What’s the most-seized check-in bag item at KIA? Power bank

What’s the most-seized check-in bag item at KIA?  Power bank

Nithya.Mandyam@timesofindia.com 12.03.2025

Bengaluru : With mobile phones becoming an extension of one’s self, the need to keep them working by overcoming their battery limitations, is most people’s headache. More so, air travellers prefer to be equipped with the power bank on the go. However, the flyers seem to be unaware of the fact that power banks in check-in bags is resented by airport security personnel who confiscate them. 

According to the security data from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), 1,412 kg of power banks were seized from flyers’ check-in bags between Jan last year and Feb this year. The other two major goods confiscated were 556kg of lighters and 576kg e-cigarettes. Power banks are allowed in cabin baggages. The primary reason for power banks to be prohibited in check-in bags is their components— lithium ion batteries, which are dangerous and when overheated can cause fire and explosions. 

According to Dangerous Goods Regulations, one can carry portable electronic devices (PED) containing lithium metal or lithium ion cells or batteries in cabin baggage and each person can carry only 15 PEDs. In case of lithium ion batteries, portable devices can’t be of more than 100Whhour capacity. However, there are special power banks which are over 160 Wh and they can be carried on special permission from the airline.

 “Damaged and modified power banks will not pass security check because of their flammable nature. Ideal power banks that are damaged or have a swelling might burst in mid air, risking the lives of passengers,” said an official. The other restricted items intercepted by security personnel included flammable liquids, gases, and dried coconut (copra), all of which pose safety risks.

 “Once seized, restricted items are systematically categorised based on their clas sification and stored in a secure location for up to 15 days. This holding period allows passengers, in certain cases, to claim items that may be permitted in checked baggage. However, unclaimed or hazardous items are handed over to a BBMP-authorised vendor for environmentally responsible disposal, ensuring compliance with safety regulations,” said a BIAL spokesperson. 

Despite the high volume of confiscations, officials note that screening trends remained consistent over the past year. There was no significant increase in new or unusual items, indicating that passengers continue to carry commonly restricted goods rather than emerging threats. However, one notable regional pattern emerged regarding e-cigarettes. While many countries permit passengers to carry e-cigarettes in their carry-on luggage, India strictly prohibits them, leading to frequent confiscations—particularly from international passengers transiting to domestic flights.

 “In India, e-cigarettes and vapes are strictly prohibited in the country and these are the ones that are being seized in large numbers here. There are constant arguments between passengers and security personnel about vapes and e-cigarettes being allowed in other countries, but we have prohibitory orders,” said an airport official

Delhi-bound Air India flight returns to Chicago after being airborne for 10 hours,

Delhi-bound Air India flight returns to Chicago after being airborne for 10 hours, 

here is why

The aircraft had to return as many of the lavatories were clogged: Source

PTI

New Delhi/Mumbai, Updated At : 08:14 PM Mar 06, 2025 IST

Photo for representational purpose only. PTI file

An Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi returned to the US city after being airborne for more than ten hours on Thursday, with the airline saying the return was due to a technical issue.

However, a source aware of the development told PTI that the aircraft had to return as many of the lavatories were clogged.

The flight was operated with a Boeing 777-337 ER aircraft and returned to Chicago’s ORD airport after being airborne for over ten hours, according to information available on flight tracking website flightradar24.com.

There are 10 lavatories, including two for first-class passengers, in the Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft operated by Air India and has little over 340 seats, including first, business and economy class seats, the source said.

The source also said only 1 lavatory was functional.

When reached out for comments, an Air India spokesperson said AI126 operating Chicago to Delhi on March 6 air-returned to Chicago due to a technical issue.

“Upon landing at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimise inconvenience. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to their destination,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson also said that full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling are also being offered to passengers if opted by them.

‘New pilot duty norms with more rest hours from July’

‘New pilot duty norms with more rest hours from July’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  24.02.2025

New Delhi : Directorate General of Civil Aviation has informed Delhi High Court that airlines will implement revised norms on duty and rest hours for pilots in a phased manner beginning July 1. The aviation watchdog also told the court recently that the remaining revised regulations will be implemented from Nov 1. 

Among other aspects, airlines will ensure that there are not more than 168 hours between the end of one weekly rest period and the start of the next under the revised norms. The directorate’s revised civil aviation requirement (CAR) relates to flight duty time limitation and seeks to provide more rest time for pilots amid concerns over pilot fatigue and was originally to be implemented from June 1, 2024. 

In an affidavit, it disclosed the phased implementation of the roadmap after considering the outcome of the minutes of the meetings among the representatives from the airlines, pilot groups and the civil aviation ministry. The court is hearing petitions filed by Indian Commercial Pilots Associ- ation, Indian Pilots Guild and Federation of Indian Pilots relating to DGCA's revised flight duty time limitations. Several significant changes were brought to the existing norms to tackle fatigue among pilots, the affidavit said, including that the weekly rest periods will be increased from the current 36 hours to 48 hours. “An operator shall ensure that the minimum weekly rest of continuous 48 hours, including two local nights, is provided such that there shall never be more than 168 hours between the end of one weekly rest period and the start of the next,” it said. 

The affidavit went on to add, “The operator shall provide weekly rest at home base/temporary home base. The 168 hours shall be calculated from the end of the preceding weekly rest period.” As per CAR, the maximum flight time and maximum flight duty period for flight operations at night were to be restricted to eight hours and 10 hours, respectively. The number of landings at night was to be confined to two landings compared to the present six. The high court had earlier asked DGCA to have a meeting with the associations, airlines, and the ministry.

HC stays order on returning ‘thaali’ to Lankan woman

 HC stays order on returning ‘thaali’ to Lankan woman 

CUSTOMS SLEUTHS FILE APPEAL 

Sureshkumar.k@timesofindia.com 15.02.2025

Chennai : A newly wed Sri Lankan woman, whose ‘thaali’ was seized by Chennai Customs officials a t airport citing rules concerning personal gold j ewellery, will have to wait for the return of the mangalsutra for some more time, as adivision bench stayed a single judge order asking Customs to return it to her. In his order on Jan 31, a single judge ordered the return of 133 grams of gold jewellery, including the ‘thaali’, seized from Thanushika, a Sri Lankan, at the Chennai airport. On Friday, however, a division bench of Justice S S Sundar and Justice C Saravanan stayed the single judge order, on an appeal moved by the customs department. The single judge had justified the order by observing that, as per our customs, it is normal for a newly married person to wear jewellery in such quantity. 

He added that the officers, while conducting searches, must respect the customs of every religion in this country and that it was unfair on the part of the customs officials to remove the ‘thaali’ from the petitioner. In another order, the single judge ordered the return of 135 grams of bangles seized from one Sabeena Mohammed Moidenn on the ground that she wore the bangles on her hands without any secrecy or concealment. 

Aggrieved, the customs preferred an appeal against the orders. When both the appeals came up for hearing, the customs contended that, as per rules, articles valued over ₹50,000 carried through the airports are taxed. They added that an order exempting jewellery worn by persons from the purview of such tax would affect the economy of the country. Concurring with the submissions, the court granted an interim stay against the orders of the single judge

Baggage Rules Apply Only To Luggage Of International Travellers, Not To 'Reasonable Amount' Of Jewellery Worn In-Person: Madras HC

Baggage Rules Apply Only To Luggage Of International Travellers, Not To 'Reasonable Amount' Of Jewellery Worn In-Person: Madras HC

Kapil Dhyani

7 Feb 2025 7:30 PM

The Madras High Court has made it clear that Baggage Rule, 2016 framed under the Customs Act, 1962 apply only to the baggage carried by an international traveller.

Justice Krishnan Ramasamy observed that the Rules cannot be extended to articles like jewellery, “carried on the person” of a traveller.

The bench observed, “The Customs Act, 1962, enables the Central Government to make Rules to the extent of the articles carried in the baggage of a passenger and not for the articles, which were carried on the person and hence, the inclusion of the word “carried on the person” is beyond the scope of the provisions of Section 79 of the Customs Act.”

The Court was referring to Rule 3 of Baggage Rules which prescribed that passengers arriving from abroad will not have to pay duty on dutiable goods like gold upto the value of ₹50 thousand, if carried on the person or in the accompanied Baggage.

It pointed out that Section 79 (of the parent Act) talks about “anything in the baggage” alone.

In this backdrop the Court observed that when the Parliament had consciously excluded the jewels worn by passengers from the purview of Section 79 Customs Act, the Rule making authority cannot include it under the Baggage Rules.

“...the (Customs) Act enables the Central Government to make the Rules only with regard to the baggage…When the provision of the Rule (insofar as it includes articles carried on person) is beyond the scope of the provisions of the Act, only the provision of the Act will prevail over the Rules. Thus, the word “carried on the person up to Rs.50,000/-” is clearly beyond the scope of the Act and it cannot be given any effect since it is contrary to the provisions of the Statute.”

In the same breath, the Court clarified that if anyone wears any unreasonable amount of gold or jewelry, they will be brought under search. Similarly, if the jewelry is 'secreted in person', then proceedings can be initiated under Section 101 of the Customs Act.

It illustrated, “In India, as per our customs, it is normal to wear 10 nos. of bangles for a marriage function. In such case, it is for the Officers to apply their mind while detaining the gold. If 10 nos. of chains were worn by a person, then it would be suspectable and if anything is hide, then the provisions of Section 101 and 102 of the Customs Act, 1962, would apply since it clearly amounts to secreting the gold in their body under the pretext of worn in the body. ”

The Court added that until the Parliament takes a decision and amend the provisions of the Customs Act, the Officers will have to apply their minds with regard to detaining the passenger and the gold worn by them as the same would not fall within the purview of the Baggage Rules, 2016.

Baggage Rules allow clearance of duty free articles in bonafide baggage of a traveller. It also sets a limit on the quantity of dutiable articles which can be carried duty free. It also exempts 'personal effects' of a traveller.

Currently, the Rules permit any jewellery of 20 grams with a value cap of Rs. 50,000/- in case of a man and 40 grams with a value cap of Rs. 1,00,000/- in case of a woman to be cleared free of duty.

In the case at hand, a Srilankan national had approached the Court seeking release of her gold ornaments.

The Court criticised the Seizing Officer for seizing her gold necklace, observing that the quantity of jewellery worn by the petitioner was normal for a newly married person and that the officers, while conducting searches should respect the customs of every religion in the country.

It cited State of Tamil Nadu and Another vs. P.Krishnamurthy and others (2006) where the Supreme Court had held that a Rule Making Authority has to make the Rules within the scope of the parent Act and no Rules shall exceed beyond the scope of the parent Act since it would amount to ultra vires.

“Thus, in the present case, the Baggage Rule, 2016 will apply only to the baggage and the Rule made to the extent that the article “carried on the person” will not include baggage, which was in excess of powers conferred by the Rule making Authority and would amount to ultra vires. Therefore, the jewelery worn in person will not come under the purview of baggage,” it held.

Counsel for the Petitioner: Mr. A. Simiyon Raja

Counsel for the Respondents: Mr. M. Santhanaraman, Senior Standing counsel

Case Title: Thanushika v The Principal Commissioner of Customs (Chennai)

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 47

Case No: W.P.No.5005 of 2024

Foreigner entering India sans valid docus could be jailed for 5 years

Foreigner entering India sans valid docus could be jailed for 5 years 

Immigration & Foreigners Bill, 2025 Set To Be Introduced In LS

Bharti Jain & Mohua Chattopadhyay 12.02.2025

TNN New Delhi : Any foreigner who enters India without a valid passport or visa could invite a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. In case entry and stay in or exit from India by a foreigner is with a forged passport or travel document, the imprisonment will be not less than two years, but may extend to seven years, and the fine, Rs 1 lakh, can go up to Rs 10 lakh. These are provisions of Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 — set to be introduced in Lok Sabha in the current session — that seeks to repeal four Acts, with overlapping provisions on the related subjects of immigration and foreigners, and consolidate them into a single, comprehensive legislation. 

The four Acts are Foreigners Act, 1946; Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; and Immigration (Carriers’ Liability), 2000. As of now the maximum penalty for a foreigner entering the country without a valid passport or travel document, including visa, is five years in jail and fine. For those entering on a forged passport, the maximum penalty is eight years in jail and up to Rs 50,000 fine. The bill also seeks to make all higher educational institutions and universities liable to share information on any foreigner admitted, with the registration officer specified for such category of foreigners. This provision will also apply to all hospitals, nursing homes and other medical institutions with lodging facilities on their premises. It is proposed under the bill that any foreigner over staying his/her visa or violating conditions of the visa, or accessing a prohibited or restricted area, will be punished with up to three years in jail or fine of up to Rs 3 lakh, or both. 

A foreigner who is directed by the central govt to reside at a place set apart for a number of foreigners, shall be subject to conditions as to maintenance, discipline and punishment of offences and breaches of discipline ordered by the Centre from time to time. The bill also proposes to hold a carrier responsible for ferrying a foreigner found by the immigration officer here as not having a valid passport or travel document/visa. The immigra tion officer can impose a penalty of up to Rs 5 lakh on the carrier, though not without hearing its version. If the penalty is not paid, it may be recovered by seizing or detaining the carrier that may be an aircraft, ship or any other mode of transport. Ensuring the removal of a foreigner refused entry by India, without delay will be a responsibility of the carrier. 

 864 km of B’desh border not fenced Govt on Tuesday told Lok Sabha that 864.5km of the total 4,096.7km India-Bangladesh land border was yet to be fenced, which included 174.5 km of non-feasible gap, reports Mohua Chatterjee. “The land border remains partially unfenced due to challenges such as difficult terrain,” said junior home minister Nityanand Rai. He added that objections from Border Guard Bangladesh limited working seasons and delayed land acquisition, leading to the fencing remaining incomplete.

Airport has an app to answer your queries

Airport has an app to answer your queries 

Developed By AAI To Help Fliers Navigate 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 08.02.2025

Chennai : Did you know that Chennai airport has a dedicated mobile phone application? It’s not officially launched yet but the beta version is available for downloading online, can be handy for frequent, occasional and first-time flyers.

Do you know the vantage point to get a clear view of the airside at the airport? 

It is the security hold area, says the app. Developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the app can serve as a one-stop guide to get all travel-related queries answered. Flyers need not depend on the airlines to check their flight status, as the real-time status of the flights, which is displayed at the airport, can now be viewed on their phone screens. The actual status of the departing flight, whether boarding is still underway or the gates are closed, and even the first and final call details, will be available on the app. 

Non-frequent flyers can check the arrival and departure guide, and baggage rules on the app. Another interesting feature of the app is that it can virtually guide you to any specific spot in the airport—be it the eateries, shops, check-in counters, or ticket counters—if the Bluetooth on your phone is switched on. "The entire airport with all its amenities and features has been mapped in the application, and you can browse and walk up to any spot without seeking assistance from anybody," said an airport official. 

Krishnarajan V, a frequent flyer, said he recently stumbled upon the app accidentally and found the navigational features interesting. "Despite travelling often, I still struggle sometimes to locate a facility, but this app gives a bird's-eye view of all three terminals. When more people start using the app, the general queries on X tagging Chennai Airport will come down as almost all the queries are addressed here," he said. The airport authorities are constantly updating it with additional features, and a website version is also on the anvil. Both will be officially launched soon, added the official. 

Left luggage facility coming up in under-construction plaza 

Chennai : Travellers visiting Chennai by air with plans to explore the city for a day or two can heave a sigh of relief as the airport will soon have a left luggage room to drop their excess baggage. It will be part of the plaza under construction outside Terminal 1, which is expected to be completed by April this year. Though the airport had such a facility earlier, it was permanently closed due to multiple construction activities on the frontage of the airport premises over the last few years. "With the plaza nearing completion, the cloakroom facility will be made available again," said an official. After many queries from flyers, Chennai airport authorities decided to resume the service. "The tenders will be floated soon," added the official.

Heavy fog disrupts flight movement in Chennai; 12 flights diverted and over 10 delayed

Heavy fog disrupts flight movement in Chennai; 12 flights diverted and over 10 delayed

Chennai Airport sources said that the fog, resembling radiation fog, formed over the entire Chennai region due to high moisture levels and a light, variable wind pattern that persisted throughout the night on Monday.

Representational image.Photo | Express

Express News Service

Updated on:

04 Feb 2025, 11:48 am

CHENNAI: Twelve flights, both international and domestic, were diverted, and over ten flights were delayed at Chennai International Airport due to poor visibility caused by foggy weather. The airport initiated safeguard procedures around 6:06 am to address the situation.

Among the diverted flights were, British Airways flight (BA035) from London to Chennai, Oman Air flight (WY0251) from Muscat to Chenna, AirAsia flight (AK0011) from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai. These flights, along with several others, were rerouted to Bengaluru.

Additional flights diverted included, IndiGo flight (6E0531) from Hyderabad to Chennai (diverted to Tirupati), IndiGo flight (6E0344) from Kolkata to Chennai (diverted to Tirupati), Akasa Air flight (QP1304) from Mumbai to Chennai (diverted to Bengaluru), Air India flight (AI2561) from Bengaluru to Chennai (diverted to Bengaluru), IndiGo flight (6E1032) from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai (diverted to Bengaluru), IndiGo flight (6E1002) from Singapore to Chennai (diverted to Bengaluru), IndiGo flight (6E339) from Coimbatore to Chennai (diverted to Coimbatore), IndiGo flight (6E1412) from Abu Dhabi to Chennai (diverted to Coimbatore), IndiGo flight (6E159) from Pune to Chennai (diverted to Tirupati)

Chennai Airport sources said that the fog, resembling radiation fog, formed over the entire Chennai region due to high moisture levels and a light, variable wind pattern that persisted throughout the night on Monday.

Weather disruptions cause flight delays

Weather disruptions cause flight delays

TNN | Feb 2, 2025, 03.50 AM IST

Chennai: Unfavourable weather conditions prevailing in different parts of the country impacted flight operations in Chennai on Saturday. Flights experienced delayed departures or arrivals from Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.

An Air Arabia flight from Abu Dhabi with 176 passengers, scheduled to land in Chennai around 12.25 am, landed nearly two hours late. Consequently, its departure from Chennai was delayed by two hours. Two other Air Arabia flights from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi were also delayed by about 30 minutes, delaying return flights.

An Air India Express flight from Pune landed in Chennai six hours late on Saturday. Eleven flights experienced delayed departures by up to two hours.

Airport sources said poor visibility at several airports hampered flight operations, and Chennai airport felt the impact as the calculated take-off time of different flights went awry. tnn

Add Prayagraj flights, curb fares, says govt

Add Prayagraj flights, curb fares, says govt 

28.01.2025

New Delhi : Centre has directed airlines to add flights to Prayagraj in the wake of some roundtrip fares surging to over ₹50,000 around Maha Kumbh’s important snan dates — Jan 29 and Feb 3, 4, 12 & 26. The directive from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) followed a TOI report on Monday on the skyrocketing fares to Prayagraj around these dates. 

Accordingly, it “advised airlines to ensure sufficient capacity to accommodate passengers”. Soon after, the aviation ministry said in a statement on Monday that Akasa would operate flights to Prayagraj on Jan 28 and 29 from Ahmedabad. Next month, the airline “plans to operate nine flights from Ahmedabad and 12 from Bangalore to Prayagraj, adding about 4,000 seats. “SpiceJet” is set to launch flights to Prayagraj from Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jaipur and Hyderabad, adding about 43,000 seats in Feb,” the statement says. TNN

Air India Express Adds New Flights from Mangalore

Air India Express Adds New Flights from Mangalore

Currently, AIX connects Mangalore with international flights to eight destinations in the Middle East and four destinations in the country.

By Arfath AhmedJanuary 19, 20253 

Photo: avgeekwithlens/ Harsh Tekriwal

MANGALURU- India’s leading budget carrier, Air India Express (AIX), will launch new non-stop flights from Mangalore (IXE) to Delhi (DEL) and additional flights to Mumbai (BOM). The flights are scheduled to commence in February 2025, subject to final scheduling.

These new flights will enhance Air India Express’s domestic connectivity from Mangalore further. The airline will now serve 13 destinations from Mangalore.

Photo: avgeekwithlens/ Harsh Tekriwal

Air India Express Mangalore Flights

Starting 1st February 2025, Air India Express will fly daily to Delhi from Mangalore. The airline will operate B737 MAX-8 aircraft.

Delhi:

Flight IX 2768 will depart from Delhi at 06:40 am IST. The flight is scheduled to reach Mangalore at 09:35 am IST. The flight time will be 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Both Delhi to Mangalore and Mangalore to Delhi flights will depart and arrive at the same time. Two different aircraft will operate these flights.

The flight IX 1552 from Mangalore, will also depart at 06:40 am IST. The flight will reach Delhi at 09:35 am IST. The flying time will be 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Mumbai:

Starting 15th February 2025, Air India will shift its present morning flights to Air India Express. Currently, both Air India and Air India Express fly daily to Mangalore from Mumbai.

Flight IX 1233 will depart from Mumbai at 05:45 am IST. The flights will arrive in Mangalore at 07:15 am IST. The flight time will be 1 hour and 55 minutes.

The return flight IX 1236, will leave Mangalore at 07:55 am IST. The flight will arrive in Mumbai at 09:50 am IST. The flight time will be 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Air India Express has two variants of B737 MAX-8. Both of the variants consist of an all-economy configuration. One of the variants has 176 seats and another variant has 178 seats on-board.Photo: avgeekwithlens/ Harsh Tekriwal

Strong Presence in Mangalore

Mangalore, a key coastal city in Karnataka, is known for its vibrant economy, educational institutions, and proximity to a global diaspora.

Currently, AIX connects Mangalore with international flights to eight destinations in the Middle East. Air India Express flies to cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jeddah etc… catering to the region’s expatriate community.

Domestically, Air India Express flies to Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kannur. The airline recently introduced flights to Pune. The new Delhi and additional Mumbai flights mark a pivotal addition to Air India Express’s operations from the city.

This enhanced domestic connectivity will make it easier for passengers to access international flights via Delhi and Mumbai, two of India’s largest aviation hubs.

Photo: Aviation A2Z, Credits to Harsh Tekriwal and Others

The competition for AI group

Air India Group has been making a lot of changes in order to maintain its competitiveness in the Indian Aviation market. IndiGo Airlines (6E) is undoubtedly the biggest competitor for Air India Group.

IndiGo operates 3 daily flights to Mangalore from Mumbai. The shift of the Mumbai-Mangalore flights to Air India Express from the main line reflects the low yields in the sector. To Delhi, IndiGo already operates a daily flight.

However, Air India Express remains a key airline for Mangalore in terms of international flights. IndiGo flies to only two destinations in the Gulf. The airline flies to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Air India Express recently opened bookings for its much-anticipated flights to Singapore. However, the airline had to close bookings before the flights even commenced, reportedly due to challenges with significantly low bookings.

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.

Fast-track immigration system launched at Chennai airport

Fast-track immigration system launched at Chennai airport 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 17.01.2025

Chennai : City airport has launched the long-awaited fast-track immigration system that will allow flyers registered under the Trusted Traveller Programme to bypass long queues at immigration clearance. Union home minister Amit Shah inaugurated the programme virtually on Thursday from Ahmedabad, at Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Chennai simultaneously. 

At Chennai airport, eight exclusive gates have been set up — four for departing flyers and four for those arriving from different destinations. Passengers can scan their passports and boarding passes at the gates to get past the immigration clearance. “The facility is functional from the time of inauguration. All registered passengers can make use of the facility,” a senior FRRO official said. 

“Passengers who want to register afresh can visit Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, and Coimbatore airports after completing the online application procedure to record their biometrics. Immigration officers will guide them,” the official added. Registered passengers will be subjected to two-stage verification under the fast track immigration programme. At the first e-gate, a passenger’s passport and boarding pass are scanned. Once verified, the person can proceed to the next e-gate, where his/her face is scanned. If verified, the passenger will then be authenticated as a trusted traveller, and the immigration/emigration process will be completed. Immigration officials said that more than 1,000 people registered at Chennai’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office under the Trusted Traveller Programme. The system was first launched at Terminal 3 of the IGI Airport in New Delhi in June 2024, and Chennai was among the seven other airports selected to implement the programme. The fast-track immigration has been planned for 21 airports across the country in a phased manner

Air India passenger says airline downgraded him to economy class, gave his seat to pilot: ‘Horrible experience’

Air India passenger says airline downgraded him to economy class, gave his seat to pilot: ‘Horrible experience’

By Sanya Jain

Jan 16, 2025 10:13 AM IST

An Air India customer has accused the airline of downgrading him to economy class and giving his seat to a crew member instead.

An Air India customer has accused the airline of downgrading him to economy class and giving his seat to a crew member instead. Nilesh Bansal wrote about his “horrible experience” with Air India in a post on Meta-owned Threads.

An Air India Boeing passenger has accused the airline of downgrading him to economy class(Reuters)

The disgruntled passenger said that he and his four-year-old son were kept waiting for more than 90 minutes even as Air India crew repeatedly assured them that seats were available on their flight. Later, however, their business class seats were allotted to an Air India pilot, while the passengers were downgraded to economy class.

Bansal also accused the full service carrier of leaving his son’s stroller back in Delhi, leading to further difficulties for the family.

“Today Air India flight AI-2055 downgraded me to economy class, but what shocked me was my seats were allocated to Air India crew and while they kept me and 4 yr old kid waiting for more 1.5 hrs even after telling me that seats are available. Their pilots and more important for them than the customer who has actually paid for that seat,” Bansal wrote on Threads.

“They even left my son’s stroller back in Delhi. Horrible experience Air India. Shameful,” he added.

HT.com has reached out to Air India for a statement and will update this copy on receiving a response.

The post led to a discussion on the recent rise in complaints against Air India and whether the airline was right in giving priority to a pilot over a passenger.

Some people in the comments section claimed that airlines, by law, are required to fly pilots in business class.

“Pilots are more important because they would need rest to do the next sector,” wrote one person in the comments section. “They are contractually obliged to fly their pilots business class. I am not saying what happened to you was right but the pilots are worth way more to them than an individual customer,” another said.

Other users, however, argued that the airline should have reserved a seat for the pilot in advance instead of taking one away from a customer who paid for it.

“To all those saying pilots deserve rest, I agree… so why sell the seats? Don’t they know their pilot schedules in advance and reserve their seats in advance?” a user asked.

IndiGo passenger criticises crew for ‘unprofessional behaviour’ during 5-hour flight delay. Airlines reacts

IndiGo passenger criticises crew for ‘unprofessional behaviour’ during 5-hour flight delay. Airlines reacts

By Mahipal Singh Chouhan

Jan 14, 2025 04:57 PM IST

Passenger criticised IndiGo over a 5-hour delay, poor service, and rude crew; airline responded but faced backlash.

IndiGo Airlines is under fire after a Kolkata-based passenger took to LinkedIn to express his disappointment with the airline’s handling of a delayed flight. Sharing a video of a heated exchange with the cabin crew, Ritham Bhattacharjee described the service as "appalling" and criticised the unprofessional behaviour of the staff.

Passenger slammed IndiGo for 5-hour delay.(LinkedIn/Ritham Bhattacharjee)

Five-hour delay without relief

Recounting his ordeal from January 6, Bhattacharjee revealed that his flight from Kolkata (CCU) to Chennai (MAA) was delayed by an unacceptable five hours. Passengers were kept inside the aircraft throughout the delay, with minimal compensation provided—a packet of chips and a cookie.

“The CCU-MAA flight was delayed by five hours. To add insult to injury, the compensation offered was a paltry packet of chips and a single cookie. Passengers were forced to remain seated inside the aircraft the entire time, which is simply unacceptable,” Bhattacharjee wrote.

Unprofessional behaviour sparks outrage

The return journey only compounded his frustration. Bhattacharjee accused the cabin crew of being “extremely uncooperative and rude.” Naming specific flight attendants, he added, “The attendants on both flights displayed unprofessional behaviour. Specifically, the team on the return flight was particularly uncooperative and rude.”

As a frequent flyer with the airline, Bhattacharjee expressed shock over this experience. “It seems that IndiGo’s focus on being a low-cost airline has come at the expense of customer satisfaction,” he remarked.

DGCA warning to Akasa Air for violations linked to carrying lithium batteries

DGCA warning to Akasa Air for violations linked to carrying lithium batteries

ByNeha LM Tripathi

Jan 14, 2025 04:50 PM IST

DGCA said the airline was found to be accepting electronic devices containing lithium batteries without proper checking or verification of battery power

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a warning to Akasa Air after an annual surveillance inspection in Ahmedabad on December 12 in connection with violation of regulatory provisions related to batteries on board.

The aviation regulator said during its inspection, the airline was found to be accepting electronic devices containing lithium batteries without proper checking or verification of battery power. It also said the airline accepted shipments of lithium batteries exceeding the permissible weight limits for carriage on passenger aircraft and that the appropriate details and contact information of the shipper were not recorded.

An Akasa Air spokesperson did not comment on the development.

In its January 9 letter, DGCA said the airline had come under scrutiny for violating provisions of the Aircraft (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) Rules, 2003, regarding the carriage of dangerous goods by air.

“..therefore, considering the corrective action taken and gravity of noncompliance of mandatory requirements M/s SNV Aviation Private Limited is, hereby warned to be more vigilant with respect to the compliances of applicable regulatory provisions for carriage of dangerous goods by air so that such lapses/violations don’t occur in future and to submit the report to DGCA after carrying out internal audits at all cargo acceptance and handling facilities in respect of the compliances of regulations within 30 days of the receipt of the warning letter,” it said.

It said Akasa Air had submitted an action taken report via email on December 20 and 23 that contended it had taken corrective actions for violations or lapses by issuing circulars and caution letters to the cargo acceptance staff.

Earlier this month, the regulator revoked the Line Training Captain approval for one of the airline’s pilots due to concerns related to a passenger aircraft landing in March 2024. In December, DGCA suspended the airline’s director of operations and director of training for six months over pilot training lapses. In October 2024, the airline was fined ₹30 lakh for inadequate training for its crew members.

Hundreds of excess pilots grounded at Akasa as plane deliveries retard

Hundreds of excess pilots grounded at Akasa as plane deliveries retard

Akasa received three aircraft in 2024 after adding an aircraft per month for two years; pilots expect training timelines to spill over before they can start flying

Published - January 11, 2025 09:12 pm IST - NEW DELHI

Jagriti Chandra

An Akasa Air passenger aircraft. File | Photo Credit: Reuters

The global shortage of new aircraft that has disrupted expansion plans for most airlines in the world has also led to an oversupply of pilots at Akasa Air. With Boeing 737 MAX deliveries slowing down in 2024, anxiety among the grounded cockpit crew is rising as their wait to start flying stretches on.

Akasa Air has nearly 850 pilots, which is far in excess of the cockpit crew it needs to operate a fledgling fleet of 26 aircraft, according to industry practice.

Multiple pilots under training at Akasa Air said an estimated 400 pilots of the 850 pilots were yet to start flying since being hired. Post-joining training, originally slated for 12 months, has stretched to 18 months, and pilots are concerned they may face an additional six-month wait, increasing their total wait time for being released for flying the airline’s aircraft from one to two years.

In response to a detailed questionnaire from The Hindu, the airline’s spokesperson said, “Despite the changes in the aircraft delivery schedules, more than 60% of our pilots have begun to accumulate flying hours.” It added that by the end of 2025, it would be able to ensure a vast majority of pilots start flying.

While the airline has offered a salary equivalent of 40 hours of flying to pilots on ground, a delay in resumption of flying for a large chunk of pilots means they will continue to take home at least 50% less salary at ₹2.6 lakh to ₹6.25 lakh over an extended period as compared to their peers. Those impacted include not just mid-career professionals, but also newbie pilots who have hefty training loans ranging between ₹60 lakh to ₹1.2 crore to repay.

As a new airline that started flights post COVID-19 in August 2022 when the aviation industry was badly hit by global travel restrictions to curtail the spread of coronavirus, Akasa Air chalked an ambitious plan to grow to a 72 aircraft strong fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8s over the first five years riding on the growth prospect of the Indian domestic aviation market, which is the third biggest and the fastest growing in the world. It later topped up its order by another 154 MAXs.

But 2024 put a spanner in those plans as the airline was able to add only three aircraft over a span of 12 months, after broadly adding a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft per month over a span of two years in 2022 and 2023 and growing to a fleet size of 23 planes. Its 24th aircraft arrived in February 2024, followed by two more aircraft in September 2024.

With one more aircraft expected to join the fleet by March, Akasa Air will close the financial year 2025 with 15 aircraft less than its initial projection of 42 aircraft leaving it with a large number of excess pilots, accounting for even those pilots needed to be trained for future expansion. The airline declined to comment on the number of aircraft they expected to add in 2025.

The initial MAX order for the airline came at a time when other airlines were hesitant to buy them following the grounding of the MAX fleet globally after over 340 people were killed in two crashes in 2018 and 2019 involving the same aircraft model. This easy availability of the aircraft allowed Akasa Air a competitive advantage as it could expand their fleet quickly at a lower price point once regulators moved to lift the ban on flying the MAXs.

But this changed as the supply chain issues post Covid-19 began to retard aircraft production. This was exacerbated by the U.S. aviation safety watchdog i.e. the Federation of Aviation Authority capping the production of new Boeing 737 MAX planes after a mishap on January 5, 2024, when the door plug on an Alaskan Airline’s flight fell off mid-flight. Later that year, all aircraft assembly at Boeing’s Renton, Washington facility, came to a halt after a strike by its machinists in September that lasted over 55 days.

But the airline has been on a spree to recruit pilots in large numbers from the “very beginning” in what some call a “calculated risk”. Though three years since the launch it seems “the worst case scenario has played out for the airline”, said a former executive of the airline.

The person explained that Akasa needs nearly 18 pilots per aircraft keeping in mind the pace with which it planned to double its fleet. This figure includes 12 pilots needed to operate each 737 MAX 8 aircraft, and an additional six required to be in the training pipeline for future expansion. This math, which is also a widely adopted aircraft-crew ratio, would mean that with 26 aircraft the airline needs only 468 cockpit crew of the nearly 850 it has employed.

The airline’s pilots have now started emailing complaint letters to the regulator and the Ministry of Civil Aviation about “favouritism” within the airline in releasing pilots for flying duties, while the DGCA has also slapped fines on Akasa Air and suspended two of its senior officials over training lapses.

Aircraft delivery delays have upended growth plans for airlines globally with Emirates CEO Tim Clark recently saying that they find their “wings clipped” because of delays in Boeing 777-nine deliveries and IATA DG Willie Walsh too expressing frustration as deliveries in 2024 were 30% below expectations. These delays have forced Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet to tap into secondary market and take planes on lease. While Akasa Air has not made any such move, it is reported to be in the midst of raising funds up to $130-140 million from a consortium comprising Premji Invest and Claypond Capital, the Bengaluru-based family offices of Wipro founder Azim Premji and Manipal group chief Ranjan Pai, who are likely to buy a significant minority stake.

Flight ticket prices surge ahead of festivities in TN

Flight ticket prices surge ahead of festivities in TN

TNN | Jan 12, 2025, 03.53 AM IST

Chennai: Flight fares from Chennai to intra-state destinations such as Madurai, Trichy, Salem, Coimbatore and Tuticorin soared ahead of Pongal holidays.

On Saturday, ticket prices to Madurai, which are usually around 4,000, rose to 16,000. While fares to Trichy climbed from 3,000 to 14,000, flight ticket prices to Coimbatore ranged between 12,000 and 16,000, compared to the usual 4,000–5,000. For Tuticorin, ticket prices jumped from 4,300 to 14,000.

Yet, the demand for tickets remained high. People who opted to work from home or take an off on Jan 13 (Monday), preferred to leave the city on Friday night or Saturday. This way, they get an entire week in their hometown. The Tamil Nadu govt has declared Jan 17 (Friday) a holiday.

“For the first time, I get nearly 10 days in a row. I wanted to spend the time with my family. I did not mind spending extra on the flight ticket,” said Rakesh V of Coimbatore.

Airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, have capitalised on the anticipated demand spike by raising fares to unprecedented levels. Fares to Kerala destinations such as Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi saw steep hikes.

Central staff who donate organs to get 42-day leave

Central staff who donate organs to get 42-day leave

Jan 11, 2025, 03.41 AM IST

Central govt employees who donate their organs are entitled to a maximum 42-day special casual leave as a “welfare measure”, according to National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation.

This will be applicable irrespective of the type of surgery and organs donated, a DoPT order states.

Organ removal from a donor is a major surgery, which entails considerable post-hospitalisation recovery time. A person in India can donate one kidney, a portion of the pancreas and part of the liver.This story continues on page 16 in the newspaper. For your reading convenience we have added it below.

Central govt staff who donate organs are entitled to 42 days of special CL

Times News Network

New Delhi: Central govt employees who donate their organs are entitled to 42-day leave, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has said.

According to NOTTO chief Dr Anil Kumar, department of personnel and training (DoPT) has issued orders already. “We have put the orders on our website for wider circulation and awareness recently,” he said.

Organ removal from a donor is a major surgery, which requires time for recovery, including both hospitalisation and post-hospitalisation periods. The DoPT order states the govt has decided to grant a maximum of 42 days special casual leave to central govt employees who decide to donate their organs as a “special welfare measure”.

The 42-day leave rule will be applicable irrespective of type of surgery for removal of donor’s organ, it adds. “Special casual leave shall normally be taken in one stretch starting from the day of admission in the hospital, however, in case of requirement it can be available starting maximum one week prior to surgery on the recommendation of a govt registered medical practitioner or doctor,” the DoPT order says.

A living donor can donate a kidney (as one kidney can maintain the body functions), a portion of pancreas (as half of the pancreas is adequate for sustaining pancreatic functions) and part of the liver (as the few segments that are donated will regenerate after a period).

Flights rescheduled anticipating poor visibility on Bhogi

Flights rescheduled anticipating poor visibility on Bhogi 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 10.01.2025

Chennai : Anticipating poor visibility on the day of Bhogi celebrations due to burning of waste and tyres, airlines have rescheduled arrival and departure of their early morning flights at Chennai airport on Jan 13. Sources said Oman Air, Etihad, Air Asia and a few other international carriers have rescheduled their early morning flights. 

Air Asia, which operates flights between Chennai and Kuala Lumpur, has rescheduled its flights for three days until Jan 15. The flight from Kuala Lumpur, originally scheduled to land in Chennai at 7.25 am, has been rescheduled to land at 9.35am. The flight, which was scheduled to depart at 8.05am, will depart at 10.15am on those three days. An Air Asia spokesperson said this was to avoid difficulty in landing at Chennai airport in smog conditions. 

Airport authorities said that flights getting diverted and delayed on Bhogi due to smog impeding visibility for pilots is a regular phenomenon, despite efforts to create awareness in the surrounding areas not to burn waste. C Mohan, a retired airlines official, said the menace of burning waste near the airport had decreased significantly due to measures undertaken by respective civic corporations and police. However, an airport source said airlines not having accredited pilots to operate under poor visibility conditions was also a reason for rescheduling the flights. “There are only a few pilots who can operate under visibility conditions of less than 400m. So, airlines, trying to hide their shortcomings, put the blame on airport authorities,” added the source.

Passengers of an international flightdropped off at domestic terminal

Passengers of an international flightdropped off at domestic terminal

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 3.01.2025

Passengers of an international flight were accidentally taken to the domestic terminal at Chennai airport on Wednesday night. The Air India Express from Singapore reached the city around 11.45 p.m.

Since the flight was parked at the remote stand, around 150 passengers were transported in five buses by the ground handling agency. Of the five buses, two carrying about 90 passengers erroneously dropped them off at the T4 domestic terminal instead of the T2 international terminal, sources said.

As soon as they realised the mistake, they ensured that the 90 passengers were transported to the international terminal in the same bus. “They were accompanied by Customs officials. They got Central Industrial Security Force clearance and subsequently went through immigration. As a result of this, they were delayed by half an hour. The mistake occurred because it was a new ground handling agency, and we believe there was a communication error,” a source said.

The incident came to light when a passenger highlighted the security concerns on social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). What if the passengers had exited the terminal without immigration and the inconvenience they had to endure, the passenger said.

“We are aware of an incident where the ground handling agency coach drivers at Chennai airport erroneously directed international passengers of one flight to the domestic arrival area. The issue was promptly resolved,” an Air India Express spokesperson said. Airports Authority of India officials say they are looking in it. “The airline and ground handling agency are usually responsible for carrying passengers from the aircraft to the terminal,” an official said.