The civil aviation ministry is seeking more support from the finance ministry to negate the losses that Air India, Indian Airlines and Airports Authority of India are going to suffer due to Pakistan's reciprocal action of closing airspace for Indian planes from on Tuesday.
Air India would lose Rs 40 crore a year and Indian Airlines Rs 3.64 crore due to closure of Pakistani airspace and the carriers would incur more losses due to flights having to take longer routes to avoid Pakistan, civil aviation minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs is exerting pressure on the civil aviation ministry to quickly clinch a bilateral agreement with Iran so that its airspace could be used for accessing Kabul as Indian aircraft cannot overfly Pakistan.
The civil aviation ministry will be holding talks with the Iranian government in New Delhi on Thursday and is likely to grant permission for an Iran Air flight to Delhi via Kabul. Bureau Report