Audit paves way for more flights to US

The US Federal Aviation Authority, or FAA, has allowed India to retain its safety credentials, bringing relief to the industry and lifting the threat against travel agreements that had been awaiting the audit to take effect.
“It has been decided to keep India category 1. The FAA audit is now complete,” said civil aviation secretary M. Madhavan Nambiar, announcing the decision after both sides signed the agreement. “We are now on a level playing field.”
Indian carriers such as the National Aviation Co. of India Ltd-run Air India and Jet Airways (India) Ltd will now be able to start new services to the US and also expand pending commercial agreements with US carriers. The audit concluded on Wednesday.
A four-member FAA team was in India this week to complete a final audit of its Indian counterpart, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on safety oversight after the International Civil Aviation Organization, or Icao, found India lacking in around 70 areas, including shortage of flight safety inspectors and other technical personnel.
Since the review began earlier this year, there have been no new direct India-US flights. Nor have any new code-share agreements been approved between carriers of the two nations.
24/09/09 Tarun Shukla/Livemint

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Foreign Sep 2009, Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2009