New Delhi, June 23 (IBNS): Cash starved Air India lost Rs 1,492 crore in 2011-12 on international flights as it used large aircraft even amid a dip in ticket sales, a government committee set up to suggest ways of turning around the fortunes of the loss making routes has found.
The airline, that operates 42 international routes using widebody (twin aisle) aircraft, made three-fourth of the entire loss on just 13 routes, the top seven of which are said to be the flag carrier’s most prestigious flights to North America and Europe.
The findings, part of a preliminary report by the government panel, are now being sent to the airline to see how it could minimise losses on the routes and its entire network either by changing flight timings, fares or aircraft, media reports said.
"All the routes will be rationalized and an attempt be made to at least make them break even. The least loss-making routes will be started first once AI has pilots to fully utilize the widebody fleet," a senior AI official was quoted as saying.
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