Major airline operators are not happy with the finance minister’s announcement to cut sales tax on aviation turbine fuel for only smaller aircraft with minimum takeoff mass of less than 40,000 kilograms operated by the scheduled airlines. The airline industry had earlier hoped that aviation fuel altogether should be given a declared goods status, which would attract a uniform 4% sales tax across India.
Major beneficiaries of the tax cut would be Air Sahara and Paramount Airways. Air Sahara has seven bombardier CRJ aircraft which fits the criteria, while Paramount Airways fleet includes one Brazilian Embraer aircraft. Also, corporate houses like Reliance and the Singhanias who own business jets would also be benefited from the announcement.
