Air India’s divestment the only option; govt finds no other way than landing AI as a private carrier

Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said the disinvestment of Air India is the only option available, as like other airlines, the public-sector air carrier has already been under strain since pre-Covid times and that situation has exacerbated as the pandemic continues.

“Anyone who is familiar with Air India, including the people who work there, realise that besides privatisation, we are left with no other option. This is for the simple reason that airlines the world over have been under strain pre-Covid and the pandemic has introduced a new element. The Air India CMD is conducting detailed discussions with all sections of the company, like pilots, engineers, etc,” Puri said at a press conference.