I am a principal correspondent with the national political bureau of the Hindustan Times. I track the aviation and railways ministry. I also write on travel trends. I cover the beats at the national level for the newspaper. Before being in Delhi, I have worked as a journalist in Mumbai as well. My hobbies include trekking and travelling.
Articles by Neha LM Tripathi
Aviation watchdog’s report points to lapses in July 9 SpiceJet mishap
The aircraft that Rohit Pandey was working on had completed a Kolkata-Silchar flight. It had taxied out at 3.35pm and returned to the bay at 3.55pm owing to a snag.
Updated on Jul 27, 2019 03:47 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Mumbai airport gets body scanner at T2, trial runs to begin soon
The machine, which was put up over the weekend at the airport’s terminal two, is currently being checked for efficiency. The scanner has been installed in the security hold area (SHA) of international departure area.
Updated on Jul 24, 2019 09:35 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Eye on safety, DGCA revises rules to select flying instructors for helicopters
Over the last five years, four of the six helicopter crashes have been in Mumbai. These include the Bombay High crash in November 2015, which killed both the pilots performing night sortie.
Published on Jul 22, 2019 02:28 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
After 3-hour delay, Mumbai-Durgapur fliers threaten to halt boarding of SpiceJet flights
Passengers of the same SG 6354 flight on Friday were forced to wait overnight as their flight was cancelled. They were accommodated on the Saturday flight, which was delayed by over three hours.
Updated on Jul 14, 2019 12:36 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
3 days on, SpiceJet aircraft still stuck at Mumbai airport
In the 72 hours since it has been stuck, the aircraft has been moved just around 70 metres towards the paved area of the runway
Updated on Jul 05, 2019 12:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
36 hours later, SpiceJet aircraft stuck at Mumbai airport runway; 75 flights cancelled
The SpiceJet aircraft SG 6237 from Jaipur to Mumbai with 160 passengers on board overshot the runway while landing at the main runway 27 at around 11.15pm on Monday.
Updated on May 27, 2020 10:56 PM IST
Neha LM Tripathi
SpiceJet plane overshoots runway while landing in rain-hit Mumbai
A photo tweeted by a passenger of SpiceJet flight SG 6237 shows oxygen masks dangling above the seats.
Updated on Jul 02, 2019 04:31 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Airlines allowed to use vacant slots at Mumbai airport till September
The number of daily flights operating from the city’s airport had dropped to 650 from 950 after Jet Airways stopped operations on April 17. In order to meet rising demand and to lower rising ticket fares, the civil aviation ministry allowed IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara to take up these slots on an interim basis for three months.
Updated on Jul 01, 2019 08:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Ghatkopar aircraft crash: A year on, probe report yet to be released
Soon after a private aircraft crashed in Ghatkopar in June 2018, the AAIB had said it would release preliminary findings within a month. However, no report was submitted.
Published on Jun 27, 2019 02:05 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
Mumbai airport may see lesser flight disruptions this monsoon
Under a new centralised air traffic flow management system, pilots flying to Mumbai airport will be informed about ground traffic, weather conditions and delays in advance.
Published on Jun 24, 2019 02:05 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
United Airlines cancels Mumbai to Newark flights
Following the shooting down of an American drone over Iranian airspace, the US aviation administration barred all its airlines from flying over that area
Published on Jun 22, 2019 12:40 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
Mumbai airport touches a high with 13.4 million international fliers in 2018-19
The international passenger traffic in Mumbai went up to 13.4 million in 2018-19, from 12.2 million in 2017-18. Pune recorded a 5.4% rise in international passengers – 2.71 lakh in 2018-19 from 2.57 lakh in 2017-18.
Published on Jun 21, 2019 04:18 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Lohegaon airport flying higher than Mumbai, Nagpur for domestic traffic
Pune’s Lohegaon airport reported an increase in domestic passengers to 7.8 million in 2018-19 from 6.5 million in 2017-18. Nagpur saw 2.08 million passengers in 2018-19, compared to 1.7 million in 2017.
Updated on Jun 21, 2019 01:57 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Air India to start Mumbai-Nairobi flight from September 27
Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri directed Air India to start direct flight service to Nairobi in Kenya on September 27, World Tourism Day.
Published on Jun 18, 2019 01:01 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
DGCA draft proposal seeks to make ops of choppers safer
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked helicopter operators to submit their suggestions and objections to the draft proposal by July 11.
Published on Jun 16, 2019 03:26 AM IST
Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Mumbai bizman to appeal against life sentence in hijack hoax case
Acquittal, asking for benefit of the doubt will be focus of appeal: Birju Salla’s lawyer
Updated on Jun 13, 2019 12:19 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
Clear our dues before selling Air India, says pilots union
In a letter written on Monday to Ashwani Lohani, chairman and managing director, Air India, the pilots guild demanded their arrears due to each pilot since 2012, with interest at a commercial rate.
Updated on Jun 12, 2019 03:24 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
Terminal 1B of city airport gets lounge for stopover fliers
The facilities at the lounge, which has couches and food kiosks, will be available at rates between ₹600 and ₹800, depending on whether passenger wants to use the place to just rest or to eat.
Published on Jun 09, 2019 05:30 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Pawan Hans pilots asked to resign, rejoin on contract at higher salaries
Senior PH pilots said that the offer is not useful for them as it requires them to leave their other salary benefits like provident fund, gratuity, medical insurance and pension eligibility. They would have to become contractual pilots.
Published on Jun 07, 2019 02:05 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
Air India crew can pick up planes they want to fly on from Thursday
According to AI official, the portal will be opened for bidding on the sixth of every month for two days and the crew can select a flight in their home base or any sector of their choice on a first-come, first-served basis.
Published on Jun 06, 2019 10:47 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
Fewer delays at Mumbai airport as Pakistan partially reopens airspace for flights
With Pakistan reopening the Karachi-Ahmedabad air route on Sunday evening, air traffic officials in Mumbai said they expect a 10%-12% drop in the excessive air traffic over Mumbai, as these flights will now fly over Ahmedabad.
Updated on Jun 04, 2019 08:38 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Defence pilots may soon join civil aviation sector to tackle staff crunch
Civil aviation joint secretary discusses possibility to tackle staff crunch in industry
Published on May 27, 2019 12:20 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
17 grounded aircraft to undergo repair: AI set to operate more flights from Oct
According to sources, the airline will complete repair work of all its wide-body aircraft by June and narrow-body aircraft by September.
Published on May 23, 2019 02:48 AM IST
Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Damaged seats cause Rs 3 crore loss for Air India since February
A senior airline official said the data was compiled using a new portal, launched on May 1, and has been passed on to their staff at Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) who will repair the damaged seats on a priority basis.
Published on May 16, 2019 12:02 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
40% off on last-minute Air India bookings: Domestic fliers rush to avail offer
This move is aimed at passengers travelling for emergency purposes who end up paying high ticket prices
Updated on May 12, 2019 11:28 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Neha LM Tripathi, Mumbai
Airport set to get full-body scanners for detecting non-metallic explosives
“Once we receive the scanner we will commence a trial run, after which we will commence the use of these scanners,” said the spokesperson. Each body scanner costs around Rs1 crore.
Published on May 11, 2019 01:59 AM IST
Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Jet staff, Sena union protest at T2, seek govt intervention
Jet halted all flight operations indefinitely on April 17 after failing to secure emergency funds from its lenders. Around 20,000 employees have not been paid salaries since December 2018.
Published on May 09, 2019 02:47 AM IST
Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
300 stuck for 33 hrs in Vienna as AI’s London flight diverted
Although passengers were provided hotel accommodation in Vienna, they said they didn’t have access to their luggage.
Published on May 09, 2019 02:43 AM IST
Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
Shiv Sena-backed union leads Jet Airways staff protest at Mumbai airport
The Sena-backed union has appealed the government to force the State Bank of India (SBI) to help debt-laden Jet Airways financially as they had assured to lend money after Naresh Goyal stepped down, but did not do so.
Updated on May 08, 2019 03:14 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi
IAF aircraft overshoots main runway in city, hits flight ops
A transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) overran the runway while leaving from the Mumbai airport causing flight delays.
Updated on May 09, 2019 02:23 AM IST
Mumbai | Neha LM Tripathi