RS panel to discuss airlines' opposition to flying abroad rules

Govt's draft rule meant to abolish existing '5/20 rule' for flying abroad has been opposed by both incumbent and new airlines

A parliamentary panel will on Friday discuss airlines’ opposition to the Union government’s draft rules to fly abroad. Various provisions of the government’s draft rule, meant to abolish the 5/20 rule for flying abroad, has received opposition from the incumbent and new airlines.

 

The senior management of Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Indigo, GoAir, Pawan Hans and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) as well as officials of the civil aviation ministry will meet the Rajya Sabha committee on government assurances on June 19 to discuss the matter.

“We are drafting our representation to the parliamentary panel. There is still a lack of clarity over various issues related to the draft rules. We will tell the committee about the intrinsic value of the existing 5/20 rule to the country and there shouldn’t be a hurry to abolish the policy,” said an industry representative on condition of anonymity.

While airlines are against abolishing the 5/20 rule, the new airlines have termed the draft policy as “complex” and have opposed the provisions of linking the flying abroad norms with the route dispersal guidelines.  The civil aviation ministry had drafted a credit-based system to help AirAsia’s India operations and Vistara to get permits to fly on international routes. However, other players unanimously opposed the draft. At present, airlines need five years of flying experience and at least 20 aircraft to fly international routes.  According to the proposal, airlines would require a minimum 300 credits to fly long-haul destinations (more than six hours) and 600 credits to fly short-haul destinations (less than six hours).  

The credits will be linked with route dispersal guidelines and airlines flying to remote areas domestically will get more points than those flying on metro routes.