Retired Air India employees seek Labour Ministry's intervention for pension

New Delhi: Retired employees of Air India have said that the absence of pensions is causing them hardship. "Considering the rate of inflation and devaluation of rupee in India, the accumulated Provident Fund received by the employees of Air India does not facilitate them to meet their basic needs after retirement. Hence, without any steady income and any pension, it is causing financial hardship to us, retired employees," they said.

The retired employees have now asked the Labour Ministry to bring Air India under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 to avail pension after retirement.

"We, the retired employees of Air India Ltd, hereby request you to do the needful on our matter to bring Air India under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 to avail pension through Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995 in place of the existing coverage under the Provident Funds Act, 1925.

"Further, with limited source of income, we are not in a position to fight it out with Air India management legally and hence request your kind intervention to sort out this issue positively in our favour," the retired employees said in a letter to Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar.

"We are sure that you will be able to bring positive change and succeed in bringing uniformity in application of EPF MP Act, 1952 and bringing all left-out Government agencies under its ambit," they said.

The Standing Committee on Labour has recommended that the Ministry should now proactively explore the possibilities of amending the obsolete 1925 act and merge all the PF trusts of all establishments/organisations under it into a single body/trust.

29/09/20 IANS/India TV

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Air India’s insistence on security scanning of mortal remains causing distress: Community leaders

Air India’s insistence on the mandatory security scanning of mortal remains before transporting it back to India has been causing distress, with community leaders ruing that the process at times is insensitive to their religious and cultural values.

Government officials, familiar with the process of transportation of mortal remains and airport security in the US, have said that Air India is the only airline to be insisting upon security scanning of mortal remains. ”Except for Air India, no other airline does this scanning,” a senior government official said on condition of anonymity, adding that there is no such mandatory provision in federal manuals and American airport security protocols.

A significantly large number of Indians wear rings in their fingers or jewellery, mostly in case of women, which because of religious and cultural reasons are not removed after death. As a result, the mortal remains of the deceased gives a security alert during the scanning process.

In most of these cases, Air India security officials insist that they be removed, for which the body is taken back to the funeral home to do the needful like the removal of rings or other jewellery.

In some cases, it has come to the notice that Air India security officials insist on removing a dhoti or a saree (ethnic wear), which many times are gold-plated or carry some metals, before it can be allowed to be transported through the cargo section of the plane. This many a times has resulted in a delay in transportation and also comes with an additional cost of keeping the body in mortuary.

”This is nothing less than shocking that our own Air India does things that are religious and culturally insensitive,” said US-based social activist Prem Bhandari, who has written a letter to the Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola on the issue.

”On reaching out to the local authorities in DHS (Department of Homeland Security), I was surprised to learn that the US does not mandate TSA (Transportation and Security Administration) to scan any human remains in cases of death due to natural causes for any destination country or airline,” Bhandari said.

29/09/20 PTI/Financial Express

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No kidding! Air India plans to start flights that go nowhere, to take wanderlust for a 'scenic ride'

 New Delhi: Good news for people who want to travel but have nowhere to go. National carrier Air India is planning to start its own “flights to nowhere” for flyers who have been missing the experience of flying.  Under the programme, Air India will take the travellers for a picturesque journey in the sky that will take-off and drop the flyers at the same airport. 

These 'scenic joy flights' will be low-flying expeditions that give passengers an aerial tour of famous spots in India, an Air India official told the Hindustan Times. “Yes, we are exploring the possibility of starting a scenic flight service. Other details are to be decided," an Air India spokesperson said.

"Of late, many flyers have taken to social media to narrate how they feel about not being able to go on vacations or fly out of their cities because of coronavirus outbreak. 

The ‘joy flights’ will get experience of flying back, and will also be something never experienced before. It is expected to be welcomed by the Indian flyers also," another official told HT. 

The wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747 will be used for the service. Aviation expert Mark Martin said a Boeing 747 can fly as low as 500 to 1,000 feet for display flights. Cruising speed of a normal Boeing 747 during a low-altitude flight would be around 250 knots i.e. roughly 400 km per hour.

However, this is not the first time that an Airline will be doing this. Australian air carrier, Qantas Airways recently launched its 'Flight to Nowhere' and the tickets sold out in 10 minutes. The seven-hour-long flight during which the passenger will be able to spot attractions such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Sydney Harbour. Royal Brunei also operates similar flights for passengers.

28/09/20 India TV

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Air India's insistence on security scanning of mortal remains causing distress: Community leaders

Air India’s insistence on the mandatory security scanning of mortal remains before transporting it back to India has been causing distress, with community leaders ruing that the process at times is insensitive to their religious and cultural values. Government officials, familiar with the process of transportation of mortal remains and airport security in the US, have said that Air India is the only airline to be insisting upon security scanning of mortal remains.

Except for Air India, no other airline does this scanning, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity, adding that there is no such mandatory provision in federal manuals and American airport security protocols. A significantly large number of Indians wear rings in their fingers or jewellery, mostly in case of women, which because of religious and cultural reasons are not removed after death. As a result, the mortal remains of the deceased gives a security alert during the scanning process.

In most of these cases, Air India security officials insist that they be removed, for which the body is taken back to the funeral home to do the needful like the removal of rings or other jewellery. In some cases, it has come to the notice that Air India security officials insist on removing a dhoti or a saree (ethnic wear), which many times are gold-plated or carry some metals, before it can be allowed to be transported through the cargo section of the plane.

This many a times has resulted in a delay in transportation and also comes with an additional cost of keeping the body in the mortuary. This is nothing less than shocking that our own Air India does things that are religious and culturally insensitive, said US-based social activist Prem Bhandari, who has written a letter to the Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola on the issue.

On reaching out to the local authorities in DHS (Department of Homeland Security), I was surprised to learn that the US does not mandate TSA (Transportation and Security Administration) to scan any human remains in cases of death due to natural causes for any destination country or airline, Bhandari said. In his letter, followers of Swami Pratyagbodhananda, vice president of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Pennsylvania, had some harrowing experience at the Newark International Airport in New Jersey last week.

Without going into details, the Gurukulam had expressed its deep disappointment over the process being followed in transportation of human remains by Air India. The Gurukulam management followed the due process and arranged a registered funeral home which are regulated and authorised by the DHS to handle shipment of human remains. The body along with all requisite documentation, embalming among others reached the AI cargo department.

The TSA followed procedure of Air India and scanned the remains, but put a hold on the transport of the mortal remains of the spiritual guru due to security scan showing some concerns related to the attire on the body, Bhandari said. In his letter, Bhandari demanded the abolition of such a policy set up by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, at least for natural death cases occurring in the US.

The TSA accepts and allows mortal remains coming from a known shipper, a term used for registered funeral homes in the US, which are regularly audited and checked by the federal and local government. Incidentally, the Air India Cargo operations manual, which was updated last on July 1, 2019, makes no reference to the security scanning of mortal remains.

It requires six documents, including death certificate; cremation certificate (if as ashes); embalming certificate (if in coffin); a must police certificate if the death is unnatural. In the case of international carriage, Air India requires cancelled passport; and consular certificate (from the office of the Consular of the nationality of the deceased).

29/09/20 PTI/CNBC TV18

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270 repatriation flights from UAE for Indians next month

New Delhi: India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation today announced a packed schedule of 270 repatriation flights out of the UAE commencing 1st October to bring back its citizens who wish to return home to face disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Ministry said its new schedule, which will run until 25th October, constitutes the seventh phase of its repatriation mission, known as Vande Bharat. The state-owned budget airline, Air India Express will operate these flights. They may be supplemented later, if needed, by other Indian carriers, it added.

These flights will depart from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, bound, in many instances for multiple domestic destinations in India. The seventh phase of the repatriation mission covers a number of new Indian airports. This will mean Indians in the UAE can directly reach their final destination without having to take a connecting flight or transit at other airports.

28/09/20 Krishnan Nayar/WAM

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3 Vancouver-bound flights added to COVID-19 exposures list

Vancouver: Two flights from India and one from Toronto are the latest additions to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's list of COVID-19 exposures.

The BCCDC added one flight – Air Canada flight 45 from Delhi to Vancouver on Sept. 18 – to its list on Saturday, and added the other two Sunday afternoon.

The two flights added Sunday were:

 Sept. 16: Air India flight 1143 from Delhi to Vancouver (rows not reported)

 Sept. 17: WestJet flight 725 from Toronto to Vancouver (rows 22 to 28)

Rows 12 to 14 and 31 to 33 were listed as affected rows on Air Canada flight 45.

Passengers seated in the affected rows are considered to be at greater risk of contracting the coronavirus because of their proximity to people who have since tested positive.

Anyone who was on one of the affected flights should self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and seek testing and self-isolate if any symptoms develop, the BCCDC says.

Passengers arriving from international locations are required to quarantine for 14 days after landing in B.C.

27/09/20 Ian Holliday/CTVNewsVancouver.ca

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More AI pilots move HC against airline over contract termination, salary dues

New Delhi: A group of senior Air India commanders and co-pilots have filed a petition in Delhi High Court against the airline for terminating their contracts and not paying their salaries and flying related allowances since April 1 this year.

According to the petition, a copy of which was reviewed by The Sunday Express, the pilots who have filed the petition had retired and were appointed by Air India on a contractual basis. The pilots, whose contracts were terminated by the airline following a Covid-related suspension, have claimed that “management could terminate the contract of the petitioners only on account of unsatisfactory discharge of duties, unsatisfactory conduct, dishonesty, fraud or other act which in view of the Company was contrary to its interest but not otherwise”.

“It is submitted that even in case of the discontinuation of service, the management is required to give either one month’s notice or an amount equivalent one month’s fixed consideration,” the pilots noted in their petition.

At least five other pleas have been filed in the Delhi High Court by various Air India pilots who were suspended and subsequently terminated by the airline on account of Covid-related stress being faced by the aviation sector.

27/09/20 Indian Express

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Air India ferries over 12 lakh people under Vande Bharat plan

New Delhi: Debt-ridden national carrier Air India, which is still looking for a prospective buyer, has ferried more than 12,69,000 people over the last three months under the Vande Bharat Mission. The Vande Bharat Mission is being undertaken by the Government of India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to repatriate Indians who are stuck in various countries amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s data, the Vande Bharat Mission has so far repatriated Indians from 94 countries to different states in India.

The highest number of Indian expats who have been brought back to India is from the UAE. More than 4 lakh people from the UAE have been brought back to India in Air India flights that have been operating under the Vande Bharat mission. UAE is followed by other Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia from where more than 1,63,000 Indians were brought back to India. Oman, Qatar and Kuwait also added to a significant number of people who came back to India from these countries.

The Gulf countries have the highest numbers of Indian emigrant workers living and working and the sudden lockdown and the coronavirus pandemic had caused a lot of worries for these people after which the national carrier, in agreement with the respective governments, was roped in to bring them back home.

The Vande Bharat Mission also helped repatriate about 671 Indians from Pakistan.

More than one lakh Indians also headed back home from developed countries like the United Kingdom and United States combined. It is to be noted that the USA at one point was adding the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases in the world. The repatriation mission being carried out by Air India has led to aviation industry insiders think about the importance of the national carrier at a time the government is looking to sell off the debt-ridden airline.

26/09/20 Dibyendu Mondal/Sunday Guardian Live

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US-based fund Interups in talks for Air India bid: Report

 United States-based fund Interups Incorporated is expected to put forward its bid for troubled national carrier Air India (AI) soon.

Interups’ bid includes an Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) structure that will subsume the airline’s revenue generating arms – separated from core operations – to encourage participation from institutional investors, Business Standard reported.

It has already completed its valuation of Air India and has initiated talks with Indian banks and investors for a joint bid through the InvIT route, it added.

The development is significant and may come as a “pleasant surprise to the Indian government”, as previous frontrunner Tata is now dealing with a $20 billion buyout of the Mistry family’s 18.37 percent stake in Tata Sons and fundraising problems with foreign airline partners in its aviation joint venture Vistara, a source told the paper.

27/09/20 Moneycontrol

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Minister instructed to revoke the permits of self ground handling services of Himalaya airlines, Air India and Thai Airways

Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, instructed Himalayan Airlines to preserve the current status without enforcing the self ground handling policy. Minister Bhattarai also instructed to revoke the permits of Air India and Thai Airways, which had previously obtained self ground handling. Last week Himalaya Airlines has been granted a license by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to handle its self ground-handling services.

Minister Bhattarai has detained Rajan Pokharel, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, and has ordered him not to enforce Himalayan Airlines’ policy to comply with Self Ground-Handling.

As per a source, Director-General Pokharel was ordered by Minister Bhattarai to hold talks with the Minister before making any big decisions with Secretary Kedar Bahadur Adhikari.

The government has prevented Himalayan Airlines from enforcing the decision to provide self-ground handling services.

Nepal’s significant opposition Nepali Congress (NC) protested an unpatriotic move that would threaten the government.

The memorandum was passed over to Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai by the Nepal Airlines Company Workers Association (Closed to Nepali congress). The traitorous action was ordered to be withdrawn. The proposal to hand over the Himalayas was strongly objected. Finally, on Sunday, Minister Bhattarai convened Rajan Pokharel, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, and ordered him not to follow Himalaya Airlines’ decision to comply with self-ground handling.

According to a senior official, Minister Bhattarai has ordered Himalayan Airlines to preserve the present situation without enforcing the self-ground handling order. Not just that, it has also ordered Air India and Thai Airways, which had previously obtained self-ground handling, to withdraw their authorization. It is stated that each of them did not fulfill the conditions.

27/09/20 Aviation Nepal

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Air India Joins The Flight To Nowhere Movement

Air India may soon be joining the growing list of airlines operating flights to nowhere. Taiwanese carrier Starlux has already conducted several flights while Australia’s Qantas just launched its own scenic flight program. Singapore Airlines is likely to follow suit as well. October may see many more aircraft in the air – they just won’t be flying too far from home.

India’s flag carrier is reportedly planning its own flight experiences, which will have aircraft take-off and land at the same airport. Most commonly nicknamed ‘flights to nowhere,’ these trips will offer the public an opportunity to get on an aircraft and take to the skies at a time when travel restrictions are severely limiting where people can go.

Airline officials familiar with the developments told the Hindustan Times that the “scenic joy flights” will give passengers an aerial tour of famous spots in India, flying at a low enough altitude to offer picturesque views. Still unconfirmed and under consideration by the airline are numerous details, including routes and locations, as well as pricing and aircraft.

It was suggested that a widebody aircraft such as the Boeing 747 would be used for the service – it is unclear whether the suggestion was made by the airline official or by the media source.

While most sources have given the Boeing 747 as an example of a widebody aircraft that Air India could use, it wouldn’t be our first guess. The airline has two other widebodies at its disposal: The 787 Dreamliner and the 777.

We’re guessing that the airline would follow Qantas’ lead and fly the 787. It’s the most efficient widebody aircraft available for Air India. While it would be the lowest-capacity widebody jet, it could at least be filled closer to capacity with fewer passengers occupying middle-section seats—something to consider when a flight is centered around sightseeing.

26/09/20 Chris Loh/Simple Flying

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London flight biz class going full but empty economy seats a worry

Kolkata: Even as poor loads continue to plague the Air India London-Kolkata flights that were introduced last week, the high occupancy in the business class has surpassed the airline’s expectations.

In all three flights that have operated so far, 90% business-class seats that sell for Rs 92,000-Rs 1,60,000 have been occupied. In contrast, in the economy class, where the seats are on offer for as low as Rs 27,000, the occupancy has been less than 30%. The Dreamliner flight that departed on Thursday morning had only 40 economy-class passengers on board with 189 seats vacant. In the business class, 15 of the 16 seats were occupied.

The high business-class occupancy has confounded many in the travel trade community as flyers from the city have always been categorised as price-sensitive. Both British Airways (BA) and Lufthansa had cited poor occupancy in business class despite high loads in the economy class for withdrawing the service from Kolkata.

“We were expecting a much higher load in the economy class that forms the bedrock of a flight and much lower occupancy in the business class that offers greater yield. But in this unusual climate, it has been the reverse. That is primarily because two categories of people are travelling — the affluent who have family and friends living abroad; and students who have to join their institutions in the UK or elsewhere in Europe. Though UK is offering visa for all categories, including tourist, leisure travel is yet to take off,” an airline official reasoned.

In the next flight due to depart on Sunday, all business class seats are sold out. The economy class figures too show an improvement with sale of 80 out of 229 seats.

25/09/20 Times of India

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Air India adds additional sixth flight from Chicago

Air India has announced the addition of a sixth flight to their VBM flights from Chicago in winter schedule from 25th October 2020 to 27th March 2021. This schedule offers the fastest service from Chicago to Delhi with immediate connections to Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi and Mumbai on all days of the week except Wednesday with a convenient departure time of 12:30 pm.

Flights operate between Terminal 5 at O’Hare airport in Chicago and Terminal 3 at New Delhi. All flights are operated with the latest Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and offer the latest in-flight entertainment.

On board meal service includes one hot meal, beverage service and one pre packed snack box.

All passengers travelling on the VBM AI flights from Chicago are required to register on web link: https://repat.videshapps.gov.in/regis and submit online Self-Reporting Form on web link https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration.

Passengers desirous of availing exemption from institutional quarantine may also submit online form for exemption on web link: https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/covid-19-exemption-international-passenger

COVID 19 test is not mandatory for taking repatriation flight to India. However, only asymptomatic passengers are allowed to travel.

25/09/20 News India Times

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Vistara partner Singapore Airlines concerned over Tatas’ interest in Air India

Mumbai: Tatas' joint venture partner Singapore Airlines joint venture partner for Vistara, and Temasek, SIA's majority stakeholder, are believed to have voiced their unwillingness to Tata Sons about its probable bid for the national carrier Air India.

It is believed that top officials from both the partner organizations have raised their concerns personally to the Tata Sons chairperson N Chandrasekaran. "Temasek also has an investment in some Tata group firms and periodic evaluations are undertaken. It was during such a meet that the JV partner conveyed apprehensions," a group insider told ET. 

Earlier, Tata Sons had confirmed to the financial publication that it was evaluating a bid for Air India and would decide on the same after consideration.

Temasek and SIA's apprehensions stem from the non-compete agreement between the Singaporean carrier and the Tata group when they decided to come together to launch Vistara.

The agreement stipulates that Vistara has an exclusive right to undertake "full-service carrier" services within the overall Tata aviation offering.

A bid for Air India by Tata group on its own would violate this understanding unless SIA gives a waiver. A bid by Vistara would also require consent from SIA and Temasek, which owns 55% in SIA.

25/09/20 ET Now News

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Over 170 Indians repatriated from Sri Lanka

Over 170 Indian nationals, including an infant, were repatriated from Sri Lanka today.

The High Commission of India in Colombo said a total of 174 Indian nationals were repatriated on special Air India flight AI 1284 from Colombo to Mumbai and Delhi.

The flight was scheduled as part of ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ a Government of India initiative to undertake the largest ever repatriation from all over the world for return of Indian nationals stranded overseas due to the COVID19 pandemic.

Over 1.3 million Indians have been repatriated so far through different modes of the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ including Air India, private and foreign carriers, chartered flights, naval ships and land border crossings from around the world. The phase 6 of the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ became operational on 1st September.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo said Indian nationals who were stranded in Sri Lanka due to restrictions on international travel because of the COVID19 pandemic have expressed their happiness at the opportunity to return home. Nearly 2000 Indian nationals have been repatriated from Sri Lanka so far, including this flight, through nine special Air India Flights, Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa which made a voyage from Colombo to Tuticorin on 01st June, and through various charter flights.

Based on the registrations received by the High Commission of India, a passenger manifest is prepared for the special repatriation flights. Priority is given to compelling cases in distress, including migrant workers/labourers who have been laid off, short term visa holders faced with expiry of visa, people with medical emergency/ pregnant women/elderly, those required to return to India due to death of family member, and students as stated in the Standard Operating Procedure issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

24/09/20 Colombo Gazette

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Air India sale: Allow bidders to quote own terms, says panel

Given the fresh uncertainties caused by Covid-19, an inter-ministerial group (IMG) on Air India privatisation plan has favoured allowing bids for the loss-making carrier on the basis of its enterprise value, sans any pre-determined level of ‘sustainable debt’ for the potential bidders to reckon with.

Under the current plan, the buyer is required to take over the airline’s estimated residual debt of  Rs 23,286 crore.

EY, the transaction adviser (TA), in a presentation to the IMG, said the winning bidder may have the leeway to cut its workforce immediately after the acquisition – the current expression of interest (EoI) provides for a one-year job protection for the state-owned airline’s over 9,600-strong permanent workforce. Also, the adviser sought removal of the Rs 1,000-crore cap on asset sale in the first year post-acquisition of AI by the buyer.

On the both these suggestions, the IMG, according to a note circulated within the government and reviewed by FE, holds the view that a decision could be taken during the actual signing of share purchase agreement (SPA) or at the request for proposal (RFP) stage.

The current EoI was prepared in January. With Covid-19 hitting the aviation sector hard, Air India has estimated that its cash losses would climb 80% on year to Rs 6,000 crore in FY21.

Keeping in view the prevailing situation in the domestic and international aviation industry and a worsening of AI’s performance, the TA has presented four options to the IMG for AI’s strategic disinvestment.

Under the Option 1, no change in its debt level (residual debt to remain Rs 23,286 crore) will be allowed and only extension of timeline be given for bidders to submit the EoIs. Alternatively, it said, the debt level may be cut to Rs 17,464 crore, with associated changes in timelines but without additional changes in bidding construct.

Under Option 2, which the IMG favours – there won’t be a pre-fixed debt level; bidders can quote combined debt plus equity value (enterprise value) with associated changes in timelines and employee-related flexibilities mentioned above.

The third option mooted is that the government would continue to run AI for 2 years without privatisation, which could cost the exchequer Rs 15,435 crore. The fourth option is to close down the national carrier, which would entail that the exchequer absorb all debt and loss of jobs for all employees.

The core group of secretaries on disinvestment and the ministerial panel on AI disinvestment would take a final decision in this regard.

The Centre had floated EoI and preliminary information memorandum (PIM) on January 27 and EOI was sought by March 17 (extended to October 30 and may further be extended by up to 60 days with likely modified bidding conditions).

22/09/20  Prasanta Sahu/Financial Express

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Offering free tickets on Vande Bharat flights would have further affected airlines' finances Puri

New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Offering tickets free of cost on flights under the Vande Bharat mission would have further affected the finances of Indian airlines including Air India, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

    The finances of airlines have been hugely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

    In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Puri said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented impact on the entire global civil aviation sector. In view of stoppage/restrictions in both domestic/international flights, Air India and other Indian carriers are also in a financially distressed condition."

    "If tickets would have been offered free of cost, it would have further affected the finances and viability of Air India and other Indian carriers," the minister noted.

21/09/20 PTI/The Week

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Air India special flight ‘rescues’ stranded Indians and Cambodians amid pandemic

An Air India flight arrived in Cambodia yesterday, as part of the “Mission Vande Bharat” by the Indian government, after rescuing stranded Cambodians in India and evacuated Indians who were stranded in Cambodia due to COVID-19.

According to the Indian embassy in Cambodia, approximately 50 Cambodians arrived back in the country on flight AI–1305 yesterday and have been taken for mandatory 14-day quarantine in two different hotels.

Aadarsh Kumar Mishra, Head Chancellor at the Indian Embassy said: “145 passengers, including the Indian Ambassador are going back on this flight. Most of them have not done the COVID-19 test and they will have to get it done at Delhi Airport. Today [yesterday] we have 145 passengers. And we will propose another rescue flight next month.”

“The cases in India are increasing but people want to go back to their home country as we know this pandemic will continue until a vaccine arrives. This flight is only for stranded Indians and people who have business visas. We are not encouraging tourists yet,” Mishra added.

“Air India follows the Standard Operating Procedure provided by the Ministry of Health. The actual capacity of this particular flight is around 160 passengers, but they have reserved few seats for medical emergencies as per the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Civil Aviation’s guidelines,” he added.

Despite having the opportunity to head home, there were some grouses that the ticket prices were too high.

21/09/20 Pamela Corda/Khmer Times 

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At Daily Loss of Rs 28 Crore in Q1, Air India Struggles to Stay Afloat as Govt Keeps Pushing Deadlines

The Covid-19 pandemic is proving to be a good cover for the government’s narrative on a failed Air India selloff. While we are continuously assured of multiple bidders being in the fray for buying out this loss-maker, the government has been postponing the selloff date month after month.

Now, a raging pandemic and resultant disinterest among potential bidders is being cited to push deadlines further. The AI disinvestment saga began more than two years ago, with the government asserting then that there were multiple interested bidders and that this bold decision to offload AI could have only been possible in the Narendra Modi regime.

At that time, the bid conditions made it clear that the government would continue holding a minority stake in the airline and also pass on all the debt to the incoming owner. The sale eventually bombed, not a single bidder came forward due to these restrictive conditions.

Early this year, the process of selling off AI was restarted with amended terms. These included hiving off a considerable portion of the airline’s debt and putting the entire 100% stake on the block. Nine months down the line and multiple postponements later, the airline is still very much with the government even though reports of several bidders being in the fray persist. As the airline awaits a decision on its fate, its already precarious financial situation has worsened.

Now, sources close to developments say that even the one potential bidder – a large, reluctant Indian business house which has been under tremendous pressure from the government to place a bid – may also be holding off. These sources said that first of all, this business house feels any deal would be possible only after all the debt (and not just a part of it) is taken off. This involves a sum of nearly Rs 60,000 crore.

Secondly, this business house may be interested in only signing on a contract to manage operations, not a complete buyout. So instead of outright disinvestment, the government may have to settle with just a private party managing the airline. This would mean that not a single rupee would be earned by the government through selling AI.

21/09/20 Sindhu Bhattacharya/News18

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Centre may sweeten Air India stake sale deal, discusses plans for potential bidders

New Delhi: The Centre is all set to go ahead with the process of disinvestment of cash-strapped Air India and is reportedly considering suggestions to further sweeten the deal for prospective bidders by allowing some relaxations along the bidding process. Earlier this year, the stake sale process was restarted with amended terms, including hiving off a significant part of the 87-year-old national carrier’s debt and putting the entire 100 per cent stake on the block.

It is worth mentioning here that back in 2018, there were no bidders for the beleaguered airline when the government had offered to sell a 76 per cent stake.

Top government officials with knowledge of the matter told ET that the government is unlikely to go for a massive debt reduction. However, there are some possibilities, including allowing potential bidders to bid based on the enterprise value. “There are a few options on the table (enterprise value). Some relaxations have to be given; restructuring of the transaction will have to take place, since some investors don’t want things to be fixed. Maybe, start with the expressions of interest (EOI) and decide (on the value) before financial bids are closed, but we will have to take a call on that,” the financial daily quoted the government official as saying.

He went on to add that investors showed interest but the aviation sector is facing headwinds. The Centre may modify,  if necessary. Decisions will be taken in 10 days. Another source mentioned that even if the government were to sell at the enterprise value, debt reduction unlikely to place since it is already very low. 

The publication quoted the official as saying, “Also there is a concern of underselling the asset despite the pandemic because the global situation appears to be improving.” 

21/09/20 ETNowNews.com

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