The big hue and cry being raised by Business Aircrafts Operators Association alleging 'over-stiffness' of DGCA and infrastructure constraints like parking space particularly at a time when lok Sabha campainging elections are on, has failed to cut any ice.
“There is as such no problem. And if any these problems are routine. The DGCA has strict rules and regulation which usually not followed by the charter or non-scheduled operators,” top official of a Delhi based non-scheduled operator told The Pioneer. The operator is also the member of BAOA. He also said that that the DGCA rules and regulations have to be strictly adhered too otherwise there would be a mayhem and there is no scope for any alibi in this regard.
It may be recalled that the association has been expressing dismay and has written to the the Civil Aviation Ministry (copies of which are available with The Pioneer) alleging that the DGCA has been going to the media and unnecessary publicizing the negative fallout of the deficiency in private aircrafts operators. It has alleged that the DGCA has been trying to paint itself in a good picture in the aftermath of the recent FAA downgrade.
The BAOA has said that the business aviation industry 'is deeply distressed by DGCA casting aspersions on Non Scheduled Operators by selectively leaking observations of its routine checks in public forums.'
It had said that 'reports in media initiated by DGCA are a clear attempt to detract attention from the essence of this issue and shift blame of FAA downgrade on to the Private Aircraft Operator. It is important to note that the FAA downgrade has no direct relation to Non Scheduled Operators in specific and is more a result of deficiencies on the regulator's part.' It had further added that the private operators had always cooperated with DGCA, even at times when the entire Indian NSOP fleet was barred from flying abroad, claiming significant loss of operations for close to 4 months.
The private operators in India operate through more than 552 aircraft and are being frequently used by the business as well as other functions like in campaigning in elections. The present environment for business aviation is unfriendly to growth with poor infrastructure, high taxation and lack of clear policy framework. Rather than facilitating the growth, such moves by the regulatory create larger impediments for the sector.
The operators are banking on the current campaigning season for the lok Sabha elections as a major opportunity to make fast buck and area aiming at adding revenues to the tune of Rs 350 to Rs 450 crore. However they have also been decrying the basic infrasturture facilities like parking of aircrafts particularly in Mumbai and Delhi. The association has also said that in Delhi the 'parking slots' problem was being 'artificially created.'
It has also been critical of Delhi international airport ltd (DIAl), which runs the airport and said it had five years back proposed to increase the parking space for private jets and choppers to 100, but nothing had been done so far.
The parking space for private jets and choppers has been planned to be cut to 16 from 24 in terminal 2 at Mumbai, it said.