As the government mulls allowing Kingfisher Airlines to import ATF directly, oil companies have opposed the move saying the proposal was "bad economics" for the beleaguered airline in view of high taxes and handling cost.
In a detailed response to the application made by Kingfisher to import aviation turbine fuel (ATF) directly, oil firms stated that India is surplus in jet fuel and exports half of its production annually, official sources said.
Allowing direct import of ATF may lead to avoidable simultaneous import/export of ATF and undue burden on port infrastructure in the country, the oil firms said as per a PTI report.
Kingfisher believes that by importing ATF directly, it can make substantial savings by not having to pay sales tax (which varies between 4 to 30 per cent from state to state).
Against this, Kingfisher presently pays only 8.24 per cent excise duty on jet fuel purchases made from oil firms.
Sources said oil PSUs also made it clear that they do not have surplus infrastructure facility at any port location in India, which can be hired by Kingfisher to import ATF.
Besides, the airline would either have to build its own storage tanks or hire those from oil companies for stocking the imported ATF at the ports. It would then have to make arrangements for transporting ATF to airports in trucks.
Even after time and cost consuming exercise, Kingfisher can dispense the fuel into its aircraft at only three airports - Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore-- which allow refuelling infrastructure to be shared on "Open Access" basis.
In rest of airports, oil companies have the monopoly and the airline would need to negotiate and enter into specific agreements with these companies for extending their facilities on "open access".
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