Air India in 11 cities sans an office

Cash-strapped Air India is operating offices from 11 international cities, where it does not have its own flight operations. The airline has spent nearly Rs 39 crore on them in 2008-09, reply to a RTI query has revealed. Perhaps realising this mistake, Air India is in the process of shutting down three other offline offices at Copenhagen, Brussels and Beirut.

The data was given in reply to an application of RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal.

In its reply, Air India revealed that it does not have its own flight operations at 11 cities — Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Milan, Vienna, Zurich, Moscow, Cairo, Tehran, Nairobi, Sydney and Chittagong. In 2008-09, Air India spent Rs 38.9 crore on offices at these 11 cities.

Asked about the reason behind keeping such offices functional, Air India replied: “AI has code share agreements with other airlines at Los Angeles, Vienna, Zurich and Moscow. Hence, it is essential to be represented in these cities to sell and service the passengers who travel on the code share flights.”

It revealed that earlier AI had flights to Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Moscow, Cairo, Tehran, Nairobi, and Sydney. It, however, never had any flights to Milan, Vienna, Zurich, Copenhagen, Brussels and Chittagong.

Agrawal had asked if the civil aviation ministry had asked them to shut down the offices where it does not have operations.  

In reply to that, Air India said: “A comprehensive review is carried out regarding the continuation of offices. In general, the commercial viability of all such offices is reviewed and appropriate action is taken to close offices in cities where alternative arrangements can be made to ensure revenue generation.”