- Air India cancels leaves of pilots with immediate effectAgainst the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic that caused large-scale disruptions, domestic flight services were suspended for two months from March 25 last year. After resumption on May 25, 2020, air traffic has been on the rise. According to an internal communication, all leaves for cockpit crew stands withdrawn with an immediate effect.
- Air India employees' interest will be protected, says Hardeep Singh Puri"The interest of the employees of Air India will be safeguarded in accordance with the guidance of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, Ministry of Finance and same will be reflected in the Share Purchase Agreement to be signed with new owner post disinvestment," Puri said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
- Air India flight hits electric pole while landing at Vijayawada Airport; all passengers are safeAn Air India Express flight hit an electric pole while landing at Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram. According to the airport administration, all 64 passengers on board the flight and the crew are safe.Air India flight hits electric pole while landing at Vijayawada Airport; all passengers are safe
- Disinvestment plan: No going back on privatisation of BPCL, Air IndiaThe spadework started late last year and 2020 was supposed to be the landmark year in India's history of privatisation with at least three top PSUs -- the nation's second-biggest fuel retailer Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), national carrier Air India and Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) up for sale.
- Expert view: Can Tata Group revive Air India?Indian Government is selling its entire stake in Air India. Salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Group has put in preliminary bids for the Airline which was started as a mail carrier in 1932 by JRD Tata, patriarch of the Tata Group. But can Tata group revive the beleaguered Airline which has been in losses since its 2007 merger with domestic operator Indian Airlines? Here is an expert take.Expert view: Can Tata Group revive Air India?
- Sitharaman's 'Economic Vaccine' coming today; will Budget 2021-22 go beyond 'bahi-khata'?As India emerges from the COVID-19 crisis, the ninth budget under the Modi government, including an interim one, is widely expected to focus on boosting spending on job creation and rural development, generous allocations for development schemes, putting more money in the hands of the average taxpayer and easing rules to attract foreign investments.
- Maharaja on sale: Will Air India divestment take off this time?Air India has received expressions of interest from four potential bidders, including Tata Group. How is this deal different from the one in 2018? What will it take for any private player to turn around this beleaguered Airline and is divestment the right decision for the Airline? ET's Mihir Mishra answers. WatchMaharaja on sale: Will Air India divestment take off this time?
- Air India divestment: Tatas, Interups among "multiple" bidders for MaharajaThe sell-off plan for Air India moved to second stage with the government on Monday saying that multiple expressions of interest has been received for strategic disinvestment of the state-run carrier. "Multiple expressions of interest have been received for strategic disinvestment of Air India. The transaction will now move to the second stage," according to a tweet from the Secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management.Air India divestment: Tatas, Interups among "multiple" bidders for Maharaja
- Air India women pilots script history by flying over world's longest air routeAll-women cockpit crew of Air India which operated the inaugural flight between San Francisco and Bengaluru, received a grand welcome shortly after landing at Kempegowda International Airport. The successful flight which flew over the North Pole lasted for about 17 hours. It was also the first-ever longest commercial flight in the world operated by all-women pilot. The crew consisted of Captain Zoya Agarwal, Captain Papagari Thanmai, Captain Akanksha Sonawane, and Captain Shivani Manhas.Air India women pilots script history by flying over world's longest air route
- Rahul Gandhi lauds all-women crew for completing Air India's longest flightAir India's longest direct flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru with the all-women cockpit crew successfully landed in the southern city on Monday.
- Four passengers on Air India's London-Delhi flight test positive for COVID-19Four passengers travelling on Air India's London-Delhi flight tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, a top official of Genestrings Diagnostic Centre said on Monday.
- Pilots' union advises employees not to participate in Air India's strategic saleThe advisory was issued by the unions after Air India commercial director Meenakshi Malik sent a letter to all Air India permanent employees to participate in the process of employee bids in the strategic sale of the airline.
- Employees who submitted EOI should only do day-to-day work & not handle policy issues: Air IndiaIn an internal order issued on Wednesday, Air India stated that the aforementioned employees need to submit a "formal intimation of participation in the consortium of management-employees... through their respective departmental heads to the office of General Manager (Personnel), Headquarters, New Delhi by December 21".
- San Francisco welcomes Air India's decision for first non-stop flight to BengaluruBeginning January 9, Air India will operate two non-stop flights per week to Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, departing on Saturday and Tuesday. The return flight from Bangalore arrives on Mondays and Thursdays, San Francisco International Airport said in a statement.
- Flown by 4 women pilots, Air India's longest direct route SFO-BLR polar route flight takes offThe four -- Captains Zoya Aggarwal, Papagari Thanmai, Akansha Sonaware and Shivani Manhas -- became the first all-women crew to operate a flight over the North Pole on their way to BLR.
- CPSE strategic sale: Govt makes security clearance mandatory for all biddersThe government has lined up sale of its majority stake along with management control in BPCL, Air India, Shipping Corporation of India, Container Corporation of India, IDBI Bank, BEML, Pawan Hans, Neelachal Ispat Nigam in the next fiscal.
- All Indo-Russian defence contracts implemented as per schedule: Foreign SecretaryIndia does not see the Indo-Pacific Region as a club of limited members nor as a new theatre for geostrategic contestation. It includes all nations in this geography as also others beyond who have a stake in it aimed at Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), he emphasised.
- Air India pilot bodies advise members not to participate in disinvestment processThe communication comes amid reports that Air India employees are preparing to bid for the airline in partnership with a private equity fund and each employee will be asked to contribute Rs 1 lakh towards the bid.
- Snag-hit plane makes emergency landing in ThiruvananthapuramThe Air India Express plane developed the snag in the hydraulic system and made the landing at Thiruvananthapuram where the airlines have the base with more technical experts, an airport official said.
- It is a mind-blowing Budget, at least for me: Arvind PanagariyaThe kind of reforms that we had hoped for in the 2014 Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, have now all come true in Modi 2.0, says the Former VC, Niti Aayog.
- 4 Indian women pilots fly into history with 17-hr haul, Anand Mahindra awed by their enduranceThe auto boss wants his grandson to know these pilots.
- A group of Air India employees is planning to bid for the MaharajaThe Tata Group, which founded AI, is seen as the most likely bidder for the airline. The deadline for placing bids is December 14 and qualified bidders will be intimated by December 28, unless the timeline is extended again due to the pandemic.
- Multiple interests received for Pawan Hans: Govt“Multiple expressions of interest have been received for privatisation of Pawan Hans Limited. The transaction will now move to the second stage,” the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said on Twitter today.
- Domestic air passenger flown in January 21 up over December 20; down 39.5% YoYDemand for air travel continued to grow during the month of January 2021 on the back of capacity addition by airlines and increase in the number of people taking flights, as the number of coronavirus cases declined in the country.
- Behind the Budget numbers: A qualitative shift in expenditure that will aid recoveryThe total expenditure of Rs 34.8 lakh crore is just Rs 30,000 crore more than last year's but the boost in capital expenditure is noteworthy as it tends to have a multiplier effect on the economy.
- Rs 1.7 lakh-crore disinvestment target very much achievable, says Amitabh KantThe Budget is very pragmatic, very practical and very rational and it does not put in additional cesses, taxes and brings sensibility to the Budget making process, says the NITI Aayog CEO
- Tax hikes, currency printing were never on the table: Nirmala SitharamanWe will keep a watch on inflation, but not worried about it, says the finance minister
- View: Some of Budget's boldest moves happened in financial sectorThe government has followed a consultative approach as a number of suggestions made by various industry forums over time have found acceptance in this Budget.
- Can’t expect relief for stock market this year, hope there's no further taxation: Saurabh MukherjeaDue to the need to disinvest heavily, the government will hopefully not hurt the stock markets with higher taxes this time.
- View: The role of the private sector in ongoing debate over disinvestment-privatisation-led growthGoI’s decision to announce disinvestment of public sector undertakings (PSUs), barring those in four strategic areas, is progressive.
- Bidders for govt's stake in CPSEs to submit beneficial ownership details for security clearanceAccording to the proforma, any interest of more than 10 per cent in the bidding entity would require disclosures of parentage and beneficial ownership to get a security clearance.
- Air India to resume service to MumbaiMonths after the suspension of the service due to the pandemic, the airline is to operate flights four days a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
- Air India waives rescheduling, no-show charges amid farmers' protest"In view of traffic disruption in NCR region due to closure of Delhi borders, we are allowing no-show waiver & one free reschedule to passengers who couldn't report for their flights," the national carrier said in a tweet on Thursday.
- Farmers protest: Air India offers free rescheduling of flights for affected passengers"In view of traffic disruption in NCR region due to closure of Delhi borders, we are allowing no-show waiver & one free reschedule to passengers who couldn't report for their flights," Air India said on Twitter. "Waiver will be valid for flights scheduled out of Delhi airport only for 26th Nov '20," it added.
- Air India announces first direct flight between Bengaluru and San FranciscoThis would be the first non-stop flight between Bengaluru and the US, connecting the world’s two tech hubs – the original Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley of India.
- Govt extends bid submission deadline for Shipping Corp to March 1The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) in December had invited expressions of interest for strategic disinvestment of its entire stake of 63.75 per cent in Shipping Corp of India, along with the transfer of management.
- New agri laws will help double farmers' income: Anurag Thakur"These people say farm laws are black laws. Only whose thinking is black will call it black. This law has been brought to double the income of farmers. We are committed to double the income of farmers," Thakur said in the Upper House.
- Don't blame bureaucrats for stalling privatisation: Subhash Chandra GargI am convinced that if the privatisation policy is adhered to by the politicians, the civil servants would deliver it.
- 5,808 flights cancelled or delayed in India due to weather in Nov-Dec 2020: GovernmentIndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India, Vistara, GoAir and AirAsia India cancelled 439, 139, 97, 66, 25 and 20 flights respectively in December 2020 due to weather conditions, he mentioned.
- Targeting to conclude BPCL strategic sale by June: DIPAM SecretaryThe government has received three preliminary bids for buying of controlling stake in India's second-largest fuel retailer Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL).
- SP leader demands repeal of farm laws, guarantee on MSP in Rajya SabhaThe Samajwadi Party (SP) leader said he does not think that the government's plan about doubling the income of farmers will succeed and pointed out that there is no provision for the farm-allied sectors in the budget.
- Cairn CEO wants to meet FM Nirmala Sitharaman on arbitration award next weekThis is yet another attempt by Cairn to mount pressure on the government to honour the award. Last month, Cairn wrote to the Indian government, seeking clarity on this ahead of the company's earnings release on March 9. In its letter, the company also warned that it had put in place necessary preparations to enforce the award against Indian assets overseas.
- Air India privatisation deal unlikely to conclude this fiscal, amid Tata Group interestA group of over 200 Air India employees also submitted an expression of interest (EoI) for the carrier in partnership with Interups at the close of the deadline on December 14.
- Strategic divestment of CEL, SAIL units likely to conclude by FY21 endThe sale of stakes in Air India, Bharat Petroleum Corp., Shipping Corporation of India, BEML and Container Corp. of India, among others, will pick up pace from March. The disinvestment target for FY22 has been set at Rs 1.75 lakh crore.
- Air India waives penalties for rescheduling bookings for UK, Oman, Saudi Arabia between December 22 and 31The decision came after flights to the United Kingdom, Oman and Saudi Arabia were suspended as a precautionary measure to check the spread of a new COVID-19 strain discovered in the UK.
- Government targets 1,000 routes under UDAN scheme: PuriAddressing a press conference at the BJP's state office Kushabhau Thakre Parisar here over the Union Budget 2021-22, Puri also said that domestic flight services from Bilaspur town in Chhattisgarh will begin from March 1 under the regional connectivity scheme.
- New CEO of Air India Express Aloke Singh takes chargeSingh holds an MBA from the Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, and has attended the London School of Economics on a Chevening Fellowship. In his first communication to Air India Express employees, Singh said he was privileged to be a part of an iconic institution and a great team.
- Govt likely to extend Air India bid deadline to December 14; investors to get flexibility on debtThe flexibility to potential investors on the quantum of the Rs 60,074 crore debt that they want to absorb will replace the current condition of the buyer taking over more than a third of the debt and transferring the rest to a special purpose vehicle.
- Ongoing strategic disinvestments of CPSEs to be outside PSE policy purviewStrategic disinvestments of Air India, Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd, Shipping Corporation of India and BEML announced during FY21, are in various stages of advancement. The government is expecting to conclude these transactions in FY22.
- Hong Kong bans Air India flights for fifth time after few passengers test COVID-19 positiveThe previous bans on the airline's Delhi-Hong Kong flights were from August 18 to August 31, September 20 to October 3 and October 17 to October 30, and on its Mumbai-Hong Kong flights during October 28-November 10.
- Confident that disinvestment calendar will work well, non-tax revenues to improve in FY22: FMThe government is targeting to conclude strategic sale of BPCL, Air India, Shipping Corporation of India, Container Corporation of India, IDBI Bank, BEML, Pawan Hans, Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd, in the next fiscal.
- Budget marks directional change for Indian economy: Finance Minister“This Budget mark a clear directional change for the Indian economy and that directional change is not what the government has offered as a sudden response, but it was something that was preoccupying the Indian minds for over 30 years,” she said at FICCI's national executive committee meeting via videoconferencing.
- Six new 'eyes in the sky' for Indian Air Force to be built by DRDO on Air India planesGovernment sources said that as per the discussions on the AEW&C Block 2 aircraft to be developed by the DRDO under a Rs 10,500 crore project, the six aircraft would be acquired from the Air India fleet and modified to fly with a radar that will give 360-degree surveillance capability to the defence forces.
- LIC IPO to happen after October: DIPAM SecyTargeting to raise Rs 1.75 lakh crore from the asset sale to finance projects aimed at reviving the pandemic battered economy, the government is also looking to sell Shipping Corp of India (SCI), IDBI Bank Ltd and two other public sector lenders in the fiscal year beginning April 1.
- Watch: Exclusive images of Air India OneWatch: First exclusive images of the all-new Air India1 --- The aircraft that will be used by the President and the Prime Minister of the country.Watch: Exclusive images of Air India One
- Air India divestment: Deadline extended to December 14 with revised bidding normsCivil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said bidding for Air India would be done on the basis of its enterprise value instead of equity value. Enterprise value of a company includes the equity value, debt as well as cash with the company. Equity value measures the value of a company's shares. On Thursday, the deadline to submit bids for the national carrier was extended for the fifth time this year to December 14.Air India divestment: Deadline extended to December 14 with revised bidding norms
- India may give oil field in lieu of $1.4 billion it has to pay Cairn and save overseas assetsFor a government struggling to find revenue to boost a COVID-19 battered economy, options of appeal against the arbitration award are limited and it may not have the financial bandwidth for such a payout.
- Accord 'strategic sector' tag to pharma industry: Parliamentary panelThe Committee on Public Undertakings said it was of the strong opinion that pharma sector plays a very important role to keep the nation healthy and strong.