New Delhi: Airlines operating in India will now need just a one-time approval to import aircraft over five years, following an easing of norms that required a clearance before placing an order and then another approval before bringing in every batch of planes to join their fleet.
The new rule follows the abolition on March 21 of the Aircraft Acquisition Committee (AAC) headed by civil aviation minister Ajit Singh that vetted the requests of airlines for importing each plane and granted permissions.
"Instead of going through the AAC, airlines will now have to take an in-principle approval valid for five years. They will have to submit a five-year business plan and traffic projections to justify their need for the aircraft," said the official, who did not wish to be named.
However, bulk orders for delivery period exceeding five years, such as the order placed by budget carrier IndiGo for 180 Airbus A-320s to be delivered from 2016 to 2025, will also have to be tailored to fit the new rule, the official said
10/04/13 Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times
