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Tag: Flight

  • Go First Bankruptcy: 27 Indian Airlines Went Out Of Business In Last 3 Decades, Check Full List

    Go First Bankruptcy: 27 Indian Airlines Went Out Of Business In Last 3 Decades, Check Full List


    One scheduled airline on an average has gone out of business every year since private airlines took to the skies nearly three decades ago, with Wadia group-owned Go First being the latest carrier battling financial turbulence for survival. The first private airline to go belly up was East West Travels & Trade Link Ltd, which shuttered operations after almost two years in November 1996. The same year, ModiLuft Ltd also went out of business. Since 1994, the year when private airlines took off in the country, at least 27 scheduled carriers have either been shuttered or have been acquired or merged with other carriers, according to official data.

    While the country’s domestic aviation sector is on an upswing with strong traffic recovery post-pandemic, Go First is grappling with severe financial crunch due to non-availability of Pratt & Whitney engines that has resulted in grounding of more than half of its fleet. Three scheduled airlines — Zexus Air Services Pvt Ltd, which operated as Zoom Air; Deccan Chartered Pvt Ltd and Air Odisha Aviation Pvt Ltd — shut shop in 2020 while Heritage Aviation Pvt Ltd stopped flying in 2022.

    Once a storied full service carrier, Jet Airways shuttered operations in April 2019, bogged down by financial woes and is yet to restart operations even though a winning bidder has been found through the insolvency resolution process. Jet Lite (formerly known as Sahara Airlines) stopped operations in 2019.

    Another prominent player that was forced to stop flying was Kingfisher Airlines Ltd in 2012. Prior to that, Kingfisher Airlines, in 2008, had acquired Deccan Aviation Pvt Ltd (Air Deccan). The latter was the pioneer of low-cost air travel in the country.

    In 2017, at least five carriers went bust — Air Carnival Pvt Ltd, Air Pegasus Pvt Ltd, Religare Aviation Ltd, Air Costa and Quikjet Cargo Airlines Pvt Ltd. Deccan Cargo & Express Logistics Pvt Ltd (2014), Aryan Cargo Express (2011), Paramount Airways (2010), MDLR Airlines Pvt Ltd (2009), Jagson Airlines Ltd (2008) and Indus Airways Pvt Ltd (2007) are among the other carriers that closed down.

    While two airlines went belly up in 1996, NEPC Micon Ltd and Skyline NEPC Ltd (formerly known as Damania Airways Ltd) shuttered operations in 1997. Lufthansa Cargo India Pvt Ltd stopped flying in 2000, as per the official data.

    Go First, which has been flying for more than 17 years, has filed for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings and cancelled all its flights for three days starting Wednesday. The airline is the second major scheduled carrier after Jet Airways that is likely to undergo resolution process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

    After being pushed into insolvency proceedings by its lenders, Jet Airways found its new owner Jalan Kalrock Consortium (JKC), but the ownership transfer is hanging fire amid persisting differences between the lenders and the winning bidder.

    India is one of the fastest growing civil aviation markets in the world and the number of passengers are rising. State-owned Air India and Air India Express were acquired by Tata Group in January last year. Currently, all carriers, except state-owned Alliance Air, are private ones.

    About Go First, Sanjiv Kapoor, who quit as CEO-Designate of Jet Airways recently, on Wednesday said it is sad to see another airline suspend operations. “This is in addition to the lengthy delays in getting Jet off the ground again. This is not good for consumers, to be heading towards concentration of such a large market to just 2 or 3 players. Need at least 4 strong airlines,” he said in a series of tweets.

    According to him, there needs to be at least two strong Full Service Carriers (FSCs) and two or three strong Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) in a market of this size and complexity.

    “By ‘strong’ airlines I mean well capitalised, well-managed airlines that run safe, reliable, and efficient operations with well-maintained aircraft, well-trained staff, and consistent service, creating customer preference and thereby creating value for all stakeholders,” he said.

    It was curtains down for the monopoly of corporations in scheduled air transport services space in March 1994 when the government repealed the Air Corporation Act, 1953. The move marked the liberalisation of domestic air transport services, allowing the entry of private operators. Back in May 1953, with the enactment of the Air Corporations Act, 1953, the government nationalised the airline industry.

    Two air corporations — Indian Airlines Corporation and Air India International — were established and the assets of all the then existing nine air companies were transferred to the two new corporations.





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  • Go First Bankruptcy: DGCA Issues Show Cause Notice As Airline Cancels Flights Till May 5

    Go First Bankruptcy: DGCA Issues Show Cause Notice As Airline Cancels Flights Till May 5


    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to Go First after the airline cancelled fresh bookings from May 3-5. In a statement, DGCA said that no prior intimation was given to the DGCA for such cancellations and Go First (formerly Go Air) has failed to adhere to the approved schedule which would lead to passenger inconvenience thereby violating the provisions of CAR, Section 3, Series M, Part IV. DGCA has sought a reply from Go First Airlines within the next 24 hours of the issuance of the show cause notice.

    Go First, a Wadia Group owned airline earlier filed for insolvency proceedings with NCLAT amid severe cash crunch, said airline in a statement. “It has come to the notice of DGCA that Go First has cancelled all scheduled flights of 03rd May 4th May 2023 respectively. No prior intimation has been given to DGCA for such cancellations which is non-compliance with conditions for approval of schedule” said DGCA.

    “Thus Go First has failed to report in writing the cancellations and reasons thereof. Go first has failed to adhere to the approved schedule which would lead to passenger inconvenience thereby violating the provisions of CAR, Section 3, Series M, Part IV” it added.

    The airline’s chief Kaushik Khona said on Tuesday said the budget carrier has temporarily suspended all the flights, domestic and international and has also filed an application for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Delhi. Khona said the airline has grounded 25 planes, more than half of its fleet, due to non-supply of engines by Pratt & Whitney (P&W).

    “It is an unfortunate decision (filing for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings) but it had to be done to protect the interests of the company,” he said speaking to PTI. Flights will be suspended on May 3 and 4. Further, once the NCLT admits the application, then the flights will be restarted, Khona said. 

    “GO FIRST has had to take this step due to the ever-increasing number of failing engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney’s International Aero Engines, LLC, which has resulted in GO FIRST having to ground 25 aircraft (equivalent to approximately 50% of its Airbus A320neo aircraft fleet) as of 1 May 2023. The percentage of grounded aircraft due to Pratt & Whitney’s faulty engines has grown from 7% in December 2019 to 31% in December 2020 to 50% in December 2022,” said Go First. 





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  • Air India Cockpit Incident: DGCA Orders To Deroster Entire Crew Of Dubai-Delhi Flight

    Air India Cockpit Incident: DGCA Orders To Deroster Entire Crew Of Dubai-Delhi Flight


    Nearly two months after an Air India pilot allowed a female friend into the cockpit during a Dubai-Delhi flight, aviation watchdog DGCA has directed the airline to deroster the entire crew till investigations are complete, according to a senior official. A cabin crew member of the flight had filed a complaint with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) about the pilot allowing a female friend into the cockpit. The incident had happened on February 27.

    On the condition of anonymity, the official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said though prima-facie, the cabin crew seems to have no role in the incident, the entire crew of the flight has been derostered pending investigations.

    There is an allegation, which is being investigated and the principle of natural justice will apply, and the pilot concerned will also be given an opportunity to present his case, the official said on Wednesday.

    The official also said the pilot will remain grounded till a final decision in the matter is taken by the regulator.

    While there was no immediate comment from Air India on the latest development, the airline, on April 21, said it had taken a serious note of the reported incident and that investigations were underway.

    Unauthorised people are not allowed to enter the cockpit and any such entry could be in violation of norms.





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  • Madhuri Dixit, Dr Shriram Nene Share Crucial Tips On How To Prevent ‘In-Flight Emergencies’: Watch

    Madhuri Dixit, Dr Shriram Nene Share Crucial Tips On How To Prevent ‘In-Flight Emergencies’: Watch


    The Indian aviation industry is on a path of growth since the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with this growth, the incidents of flight emergencies have recently seen a spur in India. Often flyers have to deal with these emergencies during their journey. To help such travellers, actor Madhuri Dixit and her husband Dr Shriram Nene, a cardiothoracic surgeon took to Youtube to share their experience on in-flight emergencies. They also shared advice that one can follow in such situations.

    Sharing the tips, Dr Shriram addressed the problem of getting dry eyes and nose mid-air, to which Madhuri said, “I always carry that. My nose becomes so dry that it starts burning after a while.” Furthermore, Dr Nene advised people to stay hydrated and, “us sprays, rewetting drops for your eyes, particularly if it is a long flight, would help you from experiencing redness, irritation etc.”

    Also read: ‘Thank You Indigo’: Actor Anupam Kher Receives Warm Welcome On Bengaluru Flight

    Dr Nene also advised travellers to wear loose clothes when flying, explaining the reason for it, he said, “Lower air pressure and humidity inflight also promotes dehydration, which causes your body to retain water and swell.” Furthermore, the advised flyers should avoid tight jewellery and shoes when in the aircraft.


    Later in the video, they suggested giving your kids something to chew on during landing and takeoff if you’re travelling with kids. If it’s a baby, give the child a bottle of milk. Gum or even lollipops work, Madhuri said.

    To avoid any problems, Dr Nene suggested that people with medical problems should always get clearance before flying. He also added that they should keep their medicines handy when in the aircraft.

    Dr. Shriram also discussed the prevalence of blood clots or deep vein thrombosis aboard aeroplanes. He said, “There was this one study that showed that 10 percent of people on flights greater than four hours have clot formation. Most of the time they are not harmful. If you are at high-risk, you need to speak to a doctor before you go.”





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  • Journalist Breastfeeding Her Child Forced By IndiGo Crew To Vacate Seat

    Journalist Breastfeeding Her Child Forced By IndiGo Crew To Vacate Seat


    A journalist has lashed out on the IndiGo airline for alleged mistreatment of her, while travelling on one of its domestic flights. Rishika Baruah, a journalist working with NDTV has written a blog, sharing her ordeal while travelling with her child, an infant on a Goa-Delhi flight. She alleges that three male cabin crew members of the India’s airline asked her to vacate her seat, while she was breastfeeding her infant. The journalist was sitting on the front row seat, which she booked for extra legroom, and was asked to move to the back of the plane.

    As per the blog, Baruah was travelling back from Goa to Delhi with her child, when the incident took place. She booked the Seat 1F on the flight, same as her flight to Goa from Delhi 5 days before, by paying extra for an additional legroom. She says that the “customer relations staff confirmed that infant services have been added to my seat and sent me a payment link.”

    Further, she says that the Delhi-Goa flight was an unadventurous one, with no issue whatsoever. Since Baruah faced no such issue on her onward flight, she decided to book the exact same seat, on the return flight. However, to her surprise, just before take-off, three male employees approached and ordered her to move to the back. “They threatened to hold the flight until I vacated my seat,” she wrote.

    “The men argued with me while I was feeding. They refused to look at my previous boarding pass and said they couldn’t possibly allow me to fly in the front row because – you guessed it – no oxygen masks for infants and it is “dangerous”,” writes Baruah in her blog.

    “My baby started wailing and I didn’t have the energy to fight. So, I buttoned up and went to the back rows. With hardly any leg room, my feeding pillow and my baby, I sat there, seething about being forced to get up while breastfeeding, angry at the incessant misinformation, and overwhelmed that my baby was crying,” she adds. 

    Baruah says she understands if there’s a quiet zone for infants in the flight and “I may even book it when I am traveling without my son”. According to media reports from 2016, IndiGo took a decision to not offer extra leg room seats to passengers travelling with infants or young children. However, as per Baruah, they don’t declare the terms in their infant travel policy or anywhere on their website.

    “I am not judging the merits of the policy. I am questioning IndiGo’s decision to be ambiguous, vague and misleading to people travelling with young children. Why is the airline training its staff to mislead and misinform?” she mentioned in her blog.

    Surprisingly, this is not the first time she has faced the similar problem with the IndiGo airline. She started her blog by narrating an incident from December last year, when she was flying with her 40 days old infant out of Delhi. “I chose IndiGo after carefully reading the infant travel policies of different airlines and checking for the most convenient flights,” she wrote.

    However, IndiGo gave her the last row seat as the speakers are too loud at the front and air pressure is “dangerous” for a baby at the front, she was told by the airline. “After I tweeted about IndiGo’s infant travel policy, customer relations apologized for what they called a “misunderstanding”. Not only were we given the front row, but we were greeted with a handmade card and a bouquet at the airport by the airline’s staff,” Baruah mentions.

    A closer look at the IndiGo’s website reveals that there’s no specific instructions by the airline on the seating of parents travelling with an infant. One of the FAQ states that “No extra seats may be booked for Infants. Infants cannot travel in their own seat and must be seated in an adult’s lap.”

    Responding to the incident, IndiGo released a statement saying they will work towards a well-defined infant policy. “We have taken cognisance of the issue and are working towards a well-defined infant policy to avoid any such experiences in the future. IndiGo is conscious of the needs of its valued customers and it is our constant endeavour to provide a courteous and hassle-free experience to all.”





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  • Akasa Air Adds Bagdogra, Bhubaneshwar To Its Network; Now Connects 16 Cities

    Akasa Air Adds Bagdogra, Bhubaneshwar To Its Network; Now Connects 16 Cities


    Akasa Air, India’s newest airline, has announced the addition of Bagdogra in West Bengal and Bhubaneshwar in Odisha as its 15th and 16th destination respectively. The airline will operate flights between Pune-Bhubaneshwar and Bengaluru-Bhubaneshwar from 17th April 2023 with a total of 14 weekly flights. The airline will also operate non-stop daily flights between Bagdogra and Bengaluru starting 17th April 2023. This network expansion marks the airline’s entry into the state of West Bengal and Odisha, strengthening the airline’s domestic presence in the eastern part of the country.

    Since its launch in August 2022, the Rakesh Jhunjhnuwala-led Akasa Air has carried over 1 million revenue passengers and crossed the milestone of operating over 700 weekly flights connecting 16 cities, namely Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Bagdogra, Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, and Varanasi.

    Akasa Air has placed a firm order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, powered by CFM fuel efficient, LEAP-1B engines. With the order, Akasa Air becomes the second airline in India to operate the 737 MAX family of aircrafts, after SpiceJet. 

    Akasa Air, also announced the addition of new routes from Ahmedabad, connecting it with Lucknow, Goa and Hyderabad as it marks over seven months of operations from the city. Effective 15 March 2023, the airline will connect Ahmedabad with double daily non-stop return flights to Hyderabad as well as conveniently timed flights to Goa’s New Manohar International Airport with double daily flights.

    From 7 March 2023, Akasa Air has further enhanced connectivity from Ahmedabad to Mumbai and Lucknow with a seamless through flight (no change of aircraft) in both directions.

    Akasa Air joins fastest growing domestic aviation market of India, joining the established airlines like IndiGo, GoAir, Vistara, Air India, SpiceJet among other regional players. Akasa is currently strengthening its Tier 2 and Tier 3 city connectivity, not announcing any plans for international operations. 





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  • Southwest’s Boeing 737 Max 8 Plane Suffers Engine Fire, Scary Video Shows Cabin Filled With Smoke

    Southwest’s Boeing 737 Max 8 Plane Suffers Engine Fire, Scary Video Shows Cabin Filled With Smoke


    Southwest Airlines Flight 2923 suffered an engine fire after a bird strike on its way to Florida, United States from Cuba. The airline was operating a Boeing 737 Max 8 plane when the flight was forced to turn back after it struck birds that caused an engine to catch fire. No injuries were reported and the plane made a safe landing at the Havana-José Martí Airport in Cuba.

    A video later surfaced on the Twitter, showcasing the moment when the cabin of the plane got filled with smoke, and the airline confirmed the same. A passenger told WSVN that the impact sent fumes through the airplane and caused emergency oxygen masks to deploy.

    Southwest Airlines flight 2923 departed Jose Marti International Airport in Havana en route to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Florida on Sunday afternoon. The aircraft “experienced bird strikes to an engine and the aircraft’s nose,” the airline said in a statement.

    “It was like a burn smell, and it was hurting my face. My eyes got real red, my chest started to burn,” Steven Rodriguez, a passenger said. The pilots safely returned to Havana, where the 147 passengers and six crew members evacuated the aircraft on slides, the airline said.

    The airline bused passengers and crew members to the airport terminal and put the passengers on a different flight to Fort Lauderdale, the airline said.





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  • Massive Turbulence on Germany-Mauritius Flight With 272 Onboard, 20 Passengers Injured

    Massive Turbulence on Germany-Mauritius Flight With 272 Onboard, 20 Passengers Injured


    Turbulence caused several injuries on a flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Mauritius on Thursday, according to the German news agency dpa. An airline representative told dpa that approximately two hours before arrival, Condor aircraft DE2314 struck turbulence, inflicting injuries on about 20 passengers and crew members. The main island of Mauritius, an archipelago country, is located 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometres) off the southeast coast of Africa.

    The airline spokesperson said those who were injured were being medically examined. It was not immediately clear how severe their injuries were, dpa reported. The aircraft’s cabin was supposedly also damaged, but no further details were given.

    Also read: Vistara Begins Direct Flight Services on Mumbai-Dammam Route; Check Details

    The plane carried 272 passengers and 13 crew members and landed safely at 6:29 am.

    With Agency Inputs





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  • Air India Business Class Passenger Finds Insect In Meal Served On Mumbai-Chennai Flight

    Air India Business Class Passenger Finds Insect In Meal Served On Mumbai-Chennai Flight


    An Air India passenger, travelling in business class from Mumbai to Chennai, on Monday shared a video of an insect he found in his in-flight meal. “@airindiain insect in the meal served in businessclass. Doesn`t look like hygiene was taken. My flight was AI671 -Mumbai to chennai Seat 2C,” passenger Mahavir Jain tweeted. Responding to the video, Air India said: “Dear Mr. Jain, we`re sorry to note your experience while flying with us. This is not something good to hear. We strictly follow measures to ensure hygiene at every step of the process.”

    “However, could you please DM your date of travel, and flight details along with the seat number? We`ll highlight this to our catering team for immediate review and action,” the airline said. Earlier, on the same day, two such complaints surfaced regarding Air India.

    An Indian diplomat alleged the poor facilities at the airline`s business class lounge at the John F. Kennedy airport in New York. India`s High Commissioner to Guyana, Antigua & Barbuda, St.Kitts & Nevis, Dr K.J. Srinivasa, alleged that the Air India business class lounge at JFK Airport had “empty” food containers, disposable plates and cutlery and “unresponsive” staff.

    On the same day, renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor on Monday hit out at Air India after he was served unsatisfactory meals on a flight from Nagpur to Mumbai. “Wake Up @airindiain. Nagpur-Mumbai 0740 flight. Cold Chicken Tikka with watermelon, cucumber, tomato & sev Sandwich with minuscule filling of chopped cabbage with mayo Sugar syrup Sponge painted with sweetened cream & yellow glaze,” Kapoor said on Twitter.

    “Really! Is this what Indians should eat for breakfast?” he said in another tweet.





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  • Indian Diplomat Complains Of Poor Facilities At Air India’s Lounge At JFK Airport in New York

    Indian Diplomat Complains Of Poor Facilities At Air India’s Lounge At JFK Airport in New York


    An Indian diplomat on Monday complained about the poor facilities at Air India’s business class lounge at the John F. Kennedy airport in New York. Dr K.J. Srinivasa, India’s High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Antigua & Barbuda, and St.Kitts & Nevis, alleged that the Air India business class lounge at JFK Airport had “empty food containers, disposable plates and cutlery and unresponsive staff”.

    “Pathetic state of affairs at @airindiain business class lounge @JFKairport. empty food containers,bad food,disposable plates/cutlery,unresponsive staff. @TataCompanies can splurge billions on buying new aircraft why not pay some attention to revamping existing lounge @RNTata2000,” he said in a tweet.

    The diplomat also shared photos which showed food trays with cut vegetables, a few dishes, cup noodles and other things. Air India responded to Dr Srinivasa`s complaint saying they are looking into it.

    “Dr. Srinivasa, we appreciate you taking out time and sharing your feedback. Our aim is to deliver a comfortable and memorable experience whenever you fly with us. We are looking into this and are sure you will give us another opportunity to serve the best in-class the next time you travel with us,” said the airline.

    Earlier, during the day, renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor on Monday hit out at Air India after he was served unsatisfactory meals on a flight from Nagpur to Mumbai. “Really! Is this what Indians should eat for breakfast?” he said in a tweet.

    “Wake Up @airindiain. Nagpur-Mumbai 0740 flight. Cold Chicken Tikka with watermelon, cucumber, tomato & sev Sandwich with minuscule filling of chopped cabbage with mayo Sugar syrup Sponge painted with sweetened cream & yellow glaze,” Kapoor said on Twitter.





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