New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is working to make regulations easier for airlines while also protecting passenger rights, its chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said on Thursday.Speaking at the Indian Chamber of Commerce Aviation and Tourism Summit here, Kidwai said the regulator is trying to strike a balance between ensuring passenger rights and helping airlines grow.“India’s aviation market is one of the fastest-growing in the world, but airlines are currently de…
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Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) India’s commercial drone industry had a market size of $1.88 billion (Rs 17,000 crore) in FY26, which is expected to grow at a compounded 17.98 per cent rate during FY25–29, a report showed on Thursday.Globally, the US leads the commercial drone industry, followed by China, with India currently ranked seventh, according to a research report by B2K Analytics.As per the report, drones can cut the cost of agrochemical spraying by nearly 80 per cent compared with manual s…
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) An Air India flight that took off from Delhi for Canada’s Vancouver returned to the national capital after 9 hours, as the B777 Boeing version that was deployed on the route did not have clearance from Canada’s aviation regulator to fly into the country.Sources said Air India flight with the call sign AI185 took off from Delhi with a full load of passengers at 12.18 p.m. on Thursday for Vancouver using a Boeing 777-200LR plane, even though Air India has approval from…
New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) Air India has approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) seeking temporary relaxation in Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms as escalating tensions in the Middle East force airlines to take longer diversionary routes, a report said on Thursday.The Tata Group-owned airline has requested permission to operate certain long-haul flights with a two-pilot crew instead of the standard three, along with an extension in maximum flying time, according to ND…
New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed to tighten rules for foreign airlines operating to and from India, including mandatory digital registration, stronger legal accountability for local representatives, and putting in place a formal passenger grievance reporting system.The DGCA on Wednesday issued a draft aeronautical information circular, which seeks to strengthen the civil aviation regulator’s oversight of foreign airlines.The proposal incl…
Mumbai, March 5 (IANS) Following the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, members of his family have expressed suspicion over the circumstances surrounding the accident.Sources said his son, Parth Pawar, along with other family members, is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek a high-level probe into the incident. Parth Pawar on Thursday also filed his nomination as the NCP nominee for the Rajya Sabha election.While the Nationalist Congress…
Mumbai, March 2 (IANS) As tensions escalate between Iran, Israel, and the US, the ripple effects have severely impacted Gulf nations, leaving a significant number of citizens from Maharashtra stranded in Dubai. In a swift response, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has taken the lead to ensure the safety and repatriation of these citizens.Following the outbreak of conflict-like conditions, residents from various parts of the state, including Thane, Murbad, Pune, and Ahilyanagar, who are curren…
Mumbai, March 2 (IANS) Jay Ajit Pawar has strongly criticised the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report on the plane crash in which his father, former Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar, died, calling the probe “incomplete and superficial”. He demanded a wider investigation and the immediate arrest of the airline’s owner. The appeal follows the release of a viral video allegedly showing Rohit Singh, the owner of VSR Ventures, asleep in the coc…
New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised its Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) related to airline ticket refunds and introduced a 48-hour “look-in” period that allows passengers to cancel or amend their bookings without paying extra charges.In a statement, the aviation regulator said that passengers can cancel or make changes to their tickets within 48 hours of booking without any additional fee.However, if the ticket is changed to another flight, pas…
New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has grounded four planes in the fleet of VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd due to multiple violations revealed in a special safety audit conducted after the Learjet 45 crash in Mahrashtra’s Baramati on January 28 in which state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed, according to an statement issued by the regulator on Tuesday.”Following the accident of LearJet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) of M/s VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd on 28.01.2026 at Bara…