Private airlines allowed to operate in all SAARC nations

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has allowed allow private airlines to fly to all the SAARC countries - Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives.

The cabinet decision means that the three scheduled private sector airlines - Jet Airways, Air Sahara and Air Deccan - will be allowed to operate to these destinations after getting due permission from the authorities.

Welcoming the decision, an official spokesperson of Jet Airways said while the airline had already filed the application with the authorities for operating to Sri Lanka, it will also examine the option of operating to Nepal and Bangladesh.

Jet plans to operate a daily service to Colombo from Chennai and offer a five-times-a-week connection to the Sri Lankan capital from both Mumbai and Bangalore.

Similarly, welcoming the decision, Air Sahara chief executive officer U K Bose said that apart from Sri Lanka the airline will probably look at operating to Nepal and Bangladesh.

"As regards Sri Lanka, the airline is in a position to start flights within a week. We will launch a daily service from Mumbai and Chennai and offer connections for passengers from different parts of the country," Bose said.