AeroTime
• Miquel Ros
India’s fast-growing Akasa Air will add up to seven Boeing 737-8-200s through a sale-and-leaseback agreement with Avolon, supporting further fleet and network expansion. The transaction gives the carrier additional capacity while preserving the balance-sheet flexibility of leasing as it scales.
Air India
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India’s fast-growing Akasa Air will add up to seven Boeing 737-8-200s through a sale-and-leaseback agreement with Avolon, supporting further fleet and network expansion. The transaction gives the carrier additional capacity while preserving the balance-sheet flexibility of leasing as it scales.
Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran’s sudden plan to step down is raising concerns about the Indian conglomerate’s commitment to major national-priority projects, including Air India, semiconductor manufacturing and iPhone production. The leadership transition could introduce uncertainty around the group’s continued investment in these strategic businesses.
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Air India will begin mandatory substance testing for its pilots after the captain of an A320 that dropped about 300 feet on a Phuket–Delhi flight reportedly tested positive for cannabis. The incident injured 24 passengers and remains under investigation by India’s AAIB and DGCA amid reported technical warnings.
N. Chandrasekaran will not seek another term as Tata Sons chairman when his current tenure ends on February 20, 2027. His planned departure opens a leadership transition for the Tata Group as it advances Air India’s transformation and broader aviation and MRO strategy.
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India’s civil aviation ministry confirmed that the Air India captain involved in a sudden altitude loss after severe turbulence will undergo further laboratory testing after an initial psychoactive-substance screening result. Separately, Malaysia is imposing drug tests on pilots and cabin crew, alongside expanded random testing.
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Tewolde Gebremariam will succeed Campbell Wilson as Air India’s chief executive and managing director, bringing extensive airline leadership experience to the Tata Group-owned carrier. His appointment comes as Air India confronts mounting losses, regulatory scrutiny and the operational fallout from last year’s deadly crash.
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Air India flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi briefly lost about 300 feet in cruise after encountering severe clear-air turbulence, injuring 13 passengers and four crew members. Air India initially attributed the event to turbulence but later changed its language as India’s DGCA opened an investigation into a possible transient technical fault.
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