Big Take: Everything We Know About the Air India Crash

Moments after taking off, an Air India flight bound for London from an airport in Western India crashed with over 200 passengers on board. Hundreds have died and a search for survivors is ongoing. On today's Big Take podcast, Bloomberg's Benedikt Kammel joins host Sarah Holder to discuss what the crash of Boeing's marquee 787 Dreamliner means for the company and the commercial aviation industry at large.

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Forbes

8 hours ago

• Forbes

Le Bourget - A Subdued But Substantial Paris Air Show

Crowds at the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, on June 16, 2025. ... More (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images) The Paris Air Show is the largest air show in the world as measured by attendees or exhibitors. It has been held every two years (on odd numbered years) since 1949. The first four days are devoted to industry participants from both commercial and defense sectors representing OEM's and companies down through the supply chain and support services. Originated in 1908 as an offshoot of the Paris Motor Show, it was held at the Grand Palais in Paris until 1953 with flying demonstrations at Paris Orly airport. With the advent of commercial aviation growing to the mass market, the Show was moved to Le Bourget field, the landing site of Lindbergh's historic solo transatlantic crossing in May 1927, where he was greeted by a crowd of over one hundred thousand onlookers. The first "Salon du Locomotion Arienne" held in Paris's Grand Palais, 1909. Bleriot and other ... More monoplanes are seen in the foreground. In years past, Air Shows provided a measuring stick for the two major commercial aircraft OEM's, Boeing and Airbus, to keep score in their competition with each other. This was especially true in the 90's and early 00's as Airbus was gradually accumulating market share and eventually overtaking Boeing in aircraft sales and production. Companies would hold orders that had already been inked in previous months in order to boost their count for splashy headlines during the week of the Show. The Show also provided a world stage for the flight demonstration of a new aircraft model or defense system. In 2025, many of those aspects have changed or receded amidst a backdrop of war, recent tragedy and technological plateau. The ongoing hostilities in Ukraine have placed the spotlight on lightweight, agile offensive systems as opposed to the 'big iron' of new expensive weaponry. The tragic loss of an Air India Boeing 787 days before the Show led to the decision for senior Boeing executives to not attend and for the company to keep a low profile. The duopoly of the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 series continues to build backlog without expectation of a new technology aircraft for at least a decade. A similar development was apparent in the military realm where legacy platforms which were designed years or decades earlier were being adapted to new missions, outfitted with new sensor suites, or positioned as flying 'command posts' for unmanned weapons. Nevertheless, dynamism was apparent in other sectors including Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), space systems and Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO). MRO has continued to be a focus due to the continued demand driven by commercial aircraft that will need to be flown years longer on average, due to the production shortfalls resulting from the pandemic and various Boeing delays. JetZero ("A New Entrant to the Commercial Aerospace Duopoly?" - March 28, 2025) detailed its development plan for it's radical design aircraft that could serve as a next generation airliner or a military tanker. Sustainability, which has been a persistent focus for innovation over the past several years, was still strongly evident in pronouncements and product attributes, but the growing recognition that Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and hydrogen powered aircraft are not near term environmental solutions reflected the recent waning support from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airbus. Several geopolitical forces were also evident in the concerns of attendees. First, the US Administration's pronouncements indicating weakened support for NATO and the need for European countries to contribute more to their own defense has intensified investment in and activities of defense companies within the EU. This coupled with the Administration's increase of the US defense budget amid global tensions resulted in a much more defense focused show than in years past. The mood was amplified by the Israeli attacks on Iran that began over the weekend when many of the initial receptions and gatherings were being held. Second, the Administration's imposition of tariffs has increased focus on the resiliency of global supply chains and the ability to meet production goals in a much more complex environment. On both the commercial, as well as the military side, the ability to deliver against order books was a paramount concern due to the ongoing ramp in commercial deliveries, and the shortfalls in munitions and missiles from wars in Ukraine and the mid-East. Much as the iPhone has continued to improve capabilities on a platform that debuted eighteen years ago, the sense of the show was not on new product announcements but on enhancements to legacy platforms and proving capability to meet demand expectations in a challenging global environment.

Engadget

12 hours ago

• Engadget

Apple is reportedly considering the acquisition of Perplexity AI

Apple's executives are thinking of acquiring Perplexity AI both to get more talent and to be able to offer an AI-based search engine in the future, according to Bloomberg . Adrian Perica, Apple's head of mergers and acquisitions, has reportedly already talked about the idea with services SVP Eddy Cue and the company's top decision-makers with it comes to its AI efforts. It's early stages, however: Apple has yet to talk to Perplexity about a bid, and the internal talks may not even lead to a formal offer. The executives also reportedly discussed an alternative, wherein instead of buying Perplexity outright, it'll team up with the AI company instead. Either way, the idea is to develop an AI search engine powered by Perplexity and to integrate Perplexity's technology into Siri. While Apple has yet to make a formal offer, Bloomberg says it met several times with Perplexity over the past few months. In May, Cue revealed that Apple discussed a possible Safari-integration with Perplexity while on the stand for Google's ongoing Search antitrust case. Cue took the stand due to Apple's long-standing deal with Google to make its search engine the default on the iPhone. (In turn, Apple gets billions of dollars a year — $18 billion in 2021 — from the arrangement.) Cue didn't share any definitive plans, however, including the possibility of an acquisition. If regulators order Apple to end its partnership with Google, purchasing Perplexity would make it easier for the company to develop an AI-based search engine. In addition, it would allow the company to acquire talent needed to be able to catch up with other companies when it comes to artificial intelligence. Apple, like Meta, has been scouting for new AI talent. Bloomberg says it's even competing against the Facebook owner to hire Daniel Gross, the founder of AI company Safe Superintelligence Inc. The company does seem to need help to be able to release the AI features it wants to provide its users. A few months ago, for instance, Apple delayed the rollout of a more powerful Siri that was a key component of its original pitch for Apple Intelligence.

Skift

12 hours ago

• Skift

Indian Regulator Cites Air India for Past Safety Lapses, Removes 3 Officials

While the June 12 crash is a separate issue, wider scrutiny of safety practices may bring more such checks in the coming months. Skift's coverage of the Air India crash is offered free to all readers. India's aviation regulator on Saturday ordered Air India to remove three senior employees from crew scheduling duties, citing previous violations of pilot rest and licensing rules. The action is not directly related to the June 12 crash of AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, which brought additional scrutiny to Air India's operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said multiple violations were discovered after Air India switched its internal crew scheduling software last year. 'Repeated and serious violations (were) voluntarily disclosed by M/s Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements,' the DGCA said. In aviation, "recency" refers to the requirement for pilots to have recently performed takeoffs and landings or simulator sessions to maintain valid licenses. The regulator said the findings point to systemic failures in crew scheduling and internal oversight. Who Was Held Responsible? The DGCA ordered Air India to remove three officials from operational roles and launch disciplinary action against them within 10 days. One was Vice President of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), the central hub of an airline's day-to-day operations that brings together key departments like crew scheduling, maintenance, and network planning to ensure flights run safely and in line with regulations. In a short statement, Air India said it has followed the regulator's order. 'We acknowledge the regulator's directive and have implemented the order. In the interim, the company's Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the IOCC,' an Air India spokesperson said. No further details were shared by the airline. The DGCA order also warned that, 'Any future violation... will attract strict enforcement action, including but not limited to penalties, license suspension, or withdrawal of operator permissions.' A Show-Cause Notice In a separate but related matter, the DGCA also issued a show-cause notice to the airline. This was for Flight AI133 from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and 17. DGCA said both flights had exceeded the 10-hour limit set for crew flight time, a clear violation of existing safety rules. The DGCA said the airline must explain why action should not be taken for these violations. If Air India fails to reply within seven days, the DGCA could act on the matter without further input. In an update on Saturday, Air India said it has started releasing interim financial support to families affected by the June 12 crash of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft in Ahmedabad. The airline had announced an interim payment of INR 2.5 million (around $29,000) each to the families of the deceased and to the sole survivor, to help address immediate financial needs. This amount is separate from the INR 10 million (approximately $116,000) support already announced by Tata Sons. The airline said a centralized help desk, set up on June 15, is managing the compensation process. This single-window system is helping families by speeding up paperwork and guiding them through the claim process. 'The interim compensation began being released from 20 June 2025,' Air India said. 'Three families have received payments so far, and the remaining claims are currently being processed.' The help desk is also working with local authorities and insurance representatives to avoid delays and reduce the burden on families during this period.