The incident occurred on June 8, 2024, when an IndiGo flight landed on the runway while an Air India flight was taking off.

A video clip of the incident, which has been shared across social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), shows the Air India plane, which was flying from Mumbai Airport to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV) on flight AI657, taking off just as the IndiGo aircraft, which flew in in from Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport (IDR), flight 6E5053, touched down. 

Both planes were A320neos.

According to flight tracking site Flightradar24, the two planes were 509 meters away from each other laterally at their closest point, and were 511 meters apart when the Air India aircraft started to lift off. The IndiGo jet touched down three seconds after the lift off.

An IndiGo spokesperson told the Times of India that the IndiGo flight from Indore was given a landing clearance by the air traffic control tower. 

鈥淭he pilot in command continued the approach and landing and followed (air traffic control) instructions,” the spokesperson was quoted to have said.

Meanwhile, Air India said its plane was “cleared by air traffic control to enter the runway and subsequently cleared for take-off”.

The Deccan Herald said the air traffic controller involved in the incident was “derostered” by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and an investigation has been launched.

Safety probe launched after Jetstar Airbus A320 veers off runway due to fault聽

• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-05-31

The incident occurred in the evening of May 20, 2024, when flight EK 508 arrived at MumMumbai精东影业 Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) from Dubai International Airport (DXB).

According to Times of India, the B777-330ER, with registration A6-ENT, was descending to make its final approach on the airport精东影业 runway 27 when it crossed paths with a flock of flamingos flying north to Kutch, a known feeding and breeding ground.

Video footage of environmentalists and forest rangers retrieving and counting bodies of killed flamingos has been uploaded and shared on X (formerly Twitter). Initial reports indicated that 36 flamingos were killed. However, the body count increased as more birds were found.

Although the aircraft managed to land safely and no human injuries were reported, the incident sparked concern among environmentalists.

One environmentalist told The Indian Express that the flamingos likely changed its normal course to avoid high power lines in the area, and criticized excessive construction activity in Mumbai. 

The lesser flamingo is a protected species of flamingo occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and western India.

Its conservation status is Near Threatened, which means the population is declining.

Bird strike delays Cayman Airways flight departure

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2021-09-14

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 giant aircraft, registered F-GSTC, arrived in Mumbai on flight BGA408C from Seletar Airport (XSP) in the northeast region of Singapore at around 9.59 a.m. (UTC) on November 22, 2022, according to flight history found on .  

The Super Transporter made a quick stop for refueling services, BOM noted in a statement published on social media. The aircraft is one of the heaviest to arrive in Mumbai during the last few years.  

Look who made a pitstop at ! The Airbus Beluga Super Transporter made its first appearance at and left us all awestruck. Tell us what you think of its unique design.

鈥� CSMIA (@CSMIA_Official)

The aircraft, nicknamed 鈥榯he white whale鈥�, then took to the skies on November 23, 2022, at around 5.17 a.m. (UTC), performing flight in the direction of the Middle East, heading towards an unidentified destination. 

Will the Airbus Beluga become the next Antonov An-225 Mriya?

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-09-26

鈥淭he Airbus A300-600ST Super Transporter made its maiden visit to Mumbai Airport today. The aircraft is used to transport outsized cargo. And the lucky few passengers who witnessed this giant aircraft were left awestruck by the gorgeous sight,鈥� a spokesperson for BOM airport told the  

What is special about the Airbus A300-600ST / Beluga? 

The Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter) is one of the rarest and most loved planes for plane spotters. Commonly known as the 鈥楤eluga鈥� because it resembles the white Arctic whale, the super-sized transporter jet features one of the most voluminous cargo holds of any civil or military aircraft currently in operation.  

The A300-600ST can be praised for its spacious cargo hold, which equals 1,500 cubic meters (53,000 cubic ft), allowing the plane to carry as much as 47,000 kg (103,617 lbs.) of oversized freight. The freighter is typically used to transport chemical tanks, various aircraft parts, and space rocket components. For instance, it is capable of flying a fuselage section of an Airbus A350 wide-body plane, the wings of the Airbus A340 aircraft, as many as 36 cars, up to 671 passengers, or even seven elephants. 

Airbus BelugaXL rolls off the runway, becomes stuck in the mud

• Civil Aviation

byRytis Beresnevicius

2022-11-21

While the Beluga is considered indispensable when it comes to transporting fragments and parts of other aircraft, carrying certain freight, such as parts of the Airbus A380 superjumbo, is unattainable even for this enormous cargo airliner.    

The white whale is powered by two General Electric CF6-80C2A8 turbofan engines, each generating a thrust of 58,000 lbs., and can attain a maximum speed of 864 kilometers per hour (537 mph) with a range of up to 4,600 kilometers without the need to refuel 

Flown by just two flight crew members, the Airbus A300-600ST retains the same flight deck as the A310 medium-to-long-range wide-body or the A300-600 mid-size wide-body aircraft, from which the white whale was modified to carry oversized cargo.  

BelugaST delivers Airbus-built satellite to Kennedy Space Centre

• Space

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2022-10-17

Making history  

The aircraft has twice made aviation history. In 1997, the aircraft set a world record for flying the most voluminous payload by plane when the freighter carried a chemical tank for a merchant’s vessel from Clermont-Ferrand (CFE) to Le Havre (LEH) in France. Then, in 2003, the cargo jet set a record for the farthest charter flight to date after it flew the farthest charter flight to date, during which Beluga carried two NHI NH90 helicopters and one Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter from Marseille (MRS), France to Melbourne (MEL), Australia. At the time, Airbus was asked to transport helicopters to the Aviation Airshow, which, excluding stops for refueling, was completed within 25 hours.  

Since 1994, when the aircraft first took to the skies on its maiden flight, the A300-600ST has played a key role in Airbus精东影业 production distribution and assembly network.  

The manufacturer has built only five units of the type and has already begun to phase in new-generation BelugaXL versions, which, in the future, will replace all five A300-600STs currently in service. 

Cargo giants: which aircraft can carry the most freight?

• Air Cargo

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2021-10-06

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

 

The Alliance Air ATR-72 turboprop aircraft, registered as VT-RKJ, took off without its right engine cover but proceeded with flight 9I625. After a one and a half hours of flying, the aircraft safely landed at Bhuj Airport (BHJ), India. No injuries among the passengers and crew were reported. 

An Alliance Air ATR aircraft landed safely at Bhuj from Mumbai after a part of the engine cowling fell down during take-off this morning. The flight had taken off from Mumbai. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated an inquiry.

鈥� ANI (@ANI)

According to a report by ANI, the Mumbai Air Traffic controller (ATC) reported the occurrence soon after the flight took off. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a probe into the incident.  

The AirAsia flight was operating from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) to Chennai International Airport (MAA), while the Indigo flight was on a route to Vadodara Airport (BDQ) from Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR) when the incident occurred over the Mumbai airspace.

The Indigo flight maintained an altitude of 38,000 feet after receiving clearance from the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) in Mumbai when it was nearing its destination. The AirAsia aircraft, operating on a non-standard route, requested to climb from 32,000 feet to 39,000 feet during the same period. The flight paths of both aircraft were reciprocal.

Due to increasing traffic and a lack of situational awareness from the ATC, the narrow altitude difference between the aircraft was not acknowledged.

The conflicting paths generated a Predicted Conflict Warning (PCW) from the Air Traffic Controlling System (ATCS) . The ATC officer ignored this warning due to a preconceived notion regarding the Air Asia flight following a standard route.

“Controller had preconceived mind of regular routing of IAD811 but on the day of incident aircraft was following different route,” stated the report. “Thus, controller did not realize the current scenario i.e. failed to evaluate the present situation under his preconceived mind.”

The controller eventually realized the situation and tried to handle it accordingly. Still, the AirAsia flight Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) had already issued a warning when the aircraft climbed 38,008 feet and the IndiGo aircraft 38,000 feet.

The report concluded that the flights had a lateral separation of eight-kilometer at 300 feet vertical proximity and a six-kilometer lateral separation at a 500 feet vertical difference.

It was indicated that the serious incident occurred due to ‘Loss of situational awareness by Controller’ and ‘Evaluation of the present situation under the influence of preconceived mind by the concerned controller’ according to the report. Additional training for the controller was recommended.

On January 15, 2021, Indian police arrested a 35-year-old and two accomplices, on suspicion that they were involved in the 鈥減ay and skip quarantine鈥� scam in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM). They allegedly collected bribes of Rs 4,000 ($55) from each arriving passenger who wanted to skip the mandatory quarantine. 

After finding fake stamps of home quarantine and doctor精东影业 notes, the police suspected that the staffers were selling fake health certificates. The police also seized Rs 140,000 ($1913) in cash and 200 Saudi riyals ($53), which could mean dozens of travelers arriving from Dubai, Kuwait and the United States, were able to bribe their way out of the quarantine rules. 

The suspects are in custody until January 19, 2021. If found guilty, they could face up to seven years in prison for violation of prohibition orders, forgery and cheating, stated the report in the Times of India.

On December 27, 2020, Mumbai rolled out stricter quarantine rules. The restrictions meant all international passengers arriving to Mumbai from the UK, South Africa, Middle East, and Europe were subject to a mandatory quarantine of at least 14 days, including 7 days in a designated hotel and 7 days at home.

India has one of the busiest aviation markets. However, the recovery has been slow, since the country went into its first lockdown in March, 2020. In May 2020, India officially lifted the domestic travel ban and managed to restore its capacity to around 70% of 2019 levels.

On December 31, 2020, the international travel ban in India was set to be lifted, but it was extended to January 31, 2021, allowing only the country精东影业 Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved international flights to enter.

Customs arrests Air India employees in gold smuggling case

• Civil Aviation

byVyte Klisauskaite

2020-11-25