Recent News

Delhi, 12th March 2026: The Ministry of Civil Aviation is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the West Asia region and its impact on air travel between India and countries in the region. Airlines are undertaking necessary operational adjustments in view of the prevailing conditions to ensure passenger safety and the orderly conduct of flight operations. In this context, flight operations by Indian carriers to/from Riyadh have resumed from 12 March 2026. On the first day of resumption, three services are being operated to Mumbai by Air India and IndiGo, and one service to Calicut by Air India Express, thereby restoring important air connectivity between India and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the period 28 February to 11 March 2026, a total of 1,50,457 air passengers travelled from the Gulf countries to India. Further, Indian carriers have scheduled 57 inbound flights on 12 March 2026 from various cities in the West Asia, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, Jeddah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh and Sharjah, subject to operational feasibility and prevailing conditions. The Ministry is maintaining close coordination with airlines and other concerned stakeholders to facilitate smooth passenger movement. Airfares are also being closely monitored to ensure that ticket prices remain reasonable and that there is no undue surge during this period. Passengers are advised to remain in contact with their respective airlines for the latest updates regarding flight schedules and travel arrangements. The Ministry will continue to review the situation and provide further updates as necessary. Courtesy: PIB

Mumbai, 13th March 2026: Star Air, the regional airlines based out of Bengaluru has announced the expansion of its network with increased frequencies and new destinations planned across India. The airline will enhance connectivity to cities such as Kolhapur and Belagavi, further integrating them with its growing network. The airline is also increasing its weekly schedule from 455 to 550 flights this summer, responding to rising demand across its network. With nearly 3 million passengers carried since inception, Star Air continues to deliver on its mission of “Connecting Real India.” The airline has launched a daily direct service between Belagavi and Mumbai, further integrating North Karnataka and Central India with the nation’s financial capital. At the same time, Kolhapur’s connectivity is being enhanced with new and improved flights to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru, along with vital links to Kishangarh and Indore. Commenting on this expansion, Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer at Star Air, said, “Focusing on Kolhapur and Belagavi is central to our vision of strengthening our presence in India’s aviation sector. With every new route and every additional aircraft, we’re building bridges between businesses, families, and dreams. Our growing network is about empowering communities, unlocking economic potential, and showing that regional India is ready to soar. We remain deeply committed to reliability, comfort, and making air travel accessible to all.”

Madurai, 12th March 2026: The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today has approved declaration of Madurai Airport, Tamil Nadu, as an International Airport. Madurai Airport, located in the Temple City of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is one of the oldest airports in the State. It serves as a crucial gateway to Southern Tamil Nadu and plays a pivotal role in promoting tourism and pilgrimage, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the region. Elevating Madurai Airport to International Status would enhance regional connectivity, promote trade, and drive economic development in the region. The airport’s potential to attract international pilgrims and businesses aligns with the city’s historical prominence.

New Delhi, 9th March 2026: In response to sustained high demand for reliable travel options amid the ongoing situation in West Asia, Air India had announced deployment of additional capacity to five key gateways in Europe as well as to New York (JFK)1 over the next few days, supported by additional services to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Between 10 and 18 March 2026, Air India will operate 78 additional flights on the following routes, thus boosting much-needed capacity when travel options for passengers remain constrained: 1. Delhi-New York (JFK)1 2. Delhi-London (Heathrow) 3. Mumbai-London (Heathrow) 4. Delhi-Frankfurt 5. Delhi-Paris (CDG) 6. Delhi-Amsterdam 7. Delhi-Zurich 8. Delhi-Malé 9. Delhi-Colombo Together, these flights add 17,660 seats on nine routes in both directions. The additional flights on the European routes will operate with B787-8 and those to Malé and Colombo will be operated with A320neo aircraft. The flights to New York (JFK) are subject to the requisite regulatory approvals and would operate with Air India’s B777-300ER aircraft. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said: “Despite the odds, Air India continues to maintain its scheduled services to Europe and North America, sustaining connectivity to several international gateways using alternative routings that are assessed as safe for operations. We are confident that passengers in need to travel to destinations in these regions will appreciate the additional options and reliability with Air India.”

New Delhi, 7th March 2026: The Ministry of Civil Aviation in the media briefing mentioned that they are closely monitoring the evolving situation in the West Asia affecting air travel between India and the West Asia region. Airlines are undertaking necessary operational adjustments in view of the prevailing conditions to ensure passenger safety and orderly conduct of flight operations. Passenger movement data for 05th March, 2026 shows that a total of 40 inbound flights operated by Indian carriers arrived in India from the West Asia region, carrying 7,205 passengers taking the cumulative passenger arrivals to 14,992. On 06th March 2026, 51 flights were planned to be operated by the Indian carriers. The Ministry is in continuous touch with airlines and is closely monitoring airfares to ensure that there is no undue surge in ticket prices during this period. The Ministry continues to maintain close coordination with airlines and relevant stakeholders and is monitoring the situation to facilitate passenger movement and minimize disruption. Passengers are advised to remain in contact with their respective airlines for the latest updates regarding flight schedules. Further updates will be issued as necessary.

Dubai, 5th March 2026: Emirates issued a media statement where they confirmed operating a reduced flight schedule until further notice. This follows the partial re-opening of regional airspace for the safe conduct of commercial flights. For 5 and 6 March, over 100 flights will depart from Dubai and return. These flights will carry people eager to reach their final destinations, as well as essential cargo like perishables and pharmaceuticals. Emirates will continue to gradually build back its flying schedule, subject to airspace availability and all operational requirements being met. Safety is always our top priority. We continue to monitor the situation and adapt our operations accordingly. For now, customers should only proceed to the airport if they have a confirmed booking. We urge all customers to check emirates.com and our official social media channels, where we will publish the latest updates.

Delhi,5th March, 2026: Honeywell has announced its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Battery Manufacturing Excellence Platform (Battery MXP)is being integrated into the Alabama Mobility and Power (AMP)Center’s battery research lab at the University of Alabama. The battery manufacturing automation platform is designed to optimize operations by improving cell yields and expediting facility startups for battery manufacturers at any scale.Its implementation will allow the lab to train the next generation of engineers and battery professionals nationwide. The AMP Center is a research and development hub for creating and sustaining modern mobility and power technologies, developing charging infrastructure and managing power delivery to support large-scale growth in electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems. Honeywell’s Battery MXP will be the exclusive automation platform to guide manufacturers on how to scale to cost-effective, high-quality batteries at the production levels required for today’s electrification needs. “The AMP Center was created to connect industry, academia, and state initiatives around the future of mobility and power,” said Mike Oatridge, Executive Director of the Alabama Mobility and Power Center. “The deployment of Battery MXP supports Alabama’s automotive industry while advancing solutions for data center growth, grid stability, and the state’s long-term electrification and economic development goals.” “The rapid evolution of battery technology calls for a skilled workforce and advanced production capabilities at large scale, including comprehensive automation platforms powered by AI,” said Russ Ford, President of Honeywell Process Automation Solutions. “AMP’s use of Battery MXP is poised to be a catalyst to empower the next generation of engineersin this importantindustry as it continues to grow.” At the AMP Center, Honeywell is also working with FOM Technologies to optimize the electrode production process within Battery MXP. Since this process is traditionally one of the most challenging areas of the battery manufacturing process, the collaborative approach with all three parties will enable the facility to deliver an end-to-end automation solution that will help OEMs produce safer batteries for end users. The AMP Center battery research lab is expected to open in Q2 2026 and will be one of the first pilot battery production sites available to external organizations. As part of its initiative to boost workforce training and development, AMP will provide hands-on experience to students and engineers with Honeywell’s comprehensive automation technologies, enabling them to learn the skills needed for a career in advanced manufacturing.