Now, three-year-old airlines can fly abroad

New Delhi: The eligibility norms for airlines seeking to fly abroad are all set to be relaxed. The government is planning to ease the entry condition to a minimum of three years of domestic operations from five years at present.
Low-cost carrier Air Deccan may be the first to make use of the relaxed norms since it has already completed three years in August 2006. It is expected to retain the existing low-cost model for foreign destinations as well.
The government’s proposal follows heavy lobbying from the domestic airline industry, which has been demanding easier norms for foreign operations. Airlines like Kingfisher, SpiceJet and Air Deccan have shown interest in expanding their operations to foreign destinations. Air Deccan has already drawn up plans to fly to countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Maldives.
Kingfisher has already set up a fully-owned subsidiary in the US from where it plans to fly to India.
14/12/06 Sunny Verma/Economic Times

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline