Letter to BS: Air India's journey from Maharaja to being cash-strapped

This refers to “Air India owes Rs 5,000 crore in dues, didn't pay for 2 years: Oil firms” (August 24). It was intriguing to learn that the state oil marketing companies (OMCs) have gone to the extent of cutting aviation turbine fuel supplies to Air India at six airports because of overdue payments (including interest) over the last few years. What an irony for the ill-fated Air India that once proudly enjoyed the unique status of the “Maharaja” of the civil aviation sector.

The government seems to be overly keen on Air India’s total divestment it being a huge drain on the national exchequer. No wonder, it is no longer interested in providing any additional doses of financial oxygen to the national carrier. It’s a different matter that the spokesperson of this highly debt-ridden airline has self-consolingly claimed that its financial health is improving and it’s moving towards a healthy operating profit. What about its massive debts with no light at the end of the tunnel?

Kumar Gupt, Panchkula

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