The Union Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the Civil Aviation Policy in order to boost the domestic aviation sector and provide passenger-friendly fares. The Civil Aviation Ministry had sent the to the Cabinet for approval on June 3 after the NDA government proposed a new draft in October 2015. This new policy aims at providing various benefits to domestic airline passengers. Here are some of the highlights: # Capping of fare: Rs 1,200 for 30 minutes and Rs 2,500 for hour-long flights. # A single window for all aviation related transactions, complaints, etc. # 5/20 rule that allows a carrier to fly abroad only if it has 20 aircraft and has flown domestic for five years. # Two per cent levy on all air tickets to fund regional connectivity scheme and providing viability gap funding for airlines to encourage operations on regional routes. # Restoration of air strips at a maximum cost of Rs 50 crore through Airports Authority of India (AAI). # Permission for Indian carriers to get into code-sharing agreement with foreign carriers for any destination within India. # More focus on ease-of-doing business as government plans to liberalise regime of regional flights.
