Latest news with #AdityaKalra
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
India presses for global 'code of conduct' over pilot poaching
By Allison Lampert and Aditya Kalra MONTREAL/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India wants countries to agree a new code of conduct on hiring each other's airline staff after raising concerns that its fast-growing aviation system is being stifled by the poaching of Indian pilots and cabin crew without adequate notice. India, one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, is wrestling with a shortage of experienced pilots, denting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aspiration of developing a job-creating global aviation hub. The recent fatal crash of an Air India jetliner has sparked tighter scrutiny of the sector. But foreign airlines are repeatedly hiring skilled staff from Indian airlines, "adversely impacting India's ability to develop its civil aviation sector in an orderly manner," India said in an August 1 working paper submitted to the U.N.'s aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization. "Airlines from other (countries) tend to recruit experienced pilots, engineers, technicians, and cabin crew from Indian carriers, preventing India's civil aviation sector from achieving planned and orderly growth," India wrote in the paper, without identifying any foreign airline by name. "This practice creates a vicious cycle where Indian carriers are forced to continuously recruit and train replacement personnel by diverting resources from expansion activities and operational improvements." The paper was released on the ICAO website ahead of its triennial assembly. It has not previously been reported. India's Civil Aviation Ministry was not immediately available for comment. India's government said in April the country would need 30,000 pilots over the next 15–20 years, up from the current 6,000–7,000, as airlines collectively had more than 1,700 aircraft on order. India's domestic aviation sector is led by IndiGo and Air India, while all major international airlines from Emirates to British Airways to Lufthansa operate regular flights. In 2023, Air India exchanged barbs with Akasa Air over the poaching of pilots domestically. The working paper asks for the creation of a code of conduct on the movement of skilled aviation workers among ICAO's member countries. It doesn't specify how the code of conduct would work. "These challenges cause economic losses that affect Indian carriers' ability to compete in international markets ... and achieve its ambitious target of 300 million domestic passengers by 2030," the paper said. ICAO, which seeks to use consensus to set standards on everything from runways to seat belts, was created after the United States invited more than 50 allies to agree in 1944 to a common air navigation system. (Allison Lampert in Montreal and Aditya Kalra in New Delhi. Editing by Mark Potter) Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
India presses for global 'code of conduct' over pilot poaching
By Allison Lampert and Aditya Kalra MONTREAL/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India wants countries to agree a new code of conduct on hiring each other's airline staff after raising concerns that its fast-growing aviation system is being stifled by the poaching of Indian pilots and cabin crew without adequate notice. India, one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, is wrestling with a shortage of experienced pilots, denting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aspiration of developing a job-creating global aviation hub. The recent fatal crash of an Air India jetliner has sparked tighter scrutiny of the sector. But foreign airlines are repeatedly hiring skilled staff from Indian airlines, "adversely impacting India's ability to develop its civil aviation sector in an orderly manner," India said in an August 1 working paper submitted to the U.N.'s aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization. "Airlines from other (countries) tend to recruit experienced pilots, engineers, technicians, and cabin crew from Indian carriers, preventing India's civil aviation sector from achieving planned and orderly growth," India wrote in the paper, without identifying any foreign airline by name. "This practice creates a vicious cycle where Indian carriers are forced to continuously recruit and train replacement personnel by diverting resources from expansion activities and operational improvements." The paper was released on the ICAO website ahead of its triennial assembly. It has not previously been reported. India's Civil Aviation Ministry was not immediately available for comment. India's government said in April the country would need 30,000 pilots over the next 15–20 years, up from the current 6,000–7,000, as airlines collectively had more than 1,700 aircraft on order. India's domestic aviation sector is led by IndiGo and Air India, while all major international airlines from Emirates to British Airways to Lufthansa operate regular flights. In 2023, Air India exchanged barbs with Akasa Air over the poaching of pilots domestically. The working paper asks for the creation of a code of conduct on the movement of skilled aviation workers among ICAO's member countries. It doesn't specify how the code of conduct would work. "These challenges cause economic losses that affect Indian carriers' ability to compete in international markets ... and achieve its ambitious target of 300 million domestic passengers by 2030," the paper said. ICAO, which seeks to use consensus to set standards on everything from runways to seat belts, was created after the United States invited more than 50 allies to agree in 1944 to a common air navigation system. (Allison Lampert in Montreal and Aditya Kalra in New Delhi. Editing by Mark Potter)
Hindustan Times
29-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Air India audit finds 51 safety lapses, from unapproved simulators to training gaps
* Air India audit finds 51 safety lapses, from unapproved simulators to training gaps Air India faces intense scrutiny after June Dreamliner crash * India watchdog finds many lapses in regular audit * Audit reveals "recurrent training gaps", increasing safety risks * Airline says will respond with details of corrective action By Aditya Kalra and Abhijith Ganapavaram NEW DELHI, - India's aviation watchdog found 51 safety lapses at Air India in its July audit, including lack of adequate training for some pilots, use of unapproved simulators and a poor rostering system, according to a government report seen by Reuters. The annual audit was not related to the deadly Boeing 787 crash last month that killed 260 people in Ahmedabad, but its findings come as the airline faces renewed scrutiny after the accident. The Tata Group-owned airline is already facing warning notices for running planes without checking emergency equipment, not changing engine parts in time and forging records, along with other lapses related to crew fatigue management. The 11-page confidential audit report from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation noted seven "Level I" significant breaches which need to be fixed by July 30, and 44 other non-compliances classified which need to be resolved by August 23. Officials said they found "recurrent training gaps" for some unspecified Boeing 787 and 777 pilots, saying they had not completed their monitoring duties - where they don't fly but observe functioning of instruments in the cockpit - ahead of mandatory periodic evaluations. Air India's fleet includes 34 Boeing 787s and 23 Boeing 777s, according to Flightradar24 website. Flagging operational and safety risks, officials wrote in their report that Air India did not do "proper route assessments" for some so-called Category C airports - which may have challenging layouts or terrain - and conducted training for such airfields with simulators that did not meet qualification standards. "This may account to non-consideration of safety risks during approaches to challenging airports," the DGCA audit report said. In a statement to Reuters, Air India said it was "fully transparent" during the audit. It added it will "submit our response to the regulator within the stipulated time frame, along with the details of the corrective actions." A preliminary report into the June crash found that the fuel control switches were flipped almost simultaneously after takeoff and there was pilot confusion in the cockpit. One pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel and the other responded that he hadn't done so, the report said. The DGCA has often flagged concerns about Air India pilots breaching the limits of their flight-duty periods, and the audit report said an AI-787 Milan-New Delhi flight last month exceeded the limit by 2 hours and 18 minutes, calling it a "Level I" non-compliance. The audit was conducted by 10 DGCA inspectors, and included another four auditors. It also criticized the airline's rostering system, which it said "doesn't give a hard alert" if a minimum number of crew members were not being deployed on a flight, adding that at least four international flights had flown with insufficient cabin crew. Tata acquired Air India from the government in 2022. While it has aggressively expanded its international network, it faces persistent complaints from passengers, who often take to social media to show soiled seats, broken armrests, non-operational entertainment systems and dirty cabin areas. Reuters reported last week that Air India's senior executives, including the airline's director of flight operations and its director of training, were sent notices on July 23 flagging 29 "systemic" lapses, pulling up the airline for ignoring "repeated" warnings. Air India has said it will respond to the regulator. The audit report noted that "door checks and equipment checks" showed inconsistency with procedures and there were gaps in training documentation. Further, it said no chief pilots were assigned for Airbus A320 and A350 fleet. "This results in a lack of accountability, and effective monitoring of flight operations for these aircraft types," the report said. Last year, authorities warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations, with 11 involving the Air India Group. The biggest fine was $127,000 on Air India for "insufficient oxygen on board" during some international flights. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Air India warned over 'systemic' lapses in fatigue management and training, documents show
* Air India warned over 'systemic' lapses in fatigue management and training, documents show Regulator flags concerns about repeated breaches of safety rules * Air India says it self-reported the lapses, is committed to safety * Airline under intense scrutiny since Ahmedabad crash last month By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI, - Air India has been warned by India's aviation regulator that it could face enforcement action for breaching safety standards related to crew fatigue management and training, government notices to the airline seen by Reuters showed. The airline self-reported the problems, which occurred this year and last year, to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation last month, just days after one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners crashed in Ahmedabad city, killing 260 people. Four government notices, dated July 23, criticised Air India for repeated failures in safety compliance and follow many other warnings in the past. Potential regulatory action could include fines or ordering that executives be removed from their jobs. The latest notices cite a combined 29 violations, including pilots not being given mandatory rest, poor compliance with simulator training requirements, lack of training for a high-altitude airport and flying on international routes with insufficient cabin crew. "Despite repeated warning and enforcement action of non-compliance in the past, systemic issues related to compliance monitoring, crew planning, and training governance remain unresolved," said one of the notices. "The recurrence of such violations suggests a failure to establish and enforce effective control mechanisms," it said. Air India said in a statement that the notices related to voluntary disclosures made over the past year, and it will respond to the regulator. "We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers," it added. The DGCA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Air India has come under intense scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash, which was the world's aviation disaster in a decade. A preliminary report found that the fuel control switches were flipped almost simultaneously after takeoff and there was pilot confusion in the cockpit. One pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel and got a response that he hadn't done so, the report said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Japan Today
24-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Air India warned by regulator over 'systemic' lapses in fatigue management and training
FILE PHOTO: An Air India passenger plane flies near houses as it makes its landing approach to Heathrow Airport in west London, Britain, January 28, 2025. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo By Aditya Kalra By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Air India has been warned by India's aviation regulator that it could face enforcement action for breaching safety standards related to crew fatigue management and training, government notices to the airline seen by Reuters showed. The airline self-reported the problems, which occurred this year and last year, to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last month, just days after one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners crashed in Ahmedabad city, killing 260 people. Four government notices, dated July 23, criticised Air India for repeated failures in safety compliance and follow many other warnings in the past. Potential regulatory action could include fines or ordering that executives be removed from their jobs. They cite a combined 29 violations, including pilots not being given mandatory rest, poor compliance with simulator training requirements, lack of training for a high-altitude airport and flying on international routes with insufficient cabin crew. "Despite repeated warning and enforcement action of non-compliance in the past, systemic issues related to compliance monitoring, crew planning, and training governance remain unresolved," said one of the notices. "The recurrence of such violations suggests a failure to establish and enforce effective control mechanisms," it said. Air India said in a statement that the notices related to voluntary disclosures made over the past year, and it will respond to the regulator. "We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers," it added. The DGCA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. INVESTIGATIONS AND WARNINGS Air India has come under intense scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash, which was the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. A preliminary report found that the fuel control switches were flipped almost simultaneously after takeoff and there was pilot confusion in the cockpit. One pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel and the other responded that he hadn't done so, the report said. Separately, the EU's aviation agency said this month it will investigate Air India Express, the airline's budget service, after Reuters reported the carrier did not change the engine parts of an Airbus A320 in a timely manner. India's watchdog also found in May that Air India flew three Airbus planes even though they were overdue for checks on emergency equipment. The crash and the warning notices have increased challenges for Indian conglomerate Tata, which took over the airline from the government in 2022 with the aim of turning it into a world-class airline. This week's government notices were addressed to senior executives, including the airline's director of flight operations, Pankul Mathur, and its director of training, Amar Bhatia. One of the notices said there had been "weekly rest violations" detected for two pilots in June 2024 and one in June 2025, though it did not say how many extra hours the pilots flew. Another notice said that last year, two pilots took simulator training but did not start flying within the prescribed time limit, a lapse that requires them to undergo training again. In April this year, a pilot flew from Kathmandu without the mandatory special simulator training required for the airport, the notice added. Kathmandu has mountainous terrain and a high-altitude table-top runway. Table-top runways have steep drops at one or both ends. "This is substantially risky because Kathmandu is an airport which requires prior training ... in case of any emergency (pilots) will not have the time to peruse a manual," Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The warnings also included concerns that cabin safety teams has "repeatedly failed to adhere" to rules, as four international flights in April and May this year flew with fewer cabin crew than the 15 required. One senior Indian government official with direct knowledge of the notices said the administration was concerned that "Air India is taking things for granted", adding "we have given them many warnings." Air India received nine warning notices in the past six months, the government told parliament this week. Last year, authorities warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations. Eleven instances involved the Air India group. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) © (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025.
