Civil Aviation Ministry

Fog plan: DIAL completes airfield construction, sets up German hangar

DIAL has taken a slew of steps to reduce flight disruptions during foggy winter season

Akasa Air pilots flag training and safety practices, airline denies charges

The section of Akasa Air pilots wrote to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and highlighted alleged unfair practices, harassment and safety concerns.

Six airports leased out through competitive, transparent process: Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday said six airports were leased out to the Adani group through a thorough, competitive and transparent process. State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has leased out six airports -- Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram -- to the Adani group. While mentioning about the leasing out of these airports, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said in the Lok Sabha that Niti Aayog and the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) were of the view that two airports should not be given to the same entity. Naidu, however, said there was no fact in the member's statement. These are wild allegations and an empowered group of secretaries, headed by Niti Aayog CEO, where DEA secretary was also a member, was constituted, he said. A thorough process was followed for the leasing out of the airports, he said, adding when they (Niti Aayog CEO, DEA secretary) were members of the group, where does the point arise tha

IndiGo working with aviation ministry to extend lease of Boeing 777 planes

IndiGo is working with the civil aviation ministry to explore the possibility of extending the wet lease of wide-body Boeing 777 planes from Turkish Airlines, as the existing lease period is ending this week. Currently, IndiGo is operating two wet-leased Boeing 777 planes for flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Istanbul. These are also the only two wide-body aircraft that are in the fleet of the airline, which is India's largest carrier with a domestic market share of over 62 per cent. These aircraft were wet-leased to cater to the rising demand for international travel from India. IndiGo started operating its first wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft on the Delhi-Istanbul route from February 1, 2023, and began operating the Boeing 777 plane on the Mumbai-Istanbul route from May 17, 2023. Sources in the know said the airline has not received an extension for continuing with the wet lease of the aircraft. When contacted, an IndiGo spokesperson on Monday told PTI that the airline is "working

IndiGo working with govt to extend wet lease of Boeing 777 planes

IndiGo is working with the civil aviation ministry to explore the possibility of extending the wet lease of wide-body Boeing 777 planes from Turkish Airlines as the existing lease period is ending this week. Currently, IndiGo is operating two wet-leased Boeing 777 planes for flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Istanbul. These are also the only two wide-body aircraft that are in the fleet of the airline, which is India's largest carrier with a domestic market share of over 62 per cent. These aircraft were wet-leased to cater to the rising demand for international travel from India. IndiGo started operating its first wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft on the Delhi- Istanbul route from February 1, 2023, and began operating the Boeing 777 plane on the Mumbai-Istanbul route from May 17, 2023. Sources in the know said the airline has not received an extension for continuing with the wet lease of the aircraft. When contacted, an IndiGo spokesperson on Monday told PTI that the airline is "working

Centre issues new guidelines to handle bomb threats on flights; details

The revised guidelines from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security outline several new indicators for assessing bomb threats

Civil Aviation Minister Naidu vows action amid surge in hoax bomb threats

On Friday, over 20 flights of various airlines reportedly received bomb threats, according to Civil Aviation ministry

Aviation minister Naidu urges Airbus to make commercial aircraft in India

Minister inaugurated prominent aerospace company's new headquarters in Delhi

Govt aims to develop 50 more airports in 5 years: Civil aviation minister

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday said the government aims to set up 50 more airports in the next five years and pitched for further developing the country's airport ecosystem that will also help in boosting job creation. In the last 10 years, the number of airports has doubled to 157. Naidu said that 50 more airports are expected to be developed in the next five years and 200 more in the next 20 years. The minister was speaking after inaugurating the Airbus India and South Asia Headquarters - Training Centre in the national capital. He also stressed the need to further develop the airport ecosystem that will help boost job creation and commercial activities. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said the air passenger traffic in the country is expected to double in the next five years from 220 million, which was achieved last year.

Bomb hoax calls to be made cognizable offence: Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu

A cognisable offence is one in which the police can arrest without a warrant and begin an investigation without court approval, typically involving serious crimes like murder or theft

Govt to extend air connectivity scheme UDAN scheme for 10 more years: Naidu

The government will extend the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN for 10 more years, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Monday. UDAN has led to the birth and growth of regional airlines, generation of jobs and contribution to tourism, the minister said at a function in the national capital to mark eight years of the scheme. As many as 601 routes and 71 airports have been operationalised under the regional air connectivity scheme. UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) is aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity and making flying more affordable. It was introduced on October 21, 2016 for 10 years. The minister said the scheme will be extended for another 10 years. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said the ministry is looking at the financial viability aspects and streamlining of the procedures under the scheme. "A total of 86 aerodromes -- comprising 71 airports, 13 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes -- have been operationalised, facilitating the travel of ov

601 routes, 71 airports operationalised under UDAN: Civil aviation ministry

The civil aviation ministry on Sunday said as many as 601 routes and 71 airports have been operationalised under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN, which was introduced eight years ago. UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) is aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity and making flying more affordable. In a release, the ministry said 601 routes, including helicopter routes, have been operationalised, and that around 28 per cent of these routes serve the remotest locations. "A total of 86 aerodromes -- comprising 71 airports, 13 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes -- have been operationalised, facilitating the travel of over 1.44 crore passengers across more than 2.8 lakh flights," it added. Meanwhile, the number of operational airports in the country has doubled from 74 in 2014 to 157 in 2024 and the aim is to increase the count to 350-400 by 2047. The UDAN scheme was introduced on October 21, 2016.

Centre plans strict norms to prevent hoax bomb threats to airlines

The civil aviation ministry plans to put in place strict norms to prevent incidents of hoax bomb threats to airlines, including placing the perpetrators on the no-fly list, a senior official said on Thursday. In four days, more than 20 flights of various Indian airlines received bomb threats, including international flights, and some of them were diverted. Most of the threats have turned out to be hoaxes. Against this backdrop, the ministry is looking at amending existing rules, including those related to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), in order to ensure stringent punishments are in place for the culprits, the official in the know said. Placing individuals making hoax bomb threats in the airlines' no-fly list is one of the proposals being looked at, the official said. The official also said legal opinions are being gathered with respect to making the changes in the rules. The provisions being followed in foreign countries to deal with hoax bomb threats are also bein

Accused behind threat messages being identified: Civil aviation secretary

The issue of multiple hoax threat messages to various airlines, which have disrupted many Indian flights, came up before a parliamentary committee on Wednesday as the civil aviation secretary told parliamentarians that accused are being identified and action taken. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam suggested in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, which is headed by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha, that investigators have gathered some information and are taking action. They are working on a few other cases of such hoax messages, he added. He, however, cited the sensitivity of information due to the ongoing probe into the matter to decline to share more details, sources said. They said Jha raised the issue of the number of hoax threat calls that airlines have received in the past couple of days, leading to diversion of flights, including one bound for Chicago. At least 10 flights have been disrupted due to bomb threat messages, mostly on social me

India and France strengthen aerospace ties, signs MoU for bilateral coop

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu led India's delegation in meet with French aerospace representatives at New Delhi today

Govt ropes in CBRI to advise operators on structural aspects of airports

The government has roped in the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) to advise airport operators on the structural aspects of airports, according to a senior official. The move comes against the backdrop of the collapse of a canopy at the old departure forecourt of Terminal 1 (T1) at the Delhi airport in June. During the same month, there were also similar incidents at Jabalpur and Rajkot airports. Following the Delhi airport incident, the ministry decided to conduct a study of the structural aspects of T1 while state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) was asked to carry out an inspection of the structural strength of all minor and major airports. The senior civil aviation ministry official told PTI that Roorkee-based CBRI has been roped in for advising airport operators on the various structural aspects of the airports. The ministry is also planning to organise a technical workshop by CBRI for the airport operators. The official said the ministry is examining the repor

Bhubaneswar Airport capacity to rise to 8 mn per year: Aviation minister

Ram Mohan Naidu further said that the NDA government was formed in Odisha and the effort was to take the state forward in the civil aviation sector

HC directs Centre to decide representation on inefficiencies of AirSewa

The portal, designed to serve as a grievance redressal mechanism for air travellers, has reportedly become largely unresponsive

K Ram Mohan Naidu: TDP's sole face in the Cabinet is known for his promises

Mr Naidu is a promising young spark in the Modi government. And while he is intelligent enough to steer clear of taking sides in corporate rivalry in his sector, his moves will be watched closely

Civil aviation growth, regional connectivity made air travel inclusive: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted the growth of the Indian civil aviation sector and said air travel has become inclusive with the regional air connectivity scheme. Emphasising that the civil aviation sector has a major role in growth and creates many jobs, Modi said efforts should be made to ensure that the skies remain open for all and that people's dream of flying is fulfilled. The Prime Minister was addressing the Second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in the national capital, where he suggested the idea of having an international Buddhist circuit. Under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN, which has helped lower middle-class people to fly, 14 million people have travelled by air, Modi said. According to him, a growing middle class and their demand are driving forces for the civil aviation sector, and UDAN has made air travel inclusive. The government is preparing the country for advanced air mobility, and air taxis will be a reali