Air India defends free tickets for its former CMD, plans for more

Mumbai: A day after The Indian Express reported that the previous chairman of the National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) was getting free tickets even after his retirement despite not being eligible for it and also being barred by the Delhi High Court, the public sector firm contested the report as “inaccurate.” At the same time, it set in motion moves to allow more such free tickets.
According to the agenda paper for NACIL’s board meeting tomorrow, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, “post-retirement passages to part-time chairmen/MDs of erstwhile Indian Airlines Ltd” is listed as Item Number 28.
Sources said this proposal is a first step to expand the benefit of free tickets to officers from the IAS, IPS, IRS and other services who are deputed to NACIL as they are not eligible now unless specified in their appointment orders. It may not be taken up or had been withdrawn following The Indian Express report, they said.
While certain categories of permanent employees of the airline are eligible for such tickets, the Central government as well as the Delhi High Court order opposed this post-retirement perk to officials on deputation from other services.
The Indian Express on Tuesday said that NACIL chairman and managing director V. Thulasidas and his wife flew free 18 times after Thulasidas retired on March 31 in violation of norms and the court order. The report said that Thulasidas was not eligible for free tickets as it was not mentioned in his appointment letter. However, Air India letter quoted a paragraph from Thulasidas’s appointment letter which said the IAS officer would be governed by existing rules, regulations and orders of the borrowing organization in all matters relating to benefits and perks not expressly mentioned in the appointment letter. Thus, the free tickets were not a violation of his appointment rules, the letter contended. But rules in Air India for its own employees are clear. Only some senior categories of employees who have worked continuously for 20 years are eligible for free tickets post retirement. Thulasidas was on deputation from 2003 to 2008.
29/05/08 YP Rajesh/Indian Express

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: NACIL May 2008