Private Airlines

Regional air connectivity will remain govt's priority: Civil aviation secy

Regional air connectivity will continue to be a priority for the government and air passenger traffic is projected to touch 40 crore by 2029, Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said on Monday. Speaking at a conference in the national capital, he also said the ecosystem is being developed for operations of seaplanes. Emphasising that there is "huge potential" for growth of the country's aviation sector, he said that 10 years ago, passenger traffic was at 11 crore and the count has doubled to 22 crore. By 2029, the number is expected to touch 40 crore, he said and added that there is aspiration among people for air travel. The Regional Air Connectivity (RCS) scheme or UDAN aims to enhance regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports as well as make air travel more affordable. Vualnam said RCS will remain a priority for the government and efforts are also on to push operations of helicopters and seaplanes. Under UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), which was .

Russia's plane shortage hinders air travel as wartime wages boost demand

Rostec, whose subsidiary United Aircraft Corporation controls almost all of Russia's major aircraft producers, appears still far from making that dream a reality

Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy amid mounting losses and debt woes

Airlines Writer Spirit Airlines said Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy protection and will attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused swoon in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue. Spirit, the biggest US budget airline, has lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020 and faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1 billion over the next year. Spirit said it expects to operate as normal as it works its way through a prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and that customers can continue to book and fly without interruption. Shares of Miramar, Florida-based Spirit dropped 25% on Friday, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the airline was discussing terms of a possible bankruptcy filing with its bondholders. It was just the latest in a series of blows that have sent the stock crashing down by 97% since late 2018 - when Spirit was still making money. CEO Ted Christie confirmed in August that Spirit was talkin

Lufthansa reports 9% decline in Q3 profit as core brand struggles

The third quarter, which includes the busy summer months for travellers, is usually the strongest for European airlines. But rising costs, unpredictability tied to the crisis in the Middle East

Fueled by Rs 3,000 crore fundraise, SpiceJet to aim 100 aircrafts by 2026

SpiceJet will aim for 100 aircraft by 2026, announced following a Rs 3,000 crore QIP. The airline is facing financial crisis that arose due to Covid-19 driven operational challenges and other factors

Shankh Air: Uttar Pradesh-based new airline gets Centre's nod, says report

Shankh Air, India's newest airline has got approval from the Aviation Ministry to start its operation. UP's first scheduled airline has planned its base at the Noida International Airport in Jewar

Successful trajectory towards profitability: Akasa Air on 2 years of flying

Completing two years of flying, Akasa Air on Wednesday said it is on a "successful trajectory" towards profitability and expects seat capacity to rise 50 per cent on an annual basis. Akasa Air, which commenced operations on the same day two years ago, flies to 22 domestic and five international cities, and has carried over 11 million passengers in India since its inception. It operates more than 900 weekly flights. Airline's CEO Vinay Dube said it has registered a triple-digit growth and continues to be the fastest-growing airline in the global aviation history. In a release, Akasa Air said its "unwavering commitment to cost leadership, supported by operational and financial discipline, has set the airline on a successful trajectory toward profitability". Last fiscal, the airline recorded a 300 per cent growth in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), a measure of a flight's seat capacity. "With the strong financial foundation the airline has built, it anticipates a year-on-year increa

Foreign airlines receive Rs 10,000 crore tax evasion notices from DGGI

The show cause notices, sent over the last three days, pertain to unpaid taxes on services imported by Indian branches from their respective head offices

SpiceJet to raise $360 mn by selling securities to restore normalcy

The company will issue shares to institutional investors, it said in an exchange filing, without disclosing the price at which they would be sold

Strict action will be taken: Jindal after woman accuses firm CEO of assault

Responding to the alleged allegations of the woman, founder of Jindal Steel, Naveen Jindal, thanked her for reaching out and speaking up and said that strictest and necessary action will be taken

Prioritising quality, safety of Boeing products over production: Alaska Air

The Boeing situation is rippling through the industry, compelling airlines to adjust their fleet plans at a time travel demand is projected to hit record levels

US Senate committee to hold hearing today on Boeing safety culture report

The panel's report was directed by Congress after fatal 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia in 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019 that killed 346 people, including panel member De Luis' sister in the Ethiopian crash

Airlines struggle with lack of planes ahead of summer travel surge

Boeing is reeling from a sprawling crisis that erupted after the January 5 Alaska Airlines blowout.

Air India appoints Jayaraj Shanmugam as head of global airport operations

Jayaraj Shanmugam has previously worked with renowned companies such as Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Jet Airways

Vistara to discuss rostering system with pilots, incorporate feedbacks: CEO

After facing significant flight disruptions due to the non-availability of crew, Vistara chief Vinod Kannan said the airline will look to review the current rostering system after discussions with pilots and emphasised that there has been no unusual spike in attrition. The Tata Group airline, which is in the process of getting merged with Air India, has temporarily reduced flight operations to ensure the availability of adequate pilot buffer and expects the situation to normalise by May. A stretched roster on account of the high utilisation of pilots is the key reason for the recent disruptions, according to the airline while there are also concerns among a section of pilots about the new contract that will also result in pay revision. In an interview with PTI on Friday, Kannan said that during a town hall with pilots, some concerns were raised around rostering, and pilots were told that the airline would look at how the rostering process can be reviewed. Out of the airline's total

Air India pilots join Vistara crew in voicing concerns over fatigue, pay

The pilots said they're made to rack up maximum flying hours, face difficulties in having leave approved and deal with unstable rosters, according to the letter dated April 4

Air India launches revamped customer loyalty programme with added features

Private carrier Air India on Wednesday launched a revamped loyalty programme with a simplified structure, offering more rewards and added benefits to its customers. In its first overhaul in more than a decade, the revamped loyalty programme -- Flying Returns -- moves away from the legacy model of miles-based collection of points to a fairer, more equitable spend-based approach, Air India said in a statement. Members of the programme will now be able to avail the benefits and collect points based on the new structure, starting Wednesday, it said without divulging the number of the existing members. Some of the features of the revamped programme include no expiry of points for active members, no blackout dates, same tier privileges, collection and redemption across Star Alliance partner airlines worldwide and new customer-friendly digital interface to provide a one-stop platform for transactions, among others, it said.

SpiceJet to own 13 Bombardier Q400 planes after $91 mn settlement

SpiceJet has over the last few months reached settlements with multiple lessors, including Aercap, as the company looks to restore its grounded fleet and return to full capacity

HC sends show-cause notice to Go First official over maintenance issues

The Delhi High Court has issued a show-cause notice to the resolution professional of crisis-hit 'Go First' airline, asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for prima facie willfully disobeying judicial orders on allowing inspection and maintenance of lessors' aircraft. The high court said the RP (Resolution Professional) cannot plead difficulties in the implementation of the October 12, 2023, judgment after contempt proceedings have been filed by a lessor seeking to enforce court orders. "Prima facie, the orders of this court have been wilfully disobeyed by the respondent/ RP. Issue notice to show cause as to why proceedings of contempt be not initiated...," Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju said. The counsel for the RP submitted that he was willing to revert to the position regarding the maintenance of the aircraft. The court listed the matter for further hearing on March 15. It was hearing a petition filed by one of the lessors DAE (SY22) 13 Ireland Design

Canada's Lynx Air to shut down, leaving no clarity for customers on refunds

Canadian discount airline Lynx Air will shut down on Monday and suggested that it could cancel many flights over the weekend too, leaving customers scrambling to make new travel plans. Lynx announced the shutdown late Thursday and told customers to contact their credit-card company about getting a refund for cancelled flights. The Calgary, Alberta, airline said it could not help with refunds. Canada's transport minister, Pablo Rodriguez, said he was following Lynx's announcement that it was filing for restructuring. He said he expected Lynx to help passengers get home and fully refund customers. The shutdown will take effect early Monday. On its website, the airline said, we will continue to operate the majority of our flights through this weekend. The airline said it put tremendous work into growth after launching the Lynx brand two years ago, but that inflation, fuel costs, competition and other factors have ultimately proven too steep a mountain for our organisation to ...