New Delhi: The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing India’s leading Airlines including Jet Airways, Indigo, Spice Jet and Go Air, on Wedn-esday urged the Centre to continue to reserve certain routes to North East as mandatory in the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) for the new airlines too.
The FIA submitted a memorandum to the DoNER Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh, which referred to the proposed clause relating to the availability of seats for a healthy and balanced growth, including the backward and remotely connected areas, where these existing airlines have been operating. “The newly entering airlines may not be expected to fulfill this requirement which will put the old airlines in disadvantage position,” an FIA spokesman said. As far as the sector-wise benefits, the already operating Airlines from India would be at disadvantage, because it is they who came forward to operate in sensitive areas including J&K and Northeast, the spokesman said.
The delegation of Airlines operators, under the banner of FIA sought Government’s intervention to incorporate some of their concerns while finalizing the NCAP being prepared by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation.
They said that this was essential to avoid discrimination against them and provide them an equal level-playing field with the foreign and new Airlines which had started operations in India. The memorandum claimed that the “Federation of Indian Airlines” represents 90% of the Indian Air industry so their views deserve to be heard before finalizing any policy.
