Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Violation of ground handling rules alleged

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Island Aviation Services, the official airline of the Maldives, has handed over its ground handling services at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to a Chennai-based private firm. This, according to aviation sources, is in violation of the guidelines laid down for this by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and can create security problems.

Now Air India security carries out baggage screening of the passengers in the daily flights of Island Aviation Services from Thiruvananthapuram to Male.

Air India holds the monopoly of the ground handling of all the foreign carriers, including chartered flights operating to and from Thiruvananthapuram. “We have not been entrusted with passenger handling, loading and unloading of baggage and ramp handling of flights of Island Aviation Services’, an AI official said.

The Airline has entered into an agreement with the Chennai-based Universal Aviation Services for ground handling services. A copy of the agreement made available to The Hindu shows that the airline has signed the agreement for a period of 12 months from February. The Maldivian carrier commenced services from January this year.

Aviation sources said it was a mystery to them how the Chennai-based private firm managed to get the ground handling equipment and vehicles inside the airport. The private firm is providing manpower needed for loading and unloading of baggage and cargo to Kingfisher Airlines and Air India.

The agreement between the Maldivian carrier and the private firm is a gross violation of the ground handling norms, it is pointed out. “It will be a big security concern if other foreign airlines operating to Thiruvananthapuram cite this agreement and seek permission for ground handling services’, sources said.

The Maldivian carrier had informed the airport authorities that they will be taking care of the ground handling services. The AAI even provided two counters for the Island Aviation Services in the international terminal. A top official of the AAI told The Hindu that they would look into the issue.

As per Airports Authority of India (General Management, Entry for Ground Handling Services), Regulations, 2000, the national carriers namely Air India, Indian (erstwhile) and M/s Cambata Aviation are providing the services.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel has announced in Parliament that the new Ground Handling Policy enables only the above entities or the respective airport operator itself or its joint venture to offer ground handling services in metropolitan airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Subsidiary companies of AI, Indian (erstwhile) or their joint ventures specialised in ground handling or third party handling to these subsidiaries can offer the services. Ground handling service provider selected through competitive bidding by the airport operator has been given the nod.

At all other airports, in addition to the above entities, self handling will be permitted to the airlines, excluding foreign airlines.

Airlines or entities presently involved in ground handling, which are not covered under the policy, will not be permitted to undertake self-handling or third party handling from January next.

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