The Hindu Business Line : Aviation Ministry could be nodal body for intl flights

New Delhi, Jan. 2 The Ministry of Civil Aviation could be designated the nodal agency to decide on which domestic airline should be allowed to operate flights abroad.

The Group of Ministers set up to frame the new civil aviation policy is scheduled to meet here on Thursday and is expected to take a view on this request of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Till late this evening indications were that the request of the Ministry would be acceded to.

At the moment, the Government has stipulated that an airline with a fleet of 20 aircraft and having completed five years of domestic operations would be allowed to fly abroad.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has been keen that the policy not mention specifics, including the number of aircraft required for international operations.

“Suppose the policy says that an airline should have 12 aircraft in its fleet before being allowed abroad and the Government gets sound proposal seeking permission to fly abroad though it has 11 aircraft. Giving it approval would go against a Cabinet decision, although the airline’s plans may be sound. The Ministry is keen to avoid such situations and therefore wants greater flexibility,” officials said.

Any change in existing policy could benefit a number of airlines including Kingfisher Airlines which is to receive the first of five wide-body Airbus A-340-500 aircraft in April or May this year.