Chocks-on: Indian Skies....

Air India may either sell or lease or operate (as an all economy version) its 8 B-777-LR's. The B-787's are envisaged to become the mainstay of Air India's operations. Air India has ordered 27, B-787's of which 6 have been delivered, and the balance will be staggered for delivery till 2016.(http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/ai-may-use-b777-200lrs-on-alleconomy-foreign-routes-if-aircraft-sale-does-not-happen-20393).
Another Controversy Dogs Air India's 787's - it fails to deliver 20% fuel efficiency. Air India is seeking compensation from Boeing for the failure of the 6 B 787's to deliver the much hyped 20% fuel efficiency. AI has achieved only 17% fuel economy....(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-wants-compensation-for-787s-not-delivering-20-fuel-savings/articleshow/20110387.cms )

Rome, Milan, Sydney, Melbourne, Birmingham, Moscow on Air India's network.....! Yes by the end of this year 2013.
Air India all set to become the worlds leanest airline with only 10,000 employees, compared to 39,000 today. With 7,700 due to retire in next 5 years and approximately 15,000 transferred to the two subsidiaries, AI may, in all likelihood become the worlds leanest airline .....
Air Asia India's Young, Dashing, Debonair former Model Mittu Chandilya sets a new benchmark for Airline CEO's....... with an amazing and enviable CV, the 33 year old Chandilya is all set to take charge of Air Asia India w.e.f. 01 June 2013. He has the approval of the Tata's, who too had appointed a young Cyrus Mistry to head the TATA conglomerate.(http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MON-meet-mittu-chandilya-the-former-model-whos-now-air-asia-india-ceo-4265491-PHO.html )

Air India's Excellent Strategy to Pare Costs.....by seeking $300 Million Dollar Loan to Refinance its High Cost Rupee debt. Air India paid a staggering R 34.8 billion ( $ 634 Million ) as interest in the year ending 31 Mar, 2013. Its cost of rupee debt is 10.5%, which will reduce drastically with a dollar loan.....( http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-17/air-india-seeks-dollar-loan-to-refinance-rupee-debt.html )

Steve Forte- former CEO, Jet Airways "...More airlines operating in India mean more passengers and more tax revenues for the government. These revenues must be re-invested to constantly improve and maintain the sector.... Stagnant actions and policies invite potential investors to look elsewhere. India does not want that!..."
Ajit Singh- Hon. Minister of Civil Aviation "....Air India was expected to post a net loss of about 40 billion rupees ($730 million) for the current fiscal year ending March 2014, compared with about 52 billion rupees in the previous fiscal year..."
Girish Shirodkar- Consultant, Strategic Decisions Group International LLC "..Jet-Etihad deal could mark the end of domestic entrepreneurship in Indian aviation because Jet Airways risks being reduced to an appendage of Etihad. “All global ambitions of Jet will be via Abu Dhabi....,”
Rohit Nandan - CMD, Air India, on the recent Jet Etihad deal "....We are following a completely different model, providing point-to-point service and not with one stop...."

Pilot 'thou-shall-not-covet-the-potty' whilst in flight.....An Air India flight had to make an emergency landing in Bhopal, after the Pilot got locked out of the cockpit.(http://www.traveldailymedia.com/154279/air-india-pilot-locked-from-cockpit-after-toilet-break )
Lightning Strike by 500 Air India SATS employees in Thiruvananthpuram.-on Monday night 13 May, AI-SATS employees went on a flash strike demanding a wage hike. Several tonnes of perishable cargo was offloaded as a consequence of the above....(http://www.aviationpros.com/news/10942892/ground-handling-operations-hit-thiruvananthapuram-international-airport)

Air Asia's Stunning Air Hostess with a BEARD- passengers on Air Asia X flight D7237 / 12 May, PER-KUL were shocked to see an Air Hostess with a beard. Well it was the maverick Sir Richard Branson, who was repaying the bet he lost to Tony Fernandes, by working as a Cabin Attendant.

Cost Cutting - many freebies of the employees may be curtailed with the Implementation of the Dholakia Committee report, which has been accepted by the Management.
Passage Entitlements of Staff - as per the 'draft' of the proposal to the Board, SOL travel to employees will undergo a substantial revision. When will the new policy be effective, remains a moot point, as some employees, it is understood are planning to knock the doors of the courts.
Compulsory Retirement at 55 years - for general cadre, technical officers & executives if deemed necessary by the competent authority. The move is aimed at cutting costs of highly paid and high cost senior executives.

Chocks-on