http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=97696
Flying made affordable for U REUTERS Posted online: Thursday, July 28, 2005 at 1113 hours IST Updated: Thursday, July 28, 2005 at 1905 hours IST NEW DELHI, JULY 28: The Civil Aviation Policy, which will be discussed by the Union Cabinet next month, will focus on lowering fares to make aviation affordable and look at ways to remove price monopolies in turbine fuel, Civil Aviation Secretary Ajay Prasad said today. The policy will also look at liberalising the air services agreements and moving towards an open sky regime encouraging promotion of regional airlines and the creation of an essential air services fund to provide subsidy support to essential services, he said. On the issue of investments by NRIs and people of Indian rigin being treated at par, Prasad, addressing a seminar organised by aviation and sustainable development, said this was an issue that would have to be decided by the Cabinet. "The policy will not, however, allow foreign airlines to pick up stake in the domestic airlines at present", he added. Turning his attention to the development of infrastructure, Prasad said that apart from ongoing proposed restructuring of Delhi and Mumbai airports, the government was also taking measures to convert other airports to world class standards. --------------------------- The Civil Aviation Policy was supposed to have been finalised this month. Now it is postponed till "next month"! This exercise has been going on for at least 5 YEARS! The Ministry seems to be suffering from "analysis paralysis". With regard to infrastructure development it is imperative that the Civil Aviation Ministry makes a high speed U-turn from its policy of shutting down civilian flights at military bases as soon as a greenfield airport goes into operation. It doesnt seem to realise that this kind of approach contributes to high ticket costs which is what it says it is tryin to alleviate! Ways must be found to contnue civilian flights at Bangalore and Hyderabad airports and maybe even revert to them at Kochi naval airstation. Pune's Lohegaon airport must continue to handle civilian flights even when Chakan comes up. Ditto for Dabolim when Mopa kicks in.
