Dr. Avnish Jolly, Chandigarh:The increase of about 4,900 per cent in non-aeronautical service charges in the last six months has raised the need of setting up an Aviation Economic Regulator, advocates the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).
According to the Assocham Civil Aviation Committee, the charges for 300 sq m were Rs 3,000 only six months ago, which today hovered around Rs 1.5 lakh.
Jagdish Gupta, Chairman along with its HS Khola, Co-Chairman, Assocham Civil Aviation Committee said that this increase is threatening the domestic civil aviation industry and no where in the world space allocations charges within the airport premises have gone up that steeply.
Seeking a review of handling charges like hanger space, parking charges, ticketing counter space and backup office space and airport development fees, the Assocham has urged the government to set up this regulator for fair space allocations. The airport’s management in India have moved on to monopolistic situation which worldwide is resisted as the liberalisation has already existence its transition.
Gupta said that the rising Aviation Turbine Fuel prices have already broken the back of aviation industry as the airport traffic has started moving elsewhere and even the loading of cargo through air has suffered.
Chamber has also pointed out that procedure for grant of operating permit to regional and small operators by the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) should be simplified and should not be like that followed for national airlines.
There should also be a single window clearance system instead of making the applicants move from one office to other which makes the system cumbersome and prone to different interpretations by individual officers.
Assocham has also sought that regional operators should be given some protection by prohibiting bigger operators to intrude into the routes developed by the small operators.
The organisation has also stressed that clearance of charter flights by the DGCA should be made simpler to permit operation of charter flights at short notice after office hours or on holidays, which is very difficult at present. As a result, non-scheduled operators are unable to undertake such charter flights on many occasions and lose considerable revenue. ATC should be authorised to grant clearances after office hours or on holidays.
Assocham has also recommended immediate expansion of capacity of various metro and non-metro airports to meet the requirements of the industry.