Lohani to be in AI pilot’s seat for 2nd time from today

NEW DELHI: Former Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani, who was denied the extension to serve his parent organisation national transporter for a few more years, has on Wednesday appointed as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India for the second time.

According to a government order, the appointment of Lohani, who was retired on December 31, last, was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Wednesday and he will assume office on Thursday

Lohani's first tenure in Air India was from August 2015 to August 2017, during which he helped pilot the organisation to a financial operating profit. Lohani, 60, who is an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engi- neers (IRSME), was appointed Railway Board chairman in August 2017 and retired in December 2018.

One of his first decisions as Railway Board chairman was to ban gifts and ceremonial welcomes and farewells. He is also the man behind Vande Bharat Express (Train 18), India's fastest train that will have its inaugural run from Delhi to Varanasi. It will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15.

As the Railways' most senior bureaucrat, Lohani brought the prestigious bullet train to India. As head of both — the Railways as well as Air India — he was able to bridge the gap between his office and employees, using Whatsapp groups mostly, say those who have worked with him.

Lohani was also ITDC chairman as well as director of the Rail Museum in the capital.

According to the order, Lohani has been appointed to the post “on a contract basis, as per the terms and conditions applicable to re-employed central government officers in the rank and status of secretary to the government of India, for a period of one year or until further orders, whichever is earlier”. On February 6, the government had appointed Air India CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola as the new Civil Aviation Secretary. MUMBAI: The country's largest airline Indigo Wednesday announced curtailing around 30 flights daily for the rest of February as it looks to stabilise operations and adjust crew rosters.

Indigo, which has more than 41 per cent of domestic market share, said the cancellations represent 2 per cent of its flights and that operations would be normalised completely by March 31, 2019.

The budget carrier cancelled 49 flights on Wednesday and the same has been informed to aviation regulator DGCA.

"The cancellations on February 13 were caused by several factors like anticipated weather conditions on February 14 and NOTAMS at various airports. This resulted in extended duty times which then made it necessary to reroster our crew and optimise our operations," it said.

Further, the airline said it has decided to curtail its schedule for the remaining period of this month by "approximately 30 flights a day".

"This is in order to stabilise its operation and adjust its crew rosters due to the reasons mentioned above. Passengers are in the process of being informed and reaccommodated," the carrier said.