Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines are not in favour of the Indian Government’s proposal of allowing airlines from countries which are over 5,000 km away from India to operate as many flights as they like.

"I believe Turkey should have an open sky policy with India. Business between the two countries is growing and both Governments are working hand in hand,” Temel Kotil, President and Chief Executive Officer, Turkish Airlines, told BusinessLine on the sidelines of the on-going annual gathering of aviation leaders.

An open sky policy allows airlines to operate unlimited flights between two countries.

Temel added that his airline is working hand-in-hand with Air India and also supported the Indian national carrier’s entry into the Star Alliance, an alliance of 28 global airlines.

"We support open skies but not the policy to deny Singapore expansion," said Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, said.

Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Airways, also opposed the move saying it was "wrong” to exclude Qatar, as 60 per cent of the Indian diaspora population lived within the radius which the Indian Government plans to draw.

"So basically you are encouraging people beyond this (5,000 km) to come. And none of the airlines beyond this six hours (about the distance from which the Indian Government’s plans of limiting the open skies) are interested in coming,” he said.

The issue on whether the Indian Government should follow an open sky policy for countries beyond 5,000 km from India will be firmed up after the Union Cabinet decides on the Civil Aviation Policy. At the moment there is no clarity on when the policy will be taken up for consideration by the Union Cabinet.

(The writer is in Dublin at the invitation of International Air Transport Association.)

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