The government is likely to extend the last date for submission of bids for the strategic sale of Air India’s ground handling subsidiary AIATSL by a month, till May 16.
The expression of interest (EoI) was floated on February 12 and the last date for submission of bids was fixed as April 16. “It has been decided to extend the deadline for submission of EoI for AIATSL till May 16,” an official said. In November last year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley-led ministerial panel had decided to proceed with the strategic sale of Air India Air Transport Services (AIATSL).
The government had also decided to transfer AIATSL, along with three other Air India subsidiaries, to a special purpose vehicle — Air India Assets Holding. Proceeds from the sale of these four subsidiaries would be used to pay off Air India’s debt. Air India has a debt burden of Rs 55,000 crore. Of this, Rs 29,000 crore debt has been transferred to AIAHL.
