New Delhi, Sept. 22 -- The Centre is considering whether airport operators such as Adani Airport Holdings Ltd should be allowed to own airlines, civil aviation minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday, as India seeks to expand its regional air connectivity, while addressing potential conflicts of interest in the aviation sector.

"When an airport operator wants to operate an airline, we also have to examine the potential disadvantages. We need to create a system that addresses those concerns. There are several advantages, but the matter is under deliberation," Naidu said at a press conference to announce the launch of the revamped regional connectivity scheme, UDAN (Ude Desh Ki Aam Nagrik).

The issue came to the fore after Adani Airpo...