The United States is considering to restore Indian national airline, Air India’s ability to self-conduct its ground handling operations at American airports. The US Department of Transportation is said to have re-issued an order in this regard and reversed its previous order of July 2019 that had suspended the right of Air India to self-handle at US airports.
The US government agencies and the department have continued to work with the Indian government towards satisfactory resolution of this matter. “In that connection, recent positive developments have led the department to tentatively determine that the public interest now calls for removal of the permit condition we had imposed in order 2019-07-09,” said the order issued by Joel Szabat, Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs.
“We therefore have tentatively decided to amend Air India’s permit to remove that condition,” the Department of Transportation said in a statement. “Stakeholders and public have 21 days to respond to this proposal, before it can be finalised and enforced,” the statement added.
The order comes a day after the Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the US, had a conversation with the Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao. “India and the US have partnered in Aviation sector during these difficult times,” the ambassador tweeted.
The order is also said to have relieved Air India of any further reporting requirement regarding its ground handling arrangements.
