Airlines back govt's stance on access to foreign players

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES of India’s major airlines IndiGo and Air India on Wednesday defended the government’s evident policy of not expanding bilateral air services agreements with countries that house global hub airports and whose airlines account for a significant chunk of international mediumand long-haul passenger traffic to and from India.

- SUKALP SHARMA

With major homegrown airlines investing heavily in expanding their international footprint, the government has been selective and cautious in expanding foreign carriers’ access to the Indian market, even as countries like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and their airlines, have been pushing New Delhi to allow them to carry more passengers to and from India.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said that it would be wrong to say that India is not granting additional bilateral rights to anyone, noting that India has over the recent years expanded air services agreements with some countries, which reflects that the country is open to revising pacts in cases where both sides have something to gain.