Come for talks, private airlines told

New Delhi: As private airlines decided to go on strike on August 18 in protest against high rate of taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) and airport taxes, the government on Friday suggested to them to engage in a dialogue with it instead of putting air travellers to inconvenience.
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, who is on a trip abroad, said the government understood the problems being faced by the aviation sector but reiterated that the “government does not support any move that will inconvenience the travelling public of the country.”
“We advise the airlines to engage in a dialogue with the government. The issue of tax on ATF is a State issue and the Aviation Ministry has been requesting the States for the last few years to see reason,” Mr. Patel said in a statement. “The other issues relate primarily to the economy and impact of high ATF prices in 2008-09. Air India will not participate in this decision of select private airlines and will mount additional services on August 18 so as to reduce any inconvenience to the public,” the Minister said.
Taking note of the crisis in the aviation sector, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that he would discuss the matter with Mr. Patel.
01/07/09 The Hindu

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Aug 2009