Civil aviation sector has two functional divisions operational and infrastructural. On the operational side, Indian Airlines, Vayudoot and private air taxies provide domestic air services. Air India provides international air service.
Pawan Hans provides helicopter services to ONGC in its share operations and to inaccessible areas and difficult terrains. Indian Airlines operations also extend to the neighboring countries, South-East Asia and the Middle East.
Vayudoot Limited has merged with Indian Airlines. India is a member of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). There are, at present, six private scheduled airlines operating on the domestic network. Apart from this, fifteen air taxi operators are providing non-scheduled air services.
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The charter flights bringing foreign tourists in the country are now allowed to operate to certain domestic airports cleared for tourist charter operations in addition to the international airports.
The minimum payment to the Indian tour operator by the foreign charter operators 350 US dollars per person for a seven day package for the period from 1 October to 31 March and 300 US dollars for the period from 1 April to 30 September.
However, for tourists from SAARC countries, the amount to be remitted is 50 per cent of the aforesaid amount.
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Air taxi services can be operated as non-scheduled flights both on chartered and non-chartered basis to 93 airports in the country open to civil operations. The air taxi operators are free to charge any fare in their own commercial judgment.
The Airports Authority of India manages 92 civil airports and 28 civil air terminals as defense airfields in the country. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace extending even beyond the territorial limits of the country, as accepted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
India has bilateral air services agreements with 74 countries. Air India Limited is the major international carrier of the country. It operates services to USA, Canada, Europe, Russian, Confederation, Middle East, East Asia, Far East, Africa, and Australia.
Air India owns a fleet of twenty six aircrafts consisting of nine B747-200, two B747-400, three A-300-B4 and eight A-310-300 aircrafts. During 1993-94, Air India carried 19,77,668 passengers.
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Indian Airlines is the major domestic air carrier of the country. It also provides services to 11 countries, viz., Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore, UAE, Oman and Kuwait.
Its operations cover 66 destinations including 14 abroad. The Airlines owns a fleet of ten Airbus A- 300, thirty Airbus A-320, an eighteen Boeing B-737 and two F-27.
Presently six private scheduled airlines and fifteen air taxi operators are supplementing the air transport services provided by Indian Airlines on the domestic sector.