WASHINGTON: The US Department of Transportation said Thursday that it planned to restore the ability of Indian air carriers to conduct ground handling operations at US airports.
The announcement comes as India now allows US airlines to conduct the full range of ground handling operations at Indian airports, the department said.
Those ground operations cover services to facilitate the preparation and completion of an aircraft’s flights, including ticketing, check-in, baggage sorting, refueling, and deicing.
Air India should be allowed to resume operations after the department adopts a final order.
The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In late July, India agreed to allow US airlines to resume their flights after being criticized by the Trump administration.
The announcement comes as India now allows US airlines to conduct the full range of ground handling operations at Indian airports, the department said.
Those ground operations cover services to facilitate the preparation and completion of an aircraft’s flights, including ticketing, check-in, baggage sorting, refueling, and deicing.
Air India should be allowed to resume operations after the department adopts a final order.
The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In late July, India agreed to allow US airlines to resume their flights after being criticized by the Trump administration.
The Indian government, citing the coronavirus, had banned all scheduled services from the United States, prompting the Department of Transportation in June to accuse India of engaging in “unfair and discriminatory practices” at charter airlines serving India. .
The Trump administration said in June that it wanted to “restore a level playing field for US airlines” under the US-India Air Transport Agreement.
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