Choppers might be allowed in commuter airline fleets

The Business Aircraft Operators' Association (BAOA) has sought helicopters be included in the policy for promoting air connectivity to unserved and underserved destinations.

The association of air charters and non-scheduled aircraft operators, in its recommendations on the draft policy on regional and remote connectivity, has pointed out, "The discussion paper has not taken into consideration operations for providing remote-area connectivity. Helicopters are required to be engaged due to terrain restrictions  in vast areas of Jammu & Kashmir, the northeast, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. It is suggested that helicopters may also be included to provide air connectivity to underserved and unserved towns in these areas."

Among other suggestions, the association has said ground handling charges be rationalised for aircraft suited for regional connectivity. Ground handling charges range from Rs 4,000 at Pantnagar airport to Rs 26,041 at Indore airport.

ADDING WINGS

• The BAOA has sought helicopters be included in the policy for promoting air connectivity to unserved and underserved destinations
   
• The government is planning to permit non-scheduled operators to publish schedules and operate flights as a scheduled commuter airline, provided they fly within 87 identified towns
   
• At present, non-scheduled operators cannot publish a flight schedule

"We have sought rationalising of these charges for operations to become viable. The reason for such wide variation in ground handling charges is these are the prerogative of airport directors who float tenders to hire ground handlers," said Group Captain Bali, secretary of the BAOA. The ministry of civil aviation is also considering a request to allow non-scheduled operators their own ground handling on regional and remote routes.

The government is planning to permit non-scheduled operators to publish schedules and operate flights as a scheduled commuter airline provided they fly within 87 identified towns. At present, non-scheduled operators cannot publish flight schedules. Non-scheduled operators will be allowed to fly to any one metro city but they cannot have a base or hub there. The BAOA requested doing away with this condition and instead proposed concessions be given only on routes between one metro city and an incentive town or between two incentive towns. "This gives a scheduled commuter airline freedom to grow," BAOA held.

The draft policy requires scheduled commuter airlines to operate at least four flights a week on regional routes. They can operate in any region but to or from only one metro city. If they fail to comply, they will be categorised as air charter operators  by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

BAOA argued that since the concept of scheduled commuter airline was being introduced in India, regulation needed to be flexible for the first three years. "In case a scheduled commuter airline company fails to fulfil its committed flights due to commercial reasons, the 'appropriate action' should be limited to downgrading it to an air charter operator permit holder, after giving it three-six months for corrective action. Upgrading back to a scheduled commuter airline should be expeditious once a 'downgraded operator' displays the ability to fulfil scheduled requirements," BAOA said.

BAOA has also suggested modifications in the draft policy guidelines that enable large airlines like IndiGo, Jet Airways and Go Air to purchase credits from non-scheduled operators and regional carriers to meet commitments to deploy 6 per cent of their capacity on metro routes among 87 identified towns and within Jammu & Kashmir (Srinagar, Jammu and Leh).

The draft policy had held that non-scheduled operators with aircraft that can fly 20 passengers or less be given four credits per passenger kilometre flown, compared with 1.5 credits to larger scheduled carriers flying bigger planes. Non-scheduled operators and regional carriers can sell these credits to the larger carriers.