In about a fortnight, Vistara - known for its premium service - will take off on its final flight before merging into the legacy of Air India. Set for November 12, the merger has sparked discussions on how these two distinct brands will blend.
India's first escalator, its shortest elevator, a terror attack, a rescue operation -- the building's seen a lot.
'Whether it is the unions or the politicians, they don't have to do politics over Air India, but be guided by a solitary factor -- that we don't want Air India to fly into oblivion.'
There had been sufficient warnings on Air India's state but the government failed to take action, former executive director Jitender Bhargava said.
'I will not bog down with the setbacks. I am going to republish the book. All the copyrights rest with me,' former executive director of Air India Jitendra Bhargave tells Tinesh Bhasin about Praful Patel's pressure to withdraw his book.
'All they need is proper leadership.'
This was achieved despite falling tourist arrivals post Babri Masjid demolition in December 1992.
In the previous decade, the government, with Praful Patel as the civil aviation minister, saw the introduction of an irrational 5/20 policy.
'It was incredibly heart-wrenching to see people waiting to be evacuated -- children, parents and grandparents. Many families did not get to leave together. An order of priority was drawn up, and the first ones to be evacuated were pregnant women, single and/or older women and dialysis patients. Most were happy to be on the plane but also very distressed to have left behind family and friends.'
It is imperative that the government first decides who should assume ownership of running Air India.
There were many who had reposed faith in the Narendra Modi government for expeditious action but are today beginning to feel disillusioned, notes Jitender Bhargava.
Former Air India executive director Jitender Bhargava comes out with a book detailing what went wrong with the national carrier. According to him, India does not have a civil aviation policy, and that's just the beginning.
Air India must tighten costs to comes out of the red or it wil perish in no time, says experts.
Enormous debt isn't the only thing afflicting Air India. Its work culture is an equal culprit in its downfall.
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