The Indian aviation sector is not unfamiliar with policy regimes that undergo periodic bouts of turbulence. It comes with the skies, they say. But sometimes, there comes a policy proposal that seems so strange that it wrenches the guts just as tightly as a skydiving experience from 10,000 feet above sea level. The government is considering the idea of allowing domestic non-scheduled air carriers, regardless of their record or experience, to operate flights to destinations overseas. These would be chartered flights being allowed to take ?air taxi? passengers to Singapore, London and so on. This, while a group of well-recognised aviators headed by Vijay Mallya has been pleading in all earnesty?and in vain?for permission for all scheduled private airlines to undertake international operations. By the existent rulebook, an airline needs at least five years? domestic flying experience and 20 aircraft in its fleet for it to be deemed eligible for the operation of international flights. The rationale is that only well-established airlines should go abroad. So, a newly launched all-frill airline finds itself cropped out of a lucrative sector well travelled by its target customer base, while older airlines have the segment all to themselves. This policy is unjustifiable in itself, for it creates distinctions on the basis of flimsy parameters. Now, to grant non-scheduled operators the privilege of flying overseas would not only make a mockery of the experience-cum-fleet criteria, it would create yet another dubious distinction for the rules to wrap themselves around.
Thankfully, the policy might be reviewed. A group of ministers (GoM) is examining the conditions under which air carriers are allowed to fly abroad. Though the GoM has met only once since it was formed earlier this year and has been postponing meetings much too frequently, there is a glimmer of hope that it will come round to the view that none of these distinctions are valid. Nor is this an issue that should take so much deliberation. Either India offers the aviation sector an open skies policy, or it doesn?t. If it does, as promised, then open skies should spell non-discriminatory rules for all air carriers. With the industry wracked with 2007 losses of some Rs 2,000 crore, and mounting, minimising policy turbulence is the least the government can do. Let them all fly freely to their desired destinations.
