Govt may ease Air India brand retention clause for the new owner

Prospective bidders had pointed out that if an existing airline bids for Air India, it would ideally want to merge it with their ongoing business

The bid document for Air India sale says the brand must be retained by the new owner, but the government is likely to be flexible if that clause comes in the way of a good deal, according to sources in the know. 

If there’s sufficient demand from bidders, the government may relax the mandatory condition of the new owner retaining the Air India brand, officials involved in the sale process said. 

While there have been deliberations within the government on it, the clause was kept with the expectation that some potential bidders may find the Air India brand attractive for their aviation