Mumbai, Oct 18: Air India has made a profit of Rs 40 crore during the first six months of this fiscal and expects to touch Rs 100 crore by March end, Union Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said. While many American and World airlines have been facing losses, AI has been able to turn around and is set to make a profit of Rs 100 crore, subject to prices of aviation turbine fuel remaining stable, he said after addressing employees on the 70th anniversary of the airline. Civil aviation secretary K Roy Paul, who is also AI chairman, said talks were on to join a global alliance. In this connection we have had discussions with senior officials of Air France and British Airways, he added. Hussain said that the fleet expansion plan of Air India was on schedule and till a final decision is taken the airline would continue to lease aircraft for expansion of services. On privatisation of five airports the four at the Metros and Bangalore, he said the Law Ministry has given its opinion and it was on the final stages. If it is not completed before March 2003, it would be done by the first quarter of next fiscal, he added.
Earlier addressing the employees, Hussain assured them that there would be no retrenchment but asked them to adopt a professional approach to improve the image of the Maharaja.
He described AI as the best among the public sector undertakings and said teamwork was essential for bringing back the image of the airline.
Bureau Report