More private carriers may be allowed to fly abroad

The Government is likely to set up a high-power committee to review the policy on allowing private domestic carriers to mount international flights, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said. He said the committee would undertake a detailed review to ascertain if the present norms — experience of five years and a fleet strength of 20 aircraft — for private carriers to fly abroad should be diluted. The panel would keep in mind the rapidly changing civil aviation scenario and the growing passenger traffic. "We will set up a committee in the first half of next year to have a review of the policy and whether to amend or relax it to overcome the shortage of services to various global destinations," Mr. Patel said. While Jet Airways and Air Sahara operate on international routes, other players such as Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines have expressed their desire to fly abroad.

Also, the Gulf sector has been reserved for Indian and Air India till 2008. Defending the present policy, Mr. Patel said the requirements of Indian carriers were different from those of other airlines. On the merger of Indian and Air India, he said the Committee of Secretaries had submitted its recommendations to the Group of Ministers headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. On the modernisation of the Chennai airport, he said the Tamil Nadu Government would have to decide on the availability of land. "Nothing is ruled out. If there is land, we may even go in for a new greenfield airport in Chennai."

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