"Undoubtedly, Air India is in a neck-deep financial crisis but the situation of private airlines is no better. The failure of the government to provide incentives for the aviation industry is monumental," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
The former Minister of State for Civil Aviation felt though no immediate solutions were in sight, the government should have provided incentives to the ailing private airlines to bail them out of their financial troubles.
He also accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of being "ignorant and insensitive" towards the aviation industry.
"The Prime Minister has preferred to remain ignorant and insensitive to the core issues bothering the civil aviation industry," he said.
The private carriers, under the banner of the Federation of Indian Airlines, have decided to suspend their domestic services on August 18 to protest "high prices of jet fuel and airport charges".
International operations, however, would be normal.
The private airlines are suffering losses apparently due to falling air traffic, high Air Turbine Fuel prices and recent hike in airport charges.
Published 31 July 2009, 15:18 IST