In a bid to enhance passenger convenience, SpiceJet is set to transfer its entire operation to terminal two of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from October 1, this year, the airline said on Tuesday.

"A single terminal operation would not just help the airline substantially cut down its costs, but provide our passengers with a seamless and smooth travel experience as they transit between domestic and international flights at one of the country's busiest airports," stated SpiceJet in an official statement.

The transition is being planned and implemented by the airline with the active support of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

In a bid to enhance passenger convenience, SpiceJet is set to transfer its entire operation to terminal two of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from October 1, this year, the airline said on Tuesday.

In a bid to enhance passenger convenience, SpiceJet is set to transfer its entire operation to terminal two of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from October 1, this year, the airline said on Tuesday. "A single terminal operation would not just help the airline substantially cut down its costs, but provide our passengers with a seamless and smooth travel experience as they transit between domestic and international flights at one of the country's busiest airports," stated SpiceJet in an official statement. The transition is being planned and implemented by the airline with the active support of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).

SpiceJet to shift entire operation to terminal 2 of Mumbai airport

Indian budget airline SpiceJet Ltd on Friday posted its biggest-ever quarterly profit, as it flew more passengers and raised fares in the wake of the collapse of Jet Airways.

Domestic air traffic growth has been slowing in recent months in a flagging economy, but the downfall of Jet Airways, once the country's largest private carrier, this year has helped SpiceJet and market leader IndiGo attract more customers, raise fares and add routes.

Shares in SpiceJet and InterGlobe Aviation-owned IndiGo have soared 55% and 31% respectively this year, as the companies raced to fill in prime airport slots vacated by Jet.

SpiceJet's shares were up 1.3% at 137.75 rupees, in a Mumbai market that was 0.7% higher as of 0908 GMT.

SpiceJet said passenger fares rose 11% during the three months to June, a quarter in which it cancelled some flights due to the grounding of Boeing 737 MAX after the deadly crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane in March.

India's No.2 airline by market share said operations remained "stressed" for much of the quarter due to the grounding, causing disruption to passengers' travel plans and an increase in fixed costs related to the narrow-body aircraft.

"The results would have been vastly better but for the painful grounding of the MAX aircraft," Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said in a statement.

SpiceJet had estimated that the grounded planes would resume flying by July or August, but there was still uncertainty around the specific timing, it said, adding that it would induct 5-10 Boeing 737 NG planes and three Bombardier Q400 aircraft in October.

SpiceJet added 32 aircraft between April and June. Jet began grounding its planes at the start of the year and was eventually forced to stop operations in April.

SpiceJet's standalone net profit, excluding earnings of non-core units, was 2.62 billion rupees ($37.1 million) in the three months to June, compared with a loss of 380.6 million rupees a year earlier.

Indian budget airline SpiceJet Ltd on Friday posted its biggest-ever quarterly profit, as it flew more passengers and raised fares in the wake of the collapse of Jet Airways.

Indian budget airline SpiceJet Ltd on Friday posted its biggest-ever quarterly profit, as it flew more passengers and raised fares in the wake of the collapse of Jet Airways. Domestic air traffic growth has been slowing in recent months in a flagging economy, but the downfall of Jet Airways, once the country's largest private carrier, this year has helped SpiceJet and market leader IndiGo attract more customers, raise fares and add routes. Shares in SpiceJet and InterGlobe Aviation-owned IndiGo have soared 55% and 31% respectively this year, as the companies raced to fill in prime airport slots vacated by Jet. SpiceJet's shares were up 1.3% at 137.75 rupees, in a Mumbai market that was 0.7% higher as of 0908 GMT. SpiceJet said passenger fares rose 11% during the three months to June, a quarter in which it cancelled some flights due to the grounding of Boeing 737 MAX after the deadly crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane in March. India's No.2 airline by market share said operations remained "stressed" for much of the quarter due to the grounding, causing disruption to passengers' travel plans and an increase in fixed costs related to the narrow-body aircraft. "The results would have been vastly better but for the painful grounding of the MAX aircraft," Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said in a statement. SpiceJet had estimated that the grounded planes would resume flying by July or August, but there was still uncertainty around the specific timing, it said, adding that it would induct 5-10 Boeing 737 NG planes and three Bombardier Q400 aircraft in October. SpiceJet added 32 aircraft between April and June. Jet began grounding its planes at the start of the year and was eventually forced to stop operations in April. SpiceJet's standalone net profit, excluding earnings of non-core units, was 2.62 billion rupees ($37.1 million) in the three months to June, compared with a loss of 380.6 million rupees a year earlier.

SpiceJet posts record profit as Jet Airways downfall provides boost

Interglobe&nbsp;Aviation&nbsp;Ltd, which operates India's top&nbsp;airline&nbsp;IndiGo, on Friday reported its highest-ever quarterly&nbsp;profit&nbsp;after tax in the June quarter, as the collapse&nbsp;of&nbsp;Jet&nbsp;Airways diverted passengers to other low-cost carriers.

The company and its peer SpiceJet&nbsp;Ltd have both seen a surge in passenger growth, after&nbsp;Jet&nbsp;Airways, once the country's biggest private carrier, declared bankruptcy.

Interglobe&nbsp;said its net&nbsp;profit&nbsp;for the three months ended June 30 rose to over 12 billion rupees&nbsp;from 277.9 million rupees a year ago. Revenue rose 45% to 94.2 billion rupees.

IndiGo's founders have recently been involved in an escalating dispute, dragging down the parent's shares.

IndiGo's yield, a measure of the average passenger fare per mile, rose 12.8%, reflecting the rising passenger preference for the&nbsp;airline, which is now India's biggest by market share.

Interglobe&nbsp;shares closed 0.28% higher on Friday amid a broader market that ended 1.53% down.

Interglobe Aviation Ltd, which operates India's top airline IndiGo, on Friday reported its highest-ever quarterly profit after tax in the June quarter, as the collapse of Jet Airways diverted passengers to other low-cost carriers.

Interglobe Aviation Ltd, which operates India's top airline IndiGo, on Friday reported its highest-ever quarterly profit after tax in the June quarter, as the collapse of Jet Airways diverted passengers to other low-cost carriers. The company and its peer SpiceJet Ltd have both seen a surge in passenger growth, after Jet Airways, once the country's biggest private carrier, declared bankruptcy. Interglobe said its net profit for the three months ended June 30 rose to over 12 billion rupees from 277.9 million rupees a year ago. Revenue rose 45% to 94.2 billion rupees. IndiGo's founders have recently been involved in an escalating dispute, dragging down the parent's shares. IndiGo's yield, a measure of the average passenger fare per mile, rose 12.8%, reflecting the rising passenger preference for the airline, which is now India's biggest by market share. Interglobe shares closed 0.28% higher on Friday amid a broader market that ended 1.53% down.

IndiGo operator Interglobe Aviation profit surges on Jet Air collapse

In a bizarre incident, a SpiceJet technician was killed at the aerodrome on Wednesday after he got stuck in the main landing gear door of an aircraft he was working on.

The incident took place in the morning at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata.

The body was later removed from the landing gear with the help of the fire brigade.&nbsp;

The budget carrier, in a statement, expressed sadness over the incident.

"Extremely saddened to share that our technician Rohit Pandey passed away last night in an unfortunate incident at Kolkata airport. He was doing maintenance work in right-hand main landing gear wheel well area of a Q400 aircraft which was parked in Bay No. 32 at the airport," the statement read.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
SpiceJet: Inadvertently, the main landing gear hydraulic door closed &amp; he got stuck in between the hydraulic door flaps. 
The Hydraulic doors were broken to rescue Mr Pandey but he was declared dead. The entire SpiceJet family stands together in grief in this unfortunate incident <a href="https://t.co/tLFrawLuzL">https://t.co/tLFrawLuzL</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1148820674678525952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, twenty-six passengers were asked to voluntarily deplane after a Paris-bound Air France flight suffered a "technical problem" at the New Delhi airport in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The pilot and crew of Air France AF225 told passengers that their checked-in luggage would be offloaded due to an unspecified technical glitch, urging them to disembark for the plane to take off.

It is not known if the deboarded passengers were flown out on the next flight to Paris, as is commonly done in such cases.

In a bizarre incident, a SpiceJet technician was killed at the aerodrome on Wednesday after he got stuck in the main landing gear door of an aircraft he was working on.

In a bizarre incident, a SpiceJet technician was killed at the aerodrome on Wednesday after he got stuck in the main landing gear door of an aircraft he was working on. The incident took place in the morning at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. The body was later removed from the landing gear with the help of the fire brigade. The budget carrier, in a statement, expressed sadness over the incident. "Extremely saddened to share that our technician Rohit Pandey passed away last night in an unfortunate incident at Kolkata airport. He was doing maintenance work in right-hand main landing gear wheel well area of a Q400 aircraft which was parked in Bay No. 32 at the airport," the statement read. SpiceJet: Inadvertently, the main landing gear hydraulic door closed & he got stuck in between the hydraulic door flaps. The Hydraulic doors were broken to rescue Mr Pandey but he was declared dead. The entire SpiceJet family stands together in grief in this unfortunate incident https://t.co/tLFrawLuzL — ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019 × Meanwhile, twenty-six passengers were asked to voluntarily deplane after a Paris-bound Air France flight suffered a "technical problem" at the New Delhi airport in the wee hours of Wednesday. The pilot and crew of Air France AF225 told passengers that their checked-in luggage would be offloaded due to an unspecified technical glitch, urging them to disembark for the plane to take off. It is not known if the deboarded passengers were flown out on the next flight to Paris, as is commonly done in such cases.

Kolkata: SpiceJet technician dies after getting stuck in aircraft's landing gear door

A SpiceJet aircraft, which has been stuck on the runway at Mumbai International Airport since Tuesday, was finally pulled out on runway surface on Thursday night.

"The disabled SpiceJet aircraft, which was stuck in Runway-27 RESA has been pulled out on Runway surface at 11:10 PM yesterday," Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) spokesperson said.

Officials had been trying to pull the aircraft and operationalise the main runway which was shut after the city-bound SpiceJet SG 6237 skidded off the runway while landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on July 2.

All passengers of the flight on Jaipur-Mumbai route were deplaned normally and are safe.

The incident led to the shutdown of the main runway of the Mumbai airport with flights cancelled or diverted to the nearby airports. An alternate runway was put into operation at the airport.&nbsp;

A SpiceJet aircraft, which has been stuck on the runway at Mumbai International Airport since Tuesday, was finally pulled out on runway surface on Thursday night.

A SpiceJet aircraft, which has been stuck on the runway at Mumbai International Airport since Tuesday, was finally pulled out on runway surface on Thursday night. "The disabled SpiceJet aircraft, which was stuck in Runway-27 RESA has been pulled out on Runway surface at 11:10 PM yesterday," Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) spokesperson said. Officials had been trying to pull the aircraft and operationalise the main runway which was shut after the city-bound SpiceJet SG 6237 skidded off the runway while landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on July 2. All passengers of the flight on Jaipur-Mumbai route were deplaned normally and are safe. The incident led to the shutdown of the main runway of the Mumbai airport with flights cancelled or diverted to the nearby airports. An alternate runway was put into operation at the airport.

SpiceJet plane stranded on Mumbai airport runway finally pulled out

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

India's&nbsp;budget airline SpiceJet Ltd is examining the prospect of taking over widebody <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indigo-forecasts-strong-year-as-jet-airways-collapse-boosts-profit-222065">jets </a>previously operated by Jet Airways Ltd, but initial studies show they need significant maintenance work, its chairman said on Saturday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/spicejet-posts-22-jump-in-fourth-quarter-profit-sees-strong-year-ahead-222300">SpiceJet</a>, which operates narrowbody and turboprop planes, does not have firm plans to become a widebody operator with longer-range flights in the wake of Jet`s collapse in April, SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said.

"Certainly a gap has been created and there seems to be an opportunity but it is also a business that we don`t know very much about. A higher risk business," he told Reuters on the sidelines of an airline industry conference in Seoul.&nbsp;

"We are exploring it. We'll see. If it looks like it is significantly profitable we can do it."

Leasing or buying widebody jets not previously operated by Jet are another possibility, he said.

SpiceJet took over the leases of 25 Boeing Co 737 jets previously operated by Jet in April and May.

The carrier plans to add another 35 planes throughout the financial year ending March 31, 2020, including some more ex-Jet aircraft on lease, some Q400 turboprops and "hopefully" 737 MAX jets after regulators approve the return to service of the grounded model, Singh said.

SpiceJet had a 13.1% share of India`s domestic market in April, according to government statistics, behind IndiGo's 49.9% and Air India`s 13.9%.

Singh said IndiGo's increasing dominance of the domestic market was becoming a cause for concern to the broader industry.

"I think the government will have to explore what possibilities exist" for remedies, he said. "We haven`t thought about it as yet. The government has just been elected and we are in the middle of a massive expansion ourselves." 
&nbsp;

India's budget airline SpiceJet Ltd is examining the prospect of taking over widebody jets previously operated by Jet Airways Ltd, but initial studies show they need significant maintenance work, its chairman said on Saturday.

India's budget airline SpiceJet Ltd is examining the prospect of taking over widebody jets previously operated by Jet Airways Ltd, but initial studies show they need significant maintenance work, its chairman said on Saturday. SpiceJet, which operates narrowbody and turboprop planes, does not have firm plans to become a widebody operator with longer-range flights in the wake of Jet`s collapse in April, SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said. "Certainly a gap has been created and there seems to be an opportunity but it is also a business that we don`t know very much about. A higher risk business," he told Reuters on the sidelines of an airline industry conference in Seoul. "We are exploring it. We'll see. If it looks like it is significantly profitable we can do it." Leasing or buying widebody jets not previously operated by Jet are another possibility, he said. SpiceJet took over the leases of 25 Boeing Co 737 jets previously operated by Jet in April and May. The carrier plans to add another 35 planes throughout the financial year ending March 31, 2020, including some more ex-Jet aircraft on lease, some Q400 turboprops and "hopefully" 737 MAX jets after regulators approve the return to service of the grounded model, Singh said. SpiceJet had a 13.1% share of India`s domestic market in April, according to government statistics, behind IndiGo's 49.9% and Air India`s 13.9%. Singh said IndiGo's increasing dominance of the domestic market was becoming a cause for concern to the broader industry. "I think the government will have to explore what possibilities exist" for remedies, he said. "We haven`t thought about it as yet. The government has just been elected and we are in the middle of a massive expansion ourselves."

SpiceJet examines taking over widebody jets previously operated by Jet Airways

Budget airline&nbsp;SpiceJet&nbsp;Ltd posted a 22% jump in fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday, as it flew more customers and was able to raise prices at a time when the industry benefited from the collapse of Jet Airways.

Indian carriers, including budget airlines&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/spicejet-adds-100th-plane-to-fleet-becomes-fourth-domestic-airline-to-do-so-221813">SpiceJet</a>&nbsp;and Interglobe Aviation Ltd's IndiGo, have been taking advantage of debt-laden Jet's downfall, adding flights and routes and raising fares in response to a drop in capacity.

"(With) significant improvements in yields and prime slots at key airports, we are confident of a strong performance for FY2020," Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said in a statement.

SpiceJet&nbsp;said it added 25 aircraft in April and May. Jet started grounding planes at the beginning of the year and was eventually forced to stop operations in April. On Tuesday,&nbsp;SpiceJet&nbsp;said it would add 35 aircraft to its fleet by fiscal 2020 and that average fare rose 11% and capacity increased 21% in the reported quarter.

Standalone net profit, excluding earnings of units&nbsp;SpiceJet&nbsp;Merchandise,&nbsp;SpiceJet&nbsp;Technic and Canvin Real Estate, reached 562.9 million rupees ($8.08 million) in January-March, from 461.5 million rupees in the same period a year earlier.

Budget airline SpiceJet Ltd posted a 22% jump in fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday, as it flew more customers and was able to raise prices at a time when the industry benefited from the collapse of Jet Airways.

Budget airline SpiceJet Ltd posted a 22% jump in fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday, as it flew more customers and was able to raise prices at a time when the industry benefited from the collapse of Jet Airways. Indian carriers, including budget airlines SpiceJet and Interglobe Aviation Ltd's IndiGo, have been taking advantage of debt-laden Jet's downfall, adding flights and routes and raising fares in response to a drop in capacity. "(With) significant improvements in yields and prime slots at key airports, we are confident of a strong performance for FY2020," Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said in a statement. SpiceJet said it added 25 aircraft in April and May. Jet started grounding planes at the beginning of the year and was eventually forced to stop operations in April. On Tuesday, SpiceJet said it would add 35 aircraft to its fleet by fiscal 2020 and that average fare rose 11% and capacity increased 21% in the reported quarter. Standalone net profit, excluding earnings of units SpiceJet Merchandise, SpiceJet Technic and Canvin Real Estate, reached 562.9 million rupees ($8.08 million) in January-March, from 461.5 million rupees in the same period a year earlier.

SpiceJet posts 22% jump in fourth-quarter profit, sees strong year ahead

Interglobe Aviation Ltd, owner of Indian budget airline IndiGo, forecast a strong year ahead after the collapse of Jet Airways&nbsp;helped the company report a fivefold jump in fourth-quarter profit.

IndiGo, the country's largest airline by market share, gained passengers in recent months after Jet Airways shut down operations in April, having been forced to ground its fleet since early this year.

IndiGo also gained by optimising its domestic network and growing its international routes, Chief Executive Ronojoy Dutta said on an analyst call.

"Jet Airways' cessation of service helped our performance in the last week of February and the whole of March," Dutta said.

Interglobe shares set a record closing high, up 2.5% at 1,662.15 rupees in a broader Mumbai market which ended up 0.7%.

Dutta said the shutdown at Jet increased revenue per available seat kilometre by between 3% and 4%. That number, a measure of the carrier's operating earnings, rose 5.9% in total to 3.63 rupees in January through March.

Jet's troubles have allowed IndiGo and other carriers such as SpiceJet to raise prices on some routes, offsetting some of the losses they faced last fiscal year because of high fuel prices and intense competition.

IndiGo's passenger yield, a measure of airfares, rose 12% during the quarter.

Higher fares

CEO Dutta said Jet's grounding helped IndiGo raise fares, but it will see the boost ease by June except in some international markets. "By and large international routes are doing well. We are happy with the utilisation and profitability," he said.

Available seat kilometres, a measure of the airline's passenger carrying capacity, is expected to rise 30% in the current fiscal year, with half of that in the domestic market and the other half in international, Dutta said.

The airline said that while it is studying the use of wide-body planes on international routes, it does not plan to place an order imminently. It will, however, take deliveries of 53 narrow-body Airbus planes and 11 ATR turboprops in the current fiscal year.

IndiGo has also seen significant improvements over the past year in the performance of engines made by Pratt &amp; Whitney (part of United Technologies), troubles with which had forced it to ground planes in the past, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, the airline's president and chief operating officer, said on the call.

"For most of the issues resolutions have been found and implemented," Prock-Schauer said, adding the group is working with Pratt on two areas, one of which is expected to be fixed in engines to be delivered from June and the other by September.

Until then the airline has sufficient spare engines, he said.

InterGlobe's profit for the quarter rose to 5.9 billion rupees from 1.18 billion a year earlier.

Interglobe Aviation Ltd, owner of Indian budget airline IndiGo, forecast a strong year ahead after the collapse of Jet Airways helped the company report a fivefold jump in fourth-quarter profit.

Interglobe Aviation Ltd, owner of Indian budget airline IndiGo, forecast a strong year ahead after the collapse of Jet Airways helped the company report a fivefold jump in fourth-quarter profit. IndiGo, the country's largest airline by market share, gained passengers in recent months after Jet Airways shut down operations in April, having been forced to ground its fleet since early this year. IndiGo also gained by optimising its domestic network and growing its international routes, Chief Executive Ronojoy Dutta said on an analyst call. "Jet Airways' cessation of service helped our performance in the last week of February and the whole of March," Dutta said. Interglobe shares set a record closing high, up 2.5% at 1,662.15 rupees in a broader Mumbai market which ended up 0.7%. Dutta said the shutdown at Jet increased revenue per available seat kilometre by between 3% and 4%. That number, a measure of the carrier's operating earnings, rose 5.9% in total to 3.63 rupees in January through March. Jet's troubles have allowed IndiGo and other carriers such as SpiceJet to raise prices on some routes, offsetting some of the losses they faced last fiscal year because of high fuel prices and intense competition. IndiGo's passenger yield, a measure of airfares, rose 12% during the quarter. Higher fares CEO Dutta said Jet's grounding helped IndiGo raise fares, but it will see the boost ease by June except in some international markets. "By and large international routes are doing well. We are happy with the utilisation and profitability," he said. Available seat kilometres, a measure of the airline's passenger carrying capacity, is expected to rise 30% in the current fiscal year, with half of that in the domestic market and the other half in international, Dutta said. The airline said that while it is studying the use of wide-body planes on international routes, it does not plan to place an order imminently. It will, however, take deliveries of 53 narrow-body Airbus planes and 11 ATR turboprops in the current fiscal year. IndiGo has also seen significant improvements over the past year in the performance of engines made by Pratt & Whitney (part of United Technologies), troubles with which had forced it to ground planes in the past, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, the airline's president and chief operating officer, said on the call. "For most of the issues resolutions have been found and implemented," Prock-Schauer said, adding the group is working with Pratt on two areas, one of which is expected to be fixed in engines to be delivered from June and the other by September. Until then the airline has sufficient spare engines, he said. InterGlobe's profit for the quarter rose to 5.9 billion rupees from 1.18 billion a year earlier.

IndiGo forecasts strong year as Jet Airways collapse boosts profit

No-frills airline SpiceJet Sunday announced the induction of a Boeing 737, taking its fleet size to 100 aircraft.

SpiceJet is the fourth domestic airline to achieve the feat after national carrier Air India, now defunct Jet Airways and rival IndiGo.

Eight domestic carriers - Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir, Air India&nbsp;Express, Vistara, AirAsia and Alliance together have 595 planes in their fleet at the moment.

Spicejet in a release said it has added some 23 planes in the last one month alone.

"Who could have thought that from the brink of closure in December 2014, SpiceJet would have a 100-aircraft fleet in 2019," SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said on the induction of 100th plane in the fleet.

The Gurugram-based budget carrier now has 68 Boeing 737s, 30 Bombardier Q-400s and two B737 freighters.

The airline at present operates 575 daily flights on an average to 62 destinations 53 domestic and nine international, it said.

SpiceJet is a key player in the Union government's regional connectivity scheme UDAN operating 42 flights per day to and from various regional destinations, it added.

"SpiceJet has added 23 planes and over a hundred new flights, most of them connecting the key metros of Mumbai and Delhi, in just over a month's time," the airline said.

Of the 595 planes, IndiGo has 230, Air India 128 and SpiceJet 100.

Jet Airways, which ceased operations around mid-last month, had 120 planes in its fleet before going bust.

Besides, GoAir has 49 planes, Air India Express 25, Vistara 22 and AirAsia India 21 planes in their fleet.

Alliance Air, which is the regional subsidiary of Air India, has 20 ATRs for operations.

SpiceJet had placed a USD 22 billion order for 205 aircraft with Boeing in 2015 and had followed it up with a USD 1.7 billion order for 50 Bombardier Q400 planes.

No-frills airline SpiceJet Sunday announced the induction of a Boeing 737, taking its fleet size to 100 aircraft. SpiceJet is the fourth domestic airline to achieve the feat after national carrier Air India, now defunct Jet Airways and rival IndiGo.

No-frills airline SpiceJet Sunday announced the induction of a Boeing 737, taking its fleet size to 100 aircraft. SpiceJet is the fourth domestic airline to achieve the feat after national carrier Air India, now defunct Jet Airways and rival IndiGo. Eight domestic carriers - Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir, Air India Express, Vistara, AirAsia and Alliance together have 595 planes in their fleet at the moment. Spicejet in a release said it has added some 23 planes in the last one month alone. "Who could have thought that from the brink of closure in December 2014, SpiceJet would have a 100-aircraft fleet in 2019," SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said on the induction of 100th plane in the fleet. The Gurugram-based budget carrier now has 68 Boeing 737s, 30 Bombardier Q-400s and two B737 freighters. The airline at present operates 575 daily flights on an average to 62 destinations 53 domestic and nine international, it said. SpiceJet is a key player in the Union government's regional connectivity scheme UDAN operating 42 flights per day to and from various regional destinations, it added. "SpiceJet has added 23 planes and over a hundred new flights, most of them connecting the key metros of Mumbai and Delhi, in just over a month's time," the airline said. Of the 595 planes, IndiGo has 230, Air India 128 and SpiceJet 100. Jet Airways, which ceased operations around mid-last month, had 120 planes in its fleet before going bust. Besides, GoAir has 49 planes, Air India Express 25, Vistara 22 and AirAsia India 21 planes in their fleet. Alliance Air, which is the regional subsidiary of Air India, has 20 ATRs for operations. SpiceJet had placed a USD 22 billion order for 205 aircraft with Boeing in 2015 and had followed it up with a USD 1.7 billion order for 50 Bombardier Q400 planes.

Spicejet adds 100th plane to fleet, becomes fourth domestic airline to do so

It was a close shave for Spicejet passengers at Shirdi airport as the airline's Shirdi-bound SG946 from Delhi overshot the runway on Monday.&nbsp;

All the passengers are safe, no harm or loss has been reported. Meanwhile, Shirdi Airport Director Deepak Shastri has said that the runway has been closed temporarily as rescue operations are underway.&nbsp;

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AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) to probe the SpiceJet incident in Shirdi today( aircraft overshot the runaway) <a href="https://t.co/GcS24fzQyP">https://t.co/GcS24fzQyP</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1122889167615082498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The airline, in a statement, said "A SpiceJet B737-800 aircraft operated between Delhi to Shirdi overshot the runway while landing at Shirdi. All passengers and crew are safe and are being deplaned normally".&nbsp;

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Maharashtra: Close shave for Spicejet passengers at Shirdi airport as Spicejet SG946 from Delhi to Shirdi overshot the runway. All passengers safe. Shirdi Airport Director Deepak Shastri says as rescue operation is underway the runway has been closed temporarily <a href="https://t.co/G8VZZPrM82">pic.twitter.com/G8VZZPrM82</a>
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The aircraft apparently touched down some 30-40 meters away from the landing spot and veered off the runway, news agency PTI reported.

A source also said the incident lead to a complete halting of operations at the airport that serves mostly the pilgrims visiting the popular Hindu shrine in the city, PTI reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

It was a close shave for Spicejet passengers at Shirdi airport as the airline's Shirdi-bound SG946 from Delhi overshot the runway on Monday. All the passengers are safe, no harm or loss has been reported.

It was a close shave for Spicejet passengers at Shirdi airport as the airline's Shirdi-bound SG946 from Delhi overshot the runway on Monday. All the passengers are safe, no harm or loss has been reported. Meanwhile, Shirdi Airport Director Deepak Shastri has said that the runway has been closed temporarily as rescue operations are underway. AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) to probe the SpiceJet incident in Shirdi today( aircraft overshot the runaway) https://t.co/GcS24fzQyP — ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019 × The airline, in a statement, said "A SpiceJet B737-800 aircraft operated between Delhi to Shirdi overshot the runway while landing at Shirdi. All passengers and crew are safe and are being deplaned normally". Maharashtra: Close shave for Spicejet passengers at Shirdi airport as Spicejet SG946 from Delhi to Shirdi overshot the runway. All passengers safe. Shirdi Airport Director Deepak Shastri says as rescue operation is underway the runway has been closed temporarily pic.twitter.com/G8VZZPrM82 — ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019 × The aircraft apparently touched down some 30-40 meters away from the landing spot and veered off the runway, news agency PTI reported. A source also said the incident lead to a complete halting of operations at the airport that serves mostly the pilgrims visiting the popular Hindu shrine in the city, PTI reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Shirdi-bound SpiceJet plane overshoots runway while landing

Budget airline SpiceJet Ltd said on Friday it planned to lease a "first lot" of 16 Boeing Co 737-800s to help fill a gap in aviation capacity that ratings agency ICRA said has pushed up fares by 30 to 40 per cent since September.

SpiceJet had cancelled some flights due to the grounding of its 12 737 MAX planes after Ethiopian Airlines' deadly March 10 crash. However, the bulk of the reduction, which ICRA said removed 15 per cent of market capacity, is due to Jet Airways Ltd grounding more than three-quarters of its fleet as a result of funding problems.

"The sudden reduction of aviation capacity has created a challenging environment in the sector," SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said in a statement. "SpiceJet is committed to working closely with the government authorities to augment capacity and minimise passenger inconvenience."

India's civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has directed the civil aviation secretary to review issues related to Jet Airways and take steps to minimise the inconvenience to passengers and ensure their safety, the minister said in a Tweet on Friday.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCCA) has de-registered 11 737-800s that had been leased by Jet Airways on request from lessors, the agency's website said, and another 14 requests for de-registration remain pending.

SpiceJet did not say whether it planned to lease planes that had previously been flown by Jet. The budget carrier's shares rose 5 per cent in early trade on Friday.

Budget airline SpiceJet Ltd said on Friday it planned to lease a "first lot" of 16 Boeing Co 737-800s to help fill a gap in aviation capacity that ratings agency ICRA said has pushed up fares by 30 to 40 per cent since September.

Budget airline SpiceJet Ltd said on Friday it planned to lease a "first lot" of 16 Boeing Co 737-800s to help fill a gap in aviation capacity that ratings agency ICRA said has pushed up fares by 30 to 40 per cent since September. SpiceJet had cancelled some flights due to the grounding of its 12 737 MAX planes after Ethiopian Airlines' deadly March 10 crash. However, the bulk of the reduction, which ICRA said removed 15 per cent of market capacity, is due to Jet Airways Ltd grounding more than three-quarters of its fleet as a result of funding problems. "The sudden reduction of aviation capacity has created a challenging environment in the sector," SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said in a statement. "SpiceJet is committed to working closely with the government authorities to augment capacity and minimise passenger inconvenience." India's civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has directed the civil aviation secretary to review issues related to Jet Airways and take steps to minimise the inconvenience to passengers and ensure their safety, the minister said in a Tweet on Friday. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCCA) has de-registered 11 737-800s that had been leased by Jet Airways on request from lessors, the agency's website said, and another 14 requests for de-registration remain pending. SpiceJet did not say whether it planned to lease planes that had previously been flown by Jet. The budget carrier's shares rose 5 per cent in early trade on Friday.

SpiceJet to lease 16 Boeing 737s to fill gap as groundings push up fares

Low-cost airline SpiceJet said on Monday that it was a sad day for Indian aviation as Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal stepped down from the board of financially-strapped Jet Airways.

"Today is indeed a sad day for Indian aviation. By launching a truly world class airline, Naresh and Anita Goyal made India proud," said SpiceJet's Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh.

"This is also a wake-up call for Indian policymakers," he said. "We urgently need to address structural challenges that make India's airlines uncompetitive to airlines around the world," Singh added.

According to reports, SpiceJet is planning to lease Jet Airways' grounded planes from their lessons. The move is aimed at restoring the aviation industry's seat capacity and keeping airfares in check.

Singh is credited with the turnaround of budget carrier SpiceJet, which was once in dire financial straits. The airline has clocked the highest load factor for several quarters in a row.

Low-cost airline SpiceJet said on Monday that it was a sad day for Indian aviation as Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal stepped down from the board of financially-strapped Jet Airways.

Low-cost airline SpiceJet said on Monday that it was a sad day for Indian aviation as Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal stepped down from the board of financially-strapped Jet Airways. "Today is indeed a sad day for Indian aviation. By launching a truly world class airline, Naresh and Anita Goyal made India proud," said SpiceJet's Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh. "This is also a wake-up call for Indian policymakers," he said. "We urgently need to address structural challenges that make India's airlines uncompetitive to airlines around the world," Singh added. According to reports, SpiceJet is planning to lease Jet Airways' grounded planes from their lessons. The move is aimed at restoring the aviation industry's seat capacity and keeping airfares in check. Singh is credited with the turnaround of budget carrier SpiceJet, which was once in dire financial straits. The airline has clocked the highest load factor for several quarters in a row.

Sad day for Indian aviation, says SpiceJet on exit of Naresh Goyal from Jet Airways

Trouble for Jet Airways: Market share drops

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-terrorists-shoot-dead-gardener-who-used-to-work-with-the-army-in-pulwama-203102">J&amp;K: Suspected terrorists shoot </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-terrorists-shoot-dead-gardener-who-used-to-work-with-the-army-in-pulwama-203102">dead</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-terrorists-shoot-dead-gardener-who-used-to-work-with-the-army-in-pulwama-203102"> man who had enrolled with the army</a>

Suspected terrorists have shot dead a 25-year-old man in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. The man was identified as Ashiq Ahmad.&nbsp;

Ashiq was shot and critically wounded in Pulwama's Pingleena village. He was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.&nbsp;

Initial reports had suggested Ashiq used to work as a gardener with the Indian Army but that he resigned his job a few months ago.&nbsp;

The army however said Ashiq had enrolled with them on January 15, 2018 but that he deserted eight months later.&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-case-government-tells-sc-accessing-of-internal-secret-deliberations-jeopardised-national-security-203114">Rafale case: Petitioners' documents jeopardised national security, </a><a class="gr-progress" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-case-government-tells-sc-accessing-of-internal-secret-deliberations-jeopardised-national-security-203114">government</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-case-government-tells-sc-accessing-of-internal-secret-deliberations-jeopardised-national-security-203114"> tells Supreme Court</a>

The government on Wednesday filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court in the Rafale case, saying that “unauthorisedly-accessed” documents related to “internal secret deliberations” had been presented in a “selective” manner to mislead the top court and amounted to jeopardising national security.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-all-boeing-737-max-planes-now-grounded-government-warns-tomorrow-will-be-real-challenging-day-203110">India: All Boeing 737 Max planes now grounded, government warns tomorrow will be 'real challenging day'</a>

All Boeing 737 Max planes flying in the country have now been grounded. The ban came into effect at 4 pm on Wednesday after two recent crashes of the aircraft, one in Ethiopia this Sunday and one in October last year in Indonesia.&nbsp;

"As of now, all flights of Boeing 737 Max have been grounded," Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said on Wednesday. &nbsp;

Kharola added that the flights were grounded "before the deadline of 4 pm", but he also warned that tomorrow will be "a real challenging day".&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-mps-to-vote-today-on-whether-they-want-no-deal-brexit-203112">British MPs to vote today on whether they want no-deal Brexit</a>

British MPs will vote Wednesday on whether they want to avert a potentially chaotic "no-deal" exit from the EU, as business leaders warned the country was "staring down the precipice" after parliament rejected a divorce agreement.

Parliament is expected to vote against leaving the bloc without a deal — although it remains the default option unless an alternative can be secured by the fast-approaching March 29 Brexit date.&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kartarpur-corridor-talks-india-hopes-for-meaningful-talks-may-raise-khalistani-propaganda-with-pakistan-203092">Kartarpur corridor: India hopes for 'meaningful' talks with Pakistan, may raise Khalistan propaganda</a>

India and Pakistan will hold talks on Thursday to decide the modalities of the Kartarpur corridor. The corridor was agreed upon by both countries in November 2018.&nbsp;

The talks will be held on March 14 on the Indian side of the Wagah-Attari border.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

J&K: Suspected terrorists shoot dead man who had enrolled with the army Suspected terrorists have shot dead a 25-year-old man in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. The man was identified as Ashiq Ahmad.

J&K: Suspected terrorists shoot dead man who had enrolled with the army Suspected terrorists have shot dead a 25-year-old man in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. The man was identified as Ashiq Ahmad. Ashiq was shot and critically wounded in Pulwama's Pingleena village. He was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Initial reports had suggested Ashiq used to work as a gardener with the Indian Army but that he resigned his job a few months ago. The army however said Ashiq had enrolled with them on January 15, 2018 but that he deserted eight months later. Rafale case: Petitioners' documents jeopardised national security, government tells Supreme Court The government on Wednesday filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court in the Rafale case, saying that “unauthorisedly-accessed” documents related to “internal secret deliberations” had been presented in a “selective” manner to mislead the top court and amounted to jeopardising national security. India: All Boeing 737 Max planes now grounded, government warns tomorrow will be 'real challenging day' All Boeing 737 Max planes flying in the country have now been grounded. The ban came into effect at 4 pm on Wednesday after two recent crashes of the aircraft, one in Ethiopia this Sunday and one in October last year in Indonesia. "As of now, all flights of Boeing 737 Max have been grounded," Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said on Wednesday. Kharola added that the flights were grounded "before the deadline of 4 pm", but he also warned that tomorrow will be "a real challenging day". British MPs to vote today on whether they want no-deal Brexit British MPs will vote Wednesday on whether they want to avert a potentially chaotic "no-deal" exit from the EU, as business leaders warned the country was "staring down the precipice" after parliament rejected a divorce agreement. Parliament is expected to vote against leaving the bloc without a deal — although it remains the default option unless an alternative can be secured by the fast-approaching March 29 Brexit date. Kartarpur corridor: India hopes for 'meaningful' talks with Pakistan, may raise Khalistan propaganda India and Pakistan will hold talks on Thursday to decide the modalities of the Kartarpur corridor. The corridor was agreed upon by both countries in November 2018. The talks will be held on March 14 on the Indian side of the Wagah-Attari border.

News brief: Big stories of the day

All Boeing 737 Max planes flying in the country have now been grounded. The ban came into effect at 4 pm on Wednesday after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/four-indians-among-those-dead-in-ethiopian-airlines-plane-crash-202378">two recent crashes of the aircraft</a>, one in Ethiopia this Sunday and one in October last year in Indonesia.&nbsp;

"As of now, all flights of Boeing 737 Max have been grounded," Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said on Wednesday. &nbsp;

Kharola added that the flights were grounded "before the deadline of 4 pm", but he also warned that tomorrow will be "a real challenging day".&nbsp;

"Today, SpiceJet cancelled 14 flights. It operates 500 plus flights daily and 14 were cancelled. They've been able to accommodate all passengers on their own. Tomorrow is going to be a real challenging day, as today grounding came into effect in second half of the day," Kharola said.&nbsp;

He added that the government had had a "discussion with the airlines as to how they plan to reduce inconvenience to passengers".&nbsp;

At the moment, SpiceJet is the only Indian airline flying the Boeing 737 Max 8.&nbsp;

It has 12 of them.&nbsp;

Jet Airlines has 5 of the Boeings, but they were already grounded before the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday.&nbsp;

"SpiceJet says they've increased utilisation of existing aircraft," Kharola said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

He said that "about 30-35 flights will get affected tomorrow" but that SpiceJet have "assured that no airport that has SpiceJet service will go unserviced."&nbsp;

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MoCA Secy: Today SpiceJet has cancelled 14 flights, it operates 500 plus flights daily &amp; 14 were cancelled. They've been able to accommodate all passengers on their own. Tomorrow is going to be a real challenging day, as today grounding came into effect in 2nd half of the day <a href="https://t.co/S7aykJOaf2">pic.twitter.com/S7aykJOaf2</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1105794691751129088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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He added that SpiceJet would set up a special cell to monitor passengers' complaints.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

All Boeing 737 Max planes flying in the country have now been grounded. The ban came into effect at 4 pm on Wednesday after two recent crashes of the aircraft, one in Ethiopia this Sunday and one in October last year in Indonesia.

All Boeing 737 Max planes flying in the country have now been grounded. The ban came into effect at 4 pm on Wednesday after two recent crashes of the aircraft, one in Ethiopia this Sunday and one in October last year in Indonesia. "As of now, all flights of Boeing 737 Max have been grounded," Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said on Wednesday. Kharola added that the flights were grounded "before the deadline of 4 pm", but he also warned that tomorrow will be "a real challenging day". "Today, SpiceJet cancelled 14 flights. It operates 500 plus flights daily and 14 were cancelled. They've been able to accommodate all passengers on their own. Tomorrow is going to be a real challenging day, as today grounding came into effect in second half of the day," Kharola said. He added that the government had had a "discussion with the airlines as to how they plan to reduce inconvenience to passengers". At the moment, SpiceJet is the only Indian airline flying the Boeing 737 Max 8. It has 12 of them. Jet Airlines has 5 of the Boeings, but they were already grounded before the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday. "SpiceJet says they've increased utilisation of existing aircraft," Kharola said on Wednesday. He said that "about 30-35 flights will get affected tomorrow" but that SpiceJet have "assured that no airport that has SpiceJet service will go unserviced." MoCA Secy: Today SpiceJet has cancelled 14 flights, it operates 500 plus flights daily & 14 were cancelled. They've been able to accommodate all passengers on their own. Tomorrow is going to be a real challenging day, as today grounding came into effect in 2nd half of the day pic.twitter.com/S7aykJOaf2 — ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2019 × He added that SpiceJet would set up a special cell to monitor passengers' complaints.

India: All Boeing 737 Max planes now grounded, government warns tomorrow will be 'real challenging day'

Indian airline SpiceJet jumped to the defence of the Boeing 737 MAX on Tuesday even as countries grounded the aircraft following the Ethiopian Airlines crash.

"The Boeing 737 MAX is a highly sophisticated aircraft," SpiceJet, which has 13 B-737 MAX 8 planes in its 75-aircraft fleet, said in a statement.

"It has flown hundreds of thousands of hours globally and some of the world's largest airlines are flying this aircraft," it added.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/australia-temporarily-suspends-boeing-737-max-service-after-china-singapore-stops-service-202856">South Korea on Tuesday became the latest countr</a>y to suspend operations of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, following Singapore, China and Indonesia.

Australia barred all 737 MAX planes from its airspace while US authorities ordered Boeing to improve anti-stalling software and the model's manoeuvring system.

On Sunday an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 went down minutes into a flight to Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board.&nbsp;

It came after a Lion Air jet of the same model crashed in Indonesia in October, killing 189.

India's aviation regulator said Monday it had imposed additional "interim" safety requirements for ground engineers and crew for the aircraft but stopped short of ordering their grounding.

SpiceJet said it had implemented the additional "precautionary measures" and was "actively engaged" with Boeing and the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

The only other Indian airline to have the Boeing in its fleet is Jet Airways.

Jet, which has had to ground parts of its fleet in recent weeks due to its financial woes, said earlier that none of its five B-737 MAX aircraft was in operation.

SpiceJet was relaunched as a low-cost carrier in 2004 after being bought by industrialist Ajay Singh. It is now India's number four airline.

India's aviation sector is expected to become the world's third-largest by 2025, with passenger numbers booming six-fold over the past decade. 
&nbsp;

Indian airline SpiceJet jumped to the defence of the Boeing 737 MAX on Tuesday even as countries grounded the aircraft following the Ethiopian Airlines crash. "The Boeing 737 MAX is a highly sophisticated aircraft," SpiceJet, which has 13 B-737 MAX 8 planes in its 75-aircraft fleet, said in a statement.

Indian airline SpiceJet jumped to the defence of the Boeing 737 MAX on Tuesday even as countries grounded the aircraft following the Ethiopian Airlines crash. "The Boeing 737 MAX is a highly sophisticated aircraft," SpiceJet, which has 13 B-737 MAX 8 planes in its 75-aircraft fleet, said in a statement. "It has flown hundreds of thousands of hours globally and some of the world's largest airlines are flying this aircraft," it added. South Korea on Tuesday became the latest country to suspend operations of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, following Singapore, China and Indonesia. Australia barred all 737 MAX planes from its airspace while US authorities ordered Boeing to improve anti-stalling software and the model's manoeuvring system. On Sunday an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 went down minutes into a flight to Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board. It came after a Lion Air jet of the same model crashed in Indonesia in October, killing 189. India's aviation regulator said Monday it had imposed additional "interim" safety requirements for ground engineers and crew for the aircraft but stopped short of ordering their grounding. SpiceJet said it had implemented the additional "precautionary measures" and was "actively engaged" with Boeing and the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The only other Indian airline to have the Boeing in its fleet is Jet Airways. Jet, which has had to ground parts of its fleet in recent weeks due to its financial woes, said earlier that none of its five B-737 MAX aircraft was in operation. SpiceJet was relaunched as a low-cost carrier in 2004 after being bought by industrialist Ajay Singh. It is now India's number four airline. India's aviation sector is expected to become the world's third-largest by 2025, with passenger numbers booming six-fold over the past decade.

SpiceJet defends 'sophisticated' Boeing 737 MAX

For the second time in less than six months, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 has crashed minutes after takeoff and killed everyone on board, raising fresh questions about the safety of a model that is crucial to the US giant's future plans.

On Sunday, the 157 passengers and crew members of a 737 MAX operated by Ethiopian Airlines were killed. It was the same model as the plane that crashed in Indonesia in October, claiming the lives of the 189 people it carried.

Aviation regulator DGCA will seek information from Boeing as well as Jet Airways and SpiceJet operating Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the wake of the plane crash in Ethiopia, according to a senior official.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would seek information from plane maker Boeing and Indian carriers operating Boeing 737 MAX planes in India, according to the official.

Jet Airways and SpiceJet fly Boeing 737 MAX planes.

China's aviation regulator has also ordered Chinese airlines to suspend their Boeing Co 737 MAX aircraft operations by 6 pm following a deadly crash of a 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines.

It was the second crash of the 737 MAX, the latest version of Boeing's workhorse narrowbody jet that first entered service in 2017.

For the second time in less than six months, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 has crashed minutes after takeoff and killed everyone on board, raising fresh questions about the safety of a model that is crucial to the US giant's future plans.

For the second time in less than six months, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 has crashed minutes after takeoff and killed everyone on board, raising fresh questions about the safety of a model that is crucial to the US giant's future plans. On Sunday, the 157 passengers and crew members of a 737 MAX operated by Ethiopian Airlines were killed. It was the same model as the plane that crashed in Indonesia in October, claiming the lives of the 189 people it carried. Aviation regulator DGCA will seek information from Boeing as well as Jet Airways and SpiceJet operating Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the wake of the plane crash in Ethiopia, according to a senior official. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would seek information from plane maker Boeing and Indian carriers operating Boeing 737 MAX planes in India, according to the official. Jet Airways and SpiceJet fly Boeing 737 MAX planes. China's aviation regulator has also ordered Chinese airlines to suspend their Boeing Co 737 MAX aircraft operations by 6 pm following a deadly crash of a 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines. It was the second crash of the 737 MAX, the latest version of Boeing's workhorse narrowbody jet that first entered service in 2017.

Jet Airways, SpiceJet to be questioned on Boeing B737 MAX planes after Ethiopian crash

A Spicejet Boeing 737-Max made an emergency landing in Varanasi today after the plane's left engine developed a snag.&nbsp;

The 737-Max, with over 140 passengers on board, was flying from Hong Kong to Delhi.&nbsp;All passengers and crew are safe.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Varanasi Airport Director: A Boeing 737 Max, Spicejet flight on Hongkong-Delhi route made an emergency landing due to a snag in the left engine at the Varanasi airport at 10am today. All 140+ passengers are safe. More details awaited. <a href="https://t.co/KZfjKoV1xO">pic.twitter.com/KZfjKoV1xO</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1081862017701404672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Lion Air jet that crashed in Indonesia in October last year, killing all 189 people on board, had also been a Boeing 737-Max. The plane had crashed in the Java sea some 12 minutes after taking off from Jakarta.&nbsp;

Faulty data from one of the plane's onboard sensors had repeatedly forced the aircraft to tilt its nose down.&nbsp;The Lion Air flight had been commanded by Delhi boy Bhavye Suneja.&nbsp;

Since the crash, Boeing has told WION that the 737-Max is "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-provide-answers-after-investigation-into-lion-air-crash-is-over-boeing-to-wion-185379">as safe as any other plane flying out there</a>".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, an Air India Express plane flying from Mumbai to Dubai also made an emergency landing at the Mumbai airport on Sunday due to a hydraulic failure. 
&nbsp;

A Spicejet Boeing 737-Max made an emergency landing in Varanasi today after the plane's left engine developed a snag. The 737-Max, with over 140 passengers on board, was flying from Hong Kong to Delhi.

A Spicejet Boeing 737-Max made an emergency landing in Varanasi today after the plane's left engine developed a snag. The 737-Max, with over 140 passengers on board, was flying from Hong Kong to Delhi. All passengers and crew are safe. Varanasi Airport Director: A Boeing 737 Max, Spicejet flight on Hongkong-Delhi route made an emergency landing due to a snag in the left engine at the Varanasi airport at 10am today. All 140+ passengers are safe. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/KZfjKoV1xO — ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2019 × The Lion Air jet that crashed in Indonesia in October last year, killing all 189 people on board, had also been a Boeing 737-Max. The plane had crashed in the Java sea some 12 minutes after taking off from Jakarta. Faulty data from one of the plane's onboard sensors had repeatedly forced the aircraft to tilt its nose down. The Lion Air flight had been commanded by Delhi boy Bhavye Suneja. Since the crash, Boeing has told WION that the 737-Max is "as safe as any other plane flying out there". Meanwhile, an Air India Express plane flying from Mumbai to Dubai also made an emergency landing at the Mumbai airport on Sunday due to a hydraulic failure.

SpiceJet Boeing 737-Max makes emergency landing in Varanasi

Aviation regulator DGCA has asked Jet Airways and SpiceJet to take corrective action to address possible issues with their Boeing 737 MAX planes that could lead to "significant altitude loss" of the aircraft, a senior official said Thursday.

The latest directive follows advisories issued by the US watchdog Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing after the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX plane operated by Indonesia's Lion Air last month.

Currently, Jet Airways and SpiceJet fly Boeing 737 MAX planes in India. Together, there are at least six such aircraft with the two carriers.

"Both the documents address erroneous high 'angle of attack' (AOA) sensor input and corrective action for the same as it has potential for repeated nose-down trim commands of horizontal stabiliser," a senior Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official told PTI.

The official said if the condition is not addressed, it could cause the flight crew to have difficulty in controlling the airplane.

The condition can even lead to "excessive nose-down attitude, significant altitude loss, and possible impact with terrain," the official noted.

Based on the initial investigation of Lion Air aircraft accident, the FAA issued emergency airworthiness directive (AD) on November 7. Boeing released a bulletin about the issue on November 6.

The DGCA official said that within three days after receipt of FAA AD, changes to airplane flight manual have to be done, for procedures which have to be followed by flight crew.

"The DGCA has ensured that all Indian operators are aware of the FAA AD and have taken appropriate corrective action," he added.

Jet Airways, which has at least five MAX planes in its fleet, said these planes continue to fly in compliance with the AD issued by the manufacturer and the regulatory authorities.

"The airline is in contact with them and committed to implement all directives or advisories that may be published by either the manufacturer or DGCA as the safety of guests and crew is of paramount importance at Jet Airways," an airline spokesperson said.

Comments from SpiceJet was awaited. Together, the two airlines have placed orders for more than 400 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

On November 6, Boeing said it had issued an Operations Manual Bulletin (OMB) directing operators to existing flight crew procedures to address circumstances where there is erroneous input from an AOA sensor.

On October 30, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said the DGCA had been asked to look at engines and other issues related to airlines following the plane crash in Indonesia.

The DGCA had reviewed the performance of Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes operated by Jet Airways and SpiceJet. The review came a day after a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by Lion Air crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Jakarta. There were more than 180 people on board.

The watchdog had also sought details about the plane crash from Boeing and FAA.

In September, the minister directed officials concerned to prepare a comprehensive safety audit plan, which involves assessment of safety parameters of all scheduled airlines, aerodromes, flying training schools and maintenance, repair and overhaul organisations (MROs).

Aviation regulator DGCA has asked Jet Airways and SpiceJet to take corrective action to address possible issues with their Boeing 737 MAX planes that could lead to "significant altitude loss" of the aircraft, a senior official said Thursday.

Aviation regulator DGCA has asked Jet Airways and SpiceJet to take corrective action to address possible issues with their Boeing 737 MAX planes that could lead to "significant altitude loss" of the aircraft, a senior official said Thursday. The latest directive follows advisories issued by the US watchdog Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing after the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX plane operated by Indonesia's Lion Air last month. Currently, Jet Airways and SpiceJet fly Boeing 737 MAX planes in India. Together, there are at least six such aircraft with the two carriers. "Both the documents address erroneous high 'angle of attack' (AOA) sensor input and corrective action for the same as it has potential for repeated nose-down trim commands of horizontal stabiliser," a senior Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official told PTI. The official said if the condition is not addressed, it could cause the flight crew to have difficulty in controlling the airplane. The condition can even lead to "excessive nose-down attitude, significant altitude loss, and possible impact with terrain," the official noted. Based on the initial investigation of Lion Air aircraft accident, the FAA issued emergency airworthiness directive (AD) on November 7. Boeing released a bulletin about the issue on November 6. The DGCA official said that within three days after receipt of FAA AD, changes to airplane flight manual have to be done, for procedures which have to be followed by flight crew. "The DGCA has ensured that all Indian operators are aware of the FAA AD and have taken appropriate corrective action," he added. Jet Airways, which has at least five MAX planes in its fleet, said these planes continue to fly in compliance with the AD issued by the manufacturer and the regulatory authorities. "The airline is in contact with them and committed to implement all directives or advisories that may be published by either the manufacturer or DGCA as the safety of guests and crew is of paramount importance at Jet Airways," an airline spokesperson said. Comments from SpiceJet was awaited. Together, the two airlines have placed orders for more than 400 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. On November 6, Boeing said it had issued an Operations Manual Bulletin (OMB) directing operators to existing flight crew procedures to address circumstances where there is erroneous input from an AOA sensor. On October 30, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said the DGCA had been asked to look at engines and other issues related to airlines following the plane crash in Indonesia. The DGCA had reviewed the performance of Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes operated by Jet Airways and SpiceJet. The review came a day after a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by Lion Air crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Jakarta. There were more than 180 people on board. The watchdog had also sought details about the plane crash from Boeing and FAA. In September, the minister directed officials concerned to prepare a comprehensive safety audit plan, which involves assessment of safety parameters of all scheduled airlines, aerodromes, flying training schools and maintenance, repair and overhaul organisations (MROs).

DGCA asks Jet Airways, SpiceJet to take action on sensor-related issues with Boeing 737 MAX planes 

An alert by Varanasi airport Air Traffic Controller or ATC prevented two aircraft from coming on a collision course at the runway on Tuesday, following which one of the airlines grounded two of its pilots.

Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline.

The incident occurred when an IndiGo aircraft with 178 passengers onboard was about to take off for Mumbai. The ATC had asked the SpiceJet flight to remain at the holding point till the IndiGo plane took off, airport sources said.

However, according to the SpiceJet spokesperson, the aircraft while taxing to the runway "inadvertently" crossed the runway holding point.

Noticing the incursion, the ATC immediately alerted the IndiGo plane, which aborted take off, the sources said.

The matter has been referred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo said.

"IndiGo aircraft VT-IHS operating 3175 (Varanasi -Mumbai) in spite of having ATC clearance had to abort the takeoff at a low speed because the aircraft of another carrier came on the runway. IndiGo cockpit crew followed standard operating procedures in compliance with the ATC instructions. IndiGo has voluntarily reported the matter to the DGCA," the airline said in a statement.

SpiceJet, in a statement, said, "On 12th June 2018, SpiceJet Boeing 737 800 aircraft &nbsp;VT-SGH was scheduled to operate SG-705 , sector Varanasi-Hyderabad. At Varanasi while taxing to the runway the aircraft inadvertently crossed the runway holding point."

"The ATC asked the pilot to hold position and later cleared it for take off," SpiceJet said.&nbsp;

Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline.

An alert by Varanasi airport Air Traffic Controller or ATC prevented two aircraft from coming on a collision course at the runway on Tuesday, following which one of the airlines grounded two of its pilots. Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline. The incident occurred when an IndiGo aircraft with 178 passengers onboard was about to take off for Mumbai. The ATC had asked the SpiceJet flight to remain at the holding point till the IndiGo plane took off, airport sources said. However, according to the SpiceJet spokesperson, the aircraft while taxing to the runway "inadvertently" crossed the runway holding point. Noticing the incursion, the ATC immediately alerted the IndiGo plane, which aborted take off, the sources said. The matter has been referred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo said. "IndiGo aircraft VT-IHS operating 3175 (Varanasi -Mumbai) in spite of having ATC clearance had to abort the takeoff at a low speed because the aircraft of another carrier came on the runway. IndiGo cockpit crew followed standard operating procedures in compliance with the ATC instructions. IndiGo has voluntarily reported the matter to the DGCA," the airline said in a statement. SpiceJet, in a statement, said, "On 12th June 2018, SpiceJet Boeing 737 800 aircraft VT-SGH was scheduled to operate SG-705 , sector Varanasi-Hyderabad. At Varanasi while taxing to the runway the aircraft inadvertently crossed the runway holding point." "The ATC asked the pilot to hold position and later cleared it for take off," SpiceJet said.

SpiceJet flight "inadvertently" crosses runway , almost collides with aircraft in Varanasi

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to remain close on Tuesday as well following the yearly pre-monsoon maintenance work.

Following the closure, flight services were hit badly with various airlines cancelling or rescheduling the flights.

According to reports as many as 225 flights have been cancelled from Monday to Tuesday morning.

Flight services of Airlines including Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir and Vistara were cancelled.

The primary city airport is the main base of Jet Airways for its both domestic and international operations.

Jet Airways cancelled 70 flights, including 54 domestic services, Air India decided not to operate 34 flights in view of the runway closure.

Jet Airways also rescheduled 70 flights, including 17 international ones, while Air India diverted four flights.

Jet Airways also announced a list of rescheduled and cancelled flights on its website.

SpiceJet and GoAir said they cancelled 18 and seven flights respectively, while Vistara said it did not operate six services.

On an average, there are 970 flight arrivals and departures at the Mumbai airport every day.

Passengers who are travelling during the time of 11am to 5 pm are advised to contact airline first to confirm the timings.

Earlier this year, several flights were cancelled and rescheduled at the primary international airport of Mumbai after a similar shut down carried by Mumbai International Airport Limited.

Reports say that Chhatrapati Shivani Maharaj International Airport is India's second busiest airport in terms of total passengers. It comes on number 14 on the list of the busiest airport in Asia.

The airport's passenger traffic crossed 45 million in 2016-17.

(With inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp;

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to remain close on Tuesday as well following the yearly pre-monsoon maintenance work

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to remain close on Tuesday as well following the yearly pre-monsoon maintenance work. Following the closure, flight services were hit badly with various airlines cancelling or rescheduling the flights. According to reports as many as 225 flights have been cancelled from Monday to Tuesday morning. Flight services of Airlines including Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir and Vistara were cancelled. The primary city airport is the main base of Jet Airways for its both domestic and international operations. Jet Airways cancelled 70 flights, including 54 domestic services, Air India decided not to operate 34 flights in view of the runway closure. Jet Airways also rescheduled 70 flights, including 17 international ones, while Air India diverted four flights. Jet Airways also announced a list of rescheduled and cancelled flights on its website. SpiceJet and GoAir said they cancelled 18 and seven flights respectively, while Vistara said it did not operate six services. On an average, there are 970 flight arrivals and departures at the Mumbai airport every day. Passengers who are travelling during the time of 11am to 5 pm are advised to contact airline first to confirm the timings. Earlier this year, several flights were cancelled and rescheduled at the primary international airport of Mumbai after a similar shut down carried by Mumbai International Airport Limited. Reports say that Chhatrapati Shivani Maharaj International Airport is India's second busiest airport in terms of total passengers. It comes on number 14 on the list of the busiest airport in Asia. The airport's passenger traffic crossed 45 million in 2016-17. (With inputs from PTI)

Mumbai: 225 flights cancelled following the airport runway closure

Female crew members of SpiceJet have alleged that they were strip-searched by the airline's security staff on the night of March 28-29 at an airport.

In a letter to the SpiceJet management, the crew members narrated the ordeal, which they claimed, was aimed at "targeting and degrading their feminity".

The air hostesses were reportedly searched on the suspicion that they were swindling cash collected from the sale of food and other items onboard.

"We were treated like criminals the moment we stepped out of the aircraft. Two male staff escorted us to a room where 4-5 female ground staff were waiting. They opened our bags and checked everything from our clothes to mandatory items and all the personal and private belongings of ladies even they were new and sealed," the letter alleged.

The letter further claimed that "after the bag check was over, we were treated in an inhuman way.

The staff forced us to take off our undergarments and we were frisked maliciously and in an inappropriate manner. they unzipped our uniforms, put their hands inside it and frisked our private body parts violating our fundamental right to privacy to the core".

In a statement, SpiceJet admitted that "based on a specific security tip-off following certain recent instances in other airlines, SpiceJet's Security team undertook searches at few of our stations on the night of 28/29 March.

The budget airline also underlined that the search was the same as what any passenger goes through at any of the Indian airports while going through security check.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said that "as a global industry practice, random `pat down'&nbspsearch was conducted on various employees, including cabin crew, from time to time."

"One of the objectives of this search is to ensure that there is no pilferage of company moneys/goods, smuggling or any illegal activity that an employee may be lured into. This also ensures security and safety of our passengers, our employees and our assets," said the spokesperson.

The airline also said, "These searches are not only a normal aviation industry practice, but also in multiple industries across the world. SpiceJet has a well laid down SOP for such activity, which has been stringently followed."It added that these searches are conducted as per strict norms laid down by the security agencies in closed rooms, and by well-trained employees of the same gender (only women security staff search women employees).

The air hostesses were reportedly searched on the suspicion that they were swindling cash collected from the sale of food and other items onboard

Female crew members of SpiceJet have alleged that they were strip-searched by the airline's security staff on the night of March 28-29 at an airport. In a letter to the SpiceJet management, the crew members narrated the ordeal, which they claimed, was aimed at "targeting and degrading their feminity". The air hostesses were reportedly searched on the suspicion that they were swindling cash collected from the sale of food and other items onboard. "We were treated like criminals the moment we stepped out of the aircraft. Two male staff escorted us to a room where 4-5 female ground staff were waiting. They opened our bags and checked everything from our clothes to mandatory items and all the personal and private belongings of ladies even they were new and sealed," the letter alleged. The letter further claimed that "after the bag check was over, we were treated in an inhuman way. The staff forced us to take off our undergarments and we were frisked maliciously and in an inappropriate manner. they unzipped our uniforms, put their hands inside it and frisked our private body parts violating our fundamental right to privacy to the core". In a statement, SpiceJet admitted that "based on a specific security tip-off following certain recent instances in other airlines, SpiceJet's Security team undertook searches at few of our stations on the night of 28/29 March. The budget airline also underlined that the search was the same as what any passenger goes through at any of the Indian airports while going through security check. A SpiceJet spokesperson said that "as a global industry practice, random `pat down'&nbspsearch was conducted on various employees, including cabin crew, from time to time." "One of the objectives of this search is to ensure that there is no pilferage of company moneys/goods, smuggling or any illegal activity that an employee may be lured into. This also ensures security and safety of our passengers, our employees and our assets," said the spokesperson. The airline also said, "These searches are not only a normal aviation industry practice, but also in multiple industries across the world. SpiceJet has a well laid down SOP for such activity, which has been stringently followed."It added that these searches are conducted as per strict norms laid down by the security agencies in closed rooms, and by well-trained employees of the same gender (only women security staff search women employees).

SpiceJet female crew allege strip-search by airline

The Delhi High Court on&nbsp;Tuesday accepted the orders of the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to partially shift IndiGo and SpiceJet from IGI airport&#39;s terminal T-1 to T-2.&nbsp;

The decision came after the High court upheld a previous judgment&nbsp;pronounced by a single judge on December 20,&nbsp;2017.&nbsp;

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Rekha Palli, however, directed IndiGo and SpiceJet to approach DIAL within one week.

The airport regulator shall in another week decide when the airlines have to shift their operations.

The bench also said that if the airlines failed to approach DIAL, the airport regulator was free to send them a communication about shifting of their services.

The high court&#39;s decision came on IndiGo and SpiceJet&#39;s plea challenging its single judge order of December 20 last year, upholding DIAL&#39;s decision to partially shift the operations of private carriers IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet from Terminal-1 (T-1) to Terminal-2 (T-2) at the IGI Airport.

On October 21 last year, DIAL had asked the three airlines to shift their flights to and from Delhi to Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru to T-2 from January 4. All other flights of the airlines would continue to operate from T-1, the airport operator had said.

While upholding DIAL&#39;s decision, the single judge had given the airlines time till February 15 to partially shift their operations.

GoAir shifted all its operations to T-2, saying partial shifting of its operations would &quot;kill&quot; it as it was a smaller airline.

The decision came after the High court upheld a previous judgment pronounced by a single judge on December 20, 2017

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday accepted the orders of the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to partially shift IndiGo and SpiceJet from IGI airport's terminal T-1 to T-2. The decision came after the High court upheld a previous judgment pronounced by a single judge on December 20, 2017. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Rekha Palli, however, directed IndiGo and SpiceJet to approach DIAL within one week. The airport regulator shall in another week decide when the airlines have to shift their operations. The bench also said that if the airlines failed to approach DIAL, the airport regulator was free to send them a communication about shifting of their services. The high court's decision came on IndiGo and SpiceJet's plea challenging its single judge order of December 20 last year, upholding DIAL's decision to partially shift the operations of private carriers IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet from Terminal-1 (T-1) to Terminal-2 (T-2) at the IGI Airport. On October 21 last year, DIAL had asked the three airlines to shift their flights to and from Delhi to Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru to T-2 from January 4. All other flights of the airlines would continue to operate from T-1, the airport operator had said. While upholding DIAL's decision, the single judge had given the airlines time till February 15 to partially shift their operations. GoAir shifted all its operations to T-2, saying partial shifting of its operations would "kill" it as it was a smaller airline.

High Court upholds DIAL order on IndiGo, SpiceJet shifting operations to T-2

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet today said it is exploring possibilities to introduce seaplanes on the Brahmaputra in Assam, making the river the largest waterways in the world. 
 
&quot;We are exploring possibilities for introducing seaplanes in Assam. With the seaplanes, Brahmaputra can be the largest waterway in the world,&quot; SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said at the inaugural function of the Global Investors Summit 2018 here. 
 
Seaplanes have immense potential in the form of tourism, adventure travel as well as improving connectivity, he said but did not elaborate on the company&#39;s plans on introducing them. 
 
Seaplanes are typically fixed-wing aircraft with a much fewer number of seats and can take off from and land on water. 
 
While they have been in use since the 19th century, they have lagged behind full-fledged aircraft after heavy investments were made in setting up airports in the 20th century. They have been re-emerging as a niche segment. 
 
On the air network, the Singh said &quot;We propose to connect Assam to Thailand, Myanmar and other ASEAN countries. This will surely help the region grow economically.&quot; 
 
SpiceJet also aims to help the agriculture sector of Assam and has begun transporting consignments of fresh vegetables and fruits from it to other parts of the country, Singh informed. 
 
&quot;Going forward, SpiceJet will invest in creating a modern supply chain network and build storage capacities across Assam. We want to help the government actively in its &#39;Act East Policy&#39;,&quot; he added. 
 
Singh had said at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos that seaplanes can boost the country&#39;s tourism sector in a big way as they can convert any pond into an airport and can make any river a runway.

&nbsp;

Seaplanes have immense potential in the form of tourism, adventure travel as well as improving connectivity

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet today said it is exploring possibilities to introduce seaplanes on the Brahmaputra in Assam, making the river the largest waterways in the world. "We are exploring possibilities for introducing seaplanes in Assam. With the seaplanes, Brahmaputra can be the largest waterway in the world," SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said at the inaugural function of the Global Investors Summit 2018 here. Seaplanes have immense potential in the form of tourism, adventure travel as well as improving connectivity, he said but did not elaborate on the company's plans on introducing them. Seaplanes are typically fixed-wing aircraft with a much fewer number of seats and can take off from and land on water. While they have been in use since the 19th century, they have lagged behind full-fledged aircraft after heavy investments were made in setting up airports in the 20th century. They have been re-emerging as a niche segment. On the air network, the Singh said "We propose to connect Assam to Thailand, Myanmar and other ASEAN countries. This will surely help the region grow economically." SpiceJet also aims to help the agriculture sector of Assam and has begun transporting consignments of fresh vegetables and fruits from it to other parts of the country, Singh informed. "Going forward, SpiceJet will invest in creating a modern supply chain network and build storage capacities across Assam. We want to help the government actively in its 'Act East Policy'," he added. Singh had said at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos that seaplanes can boost the country's tourism sector in a big way as they can convert any pond into an airport and can make any river a runway.

SpiceJet mulls seaplanes on Brahmaputra

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley&#39;s announcement on airport capacity increase over five times in his budget speech has been hailed by chairman and managing director Spicejet&nbsp;Ajay Singh. Singh said that the initiative has the potential to transform the Indian aviation sector and make India a global aviation &#39;&#39;superpower&#39;&#39;.

&quot;The initiative will help to connect smaller towns and cities and increase tourism and economic activity like never before,&quot; he added.

Seeking to provide a big push to the country&#39;s civil aviation sector, the finance minister announced an ambitious scheme, Nabh Nirman, to expand airport capacity by five times to 1 billion trips a year.&nbsp;

Jaitley further said that in the last three years, the domestic air passenger traffic grew at 18 per cent per annum and our airline companies placed orders for more than 900 aircrafts. &nbsp;

Regional connectivity scheme of UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) initiated by the government last year shall connect 56 unserved airports and 31 unserved helipads across the country.

Operations have already started at 16 such airports. Jaitley said and added that due to these initiatives people wearing slippers are travelling by air.

Jaitley further added, &quot;Airport Authority of India (AAI) has 124 airports. We propose to expand our airport capacity more than five times to handle a billion trips a year under a new initiative - NABH Nirman. The balance sheet of Airport Authority of India shall be leveraged to raise more resources for funding this expansion.&quot;

&nbsp;

Arun Jaitley further announced that in the last three years, the domestic air passenger traffic grew at 18% per annum and our airline companies placed orders for more than 900 aircrafts

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's announcement on airport capacity increase over five times in his budget speech has been hailed by chairman and managing director Spicejet Ajay Singh. Singh said that the initiative has the potential to transform the Indian aviation sector and make India a global aviation ''superpower''. "The initiative will help to connect smaller towns and cities and increase tourism and economic activity like never before," he added. Seeking to provide a big push to the country's civil aviation sector, the finance minister announced an ambitious scheme, Nabh Nirman, to expand airport capacity by five times to 1 billion trips a year. Jaitley further said that in the last three years, the domestic air passenger traffic grew at 18 per cent per annum and our airline companies placed orders for more than 900 aircrafts. Regional connectivity scheme of UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) initiated by the government last year shall connect 56 unserved airports and 31 unserved helipads across the country. Operations have already started at 16 such airports. Jaitley said and added that due to these initiatives people wearing slippers are travelling by air. Jaitley further added, "Airport Authority of India (AAI) has 124 airports. We propose to expand our airport capacity more than five times to handle a billion trips a year under a new initiative - NABH Nirman. The balance sheet of Airport Authority of India shall be leveraged to raise more resources for funding this expansion."

Budget 2018: Spicejet hails Jaitley, says it will benefit Indian aviation sector

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet on Saturday (December 09) conducted trials for India&#39;s first seaplane in financial capital Mumbai.

Reportedly, the trial is part of the private carrier&#39;s business plan to bring small amphibious planes into operation and promote regional connectivity. India&#39;s Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju attended the trials.

Terming it a &#39;revolutionary change&#39;, Gadkari said these small planes could also help boost tourism in remote parts of the country.

SpiceJet has plans to buy more than 100 amphibian aircrafts from Japan&#39;s Setouchi Holdings for about $400 million and hopes to put them into operations within the next 12 months, media reports said. These planes are capable of taking off and landing in places that lack runways and can work on roads and water.

Last year, India&#39;s aviation ministry launched &quot;Regional Connectivity Scheme&quot; to boost air travel between smaller cities. India is one of the world&#39;s fastest-growing aviation markets, with around 70 million domestic tickets sold annually and passenger numbers rising 20 percent a year.

Terming it a 'revolutionary change', Gadkari said these small planes could also help boost tourism in remote parts of the country.

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet on Saturday (December 09) conducted trials for India's first seaplane in financial capital Mumbai. Reportedly, the trial is part of the private carrier's business plan to bring small amphibious planes into operation and promote regional connectivity. India's Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju attended the trials. Terming it a 'revolutionary change', Gadkari said these small planes could also help boost tourism in remote parts of the country. SpiceJet has plans to buy more than 100 amphibian aircrafts from Japan's Setouchi Holdings for about $400 million and hopes to put them into operations within the next 12 months, media reports said. These planes are capable of taking off and landing in places that lack runways and can work on roads and water. Last year, India's aviation ministry launched "Regional Connectivity Scheme" to boost air travel between smaller cities. India is one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, with around 70 million domestic tickets sold annually and passenger numbers rising 20 percent a year.

SpiceJet conducts seaplane trial in Mumbai

The Centre today unveiled the first-ever guidelines for a no-fly list under which air travellers can now be banned from flying for a period ranging from three months to lifetime for unruly behaviour on planes.

Aviation regulator DGCA will maintain the record of all such blacklisted passengers. The quantum of punishment is based on the severity of offence, which has been divided into three categories.

Several airlines have been demanding a no-fly list of disruptive passengers following an incident in which Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad allegedly hit an Air India staffer with his slipper &quot;25 times&quot; over not being given a business class seat in an all-economy plane.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-shiv-sena-mp-beats-60-year-old-air-india-staffer-13753" target="_blank">WATCH: Shiv Sena MP beats 60-year-old Air India staffer</a>

The amended Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) or rules on &quot;handling of unruly passengers&quot; announced today by the government come into effect immediately but will not apply retrospectively.

The no-fly list will be compiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) based on inputs from various airlines.

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The country is the first in the world to have a no-fly list that is based on safety and not just security, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said at a press conference.

He clarified that the no-fly list will apply only if the incident is inside an aircraft which could adversely affect the safety of the aircraft and its occupants. Otherwise, the matter will be probed by security agencies.

The pilot-in-command of an aeroplane can report an incident involving an unruly passenger and the matter will be investigated by an internal committee of the airline concerned within 30 days.

If the probe is not concluded within the time-frame, the passenger will be &quot;free to fly&quot;, say the revised rules.

However, the airline &quot;may&quot; impose a ban while it is probing the matter for a period not exceeding 30 days, it adds.

The committee will decide the quantum of punishment based on the nature of misbehaviour, which has been divided into three categories on the basis of their severity.

The first category of disruptive behaviour includes verbal assault and carries a ban of 3 months, the second includes physical attack with a ban of six months and the third and most serious category comprises life-threatening behaviour as well as sexual harassment with a ban ranging from two years or more without upper limit.

In case a passenger is a repeat offender, the duration of the flying ban will be twice that of his previous ban.

Other domestic carriers &quot;will not be bound by the no-fly list of an airline&quot;, the ministry of civil aviation said in a press statement, implying that they are free to decide whether or not to bar a passenger already banned by one of the airlines for his/her misconduct.

An airline is also required to inform a traveller about the flying restrictions imposed by it.

The list will also comprise passengers identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs as a threat to national security.

Unruly passengers will also be investigated by the local police in addition to the airline&#39;s internal committee and can face criminal charges as a carrier is required to file an FIR.

&quot;The Directorate General of Civil Avaiation (DGCA) is a safety regulator and the goal of this exercise is safety, which starts once you board the aircraft. If you are not on the aircraft, it is not within the legal scope or purview of DGCA,&quot; Sinha said.

On how will the airlines track an unruly passenger banned by them, Sinha said that the government&#39;s &quot;digi yatra&quot; initiative to be implemented soon will allow &quot;unique identification to be associated with a PNR number&quot;.

On earlier occasions he has said that this could be done by making an Aadhar card or a passport mandatory for booking a ticket.

The rules apply for domestic and international scheduled and non-scheduled (chartered) air transport services, all Indian airports as well as passengers flying into and over India.

International airlines will have to conform to these rules as per the Tokyo Convention, 1963, said Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

The Convention allows a contracting country to impose its criminal jurisdiction on an aircraft in flight if there is a breach of flight related rules, in case the offence has

been committed by or against a national of that country and if it harms its security.

A passenger barred from flying can approach an appellate committee constituted by the ministry within a period of 60 days. The decision of this committee will be final but if the appellant is dissatisfied he or she can approach the high court.&nbsp;

The government released a list of guidelines for a no-fly list on Friday

The Centre today unveiled the first-ever guidelines for a no-fly list under which air travellers can now be banned from flying for a period ranging from three months to lifetime for unruly behaviour on planes. Aviation regulator DGCA will maintain the record of all such blacklisted passengers. The quantum of punishment is based on the severity of offence, which has been divided into three categories. Several airlines have been demanding a no-fly list of disruptive passengers following an incident in which Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad allegedly hit an Air India staffer with his slipper "25 times" over not being given a business class seat in an all-economy plane. WATCH: Shiv Sena MP beats 60-year-old Air India staffer The amended Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) or rules on "handling of unruly passengers" announced today by the government come into effect immediately but will not apply retrospectively. The no-fly list will be compiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) based on inputs from various airlines. The first category of disruptive behaviour includes verbal assault and carries a ban of 3 months, the second includes physical attack with a ban of six months and the third and most serious category comprises life-threatening behaviour as well as sexual harassment with a ban ranging from two years or more without upper limit × The country is the first in the world to have a no-fly list that is based on safety and not just security, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said at a press conference. He clarified that the no-fly list will apply only if the incident is inside an aircraft which could adversely affect the safety of the aircraft and its occupants. Otherwise, the matter will be probed by security agencies. The pilot-in-command of an aeroplane can report an incident involving an unruly passenger and the matter will be investigated by an internal committee of the airline concerned within 30 days. If the probe is not concluded within the time-frame, the passenger will be "free to fly", say the revised rules. However, the airline "may" impose a ban while it is probing the matter for a period not exceeding 30 days, it adds. The committee will decide the quantum of punishment based on the nature of misbehaviour, which has been divided into three categories on the basis of their severity. The first category of disruptive behaviour includes verbal assault and carries a ban of 3 months, the second includes physical attack with a ban of six months and the third and most serious category comprises life-threatening behaviour as well as sexual harassment with a ban ranging from two years or more without upper limit. In case a passenger is a repeat offender, the duration of the flying ban will be twice that of his previous ban. Other domestic carriers "will not be bound by the no-fly list of an airline", the ministry of civil aviation said in a press statement, implying that they are free to decide whether or not to bar a passenger already banned by one of the airlines for his/her misconduct. An airline is also required to inform a traveller about the flying restrictions imposed by it. The list will also comprise passengers identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs as a threat to national security. Unruly passengers will also be investigated by the local police in addition to the airline's internal committee and can face criminal charges as a carrier is required to file an FIR. "The Directorate General of Civil Avaiation (DGCA) is a safety regulator and the goal of this exercise is safety, which starts once you board the aircraft. If you are not on the aircraft, it is not within the legal scope or purview of DGCA," Sinha said. On how will the airlines track an unruly passenger banned by them, Sinha said that the government's "digi yatra" initiative to be implemented soon will allow "unique identification to be associated with a PNR number". On earlier occasions he has said that this could be done by making an Aadhar card or a passport mandatory for booking a ticket. The rules apply for domestic and international scheduled and non-scheduled (chartered) air transport services, all Indian airports as well as passengers flying into and over India. International airlines will have to conform to these rules as per the Tokyo Convention, 1963, said Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju. The Convention allows a contracting country to impose its criminal jurisdiction on an aircraft in flight if there is a breach of flight related rules, in case the offence has been committed by or against a national of that country and if it harms its security. A passenger barred from flying can approach an appellate committee constituted by the ministry within a period of 60 days. The decision of this committee will be final but if the appellant is dissatisfied he or she can approach the high court.

Unruly air passengers to be banned for 3 months to life

SpiceJet today cancelled the ticket of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who has been barred by domestic airlines from flying after he assaulted an Air India staffer last month.

After Air India and IndiGo, SpiceJet is the third carrier to cancel the ticket of the Lok Sabha member.

Sources said Gaikwad&#39;s booking on Pune to Ahmedabad flight (SG 524) for April 3 has been cancelled by SpiceJet.

Following the incident, Air India along with four private airlines banned him from flying on their aircraft.

The domestic airlines&#39; body Federation of India Airlines (FIA) has taken a &quot;strong view&quot; of the incident and accordingly taken a decision to bar the MP from flying on their network, FIA sources said.

Jet Airways and three budget carriers -- IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir -- are the members of the FIA.

Apart from Air India, IndiGo had cancelled Gaikwad&#39;s booking after the assault incident.

Earlier this week, Air India cancelled two tickets booked by the MP on Delhi-bound flights.

On March 23, Gaikwad had repeatedly hit an Air India staffer with a sandal over not being given a business class seat despite having insisted on boarding an all-economy flight.&nbsp;

(PTI)

Gaikwad has been barred by domestic airlines from flying after he assaulted an Air India staffer last month

SpiceJet today cancelled the ticket of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who has been barred by domestic airlines from flying after he assaulted an Air India staffer last month. After Air India and IndiGo, SpiceJet is the third carrier to cancel the ticket of the Lok Sabha member. Sources said Gaikwad's booking on Pune to Ahmedabad flight (SG 524) for April 3 has been cancelled by SpiceJet. Following the incident, Air India along with four private airlines banned him from flying on their aircraft. The domestic airlines' body Federation of India Airlines (FIA) has taken a "strong view" of the incident and accordingly taken a decision to bar the MP from flying on their network, FIA sources said. Jet Airways and three budget carriers -- IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir -- are the members of the FIA. Apart from Air India, IndiGo had cancelled Gaikwad's booking after the assault incident. Earlier this week, Air India cancelled two tickets booked by the MP on Delhi-bound flights. On March 23, Gaikwad had repeatedly hit an Air India staffer with a sandal over not being given a business class seat despite having insisted on boarding an all-economy flight. (PTI)

India: SpiceJet cancels Shiv Sena MP Gaikwad's ticket

A major accident was on Tuesday morning averted at the Delhi airport after an IndiGo and a SpiceJet aircraft came face-to-face on the runway at Delhi&#39;s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The incident occurred when the Indigo flight was moving towards taxiway after landing and SpiceJet was ready for a takeoff.

Meanwhile, the incident has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which has assured of a probe.

SpiceJet confirmed the incident and said that at no point of time the safety of its passengers was at risk.

&quot;SpiceJet flight SG 123 operating Delhi-Hyderabad was following ATC instructions at all times at the Delhi airport.

While taxiing, the SpiceJet crew observed another aircraft on the same taxiway in the opposite direction. Acting promptly, the SpiceJet crew immediately stopped the aircraft and intimated the ATC,&quot; the airline said in a statement.

&quot;Safety is of utmost and primary concern at SpiceJet, it said adding, &quot;at no stage the safety of passengers and crew was compromised. All concerned authorities were immediately informed,&quot; SpiceJet spokesperson said in the statement.

Earlier in the day, a Jet Airways flight with 161 people on board veered off the runway at Dabolim airport in Goa while aligning for take off, with 15 passengers suffering &quot;minor&quot; injuries during evacuation.

(This article first appeared in DNA)

This was the second close shave of the day; a Jet Airways plane skidded off the runway in Goa earlier in the morning

A major accident was on Tuesday morning averted at the Delhi airport after an IndiGo and a SpiceJet aircraft came face-to-face on the runway at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. The incident occurred when the Indigo flight was moving towards taxiway after landing and SpiceJet was ready for a takeoff. Meanwhile, the incident has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which has assured of a probe. SpiceJet confirmed the incident and said that at no point of time the safety of its passengers was at risk. "SpiceJet flight SG 123 operating Delhi-Hyderabad was following ATC instructions at all times at the Delhi airport. While taxiing, the SpiceJet crew observed another aircraft on the same taxiway in the opposite direction. Acting promptly, the SpiceJet crew immediately stopped the aircraft and intimated the ATC," the airline said in a statement. "Safety is of utmost and primary concern at SpiceJet, it said adding, "at no stage the safety of passengers and crew was compromised. All concerned authorities were immediately informed," SpiceJet spokesperson said in the statement. Earlier in the day, a Jet Airways flight with 161 people on board veered off the runway at Dabolim airport in Goa while aligning for take off, with 15 passengers suffering "minor" injuries during evacuation. (This article first appeared in DNA)

Indigo, SpiceJet planes end up face-to-face at Delhi airport

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