Latest news with #171
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Faulty simulators, training gaps among 100 violations by Air India: Audit
India's aviation watchdog has identified around 100 safety-related violations and observations during a comprehensive audit of Air India, the Tata Group-owned carrier that now faces intensified scrutiny following June's deadly crash of Flight 171. Air India has been given until July 30 to submit a detailed report on corrective actions taken.(Bloomberg/File) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) made 51 findings containing the violations and observations during its July 1-4 audit, at least two senior officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times. The review was unrelated to the investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India flight 171, which claimed 260 lives. Many of the violations identified fall under 'level 1' safety classification, considered critical lapses requiring immediate corrective measures to ensure safe airline operations. Air India has been given until July 30 to submit a detailed report on corrective actions taken. 'The audit was conducted as part of steps taken to ensure world-best safety practices,' said a second official familiar with the matter, emphasising the regulator's ongoing efforts to enhance India's aviation safety framework. Also read: Air passenger complaints till June nearly 98% of total in 2024 Reuters, which first reported the story citing an 11-page confidential audit report, revealed that the violations included seven 'Level I' significant breaches requiring immediate correction by July 30, while 44 other non-compliances must be resolved by August 23. The audit, conducted by 10 DGCA inspectors and four additional auditors, uncovered critical operational gaps across multiple areas. Reuters reported that investigators found 'recurrent training gaps' amongst Boeing 787 and 777 pilots who had not completed mandatory monitoring duties ahead of periodic evaluations. Air India operates 34 Boeing 787s and 23 Boeing 777s, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24. Amongst the most serious violations, Reuters reported that an Air India Boeing 787 flight from Milan to New Delhi exceeded flight duty time limitations by 2 hours and 18 minutes, classified as a 'Level I' non-compliance. The audit also found that Air India failed to conduct proper route assessments for challenging Category C airports and used simulators that did not meet qualification standards for training, the agency stated. The carrier's rostering system was criticised for lacking 'hard alerts' when minimum crew requirements weren't met, with at least four international flights operating with insufficient cabin crew, according to the Reuters report. Additional safety lapses included inconsistencies in door and equipment checks, gaps in training documentation, and the absence of chief pilots for the Airbus A320 and A350 fleets. 'This results in a lack of accountability and effective monitoring of flight operations for these aircraft types,' the audit report stated, according to Reuters. Air India acknowledged the findings, stating it was 'fully transparent' during the audit and would 'submit our response to the regulator within the stipulated time frame, along with details of corrective actions taken.' The DGCA did not respond to requests for a comment. The audit comes as Air India faces mounting regulatory pressure. On July 23, the DGCA issued four show cause notices to the airline based on voluntary disclosures, whilst senior executives received separate notices highlighting 29 'systemic' lapses. Following the June crash, the DGCA conducted mandatory safety checks on all Boeing 787 aircraft and expressed concerns about increasing incidents involving both Air India and Air India Express flights. The regulator has given the airline one month to reassess its operations. Since its 2022 acquisition by the Tata Group, the carrier has aggressively expanded its international network, but it continues to face passenger complaints about aircraft maintenance and cabin conditions. Last year, aviation authorities issued warnings or fines to airlines in 23 instances, with 11 involving the Air India Group, Reuters reported. The largest penalty was $127,000 imposed on Air India for 'insufficient oxygen on board' during international flights. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues its separate investigation into the June crash, having issued a preliminary report a month after the incident. (With inputs from Reuters)
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
Singapore Air Shares Slump as Air India Loss Hits Earnings
(Bloomberg) -- Singapore Airlines Ltd. share's slumped the most in almost a year after the carrier posted a sharp decline in quarterly profit. The stock fell as much as 8.7% in early Singapore trading, the biggest intraday decline since Aug. 1, 2024. Net income dropped 59% to S$186 million ($145 million) in the three months ended June 30, the carrier said Monday. The weaker performance was largely due to losses at Air India, in which Singapore Air holds a 25.1% stake, and which wasn't part of last year's results. An investigation into the fatal crash of Air India flight 171 in June is ongoing and the fallout is likely to continue to weigh on Singapore Air's performance. The Indian carrier cut capacity in the short-term to deal with operational challenges in the aftermath of the disaster. Despite the profit slide, Singapore Air remained positive about the months ahead, with robust demand across most regions in which it operates, though it did voice caution over geopolitical and macroeconomic volatility. The carrier offers the first glimpse as to how the headwinds are playing out in Asia, with major Western airlines painting a mixed picture. Earlier this month, American Airlines Group Inc. scaled back its earnings outlook after deep fare discounts to entice reluctant travelers, while Delta Air Lines Inc. gave a more upbeat outlook about demand and United Airlines Holdings Inc. said customers have resumed booking flights. Analysts had mixed reactions to Singapore Air's results, ranging from Citigroup Inc.'s Kaseedit Choonnawat pointing to core profit missing estimates to Morgan Stanley's Divya Gangahar Kothiyal predicting passenger yields may soon start stabilizing, helping ease competitive sales pressures. JPMorgan Securities Asia Pacific Ltd.'s Karen Li said the results will likely be deemed a major miss and downgraded the stock to neutral with a price target of S$7.00. It was trading at S$7.02 at 9:20 a.m. local time, having fallen as low as S$6.94. More stories like this are available on
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First Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
AI171 crash: Probe pending in India, new US aviation regulator boss rules out fuel switch glitch
Commenting on the devastating Air India plane crash, the new head of the US's Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), Bryan Bedford, dismissed the possibility of an inadvertent movement of the aircraft's fuel control switch. read more The wreckage of the Air India plane that crashed moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, lies on a building, in Ahmedabad. Both switches feeding fuel to the two engines of Air India flight 171 were cut off followed before the plane crashed in Ahmedabad, seconds after taking off, the first investigation report into the crash has revealed. PTI As the investigation into the Air India 171 plane crash continues, the new head of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ruled out mechanical issues as the cause behind the crash in Ahmedabad. The new FAA boss went on to suggest that the fuel control switches on the doomed AI 171 were manually moved, hinting at a pilot error. In a statement on the matter, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford dismissed the possibility of an inadvertent movement of the aircraft's fuel control switch. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We can say with a high level of confidence it doesn't appear to be a mechanical issue with the Boeing fuel control unit. We feel very comfortable that this isn't an issue with inadvertent manipulation of fuel control,' Reuters quoted FAA administrator Bryan Bedford as saying. Meanwhile, Indian authorities, who are currently investigating the matter, requested patience for the final report. They urged both the public and experts to refrain from drawing conclusions and did not comment on Bedford's recent remarks. The matter is still under investigation As per the preliminary report released by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner's fuel supply to engines had been cut off, causing it to crash. While it is not concluded what caused the fuel switches' position to change, soon after the report was released, Western media started alluding to a pilot error. In the report, it was also mentioned that the cockpit voice recording revealed that one pilot asked the other why he had moved the switches, to which the latter replied he hadn't. In light of this, several Western news outlets started speculating about the mental health of the pilots and started to report more about their personal lives. Amid the chaos, Boeing is maintaining a cautious stance on the matter. Reacting to Bedford's statement, Boeing said: 'We'll defer to the FAA for any comments on this.' According to Reuters, the FAA chief made the remarks while he was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an air show in Wisconsin. In support of this assertion, Bedford cited an evaluation conducted by FAA employees who had 'taken the units out, tested them and had inspectors get on aircraft and review them'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Gold up Rs3,700/tola despite global dip
Listen to article Gold prices in Pakistan surged on Wednesday, bucking the global trend where prices eased following a US-Japan trade agreement that calmed investor nerves. Meanwhile, silver prices soared to the highest level since September 2011, driven by strong industrial demand and supply constraints. According to the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association, the price of gold per tola rose Rs3,700 to reach Rs364,900 in the local market. Similarly, the rate for 10 grams of gold climbed Rs3,171 to Rs312,842. In contrast, international gold markets dipped as easing geopolitical tensions shifted sentiment away from safe-haven assets. Spot gold was down 0.6% at $3,412.03 per ounce, as of 1351 GMT, after hitting its highest point since June 16 earlier in the session. Spot silver rose 0.2% to $39.35 per ounce, a near 14-year peak. Commenting on the trend, Interactive Commodities Director Adnan Agar noted, "Gold hit a high of $3,438 and low of $3,405, with the market later positioning around $3,415. The recent rally has seen gold rise by nearly $100, prompting a potential correction phase." He added that a strong resistance level was between $3,450 and $3,455. Meanwhile, the Pakistani rupee appreciated against the US dollar, rising 0.07% in the inter-bank market. By the end of trading, the rupee closed at 284.76, up 21 paisa compared to Tuesday's close at 284.97. Furthermore, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised Rs545.16 billion through two debt auctions on Wednesday, including an outright purchase of Ijara Sukuk and the sale of Market Treasury Bills (MTBs), with settlement the following day.
Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Gold prices soar in local market
KARACHI: Gold prices took a big stride on Wednesday in the local market, tracking an international market uptrend, surpassing $3,400 per ounce, traders said. World market posted a big gain, soaring by $37, to settle at $3,424 per ounce that also fuelled the local gold value, All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association said. As a result, the local gold prices mounted by Rs3,700 and Rs3,171, reaching Rs364,900 per tola and Rs312,842 per 10 grams, respectively. Following suit, the domestic silver market also grew - up by Rs46 to Rs4,081 per tola and Rs39 to Rs3,498 per 10 grams. Silver in the global market stood at over $39 per ounce, the jewellers association added. It is worth noting that the open market may trade gold and silver at rates differing those officially announced by the association. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
