New Delhi, Aug 3 - A day after private airlines called off their Aug 18 strike, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel Monday ruled out any kind of bailout for them or for the state-owned carrier Air India.

'There is no question of a financial bailout for private airlines. We are not even bailing out Air India, which is owned by the government,' Patel told reporters here.

'But we will try to help them (the carriers), in every possible way as it is an important sector,' the minister stated, emphasising that the government understood the problems faced by the aviation industry.

Faced with stern action by the government and all-round resentment and anguish expressed by air travellers, private carriers late Sunday spiked their proposal to suspend domestic operations from Aug 18.