Sops for flights on non-busy routes planned

In a move aimed at decongesting busy airports and busy air routes, the ministry of civil aviation is drawing up plans to regulate air traffic in the country. As part of this plan, flights which operate on non-busy routes and airports will be provided incentives.

Besides, while new carriers are given licences, their route plan will also be considered. "We are concerned by the fact that every airline wants to operate only on the key metro routes. Air services is required in the other cities as well," a senior civil aviation ministry official said.

Sources also said that the ministry has indicated this to carriers, which have sought permission to fly in the recent past, that the current infrastructure in airports like Delhi and Mumbai can not take additional flights and they may have to look at alternate routes.

However, at present there is no plan to make this condition a part of the licence agreement or conditions governing allocating the no-objection certificate to fly.

"There will be no change in the official policy governing air-services in the domestic market. Licence agreement will also not change," said the official.

As a part of the plans, carriers flying to non-busy airports could be charged lower landing and parking charges.

Besides, flying to busy airports like Delhi and Mumbai during non-peak hours will only attract lower charges. "This is a practice that is prevalent in the west, where smaller airports and non-busy airports attract lower charges," the civil aviation ministry official.

Besides, the government is also of the view that there is a need to straighten the present norms mandating domestic airlines to fly non-economical routes to operate in key metro routes.

As per the present norms, if domestic carriers do not operate on certain non-metro routes, their licence will be cancelled.