The Hindu Business Line : Indian carriers may get unlimited flights to Asean

Open skies
The Asean open-sky agreement initially proposes allowing unlimited flights between the capital cities.
During the second stage, members would also be entitled to operate unlimited flights to the secondary cities there.

New Delhi , Sept. 13

Indian carriers could soon have greater access to the capitals of the 10 members states of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) and later also to the secondary cities there.

The South-East Asian regional grouping has invited India to join the Asean open-sky agreement that initially proposes allowing unlimited flights between the capital cities. During the second stage, members would also be entitled to operate unlimited flights to the secondary cities there. The proposed regional open sky agreement is to be implemented in 2010.

"India has been invited to join the planned Asean open sky agreement. We will present our response at the next India-Asean summit meeting that is to scheduled to be held in November this year," the Secretary Civil Aviation, Mr Ajay Prasad, said.

If India does join the open sky agreement it would offer Indian airlines the opportunity of launching unlimited flights to Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Yangoon, Manila among others.

Currently, the open-sky agreement with Asean allows the designated airlines of India to operate daily services to the capitals of 10 member states. In 2003, while attending the India-Asean Summit, the then Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had announced the open-sky policy that allowed airlines of the Asean airlines a daily flight to the metro cities and unlimited flights to 18 tourist destinations.

Meanwhile, the Government has received requests from some airlines of the West Asian and South-East Asian region seeking greater flexibility in the flights that they operate to India during the winter season. "The Government is yet to take a decision on whether there should be a limited open sky policy and for what time period this should be allowed. We will take a decision by the end of the month," the Secretary said.

In the past the Government has followed a limited open sky policy that has not only allowed international airlines to operate more flights but also bring in larger aircraft during certain times of the year.