International Air Transport Association (IATA), the apex body for the global airline industry, is in talks with cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines to revoke its suspension from the apex body. Talking to the media persons on the sidelines of India aviation 2012 here, IATA head tony Tyler expressed hope that the discussions with Kingfishser on the terms on which the carrier can be be reistanted into its clearing house. The Geneva-based body had earlier this month suspended the carrier from its billing and settlement plans over non-payment of dues. IATA also hoped that the beleaguered airline will come back to its normal state by overcoming the current difficulties, he said. “The difficulties of Kingfisher are well known. We had to suspend Kingfisher from the travel agency clearing house.
It was necessary to protect the whole system. It is the system we operate on behalf of hundreds of airlines,” he said. When asked about terms discussed between the association and airline, Mr Tyler did not responded positively and said it was for the Indian Government to decide on whether to intervene in the kingfishser row. To a question, he said the suspension of the airline from the clearing house was not an unprecedented move as it happens globally after airlines failed to meet payment obligations. However, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, who inaugurated India Aviation-2012 yesterday, ruled out the possibility of government bailing out the airline. UNI