This week in aviation: Airline losses, crew rest, Rafale deal

From airline finances and workforce disclosures in Parliament to safety clarifications, infrastructure spending and expansion signals, here are the key developments in aviation this week

Feb 13, 2026, 17:07 IST2 min

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From airline losses and crew fatigue rules to parliamentary disclosures on staffing gaps and infrastructure spending, the aviation sector saw a week packed with policy signals, critical data and regulatory disclosures. The Ahmedabad Air India crash remained in focus, as foreign media speculation over the cause prompted a clarification from authorities. With Parliament in session, key questions around staffing, training, crew and operational capacity came under scrutiny. The highlight of the week came with the clearance of what has been described as the “mother of all deals”—the Rafale procurement. The announcement comes days ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India, scheduled for February 17-19.

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Demand continued to grow, with domestic airlines carrying about 1,235 million passengers between January and September 2025, up 4.26 per cent year-on-year, the ministry told Parliament. A Knight Frank report released in September projected passenger volumes could grow from about 412 million in FY25 to roughly 600 million by FY30.

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A letter sent by the Federation of Indian Airlines, which represents IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation safety regulator, to reconsider draft fatigue-management rules for cabin crew, PTI reported on Wednesday. The industry body said the proposed norms appeared more "restrictive" than global standards and recommended that regulators focus on flight duty periods and rest quality rather than cumulative caps.

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Responding to questions in Parliament on Thursday, the civil aviation ministry said the Airports Authority of India has earmarked about Rs 3,490 crore between 2026 and 2028 to upgrade communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management systems. Around Rs 1,532 crore will fund the automation of air traffic management systems.

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The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on Thursday dismissed media reports that the investigation into Air India flight AI-171 had concluded. In its official statement, the bureau said investigators were still analysing evidence and had reached no final findings. The AAIB response came after media reports, particularly an Italian newspaper report cited by several outlets, suggested the probe was nearing completion and pointed to deliberate pilot action.

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In another written reply on Thursday, the government said 1,279 air traffic controller posts remain vacant out of 5,537 sanctioned positions. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said authorities trained 4,320 personnel this financial year and continue deployments under DGCA norms and traffic requirements, while maintaining safety standards.

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The government also told Lok Sabha on February 12 that India has 25,001 active pilots holding licences issued by the DGCA. These include more than 10,000 airline transport pilots and over 12,000 commercial pilots for aeroplanes, alongside smaller numbers licensed for helicopters and private flying.

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The Defence Acquisition Council cleared proposals worth about Rs 3.6 lakh crore on Thursday, including the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets, a move dubbed as the “mother of all defence deals”. The council placed the Rafale purchase at the centre of a broader military modernisation package that also covers missiles and surveillance platforms. Authorities expect domestic manufacturing to produce most of the aircraft as part of localisation efforts.

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India aims to add 50 airports over the next five years, said Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Friday while speaking at the National Urban and Real Estate Development Conclave organised by Naredco. India currently has about 165 operational airports, and authorities are building a new airport or terminal roughly every 33 days, the minister said. He added that improved connectivity would support urban development.