Open foreign routes to us that Air India can’t utilise: Private airlines

New Delhi: Domestic private airlines have sought permission to fly overseas routes that the national carrier, Air India, is not being able to utilise, fearing foreign carriers will take away traffic which rightfully belongs to Indian airlines.
Air India neither operates enough international flights nor does it allow private airlines to begin services on some extremely lucrative routes.
"Private airlines have asked for slots in Gulf and South-east Asian countries since destinations like Chang Mai, Bangkok, Sharjah and those in Russia are high revenue generators," a civil aviation ministry official said.
Air India is not using full entitlements on these routes, but refuses to relent. "Air India behaves as if it has a universal right of refusal. Of the total bilateral traffic rights available with India, only 30-35% are being utilised, and this under-utilisation is largely on account of AI's refusal to let other Indian airlines fly," the official said.
According to current policy on international routes, Air India - being the national carrier - has the first right of refusal for any route under an Air Service Agreement (ASA), which India signs with another country. Over the years, AI has acquired flying rights to many countries but has not been able to use these rights fully.
14/12/11 Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times

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Categories: Air India Dec 2011, Foreign Dec 2011