Representatives of India's crisis-ridden aviation companies met Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in New Delhi on Monday and urged him to look into their demands for a reduction in airport charges and jet fuel taxes.
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), an organisation representing the major airlines in the country, has long been asking the Government to help the industry tide over the slowdown.
"The minister was sympathetic to our demands. I am satisfied," Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya, who was part of the FIA team, told reporters after meeting Patel.
Besides Mallya, Air India chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav, Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal, Indigo head Rahul Bhatia, SpiceJet chief executive Sanjay Agarwal, GoAir managing director Jeh Wadia and FIA secretary general Anil Baijal were part of the delegation.
India's private carriers had earlier said they would suspend operations Aug 18 unless the government came up with a bailout package for the industry.
According to the airlines, their collective losses went up to $2 billion due to the economic slowdown. However, they called off the proposed suspension of services later, saying the government had agreed to "enter into dialogue" with them on their demands.
{{/usCountry}}According to the airlines, their collective losses went up to $2 billion due to the economic slowdown. However, they called off the proposed suspension of services later, saying the government had agreed to "enter into dialogue" with them on their demands.
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