Airport regulator may oversee cargo services

Bangalore: The government is set to regulate transport of cargo by air, a senior commerce ministry official told a meeting of representatives from trade and cargo associations.
Cargo services at airports have been included in the draft Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2007, R. Gopalan, additional secretary, commerce ministry, said in Chennai recently, according to a person who attended the meeting but didn’t want to be named.
In the initial draft Bill, cleared by the Union cabinet in May 2007 for introduction in Parliament, the authority was meant to fix and approve tariffs for aeronautical services, apart from monitoring pre-set performance standards at the country’s airports, but cargo activities were not included. “We want cargo services also to be brought under the ambit of the proposed Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Bill,” said J. Krishnan, vice-president of the Air Cargo Agents Association of India. “Otherwise, anybody can charge anything and get away with it.”
Trade bodies had sought the inclusion of cargo activities in the proposed legislation, which is modelled on a UK regulatory system where aeronautical services do not cover cargo and related activities.
21/08/08 P Manoj/Livemint

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Categories: Airports Aug 2008, Cargo Aug 2008