Congress MP from Kerala Shafi Parambil presented a resolution during the private members business regarding the exchange of air fare. During the discussion on this, Kerala’s RSP MP NK Premachandran mentioned the report of the standing committee on transport and demanded to regulate it. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also supported the resolution brought by the Congress MP and attacked the Congress fiercely.
Nishikant Dubey said that the party Shafi is a member of and the party NK Premachandran supports should understand this and tell the country who created this situation. They are asking the minister to change the law. He said that the law that Jawaharlal Nehru made in 1947, who changed that law in 1994. Today Air India has been sold. Why was it sold? Nishikant Dubey further said that Air India was sold because the responsibility of the Indian government was to go to small places even if there were no passengers. The problem arose when you merged Air India and Indian Airlines.
Giving the example of the telecom sector, he said that this is happening because the Indian government has not sold BSNL. Air India which was making profits, Chidambaram sahab created such a situation that it had to be sold. The BJP MP said that when you sell it, what mechanism does the Indian government have through which you can regulate air fares. He mentioned Aircraft Act 135B and said that when our government went in 2004, they abolished it too. The day you abolished it, the Indian government was left with nothing. Today the people of India are troubled due to the policies of Congress.
Airlines found opportunity in disaster- Nishikant
Nishikant Dubey said that when he was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time, the demand for trains and railway lines was heard. When Modiji said that we will make even those wearing slippers sit in the plane and started the Udan Yojana, today there is a demand for airports from every side. He said that while discussing railways, we are talking about airports, this is the development of the country. Nishikant Dubey said that airlines also found an opportunity in the disaster. After the Corona period, the airfare kept increasing.
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He said that there are three aspects in this – International, Domestic and Cargo. Which laws apply in International Airlines? How will you improve the bilateral agreements made by the previous governments? Secondly, what will you do about those who left after distributing slots in domestic airlines and some airlines have gone bankrupt? And thirdly, what will you do with cargo?
We have to think about how to strengthen AERA
Nishikant Dubey said that the principle of dynamic fare is prevalent in the whole world and the AERA of 2008, which they (Congress) made and left. After ATF, AERA decides for major airports what parking charges and landing charges will be taken. He said that who will decide the tariff for the small airports. One mechanism is decided by the regulatory body and another mechanism is decided by the airport authority. Nishikant Dubey said that when they come in each other’s way, who will decide is the big question. The minister will have to think about how to strengthen AERA.
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He said that private airlines say that we decide the fare on a competitive mechanism. Only one flight goes to our place. What competition is there there? Nishikant Dubey said that Darbhanga Airport became famous during the Corona period. The day the money of the Udan scheme ends, the airline company runs away. He further said that I am saying it by name, SpiceJet is such a company whose only job is to take the government’s money in the Udan scheme and then stop the flights. Why do the big companies not operate their planes in small places? Why do they try to go only to profitable places.
These suggestions were given to regulate air fare
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said that when we de-regulated the telecom companies, Vajpayee ji created USOF. In which if you do not nurse the backward areas, we will take a penalty from you. Everyone is a part of it. He suggested that such a mechanism should be developed that we will give you slots in 157 airports only when you go to some profitable places and you will also have to go to some backward routes. Nishikant Dubey said that a committee should be formed which holds meetings with DGCA, Ministry and all stakeholders every month and sees how the airlines are determining the dynamic fare.
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He said that airlines increase the fare in the name of dynamic fare but 20 to 25 seats remain vacant. Congress MP Gurjeet Singh from Amritsar, Punjab said that all the public sector railways, airports were sold. At least regulate it. BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab suggested fixing the upper limit. At the same time, Sandhya Rai, who was present on the chair, said that I also have a suggestion. When you see the ticket once, the fare keeps increasing rapidly. When the committee is formed, look into this as well.