Government employees no longer bound to fly Air India
The Centre has ended Air India’s monopoly over flying millions of government employees after its privatisation, however, a large part of the employees’ ticketing requirements will now be handled by three public sector companies.
Under the new system, government officials can buy Air India tickets in cash or choose to book any other Indian airlines through the three public sector companies that are likely to earn agency commissions and ticketing charges from the huge pool of government employees, estimated to run into a few millions.
On November 2, department of investment and public asset management secretary Tuhin Kanta Panda said it will not be mandatory for government employees to travel in Air India after its privatisation. Air India, too, has stopped offering them the credit facility for purchase of air tickets, prompting the finance ministry to ask all ministries to clear the airlines’ dues.
