IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac says the government would be in a better position to analyse why the Air India stake sale process failed
New Delhi: With the Air India disinvestment failing to take off, global airlines’ grouping International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that a carrier has to be “nimble and flexible” even as he wondered how much leeway an investor would have in managing a government-owned airline. Air India is a member of the IATA, which represents more than 280 airlines across the world.
In an interview to Press Trust of India, IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said the government would be in a better position to analyse why the Air India stake sale process failed.
“How much leeway would an investor of a government-owned airline have in managing the airline as a normal business,” de Juniac said when asked about the Air India disinvestment process.
The airline industry operated in “a fiercely competitive environment”. “There is a need for an airline to be nimble, flexible and responsive to passenger needs,” de Juniac added.
According to the IATA chief, there is a need to have a conducive environment for airlines to do business. Even with the growth potential of the Indian market, airlines are operating in a challenging environment, given the huge tax burden, government’s micromanagement of the airline service offerings and high fuel prices…
