Cash-strapped national carrier Air India will ask the government to pay arrears of about `800 crores that has been incu-rred on account of VVIP travel so that it is in a position to make timely disbursement of salaries of employees and also bolster its financial position. In order to make an immediate salary payment for January to its
30,000 employees, Air India is also availing of a loan — expected to be upto `200 crores — so that the salaries can be disbursed within the next couple of days.
By doing so, Air India hopes to avert a strike by a section of its domestic sector pilots.
who had threatened to go on strike if the payment of salaries for the month of January was delayed beyond February 10. The monthly wage bill of the airline is upwards of `200 crores. Air India is hoping for a quick disbursement by the government of the arrears.