Mumbai: The weak rupee has rendered the government subsidy for the annual Haj flights inadequate.
The problem began in April when tenders floated for operating these flights allowed airlines to quote their price in Indian rupee and the practice of using dollar rates was done away with.
With the rupee having devalued significantly since then, the chosen airlines have now expressed their inability to honour their commitment for the price they had quoted earlier. The first of the Haj chartered flights, which will be operated with wide-bodied aircraft from 21 airports in India to Jeddah/Madina in Saudi Arabia, are scheduled to begin on September 7. A weak rupee and its attendant consequences have led to urgent negotiations between the Union ministry of civil aviation, the aviation regulator and the airlines concerned, Air India and Saudi Arabian Airlines, said an aviation source. Air India spokesperson was unavailable for comment.
04/09/13 Manju V/Times of India
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The problem began in April when tenders floated for operating these flights allowed airlines to quote their price in Indian rupee and the practice of using dollar rates was done away with.
With the rupee having devalued significantly since then, the chosen airlines have now expressed their inability to honour their commitment for the price they had quoted earlier. The first of the Haj chartered flights, which will be operated with wide-bodied aircraft from 21 airports in India to Jeddah/Madina in Saudi Arabia, are scheduled to begin on September 7. A weak rupee and its attendant consequences have led to urgent negotiations between the Union ministry of civil aviation, the aviation regulator and the airlines concerned, Air India and Saudi Arabian Airlines, said an aviation source. Air India spokesperson was unavailable for comment.
04/09/13 Manju V/Times of India
