Latest news with #AdityaKalra
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
India's watchdog warns Air India for breaching pilots' flight duty timings
By Aditya Kalra India's watchdog warns Air India for breaching pilots' flight duty timings NEW DELHI, - India's aviation watchdog has issued a warning to Air India for "repeated and serious violations" related to pilot duty scheduling and oversight, according to government directives reviewed by Reuters on Saturday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation directed Air India to remove three company executives from crew scheduling roles - a divisional vice president, a chief manager of crew scheduling and one planning executive - for lapses linked to flights from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and May 17 that exceeded the stipulated pilot flight time limit of 10 hours. The June 20 order cited "systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversights" and criticised the lack of strict disciplinary measures against responsible officials. The latest action by the aviation authority against the airline is unrelated to this month's crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 plane that killed all but one of the 242 people onboard but signal heightened scrutiny of the airline. On Thursday, Reuters reported the authorities had also warned Air India for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue for checks on emergency equipment of escape slides. The latest order by assistant director of operations at the DGCA, Himanshu Srivastava, said: "Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible." In a statement to Reuters, Air India said it has implemented the DGCA order and in the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre. "Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices," it added. The DGCA stated in its order that Air India had voluntarily disclosed the violations. Air India was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022 and faces many challenges in its attempts to rebuild its image, after years of criticism from travelers for poor service. The Indian regulator, like many abroad, often fines airlines for compliance lapses. India's government in February told parliament that authorities had warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations last year. Around half of them - 12 - involved Air India and Air India Express. The biggest fine was $127,000 on Air India for "insufficient oxygen on board" during some international flights. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Air India warned for flying Airbus planes with unchecked escape slides
By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's aviation regulator has warned Air India for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue checks on emergency equipment, and for being slow to address the issue, government documents show. The warning notices and an investigation report - both reviewed by Reuters - were not in any way related to last week's crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 plane that killed all but one of the 242 people onboard, and were sent days before that incident. In the report, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said spot checks in May on three Air India Airbus planes found that they were operated despite mandatory inspections being overdue on the "critical emergency equipment" of escape slides. In one case, the watchdog found that the inspection of an Airbus A320 jet was delayed by more than a month before being carried out on May 15. AirNav Radar data shows that during the delay the plane flew to international destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah. Another case, involving an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes, showed checks were over three months late, while a third showed an inspection was two days late. "The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements," the DGCA report said. Air India "failed to submit timely compliance responses" to deficiencies raised by the DGCA, "further evidencing weak procedural control and oversight," it added. Air India, which was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022 from the government, said in statement that it was "accelerating" verification of all maintenance records, including dates of the escape slides, and would complete the process in the coming days. In one of the cases, Air India said, the issue came to light when an engineer from AI Engineering Services "inadvertently deployed an escape slide during maintenance". The DGCA and Airbus did not respond to Reuters queries. Checks on escape slides are "a very serious issue. In case of accident, if they don't open, it can lead to serious injuries," said Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at the government's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The DGCA said in its report that the certificates of airworthiness for aircraft that miss mandatory checks were "deemed suspended". The warning notices and the report were sent by Animesh Garg, a deputy director of airworthiness in the Indian government, to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson as well as the airline's continuing airworthiness manager, quality manager and head of planning, the documents showed. An Indian aviation lawyer said such breaches typically attract monetary and civil penalties on both individual executives and the airline. Wilson told Reuters last year that global parts shortages were affecting most airlines, but the problem was "more acute" for Air India as its "product is obviously a lot more dated", with many planes not refreshed since they were delivered in 2010-2011. 'SYSTEMIC CONTROL FAILURE' The Indian regulator, like many abroad, often fines airlines for compliance lapses. India's junior aviation minister in February told parliament that authorities had warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations last year. Around half of them - 12 - involved Air India and Air India Express, including in one case for "unauthorised entry into cockpit". The biggest fine was $127,000 on Air India for "insufficient oxygen on board" during a flight to San Francisco. Last week's crash, the causes of which are still being investigated, will further challenge Air India's attempts to rebuild its image, after years of criticism from travellers for poor service. Air India's Chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Monday told staff the crash should be a catalyst to build a safer airline, urging employees to stay resolute amid any criticism. In its report, the DGCA also said several Air India aircraft checked by officials had outdated registration paperwork. Air India told Reuters all but one aircraft complied with such requirements and this "poses no impact" to safety. The DGCA investigation report pulled up the airline for what it described as "inadequate internal oversight." "Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organization's internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure," it said.
Ya Libnan
14-06-2025
- General
- Ya Libnan
What is known about the Air India crash and its investigation
By Aditya Kalra A tail of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that crashed is seen stuck on a building after the incident in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo NEW DELHI, June 14 (Reuters) – Air India's deadly plane crash that killed at least 270 people has triggered a wave of speculation about what led to the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade, but authorities are slowly narrowing down areas of investigation. The Boeing (BA.N) 787 Dreamliner is one of the most advanced jets in service and experts say it has a generally strong safety record, with no previous fatal accidents. VISUAL EVIDENCE One of the strongest pieces of evidence that investigators are reviewing is a 59-second CCTV video clip that clearly shows the takeoff and the crash of the plane from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad city, western Gujarat state. The CCTV camera was located on the far left of the runway near a wall with barbed wire. The video shows that the Tata Group-owned Air India plane takes off, gains some altitude, flies flat for a couple of seconds, and then starts descending with its tail down. The descent of the plane starts roughly 17 seconds after takeoff. There is no fire visible around the engine or elsewhere when the plane appears to start going down, and has already crossed the airport boundary wall. The landing gear visibly remains open throughout the clip. It took roughly 33 seconds from wheels-up for the plane to crash, erupting into a huge fireball. WHERE DID THE PLANE FALL The Indian aviation ministry said the pilots issued a 'mayday' call to air traffic controllers at 1:39 pm local time on Thursday. When officials tried to communicate, the pilots did not respond. The plane started losing height after reaching an altitude of 650 feet. It then crashed into the B.J. Medical College hostel nearby. Images of the dining area shortly after the incident showed wheels and other parts of the aircraft embedded in the walls, while debris and belongings of the students, including clothes and books, lay scattered on the floor. Steel tumblers and plates still containing food lay on the few tables that were left intact. A strong stench of jet fuel hung in the air at the site on Friday, as authorities used cranes to remove charred trees and debris. POSSIBLE CAUSES Air India officials and scores of Indian government investigators have been at the crash site since Thursday. No initial findings have been disclosed so far, but investigators are considering at least three key possible issues, according to a source with direct knowledge. Investigators are assessing if there are any issues related to engine thrust, which is the force produced by the engine to push it forward through the air. Investigators are also looking at any possible operational issues with flaps. Anti-terror squads have also been part of the investigation teams. Officials are also assessing why was the landing gear was open for so long after takeoff. A possible bird strike is not a focus of the source added that officials are also looking at any possible fault of Air India, including any possible maintenance issues. WHERE'S THE BLACK BOX? India's aviation ministry has said investigators and rescue workers recovered the digital flight data recorder – one of the two black boxes on the plane – from the rooftop of the building on which the jet crashed. There was no information on the cockpit voice recorder, the other black box, which is also crucial to the probe. India's aviation regulator has conducted additional maintenance actions on Air India's Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including 'one-time check' of the take-off parameters before the departure of every flight from midnight of June 15. The airline has also been asked to conduct electronic engine control tests and engine fuel related checks. Reuters
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Factbox-What is known about the Air India crash and its investigation
By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Air India's deadly plane crash that killed at least 270 people has triggered a wave of speculation about what led to the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade, but authorities are slowly narrowing down areas of investigation. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is one of the most advanced jets in service and experts say it has a generally strong safety record, with no previous fatal accidents. Here's what is known about the air crash so far: VISUAL EVIDENCE One of the strongest pieces of evidence that investigators are reviewing is a 59-second CCTV video clip that clearly shows the takeoff and the crash of the plane from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad city, western Gujarat state. The CCTV camera was located on the far left of the runway near a wall with barbed wire. The video shows that the Tata Group-owned Air India plane takes off, gains some altitude, flies flat for a couple of seconds, and then starts descending with its tail down. The descent of the plane starts roughly 17 seconds after takeoff. There is no fire visible around the engine or elsewhere when the plane appears to start going down, and has already crossed the airport boundary wall. The landing gear visibly remains open throughout the clip. It took roughly 33 seconds from wheels-up for the plane to crash, erupting into a huge fireball. WHERE DID THE PLANE FALL The plane crashed into the B.J. Medical College hostel. Images of the dining area shortly after the incident showed wheels and other parts of the aircraft embedded in the walls, while debris and belongings of the students, including clothes and books, lay scattered on the floor. Steel tumblers and plates still containing food lay on the few tables that were left intact. A strong stench of jet fuel hung in the air at the site on Friday, as authorities used cranes to remove charred trees and debris. POSSIBLE CAUSES Air India officials and scores of Indian government investigators have been at the crash site since Thursday. No initial findings have been disclosed so far, but investigators are considering at least three key possible issues, according to a source with direct knowledge. Investigators are assessing if there are any issues related to engine thrust, which is the force produced by the engine to push it forward through the air. Investigators are also looking at any possible operational issues with flaps. Anti-terror squads have also been part of the investigation teams. Officials are also assessing why was the landing gear was open for so long after takeoff. A possible bird strike is not a focus of the probe. The source added that officials are also looking at any possible fault of Air India, including any possible maintenance issues. WHERE'S THE BLACK BOX? India's aviation ministry has said investigators and rescue workers recovered the digital flight data recorder - one of the two black boxes on the plane - from the rooftop of the building on which the jet crashed. There was no information on the cockpit voice recorder, the other black box, which is also crucial to the probe. India's aviation regulator has conducted additional maintenance actions on Air India's Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including "one-time check" of the take-off parameters before the departure of every flight from midnight of June 15. The airline has also been asked to conduct electronic engine control tests and engine fuel related checks.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Foxconn sends 97% of India iPhone exports to US as Apple tackles Trump's tariffs
By Aditya Kalra and Munsif Vengattil NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Nearly all the iPhones exported by Foxconn from India went to the United States between March and May, customs data showed, far above the 2024 average of 50% and a clear sign of Apple's efforts to bypass high U.S. tariffs imposed on China. The numbers, being reported by Reuters for the first time, show Apple has realigned its India exports to almost exclusively serve the U.S. market, when previously the devices were more widely distributed to countries including the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Britain. During March-May, Foxconn exported iPhones worth $3.2 billion from India, with an average 97% shipped to the United States, compared to a 2024 average of 50.3%, according to commercially available customs data seen by Reuters. India iPhone shipments by Foxconn to the United States in May 2025 were worth nearly $1 billion, the second-highest ever after the record $1.3 billion worth of devices shipped in March, the data showed. Apple and Foxconn did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said China will face 55% tariffs after the two countries agreed on a plan, subject to both leaders' approval, to ease levies that had reached triple digits. India is subject, like most U.S trading partners, to a baseline 10% tariff and is trying to negotiate an agreement to avert a 26% "reciprocal" levy that Trump announced and then paused in April. Apple's increased production in India drew a strong rebuke from Trump in May. "We are not interested in you building in India, India can take care of themselves, they are doing very well, we want you to build here," Trump recalled telling CEO Tim Cook. In the first five months of this year, Foxconn has already sent iPhones worth $4.4 billion to the U.S. from India, compared to $3.7 billion in the whole of 2024. Apple has been taking steps to speed up production from India to bypass tariffs, which would make phones shipped from China to the U.S. much more expensive. In March, it chartered planes to transport iPhone 13, 14, 16 and 16e models worth roughly $2 billion to the United States. Apple has also lobbied Indian airport authorities to cut the time needed to clear customs at Chennai airport in the southern state of Tamil Nadu from 30 hours to six hours, Reuters has reported. The airport is a key hub for iPhone exports. "We expect made-in-India iPhones to account for 25% to 30% of global iPhone shipments in 2025, as compared to 18% in 2024," said Prachir Singh, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research. Tata Electronics, the other smaller Apple iPhone supplier in India, on average shipped nearly 86% of its iPhone production to the U.S. during March and April, customs data showed. Its May data was not available. The company, part of India's Tata Group, started exporting iPhones only in July 2024, and only 52% of its shipments went to U.S. during 2024, the data showed. Tata declined to comment on the numbers. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in recent years promoted India as a smartphone manufacturing hub, but high duties on importing mobile phone components compared to many other countries means it is still expensive to produce the devices in India. Apple has historically sold more than 60 million iPhones in the U.S. each year, with roughly 80% made in China. Sign in to access your portfolio
