Akasa Air founder and CEO Vinay Dube has backed a government proposal that would let airport operators own and run their own airlines.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering the change, which would relax the current cap limiting airport operators to a 10 per cent stake in any airline.

Dube said he supported the move, framing the priority as giving consumers more choice in India’s aviation sector.

IndiGo co-founder Rahul Bhatia has pushed back against the proposal, calling it a ‘massive conflict of interest’ since airport operators control the allocation of slots, parking bays and other infrastructure to airlines.

Bhatia, speaking on an investor call, said there was no global precedent for the arrangement and argued it would ultimately work against, not for, consumers.

Adani Group, which runs Mumbai and seven other airports, and GMR Airports, which operates Delhi and four others, are viewed as the likeliest beneficiaries, although Adani has denied plans to enter the airline business.

Media reports of the proposal first emerged from discussions involving GMR and Adani groups seeking regulatory changes, prompting the current round of public debate among aviation industry executives.

The government has not yet indicated a timeline for finalising a decision on whether to relax the ownership cap for airport operators.

Any change to the current ownership cap would require legal clearance from the law ministry and approval from the Union Cabinet before it could take effect.

Under existing rules, operators of major airports such as Delhi and Mumbai are capped at holding no more than a 10 per cent stake in any airline.

Adani Group, which operates Mumbai and seven other airports, and GMR Airports, which manages Delhi and four others, are seen as the most likely beneficiaries if the ownership cap is relaxed.

The proposal comes at a time when IndiGo and Air India together control nearly 90 per cent of India’s domestic aviation capacity, following a wave of consolidation in recent years.

Photo by Krish Aarush, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The India Meteorological Department has issued a heavy rain warning for Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab and Uttarakhand for Saturday, August 22.

The IMD forecast fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, with thunderstorms expected across Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi itself is forecast to see a generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of very light to light rain at many places, and moderate rain at isolated locations through the day.

Conditions of this kind, combining sustained rainfall with reduced visibility around the Delhi-NCR region, have repeatedly prompted airlines operating out of Indira Gandhi International Airport to issue passenger advisories warning of possible delays during this year’s monsoon season.

Airlines have typically responded to similar spells by advising passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport and to allow extra travel time, given the potential for air traffic control-driven delays during heavy rain.

The IMD’s warning remains in effect for Saturday, with the wider weather system also bringing rain to several other northern and eastern states through the day.

Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have previously cited a combination of low cloud cover, gusty winds and lightning activity as factors that can force temporary holds on takeoffs and landings at busy hubs like Delhi.

Passengers travelling through affected regions today have been encouraged to monitor their airline’s official app or website rather than relying solely on scheduled departure times printed on their tickets.

Ground handling teams at major airports typically remain on standby during such alerts to manage passenger queries and rebook travellers affected by weather-related schedule changes.

The current spell of rain follows a broader pattern this monsoon season, in which Delhi-NCR has already seen multiple rounds of IMD alerts accompanied by airline advisories warning of possible delays.

Airport authorities have said flight operations generally remain normal even during active weather warnings, though individual flights can still be affected depending on the intensity of rain or wind at the exact time of takeoff or landing.

Travellers connecting through Delhi to other cities have been advised to build in extra buffer time between flights, given the possibility of knock-on delays if an earlier weather-affected flight runs late.

Photo by Ravi Dwivedi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Air India began operating all its Visakhapatnam flights from the newly opened Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram on Monday, August 17, 2026.

The airline confirmed that flights previously based at Visakhapatnam International Airport will now use the new facility, which keeps the same airport code, VTZ.

The new airport is located roughly 50 km from the earlier Visakhapatnam Airport, and Air India will continue its 14 weekly flights between Bhogapuram and Delhi.

Hyderabad and Bengaluru routes will each operate twice daily, along with Vijayawada services, under the airline’s revised schedule for the new hub.

The terminal covers 77,342 square metres and features 22 traditional check-in counters, 18 Self Baggage Drop units, advanced screening systems and seven aerobridges.

Passengers have been asked to check their bookings and allow extra travel time to reach the new airport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 1, 2026.

The Bhogapuram airport was designed to handle 6 million passengers annually in its first phase, with a master plan allowing for capacity to expand to 40 million passengers per year in future phases.

The airport is being developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited, a subsidiary of GMR Group, and is located off National Highway 16.

The new terminal spans 77,342 square metres and features 22 traditional check-in counters, 18 Self Baggage Drop units, advanced security screening systems, and seven aerobridges.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 1, 2026, ahead of today’s start of full commercial operations.

Air India said Hyderabad-Bhogapuram and Bengaluru-Bhogapuram routes will each operate twice daily under the new schedule, in addition to the 14 weekly Delhi flights.

Passengers with existing bookings to or from Visakhapatnam have been advised to check their travel details and allow extra time to reach the new airport, located roughly 50 km from the previous facility.

Photo by Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India, Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India