| A national airline, it paved the path of many | | | | employees’ June salary has been delayed to |
| private carriers like Jet and Kingfisher to serve | | | | 15th of this month and the top management had |
| the Indian market. Air India is a pioneer in the | | | | to forego their entire June salary. |
| Indian aviation industry. It was one of the best | | | | Air India got its first major shake up today as |
| airlines in Asia and the world. | | | | two of its senior directors getting reassigned and |
| That was then. The recession of 2007-2009 took | | | | the government questioning the recruitment of |
| a toll on Air India, as with the case of many | | | | 300 retired AI officials in the past 3 years. No one |
| airlines globally. Alitalia, the Italian carrier went | | | | knows what happening next. The future of every |
| bankrupt and till date, about 30 airlines all across | | | | AI employee hangs in the balance, as they |
| have shut down their shops or are looking for | | | | eagerly wait for the next update. The |
| buyers. Air India is no exception. Being a premier | | | | restructuring plan is falling in place and many senior |
| public sector company, it has employed a large | | | | heads are going to roll. Many lower level |
| number of men and women for various | | | | employees going to lose their jobs. British |
| operations. Their future looks in grave doubt now. | | | | Airways, last month had asked about 1000 |
| A week ago, the union civil aviation minister Praful | | | | employees to work without any pay. Not sure if |
| Patel gave Air India a 30 day ultimatum to cut the | | | | the same model is going to work with Air India |
| fat and restructure it completely. He also | | | | though. There is a cloud of uncertainty in every |
| mentioned disinvesting a sizeable amount, and get | | | | quarter of this great airline. |
| private players to come in. Air India in reality, is an | | | | The steps taken by the government and the |
| overstaffed organization. Of late, the professional | | | | airline are in the right tune. Though restructuring |
| standards, upon which the very ethos of this | | | | may not be the only step, it must ensure to give |
| organization rested, have taken a nosedive. | | | | their laid off employees a decent severance pay, |
| Due to the high oil price of H1 2008, the global | | | | and ease out non performing assets. Voluntary |
| recession and the swine flu, Air India’s | | | | retirements can be an option as well. Tough times |
| backbone is almost broken now and it is on the | | | | call for tougher measures. This is the only way by |
| brink of being wiped out. More than 30,000 | | | | which we can revive the great brand, Air India. |