The Hindu Business Line : Jet, Sahara can fly from Lanka to any SAARC country

THERE is more good news for the two private sector domestic scheduled airlines. The Government has said it has "no objections" to the two airlines - Jet Airways and Air Sahara - flying to any other country within the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) region from Sri Lanka.

Official sources told Business Line that the Indian Government would have no objections to the two airlines flying anywhere within the SAARC region, provided the airlines get the required permission from the Sri Lankan Government.

"The Indian Government has no objections to the Indian carriers flying onwards from Sri Lanka, within the SAARC region. There is hardly likely to be any protest from the Sri Lankan Government as the Indian Government has allowed the airlines of Sri Lanka the right to fly anywhere in the SAARC region from India," official sources said.

However, the decision of operating from Sri Lanka to any of the six other SAARC nations, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Bhutan will have to be taken by the airlines after considering the traffic flow, sources said.

Meanwhile, the two private sector airlines are likely to announce their schedule for operating flights to Colombo within the next day or two. Airline sources indicated that the two were likely to firm up their operational plans only after they receive the guidelines from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Official sources added that the airlines would have to show "full preparedness" for being in a position to operate flights to Colombo before the Indian authorities are likely to give the nod for the flights. "Unlike Air India or Indian Airlines, this is the first time that any private airline is being allowed to operate in the foreign skies. We need to ensure that the airlines crew are familiar with the routes and check on some other procedural formalities before allowing them to start operating," sources said.

While Jet has been given permission to operate 28 flights each week, Air Sahara has been given permission to operate 21 weekly services between India and Sri Lanka.

The decision to "encourage" private sector domestic airlines to operate to airports in Sri Lanka was announced as part of the joint communiqué issued at the conclusion of the visit of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to India in October last year. The move got the nod of the Union Cabinet in January this year.