The incident occurred around 05:00 local time on June 28, 2024, when the airport area received about 148.5mm of rain in a span of just three hours, more than the average for all of June, according to India’s weather office.

A portion of the canopy at the departure area of Terminal 1 collapsed, and flight operations were then shut down until 14:00 local time.

During a press briefing, India精东影业 Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu told reporters that the entire terminal had been evacuated and an investigation into the collapse ordered.

Video footage and photographs posted on social  media platforms such as X (formerly known as Twitter) show pillars supporting the roof smashing into cars parked along the airport’s Terminal 1.

Airport officials said that the roof sheet and the support beams gave in, damaging four cars parked in the pick-up and drop area of the terminal.

Reports indicate that one person has died, with six others injured.

Naidu stated that a compensation fee of two million rupees ($24,000) will be paid to the family of the deceased, and 300,000 rupees ($3,600) to those injured.

The minister also declared that all flights scheduled until 14:00 have been canceled, with affected passengers receiving full refunds or alternate flight options. Flights scheduled to depart from Terminal 1 were diverted to Terminals 2 and 3 of the airport.

Flight tracking site Flightradar24 showed that at least 10 flights were canceled and another 40 delayed, while departures from Delhi airport were running late by an average of 50 minutes.

The airport confirmed the incident on social media, saying that emergency personnel are working to provide all necessary assistance and medical aid to those affected.

Delhi Airport to replace ground transport with 62 electrical vehicles

• Sustainability

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2022-06-08

Air India announced on June 27, 2024, that the maiden long-haul flight will depart from Delhi on September 1, 2024, replacing the current Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on 14 of 17 weekly flights.聽

The shift to the Airbus A350 will generate an extra 336 between Delhi and London each week, according to Air India.  

Air India精东影业 first ever A350-900 flight with was between Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport (BLR) and Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport (BOM) on January 22, 2024.  

Around three months later on May 1, 2024, Air India精东影业 first international flight took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Dubai International Airport (DXB), a relatively short hop for a plane that can fly over 9,000 miles.    

Now the airline and staff are more familiar with the aircraft and flying internationally, Air India clearly felt it was in a good position to schedule its first long-haul flight.    

鈥淭he deployment of our flagship A350s and the B777s with upgraded cabin interiors to London Heathrow marks a significant milestone for Air India. It demonstrates our commitment to elevating the travel experience of our guests to truly world-class standards and to going beyond just meeting customer expectations as we continue to renew our fleet,鈥� said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India. 

The airline boss added: 鈥淲ith our industry-leading cabin products on the A350 including a new Premium Economy experience and a host of new on board enhancements rolling out, we are confident that these daily flights between India and London Heathrow will soon be the preferred choice for travelers.鈥�  

The new route between Delhi and London-Heathrow will allow Air India to introduce its premium economy class on the service for the first time. 

Air India精东影业 A350-900 aircraft have a three-class cabin configuration with 316 seats: 28 private business suites with full-flat beds, 24 premium economy seats with extra legroom and other amenities, and 264 economy seats.   

According to , Air India currently has six A350-900s in service and is awaiting delivery of 14 more as well as 20 of the larger A350-1000s.聽聽

Air India精东影业 first six A350-900s were originally earmarked for the Russian airline, Aeroflot. 

However, after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, sanctions subsequently put in place by Western nations meant that the completed A350s could not be delivered and became available for purchase.聽 聽

Sneak peek: New Air India A320neo livery spotted at Airbus facility in Toulouse

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-06

The man, identified as Guru Sewak Singh, was detained by India精东影业 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on June 18, 2024, after his odd appearance caught the attention of officials. 

On trying to board an Air Canada flight, Singh presented a passport under the name and identity of Rashvindar Singh Sahota, aged 67.

Despite being in possession of the passport, with his hair dyed white and wearing glasses, officials noticed that Singh精东影业 skin texture and voice did not match that of a senior citizen.

A CISF statement seen by media outlet India Today read: “The man’s appearance, voice and skin texture seemed significantly younger than the details provided in the passport. Closer observation revealed that he had dyed his hair and beard white and was wearing glasses to appear older.” 

Upon interrogation by CISF officials, Singh eventually disclosed his real identity, and officials found his actual documents, revealing his true age.

Singh was then handed over to Delhi Police for legal action.

Air Canada plans large expansion to India for winter 2024/25聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-06-04

The incident occurred on June 4, 2024, as flight AC 43 was preparing for takeoff. Local Indian media outlets reported that, at around 22:50 local time, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) office at IGI Airport received an email warning of a bomb inside the Air Canada flight. 

The B777-200 aircraft was then sent to an isolation bay for a screening process. 

鈥淔ollowing standard security protocols, a thorough inspection was conducted, and nothing suspicious was found,鈥� a police officer told Indian media outlets.

Despite the threat being debunked, it is believed that the flight was ultimately canceled. 精东影业 has reached out to Air Canada for a statement and confirmation. 

The Canadian flag carrier recently announced that it plans to expand its program of flights between Canada and India for the upcoming northern winter season of 2024-2025.  

This is the latest flight to have received a bomb threat, following a string of similar security incidents across major Indian airports.

On June 2, 2024, a handwritten note on an airsickness bag was discovered on a Vistara flight operating from Charles de Gaulle (CDG in Paris to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai, declaring that there was a bomb onboard. The incident prompted an emergency landing in Mumbai. 

On May 28, 2024, an IndiGo flight from Delhi Airport to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS) in Varanasi was subject to a similar situation, prompting a full evacuation of passengers onboard using the A320 aircraft精东影业 emergency slides.

Air Canada plans large expansion to India for winter 2024/25聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-06-04

The reported that Sandeep Verma, Air India精东影业 head of inflight services, was on flight AI 301 on July 9, 2023, when the incident took place.

Verma was originally booked in business class, but had to be downgraded to economy due to a seat malfunction. 

During the flight, Verma tried to call out a fellow passenger for speaking noisily. It was at this point that the loud-mouthed passenger allegedly attacked Verma. The assault included Verma being hit in the head.

Five cabin crew tried to contain the unruly passenger, and Verma was transferred to the rear of the aircraft. 

An Air India spokesperson confirmed the incident, and released a press statement published by local media.

“A passenger on board AI301 operating Sydney-Delhi on July 9 behaved in an unacceptable manner during the flight, despite verbal and written warnings, causing distress to other passengers, which included one of our employees,” the statement read.

“Upon the flight’s safe landing at Delhi, the passenger was handed over to the security agency, and the passenger later apologized in writing. The DGCA was duly informed of the incident. Air India will take a firm stand against misbehavior. We will pursue this to the full extent of the law,” the statement continued.聽

Boiling point: Why flight attendants are pushing back against unruly passengers

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-31

Meenakshi Sengupta, who is based in the United States, was on vacation in India when she was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery. Sengupta planned to continue medical treatment in the United States, according to India精东影业 . 

Sengupta was allegedly offloaded for not complying with the cabin crew精东影业 instructions to keep her handbag in the overhead cabin. 

Sengupta, however, claimed that the cabin crew refused to assist her in lifting the handbag, despite her wearing a post-surgery cast. 

 鈥淭hey were largely indifferent and didn鈥檛 want to interfere at all. They just kept asking me that I should be able to lift my own bags and manage everything. It精东影业 not their job to help passengers (even with special needs or health issues). They said that if I鈥檓 so uncomfortable I should just deboard the flight. They were collective in their decision to deboard me,鈥� Sengupta alleged, as told to 

In an emailed statement to 精东影业, an American Airlines spokesperson confirmed the following:

鈥淥n January 30, 2023, prior to the departure of American Airlines flight 293 from Delhi (DEL) to New York (JFK), a disruptive customer was removed from the aircraft for failure to follow crew member instructions. Our Customer Relations team has reached out to the customer to refund the unused portion of their ticket.鈥�

Jet2 flight diverted after elderly passenger attacks crew over lack of champagne

• Civil Aviation

byJean Carmela Lim

2022-09-06

The couple, who have been identified as husband and wife Jagjit Singh and Jaswinder Kaur, admitted to officials that they had previously brought 25 pistols to India from Turkey.

The spouses were said to have been traveling with their young daughter, who has been given to the grandmother by the government following her parents鈥� arrest.

A customs commissioner said that the family flew in from Vietnam on July 11, 2022.

Delhi Airport Customs intercepted 2 Indian national arriving from Vietnam by flight VJ895 on July 10, 22 & seized 45 guns of assorted brands valued at 22.5 lakhs. Guns were recovered from 2 trolley bags being carried by them. Both placed under arrest & further investigations on.

鈥� Delhi Customs (@Delhicustoms)

Singh had been in possession of two trolley bags allegedly given to him by his older brother, who had flown in from Paris around the same time that day.

According to reports, Singh精东影业 wife helped him remove the tags from the bags in which the weapons were stored. Customs authorities stopped Singh and Kaur and discovered the weapons before the couple were able to make their way to the airport exit.

Customs officials told that while investigations are still underway, they can confirm that the assortment of handguns found in the couple精东影业 possession were worth INR 2,250,000.00 (USD 28,000). 

TSA reports record number of passengers with firearms setting 20-year high

• Airport

byJean Carmela Lim

2021-10-15

 

According to the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the operator of DEL airport, the transition will gradually take place over four months. The 62 electric vehicles will support various ground airport operations in its airside area, including the runway, taxiway, and apron. DIAL estimates that new-generation vehicles will help the airport reduce up to 1,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions yearly. 

Speaking to the Indian media outlet on June 7, 2022, the chief executive (CEO) of DIAL Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said that in addition to new electric service transport, the airport will also have to set up high voltage fast-charging stations and other necessary infrastructure. The CEO added that the airport also aims to use electrical power from completely renewable sources 鈥渢o ensure that charging of vehicles is emission-free”. 

How is the aviation industry working to become more sustainable? | Quiz

• Aviation Quiz

byVyte Klisauskaite

2022-06-04

鈥淲e are planning to eliminate all the light vehicles powered with petrol and diesel in a phased manner and to use electric vehicles instead. The adoption of electric vehicles for managing airport operations is a step forward. It is a first-of-its-kind initiative by any Indian airport to ensure a clean transportation environment,鈥� the CEO was quoted as saying. 

India精东影业 largest airport has already adopted some sustainable solutions in its operations. For instance, the airport uses electric buses for passenger transportation between the terminal and the building of the passenger transport center. Delhi Airport has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030. 

As it celebrated World Environment Day on June 3, 2022, DIAL having taken even more initiatives towards airport management and sustainability, which includes the implementation of energy-efficient lighting and advanced fuel hydrant systems as well as the development of environment-friendly infrastructures across the airport精东影业 area. 

鈥淒IAL is also making technological advancements such as the adoption of electric cleaning devices at the airport, electric charging points at the airport, and electric-powered semi-robotic vehicles, which are used to tow a plane to the runway,鈥� was written in the DIAL statement. 

SpiceJet grounds 90 Boeing 737 MAX pilots after DGCA fine

• Airlines

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2022-06-06

The news regarding the cyberattack was released on the morning of May 25, 2022, when scheduled airline flights were unable to depart from its Indian hubs at Delhi (DEL) and Hyderabad (HYD). According to the it took several hours for the airline to solve the problem which saw hundreds of passengers stranded at local airports.  

鈥淐ertain SpiceJet systems faced an attempted ransomware attack last night that impacted and slowed down morning flight departures today,鈥� SpiceJet wrote in a , which was published on social media. 鈥淥ur IT team has contained and rectified the situation and flights are operating normally now.鈥� 

This incident is not the first time this month that SpiceJet passengers have faced flight delays due to issues with its systems. 

Severe turbulence injures several pax aboard SpiceJet Boeing 737

• Aviation Safety

byVyte Klisauskaite

2022-05-02

On May 21, 2022, several SpiceJet flights faced delays of up to 90 minutes at DEL airport as the airline failed to complete its daily payment to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). According to a statement issued by the , the air traffic control of AAI was instructed not to give clearance to the airline’s aircraft to take-off until the payment was made. 

Speaking to the , a spokesperson for SpiceJet explained that the carrier failed to pay on time due to a glitch in its software, but once the issue had been resolved, the airline was able to continue normal operations. 鈥淒ue to a technical glitch in SAP, the automatic daily payment could not be processed. The same is being made manually to AAI which has been apprised of the issue. SpiceJet精东影业 flight operations are now continuing normally,鈥� the spokesperson said.  

SpiceJet pilots suspended until further MAX training received

• Airlines

byVictoria Bryan

2022-04-13

The Hong Kong-based airline said in a statement that flight services on the Mumbai-Hong Kong route will resume from May 4, 2022,  while direct operations between Hong Kong and Delhi will be restored from May 6, 2022.

Cathay Pacific said  that the resumption of scheduled services will provide travelers direct access to Hong Kong in addition to onward connections to popular destinations such as New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, Melbourne and Sydney.

Plan your trip from India to Hong Kong and beyond. Make the most of your journey with our Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabin. Book now for our one-way fares from India starting at INR 42,830*. Your flight is just days away. Click here to book

鈥� Cathay Pacific IN (@cathaypacificIN)

Cathay Pacific will deploy the Boeing B777-300 on its India routes, catering to increasing cargo demand as well as passenger traffic. The aircraft, which can carry up to 35 tonnes cargo, is also configured with a three-class cabin.

鈥淲e are delighted to resume our flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Hong Kong, and look forward to welcoming passengers on-board to experience our warm Asian hospitality that makes us one of the world精东影业 greatest service brands,鈥� Cathay Pacific regional general manager 鈥� South Asia, Middle East and Africa Rakesh Raicar said in a statement.

鈥淚n the last two years many enhancements have been introduced to our product and services to ensure our customers can travel seamlessly and with confidence.鈥�

Raicar added: 鈥淲e believe the resumption from India will ignite a spark of excitement and will go a long way towards helping the Indian diaspora, particularly in India and Hong Kong, to once again connect with their loved ones. With our onward connections to key destinations, we will also be able to accommodate the resurgent demand for international travel.鈥�

Cathay Pacific operated at under 2% of pre-COVID levels in March 2022

• Airlines

byVyte Klisauskaite

2022-04-14