Carriers may not fly out of ground ops

New Delhi: The government is considering a proposal of the loss-laden airline industry to continue to allow them to do ground handling at the terminal buildings of the airports.
The civil aviation ministry had last year announced that it would implement a new ground-handling policy in January barring airlines from ground handling at the terminal buildings and the airside (which includes ramp, taxi way and parking bay at airports) of the six metros for security reasons. The decision was deferred by six months as it faced opposition from airlines, which claimed that it would lead to job losses.
As per the proposed policy, only three agencies — the national carrier Air India, the airport operator (such as Airports Authority of India, GMR and GVK) and one private agency selected through competitive bidding — would be allowed to do ground handling for airlines.
The airlines had argued that the government’s move may force airlines to retrench about 8,000 ground staff. Ground handling includes baggage movement, passenger check-in, baggage screening, taxiing, refuelling and cleaning of the airplane.
The proposed policy bars airlines from doing self-ground-handling. It restricts airlines from employing their own ground-handling staff and engaging outside agencies at the six major airports — Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore — of the country.
“The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) had requested the aviation ministry to allow air-carriers to do ground-handling work at least at the terminal buildings. It is believed that the ministry has recommended the proposal to the committee of secretaries for its consideration,” an airline executive, who did not wish to be identified, said.
26/05/09 Nirbhay Kumar/Economic Times

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Categories: Airports May 2009, Indian Aviation- In General May 2009