Aviation sector

According to traffic data shared by various airlines, in May 2022, the passenger count stood at 114.67 lakh, and in May 2023, it rose to 132.41 lakh, indicating a month-on-month growth of 15.24 per cent. Furthermore, the overall passenger number in May 2023 increased by 3.26 lakh (2.52 per cent) compared to April 2023.

According to an order passed late on Tuesday, he will initially serve as the Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, holding the rank and pay equivalent to the Secretary to the government of India, starting from August 1. Upon the retirement of incumbent Rajiv Bansal on August 31, Chanchal Kumar will take over as Secretary.

Unveiling the ongoing capital expenditure (capex) initiatives in the aviation sector, amounting to Rs 1 lakh crore, he said it is anticipated that the private sector will contribute approximately Rs 70,000 crore to this endeavor. Addressing a press conference here, Scindia said that domestic air travel in India has soared by an astonishing 130 per cent, with an estimated annual count of 145 million passengers exploring the country's skies.

The low-cost airline had stopped flying on May 3 and is undergoing voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The aviation regulator's order came after the airline had submitted their response to the show cause notice issued by the DGCA on May 8.

"Go First has been faced with critical supply chain issues with regard to its engines. The government has been assisting the airline in every possible manner. The issue has also been taken up with the stakeholders involved. Yet, it is unfortunate that this operational bottleneck has dealt a blow to the airline's financial position," Scindia said while reacting to the development.

Adding to the uncertainty, the Mumbai-based airline has also stopped taking bookings for the next two days. The move came after Go First, which has around 5,000 employees, filed an application for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), as confirmed by its CEO Kaushik Khona.

A show cause notice has also been issued to the chief of flight safety for delaying the investigation and not reporting to the concerned authority, official sources said. Both CEO and chief of flight safety are to file a reply to the show cause notice, said DGCA sources.

In the incident, the pilot allegedly had entertained a female friend, who had entered in the cockpit, which violates DGCA safety norms. A cabin crew member had filed a complaint with DGCA, prompting an investigation. While the cabin crew member seems to have no role in the incident, the entire crew has been derostered pending investigations, said an official.