Air India flies a socialistic path!

IS IT AN egalitarian exercise? Or, is it simply a revenue-generating move? One can keep debating the cause and effect of the move. What is not missed, however, is the churning that is hap­pening at the Tata Group-owned, Air India. Well, Air India has announced a new travel policy for its executives. Ac­cordingly, all staff members, including top executives, will be required to fly in economy class for domestic flights. Senior pilots will adopt this policy from June onwards. Employees can only ac­cess premium economy or business class seats if these remain unsold 50 minutes before the flight’s departure. Ostensibly, the idea behind the enforce­ment of this policy is to ensure that paying customers have priority access to premium seats. This will apply to all its employees – from entry-level staff to top management and even CEO. A customer first approach is welcome and Air India needs to be applauded for this. Not just that. It must be lauded for ushering in a sense of socialism in treatment of its employees. Well, the message is clear. Operational efficiency and revenue maximisation form the fulcrum of the new order. Acquiring a legacy airline is one thing. Fixing the legacy problems is, however, quite a difficult task. Air India has chosen the right course