Air India has not suffered any operating loss this year
10 Aug 2016 12:52 AM GMT
Replying to a question on the financial condition of the state-run airline after its merger with Indian Airlines, the minister said "after many years, this is the first year it has not made an operating loss. It is going in the right diection and I think if this effort continues, it will be an airline we will all be proud of."
Observing that Air India, despite its massive loans, is trying to stay afloat, he said its financial status "is fairly precarious. It has got a lot of loan...Historically it has come to it and they are doing their best to keep it afloat and to see that it performs second to none." Raju said in Rajya Sabha during Question Hour "we of course would like Air India to survive. So we are trying that on the government side and we are supporting it." In order to improve Air India's on-time performance, it has recruited 265 pilots in the last one year to address shortage besides hiring 902 additional cabin crew members.
"Historically there have been certain problems, so we have gone into recruitment of pilots, cabin crew and we have also given permission to Air India to take a loan of 300 million dollars by external commercial borrowings and all steps are taken to turn it around," Raju said. It is necessary that any airline should perform in time and service disruption are the worst things, he added.
"As a result of these initiatives, the on time performance of Air India has improved from 74 per cent in the period of January to July 2015 to 78 per cent in the same period in 2016," Raju said. He said food was being served through reputed caterers and the airlines' constant endeavour was to improve on it.Â
'Stop bringing me bouquets,' Ai CMD Ashwani Lohani tells staff
 Urging employees to do away with "petty courtesies", Air India chief Ashwani Lohani has asked them to stop presenting him with bouquets and also ensure that minimal number of officials are present to see him off at airports. Lohani, who will be completing one year at the helm this month, has emphasised that work should be the focus rather than petty courtesies.Â
The latest message comes less than two weeks after the airline barred its officials from using luxury cabs while travelling within the country. Air India has been working on ways to revive the fortunes of the national carrier, reduce expenses and expand services.Â
In a communication to employees, Lohani said he has noticed that bouquets are invariably presented to him in his capacity as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) in various functions as also whenever he visits a station or an office. "I have also noticed a large number of staff waiting at the airports to receive me or see me off. "This culture has to end. Emphasis in the organisation has to be on work and work alone and not on petty courtesies. While bouquets shall be a big no from now on, only minimal officials should receive or see me at the airports," he said in the communication dated August 8.Â
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