New Delhi: With Ratan Tata accusing older airlines applying "monopolistic pressures" to retain 5/20 rule, SpiceJet chief Ajay Singh on Sunday said the industrialist should ask Vistara and AirAsia to serve India before getting to fly international.
Joining the debate over the 5/20 norm, under which Indian carrier need to have minimum five years operational experience and at least 20 planes to operate international flights, Tata today applauded the Civil Aviation Ministry's proposal to remove the "controversial" rule.
Terming as sad the lobbying of incumbent airlines for "protection and preferential treatment", he tweeted that such moves were reminiscent of the monopolistic pressures by entities with vested interests who fear competition.
AirAsia India and Vistara -- two airlines operated by the Tatas through joint ventures -- are ineligible to operate overseas under the 5/20 norm.
Reacting strongly to Tata's comments, Singh said all the airlines were asked "to serve our great country before we got profitable rights to fly abroad" under the 5/20 rule.
"We served with great pride. What is wrong if these two foreign-controlled airlines are also asked to serve India before being allowed to fly international? "Mr Tata, whom we respect greatly, should in fact urge these airlines in which his group is a shareholder, to serve India willingly before being allowed to fly international," Singh told PTI.
21/02/16 PTI/Daily News & Analysis
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Joining the debate over the 5/20 norm, under which Indian carrier need to have minimum five years operational experience and at least 20 planes to operate international flights, Tata today applauded the Civil Aviation Ministry's proposal to remove the "controversial" rule.
Terming as sad the lobbying of incumbent airlines for "protection and preferential treatment", he tweeted that such moves were reminiscent of the monopolistic pressures by entities with vested interests who fear competition.
AirAsia India and Vistara -- two airlines operated by the Tatas through joint ventures -- are ineligible to operate overseas under the 5/20 norm.
Reacting strongly to Tata's comments, Singh said all the airlines were asked "to serve our great country before we got profitable rights to fly abroad" under the 5/20 rule.
"We served with great pride. What is wrong if these two foreign-controlled airlines are also asked to serve India before being allowed to fly international? "Mr Tata, whom we respect greatly, should in fact urge these airlines in which his group is a shareholder, to serve India willingly before being allowed to fly international," Singh told PTI.
21/02/16 PTI/Daily News & Analysis
