Airline CEOs bat for lower taxes, better infra to tide over ATF price hike

They say 21% of an airline's revenue goes straight to govt by way of taxes; want improved processes in order to become hubs for global travel

Chief executive officers of Indian airlines reiterated the call for lower taxes, improved infrastructure and better processes to enable them to tide over the rise in fuel prices and become hubs for international travel.

The CEOs made the plea at a panel discussion at Wings India event in Hyderabad on Friday.

"Twenty-one per cent of an airline's revenue goes straight to the government in the form of taxes. This issue needs to be addressed immediately," IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said. " Indian airlines are among the most efficient in the world but are saddled with high taxes," added Sunil Bhaskaran, CEO of AirAsia India.

The CEOs made the plea in a panel discussion at Wings India event at Hyderabad on Friday.

Domestic air traffic is on a rebound with the decline in Covid-19 cases. Scheduled international flights too are starting on March 27 and airlines are looking to increase flights on overseas routes. But increase in aviation turbine fuel price is increasing burden for airlines.

"We need to get our basics right if we have to become an aviation hub," SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh said.

Singh said processes at airports need to be more efficient to encourage more people to connect from Indian airports. "We need our own hubs. It is time for India to take share of business both in passenger and cargo," he added.