India’s state-run aviation firm, Air India is increasing the amount of claim to the level of $1 billion against US plane maker Boeing as it delayed the delivery of 787 Dreamliner planes, according to an official of the civil-aviation ministry of India.

The company companies might hold discussions before all 27 Dreamliner planes that have been ordered, are delivered to the airline. The official has asked not to be named in the repot due to the policy and the American firm did not comment on the matter.

Reliance Industries Ltd has said that it is in discussions with various aviation firms in the country to offer them with jet fuel handling services at various airports across the country.

Tushar Pania, a spokesman for the company said, “We have been approached by airlines to provide them services for handling aviation turbine fuel on their behalf at the airports.”

Indian low-cost airline, SpiceJet has reported a third consecutive quarterly loss turning its net worth negative for the first time since the company was acquired by Sun Group.

The company's net worth stood at negative Rs 23.89 crore as on December 31, 2011 and this has seriously affected the company's ability to raise funds form the market. SpiceJet's auditors said that company's accumulated losses of Rs 1,077.81 crore has erased its net worth.

Mumbai, Feb 4 - The beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines has deferred its plans to join the oneworld alliance until it can strengthen its financial position, an official said here Saturday.

The high profile airline, owned by liquor baron Vijay Mallya, was scheduled to become part of oneworld next Friday (Feb 10).

Bruce Ashby, CEO of oneworld, commenting on the development, admitted that these were turbulent times for the airline industry in India and many other parts of the world.

According to some reports, the oil companies in India have reduced the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by as much as Rs. 1,974 per kilolitre or 3.02 per cent to the level of Rs 62,908 per kl, bringing some relief to the cash-strapped aviation firms in the country.

The Indian aviation firms, who are facing a difficult business period, are opposing a proposed hike in landing and parking charges by the Airports Authority of India's (AAI).

The airlines are urging the airport operators to reduce the charges to boost cash flows and improve footfalls in the country. The cash-strapped industry is facing difficultes to even pay for its fuel and two major firms in the industry, Air India and Kingfisher running up huge past dues that appear difficult to be paid.

India’s union civil aviation ministry is proposing too a plan to allow up to 49 per cent investment by international carriers in local airlines.

If allowed, foreign airlines will be able to pick up to 49 per cent stake in publicly quoted carriers, according to analysts. The move is to bring some relief to the Indian aviation firms that are struggling with low liquidity. The aviations firms in the country are struggling with high jet fuel costs and mounting losses.

According to some reports, Hong Kong-based distressed debt company, SC Lowy Financial will invest in cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines.

The company might invest $280 million in the airline and might save it from going bankrupt as it finds it increasing difficult to run normal operations due to lack of funds. SC Lowy is reportedly in talks with the Indian aviation major to help turn around the company.

Several pilots of state-run Air India have refrained from reporting to work and have called in sick over the issue of non-payment of their alliances by the airline.

A section of the airline's pilots called in sick and this affected flight operations in Delhi and Mumbai while flights are running normally in Kolkata and Chennai. As many as six flights that were scheduled to leave Delhi have been cancelled and two have been delayed so far due to the action by pilot, which may lead to a fresh strike.

India’s union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh has said that there are no possibilities of extending government financial help to the cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines.

Private airline, Kingfisher Airlines has appealed to the Indian government for providing financial assistance saying that it will not be possible for it to carry out normal operations without a temporary bank overdraft.

Private airline, Kingfisher Airlines has appealed to the Indian government for providing financial assistance saying that it will not be possible for it to carry out normal operations without a temporary bank overdraft.

The airline requires the financial assistance to pay its creditors and avoid grounding its fleet, according to Vijay Mallya, chairman of company, which was once a leading aviation firm and was seen by many as an emerging force in the sector.

State-run, Air India has floated a tender for selling its six Boeing 737 freighters, which puts an end to its plans to start a cargo service.

The company decided to sell the aircrafts instead of accepting an offer to lease out five of its eight Boeing 777-200 planes for 8-10 years. It also plans to leaseback first seven Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which it is expecting to receive till June 2012.

Mumbai, Jan 7 - United Breweries Group chairman Vijay Mallya Saturday said its Kingfisher Airlines was "one thousand percent safe to fly" and that safety was the airline's top priority.

His assurance comes in the wake of reports that the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was reportedly contemplating cancelling the airline's licence as its financial crisis could have a bearing on safe operations.

"Kingfisher is one thousand percent safe to fly. Safety is our absolute priority. We would never take the slightest chance or compromise," Mallya posted on Twitter.

The shares of private aviation firm, Kingfisher Airlines has recorded a fall of 11 per cent in morning trade following an announcement by the State Bank of India, which is the leading a consortium for the lenders, declaring its investment in the airline as a non-performing asset for the bank.

On the Bombay Stock Exchange, the stock fell by 10.75 per cent to an early low of Rs 18.25, while its shares on the National Stock Exchange touched an early low of Rs 18.15, down 11.24 per cent from the previous day’s close.

Authorities in India have approved a plan to acquire 500 air-to-air missiles from a French firm for the country's Mirage 2000 aircraft fleet.

According to officials, a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, which was presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave its approval to procure 490 MICA missiles manufactured by France's MBDA under an agreement valued at Euro 950 million.

The board of state run Air India has approved a proposal t issue preferential shares worth Rs 7,500 crore to the lenders.

The airline has seen a significant increase in yields and passenger revenue and could issue the preference shares. Its yield went up by 10% in November and the passenger revenues increased by 12.3% in the month.

In a bizarre incident that exposed safely flaws at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, a passenger ferry coach belonging to Jet Airways rammed into a standing Go Air plane on Thursday morning. The bus was parked at the washing area of the airport. It rolled forward to hit the Go Air Airbus A-320, which was parked in a remote bay. The collision damaged the front nose portion of the aircraft.

According to some reports, Singapore's Changi Airports Group might be planning to acquire a 26 per cent stake in GVK Airports unit in a deal worth around 2,200 crore.

GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd has said in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) that it normally looks for business partners for growth in various industries within and outside India, but the group or any of its subsidiaries has not entered into an agreement with any company for a stake sale.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that the fuel costs account for a higher percentage of the total costs of Indian aviation firms compared to their international counterparts.

The Association said that fuel costs account for 45 per cent of the total costs for domestic firms while compared to 30 per cent for global carriers. The airlines in the country faced huge losses amid growing domestic air traffic and high costs of fuel and airport duties.

European Union officials might ask the Indian private sector carrier, Jet Airways to pay Rs 300 crore toward carbon emission tax for its operations on the continent.

Even as the European authorities have asked aviation firms to file their carbon emission data in order to calculate carbon taxes on them, the government in India has urged the airlines not to comply. India is opposing the move by the European authorities and have received support from more than two dozen countries including the US and China.