Open sky? Trust A-I to make it an open fly

Kolkata: If it weren't so absurd it would be funny. Passengers on the domestic Kolkata-Delhi-Kolkata sector of Air-India's international flights are asked to declare that they possess valid customs clearance documents for the zip fasteners on their pants. Such documents are also required for watches and mobile phones made overseas, and even for carrying more than Rs 5,000.
Air-India operates two flights in either direction on this sector every day. The flights use the international terminals at Kolkata and Delhi airports. They are popular because the fares offered are generally about 30 per cent lower than the cheapest budget airlines.
But passengers on these flights have to sign a declaration to the effect that they either do not possess a specified list of goods, or that if they do possess them have valid customs clearance documents.
The list includes watches, watch movements or parts of foreign origin; transistors and diodes; photographic cameras including video cameras; TV sets, VCRs, VCPs and video tapes; zip fasteners; any other electronic items; gold bullion and gold jewellery; silver bullion and coins and foreign currency. “They talk about liberalization. But this is just the sort of puerile, socialist-era nonsense we can expect of the Indian bureaucracy,” said an irate passenger on board AI-102 to Kolkata.
“When I told the Customs officer who handed out the declaration forms that this was silly beyond belief, he told me not to worry as it was only a formality,” said another passenger. “Of course, it will only be a formality for educated people, but imagine the sort of mischief they can get up to with illiterate or semi-literate people who choose the service because of its competitive fare.”
Another passenger asked: “Included in the list of goods of foreign origin is ‘Indian currency beyond Rs 5,000'. Do they mean we are allowed to carry counterfeit Indian currency printed overseas up to Rs 5,000? Or do they intend to ban possession of more than Rs 5,000 on a domestic flight?”
Most of the goods on the list are freely imported and sold in the country, especially cameras, video-cameras, mobile phones, watches, televisions and electronic goods.
27/04/09 The Statesman

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Categories: Air India - International Apr 2009, Airports Apr 2009, NACIL Apr 2009