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Tag: DGCA

  • Ahead of Diwali, Aviation Body Asks Airlines to Lower Airfares

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has intervened to stop steep pricing spikes ahead of the Diwali season as the airline industry prepares for one of its busiest travel times of the year. Amid a spike in passenger demand, the regulator has instructed domestic airlines to maintain fair pricing and expand flying capacity.

    The DGCA said in a statement released on Saturday that it had “proactively taken up the issue with airlines” to make sure travellers aren’t hit with exorbitant ticket costs over the holiday season. It further stated that the action comes after a study of airfare patterns on important routes.

    Airlines Responded to Aviation Body

    Major carriers have announced the deployment of hundreds more flights through October and November in response to the regulator’s advisory. IndiGo, which currently has the most market share in India (64.2%), announced that it would add about 730 flights in 42 sectors.

    Together, Air India and Air India Express will expand their travel schedule by about 486 flights to 20 destinations. SpiceJet plans to roll out 546 more services in 38 sectors. In order to safeguard passengers’ interests throughout the holiday season, the DGCA will continue to exercise strict monitoring over airline pricing and flight capacities, according to a DGCA representative.

    Passengers’ criticism of the DGCA has grown in recent years because to the sharp changes in fares during popular times like Diwali, Christmas, and summer vacations. According to officials, the government has the authority to step in if rates increase significantly, even though airlines are allowed to set their own prices under India’s open skies policy.

    DGCA’s Recent Flights Data

    Domestic airlines carried 1,107.26 lakh passengers between January and August 2025, a 4.99% increase over the same period the previous year, according to DGCA data.

    However, due primarily to monsoon-related interruptions, traffic in August saw a slight decline of 1.4% from July. With a market share of almost 64%, IndiGo remains the market leader in India.

    The Air India Group, which consists of Vistara, Air India Express, and Air India, comes in second with 27.3%. SpiceJet’s market share has decreased to barely 2%, while Akasa Air, the nation’s newest entry, has maintained consistent growth with a 5.4% stake. The combined market share of smaller regional airlines like Fly Big, Fly91, and Star Air is less than 1%.

    Quick Shots

    •DGCA steps in ahead of Diwali to prevent steep airfare hikes
    during the busy festive travel season.

    •Regulator directs airlines to keep ticket prices fair and
    expand flight capacity amid rising passenger demand.

    •Strict monitoring of fares and schedules will continue to
    protect passengers’ interests.

    •Domestic air traffic: 1,107.26 lakh passengers carried from
    Jan–Aug 2025, up 4.99% YoY.

    •August traffic dipped 1.4% due to monsoon disruptions.

  • Amber Wings Secures DGCA Nod, Set to Soar with India’s First Hybrid Cargo Drone

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has type certified Amber Wings, a sister company of Chennai-based air mobility startup The ePlane Company, for their hybrid cargo drone. Amber Wings says this makes them the first Indian firm to get their hybrid cargo drone approved.

    Companies must apply for type certificates in order to meet regulations pertaining to the safety, security, and dependability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) under the Drone Rules, 2021. Amber Wing’s drone, ATVA-1, has been authorised for commercial use 24 hours a day, including at night, a privilege that has not been granted to any other cargo drone operator in India.

    The startup will now progressively launch pilots throughout India after receiving certification. Notably, the business, which was incubated at IIT Madras, has two drones authorised by the DGCA: Vihaa for agritech and ATVA-1 for logistics.

    Vihaa and ATVA-1

    The ATVA-1 is a fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone with a wingspan of 1.7 meters, while the Vihaa is an agri-drone with a 10-litre tank and a 30-acre daily spraying capability. With a tested range of more than 55 km even when fully laden, the ATVA-1 can fly up to 60 km in straight-line circumstances and carry weights of up to 2 kg.

    According to the business, 10,000 km of flight testing and six prototypes went into creating the drone. Using real-time kinematic (RTK) location, this drone can also make precise rooftop landings, which makes it ideal for densely populated Indian cities. Amber Wings hopes to leverage this element to propel its logistics strategy.

    The ePlane Company, which was founded in 2019 by Chakravarthy and Pranjal Mehta, is creating electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that can be used for both passenger and freight transportation inside urban areas. The ePlane Company and Amber Wings are the two primary businesses that operate under the umbrella of Ubifly Technologies, the company’s fundamental parent corporation.

    Amber Wings specialises in drones; however, The ePlane Company is the main company focused on creating manned eVTOL aircraft. Originally created as an internal brand, the latter was recently split off as a distinct organisation.

    Amber Wings Now Eyes for BVLOS and Yellow Zone Access Permission

    Following its DGCA accreditation, Amber Wings is currently pursuing two crucial regulatory clearances—yellow zone access and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) permissions—that would enable it to greatly expand its operations.

    Drones are currently prohibited from flying farther than a few kilometres from their takeoff location by BVLOS laws. The startup is creating a strong three-tier tracking system that combines satellite-based communication (satcom), LTE/4G mobile connectivity, and radio frequency (RF) communication in order to get around this. Regulators will be able to automatically monitor drone flights over vast distances once this arrangement is proven, opening up deep urban and intercity routes.

    Amber Wings is also getting ready to operate in yellow zones, which are regions surrounding cities and airports where aviation is prohibited. Amber Wings anticipates that yellow zone operations will also be authorised following the conclusion of BVLOS trials.

    It currently intends to conduct its first pilots in green zones, particularly in tier II and III cities where there are fewer restrictions on airspace.

  • For Advanced Electric Air Mobility Solutions, the Government Planning a Regulatory Sandbox

    According to reports, the civil aviation ministry is looking at creating a regulatory sandbox for advanced electric air mobility options in India in an attempt to address the problem of increasing urban congestion. According to a media report, Vumlunmang Vualnam, the secretary of civil aviation, stated, “We are ready to encourage and assist advanced air mobility.” He was giving a speech at the Greater Noida International Conference on Air Mobility. In addition to developing new solutions for the future, the centre anticipates that the move will help enhance efforts in the research and development of advanced mobility solutions. According to the article, representatives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have already begun touring possible field locations for advanced air mobility testing trials and other associated activities.

    Observing Other International Players

    Six working groups pertaining to different facets of advanced air mobility have also been established by the regulating body. The nation is currently investigating the work being done in the areas of airspace management, infrastructure development, and regulatory framework for advanced air mobility by other nations, including the US, EU, Singapore, and Dubai. The ePlane Company, an air mobility startup, teamed up with TCS this month to create electric air mobility solutions for both passenger and freight transportation. The business raised $14 million in its Series B fundraising round two months ago in order to accelerate its commercialisation goals and acquire international regulatory approvals. Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and associated solutions are developed by the startup.

    A Sector with Bundle of Opportunities

    With its ability to reduce carbon emissions, ease traffic, and offer quicker, more effective means of transit, advanced air mobility has the potential to completely transform urban transportation. India is in a unique position to gain from these technologies because of its quickly growing metropolitan centres. India’s aviation infrastructure is growing, as Vualnam pointed out. There are already more than 150 airports in the nation, and by 2047, there will be 350. India is expected to carry 3.5 billion passengers a year by that point, solidifying its position as one of the aviation economies with the greatest rate of growth in the world. Advanced air transportation solutions could be included in this ecosystem to solve important urban issues and boost economic growth even further.

    Major Challenges to Address

    Although the future looks bright, there are many obstacles in the way of the broad use of sophisticated air mobility. It takes a lot of money and careful planning to build the required infrastructure, such as charging stations and vertiports. To meet the special needs of eVTOLs and other AAM technologies, airspace management will also need to be rethought. A proactive strategy to address these obstacles is the creation of a regulatory sandbox, which offers a framework for innovation while guaranteeing public safety and regulatory compliance. India may establish itself as a world leader in advanced air mobility by encouraging cooperation between industry participants, legislators, and regulatory agencies.

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  • SpiceJet Under ‘Enhanced Surveillance’ Due to ‘Certain Deficiencies’ Found in DGCA Audit

    Reports of flight cancellations and financial difficulties have forced the cash-strapped SpiceJet to once again operate under the “enhanced surveillance” of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This measure will take effect immediately. This is in response to the aviation regulator’s discovery of “certain deficiencies” in a special audit that was conducted earlier this month. This follows the Dubai Airport’s recent decision to deny SpiceJet customers boarding for non-payment of dues.

    A special audit of SpiceJet engineering facilities was carried out on 7th and 8th August 2024, which revealed certain deficiencies, according to a statement issued on August 29 by the DGCA. The purpose of the audit was to assess the airline’s operational safety in light of reports of flight cancellations and financial stress. As a result, spot checks and night surveillance of SpiceJet’s operations will be increased.

    Continuous irregularities in SpiceJet has made DGCA to take these steps

    The airline was once again placed under intensified surveillance by the DGCA due to its past record and special audit. During a special drive of spot checks in 2022, following a series of incidents reported on the SpiceJet fleet, the airline was required to confirm to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that all reported defects and malfunctions had been fixed before releasing aircraft for operations. “The airline was once again subject to enhanced surveillance in 2023 in response to reports of financial distress,” the DGCA’s document said.

    With immediate effect, SpiceJet is once again subject to increased surveillance based on its historical record and the special audit conducted in August 2024. In order to guarantee the safety of activities, it was noted that there would be an increase in the number of spot checks and night surveillance.

    Recent incident at Dubai Airport added pain to SpiceJet’s agony

    The most recent episode, in which passengers were prevented from boarding a SpiceJet flight at the Dubai airport, was the second incidence of its planes departing from Dubai that had been disrupted within a month.

    According to a report that was published by the news agency, SpiceJet was forced to conduct a number of flights from Dubai that were empty because customers were not permitted to board. Enhanced supervision by the DGCA was reportedly implemented on the airline in July 2023 due to the fact that it was experiencing financial difficulties.

    Members of the crew are placed on sabbatical

    Due to financial difficulties, SpiceJet has chosen to temporarily restrict 150 cabin crew workers for a period of three months. In the midst of financial, legal, and lender issues, the budget airline is running with a smaller fleet. There are about 22 aircraft in its operating fleet at the moment.

    An airline representative announced on August 29 that 150 members of the cabin staff would be placed on unpaid leave for a period of three months.

    The spokesperson stated that this action has been decided in light of the present slow travel season and the smaller fleet size, with the goal of ensuring the organization’s long-term viability.

    While on absence from work, cabin crew members will still be considered employees of SpiceJet and will have all of their benefits, including paid time off and health insurance.

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