Latest news with #AviationMinister
Malay Mail
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
No theory ruled out: India vows thorough probe into Air India plane crash
NEW DELHI, June 14 — India's government will look into all possible theories of what could have caused the Air India plane crash this week which killed more than 270 people, the country's aviation minister Rammohan Naidu said today. — Reuters
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Flight AI171 disaster: Everything we know about Gatwick-bound Air India plane crash
An Air India passenger plane destined for London Gatwick has crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities have confirmed. Flight AI171, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after departing the Indian airport with over 244 people on board on Thursday. Videos emerging from the scene depicted a black plume of smoke rising into the sky near buildings. Confirming the news on social meda, Air India wrote that their teams are now ascertaining further details about the incident. 'Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest on and on our X handle,' the social media post read. India's Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has responded to the news, stating that his team were on 'highest alert.' 'I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action," he said. "Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families." Here's what we know so far. Air India has confirmed that the plane that crashed is Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. According to flight tracking sites, it departed on Thursday at 1.17pm local time and was meant to take over nine hours to arrive in the UK. The plane was an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which can normally carry a total of 248 passengers.
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside Britain's busiest airport: SHIVALI BEST goes behind-the-scenes at Heathrow's Terminal 5 to find out what really happens to your bag
It's the best-connected airport in the world, linking to over 230 destinations in nearly 90 countries. So it should come as no surprise that Heathrow Airport also features one of the world's most sophisticated baggage systems. In 2024 alone, Heathrow handled a whopping 39.47 million outbound bags. To put that into perspective, that's an average of 75 bags per minute, or 1.25 bags every second! Unsurprisingly, the transport hub is usually extremely private about what happens behind closed doors. However, MailOnline's Science and Technology Editor, Shivali Best, was invited behind-the-scenes at Heathrow's Terminal 5 for a rare look inside. With 150 check-in positions, over 18 miles of conveyor belts, and an early bag storage warehouse managed by 30 cranes, the baggage system is meticulously designed from start-to-finish. So, whether you're a happy holidaymaker or a busy businessperson, here's what really happens to your bag as it passes through Britain's busiest airport. Heathrow's Terminal 5 opened back in 2008, and is mainly used by British Airways. It's safe to say that its baggage handling system went off to a rocky start, with the then Aviation Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, claiming the terminal had fallen 'well short of expectation'. In the opening days, issues with Terminal 5's IT systems forced British Airways to cancel hundreds of flights and suspend check-in, with a total of around 42,000 bags failing to reach their owners. Thankfully, in the 17 years since, Heathrow has ramped up its system and processes, with Terminal 5 now boasting the largest automated baggage handling system in the world. I met with Baggage Engineering Duty Managers, Alec Burge and Nigel Jinman, at the departure gates for a tour of this world-class operation. Terminal 5 alone has 150 check-in positions 30 metres above ground, where passengers can drop off their luggage. 'When each passenger checks in, their bag is given a tag with a Baggage Source Message (BSM),' Mr Burge explains. 'Every passenger has a unique one, containing information on everything from their name, flight number, class, and seat. The first stop is a volumetric scanner, which detects whether a bag is lying flat or upright 'The BSM is used to route the bag through the baggage system to the correct flight.' Behind the scenes, the baggage system is split into two sections - north and south - where bags are transported on mirror journeys to airplanes at the 53 departure gates. Armed with our passports and security passes, we make our way through an unassuming door and begin our exploration of this mysterious baggage labyrinth. After climbing 10 metres down, we see bags first entering the system. 'As the bag drops down into the system, an automatic reader will look at the BSM,' Mr Burge explained. 'There are dozens of scanners throughout the baggage system.' The first stop is a volumetric scanner, which detects whether a bag is lying flat or upright, and whether it is too big or heavy. If the scanner detects a bag is upright - a prime position for it to get into a jam - it will reroute it to a special rotating belt that flips it on to its side, before it rejoins the main conveyor belt. Just when I think the whistle-stop tour is coming to an end, the experts show me the Early Bag Storage unit, where any early bags can be stored safely until they're needed If the bags do happen to get into a jam at any point, engineers are watching on CCTV and can step in to try to clear the blockage. Next, it's over to the X-ray scanners, where the bags go through five levels of screening. If they fail at the first level, they are escalated to the next, and escalation continues as required, with the police being called if the bag cannot be cleared. Once a bag has been given the all-clear at security, it passes through to a 'sorter' conveyor belt - a huge track made up of 1,300 moving trays. As the trays wind their way around the track, much to my surprise, they suddenly tip, launching the bags off into one of 132 outputs. Finally, the bags at each output are loaded onto a unit loading device, which is driven by the airline to the plane to be loaded on. One of the biggest stresses for travellers is the risk of bags being lost during tight transfers. Thankfully, Terminal 5 also has a rollercoaster-like connection system to ensure bags are whisked through at top speed - and precision. 'If you're on a tight connection, your bag is flagged as time-critical,' Mr Burge explains. 'Connecting bags go through 16 transfer belts to a destination coded vehicle, which loops around to where it needs to be.' Just when I think the whistle-stop tour is coming to an end, the experts show me the Early Bag Storage unit, where any early bags can be stored safely until they're needed. Reminiscent of the Door Warehouse in 'Monsters, Inc', this unit is managed by 30 automated cranes, which can whisk over 6,500 bags around with impressive precision. As with most systems, Terminal 5's baggage system isn't fault-free, with occasional blockages requiring engineers to come and rejig the bags. 'A lot of the time, it's due to the ways the bags were offloaded,' Mr Burge tells me. 'The airline handlers place the bags on the conveyor belt, and they should leave a space so bags can run through the system nice and easily.' Other issues come down to the nature of the bags themselves. 'If every bag was a square box, it would process through the system much better,' he joked. As a passenger, there are several easy things you can do to reduce the risk of an issue with your bag, according to Mr Jinman. 'Bag straps are always getting stuck, and we can't repatriate them so they just go in the bin,' he said. 'They're an absolute nightmare. Cling film wrap is also awful - it gets wrapped up like the straps do.' Hard bags are the best option, according to the expert. 'We treat the trays like surfboards - we wax them so they're smooth. So some really soft leather bags or sports equipment bags can get stuck on the trays,' he explained. 'When the trays tip, those bags don't always fall down the right chute. 'Thankfully, this will set off an alarm in the control room and an engineer will go down to recover the bags.' Meanwhile, Mr Jinman's top tip is to always include a note inside your suitcase with your name, flight details, and phone number. 'If the tag comes off your bag, as soon as we open it up we can call you and see what flight you're on.' AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL: HOW DOES IT WORK? Air traffic control aims to move planes safely and efficiently through the airspace system. Controllers keep aircraft set distances apart while moving them from airport to airport using designated routes. Before take off, airlines will file a flight plan with air traffic control so every controller who deals with the flight on its journey is aware of its details and route. When an aircraft is at an airport, the pilots on board will be in contact with controllers in the airport's control tower. Air traffic controllers will monitor the aircraft while it is on the ground and give it permission to take off. Once airborne the pilot will then normally talk to another controller using a radar screen to track the aircraft's progress through the airways system (equivalent to motorways in the sky). Each controller is responsible for planes in a set area of airspace. When an aircraft is nearing the edge of their sector they will coordinate its handover to the next controller. This will continue through the aircraft's journey until it is handed over to the controller at the destination airport. Most airliners are monitored by controllers using radar in airways and routes known as 'controlled airspace'. The majority of airspace that is left is known as 'uncontrolled', and this is used by the military and recreational pilots. In this airspace some air traffic control services are provided, especially near airfields, but in much of the airspace it is the pilots' responsibility to see and avoid each other.
