India's Airlines Incurred Loss Of Rs 19,564 Cr In 2020-21: Govt

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New Delhi- The airlines and airports in India incurred an estimated loss of Rs 19,564 crore and Rs 5,116 crore, respectively, in 2020-21 due to severe disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said on Monday.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, scheduled domestic flights were suspended in India from March 25, 2020 to May 24, 2020.

"The aviation sector in India has been affected due to severe disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," the minister said in his written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

"The estimated losses incurred by airlines and airports in India in the financial year 2020-21 is approximately Rs19,564 crore and Rs 5,116 crore respectively," he mentioned.

Air India owes Rs 2,350 crore to AAI, SpiceJet Rs 185 crore

Air India and SpiceJet have outstanding dues of Rs 2,350 crore and Rs 185 crore respectively to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) as on September this year, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said on Monday.

"Some airlines have defaulted on clearance of their dues," Singh said in written response to a question in Rajya Sabha.

The AAI follows up with the airlines regularly for recovery of dues according to its credit policy, he mentioned.

Charging penal interest, encashment of security deposits along with resorting to legal action were other measures available with the AAI to carry out recovery of dues, he noted.

The AAI owns 125-odd airports across the country. Airlines have to regularly pay various charges such as landing charges and parking charges to the AAI to operate aircraft from its airports.

The minister said the outstanding dues of Air India, Alliance Air, SpiceJet and Go Air (now called Go First) up to September 2021 was Rs 2,350 crore, Rs 109 crore, Rs 185 crore and Rs 56 crore, respectively.

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