News / Author / Neha Lm Tripathi

Neha LM Tripathi

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

‘My mask was full of blood’, says Jet Airways passenger

Jet Airways Mumbai-Jaipur flight pilots forgot to switch on the system that maintains cabin pressure resulting in 30 passengers on board suffering headaches, ear and nose bleeds

Passenger Ankur Kala (right) suffered nose bleed on the flight and has demanded compensation from Jet Airways.(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Sep 21, 2018 08:33 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByNeha LM Tripathi

‘Covered ears, held onto oxygen mask’: Jet Airways passengers recount flight horror

More than two dozen passengers were treated for injuries after their plane lost cabin pressure and returned to Mumbai.

“We were covering our ears and holding the oxygen mask with our hands but it was still intolerable,” passenger Ankur Kala said.(HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Sep 21, 2018 12:09 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Mumbai airport to undergo major runway repair work in 2019, expect flight disruptions

liers travelling to and from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai, are likely to face delays if they are scheduled to travel between February 16 and April 3, 2019

Due to heavy rain in Mumbai flights where delay for departure and arrival at Mumbai Chatrapati international Airport in Mumbai, India.(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Sep 17, 2018 05:03 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByNeha LM Tripathi

Promises of speedy work aside, Navi Mumbai airport still seems a way off

Less than 40% of the families whose homes and farms will make way for the project have moved to resettlement sites, although the deadline was July 2018.

A notice indicating the site of the Navi Mumbai International Airport in Ulwe. (Bachchan Kumar/ HT Photo)

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Updated on Sep 06, 2018 02:32 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

First flight from Navi Mumbai airport likely in 2021: Aviation secretary

RN Choubey on Tuesday said it will take another three years from 2018 for the first flight to take off from the airport

The airport site at Ulwe(Hindustan Times)

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Updated on Sep 05, 2018 12:26 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Senior Air India official loses post, airline mum over allegations

An air hostess alleged that she had been harassed for the last six years by the senior executive, describing him as a “predator” and equal, if not worse, to Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood film maker charged with sexual misconduct by leading actresses.

Senior airline officials said the accused is a senior pilot who had been promoted to a managerial post.(REUTERS File)

india news

Updated on Aug 28, 2018 02:45 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByNeha LM Tripathi

Indian travellers avoid holiday packages, prefer booking flights and hotels separately: travel portal survey

The Expedia survey also indicated that only 21.6% of Indians would bundle their flight and hotel

Although combined travel packages were cheaper, travellers tend to get attracted by discounts offered by airlines and hotels and decide to go for that.

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Published on Aug 26, 2018 12:20 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Most UDAN flights cancelled last month, reveals DGCA data

Number of cancellations made July the month with maximum flight cancellations in 2018 so far

The airlines whose flights were cancelled had performed better in June and May.(Pic for representation/HT)

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Updated on Aug 22, 2018 11:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Daughter pilots mother’s last flight as Air India crew

Pooja Chinchankar retired on Tuesday after a Mumbai-Bangalore-Mumbai flight, which her daughter piloted.

Pooja Chinchankar (centre) with her daughter (third from right) and the crew of her last flight.(Twitter/@caramelwings)

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Updated on Aug 01, 2018 07:10 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Bed bugs force Air India to ground Mumbai-Newark planes

The airline received complaints from passengers who flew in the aircraft from Newark on Tuesday.

Complaints of bed bugs in the seats of two Air India aircraft forced the airline to ground them.(HT File)

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Updated on Jul 21, 2018 08:05 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Investigators say Mumbai plane crash report in 15 days, experts dub it tall claim

While investigators on Friday said the preliminary inquiry report into the chartered plane crash in Ghatkopar would be released within 15 days, aviation experts are sceptical. Reason: reports of the three mishaps in the state in the past 18 months are yet to be released.

Senior officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the plane crashed around four nautical miles away from the landing site (aerodrome), as it could not maintain the height while landing, but denied it was flying dangerously low.(Vijayanand Gupta/HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Jun 30, 2018 08:22 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByNeha LM Tripathi

Ghatkopar plane crash: Reports on 3 previous cases yet to come

This is the reason aviation experts are sceptical about investigators’ promise of bringing out the Ghatkopar plane crash report in 15 days.

AAIB officials examine the crash site where a chartered plane crashed into an under-construction site on Thursday.(Vijayanand Gupta/HT Photo)

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Updated on Jun 30, 2018 01:21 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi

7 miles from landing: What happened moments before the Mumbai plane crash

Last communication recorded when flight was seven nautical miles away from landing at Juhu aerodrome; visibility was too low, say experts.

The aircraft crashed into a construction site in Ghatkopar (west) on Thursday afternoon.(Vijayanand Gupta/HT Photo)

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Updated on Jun 29, 2018 07:04 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Small plane on test flight crashes in Mumbai, 5 killed including a pedestrian

The plane crashed into a construction site in the Mumbai suburb of Ghatkopar after taking off from the Juhu aerodrome.

Forensic experts, fire department personnel and a dog squad inspect the crash site of a chartered plane at Old Malik Estate, Jeev Daya Lane, Ghatkopar, in Mumbai on June 28, 2018.(Vijayanand Gupta/HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Jun 28, 2018 11:57 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByNeha LM Tripathi

UDAN scheme flight operators receive highest rate of flier complaints

Aviation regulator’s report for May said Air Odisha, followed by Air Deccan, had the maximum number of complaints in the month.

Air Odisha received 34.6 complaints per 10,000 passengers flown, while Air Deccan registered 21.6 complaints per 10,000 passengers.(HT Photo/Representational Image)

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Updated on Jun 21, 2018 11:48 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

‘Airport in Mumbai set to cross its maximum capacity soon’

According to the report, after 2023, the capacity required at airports in India will go up drastically every five years, which means there will be an exponential rise in the number of passengers.

The city airport, which touched its passenger handling capacity of 48.5 million in March, will cross its stretched passenger handling capacity of 52 million in the 2019-20, said a study by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), India.(Ht file)

cities

Updated on Jun 21, 2018 12:32 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

DGCA, not AAI, to issue permits to air traffic controllers?

The DGCA will form a committee of ‘seconded inspectors’ — employees of Airports Authority of India (AAI) — who will issue permits to ATCOs and conduct safety checks related to surveillance, navigation, etc, stated the draft.

Currently, the AAI, the parent body of air traffic control (ATC) service, provides licences to ATCOs.(HT File (Representational Image))

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Updated on Jun 17, 2018 01:00 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi

Salary for May: 3,000 AI pilots, cabin crew claim they got only 20%

They said 80% of their salary comprises flying allowances, which is yet to be paid

For the past few months, AI has been inconsistent in crediting salaries.(HT file)

cities

Published on Jun 15, 2018 11:47 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Mumbaiites are opting for staycations this long weekend

Travel portals tracking holiday bookings said there has been a 15% increase in bookings for staycations and wellness holidays

cities

Updated on Jun 15, 2018 12:28 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Salaries delayed at Air India; pilots’ body writes to management

ICPA alleged that this is the fourth consecutive month for which the pilots have not received their salaries on time

The government is trying to sell a stake in the national airline to private investors.(HT FILE)

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Published on Jun 12, 2018 12:43 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Why more Indians are opting for self-drive trips than ever

Travel portals point to good road connectivity, GPS navigation systems and the various options for car and bike rentals

cities

Published on Jun 10, 2018 12:09 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Mumbai’s airport handles 1,003 flights in 24 hours, breaks own record

Mumbai is the only single-runway airport in India to handle so many take-offs and landings in a day

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Published on Jun 07, 2018 01:02 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Flight returns to Mumbai to save flier who suffered heart attack mid-air

Incident took place on May 22, an hour after the flight took off for Kolkata

Other fliers on board said quick thinking on the part of cabin crew saved the man’s life who suffered heart attack.(Pic for representation/HT file)

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Updated on Jun 06, 2018 11:46 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Mumbai airport gets upgraded landing system but rain delays flights

The ILS, which was put into effect from midnight, is an aid that provides pilots guidance to land with greater precision.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) has announced that the upgraded Instrument Landing System (ILS) of the main runway was operationalised from Sunday.(HT File)

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Updated on Jun 04, 2018 06:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi

Fire panic on Air India flight as cigarette stub in washroom bin flares up

Officials later learnt that one of the passengers had lit a cigarette in the washroom and dropped the burning stub into the dustbin, igniting its contents.

A cigarette stub left by a passenger on an Air India flight caught fire causing 15 minutes of panic before it was doused.(HT File (Representational Image))

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Updated on Jun 03, 2018 04:09 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Main runway shut for 3 hours; 340 flights delayed at Mumbai airport

Main runway was shut from 2pm to 5pm on Monday, leading to an average delay of 30 minutes in flight operations

Airport officials said that while most of the ILS testing work has been completed, a few minor works will be carried out on Tuesday.(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

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Published on May 29, 2018 12:11 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

Weekend woes: 457 flights delayed at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

Flight operations were switched to the secondary runway for three hours, owing to ground testing that was being conducted on the main runway.

On Sunday, the main runway will be shut from 11am to 5pm for routine maintenance.(HT file photo)

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Updated on May 27, 2018 12:13 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

412 flights delayed at Mumbai airport on day 9 of landing upgradation work

While the average departing delay on Friday was over 50 minutes, arriving flights saw an average delay of around 25 minutes by night.

The ILS upgradation work at the Mumbai airport began on May 17 and is scheduled to continue till June 5.(HT File)

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Published on May 26, 2018 12:01 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi

Mumbai airport expects operations to be normal by June 2

Senior officials confirmed that the upgradation work will be completed by Saturday after which ground testing will be done in order to check the upgraded system.

The CSIA has said that with 80% of the upgradation work having been completed, normal operations will resume by June 2.(HT File)

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Updated on May 25, 2018 12:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi

Mumbai airport delays reduce after landings increased by 3 flights per hour

Distance maintained between two aircraft for manual landing has been reduced from 6.5 miles to 6 miles

As the ILS is being upgraded, operations at the airport are currently taking place through a VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) approach.(HT file photo)

cities

Updated on May 24, 2018 11:07 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByNeha LM Tripathi, Mumbai

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Neha LM Tripathi

Jet Airways Mumbai-Jaipur flight pilots forgot to switch on the system that maintains cabin pressure resulting in 30 passengers on board suffering headaches, ear and nose bleeds

More than two dozen passengers were treated for injuries after their plane lost cabin pressure and returned to Mumbai.

liers travelling to and from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai, are likely to face delays if they are scheduled to travel between February 16 and April 3, 2019

Less than 40% of the families whose homes and farms will make way for the project have moved to resettlement sites, although the deadline was July 2018.

RN Choubey on Tuesday said it will take another three years from 2018 for the first flight to take off from the airport

An air hostess alleged that she had been harassed for the last six years by the senior executive, describing him as a “predator” and equal, if not worse, to Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood film maker charged with sexual misconduct by leading actresses.

The Expedia survey also indicated that only 21.6% of Indians would bundle their flight and hotel

Number of cancellations made July the month with maximum flight cancellations in 2018 so far

Pooja Chinchankar retired on Tuesday after a Mumbai-Bangalore-Mumbai flight, which her daughter piloted.

The airline received complaints from passengers who flew in the aircraft from Newark on Tuesday.

While investigators on Friday said the preliminary inquiry report into the chartered plane crash in Ghatkopar would be released within 15 days, aviation experts are sceptical. Reason: reports of the three mishaps in the state in the past 18 months are yet to be released.

This is the reason aviation experts are sceptical about investigators’ promise of bringing out the Ghatkopar plane crash report in 15 days.

Last communication recorded when flight was seven nautical miles away from landing at Juhu aerodrome; visibility was too low, say experts.

The plane crashed into a construction site in the Mumbai suburb of Ghatkopar after taking off from the Juhu aerodrome.

Aviation regulator’s report for May said Air Odisha, followed by Air Deccan, had the maximum number of complaints in the month.

According to the report, after 2023, the capacity required at airports in India will go up drastically every five years, which means there will be an exponential rise in the number of passengers.

The DGCA will form a committee of ‘seconded inspectors’ — employees of Airports Authority of India (AAI) — who will issue permits to ATCOs and conduct safety checks related to surveillance, navigation, etc, stated the draft.

They said 80% of their salary comprises flying allowances, which is yet to be paid

Travel portals tracking holiday bookings said there has been a 15% increase in bookings for staycations and wellness holidays

ICPA alleged that this is the fourth consecutive month for which the pilots have not received their salaries on time

Travel portals point to good road connectivity, GPS navigation systems and the various options for car and bike rentals

Mumbai is the only single-runway airport in India to handle so many take-offs and landings in a day

Incident took place on May 22, an hour after the flight took off for Kolkata

The ILS, which was put into effect from midnight, is an aid that provides pilots guidance to land with greater precision.

Officials later learnt that one of the passengers had lit a cigarette in the washroom and dropped the burning stub into the dustbin, igniting its contents.

Main runway was shut from 2pm to 5pm on Monday, leading to an average delay of 30 minutes in flight operations

Flight operations were switched to the secondary runway for three hours, owing to ground testing that was being conducted on the main runway.

While the average departing delay on Friday was over 50 minutes, arriving flights saw an average delay of around 25 minutes by night.

Senior officials confirmed that the upgradation work will be completed by Saturday after which ground testing will be done in order to check the upgraded system.

Distance maintained between two aircraft for manual landing has been reduced from 6.5 miles to 6 miles

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