Airport officials must travel by train

New Delhi: Stop flying, travel by train -- that's the cost-cutting mantra being chanted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to its over 3,000 executive-ranked officials posted across the country. AAI sources said that the move is in sync with the civil aviation ministry's suggestions to reduce travel expenditure.
In a recently issued circular, the AAI chairman, VP Agrawal, has asked all senior officials, including those of executive director, general manager and senior general manager rank, to switch over to trains for all official travel.
This will save AAI over Rs40 crore annually, a relief for the body that is grappling with payments defaults from several domestic and international airlines. But this "austerity measure" -- which the aviation ministry is encouraging -- will impact middle-level AAI executives who wereearlier entitled to economy class air travel. Board members will have to switch from business class travel to economy.
08/07/09 Yogesh Kumar/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Airports Jul 2009