When do you plan to have the first flight under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), which offers a subsidised fare of Rs 2,500 per an-hour flight?
I think that February will pass in the reverse auction process and by March, the scheme should start. The response is good. We hope that the low-hanging fruit — the inoperative airports — will bounce back. After all, the purpose is to connect unconnected areas with unserved airports.
Will the infrastructure at unserved airports be ready?
In terms of infrastructure, the total list of 400 airports will not be available. But 31-32 airports that are inactive are low-hanging fruits. So, some flights will start from there. Now, it’s a demand-driven scheme. So, airlines have to express seriousness in connecting that area. Once that is done, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will restore the AAI airport, if they are non-AAI airports, the owners will have to restore it.
Apart from Air India have other existing major players put in the bids?
Lot of players. I would think NSOPs (Non-Scheduled Operators Permit) have taken the advantage of this. That’s what it looks like because we expressed readiness that they can come in.
Some airlines have gone to the court over the government’s decision to impose a levy on major flights, in order to subsidise regional flights. What are you doing to resolve this issue?
We are a democratic country. We work under the Constitution. Even a murderer is entitled to go to court. Governments are not expected to do something that is illegal. So, whenever we put a levy, we have a law department advising us. They have advised us and we have put the levy. Now, someone calls it illegal, courts are there to test it. And, who am I to tell anyone that you do this. We have to proceed according to the law and we are doing so.
28/01/17 Sunny Verma/The Indian Express
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I think that February will pass in the reverse auction process and by March, the scheme should start. The response is good. We hope that the low-hanging fruit — the inoperative airports — will bounce back. After all, the purpose is to connect unconnected areas with unserved airports.
Will the infrastructure at unserved airports be ready?
In terms of infrastructure, the total list of 400 airports will not be available. But 31-32 airports that are inactive are low-hanging fruits. So, some flights will start from there. Now, it’s a demand-driven scheme. So, airlines have to express seriousness in connecting that area. Once that is done, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will restore the AAI airport, if they are non-AAI airports, the owners will have to restore it.
Apart from Air India have other existing major players put in the bids?
Lot of players. I would think NSOPs (Non-Scheduled Operators Permit) have taken the advantage of this. That’s what it looks like because we expressed readiness that they can come in.
Some airlines have gone to the court over the government’s decision to impose a levy on major flights, in order to subsidise regional flights. What are you doing to resolve this issue?
We are a democratic country. We work under the Constitution. Even a murderer is entitled to go to court. Governments are not expected to do something that is illegal. So, whenever we put a levy, we have a law department advising us. They have advised us and we have put the levy. Now, someone calls it illegal, courts are there to test it. And, who am I to tell anyone that you do this. We have to proceed according to the law and we are doing so.
28/01/17 Sunny Verma/The Indian Express
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