FIA urges MOCA to share details of meet with AirAsia India,

Expressing its disappointment over the Civil Aviation ministry going ahead with a meeting with startup carriers Vistara and AirAsia India on draft aviation policy without its representation, FIA today requested the ministry to share with it the details of discussions.
The Federation of Indian Airlines(FIA), in a letter to Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey today, also said it was yet to hear from the ministry on its earlier request for a meeting with him on the policy issue post-January 6.
"It is learnt that the ministry went ahead with the meeting on December 30, 2015 despite the fact that FIA members, which constitute about 95 per cent of the industry excluding Air India were unable to attend for several reasons detailed in several earlier communications. It is understood that the draft national aviation policy was discussed with Air Asia and Vistara, who constitute only 5 per cent of the total Indian airline industry," FIA said in the letter.

FIA comprises four domestic airlines--Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir.
The Civil Aviation Ministry is likely to move the draft note for Union Cabinet's approval in the third week of January.
The FIA understands that even the national carrier Air India has opposed any change in the 5/20 and Route Dispersal Guidelines policies, it said, alleging that "views of Vistara and AirAsia India with regard to the scrapping of 5/20 norm and the RDG is that of a minuscule minority.

"We are therefore disappointed and surprised that the ministry continues to give credence to the two Tata start up airlines."

"The FIA, would therefore, request the Civil Aviation Ministry to kindly share the minutes of the meeting of December 30, 2015 with FIA and also fix a meeting any time convenient post January 6.
Tata Sons hold 41 per cent stake in domestic budget airline AirAsia India, which is a three-way joint venture. Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia and Telestra TradePlace of Arun Bhatia have 49 per cent and 10 per cent stake respectively.
On the other hand, Vistara is a 51:49 per cent joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines.
Under the 5/20, which are under review, only local carriers having five years of operational experience and a fleet of 20 aircraft are allowed to fly overseas.

Significantly, both AirAsia India and Vistara, which are allegedly lobbying for scrapping of the 5/20 norm, started operations only in June 2014 and January 2015 respectively.