Ten aircraft from Indian's fleet grounded

As many as ten aircraft (nine A-320s and one A-300) planes out of state-owned carrier Indian's 57 Airbus fleet are grounded at present for maintenance and want of engines, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said. The Indian has a fleet of 57 Airbus aircraft -- six A-319s, 48 A-320s and three A-300s, he said, adding that efforts were on to increase engine availability so that optimum utilisation of aircraft as per laid down norms was achieved. Asked what steps the government proposed to take on the "arbitrary decision" of private airlines to impose a congestion surcharge for hovering over Delhi and Mumbai airports, Patel said: "Domestic air fares are not regulated by the government after the repeal of the Air Corporation Act 1953. Domestic airlines are free to charge air fares as per their commercial judgement". Maintaining that the average domestic aviation turbine fuel prices had declined by about eight per cent, he said the question that government should impress upon private carriers to reduce prices "does not arise".

visit us @ http://www.silkrouteholidays.com