New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has stopped issuing temporary landing permits (TLPs) to air crew of foreign-registered business jets, citing security concerns. This has severely affected the movement of general aviation aircraft into the country. Additionally, the government has made it mandatory for the crew of non-revenue flights of foreign-registered aircraft to have employment visa to fly within the country after landing in India.
"Under annexure 9 of the Chicago Convention, as a member country of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), we are required to facilitate the arrival of air crew into India. If there is a change in regulations, it has to be notified. India has not filed the change and has, at the same time, held that TLPs will now be issued only for scheduled airlines and not air crew of non-scheduled operators (NSOPs), due to security concerns. It has also made it mandatory for air crew to have employment visas for extended trips. This has affected movement of business jets," said Rajesh Bali, secretary, Business Aircraft Operators' Association (BAOA). NSOPs can only fly in with crew visas now which takes up to five weeks to process, depending on the country of application.
31/07/13 Sharmistha Mukherjee/Business Standard
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"Under annexure 9 of the Chicago Convention, as a member country of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), we are required to facilitate the arrival of air crew into India. If there is a change in regulations, it has to be notified. India has not filed the change and has, at the same time, held that TLPs will now be issued only for scheduled airlines and not air crew of non-scheduled operators (NSOPs), due to security concerns. It has also made it mandatory for air crew to have employment visas for extended trips. This has affected movement of business jets," said Rajesh Bali, secretary, Business Aircraft Operators' Association (BAOA). NSOPs can only fly in with crew visas now which takes up to five weeks to process, depending on the country of application.
31/07/13 Sharmistha Mukherjee/Business Standard
