Two months after Tata Sons took control of Air India from the government, Air India will no longer get priority in the allocation of international traffic rights. In this regard, DGCA has amended the guidelines.
The DGCA, in its revised guidelines on April 19, has removed the segment giving separate benefits to the erstwhile state-owned airline. This segment was part of the guidelines for allowing Indian Air Transport Undertakings to operate scheduled international air transport services, which were issued on March 15, 2017.
The earlier rule stated that “the operational plans submitted by Air India shall be given due consideration before allotment of traffic rights to other eligible applicants.” However, now two months after the privatization of Air India, this clause has been removed. According to the new directive of DGCI, all airlines will now be on the same level. Private airline companies have called this a positive step.
India has signed air service agreements with 121 countries
Governments negotiate bilateral air service agreements with each other. These determine the number of flights and destinations that airlines can operate between two countries. In India it is entitled by the government and it is given to the airline on request. India has signed air service agreements with 121 countries. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has signed separate agreements with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah, although they are part of the United Arab Emirates.
Before the pandemic, India was connected to non-stop flights with around 55 countries. This number has come down further in the summer schedule that came into effect from the end of March.
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Tata Group did takeover in January
Tata Sons took control of Air India from the government in January this year. It is the first airline company in India, which was started by the Tata Group in 1932. It was nationalized about 70 years ago. However, due to loss, it was later privatized.