The plan of the Jet Airways to launch the Mumbai-Newark flight -- the first by any private Indian airline -- from June 23 seems to have received a major setback.
A little known American airlines with the same name tag has challenged before the US Department of Transportation (DOT) the Jet Airways' application seeking a "foreign air carrier permit" under the open skies agreement signed between India and the US in mid-April.
The Delaware-based Jet Airways Inc, which is yet to launch its commercial operations, in its objection on May 23 before DOT claimed that the Jet Airways (India), if given the permit, would threaten the US' national security as this would allegedly give Al-Qaeda "scope to fly and control aircraft" over American cities.
Primarily based on media reports, published in India, the Jet Airways Inc in its objection has alleged that ever since the Jet Airways (India) was started and planned in 1991, it has been "funded by Al-Qaeda and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Dawood Ibrahim".
Early this month, the UN had named Dawood in the "most -wanted" list of individuals having links with the Al-Qaeda.
{{/usCountry}}Early this month, the UN had named Dawood in the "most -wanted" list of individuals having links with the Al-Qaeda.
{{/usCountry}}"No matter how wonderful the service and the (Jet) airline may be in India, it is still an enterprise which is used to launder money for Al-Qaeda and is still an Al-Qaeda airline," alleged Nancy M Heckerman, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Jet Airways Inc.
"It does not matter how much clean and non-criminal their passengers may be in India, the fact remains that such funds are commingled with the original black money from the Al-Qaeda and specified unlawful activity," he added.
"The first dollar that would be made by Jet Airways (India) in the US would be criminally tainted in gross violation of the Laundering of Monetary Instruments (1956) and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity."
The Jet Airways Inc further went on to say, "Secretary Mineta would never welcome Jet Airways (India) if he was made aware of Naresh Goyal and Dawood Ibrahim's plan to inflict real and imminent danger on the United States."
Referring to the Jet Airways (India) statement in its May 2 application that it would soon be "designated and licensed by India to operate the services authorised under the bilateral agreement", the Jet Airways Inc claimed this means the Indian company could not legally fly to the US from India at this time, even if they are "granted" foreign air carrier permit because the Indian licenses have not been granted yet.
"Is this the reason that other Indian airlines have not applied for this permit in the US?" the Jet Airways Inc asked. It pleaded before the Department of Transportation and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta not to issue the foreign air carrier permit to Jet Airways (India).