Carriers may not fly out of ground ops

NEW DELHI: The government is considering a proposal of the loss-laden airline industry to continue to allow them to do ground handling at the terminal buildings of the airports.

The civil aviation ministry had last year announced that it would implement a new ground-handling policy in January barring airlines from ground handling at the terminal buildings and the airside (which includes ramp, taxi way and parking bay at airports) of the six metros for security reasons. The decision was deferred by six months as it faced opposition from airlines, which claimed that it would lead to job losses.

As per the proposed policy, only three agencies ��� the national carrier Air India, the airport operator (such as Airports Authority of India, GMR and GVK) and one private agency selected through competitive bidding ��� would be allowed to do ground handling for airlines.

The airlines had argued that the government���s move may force airlines to retrench about 8,000 ground staff. Ground handling includes baggage movement, passenger check-in, baggage screening, taxiing, refuelling and cleaning of the airplane.

The proposed policy bars airlines from doing self-ground-handling. It restricts airlines from employing their own ground-handling staff and engaging outside agencies at the six major airports ��� Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore ��� of the country.

���The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) had requested the aviation ministry to allow air-carriers to do ground-handling work at least at the terminal buildings. It is believed that the ministry has recommended the proposal to the committee of secretaries for its consideration,��� an airline executive, who did not wish to be identified, said.

Meanwhile, the civil aviation ministry has reviewed the preparedness of the airport operators for the implementation of the ground-handling policy. While attempts are being made to put the new policy in place by July 1, 2009, it seems unlikely as the review revealed that two of the six airports are yet to prepare for adopting the new policy. Airlines argue that the proposed policy would force them to pay a very high price for getting the ground job done by the third party.

���Our stand has always been the continuation of the current policy. The new policy will increase our cost three-fold. We will also lose control over quality of service. We have already seen it happening at some airports,��� Jet Airways CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said.