Latest news with #Dreamliners
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
IndiGo to add more int'l destinations; to explore new MRO opportunities
IndiGo will continue to add more overseas destinations with A321 XLRs set to join the fleet this fiscal year and aims to increase its international capacity share to 40 per cent by 2030. Also, the country's largest airline plans to explore new opportunities in the MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) space, according to its annual report for 2024-25. IndiGo, which has been flying for over 18 years, has a domestic market share of 64.5 per cent, operates around 2,200 flights daily with more than 430 planes. "We will continue to add more destinations internationally, especially with XLRs coming in along with our newly leased wide body aircraft for long haul operations. From 28 per cent current international capacity share, we are aiming for 40 per cent by FY 2030," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in his message in the annual report. Earlier this month, the carrier started flights to Manchester and Amsterdam that are being operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliners leased from Norway's Norse Atlantic. The long range A321 XLRs and wide-body A350-900s are expected to join the airline's fleet in the current fiscal year ending March 2026, and 2027, respectively. "IndiGo also plans to explore new opportunities in the MRO space as India's infrastructure development is picking up," it said. The airline is setting up an MRO facility in Bengaluru. In the annual report, the airline said its outlook remains promising, supported by a healthy demand environment and firm capacity growth. "While macroeconomic uncertainties and operating headwinds such as aircraft groundings and fuel cost volatility remain, IndiGo continues to proactively manage these challenges through fleet diversification, damp leasing strategies and strategic agreements with OEMs," it said. OEM refers to original equipment manufacturer.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- 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.
1News
7 days ago
- General
- 1News
Air India says no issues in fuel control switches in Boeing fleet
Air India said yesterday that preliminary inspections found no issues in the locking mechanism of fuel control switches for select Boeing aircrafts. The announcement followed a preliminary investigation into last month's Air India plane crash that the switches shifted and flipped within seconds, starving both engines of fuel. Air India operates a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners for long-distance operations, while subsidiary and low-cost unit Air India Express operates the Boeing 737 jets for short-haul flights. The airline inspected its entire fleet of both types of aircraft. "In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism," the airline's statement said. The investigation by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau into the London-bound plane that crashed in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 people, is centred around the fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 jetliner. One person survived the crash. ADVERTISEMENT Last week, India's aviation regulator ordered all airlines operating several Boeing models to examine fuel control switches and submit their findings to the regulator by July 21. A member of the National Disaster Response Force is seen at Thursday's Air India plane crash site in Ahmedabad, India. (Source: Associated Press) Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet, and Air India Express operates 75 Boeing 737 jets. In the past few weeks, the airline has faced disruptions in services amid heightened scrutiny and additional safety inspections, leading to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety. On Monday, an Air India Airbus 320 flight veered off the runway as it landed during heavy rainfall at Mumbai International Airport, partially damaging the underside of one of the plane's engines and leading to a temporary runway closure. The flight had flown from Kochi in the southern state of Kerala. The airline said in a statement that all passengers and crew members disembarked safely and the aircraft was grounded for checks. In another incident, an Air India flight from Hong Kong had a fire in its auxiliary power unit yesterday while passengers were exiting the aircraft after it landed in New Delhi. ADVERTISEMENT 'The auxiliary power unit was automatically shut down as per system design. There was some damage to the aircraft, however, passengers and crew members disembarked normally, and are safe,' the airline said. Its statement added the aircraft was grounded for investigation and the aviation safety regulator notified. Onlookers watch wreckage from Thursday's Air India plane crash lying atop a building in Ahmedabad, India (Source: Associated Press) Indian conglomerate Tata Sons took over Air India in 2022, returning the debt-saddled national carrier to private ownership after decades of government control. The US$2.4 billion (NZ$4 billion) deal was seen as the government's effort to sell off a loss-making, state-run businesses. It also was in some ways a homecoming for Air India, which was launched by the Tata family in 1932. Since the takeover, Air India has ordered hundreds of new planes worth more than US$70 billion (NZ$116.4 billion), redesigned its branding and livery and absorbed smaller airlines that Tata held stakes in. The company additionally has committed millions of dollars to digital overhauls of aircrafts and refurbishing interiors of more than five dozen legacy planes.
Mint
23-07-2025
- Mint
What you should know about the aircraft involved in Air India's latest mishaps — they are not Boeings
Flight diversions, choked toilets, broken seats, and now, a fatal crash. Air India has been in the news for all the wrong reasons since the Tatas took charge from the government. Passengers believed the Tata Group had a magic wand that could turn around a beleaguered airline in a jiffy. Alas, it was not to be. The turnaround is taking longer than expected. A large part of the delay is due to prevailing market conditions and supply chain issues. Air India's repeated announcements about refurbishment and revamp since the takeover have only heightened anticipation. Cut to June 2025. The focus has suddenly shifted to safety above all else after the deadly crash of AI171 at Ahmedabad, which occurred within seconds of take-off. Social media has been abuzz ever since, with chatter centring on Boeing, Dreamliners, and Air India. Much of it, however, is unfounded in the absence of solid proof. Passengers are also said to be avoiding the airline or specific aircraft types, but data confirming this is not yet available. Now, three incidents involving Air India have made headlines. Is there a break to this cycle of horrid news for the airline? On Monday, 21 July, AI2744 from Kochi to Mumbai had a runway excursion while landing in Mumbai. The aircraft briefly left the runway before returning to the paved surface and taxiing to the gate under its own power. An official statement said that passengers disembarked normally. The aircraft was VT-TYA, an all-economy class jet that was inducted into Vistara and later moved to Air India after the merger. The four-year-old aircraft has since been grounded in Mumbai. Photos circulating on social media showed a damaged engine nacelle, damage to the wheels, and grass remains that the aircraft likely picked up while off the runway. This could have been much worse, but the pilots saved the day. Mumbai's monsoons have a history of triggering runway excursions every few years. The main runway has been closed in the past following excursions by SpiceJet in 2019 and Turkish Airlines in 2011. The city was experiencing heavy rain on Monday. On Tuesday, 22 July, AI315 from Hong Kong to Delhi experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) fire shortly after landing and parking at the gate. The incident occurred while passengers had begun disembarking, and the APU was automatically shut down, as per system design. The aircraft suffered some damage, but all passengers and crew members disembarked safely. According to an airline statement, the aircraft has been grounded for further investigation, and the regulator has been duly notified. The aircraft in question was VT-TVG, one of Air India's four Airbus A321LRs. Meanwhile, a Delhi–Kolkata flight experienced a rejected takeoff. Such incidents are standard safety procedures executed by pilots within all operational limitations. On 21 July, when VT-TVA was scheduled to fly to Kolkata as AI2403, it had to abort takeoff due to a technical issue and return to the gate. A replacement aircraft departed with a delay of nearly four hours. The plane has since returned to service. Call it coincidence or otherwise, all three aircraft involved in these incidents are former Vistara A321s now operated by Air India. While the runway excursion and APU fire could have turned serious, the rejected take-off received disproportionate attention, simply because it involved Air India. Such events occur routinely across the world and with other Indian carriers as well. Still, this poses a serious concern for Air India, especially with both the flying and non-flying public forming opinions based solely on headlines. For brand Air India, this is bad news. How long it will take for the airline to recover is anybody's guess. For now, the airline faces scrutiny from both the regulator and the flying public, and yes, from social media, too.
Mint
23-07-2025
- General
- Mint
Air India says no issues in locking mechanism of fuel control switches in Boeing fleet
NEW DELHI (AP) — Air India said Tuesday that preliminary inspections found no issues in the locking mechanism of fuel control switches for select Boeing aircrafts. The announcement followed a preliminary investigation into last month's Air India plane crash that the switches shifted and flipped within seconds, starving both engines of fuel. Air India operates a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners for long-distance operations, while subsidiary and low-cost unit Air India Express operates the Boeing 737 jets for short-haul flights. The airline inspected its entire fleet of both types of aircraft. 'In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism,' the airline's statement said. The investigation by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau into the London-bound plane that crashed in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 people, is centered around the fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 jetliner. One person survived the crash. Last week, India's aviation regulator ordered all airlines operating several Boeing models to examine fuel control switches and submit their findings to the regulator by July 21. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet, and Air India Express operates 75 Boeing 737 jets. In the past few weeks, the airline has faced disruptions in services amid heightened scrutiny and additional safety inspections, leading to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety. On Monday, an Air India Airbus 320 flight veered off the runway as it landed during heavy rainfall at Mumbai International Airport, partially damaging the underside of one of the plane's engines and leading to a temporary runway closure. The flight had flown from Kochi in the southern state of Kerala. The airline said in a statement that all passengers and crew members disembarked safely and the aircraft was grounded for checks. In another incident, an Air India flight from Hong Kong had a fire in its auxiliary power unit Tuesday while passengers were exiting the aircraft after it landed in New Delhi. 'The auxiliary power unit was automatically shut down as per system design. There was some damage to the aircraft, however, passengers and crew members disembarked normally, and are safe,' the airline said. Its statement added the aircraft was grounded for investigation and the aviation safety regulator notified. Indian conglomerate Tata Sons took over Air India in 2022, returning the debt-saddled national carrier to private ownership after decades of government control. The $2.4 billion deal was seen as the government's effort to sell off a loss-making, state-run businesses. It also was in some ways a homecoming for Air India, which was launched by the Tata family in 1932. Since the takeover, Air India has ordered hundreds of new planes worth more than $70 billion, redesigned its branding and livery and absorbed smaller airlines that Tata held stakes in. The company additionally has committed millions of dollars to digital overhauls of aircrafts and refurbishing interiors of more than five dozen legacy planes.
