# Centre weighs allowing airport operators to own airlines 2026-09-22T14:51:54+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets The central government is examining whether airport operators such as Adani Airport Holdings should be allowed to own airlines, civil aviation minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday. Naidu said the government is weighing the pros and cons of such a move and no decision has been taken yet. The issue came up after Adani Airport wrote to the Airports Authority of India in June seeking relaxation of norms that could allow it to explore operating an airline. Naidu said there is no general law preventing cross-holding between airport operators and airlines, but restrictions exist under agreements for Delhi and Mumbai airports that limit an operator's stake in an airline to 10%. The minister said the government wants more airlines to enter the market, especially to improve regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme. Separately, Naidu said the government is monitoring SpiceJet's financial position and has disbursed Rs 150 crore under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All three sources report the minister's statement in a straight news style with no discernible slant. Livemint.com and The Times of India give more space to industry reactions, including IndiGo's opposition and Akasa's support, while Business Line focuses on the minister's procedural caution. The coverage is uniform wire-style reporting: the government is studying the issue, the OMDA restrictions are the key legal hurdle, and no decision is imminent. The next concrete step is the government's deliberation before any policy change, with no deadline announced. ## Coverage - livemint.com (neutral report) Straight reporting of minister's statement and industry context - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) News agency style reporting of minister's comments and other aviation news - thehindubusinessline.com (neutral report) Focused on minister's cautious approach and legal provisions Tags: Adani Group, DGCA, K. Ram Mohan Naidu, SpiceJet, UDAN Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/centre-mulls-allowing-airport-operators-to-own-airlines/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/centre-mulls-allowing-airport-operators-to-own-airlines/#story-in-brief