Chasing past due invoices, Air India has informed government agencies that it is unwillingly to extend further credit until balances are zeroed.
Tickets will no longer be issued on credit to those agencies who owe Rs 10 lakh (about $14,000) or more. Air India estimates that it is owed a combined Rs 268 crore (about $37,600,000) from various government agencies.
But like any Air India policy, there are exceptions. At least three major agencies, including the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Labour Commission are exempted and will still be issued tickets on credit.
Apparently, this move comes only after Air India has sent several reminders to government agencies that have simply been ignored.
Irony?
I write about this because the issue strikes me as a tad ironic. It’s not like Air India is the only state-owned airline that extends credit to government ministries. Nor is it the only airline that has encountered collection issues.
But what kind of a twisted system is Air India and the Indian government running? Keep the carrier afloat through tax-payer funded bailouts while allowing government agencies to rack up millions of dollars in unpaid tickets? This is in addition to the stories of upgrades for government officials, their families (friends and acquaintances) or exceptions to the baggage allowance rules.
Look, I get it. And again, I don’t even single Air India out. It’s a “one hand washes the other” sort of airline. But how is the airline ever supposed to return to profitability with these sorts of shenanigans? How is there even an expectation of performance with this sort of management?
CONCLUSION
Air India’s status as a poorly-run state carrier, cannot simply be blamed on Air India alone. Instead, the problem is the system itself, which creates an environment in which Air India cannot flourish.
Please keep Air India alive at all cost. Since Jet Airways went bankrupt, half of the seats of United flights from Newark were occupied by Indians.
Not sure what you’re trying to say here. Are you upset that a majority of pax on UA flights to INDIA are INDIAN?
Or that AI is better than UA?
Do you have an issue with Indian people flying United from Newark to India?
30 years ago India was a larger economy and wealthier than China on a per-capita basis. Today China has almost 5x the per-capita GDP of India. Air India captures many of the reasons for that discrepancy.
Yes proof that democracy does not scale
India became socialist. China became capitalist. Also you see why the British could railroad indians. Once the external threat is gone they fight amongst each other and bring each other down. They don’t have a civic sense and their country men only their religious gods. Whites can create a shared identity. Chinese were successful too. Indians have not been very successful yet.
The best thing chinq did was get rid of religion. Religion is the hands of illiterate or easily brain washed is a WMD.
That said you have to be in awe that a billion people self govern. Most third world countries break apart in chaos if they don’t have a strong man at the helm.
so what?
the reply was to “Ex-1k United”
@ Jim — as clearly racist as Ex-1k United message was – I think in reality he is referring to the unholy mess the toilets are on a predominantly Indian National flight is…. in addition to the general “scent” in the air.
I lived in India for 5 years – still go annually, to see family – to most “white” people the cultural differences seem to be too much.