Ministries, PSUs, govt depts owe more than Rs 600 crore to Air India

Airline is owed Rs 1,500 crore for tickets: mainly for flying VVIPs, ministers, foreign dignitaries and evacuation operations.

The government has directed its departments and ministries to clear money for tickets purchased on credit from Air India, marking the final stages to settle the airline's dues from various entities and transfer what it owes to others to a special purpose vehicle setup earlier to take over its liabilities.

Official data shows that the tickets worth Rs 1,500 crore are due to the airline as of date. These expenses are mainly on account of transporting so-called VVIPs, ministers, foreign dignitaries and evacuation operations. No amount is owed on account of repatriation flights carried during the pandemic under the Vande Bharat