Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has finalized the draft National Aviation Policy 2019 after consultation with the stakeholders and will be sent to the cabinet for approval. The draft includes an important change in airfares.
According to the available sources, the new policy provides for the removal of CAA charges on the domestic flights and reduction of the charges on international flights by 25 percent.
Moreover, the new policy also proposes to increase the age limit of the planes acquired on lease from 12 to 18 years. Overall, the new policy suggests providing more facilities to the airlines and offering better business opportunities to the domestic air carriers.
The new policy draft also maintains that airplanes exceeding 12 years of age can only be used when their flying hours are below the limit. Furthermore, only those cargo planes will be permitted for use that have 35 percent or more age left.
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CAA has decided to retain the international shareholding limit as prescribed in the previous policy. The sources have further divulged that the decision to maintain this condition has been taken because of the reservations of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Serene Airlines, and Airblue.
According to this condition, international airlines will have only 49 percent shareholding in Pakistan. The new policy draft also proposes an increase in the validity period of a regular public transport license for an airline from one to two years.
Whereas, for the cockpit and cabin crew, the validity period for licenses is proposed to increase from one year to five years.
Moreover, in order to promote tourism, the government is considering to issue a new license and a new category for tourism promotion. It is mulling over the issuance of an integration license in the national aviation policy.
The new policy also includes a clean and green program on the instructions of the Prime Minister. Under this program, all new CAA projects must include tree plantation.
Via: ExpressTribune
