Friday, February 18 2005 19:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: After allowing private Indian carriers to operate to the UK and Southeast Asia, Government today (Feb 18, 2005) permitted Jet Airways to launch operations to New York from the ensuing summer season starting April.

Jet Airways, which received an overwhelming response to its initial public offer, which opened today, has been allowed to operate three flights a week from Mumbai to New York via Brussels, official sources said.

The other private carrier, Air Sahara, did not apply for any destination in the US.

While Jet Airways officials refused to comment on when they would launch the New York operations, the airline has been planning to acquire large wide-bodied aircraft like Boeing 777s, Boeing 747s and Airbus-340s.

The Civil Aviation Ministry had on January 31 allotted a total of nine flights to the UK to Jet Airways and Air Sahara from March-April this year.

While Jet Airways was allotted seven flights to London Heathrow per week, Air Sahara has been allotted two to Gatwick.

Air India would be operating 24 services to UK and had applied for additional flights, instead of 18.

Earlier this month, the two private carriers were allowed to carry out daily operations to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

The Union Cabinet had on December 29 permitted private carriers, having a minimum of five years of continuous experience, a 20 aircraft fleet and a minimum mileage coverage, to operate on the international routes, barring Gulf destinations which were left for the public carriers for three years.