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 new route, which is now Etihad精东影业 11th Indian city, was celebrated with a welcome ceremony at Jaipur International Airport on June 19, 2024.

Located in Northwestern India, Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan state and is known for its historic forts and buildings painted pink in anticipation of Queen Victoria精东影业 visit in 1876.

Etihad said the new route enables more visitors to explore Abu Dhabi, and travelers flying from Jaipur to the United States can take advantage of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility at AUH Airport, streamlining the immigration process and ensuring a hassle-free journey.

The start of the Jaipur service further underlines the airline精东影业 deepening commitment to the Indian market, where the airline has increased its capacity by a third over the past 12 months.

鈥淲ith the resurgence of outbound travel from India, we are thrilled to start four weekly flights to Jaipur, a significant cultural and commercial center,鈥� said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways in a statement.

鈥淏y establishing this crucial air link with Rajasthan, we aim to meet the increasing demand from travelers in and around the region, providing them with convenient access to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and seamless connectivity to our extensive global network,鈥� Neves added.

The flights will be serviced with aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, and will operate on the following schedules:

EY 0366 depart AUH 03:05 local time arrive JAI 08:05 local time (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)

EY 0367 depart JAI 11:00 local time arrive AUH 13:00 local time (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)

Etihad Airways, China Eastern enter strategic partnership, sign joint venture

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-06-06

The feature will allow female travelers to see the seats that other female travelers have pre-booked during online check-in. It will be accessible to women traveling either alone or as part of a family reservation. According to the airline, the primary goal of this initiative is to enhance the safety and comfort of female travelers while also mitigating the risk of assaults onboard.

“IndiGo is proud to announce the introduction of a new feature that aims to make the travel experience more comfortable for our female passengers. This has been introduced based on market research, and is currently in pilot mode aligning with our #GirlPower ethos,鈥� IndiGo statement reads.

鈥淲e are committed to providing an unparalleled travel experience for all our passengers, and this new feature is just one of the many steps we are taking towards achieving that goal,鈥� the airline wrote.

IndiGo talks to ATR, Embraer, and Airbus about orders for 100 regional aircraft

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-05-14

The new seating options tailored to Passenger Name Records (PNRs) with women travelers, and currently is available in a pilot phase.

The low-cost carrier has further changes in the pipeline beyond the seating option currently under trial. It also plans to launch a tailor-made business-class product on some of its aircraft that will operate on the busiest domestic and international routes by the end of 2024. The initial pricing will be highly competitive, strategically positioned to contend with its nearest competitors, Air India, the flag carrier of the country, and Vistara.

IndiGo to launch business class service, reports 26.7% income increase

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-24

This pricing approach may appeal to passengers seeking premium services at more affordable rates.

鈥淎s it was a training that required passing various stages, our soldiers had not reached completion due to various reasons. Therefore, there aren’t any people in our force at the moment who are licensed or fully operational to fly the two helicopters and Dornier aircraft,” Maumoon was quoted by local media outlets to have said during the briefing.

India completely withdrew all 78 military personnel from the Maldives on May 10, 2024, the deadline given by new President Mohamed Muizzu for the Indian military to depart the island nation.

Since coming into power in November 2023, Muizzu entered into several agreements with China to boost economic ties, including a military assistance pact in March 2024. The pact allowed a Chinese research vessel to dock in a Maldivian port. 

Indian military personnel were stationed in the Maldives to train soldiers, an agreement made by previous administrations. Relations between the neighboring countries came under strain when Muizzu became president.

Muizzu is known to be pro-China and ran an 鈥淚ndia Out鈥� campaign during elections, saying that the presence of Indian military in the nation threatened Maldivian sovereignty.

Helicopter flights to return to Maldives inter-island services, first since 1999聽

• Aviation

byLuke Peters

2024-01-29

Shanghai flights to be suspended

The Australian flag carrier said its flight service from Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) will be suspended from July 28, 2024, due to low demand.

Qantas resumed its Sydney-Shanghai service in October 2023 after it was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, according to the carrier, demand has not recovered as anticipated.  

Qantas said it will consider returning the service when demand for the route returns. 

The airline said customers booked to travel on Shanghai flights from July 28, 2024, will be contacted and offered a full refund.

According to Qantas, aircraft used on the Shanghai route will be redirected to boost services to other destinations across Asia where there is increasing demand or new tourism opportunities.

鈥淪ince COVID, the demand for travel between Australia and China has not recovered as strongly as expected. In some months, our flights to and from Shanghai have been operating around half full,鈥� Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said in a statement.

鈥淲e鈥檒l continue to maintain a presence in China through our partners and our existing flights to Hong Kong and look to return to Shanghai in the future,鈥� Wallace added.

Brisbane to Manila flights to be launched

From October 28, 2024, Qantas will begin flights from Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in the Philippines.

The four-times weekly flights will be operated by the airline精东影业 fleet of A330 aircraft.

Qantas last flew the Brisbane-Manila route a decade ago. 

Additional flights to Singapore and India

Qantas flights from Sydney to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) will increase from 14 to 17 return flights per week from December 11, 2024.

Brisbane to Singapore will increase from seven to nine return flights per week from October 27, 2024, timed to improve connectivity with Qantas鈥� daily service from SIN Airport to London-Heathrow Airport (LHR). Qantas said the new connection will reduce overall travel time to London by around four hours. 

Flights from Sydney to Bengaluru Airport (BLR) will also increase from five per week to daily in order to cater to strong demand over the peak holiday season from mid-December 2024 to late March 2025.

Exploring the use of robotics and automation to enhance airport ground handling

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-07-06

In a statement on May 13, 2024, Akasa Air confirmed that from July 15, 2024, it will launch daily direct flights between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai, India (BOM) and King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.聽

From there, Akasa Air will increase the number of flights between the two cities to 12 a week from July 21, 2024, and additionally launch operations between JED and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport (AMD) in Ahmedabad, India, twice a week from July 20, 2024.   

鈥淲e are thrilled to expand our presence in the Middle East with the addition of Jeddah to our growing network. We are extremely proud to witness our global footprint grow alongside our domestic services, with the addition of our second global destination within a short time,鈥� said Neelu Khatri, Akasa Air Co-Founder and SVP International, Akasa Air. 

Khatri added: 鈥淛eddah精东影业 unique character defined by its distinct heritage and prominence as a commercial hub has gained immense popularity amongst Indian travelers in the past few years, driving an exponential surge in the demand for air travel between the two countries.鈥澛�

Thrilled to introduce Jeddah as our 2nd international destination on the growing Akasa network! Fly non-stop between Mumbai-Jeddah starting 15 July; and Ahmedabad-Jeddah, starting 20 July.

Experience our warm and efficient service, multi-cuisine gourmet meals and comfortable鈥�

— Akasa Air (@AkasaAir)

Akasa Air精东影业 first international flight took off in March 2024, after the airline launched commercial services on domestic routes in India on August 7, 2022.聽聽

Akasa Air has also been granted traffic rights for two other international destinations namely Kuwait, and Riyadh, and will be rapidly expanding its global presence in the coming months. 

鈥淥ur strategically designed connections linking Jeddah with two key Indian cities – Mumbai and Ahmedabad will cater to a variety of tourists, fostering bilateral trade and tourism,鈥� said Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Akasa Air.  

At Wings India 2024, Akasa Air announced an order with Boeing for 150 jets comprising both 737 MAX 10s and 737 MAX 8-200, with all deliveries expected to be completed before 2032.    

This was in addition to the outstanding order for 76 737 MAX 8 aircraft that Akasa Air already has in place with Boeing. 

The airline currently operates 23 737 MAX aircraft.聽

Akasa Air starts international flights, announces Mumbai to Doha services聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-02-16

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets are the first of six that will eventually join the airline from the leasing firm.

Founded in 2022, AviLease is wholly owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Air India Express, itself owned by Air India, is scheduled to receive the additional 737-8s before the end of 2024.

AviLease CEO Edward O鈥橞yrne said: 鈥淲e are delighted to deliver the first two of six new Boeing 737-8 aircraft to Air India Express. Our partnership with Air India continues to strengthen under Tata Group ownership and we are proud to support their fleet modernization program.鈥�

O鈥橞yrne added: 鈥淲e wish the Air India Express team continued success with their commitment to provide affordable and reliable air travel to its customers.鈥�

Within its two-year lifespan, AviLease has been expanding rapidly, not least by buying Standard Chartered精东影业 aircraft leasing business in August 2023.

According to , AviLease has a portfolio of 150 aircraft, including 43 Boeing 737-800s, 14 737-8s and 45 Airbus A320neos.

Air India Express鈥� current active fleet consists of 25 737-800s, 18 737-8s, 4 A320neos and a single A320-200.

Air India Express cancels scores of flights after hundreds of cabin crew call in sick聽

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-05-09

On May 9, 2024, Air India Express announced that its passengers would face more disruptions due to the airline being forced to cancel around 85 flights and was subsequently being supported by parent company, Air India.聽聽

“We will be operating 283 flights today. We have mobilized all resources and Air India will support us by operating on 20 of our routes. However, 85 of our flights stand cancelled and we urge our guests booked to fly with us to check if their flight is affected by the disruption before heading to the airport,” Air India Express said in a statement. 

According to the , on May 8, 2023, Air India Express had to delay or cancel 87 flights following a mass exodus of staff due to sickness.聽聽

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by unprecedented flight delays and cancellations. While we are working hard to minimise disruptions, please check your flight status before heading to the airport. If your flight is impacted, please reach out鈥�

— Air India Express (@AirIndiaX)

The airline said it didn鈥檛 have 鈥渢ime to react鈥� and it had been unable to reach absent cabin crew staff because their mobile phone had been switched off. 

According to , the airline informed the news agency that it was “taking appropriate steps” against some staff members who reported being sick at the last minute.聽

Around 30 cabin crew have been sacked so far while others have been given an ultimatum to return to work by 16:00 today or face action, 谤别辫辞谤迟别诲.听听

It is understood that employees at the airline are unhappy with new employment terms since the Tata Group took over the company in 2022.  

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

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-06