Airline chiefs meet amid worsening global aviation crisis

October 12th, 2009 MONTREAL - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has submitted a plan at a global conference on civil aviation here, detailing its steps to curb future emissions from the airline sector, WAM news agency reported Monday. The meeting was organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal Oct 7-9.

September 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - At least 26 flights of Air India were cancelled Tuesday morning with the standoff between the management and striking pilots entering the fourth day, causing severe inconvenience to passengers. The airline has also suspended booking tickets for the next 15 days.

September 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - According to an audit done by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US, India has been found to be fully compliant with international safety standards, the government said Wednesday. "They (FAA) have taken a view to keep us in Category 1.

September 18th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Dubai-based Emirates Airline Friday announced holiday packages to destinations in Asia and Europe on the occasion of Eid, a company official said. Asha Subramanian, sales manager of Emirates Airline, said Eid is generally considered a lean period for the aviation sector and the company is optimistic that travellers will receive these value-added packages with enthusiasm.

July 28th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government Tuesday signed a pact with International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents some 230 airlines comprising over 90 percent of scheduled air traffic globally, on skill development in the aviation sector. Under the pact signed in Geneva, IATA will help Indian aviation industry personnel enhance skills to help them match global standards, the government said Tuesday.

July 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said here Tuesday that he would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this week to discuss the appointment of independent directors to the board of Air India in a bid to revive the ailing national carrier. "I will be discussing names of eminent people who can give time and make a turnaround of Air India with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this week," Patel told reporters.

July 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Private carrier Jet Airways has terminated the services of over 50 trainee engineers as part of its cost-cutting measures, the airline said Saturday. "As a part of our cost restructuring exercise and in order to meet the challenges of the downturn in the aviation sector, Jet Airways has found it necessary to issue notices of termination to trainee junior technicians, Ragini Chopra, a spokesperson of the airline, said in a statement.

June 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - State-run oil companies Tuesday raised jet fuel prices by over 6 percent, the fourth hike in two months, after crude oil price at the global market reached a seven-month high of $72 per barrel. The aviation fuel would now cost Rs.2,307 more per kilolitre in Delhi at Rs.38,558.

June 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's flag carrier Air India, which is struggling to cope with a cash crunch, will ask for a Rs.10,000-crore (about $2 billion) bailout package from the central government, a senior official said. Airline officials, who discussed the airline's financial problems with Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel Tuesday night, will meet top government officials again seeking help.

June 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Air India officials, who met the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, T.K. Nair, Monday seeking financial assistance for the cash-strapped airline, did not get any assurance from the government, a senior official said.

June 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has promised to do "everything" that is possible to save the country's flag carrier Air India, which is struggling hard to cope with a cash crunch, a senior airline official said Saturday. This promise was made by Cabinet Secretary K.M.

June 8th, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - The world's airlines are expected to lose $9 billion this year due to the deepening crisis in global air travel, a major industry group said Monday. Airline chiefs gathering in Malaysia Monday were told that the revised figures, which are a major jump from the $4.7 billion forecast in March, signalled that a recovery in the industry was a long way off.

March 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country's aviation sector regulator, will meet airline operators to discuss the cartelisation issue, it said Friday. 'We are meeting again to discuss the issue concerning reported cartelisation among airline operators,' DGCA director general Naseem Zaidi told reporters on the sidelines of a business meet.

February 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - National Aviation Co of India Ltd (NACIL), the parent company of national carrier Air India, has sought an equity induction of Rs.1,231 crore (Rs.12.31 billion/$245 million), along with a soft loan of Rs.2,750 crore (Rs.27.5 billion) from the government, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told parliament Thursday. 'The airline industry globally, including the Indian airline industry, is passing through one of the most critical periods in its history,' Patel said.

January 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Airline operators Tuesday said they have a contingency plan with oil companies for uninterrupted supply of aviation fuel to tide over any crisis if oil sector employees go on strike. The Oil Sector Officers' Association (OSOA), an umbrella organisation representing 45,000 oil sector employees, has threatened strike from Wednesday demanding higher wages.