Tag: Air India

Air India signs pacts with Airbus, Boeing to buy 470 planes

New Delhi: Air India on Tuesday signed agreements with Airbus and Boeing for acquiring 470 planes for an estimated USD 70 billion at list prices.

The Tata Group-owned airline had announced that it will buy 470 aircraft, including wide-body planes, in February this year.

The “firm orders include 34 A350-1000, 6 A350-900, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 10 Boeing 777X widebody aircraft, as well as 140 Airbus A320neo, 70 Airbus A321neo and 190 Boeing 737MAX narrow-body aircraft,” the airline said in a release.

The purchase agreements were signed on the sidelines of the ongoing Paris Air Show.

Air India said the agreements go “one step further in its USD 70 billion (based on list prices) fleet expansion program that it announced in February this year”.

The Airbus A350 will lead the deliveries of the new aircraft later this year, with the bulk of the order to arrive from mid-2025 onwards, it said.

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, said the landmark step further positions Air India for long-term growth and success that, “we have every hope, will come together to represent the best of modern aviation to the world”.

Air India has already started taking delivery of 11 leased B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion.

Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO and MD, said its ambitious fleet renewal and expansion programme will see the airline operate the most advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft across its route network within five years.

Satair, an Airbus company, and Boeing Global Services will support Air India with a broad range of solutions, including parts and maintenance provisioning, digital applications, and modification services.

June 20, 2023
Air India suspends two pilots for allowing woman friend into cockpit

New Delhi: Air India has taken disciplinary action against two pilots who permitted an unauthorised woman to enter the cockpit of flight AI-445, operating from Delhi to Leh on June 3, an official close to the matter said on Tuesday.

The decision came after the airline received a complaint from the cabin crew, who raised concerns about the violation of cockpit regulations.

In response to the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that they are aware of the issue, and appropriate measures are being implemented in accordance with established procedures.

To conduct a thorough investigation, Air India has formed a committee to delve into the matter, ensuring a comprehensive examination of the events surrounding the violation.

“Air India has a just culture approach to all safety related events and has a zero tolerance for deliberate breaches of regulations. Such breaches are dealt with on a serious basis and sanctions will be imposed on those who are in breach of the regulations,” an Air India spokesperson said.

This incident comes merely a month after Air India was fined Rs 30 lakh by the DGCA for a previous breach of cockpit norms, highlighting the airline’s need for stricter adherence to established

June 13, 2023
Air India passenger assaults crew member on flight

NEW DELHI: A passenger exhibited disruptive behaviour during an Air India flight, engaging in unruly conduct and verbally abusing the crew members while physically assaulting one of them, said Air India spokesperson on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on May 29. In a statement issued by Air India, the airline said that a passenger on their flight AI882 on May 29 behaved in an unruly manner.

“The said passenger verbally abused the crew members and then went on to physically assault one of them on board. On landing at Delhi airport, the passenger continued with the unprovoked, aggressive behaviour,” said the spokesperson.

“He was handed over to the security personnel. We have also reported the incident to the regulator,” the spokesperson added.

May 30, 2023
Air India to get ready for pilots from Go Airlines

NEW DELHI: For the pilots of Go Airlines (India) Ltd, it seems their employer is a “no go airline” and the race is on as to who will board the Air India. Incidentally, Go Airlines’ brand is Go First and for the pilots it seems to “get away first”.

“The pilots from Go Airlines are experienced and they are ready to fly. It will be a good catch for Air India,” a senior pilot told IANS preferring anonymity. According to him, the hiring will be for Air India and not a common recruitment for Air India, Vistara and AirAsia.

“Ultimately Vistara and AirAsia may be merged with Air India. So there is no point going there and coming back to Air India,” the official added.

According to reports, Air India has extended the walk-in interview at Gurugram for Airbus A320 pilots by a day owing to a large number of applicants from Go Airlines.

The Wadia group’s Go Airlines has filed for a voluntary insolvency petition with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and grounded its flights for some time.It is said Indigo Airlines too is getting applications from Go Airlines pilots.

–IANS

May 6, 2023
Air India revamp policies for women staff

NEW DELHI: Air India will provide 26 weeks of maternity leave to women employees as well as daycare support under its revamped policies.

Besides, the airline will give women pilots the choice to opt for quicker turnaround flights till the child reaches the age of one year.

The option will be subject to request and availability, according to an internal communication.

The revised policies, to be effective from April 1, are part of the carrier’s ‘MOMS – Returning Mothers Programme’.

MOMS refers to ‘Making Our Mothers Soar’.

Women employees will get maternity leave for 26 weeks, including for commissioning and adopting mothers, as per the communication.

Currently, the maternity leave is for 12 weeks.

A commissioning mother refers to one who commissions a surrogate mother to bear a child on her behalf while adopting mother is one who legally adopts a child.

Under the programme, a woman employee can avail of nutrition guidance and day care facility on a co-pay model.

There will also be counselling sessions to “address mental well-being, preparation for childbirth and plans to return to work for expectant mothers”, the communication said.

Air India, which was taken over by Tata Group in January last year, has more than 5,000 women employees, including flying and non-flying staff.

This accounts for around 40 per cent of the total headcount of nearly 11,000 people.

March 30, 2023
Air India, Nepal Airlines plane collision averted

New Delhi (IANS) | A major accident in the open sky was averted when the planes of Air India and Nepal Airlines were about to collide over Kathmandu. The incident is of Friday. The mid-air collision was averted after the warning system alerted the pilots of both the aircraft, thereby averting a major accident, the report said.

The report quoted CAAN spokesperson Jagannath Niroula as saying that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has suspended two employees of the air traffic controller department for negligence.

Nepal Airlines flight coming from Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu and Air India flight coming from New Delhi to Kathmandu had a narrow escape on Friday morning.

Niraula is quoted as saying that the Air India plane was descending below 19,000 feet, while the Nepal Airlines plane was flying at 15,000 feet at the same location.

The spokesman said that it was seen on the radar that both the aircraft were close in the air, then the Nepal Airlines aircraft came down to 7,000 feet.

CAAN has constituted a three-member committee to probe the matter and suspended two officials, who were in charge of the control room at the time of the incident.

March 26, 2023