Category Archives: Aviation

Boeing announced a $10 million emergency assistance package for India to support the country’s response to the current surge in COVID-19 cases. The assistance from Boeing will be directed to organizations providing relief, including medical supplies and emergency healthcare for communities and families battling COVID-19. Boeing will partner with local and international relief organizations to deploy the $10 million to the areas of greatest need.

The UAE has extended the suspension imposed on entry of passengers flying from India into the country until May 14 on account of the situation. It had announced the suspension from midnight on April 25 until May 4. The only exceptions to the ban on entry are UAE nationals, diplomats and persons holding golden residency visas.

Following the orders from the Centre, Tuhin Kanta Pandey (IAS 1987-Batch) has been assigned the additional charge of Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation. Pandey will hold the additional charge from April 26, 2021 to May 13, 2021 i.e. during the period of absence on leave of Pradeep Singh Kharola (IAS 1985-Batch). At present, Pandey is serving as the Secretary, Department of Investment & Public Asset Management, Ministry of Finance.  

Writing to all the Chief Secretaries of states and UTs, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, has requested to consider the personnel involved in aviation and related services like airlines, airports, maintenance, cargo, ground handling agencies catering etc, as a priority group since “air transportation is an essential service”.

The divestment process for national carrier Air India could be delayed by a few months due to the ongoing pandemic and due to processes like physical inspection of assets by potential bidders, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, secretary of the department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM), said. Due diligence process is currently on. The government was targeting to complete disinvestment by September this year.

The Centre has extended the validity period of current airfare cap as well as the capacity utilisation of airlines till May 31. In one of the two separate orders, the Ministry of Civil Aviation extended the time period of airfare cap till May 31 from April 30. Till recently, the Centre had expanded the airfare cap by increasing the lower and upper limit. These fare bands came into force with effect from May 21, 2020.

SP Dutt, a retired official of Air India, passed away after battling with the coronavirus disease. Known as Speedy to friends, Dutt served as the Communication and PR head for Air India. He was on ventilator since April 24. Dutt had completed an MS in applied science from New York University and was also a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri has hailed the ‘Corona Warriors’ of the civil aviation sector saying that “They have been diligently performing their duties despite great personal risks to ensure that we can continue to reach out to our people in their hour of need.” He called the civil aviation essential staff members ‘relentless and undaunted’.

Amid hospitals across the country scrambling for medical oxygen due to rising number of Covid-19 cases, an Air India flight brought 318 Philips oxygen concentrators from New York JFK Airport to New Delhi on Monday.  

Arun Kumar, Director General of Civil Aviation, has released an order that states that operation of B-737 Max aircraft will not take place from/to Indian airports and transit or enter into Indian airspace for the purpose of securing safety of aircraft operations till further notice. Special flight permits will be issued.