AAI notifies Punjab and Haryana HC on ground handling services at Chandigarh airport

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But, at the same time, the court headed by Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain was informed that the petition had been filed since the airlines did not want to comply with the provisions of 2007 and 2010 regulations.

“The present petitioners cannot be allowed to handle the ground handing facility on their own or through their contractors, agents, etc, without any bonafide whole-time employees,” cleared AAI.

It was submitted that the Chandigarh International Airport Ltd was a joint venture company of Air India, Punjab and Haryana governments and thus, AAI was more worried about the security of passengers.

“The ground handling of flights at the Indian airports became a matter of grave concern against the backdrop of international terrorism which witnessed hijacking of passengers, carrying of shoe bombs, liquid explosives, etc,” AAI reasoned.

The court was informed Wednesday that the petitioner federation had made wrong averment with regard to refusal made by AAI to allot any space at the Chandigarh International Airport to any of the airlines to undertake ground handling activities. AAI has already allotted space to IndiGo, which is yet to file a reply.

The AAI, however, agreed that it had already awarded a contract for ground handling service to AIATSL to facilitate the airlines after the start of operations. AIATSL was a subsidiary company of Air India, and the work had been awarded to it in accordance with the regulations, it was submitted.

It has also been informed that the petitioners have not been able to point out any illegalities in the regulations of 2007 and 2010 made by the central government. It was submitted that the regulations were earlier challenged by the petitioners and others before the Delhi High Court where the regulations were upheld. Hence, the petitioners are now before the Supreme Court which has not put any stay on the Delhi High Court’s orders.

After taking the replies on record, the court posted the matter for arguments to September 11.