Airlines must decide what’s best for them

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: issue is the difference in criteria applied within the same industry, viz, airports and airlines. Why is there a change in criteria for investment in airlines?

Fears of lapses in security, if foreigners work at our airports and airlines, does not drive this policy. If foreigners, who are very likely to come with the investment in MROs, can be appointed in sensitive positions to maintain the aircraft of Indian carriers, or fly seaplanes and helicopters or cargo aircraft, or provide ground handling services to airlines—loading baggage and cargo onto aircraft—then security is not the key issue. Even now there are a large number of foreign pilots and crew operating in Indian carriers and are, obviously, not considered security risks.

We are painfully aware of the difficulties and the time it takes to operate a business in India. Why load an industry, which is difficult enough to operate at the best of times, with additional barriers and controls? It behoves the government to remove barriers and let the airline industry set the pace as a forward looking, fast growing, multi-national business that can, and does, manage challenges in a mature manner.