Aviation

Cops didn’t want FIR filed: IndiGo flyer

NEW DELHI: Only an independent government probe may reveal who — IndiGo or passenger Rajiv Katyal — was responsible for the recent skirmish at Delhi Airport.

Katyal, a Delhi-based commercial kitchen equipment maker, does not agree with the report submitted by IndiGo to the government on Wednesday which says ground staffer Juby Thomas was trying to prevent him from harm.

“I am a frequent flyer and know where I can go and not go after alighting from an aircraft. I was just standing quietly in the shade and waiting for a bus take us to the terminal when one ground staffer (Thomas) spoke very rudely to me. When I asked him to do his job and quickly call the third bus, he got agitated,” 53-year-old Katyal said.

He recalls Montu Kalra, the sacked IndiGo staffer, asking the other two to stop him from boarding the bus, which led to the scuffle. “After this, they put me on an empty bus for 15 minutes. While there, I called the police and my wife (who was in Delhi). I reached the terminal half an hour after landing. Once there, the cops came. By that time my wife also came and we went to the police station,” Katyal, a mechanical engineer, said.

He claims the police did not want him to file an FIR as the employees would have lost their jobs. “I was to leave for Milan on October 17 morning and decided to let it go. Once I reached home, I got a call from IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh who apologised and told me he had suspended people. I told Ghosh how his staffers had behaved like a mob,” Katyal, a diabetic, said.

He was “shocked” to find on Tuesday evening that action was taken against only Montu Kalra and not the others. Asked what action he wanted, he said it was for the society at large to determine. “It’s not about me. What happened with me, and others like me in the past, can happen again. We have to think what to do so that people remain safe,” he said.

Courtesy : Times of India

Aviation

China Eastern Receives Its Ninth C919 Aircraft, Marking a New Milestone

China Eastern Airlines (CEA) has reached a significant milestone with the delivery of its ninth COMAC C919 aircraft, continuing its lead as the launch customer for China’s domestic narrow-body airliner.

On Thursday, the airline received the latest addition to its fleet, registered as B-657T, marking another step in China’s ambitious efforts to establish itself as a key player in the global aerospace market.

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This delivery is part of a major achievement for COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China), which has now delivered a total of 10 comac c919 in 2024 alone, a remarkable increase from just three jets delivered by the end of 2023.

The C919 program represents China’s entry into the competitive market for commercial aircraft, aiming to rival the dominance of manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing in the narrow-body sector.

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One standout feature of the c919 is its innovative in-flight technology, particularly its Wi-Fi system. Developed by the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), this system allows passengers to connect to the “CEAIR-WIFI” wireless hotspot, providing seamless access to in-flight entertainment.

Through the website www.muflyer.com, travelers can enjoy a range of features including “Air Cinema” and “Air Games,” which enhance the flying experience.

Looking ahead, COMAC’s ambitions are not limited to narrow-body aircraft. At the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, c919 aircraft price made waves with the announcement of over 100 new aircraft orders.

A significant highlight was a high-profile agreement with Air China for the development of the C929, a widebody aircraft set to compete c919 vs a320 and c919 vs 737 with these models.