Private airlines not to fly on August 18

Mumbai/New Delhi: The country’s private airlines on Friday joined hands to demand a bailout from the Government and announced they would not fly on August 18.

The members of the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), including Kingfisher, Jet Airways, Spicejet and Indigo Airlines, will suspend domestic operations on August 18 to protest inadequate Government relief, said Secretary-General of the federation, Anil Baijal.

Tickets booked for August 18 will be refunded. Air India, the Government-owned national carrier, will not be part of the strike.

Baijal said the FIA’s member airlines would not be able to sustain operations any further if the Government doesn’t help them.

Kingfisher Chief Vijay Mallya said at a press conference in Mumbai that private airlines might have to suspend their domestic flights indefinitely if their losses continued to increase.

"We may have to suspend operations indefinitely," said Mallya, who clarified that international flights of private airlines would continue.

“We are bleeding. Everybody is bleeding. Giving a helping hand to the airline industry is done all over the world,” said Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal.

"We are not looking for a bailout. It's a request that we have put to them (Centre). An industry has to be profitable for it to sustain," he said adding, "There is no question of blackmail. We just want the people to know what we are going through."

The FIA wants cheaper aviation fuel and reduction in airport charges, which they say has increased ever since the entry of private players.

Baijal said FIA was justified in seeking help from the Government, for they were burdened by low fares, high fuel costs and a sharp dip in passenger traffic.

"This is a well considered decision of private carriers," he said.

The federation estimates the industry would lose Rs 57,000 crore this year. It made losses of Rs 10,000 crore in 2008-2009.

The Government has till now not announced a bailout for the airline industry in the country but last week asked the Finance and Petroleum Ministries to help Air India, which suffered losses of Rs 7,200 crore last year.

Patel frowns

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the airlines would people at "inconvenience" with their strike.

"The Government understands the problems being faced by the aviation sector. However, it does not support any move that will inconvenience the travelling public in the country," Patel told PTI. "We advise the airlines to engage in a dialogue with the Government."

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)

#Kingfisher #Jet Airways #Indian aviation industry