Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Air India Friday said the decision to charter a Delhi-Coimbatore flight to ferry Indian Premier League (IPL) players was a “commercial” one and the civil aviation minister’s daughter had no role in it.
“The operation was a commercial decision taken by the competent authority at the regional level, in the best interest of the airline. Air India has not violated any of the rules governing the flight operations by this service,” Arvind Jadhav, Air India chairman and managing director, said in a statement.

Jadhav said the request for the charter flight was made by the owners of Chennai Super Kings franchise.

“Poorna Patel (civil aviation minister Praful Patel’s daughter) was not involved in this charter operation, nor did she travel on this flight,” he said.

According to him, chartered flights make a lot of money for the airline. “We keep combining flights according to our operational demand. The IPL anyway has been our customer ever since it began,” said Jadhav.

He was reacting to a media report that said the minister’s daughter, who works for IPL, had the Delhi-Coimbatore Air India flight IC 7603 April 20 aborted less than 12 hours before departure to allow the aircraft to be deployed to ferry her and some IPL players from Chandigarh to Chennai.

“Normal charter rates as applicable were charged for the whole operation, including ferry flight from Delhi to Chandigarh and from Chennai to Delhi - apart from the charter flight from Chandigarh to Chennai,” he said.

“This charter was a planned operation undertaken after taking into account all factors and standard operating procedures, including clearance from defence authorities, regarding the operational viability, without inconvenience to the passengers,” the airline said.

It also claimed that the passengers were informed in advance of the revised operation.

Air India is deep in red. It has been losing Rs.300 crore every month. In the last fiscal, the airline lost around Rs.5,400 crore.

The government has approved equity infusion of Rs.800 crore for the ailing carrier to tide over the cash flow problem and finance its fleet acquisition. According to the minister, the carrier will get an additional Rs.1,200 crore this fiscal as announced in the budget.

The Air India statement further said that it has been operating charter flights on various occasions for defence and private parties, taking into account the operational and commercial considerations.

“Charter flights are operated only on receipt of full money, the charges are on the basis of block hours, including the ferry legs of the flight,” it said.

But a directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) official said the airlines could provide chartered service only if a particular aircraft was not being used for a scheduled service.

“Diverting a scheduled passenger flight for charter operation is not permitted,” the official said.