Lok Sabha Question No. 87 (STARRED), answered on 2015-07-27
Subject: Routes of Air India
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: CHANDRAKANT RAGHUNATH PATIL, PINAKI MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. : 87 (To be answered on the 27 th  July 2015)

## ROUTES OF AIR INDIA

## *87. SHRI C.R. PATIL SHRI PINAKI MISRA

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:-

- (a) the details of domestic and international routes of various airlines operating in the country especially those of the Air India along with the total number of flights operated by them during each of the last three
- years; (b) the details of profitable and nonprofitable routes of these airlines during the said period along with the system adopted for allocation of routes to the national carrier and private carrier; (c) the details of the increase/decrease in the number of Air India's flights on profitable routes vis-à-vis private airlines during the said period; (d)  whether  the  Air  India  proposes  to  increase  the  frequency  of flights/introduce new flights especially from Surat and other domestic sectors; and
- (e) if so, the details and the present status thereof, if not, the reasons therefor and the proposals received by the Government to start flights from different parts of the country along with the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER

## Minister of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House.
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STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 87 FOR 27.07.2015 REGARDING ROUTES OF AIR INDIA. (a):- The details of domestic and international routes of various airlines including Air India for the current schedule is available on the official website of DGCA i.e. www.dgca.nic.in, which is in public domain. Airlines publish two schedules i.e. Summer Schedule and Winter Schedule, effective from March 29 to October 24 and October 25 to March 28  of following year respectively. These Schedules are published on the website of the airline and that of Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). DGCA maintains only the current Schedule on its website. (b) and (c): No analysis with regard to profitable and non-profitable domestic routes is carried out by the Ministry as these are based on the commercial decisions of the airline. Scheduled domestic airlines (Private and national carriers) are free to operate anywhere within the country, subject to  compliance of Route Dispersal Guidelines issued by the Government. Traffic rights allocation to scheduled domestic carriers on international routes is governed under the bilateral agreement between Government of India and foreign country. (d) and (e) Air India continuously monitors the market developments with an objective to rationalize, restructure its  schedule  either  by withdrawing  or  by  introducing  new  routes/  increase  or  decrease frequency on existing routes /modifying the existing schedule/changing the equipment on a particular route etc. At present Alliance Air (a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India) operates six frequencies per week on Delhi/Surat/Delhi  route  with  CRJ  aircraft.  Air  India/Alliance  Air currently has no plans to increase the frequency and introduce new flights to/from Surat to other domestic sectors due to non-availability of resources. All airlines file their Schedule with DGCA before starting operations  on  particular  /  route  on  the  basis  of  their  commercial decisions.

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