Flying low, AI lost cash on 7 of every 10 flights in ’09

New Delhi: At least seven out of ten flights that the beleaguered state-owned carrier National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) operated from April to October 2009 made cash losses, as per figures released by the civil aviation ministry. The carrier has accumulated losses up to Rs 7,200 crore as of March 2009 and is awaiting government bailout to come out of the red. During this period, the carrier operated 192 flights, of which 133 made cash losses and only 59 were able to achieve operation break even, according to the provisional figures provided by civil aviation minister Praful Patel in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. On these loss-making routes — accounting for almost 60-65 per cent of total routes operated by the carrier — Air India lost Rs 1,924 crore in 2007-08.
In 2008-09, these shot up to Rs 3,214 crore as loss-making routes accounted for 70-75 per cent of total routes. For the period April to October 2009, these routes resulted in losses of Rs 1,522 crore. This figure may come down as compared with the previous year as load factors have improved considerably, said a senior ministry official. The Delhi-New York and Mumbai-New York route figures on the list of loss-making routes, official added.
18/12/09 Indian Express

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Categories: NACIL Dec 2009