IndiGo Crew's Warm Welcome To ISRO Chief S Somanath Goes Viral

India made history when it successfully launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission. People across the globe celebrated the event and congratulated India for its outstanding achievement. Moreover, the world acknowledged the relentless efforts of the scientists and researchers of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In a recent video, an IndiGo airline crew gave a heartwarming welcome to ISRO Chief S Somanath. The video is now going viral on social media.

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IndiGo airline crew Pooja Shah showcased her respect and gratitude to S Somanath as he entered the flight. She made a special announcement on the microphone to let other passengers know of the ISRO Chief's presence on the flight. She asked other passengers to give a warm welcome to the Chief. “I’m glad to announce the presence of Mr S Somanaththe chairman of ISRO who boarded our flight today. A huge round of applause for Mr S Somanath and his team. We are proud to have you on board, sir. Thank you so much for making India proud,” said the air hostess, as per the video posted on Instagram.

Soon after the announcement, passengers applauded S Somanath. Another crew member then went ahead to serve the Chief with a tray of food and drinks.

The Instagram clip was captioned, "MR S SOMANATH - The chairman of ISRO. Felt privileged to get a chance to serve Mr S. Somanath on board our INDIGO flight." Additionally, the textual overlay on the clip read, "It’s always a pleasure to have national heroes on our flight."

31/08/2023 Times Now

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Indigo crew shares a sweet note with Praggnanandhaa: ‘You are our pride of nation’

Praggnanandhaa returned to India after the FIDE World Cup in Azerbaijan with another feather in his cap – he reached the final round of the tournament to go up against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. The 18-year-old chess prodigy won the silver medal in the FIDE World Cup and qualified for Candidates 2024 – a remarkable achievement which has earned him plaudits.

Since his return to India, Praggnanandhaa has been gifted an electric car by industrialist Anand Mahindra, met PM Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and received a hero’s welcome at the Chennai airport.

✈️ Taking chess to new heights! 🏆 We were honored to have Indian chess grandmaster Master R Praggnanandhaa on board. Congratulations to the young champion on becoming the first-ever World Cup finalist!#goIndiGo #IndiaByIndiGo pic.twitter.com/RmwcMjmy3H

— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 31, 2023

Praggnanandhaa also received a sweet note from the cabin crew and captain of his Indigo flight from Doha to Chennai. The airline shared a photograph of the note, along with a picture of Praggnanandhaa and his mother Nagalakshmi, posing with a flight attendant.

“Dear Praggnanandhaa, it is truly an honour and our pleasure to fly you on board with us today. You are our Pride of the Nation. You have made our country so proud. We wish and pray that you achieve many more like this. You are truly an inspiration for all of us. Keep you game up and keep inspiring,” the note read.

It was signed by the captain and crew members of Indigo flight 6E: 1322.

31/08/2023 Moneycontrol.com 

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Twin Pratt engine snags: 'Deep dive on,’ says DGCA

New Delhi:  The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is doing a “deep dive” on the twin in-flight shutdowns experienced by Pratt & Whitney (PW) engines on two IndiGo Airbus A321 aircraft while operating domestic flights on Tuesday. Now these two aircraft are also grounded, joining the about 40 IndiGo already cooling their heals for months at airports across India as they await replacement engines from PW.

“The deep dive in on (on the twin PW snags),” a senior DGCA official said. Comments were sought from PW Tuesday on two issues — why snags on its engine for Airbus A320 family of planes keep recurring and when will it give replacement engines to IndiGo (GoAir also needed many replacement engines but it set down earlier this year awaiting the same).

In a one line statement, PW said it is “aware of the PW1100G-JM engine events, and (is) supporting our customer as required.”

Technical issues with PW engines for A320 family of planes has been lingering for almost six years now. GoAir and IndiGo were the two affected airline in India, with the number down to one now as the Wadia Group airline suspended operations on May 3, 2023.

“We are dealing with some aircraft on ground (AOG) situation... being dealt with a whole range of mitigating measures. These measures were announced at the end of last year and have been effective in order to make sure that we deliver our capacity guidance that we provided to the market and shareholders earlier," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers had said on August 2, 2023, while putting the number of IndiGo grounded planes at “around 40”.

31/08/2023 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Surge In Mumbai-Delhi Airfares As IndiGo, Air India Squeeze Rivals

As India's airline market transforms into a duopoly, ticket prices that have long known to be dirt-cheap are climbing. Airfares on India's busiest route, Mumbai-New Delhi, were 23% higher during January through August than 2022, according to Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel.

India also saw the highest airfare surge - 41% - in the region in the first three months of this year compared with 2019, a study by Airports Council International Asia Pacific found. 

The higher prices come at a time when two domestic carriers - IndiGo and Air India Ltd. - are set to control the bulk of one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, while most smaller rivals struggle to stay afloat in the notoriously competitive market. 

IndiGo, India's biggest carrier with a market share of 63%, is poised to capture more passenger traffic with a record order of 500 Airbus SE. planes, due to join its fleet from 2030. Air India, the country's No. 2 airline, also made a giant aircraft deal. It will grow bigger with plans to subsume Vistara - currently co-owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines Ltd. - by next year, provided it clears antitrust concerns raised. Air India is also acquiring AirAsia's local unit and merging it with Air India Express. 

While big airlines are going bigger, small ones are retreating. Go Airlines India Ltd. stopped flying in May after it went belly up, blaming failing RTX's Pratt & Whitney engines. Its revival is in limbo as it struggles to attract funding and hundreds of pilots leave the insolvent airline. No-frills SpiceJet Ltd. is also under pressure after reporting losses for the past five years. 

"The aviation market in India is transitioning to a few large players," said Rajat Mahajan, a partner at Deloitte Consulting. "With this consolidation, a couple of airlines are projected to capture about 75% of the market. This leaves a mere 25% for other players, consequently leaving consumers with fewer choices and hence pricier tickets," said Mahajan, who is also the firm's travel and hospitality expert. 

Rising airfares could threaten Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal for bringing air travel to the masses who are financially locked out of the country's booming aviation. Only a fragment of the world's most-populous nation can afford flights, while the majority relies on cheaper trains for long distance travel. Just 8.8% of the 1.4 billion population flew domestic airlines last year. 

After a surge in prices during the summer, the government urged airlines to keep domestic airfares within reasonable levels, especially on routes that were operated by Go Air and saw the highest fare jump due to a "demand and supply imbalance."

31/08/2023 Bloomberg/NDTV

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Maiden flight lands at Karnataka's Shivamogga airport six months after its opening

The maiden flight operated by Indigo Airlines from Bengaluru landed at the newly constructed Kuvempu airport at Sogane near here at 10.45 am on Thursday. The airport was inaugurated by PM Modi on February 27 this year. 

 Those who were on board the flight include Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil, former CM B S Yediyurappa, MP B Y Raghavendra, Shikaripur MLA B Y Vijayendra, MLCs Bharathi Shetty, D S Arun, former minister Haratalu Halappa, Shivamogga MLA S N Channabasappa, Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna, former DyCM K S Eshwarappa and others. 

 Indigo Airlines Private Limited sales executive Manoj Prabhu told DH that as of now, the ATR-72 aircraft will ply between the two cities once daily (both directions). To attract more flyers, the company is offering a fare of Rs 2,669 for a one-way journey and it will remain valid for two months. Patil unveiled the website of the Kuvempu airport on the occasion. Yediyurappa honoured two farmers as part of expressing gratitude to those who gave up their lands for the construction of the airport. 

 01/08/2023 Deccan Herald

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IndiGo air hostess ties rakhi to her pilot brother on flight. Viral video

Raksha Bandhan, a festival that celebrates the unique bond between siblings, is observed with great enthusiasm across India. However, due to busy schedules and professional commitments, it's not always possible for siblings to celebrate this special day together. This year, however, a sibling duo had a unique opportunity to celebrate Raksha Bandhan in an unusual setting - onboard a flight. Shubha, a cabin crew member at IndiGo Airlines, was able to commemorate the festival with her brother Gaurav, who happened to be the pilot of the same flight.

A heartwarming video shared on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) captures the touching moment when Shubha ties the sacred thread, or rakhi, around Captain Gaurav's wrist, following which the pilot respectfully touches his sister's feet - a traditional Indian gesture of showing respect to elders.

The video begins with Shubha making a special announcement to the passengers before the flight's departure. She says, “In our profession, we don't always get the chance to celebrate festivals and special moments with our loved ones back home, because our duty is to ensure you reach your homes to celebrate with your loved ones.” She then reveals the special occasion, saying, “That's why today is a very special day for me and my brother Gaurav, who is on board today to ensure that we celebrate Raksha Bandhan together after many years.”

With Captain Gaurav standing beside her, she continues, “Like all brothers and sisters, we also laugh and cry, play and fight, but he's my rock, my best friend, my shoulder to lean on.” As she tied the rakhi on her brother's wrist, the passengers break into applause, moved by the emotional scene unfolding before them.

IndiGo Airlines shared this touching moment on their social media with the caption, “At 30,000 feet or on the ground, the bond of a brother and sister remains special. A heartwarming moment on board today as our Check Cabin Attendant Shubha celebrates Rakhi with her brother Capt. Gaurav.” The video has since garnered nearly half a million views, with users applauding the sibling duo for their touching display of sibling love and affection.

31/08/2023 Tiasa Bhowal/India Today

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Right fleet & smart pricing will help IndiGo achieve its international ambition

India’s biggest airline by passengers, IndiGo, has now trained its sights on an aggressive international expansion plan. And rightly so. The airline is already over-leveraged in the domestic market, operating from virtually every domestic airport with its fleet of ATRs (small aircraft) and the A320 family aircraft. This limits the potential for further expansion within the country. Besides, an aggressive international push by IndiGo will also help in correcting the traditional tilt in India’s international traffic towards foreign airlines.

In the domestic market, IndiGo accounts for 59 percent market share as of July this year, and its firm grip has often sparked concerns of a duopoly, together with the Air India group with 25.5 percent domestic market share. Given the obvious difficulties in further domestic expansion, the sensible way forward for the airline is to grab a bigger share of the expanding international pie. In the latest annual report, CEO Pieter Albers has said that one of the three pillars of the airline’s growth strategy is ‘create’, which seeks to combine the airline’s strong Indian foundation and international aspirations.

IndiGo’s aggression appears to be already working in correcting the tilt towards foreign carriers. Data from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shows that till the April-June quarter of 2019-20, the pre-Covid era, foreign carriers accounted for two-thirds of the international traffic to and from India. But once Covid19 restrictions were lifted, Indian airlines began muscling their way in, led by the Air India Group (Air India, Air India Express and Vistara) and IndiGo. In the April-June quarter of the current fiscal year, Indian carriers accounted for nearly 44 percent of international traffic, a gain of about nine percentage points.

IndiGo carried nearly 14.97 lakh international passengers in the April-June period of FY20, accounting for 9.8 percent of total international traffic to and from India. But the number of overseas passengers jumped by about 80 percent to nearly 26.77 lakh in the April-June quarter of FY24, with IndiGo cornering 17.18 percent of the market.

Of course, even as IndiGo has been gaining a firm foothold in the overseas traffic pie, the long flight out of India may not all be a smooth affair for the airline. International expansion will add several complexities ranging from multi-currency payment processing to global marketing and distribution challenges. Also, a significant factor that will determine the scope and nature of IndiGo’s international expansion is fleet type.

31/08/2023 Sindhu Bhattacharya/Moneycontrol

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This Indian Father Feeds His Air Hostess Daughter as She Gets Ready for Work

In new India where aspirations are as big as space missions, women are breaking into male bastions to prove their mettle. They are piloting wide-body aircraft, driving heavy vehicles, taking up food delivery gigs, commanding security missions, directing conglomerates…. Their journey started towards breaking the glass ceiling the moment they were set free from patriarchal shackles.

Especially, daughters’ dreams are no longer sacrificed on the altar of family honor in middle-class Indian households. This momentous change in Indian society has been driven by some cool fathers who don’t look at certain professions through the dark glasses of conservatism. They not only invest in daughters’ education, but also give wings to their careers. They not only marry off daughters to the best grooms, but also support them if the marriage falls apart.

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A post shared by Pooja Bihani Sharma (@poojabihani29)

To be precise, they are superheroes. Sadly, they remain unsung in the shadow of mothers’ overwhelming care and love. They sitting on the front edge of two-wheelers leaving good space for the family to be seated behind get less prominence than mothers with infants on lap. However, Pooja Bihani Sharma, a lead cabin attendant at IndiGo Airlines, has recently put her father in the spotlight of social media for right reasons.

Pooja dropped on Instagram a short video of her father feeding her with his hands as she was getting ready on a casual work day. The video showing the mothering care and affection tendered by a father – which is an unconventional sight in typical Indian households – has gone viral across geographies. The video has touched millions of hearts and left everyone moist-eyed. It also breaks the myth that Indian fathers only provide for their families.

The good-feel video of IndiGo’s air hostess Pooja is still garnering comments (more than 5000 as of today) from all quarters. Some netizens said it is because of such supporting fathers that India’s female pilot strength is gradually rising. Some netizens remarked that there is a doting father behind every successful daughter. Pooja Bihani Sharma’s Instagram video resonated with many NRI women who are far away from their family in India and reminded them of their caring fathers.

The caption of the video reads, “Papa, you are the best. I know I don’t say it enough, so I’ll say it extra today: Thank you for everything. My home is wherever you are. I love you, Papa.”

31/08/2023 Indian Eagle

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Arunachal: IndiGo announces direct flight service from Itanagar to Delhi

IndiGo Airways made a significant announcement on August 31, unveiling its plans to enhance its flight services in the Northeast region.

Effective October 2, the airline will launch a new flight route linking Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh to Delhi.

The flight will take off from Donyi Polo Airport in Itanagar.

Passengers travelling from Itanagar to Delhi can now benefit from the convenience of IndiGo’s new flight, which will depart from Itanagar at 12:30 PM and reach the national capital at 15:25 PM, in total a flight journey of 2 hours 55 minutes.

With this latest expansion, IndiGo solidifies its presence in Arunachal Pradesh along with other Northeast states.

Taking to his X handle (Twitter) Arunachal CM wrote, "Ever since the inauguration of Donyi Polo Airport by Hon PM Shri @narendramodi Ji in November 2022, the distance of Delhi & other parts of the country from Itanagar has been cut short. So delighted that @IndiGo6E will be starting a direct flight to Delhi from Arunachal's capital. This is yet another step to provide ease of connectivity to the State."

31/08/2023 India TodayNE

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DGCA carrying out technical evaluation of two incidents involving IndiGo planes

Aviation regulator DGCA in close coordination with IndiGo is carrying out the "technical evaluation" of the engine issues faced by the airline's two aircraft on Tuesday, according to an official.

Two flights of IndiGo, one from Kolkata to Bengaluru and another from Madurai to Mumbai suffered engine issues on Tuesday.

In a statement, IndiGo said its flight 6E 455 from Kolkata to Bengaluru returned to Kolkata after take off due to a technical issue. The pilot followed standard operating procedures and landed back in Kolkata.

The flight 6E-2012 operating from Madurai to Mumbai had a technical issue prior to landing in Mumbai and the pilot prioritised the landing in Mumbai, the airline said in a separate statement. The aircraft is held at Mumbai and will be back in operation after necessary maintenance, it added.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is doing the technical evaluation of both the incidents "in close coordination with the operator", the senior official at the regulator said on Wednesday.

IndiGo's fleet is powered by Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines and a number of aircraft are on the ground.

On August 2, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers had said the number of aircraft impacted by the supply-chain challenge issues was in the high thirties. "I would actually label it now around 40".

30/08/2023 PTI/Telegraph

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IndiGo flight lands safely in Mumbai after mid-air engine glitch; flight grounded

A Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight from Madurai on Tuesday suffered a mid-air glitch after one of its engines shut down but landed safely at its destination.

One of the Pratt and Whitney engines of the aircraft shut down mid-air, officials said adding that the plane is now grounded at the Mumbai airport and is currently undergoing necessary checks.

According to the Indian aviation regulator DGCA one engine stalled mid-air.

“Indigo A321Neo aircraft VT- IUJ operating flight 6E-2012(Madurai-Mumbai) was involved in IFSD of Engine No.1. During climb High Engine Vibrations were observed on No.1 engine. Engine No.1 low oil pressure warning came and Engine No.1 stall occurred during cruise. Crew shutdown No.1 Engine and requested priority landing. A safe landing was executed,” DGCA told ANI.

According to Mumbai airport officials, the IndiGo flight landed at Mumbai airport with one engine working. “The flight from Madurai to Mumbai landed safely at Mumbai airport with one engine after the pilot reported a technical glitch in one of the P&W engine during the mid-air flight,” a statement read.

In a statement, IndiGo said, “Flight 6E-2012 operating from Madurai to Mumbai had a technical issue prior to landing in Mumbai. The pilot prioritised the landing in Mumbai. The aircraft is held at Mumbai and will be back in operation after necessary maintenance.”

29/08/2023 ANI/Statesman

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Bomb threat on Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight, passengers deboarded at Kochi airport

A Bengaluru-bound Indigo flight on Monday received a call regarding the presence of a bomb on the aircraft, airport sources told PTI.

The call was received at nearly 10.30 am, when flight 6E6482 was pushed back to take off from Kochi airport.

They further said all passengers onboard the aircraft were deboarded and the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay for further inspection.

Nedumbassery police also confirmed receipt of the bomb threat and said that a team was sent to investigate the matter.

A team of bomb squad, state police and the security department was called upon.

There were 138 passengers and an infant onboard the flight at the time of the incident.

All were shifted to the security area and a re-screening of baggage was done which was completed by nearly 1 pm.

Nothing suspicious was found.

28/08/2023 Shibimol KG/India Today

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IndiGo enters lease for 10 A320neo aircraft

On August 22, BOC Aviation Limited announced the company’s entrance into a finance lease transaction with major Indian carrier IndiGo, for a further 10 Airbus A320neo aircraft.

The airline features a strong fleet of the A320neo series aircraft in its fleet already, with 171 of the type currently active with the airline.

All ten Airbus A320neo aircraft within this agreement are scheduled for delivery this year, and will house the CFM LEAP-1A powerplant. IndiGo also operates A320neo family aircraft with Pratt & Whitney engines.

Major Indian carrier IndiGo features one of the largest Airbus A320neo fleets out there with a whopping 171 A320neos currently active with the airline per Planespotters.net data.

In addition, the carrier is now awaiting a further ten of the aircraft type as they have recently entered a lease and financing agreement with lessor BOC Aviation.

All aircraft are to be powered by CFM LEAP-1A powerplants, thus increasing the ratio of LEAP-powered A320neos within their fleet; with the remainder of the A320neo fleet being powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.

On the agreement, Steven Townend, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, BOC Aviation, said:

“We are delighted to be embarking on another transaction with our long-time customer IndiGo, to enable the airline to expand its fleet with the latest technology aircraft,”

“This showcases our ability to deploy alternative financing structures, to continue our long-term sustainable growth.”

28/08/2023 Adrian Olstad/Aviation Source News

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IndiGo to start Goa Abu Dhabi flights from Mopa airport

Panaji: IndiGo has started direct flights thrice a week to Abu Dhabi from Manohar International Airport, Mopa with the first flight slated for take off on Saturday.

Chief executive officer of GMR Goa International Airport Ltd RV Sheshan made the announcement and said that direct flights between the middle east and Goa will spur further economic growth.

The inaugural Indigo flight to Abu Dhabi from Mopa is scheduled for Saturday at midnight and arrives at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 2:15am with the return IndiGo flight taking off at 3:15am and landing at Mopa at 8:10am.

“This remarkable service is set to operate three times a week, on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday,” said Sheshan. “Our excitement knows no bounds as we introduce Abu Dhabi as a prominent destination in our ever-expanding international network. This direct flight offers not only increased tourist accessibility from the UAE to Goa but also facilitates travel from the Konkan region to the UAE and beyond.”

The Manohar International Airport commenced operations on January 5 and within seven months the private airport has launched international flights. The first international destination to connect with Mopa is to UK with Air India shifting its London Goa flight to Mopa from Goa International Airport, Dabolim.

At present, Air India, Oman Air, and Qatar Airways, among others, operate international flights from Goa International Airport, Dabolim.

28/08/2023 Newton Sequeira/Times of India

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IndiGo flight from Belagavi to Delhi from October 5

Belagavi: Due to various reasons, flights to several important destinations from Belagavi airport have stopped in the last few years, despite getting a good response from the people.

But the termination of flights between Belagavi and Delhi a few months ago had put a large number of air travellers to the national capital in trouble. After a long gap, the daily flights between Belagavi and Delhi will be operational starting from October 5. 

According to sources, the process of reservation of Belagavi-Delhi flights has already begun.  The IndiGo airlines will be introducing flights between the two cities with the Delhi-Belagavi flight taking off from Delhi every day at 3.45 pm to reach Belagavi at 6.05 pm while the Belagavi-Delhi flight will start from Belagavi at 6.35 pm and reach Delhi at 9 pm. 

A large number of businessmen, industrialists, defence officials and politicians depended on the earlier SpiceJet flight between Belagavi-Delhi until it was abruptly halted by the airlines owing to its crisis situation several months ago. 

27/08/2023 New Indian Express

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The ‘Fascist BJP, Down’ slogan not an offence: Madras HC quashes FIR against academic

New Delhi: The Madras high court has quashed a first information report against a woman who raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at an airport in 2018; that too in a plane which had Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan in it. This judgment was delivered on August 16. Details of the judgement were reported on today by LiveLaw.

The court, according to a report in LiveLaw, has held that raising a slogan of “fascist BJP, down” is not an offence and called it a trivial matter.

The accused was a research scholar Lois Sofia, who had raised the slogan at the Thoothukudi airport and in the flight which had Soundararajan, who is now governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. Videos showed Tamilisai Soundararajan even shouting at Sofia when she raised the slogans at the airport. Sofia was arrested soon afterwards and was granted bail the next day.

The court, reported Deccan Herald, was hearing a petition filed by Sofia in 2019 through which he sought the quashing of the FIR filed against her by Thoothukudi police in 2018.

Lois Sofia was booked under sections 290 (punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for) and 75 (1) (C) of the Madras City Police Act, DH reported. The latter pertains to the penalty for drunkenness or riotous or indecent behaviour in public places.

These sections are both non-cognisable offences. However, as the court pointed out on August 16, a Section 505(1)(b) of the IPC – which is a cognisable offence and can thus alter the case into a cognisable one – was later hand-written into the printed FIR even though there was no mention of non cognisable offences in the complaint.

During the hearings, present BJP Tamil Nadu and intervenor K. Annamalai questioned why the police had failed to register a case under the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act 1982, the court said turned down the possibility citing the fact that mere uttering of a word is not likely to endanger the safety of an aircraft.

Significantly, Justice P Dhanabal of the Madurai bench further said that there was nothing in Sofia’s actions which can warrant the invocation of public nuisance under section 290 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to public nuisance.

“The First Information Report and the charge sheet discloses that the petitioner only raised slogan as ‘Fascist B.J.P’ and those words do not constitute any offence and it is trivial in nature  Therefore as discussed supra, the charge sheet in S.T.C.No. 324 of 2018 on the file of the learned Judicial Magistrate No.III, Thoothukudi is liable to be quashed,” the order says, according to LiveLaw.

The court also said that due procedure under Section 155 of the Criminal Procedure Code was not followed by police after the plea for her remand under Section 505 was rejected.

26/08/2023 Sabrang India

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India’s Air Safety Watchdog to Review Pilot Fatigue Data After Pilot’s Death

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India has launched a review of pilot fatigue data following the sudden death of an IndiGo pilot. The review aims to determine whether any policy changes are necessary to address concerns raised by Indian pilots regarding duty time regulations and fatigue.

The IndiGo pilot collapsed and died before his flight, prompting complaints from some Indian pilots about the strain they face from airlines. In response, hundreds of airline pilots plan to form an association to challenge flying duty regulations that they believe contribute to fatigue and compromise safety.

The DGCA has collected pilot fatigue data through spot checks and airline surveillance and will analyze it to assess the adequacy of current flight duty time regulations. The regulator may also request Indian airlines to provide details of pilot complaints related to fatigue.

India, being the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, is at the center of the global pilot fatigue problem. With the expansion plans of airlines like IndiGo and Air India, the issue of pilot fatigue becomes a critical concern.

Currently, India allows pilots to be on duty for 13 hours within a 24-hour period, without differentiation between day and night flights. In contrast, the United States limits pilots on two-pilot flights to a maximum of 14 hours for daytime flights and nine hours for late-night flights.

26/08/2023 Reuters/The 1014

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IndiGo To Operate All International Flights From Terminal 2, Effective August 31, 2023

New Delhi: IndiGo, India’s preferred airline, will be operating all international flights to and from Bengaluru from Terminal 2 and all domestic flights from Terminal 1, starting from August 31, 2023, onwards, as directed by Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

IndiGo has taken measures to ensure passengers are informed of this change. IndiGo is reaching out to all impacted passengers and their respective travel agents via SMS, calls, and emails provided in reservation details. IndiGo passengers are requested to retrieve their PNR on IndiGo’s website or mobile app to check their terminal before leaving for the airport. The airline is committed to providing a safe and hassle-free travel experience onboard its lean, clean flying machine.

26/08/2023 OrissaDiary

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IndiGo’s international expansion spree: new routes launched in 2023

Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo doesn’t shy away from sharing its ambitious growth plans. 

The company made headlines during the recent Paris Air Show by placing the single largest aircraft order ever: 500 Airbus aircraft (125 A320neo and 375 A321neo).  

IndiGo’s mega-order adds to an earlier one for an already impressive 480 aircraft – and all of them for the A320 family. 

Not content with that, IndiGo has been looking for other ways to procure aircraft without delay.   

In August 2023, it announced a deal with leasing company BOC to induct another 10 A320s into its fleet before the end of the year.  

What’s more, it has been reported that IndiGo is looking to spread its wings even further and is currently looking to acquire up to 25 wide-body, long haul aircraft.  

In the meantime, the Indian LCC has leased three Boeing 777 aircraft from Turkish Airways in order to deploy them on its Delhi (DEL) to Istanbul (IST) route. 

The partnership with Turkish Airlines also extends to codesharing on many international routes in Europe and the US, which Indigo’s passengers can access via Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul hub. 

India remains the core market for IndiGo. Nevertheless, the low-cost carrier has been busy expanding its international network in a whole range of directions. 

Nor does the company need to wait until the many aircraft it has on order come rolling out of the assembly lines. Its current fleet already provides Indigo with the capability to reach destinations in several continents from its bases in India.  

25/08/2023 Miquel Ros/Aerotime Hub

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IndiGo to operate international flights from Bengaluru airport's Terminal 2 from Aug 31

international flights at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) from the recently launched Terminal 2 (T2), and all domestic flight will arrive and depart from Terminal 1 from August 31.

The airline has taken all measures to ensure passengers are informed of this change, the airline said in a statement. IndiGo is reaching out to impacted passengers and their respective travel agents via SMS, calls, and emails provided in reservation details, it added.

International flights at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru will move to Terminal 2 (T2) from September 1.

24/08/2023 Moneycontrol

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