NEW DELHI: The government-owned Air India has shunted out its controversial head of operations, A K Kathpalia, replacing him with A K Govil.

Last month, aviation regulator DGCA had suspended Kathpalia's flying licence for three months for allegedly skipping the mandatory pre and post-flight alcohol test.

A Kochi-bound Air India flight from Mumbai with 58 passengers and crew on board made an emergency landing at the airport in Mangalore on Monday due to a technical snag.

"The Air India flight coming from Mumbai and heading towards Kochi made an emergency landing at 7.50 PM at the Mangalore airport due to a technical snag," an airport official said.

Air India and SpiceJet came out with offers, including free tickets, to attract more fliers as the airlines look to increase seat occupancy amid stiff competition.

While Air India is giving one ticket free for every booking in First Class and Business Class, SpiceJet would be offering tickets priced as low as Rs 777 on select routes.

Air India has decided to operate an A-320 aircraft, having 168 seats, on the Delhi-Bhopal-Delhi route from February 20, an official said on Saturday.

Air India Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Ashwani Lohani took the decision to make an A-320 aircraft operational on the Delhi-Bhopal-Delhi route in evenings following his recent visit, said Vishrut Acharya, airline's General Manager of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. During the CMD's visit, travel agents told him that the present aircraft A-319, which has 122 seats, operating on the route was inadequate, he added.

In a major expansion drive, national passenger carrier Air India on Wednesday said it plans to add six new international destinations to its network in 2017.

"We are going to add six more international spots this year," said Ashwani Lohani, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India.

New Delhi, Feb. 12: The government should be cautious with its plan to merge state-owned oil companies such as ONGC and IOC, analysts said.

They pointed out at the botched-up merger of Air India and Indian Airlines, which resulted in the national carrier looking for government support to survive.

Air India Express (AIE), Air India's low-cost subsidiary that mainly caters to Gulf-based traffic, may soon be forced to do the inevitable.

The airline which has so far collaborated only with parent company is exploring an option of getting into business tie-ups with other airlines in order to compensate for dwindling passenger traffic to/from Gulf countries.

Mumbai: Acting on aviation regulator DGCA’s orders, Air India has taken off flying duties its operations department head for skipping the mandatory pre-flight medical test. The orders to remove Air India Executive Director (Operations) Capt A. K. Kathpalia from flying duties were issued by the DGCA flight safety department on Wednesday, they said.

“In compliance with the DGCA orders, Capt Kathpalia will not be assigned any flight to operate any more,” airline sources said.

The government’s plan of listing Air India is an alternative which has come about after repeated failures in securing a strategic buyer for the airline. On Wednesday, Mint reported that the government is looking at a three-step plan to corporatise the beleaguered state-owned airline.

The first step is to get the banks to recast the airline’s working capital loan into equity by a consortium of lenders. Followed by appointing professionals to run the airline. The last step being its listing in the bourses.

Having reported an operating profit of Rs 105 crore for 2015-16 fiscal, Air India is expected to post an improved operating profit margin this year as well, even as liquidity constraints continue to impact the smooth performance of the national carrier, the government said on Tuesday.

Air India, over the years and especially since the implementation of the turnaround plan, has been constantly improving its operational as well as financial performance, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

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