Karnataka row: DGCA cannot stop charter flights, clarifies Jayant Sinha

The Civil Aviation Ministry on Friday said it had sought a detailed report into the charges by the Janata Dal(S) that it had been denied permission by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to fly its legislators to Kerala.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha, in an early morning tweet, said, “Domestic charter flights do not require DGCA approval. They have to get their flight plan approved by local Air Traffic Control and then are free to fly. We will get a detailed report tomorrow and provide all the facts.”

The JD(S) on Thursday alleged that chartered flights scheduled to carry its MLAs and those of the Congress from Bengaluru to Kochi were denied permission by the DGCA at the last minute.