I wonder whether to get angry or feel dejected at the brazenness of Air India employees in their negotiations with government where they have hold every one but them responsible for the sorry state of the airline.

The first & the best airlines of India when jrd was in the cockpit is now a gone case. Due to high costs & poor service the airline is the choice of last resort for any one who pays the fare from his pocket.

It is overstaffed.Yet despite poor productivity the employees are paid the king’s ransom. Yet when the time to bite the bullet has come the government without the baggage of left is dragging its feet over taking some really tough decision.

I am not a fan of BJP but the airline was put on the block by BJP& but for the last minute string pulling by mr George Fernandez would have been sold to a strategic investor.

Ironically instead of taking a tough decision the government is thinking of denying any new licenses to airline aspirants, in the process killing the competition & providing no incentive to the employees to perform.

Of course the customer will be the sufferer in the end. This is the same airline which was snatched by govt from jrd. When TATA wanted to launch a new airline in collaboration with Singapore airline the govt killed the project forcing TATA to withdraw their application as they refuse to please the powers to be.

The same Ratan Tata is being requested now to head the panel being formed to overhaul the airline. I will not be surprised if Mr Tata politely declines as it will be a waste of his time as also an insult to him.

For none of the tough measures suggested by the panel will see daylight. The report will be buried in some obscure corner & the airline will remain an albatross around the exchequer’s neck.
So much for good governance.