FIA raises objections on changes favouring new airlines

Their main contentious objection was abolishing the 5/20 rule

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) on Wednesday met Jitendra Singh, Minister of State PMO, and rasied objections about several proposed changes in the civil aviation policy, which they believe would favour the new airlines. FIA consists of Jet Airways, Indigo, Spice Jet and Go Air.

The airline operators demanded that they should also be kept on board as stakeholders during the consultations as they represent 90 percent of the aviation industry and therefore their views deserve to be heard before finalising any policy. Raising objection about abolishing the 5/20 rule, FIA said that if new airlines are allowed to fly abroad without fulfilling this criteria, it will be an injustice to the older airlines as they have already served this criteria.

The association also raised the issue of effective control of airline saying that that while no other country in the world allows substantial ownership and effective control of its airlines to be taken over by foreign airlines, India has permitted some airlines to operate despite being effectively controlled by their foreign parent.