The new civil aviation policy, being drafted by the Naresh Chandra committee, will bring about far-reaching changes in the Indian aviation industry, focusing primarily on passengers' safety, security and comfort.
Addressing the aviation industry people at an open session in Bangalore on Monday, Union Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the policy would be submitted to the government by October-end and its recommendations would be implemented to provide world-class domestic and international air services in the country.
"The ministry is committed to transform the operations of various agencies associated with civil aviation for making the services passenger-friendly.
"Instead of focusing on organisational structures and systems involved in the operations, the concentration will be on delivering world class service to domestic and overseas passengers," Rudy stated.
Advocating a radical change in the attitude of the agencies concerned, especially the security personnel, customs, immigration, baggage and employees of various airlines involved in the operations from take-off to landing of flights, Rudy said the time had come to make civil aviation in India world-class and provide efficient air connectivity across the country.
"The ministry has commissioned the National Council of Economics and Applied Research to study the various aspects of the civil aviation in the country and suggest measures to bring about the sea-change in the industry and its various agencies for competing globally with private and international air carriers," Rudy declared.
Stressing on the need to ensure utmost passenger satisfaction with quality service, punctuality and efficient delivery system, Rudy said the potential for air travel within the country and abroad was so huge that the existing policies had to be radically different to make the industry dynamic and profitable.
"There are about 120 airports in the country. But only 40,000 passengers fly daily on 380 domestic flights. In a country of over one-billion population, the potential in the wake of liberalisation and all-round economic activity shows that the numbers could multiply three times in the next 3-5 years by opening the industry to the private sector and foreign participation," Rudy pointed out.
Admitting that competition from Jet Airways and Sahara had brought down the market share of Indian Airlines to 40 per cent, Rudy said it should make the national carrier to strive hard to regain its share by putting the passenger on top priority.
"There is an urgent need for concerted action and coordination among all the agencies concerned to focus on the passenger so that he/she may regain confidence in the national carrier and return to fly in it," Rudy asserted.
Referring to the launch of India's first low-cost no frills feeder service by Air Deccan on Monday in Bangalore for providing air connectivity to smaller cities and towns, Rudy said the ministry would encourage the private sector to offer similar services in other parts of the country.
"We will provide all the facilities and a regulatory frame work for connecting as many cities and towns that lack air connectivity so that even the common man can afford to fly anywhere in the country.
"The government is ready to offer the right kind of incentives to encourage the private sector to come forward and participate in revolutionising the civil aviation sector," Rudy added.
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