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Foreign airlines don't operate in domestic sector, says IATA chief

Pierre Jeanniot, director general of the International Air Transport Association admitted in New Delhi on Tuesday that no foreign airline was operating in the domestic sector of any country anywhere in the world.

Talking to mediapersons after having had a series of meetings with officials of the civil aviation ministry and the airlines in New Delhi, Jeanniot, however, said foreign airlines did have equity participation in some of the domestic carriers but their role was ''very very limited.''

He parried questions on the civil aviation ministry's stand not to allow more foreign airlines to have major financial participation. However, under the new aviation policy, non-resident Indians were allowed to have 100 per cent equity participation.

He said every country had its own rules and regulations for equity participation.

When asked whether any foreign airlines had majority holding in the domestic sector, Jeanniot was able to cite only one example: that of Swiss airways' 2.5 per cent equity in Singapore Airlines.

Jeanniot said that IATA was always concerned about the safety aspects followed in aviation industry. Although strict safety measures were being adopted in India by both government and private carriers, he said ''I am never satisfied on this aspect."

The IATA director-general felt sorry that despite India's best efforts, it could not provide an international airport of world standard.

He commended the ongoing efforts of the civil aviation authorities to augment the infrastructure including the navigational facilities at the international airports in India.

He, however, said there was a need to improve the working of the immigration department and customs in India with the Asia-Pacific region emerging as the main market. Efforts should be made to ensure faster clearance at the immigration and customs counters. This would also help in promoting tourism in this country. He said India had a great potential of tourism.

He expected that the traffic growth in India would be more by than 7.5 per cent in the next year.

Civil Aviation Minister C M Ibrahim on Tuesday hosted a lunch in honour of Jeanniot.

UNI