The government has recently decided to infuse equity worth Rs 800 crore (Rs 8 billion) in the first tranche into Air India, which has a paid-up equity base of just Rs 145 crore but has ordered aircraft worth Rs 40,000 crore (Rs 400 billion).
Forecasting a 'major shift' in performance of carriers in India and China, IATA chief Giovanni Bisignani said the airline industry in these two 'robust emerging markets' would face 'a much more substantial slowdown' in 2009 and asked the the two governments to take corrective steps to help the ailing business.
Facing the heat of the financial crisis that has hit the aviation sector, state-owned Air India on Thursday said it is considering a plan to give 3-5 years leave without pay to about 15,000 of its staff.
However, the names which are doing rounds are Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines. The latter is yet to start its international operations, which is a major requirement for joining an alliance. The merged Air India has already been invited to join its competing Star Alliance. OneWorld brings together some of the biggest names in the airline business, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian.
Air India is planning to add more flights connecting India and US. Immediate plans include non-stop flight from Bangalore to San Francisco.
Several airlines in Vancouver are planning to operate to more Indian destinations, subject to bilateral air traffic rights and their respective fleet strengths.
Unveiling its plans for the newly created hub at Brussels, Jet Airways today said it would operate five flights a day from India to the Belgian capital and provide seamless connections for onward journey to the US and Canada.
Days after acquiring control of Air Deccan, Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya now looks at rationalising the fleet of the two carriers and considering changes in the total fleet order of 90 aircraft.
"The government seems to have lost its will to carry out the CMP and more and more it is functioning only to benefit a section of our people," Bardhan lamented.
The Left parties have time and again drawn attention of the government to fulfill pro-people commitments of the UPA made in the Common Minimum Programme.
With India going ahead with airport privatisation, a top global aviation official warned on Thursday that the worldwide experience was marred with 'very grave risks' and a tough regulator was essential to ensure proper functioning of private airports
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