Leading private airline Jet Airways tops the list of defaulters among private carriers and owes Rs 24.37 crore (Rs 243.8 million) to the government, the Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday.
Replying to questions, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said that while Jet Airways owed Rs 2.437 crore, Sahara Airlines had to pay Rs 11.15 crore (Rs 111.5 million) to the government as on March 31, 2005.
He said dues are monitored regularly by Airports Authority of India and action through legal or arbitration or the public premises act are taken wherever necessary.
Patel said besides this, interest is levied for the overdue period on defaulting airlines and they are put on operation on cash-and-carry basis.
The minister said the government was also adjusting the security deposits of some of the private airlines for recovering the outstanding amount, details of which were being collected.
Besides these two airlines, defunct East West Airlines owes Rs 16.22 crore (Rs 162.2 million), NEPC Airlines Rs 3.54 crore (Rs 35.5 million, Skyline NEPC Rs 1.66 crore (Rs 16.6 million), Elbee Airlines Rs 95.76 lakh (Rs 9.6 million), Continental Aviation Rs 1.84 crore (Rs 18.4 million), VIF Airways Rs 24.79 lakh (Rs 2.5 million), Archana Airways Rs 39.22 lakh (Rs 3.9 million), Air Deccan Rs 6.28 crore (Rs 62.8 million), Jagson Airlines Rs 1.14 crore (Rs 11 million), Blue Dart Rs 36.33 lakh (Rs 3.6 million), Gujarat Airways Rs 11.47 lakh (Rs 1.1 million), Mesco Airlines Rs 3.06 crore (Rs 30.6 million) and UP Airways Rs 14.28 lakh (Rs 1.4 million).
In reply to a question, he said the market share of Indian Airlines had fallen from 43.3 per cent in 2002-03 to 37.1 per cent in 2004-05 due to induction of private airlines.
