Air Pegasus in talks with lessors over payment issue

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Grounded regional carrier AirPegasus today said it is in discussions with its aircraftlessors over the payment issue and may resume operations inone week’s time. The Bengaluru-based airline is not operating servicessince July 27 after its lessors took back possession of threeaircraft in the wake of its failure to pay lease rentals,which runs over Rs seven crore. "we are negotiating with our lessors. We are ready to pay50 per cent of the dues now and the remaining 50 per cent inperiod stretching over six months," Air Pegasus ManagingDirector Shyson Thomas said after meeting Civil AviationMinister Ashok Gajapathi Raju here today. Thomas said that he was confident of sorting out all thefinancial issues with the lessors soon, adding, "we expect toresume operations in one week’s time." Raju during the meeting, however, made it clear to theairline that Government was ready to help the carrier but onlyin resuming operations but not in financial issues. "We need to have airlines flying, not on the ground. Wewant airlines to survive, (but) we cannot take the liabilitiesand generate other problems," Raju said. Last month Civil Aviation secretary R N Choubey had saidthat Government would examine the feasibility of anyassistance if there was a request from the airlines. "If they approach us, we will examine…what is feasibleand what is not," he said. Before suspending operations for an indefinite period,the carrier flew from Bengaluru to at least seven destinationsin southern India. Air Pegasus started operations in April 2015. PTI IASRG