The Hindu Business Line : ‘Emerging legal issues a challenge to civil aviation’

Law firms in India must develop its own consultancy in the aviation sector to deal with legal issues like drafting of code sharing agreements, liability issues, insurance claims, etc.

Our Bureau

Hyderabad, April 13 The need for a centre of air and space law at the national level has been emphasised by Dr S. Bhatt, Prof. Emeritus, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Consultant.

Delivering the presidential address at a seminar on ‘Liberalisation and privatisation of airlines & airports in India’, he stressed the need to be conscious of the ecological concerns, along with economy in the new and upcoming airports.

The Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR Law University (which organised the seminar), Prof. Ranbir Singh, in his address said the university would shortly enter into a memorandum of understanding with the McGill University for research on air and space law.

The emerging legal issues are a challenge to the civil aviation industry. He pointed out the need for people to handle experts, skilled people in various sectors such as academicis and risk avoidance.

Mr T.N. Kumar, GM (legal) of Air India, expressed the need for law firms in India to develop its consultancy in the aviation sector to deal with legal issues like drafting of code sharing agreements, liability issues, insurance claims, etc.

Mr Tulsi Kesharwani, ICAO Consultant, said globally aviation was at crossroads, with many changes. In India, the sector was growing at 30 per cent, i.e., greater than China.

He also pointed that India has the seventh largest aviation market and predicted it will soon become third or fourth largest.

He brought out issues such as the lack of infrastructure on grounds, congestion at airports, increasing fuel charge, new airports being expensive and far away, safety and security and lack of air transport policy. Liberalisation and privatisation are good, but only after these issues are effectively dealt with, he said.

Explaining the theme of the conference, Dr V. Balakista Reddy, coordinator said concepts like liability, insurance, code sharing agreements, taxation issues, PPP, airport financing etc. were being discussed.

Training ground

Capt. S.N.Reddy, CEO, A.P. Aviation Academy, stressed the need for Government institutes to grow and establish elementary flying training units that offer training to pilots.

There were four student speakers from law schools in the session dealing with various topics like mergers and acquisitions in airlines, air craft leasing and financing, survival of low cost airlines in India, air craft financing etc., a release from Nalsar said.

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