Airport

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad tries to fly SpiceJet, gets grounded again

NEW DELHI: With Air India cancelling his ticket five times , Shiv Sena’s grounded MP Ravindra Gaikwad is now trying his luck with private airlines.
On Saturday, he booked a SpiceJet flight to fly from Pune to Ahmedabad on Monday (April 3) night. The low cost carrier’s reservation system immediately flagged the passenger name “Mr Ravindra Gaikwad” and the ticket was promptly cancelled, a SpiceJet spokesman said. The MP had paid Rs 4,504 to fly SG 524 at 8.40 pm on Monday.
Airlines are unanimous is seeing Gaikwad as a potentially unruly and unsafe passenger who can be a threat to crew members, co-passengers and flight safety. “What beats us is that people who misbehave with crew are handed over to security agencies and many end up in prison. Here the only action against Gaikwad has been by airlines grounding him. The police and political class is yet to do anything. It is very demoralising for us,” said an official of another airline.
Gaikwad is the first person ever to be grounded by schedule carriers in India. In the interest of safety, airlines want the government to quickly come out with a no fly list to keep such flyers from boarding aircraft.

The Shiv Sena has requested Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to get Gaikwad flying again. Mahajan has held joint meetings with aviation minister A G Raju and the Shiv Sena MPs. However citing threat perception to crew, co-passengers and flight safety, airlines including AI, IndiGo, Jet, SpiceJet, GoAir and Vistara have barred Gaikwad from their flights.

Courtesy : Times of India

Airport

Western Sydney Airport Welcomes Its First Plane After 6 Years of construction

In a historic milestone for Australia’s aviation sector, the first plane has officially taken off and landed at Western Sydney Airport after six years of construction, much to the delight of a small but enthusiastic group of dedicated planespotters.

A test pilot made the inaugural landing using a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, successfully completing a series of take-off and landing runs on the newly built tarmac. This crucial test paves the way for larger passenger aircraft, which are expected to start using the runway in two years.

Virgin Atlantic Introduces Sign Language Crew Booking for Inclusive Flights

The Piper PA-30 was employed to assess the airport’s approximately 3,000 Aeronautical Ground Lights (AGLs) by executing operations in various conditions, including daylight, dusk, and evening. This testing ensures that the lighting system is fit for purpose and ready to welcome aircraft when the airport opens to commercial flights in late 2026.

The pilot also highlighted that the rapid exit taxiways have been designed at a 45-degree angle, allowing for quicker transitions on and off the runway. Once operational, the airport will feature a single runway capable of handling up to 10 million passengers annually right from day one.

Qatar Airways Launches new Flights From Doha To Toronto

As the construction phase nears completion, the airport’s main terminal, apron, and supporting infrastructure will be ready to accommodate around 81,000 flights each year. This milestone marks a significant moment for Western Sydney Airport, the first new airport to open in Australia since Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport more than two decades ago.

Major airlines, including Qantas and Jetstar, have already committed to operating from the 24/7 facility, signaling strong support for this new hub. By 2033, the airport aims to handle up to 10 million passengers and facilitate extensive air traffic movements annually.