Click to play videoNew Delhi: In what came as a long overdue relief for private airline Jet Airways, the US State Department on Thursday gave security clearance the private carrier to launch flights to America.
The clearance was formally granted to the premier private carrier by the Department of Transportation after the State Department said the airline had passed security, sources said.
The authority of exemption was granted by DoT in favour of Jet Airways, they said.
Jet's plans to launch operations to the US a year ago were upset after an American company of the same name alleged that the Indian carrier had links with terrorist masterminds like Dawood Ibrahim and outfits like al-Qaeda.
The announcement comes close on the tails of Jet seeking slots from the government for mounting flights to New York, San Francisco and some other destinations
The airline is now all set to begin flights from India to the US and Canada. It has applied to the Centre for slots for its aircraft to operate flights from New Delhi to various destinations the US.
Initially, the airline plans to operate from Delhi and Mumbai to three US cities - New York, Chicago and either San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Sources indicated that the routes being considered by the airline include operating Mumbai-Brussels-New York and Mumbai-Shanghai-San Francisco.
If the airline decides to operate to Los Angeles, then that flight too will be operated through Shanghai, sources said, adding that the airline was also examining the option of operating on the Delhi-Dusseldrof-Toronto sector.
The airline, however, may have to wait till April or May next year before it is in a position to operate these flights, as it is scheduled to take delivery of the Boeing 777 aircraft by then.
Official sources indicated that the request of Jet Airways for slots could be considered only after all Government clearances are received.
At present Air India is the only Indian carrier to operate flights between India and the US.
(With inputs from Karma Paljor and moneycontrol.com)
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