Minister asks AI to run it as a commercial
entity
Air India is drawing up plans to deploy five new
Boeing Dreamliners B-787, which it expects to receive in the next few weeks, on
the Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, Bali and Istanbul routes, Aviation Minister
Ajit Singh said on Thursday.
So far Air India has received three Dreamliners.
Mr. Singh has asked Air India to explore the
possibility of flying to Indonesia, including Bali, Istanbul and beyond too.
The Minister made this suggestion at a meeting
called to review the functioning of Air India, including its revenue generation
and cash flow management as part of its turnaround and financial restructuring
plans.
Expressing satisfaction over the payment of
salaries to the employees till November, he said out of Rs. 2,000 crore which
Air India would receive next month in the form of equity as budgetary support,
Rs. 500 crore must be utilised to clear all arrears.
The Minister expressed concern at the estimated
shortfall of about Rs. 404 crore in the monthly average cash flow. He directed
Air India to try to ensure that the cash inflow matched the outflow. In the
ongoing financial year so far, the airline's revenue was Rs. 1,348 crore and
expenditure Rs. 1,752 crore. He asked it to go into operational details to cut
costs, especially on heads such as its overseas offices, fuel, salaries and
office expenses, the spokesperson said.
Asking Air India to think out of the box and run
the organisation as a commercial entity, instead of a government-owned body,
Mr. Singh said the airline should negotiate with public sector oil marketing
companies for the same discount as they provided to the international and other
Indian carriers.
He directed it to examine whether it was
necessary to depute staff abroad for assisting embassies to provide ticketing
and other facilities, as such services were now available online.
An automated Crew Management System (Auto
Roster) would become operational for pilots by next month and for cabin crew by
February-March next year.
The system is an algorithm that automates the task
of Flight Duty Assignments aiming at equalising flying hours, sectors flown,
day and night flights, number of landings and other parameters.
Mr. Singh also stressed on need to screen the
employees, including the cabin crew on various parameters such as medical
fitness.
· In current financial year, AI’s
revenue was Rs. 1,348 crore and expenditure Rs. 1,752 crore
· Automated Crew Management System
to be made functional by January end
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