Union minister of state for civil aviation Praful Patel is confident the problems associated with Air India are behind us. The minister is also of the view that people don’t support a Third Front.

Q. When you were first assigned this portfolio, you were seen as dynamic. The last few months have seen this image take a knock.
A. I was able to transform aviation into a sunrise sector, last year’s problems notwithstanding. I would say to my credit that in the last six years I was able to achieve what was not achieved in the 60 previous years in terms of scale, size and directional shift. Aviation has become an engine of growth like what the railways used to be.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. In 2004, when I took over, there were 100 aircraft (in our skies). Today, there are more than 400. There would have had more if the global slowdown had not occurred. We also have 93 operational airports now. Directional shift has meant we have developed a greenfield policy where we are looking at helicopter aviation, low-cost carriers, and have helped change the profile of the average flier.
When I came to Parliament in 1991, our primary concern was to ensure that the Railways gave more stops in each of our constituencies. Today, everyone wants more airports, more connectivity. All this is adding to the economy. In the last few years, we have been able to create three lakh jobs in airlines alone while cumulatively aviation has added another ten lakh jobs.

Q. How would you rate T3, the new terminal for foreign travel at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport which is said to be among the biggest in the world?
A. T3 has been a redefining moment for Indian aviation. It can compare with the finest air terminals in the world, including Beijing, London and Frankfurt. T3 has one lakh people working three shifts a day. So, we have been able to create a new landscape. It will provide a hub for several Asian nations. The next level of hubs are going to be created in Mumbai and other metros.
Q. The Navi Mumbai airport has seen you having a run-in in with the minister of environment, Jairam Ramesh, who has serious reservations on the proposed site.
A. This is unfortunate since the one runaway available to the Mumbai airport cannot service the needs of such a large population.

Q. Growing Air India losses look like a serious problem.
A. The losses are not mounting; in fact, they are coming down. The worst is behind us.

Q. But the merger between Air India and Indian Airlines has been criticised since their reservation and revenue systems were not merged.
A. The merger was not a knee-jerk reaction but had been well thought out, and was implemented in the larger national interest. We’ve set up a new board with eminent people. The worst is going to be behind us.

Q. Do you think there should be an international airport in Greater Noida?
A. Every large town should have two or three airports. What’s wrong with that?

Q. Is airline autonomy possible in the near future?
A. A policy framework is in place, though I would like to add that we have a great deal of autonomy as ours is a deregulated sector.

Q. Should foreign carriers be allowed to invest in domestic airlines?
A. This needs balancing. I have no issue with it as I believe there is space for everyone. In the service area, the customer has a choice.

Q. Would the NCP like to be part of a Third Front?
A. The NCP does not subscribe to a Third Front which is an unsustainable idea, since the public is not supportive of it. I do not see it as playing any mean-ingful and constructive role. We are happy to work with the Congress. At the end of the day, the Centre’s interests remain paramount.