MDLR told to stop non-charter flights

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry has initiated action against MDLR Airlines Pvt. Ltd, the latest entrant into the Indian skies, for providing services of a commercial passenger carrier though it has been licensed to carry out charter operations only.
The ministry’s action, initiated after Mint called officials for comment on MDLR’s advertisements in the media and online sale of tickets on scheduled routes, is also intended as a direct warning to other airlines which might have planned to obtain charter licences but operate regular passenger services on them.
MDLR’s president (commercial and strategy) Kaustav M. Dhar said he hadn’t heard from the ministry but the airline will follow the requirements laid down.
Within half an hour of the call from Mint, changes were indeed made on the airline’s website. A section titled “Flight Schedule” was changed to “Time Table” and important instructions were hastily added: “Please check your flight timing before departure” and “Subject to DGCA approval.” But, late on Monday, MDLR’s website, www.mdlrairlines.in, was still allowing customers to search for and buy tickets online, like any other domestic airline.
Civil aviation norms for charter or ‘non-scheduled’ airlines do not allow for prior announcement of schedule and issue of tickets to passengers the way scheduled carriers can do.
14/05/07 Tarun Shukla/Livemint

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Categories: MDLR May 2007