The Hindu Business Line : Ministry has no role in aircraft acquisition: Patel

THE Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, has said that the two state-owned airlines, Air India and Indian Airlines, would decide on their aircraft purchase plans based on a techno-economic study.

"The Ministry of Civil Aviation has no role to play. We have not advised the two airlines on any parameters," Mr Patel said after a meeting with the French Minister for Transport, Mr Gilles de Robien.

The assurance comes a day before the AI board is scheduled to meet in Mumbai. The meeting in Mumbai could take a view on the multi-billion dollar 50 aircraft fleet acquisition proposal. Fearing that it could be edged out in the race for sale of aircraft to AI, the European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, recently wrote to the Government alleging that the parameters for acquisition of aircraft by AI had been changed in a fashion to suit the US aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

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