The steep rise in fuel prices has left all airlines, government and private, bleeding profusely. The fares have risen and airlines losses have increased.
The minister of state for civil aviation Praful Patel knocked at the doors of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P. Chidambaram. Sadly, he did not get any assurance from them.
"This downgrade scenario is likely to affect growth of airport infrastructure development programmes throughout the country", fears the minister. The situation has turned murkier than it was until recently.
As there is no possibility of arresting overhead expenses, quite a few scheduled and no-frills carriers have decided to reduce their operations.
Some are even facing the possibility of closure. As the current situation exists, there is a scope for only the fittest three or four carriers to survive.
While dark clouds are hovering around Indian skies, the minister is trying to secure relaxation in rules so that more private airlines are able to fly on international routes.
This will be possible only if the government relaxes the rule of the minimum five years of operations.
While passenger traffic has hit turbulent weather, there is an enormous growth in cargo movement on both national and international sectors.
The airline bigwigs are convinced that what they lose on passenger traffic can be offset through cargo uplift.
The National Aviation Company's rating has risen from ninth position in September 2007 to number one in March-April 2008.
The director of commercial (cargo) Anita Khurana is optimistic that airline's operation from new hub of freighter in Nagpur will be immensely successful.
This has been her theme song even when she was heading cargo section of the merged identity, Indian Airlines.
Equally optimistic in this regard is Blue Dart's managing director Tulsi Mirchandaney. "Time is money" and majority of corporates are now concentrating on sending their goods through air instead of depending upon road, rail or steamer. "The quick turnover of the money is the key to success", say cargo handlers.
The congestion at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) will continue to worry operators and passengers as new runway, 3rd, will not be ready until end of this year. It was scheduled to be ready by March 2008 and then by June 2008.
Now much work remains to be done and the authorities fear it will not be operational until middle of 2009.
The civil work like construction of road on the runway remains far behind. Until this work is completed, the gadgets cannot be installed.
"We are besieged with several other unforeseen problems and the operations will be delayed for a considerable period", said one official.
The authorities connected with civil aviation have, in the meantime, issued certain 'tips' to the commanders how to save fuel and cut costs. Some commanders, however, do not subscribe to the views of the authorities.
The minister of state for civil aviation Praful Patel knocked at the doors of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P. Chidambaram. Sadly, he did not get any assurance from them.
"This downgrade scenario is likely to affect growth of airport infrastructure development programmes throughout the country", fears the minister. The situation has turned murkier than it was until recently.
As there is no possibility of arresting overhead expenses, quite a few scheduled and no-frills carriers have decided to reduce their operations.
Some are even facing the possibility of closure. As the current situation exists, there is a scope for only the fittest three or four carriers to survive.
While dark clouds are hovering around Indian skies, the minister is trying to secure relaxation in rules so that more private airlines are able to fly on international routes.
This will be possible only if the government relaxes the rule of the minimum five years of operations.
While passenger traffic has hit turbulent weather, there is an enormous growth in cargo movement on both national and international sectors.
The airline bigwigs are convinced that what they lose on passenger traffic can be offset through cargo uplift.
The National Aviation Company's rating has risen from ninth position in September 2007 to number one in March-April 2008.
The director of commercial (cargo) Anita Khurana is optimistic that airline's operation from new hub of freighter in Nagpur will be immensely successful.
This has been her theme song even when she was heading cargo section of the merged identity, Indian Airlines.
Equally optimistic in this regard is Blue Dart's managing director Tulsi Mirchandaney. "Time is money" and majority of corporates are now concentrating on sending their goods through air instead of depending upon road, rail or steamer. "The quick turnover of the money is the key to success", say cargo handlers.
The congestion at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) will continue to worry operators and passengers as new runway, 3rd, will not be ready until end of this year. It was scheduled to be ready by March 2008 and then by June 2008.
Now much work remains to be done and the authorities fear it will not be operational until middle of 2009.
The civil work like construction of road on the runway remains far behind. Until this work is completed, the gadgets cannot be installed.
"We are besieged with several other unforeseen problems and the operations will be delayed for a considerable period", said one official.
The authorities connected with civil aviation have, in the meantime, issued certain 'tips' to the commanders how to save fuel and cut costs. Some commanders, however, do not subscribe to the views of the authorities.
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