MDLR Airlines gets govt warning

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has given non-scheduled carrier MDLR Airlines two to three days to stop publishing their flight schedules and issuing of tickets like a scheduled airline or face strict action.

An advisory from the ministry asking for immediate action has already been sent to MDLR, which was advertising its schedules and selling tickets on the Internet, a procedure that non-scheduled carriers are not supposed to follow.

"We have already sent them an advisory asking them to stop publishing their schedules and issuing their tickets. We are going to wait for two or three days," said a civil aviation ministry spokesperson.

She added that if MDLR failed by then, the Directorate General of Civil Avation (DGCA) might cancel the no-objection certificate (NOC) given to them for operation as a non-scheduled airline.

"But it is solely the DGCA's discretion," she added. Director General of Civil Aviation Kanu Gohain was unavailable for comment.

On being contacted, MDLR Chairman Gopal K Goyal said he was unaware of his airline website posting flight schedules or about any directive from the ministry.

"We haven't got any notification from the ministry yet. When we get one, we will see what is to be done. As of now, I don't think we are flouting any rules," said Goyal.

He said that talks were on with the ministry about MDLR becoming a scheduled carrier. "We fulfil all the criteria for becoming a scheduled airline. We had applied to the DGCA a long time ago seeking permission to operate as a scheduled carrier. We will get the approval soon," he added.

MDLR airline is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gopal K Goyal-promoted MDLR group which has varied business interests in infrastructure, shopping malls, multiplexes and luxury hotels.

The airline began operations on April 29 and has flights connecting Delhi, Chandigarh, Ranchi and Kolkata.