VIPs have long demanded that private carriers roll out the red carpet for them just like Air India does.

NEW DELHI: The ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) has called all private airlines next Friday to discuss the “protocol” they should extend to netas, days after MPs Ravindra Gaikwad and Diwakar Reddy made headlines for their alleged misbehaviour with airline staff.

MPs and other VIPs have long demanded that private carriers roll out the red carpet for them just like state-owned Air India does. But with AI headed for privatisation, aviation authorities seem to be working on a new protocol to be applicable to private airlines.

The aviation ministry , on Thursday, sent a notice to private airlines and other stakeholders titled “protocol to be extended to VIPs in private airlines”. It says that the meeting is “scheduled to be held under the chairpersonship of the ministry’s joint secretary Usha Padhee on June 30...” A senior MoCA official said the meeting was not called for VIPs but to discuss “amenities to be extended to people’s representatives as per existing directions”.

The ministry is under pressure from the political class for more privileges at airports and while flying. A parliamentary panel had earlier this month asked MoCA to ensure that even private airlines give them front-row seats and free or subsidised meals. A source present at a meeting of the panel said: “MPs ...said charges of private airlines are very high and booking a front-row seat can cost over Rs 500. MPs asked for frontrow seats, to (be able to) leave the aircraft early.”

The order for treating MPs like royalty at airports was issued under UPA in 2007, and reiterated by the aviation regulator recently.



In Video: 'VIP protocol' for private airlines?