New Delhi: In the centenary year of the country's civil aviation, Air India is formally emerging as the single entity for domestic and overseas operations with the 'IC' code of the erstwhile Indian Airlines being cast to history from midnight Saturday. "Henceforth, all national and international flights, numbering nearly 100, will fly under the 'AI' code, thereby making the 'IC' code history," the National Aviation Company of India, the holding arm, of the brand, said.
"This was much awaited. It is a historic moment. Tonight's migration into AI code strengthens our resolve to emerge as the country's singular national carrier," said an elated chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav.
The move comes against the backdrop of 100 years of civil aviation in India. On Feb 18, 1911, Henry Piquet flew his Humber bi-plane from Allahabad to Naini, six miles (eight km) away, in Uttar Pradesh, carrying first official airmail, marking the beginning of air transport in India.
In December 1912, the Indian State Air Services in collaboration with UK based Imperial Airways introduced the London -Karachi - Delhi flight, the first international flight to and from India.
The integration also became inevitable after the decision taken in 2007 to merge Indian Airlines with Air India, along with their low-cost subsidiaries like Air India Express and Alliance Air, with the corporate entity formally called the National Aviation Company of India.
All Air India flights departing after 00.01 hour Feb 27 will be with the new mapped AI flight number, said the company spokesperson, adding that the migration to the new system began in the early hours Saturday and was completed by the afternoon.
During the migration period, Air India had made special arrangements for emergencies with regard to new bookings, changes, frequent flyer redemption, refunds and ticketing.
According to analysts, the move will help the cash-strapped national carrier which suffered losses to the tune of Rs.5,551 crore in 2009-10, in addition to a hit of Rs.7,189 crore in the previous year, to reduce some of its administrative costs.
"The airlines would benefit by reduced administrative costs which were arising out of billing, ticketing and other services," Amber Dubey, director, aerospace and defence, KPMG, told IANS.
26/02/11 Indo-Asian News Service/Hindustan Times
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