NGO files PIL against start-up airlines' plan to fly abroad
The row over allowing start-up airlines to fly abroad, leading to a tussle between Jet Airways and Kingfisher, has gone to court.
By Nirbhay Kumar, TNN |
NEW DELHI: The row over allowing start-up airlines to fly abroad, leading to a tussle between Jet Airways and Kingfisher, has gone to court. A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed against the new civil aviation policy by NGO Social Action Forum for Manav Adhikar, which had earlier fought the Priyadarshani Matoo case.
The NGO has appealed in the Delhi High court that the civil aviation ministry’s proposal to relax the existing norm for start-up airline would lead to ‘extremely undesirable’ consequences for the aviation industry as well as passengers.
The PIL comes at a time when uncertainty prevails over civil aviation minister Praful Patel’s proposal to allow airlines to fly abroad on a case-to-case basis rather than the current norm of five years of experience in the domestic sector. The Union Cabinet has referred the issue to a group of ministers (GoM) headed by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee since some Cabinet ministers expressed reservations.
“Expansion by airlines would require additional technical manpower which is already scarce in the country. This may put the pressure on the government to increase working hours of pilots and engineers , leading to inefficiency of the personnel and hence posing threat to the safety of passengers,” Ajay Veer Singh, counsel for Social Action Forum for Manav Adhikar, told ET. “In the past, many airlines have come up and disappeared. Hence, only airlines having sufficient experience and deep pockets should be allowed to fly abroad,” he added.
Asked if the filing of petition has any connection with any particular airline, Mr Singh said, “It’s merely a coincidence.” Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal and Kingfisher chief Vijay Mallya are said to be on a collision course over the new civil aviation policy. While Mr Mallya wants Kingfisher to fly abroad, Mr Goyal is said to be of the view that new airlines should wait for five years like Jet did. While both tycoons are not saying anything on record, it is understood that both sides are pushing their case strongly.
As some Cabinet members, including Mr Lalu Yadav and Mr A K Antony, raised their objections to proposals contained in the new civil aviation policy, lobbying has intensified. The GoM has met once and the second meeting is expected to take place next month.
The civil aviation ministry and the directorate general of civil aviation are among those mentioned as respondents in the petition. It is understood that the government may file its response to the charges before October 24 when the Delhi high court is likely to take it up for hearing. The petitioner has raised several issues related to airline safety to seek a stay on the new civil aviation policy.
The NGO has appealed in the Delhi High court that the civil aviation ministry’s proposal to relax the existing norm for start-up airline would lead to ‘extremely undesirable’ consequences for the aviation industry as well as passengers.
The PIL comes at a time when uncertainty prevails over civil aviation minister Praful Patel’s proposal to allow airlines to fly abroad on a case-to-case basis rather than the current norm of five years of experience in the domestic sector. The Union Cabinet has referred the issue to a group of ministers (GoM) headed by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee since some Cabinet ministers expressed reservations.
“Expansion by airlines would require additional technical manpower which is already scarce in the country. This may put the pressure on the government to increase working hours of pilots and engineers , leading to inefficiency of the personnel and hence posing threat to the safety of passengers,” Ajay Veer Singh, counsel for Social Action Forum for Manav Adhikar, told ET. “In the past, many airlines have come up and disappeared. Hence, only airlines having sufficient experience and deep pockets should be allowed to fly abroad,” he added.
Asked if the filing of petition has any connection with any particular airline, Mr Singh said, “It’s merely a coincidence.” Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal and Kingfisher chief Vijay Mallya are said to be on a collision course over the new civil aviation policy. While Mr Mallya wants Kingfisher to fly abroad, Mr Goyal is said to be of the view that new airlines should wait for five years like Jet did. While both tycoons are not saying anything on record, it is understood that both sides are pushing their case strongly.
As some Cabinet members, including Mr Lalu Yadav and Mr A K Antony, raised their objections to proposals contained in the new civil aviation policy, lobbying has intensified. The GoM has met once and the second meeting is expected to take place next month.
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The civil aviation ministry and the directorate general of civil aviation are among those mentioned as respondents in the petition. It is understood that the government may file its response to the charges before October 24 when the Delhi high court is likely to take it up for hearing. The petitioner has raised several issues related to airline safety to seek a stay on the new civil aviation policy.
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