US to allow AI to conduct ground handling at airports: Official

Washington: The United States has announced that it plans to restore Air India’s ability to self-conduct its ground handling operations at American airports.

Issuing an order in this regard, the US Department of Transportation reversed its previous order of July 2019 that had suspended the right of Air India to self-handle at US airports.

The Department and other US government agencies have continued to work with the government of India towards a satisfactory resolution of this matter.

In that connection, recent positive developments have led the department to tentatively determine that the public interest now calls for the removal of the permit condition we had imposed in order 2019-7-9, said the order issued by Joel Szabat, Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs.

“We, therefore, have tentatively decided to amend Air India’s permit to remove that condition,” the Department of Transportation said.

Stakeholders and the public have 21 days to respond to this proposal before it can be finalized and enforced.

The order comes a day after the Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, had a conversation with the Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

“India and the US have partnered in the Aviation sector during these difficult times,” the ambassador tweeted.

The order also relieves Air India of any further reporting requirement regarding its ground handling arrangements.