The Indian taxpayers and the hapless passengers are being subjected to one more episode of this soap opera called Air India. Controversial aircraft orders in 2006 , poor usage of newly acquired long range planes, allegations of corrupt practices , the ill conceived merger of Air India with Indian airlines are only a small but eclectic sample of the bungles.
This begs the question. What is the point of having a taxpayer funded national airline, especially a perennial loss maker? This is a difficult line of business to make money in. If anything this is a business which is prone to rampant political influence and conflicts of interest. Feels like the government is buying planes and running the airline to meet someone else's interests.
It reminds me of a sequence in the movie "Syriana"(PDF version of script), look for the scene at page 89.
If there is a silver lining, the pilot's association is demanding a probe into the alleged mismanagement of the airline. This is something the taxpayers should strongly support, even if it means more losses during the strike.
Update: And the mudslinging match between politicians gets ratcheted up a notch.
This begs the question. What is the point of having a taxpayer funded national airline, especially a perennial loss maker? This is a difficult line of business to make money in. If anything this is a business which is prone to rampant political influence and conflicts of interest. Feels like the government is buying planes and running the airline to meet someone else's interests.
It reminds me of a sequence in the movie "Syriana"(PDF version of script), look for the scene at page 89.
If there is a silver lining, the pilot's association is demanding a probe into the alleged mismanagement of the airline. This is something the taxpayers should strongly support, even if it means more losses during the strike.
Update: And the mudslinging match between politicians gets ratcheted up a notch.
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