New flight planning system to help Air India contain losses

Mumbai: Continuing its struggle against rising aviation costs, National Aviation Co. of India Ltd, or Nacil, which runs Air India, is implementing a computerized flight planning system that would potentially save about $198 million annually (about Rs950 crore).
The system was recommended by global trade body International Air Transport Association, or Iata, after it conducted a fuel efficiency and emissions analysis for the country’s largest airline.
Iata said the projected savings would come from optimized use of fuel, routes and other cost dynamics as enabled by the planner.
“The basic objective of this is to reduce the usage of fuel,” said a senior Nacil executive. “This (the system) will...suggest best routes, weather alerts and even tell you from where to lift the fuel.” But, he also said Nacil, which is facing losses of at least Rs3,000 crore in fiscal 2009, does not have information on actual savings achieved by implementing such measures.
The executive, who asked not to be named as he’s not the airline’s official spokesperson, still said the system, on average, saves 6% of an airline’s fuel budget, as claimed by Iata, which is Rs8,000 crore.
07/10/08 P.R. Sanjai/Livemint

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Categories: NACIL Oct 2008