Monday, March 30, 2015

MoCA advocates infrastructure status for airline sector

As per a Financial Chronicle report by Nirbhay Kumar, with no relief coming for the debt-ridden airlines in the Union budget last month, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is set to make another pitch with the Ministry of Finance for according infrastructure status to the sector. The proposed classification would help airlines access funds from banks at cheaper rates besides getting longer repayment period.

As per Crisil Research, a unit of rating agency Crisil, domestic airlines are saddled with a combined debt of more than Rs 70,500 crore as of March 2014. The three carriers Air India, Jet Airways and SpiceJet account for 93 per cent of the sector’s total debt.

“It (the proposal seeking infrastructure status) is already on the cards. Definitely, we want this for the sector. It will propel the real growth in domestic aviation,” a senior MoCA official said.
30/03/15 TravelBizMonitor
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