New Delhi: Warning that the proposed deal between Jet Airways and Gulf carrier Etihad to increase number of flights will lead to a "certain demise" of the national carrier Air India, former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi on Saturday demanded that a fresh look be taken on it. Seeking "re-examination" of the process, Trivedi in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought his intervention, asking him to keep the talks related to the deal in "abeyance".
"Instead of giving Air India time it needs to consolidate as well as expand its network to more points, and to develop Delhi as its hub, the proposal of the Government to enhance Abu Dhabi's entitlements will only hasten its demise," he said. It will lead to "certain demise of our national carrier Air India."
Trivedi also mentioned that to keep the national carrier afloat the Government will be forced to pump in more and more money into its business. "I therefore urge you to kindly intervene and keep these talks in abeyance. May I request you once again to have the matter re-examined before proceeding any further," Trivedi said. He said the deal will lead to a monopoly of the foreign airline.
"If this agreement gets Government confirmation then Air India will certainly perish for no fault of theirs and taxpayer's money invested in Air India would be lost creating a private monopoly of a foreign airline which is not desirable by any nation," Trivedi said. He also expressed that the reasons for a review of the deal can be explained to Abu Dhabi.
"Governments the world over work to protect as well as further the interests of their airlines, and in my humble opinion, our reasons can be explained to Abu Dhabi and will be understood and taken in the right spirit by them," he said.
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