Air India staff: no salad, less magazines to save airlines
According to reports, Air India is on the last leg of its journey with the NDA government making it a priority to get rid of the deadweight that is eating into profits. But it is not the end unless its finally over. Reportedly Air India employees are now coming up with desperate solutions to get things going one last time. Here's all about it.
Betting on an urban myth
The story goes; 30 years ago an ailing American Airlines saved $40,000 by just reducing one single olive from the salad that they served on their in-flight menu. A senior AI official informed his seniors of the cost-cutting suggestion, received from the cabin crew. Only 20% of the passengers have salad on international flights, therefore; to save costs, salads should be canceled.
Less magazines equals to less weight
Furthermore, the internal mail also said the cabin crew suggested, in order to reduce weight AI should carry only 25 copies of Shubh Yatra (AI's Insight magazine) and keep them in separate magazine racks rather than piling them on every seat. The staff member has learned it from his IndiGo colleague, where even curtains were scrapped off because they were adding unnecessary weight.
From every corner of the organization
This was not a standalone attempt; Subhashish Majumdar, a senior AI pilot has also written to the aviation ministry citing measures that could save the ailing airline. These include selling off peripheral assets and holding partial stake sales of AI subsidiaries. He also suggested more expenditure for improving AI service on long flights saying, it was the key in pulling Japan Airlines from bankruptcy.
There's a storm coming
AI can orchestrate stake sales but no one in the right state of mind wants to have anything to with do an organization that has a debt load of over Rs. 52,000 crore. It has already drained government coffers and the NDA regime should ideally not cough up any more money on this. The end is imminent; it's just a matter of time.
