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ShareNew Delhi: The ailing carrier Air India is saddled with five grounded aircraft that are pending disposal even as it goes ahead with buying new planes.
In reply to questions raised in Parliament on Thursday, civil aviation minister Praful Patel acknowledged that three A300s and two DO228 aircraft, which were phased out from the fleet, remain grounded and are pending disposal.
The total number of aircraft with Air India (which includes owned and leased) is 155. It has ordered 111 new aircraft and has already taken deliveries for 49 planes, which are worth over Rs 14,000 crore.
Patel's revelation on fleet size and grounded aircraft came on the same day he acknowledged that Air India's borrowings have more than doubled to Rs 15,241 crore in June 2009 against only Rs 6,550 crore in November 2007, largely due to servicing of debt taken to purchase new aircraft plus operating losses.
Meanwhile, the carrier's board, in a meeting in Mumbai on Thursday, is believed to have discussed ways to begin a comprehensive financial restructuring and submit a revival plan to the strategic committee headed by cabinet secretary KM Chandrashekhar by the month end.
The issue of restructuring the board is also believed to have come up at the meeting as Patel had earlier indicated that some directors would be eased out and well-known professionals will be taken on the airline's board.
Last month, Air India had announced a deferral in salary payments to staff by a fortnight, citing severe cash crunch, but later agreed to pay salaries to lower grade employees by July 3 after intense negotiations with workers' unions.
However, agency reports quoted union members threatening to go on strike between 2 pm and 4 pm on Friday on doubts over the airline's ability to disburse salaries. About 70% of Air India staff could stage a walkout on Friday to protest a salary delay.
The national carrier has already run up losses of over Rs 5,000 crore and is in the midst of preparing a detailed revival plan, which involves seeking a large dose of funds from the government.
