Ministry-airlines meeting on ground handling inconclusive

New Delhi: The government and airlines appear to be at loggerheads over implementation of the much delayed ground handling policy.
Ground handling involves passenger handling at terminal side (baggage loading, etc) as well as on the airside (loading and unloading of aircraft and aircraft handling).
In a meeting with the civil aviation secretary and other senior ministry officials on Tuesday, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) made it clear that it wants airlines to be allowed to do self-handling of such operations.
Speaking after the meeting, FIA secretary-general Anil Baijal told DNA Money, "We want self-handling. If it is inefficient or does not provide value for money, market forces will automatically make it redundant. Why should only three designated operators be allowed to do the entire ground handling?"
The ground handling policy envisages only three ground handling agencies -- airport operator or a joint venture, subsidiaries of Air India or its JVs and service providers selected through competitive bidding -- and rules out any self-handling by private airlines. Airlines would have to relinquish ground handling across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad airports.
When asked whether a proposal (being considered by the government) on allowing terminal-side handling by airlines would be acceptable, Baijal reiterated "We want complete self-handling, not parts of ground handling operations."
18/08/09 Sindhu Bhattacharya/Daily News & Analysis

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