Ajit Singh reacts to Air India misuse

"Obviously they should not have done that," Singh told reporters reacting to the news that Air India was ordered to fly a larger aircraft to apparently accommodate the family of former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on a return trip in April 2010.

The news came to light based on RTI activist Subhash Agrawal's petition which showed file notings by the cash-trapped flag carrier.

Air India, which was hesitant in disclosing the passenger details even after the orders of the CIC citing commercial secrets, provided the details after being slapped with a show cause notice for non-compliance.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal told IBNS that Air India in a much hesitant compliance to the CIC (Chief Information Commissioner) verdict (after initially Air India refused to part with the information) has provided list of Business Class passengers in its two flights IC 965 and IC 966 operating on Bangalore-Male-Bangalore sector on Apr 25, 2010.

"It clearly shows that larger aircraft were deployed by national airliner to accommodate relations of the then Union Civil Aviation Minister Prafulla Patel," Agrawal said.


"Air India has also revealed copy of e-mail directing concerned ones to affect required changes in normal flight-schedule for the purpose. Significantly Air India has provided information only after Central Information Commission rejected its plea for review of CIC-decision directing the national airliner to provide information in this regard," he said.


"Air India has been in big losses also because those managing it treated like their personal property. Probe should be made if Prafulla Patel misused his position as Union Civil Aviation Minister for such abnormal change in flight-schedule for benefit of his close relations," the RTI activist said.

"Action is required against all concerned ones in Air India who danced to tune of the then Civil Aviation Minister bypassing norms," he said.

According to media reports, since the seven business class seats were already booked on the Airbus A319 aircraft flying from Bangalore to Male on Apr 25, 2010, Air India was made to switch to a bigger A320 to accommodate seven members of Deshpande family, in-laws of Patel’s daughter Avni.

The same drill was also reportedly followed on April 28 when Patel’s family returned from the holiday destination, resulting in more than 50 seats running vacant on both days, media reports said.

The information, revealed after a Right to Information (RTI) application, also shows that instructions for the arrangement were issued over email from Mumbai Headquarters that asked to change the “equipment” of Bangalore Male flight on Apr 25 and Male Bangalore on Apr 28.

A list now disclosed after the directives of the Central Information Commission also shows that the the passengers included Congress leader R V Deshpande, Radha Deshpande, Prasad Deshpande, Meghna Deshpande and Master Dhruv, in addition to Avni and her husband Prashant Deshpande.

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