Airliners-India.com

karatecatman · Guest

www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=aug0808/at010
NEC’s airline bid fails to materialise
SHILLONG, Aug 7 – The North-East Council’s (NEC) proposed ‘dedicated airline’ for the region has come a cropper with the Council rejecting all three bids made by airline companies on the ground that they did not match the requisites as stated in the bid document. Significantly, this is the second time that the tender was floated with the first one failing to evoke response.

State-run Alliance Air, Universal Empire and Ace Airlines had bid for operating a dedicated regional air carrier for the Northeastern states. But all the bids had to be rejected for failure to match the technical requirements, comply with the number of flights to be operated and prove the aircraft’s capability, NEC’s Advisor (T&C) Ms Sodhi told PTI today.

The NEC is likely to make yet another attempt to invite bids by changing the norms. It had earlier exuded confidence that it could start the new dedicated regional airline by the end of this year with plans to operationalize 12 new airports in the region apart from the existing 11.

The second global tender for a separate North East Airline was released in May-end.

With NEC sources hinting that economic-viability of the airline could be the main reason for the Council’s failure to rope in a carrier for the service, the council had announced that selected airlines would be subsidized by funds from the NEC and would be expected to fly as many as 400 flights every month connecting the region by the end of 2009. – PTI

Funny that IA's bid got rejected!

shivendrashukla