Soubhik Mitra

Aviation regulator looks to crack down on pilots feigning illness to miss work

The aviation regulator has decided to crack down on pilots feigning illness to miss work, less than a week after Jet Airways passengers suffered long waits and cancellations due to a shortage of pilots.

Travellers in India prefer economic stays: Study

Holiday budgets in India saw a double digit spike this year but most travellers chose economic stays over big hotels, found a study that compared vacation spends

In Maharashtra: Two car mechanics under DGCA lens for repairing chopper

On Friday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sent a team to probe the matter. “Our team is interrogating them,” said Lalit Gupta, joint director general with the DGCA.

Flights disrupted as Jet Airways pilots fume over new roster, report sick

Hundreds of Jet Airways passengers intermittently

Most expensive domestic seats on Mumbai flights: Aviation directorate data

The ratio of steep domestic air tickets sold between August and September in India were the highest on flights shuttling in and out of Mumbai, showed data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation

Maharashtra CM keen on developing Kalyan airstrip under regional air connectivity scheme

Under the regional connectivity scheme named UDAN, the ministry is planning to revamp India’s ghost airports

Two pilots taken off flying duty after GoAir flight avoids collision

The alert came from the Traffic Collision Advisory System (TCAS), an in-built device which throws collision warnings to aircraft mid-air.

In Mumbai: Air India pilot found tipsy can’t fly a plane for 3 years

An Air India (AI) pilot, who tested positive for alcohol before operating a flight, will not be allowed to fly a plane for at least three years.

Air India pilot found tipsy not allowed to fly for 3 years

An AI spokesperson confirmed that the pilot’s license was suspended for three years.

Monsoon months saw more fliers than the summer this year

Between July and September this year, 2.51 crore people took domestic flights, compared to 2.45 crore from April to June — the established holiday season. In the January to March period, 2.30 crore took flights within India

Despite opposition from staffers, Air India chief praises ‘tainted’ captain Kathpalia

A day after Air India pilots warned the Prime Minister’s office about alleged chinks in the safety records of a senior pilot shortlisted to head the airline’s flight operations, the airline chief Ashwani Lohani wrote a note showering praises on the same person.

Air India union asks Ajit Doval to review ‘tainted’ pilot’s appointment

Air India pilots’ union has asked the Prime Minister’s office to review the selection of a senior pilot shortlisted for the post of operations’ head, pointing at his alleged tainted record.

Birds on runway delay IndiGo flight by 90 minutes

Cases of flight disruptions owing to bird hits and presence of other animals straying on the tarmac almost doubled between 2010 and 2014

At least one pilot tested positive for alcohol every 2 days from Jan to June

DGCA data shows that such safety lapses almost tripled from 69 cases in 2011 to 186 in 2015

Festive airfare at par with rly sleeper class, bookings could fly past 10 million

Fuelled by flash sales offered by domestic airlines, study reveals bookings increased by 40% in October

Mumbai airport’s runway repairs off to a smooth start, but delays may follow

More than 2,100 flights were cut from the airport’s winter schedule for this purpose.

AI flight tyre gets deflated on taxiway, all passengers and crew safe

About 128 passengers on board an Air India flight from Ahmedabad had a minor scare on Tuesday morning after one of its wheels suddenly flattened and sat on a taxiway.

9 of 10 Indians say giving tips for hotel stay comes naturally

9 out of 10 Indians say giving tips for hotel stay comes naturally to them: Survey

Most questions in the survey were answered by 896 adults, who had stayed overnight in a hotel in the past two years

Indian families add sparkle to Diwali with gambling holidays abroad

More Indians booking gambling-heavy family holidays this Diwali

While trips to Macau, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Sri Lanka are in high demand, casinos in Goa, Daman and Sikkim also lure a significant number of Diwali travellers

Pilots’ whisky photo: Man seeks probe by foreign regulators

Bangalore man asks foreign regulators to act against pilots who posed with whisky

The low-cost airline had told HT that its internal probe had found no violations by the pilots

‘Unusual aerial objects’ spotted, turn out to be balloons

Holidayers cash in on festive spirit, discounts

Festive season results in surge in air travellers ‘on holiday’

With two back to back public holidays on account of Dusshera (Tuesday) and Muharram on Wednesday, the long weekend between October 8 and 13 has increased the rush in travel.

Pilots spot ‘blue balloons’ while touching down at Mumbai airport

“We have alerted the concerned authorities. Unusual flying objects such as balloons are unsafe for flights. It could get sucked into a plane’s engine and affects its performance,” said an ATC official.

Festival delicacies check in on domestic flights

The whiff of festive delicacies will not be limited to makeshift stalls at the Navratri and Durga Puja pandals and households in the country this year.

At Mumbai airport, 380 flights miss their schedule every month: Survey

In August, 426 flights missed their schedule at least one out of every five times they got airborne, the data said. And, this is not a stray number. Between February and August, every month saw 380 such delays

Some levies on fliers cut, but others set to go up