Jet Airways: Local goes global

Chennai: For a domestic airline going international is not a matter of just having a bigger aircraft, booking the passengers, taking off from an Indian airport and landing abroad. The operational and market dynamics are quite varied.

Says Jet Airways (India) Limited's chief operating officer Peter Luethi, "The contrast between domestic and international operations is manifold. It starts with the requirements of the government negotiated traffic rights to serve any given route."

International aviation is a very demanding and complex business. It is manpower and capital intensive and is always exposed to regional and global events — far different in nature than those in a domestic environment.

For instance, the airline not only has to comply with the regulatory requirements of the country the airline flies to but also that of the nations its aircraft overfly en route. The airline should also comply with the requirement of licences for international services for pilots, inflight crews, technical and engineering staff.

The type of aircraft used differs between domestic and international routes. The domestic turned international airline has to induct new aircraft, mainly wide-bodied ones for the international routes.

"Once these elements are in place, the concerned airlines should meet the stringent regulations laid down by the Indian as well as the government of the chosen destination before an AOC (Air Operator's Certificate) is obtained," Luethi adds.