The implementation of India’s new airport ground-handling policy has once again hit a roadblock after privately held airlines defied the government’s plan, which is intended to improve security and the quality of services at major airports across the country.
The new system was scheduled to go into effect Friday, April 1, but has been delayed due to resistance from airlines and labor providers.
“Individual airlines have submitted their applications to the government expressing concern about the new policy,” sources in the industry tell Aviation Week. “We have four weeks’ time to take a final call on the new policy,” they add.
In 2007, India’s civil aviation ministry announced that the new airport ground-handling policy would come into effect from January 2009.
After being deferred twice due to resistance from privately held carriers, the policy was to be implemented from January this year. But the implementation stalled after the airlines went to the Delhi High Court against the new airport policy.
However, on March 4, the Delhi High Court rejected a plea by airlines to delay execution of the policy.
The airlines under the banner of Federation of Indian Airlines, an organization formed by private carriers in India, has now approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the new policy. The hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 4.
Under the new rules, the general airport administration that includes baggage, freight and mail handling, loading and unloading of aircraft and transport of crew, passengers and baggage, fuel and oil handling and catering services at six Indian airports, will be handled only by three ground handlers instead of those selected by individual airlines currently.
The three handlers will include an airport operator (Airports Authority of India or the private joint venture operator of Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin, Hyderabad and Bangalore), a ground-handling subsidiary of national carrier Air India or its joint ventures and an independent firm selected through a competitive bidding process.
Airlines argue that the new rules, if implemented, would affect the quality and on-time performance of their services.
“We are not opposed to the ground-handling policy; but the option of self-handling should be available,” says an industry source.
Under the planned system, airlines would not be permitted to self-handle ground services at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad, as is currently being done.
Domestic airlines would, however, be allowed to continue self-handling at 35 non-metro airports. The rule would apply only to domestic airlines and foreign carriers.
Aviation expert Y.N. Sharma at Chimes Aviation Private Ltd., India’s leading premier pilot training academy, dubs the new airport ground-handling policy as “monopolistic.”
“The government needs to get a strong security apparatus and not introduce new rules under the cover of safety threat,” Sharma says.
India’s aviation industry has been hampered by overcrowded airports, antiquated ground-handling procedures and a shortage of pilots and engineers.
The authorized ground-handling agencies have guaranteed the government that modern equipment will be deployed and International Air Transport Association standards will be met, which means diesel-engine vehicles and outdated equipment such as agriculture tractors, which are still in use at several airports to ferry luggage or cargo to the aircraft, must be replaced.
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