[New Delhi]Civil Aviation Ministry to Discuss Issues Like Airport and Ground Handling[High] Charges,Next Week
Civil Aviation Ministry has convened a meeting of business aircraft and chopper operators next week to discuss issues being faced by the industry, particularly the airport and ground handling charges,
The meeting, which is likely to be chaired by the civil aviation secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey, would have representatives from the Business Aircraft Operators’ Association (BAOA) and Rotary Wing Society of India (RSWI), they said.
Chairpersons of Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) have also been invited to the meeting, sources said.
“The government is quite keen to address the issues confronting the general aviation and helicopter segment. The meeting called on July 14 aims at looking at things such as airport and other charges, which are quite high and make the business unviable,”
According to government data, the domestic helicopter industry has seen a decline in growth in the recent years.
As per Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) records using as a yardstick the number of helicopters registered in the country, the industry was showing a slow growth, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma had informed Parliament in March.
As against a total of 35 helicopters registered in 2010, the number came down to 20 in 2011 and 16 in 2012. In 2013 and 2014, a total of 23 helicopters were registered, 12 of them last year.
Business Aircraft Operators’ Association (BAOA) has already mandated Dubai-based Martin Consulting to conduct a comprehensive study of the business and general aviation segments including the growth potential, infrastructure requirements and challenges.
The segment leaders are of the view that general aviation suffers a major perception problem leading to apathy that has resulted in non-existence of a separate policy framework, punitive taxations and lack of infrastructural support.The study would map the real dynamics of the segment, identify challenges that are affecting its growth while bringing out a list of immediate imperatives and long-term recommendations in order to give a fillip.
Tag: Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey
Aviation Ministry to Discuss Airport & Ground Handling[High]Charges
National Carrier Also asks Govt to Reconsider Easing of 5/20 Rule To Help New Airlines
[New Delhi]National Carrier Also asks Govt to Reconsider Easing of 5/20 Rule To Help New Airlines
The present regulation, popularly known as 5/20 rule, mandates Indian carriers to be in operation domestically for at least five years and have a fleet of 20 aircraft to become eligible to fly on international routes.
National Carrier Air India has asked the Government to “reconsider” the proposed easing of 5/20 rule which will help new airlines to fly overseas without serving much on domestic routes, saying the move will be “detrimental” not only for the national carrier but also against the other established players.
According to sources, senior airline officials met the Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey today and told the Government that the regulation, allowing a new Indian carrier to fly abroad should be framed in a manner, which does not compromise with the “passengers’ safety” and financial viability of the airlines.
At present, budget carrier GoAir, which had started operations in November 2005, is the only domestic airline among the old players, which is not eligible for overseas operations as it does not have 20 planes.
The Government, however, is in the process of doing away with such a norm and has proposed a complicated formula replacing 5/20, in which domestic flying credits would still be needed for new airlines to fly overseas.
As per the proposed norms, a new airline would be eligible to apply for international operations once it has operated on domestic routes and deployed capacity equivalent to at least 200 domestic flying credits (DFCs).
On reaching the 300 DFC milestone, the air carrier can approach the government for being designated on a long haul international route of more than 6 hours flying time.
The industry, is however, at variance over change of rules as the Federation of Indian Airlines, which has IndiGo, SpiceJet, Jet Airways and GoAir as its members has objected to any relaxations and new entrants Vistara and AirAsia India strongly pitching for scrapping of the rule.
Air India, had in early January too, wrote to the government expressing its reservations over the amendments saying that “the sudden withdrawal of the protection of 5/20 rule, might be the proverbial last nail in the national carrier’s coffin without bringing any significant benefit to the nation.”
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