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Events

Airport 360 Expo 2026 to bring India’s airport ecosystem together in Mumbai

India’s aviation sector is entering a decisive phase of expansion. With new airports under development, terminal upgrades underway, and passenger traffic projected to grow significantly in the coming decades, the industry is focusing on building infrastructure that is efficient, resilient and future-ready. Against this backdrop, Airport360 Expo 2026, scheduled for 23–24 April 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, will bring together leaders from across the aviation ecosystem to explore technologies, partnerships and strategies shaping the next generation of airports. Organised by Media Fusion, Airport360 builds on the momentum of its inaugural edition held in 2025 under the banner of the Inter Passenger Terminal Show (IPTS). The platform is designed to connect airport operators, infrastructure planners, airlines, technology providers and consultants through a combination of exhibition, conference sessions and industry awards. A Platform for Airport Innovation The exhibition floor at Airport360 Expo will showcase a wide spectrum of technologies and solutions supporting airport development and operations. Exhibitors include organisations such as Aurionpro Solutions, dormakaba India, Vehant Technologies, Leonardo, CP PLUS, Sparsh CCTV, Dallmeier, OCS Group India, Prolite Autoglo, Crescent Foundry, Metafin Technology, Spintly, Cosmo Sunshield, PDAC Microsystems, ivii GmbH, Spectron Engineers, BVG India, Alstone Manufacturing, Nexa Defence and Millennium Aero Dynamics, among many others. The exhibition provides an opportunity for airport stakeholders to evaluate technologies first-hand and engage directly with solution providers supporting the development of modern aviation infrastructure. Airport360 Conference: Industry Leaders Driving the Conversation Running alongside the exhibition, the Airport360 Conference 2026 will focus on the theme: “Building Airports That Perform: Design, Operations & Readiness for India’s Next Aviation Surge.” The conference will bring together senior leaders and experts from across the aviation ecosystem. Speakers confirmed for the 2026 edition include Capt. B V J K Sharma, CEO of Navi Mumbai International Airport; Bharat H. Malkani, Chairman & Managing Director of Max Aerospace and President of the MRO Association of India; Gp Capt C Sreenivas (Retd), Vice President – Daily Operations & Customer Experience at Bangalore International Airport Ltd; Faiz Khan, Chief Commercial Officer at Muscat Duty Free; and Prabhat Mahapatra, COO of Navi Mumbai International Airport. The programme will also feature insights from Simon Lotter of Munich Airport International, Kapil Bardeja of Vehant Technologies, Rajesh Jethwani of AECOM, Sridhar L of Bangalore International Airport Ltd, Goutam Mukherjee of Amadeus, Ajay Bhaskar Joshi (Retd) from Airports Authority of India, and Sharad Agarwal, CEO of AI Engineering Services Limited, among others. Airport360 Awards: Recognising Excellence Across the Industry The event will also host the Airport360 Awards 2026, celebrating organisations and individuals driving excellence across the aviation ecosystem. The awards recognise achievements in areas including passenger experience, sustainability initiatives, terminal technology adoption, ground handling operations and MRO innovation. By highlighting industry best practices and leadership, the awards aim to encourage continuous improvement and innovation across India’s rapidly evolving aviation landscape. A Meeting Ground for the Airport Ecosystem As India continues to invest in airport infrastructure and aviation capacity, platforms like Airport360 Expo play an important role in bringing together stakeholders across the value chain. From exploring technologies and sharing operational insights to building partnerships that support future airport development, the event provides a space where the aviation community can collaborate and move projects forward. Event Details Airport360 Expo 2026 23–24 April 2026 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai Register to Visit: https://zestgroupindia.in/forms/media_fusion/public/events/visitor/airport360-expo-2026?utm_source=AviationWorld&utm_medium=MediaPartner&utm_campaign=Editorial&utm_content=VisReg For more details: Tasneem Kanchwala tasneem@mediafusiongroup.com |+91 97407 70166

Civil Aviation

United to add 250+ planes by April 2028

Los Angeles, 24th March 2026: United Airlines has announced the next phase of its long-term plan with addition of 250+ Planes in next two years by April 2028. Most by any Airline includes New, Premium Customer Experiences, Aircraft Variants, Subfleet, Seats and Amenities. The airline expects to take delivery of more than 250 new aircraft by April 2028 – the most by any airline in a two-year period – to further modernize its fleet, add new aircraft variants, create a new experience for transcontinental travelers and introduce new onboard products for every customer, reinforcing United’s position as a leading premium airline. United is adding widebody experiences to its new, narrowbody aircraft: the new “Coastliner” Airbus A321 subfleet and A321XLR are United’s first narrowbodies with the Elevated interior and feature a new, all-aisle access lie-flat seat in United Polaris with a patented design that offers more elbow and shoulder room and lower suite walls that protect privacy while maintaining an open feel in the cabin. United has 100 of these new airplanes coming into its fleet, and they’ll replace 40 older, less efficient Boeing 757s. The Coastliner will have a specially designed livery and fly exclusively between United’s west coast hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles and Newark/New York and will introduce the United Polaris cabin experience to domestic travelers. For the first time, customers traveling in United Polaris on these routes can also get access to the United Polaris lounge. United’s A321XLR gives travelers access to 32 premium seats – 16 more than the 757 it replaces – and will start flying later this year. The CRJ450 – a reimagined and redesigned version of the CRJ200 will be operated by SkyWest and will connect smaller cities to the airline’s Denver and Chicago hubs starting this fall. This will be one of United’s most premium regional jets, boasting a spacious United First cabin with a large luggage closet instead of overhead bins, creating an open, luxurious environment unlike any other commercial regional aircraft. United’s new 787-9 with the Elevated interior will fly internationally starting on April 22. These planes include the airline’s new United Polaris Studio: lie-flat, all-aisle-access seats that are 25% larger than standard United Polaris seats and include privacy doors*, an ottoman for companions on some seats, exclusive meal service with wine pairings and caviar, new amenity kits with retail-size offerings, wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity and a huge 27-inch, 4K OLED seatback screen – the largest among U.S. carriers. Today’s announcement expands on the successful and ambitious ‘United Next’ growth strategy announced in 2021. Since that time, United has added 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 237 Boeing 737 MAX and 67 Airbus A321neos, completed 70% of its plan to retrofit its mainline, narrow-body fleet, replaced more than 100 regional jets with larger mainline aircraft; increased premium seats per North American departure by 40% and hired more than 60,000 people. “For more than a decade, we’ve invested billions of dollars in our product, service, and technology as part of our plan to be the best brand loyal airline in the world, and the result is that more and more customers are choosing to fly us every day,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “Today we accelerate our plans and elevate our offerings to the next level, creating an even more consistent, premium onboard experience for every customer and delivering value across every cabin of service.” “These new planes and products not only complement our fleet and network plans, but they also give our customers more premium amenity and seat choices – whether they bought a basic economy ticket to fly from Chicago to Ft. Wayne or are flying Polaris between San Francisco and Singapore,” said United Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella. “United is setting the pace and innovating for our customers at a scope and scale unheard of in aviation history – and we’re not taking our foot off the gas.” New airplanes joining United’s fleet between now and April of 2028 include: 47 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with the Elevated interior 33 will be configured with additional premium seats 40 Airbus A321neo Coastliners out of 50 total on order 28 Airbus A321XLR out of 50 total on order 119 Boeing 737 MAX 18 Airbus A321neos

Top Stories

IndiGo appoints Aloke Singh as Chief Strategy Officer

New Delhi, 23rd March, 2026: The Board of InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) announced the appointment of Aloke Singh as Chief Strategy Officer.In this role, he will lead the Company’s long-term strategic planning function and drive enterprise-wide transformation initiatives focused on accelerating growth, enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening competitive positioning in a rapidly evolving global aviation landscape. He will partner closely with the leadership team on cross-functional priorities designed to improve agility, elevate customer experience and deliver sustainable shareholder value. Aloke Singh brings over three decades of aviation industry experience spanning Strategy, Planning, Operations and Commercial functions. He has a proven track record of leading complex operational and cultural transformation, driving rapid growth and managing large-scale expansion programmes. More recently, he served as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Air India Express, where he played a pivotal role in the airline’s transformation, delivering operational improvements and driving rapid growth. He has previously held senior leadership positions, including in the Strategy domain, at Air India and Oman Air. Welcoming Aloke Singh, IndiGo’s Managing Director Rahul Bhatia said, “Aloke brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and operational depth. His comprehensive understanding of the aviation ecosystem will be invaluable as we build a more agile, resilient and future-ready organisation, and accelerate our next phase of growth. For now, Aloke will report to me. Once the next CEO assumes office, he will transition to reporting to the new Chief Executive.” Commenting on his appointment, Aloke Singh said “I am delighted to join IndiGo at such a pivotal moment for the airline and for Indian aviation broadly. Having redefined India’s domestic and shorthaul international aviation landscape, IndiGo is taking its ambitions global. I look forward to working with colleagues across the organisation to sharpen our strategic direction, double down on operational excellence and deepen and broaden our markets.”

Technology

Saab and Cohere sign MoU on advanced AI collaboration

United States, 23rd March 2026: Saab has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Canadian AI company, Cohere on advanced AI collaboration.The MOU establishes a framework for collaboration on artificial intelligence technologies in support of GlobalEye. The agreement is directly connected to the GlobalEye opportunity in Canada but would also serve the existing and future international GlobalEye operators. Technologies and competencies developed through the partnership are also intended to contribute to Saab’s global product offerings and strengthen international competitiveness. The collaboration will explore areas such as data-driven mission support, maintenance tools and information processing in an on-premises integration into complex secure aerospace environments. Initial pilot projects have been identified to assess potential pathways for cooperation, aligned with the current needs of the program. “Canada offers outstanding industrial and advanced technology partners,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab. “Working with Canadian companies like Cohere on emerging technologies strengthens our global supply chain and enhances Saab’s international competitiveness.” “Frontier artificial intelligence should be built for scale, trust, reliability and most importantly, real-word impact.” said Ivan Zhang, Co-Founder of Cohere. “Through Saab’s deep engineering heritage and our advanced enterprise-grade models, we’ll explore pushing the boundaries of what AI can truly deliver for aerospace, enabling teams to process complex data faster, increase operational tempo, surface key insights with clarity and support critical decision making when it matters most.” Through this MOU, Saab and Cohere signal their shared ambition to combine aerospace expertise and leading-edge AI research in support of high-value industrial cooperation in Canada.

Top Stories

ACIA Aero Leasing Secures Financing from volofin for Four ATR72-600 Aircraft

Dublin,24th March, 2026: ACIA Aero Leasing (“ACIA”),provider of regional aircraft leasing and lease management services, announced the completion of a financing transaction with volofin Capital Management (“volofin”), a specialty finance and alternative asset management firm focused on the commercial aviation market. The facility covers the refinancing of two ATR72-600 passenger aircraft on lease to Emerald Airlines, the exclusive operator of Aer Lingus Regional services together with an accordion facility to fund additional aircraft. ACIA subsequently utilised a portion of the accordion to support the closing of a sale and leaseback of two ATR72-600 passenger aircraft operating with EWA Air, the primary airline of the French department of Mayotte. The new facility marks a significant milestone in broadening ACIA’s financing relationships. The addition of volofin to ACIA’s lending pool further diversifies the company’s funding sources and underscores growing lender confidence in ACIA’s business model, portfolio quality, and long-term growth strategy. “We are delighted to welcome volofin as a new lending partner to ACIA,” said Bradley Gordon, SVP Corporate Finance and Risk at ACIA. “The volofin team provided a flexible facility designed to meet our specific requirements. The efficiency with which we completed two transactions in such a short timeframe is a testament to the professionalism and commitment of the volofin team. Adding volofin to our lender pool is a significant step in our continued efforts to diversify and strengthen our financing base, and we look forward to building a long and productive relationship.” Robert Jack, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of volofin, commented: “We are very pleased to have established this new relationship with ACIA Aero Leasing. ACIA has built an impressive profile in the turboprop leasing market. We look forward to supporting ACIA’s continued growth and exploring further opportunities together.” These financings will support ACIA’s continued growth and its ability to provide innovative and flexible leasing solutions to regional airlines worldwide.

Civil Aviation

Star Alliance Opens Star Connection Centre At Los Angeles International Airport

Gurugram, 24th March 2026: To reinforce its commitment to delivering effortlessly connected multi-airline journeys across its global network, Star Alliance today opened a new Star Connection Centre (SCC) at LAX — its ninth centre worldwide. With more than 350,000 passengers connecting between Star Alliance member airlines at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) each year, it is one of the Alliance’s most critical global transfer hubs. Designed to support passengers with tight connections between two Star Alliance member airline flights, SCC proactively identifies customers at risk of missing their onward journey due to their delayed incoming flight and expedites them to their next flight. “Every moment matters when connections are tight, and our goal is to make multi-airline journeys feel seamless,” said Ambar Franco, Vice President – Customer Experience at Star Alliance. “At Star Connection Centres, our member airlines come together as one to ensure that, regardless of which airline passengers are flying with, they are supported from an Alliance perspective. This is what Star Alliance stands for — delivering a smooth experience across our global network. Our latest Star Connection Centre at LAX will benefit our members and customers alike.” For Star Alliance passengers, the experience is simple: a smooth and seamless connection. Behind the scenes, however, teams across Star Alliance member airlines work together to make that possible. Dedicated agents monitor transfer windows using specialised software and step in to coordinate support — meeting passengers at the arrival gate and guiding them swiftly to their next flight. Star Alliance has been operating Connection Centres for more than a decade, supporting both passenger and baggage transfers across key hubs worldwide. In addition to Los Angeles, Star Connection Centres are located in Brussels (BRU), Chicago (ORD), Frankfurt (FRA) and Toronto (YYZ), while dedicated baggage-focused SCC operate in Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD) and San Francisco (SFO). At present, 16 Star Alliance member airlines serve Los Angeles: Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Copa Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines and United. Together, they operate more than 2,000 weekly flights to over 80 destinations across more than 20 countries.

2026

Air Travellers Association (ATA) backs Govt. move for 60% free seat allocation on flights

New Delhi,24th March, 2026: The Air Travellers Association (ATA) has formally expressed its strong support for the Government of India’s recent order mandating that airlines allocate at least 60% of flight seats free of charge (p. 1). In a letter addressed to the Secretary of Civil Aviation, ATA hailed the move as a significant step toward prioritizing passenger welfare and aligning Indian aviation with global transparency standards. The Association noted that international jurisdictions, including the US, EU, and Australia, already have robust regulations to protect passengers from excessive and hidden airline fees. ATA specifically pointed to the EU’s Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 and the oversight of Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as successful models for transparent pricing. Key highlights of ATA’s position include: • Refuting Fare Hike Claims: ATA strongly dismissed claims by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) that free seat allocation would lead to higher ticket prices, calling such arguments “untenable and unethical”. • Legal Implications: The Association warned that anti-competitive practices by airlines could violate Section 3(1) of the Competition Act, 2002, and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. • Reasonable Pricing: ATA proposed a nominal fee of ₹10 for seat selection as a balanced approach to enhance passenger experience while maintaining transparency. • Protection for Families: The Association emphasized that forcing families and colleagues to pay extra for adjacent seating for safety and convenience is unjust. “Historically, seat allocation was free and based on a first-come, first-served basis,” said D.L. Narasimham, Secretary of ATA. “It is regrettable that certain airlines have exploited this to the detriment of passengers. We urge the government to stand firm on this order”. Furthermore, ATA is advocating for the establishment of an independent Economic Regulator to oversee airfares and protect passenger interests, separate from the safety-focused mandates of the DGCA.

2026

Honeywell unveils commercial launch of AI-powered control room assistant

Delhi, 20th March, 2026: Honeywell has announced the commercial launch of Experion Operations Assistant, an AI-powered solution designed to transform how industrial operators monitor plant performance, make critical decisions and respond to alarm incidents before they happen. Built on Honeywell’s flagship distributed control system, Experion PKS, Experion Operations Assistant merges historical data with real-time operational insights to allow operators to forecast and respond to potential critical scenarios associated with unsafe operations and production losses.The solution aims to bridge the gap between autonomous technologies and control room operators. The commercial launch follows the recent pilot program during which Chevron and Total Energies were among the partners who leveraged Honeywell’s Experion Operations Assistant in their operations to help minimize unplanned downtime. In its pilot phase, the AI-powered assistant made predictions an average of 5-10 minutes before alarm incidents would have happened, enabling operators to quickly implement corrective actions and avoid potential events. “Industrials are under pressure to avoid unplanned downtime and maximize the productivity of existing assets,while navigating the massive knowledge transfer of a retiring workforce,” said Jim Masso, president and CEO of Honeywell Process Automation. “By combining more than 50 years of process automation expertise with site-specific knowledge, data and advanced AI, Experion Operations Assistant helps operators anticipate issues earlier, respond with confidence and operate more safely and effectively. Throughout our pilot phase, Experion Operations Assistant delivered tangible, real-world results across multiple customer sites, highlighting the immense opportunity as the solution scales.” As part of Honeywell’s Experion PKS distributed control system network, the Honeywell Experion Operations Assistant is designed to seamlessly integrate into existing control room environments, leveraging the systems already in place and building on the legacy site-specific data. The solution is centered upon its capability to capture site-specific knowledge and then use language models to analyze this data in real-time in order to proactively advise operators of impending issues.

2026

Air Astana Group issues statement regarding BAE systems disposal

Almaty, 20th March 2026: Air Astana JSC (Air Astana and together with its subsidiary FlyArystan, “the Group”) on the announcement of BAE Systems plan to sell their remaining holding in the company had issued the public statement: BAE Systems has been a key partner of Air Astana since our inception. The company was formed as a joint venture between the Kazakhstan State and BAE Systems in 2001. BAE Systems reduced their holding to 16.95% as part of the Air Astana’s IPO in 2024 and sold a further 10.1% stake in December 2025. We recognise that Air Astana was no longer a core holding in the context of their wider operations and we look forward to welcoming new shareholders to the group at this exciting point in our development. We also note the increase to our free float as a function of the sale. Air Astana recently reported results for the Full Year 2025 which showed a resilient performance with strong revenue and capacity growth. Total Revenue increased 11.4% to USD1,453.9m and EBITDAR increased 0.8% to USD321.2m (22.1% margin). Details of the results can be found via the below link: https://ir.airastana.com/en/disclosure-center/regulatory-disclosure-and-releases/

FOREWORD

Dear Reader’s,

 

The current edition of Aviation World has covered many areas of Aerospace & Defence based on the latest development in the sector. The front cover highlights three different images, first for the Union Civil Aviation Minister ….. who is leading from the front to steer Indian Civil Aviation sector to witness one of the most interesting phases. He is also facing most tumultuous timing due to the ongoing financial stress in the Aviation sector due to ATF rising cost and long airspace restrictions resulting in mounting losses for Indian carriers. Despite of all the ground level challenges,the minister is addressing new things on regular basis which keeps the sector motivated. We have featured many such developmental works in this edition done under his guidance which will be interesting to read.

Our lead story on “ The West War” is another important feature which covers the ground level reality of the challenges faced by the Aviation sector. Its though time ahead and we believe it will pass soon .

There are features on Regional connectivity and MoCA revised rules on the UDAN 2.0 and how its going to transform the flying experience within India.

In this edition, we have covered topics on MRO,Various Policy changes,Sea Plane Operations by SkyHop Aviation, TATA-Airbus joint project on C295 military aircraft under Make In India which is expected to roll out soon and many other interesting contents which will be good to read.

We are covering Farnborough International Airshow 2026 from 20-24July 2026 in London and our next edition will be based on the same event.For features, you may contact our team on priority basis.

 

Happy Reading!

NEWSLETTER

Aviation World Magazine is India’s premier aviation magazine and has been actively supporting the development of the Indian and global civil aviation sector. We started our journey in year 2015 and its been 12 years now and the response and acceptance is really encouraging. Thanks to all our associates and writers who remained with us in our progressive journey.

We have started 2026 on a very positive note and we look forward to increase our footprints to more locations and induct many more new companies in our campaign.. Do write to us at : editor@darkred-albatross-153160.hostingersite.com

Disclaimer

The contents published in this website are news covering Aviation, Aerospace and Defence sector. The objective is to provide news in informative form to keep our readers updated of the latest development. We also publish content featured in our print publication Aviation World.We try our best to avoid any factual errors or image displayed here but we ensure immediate corrections to any such thing brought to our notice that might have been published inadvertently. All images and contents are sourced from the relevant organisations media team.

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