Pune: Indian Air Force’s (IAF) decision to make an exception for Lufthansa, by allowing the latter’s flight to arrive and depart during the slot reserved for IAF fighter jets, has not gone down well with other airlines, especially Air India (AI). The national carrier of India is learnt to have written to the IAF asking if a German carrier can be accommodated, why not India’s own national airline. The controversy reportedly started after a meeting between the officials of different airlines, AAI and IAF took place in the last week of December. IAF officials, it is learnt, expressed willingness to extend permission to Lufthansa’s Frankfurt-Pune flight to arrive at 8 am and depart at 9.30 am.
This intercepts with the flying time of IAF’s Sukhoi fighters, which will be operating between 8 am and 10.30 am during the next three months when work on the Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) project will be under way. The IAF reportedly agreed to make this exception “provided other airlines do not object”. However, Air India requested the IAF to accommodate its Pune-Delhi flight connects to at least 25 destinations — 10 international and 15 domestic, including some in the Northeast. As of now, with the final schedules already approved, Lufthansa will be operating its flight between 8 am and 9.30 am — during the IAF window — while Air India’s request is still pending.
Read News In Full 12/01/14 Pranav Kulkarni/Indian Express
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