Jet and Sahara airlines geared up for foreign skies take-off

The Centre has allowed domestic private airlines to fly on international routes as a part of its drive to strengthen and expand the nascent sector. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel announced this in the Capital today.

“The cabinet today approved domestic private airlines to fly overseas, apart from the Gulf countries. The gulf region has been reserved for the next three years (for state-owned carriers,” Patel told reporters after a cabinet meeting in New Delhi.

The move will boost the prospects of private airlines such as Jet Airways, India’s biggest private domestic airline, and Sahara Airlines Ltd, the third ranked local carrier.

Industry body CII on Wednesday termed as “bold and pragmatic” the government’s decision to allow private operators to fly on international routes and said the move would harbour healthy competition among the airlines.

“India was not able to fully use its bilateral landing rights and it is only logical that the government viewed the restrictive policy in the right perspective and adopted a holistic approach,” a CII release said.

With this, private airlines — Jet and Sahara — which presently are allowed to fly only in India and six SAARC countries, would be able to mount flights to popular destinations like Australia, China, London and New York, it said.

Private airlines have got what they have been lobbying for a long time. Jet Airways and Sahara — two airlines eligible as per the norms — are planning new international flights to Singapore and Bangkok.

But UB Chairman Vijay Mallya (Kingfisher Airlines) is upset as the Cabinet has allowed only those private airlines with 5-year experience to fly overseas. Even Air Deccan won’t be able to fly abroad as it’s only two-years-old.