Air India shutdown rumours baseless, says Lohani

Lohani, in a tweet, said that the “ rumours about Air India shutting down or closing operations baseless.”

Amid privatisation talks of the national carrier Air India, its chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani on Saturday said the airline would continue to fly and also expand. Lohani, in a tweet, said that the “ rumours about Air India shutting down or closing operations baseless.”

Ashwani Lohani, chairman & managing director of Air India.(Mint photo)

“Rumours regarding Air India shutting down or closing operations are all baseless. Air India would continue to fly and also expand and there should be no cause for concern whatsoever to travellers, corporates or agents. Air India the national carrier is still the biggest airline of India,” the Air India Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) tweeted.

Lohani’s statement came weeks after he told the Civil Aviation Ministry that the carrier’s financial situation was “grossly untenable” for sustaining operations. “It also needs appreciation that the overall financial situation is grossly untenable and the airline may not be able to sustain physical operations in the absence of immediate government intervention and support that we have been repeatedly requesting for in the recent past.” said the CMD in a letter to the ministry last month.

Ashwani Lohani’s statement also came two days after the civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri met with Air India’s employees and reassured them that the national carrier will be operational till its privatisation process is complete.

13 employee unions met aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday to make sure their interests are protected in the disinvestment process.