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IA, A-I services to Gulf may be rationalised

A final decision on route rationalisation of Air-India and Indian Airlines, particularly in the Gulf sector, is likely to be arrived at within a month, civil aviation secretary K Roy Paul said on Thursday.

"Route rationalisation in the Gulf sector is likely to be finalised in a month's time. Minister of Civil Aviation Shahnawaz Hussain is also keen to expedite this issue. One month is my target," Roy Paul told reporters in New Delhi.

He said the route structure for both carriers in the Southeast Asian countries would also be rationalised very soon.

Asked whether the route rationalisation process was part of the role of proposed consultants who would be asked to review the overall functioning of the two airlines, Roy Paul said this could be done even without involving the consultants.

He said some rounds of discussions have already been held and "different options discussed".

Both IA and A-I are now operating to all the Gulf countries, barring Saudi Arabia, and even with extra flights and other foreign carriers operating on these routes, the problem of off-loading of passengers persisted.

He said the basic thrust of the ministry was that both the airlines by and large should not fly to the same countries.

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