Air India cancels 6 flights as oil PSUs restrict ATF supply

NEW DELHI: Air India today faced a crisis situation with oil PSUs restricting the supply of jet fuel on account of dues, forcing the carrier to cancel six flights from Thiruvananthapuram and prepare a contingency plan to combine flights from tomorrow.

Three state-owned oil firms slashed the supply of aviation turbine fuel ( ATF) to the national carrier by 20 per cent at all airports, leading to the cancellation of six services, including some international ones, official sources said.

Air India's total fuel dues to Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation amount to about Rs 2,400 crore.

As less fuel was supplied at Thiruvananthapuram early today, only four of the ten scheduled flights, including international ones, could take off, the sources said.

With the spectre of fuel restrictions looming, the airline prepared a contingency to manage its schedules from major metro airports from tomorrow, AI officials said.

The crew on all international flights have also been asked to buy extra fuel while returning home. The airline operates nearly 320 flights on domestic and international sectors daily.

The move by the oil PSUs was described as "arbitrary and unscientific" by airline officials but the two sides reached an understanding during the day that curtailment in ATF supply would not be imposed on all airports.

However, the cut in ATF supply could be restricted to some metros to give Air India the leeway to combine flights and adjust its loads and the daily schedule, the sources said.