Aviation min forms panel to review wage issues

India's civil aviation minister has formed a panel to examine wage-related issues arising from the merger of national carriers Air India and Indian Airlines.

The three-member panel will examine the recommendations of the Justice Dharmadhikari Committee on HR related issues by the first week of March, the aviation ministry said in a statement.

India's airline companies face a severe cash-crunch and have a massive debt pile of about $20 billion.

Indian Airlines, which mainly operated on domestic routes, was merged with Air India in 2007.

All but one of India's six main airlines are loss-making, with state-run Air India on government life-support.