Stricter norms may block foreign flight dreams

New Delhi: It will soon be a lot tougher for domestic carriers to fly overseas, as the Government wants to tighten the norms on opening international routes, by including new conditions
Apart from the present norms of 20 aircraft and five years of operations in the domestic market, the airline’s financial strength, infrastructure capabilities as well as the composition of its fleet will be taken into consideration before allowing an airline to fly overseas.
According to sources in the directorate general of civil aviation, in case an airline does not have the requisite parking and landing slots at destination airports abroad, it will not be given permission to fly overseas.
If the Government follows the proposed rules strictly, Air Deccan may not even get permission to fly abroad till it acquires long-haul aircraft and parking and landing slots abroad.
Air Deccan, which has already applied to the Government to fly abroad, would probably have to reapply to the ministry after merging its infrastructure with Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines.
29/12/07 Bipin Chandran & Shauvik Ghosh/Indian Express

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Foreign Dec 2007, New Dec 2007