CVC found that some tickets in 2014 were upgraded at AI without assigning any reason: Puri

Some tickets were upgraded to higher class by the check-in staff of Air India during the January-May period of 2014 without assigning any reasons, according to a special investigation of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) that was quoted by Union Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

While clarifying that criteria and norms for upgrading any ticket is decided by Air India only and not by the Centre, Puri told Lok Sabha that the "CVC had referred a complaint to Air India in May 2018 regarding irregularities on upgradation of tickets between January, 2014 and May, 2014".

In his written reply to a question, Puri stated that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) consisting of three chief vigilance officers was also constituted by the CVC in December 2018.

The SIT submitted its report to the CVC in January last year, he informed.

"In the report, it was found that there were some cases of upgradations which were done by the check-in staff without assigning any reasons," he added.

"For the remaining cases, they were found to be justified as they had been done on the basis of overbookings, upfront upgradation scheme and authorised upgrades as per policy. The report of SIT was accepted by CVC in May 2019," the Aviation minister said.

Thereafter, according to Puri, Air India has taken measures to maintain "complete" transparency and "strict" adherence of the standard operating procedure by "one and all" in upgradation of seats.

The minister stated that the tickets are upgraded at Air India only when the passenger pays a prescribed amount at the airport, or when the flight is overbooked and an economy passenger is given a higher class ticket, or when there are any commercial considerations.

Puri informed Lok Sabha that in 2018-19, the national air carrier earned Rs 183.37 crore from upgrading 74,340 tickets in total from economy class to higher class.

Between April-December of 2019, Air India upgraded 70,097 tickets, earning Rs 118.74 crore.

The amount earned from upgrading tickets was lower in 2016-17 and 2017-18, standing at Rs 84.74 crore and RS 111.57 crore, respectively.