Aviation Ministry asks domestic carriers to file
plans of overseas flights
New Delhi, Aug. 10:
The Ministry of Civil Aviation is against
allowing international airlines operate more flights into India till domestic
carriers catch up.
With this in mind, it has asked all domestic
airlines to submit, within 15 days, their plans for operating international
flights till March 2014.
“If foreign airlines keep operating more and
more flights into India then what chance do Indian carriers have to grow and
become big players in the international arena?” a senior Government official
asked.
At the moment, Air India, Jet, IndiGo, SpiceJet
and Kingfisher are permitted to operate international flights from India.
Currently, Air India’s international schedule is truncated due to the effects
of the 58-day pilot strike, while Kingfisher has withdrawn from international
routes because of its financial woes.
The data have been sought to assess the
capabilities of Indian carriers to operate international flights, he added. At
present, foreign airlines operate 1,356 flights a week to India, while Indian
carriers offer less than 1,000 international services.
Gulf flights
The new decision could be bad news for airlines
from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman that are keen to expand India operations.
Official sources said while what has been agreed under the various
international agreements cannot be taken away, steps can be taken to ensure
that Indian carriers are not at a loss vis-à-vis international carriers.
Officials point out that some decisions have not
only affected the Indian carriers but also dashed the chances of Indian airports
becoming global hubs.
This is because international airlines carry
passengers from the interiors of the country to their home destinations and
then onwards to almost any part of the globe. So, a passenger from
Thiruvananthapuram can travel to Dubai and then to any part of the globe that
Emirates connects.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/article3751582.ece
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