Doha: IATA on Monday appealed to the Narendra Modi-led government to slash taxes, restrain private airport operators from levying high charges and relax “excessive” regulations in the aviation industry to maximise India’s full potential to generate economic growth.
“You are a great country, a sleeping economic giant. You have great opportunities and capabilities that very few countries have. But unfortunately, the previous administration did not make the maximum use of the hidden Indian potential,” Akbar Al Baker, the chief executive officer of Qatar Airways, who is the president of the 70th international air and transport association assembly being held here said.
“I was very touched to hear the speech of Prime Minister Modi when he said that if each Indian takes one step forward, that will be 1.2 billion steps and this really is correct for India.”
“I would urge Prime Minister Modi’s government to look at aviation as a very important tool to generating economic growth in India because it is only aviation that will bring you trade, tourism, in return bring more employment and bring economic prosperity for the Indian people who have upto now been deprived so much economic opportunities that they have in their country,” Mr Al Baker said.
He said the Indian government should “rein in the private airport owners, restricting them from levying the strong charges which the IATA DG (Tyler) has already raised several times with the authorities because it is untenable for airlines who already have very low margins to keep on paying such high airport charges, which are unnecessary.”
