5/20 rule on foreign flights anarchic: Raju

New Delhi, April 28

Terming the 5/20 rule that allows Indian carriers to fly abroad as “anarchic”, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today said he was trying to change it so that new airlines could connect with foreign destinations.

Raju said in the Lok Sabha that the government wanted more Indian airlines to fly to foreign destinations, but as long as the 5/20 rule was not changed, they could not fly abroad.

The rule entails that an airline can fly to international destinations only if it has served within the country for five years and has a 20-aircraft fleet.

“To my mind, it is an anarchic type of thing. It prevents the registered Indian airlines to function. But as long as that rule is there, we have to follow it… I am trying to change the rule and if I have my way, it will happen,” he said during Question Hour. — PTI