Aviation Ministry takes a step further to allow direct import of ATF

17 Feb 2012 Evaluate

Moving a step further towards implementing its decision to allow Indian airlines to import aviation turbine fuel directly, the Civil Aviation Ministry has written to the Commerce Ministry to take necessary steps to make the proposal feasible.

The government in a meeting of a Group of Ministers on aviation, headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, recently took a decision to allow national carriers to import ATF directly rather than having to buy it from the state governments. Fuel comprises of 40% of an airlines’ operating cost and the cash stripped airlines had been demanding that they be allowed to import fuel directly as the heavy taxes imposed by the states were making fuel costs unbearable.

Currently as per policy the Indian carriers have to purchase fuel locally from the state owned oil companies. Additionally the states also levy a sales tax varying from 4% to 30%, which makes the price of aviation turbine fuel 30% to 40% higher as compared to countries like Singapore, Japan, and those in the Gulf and in Europe. Hence cash-strapped Indian carriers, particularly Kingfisher, have been demanding allowing of direct imports.

Most of the Indian airlines owe substantial amounts to oil companies on account of jet fuel. Air India owes over Rs 4,170 crore to public sector oil companies in unpaid jet fuel bills, according to figures tabled in Parliament, while all other private carriers together have dues worth over Rs 2,000 crore. Flight schedules of airlines like Air India and Kingfisher have been disrupted on several occasions in the past few months due to these oil firms stopping ATF supplies due to non-payment of dues.

Since the days of Praful Patel, successive civil aviation minister, including incumbent Ajit Singh, have written to the chief ministers of all states to bring down the rate of sales tax on ATF in order to make ATF cheaper for the Indian carriers. However, most of the states have not responded favourably. Revenue from sales tax on ATF contributes only 0.5% to 2% of the total sales tax collection of the states. But for the airlines, it is almost 40% of the total operational cost, imposing a heavy burden on the beleaguered companies.

The decision is also likely to bring down the cost of working capital to the airlines, as suppliers’ credit on lower interest rates would become feasible.

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