Air India to expand network and fleet, says national carrier's new chairman Rajeev Bansal

Air India will expand its network as well as fleet announced the national carrier’s new chairman and managing director Rajiv Bansal on Monday during a formal communication with employees.

Bansal in an official letter to Air India employees said, “I have full faith in your capabilities and experience. I am sure we will work as a team and do everything to further strengthen the profitability of the company.”

The letter reads, “We have introduced new flights to international destination and will continue to launch new routes in the days to come.”

Bansal in the letter informed Air India employees that the national carrier will extend its network and will be inducting new aircrafts to its fleet.

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In the letter Bansal referred to the 10th anniversary of the merger of Indian Airlines and Air India wrote, “Exactly 10 years ago, a new resurgent Air India was born.”

Nearly 10 years after the merger, Air India managed to post an operational profit of Rs 105 crore in 2015-16. Concerns have been raised in many quarters, including some related to Air India, that the merger led to poor financial health of the national carrier.

Bansal replaced Ashwani Lohani who assumed office as the Chairman of the Railway Board.

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Bansal is a Nagaland-cadre IAS officer, who has served earlier as director of civil aviation ministry, been a board member of the Alliance Air and had played a crucial role as a board member of the National Aviation Company of India Ltd during formative years of the merged national carrier.

(With PTI inputs)