Global Airline Industry

DGCA frames stricter norms for wet-leased plane ops by Indian airlines

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday proposed stricter norms for the oversight of wet-leased planes operated by Indian airlines. Faced with the grounding of a significant number of planes due to engine and supply chain woes, domestic carriers are utilising more wet-leased aircraft as a short-term measure to cater to rising air traffic demand. The watchdog has issued a draft for public consultation on the revised Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on wet/damp lease operations by Indian operators to strengthen the regulatory framework for safety oversight of wet/damp lease operations. Wet lease of an aircraft by an Indian carrier involves the leasing of foreign aircraft, along with crew, maintenance and insurance. The plane is also under the operational control of the foreign operator (lessor) and subject to regulatory requirements of the foreign civil aviation authority concerned. The safety oversight of such operations is also under the purview of the foreign

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways plans IPO no earlier than 2025: Report

Etihad, which started operations in 2003, spent billions of dollars buying minority stakes in other carriers to create larger network through its Abu Dhabi hub

Airlines' group IATA flags concerns over rise in airport charges in India

Global airlines' grouping IATA on Wednesday flagged concerns about a significant increase in airport charges in India and suggested having regulations to ensure all costs can be controlled in a way that will allow more people to travel by air. In India, tariffs for major airports are approved by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) and in recent times, charges at some airports have gone up. Emphasising that countries should be careful around airport charges, IATA Director General Willie Walsh on Wednesday said after privatisation of some airports, "there has been an automatic increase in charges in what we have witnessed in India". "India needs to be congratulated for the investment infrastructure in recent years which will pay dividends but only if costs are controlled. At the moment, we continue to be concerned around the very significant increase in airport charges in India...," he said. He also mentioned that IATA has concerns about airport charges in a number of .

Air Canada finalising plan to shutdown as union talks near impasse

Talks between Air Canada and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents more than 5,200 pilots at Canada's largest carrier, are continuing, but both parties remain far apart, the company

Alaska Air clears big hurdle in its proposed merger with Hawaiian Airlines

Alaska Air is one step closer to acquiring Hawaiian Airlines after the US Department of Justice chose not to challenge the USD 1.9 billion deal that the carriers say will create a company better able to serve travellers. Alaska Air announced in December that it would pay USD 18 in cash for each share of Hawaiian. The deal includes USD 900 million in debt held by Hawaiian Airlines. The brands of both airlines would be preserved after the merger, which is unique in an industry where decades of acquisitions have left only four big carriers dominating the US market. Alaska and Hawaiian say they have few overlapping routes and the intent of a tie-up is to allow the new airline to better compete with the nation's Big Four: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Alaska Air and Hawaiian Holdings, the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, said in regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday that the review period for the Justice

S&P, Moody's downgrade JetBlue amid $3 bn debt raise, shares sink

JetBlue intends to raise $1.5 billion through a private offering of senior secured notes and an additional $1.25 billion via a term loan, secured by TrueBlue

Air France-KLM carrier appoints Stefan Gumuseli as GM for India-ME markets

European air carrier Air France-KLM on Thursday said it has appointed Stefan Gumuseli as the new General Manager for the India-Middle East markets from August 1. Gumuseli will oversee the passenger business for India and the Middle East, which includes a range of diverse and multicultural countries such as India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Egypt as well as additional offline countries, Air France-KLM said in a statement. He will be based at the regional office in Dubai, it said, adding that Claude Sarre will continue to lead India and the Sub-continent as Country Manager based in New Delhi, ensuring continuity and focused leadership in this key market. Gumuseli will be responsible for further strengthening the overall presence of Air France-KLM in the region, focusing on enhancing customer proximity, upholding the commitment towards sustainability, it said. "For the Air France-KLM Group, this (India-Middle East) region is a strategic market with innumerable opportunities and .

After months' search Boeing names Kelly Ortberg as President, CEO

Ortberg will face pressure to help revive production of the company's strong-selling 737 jets from about 25 in June and July to 38 by year's end

Amid US scrutiny Alaska extends period for Hawaiian Airlines acquisition

Shortages of new planes, jet engines and pilots have spurred US airlines to pursue growth through acquisitions, putting them in the crosshairs of anti-trust regulators

Boeing case puts focus on plea agreements involving corporate defendants

After two jetliner crashes killed 346 people, a USD 2.5 billion settlement that let Boeing avoid criminal prosecution failed to resolve questions about the safety of the aerospace giant's planes. Federal prosecutors now accuse the company of failing to live up to terms of the 2021 settlement. Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a felony fraud charge in a new deal with the Justice Department. The department hopes to file the detailed plea agreement Friday, but says it may need a few more days. Experts on corporate behaviour say whether the new agreement has a more lasting impact on safety than the earlier settlement could come down to how much power is placed in the hands of an independent monitor who is assigned to oversee Boeing for three years. Prosecutors made the appointment of such a monitor a condition of the plea deal, which also calls for Boeing to pay a new USD 243.6 million fine. Your real concern is protecting against the loss of future lives in future crashes, and that

Boeing's Washington factory workers pass strike sanction vote, says union

Boeing's labor talks come as the US planemaker loses ground to rival Airbus and navigates a crisis that erupted after a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX jet

Panasonic Avionics opens new software design & development facility in Pune

In-flight Engagement and Connectivity (IFEC) solutions provider Panasonic Avionics on Wednesday opened a new software design and development facility in Pune. The new facility, inaugurated by the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, is the first in the country by Panasonic Avionics Corporation dedicated to supporting the development and delivery of IFEC solutions. The facility employs over 200 skilled engineers in the beginning with growth plans in place to scale it up further to support the increasing demand from airlines for these solutions, the company said. Panasonic Avionics said the new facility will accelerate its software development capabilities and help improve the time-to-market for robust, next-generation IFEC and digital solutions. "With its huge number of skilled engineers, and fast-growing aviation sector, India is a natural location for us to invest in for the future of our business, and we look forward to accelerating our software innovation and .

Post-pandemic travel boom to sustain high airfares, says new AirAsia boss

The global aviation industry has been transformed as the post-pandemic reopening unleashed a wave of pent-up travel demand that's sent ticket prices surging faster than inflation

Passenger plane lands safely in New Zealand after fire shuts down engine

A passenger plane landed safely at a New Zealand airport on Monday after a fire shut down one of its engines, the nation's fire service said. The Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 jet bound for Melbourne, Australia, landed in the New Zealand city of Invercargill after the fire forced a diversion. Fire trucks met the plane as it arrived in Invercargill about 50 minutes after takeoff from Queenstown, said Lynn Crosson, shift supervisor for Fire and Emergency New Zealand. The cause of the engine fire and the number of passengers on board the plane were not immediately known, Queenstown Airport spokesperson Catherine Nind said. Virgin Australia said in an emailed statement that the incident may have been caused by a possible bird strike. Queenstown, with a population of 53,000, is popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island, famous for skiing, adventure tourism and alpine vistas.

Global airlines bet big on India, expect it to be hottest travel market

The domestic air travel market in India is expected to double to 300 million passengers from a record 152 million in 2023, according to government data

Global airlines raise profit outlook for 2024, projects $1 trn in revenue

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it expected the worldwide industry to generate $30.5 billion of profit this year

Global airlines on track for $30 billion profit in 2024, predicts IATA

The outlook compares with the $27.4 billion in profit achieved last year, IATA said at its annual general meeting in Dubai

Boeing, Spirit agree on $425 mn deal to address supplier's issues

Spirit will also provide to Boeing specified financial information on a weekly basis

UK airports get more time to put in new scanners allowing liquids, laptops

Drink it or bin it: That phrase should have become history this summer at all UK airports. But it's set to persist for at least another year after the British government said it will grant extensions to several large UK airports unable to meet the June 1 deadline to fully install new scanning technology. The airports include London's two biggest, Heathrow and Gatwick. The new scanners use computed tomography, commonly known as a CT scan, to produce clearer images. They are being rolled out globally, including in the US and across Europe, and will allow passengers to go through security with 2 litres (70 ounces) of liquid in their hand luggage rather than the current paltry 100 millilitres (3.5 ounces). They will also mean laptops and tablets won't need to be removed from bags saving even more time. The restrictions were introduced around the world in 2006 following a foiled terror plot to blow up planes flying from London to the US with homemade liquid bombs. They were not expect

Uncomfortable reality of global air travel as airlines race to decarbonize

The five airlines in the world that emit the fewest pollutants per passenger are all low-cost carriers, according to data from carbon-reduction advisory firm Envest Global