"The government reiterates its advice to private airlines against suspending operations on August 18," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said in a statement on Saturday.

Maintaining that state taxes on aviation turbine fuel had been an issue even before several present carriers came into existence, he said that the government cannot be expected to extend financial help to loss-making private carriers.

Patel, who renewed his appeal to the private carriers for negotiations, also said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) could "take appropriate action" under its regulatory powers to protect passengers' interest.

The DGCA also sent a notice to the private airlines telling them that their decision to suspend flights for a day would inconvenience the travelling public and referred to provisions in the law that required them to take some steps in that event.

The regulatory body asked them to confirm within 48 hours that they would abide by the rules that require the carriers to inform DGCA about cancellation of flights and immediate refund of tickets to passengers.

The airlines body said it only wished to emphasise that they would be unable to continue operations and, like every other industry, their industry should be viable and sustainable.

The decision to suspend flights was taken jointly by Kingfisher Airlines, Kingfisher Red, Jet Airways, JetLite, Jet Konnect, IndiGo and SpiceJet and GoAir at a meeting of the FIA in Mumbai yesterday.

State-owned Air India, which is not part of the protest, has planned to mount additional flights throughout its vast national network on August 18 if the private carriers went ahead with their threat.

Fully business class carrier Paramount Airways and regional carrier MDLR Airlines are also not participating in the proposed protest action.

Meanwhile, former civil servant Yashwant Bhave today took over as the first Chairperson of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) which has been set up to decide on airport and aeronautical charges and settling disputes.

The private airlines, which were protesting against high airport charges levied by airport operators, have been demanding that AERA be made functional immediately to listen to their grievances.

(PTI)