Interglobe Aviation

Adds IndiGo and Akasa Air cancellations, additional details in paragraphs 2 to 7

By Gianluca Lo Nostro and Vallari Srivastava

Oct 8 (Reuters) - Lufthansa Group LHAG.DE and three Indian airlines will suspend flights to Riyadh, they said on Thursday, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis renewed threats against airlines after claiming an attack on the Saudi capital's airport.

A Lufthansa spokesperson told Reuters the German group's airlines would suspend flights to Riyadh through October 16 due to "current developments in the Middle East".

India's largest airline IndiGo INGL.NS said it had cancelled all flights to and from Riyadh until October 9.

Air India and Akasa Air also told Reuters they had cancelled all flights to and from the Saudi capital until October 10.

Air India added that a flight from Delhi to Riyadh returned to the Indian capital on Thursday, while Akasa Air cancelled two scheduled services.

Smoke was seen rising from a stationary aircraft at Riyadh airport earlier on Thursday, according to a witness and three people briefed on the matter.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said they had struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile, although there was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities.

Saudi authorities said on Wednesday that three people had been killed this week in strikes on Riyadh airport and Abha airport in the southwest.

Several dozen international flights bound for Riyadh on Thursday evening have been cancelled, data from global flight tracker FlightRadar24 showed.

Data compiled by aviation analytics firm ‌Cirium showed 49.7% of departures from Riyadh airport had been cancelled by 1500 GMT, with a further 31 cancellations expected across Saudi airports on Friday.

(Reporting by Joanna Plucinska, Gianluca Lo Nostro and Vallari Srivastava; additional reporting by Puyaan Singh. Editing by Jan Harvey and Mark Potter)

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Oct 5 (Reuters) - India's IndiGo INGL.NS on Monday said that the airline would increase its fuel charges on domestic and international routes, as aviation turbine fuel costs rise.

Fuel charges on domestic routes were revised upwards between 375 rupees ($3.89) and 1300 rupees, and international route charges increased between 1000 rupees and 10,000 rupees.

($1 = 96.2850 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Abhirami G in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)

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** Goldman Sachs maintains "buy" on India's InterGlobe Aviation INGL.NS with PT of 5,900 rupees, implying about 21% upside from Monday's close

** Brokerage expects high fuel costs to weigh on near-term profitability, but sees significant improvement in FY28 as fuel prices ease and elevated flight ticket prices remain sticky

** Cuts FY27/FY28/FY29 EBITDA estimates by about 3%/0%/1%, respectively

** Brokerage says its fares tracker shows domestic fares up as much as ~29% Y/Y in Q2FY27 despite weak traffic; expects Q2 revenue to grow ~25%, mainly driven by higher fares

** Stock rated "buy" on avg by 24 analysts; median PT 5,800 rupees -- data compiled by LSEG
** Shares of INGL down 0.29% to 4,860 rupees on the day

** YTD stock down 3.92%

(Reporting by Anushka Rajvedi in Bengaluru)

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** Shares of India's largest airline IndiGo INGL.NS fall 3.1% to 5,070.5 rupees

** Stock second-biggest loser by percentage on Nifty 50 .NSEI, which is currently flat

** Brent crude LCOc1 up nearly 1% at $91.38 per barrel as of 11:01 a.m. IST, as the resumption of fighting between the U.S. and Iran in the Middle East renews fears of supply disruptions from the world's key crude-producing region MKTS/GLOB

** Higher oil price are a negative for airlines such as INGL; jet fuel makes up the largest expense for carriers

** Avg rating of 24 analysts at "buy"; median PT is 5,800 rupees - LSEG-compiled data

** YTD, stock up 0.23% vs a 7.9% decline in Nifty 50

(Reporting by Mridula Kumar in Bengaluru)

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Aug 21 (Reuters) - Interglobe Aviation Ltd INGL.NS:

• INDIGO SAYS CO'S WEBSITE AND APP ARE WORKING NOW

Further company coverage: INGL.NS

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NEW DELHI, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Indian airline IndiGo's INGL.NS website was not allowing some customers to book tickets on Wednesday, displaying a "no data available" message when users searched for flights.

The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram. Editing by Mark Potter)

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By Abhijith Ganapavaram and Arpan Chaturvedi

NEW DELHI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - An Indian bankruptcy court rebuked SpiceJet SPJT.BO on Monday over a last-minute settlement with one of eight aircraft lessors whose bankruptcy petitions were due for rulings, saying it wasted judicial time in the latest sign of financial stress at the country's fourth-largest carrier.

The court pressed SpiceJet on whether more deals were coming.

"It makes a mockery of the entire thing," one of the National Company Law Tribunal judges said, criticising the parties for waiting until the day of the ruling to disclose the settlement. "It's not right."

The hearing took place as years of legal disputes between SpiceJet and the firms that lease it aircraft appeared set to culminate in rulings on eight bankruptcy petitions.

The cases have put SpiceJet's finances under renewed scrutiny, with admission of even one bankruptcy petition potentially triggering a court-supervised resolution process under which an independent professional would take control of the airline while creditors considered a restructuring.

The tribunal judges said substantial time had already been spent hearing arguments and preparing a judgement, but agreed to defer the judgement until Wednesday after the parties asked for time to put the settlement agreement before it.

STRUGGLING AIRLINE UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE

The court also grappled with whether that development affected seven other SpiceJet insolvency cases that were also due for judgement but in which there had been no settlement. Lawyers for some of the other lessors repeatedly urged the court to pronounce its rulings.

"They are taking chances, and they are playing fast and loose," said Kevic Setalvad, who appeared for lessor Alterna Aircraft.

SpiceJet did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

SpiceJet, once India's second-largest domestic airline, has slashed flights, grounded aircraft and delayed salaries to pilots as it grapples with a funding crunch after years of losses and legal disputes. Its domestic market share was 1.9% in June from about 15% in 2019.

The airline has received 1.5 billion rupees ($15.69 million) under a government-backed credit programme to stabilise operations, but pressure from aircraft lessors has continued.

Two entities owned by the leasing arm of China's ICBC sought to deregister four Boeing 737 MAX aircraft leased to SpiceJet in July, while at least two lessors had served payment default notices on the airline this year, Reuters has reported.

($1 = 95.6125 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram; Editing by Kate Mayberry)

((Email: [email protected]; Mobile: +91-9019785574;))

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own. Updates throughout to reflect Chandra's statement confirming his resignation.

By Shritama Bose

MUMBAI, Aug 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - India's $290 billion Tata conglomerate has extended its abysmal record on managing succession. Its leader of nine years, N. Chandrasekaran, resigned on Wednesday ahead of an annual meeting next week where shareholders of the unlisted holding company, Tata Sons, may have ousted him. The exit of the first real outsider to run the 158-year-old group removes a distraction but also raises difficult questions about its future.

A row between Chandra and the charitable trusts that control the salt-to-power conglomerate became public in February over a mandate by the Reserve Bank of India to list Tata Sons. Chandra didn't see eye to eye with Tata Trusts Chair Noel Tata who opposed a listing. That led to a stalemate over his reappointment which made his position untenable.

The recent discord overshadowed Chandra's success in turning around large parts of the group. He deleveraged bloated balance sheets after inheriting serious problems at Tata Steel TISC.NS and Tata Motors TATM.NS. Annualised total shareholder returns from most listed group firms have beaten India's benchmark Nifty 50 stock index .NSEI since he took charge in 2017, prior to news of his departure.

But AI pressures have led to lagging returns at Tata Consultancy Services TCS.NS, the group's industry-leading IT outsourcer where he was previously CEO and which contributes 87% of Tata Sons' $3.4 billion annual dividend income. That will squeeze funds available to plough into unlisted businesses like the group's smartphone making venture with Apple AAPL.O and money-losing Air India, a carrier foisted on Chandra by the late Ratan Tata, former Tata Sons chair and chair emeritus.

Infighting also has delayed decision-making on other leadership issues: it took four months to name a CEO for Air India after Campbell Wilson stepped down in April, while rival IndiGo-owner InterGlobe Aviation INGL.NS replaced its chief within weeks in March. And the spat also has jeopardised the Tatas' philanthropic spending, which relies on dividends paid up through the holding company.

Worst of all, Chandra's departure is uncomfortably reminiscent of the 2016 ouster of his predecessor Cyrus Mistry. Back then, Ratan Tata swooped in as interim chair for four months before handing over to Chandra. His passing in 2024 has left the family's influence over the group in flux and the trusts under greater scrutiny, a test they are not passing with flying colours.

The 5% drop in Tata Consultancy shares on news of Chandra's departure underscores the ripple effect it will have across the group where he also chairs many individual companies. And it signals how the consequences of this second leadership disaster could force a bigger rethink on how the Tata group, with its unusual ownership structure, is managed.

Follow Shritama Bose on LinkedIn and X.

CONTEXT NEWS

N. Chandrasekaran on August 12 resigned as chair of Tata Sons, the Indian conglomerate's holding company, citing the absence of unanimous support from the board for his re-appointment.

In a personal statement, Chandrasekaran, known as Chandra, said one board member did not support his re-appointment at a February board meeting, noting six months have since passed without a resolution on the matter. Chandra added it is necessary to have a leader in place to run the group beyond February 2027, when his current term as chair ends.

Earlier in the day, The Economic Times, citing unnamed sources, reported Chandra had discussed the possibility of stepping down ahead of an annual general meeting scheduled for August 18 amid uncertainty over his reappointment as a director and tensions with Tata Trusts Chair Noel Tata.

Charitable trusts collectively own nearly two-thirds of Tata Sons. Two of ​them — Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust — hold a 52% stake between them.

(Editing by Una Galani; Production by Ujjaini Dutta and Aditya Srivastav)

((For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on BOSE/[email protected]))

Aug 7 (Reuters) -

• INDIGO IN EARLY TALKS WITH EMBRAER FOR LARGE REGIONAL JET ORDER- BLOOMBERG NEWS

Source text: https://tinyurl.com/bddf7w5f

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Aug 3 (Reuters) - InterGlobe Aviation Ltd INGL.NS:

• WILLIE WALSH TAKES CHARGE AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF INDIGO

Further company coverage: INGL.NS

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adds details and background paragraph 2 onwards

July 31 (Reuters) - Norse Atlantic NORSE.OL said on Friday its board had initiated a formal process for a possible sale, merger or partnership, citing strong interest from potential parties for the Norwegian airline.

• Shares in Norse slumped in April, wiping more than half off its market value, after it announced a discounted $110 million rights issue, withdrew its 2026 outlook and said it could consider a sale.

• In May, Bloomberg News reported that Norse has brought on JPMorgan JPM.N to run a sale process, citing people familiar with the matter.

• Indian airline IndiGo INGL.NS, earlier on Friday, agreed to discontinue its leasing partnership with Norse, citing geopolitical challenges, in a move that would return six Boeing 787 aircraft to the Norwegian carrier.

• Norse said it is already in discussions with several airlines for leasing out up to five of the aircraft being returned by IndiGo with crew, maintenance and insurance, known as ACMI, or "wet," leasing.

• "The return of these six aircraft opens up strategic opportunities that were not available to us before," CEO Eivind Roald said in a statement.

• The company also plans to deploy part of the returning fleet on certain profitable winter routes, including flights from Europe to Orlando and New York.

(Reporting by Rajveer Singh Pardesi in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Sahal Muhammed)

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July 27 (Reuters) - IndiGo INGL.NS, India's largest airline, appointed Kiran Thadimarri as its finance chief on Monday, replacing Gaurav Negi, it said in a statement.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Barcelona; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)

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July 24 (Reuters) - ** India's top airline IndiGo INGL.NS posted a Q1 loss and forecast flat capacity growth for Q2

** Shares down 2.5% at 4,900 rupees

FUEL PAIN OVERSHADOWS PRICING POWER

** JPMorgan ("Neutral", PT: 4,740 rupees) says Q1 missed expectations on Middle East war-linked rise in fuel and non-fuel costs; sees volatility persisting for the rest of FY27

** UBS ("Neutral", PT: 5,450 rupees) says revenue was broadly in line but EBITDA missed due to higher-than-anticipated fuel costs

** Kotak Institutional Equities ("Buy", FV: 5,900 rupees) says IndiGo successfully passed through a large portion of fuel cost inflation via a 21% rise in yields - the average fare paid by passengers

** Jefferies ("Buy", PT: 5,380 rupees) says results were soft due to higher-than-expected fuel costs despite stronger yields

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]; 8800437922))

July 23 (Reuters) - Indian budget carrier IndiGo INGL.NS reported first-quarter loss on Thursday as the country's top airline struggled with high fuel prices triggered by the Iran war.

The airline posted a loss of 3.82 billion rupees ($39.6 million) for the quarter ended June 30, compared with a profit of 21.61 billion rupees in the year-ago period.

($1 = 96.5450 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]; 8800437922;))

By Abhijith Ganapavaram

NEW DELHI, July 22 (Reuters) - India has reprimanded its aviation safety regulator for failing to guard against officials using their influence to help family members get jobs in the sector and for delays in disclosing such placements, government documents reviewed by Reuters show.

India's Ministry of Civil Aviation has repeatedly challenged its safety body, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), since mid-2025 over the handling of conflicts involving officials' relatives in airlines, including an instance that involved Air India, according to the documents.

The concerns come at a critical time for the DGCA as it oversees one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets while battling staffing shortages after a year of heightened scrutiny following an Air India Dreamliner crash, safety lapses at the airline and disruption at the country's largest carrier, IndiGo INGL.NS.

The DGCA is also contending with a federal police investigation after one of its officers was accused of taking a bribe and is due within months to undergo a routine U.S. Federal Aviation Administration safety audit.

A January DGCA document reviewed by Reuters summarised the ministry's concerns over the regulator's handling of conflicts of interest.

"(The) DGCA has not been able to effectively prevent or manage the possible influence exercised by its officials in the recruitment or placement of their relatives, family members, or dependents," it said.

The documents did not indicate whether the ministry planned further action.

As of January 31 this year, 51 DGCA officials had disclosed 59 relatives working in the sector, up from 33 officials disclosing 41 relatives a year earlier, one of the documents showed.

The relatives worked at companies including IndiGo, Air India, Akasa Air, Airbus AIR.PA India and some flying schools and airport operators.

The ministry, the DGCA and the companies employing the relatives did not respond to requests for comment.

DISCLOSURES AND APPROVAL

Indian rules prohibit federal employees from using their position or influence to secure jobs for family members and require disclosures and approvals. Conflict-of-interest concerns have surfaced before across India's public sector, including at the DGCA, where four officers were censured in 2013.

The civil aviation ministry remains concerned there is "potential for regulatory influence" as DGCA officers could withhold disclosure of relatives' employment at airlines they oversee and soften regulatory scrutiny, said a senior official with direct knowledge of the matter.

The official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, cited one example where a DGCA official was found to have around 12 relatives employed in the sector, but the ministry only learned about it after the officer's retirement.

Then-DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai last year sought more powers on several administrative matters, including authority to handle potential conflict-of-interest cases internally. He argued in a July 2025 letter that the ministry approval process led to "administrative delays" and that decision-making should be streamlined.

The ministry rejected the request, saying the DGCA's "continued expression of inability to fix responsibility for delays or lack of approval has been alarming," the January document said.

Kidwai, now posted to India's Department of Personnel & Training, did not respond to a request for comment.

OFFICIAL'S SISTER HIRED AT AIR INDIA

A DGCA assistant director of engineering was questioned last year about his apparent conflict of interest after his sister took up employment in Air India's quality department while he was involved in granting regulatory approvals affecting the airline, the documents show.

The DGCA argued to the ministry that his sister was an independent widow and that the specific rule requiring prior approval covered only dependents like sons and daughters, though it said he would no longer handle Air India matters as a precaution.

"Sister comes under the purview of family," the aviation ministry said in an August 2025 document, rejecting the DGCA's proposal to approve the case.

"Influence/involvement of officer can't be ruled out ... There remains ambiguity about the transparency and legitimacy of the appointment process."

U.S. ethics rules generally require officials to recuse themselves from matters where family relationships could reasonably call their impartiality into question, while Europe's aviation regulator requires declarations of interest and may restrict staff duties to manage conflicts.

Harsh Vardhan Pratap Singh, president of the Association of Flying Training Organisations, said the DGCA should publish a list of officers whose relatives work in the sector it regulates.

"The fundamental methods to ensure the ultimate goal of safety are transparency in declarations by officers," he said.

(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram; Editing by Aditya Kalra and Jamie Freed)

((Email: [email protected]; X: @adityakalra;))

IndiGo signed a memorandum of understanding with CFM International for an order of 1,000 or more LEAP-1A engines, the airline announced at the Farnborough Airshow on Monday. The engines will power 510 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, representing the largest single order ever placed for LEAP engines and a record for CFM International. The MoU also covers CFM's support in establishing an engine MRO facility for IndiGo’s expanding fleet, as well as a long-term material services agreement for spares. IndiGo’s CEO-designate Willie Walsh described the deal as a natural extension of the airline’s decade-long relationship with CFM, noting it will underpin the carrier’s next phase of growth. The airline currently operates more than 375 A320/321 Family aircraft and has a fleet of over 430 planes.

Powered by Tijori

July 20 (Reuters) - Honeywell Aerospace Inc HONA.O:

• HONEYWELL AEROSPACE: ‍INDIGO​ SELECTED CO'S AVIONICS & POWER SYSTEMS FOR ORDER OF 810 NEW AIRBUS A320NEO FAMILY AIRCRAFT

• HONEYWELL AEROSPACE: TO DELIVER AFTERMARKET SUPPORT TO ENSURE LONG-TERM RELIABILITY & EFFICIENCY

Further company coverage: HONA.O

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Recasts with maintenance investment, adds airline talks

By Tim Hepher

FARNBOROUGH, England, July 18 (Reuters) - Jet engine maker CFM said on Saturday it was investing $2 billion over five years to help meet targets of faster maintenance times, part of efforts to ease engine-industry bottlenecks that have drawn fire from airlines.

The world's largest engine maker by number of units sold said the effort by co-owners GE Aerospace GE.N and France's Safran SAF.PA would also accelerate repairs, help suppliers improve deliveries and beef up spares inventory.

Unexpected wear and tear in the most recent jet engines - an unplanned by-product of their significant fuel savings - has led to an industry-wide repair crisis and left jets grounded.

CFM President Gael Meheust declined to be drawn on an engine industry dispute with airlines over prices, saying it was important to consider all relevant costs and engine performance.

CFM, which makes engines for the Boeing 737 MAX and competes with Pratt & Whitney on the Airbus A320neo, said it had a "near-zero" level of engine-driven groundings. Pratt has reported steady improvement in maintenance delays and production issues.

AIRLINE REPAIR SHOPS

CFM's aftermarket investment comes as engine makers are expected to battle for new business at next week's Farnborough Airshow, vying for attention with relatively muted plane orders.

India's largest carrier IndiGo could pick CFM's LEAP to power 500 previously ordered Airbus jets, industry sources said.

The deal is likely to include its own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) shop, echoing Ireland's Ryanair RYA.I.

CFM declined to comment and IndiGo could not be reached.

However, there were no immediate signs of a breakthrough in talks between CFM and Turkish Airlines THYAO.IS (THY) that overshadow a deal for 150 Boeing 737 MAX jets announced by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Washington in September.

The airline said then that the MAX order, part of a wider package of 225 jets, would be subject to engine negotiations.

Industry sources said the airline wanted under any deal to penetrate the top rung in CFM's tiered support network by becoming a so-called Premier MRO, joining a small group of carriers that enjoy enhanced access to repair technology.

CFM declined to comment. Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

CFM also said it had won approval for an upgrade that would improve durability of LEAP-1B engines for the MAX in harsh climates, echoing a fix already available for Airbus.

It reiterated a goal of 15% higher deliveries this year.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Andrea Ricci)

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July 10 (Reuters) - Interglobe Aviation Ltd INGL.NS:

• INDIGO - INDIGO RECEIVES WARNING LETTER FROM DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION

• INDIGO - LETTER RELATES TO CARGO SPILLAGE AND SOP DEVIATIONS UNDER DANGEROUS GOODS RULES

• INDIGO - NO PENALTY, RESTRICTION, OR SANCTION IMPOSED

• INDIGO - NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON FINANCIALS

Source text: ID:nBSE63NHdX

Further company coverage: INGL.NS

(([email protected];))

Updates

** Shares of IndiGo INGL.NS extend losses, last down 5.41% at 5104.5 rupees, their biggest intraday pct drop since August 28, 2025

** Stock biggest loser on Nifty 50 .NSEI, which is down 2.23%, set for its biggest percentage drop in more than two months

** Broader Indian shares intensified their fall, after U.S. President Donald Trump said a peace memorandum with Iran is "over" as the two countries exchanged strikes, hurting investor sentiment

** Brent crude also up 6.1% at $79 per barrel, after Trump's comments MKTS/GLOB

** Higher oil price are a negative for airlines such as INGL; jet fuel makes up largest expense for carriers

** YTD, stock up 1.12% vs a 8.78% decline in Nifty 50

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon and Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]))

July 1 (Reuters) - Interglobe Aviation Ltd INGL.NS:

• INDIGO: LAUNCHES 'INDIGO LITE FARE' TO OFFER GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO CUSTOMERS

• INDIGO: INDIGO LITE FARE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING STARTING 1 JULY 2026

Source text: [ID:]

Further company coverage: INGL.NS

(([email protected];))

** India's low-cost carrier IndiGo's INGL.NS shares rise 22.2% in June, marking third straight monthly gain

** Stock on course for best month since August 2020

** Oil prices set to end June down by about 21% from last month's closing, on track for their ‌biggest quarterly loss since COVID-19 pandemic

** Jet fuel is typically largest expense for airlines and sharp price swings can erode profitability

** Morgan Stanley says easing fuel and forex headwinds support INGL, but stock still underprices recovery

** Shares were up 1.1% to 5,376.1 rupees in afternoon trading

** INGL trades at forward 12-months PE of 40.1 vs industry median of 18.8

** Twenty of 24 brokerages rate stock "buy" or higher; their median PT is 5,317.5

** YTD, stock up 6.4% vs 8.4% decline in Nifty 50 Index .NSEI

(Reporting by Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru)

(([email protected];))

** Morgan Stanley raises PT on India's IndiGo INGL.NS by 10% to 6,436 rupees; keeps "overweight" rating

** Says fuel and forex headwinds are receding; industry capacity growth slower than expected

** Adds, peer losses likely to keep capacity in check, aiding pricing discipline

** INGL down 1.3% at 5,384.70 rupees on Monday

** Stock's current levels do not fully price in recovery, says Morgan Stanley; sees gains from market share, international expansion

** Avg rating of 24 analysts on INGL at "buy"; median PT is 5,317.50 rupees - LSEG-compiled data

** YTD, stock up 6.5% vs Nifty 50's .NSEI 7.9% drop

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]))

** Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, operator of India's largest airline IndiGo INGL.NS, gains 4.3% to 5431.5 rupees; up more than 8% so far this week

** INGL set to be top weekly gainer on Nifty 50 .NSEI index, which is up 0.7% for the week

** Brent crude futures fell earlier on Thursday to $72.52 a barrel, levels last seen before the Iran war broke out in late Feb; jet fuel is usually largest expense for airlines

** HSBC says INGL is well positioned in India's aviation market due to its cost competitiveness, while rival Air India faces pressure to cut costs and protect liquidity and has cut flights

** ICICI Securities cites INGL's robust scale of operations and strong balance sheet as strengths

** INGL on avg rated "buy" by 24 analysts; median PT is 5317.5 rupees - LSEG data

** YTD, INGL up 7.2%

(Reporting by Abhirami G in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]))

By Abhijith Ganapavaram

NEW DELHI, June 24 (Reuters) - An Indian government panel has proposed a new pilot licence option that would shift more training into simulators and cut the time cadets spend flying real aircraft as it aims to ease a pilot shortage, a draft report shows.

The Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL) under discussion was introduced by the U.N.'s International Civil Aviation Organization in 2006 and adopted by many countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East in addition to traditional pilot-training pathways.

India is now considering the licence to build a more predictable pipeline of junior pilots trained for individual carriers as airlines expand their fleets, according to an unpublished 19-page draft report dated June 3 reviewed by Reuters.

Under the proposed plan, cadets would complete 100 to 120 hours in training aircraft, including at least 20 hours solo, compared with at least 200 hours under India's existing rules.

Much of the remaining practical training would be conducted in commercial jet simulators under an alternative route the draft said "may shorten timeline for cadets."

"If implemented with strong regulatory oversight and industry collaboration ... (the new licensing route) can reduce manpower shortages," the government panel's draft report said.

The report was prepared by a committee headed by a senior official of India's aviation regulator that included representatives from IndiGo INGL.NS, Air India and flight-training organisations.

Airlines have been asked to respond to the plan, after which the committee is likely to submit a final report to the head of the regulator.

IndiGo, Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation did not respond to requests for comment.

SHORTAGES

India faces a pilot shortage, with its largest airline, IndiGo, having just 7.6 pilots per narrowbody plane, the report said, well below the global average of around 10.

IndiGo in December cancelled thousands of flights after it failed to plan adequately for new rules limiting pilots’ working hours, leaving it short of pilots.

The MPL, used for co-pilot hires at carriers including Qatar Airways and Europe's easyJet EZJ.L, is less portable between airlines in the early stages of a pilot's career and could help ease Indian carriers' turnover concerns.

The government proposal said greater reliance on simulators could "lower operational risk" while giving cadets more focused practice in handling critical and emergency situations.

The option does not reduce training rigor and only redistributes training emphasis toward structured simulation, it added, saying it should not be "misunderstood as a shortcut due to lower aircraft flight hours."

The plan, however, has already drawn some concerns, with the Association of Flight Training Organisations saying cutting time in real aircraft could weaken cadets' hands-on flying skills and judgement in unexpected situations, according to a letter dated June 9.

The group has asked the regulator to mandate at least 150 hours in actual aircraft, instead of the 100 to 120 hours proposed in the draft.

The draft report itself acknowledged that some pilots could have "weaker hands-on flying instincts and less confidence handling unexpected situations independently."

IndiGo backed the pilot licensing proposal during consultations in August, an email shows, with Ashim Mittra, the airline's senior vice president of flight operations, writing that MPL was needed to "support the growth of aviation whilst ensuring safety as the bedrock."

(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram; Editing by Aditya Kalra and Jamie Freed)

((Email: [email protected]; Mobile: +91-9019785574;))

** Budget carrier IndiGo INGL.NS shares rise 4.3% to 4,911.9 rupees, at highest level since Feb 26

** Among top gainers on Nifty 50 Index .NSEI, which is up 1.4%

** Oil prices fall after U.S. and Iran agree on a framework to end their war; Brent crude futures down 4% at $83.75 a barrel

** Jet fuel typically represents largest expense for airlines, sometimes making up as much as 40% of their operating costs

** INGL trades at forward 12-month PE of 35.9 vs industry median of 19.1

** 20 of 24 brokerages rate INGL "buy" or higher; median PT is 5,277.5 rupees - data compiled by LSEG

** YTD, stock down 2.9% vs 8.3% fall in Nifty 50

(Reporting by Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru)

(([email protected];))

** Shares of InterGlobe Aviation INGL.NS, parent of Indian airline IndiGo, jump 3.75% to 4,671.50 rupees,

** Oil prices fell on Friday, extending losses from the previous session after President Donald Trump canceled plans to strike Iran, reducing fears of an escalation of hostilities following tit-for-tat attacks earlier in the week

** Brent futures shed 1.3% to $89.17 a barrel at 0042 GMT

** India last week approved a 100 billion-rupee ($1.05 billion) fuel stabilisation fund to help keep jet fuel prices in check for airlines

** Jet fuel is among the biggest costs for airlines and can account for up to 40% of operating expenses

** Twenty-three analysts rate the stock "buy" on avg; median PT 5,277.50 rupees - data compiled by LSEG

** YTD, INGL down 7.7%

($1 = 95.2600 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru)

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NEW DELHI, June 9 (Reuters) - India has launched a previously announced jet fuel price-stabilisation scheme for local airlines, with aviation turbine fuel to be sold to carriers at a fixed price of 115 rupees ($1.21) per litre, 10% higher than previous prices, three industry sources said. Here are some details about the scheme:

• If airlines join the scheme they will have to pay the fixed price of 115 rupees/litre for up to three years, even if global prices decline, as the extra payment will be used to replenish the fund.

• Airlines that do not opt in to the scheme will continue to pay market-linked prices, which may be higher or lower than the fixed price.

• Indian airlines have so far not joined, two of the sources said.

• Earlier this month, India ‌approved the 100 billion rupee fund for the scheme, amid rising costs linked to the Iran ​war.

• The support will be ​provided in the form of interest-free advances to oil marketing companies to cover under-recoveries - the ​gap between market-linked jet fuel ​prices and the moderated rates charged to airlines.

• Jet fuel ​prices ⁠account for up to 40% of airlines' operating costs.

($1 = 95.3500 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma and Abhijith Ganapavaram; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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** Shares of IndiGo INGL.NS fall 1.7% to 4,403.9 rupees

** Bloomberg News reports budget carrier IndiGo unlikely to receive full batch of nine Airbus AIR.PA A321XLR units this year

** Report says time frame on some units pushed back by several months as Middle East war hits the planemaker's supply chain

** IndiGo did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment

** INGL trades at forward 12-month PE of 32.96 vs industry median of 19.34 - LSEG data

** Twenty of 24 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher; their median PT is 5,210 rupees

** YTD, INGL down 11.4% vs 10.6% fall in Nifty 50 Index .NSEI

(Reporting by Abhinav Parmar)

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June 5 (Reuters) -

• AIRBUS DELAYS XLR DELIVERIES TO INDIGO AS WAR HITS SUPPLY CHAIN - BLOOMBERG NEWS

• INDIGO UNLIKELY TO RECEIVE THE FULL BATCH OF NINE A321XLR AIRBUS UNITS THIS YEAR - BLOOMBERG NEWS

Source text: https://tinyurl.com/mr56cpw9

Further company coverage: AIR.PA

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