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deal delays Indo-Lanka open skies "We're still examining how local operators can be allowed to fly scheduled flights to India with the existing arrangement between SriLankan Airlines and Emirates," said H.M.C. Nimalsiri, Chief Executive Office of the Civil Aviation Authority. The agreement restricts other operators from making scheduled flights to destinations used by SriLankan Airlines. "There'll be a tremendous increase in air services between India and Sri Lanka," Nimalsiri said, referring to the agreement to liberalise air traffic between the two neighbours signed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his visit to New Delhi last month. Two Indian domestic airlines have asked for permission to operate several daily scheduled flights to Colombo from Indian cities while the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, will increase the frequency of its flights, said Nimalsiri, who is also Director-General of Civil Aviation. Air Sahara has asked to operate thrice daily flights to Colombo from Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai. Jet Airways wants permission to operate four flights a day from Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Trichy, said Nimalsiri. SriLankan Airlines wants to increase most of its present flights to India to daily flights. The three domestic operators, which have daily flights to Jaffna, have also applied for permission to fly to Indian destinations. Nimalsiri said the agreement to liberalise air traffic between India and Sri Lanka was a "major breakthrough" in bilateral air services between India and Sri Lanka, which he wants to exploit in order to have a more open regime. The details remain to be worked out. |
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