An Air India pilot union has expressed apprehension over the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’s reported warning to pilots for not complying with post-flight breath analysis test on international flights.

“We have come to know that DGCA is contemplating suspending licences of 132 pilots and 400 cabin crew…Kindly enlighten us as to why DGCA official in charge of Air Safety did not conduct any audit for the past two years,” Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) General Secretary Captain T. Praveen Keerthi said in a letter to DGCA chief B.S.Bhullar on Monday.

National carrier Air India has deferred the delivery of at least one A320 neo aircraft due to issues with CFM-manufactured engine, sources said.

The development also comes at a time when no-frills carriers -- IndiGo and GoAir -- have grounded at least 11 A320 neo aircraft due to problems in their Pratt and Whitney engines.

With over 500 of its pilots and cabin crew coming under the DGCA scanner for skipping mandatory alcohol tests, Air India has told the regulator that there has been no violation even as a pilots’ grouping has threatened to go on protest if any action is taken. The DGCA has found 132 pilots and 434 cabin crew of Air India to have allegedly skipped the mandatory pre- and post- flight alcohol test this year and they face the prospect of being grounded. Air India pilots’ union ICPA has threatened to go on protest against a senior official at the DGCA if the airline staff are suspended.

The inter-ministerial group (IMG) that is to decide on the contours of Air India’s divestment is evaluating all options and is still in the process of receiving suggestions, Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju told FE in an interview. “Let’s not go into any kind of speculation at this moment. The group of ministers has just met twice and is still in the process of inviting suggestions. As part of the group we are looking into all the possible options to make Air India a vibrant airline,” the minister explained.

India's aviation regulator DGCA has found 132 pilots and 434 cabin crew of state-owned Air India to have allegedly skipped the mandatory pre and post-flight alcohol test this year and they face the prospect of being grounded.

These crew members had regularly been "evading" the breath analyser (BA) test over a period of time for flights to and from certain destinations such as Singapore, Kuwait, Bangkok, Ahmedabad and Goa, sources close to the development told PTI today.

Air India has dubbed travel agents its "principal customers" and wants them to shoulder the task of the goods and service tax-related invoicing of corporate customers.

The move will reduce the workload of the airline. But agents may have to hire more staff to complete the formalities.

Under the GST, economy-class air travel and business-class travel is charged at 5 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively. Companies purchasing tickets for staff travel can claim an input credit on tax payment.

Air India’s interim chief Rajiv Bansal has started review of various departments and subsidiaries of the airline, according to officials. Bansal, who took over the reins of the loss-making national carrier on August 24, is meeting senior executives from various departments to understand the overall functioning and issues that need to be addressed on a priority basis, they said. He has been appointed for three months as Chairman and Managing Director of the disinvestment-bound airline. His priority areas include on-time performance of flights and customer satisfaction.

NEW DELHI: The Modi government is unlikely to sell Air India to a foreign carrier and has clarified it in the consolidated Foreign Direct Investment policy, released today. It has said that the rule allowing foreign carriers to own up to 49% in Indian carriers do not apply to Air India.

“The policy mentioned at para (c) above (foreign carriers allowed to own 49% in Indian carriers) is not applicable to M/s Air India Limited,” the government clarified in consolidated FDI policy released today.

Air India is e-auctioning 41 apartments in Mumbai in the first phase of its property sale and 12 in others cities in the second phase. The properties to be sold in the second tranche include 35 residential flats and land banks.

Though the airline has kept a reserve price of Rs 315 crore for its Mumbai properties, it hopes to make around Rs 500 crore from the sale, and looks to make a similar amount from the sale of properties in other cities, according to sources.

NEW DELHI: Senior IAS officer Rajiv Bansal today took charge as the interim Chairman and Managing Director of Air India.

Bansal replaces Ashwani Lohani, who has assumed office as Railway Board Chairman.

Lohani, who was at the helm for nearly two years, handed over the Air India CMD charge to Bansal.

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