Air India crash: Centre's probe panel to submit report in 3 months, says minister
The Air India operates 34 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The safety checks of 12 of them have been done and no issue has been found so far, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation
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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Troubles at Air India continue: Flights to London, Paris cancelled; glitch hits San Francisco-Mumbai flight
Troubles continued at Air India, which is facing the biggest crisis since Tata group bought the airline three and a half years back, with its flights to London and Paris on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) being cancelled for varied reasons and a glitch forcing fliers on San Francisco-Mumbai flight to deplane during a stopover. While Air India cancelled the Delhi-Paris flight after some problems were detected during pre-flight checks, its Ahmedabad-London one was cancelled due to unavailability of aircraft, the airline said. Separately, Air India terminated its San Francisco-Mumbai flight at its scheduled stopover at Kolkata early on Tuesday morning after one of its engines developed a technical snag. The disruptions came as investigators probe what caused a London-bound Air India flight to crash in Ahmedabad shortly after take-off on June 12, killing more than 270 people onboard and on the ground. The incident dealt a severe blow to the airline and its owner Tata, which prides itself for producing luxury cars to salt and software as well as assembly of iPhone. In a statement, Air India said flight AI143 from Delhi to Paris has been cancelled after "mandatory pre-flight checks identified an issue which is being presently addressed". It did not detail the issue that came to light during pre-flight checks. "However, in view of the flight coming under the restrictions on night operations at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport, the said flight has been cancelled," Air India said. The airline said it is providing hotel accommodation and also offering full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if opted by the passengers. Air India also said it is making alternative arrangements to fly passengers to their destination at the earliest. The airline, which on Monday resumed flights from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick with a new code AI159 instead of AI171 of the flight that crashed on June 12, had to cancel the flight on Tuesday due to unavailability of aircraft. It denied claims that a technical snag led to the cancellation and maintained that it has made alternative arrangements for the affected passengers to their destination and offered full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if opted by them. Air India's official website confirmed that the AI-159 flight from Ahmedabad to the Gatwick airport in London stands cancelled after being rescheduled. The plane was scheduled to depart at 3 pm from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA). "Flight AI-159 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick (London) has been cancelled today (Tuesday) due to the unavailability of the aircraft, resulting from airspace restrictions and additional precautionary checks, leading to longer than usual turnaround of aircraft, and not due to any technical snag as claimed," an AI spokesperson said. "We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers and have made alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination. We are providing hotel accommodation and also offering full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if opted by passengers," he added. Consequently, flight AI-170 from London (Gatwick) to Amritsar on June 17 stands cancelled, the airline said. Iran has closed its airspace due to its ongoing war with Israel, affecting flights headed to Europe. AI's direct flight from Ahmedabad to London was earlier known by its assigned code 'AI-171'. Airport sources said the flight having code AI-171 was suspended after the horrific crash which claimed 270 lives, including 29 people on the ground. It resumed operation on Monday (June 16), five days after the crash, with a new flight code AI-159, said an airport official. Separately, an Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata suffered a technical snag early Tuesday, requiring passengers to deboard during a scheduled halt at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. The termination led to chaotic scenes at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport as the 211 passengers on the Boeing 777-200 LR tried to convince officials to let them reach their destination at the earliest. The Tata Group-owned carrier did not issue an official statement. Sources said Air India is making "special arrangements" to fly the stranded passengers to Mumbai. No further details were available. Usually, the carrier flies directly to Mumbai from San Francisco but the ongoing geopolitical events, including the closure of Pakistani airspace, have led AI to reroute it and take a "technical halt" in Kolkata. Flight AI-180 landed in Kolkata at the scheduled time of 12.45 am, even though it took off one hour late from San Francisco. According to sources, a technical issue was detected during routine post-landing checks, and the airline decided to do a comprehensive check. It was scheduled to depart for Mumbai at 2 am, but passengers came to know of the problems only after 2.40 am when the crew announced there was a problem with the left engine, according to a PTI reporter who was on the flight. However, this announcement was accompanied by a specific promise, that the snag will take up to 25 minutes to get sorted, the reporter said. However, as the clock ticked by, distraught passengers having connecting flights from Mumbai started enquiring about the progress of the work with the cabin crew, but there was no clear response, the reporter said. With the Ahmedabad accident being fresh, some passengers also said a delay is better than a mishap, while some wondered how an aircraft which had travelled thousands of kilometres could face problems in the last leg from Kolkata to Mumbai. The next announcement came at 4.20 am when the pilots sought another 15-20 minutes for rectification of the problem. The engineers could be seen working on the left engine even as a drizzle continued, but the problem persisted. Finally, around 5.20 am, the pilots announced that a resolution was not possible and asked all passengers to deplane. After disembarking and passing the mandatory immigration, collecting baggage and passing the customs channels, the passengers were asked to sit in a designated area. A few passengers pleaded with officials asking for the earliest option to travel to Mumbai. Some got lucky, while others continued to wait. Finally, an Air India official announced that Mumbai-bound flights were mostly full and convinced a bulk of the passengers to check into a hotel.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Top news of the day: June 17, 2025
Air India cancels two Dreamliner flights Air India has cancelled its Delhi-Paris flight on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) after some problems were identified during pre-flight checks, according to the airline. Apart from this another Air India's flight to London from Ahmedabad, which has started operating with a new code post-June 12 crash of AI-171 plane, was cancelled on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) due to unavailability of aircraft, resulting from airspace curbs and additional precautionary checks, the airline said. An Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai suffered a technical snag in one of its engines due to which passengers had to be deplaned during a scheduled halt at the city's airport early on Tuesday (June 17, 2025). Iran accuses G7 of siding with Israel with de-escalation call Iran accused the Group of Seven nations on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) of siding with Israel in its call for 'de-escalation' in their intensifying conflict, now in its fifth day. 'The G7 must give up its one-sided rhetoric and tackle the real source of the escalation – Israel's aggression,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said. Explosions heard across Tehran; Israel warns Khamenei he risks fate like Saddam's Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday he could suffer a fate 'similar to' Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who was toppled and later executed. Katz warned Khamenei risked 'a fate similar to Saddam Hussein' during a meeting with Israeli military and security service commanders, according to a statement from his office. Mehul Choksi takes 'kidnapping' allegations against India to U.K. court Mehul Choksi, the businessman wanted in India to face charges in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, is suing the Indian government and five individuals in the High Court in London as conspirators for his alleged 'kidnap, torture and attempted rendition'. The Indian authorities have denied the allegations and objected to the U.K. jurisdiction based on 'state immunity' and also sought permission for expert evidence on Indian law and the Indian Constitution to be taken into account. Israel-Iran conflict: Trump says he wants Iran to give up entirely on nuclear weapons U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted a 'real end' to the nuclear problem with Iran, with Iran 'giving up entirely' on nuclear weapons, in comments he made to reporters on Air Force One on his way back from the Group of Seven summit in Canada. Screening of films cannot be threatened with arson, violence: Supreme Court The Supreme Court on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) upheld the rights of filmmakers and theatre owners to release movies without threats of arson and violence while making it clear that the Karnataka government must protect Kamal Haasan's right to screen 'Thug Life' in the State. 'We cannot have mobs and vigilante groups take over our streets. We cannot allow this to happen. Rule of law must prevail,' Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, heading a Vacation Bench also comprising Justice Manmohan, addressed the Karnataka government side. India believed to have 'slightly expanded' its nuclear arsenal in 2024: Global think-tank SIPRI report Nearly all of the nine nuclear-armed states, including India and Pakistan, continued intensive nuclear modernisation programmes in 2024, upgrading existing weapons and adding newer versions, according to a report by a global think-tank. India is believed to have once again 'slightly expanded' its nuclear arsenal in 2024 and continued to develop new types of nuclear delivery systems, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a statement. Israel-Iran conflict: Indian citizens using own vehicles advised to 'move outside Tehran' Amidst reports of possible broadening of the Israel-Iran conflict, the Indian Embassy in Iran has urged 'all' Indian nationals and People of Indian Origin who are using 'own' vehicles to leave the city for a safer location outside. The Tuesday (June 17, 2025) morning public announcement is aimed at the large number of Indians and an unspecified number of People of Indian Origin resident in Tehran as U.S. President Donald Trump cut short his visit to the G7 summit in Canada and rushed back to Washington DC. ICC ready for 4-day Tests in 2027-29 WTC cycle; India, Australia, England to still play 5-day matches The International Cricket Council (ICC) is ready to sanction four-day Tests for smaller nations in the 2027-29 World Test Championship cycle but India, Australia and England can still play the traditional five-day matches, according a report here. The move to reduce matches by one day would be a significant change and can help smaller nations to play more Tests and longer series. 'During discussions last week at the WTC final at Lord's, the ICC chair, Jay Shah, is understood to have expressed his support for four-day Tests, with a view to sanctioning them in time for the 2027-29 WTC cycle,' a report in 'The Guardian' newspaper said. Shubman Gill is mix of both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as captain, says Jos Buttler India's new Test captain Shubman Gill is a mix of his predecessors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli but he will be 'very much his own man' in the middle when he leads the national side in the eagerly-awaited five-Test series against England starting on Friday (June 20, 2025), feels Jos Buttler. Buttler, the former England limited-overs captain who played under Gill in this year's IPL, said the 25-year-old will need to find a balance between his captaincy role and his own batting. Rains lash Delhi-NCR; IMD issues safety advisory Rains lashed several parts of Delhi-NCR on Tuesday (June 17, 2025). Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Delhi and surrounding areas, predicting thunderstorms accompanied by hail, moderate to heavy rainfall, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 50-70 kilometres per hour at isolated places. Madras High Court judge pens poem for unity between Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites Impressing upon the need for the Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites to end the differences between them since the 15th century, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court has penned a poem calling upon them to walk together in peace. The judge said, the sects should abide by the rule of law and celebrate temple festivals peacefully, which was the objective of any religion, instead of attempting to project their respective Acharyas — Manavala Mamuni and Vedanta Desikar — even above Lord Venkateswara. Israel says it killed high-ranking Iranian General Israel claimed Tuesday it killed another high-ranking Iranian general after decimating its military command. The Israeli military said it killed Gen Ali Shadmani, who had just been named as the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
DGCA faces severe staff crunch even as airlines expand fleets rapidly
Mumbai/Bengaluru: Nearly half of the sanctioned posts at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) remain vacant, underscoring the regulator's inability to fill them at a time when the country's largest carriers expect their fleet size to more than double in the coming five years. According to submissions made in the Lok Sabha, 814 out of 1,692 sanctioned positions at DGCA remained vacant as of 31 March 2025. DGCA had 878 staff as of 31 March 2025. At the end of March 2020, DGCA had 471 vacancies and 762 people. According to their latest annual reports, InterGlobe Aviation, which runs India's largest carrier IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet had a fleet size of 434, 205, and 61 aircraft, respectively, at the end of March 2025. The country's five largest commercial carriers' fleet increased from 566 at the end of March 2020 to 780 at the end of March 2025, implying 214 planes were added. Also read: DGCA DG to chair meeting with Air India, Air India Express five days after Ahmedabad plane crash DGCA has added 116 people during this time, as its workforce increased from 762 to 878. However, according to parliament discussion records reviewed by Mint, the number of unfilled positions has jumped from 471 to 814. Put simply, the world's fastest-growing commercial airline market added more planes than people to oversee safe and efficient air travel. 'The shortage of trained manpower at DGCA is one of the biggest issues," said Amit Singh, the founder of Safety Matters Foundation, a Gurugram-based not-for-profit focused on building a safety culture in the aviation sector. IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa Air expect to increase their fleets by 950, 570, and 266 planes by 2035. 'This is something that the government of India needs to look at very strongly because if they have encouraged and developed such growth in the aviation sector, the minister concerned should also be looking at how they are going to bring in a professionally skilled workforce into the aviation market," said Sanjay Lazar, chief executive of Avialaz consultants, a boutique aviation consultancy. Also read: DGCA seeks Air India pilot and dispatcher training records after deadly crash in Ahmedabad Lazar said greater emphasis should be placed on training to keep up with the 500,000 jobs the aviation sector is estimated to generate by 2030. 'The current staffing levels at DGCA are inadequate for the scale of India's aviation growth," said Ravreet Singh, an independent aviation consultant who also runs an aviation blog calledAvia-Insights. "India's aviation ecosystem is expanding, but regulatory capacity has not scaled in proportion," he said. Mint has reached out to DGCA, and will update the story with their comment as soon as it is made available. The inadequate staffing at DGCA is of particular concern, a week after an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed soon after take off, killing more than 240 people and making it the country's worst civil aviation disaster in almost three decades. 'They don't have the workforce to enforce safety," said captain Mohan Ranganathan, former airline instructor pilot. 'DGCA keeps telling that they are hiring and trying their best to fill the vacant positions, but they are terribly understaffed," he said. Also read: New shocking footage of Ahmedabad tragedy — students jump from BJ Medical College building after Air India plane crash According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India is the third-largest aviation market in the world based on passenger volume. According to IATA data, a record 174 million Indian domestic and international passengers flew in 2024, compared to 730 million in China. 'When the fleet size and operational complexity grows quickly, human capital must grow alongside it as well," said Ravreet Singh. 'A shortfall in skilled personnel risks delayed audits, weaker oversight, and limited bandwidth to address emerging safety concerns."
