IAAI meets Civil Aviation Minister, DGCA

New Delhi: IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), on behalf of travel trade associations in the country, met with Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel yesterday afternoon at the latter’s residence. The meeting, which was fixed on the initiative of Brinda Karat, Member of Parliament, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), was held to in order to find a solution to the commission issue between foreign airlines and agents. The delegation that met up with the Minister has demanded five per cent commission from all 14 airlines that are working on zero commission model.
According to members of the delegation, Patel has taken the initiative to solve problems between airlines and agents regarding the commission issue. “I promise you that a solution to make all airlines comply with Indian aviation requirements will be found soon,” Patel told the delegation. Patel, then, directed the delegation to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and through his immediate reference, IAAI met Dr Nasim Zaidi, Chief, DGCA late last evening. The delegation included Biji Eapen, President, IAAI; Tom Varghese, Chairman, Industrial Affairs, IAAI; H S Chawla, Director, Northern Region, IAAI; George Kutty, Chairman, Northern Region, TAFI; Chitra Bhatia, Managing Committee Member, TAFI; A S Gujral, Managing Committee Member, TAAI and Rajan Seghal, Treasure, Northern Chapter, TAAI; Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Stic Tours and CPI-M leader Karat.
As per the meeting with Zaidi, DGCA has called for fixing an immediate meeting with Board of Airline Representatives (BAR) which is chaired by the Chairman of national carrier Air India. The meeting, which is yet to be fixed with BAR, will discuss the commission issue.
24/02/09 Anish V Punnackattu/TravelBizMonitor

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jan 2009