Guest column

Air India's half truthsThe role of a public relations officer is trying. It becomes onerous when he is asked to frame an apologia justifyi...

Air India8217;s half truths
The role of a public relations officer is trying. It becomes onerous when he is asked to frame an apologia justifying some questionable policy decisions of the organisation he represents. Indeed, the learned guest column writer in The Indian Express dated December 27, 1999, seems to have been in a real fix in having to defend Air India8217;s recently concluded deal with the Virgin Atlantic. Being a Coal-man, with only a nodding experience with international aviation, the learned writer had to opt for the most ridiculous method of countering criticism based on solid facts by branding them as Misplaced Facts8217;. It is a pity that he had to invent Virgin half-truths, which the wise consider to be worse than lies.

Let us consider his half-truths. Firstly, the Air-India-Virgin partnership is claimed to be 8220;no different from nine similar agreements signed by Air-India in the past three to four years8221;. However, the truth is that whereas some of the agreements relate tocode-sharing, some other agreements pertain to surrender of unutilised flying rights to Air France, Lufthansa, a few Gulf carriers, Malayasian and Air Lanka which relate to routes utilisation. These are, however, far less remunerative than the India-London sector, the unutilised flying rights in which are now being dished out to Virgin-Atlantic. Air India will now have to remain satisfied with a mere morsel from what could have been its own meal. If the arrangement looks rewarding, will Air India surrender its other potentially profitable unutilised routes to foreign carriers as a rule and expand its wing to make money without flying?

Secondly, there is a veiled suggestion that Air India has stopped making enormous losses since 1998-1999 because of wise moves culminating in the Virgin-Atlantic tie up. The tie up has only followed and not preceded the years when Air India was in reds. So, this particular move could not in any manner have been responsible for Air India8217;s better financial performance after1998-99. Thirdly, if Air India indeed is serious about its finance, why does not it realise that whereas Virgin and Air India are partners on three flights, they are fierce competitors elsewhere. Virgin, as known to the world, is a visible under-cutter. British Airways is already gasping in the trans-Atlantic route owing to unethical trade practice of Virgin. Now Air India while panting all the way from India to London to North America. Fourthly, the commercial rivalry between Air India and the Indian Airlines is sought to be underplayed, if not totally denied, by the learned writer.

Does he deny that Air India had been on the look out for clinching the present deal with Virgin-Atlantic since the past two years, and never thought of entering into a similar agreement with Indian Airlines? Perhaps, one8217;s neighbour is his worst enemy and the neighbour8217;s other side neighbour is one8217;s best friend.

And finally, did the Commercial Department of Air India have any inkling of Virgin8217;s impending plan to part with49 per cent of its own shares in favour of the Singapore Airlines shortly after entering into the impugned agreement with Air India! Does not Air India realise that in one stroke Virgin has potentially destroyed Air India8217;s profit even operating profit in South-East Asia and the Far East through its well known price-cutting? Will Air India8217;s old aircraft and bloated staff be able to counter the Singapore-Virgin joint operation and economy? Air India may air its jaundiced perception through half-truth and personal attack but the facts stare bare before Air India Vinaash kale biparita buddhi sense deserts 8220;Air India8221; before destruction!

The author is an alumnus of the National Defence College of India