In First Step Since Tata Takeover, Air India To Offer This Service

New Delhi:

The Tata Group has taken its first step at Air India by introducing “enhanced meal service” in 4 flights that may function from Mumbai on Thursday, officers mentioned on Wednesday.

Nonetheless, Air India flights is not going to be flying beneath the banner of the Tata Group from Thursday itself, they said.

Earlier through the day, the officers had instructed information company PTI the Indian authorities is more likely to hand over Air India to the Tata Group on Thursday, almost 69 years after it was taken from the conglomerate.

Nonetheless, whereas the “enhanced meal service” might be supplied on 4 flights — AI864 (Mumbai-Delhi), AI687 (Mumbai-Delhi), AI945 (Mumbai-Abu Dhabi) and AI639 (Mumbai-Bengaluru) — on Thursday, the takeover will happen after Thursday, the officers clarified.

After a aggressive bidding course of, the federal government had on October 8 final 12 months offered Air India to Talace Personal Restricted — a subsidiary of the Tata Group’s holding firm — for Rs 18,000 crore.

The officers mentioned the brand new date from which all Air India flights will fly beneath “Tata Group’s banner or aegis” might be instructed to the staff later.

The “enhanced meal service” might be served on Mumbai-Newark flight and 5 Mumbai-Delhi flights on Friday, they famous.

The “enhanced meal service” — devised by the Tata Group officers — might be expanded to extra flights in a staggered and phased method, the officers added.

In the meantime, two airline pilot unions — Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG) and Indian Industrial Pilots’ Affiliation (ICPA) — on Monday warned Air India’s CMD Vikram Dev Dutt of authorized motion as “a number of deductions and recoveries have been projected” on the dues owed to pilots.

“This restoration train is solely unlawful, and we demand that this anomaly is rectified and the quantity due is repaid with instant impact,” a letter despatched by the 2 unions mentioned.

Moreover, two different unions have opposed the service’s January 20 order to test grooming and measure the physique mass index (BMI) of cabin crew members on the airports simply earlier than their flights.

These unions — Air India Workers’ Union (AIEU) and All India Cabin Crew Affiliation (AICCA) — on Monday wrote to Mr Dutt opposing the order on the grounds that it’s dehumanising and in violation of guidelines prescribed by aviation regulator the DGCA.

“BMI is an individual’s weight in kilograms divided by the sq. of peak in metres. A excessive BMI can point out excessive physique fatness,” said the web site of US’ Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Three days after Air India’s sale was introduced on October 8 final 12 months, a Letter of Intent (LoI) was issued to the Tata Group confirming the federal government’s willingness to promote its 100% stake within the airline. On October 25, the Centre signed the share buy settlement (SPA) for this deal.

Officers mentioned all of the formalities for handover are near completion.

As part of the deal, the Tata group can even be handed over Air India Specific and a 50 p.c stake in floor dealing with arm Air India SATS.

Tatas had on October 8 beat the Rs 15,100-crore supply by a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh and the reserve worth of Rs 12,906 crore set by the federal government for the sale of its 100 per cent stake within the loss-making service.

Whereas this would be the Centre’s first privatisation since 2003-04, Air India would be the third airline model within the Tatas’ secure because it holds a majority curiosity in AirAsia India and Vistara, a three way partnership with Singapore Airways Ltd.

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)