Govt open to regional airlines flying abroad

New Delhi: Regional airlines, the new category of airlines created by the Government to promote air travel in smaller cities can also look forward to flying abroad. A senior official told Business Line that the Government wa s open to allowing regional airlines to operate abroad as long as they meet the laid down criterion.
The Government allows airlines having completed five years of domestic flying and having a fleet of five aircraft to operate abroad. At the moment, Jet Airways, Jet Lite and the newly merged state-owned airline, Air India are allowed to operate abroad.
Regional airlines are likely to be promoted by entrepreneurs mainly using small turbo prop or regional jets such as Canadian Regional Jets, Embraers and the ATR, that carry between 80 and 90 passengers and can land on smaller airfields. These smaller aircraft can also be used to operate flights between Thiruvanthapuram and Colombo, Kozhikode-Male or Lucknow-Kathmandu provided the Government gives permission.
29/08/07 Business Line

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Categories: Foreign Aug 2007, general, Regional Airlines Aug 2007