All 27 Dreamliners to be delivered by 2016

Air India is expecting all 27 dreamliners to be delivered by 2016. With the first Boeing -787 already having arrived in Delhi, Air India is going to get 5 more B-787s in the current year up to December, 2012.

According to Ajit Singh, civil aviation minister, “The first commercial flight from Dreamliner will be from September 19. It will be to Chennai and Bangalore. Only 6 to 7 airports in India are compatible to Dreamliner. After two to three months, it will fly on international routes.” B-787 will commence flying to Europe and Australia.

Singh also said, “Though Dhramdhikari report expects that Air India would be in a cash surplus by 8 years yet the efforts are on so that it happens earlier.”

Despite a decrease in capacity of over 17 per cent due to strike by a section of pilots, Air India posted revenue of Rs 4,757 crore during April-August, 2012. This is an increase of 6.5 per cent over corresponding period of 2011. The net losses of Air India have also come down by Rs 557 crore. In the first quarter, it has a net loss of Rs 1,733 crore. The passenger load factors (PLF) also increased to 71 per cent in the first quarter.

Singh also expects that the Dhramdhikari report will be implemented by this September end. The level mapping of various posts of erstwhile Air India and Indian Airlines has been completed. The combined seniority of erstwhile Indian Airlines & Air India has been fixed. The exercise of fixation of pay is under progress and will be completed within a period of 7 days.
 
About the reinstatement of striking pilots, Singh said, “Out of remaining 97 pilots whose services were terminated, 50 pilots have been recommended for reinstatement, 5 pilots have not been found suitable for reinstatement and case of remaining 42 pilots is still under consideration.”

Out of the total 413 striking pilots, 316 pilots who had reported sick en-masse have been taken back on duty.
 
In the recent past, Singh has taken string of actions for Air India.

The principle of ‘No-Work-No-Pay’ has been adopted and the management has reserved its right to take disciplinary action against reinstated pilots as per the rules. The posting of pilots after rationalization of bases has also been initiated according to which they would be posted and residing at a place from where they are required to fly. 60 pilots who were posted in Mumbai have already been shifted to Delhi because their flights commence from Delhi.
 
According to the statement issued by the ministry, “This will reduce the dead working hours (will save travel time from place of posting/residence to the place from where they are required to fly) and cost of stay & transport of pilots.”
 
The Productivity Linked Incentive (PLI) has also been abolished with effect from July 1,2012 as per the recommendation of Justice Dharmadhikari Report.
 
The ministry has issued directions to ensure that Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) and Flight Time Limitation (FTL) are implemented as per the DGCA guidelines.