needed to reach Delhi soon after harvesting... On arriving at the airport, the retrieved organs were rushed through the security check by Alliance Air ground staff."

In a humanitarian gesture, Air India`s regional subsidiary Alliance Air delayed its Jaipur-Delhi flight to save the lives of four patients, awaiting organ transplants in the national capital.

In a humanitarian gesture, Air India`s regional subsidiary Alliance Air delayed its Jaipur-Delhi flight to save the lives of four patients, awaiting organ transplants in the national capital. The matter came to light on Sunday, signifying the growing need for "safe and fast" harvested organ transport. According to the Alliance Air, its Jaipur-Delhi flight on Saturday was delayed by half an hour to wait for the arrival of organs donated by a 49-year-old woman in Jaipur that were to be transported to Delhi along with a team of doctors and paramedical staff. "The retrieved organs to be transported consisted of 2 lungs, 1 liver and 1 kidney and were urgently needed at Delhi to save four lives," the airline said in a statement. "Collaborative efforts of the Chief Minister`s office, the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), Air India, Alliance Air, the Central Industrial Security Force and Jaipur airport authorities for this humanitarian cause helped in saving 4 lives." As per the statement, when the passengers on the flight came to know about the reason of flight delay, they waited patiently for the organs to arrive at the airport. "The organ harvesting surgery, performed at a private hospital in Jaipur, was a complicated one involving retrieval of lungs, kidney and liver and hence was time consuming," the statement said. "The retrieved organs needed to reach Delhi soon after harvesting... On arriving at the airport, the retrieved organs were rushed through the security check by Alliance Air ground staff."

Humanitarian gesture: Alliance Air delays flight to save 4 lives

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced that the Indian Domestic airlines can now operate up to 70 per cent of the flights that they were operating before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.&nbsp;

In a circular, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that the order comes into effect immediately. Currently, the airlines are allowed to operate 60 per cent of their pre-Covid capacity. 
 
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"Domestic operations recommenced with 30K passengers on 25 May &amp; have reached 2.06 lakhs on 8 November," Puri said via a tweet.

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Domestic operations recommenced with 30K passengers on 25 May &amp; have reached 2.06 lakhs on 8 Nov 2020. <a href="https://twitter.com/MoCA_GoI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoCA_GoI</a> is now allowing domestic carriers to increase their operations from existing 60% to 70% of the pre-COVID approved capacity.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) <a href="https://twitter.com/HardeepSPuri/status/1326511595753664512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The ministry had resumed scheduled domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, the airlines were allowed to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

On June 26, this was increased to 45 per cent and on September 2, it was further increased to 60 per cent.

(With inputs from agencies)

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced that the Indian Domestic airlines can now operate up to 70 per cent of the flights that they were operating before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced that the Indian Domestic airlines can now operate up to 70 per cent of the flights that they were operating before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. In a circular, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that the order comes into effect immediately. Currently, the airlines are allowed to operate 60 per cent of their pre-Covid capacity. "Domestic operations recommenced with 30K passengers on 25 May & have reached 2.06 lakhs on 8 November," Puri said via a tweet. Domestic operations recommenced with 30K passengers on 25 May & have reached 2.06 lakhs on 8 Nov 2020. @MoCA_GoI is now allowing domestic carriers to increase their operations from existing 60% to 70% of the pre-COVID approved capacity. — Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) November 11, 2020 × The ministry had resumed scheduled domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, the airlines were allowed to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. On June 26, this was increased to 45 per cent and on September 2, it was further increased to 60 per cent. (With inputs from agencies)

Govt increases domestic flights' cap from 60% to 70% of pre-Covid levels

Trouble is growing for India's low-cost air carrier Go Air as it has been put on cash and carrier model. Watch report.

Go India asked to clear daily dues: Move reflects a cash crunch

Budget airline IndiGo to lay off 10 per cent of its workforce due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement from company CEO Ronojoy Dutta.

Budget airline IndiGo to lay off 10 per cent of its workforce due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement from company CEO Ronojoy Dutta. "From where things stand currently, it is impossible for our company to fly through this economic storm without making some sacrifices, in order to sustain our business operations," Dutta said in a statement. "Therefore, after carefully assessing and reviewing all possible scenarios, it is clear that we will need to bid a painful adieu to 10 per cent of our workforce. It is for the first time in the history of IndiGo that we have undertaken such a painful measure," he added. As on March 31, 2019, the airline had 23,531 employees on its payroll.

IndiGo to lay off 10% of its workforce, says company CEO

Airlines in India are all set to resume flights post the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/coronavirus-cases-rise-to-2301-in-india-290314">lockdown</a> period, however, the issue of refunds for flights cancelled between March 25 and April 14 remains unresolved.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-urges-citizens-to-light-diyas-candles-on-sunday-at-9-pm-for-9-mins-to-dispel-darkness-brought-by-coronavirus-290268">Also Read: PM Modi urges citizens to light diyas, candles on Sunday at 9 pm for 9 mins</a>

while passengers are demanding cash refunds for cancelled bookings during the lockdown period, airlines have refused to meet such request owing to cash shortage. Fliers have been left in the lurch with some airlines not even offering clarity on refunds.&nbsp;

The government suspended all domestic flights starting on March 25 midnight to curb the spread of coronavirus but for the passengers of airlines who had booked tickets to fly during the lockdown period, it is has hit them hard.&nbsp;

First, they can't travel to their hometowns or other destinations they had booked tickets to and second, the refund policies of airlines is resulting into heavy monetary losses.&nbsp;

Twitter is full of arguments between airlines and furious passengers as airlines are offering a reservation credit for the full amount which can be used to make another booking in future but the catch here is that a flier has to pay the fare difference for the future date ticket.&nbsp;

"I had to attend a conference this month in Goa. With the conference getting cancelled, my tickets are not going to be used now. I don't want a credit voucher as it is not sure I would be flying in future or not", said Sanjeet Kumar, a daily based businessman. &nbsp;

The confusion has multiplied with many fliers making bookings through travel agents or online travel portals. Fliers also complain about the call centre phone lines of airlines are constantly busy.&nbsp;

Indian carriers say there is little they can do on refunds as they are staring at a dark future and it is an existential crisis for the airlines.

The thumb rule generally is that if passengers cancel the bookings, they get back refunds, but airlines levy a cancellation charge, as high as 40-50 per cent, on the other hand if an airline cancels the flight, the passengers get a full refund.&nbsp;

Airlines insist this particular rule can't be applied during the lockdown period as it is beyond their control. &nbsp;

While the uncertainty over the status of scheduled flights due to the coronavirus outbreak looms large, most airlines seem helpless about the situation and are not waiving off the domestic flight cancellation charges.&nbsp;

"The cancellations of flights in this outbreak of COVID-19 is beyond the control of airlines as well as passengers. We have automatically extended the validity of bookings made before March 31, 2020 for travel up to April 30 to December 31, 2020. however, fare difference, if any, will apply", said a Vistara spokesperson explaining their policy.

Meanwhile, the government says there is little it can do as the domestic aviation industry is de-regulated and such a lockdown situation hasn't been witnessed before.

Airlines in India are all set to resume flights post the lockdown period, however, the issue of refunds for flights cancelled between March 25 and April 14 remains unresolved.

Airlines in India are all set to resume flights post the lockdown period, however, the issue of refunds for flights cancelled between March 25 and April 14 remains unresolved. Also Read: PM Modi urges citizens to light diyas, candles on Sunday at 9 pm for 9 mins while passengers are demanding cash refunds for cancelled bookings during the lockdown period, airlines have refused to meet such request owing to cash shortage. Fliers have been left in the lurch with some airlines not even offering clarity on refunds. The government suspended all domestic flights starting on March 25 midnight to curb the spread of coronavirus but for the passengers of airlines who had booked tickets to fly during the lockdown period, it is has hit them hard. First, they can't travel to their hometowns or other destinations they had booked tickets to and second, the refund policies of airlines is resulting into heavy monetary losses. Twitter is full of arguments between airlines and furious passengers as airlines are offering a reservation credit for the full amount which can be used to make another booking in future but the catch here is that a flier has to pay the fare difference for the future date ticket. "I had to attend a conference this month in Goa. With the conference getting cancelled, my tickets are not going to be used now. I don't want a credit voucher as it is not sure I would be flying in future or not", said Sanjeet Kumar, a daily based businessman. The confusion has multiplied with many fliers making bookings through travel agents or online travel portals. Fliers also complain about the call centre phone lines of airlines are constantly busy. Indian carriers say there is little they can do on refunds as they are staring at a dark future and it is an existential crisis for the airlines. The thumb rule generally is that if passengers cancel the bookings, they get back refunds, but airlines levy a cancellation charge, as high as 40-50 per cent, on the other hand if an airline cancels the flight, the passengers get a full refund. Airlines insist this particular rule can't be applied during the lockdown period as it is beyond their control. While the uncertainty over the status of scheduled flights due to the coronavirus outbreak looms large, most airlines seem helpless about the situation and are not waiving off the domestic flight cancellation charges. "The cancellations of flights in this outbreak of COVID-19 is beyond the control of airlines as well as passengers. We have automatically extended the validity of bookings made before March 31, 2020 for travel up to April 30 to December 31, 2020. however, fare difference, if any, will apply", said a Vistara spokesperson explaining their policy. Meanwhile, the government says there is little it can do as the domestic aviation industry is de-regulated and such a lockdown situation hasn't been witnessed before.

Airfare refund policy confuses passengers amid lockdown

Visiting Thailand or Dubai was cheaper than flying to Goa or Kerala a few months ago. The ultra-low or the budget airfares resulted in&nbsp;a travel boom and it helped in turning the dreams of foreign holidays into reality for many.&nbsp;

From Mauritius to Malaysia, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-mulls-up-to-16-billion-rescue-plan-for-aviation-sector-after-coronavirus-287453">budget or low airfares</a> enticed many to explore the new holiday destinations with millions in India and overseas flying for the first time. But with the coronavirus pandemic striking travel and aviation world, the dreams of many for foreign holidays may be over for now or delayed indefinitely.&nbsp;

From low-cost pocket-friendly carriers to full-service airlines, no one in the aviation world was prepared for a global crisis of this scale. Coronavirus pandemic has broken the backbone of the aviation industry and with this, it may be a long-lasting goodbye to the popular super saver airfare schemes or pocket-friendly budget airfare schemes.

Analysts point out with the global travel and tourism industry taking <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/banking-systems-may-need-help-if-handicapped-by-disruption-from-coronavirus-lockdowns-imf-289804">a massive hit</a>, the aviation industry might be limited to the essential air or business and need-based travel for some time to come. The low-cost airfares are a result of competition among the airlines to fill seats fast. With many airlines ceasing to exist in future as a result of coronavirus pandemic, low competition can result in airlines resorting to collusion to charge high fares for high margins.&nbsp;

The low-cost airfares were also the result of budget travel that has also taken a massive hit with low-cost holiday destinations like Thailand and Dubai locking down the cities. Also, expensive loans taken for aircraft purchase or high lease costs of the planes won't allow many low-cost airlines to keep flying. Low-cost airlines that started in the US and Europe were quite popular among bag packers or budget holiday goers and the model has been replicated worldwide. But with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-badly-is-the-indian-e-commerce-sector-going-to-be-hit-by-the-coronavirus-pandemic-289640">coronavirus pandemic</a>, everything can change. Sydney-based CAPA Centre for Aviation estimates that many carriers might go bankrupt by the end of May 2020 itself. &nbsp;

A Bloomberg estimate says the airline that are in danger of going under are Pakistan International Airlines, Spicejet, Norwegian, American airlines, Skywest, Air Asia, Asiana Airlines, Virgin Australia, Korean Air, China Eastern, and China Southern airlines.&nbsp;

"In short to medium term, the demand for air travel will remain low. Many airlines will go out of business. But the remaining ones will be more sustainable in the long term as there will be a capacity rationalisation. Some fare models will have to be reworked", said a veteran of the aviation industry who has served at managerial positions in both low cost and full-service carriers.&nbsp;

Based on the assumption that the airlines are not grounded beyond April 15, when the current lockdown ends, estimates suggest the Indian airline industry including companies providing auxiliary services like airports and ground handlers could suffer losses ranging from 3.3 billion to 3.6 billion dollars in the first three months of fiscal 2021 ending in June.&nbsp;

But the situation can change if governments across the world go for massive bailouts for the aviation and tourism sector including one in India.

"Advance cheap airfares could still come even after the Covid-19 crisis is over. After all it is an easier way to raise cash much in advance and many airlines will be in dire need of cash going forward", said another aviation industry executive.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Visiting Thailand or Dubai was cheaper than flying to Goa or Kerala a few months ago. The ultra-low or the budget airfares resulted in a travel boom and it helped in turning the dreams of foreign holidays into reality for many.

Visiting Thailand or Dubai was cheaper than flying to Goa or Kerala a few months ago. The ultra-low or the budget airfares resulted in a travel boom and it helped in turning the dreams of foreign holidays into reality for many. From Mauritius to Malaysia, the budget or low airfares enticed many to explore the new holiday destinations with millions in India and overseas flying for the first time. But with the coronavirus pandemic striking travel and aviation world, the dreams of many for foreign holidays may be over for now or delayed indefinitely. From low-cost pocket-friendly carriers to full-service airlines, no one in the aviation world was prepared for a global crisis of this scale. Coronavirus pandemic has broken the backbone of the aviation industry and with this, it may be a long-lasting goodbye to the popular super saver airfare schemes or pocket-friendly budget airfare schemes. Analysts point out with the global travel and tourism industry taking a massive hit, the aviation industry might be limited to the essential air or business and need-based travel for some time to come. The low-cost airfares are a result of competition among the airlines to fill seats fast. With many airlines ceasing to exist in future as a result of coronavirus pandemic, low competition can result in airlines resorting to collusion to charge high fares for high margins. The low-cost airfares were also the result of budget travel that has also taken a massive hit with low-cost holiday destinations like Thailand and Dubai locking down the cities. Also, expensive loans taken for aircraft purchase or high lease costs of the planes won't allow many low-cost airlines to keep flying. Low-cost airlines that started in the US and Europe were quite popular among bag packers or budget holiday goers and the model has been replicated worldwide. But with coronavirus pandemic, everything can change. Sydney-based CAPA Centre for Aviation estimates that many carriers might go bankrupt by the end of May 2020 itself. A Bloomberg estimate says the airline that are in danger of going under are Pakistan International Airlines, Spicejet, Norwegian, American airlines, Skywest, Air Asia, Asiana Airlines, Virgin Australia, Korean Air, China Eastern, and China Southern airlines. "In short to medium term, the demand for air travel will remain low. Many airlines will go out of business. But the remaining ones will be more sustainable in the long term as there will be a capacity rationalisation. Some fare models will have to be reworked", said a veteran of the aviation industry who has served at managerial positions in both low cost and full-service carriers. Based on the assumption that the airlines are not grounded beyond April 15, when the current lockdown ends, estimates suggest the Indian airline industry including companies providing auxiliary services like airports and ground handlers could suffer losses ranging from 3.3 billion to 3.6 billion dollars in the first three months of fiscal 2021 ending in June. But the situation can change if governments across the world go for massive bailouts for the aviation and tourism sector including one in India. "Advance cheap airfares could still come even after the Covid-19 crisis is over. After all it is an easier way to raise cash much in advance and many airlines will be in dire need of cash going forward", said another aviation industry executive. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Coronavirus impact on aviation industry: Low-cost airfare schemes could be halted for a long time

At a time European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, is embroiled in a global bribery scandal and the settlement of multi-nation investigations, Indian agencies have intensified a probe to see if $2.2 billion Airbus aircraft sale to Indian national carrier known as Indian Airlines before the merger in 2006 involved any bribes.&nbsp;

Reports say Enforcement Directorate (ED) is inspecting payment of $20 million or Rs 1.42 billion linked to the 2006 purchase of 43 aircraft by Indian Airlines.

The probe began as a police investigation in 2010. Post the beginning of the probe, a team was sent to Europe to question Airbus executives, as well as, the government merged the domestic operations of the National Carrier, operated under the brand Indian Airlines with flag-carrier Air India in 2007.&nbsp;

The agency is also probing the commitment made as a part of the contract to provide aircraft-overhaul facilities that were never built. 
 
In a global bribery settlement that resulted in record losses for Airbus in 2019, the European planemaker has agreed to around $4 billion dollar for years of illegal payments to key executives.&nbsp;

The Indian Airlines order for A320-series narrow-body planes was placed in 2006. Reports say that Enforcement Directorate is seeking help from authorities in France, as well as, where Airbus is based in Toulouse. Airbus has reported losses of $1.4 billion for 2019 due to this bribery settlement.&nbsp;

At a time European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, is embroiled in a global bribery scandal and the settlement of multi-nation investigations, Indian agencies have intensified a probe to see if $2.

At a time European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, is embroiled in a global bribery scandal and the settlement of multi-nation investigations, Indian agencies have intensified a probe to see if $2.2 billion Airbus aircraft sale to Indian national carrier known as Indian Airlines before the merger in 2006 involved any bribes. Reports say Enforcement Directorate (ED) is inspecting payment of $20 million or Rs 1.42 billion linked to the 2006 purchase of 43 aircraft by Indian Airlines. The probe began as a police investigation in 2010. Post the beginning of the probe, a team was sent to Europe to question Airbus executives, as well as, the government merged the domestic operations of the National Carrier, operated under the brand Indian Airlines with flag-carrier Air India in 2007. The agency is also probing the commitment made as a part of the contract to provide aircraft-overhaul facilities that were never built. In a global bribery settlement that resulted in record losses for Airbus in 2019, the European planemaker has agreed to around $4 billion dollar for years of illegal payments to key executives. The Indian Airlines order for A320-series narrow-body planes was placed in 2006. Reports say that Enforcement Directorate is seeking help from authorities in France, as well as, where Airbus is based in Toulouse. Airbus has reported losses of $1.4 billion for 2019 due to this bribery settlement.

India steps up probe into 2006 sale of Airbus aircraft to Indian Airlines

It must be the late afternoon of winter on December 24, 1999 — as I was planning to attend a Christmas eve party — I got a call from a source of mine telling me that an Indian airlines plane has been hijacked.&nbsp;

Stunned as I was, I began checking the details – it was an IC 814 Kathmandu- Delhi Flight with 176 passengers on board. Those were the days, you had&nbsp;very few private news channels. As I finished talking to my source, a friend of mine from a private news channel was calling. I told him, "Wait! Big news is emerging, an Indian plane has been hijacked."

He asked me if he could break the news on the channel, I said ''go ahead'' as I was working with a TV news agency with no rivalry.

A flurry of activity began in our office – rushing camera teams to the airport, alerting various bureaus and other team members about the incident.

I&nbsp;called my source again and asked for further details, and he told me that it was&nbsp;headed&nbsp;for Lahore.&nbsp;Minutes later, he called me back informing me that it was&nbsp;headed&nbsp;for Amritsar.

We had a bureau in Amritsar, so I called my correspondent and asked her to rush to the Amritsar airport as the hijacked plane was likely to land. By the time she had arrived at the airport, IC 814 was landing on the runway.&nbsp;

Probably, from what I remember now, she was the only correspondent at the airport and soon word went around and private news channels in India and International news channels wanted to get a live phone interview with her.&nbsp;

And soon, she was on all possible channels. While the drama was unfolding in Amritsar, here in Delhi, the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in a huddle.

Soon our reporter in Amritsar called to say the plane was about to take off.

In Delhi, the Crisis Management Group&nbsp;(CMG) was deliberating on various points, while in&nbsp;Amritsar,&nbsp;security personnel were ready to storm the plane.&nbsp;

In the absence of any guidance, the security personnel were not able to stop the plane from taking off.

I immediately called my source asking about the flight path IC 814 was taking – sitting in ATC – he told me that it seemed that&nbsp;it was&nbsp;headed for Lahore, and it did land at Lahore.

Drama followed at the Lahore airport – the relations between India and Pakistan were far from cordial – earlier in the year, the Line of Control had witnessed incursions by Pakistani troops who had occupied the heights in Kargil but later they had to retreat. The Indian authorities were struggling, but the plane was refuelled and allowed to take off again.

Now the scene shifted to Dubai – where certain passengers were allowed to disembark by the hijackers including passenger Rupen Katyal who was stabbed several times and then thrown on Dubai tarmac. Again, Indian authorities were in touch with the UAE government for a possible security operation, but they too didn’t cooperate.

My source was supplying me with constant information. He&nbsp;called again and told me that the plane had taken off from Dubai and was heading towards Kandahar in Afghanistan. I was shocked.&nbsp;Kandahar was the seat of Mullah Omar – the dreaded one-eyed chief of Taliban.

After a short flight, the plane landed in Kandahar and was soon surrounded by Taliban militia. This started a week-long saga of negotiations. The relatives were getting restless and private news networks were constantly focusing&nbsp;on this story. The government was trying to calm frayed nerves, but the public pressure was increasing day by day.

Days passed and finally, it was in the early afternoon of&nbsp;December 31, 1999 that&nbsp;I got information that India had&nbsp;succumbed to the demands of the hijackers and had&nbsp;decided to release three dreaded terrorists – Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar and Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in lieu of the IC 814 passengers.

And it was decided at the top level that the then External Affairs Minister of India Jaswant Singh would&nbsp;be travelling in a special plane to Kandahar to bring back the passengers. I rushed to meet a friend of mine who was the Joint Secretary in External Affairs Ministry to try my luck.&nbsp;I requested him that I would like to travel on a special flight to Kandahar. He was very forthcoming but told me that he needs to get clearance from the minister. I kept sitting outside his office in anticipation along with my camera person.&nbsp;

Finally, my cellphone rang the Joint Secretary told me I am on board and I should rush to the technical area at Palam airport. This is the area from where all the VVIP flights take off and land. I was excited. I called my office and informed them about this trip. And we rushed to the airport, our names were at the entry gate while hundreds of journalists were waiting at the gate of the airport. We were allowed in and immediately ferried in an IAF gypsy to the tarmac.&nbsp;

As we were alighting from the car, I saw a tinted gypsy car parked. A deputy secretary officer and a friend of mine pointed to it and said have a look – in the car are seated the three dreaded terrorists. I was curious and wanted to see the faces. I went closer and saw the three seated.&nbsp;

A shrill went through me. And my mind was all muddled up. Suddenly, I heard someone calling me. I walked towards him, my passport and my colleague’s passport were stamped, and we were asked to board the special flight. I went in and had barely settled. Again, an officer from the protocol division of MEA came running towards me and we are asked to deplane. I was confused. And went to the joint secretary friend of mine and questioningly looked at him. He told me the top editors and owner of certain organisations had called the top political leadership and subsequently, the EAM was advised not to take me on the trip.

Thus, ended my trip to Kandahar. Rather my trip was hijacked too. The feeling I got after seeing the three terrorists remains with me. And, Bees Saal Baad I can see their faces clearly. Rest is history. 
 
(Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It must be the late afternoon of winter on December 24, 1999 — as I was planning to attend a Christmas eve party — I got a call from a source of mine telling me that an Indian airlines plane has been hijacked.

It must be the late afternoon of winter on December 24, 1999 — as I was planning to attend a Christmas eve party — I got a call from a source of mine telling me that an Indian airlines plane has been hijacked. Stunned as I was, I began checking the details – it was an IC 814 Kathmandu- Delhi Flight with 176 passengers on board. Those were the days, you had very few private news channels. As I finished talking to my source, a friend of mine from a private news channel was calling. I told him, "Wait! Big news is emerging, an Indian plane has been hijacked." He asked me if he could break the news on the channel, I said ''go ahead'' as I was working with a TV news agency with no rivalry. A flurry of activity began in our office – rushing camera teams to the airport, alerting various bureaus and other team members about the incident. I called my source again and asked for further details, and he told me that it was headed for Lahore. Minutes later, he called me back informing me that it was headed for Amritsar. We had a bureau in Amritsar, so I called my correspondent and asked her to rush to the Amritsar airport as the hijacked plane was likely to land. By the time she had arrived at the airport, IC 814 was landing on the runway. Probably, from what I remember now, she was the only correspondent at the airport and soon word went around and private news channels in India and International news channels wanted to get a live phone interview with her. And soon, she was on all possible channels. While the drama was unfolding in Amritsar, here in Delhi, the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in a huddle. Soon our reporter in Amritsar called to say the plane was about to take off. In Delhi, the Crisis Management Group (CMG) was deliberating on various points, while in Amritsar, security personnel were ready to storm the plane. In the absence of any guidance, the security personnel were not able to stop the plane from taking off. I immediately called my source asking about the flight path IC 814 was taking – sitting in ATC – he told me that it seemed that it was headed for Lahore, and it did land at Lahore. Drama followed at the Lahore airport – the relations between India and Pakistan were far from cordial – earlier in the year, the Line of Control had witnessed incursions by Pakistani troops who had occupied the heights in Kargil but later they had to retreat. The Indian authorities were struggling, but the plane was refuelled and allowed to take off again. Now the scene shifted to Dubai – where certain passengers were allowed to disembark by the hijackers including passenger Rupen Katyal who was stabbed several times and then thrown on Dubai tarmac. Again, Indian authorities were in touch with the UAE government for a possible security operation, but they too didn’t cooperate. My source was supplying me with constant information. He called again and told me that the plane had taken off from Dubai and was heading towards Kandahar in Afghanistan. I was shocked. Kandahar was the seat of Mullah Omar – the dreaded one-eyed chief of Taliban. After a short flight, the plane landed in Kandahar and was soon surrounded by Taliban militia. This started a week-long saga of negotiations. The relatives were getting restless and private news networks were constantly focusing on this story. The government was trying to calm frayed nerves, but the public pressure was increasing day by day. Days passed and finally, it was in the early afternoon of December 31, 1999 that I got information that India had succumbed to the demands of the hijackers and had decided to release three dreaded terrorists – Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar and Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in lieu of the IC 814 passengers. And it was decided at the top level that the then External Affairs Minister of India Jaswant Singh would be travelling in a special plane to Kandahar to bring back the passengers. I rushed to meet a friend of mine who was the Joint Secretary in External Affairs Ministry to try my luck. I requested him that I would like to travel on a special flight to Kandahar. He was very forthcoming but told me that he needs to get clearance from the minister. I kept sitting outside his office in anticipation along with my camera person. Finally, my cellphone rang the Joint Secretary told me I am on board and I should rush to the technical area at Palam airport. This is the area from where all the VVIP flights take off and land. I was excited. I called my office and informed them about this trip. And we rushed to the airport, our names were at the entry gate while hundreds of journalists were waiting at the gate of the airport. We were allowed in and immediately ferried in an IAF gypsy to the tarmac. As we were alighting from the car, I saw a tinted gypsy car parked. A deputy secretary officer and a friend of mine pointed to it and said have a look – in the car are seated the three dreaded terrorists. I was curious and wanted to see the faces. I went closer and saw the three seated. A shrill went through me. And my mind was all muddled up. Suddenly, I heard someone calling me. I walked towards him, my passport and my colleague’s passport were stamped, and we were asked to board the special flight. I went in and had barely settled. Again, an officer from the protocol division of MEA came running towards me and we are asked to deplane. I was confused. And went to the joint secretary friend of mine and questioningly looked at him. He told me the top editors and owner of certain organisations had called the top political leadership and subsequently, the EAM was advised not to take me on the trip. Thus, ended my trip to Kandahar. Rather my trip was hijacked too. The feeling I got after seeing the three terrorists remains with me. And, Bees Saal Baad I can see their faces clearly. Rest is history. (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

IC 814: Bees saal baad, hijack vs hijacked

The airline is sitting on a debt pile of around Rs 58,000 crore, besides huge accumulated losses running into thousands of crores. Currently, the Government of India holds a 100 per cent stake in the airline, and its subsidiary Air India Express.

Government puts 100% of Air India on sale

India's aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday said Indian airlines have decided to avoid parts of Iranian airspace amid rising geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran. Watch this video to know more.

India joins list of nations to avoid Iran airspace

News Alert: India's airlines to avoid Iran airspace

Of all the spheres of the economy at the end of NDA-1, aviation was one sector that was shining in terms of double-digit growth in passenger traffic for many years.

But that too had taken a bit of a beating towards the end, reflecting the adverse growth in the general economy. It would be instructive to remember that the aviation sector is a very high multiplier of both economic growth and employment and any downturn would impact the economy itself.

However, schemes like Regional Connectivity 2017, along with existing Group Dispersal Guidelines and the proposed International Connectivity Schemes will certainly give a fillip to the economy.

On the flip side, however, is the unfortunate decline and fall of Jet Airways, which had taken over the mantle of Air India as the country’s leading airline, both domestically and internationally.

Airlines constitute the heart of the aviation sector, without which airports and other allied sectors such as ground handling and tourism cannot thrive.

After Air India’s Rs 50,000 crore-plus debt, Kingfisher Airlines’ over Rs 14,000 crore and Jet Airways’ debt that is in excess of Rs 10,000 crore, the aviation sector appears to be in a financial mess.

While newer airlines like Indigo, GoAir, SpiceJet or Vistara will no doubt fill the vacuum and double-digit growth will soon be back, there is a need for the new government to go in for some deep introspection.

What is causing this distress? Is it only mismanagement, as in the case of Kingfisher or bad decisions and mismanagement by Jet Airways? Or is it also due to faulty government policies? The answer is not simple. There is, no doubt, mismanagement in the above three cases, but government policies have contributed to their woes.

Air India, an enigma, continues to operate on taxpayers’ money. It’s shooting itself in the foot by reducing its global distribution system operators, thereby slashing its catchment areas of passengers.

No serious attempt at its revival is being made either.&nbsp;

As far as the domestic sector is concerned, airlines work at a huge disadvantage. They are burdened with taxes and levies at one end and high Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices at the other. While an industry’s ideal cost of ATF should not exceed over 25 per cent of the total operating cost, in India due to oligopolistic nature of ATF supply, the domestic price is much higher than in other countries.

In addition, a central excise imposition of 14 per cent&nbsp;and sales tax levied by states on ATF, can be as high as 30%. Attempts to bring ATF under GST, cutting it down to 12 per cent&nbsp;has not been accepted by the GST Council.

Any deterioration of the exchange rate of rupee to the US dollar also impacts adversely on profitability. Deterioration in international fuel prices also plays a role. As a result of this toxic mix, the cost of operation in the domestic sector remains very high.

Compare this with the supply side in airline operations. With a very large order of new planes, the total capacity of seats is increasing by the month, but airlines are unable to increase ticket pricing in order to fill up the growing availability of seats. They, therefore, go for computer-based dynamic pricing, which causes passengers acute distress during holidays/festivals or calamities, when prices go through the roof.

With low-cost carriers now dominating the domestic scene, the model followed by full-service airlines is under stress.

All airlines in India send their aircraft to neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka or Thailand for mandatory inspections known as C&amp;D check. This billion-dollar business is being thrown away along with employment potential because of bureaucratic bungling involving the ministry of finance. In the normal scheme of things, Maintenance and Repair Organisation (MRO) should have been a captive business for the Indian industry but has been allowed to slip away. This also adds to the operational cost of airlines.

As about the airports, while much work has been done, there is still a lot more to do. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is the custodian of all civil airports in India. It is correct to say that about a dozen airports are profitable, while the rest are cross-subsidised by AAI.

Airport improvement involves not just upgrading the terminals, but also the runway, navigational aids and equipment needed for safety and security.

Slowly, the AAI is leasing out bigger airports on a long term basis.

However, the lessee company is selected on the basis of the highest percentage of revenue it can share with AAI.

The Delhi International Airport shares 46 per cent of its revenue while Mumbai is a little less; newly-privatised airports are even higher. With such a high level of sharing, private airports charge airlines and users at higher rates, which again add to costs. Indian Airport charges are considered as one of the highest in the world by the IATA.

The new government should look at the aviation sector holistically, as a part of the economy, which is going to play a crucial role in economic development and is no more a sector for the privileged class only.

It is increasingly becoming a middle-class mode of travel and contributes to business and employment. Therefore, as a sector, there is a need to nurture it and not kill the hen that lays golden eggs, which seems to be the direction today.

These issues cannot be decided only by the ministry of civil aviation. It needs an inter-ministerial group headed by the finance minister to sort out the mess. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-time-for-hard-decisions-2759742">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Of all the spheres of the economy at the end of NDA-1, aviation was one sector that was shining in terms of double-digit growth in passenger traffic for many years.

Of all the spheres of the economy at the end of NDA-1, aviation was one sector that was shining in terms of double-digit growth in passenger traffic for many years. But that too had taken a bit of a beating towards the end, reflecting the adverse growth in the general economy. It would be instructive to remember that the aviation sector is a very high multiplier of both economic growth and employment and any downturn would impact the economy itself. However, schemes like Regional Connectivity 2017, along with existing Group Dispersal Guidelines and the proposed International Connectivity Schemes will certainly give a fillip to the economy. On the flip side, however, is the unfortunate decline and fall of Jet Airways, which had taken over the mantle of Air India as the country’s leading airline, both domestically and internationally. Airlines constitute the heart of the aviation sector, without which airports and other allied sectors such as ground handling and tourism cannot thrive. After Air India’s Rs 50,000 crore-plus debt, Kingfisher Airlines’ over Rs 14,000 crore and Jet Airways’ debt that is in excess of Rs 10,000 crore, the aviation sector appears to be in a financial mess. While newer airlines like Indigo, GoAir, SpiceJet or Vistara will no doubt fill the vacuum and double-digit growth will soon be back, there is a need for the new government to go in for some deep introspection. What is causing this distress? Is it only mismanagement, as in the case of Kingfisher or bad decisions and mismanagement by Jet Airways? Or is it also due to faulty government policies? The answer is not simple. There is, no doubt, mismanagement in the above three cases, but government policies have contributed to their woes. Air India, an enigma, continues to operate on taxpayers’ money. It’s shooting itself in the foot by reducing its global distribution system operators, thereby slashing its catchment areas of passengers. No serious attempt at its revival is being made either. As far as the domestic sector is concerned, airlines work at a huge disadvantage. They are burdened with taxes and levies at one end and high Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices at the other. While an industry’s ideal cost of ATF should not exceed over 25 per cent of the total operating cost, in India due to oligopolistic nature of ATF supply, the domestic price is much higher than in other countries. In addition, a central excise imposition of 14 per cent and sales tax levied by states on ATF, can be as high as 30%. Attempts to bring ATF under GST, cutting it down to 12 per cent has not been accepted by the GST Council. Any deterioration of the exchange rate of rupee to the US dollar also impacts adversely on profitability. Deterioration in international fuel prices also plays a role. As a result of this toxic mix, the cost of operation in the domestic sector remains very high. Compare this with the supply side in airline operations. With a very large order of new planes, the total capacity of seats is increasing by the month, but airlines are unable to increase ticket pricing in order to fill up the growing availability of seats. They, therefore, go for computer-based dynamic pricing, which causes passengers acute distress during holidays/festivals or calamities, when prices go through the roof. With low-cost carriers now dominating the domestic scene, the model followed by full-service airlines is under stress. All airlines in India send their aircraft to neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka or Thailand for mandatory inspections known as C&D check. This billion-dollar business is being thrown away along with employment potential because of bureaucratic bungling involving the ministry of finance. In the normal scheme of things, Maintenance and Repair Organisation (MRO) should have been a captive business for the Indian industry but has been allowed to slip away. This also adds to the operational cost of airlines. As about the airports, while much work has been done, there is still a lot more to do. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is the custodian of all civil airports in India. It is correct to say that about a dozen airports are profitable, while the rest are cross-subsidised by AAI. Airport improvement involves not just upgrading the terminals, but also the runway, navigational aids and equipment needed for safety and security. Slowly, the AAI is leasing out bigger airports on a long term basis. However, the lessee company is selected on the basis of the highest percentage of revenue it can share with AAI. The Delhi International Airport shares 46 per cent of its revenue while Mumbai is a little less; newly-privatised airports are even higher. With such a high level of sharing, private airports charge airlines and users at higher rates, which again add to costs. Indian Airport charges are considered as one of the highest in the world by the IATA. The new government should look at the aviation sector holistically, as a part of the economy, which is going to play a crucial role in economic development and is no more a sector for the privileged class only. It is increasingly becoming a middle-class mode of travel and contributes to business and employment. Therefore, as a sector, there is a need to nurture it and not kill the hen that lays golden eggs, which seems to be the direction today. These issues cannot be decided only by the ministry of civil aviation. It needs an inter-ministerial group headed by the finance minister to sort out the mess. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Aviation sector is in a financial mess that needs to be sorted

Airlines world over make huge investments to hone the skills of pilots in their quest for the maintenance of high safety standards.

It is therefore incomprehensible that an astounding number of pilots of Indian carriers – 181 to be precise, as per statement made in Parliament, failed the mandatory breathalyser test prior to operating flights during the three year period 2015-18.

Pilots, in the course of their exhaustive training, are made to realise the significance of safety; that lives of hundreds of passengers depend on them, etc. Why do some of them then behave so immaturely and irresponsibly so as to fail the mandatory breathalyser test?&nbsp;

It’s a question that has defied a satisfactory response because the number of instances of pilots failing the test hasn’t shown any appreciable decline during the recent years and India’s track record continues to be more abysmal than most other countries.&nbsp;

Even if it is argued that while instances of pilots reporting in a drunken state year after year in absolute number may not have shown a decline, the reality of it going down as a percentage of flights operated cannot be overlooked. This is because the number of flights operated in these years has gone up significantly, as has the number of pilots in various airlines.&nbsp;

What is, however, perplexing is that even the tightening of action by the regulatory agency, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has apparently failed to make the pilots understand the gravity of their lackadaisical approach.&nbsp;

As per new regulations introduced by the DGCA in 2015, more as a consequence of India’s safety rating downgrade by the Federal Aviation Administration of USA in the previous year, to curb the menace, all flights are now mandatorily covered through pre-flight checks whereas earlier checks were conducted only at random.&nbsp;

The punishment too has been made more stringent. Suspension of flying licence for the first instance of violation and revocation of licence for three years for a repeat offence.&nbsp;

Considering that pilots earn between Rs 3-8 lakh a month depending on their seniority, suspension of flying licence does translate into a huge financial punitive loss for them, but it seemingly is still failing to act as a deterrent.

It is imperative to dispel the often-cited, hastily drawn, conclusion that had the pilots not been stopped from operating the flight on failing the breathalyser test it would have resulted in a tragedy.&nbsp;

The breathalyser tests are stringent as even negligible traces of alcohol in breath result in pilots being kept away from operating the flight. The pilot unions have always termed these standards as too stringent, but their reservation is only to be expected considering whose interests they seek to represent and protect.&nbsp;

Rule 24 of the Aircraft Rules states “No person acting as, or carried in aircraft for the purpose of acting as pilot, commander, navigator, engineer, cabin crew or the other operating member of the crew thereof, shall have taken or used any alcoholic drink, sedative, narcotic, or stimulant drug preparation within 12 hours of the commencement of the flight...”

Pilots failing breathalyser test is also not a phenomenon restricted to India alone. Nineteen pilots of Japan Airlines since August 2018 have failed the breathalyser test forcing the airline to ban alcohol consumption 24 hours before a flight, instead of the earlier 12 hours.

Likewise, a Singapore Airlines pilot failed a random breathalyser test before captaining a transcontinental flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Wellington, New Zealand, three months ago. The flight had to be cancelled resulting in inconvenience to passengers because at foreign locations substitute pilots are not available.

DGCA may perhaps need to emulate the example of Japan Airlines because restrictions need to be guided by ground realities as they exist in India and not global benchmarks.

The argument that our current 12-hour ban is already higher than the eight-hour ban that exists for pilots in Europe and the USA can’t be held as merited because the problem needs to be curbed as the safety of passengers is paramount.

There are some who argue that the problem of pilots failing the breathalyser test is a consequence of stress caused by increasingly busy schedules as airlines expand operations, but it lacks credibility.&nbsp;

A more plausible reason could be our social environment where good-monied life means partying and partying can’t be without the liquor flowing freely. No one would grudge the pilots enjoying the way they would like to but it can’t be at the expense of the safety of passengers! 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-pilots-must-curb-tendency-to-turn-up-drunk-for-flights-2703194">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Airlines world over make huge investments to hone the skills of pilots in their quest for the maintenance of high safety standards. It is therefore incomprehensible that an astounding number of pilots of Indian carriers – 181 to be precise, as per statement made in Parliament, failed the mandatory breathalyser test prior to operating flights during the three year period 2015-18.

Airlines world over make huge investments to hone the skills of pilots in their quest for the maintenance of high safety standards. It is therefore incomprehensible that an astounding number of pilots of Indian carriers – 181 to be precise, as per statement made in Parliament, failed the mandatory breathalyser test prior to operating flights during the three year period 2015-18. Pilots, in the course of their exhaustive training, are made to realise the significance of safety; that lives of hundreds of passengers depend on them, etc. Why do some of them then behave so immaturely and irresponsibly so as to fail the mandatory breathalyser test? It’s a question that has defied a satisfactory response because the number of instances of pilots failing the test hasn’t shown any appreciable decline during the recent years and India’s track record continues to be more abysmal than most other countries. Even if it is argued that while instances of pilots reporting in a drunken state year after year in absolute number may not have shown a decline, the reality of it going down as a percentage of flights operated cannot be overlooked. This is because the number of flights operated in these years has gone up significantly, as has the number of pilots in various airlines. What is, however, perplexing is that even the tightening of action by the regulatory agency, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has apparently failed to make the pilots understand the gravity of their lackadaisical approach. As per new regulations introduced by the DGCA in 2015, more as a consequence of India’s safety rating downgrade by the Federal Aviation Administration of USA in the previous year, to curb the menace, all flights are now mandatorily covered through pre-flight checks whereas earlier checks were conducted only at random. The punishment too has been made more stringent. Suspension of flying licence for the first instance of violation and revocation of licence for three years for a repeat offence. Considering that pilots earn between Rs 3-8 lakh a month depending on their seniority, suspension of flying licence does translate into a huge financial punitive loss for them, but it seemingly is still failing to act as a deterrent. It is imperative to dispel the often-cited, hastily drawn, conclusion that had the pilots not been stopped from operating the flight on failing the breathalyser test it would have resulted in a tragedy. The breathalyser tests are stringent as even negligible traces of alcohol in breath result in pilots being kept away from operating the flight. The pilot unions have always termed these standards as too stringent, but their reservation is only to be expected considering whose interests they seek to represent and protect. Rule 24 of the Aircraft Rules states “No person acting as, or carried in aircraft for the purpose of acting as pilot, commander, navigator, engineer, cabin crew or the other operating member of the crew thereof, shall have taken or used any alcoholic drink, sedative, narcotic, or stimulant drug preparation within 12 hours of the commencement of the flight...” Pilots failing breathalyser test is also not a phenomenon restricted to India alone. Nineteen pilots of Japan Airlines since August 2018 have failed the breathalyser test forcing the airline to ban alcohol consumption 24 hours before a flight, instead of the earlier 12 hours. Likewise, a Singapore Airlines pilot failed a random breathalyser test before captaining a transcontinental flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Wellington, New Zealand, three months ago. The flight had to be cancelled resulting in inconvenience to passengers because at foreign locations substitute pilots are not available. DGCA may perhaps need to emulate the example of Japan Airlines because restrictions need to be guided by ground realities as they exist in India and not global benchmarks. The argument that our current 12-hour ban is already higher than the eight-hour ban that exists for pilots in Europe and the USA can’t be held as merited because the problem needs to be curbed as the safety of passengers is paramount. There are some who argue that the problem of pilots failing the breathalyser test is a consequence of stress caused by increasingly busy schedules as airlines expand operations, but it lacks credibility. A more plausible reason could be our social environment where good-monied life means partying and partying can’t be without the liquor flowing freely. No one would grudge the pilots enjoying the way they would like to but it can’t be at the expense of the safety of passengers! (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Pilots must curb tendency to turn up drunk for flights

Domestic oil marketing companies have decided to stop fuel supply to India's national carrier Air India in several cities due to pending dues.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/talks-air-india-bailout-package-advanced-stage-report-167768">Also Read: Talks on Air India bailout package at 'advanced stage'</a>

The oil companies have&nbsp;suspended supplies to Air India in eight locations including Mohali, Patna, Pune, Trivandrum, Lucknow, Vishakhapatnam, Coimbatore and Jaipur from 4 pm on Monday.

Refuelling of all domestic Air India flights from eight locations has been stopped.

The Indian oil companies have been discussing issues related to the clearing of dues worth Rs 5,000 crores with &nbsp;Air India which has been pending. Air India has so far been paying Rs 20 crore daily but has been defaulting on payments lately. The marketing companies want past dues to be cleared first, reports said.

Sources said Air India on its part has knocked on government's door for capitalisation of Rs 2,000 crore but there have been no bailout moves till now.

Domestic oil marketing companies have decided to stop fuel supply to India's national carrier Air India in several cities due to pending dues. Also Read: Talks on Air India bailout package at 'advanced stage' The oil companies have suspended supplies to Air India in eight locations including Mohali, Patna, Pune, Trivandrum, Lucknow, Vishakhapatnam, Coimbatore and Jaipur from 4 pm on Monday.

Domestic oil marketing companies have decided to stop fuel supply to India's national carrier Air India in several cities due to pending dues. Also Read: Talks on Air India bailout package at 'advanced stage' The oil companies have suspended supplies to Air India in eight locations including Mohali, Patna, Pune, Trivandrum, Lucknow, Vishakhapatnam, Coimbatore and Jaipur from 4 pm on Monday. Refuelling of all domestic Air India flights from eight locations has been stopped. The Indian oil companies have been discussing issues related to the clearing of dues worth Rs 5,000 crores with Air India which has been pending. Air India has so far been paying Rs 20 crore daily but has been defaulting on payments lately. The marketing companies want past dues to be cleared first, reports said. Sources said Air India on its part has knocked on government's door for capitalisation of Rs 2,000 crore but there have been no bailout moves till now.

Oil companies stop refueling of Air India flights as pending dues bite

Air India has stopped serving non-vegetarian food on all domestic economy flights.

News reports said the change took place sometime in June this year.&nbsp;

Air India says the decision will lead to greater savings, and will also put a stop to unintentional mix-ups.&nbsp;

Non-vegetarian meals however will continue to be served in business class on domestic flights, and on all international flights. &nbsp;

A ruckus occurred last year on a Shanghi-Delhi-Mumbai flight after vegetarian passengers complained that they had been served non-vegetarian food.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We have decided to serve vegetarian meals in our economy-class seats on domestic flights,&rdquo; The Hindu reported Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani as saying.&nbsp;

&ldquo;It also eliminates the possibility of mix-up: a non-veg meal getting served to a vegetarian passenger, as it had happened a few times in the past,&rdquo; he added. &nbsp;

The Hindu reported a senior Air India official as saying the decision should lead to Rs 8 crore in annual savings.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The national carrier said the move would lead to greater savings

Air India has stopped serving non-vegetarian food on all domestic economy flights. News reports said the change took place sometime in June this year. Air India says the decision will lead to greater savings, and will also put a stop to unintentional mix-ups. Non-vegetarian meals however will continue to be served in business class on domestic flights, and on all international flights. A ruckus occurred last year on a Shanghi-Delhi-Mumbai flight after vegetarian passengers complained that they had been served non-vegetarian food. “We have decided to serve vegetarian meals in our economy-class seats on domestic flights,” The Hindu reported Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani as saying. “It also eliminates the possibility of mix-up: a non-veg meal getting served to a vegetarian passenger, as it had happened a few times in the past,” he added. The Hindu reported a senior Air India official as saying the decision should lead to Rs 8 crore in annual savings.

Air India stops serving non-veg food on domestic economy flights

Qatar Airways will finalise a long-negotiated agreement to buy 49 per cent of Italy&#39;s Meridiana in the coming days, and soon apply with Qatar&#39;s sovereign wealth fund to start an Indian airline.

Qatar Airways will sign the agreement with Italy&#39;s second biggest airline in the next &quot;few days&quot;, Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker told reporters in Dubai on Monday.

The airline has been negotiating to buy a stake in Meridiana for more than year, a deal that could help the loss-making Italian carrier&#39;s ability to compete in Europe.

Meridiana would operate as a full-service carrier to destinations in Europe and beyond, al-Baker said, with the airline taking delivery of 20 Boeing 737 MAXs from the second quarter of 2018.

The 737s will come from a Qatar Airways order of Boeing jets announced last October. Al-Baker declined to say how much Qatar Airways would invest in the Italian carrier.

Meridiana, which offers flights to and from the island of Sardinia and other destinations in Italy, is owned by the Aga Khan, a businessman and spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims.

Qatar Airways will also apply with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) for a domestic Indian airline operating licence in the next few weeks, al-Baker said.

The Indian carrier would be majority owned by QIA, with Qatar Airways controlling a minority interest, he said.

Manufacturers Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer would be welcome to bid for orders from the Indian carrier, al-Baker said.

Qatar Airways has said it plans to operate a domestic Indian carrier with around 100 jets.

The Doha-based airline also announced on Monday 12 new destinations to start in 2018, including direct flights to San Francisco in the United States.

The US&nbsp;expansion contrasts with rival Emirates, which said this month it would cut flights on five US&nbsp;destinations from May due to a &quot;significant deterioration&quot; in bookings. This followed US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s attempts to restrict travel from some Muslim countries, which has hit demand from West Asia.

&quot;We didn&#39;t have massive declines like other carriers,&quot; al-Baker said. &quot;We will continue our expansion.&quot;

The airline has seen &quot;some decline&quot; in passenger demand on US&nbsp;routes, but he said this was manageable.

Qatar Airways has delayed plans to start flights to Las Vegas until the second quarter 2018, from the first quarter of that year, &quot;mainly due to technical reasons,&quot; al-Baker said without explaining further.

The airline, like Emirates and Etihad Airways, has faced more than two years of opposition in the United States led by major carriers American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines .

The three US&nbsp;carriers have lobbied the US&nbsp;government to investigate claims the Middle East rivals have received billions of dollars in state aid, which those airlines deny.

&quot;We create jobs, we buy American, We invest in the United States and I think we outweigh whatever job creation these three American carriers are doing,&quot; al-Baker said.

(Reuters)

Qatar Airways will also apply for a domestic Indian airline operating licence in the next few weeks

Qatar Airways will finalise a long-negotiated agreement to buy 49 per cent of Italy's Meridiana in the coming days, and soon apply with Qatar's sovereign wealth fund to start an Indian airline. Qatar Airways will sign the agreement with Italy's second biggest airline in the next "few days", Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker told reporters in Dubai on Monday. The airline has been negotiating to buy a stake in Meridiana for more than year, a deal that could help the loss-making Italian carrier's ability to compete in Europe. Meridiana would operate as a full-service carrier to destinations in Europe and beyond, al-Baker said, with the airline taking delivery of 20 Boeing 737 MAXs from the second quarter of 2018. The 737s will come from a Qatar Airways order of Boeing jets announced last October. Al-Baker declined to say how much Qatar Airways would invest in the Italian carrier. Meridiana, which offers flights to and from the island of Sardinia and other destinations in Italy, is owned by the Aga Khan, a businessman and spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims. Qatar Airways will also apply with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) for a domestic Indian airline operating licence in the next few weeks, al-Baker said. The Indian carrier would be majority owned by QIA, with Qatar Airways controlling a minority interest, he said. Manufacturers Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer would be welcome to bid for orders from the Indian carrier, al-Baker said. Qatar Airways has said it plans to operate a domestic Indian carrier with around 100 jets. The Doha-based airline also announced on Monday 12 new destinations to start in 2018, including direct flights to San Francisco in the United States. The US expansion contrasts with rival Emirates, which said this month it would cut flights on five US destinations from May due to a "significant deterioration" in bookings. This followed US President Donald Trump's attempts to restrict travel from some Muslim countries, which has hit demand from West Asia. "We didn't have massive declines like other carriers," al-Baker said. "We will continue our expansion." The airline has seen "some decline" in passenger demand on US routes, but he said this was manageable. Qatar Airways has delayed plans to start flights to Las Vegas until the second quarter 2018, from the first quarter of that year, "mainly due to technical reasons," al-Baker said without explaining further. The airline, like Emirates and Etihad Airways, has faced more than two years of opposition in the United States led by major carriers American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines . The three US carriers have lobbied the US government to investigate claims the Middle East rivals have received billions of dollars in state aid, which those airlines deny. "We create jobs, we buy American, We invest in the United States and I think we outweigh whatever job creation these three American carriers are doing," al-Baker said. (Reuters)

Qatar Airways closes in on Italy deal, to own minority stake in Indian airline

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