Latest news with #PrafulPatel
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
'Flying On A Dreamliner? I'm On': Ex Aviation Minister Praful Patel After Crash
New Delhi: There is no cause for worry after the Air India crash in Ahmedabad and if he was asked to fly on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner today, he would say yes immediately because the airline has a sound technical grounding and the country's aviation regulatory framework is strong, former civil aviation minister Praful Patel has said. Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Friday, the NCP MP also said, however, that there is a need for better communication from airlines as well as the aviation watchdog and all vacancies should be filled up because, when it comes to flying, "it's either 100% safe or zero, there's nothing like 99.9%". On the pace of the investigation after last week's Dreamliner crash in which at least 270 people were killed, including over 30 on the ground, Mr Patel said it has been satisfactory because a team from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team in the US, teams from Boeing and GE, which manufactured the engines of the plane, and India's own Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) visited the site almost immediately and took charge. Based on his experience as the civil aviation minister between 2004 and 2011, the investigation, he said, should be completed within three months but could take longer because all possible scenarios should be ruled out. Mr Patel said the AAIB is very competent and the damaged black box of the AI 171 could be decoded in India itself, but there is no harm if this happens in the US either. "It doesn't really matter whether it's being opened in the US or it's being decoded in India. At the end of the day, what we really want to know is what went wrong," he said. Air India Safety Mr Patel pointed out that instances of flights being cancelled or having a technical issue happen every day, and are being amplified now because of the crash. "Air India, irrespective of the ownership today or in the past, has always been completely safety driven, protocol driven. They follow every single process which has been prescribed either by the manufacturer or by the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation," he said. "I would like to say that India does follow very good safety protocols. Air India has also had very tragic incidents, accidents in the past and they have been able to learn from them and overcome those kinds of issues. And I am sure even in the current context, Air India will be able to ride out of this crisis," the minister added. Describing the current crisis as a "crisis of confidence", Mr Patel said he has been getting calls about whether it is safe to fly Air India and whether its safety protocols and maintenance are up to the mark. "I can tell you, and I have no hesitation in saying this, that if I were to fly a 787 Dreamliner today, I would be the first person to say, fine, I'm on. There's no real issue, I wouldn't worry even for a second... only time will tell whether it's some kind of a failure of a machine or man or whatever. But these are all hypothetical things, we should not really be talking too much about them until we actually have the full report," he stressed. "Air India itself has got very, very, very good technical people over the years. The legacy has been very strong in Air India," he added. Passenger Confidence Asked how the government could boost the confidence of flyers after the crash, Mr Patel said passenger confidence has been shaken badly, but it can also be easily restored. Suggesting measures to do this, he said, "I feel that there needs to be better communication, both by Air India and by all the airlines of the country put together, even by the DGCA. And I can also sense that this is a time when any vacancies in the DGCA or even in airlines in terms of their engineering or safety departments should be filled up immediately... You see, in aviation parlance, either it's 100% safe or zero, there's nothing like 99.9%." Pointing out that several helicopter crashes have occurred in the Char Dham area in the past few weeks, he said checks and balances should be put in place and "shortcuts" should be avoided. "The operators take chances, the pilots also sometimes are confident or overconfident, they think that they can navigate through the mountains or the clouds and they know their way... And sometimes, I'm not blaming anybody, but there could be shortcuts which need to be avoided. That also shakes up confidence. After all, anything falling off the sky does rattle people. Safety Focus On whether India has too few players in terms of airlines, Mr Patel said the emphasis should be on quality, not quantity. India's track record, he said, has not been worse than advanced countries like the US or countries in Europe. "And we also have very, very good overall safety standards and monitoring. But my last word to people would be, please do not be scared of flying. It's still the safest mode of public transportation, even in India or anywhere in the world. (Once) you sit on a plane, your chances of having something going wrong are really very rare. You are one of the real unlucky ones if you really encounter some major problem," he said. "Otherwise, it is the safest and probably the best-managed public transportation (system) anywhere in the world," the former aviation minister emphasised.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Prafull Patel questions Singapore Airlines' silence on Air India plane crash
MUMBAI: Former union civil aviation minister and NCP leader Praful Patel has criticised Singapore Airlines for its silence on the Air India Dreamliner plane crash on June 12. In a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), Patel said that in all the sorrow and din surrounding the crash, there remains a surprising silence - or perhaps ignorance - about the role of a substantial shareholder, and the entity responsible for maintaining a large number, if not all, of Air India's wide-body aircraft. 'Guess the name: Singapore Airlines. They seem to be in hiding. Let's not forget they have a say in management and a codeshare agreement with Air India,' he said. Patel added that importantly, Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Air India, is a nominee of Singapore Airlines. He previously served as CEO of their low-cost subsidiary, Scoot Airlines. 'Why this deafening silence?' he asked. Soon after his remarks, Singapore Airlines came out with a statement. Its spokesperson said, 'The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of everyone affected by the devastating Air India flight AI171 accident. We have been in close contact with our partner Tata Sons and Air India, and continue to offer our full support and all necessary assistance to them during this difficult time.'' Patel took to X again to respond: 'After six days, today, Singapore Airlines finally offers condolences to the victims of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash - and says it is 'offering all assistance' to the owners of Air India, Tata Sons. Why are you paying lip service today so late? The part owner of 25.1% with board representation and the CEO as its nominee says that owners, Tata Sons, are being offered all assistance?' Last week, Patel had said that after three-and-a-half years of the takeover of Air India by the Tatas, the management still needs to fine-tune various aspects of running a world-class airline, including maintenance.
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
Singapore Airlines offers condolences to families of victims in AI-171 plane crash
New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group issued a statement extending condolences to the families of the victims in the Air India-171 plane crash. The statement came after Praful Patel, Former Union Aviation Minister and Working President of the NCP, questioned the airlines' silence. The airlines said in an official statement, 'The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of everyone affected by the devastating Air India flight AI171 accident. We have been in close contact with our partner Tata Sons and Air India, and continue to offer our full support and all necessary assistance to them during this difficult time.' Earlier, Praful Patel shared an X post holding Singapore Airlines accountable. Patel questioned the airline's silence, even though Singapore Airlines is responsible for maintaining many of Air India's wide-body aircraft. Sharing the X post, Patel said, 'In all the sorrow and din surrounding the Air India crash, there remains a surprising silence -- or perhaps ignorance -- about the role of a substantial shareholder, and the entity responsible for maintaining a large number, if not all, of Air India's wide-body aircraft. Guess the name: Singapore Airlines.' Patel alleged that the airlines are hiding, while they have a share in the management of Air India. 'They seem to be in hiding. Let's not forget -- they have a say in management and a codeshare agreement with Air India. Importantly, Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Air India, is a nominee of Singapore Airlines. He previously served as CEO of their low-cost subsidiary, Scoot Airlines. Why this deafening silence, SQ?' the post read. Meanwhile, Air India and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Wednesday publicly expressed his sorrow over the London-bound Air India flight crash on June 12, finally breaking his silence after the tragedy during an interview with Group Editor-in-Chief of Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, Navika Kumar. In an exclusive interview on The NewsHour with Navika Kumar, Chandrasekaran said that the airline was doing everything possible to support the victims' families and that there were no words to console the grieving families, but he pledged that the company would stand with them now and in the future as well. 'It is an extremely difficult situation where I have no words to console any of the families of those who died. I deeply regret that this accident happened in a Tata-run airline. And I feel very sorry. All we can do is to be with the families at this time, grieve with them, and we will do everything to support them at this hour and beyond,' the Tata Sons Chairman stated. (ANI)
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
There's growing paranoia about air travel, government should strengthen air safety on ground, rebuild public trust, Congress leader says
There is growing paranoia among air travellers after the Ahmedabad crash, and the government needs to reassure the public by strengthening aviation safety, senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha K.C. Venugopal said on Wednesday (June 18, 2025). In a post on social media platform X, Mr. Venugopal said the recent air accidents were 'not isolated incidents but signs of systemic stress within our aviation sector'. 'We have not yet recovered from the horror of the Ahmedabad flight crash, one of the most tragic aviation disasters in recent memory. In the days that followed, concerns have only deepened with reports of technical glitches, emergency landings, flight cancellations, and repeated helicopter accidents, especially along high-risk pilgrimage routes. There's a growing paranoia in the minds of air travellers,' Mr. Venugopal, the Congress general secretary in-charge of organisation, said. Issues of maintenance, regulatory oversight, operational preparedness, and communication protocols were now under intense public scrutiny, the Congress leader said. 'The need for robust safety mechanisms and transparent accountability in the aviation sector has never been greater. These incidents raise important questions: Are existing safety standards adequate? Are we doing enough to prevent accidents before they occur? Who will fix responsibility and ensure that safety isn't compromised in the race for growth? It is vital that the government, regulators, and airline operators treat this as an inflection point, to reassure the public, rebuild trust, and strengthen aviation safety from the ground up,' Mr. Venugopal said. In a related development, former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel questioned the 'silence' of Singapore Airlines over the horrific crash of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Singapore Airlines has a 25.1% stake in Tata Group-run Air India, and holds a position on the airline's board. Shortly thereafter, Singapore Airlines issued a statement saying it was in 'close contact' with Tata Sons and continued to 'offer full support and all necessary assistance'. 'Why are you paying lip service today so late? And a part owner of 25.1% with board representation and the CEO being your nominee says that owners Tata Sons [are] being offered all assistance?' Mr. Patel said in a subsequent social media post.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
NCP Leader Slams Singapore Airlines For Delayed Condolences On Air India Crash
Former Civil Aviation Minister and NCP leader Praful Patel has strongly criticized Singapore Airlines for what he described as a belated and insincere response to the Air India flight AI171 tragedy in Ahmedabad, which resulted in the deaths of more than 270 people, including 241 passengers and crew members. Singapore Airlines, which holds a 25.1% stake in Air India, waited almost six days after the June 12 crash before releasing a public statement expressing condolences to the victims' families. The airline stated, "The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of everyone affected by the devastating Air India flight AI171 accident," and assured ongoing support to Tata Sons and Air India during this difficult period. Patel, however, was not satisfied with the timing or tone of the statement. He took to social media to question why Singapore Airlines, as a significant shareholder with board representation and a CEO nominee in Air India, delayed its public response. He accused the airline of "paying lip service" and highlighted its "deafening silence" in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. The crash, involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, also resulted in 29 fatalities on the ground, making it one of the deadliest incidents involving an Indian airline and the first fatal crash of the Boeing 787 model since its introduction. Patel further pointed out that Singapore Airlines is responsible for maintaining a large portion of Air India's wide-body fleet and questioned the lack of visible engagement from the airline following the tragedy. He also noted that Air India's CEO, Campbell Wilson, is a nominee of Singapore Airlines, intensifying expectations for a prompt and empathetic response. Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India's internal safety board have launched investigations into the crash. The DGCA recently reported that no major safety concerns were found in Air India's Boeing 787 fleet, and maintenance systems were compliant with safety standards after a thorough review.
