Defaulter list working, airline recovers Rs 50 crore

Conflict of interest?

MUMBAI: Fund-starved Air India has decided to stop issuing tickets for official travel to personnel of government agencies that owe it over Rs 10 lakh. “The dues of various government agencies to Air India for ticket purchases add up to Rs 268 crore,” said an airline source.For the first time in its decades-long existence, AI has chalked up a list of its sarkaari defaulters and their dues. And it’s a who’s who of the establishment, including the CBI, IB, Enforcement Directorate, Customs commissioners, Central Labour Institute, Indian Audit Board, Controller of Defence Accounts, and Border Security Force.AI is the first choice for official travel for the government and its agencies, and tickets of private carriers can be bought only if AI doesn’t service a destination.Unfortunately for the national carrier, these sarkaari offices are not very forthcoming on payment.Last month, AI’s finance department at each region/ station began gathering data on government dues. “Those with over Rs 10 lakh in dues have been put on ‘cash and carry’ in the past few weeks. They are issued tickets only if they pay upfront,” said the airline official. Exceptions have been made for the Airports Authority of India, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and the Lok Sabha, the first two being parties that AI needs to keep in good humour to stay afloat.An AI spokesperson confirmed the development. “We have recovered about Rs 50 crore in the past few weeks,” the spokesperson said. “It takes very long to get these agencies to pay and we can’t really use strong arm tactics to get the payment. This the first time that AI has come out with a government defaulters’ list and it has already started working,” said an airline official.TOI gained access to the defaulters list drawn up by AI western region, where the outstanding amount is Rs 22.8 crore. The biggest defaulter is the Mumbai-based office of Controller of Defence Accounts with Rs 5.4 crore due, followed by Board of Radiation and Isotope Tech scientific officer-D with Rs 2.4 crore, followed by Lok Sabha Executive Officer MSA at Rs 2.2 crore. CBI had numerous entries adding up to Rs 95 lakh, and the Enforcement Directorate had a Rs 12.8 lakh bill pending. The railways, it appeared, loves air travel, with Central Railway owing Rs 36 lakh, and Western Railway Rs 4.8 lakh.The baby defaulter of the region was Mumbai police with Rs 7,781 outstanding —‘Superintendent of Police’ owing Rs 3,811 and ‘Commissioner of Police - Mumbai Crime Branch’ Rs 3,970.Last week, Air India added the Labour Commissioner to the exceptions list, along with the civil aviation ministry and AAI. In the western region, the Labour Commissioner owes about Rs 55 lakh. “Given that several cases filed by AI employees against the airline are pending before the Labour Commissioner, this amounts to conflict of interest,’’ said an AI staffer. The airline spokesperson did not comment.