Defunct private airlines owe Rs 206 crore to AAI: KC Venugopal

NEW DELHI: Several private airlines, now defunct, owed over Rs 200 crore to state-owned airport operator Airports Authority of India (AAI), which is making efforts to recover the outstanding amount, the Rajya Sabha was informed.

In a written reply to a query in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation KC Venugopal said these airlines have defaulted in payment of airport rentals, taxes, etc, which amounts to Rs 206.30 crore.

As on March 31, Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines owes the maximum amount (excluding penal interest) of Rs 186.26 crore, followed by East West Airlines Rs 14.31 crore, NEPC Airlines Rs 2.74 crore, Paramount Airways Rs 1.75 crore, Continental Airlines Rs 0.95 crore and VIF Airlines Rs 0.29 crore.

The minister said AAI has taken some steps like monitoring of dues against private operators, issuing notices to airlines to settle their dues, charging of penal interest on account of delay in settlement of the bills and put airlines on 'cash and carry' if delay in payment persists to avoid recurrence of similar situation.

Replying to another question, Venugopal said losses of Air India is likely to come down in last financial year.

Air India had suffered a loss of Rs 2,226.16 crore in 2007-08, Rs 5,548.26 crore in 2008-09, Rs 5552.44 crore in 2009-2010, Rs 6865.17 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 7560 crore in 2011-12 and a provisional loss of Rs 5,199 crores in 2012-13.

The minister also said Jet Airways and SpiceJet have also incurred losses in the last financial year.