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The Civil Aviation Ministry will soon approach the Cabinet to relax norms for overseas flying by domestic airline companies.
Currently an Indian carrier can fly abroad only if it has completed five years of flying in the domestic skies and has a fleet of at least 20 aircraft. Any change in norms will not only benefit GoAir but could also be beneficial for the two proposed start-up airlines – AirAsia India and Tata-SIA.
Currently, Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and IndiGo are the Indian carriers flying abroad as they meet the existing norms.
“I personally feel that there should not be any cap, but I will ask the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to look into the issue and make appropriate suggestions. After which we will approach the Cabinet for a final view,” Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told reporters here on Monday.
In 2004, the Union Cabinet stipulated the five-year/20 aircraft norm for allowing domestic airlines to start international flights. The Minister added that GoAir had approached the Ministry to seek a relaxation in the existing rules.
The rationale behind the policy change is that many countries do not have such conditions and even start-up foreign airlines can start operations to various parts of the globe within days of starting operations and with a fleet of just two three planes.
The Minister also indicated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation may gradually scrap the route dispersal guidelines for most parts of the country except for routes being operated in the North East.
Currently, the Route Dispersal Guideline stipulates the number of flights domestic airlines have to operate to different parts of the country.
Singh clarified that there was no proposal under consideration for now to allow foreign airlines such as Emirates, Qatar or even Singapore Airlines to operate more flights to India.
After seats for Abu Dhabi were increased to 50,370 a week from the current 13,700, other Gulf-based carriers were also interested in raising their seats.
“Singapore was interested in a ceiling in the number of seats but not the number of cities which they want to fly. This would mean the airline would concentrate on one region. We are not accepting that,” Singh said.
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